Stem cell soup

Extract a few cells from an embryo, a just formed human.
Extract coins from the pocket of a taxpayer.
Extract pity from a sick actor off his medication.
Extract skepticism from a talk show host.
Marinate in the deceit of all involved.
Sprinkle with election seasoning.
Caution! Mixed contents will be hot!
Warning- little or no nutritional value. Best served to those easily deceived.
Discard embryo carcass.

Don’t like stem cell soup?
Does your Aunt Betty Mae have Alzheimer’s, your Aunt Iris fibromyalgia, your Uncle Ed Multiple Sclerosis, and your nephew Luke Muscular Dystrophy? Would you prefer to use your money to find a cure for those diseases?
Do you feel sorry for Michael J. Fox, but also for the millions of sick people not named Michael J. Fox?
Well, Betty Mae, Iris, Ed, and Luke haven’t been on TV. They aren’t popular. Their disease will have to wait. Tell them to take some acting lessons.
The government will decide what diseases will be cured, and what diseases will not.
And besides, certain people in the government want your money to be spent on finding a use for human embryos other than making humans. Those globs of tissue must be good for something.
Don’t worry. The government knows best.
If scientists knew best, they would have money, wouldn’t they?
But… maybe the CDC knows a few things after all…
Their budget includes this statement, surprising from any government agency:
Funding for programs addressing Epilepsy, the National Lupus Patient
Registry, Alzheimer’s Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, Tourette Syndrome, Paralysis Resource Center, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Cooley’s Anemia will be eliminated, as these programs have not demonstrated health impact and are not focused on primary prevention.
Did the celebrities for those diseases have a bad year?
Muscular Dystrophy gets about $6 million from the government, but 10 times that from Jerry Lewis.
Michael J. Fox, take note.

Now I lay me down to sleep…

That’s what it looks like when the soldier lays his head on the Humvee dash.
So gently. Just a little afternoon nap amidst all the sunshine and the Iraqi people.
…except for the gunshot.
And the dreaded words, “Allahu Akbar,” (god is great).

CNN “acquired” Iraq terrorist sniper videos. They even translate the things.
And by playing them for the world, through their website, they guarantee a market for more.
Can we collect all of the current 10 dead soldiers? The next 20? 100?
Can you imagine the CNN buyer, to the terrorist seller: “come on, come on, you’re missing quota, and I need more blood, you promised more blood. Plus, the boss really wants a general, or at least a captain.”
CNN, you obviously have no discretion. Have you no shame?
It may not be your war, but it is your country.
And those are your soldiers.
Your brave, dead, soldiers.
Don’t use them to promote your sorry, dead, ratings.

What Bush won’t do to win…

He made gas prices fall, just to win
He made the rich pay even more taxes than under Clinton
He made North Korea stop, and apologize, just to win
He made the rich pay even more taxes than under Clinton
He made the economy as good as it gets
He made the rich pay even more taxes than under Clinton
Unemployment is low, lower, and lowest
He made the rich pay even more taxes than under Clinton
The stock market is high, higher, and highest
He made the rich pay even more taxes than under Clinton
Black home ownership is at an all-time high
He made the rich pay even more taxes than under Clinton
No child left behind is identifying bad schools (Ted Kennedy wrote half of it)
He made the rich pay even more taxes than under Clinton
Yep, what that man won’t do to win…
And did I mention that …? Oh, yes, I did indeed…

Hey, N, CAA

How many kids have you scammed today?
Ahh, the NCAA, always the flirt.
“Come, come, 300 pound C student, come to my academically strict college.
You are not prepared, but you are so big and strong and you look so good in my uniform. There is stardust in your eyes. Look at all the pretty cheerleaders, looking at you!
Yes, you, you above all others, will be a star!
We will pay for everything!
Even the uniform, even your degree in consumer economics, if you are one of the lucky ones.
And, you, big strong C student, you are one of the lucky ones.”

