Unaware until today that yesterday stood as the 104th anniversary of death of bad King Leopold the Royal Deuce of Wannabe-Bad-Ass Belgium, as wretched a tyrant as ever lived and mayhaps the worst as he had empire envy: other European powers split most of the the world, and he only got the stinkin' Congo.
To that, he reacted with savagert all too predictable of a civilized Christian:
[Leopold thought, how could a country be influential if it didn't have darker peoples under its boot....The despot's nefarious forces, dubbed the Force Publique, invaded the Congo Free State and unleashed a horror many of us can't even fathom. The invaders raped Congolese women, destroyed homes and villages, sucked vital resources (rubber and ivory) from the country and, more infamously as shown above, cut off the hands of native peoples to intimidate those who didn't produce enough rubber to meet the quota or to show military superiors that bullets hadn't been wasted on, gasp--wait for it, animals. Those beautiful black hands, by the way, are still a presence in Belgium. I was in Brussels several years ago and a candy shop, near the European Commission's headquarters, was selling chocolate hands. No other customer seemed to recognize the odious irony of it all. But, then again, that's Europe for you: a lovely and historically rich continent spectacularly ignorant of its role in multiple genocides.] (Emphasis added because of sarcasm below, Also can't bare seeing pic at this link) http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/17/1263307/-Rest-In-Hell-Dear-Leopold?detail=email
So US does count as more moral place than Europe 'cause we only have the blood price of one genocide on our heads.
Showing posts with label christian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christian. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Christian with a little "c"
People often become confused when told I believe in Jesus but am not a "Christian" with a big "C." The former has me trying to follow my Savior as found in the Gospels and taking action within my meagre means to put those words in my life. The latter has become contaminated if not nearly obliterated by right wing neo-conservative politicians, faith healing charlatans, snake handlers, and insufferable, intransigent, intolerable and judgmental prigs who prefer reading the Old Testament and pronouncing judgment on others rather than considering the contradiction of their beliefs with their actions.
Faith for me comes from trying to become a christian.
This becoming happens thought by thought, word after word, and incremental actions, using the good examples learned from my parents and also rising above their negative qualities: the passive aggressiveness of my Moms and the bluster and bullying of my dad.
Then we have the human tendency to do what we want rather than we ought to do.
Given these considerations and realizing one ought not judge other humans, still we must evaluate actions in the political realm and ask whether they comport with becoming a follower of Jesus, He who had such concern and compassion for poor folk.
Thus when one learns Ted Cruz, senator from crazy town, gets a platinum level health plan by means of his wife's employment as managing partner at Goldman Sachs, worth $40,000 tax free, we can evaluate Mr. Cruz's parsimony in trying to deny health insurance to people of modest means and deem him a hypocritical asshat, to put it as politely as I can.
As oft happens, found another who put it better than I: "[I]t's okay if you don't want to feed the hungry, or heal the sick, or house the homeless. Just don't say you're doing it for their own good. Don't say you'd like to help people, but your hands are tied, because if you did it would cause the culture of dependency, or go against the Bible, or worst of all, rob them of their freedom.... to be sick and hungry.
Just admit you're selfish and based on how little your beliefs mirror the actual teachings of Jesus, you might as well claim to worship Despicable Me. […]" (Transcription from Crooks and Liars)
Don't even get me started on the Epistles, as one ought follow Jesus and not Paul, http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=3429012&pageno=1.
Faith for me comes from trying to become a christian.
This becoming happens thought by thought, word after word, and incremental actions, using the good examples learned from my parents and also rising above their negative qualities: the passive aggressiveness of my Moms and the bluster and bullying of my dad.
Then we have the human tendency to do what we want rather than we ought to do.
Given these considerations and realizing one ought not judge other humans, still we must evaluate actions in the political realm and ask whether they comport with becoming a follower of Jesus, He who had such concern and compassion for poor folk.
Thus when one learns Ted Cruz, senator from crazy town, gets a platinum level health plan by means of his wife's employment as managing partner at Goldman Sachs, worth $40,000 tax free, we can evaluate Mr. Cruz's parsimony in trying to deny health insurance to people of modest means and deem him a hypocritical asshat, to put it as politely as I can.
As oft happens, found another who put it better than I: "[I]t's okay if you don't want to feed the hungry, or heal the sick, or house the homeless. Just don't say you're doing it for their own good. Don't say you'd like to help people, but your hands are tied, because if you did it would cause the culture of dependency, or go against the Bible, or worst of all, rob them of their freedom.... to be sick and hungry.
Just admit you're selfish and based on how little your beliefs mirror the actual teachings of Jesus, you might as well claim to worship Despicable Me. […]" (Transcription from Crooks and Liars)
Don't even get me started on the Epistles, as one ought follow Jesus and not Paul, http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=3429012&pageno=1.
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