Strolling On Augustine, Patron Saint Of Guilt And "Just War"

It is true, then, and in no way false, that the devil's power is exorcised in infants, and that they renounce him by the hearts and mouths of those who bring them to baptism, being unable to do so by their own; in order that they may be delivered from the power of darkness, and be translated into the kingdom of their Lord. What is that, therefore, within them which keeps them in the power of the devil until they are delivered from it by Christ's sacrament of baptism? What is it, I ask, but sin?

While strolling around Lake Merced, I can never help but be touched by beauty and innocence: nothing is sinful, because it is not capable of sin. The heron I spied last night in the bushes was not sinful. But perhaps he had read the writings of Augustine of Hippo and flew off because he thought that I was sinful. Because, Augustine was the creator of the concept of Original Sin - at least as we know it.


One of the basic tenets of today's Christianity is that all of humanity needs to be saved from sin. And most sects and denominations insist that we are all BORN in sin and therefore are prone to evil almost immediately. The more strident actually believe that man is literally born condemned.


And it was Augustine who put this concept into their heads. He was, in a sense, the creator of the greatest guilt complex ever: we're all sinners, we're all despicable, Christ hung on a cross and agonizingly died for our measly souls.

GUILT. GUILT. GUILT. GUILT.


And with the guilt came the arrogance of the righteous - who reminded you that you were a filthy sinner. The Robert Jeffresses, the Lou Engles of our times are pummeling humanity with a sense of guilt. Their power is based upon on guilt. They take advantage of any and all feelings of guilt. It's the only way they can make conversions.

JUST WAR

And Augustine didn't stop at inflicting a massive guilt complex upon Christians and would-be Christians everywhere: he also came up with the concept of "just war" in order to help assuage the guilt. Until Augustine, Christians were so pacific as to be unrecognizable to today's modern Christians: they were not allowed to participate in warfare of any kind - not even defensive warfare. But Augustine changed all that when he insisted that some wars could be just - if they were in defense of the innocent. Unfortunately, Augustine knew human nature all too well, and could foresee that the concept of just war would be taken to it's obvious conclusion: war justified for any reason. He didn't stop the righteously arrogant from creating such war.

It's almost impossible to fathom that one man could cause so much guilt, misery, righteous arrogance and destruction.

But he did. In the name of God.

I don't think I can forgive Augustine.

Heartfelt Eloquence Goes Viral: Washington State's Maureen Walsh Waxes Poetic On Gay Marriage

Ironically, Walsh starts out by saying that she is not as eloquent a speaker as her colleagues in the Washington State House. Not true. 
BTW: she's a Republican. Just not an ordinary one.

The Latest In The Current "Haters" War: JC Penney Causes Breast Cancer, Stern And O'Reilly Become Friends and Wall Street Doesn't Care!

 Ellen - "My haters are my motivators."

Update: One Million Moms fires back at Ellen for referring to them as "haters" and disclosing that they have only 40,000 friends on facebook.

Last Friday, JC Penney stock closed slightly lower than it's 52-week high (down .07 from $42). Of course, the market closed before the big disclosure of the day: JC Penney was keeping Ellen Degeneres as its spokesperson despite the strong request by the American Family Association and its homophobic offspring, One Million Moms to "fire" Degeneres. But it proved that Wall Street was unfazed by the OMM and  AFA threats to the retail giant.


Now, the AFA's ubiquitous fear-mongerer, Bryan Fischer, has countered that in its decision to keep Degeneres, JC Penney will encourage young women to become lesbians and thus, become more susceptible to breast cancer:

"Will America’s young women be just a bit more likely to experiment with lesbianism now that JCPenney is mainstreaming it? Too any objective observer, the answer must be yes. Is this a good thing? To any objective observer, the answer must be no. Research has indicated that lesbians suffer from increased levels of depression, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, breast cancer and vaginal diseases compared to heterosexual women. Thus what JCPenney has done, by increasing, even if ever so slightly, the chances that young women will experiment with this behavior will turn out to be a tragic thing for some. JCPenney will have to share some culpability for that." - American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer. (Via Right Wing Watch)

Twisted logic apparently runs in AFA genes, because on one of AFA's radio shows, hosts Buster Wilson and Fred Jackson had this to say about the controversy:

Wilson: we just don't believe that Ellen DeGeneres is wholesome, family. She is known, she made her name, by being the first real television star to come out in her homosexuality.
Jackson: You kind of mentioned it. What makes Ellen DeGeneres dangerous is that she's a nice person and, I haven't watched her program but apparently she does an interesting kind of funny program.

Ellen Degeneres is nice, therefore, she's dangerous. Makes perfect sense. The following is a list of Degeneres' "niceness put by one blogger:

DeGeneres raised over 10 million dollars for victims of hurricane Katrina. Sheparticipates in The Gentle Barn charity, the Small Change Campaign, Brad Pitt’s Make It Right campaign, food drives, AIDs awareness campaigns, children’s charities, the American Express Member’s Project, Breast Cancer, the Target Giving Competition and more.

