holy roller

For some of us, the ex-Cat Stevens represents a bit of nostalgia, or at the very least, something from the past. The guy wrote and sang a lot of music in the 60′s and since then. But he’s largely viewed as one of those from days past. This is partly because of his conversion to Islam, and partly because he walked away from the public light.

He’s found his place. In watching some newer videos of him performing and speaking, he emanates an aura of peacefulness. This is what I think about when I think about Islam. Not all that terrorist garble. That’s not about Islam, it’s about Islamism in the same way that Christianity is not about Christianism. Or the other way around. But it seems to me that Americans view themselves through the sort of “Christian” lens and we view the Arab world through an Islamist lens. But that isn’t fair is it? Let’s set aside the fact that we shouldn’t even be viewing ourselves through a religious or pseudo-religious lens and focus on the root of the problem: we see the best in ourselves, but the worst in others.

It’s my opinion that this phenomena is merely a part of the exceptionalist agenda, and most of us are mere sheep in the ideological crossfire. And by ideological, of course I mean economic. To the powers that be on ‘our’ side, anyhow, the only reason to have values and beliefs is to shore up our dominance and wealth.

Like lambs to the slaughter.

the boards

Now that the show is over and we have jointly exercised our constitutional rights, we would like to leave you with one very important thought, sometime in the future you may have the opportunity to serve as a juror in a censorship case or a so called obscenity case. it would be wise to remember that the same people who would stop you from listening to boards of canada may be back next year to complain about a book or even a tv program. if you could be told what you can see or read then it follows that you could be told what to see or think. defend your constitutionally protected rights, no one else will do it for you. thank you.

From Answers.com:

A saying from the Bible’s story of Cain and Abel. After Cain had murdered his brother Abel, God asked him where his brother was. Cain answered, “I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?”

Cain’s words have come to symbolize people’s unwillingness to accept responsibility for the welfare of their fellows — their “brothers” in the extended sense of the term. The tradition of Judaism and Christianity is that people do have this responsibility.

Ah, Youtube. Not much inspires me to think so late at night/so early in the morning. My relationship with religion and spirituality has been, if nothing else, in transit. My first personal declaration was that of the rebellious atheist. Then came the concerned agnostic–concerned that us humans were trite for thinking we could figure out the workings of the universe. And now, my third personal declaration is that of a supposedly erudite pantheism. We’re all god, aren’t we? All existence is god. Thou art god.

As a resident of a Christianist nation, I must also define to others my view of their religion. Either way, it makes people uncomfortable–and most won’t understand either way. But it was Mahatma Gandhi who opined, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Long since my days as a peevish 12 year old, I have realized that the values of Christianity are not all that bad–the fundamental values that is. This song, if you could call it a song (which is performed by Boards of Canada), reminded me of the link between my beliefs and those of the Judeo-Christian religions: “I am my brother’s keeper,” the line recently espoused by now president-elect Barack Obama during his campaign.

It’s the belief that at the end of the day, we are much better together than the sum of our parts. It is that belief that I think Christianity has lost sight of, which in my opinion is inevitable in any doctrinal/dogmatic institution thoughmost institutions are doctrinal and dogmatic. But I digress.

his terminal gaffe

So the man nominated to the Commerce Secretary post, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is a crook. I’m not surprised, and as usual the traditional media is making a huge production out of it yet again.

The real question is, did the Obama transition team know about Richardson’s alleged wrongdoing during the vetting process? That’s what I want to know. As of today, Bill Richardson is the new John Edwards. But Obama’s just beginning. That’s the real story.

oh, incurable humaness

Glenn Greenwald via Andrew Sullivan on not only Gaza, but the war on muslims. Read both articles. They are important.

Greenwald:

Those who giddily support not just civilian deaths in Gaza but every actual and proposed attack on Arab/Muslim countries — from the war in Iraq to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon to the proposed attacks on Iran and Syria and even continued escalation in Afghanistan — are able to do so because they don’t really see the Muslims they want to kill as being fully human.

Sullivan:

A refusal to grapple with the moral costs of this conflict, and a glib dismissal of the terrible human carnage now being inflicted by Israel (and paid for in part by Americans) is a sign of moral unseriousness.

My heart aches.

Lest we mention the terrorist Israelis, who are in part championed by the likes of Goldfarb and virtually all traditional media and political figures. You know, send a message to the Palestinians that if they continue to be “naughty” we will kill them and their families. It reeks of bad parenting. Greenwald asked a few weeks ago if there was any issue like the Israel issue in the United States where the people were generally split down the middle 50/50 pro-Israel/pro-Palestine but the entire political establishment (left to right) supported one side (Israel).

Let me just say it straight: If we continue to see Muslims, Arabs, Persians, and their kin as ‘less-than-human’ and attempt to be a blunt force in the region, we will never see peace. And we don’t deserve it either. But the true victims of our need to assert our will are the people in Palestine who are being hurt and killed–they deserve peace.

Mr. Obama has a full plate, and god help him because we really need a foreign policy of freedom. The world needs it.