(mostathletesgeteducatedbytheschoolofhardknockssomeresultsmay
varymaleatheletshaveahighdropoutrateyouwon’thavemoneyfor
clothesbeadsortrinketseventhoughyou’llwork50hourseveryweek
andwewillmakemillionsfromyourtalentsonlytosendyouintheworld
pennilesswithonlyafewpicturesandevenifyoudogetadegreein
consumereconomicsyouwillmakelessmoneythanifyouhadlearnedto
weldandifyourfatherdieswhileyouareherewecan’tevenletyou
borrowasuitandtieorgiveyouaridehometothefuneralohyouareso
dumbyoubigstrongathlete…)

Our “twin towered” society

Because the world should have more than one language, and the freedom of uncommon speech.

In 1651, Thomas Hobbes rightly understood the natural state of man:
…no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time; no arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.

We built tools to overcome that “natural state”, and can now indulge such esoteric thought as this bit of pointy-headed pomposity, on the nature of art by the German philosopher Theodor Adorno:
As a result of its inevitable withdrawal from theology, from the unqualified claim to the truth of salvation, a secularization without which art would never have developed, art is condemned to provide the world as it exists with a consolation that—shorn of any hope of a world beyond—strengthens the spell of that from which the autonomy of art wants to free itself.

One tower was built upon this, from about 2000 years ago:
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Our other tower was built upon this: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…”

Our twin towers remain separate, but equal, and equally threatened.
Because a new “natural state” approaches. If we refuse to understand this, from 1300 years ago, and yesterday, our children will understand:

[8.12] When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.

Our twin towers do not reach the heavens. But they do extend our grasp.
We reach, ever.
But we are ever threatened. Some Muslims want to destroy our towers and bind us, defeat us, as their god commands.
We have lost the ability to understand “as their god commands.” Doing evil is something outside our secular logic. Doing evil is something outside our religious sense.
In their god there is but one common language, and no uncommon speech.
Their “god” does not seem to have them act in their best interests. They do not seem to act in their own best interests.
But we should act in ours.
Because if “cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve” prevails, our twin towers will fall once more.

snakes and snails and puppy dog tails

that is what, not so long ago, Michael A. Monsoor was made of.
He grew strong, a man.
"He knew what he believed in and would stand by what he believed in. Of this, he couldn't be corrupted," said his younger brother, Joe.
And if Diogenes had been searching for a single man of courage, searching for the most pure act flesh can perform, his lantern would have lit the face of Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor.
A Navy SEAL sacrificed his life to save his comrades by throwing himself on top of a grenade…
Mountains are not made from the top down.
But when we get to our raptured pinnacle it will be occupied.
In another search for the righteous, at least one shall be found. Our freedom will be preserved. And we will know what is meant by the words, “and it was good,” that the good is not created by DNA, and seldom finds expression in flesh.
Duty and Sacrifice and Honor and the lives of four men and the life in all free men and women.
That is what Michael A. Monsoor is made of.

Peace on the timeshare plan

North Korea, all you have to do is listen to our short sales pitch, take our money, and be peaceful until the money runs out.
Then simply do it all over again.
What if you don’t like peace? Not to worry. With our plan, you can go back to aggression whenever you want! What could be easier? We aren’t selling peace. We are selling the process of peace. It is much easier. We don’t need to maintain a maintenance staff. You only have to sit through our lectures, and then sign an unbinding peace contract.
The peace costs revert back to the seller, and the process starts all over again.
More money for you!
Peace at Myrtle Beach, aggression everyplace else. What could be better?
Our staff of compliant news media makes it so easy. They will only report what you do at Myrtle Beach. We will ask you to wear the complimentary “No money, no peace” T-shirt while you are here, though.
Our top salesmen will ensure you always get the peak times during campaign season.
Remember, you own the peace timeshare, but can walk away at any time. We’ll buy it back.
You can’t transfer the title, but, see above. Wink wink nod nod.
The only cost to you is a few photos and complimentary words. We will even write the words for you!
Our contract is in writing. But it isn’t a contract with you.
That is the beauty of our program. The contract is with us! We are making peace with our own selves! And, aren’t our words pretty? Say so! That will make us happy, and we will give you more money. Want us to finance your aggression? Say you need money for food. We will give you money!
Check out our references at jimmycbillc.con

