Sarah Silverman: Sell the Vatican

Our Lady of the Blessed Tree

In Limerick, Co. Ireland thousands of people have flocked to a tree stump asking authorities not to remove it. Why? Because they think the Virgin Mary is in it, or is actually it, I can't figure out which. It is on the grounds of a church, mind you, which could make it more possible? The local parish priest, however advised people "not to worship a tree." Sound advice in my opinion.

But, the parishoners are not taking it. Over 2,000 people have signed a petition not to remove the "blessed tree." Noel White says, "nature has a funny way of showing it up and letting it be a freak of nature...but surely whatever it is - it is a good thing to have so many people coming out to pray, especially young people saying the rosary in the church. "Maybe it is our Lady's way of getting us back to the church," he finished.

The Limerick Diocesan response is one of incredulity it seems, "While we do not wish to detract from devotion to Our Lady, we would also wish to avoid anything leading to superstition. A vigil was held in the evening for the blessed tree. We were not planning on visiting Limerick on our visit to Ireland. We might have to change that and see "Our Lady of the Blessed Tree."

The Jesus License Plate

Florida, now infamous for so much has a new Jesus license plate. I planned on commenting and ranting, but then I looked at it again and well, it kinda speaks for itself. We can now worship while we drive. Wait a minute, aren't license plates given out by the state? Hmmm...I know there is some rule against it, but right now it is slipping my mind...

Should Americans Be Mandated to Pray?

Does it irritate you when someone says I will pray for you? No. Well, you should be happy then because President Bush wants everyone to pray. Not only should everyone pray, but the President proclamates a Day of Prayer for the nation. It is on the first Thursday in May. It happened last year, but not if the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has something to say about it. The Freedom From Religion Foundation thinks it violates a little something called the fucking Bill of Rights!!

From the AP:

The Freedom From Religion Foundation sued Friday in U.S. district court, arguing that the president's mandated proclamations calling on Americans to pray violates a constitutional ban on government officials endorsing religion.

The day of prayer, held each year on the first Thursday of May, creates a "hostile environment for nonbelievers, who are made to feel as if they are political outsiders," the lawsuit said.

The national proclamation issued this year asked God's blessings on our country and called for Americans to observe the day with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities.
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle is named in the suit because he is one of 50 governors who issued proclamations calling for the prayer day. The foundation is based in Madison.

This is a pretty ridiculous description of the lawsuit because this so called "day of prayer" is outrageous in my opinion. I respect people's religions and people's practice of them, but I do not want my government forcing me or even encouraging me to pray.

FFRF says: the government "aligns and partners" with the NDP Task Force as the official organizer of the National Day of Prayer. The NDP Task Force identifies itself online as "The National Day of Prayer 'Official Website.' " The task force has close ties to Focus on the Family (an organization that says the Founders intended a christian society not a secular one). Its chair person, Shirley Dobson, is married to Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, and the task force is located in the Focus on the Family headquarters. Does that sound innocuous? There is more.

The task force proposes the wording of proclamations and chooses a yearly theme and a bible quote. In 2008, Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped" was selected by the NDP as its official biblical reference, and was recited in Bush's proclamation and in at least 15 gubernatorial NDP proclamations. Other governors picked up variations of the task force resolution template and the annual theme.

FFRF goes on to say: that the Establishment Clause "prohibits government officials and persons acting in joint and concerted action with government officials from taking actions that endorse religion, including specific religions in preference to others, as well as preferring religion over non-religion."

"Exhortations to pray in official Presidential proclamations do not constitute ceremonial deism solemnizing some other occasion," the Foundation asserts, but "constitute an end in itself intended to promote and endorse religion."

The Complaint notes that the prayer proclamations "create a bond between church and state," causing such violations as an official prayer breakfast organized on May 1, 2008, by Sheriff Dean Roland, Burnett Co., Wis.

Here is the Presidential Proclamation from the National Prayer Day of 2008. Read the proclamation for yourself, but this is how it begins: America trusts in the abiding power of prayer and asks for the wisdom to discern God's will in times of joy and of trial. As we observe this National Day of Prayer, we recognize our dependence on the Almighty, we thank Him for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us, and we put our country's future in His hands.

