Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, the Republican Chair of the House State Government Committee in Pennsylvania, felt compelled to express his heterosexual bona fides after being touched by the Democratic Chair Matt Bradford.
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
7 December 2017
fun with fundies: don't be touching me!
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, the Republican Chair of the House State Government Committee in Pennsylvania, felt compelled to express his heterosexual bona fides after being touched by the Democratic Chair Matt Bradford.
11 March 2017
religion vs. people
The Dilemma Facing Ex-Muslims in Trump's America
How to challenge Islam while defending its adherents
A Muslim faithful reads the Quran inside a makeshift mosque. Yorgos Karahalis / Reuters
From:
Mar 6, 2017
“Challenging Islam as a doctrine,” Ali Rizvi told me, “is very different from demonizing Muslim people.” Rizvi, a self-identified ex-Muslim, is the author of a new book titled The Atheist Muslim: A Journey from Religion to Reason. One of the book’s stated aims is to uphold this elementary distinction: “Human beings have rights and are entitled to respect. Ideas, books, and beliefs don’t, and aren’t.”
The problem for Rizvi is that the grain of Western political culture is currently against him. Those in the secular West live in an age when ideas are commonly regarded as “deeds” with the potential to wound. So, on the left, self-critique of Islam is often castigated as critique of Muslims. Meanwhile, the newly elected president of the United States and his inner circle have a tendency to conflate the ideas of radical Islam with the beliefs of the entire Muslim population. So, on the right, the very same self-critique of Islam is used to attack Muslims and legitimize draconian policies against them.
18 October 2016
prayer in Port Coquitlam
Religion in Remembrance Day Ceremony
challenged in Port Coquitlam
The Port Coquitlam Legion is ignoring a local resident’s concerns that its 2015 Remembrance Day ceremony was too Christian.
In a June letter to the Legion, Rhamona Vos-Browning said the 2015 ceremony “left me somewhat saddened.” He described how despite the “small, diverse sea of people” in attendance, the ceremony “ended with a clearly sectarian closing prayer” and included a blessing “May the Lord bless and keep you.”
If the Legion insisted on maintaining the prayer, Vos-Browning offered to help the Legion find a Humanist officiant, such as one from the BC Humanist Association, to provide a secular invocation too.
Two months later, after following up his letter with several phone calls, Vos-Browning was told by the Legion that the agenda is set by the BC/Yukon Command. But when Vos-Browning spoke to the Command, he was told there are no rules to “force branches to use specific prayers or invocations” and that Command would inform the Port Coquitlam branch of this fact.
Despite this assurance, Vos-Browning has not been able to confirm whether the Port Coquitlam Legion plans to include a sectarian prayer again in its 2016 program.
Mr. Rhamona Vos-Browning said:
Click here for a PDF of this press release
Timeline of Rhamona Vos-Browning’s contact with the Port Coquitlam Legion
June 28, 2016 letter to Irene Brown, Port Coquitlam Legion
Dear Ms. Brown,
It is in gratitude and respect that I send you this note. Our family immigrated to Canada in 1958. My parents were in their late teens/early twenties during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and were forever marked by the experience. The region where my mother lived had been especially devastated during the occupation and they were starving when the Canadians came, with their chocolate and cigarettes. My parents idealised Canada, and taught their children to love it deeply.
It is in this spirit that I attend Remembrance Day ceremonies every year. Since moving to Port Coquitlam in 1996 I have been impressed with the organisation evident at our local ceremony.
The 2015 ceremony left me somewhat saddened, however. The ceremony was, as usual, well attended, with people surrounding the cenotaph well onto the streets. That small, diverse sea of people included children and young families, retirees and elderly from many ethnic, racial and religious origins. So it was a surprise when the ceremony ended with a clearly sectarian closing prayer. As a non-Christian, I felt that the benediction “May the Lord bless and keep you…” was unnecessarily exclusionary at such a public occasion.
In the spirit of recognizing our country’s multiculturalism, if a prayer is to be part of the ceremony, I would ask that it be worded to include people of all faiths and none. Alternatively, if you plan to maintain the sectarian prayer, I would request that a humanist invocation be added to the program. I would be happy to help you source an appropriate humanist officiant to perform such an invocation.
Best regards,
Rhamona S. Vos-Browning
September 26, 2016 email to Joseph Waugh, BC/Yukon Command
Dear Mr. Waugh,
Earlier this year I wrote to Irene Brown, Recording Secretary for the Port Coquitlam Legion #133, regarding the use of a highly sectarian prayer to close the 2015 Remembrance Day Ceremony in Port Coquitlam. In her telephone reply, Ms. Brown said she did not have the authority, at the local level, to make changes to the program and referred me to you.
