My Old Blogs

Hi Everyone,

This blog is an old one. It has been some time since I have had a chance to sit down and write. Most of what was written here was from early 2005. ( I was pretty upset about Bush's second term and needed a place to vent).

I am now able to have the time to write on this blog as well as the other blogs I have written for for years now.

Take a look at my old work, I think you will like it.

I'm Back,

WisEvil

Religion And Religious Leaders - John Lennon Asked Us To “Imagine"

Religion, people are people. I’m a Christian trying to raise two boys to be smart, productive, honest people in this world. In Saudi Arabia there is a man attempting to do the same, only he is a Muslim. In Nepal, the same, only he is a Buddhist. Israel, the same, only he’s Jewish. I have met these people, they are just people trying to get by in this world, no better and no worse than me or you.

In this world, there are the same percent of dishonest people in America as there are in Pakistan. The same percent of liars in Japan, as there is in France. The same percent of honest, hardworking people in Russia as there is in Brazil. In the world today there are the same percent of people in love, in all countries.

John Lennon asked us to “Imagine” a world with no religion. He asked us to imagine this because he wanted us all to step back and take an honest look at the world we live in. He never thought we could eliminate religion; he only wanted us to see how destructive we sometimes allow it to become. For the most part people are the religion they practice for two reasons, where they were born on this planet and who their parents are. People usually never get to choose their religion, they are born into it.

Religious faiths have pitted themselves against one another for thousands of years. They have in no way done this to benefit the souls of their followers; this is a fight for dominance and power. This fight for power has perverted the original message of most religions. The people managing these religions choose the direction and the faithful follow, now that is power. They all tell us everyone else is going to hell, stick with us though and you will be saved, have faith.

Build your numbers, collect their money, use the money to build mosques and churches and temples, use them to build your numbers and collect more money. Is this a harmless cycle? For the most part, yes. It is not until the cycle slows that we see trouble. Goal number one is to keep those people you already have. Next, convert as many as you can with promises of heavenly rewards or in some cases simply a release from persecution. Lastly, when all else fails, kill as many of the nonbelievers as possible. Well I’m sad to say it but the cycle has slowed and that’s where goal number three tends to come in to play. Now, with armies of the faithful, willing to follow their religious leaders blindly and without question; we again march into war.

The people of the world need to wake up, take a step back and look at what they are allowing their religious leaders to do in the name of God.

Judge Rules "Life Begins At Conception" - CNN.com - Judge OKs Discarded Embryo Lawsuit - Feb 5, 2005

CNN.com - Judge OKs discarded embryo lawsuit - Feb 5, 2005

A judge has ruled that life begins at conception. Life begins at conception, think about what that says. Life begins at conception, so when you take a life you have killed or committed murder, right? Intentionally or not, taking this life would be killing or murder.

Okay, now let’s look at the ramifications that such a ruling could have. First, the obvious, no more abortions, that we would all expect. Next, the “Morning After” pill RU486 would be banned, again we would expect this. Those two issues would be expected, but what else would be required if life begins at conception? Well, keeping in mind that ending a life after it is conceived is murder, a lot would be required!

The next somewhat obvious but still controversial step would be to ban all embryonic stem cell research. Losing the greatest hope and promise for cures to hundreds of diseases (sure there are other forms of stem cells, but none have shown as much promise as embryonic cells have). This would also lead to a complete ban on in-vitro fertilization, keeping in mind that as with embryonic stem cell research conceived lives are destroyed, as shown in the above news article. This would end the hopes of tens of thousands who require this procedure to become loving parents. Lastly, a ban on the birth control pill, which allows (at times) a woman’s body to reject fertilized eggs. After all a fertilized egg does equal conception, and conception equals life. Again, intentionally or not depriving life is killing.

Now, imagine the consequences of these actions. Some will say if that is what is required, then so be it. Most though have not thought out what “Life Begins at Conception” entails. They connect this phrase only to abortion and fail to see beyond that one issue.

On a separate note, ask yourself who the strongest supporters of “Life Begins at Conception” are and why. The Church, its religious leaders and their followers are the strongest supporters. Why, well of course the belief that abortion is murder would be at the top of the list but there are other underlying issues and beliefs when it comes to birth control. The Church has a long standing belief that birth control is bad. Birth control of any sort will at some point reduce the number of followers the Church has. Fewer followers equals less power on the world stage. While other religions birth rates are sky rocketing, Christian faiths birth rates have been falling steadily for 40 years. The Church isn’t stupid; it realizes at some point the other faiths numbers will be overwhelming. The conversion of Hindus in India and a few other places in the world are helping to keep the Christian numbers up for now but at some point they know the birth rates issue will take its toll. Thus the Church issues agendas to their religious leaders who then preach them to their followers.

