Love is my religion

Ziggy Marley | Love is My Religion | Reggae | Born Jesus

What would Bush do? What would Jesus do?

In the last several years, we've come to hear the phrase "the Christian Right" so many times that we sometimes forget there is a Christian Left, too.

They even have a website called — wouldn't you know it? — "The Religious Left."

Recently that site ran an interesting side-by-side comparison of the Christian Right's darling, President Bush, with all Christians supposed Numero Uno, Jesus the Christ.

For example, regarding forgiveness:

• Bush indicated that he was running out of patience. Asked if he planned to set an ultimatum for Saddam's compliance, Bush suggested that would be pointless, like extending "another, another, another last chance." (CBS News, Feb 18, 2003)
• Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:22)

Jesus Christ | Christian Right | Christianity | George W. Bush | Christian Left | Born Jesus

Always look on the bright side of life

Our friends at Cristo Lumen remind you to always look on the bright side of life, by posting this video excerpt from Monty Python's Life of Brian.

It hits the spot when you need a quick pick-me-up!

Jesus Christ | Life of Brian | Monty Python | Always Look on the Bright Side of Life | Born Jesus

'Head of Christ' painting stolen from school hallway

Sometimes God moves in mysterious ways.

In June, we wrote about the Harrison County, West Virginia school board's refusal to remove the painting "Head of Christ" which had been hanging in a high school hallway for the past 37 years.

Last night, an intruder stole the painting, leaving behind the gilded frame and backing, Schools Superintendent Carl Friebel said.

"The picture was the only thing stolen, so the deliberate intent was to steal the picture and only the picture," Friebel said.

The school was sued in June by Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the West Virginia American Civil Liberties Union, who said the painting sends the message that the school endorses Christianity as its official religion.

Just a few days ago, the school board decided to fight the lawsuit after a group called the Christian Freedom Fund raised more than $150,000 to pay the board's legal costs. The board has previously twice voted to keep the painting hanging.

A trial is set to being in February. The American Family Association has offered to assist in the school board's defense.

Richard Katskee, attorney for Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, of the says it is money that could have been better spent. He has written the school board several letters pleading with it to take down the portrait in order to avoid a trial.

"The law is absolutely clear here, but sometimes people need to fight a battle and lose themselves to find out," he said. "That's the mistake this board is making."

Police have no leads in the case.

I would hope that the painting was removed by an "insider," someone within the school board or school system who is simply trying to save the board's $150,000 (plus!) for something better than legal fees to fight a battle they are going to lose.

Jesus Christ | Christian | Christianity | Head of Christ | Harrison County School Board | Born Jesus

The Myth of Jesus Christ

The Modern Masonic Journal has republished a most interesting article called "The Christ Myth," originally written in 1941 by John G. Jackson.

Jackson takes you through a hypothetical December day in the life of a young Israeli child, a few years before Jesus's supposed birth. Visiting first the Roman part of town, then the Persian, then the Egyptian. Everywhere the child goes, he finds people preparing for the feast day of December 25. Each culture is preparing to honor their Sun God, re-born on the 25th of December each year.

Well documented and footnoted, Jackson's article explores the historical evidence for the man Jesus. Other than a few most-likely bogus additions to Josephus, there isn't a lot of literary evidence. The Biblical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are about all we have to work with. Jackson shows with example after example how these four records give, basically, four different accounts of the life of Jesus.

Jesus Christ | Christian | Christianity | Bible | Josephus | Born Jesus

What really happened to Sodom and Gomorrah?

Over at the Pagan Temple they're writing today about those Las Vegas/Reno twin cities of the ancient world, Sodom and Gomorrah. What really caused them to catch on fire? Rampant sex-mongering, buggery and the offering up of Lot's virgin daughters, or just a rude and inhospitable tourism board?

According to the article, the names Sodom and Gomorrah mean "burned" and "a ruined heap," respectively, and these names were given to the towns after they were destroyed by rains of fire.

Meanwhile, over at Cristo Lumen, we learn that as gays and lesbians gather in Jerusalem for WorldPride events, Muslims, Christians and Jews are taking a break from killing each other to attack the homosexuals. One flyer offers a $4,500 reward to anyone who ""brings about the death of the denizens of Sodom and Gomorrah."

