Pastor Can't Sidestep Defamation Suit
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
"Pastor Rick Godwin" can't get away from a defamation suit
The following article was interesting - and I'm glad the judge didn't allow a spiritually abusive tactic to usurp law.
Pastor Can't Sidestep Defamation Suit
Pastor Can't Sidestep Defamation Suit
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
James Dobson further down the insanity trail?
On James Dobson's weekly "Focus on the Family" radio show, he accused Barack Obama, Democratic candidate for President, of "distorting" the bible in comments Obama had made. Dobson went so far as to state that Obama's former comments or beliefs were "fruitcake." Let's examine who the real fruitcake is here.
Dobson was referring to a speech Obama had given in 2006. In the speech, Obama said religious people don't have a monopoly on morality and should couch their arguments in universal, rather than religious terms. Obama also said in the speech that certain passages of the Bible, if interpreted literally, could allow parents to stone their children and require that the Defense Department be abolished.
If one reads the bible - well, where was Obama wrong here? He was simply pointing out that the religious don't have a corner on morality, and needed to stop dictating to the rest of the country what their brand of morality is, and discounting other faiths as well as people who are non-religious.
Dobson's response?
"That is a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution," Dobson said. "What he's trying to say here is, unless everybody agrees, we have no right to fight for what we believe."
Dobson goes on to say, "He's deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own world view, his own confused theology."
I think that Mr. Dobson hasn't read his Old Testament - or the New, for that matter. Dobson went on to say in statements that old adage made by fundamentalist christians, that the "Old Testament Law" has passed away in favor of Jesus' teachings of love, non-judgment, etc.
Interesting, since Dobson is one of the very worst at judging non-christians, and even christians that are different from his brand. Homosexuals are a case in point. Dobson, who accuses Obama of distorting scripture, has numerous times not only distorted scripture, but also flat out lied about scientific findings regarding homosexuality.
Check out www.respectmyresearch.org if you'd like to see how many scientists and researchers have countered Dobson's falsehoods and misquotes regarding their research so that he can distort people's views of homosexuality.
One of the more interesting things I've seen, though, is that Dobson has mentioned that while he will vote in the 2008 elections, he might refrain from voting for President, as he has also criticized Republican Candidate John McCain for his views on stem cell research and abortion rights. We can only hope that he's serious - and that all of the people who listen to Dobson's weekly program will follow suit.
Dobson was referring to a speech Obama had given in 2006. In the speech, Obama said religious people don't have a monopoly on morality and should couch their arguments in universal, rather than religious terms. Obama also said in the speech that certain passages of the Bible, if interpreted literally, could allow parents to stone their children and require that the Defense Department be abolished.
If one reads the bible - well, where was Obama wrong here? He was simply pointing out that the religious don't have a corner on morality, and needed to stop dictating to the rest of the country what their brand of morality is, and discounting other faiths as well as people who are non-religious.
Dobson's response?
"That is a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution," Dobson said. "What he's trying to say here is, unless everybody agrees, we have no right to fight for what we believe."
Dobson goes on to say, "He's deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own world view, his own confused theology."
I think that Mr. Dobson hasn't read his Old Testament - or the New, for that matter. Dobson went on to say in statements that old adage made by fundamentalist christians, that the "Old Testament Law" has passed away in favor of Jesus' teachings of love, non-judgment, etc.
Interesting, since Dobson is one of the very worst at judging non-christians, and even christians that are different from his brand. Homosexuals are a case in point. Dobson, who accuses Obama of distorting scripture, has numerous times not only distorted scripture, but also flat out lied about scientific findings regarding homosexuality.
Check out www.respectmyresearch.org if you'd like to see how many scientists and researchers have countered Dobson's falsehoods and misquotes regarding their research so that he can distort people's views of homosexuality.
One of the more interesting things I've seen, though, is that Dobson has mentioned that while he will vote in the 2008 elections, he might refrain from voting for President, as he has also criticized Republican Candidate John McCain for his views on stem cell research and abortion rights. We can only hope that he's serious - and that all of the people who listen to Dobson's weekly program will follow suit.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Invoking God for the Candidacy Part 2
Article VI of the U.S. Constitution:
More than any election in my memory, it seems that religion is playing a huge role in this particular election season. The candidates ALL appear to be pandering as much as they can to the religious crowd, talking about their love of God, their faiths, etc. It really makes one wonder how very few people have actually read the Constitution, including the above Article. It appears that we are certainly testing our candidates. From conservative republican to the most liberal of democrats, each appears to be trying to "pass the religious test" in order to garner the votes of those who will, invariably, vote based on their religion rather than on their stands on political issues.