I am a Christian who is against abortion but believes strongly in a woman’s right to choose. God let Eve make her choice and from that point forward the Bible is filled with God allowing us to make choices and then learning to live with those choices. My hope is always that a woman chooses not to have an abortion. If she makes the choice to have an abortion, well then that is between her and her God.

Why Republicans Will Not and Democrats Can Not COMPROMISE

Let’s start with two compromises:

Compromise one, an embryo is not considered a fetus until the end of its eighth week. So for the first eight weeks, we permit abortions. After the end of the eighth week, it’s too late, abortions will not be permitted.

Compromise two, no gay marriage. Instead we have Gay Matrimony, of course with gay matrimony will come all the benefits and legal rights given to straight marriages.

Problem solved, right? No more dead fetus’s and the sanctity of marriage is now safe.

My guess is no, these problems are all or nothing for the devote Christians among us. The Church will not compromise on these issues. Therefore, its at times blind and unquestioning followers will not compromise either, scriptures say they can’t. The Church preaches that one is murder and the other is immoral. Both issues also have something in common to the Church; they have to do with procreation, making more babies. More babies equals more followers. As with its stand against birth control, anything that stops procreation is bad. Destroyed embryos don’t make babies, Gays don’t make babies.

Let’s hear the Church preach strongly against in-vitro fertilization, it kills hundreds of thousands of embryos a year. No, in-vitro fertilization makes babies. The Church knows as its birth rates fall and other faiths birth rates rise, they lose power in the world. Nations come and nations go but the religious faiths of the world have been fighting for power in the world for thousands of years. Fewer followers equals less power. What allows the religious faiths to steer its followers is their scriptures. Each scripture has the ability to be manipulated into saying what is in that faiths best interest.

The Church of the south in Lincoln’s day used the scripture to convince its followers slavery was right and justified. The Civil War was not just fought over the Constitution, for many it was fought over the religious belief that God made the white man to be superior to the black man. Lincoln knew that the Civil War was also religious in nature and the scriptures had been interpreted and twisted in many ways.

Those of us who are Christians and raised to follow without question, may need to rethink this blind devotion to the Church. In the history of the Church many mistakes have been made and then allowed by blind devotion. Blind devotion to God is good but God does not run the Church, man does.

This divide in America will not go away because the Church and religious right have decided to compromise. If you listen to the rhetoric coming from the Church today they feel stronger than ever. It is not in them to compromise on these issues, it will not happen!

The important thing to keep in mind is the religious right is not the majority of Americans. Though they are virtually all Republicans, and more important they all vote. The only way for Democrats to win this battle is to get the rest of America to VOTE! Democrats must give up on compromise and work on getting the rest of America in the game. If they find the right candidate with the right message, this all goes away; compromise equals weakness at this point. When backed into a corner, an animal doesn’t look for compromise ("I’ll let you eat my legs if you let me go") it fights for its life. When Republicans have no reason or need to compromise and Democrats keep looking for things to compromise on, the Democrats are going to get steam rolled.

Compromise happens only when both sides are of equal power. Compromise is not necessary when you have the majority of power and it’s just a nicer word for surrender when you are without power. Now is the time for Democrats to fight for their lives. Like the animal in the corner, they must fight for their life until something comes along to change the balance of power, like a distraction, a bigger predator or darkness. Democrats need the right candidate with the right message to swing into this corner and help them fight their way out of it. This candidate can not focus on the Democratic base; this candidate must focus on the majority of Americans who did not vote. With out those Americans it’s over. The right candidate, right message, means the candidate who manages to get the disillusioned masses off their butts and to the ballot box.

Democrats need to wake up, and realize preaching to the choir is not working. They seem weak, without a message, without a leader. They must find a message for the masses, find a leader for the masses and until then fight like their life depends on it. Compromise at this point will only lead to the death of the Democratic Party.