Bush’s scandals

Bush’s scandals
Aren’t even Bush’s scandals
They belong to Dan Rather and CBS
I no longer have the confidence in these documents… I find we have been misled… if I knew then what I know now-I would not have gone ahead with the story

It wasn’t Bush’s scandal.

And to Valerie Plame and Richard Armitage
the start, loud
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Don't you think it's more serious than Watergate, when you think about it?
the end, quiet, gone
"I did what I did," Armitage said. "I embarrassed my president, my secretary, my department, my family and I embarrassed the Wilsons. And for that I'm very sorry."

It wasn’t Bush’s scandal.

And… hmmm… is that it?
His daughter did have a drink in a restaurant…
Wow… this really is an ethical administration.

Yet there are always reports criticizing Bush for things other than his policies, reports criticizing his character and integrity.
When was the last time a mainstream outlet wrote something good about our President?
It seems Iran could control the mainstream media, and no one would know.
Or North Korea could control the mainstream media, and no one would know.
Or Al Quaida could control the mainstream media, and no one would know.

The economy is strong. The rich pay a larger portion of taxes than they did under Clinton. The budget is shrinking, even with war.
The federal budget estimate for the fiscal year just completed dropped to $250 billion… as the economy continues to fuel impressive tax revenues. The improving deficit picture _ Bush predicted a $423 billion deficit in his February budget _ has been driven by better-than-expected tax receipts, especially from corporate profits, CBO said.

The “freedom” in freedom of the press shouldn’t be synonymous with irresponsibility.
Freedom of the press shouldn’t give immunity from the truth.
The mainstream press shouldn’t be more like our enemies than us.

The economy, due to Bush’s wise tax cuts, is growing and strong.
The war against terror is necessary.
We have a good President.

The mainstream media and our enemies have chosen sides.
Sadly, they seem to be on the same one.

Foley is the fruit of the press.

“You can barbecue Foley, boil Foley, broil Foley, bake Foley, sautee Foley. There's, um, Foley kebabs, Foley creole, Foley gumbo, Foley pan fried, Foley deep fried, Foley stir fried. There's pineapple Foley and lemon Foley, coconut Foley, pepper Foley, Foley soup, Foley stew, Foley salad, Foley and potatoes, Foley burger, Foley sandwich... That's, that's about it.”

They don’t know much about Iraq.
They don’t know much about social security.
They don’t know much about voter fraud.
They don’t know much about little Amish girls.
They don’t know much about school shootings.
They don’t know much about gas prices.
They don’t know much about Christianity.
They don’t know much about Islam.
But the press “knows everything there is to know ‘bout the Foley business.”
Just wait till they find Foley’s “little blue blazer”.
The media. People actually go to school for that?

brb…the media is yelling

The very lightness of bleating…
Cause the media is a pack of sheep, crying the same thing over and over again so much– Foley is gay Hastert must pay Foley is gay Hastert must pay Foley is gay Hastert must pay Foley is gay Hastert…- that it just reduces to so much bleating.
A gossip mill. Where is the real reporting?
Has anyone actually read the text messages?
Kind of gross- here’s a link- but may I say it? Darn, no innocence on either end.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/BrianRoss/story?id=2509586&page=1

Creepiness on both.
Foley is gone, never to be elected as a Republican again. He is disgraced, shamed, shunned.
Rightly so. All Americans should thoroughly reject such behavior.
Some of the bleating is promising more such Foleys. Let us see.
Ahhh… the media does love sex. But just in case we think they are making Congressmen adhere to some media imposed morality “standard,” this was an ad in a Washington gay newspaper:

"Exceptionally good-looking, personable, muscular athlete is available. Hot bottom plus large endowment equals a good time."
Guess who answered? And paid $80 (illegal) for the use of the “endowments”?
Barney Frank.
Not that there’s anything wrong with… oh, wait… there is.