Apparently, God forbid one day someone who is NON-religious, or who refuses to speak about their religion to attain office runs. They'll never see the light of the campaign trail.
"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."
More than any election in my memory, it seems that religion is playing a huge role in this particular election season. The candidates ALL appear to be pandering as much as they can to the religious crowd, talking about their love of God, their faiths, etc. It really makes one wonder how very few people have actually read the Constitution, including the above Article. It appears that we are certainly testing our candidates. From conservative republican to the most liberal of democrats, each appears to be trying to "pass the religious test" in order to garner the votes of those who will, invariably, vote based on their religion rather than on their stands on political issues.
Apparently, God forbid one day someone who is NON-religious, or who refuses to speak about their religion to attain office runs. They'll never see the light of the campaign trail.
Invoking God for the Candidacy
All through this particular primary campaign for the next US President, it has become apparent just how polarized this nation has become regarding religion in the White House. Take a look at Republican Candidate Mike Huckaby, who has stated that he wants to amend the United States Constitution in order to meet "God's standards" for the family.
I wonder what, to Mr. Huckabee, would be "God's standards"? Are they as Huckabee said in 1992:
Who else would Mr. Huckabee think should be isolated from the rest of society, according to "God's Standards"? The thing is, any time a person claims to want to change the Constitution to fit "God's Standards," people (including fundamentalist Christians) should be lining up to vote against that particular candidate. Imagine, if you will, Christians, what you would do if a fellow Christian got in office and proceeded to get legislation passed to support his theory of "God's standards" - but he is from a denomination of Christianity that you find abhorrent - or crazy - or deluded. What if his brand of God's standards are in oppostion to your own brand?
How many denominations of Christianity are in this country? Which of those would you want to envorce their religious views on you and your family? What if, for example, Conservative Christians, Mitt Romney, a mormon and a leader in the Republican race for president, attained office? Would you want him to work on rewriting the Constitution to his brand of Christianity? Most conservative Christians think that Mormonism is a cult.
All of you Christians out there who think you'd LIKE to live in a society that promotes a particular brand of Christianity might want to think again. The United States was colonized and later founded as a result of people settling who were afraid and tired of religious persecution. Their brand of Christian was the wrong brand in their respective countries. Now we hear people like Mike Huckaby promising to revise the United States Constitution, which specifically asked for no state interference in religion, and no religious interference in state, to fit his own wild brand of Christianity.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
I wonder what, to Mr. Huckabee, would be "God's standards"? Are they as Huckabee said in 1992:
If the federal government is truly serious about doing something with the AIDS virus, we need to take steps that would isolate the carriers of this plague.
Source: Responses to Associated Press Questionnaire for AR Senate Nov 1, 1992
Who else would Mr. Huckabee think should be isolated from the rest of society, according to "God's Standards"? The thing is, any time a person claims to want to change the Constitution to fit "God's Standards," people (including fundamentalist Christians) should be lining up to vote against that particular candidate. Imagine, if you will, Christians, what you would do if a fellow Christian got in office and proceeded to get legislation passed to support his theory of "God's standards" - but he is from a denomination of Christianity that you find abhorrent - or crazy - or deluded. What if his brand of God's standards are in oppostion to your own brand?
How many denominations of Christianity are in this country? Which of those would you want to envorce their religious views on you and your family? What if, for example, Conservative Christians, Mitt Romney, a mormon and a leader in the Republican race for president, attained office? Would you want him to work on rewriting the Constitution to his brand of Christianity? Most conservative Christians think that Mormonism is a cult.
All of you Christians out there who think you'd LIKE to live in a society that promotes a particular brand of Christianity might want to think again. The United States was colonized and later founded as a result of people settling who were afraid and tired of religious persecution. Their brand of Christian was the wrong brand in their respective countries. Now we hear people like Mike Huckaby promising to revise the United States Constitution, which specifically asked for no state interference in religion, and no religious interference in state, to fit his own wild brand of Christianity.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
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