Good Intentions and Religion - George W. Bush's Freedom Crusade

It seems to me, religion has a history of masking itself in good intentions. Christianity has a long history of this. Christopher Columbus’s search for gold was a good intention until he decides converting the natives to Christianity should be a priority as well. Pilgrims wanting to escape religious persecution by coming to a newly discovered America was a good intention until they proceed to persecute the American Indians with the hope of converting them to Christianity. Flash forward a few hundred years. The United Nations (with the strong backing of Christian Nations) creating Israel to give the Jews a place where they can finally be free from persecution was a good intention, of course Christians know that this must happen for the prophecies in their scriptures to be realized. Now, America invading Afghanistan to capture Osama bin Ladin was a failed good intention and while there they eliminate religious law, Shariah, and install a Western style government. Next, America invading Iraq to remove the apparently nonexistent threat of weapons of mass destruction sounded like a good intention, except while there American corporations regain control of a Muslim countries source of wealth and possible power, oil. America is a Christian nation, lead by a devote Christian President. There are hundreds of examples before, between and after those mentioned, in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc.

This is why President George W. Bush’s inauguration speech scares the hell out of me. He speaks of this Freedom Crusade. Freedom is the good intention used to disguise the real Crusade he wants us to embark on. The people fighting us in Iraq do it because we are occupying there country not because we are a Christian nation, that is secondary. Imagine America is taken over by an invading force of Buddhist; Americans would fight them not because they are Buddhist but because they are an invading force. Religions are quick to recognize aggression by other religions, in turn they respond by inciting their followers and taking advantage of the others aggression. The people are now given an additional motive to fight their invaders, God tells them to. Take all religion out of these situations and the people will still fight the invading forces, though most likely with out religion the invasion would not have occurred in the first place. The people fighting us in Iraq are not afraid of freedom, they are afraid of America’s Christian version of freedom. The same version of freedom a devote Christian President Bush has made a policy of the United States to spread to the world.

I am a Christian who loves his country and enjoys the freedoms America offers me. I will fight everyday to protect these freedoms for myself and my family. I will not fight a single day to give my version of freedom to someone who needs his own. Let them find their own version of freedom. Then, if necessary, fight and die for it as my fore fathers did.

One mans freedom fighter is another mans terrorist. We as Americans need to understand that a good intention can sometimes mask an alterative motive. What if Great Britain and its allies had continually medaled in our politics, propped up dictators who were friendly with them to run our country and when ever possible had corporations gain control of our resources? Our founding fathers were at times called terrorist by the people of England for their refusal to stand and fight in the traditional standard of the day. Our interests in the Middle East are just that, our self interest. We can mask our motives in wonderful grandiose ideas, mislead, and when need be lie to Americans and the world but if you live in the Middle East you know whose interests America is looking out for. America is free partly because Great Britain chose to stop fighting us. It took courage on their part to concede. Someday we may need to find this same courage in the Middle East.

Ask yourself why America even gives a damn about the Middle East? There is only one true answer, OIL. Take the oil out of the equation and we are looking at a bunch of Muslims in a desert. Without oil they pose no threat, they have no power and America is nowhere to be found in the Middle East. Unfortunately the one thing at this date and time America can not function without is oil. The U.S. has a severe addiction to oil. As those in Alcoholics Anonymous point out, it’s not until you hit rock bottom that you realize how severe the addiction really is. Right now America is in the “I will do anything to get my fix” or the “give me that crack before I shoot you” stage. This, combined with a fear of the Muslim faith gaining any more strength, is leading us down a very scary road.

I suggest we take a page out of John F. Kennedy’s notebook. J.F.K. laid out an ambitious plan that years later put a man on the moon. America must again use its great potential, ingenuity, and will power to break our dependence on oil. We need leaders with the integrity to break their bonds with special interests and lead us. If we could put a man on the moon, thought to be impossible at the time of Kennedy’s speech, we can easily eliminate our dependence on oil, we know for a fact that it can be done. So what is stopping us? Are we just lazy or is it easier to take the oil at gun point.

AMERICA DOES HAVE A GUN PROBLEM!

I can’t help but think all Republicans are on Prozac, Zoloft or some other “be happy” pill. The deficit, no big deal, it’s under control. The war, no problem, going just fine. Mistakes, sorry, just can’t think of any. National security, all is fine, never better. Economy, don’t worry, be happy (go shopping). Guns, everybody should have one, they’re great.

Some days I think I should start popping “happy” pills; after all it is easier than dealing with the problems of the world. Of course that would require me to trust the F.D.A.; sorry that’s a rant for another day. Anyways, you have to be blind, deaf, or stupid to think America does not have a serious problem with guns.