Briefly, my complaint is that the benediction "The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” from Numbers 6:24 -26, is a specifically Christian prayer used at the end of Christian religious services.
Port Coquitlam, like much of British Columbia, is a diverse, multi ethnic, multi faith community. The use of such a specifically Christian prayer at a high profile public occasion is exclusionary to the multi faith/no faith community wishing to honour the people who made such a community possible.
In the spirit of recognizing our country’s multiculturalism, if any prayer is to be part of the ceremony, I would ask that it be worded to include people of all faiths and none. Alternatively, if the sectarian prayer is to be included, I would request that a humanist invocation be added to the program. I would be happy to help you source an appropriate humanist officiant to perform such an invocation.
While my original letter was specific to my home town, I would be interested in learning the policy of the Royal Canadian Legion BC/Yukon Commission in regards to this issue.
regards,
Rhamona S. Vos-Browning
September 27, 2016 Reply from Joseph Waugh
Rhamona,
Thank you for contacting the Royal Canadian Legion BC/Yukon Command with your concerns. BC/Yukon Command does not have rules which force branches to use specific prayers or invocations during the Remembrance Day Ceremony. I have informed the Branch 133 Port Coquitlam of this fact, and I recommend that you follow-up with them in regards to their up-coming Remembrance Day Ceremony.
Best regards,
Joseph Waugh
In a June letter to the Legion, Rhamona Vos-Browning said the 2015 ceremony “left me somewhat saddened.” He described how despite the “small, diverse sea of people” in attendance, the ceremony “ended with a clearly sectarian closing prayer” and included a blessing “May the Lord bless and keep you.”
If the Legion insisted on maintaining the prayer, Vos-Browning offered to help the Legion find a Humanist officiant, such as one from the BC Humanist Association, to provide a secular invocation too.
Two months later, after following up his letter with several phone calls, Vos-Browning was told by the Legion that the agenda is set by the BC/Yukon Command. But when Vos-Browning spoke to the Command, he was told there are no rules to “force branches to use specific prayers or invocations” and that Command would inform the Port Coquitlam branch of this fact.
Despite this assurance, Vos-Browning has not been able to confirm whether the Port Coquitlam Legion plans to include a sectarian prayer again in its 2016 program.
Mr. Rhamona Vos-Browning said:
My objective is not to embarrass the folk who organize our local event - they put in a lot of time and effort and they do a good job - however, Port Coquitlam is a diverse community and our public ceremonies need to reflect that.Ian Bushfield, Executive Director of the BC Humanist Association:
Men and women of all faith and none have fought and died for this country. Public ceremonies like those run by the Legion in communities across Canada should be sensitive to this, particularly as Canada has veterans of all faiths and none. Sectarian prayers dishonour the atheists and members of minority religions who have served the country.In November 2015, Humanist veterans wrote to the Grandview Legion in Vancouver over concerns that its ceremony excluded non-Christians.
Click here for a PDF of this press release
Timeline of Rhamona Vos-Browning’s contact with the Port Coquitlam Legion
| June 28 | Letter sent to Irene Brown, Recording Secretary, Port Coquitlam Legion |
| August 18 | Voicemail left for Ms Brown |
| August 26 | Message left for Ms Brown with a person |
| August 29 | Ms Brown returns the call, says that local office doesn’t have the authority to change the agenda. Refers to Joseph Waugh with the BC/Yukon Command |
| September 14 | Voicemail left for Mr Waugh |
| September 15 | Mr Waugh returns call, Vos-Browning outlines concern and gets his email address |
| September 26 | Email sent to Mr Waugh, including copy of letter sent to Ms Brown |
| September 27 | Reply from Mr Waugh |
| September 30 | Voicemail left for Ms Brown |
| October 6 | Voicemail left for Ms Brown |
| October 13 | Voicemail left for Ms Brown |
June 28, 2016 letter to Irene Brown, Port Coquitlam Legion
Dear Ms. Brown,
It is in gratitude and respect that I send you this note. Our family immigrated to Canada in 1958. My parents were in their late teens/early twenties during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and were forever marked by the experience. The region where my mother lived had been especially devastated during the occupation and they were starving when the Canadians came, with their chocolate and cigarettes. My parents idealised Canada, and taught their children to love it deeply.
It is in this spirit that I attend Remembrance Day ceremonies every year. Since moving to Port Coquitlam in 1996 I have been impressed with the organisation evident at our local ceremony.