That is enough for me to run to the nearest airport. This is not to say that prayer is not important and that many cultures and many peoples here in the United States rely on prayer, but proclaiming prayer is completely unconstitutional and proclaiming a belief in the almighty is downright scary to me. This is not a day of prayer, it is a day of Christian prayer. It belongs left out of our public sphere. Period.

An Ode to a Genius: George Carlin on Religion

The irreverent, the Subversive and the Genius of George Carlin. No one could do more with language than this man. Rest in peace as a sun worshiper, Mr. Carlin.

congratulations graduate: now pray!

here we go again... blurring the lines... graduation in a church?

from the national school boards association:

N.J. district settles lawsuit over holding graduation in church

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, Newark Public Schools has settled a lawsuit filed in 2007 by the American Civil Liberties Union-New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) on behalf of Bilal Shareef, a Muslim student who skipped his graduation from West Side High School two years ago because it was held in the sanctuary of a Baptist Church.

The suit alleged that Bilal's faith prohibited him from entering a building with religious icons, such as pictures of God or images of the cross, according to the suit filed. The suit claimed when West Side High held its graduation at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark two years ago, the district violated the New Jersey Constitution by forcing people to attend a place of worship contrary to their faith and discriminated because of religious principles.

According to the settlement, the district agreed not to sponsor or promote religious events, to no longer reward students for attendance at religious events or ceremonies, and to stop using religious buildings or places of worship for school events. Nonetheless, the settlement still allows NPS to schedule events with other schools that use religious buildings, and students may still visit religious buildings if the purpose is "both academic and secular in nature."

Superintendent Marion Bolden confirmed that there was also a financial settlement between NPS and Shareef. In addition, NPS issued an apology to the Shareefs and other students who "felt forced to forego or uncomfortable attending the 2005 or 2006 graduations." NPS legal counsel Perry Lattiboudere's statement emphasized that the settlement agreement "reaffirmed that the past scheduling of graduation ceremonies at local church locations was not in any way intended to make any student or member of the community feel uncomfortable in attending the ceremony."

Mr. Bolden acknowledged that in response to the lawsuit, and concerns students might be discouraged from attending graduation, none of the district's schools are holding commencement at religious buildings this year. The ceremonies will be held in either government owned facilities or secular private venues. "There has to be sensitivity to that because you don't know what children are thinking," he said. "(Shareef) might have been the one who voiced an objection, but others might have gone and been uncomfortable."

Source: Newark Star-Ledger, 6/10/08, By Kasi Addison

new jersey football and god don't mix!

and yet another milestone in the fight for freedom from religion...

while the chicago tribune announced on 4/15/08 that Court says coach can't kneel, bow head as team prays (sorta a loaded title, huh?), NSBA legal clips gives us an unbiased summary:

N.J. district's policy against faculty joining student prayers upheld

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (DE, NJ, PA, V.I.) has ruled that a New Jersey school district's policy prohibiting faculty participation in student-initiated prayer was not unconstitutional on its face or as applied to the high school football coach who challenged it. The court also ruled that the coach's silent acts of bowing his head or taking a knee during prayer violated the Establishment Clause because, when viewed in light of his 23 years of prayer activities with the team, they would appear to a reasonable observer to endorse religion. The decision reverses a federal district court's ruling that had struck down the policy and held that the coach's silent acts did not violate the Establishment Clause. Marcus Borden, head varsity football coach at East Brunswick High School, had traditionally participated in a team prayer before the pre-game meal and again before the team took the field. When some parents complained and threatened litigation, East Brunswick School District (EBSD) restated its school prayer policy and warned Mr. Borden that his participation, including standing and bowing his head and kneeling, would be considered insubordination and could lead to his discharge. Mr. Borden initially resigned as coach, but returned and agreed to abide by the policy while he brought a lawsuit. A U.S. district court ruled in his favor.