In 2000, nine children a day were killed by a gun. In 2000, 16,586 people committed suicide using a gun. Over half of family murders are caused by guns. A gun kept in the home is 22 times more likely to be used in an unintentional shooting than to be used to injure or kill in self-defense. The medical cost of gun violence to the US is over $100 billion annually.

Notice the stats are from 2000, I would give you updated numbers but at the request of the N.R.A. the Bush administration no longer funds the Justice Departments studies into gun violence. What are they afraid of? They would just find a way to twist the numbers they like and ignore the ones they don’t anyways. All statistics aside, America does have a gun problem.

Those of you not taking happy pills go with your gut on this one. Blame television, blame movies, society, the N.R.A., what ever you want just don’t say there isn’t a problem. The Assault Weapons Bill for instance, I’m a deer hunter who has never said “if only I brought my AK47”. My friends say they need those types of weapons in case they have to rise up against the government. Yes, the government is shaking in its boots. Sure let’s go Red Dawn on them. Having served in the military, I can tell you that at the press of a button from a ship hundreds of miles away using GPS they can take you out with little to no effort. The N.R.A. killed the bill because any loss of gun revenues is unacceptable to their number one supporter.

You would think the NRA’s number one supporter would be its members and their dues, so why would gun revenues matter. Unfortunately the NRA has become a special interest to a special interest; the gun lobby is now their biggest supporter. Being a hunter I belong to the NRA and at one time believed they did great things. Today they have been high jacked by the gun lobby and even if all its members had supported the Assault Weapons Bill they still would be forced to push for its defeat by the gun lobby. Do you honestly believe that the millions of dollars used to bribe our government officials (campaign donations) came from my measly little dues?

The bad guys have guns because the good guys have guns because the bad guys have guns. Nice little cycle. My neighbor gets robbed so I go and get a gun. A week later I get robbed but luckily I’m out of town, of course they take my gun in the robbery. The following week another neighbor is robbed and shot dead after startling the 16 year old bad guy. What do you know; the gun he stole from my house is what he used to kill my neighbor. The bad guys get their guns from the good guys who are afraid of bad guys.

Enforce existing gun laws, yes. Pass the Assault Weapons Bill, yes. Allow the Justice Department to again keep stats, yes. Use those stats honestly in a way that will help to find a solution to the problem, yes. Stop listening to the N.R.A.’s propaganda, yes. Ignore the problem, no.

AMERICA DOES HAVE A GUN PROBLEM! But hey, let’s just ignore it, it’ll go away.

President George W. Bush’s Inauguration Speech

The following letter was written one hour after his speech. My thoughts at the time.

Dear Senator,

I am writing to express my concerns regarding the next four years in our great country. I am a married father of two boys who has never missed voting in an election. I also consider myself to be the most patriotic person I know. I proudly served four years in the U.S. Army and enjoyed the honor of protecting America’s freedoms.

This said, President George W. Bush’s inauguration speech has prompted me to write my Senator for the first time in my life. To be honest, I found this speech to be the most frightening inauguration speech ever given by a President. Is it true this President has declared a Freedom Crusade? After listening to the speech once I felt I should replay it one more time to be sure I understood where he was going with it. Though he did not use the word Crusade, he may as well have.

This President has failed miserably to spread freedom to just one country, Iraq. Barely able to manage this attempt at spreading freedom why should we ever trust him to conduct a world wide Freedom Crusade? If his model of Iraq is what we can expect for our world, we all must be frightened by this man.

With no mention of Iraq in this speech and his failure to address any real domestic issues, I am left to believe he is clueless to the issues that matter. Our boys are dying in a war we should have never been involved in. Our schools are failing to keep up with the rest of the world. We are exporting our wealth to a Communist China at record levels. The economy is stagnant. Our border security is laughable. Free trade is not fair trade. I could go on for twenty more pages and still not mention a Freedom Crusade.

Our founding fathers believed the biggest threat to freedom was government. They were right. This President wants to give freedom to the world yet restrict our freedoms here in America with a poorly thought out Patriot Act.

In closing, my reason for writing is to make a request. Please fight this President with everything you have, head on. Even if you are sure to lose the battle, fight for the war. Inflict as many casualties as possible at every opportunity given. Stop him a little at a time. Slow his momentum. This will give us less to repair in four years. I am counting on you. My children are counting on you. Our country is counting on you.


Sincerely,