The 2015 ceremony left me somewhat saddened, however. The ceremony was, as usual, well attended, with people surrounding the cenotaph well onto the streets. That small, diverse sea of people included children and young families, retirees and elderly from many ethnic, racial and religious origins. So it was a surprise when the ceremony ended with a clearly sectarian closing prayer. As a non-Christian, I felt that the benediction “May the Lord bless and keep you…” was unnecessarily exclusionary at such a public occasion.
In the spirit of recognizing our country’s multiculturalism, if a prayer is to be part of the ceremony, I would ask that it be worded to include people of all faiths and none. Alternatively, if you plan to maintain the sectarian prayer, I would request that a humanist invocation be added to the program. I would be happy to help you source an appropriate humanist officiant to perform such an invocation.
Best regards,
Rhamona S. Vos-Browning
September 26, 2016 email to Joseph Waugh, BC/Yukon Command
Dear Mr. Waugh,
Earlier this year I wrote to Irene Brown, Recording Secretary for the Port Coquitlam Legion #133, regarding the use of a highly sectarian prayer to close the 2015 Remembrance Day Ceremony in Port Coquitlam. In her telephone reply, Ms. Brown said she did not have the authority, at the local level, to make changes to the program and referred me to you.
Briefly, my complaint is that the benediction "The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” from Numbers 6:24 -26, is a specifically Christian prayer used at the end of Christian religious services.
Port Coquitlam, like much of British Columbia, is a diverse, multi ethnic, multi faith community. The use of such a specifically Christian prayer at a high profile public occasion is exclusionary to the multi faith/no faith community wishing to honour the people who made such a community possible.
In the spirit of recognizing our country’s multiculturalism, if any prayer is to be part of the ceremony, I would ask that it be worded to include people of all faiths and none. Alternatively, if the sectarian prayer is to be included, I would request that a humanist invocation be added to the program. I would be happy to help you source an appropriate humanist officiant to perform such an invocation.
While my original letter was specific to my home town, I would be interested in learning the policy of the Royal Canadian Legion BC/Yukon Commission in regards to this issue.
regards,
Rhamona S. Vos-Browning
September 27, 2016 Reply from Joseph Waugh
Rhamona,
Thank you for contacting the Royal Canadian Legion BC/Yukon Command with your concerns. BC/Yukon Command does not have rules which force branches to use specific prayers or invocations during the Remembrance Day Ceremony. I have informed the Branch 133 Port Coquitlam of this fact, and I recommend that you follow-up with them in regards to their up-coming Remembrance Day Ceremony.
Best regards,
Joseph Waugh
15 June 2016
Amerigod speaks
YouTube preachers were falling over themselves
to heap scorn and abuse on the folks in Orlando.
YouTube is pulling them as hate speech.
A sermon by Pastor Roger Jimenez, of Verity Baptist Church,
is similar and was also removed by YouTube as hate speech... but not before it was copied:
Later, Pastor Jimenez refined his position:
“As a Christian, we shouldn’t be mourning the death of 50 sodomites. Let me go ahead and start right there. As a Christian, we shouldn’t be sad or upset,” Jimenez said in his sermon, which was posted online to YouTube. YouTube has since removed the sermon, deeming it “hate speech.”ABC10 News spoke with Jimenez at his Sacramento home on Tuesday morning. He said he did not have any regrets about the sentiments expressed in his Sunday sermon.
“The bible does teach that homosexuality deserves the death penalty. Leviticus 20:13 says that if a man lie with mankind like he does with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination and will surely be put to death. Romans 1 says that they which commit such things are worthy of death,” Jimenez said. “My whole point was, if people die who deserve to die, we don’t need to be mourning that. This gunman there that shot people up, the bible says he deserves to die, he died and we shouldn’t be mourning his death, either. That’s the whole point I was making, and it’s been taken out of context.”
Jimenez was asked to explain how his statements are not an incitement to violence against the LGBT community.
“I’m not calling people to arms. And I’m not telling people they should go do this … What I’m saying is that if the government followed the laws of God, that’s what they would be doing. And if the government did that, I’d be fine with that,” Jimenez said.
When asked to clarify whether he was saying that he’d support the government killing gay people, Jimenez said, “I would be fine. I would be totally okay with that, if the government did that. That’s what they would do, if we lived in a righteous nation.”
Jimenez said he will be holding his weekly sermon on Sunday as usual, and invites Christians who are not afraid of the media to attend Verity Baptist Church.
other Christians disagree
"Saying that singling people out because of their religion, sexual orientation,
or nationality must be offensive to God, Bishop Robert Lynch responded to the
attacks on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando..."
read the full article on the Tampa Bay Times
12 June 2016
Mass shooting claims 50 lives in targeted attack
(this post has been edited and expanded)
We expected, at least anyone familiar with queer history did, a backlash against marriage equity in the U.S. Add the recognition of trans folk and you get entire demographics losing their minds.