On appeal, the Third Circuit first rejected Mr. Borden's claim that the policy was unconstitutionally overbroad, finding that it merely prohibited expression that amounts to school sponsorship or endorsement of prayer and would violate the Establishment Clause. The court likewise rejected the contention that the word "participate" in the district's policy was unconstitutionally vague, finding that the policy sufficiently elaborates what constitutes participation. Turning to the as-applied challenges, the court noted that the free speech claim would be governed by the two-pronged test established for public employee speech in Connick v. Myers, 461 U.S. 138 (1983). Under the first prong of the test, the court found that the coach's silent acts of expression were not speech on a "matter of public concern" but were "personal to the [coach] and his team…." Because the speech was not protected, the court had no need to balance Mr. Borden's interest in the speech against his employer's interest in limiting it. Addressing the academic freedom claim, the court noted that by Mr. Borden's own admission his acts were pedagogical in nature, and the school district had the authority to deem his methods inappropriate. His freedom of association claim also was without merit, because that right only protects relationships involving a closeness "not present between a high school football coach and his team." As for the due process claim, the court found that because the policy was "not so vague that people of common intelligence must guess as to its meaning," he must demonstrate that it infringed on a fundamental right. However, "Borden has no interest—privacy, liberty, or otherwise—in behavior that violates the Establishment Clause."

Lastly, the Third Circuit concluded that "the school district has a legitimate educational interest in avoiding Establishment Clause violations," and that its policy was reasonably related to that interest. Applying the "reasonable observer" standard under the Establishment Clause's endorsement test, whereby the inquiry is "whether a reasonable observer familiar with the history and context of the display would perceive the display as a government endorsement of religion," the court determined that "[t]he history and context of Borden's prayer activities with the team, if challenged, could have been Establishment Clause violations." The coach's 23 years of leading the team in prayer "signals an unconstitutional endorsement of religion," and his involvement, as participant, organizer, and leader, would lead a reasonable observer to this conclusion. However, the court acknowledged, absent this history "if a football coach, who had never engaged in prayer with his team, were to bow his head and take a knee while his team engaged in a moment of reflection or prayer, we would likely reach a different conclusion because the same history and context of endorsing religion would not be present."

Religious Freedom Does Not Include the United States Military

Specialist Jeremy Hall organized meetings for atheists at Camp Speicher in Iraq. One day, he said he was excited to see an officer attend. But, within minutes of the meeting he was berated for his views as was the group: “people like you are not holding up the Constitution and are going against what the founding fathers, who were Christians, wanted for America!” Major Freddy J.Welborn said. The soldiers were threatened that they may be sent home or not allowed to re-enlist.

Last month, Specialist Hall and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, an advocacy group, filed suit in federal court in Kansas, alleging that Specialist Hall’s right to be free from state endorsement of religion under the First Amendment had been violated and that he had faced retaliation for his views. In November, he was sent home early from Iraq because of threats from fellow soldiers.

“They don’t trust you because they think you are unreliable and might break, since you don’t have God to rely on,” Specialist Hall said of those who proselytize in the military. “The message is, ‘It’s a Christian nation, and you need to recognize that.’ ” Really? News to me.

The New York Times article goes on to quote the religious guidelines of the military which were implemented because of discrimination claims in the Air Force. In 2005, the Air Force issued new regulations in response to complaints from cadets at the Air Force Academy that evangelical Christian officers used their positions to proselytize. It seems the Army is no different.

Specialist Hall came to atheism after years as a Christian. He was raised Baptist by his grandmother in Richlands, N.C., a town of less than 1,000 people. She read the Bible to him every night, and he said he joined the Army “to make something of myself.”

“I thought going to Iraq was right because we had God on our side,” he said in an interview near Fort Riley.

In the summer of 2005, after his first deployment to Iraq, Specialist Hall became friends with soldiers with atheist leanings. Their questions about faith prompted him to read the Bible more closely, which bred doubts that deepened over time.

“There are so many religions in the world,” he said. “Everyone thinks he’s right. Who is right? Even people who are Christians think other Christians are wrong.”