Image: "Forced Sodomy"

Sodom | Gomorrah | Christianity | Ancient History | Bible | Born Jesus

Who would Jesus date?

Last week I signed up the Born Jesus blog at the Top 1000 Christian, Top 1000 Baptist, and the Fundamentalist Top Sites websites. You may have noticed the logos over in the righthand sidebar (now removed).

Apparently, Born Jesus didn't cut the mustard with the Powers That Be. What? We don't qualify as a Christian site? I can no longer find Born Jesus on any of their lists. Oh, dear!

I was eyeballing the lists on these sites this morning, and noticed many interesting things. For example, after the top ten or twenty sites, many of which seem inter-related and/or related to the Top 1000 franchise themselves, the statistics recorded by these services show that most sites listed are receiving between 0 and 500 pageviews (not unique visitors, but pageviews) per day.

Today's site #318 on the Top 1000 Baptist list caught my eye: FundamentalistBaptistSingles.com. Oh, boy! Not just a Christian dating site, but a Fundamentalist Baptist dating site.

The first thing I noticed, from the Top 1000 list itself, was that FundamentalistBaptistSingles.com recorded 82 pageviews yesterday. Eighty-freaking-two looks. You can find more potential dates on a slow day in the produce aisle at the grocery store than you can on this website!

Of course I wanted to browse the selection of prospects. My soulmate might be there. But when I tried, I ran up against a few, shall we say, barriers.

Without registering, I was allowed to see only one profile, or rather, one photo and the basic stats. They offered me a 31-year old Alabama chubster, who is seeking, in her own words, "Anything." Repeated attempts at seeing a profile always returned "BethAnne."

Shall I join so I can see more fundie hotties? Intrigued, I try. But first, of course, I should read the membership rules fine print, to make sure I'm Kosher.

• They check IP addresses to make sure you live in the area you say you do. If it doesn't match, even if you made an error, you're tossed off the system, with no refund.
• No married person, even if legally separated, is allowed to join. If they discover you are married, they threaten to report you to not only local law enforcement agencies but your spouse. If you hold an "ordained Biblical office" such as Pastor or Deacon, they'll rat on you to your church, too.

Their Terms of Service agreement adds these burdens:

• If you don't respond to their emails about anything within 30 days, they assume you are hiding something.
• "You will not include in your profile any offensive anatomical or sexual references, or offensive sexually suggestive or connotative language, and you will not post any photos containing nudity. You also acknowledge that you are single (never married), divorced, widowed or legally separated."
• You cannot give out your real email address, last name, phone number, address or any other info using their system. How the hell are you supposed to connect with your Dream Date?
• "No photographs will be approved which depict non-modest attire, nakedness or have a sexual overtone. Bathing suits, halter tops and shorts, exposed torso and stomach, etc., are examples of photographs which are not acceptable. Non-modest attire includes, but, is not limited to the aforesaid examples. No photos of pets by themselves will be allowed either. Because the nature of this website is to edify Christ and adhere to the principles established in the Word of God, any photograph which is not in compliance with modest dress, will not be posted to the website. "
• "This website is for KJV Fundamental Baptists and to that end, we believe that the Authorized King James Bible is the holy, preserved and inerrant Word of God. While you may choose to use another version of the Bible in your reading, this is the only Bible used on this website. Any comment on the forums, personal essays and/or in chats, attempting to attack, diminish or discount the King James Bible will cause your account to be cancelled."
• These people are so into Being In Charge that they won't accept you if you use a free email service. "We don't accept memberships from free internet email accounts, including but not limited to juno.com, gmail.com, hotmail.com and/or yahoo.com. Additionally we will no longer accept email accounts from online services such as AOL, CompuServe and/or Prodigy."

Jesus would have never been able to get to first base with Mary Magdalene if he'd had to meet her on this site. I'm pretty sure it must be more fun to be Amish than it is to be a Fundamentalist Christian. You probably get laid more often, and you might even be allowed to enjoy it.

Image: Jesus and Mary, uncredited, from Jewlicious.com

Jesus Christ | Christian | Christianity | Sex | Christian Dating Sites | Online Dating | Born Jesus