Oh, and the “kid,” at the time of the Foley messages, was 18. He wasn’t a kid. He wasn’t a page. He was an adult, by law free to mix with all the creeps he wanted.

This is from his family:

We would like to express our support for our congressman, Rodney Alexander, whose office sponsored our son's position as a House page. As far as we know, Congressman Alexander's conduct in this matter has been beyond reproach. He has tried his best to do what we have asked him to do from the very beginning: Namely, to protect the privacy of our son and family from the intense media scrutiny we are now having to endure.
In the fall of 2005, as soon as Congressman Alexander became aware of the e-mails received by our son, he called us. He explained that his office had been made aware of these e-mails by our son and that while he thought the e-mails were overly friendly, he did not think, nor did we think, that they were offensive enough to warrant an investigation.

Or, apparently, to warrant a call to the local newspaper.
Foley did try to entice 16-year olds. When they were pages. When they worked for him. When he had power over them.
But no pages were, apparently, so much as touched. What more could the media do if some page was actually molested? There seems to be a lack of proportion here.
What if he actually molested someone? Would they call for Bush to resign? For all records of Reagan to be purged from official documents, history books, newspapers, and memories? Overthrow the government and put Jerry Springer in charge?
Hastert did not know the extent of Foley’s actions. The emails were creepy, Foley is creepy, but under what grounds could Hastert have acted? Congress isn’t a big sleepover at Hastert’s mom’s house.
The story is about Foley. Anything extra is politics.
What Foley did to that boy, the media does to us. They deceive us into accepting and acting upon their own juvenile desires.

But at least the Democrats finally have a platform.

Finally--------one line

Past which, certain behavior is unacceptable.
There was no such line in 1983.

That year, Dan Crane, a Republican representative from Illinois, admitted having sex with a 17-year old female page. Gerry Studds, a Democrat representative from Massachusetts, admitted having sex with a 17-year old male page.

Remember the late night jokes? In Congress, they don’t use bookmarks, they just bend over the pages…”

Crane and Studds were censured by the House of Representatives.
Crane apologized. He again ran for office, and was defeated.
Studds did not apologize, and even turned his back on the Speaker as the censure was being read.
Massachusetts re-elected him to several more terms.

So, the Republicans had a clearly marked line. Mark Foley crossed that line.
In their zeal for scandal, the Democrats have now adopted the same line.
Some behavior may not be illegal, but is certainly unacceptable.

Mark Foley deserves to be expelled from the House of Representatives.

It’s the Quran, after all

With suicide bombings spreading from Iraq to Afghanistan, the Pentagon has tasked intelligence analysts to pinpoint what's driving Muslim after Muslim to do the unthinkable.

We want it to be something controllable by a “good heart,” a bribe, or openness to reason. Surely, the bad Muslims really know right from wrong. Surely, they also know it is wrong to kill innocent children. Surely goodness is “written on their hearts,” too.

If the violence is caused by something the “bad” Muslims did, it’s something the “good” Muslims can correct.
If it’s caused by something Bush did, it’s something Kerry can correct.
If it’s caused by something “we” did, it’s something “we” can correct.
If, if, if… if only we could show them what their religion really is…

But what if…

Their preliminary finding is politically explosive: it's their "holy book" the Quran after all, according to intelligence briefings... They've found that most Muslim suicide bombers are in fact students of the Quran who are motivated by its violent commands – making them, as strange as it sounds to the West, "rational actors" on the Islamic stage.In Islam, it is not how one lives one's life that guarantees spiritual salvation, but how one dies, according to the briefings. There are great advantages to becoming a martyr. Dying while fighting the infidels in the cause of Allah reserves a special place and honor in Paradise. And it earns special favor with Allah.