Specialist Hall said he did not advertise his atheism. But his views became apparent during his second deployment in 2006. At a Thanksgiving meal, someone at his table asked everyone to pray. Specialist Hall did not join in, explaining to a sergeant that he did not believe in God. The sergeant got angry, he said, and told him to go to another table.

This type of discrimination underscore the type of bigotry that goes unreported by people like Specialist Hall and others. Atheism is a dirty word in many quarters in America, in fact most, but I can only imagine what it is like in the United States Army in Iraq.

Though with a different unit now at Fort Riley, Specialist Hall said the backlash had continued. He has a no-contact order with a sergeant who, without provocation, threatened to “bust him in the mouth.” Another sergeant allegedly told Specialist Hall that as an atheist, he was not entitled to religious freedom because he had no religion. Read the rest of the article here.

Thank you specialist Hall for ensuring our Constitution is enforced even in the most extreme cases.

Trinity Church Strikes Back at the Main Stream Media

Trinity Church calls the attack on their church and assault on black culture.

“AN ATTACK ON OUR SENIOR PASTOR AND THE HISTORY OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH"Chicago, Ill. (March 15, 2008) —

Nearly three weeks before the 40th commemorative anniversary of the murder of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.’s character is being assassinated in the public sphere because he has preached a social gospel on behalf of oppressed women, children and men in America and around the globe.“

Dr. Wright has preached 207,792 minutes on Sunday for the past 36 years at Trinity United Church of Christ. This does not include weekday worship services, revivals and preaching engagements across America and around the globe, to ecumenical and interfaith communities. It is an indictment on Dr. Wright’s ministerial legacy to present his global ministry within a 15- or 30-second sound bite,” said the Reverend Otis Moss III, pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ.

During the 36-year pastorate of Dr. Wright, Trinity United Church of Christ has grown from 87 to 8,000 members. It is the largest congregation in the United Church of Christ (UCC) denomination.

“It saddens me to see news stories reporting such a caricature of a congregation that has been such a blessing to the UCC’s Wider Church mission,” said the Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC general minister and president, in a released statement. “ … It’s time for us to say ‘No’ to these attacks and declare that we will not allow anyone to undermine or destroy the ministries of any of our congregations in order to serve their own narrow political or ideological ends.

”Trinity United Church of Christ’s ministry is inclusive and global. The following ministries have been developed under Dr. Wright’s ministerial tutelage for social justice: assisted living facilities for senior citizens, day care for children, pastoral care and counseling, health care, ministries for persons living with HIV/AIDS, hospice training, prison ministry, scholarships for thousands of students to attend historically black colleges, youth ministries, tutorial and computer programs, a church library, domestic violence programs and scholarships and fellowships for women and men attending seminary.

Moss added, “The African American Church was born out of the crucible of slavery and the legacy of prophetic African American preachers since slavery has been and continues to heal broken marginalized victims of social and economic injustices. This is an attack on the legacy of the African American Church which led and continues to lead the fight for human rights in America and around the world.

”Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached the Christian tenet, “love thy neighbor as thyself.” Before Dr. King was murdered on April 4, 1968, he preached, “The 11 o’clock hour is the most segregated hour in America.” Forty years later, the African American Church community continues to face bomb threats, death threats, and their ministers’ characters are assassinated because they teach and preach prophetic social concerns for social justice. Sunday is still the most segregated hour in America.

The Hypocrisy of the Media on Religion and Race

I am becoming furious regarding this Jeremiah Wright situation and have to put my thoughts down. The entire situation put me in a bad mood last night. So, here goes.

First, and I think foremost is the hypocrisy here. I mean John McCain has associated himself with ministers who have said equally offensive (I am not so sure Wright's remarks are all that offensive, but more later) remarks, with Rev. John Hagee's anti-gay remarks (curiously unremarked upon by anyone in the McCain campaign -- is the McCain campaign afraid to repudiate anti-gay remarks?), his anti-Catholic remarks, that Catholicism is the "great whore" and a "false church," and a cult (once condemned by McCain, but now McCain wants to give Hagee the benefit of the doubt)?, his millennialism (which means, as some honest McCain adviser must have explained to the candidate by now, the death of millions of innocent Muslims)... also: Jerry Falwell, and his casual association of 9/11 with the sins of homosexuality, and Rod Parsley, a man who McCain has called a "spiritual guide," a man who has also called Islam a "false religion" and has advocated war against it and various other bad things such as the destruction of Islam.