The religious right regards us, as lgbt people, with utter, visceral loathing. In Canada, these extremists are held in check by the moderate majority. In the sothern US they ARE the majority. Not long ago, Ted Cruise and two other Republican presidential candidates raised their voices calling for the execution of homosexuals.
The only thing about this act of terrorism that surpises me is the religion of the murderer. Statistically, I expected southern Baptist.
from NBC:
"... The massacre — the worst mass shooting in the history of the United States — began when the gunman stormed the Pulse Nightclub about 2 a.m. ET with an AR-15 type rifle and a handgun
full NBC article with video here
from MailOnline:
"... ISIS has claimed responsibility for the deadliest mass shooting in US history and says the gunman who slaughtered at least 50 innocent party-goers in an Orlando gay club was one of its fighters...
Shortly before the attack, Mateen, who was born in New York to Afghan parents, called 911 and pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, law enforcement officials told NBC News.
And the terror group's Amaq news agency said on Sunday the Islamist militant group was responsible for the shooting.
'The armed attack that targeted a gay night club in the city of Orlando in the American state of Florida which left over 100 people dead or injured was carried out by an Islamic State fighter,' Amaq said.
U.S. officials cautioned, however, that they had no immediate evidence of any direct connection with ISIS or any other foreign extremist group, nor had they uncovered any contacts between the gunman and any such group.
read the full MailOnline article here
related:
The gunman called 911 before the attack, expressing fealty to ISIS. He twice had been investigated by federally authorities for alleged comments he made about terrorism, but both investigations were closed.
The names of the first victims identified in the shooting include seven men between the ages of 20 and 36 years old.
Mateen had security and firearm licenses and the gunman's weapons were legally purchased within the past week.
President Obama called the attack "an act of terror and hate." ..."
The names of the first victims identified in the shooting include seven men between the ages of 20 and 36 years old.
Mateen had security and firearm licenses and the gunman's weapons were legally purchased within the past week.
President Obama called the attack "an act of terror and hate." ..."
full NBC article with video here
from MailOnline:
"... ISIS has claimed responsibility for the deadliest mass shooting in US history and says the gunman who slaughtered at least 50 innocent party-goers in an Orlando gay club was one of its fighters...
Shortly before the attack, Mateen, who was born in New York to Afghan parents, called 911 and pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, law enforcement officials told NBC News.
And the terror group's Amaq news agency said on Sunday the Islamist militant group was responsible for the shooting.
'The armed attack that targeted a gay night club in the city of Orlando in the American state of Florida which left over 100 people dead or injured was carried out by an Islamic State fighter,' Amaq said.
U.S. officials cautioned, however, that they had no immediate evidence of any direct connection with ISIS or any other foreign extremist group, nor had they uncovered any contacts between the gunman and any such group.
read the full MailOnline article here
related:
5 May 2016
Alix Jules on race, politics and black secularism
A candid conversation with Seth Andrews, Alix Jules speaks about religion, race, politics, equality, and the rise of black secularism throughout the United States.
17 November 2015
fun with fundies: It really was a ‘kill the gays’ call to arms
Rachel Maddow calls out Republican presidential candidates for attending an anti-gay religious liberty conference where speakers openly called for the execution of gay and lesbian citizens.Last Friday Republican presidential candidates Bobby Jindal, Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz joined radical right-wing pastor Kevin Swanson on the stage of Swanson’s “National Religious Liberties Conference” where the controversial pastor once again called for the execution of gays and lesbians.Discussing the alarming conference, Maddow said:
It really was a ‘kill the gays’ call to arms.
from patheos.com/blogs22 September 2015
fun with fundies: Kent Hovind rides again!
Fresh from prison for 'taking money from our account to pay bills' and not for fraud at all, nudge nudge, Kent Hovind explaines the mysteries of young earth creationism. Enjoy. You're welcome.
30 July 2015
fun with fundies: wait, this is unexpected!
"We pick and choose the scriptures that we want to use to beat folk up with,
rather than look at our own lives."
E. Dewey Smith
8 July 2015
fun with fundies
The recent Supreme Court of the United States decision on marriage equity
is the gift that just won't stop giving. Today it's James David Manning, chief pastor at the ATLAH World Missionary Church (Baptist, mais bien sûr) in New York City.
Manning is known for his mouth, saying, among other things, that "white homos are going to take the black woman’s man" and that President Obama is going to "use gay people to destroy the black community." He wants the stoning of gay people and for Harlem to be a "homo-free zone.