What if, it’s the Quran, after all? What then?
A religion based on such cannot survive in the modern world.

Christianity had its Martin Luther.
Reason had its Thomas Jefferson.
America has its George Bush.
The Catholic Church has its Pope Benedict.
Who will be so brave for Islam?

The bravery of artists…

Be against their mission, but support them
Be against what they do, but support who they are.
Deny their choice, but support their right to choose.

The new soldier in the war on terror?
Artists!
After all, they have been intimidated, attacked, and decapitated.
It is their war, now, too.
And they have let their dislike of our brave “real” soldiers be known.
So, in their pursuit of happiness, let them be pursued.

The Deutsche Opera announced on Tuesday that it had scratched the Mozart opera "Idomeneo" from its programme this season because one scene – the severed head of the prophet Mohammed rolling on to the stage – risked triggering an "incalculable security risk" for the theatre.
In the epilogue, Idomeneo, the king of Crete, comes on stage with a bloody sack in his hand. He then pulls the heads of Poseidon, Jesus, Buddha and Mohammed out of the sack and places them triumphantly on four chairs. The opera, set in the capital of Crete just after the Trojan War, addresses human resistance to making sacrifices to the gods. Mozart's original version premiered in 1781.

But, then, this happened.

Germany's conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday led political and arts world uproar at the scrapping of a Mozart opera that features the head of the prophet Mohammed rolling across the stage.

Artists are going to fight back!
Apparently, the Buddha o’fascists and the Christian o’fascists understand art.

The head-rolling scene was recently added by a modern artist.
Mozart, perhaps a greater artist than the reviser of "Idomeneo" felt no need to show such.
But he knew nothing of terror, and its war.
The opera will be replaced by less offensive plays acceptable to Muslims, unless our artists fight back. But, if they fight back, they risk having their own heads roll across the floor.
A small sacrifice for art?

But what a novel idea! To enlist artists in the war on terror! Karl Rove must have thought of it. Perhaps we can revise the poetry of Poe, Dickinson, and Sandberg. The songs of Lennon, McCartney, and Dylan. Interpret Picasso as a severed head celebration.
What weapons these artists have! Art can win!
Then, as the war ends, we can all say, together, “Twas beauty killed the beast!”

Why did Bill erupt Sunday?

Chavez made him do it
Cause, darn it, he walks like John Wayne, too
Plus, he walks like Noam Chomsky, tilting a bit to the left
(not that there’s anything wrong with that)

History made him do it
Cause, well, reality and history don’t mix well for him

Hillary made him do it
Wonder who has that cigar? And where she keeps it?

the little blue dress made him do it
Professional, sexy, but (darn it) not stain resistant, damn Fox network

Art made him do it
Acting, an art, he, a master
Scripted, cued, bully, a bully, he

the conspiracy made him do it
Vast, truth to the right, truth to the left, and he trapped in between

Richard Clarke made him do it
To sell lots of books, like Chavez and Chomsky
(Clarke and Clinton, Chavez and Chomsky… hmmm)

ABC made him do it
And like a jilted lover, he went straight to Fox, where hell hath fury

But it was no accident. It was planned.
It was all about getting Hillary elected.

Hillary for Vice-President?

Cause Bill obviously wants Richard Clarke to be the next President.

He mentioned his name 10 times in a short interview over the weekend.