Why are these men entitled to their opinion and Jeremiah Wright is not? Because he is black. Plain and simple. There can be no other explanation. Wright has said blacks should sing God Damn America, not God Bless America. Here is the full context of the remark: "The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," he said in a 2003 sermon. "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

Are we supposed to disagree with that? I know Obama has to say he disagrees, but what about that statement is not true? African-Americans in our country have been treated as slaves (a not so silent holocaust), to Jim Crow, lynchings and second class citizen status, still today. All the statistics support this, yet because a minister who airs this type of rhetoric, he is anti-American. I say, "he who loves his country best, strives to make it best." And even if we disagree, which is every Americans right, who cares? He is a minister and the spiritual community is supposed to push our minds to see the social injustice. Religion is not just about being saved in the black community, it is a way of connecting to the people around you and improving one's lot.

He also said:

"We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Rev. Wright said in a sermon on Sept. 16, 2001.

"We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost," he told his congregation.

This is a little more dangerous and obviously more provocative. I can tell you, however I was in New York City on September 11, 2001 at the most leftist law school in the nation (CUNY) and several people said the exact same thing to me, black, white, people of mixed ancestries, and all genders. This is not a new statement, it is one shared by many that America's foreign policy has reaped what it sowed. It is similar to the statement made by Malcolm X that got him kicked out of the Nation of Islam after the Kennedy assassination.

Personally, the statement may be a bit of a leap, but it is emblematic of the feelings among many Americans who have had to suffer second class citizenship here and see the hypocrisy within our country. Surely, however our presence on the Arabian peninsula has sowed much hatred toward the American continent, that is without doubt. Whether we brought this upon ourselves is an unanswered question, did our government however? Did we sit by and watch as our government has engaged in neo-colonialist activities on every part of the globe? The answer to that question is an resounding yes. Though, much of this activity goes on without the knowledge of the American people, the black community is in a unique place to see things where we do not, that America is not always out to look after its citizens interests. The black community has a 400 year history of such perspective and sees this hypocrisy much more clearly than any other American community.

Instead of causing a firestorm of controversy these comments should spark a dialogue about race, domestic and foreign policy and we should not hold Senator Obama accountable for things his minister said. While McCain gets off scot free form his "spiritual" advisers who are lily white, Obama has to write a piece to the Huffington Post regarding his denunciation of his own minister. I think it is shameful and I think it speaks to all of our denial and amnesia in American society. We don't want to face the shame of the past or the inadequacy of the present, so let us denounce someone who raises the eyebrows and makes us uncomfortable.

It is getting tougher to live in America with this hypocrisy and suddenly someone comes on the scene with a little different perspective and different tone of skin and we become fearful opening up wounds we do not want opened up. If this is how we want America, I am not sure America wants me as a participant. This is all very discouraging.

A Question for the Candidates

this is marianne...

i just picked up my framed gimme gimme gimme from local art dealer and framer pablo godoy at right angle framing. it's glorious, praise jesus! pablo picked a gothic-inspired frame to evoke the feeling of the inside of a cathedral, it perfectly complements the tone and feel of celeste's painting. once the art is on my wall, (my apartment is too small for the largess of the piece), i will post a snapshot... thanks pablo! and thanks celeste! as i start to explore more art, i thought about one of my longtime favorites -- the german photographer loretta lux and her series of wacky, other worldly children. take a peek at her other surreal children...