Upon the announcement by J.C. Penney that it was sticking to its decision to keep Ellen as a spokesperson, OMM stepped up its campaign by stating that it would begin targeting stores individually, going directly to stores managers. It also had this to say about a supposed "haters":

In today's culture when an individual stasnds up for something they believe in and someone disagrees with them then they are referred to as a hater when in reality it is OMM's opponents who are hating us. Tolerance goes both ways. Apparently, OMM must be doing something right because scripture says that we will be persecuted for our Biblical beliefs (Matthew 5:11)

Monica Cole, Director, One Million Moms.com

After 5 days of silence on the matter, Degeneres herself addressed the issue in her monologue (after a celebratory nod to the Prop 8 decision): "My haters are my motivators." She also pointed out that One Million Moms has only 40,000 friends on facebook - hardly close to a figure of one million.*


And speaking of facebook, a group called "one million people who support Ellen for JC Penney" has garnered over 60,000 "likes" in 24 hours - more than OMM can seem to scare up.


UNLIKELY ALLIES


The controversy has made some unlikely allies: both Howard Stern and Bill O'Reilly of FOX News have come out in support of the JC Penney decision and against OMM. O'Reilly had some particularly "stern" words (sorry, couldn't resist it) for OMM comparing its campaign to McCarthyism and calling it a witch hunt. Degeneres herself thanked O'Reilly for the support.


The CEO of JC Penney, Ron Johnson, addressed the situation quite eloquently when he said that  Ellen stood for the very things JC Penney was founded upon "fairness" and the "Golden Rule." (click on the link - the video was not allowed to be embedded - by CBS).


The Culture War Defined


Although the JC Penney controversy is not a defining moment in the culture wars, it helps to highlight the frustration and the distress the Right is experiencing with other aspects: the recent Prop 8 decision was about equality for a certain part of America more than the subject of same-sex marriage. The phenomena of "It Gets Better" statements/videos is about hope in the face of bullying and religious intolerance more than prevention of teen suicides.


We recently saw the unmitigated and ridiculous statements the Right came out with concerning gays and gay sex (Gerbils, Cell Phones and Bats Up The Butt). The JC Penney controversy simply continues the trend.




* OMM seems to have trouble with numbers and figures: one of it contentions is that only 1.7% of the U.S. population is gay. Apparently all gay people go to at least twenty Pride events each year.

It's 10:30 AM (PST) In San Francisco. Do You Know Where Your Marriage Rights Are?

BREAKING (10:05 PST): THE RULING STAYS/IS OVERTURNED
CLERGY ON THE READY WILL/WON'T BE PERFORMING CEREMONIES

Live blogging is very difficult, especially when you've got to follow something like Prop 8 in California. But it's got to be done. The news has hit the streets and reactions will be analyzed.

Ad infinitum.

But first, a message from our sponsor: marriage equality. 

There's no doubt about it: marriage equality is the defining issue of the culture war as it stands. Not even abortion comes close. A panoramic view of how widespread it has become is needed:

There are six states, one district and one Native American tribe that recognize same-sex marriages: Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon, Connecticut, District of ColumbiaC, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont

There are five state that recognize civil unions: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey and Rhode Island

There are nine states that recognize domestic partnerships: California, Colorado, Maryland, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin

There are nine court cases pending on marriage equality:
California (federal appeals court), Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina

There are nine proposals/laws pending involving state legislatures:
Colorado, Iowa (proposed repea) Maryland, Montana,New Jersey, New Hampshire (proposed repeal) Rhode Island, Washington, West Virginia [civil unions]

Marriage equality is on 5 state ballots: California (maybe), Maine, Minnesota [constitutional marriage ban]
North Carolina [constitutional marriage ban] and Washington (maybe)

National foes of marriage equality include: The American Family Association, The Family Research Council, the Catholic Church, Focus On The Family, the Mormon Church, The Southern Baptist Convention, National  Organization for Marriage (NOM), Concerned Women of America, the Tea Party. 

Prominent politicians and political figures against marriage equality: Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Sarah Palin, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, Phyllis Schlafley, Sam Brownback, John McCain, Chris Christie, 

Prominent religious figures opposing marriage equality: Pope Benedict XVI, Pat Robertson, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, "Bishop" Eddie Long, (prophet) Lou Engle, (historian) David Barton, Ken Copeland, Pat Robertson (700 Club), "Bishop" T.D. Jakes, Robert Jeffress (First Baptist, Dallas), Richard Land (Southern Baptist Convention).  

Chief media against marriage equality: FOX News, World Net Daily, most Rupert Murdoch-owned media.

PROP 8

The California Proposition 8 saga will go down in history as one of the defining issues of our times: it consumed all of the culture warriors in the country, because: "as goes California, so goes the country." The state of California is the largest (population-wise) in the country (nearly 10%) and the sixth largest economic entity in the world. Whatever the Right/Christian Right says about California and its components (e.g. "Hollyweird"), it cannot deny California's influence...and the thing it hates about California the most: its diversity. California is everything to everyone. 