Oh, what the heck. Here's a bonus bit of crazy. Sodomites are running the world!
17 April 2015
11 February 2015
old pope, new pope, same pope
in case you were under the impression that Francis is somehow different from Joey Ratz...
Pope Francis gave his blessing on Wednesday to a referendum
that would ban marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples
in Slovakia, which will be voted on this Saturday.
“I greet the pilgrims from Slovakia and, through them,
I wish to express my appreciation to the entire Slovak church,
encouraging everyone to continue their efforts in defence of the family,
the vital cell of society,”
Francis said during Wednesday’s general audience in Rome.
full article on BuzzFeed
28 January 2015
special pleading
The union said the UN should then issue a "law criminalising
contempt of religions and the prophets and all the holy sites".
from Yahoo News, January 20, 2015
Doha (AFP) - A leading Islamic
organisation has called on the United Nations to make "contempt of
religions" illegal and urged the West to protect Muslim communities
following the attack on French magazine Charlie Hebdo.
The
latest cartoon of the prophet in Charlie Hebdo has angered many Muslims
and triggered protests in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
In
a statement released Tuesday, the union said there should be protection
for "prophets" and urged Islamic countries to submit a draft law to the
UN calling for defamation of religions to be outlawed.
The union said the UN should then issue a "law criminalising contempt of religions and the prophets and all the holy sites".
It also called for the West "to protect Muslim communities from attacks, whether they are citizens or residents or visitors".
The
union has condemned the publication of a cartoon of the Prophet
Mohammed holding a "Je suis Charlie" sign under the headline "All is
forgiven" in the first Charlie Hebdo edition since Islamist gunmen
killed 12 people in an attack on its offices.
Qaradawi, 88, is seen as a spiritual guide of Egypt's banned Muslim Brotherhood, the movement of ousted former president Mohamed Morsi.
4 January 2015
23 December 2014
2 September 2014
13 July 2014
YouTuber shout outs: Captain Andy
"I like to talk about politics and religion... especially in polite company. I draw things with crayons. I make music... though I promise I'll never ask you to vote for me in anything. I eat vegetables... "
one more, just 'cause...
30 April 2014
stone the (gays, apostates, insulters of Islam, fornicators...) law introduced in Brunei
“Today, I place my faith in... Allah the almighty
to announce that tomorrow, Thursday 1 May 2014,
will see the enforcement of
Sharia law phase one... "
Hassanal Bolkiah, 29th Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei and multi-billionaire
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei/ Wikimedia commons
Sutan of Brunei, right
gays, apostats, insulters of Islam, fornicators...
Brunei joins Sudan, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi-Arabia, United
Brunei joins Sudan, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi-Arabia, United
Arab Emirates and Yemen in seeking religiously justified death for lgbt people.
from the Brunei Times:“The (Syariah Penal Code Order) code is a special guidance from Allah (SWT) to us all... This Act without doubt, is now part of the great history of our nation,” he said last October.
The Order outlines several offences which are punishable by hadd, where the penalty has been set out by the Quran or the hadith (traditions) of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Hadd offences cover six areas – theft, illicit sexual relations, making unproven accusations of illicit sex, causing physical hurt, drinking intoxicants, apostasy, and acts contrary to Islamic beliefs.
Since the announcement was made, Brunei has captured headlines both at home and abroad due to some of the punishments prescribed by Islamic law, such as stoning, flogging and amputation of limbs...
The law states that the Order shall apply to both Muslims and non-Muslims, except where expressly provided... "
Phase one begins May 1, 2014. The second phase "will introduce corporal punishment" and is expected within "12 months after the Syariah Courts Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) is gazetted". Phase three enforces the death penalty and will be in place "24 months after the Syariah CPC is finalised".
Brunei Times article here
related posts on stormidae:
welcome to Uganda
Uganda and South Africa
Nigeria and Sudan
28 February 2014
Pluralism and civil society: The Aga Khan speaks to Peter Mansbridge
 |
| WikiCommons |
" ...It’s not surprising, then, that the Aga Khan would be a leading
proponent of pluralism, ensuring that minority groups can participate
fully in society while maintaining their cultural differences. But his
vision of pluralism also sets him apart: He argues that it’s more than
protection of minority rights, more than diversity of language – it is a
culture, a habit of mind, a set of practices that celebrates
difference, is curious about the unfamiliar and actively embraces the
other. "
(JANICE GROSS STEIN, Special to The Globe and Mail, Published
Friday, Feb. 21 2014)
CBC
MSN News
The Globe and Mail
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