"marianne" 2004 by loretta lux

exploring her religion...

gimme gimme gimme

lil' miss

i stumbled upon the work of local new jersey artist celeste rapone (a RISD graduate) and was drawn to her series on religion... her oil on canvas paintings of jesus and co., with jesus surrounded by patterns of colorful peeps and chocolate bunny candies or lil' miss, a beauty pageant-inspired youthful virgin mary with baby doll jesus resonate with my twisted views on catholicism. after an email correspondence with the artist, i'm learning more about her work and influences... i just bought a fabulous print of gimme gimme gimme that i can't wait to frame and hang on my wall (this painting evokes for me that odd rite of passage i suffered through in childhood -- CCD and indoctrination).

the express line

in her own words, read celeste's take on her religiously inspired work--

Catholicism Series:
Growing up Catholic in northern New Jersey meant taking my religion very seriously (or at least making sure it appeared that way on the surface). As a young child in North Jersey, however, a vital part of being Catholic meant letting everyone else know you were Catholic. This was obviously not done by practicing or abiding by the rules of Catholicism, but in religiously inspired personal decor and embracing the accessibility of going to church or confession once a year around the holidays. This plastic idea of fulfilling one’s Catholic duties as a young boy or girl by materially exhibiting the icons of the religion led to the most superficial and misunderstood displays of Catholicism I have ever encountered. This series, based on my experiences growing up in this environment, is meant to capture the exploitation and convenience of calling oneself “Catholic” in a modern-day society.

celeste also has a series on medication and portraits... this month her work is part of an exhibition at the visual arts center of new jersey... see more of her work at juxtapoz, then catch her 2008 solo show at phoenix gallery in nyc (where she just won a 2008 fellowship)!

stay tuned for my Q and A with the artist...

Bill Maher on Religion and Bush

THREE CUPS OF TEA

a friend of mine (coffee barista melissa from mola) recommended a book three cups of tea to me a few months ago. i got it from three lives bookstore right away then put it on my shelf of to do reading. and finally last week, i dived in and read it through. three cups of tea tells the story of greg mortenson (see photo at left) and his mission to educate children in remote areas of pakistan and afghanistan as a way to promote peace. mortenson, a former mountaineer and K2 climber, stumbled upon a rural village when he lost his track down the mountain. and so began a new journey and life's work for him as a builder of schools in areas where the taliban holds strong. he asserts a simple goal: provide schools and non-religious based education for children in remote, impoverished areas to combat terrorism and extremism.

for over a decade, mortenson has faced incredible obstacles (kidnapping, treacherous working conditions, death threats after 9/11, lack of funds, meetings with the taliban, fatwas against him by mullahs and a meeting with rumsfeld) and ultimately flourished. he runs the central asia institute "to promote and provide community-based education and literacy programs, especially for girls, in remote mountain regions of Central Asia."

at times i wondered how he pushed forward despite the adversity and impossiblity. mortenson always thought about the families he first encountered in korphe, pakistan and how the village cared for him when he was lost and near death. yet the book, written by mortenson and david oliver relin, doesn't get too maudlin or pull at your heart shamelessly. mortenson is that rare person who commits to changing the world and never stops. i'm planning to donate this week to CAI. read for yourself and be inspired. don't we all need that now?

sarah heart god

well, the sarah silverman program continues to make me uncomfortable and howl with laughter. here's a sneak peek at this week's episode, "ah, men" (wed at 10:30pm), where sarah and god have a romantic fling (again).

"they won't hang a cross in your locker."

The Rockies Get Off Their Knees from the nation magazine
by Dave Zirin

Twenty-one wins in twenty-two games. An improbable run to the World Series. One of the hottest streaks to end a season in the history of the game. And not two pitchers the average fan could even name. Ladies and gents, your Colorado Rockies: a team performing what even an atheist could call a baseball miracle. And "miracle" is an appropriate term for a team that riled the baseball world last year by claiming that filling the dugout with Christian players would grease the skids to greatness.

Last year the Rockies went public with the news that the organization was looking for players with "character." And according to team management, "character" means players who have chosen Jesus as their personal Lord and manager. "We're nervous, to be honest with you," Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd said at the time. "It's the first time we ever talked about these issues publicly. The last thing we want to do is offend anyone because of our beliefs."

Rockies chairman and CEO Charlie Monfort took it further, saying, "I think character-wise we're stronger than anyone in baseball. Christians, and what they've endured, are some of the strongest people in baseball. I believe God sends signs, and we're seeing those." The team took some heat for its statements, especially when former players spoke of having their lockers searched for dirty magazines and feeling pressure that you had to be down with the God Squad to feel part of the team. It also raised the question of whether the team was discriminating against non-Christian players--would Jewish icon Shawn Green be welcome? What about just straight-up heathens?