When Prop 8 first reared its rather ugly head, the nation saw just how powerful - and desperate - the Christian Right was to maintain control over marriage laws: for the first time, one state's proposition drew (massive amounts of) outside money and people were bused across state lines to help with the campaign. Notable figures like Rick Warren filmed public service announcements. Battle lines were drawn. Prop 8 banners were either displayed prominently ... or vandalized. 

"That was four years ago, this is now."  

Guess again. The climate of pro-marriage equality in California may have significantly changed (54% now approve of same-sex marriage as opposed to only 48% in 2008), but sentiments have gotten stronger .. on both sides, each one vowing to take it to the U.S. Supreme Court. It's a fight to SCOTUS, to be sure, and any wounded animal in the battle will be incredibly difficult to fend off. 

Don't Forget The Technicality:

Today's decision was NOT about the constitutionality of same-sex marriage. It was about UPHOLDING the RULING by Judge Vaughn Walker AND it was about the standing of a judge who ruled about Prop 8's constitutionality simply because he was gay. It adds to the confusion and the drama of an already legendary battle for rights. Elation in the decision will be ephemeral as well as disappointment. 

In other words, we're just looking at a dress rehearsal. And compared to what's ahead, a high school dress rehearsal at that. 

Thanks and a hat tip to Marriage Equality U.S.A. for providing the legend pictured below.

DRIVE

It takes drive to write about stuff that makes you passionate, because  no matter how passionate you are, your passion needs to be braced by stimulus: drive. 


It's not easy writing about jerks, assholes, charlatans, dimwits and the righteously arrogant. It's tiring. Sometimes it's almost boring. Sometimes it can make you feel irrelevant. 


DRIVE


The Christian Right's machinations supply the DRIVE. Ironic, isn't it: there very things they campaign against, they fuel.


DRIVE.


Stay tuned.

Prop 8 case decision tomorrow

Gilligan Wasn't THAT Stupid: How The GOP's Castaways Have Never Looked Sillier

Santorum missed the boat. 


It was bound to happen: someone portraying today's GOP politicos as the cast of Gilligan's Island. They have, after all, been considered clowns, even by Dukes of Hazzard fans. And the parallels are so rich! Come on, you know you can't stop laughing!


The above photo-shopped portrait has hit the ether with a scream and people all over the net are doubling over, reaching for Kleenex, and gasping for breath. It almost makes you sorry for the REAL cast - they never got laughs THIS big!


One of the best ones is Palin as Maryann. Maryann was corn-fed and clueless... and she had "perky pills" for breakfast. If the characters had longer lives, Maryann's daughter would have wound up on Dancing With The Stars. 


Ron Paul as Lovey Howell isn't bad either. Paul may consider himself an outsider, but he's demured to people like Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich more than some people realize. And of all the characters, Lovey's was the most useless: Paul's stances have never swayed the other candidates and since everyone knows he won't win the GOP nomination, there's a fruitlessness about his campaign. He's making a statement, but so what?


Newt as the Skipper demonstrates the burly politics that win over people who bludgeon cats.


Romney's Thurston Howell is apropos because most of Howell's money came with him on the boat. Romney can never shake the image of a rich man who's never really known poverty.

Michele Bachmann's Ginger exudes a contrived beauty. (probably with help from her make-up man, Marcus Bachmann). She floated through her campaign as if in a Hollywood cloud, too enamored of herself to think that anyone would touch her negatively - or her husband. 


Huntsman is intelligent - and pretty to look at, but his character - the professor - was the weakest of all and barely got any laughs. He was too smart for his own good.


The best, of course, is Perry as Gilligan, the blundering goof who didn't know that when the Texas GOP applauded his execution rate, the rest of the world was appalled. "N*ggerhead" and his debate gaffs shot him to the top of  laugh meters. His campaign video "Strong" and his Brokeback Mountain jacket blunder have now become the stuff of  comedy legend. His campaign manager, Joe Allbaugh, let him roll without a laugh track: Perry didn't need one.


You're still laughing, aren't you? Come on! You ARE!


Against The Assault Of Laughter, Nothing Can Stand 


Yes, Mark Twain said it best: laughter can certainly be a wonderful weapon when it comes to any war against politicians and their hypocrisy, for who wants to be on the side of fools? And it's the best medicine for a country that's ill with Koch Brother shenanigans, shady banking maneuvers, 1% mentality, and Citizens United possibilities. 


Of course, since most comedy is actually built upon tragedy, the field of Christian-Right pandering politicians has its dark side. Perhaps that's why Santorum isn't in the picture: laughter could be swept away in an instant WTF? Ginrich's moral mea culpas are funny, Paul's past views are ridiculously inconsistent, Romney's strident attempts to appear common are whimsical, but Santorum's overt moralizing is truly scary. His latest statement to a woman about her son's healthcare* is horrific and strains comedy writers across the country to see anything funny in it. 


But we must keep laughing at the Right's list of leaders, if only to knock them down for their hilarious hubris. 
We must keep laughing because the only thing more nightmare-inducing than the crew and antics of the SS GOP:


RERUNS.


*Santorum recently told a mother to stop whining about her son's million-dollar prescription medicine bill.