All right. Let's look at what Richard Clarke said. Do you think Richard Clarke has a vigorous attitude about bin Laden?
He worked for Ronald Reagan; he was loyal to him. He worked for George H. W. Bush; he was loyal to him. He worked for me, and he was loyal to me. He worked for President Bush; he was loyal to him.
They downgraded him and the terrorist operation.
Now, look what he said, read his book and read his factual assertions — not opinions — assertions. He said we took vigorous action after the African embassies.
All I'm asking is, anybody who wants to say I didn't do enough, you read Richard Clarke's book.
So I tried and failed. When I failed, I left a comprehensive anti-terror strategy and the best guy in the country, Dick Clarke, who got demoted.
I want to know how many you asked, "Why did you fire Dick Clarke?"
And Richard Clarke made it clear in his testimony...
When all you have to do is read Richard Clarke's book to look at what we did in a comprehensive, systematic way to try to protect the country against terror.
From the terrorist incidents under Reagan to the terrorist incidents from 9/11, only one: Richard Clarke.
And all I can say to anybody is, you want to know what we did wrong or right, or anybody else did? Read his book.
My Republican secretary of defense — and I think I'm the only president since World War II to have a secretary of defense of the opposite party — Richard Clarke and all the intelligence people said that I ordered a vigorous attempt to get bin Laden and came closer, apparently, than anybody has since.
And you guys try to create the opposite impression, when all you have to do is read Richard Clarke's findings and you know it's not true. It's just not true.

Sounds a bit scripted.
But my oh my, won’t Hillary be jealous?
And imagine the jokes- with Bill connected to anything with the word "vice" attached...

Why YOUR vote won’t count:

You’re not “a citizen of the United States and a resident of Georgia as defined by law.”
You’re not “at least 18 years of age.”
You do not “meet minimum residency requirements as provided by law.”
You have been “convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude.”
You have been “judicially determined to be mentally incompetent.”
Your vote is “cancelled by voter fraud that alters the election results.”

Okay, that last one really isn’t in the Georgia Constitution.
But voter fraud disenfranchises EVERY voter, not just the ones (two?) without a picture ID.
The judge said, in his decision, “Without the right to vote, there is no democracy.”
Well, your honor, no.
Without the right to have your vote COUNTED, there is no democracy.
We can vote to end condensation and cuticles.
But unless that vote has the power, in its proportion to the legal voting population, to actually do something, there is no democracy. Saddaam Hussein won elections. His people had the right to vote, and voted.
Even one illegal vote diminishes the entire voting process. If the voting process isn’t fair and honest, there is no democracy.

Oh well. I didn’t like how my Uncle Imogene voted last time anyway. Nor my Uncle Ira.
I’ll just be them next election. I have their power bills and social security checks.

The entire decision is here. Roy Barnes (yes, that Roy Barnes) was the “winning” lawyer.
http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/ajc/pdf/voterid_ruling.pdf

shhh… you’ll wake the Muslims

I like this Pope Benedict.
I like Joseph Alois Ratzinger a lot.
He knew what he was saying. There was no mistake, misstep, or misunderstanding.
He knew exactly the reaction his words would get.
The Pope called upon Western Civilization to face the reality of Islamic fascism.

This is the quote that caused all the uproar:
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached… Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. "God", he (the Christian emperor) says, "is not pleased by blood - and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature. Faith is born of the soul, not the body. Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats... To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death...".

Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II, original speaker of the infamous Papal quote, ruled from 1391-1425.
His capital was Constantinople, named after the first emperor of Rome to become a Christian.
Near the end of Manuel’s reign, the great city Constantinople was besieged by an Islamic sultan.
Manuel II sought help from other civilized nations- Italy, France, Germany, and England- but was denied.

Today, if you look up Constantinople in most encyclopedias, the entry might say-
see Istanbul.
Manuel lost his city, by the Islamic sword and apathy from the west, to Islamic armies.

The Catholic Church once fought Muslims sword to sword.
Today the Catholic Church, and western civilization, prefers to fight with words and reason. But these weapons are effective only against “reasonable souls.” Against fascism, one needs the strong words of the Pope, and a "strong arm."

Some Somalian Islamic fascists certainly prefer the sword. They killed a poor, physically defenseless nun, Sister Leonella Sgorbati, 65.

"She realized that she was dying, because she kept saying 'I can't breath.' Her last words were: 'I forgive; I forgive,'" according to her fellow sisters who spoke to CISA Sept. 18 in Nairobi, Kenya. http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=21312

The Muslims are awake.
The Pope is trying to wake the rest of the world.