But as the team makes its miracle run to the series against the Boston Red Sox this year, the Rockies are playing down their holier-than-thou image.

"Do we like players with character? There is absolutely no doubt about that," O'Dowd said in the New York Times today. "If people want to interpret character as a religious-based issue because it appears many times in the Bible, that's their decision. I believe that character is an innate part of developing an organization, and to me, it is nothing more than doing the right thing at the right time when nobody's looking. Nothing more complicated than that. You don't have to be a Christian to make that decision." "There are guys who are religious,sure, but they don't impress it upon anybody," Jewish pitcher Jason Hirsh also stepped forward to say. "It's not like they hung a cross in my locker or anything. They've accepted me for who I am and what I believe in." (That could be a great pitch for recruiting free agents: "They won't hang a cross in your locker!")

Have the Rockies really turned over a tolerant new leaf--as the Times report suggested--or is this merely the sin of spin? Relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt said, "When you have as many people who believe in God as we do, it creates a humbleness about what we do. I don't see arrogance here, I see confidence. We're all very humbled about where this franchise has been and where it is now, and we know that what's happening now is a very special thing.

"Humility and confidence are fine--indeed, novel--traits in an athlete. But the troubling part of that statement is the assumption that Christianity by definition brings character to the table. Maybe it's because I live in Washington, DC, a town full of politicians who blithely invade other countries with other people's children and deny healthcare to millions of kids and say they are guided by God. Maybe it's because I find a team using a publicly funded stadium as a platform for an event originally dubbed "Christian Family Day" exclusionary and a gross misuse of tax dollars. (Later, the events were renamed "Faith Day" to sound more inclusive.)

But for those of us who believe that freedom of religion also should mean freedom from religion at the ballpark, it doesn't matter if you call it Buddha-Jesus-Jewish-Vishnu-Islamic-Wicca Awareness Day. We just want to go to the ballpark without feeling like we're covertly funding Focus on the Family's gay-retraining programs. Religion and sports: it's a marriage in desperate need of a divorce.

That's why it was hard not to feel a tiny taste of supernatural satisfaction upon learning Tuesday that the team website crashed following what Rockies officials called "an external, malicious attack." The team's efforts to sell all its World Series tickets online was unprecedented and seen by many diehard Rockies fans as a way to sell tickets to out-of-town corporate entities and shut out the locals waiting in line for days to buy them in person. Unless your lord is Michael Milken, gouging home-town supporters doesn't seem very Christian at all.

So who could be the perpetrator of this "external and malicious" attack on the Rockies website? Was it God, punishing the team for squeezing the common fan? The Devil, trying to derail their grace-driven run? Some Red Sox Nation hacker getting his jollies? Whatever, it was hard not to smile at the biblical significance for one of baseball's most sanctimonious teams. They could throw the money-changers out of our sporting temples, but that would leave the owner's boxes empty. And we can't have that.

Right to Life

There is some pretty shocking footage here, especially - the hypocrisy and simple minded thinking of religious people in this country.

sarah, take two, on marriage and religion

sarah said during her 10/3 interview with the view ladies that she does not want the government involved in her love (with jimmy kimmel) since they are married in their hearts. when asked about god being involved in their love, sarah says with sweetness, "i don't have religion."

but she does play dress up with jesus!

get your own jesus dress up fridge magnets here, with many styles to choose from...

the laughing dolphin & barista boy's poem of the week

can you see the laughing dolphin in barista boy's cafe art?

2006

I wonder if

GALWAY KINNELL

Knew at 1971, when he published

His poetry book:

“The Book of Nightmares”,

That writing the phrase:

“…God is my enemy”

Would cause it to be

Banned from the bookshelf

In a coffee place

Hoboken 2006

And turn the book itself

Into a theological refuge.

I wonder if

It was a legitimate

Nightmare?

Or maybe it is turning

Into one?