This is the offensive paragraph:
In the seventh conversation (*4V8,>4H - controversy) edited by Professor Khoury, the emperor touches on the theme of the holy war. The emperor must have known that surah 2, 256 reads: "There is no compulsion in religion". According to the experts, this is one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat. But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed later and recorded in the Qur'an, concerning holy war. Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the "Book" and the "infidels", he addresses his interlocutor with a startling brusqueness on the central question about the relationship between religion and violence in general, saying: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached". The emperor, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. "God", he says, "is not pleased by blood - and not acting reasonably (F×

Who will rid me of this meddlesome … Pope?

The next time a Muslim objects to the term “Islamic fascist”…
From news reports:

A notorious Muslim extremist told a demonstration in London yesterday that the Pope should face execution. Anjem Choudary (a Muslim lawyer!) said those who insulted Islam would be "subject to capital punishment"
His remarks came during a protest outside Westminster Cathedral…
He added: "I am here to have a peaceful demonstration. But there may be people in Italy or other parts of the world who would carry that (killing the Pope) out.
"I think that warning needs to be understood by all people who want to insult Islam and want to insult the prophet of Islam."

The “peaceful demonstrators” carried signs saying, “give peace a chance,” and… oh, wait, wrong demonstration.
The Muslim protestor’s signs said "Pope go to Hell," "Behead Those Who Insult Islam," and "Jesus is the slave of Allah".

That does, indeed, sound “evil and inhuman.”

Islam, heal thyself.
The Pope apologized for your behavior, not for his words.
The medieval emperor apologized to no one.
Quite properly.

Talk, in everlasting words?

The words of a 14th century Byzantine emperor still cause death today?
Burned churches 615 years later?

Perhaps the Pope was right to quote the emperor:
“… not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature.”

That sounds reasonable. But this sounds “evil and inhuman.”
During one rally gunmen in Gaza city opened fire at the Greek Orthodox church; no injuries or damage were reported. An unknown organization named “The sword of Islam claimed responsibility for the incident.
“We want to make it clear that if the pope does not appear on TV and apologize for his comments, we will blow up all of Gaza’s churches,” the group said in a statement.

Fasicm has been defined as belief one’s group is the victim, justifying any action without legal or moral limits, and the right of the chosen people to dominate others without legal or moral restraint.

This is from news reports: Muhammad Abdul Bari, general-secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, said the pontiff needed to repudiate the emperor's views he quoted to restore relations between Muslims and the Roman Catholic Church.

The Pope’s speech was about the importance of reason and non-violence.
The Islamic fascists have certainly repudiated that.

Ideological impairment

``Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence,'' Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan's parliament on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning Pope Benedict XVI for making what it called ``derogatory'' comments about Islam, and seeking an apology from him for hurting the sentiments of Muslims.

The title of the Pope’s speech was
Faith, Reason and the University
Memories and Reflections

Was it faith, or reason, that hurt “the sentiments of Muslims”?

This is the offensive paragraph. The Pope is quoting Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus speaking to an educated Persian on the subject of Christianity and Islam, and the truth of both.

The emperor must have known that surah 2, 256 reads: "There is no compulsion in religion". According to the experts, this is one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat. But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed later and recorded in the Qur'an, concerning holy war. Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the "Book" and the "infidels", he addresses his interlocutor with a startling brusqueness on the central question about the relationship between religion and violence in general, saying: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached". The emperor, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. "God", he says, "is not pleased by blood - and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature. Faith is born of the soul, not the body. Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats... To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death...".

A reasonable soul… how to know a reasonable soul?
Quite simply, a reasonable soul does not make bombs.
A reasonable soul does not kill cartoonists.
A reasonable soul does not cut off heads.
A reasonable soul does not fly planes into buildings.
And a reasonable soul protects itself from unreasonable souls.