Religions' Interference in Government

Richard Packham has a post on his site about the California Prop 8. Okay I know it's old news but I was struck by one of the responses from the church.

The church does not object to rights (already established in California) regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the family or the constitutional rights of churches and their adherents to administer and practice their religion free from government interference. (italics are mine)

My first and last thought is: I don't object to your rights to practice your religion, so long as your practice does not infringe on my rights or the constitutional rights of the government to operate free from religious interference.

A Lesson Well Taught

My mom is gone now but I remember well the things she taught me. She always said:

• always be proud to sign your name to what you do
• if a job is worth doing it is worth doing well
• do it right the first time and you won't have to do it over

Okay...I did a great job this morning; I'm proud to sign my name to it, but I know that next Saturday I'll have to mow that damn lawn again!

Lord willing and the creek don't rise

An old gentleman who works in my office said yesterday as he was leaving, "See you tomorrow, lord willing and the creek don't rise." Then, he didn't come in today.

I wondered, did the creek rise or was the lord not willing? It bothered me all day.

The more I thought about it the more ridiculous it sounded. My dad used to say the same thing and I always wondered about it. If the lord was willing wouldn't he keep the creek from rising?

Just a late night thought.

The Nature of God or Gods

I've been reading Mormon Coffee again and it occured to me that the argument going on is over the top.

You have the Mormons and the Christians debating the nature of god and whether or not men can become gods. On one side the belief is that mankind is created in his image...maybe both sides...but then they part company. The Christians rant that no one can be a god except god. The Mormons say they can be "like god" but seem to stop short, at least in public, of saying they will be gods.

Did they ever stop to think about how incredible, and I mean unbelievable, the entire idea of god is? Do they not understand how non-believers look and listen to their stories and marvel that intelligent, educated people can believe such malarky?

I truly hope, as I have been told, that we are closer to being a secular nation. It's about time!

Ya gotta' love it

Idols

I have been reading an exchange on Mormon Coffee about the lightening strike on the temple adornment called Moroni. What I find interesting is that the non mormons are accusing the mormons of idol worship and then the mormons are saying what about the cross?

What strikes me is that they are both completely blind to how they sound to reasonable people.

Check it out. Tell me what you think.

Role Reversal

I have just returned from a two week trip to Europe. I would have stayed even longer had I not been expected back to work.

I went to visit a friend with whom I had lost touch more than 30 years ago. What a surprise when she just called me out of the blue! And what a treat to be invited to her home in Germany.

When we became friends we were both living in California, both with new marriages and small children. Our friendship blossomed in spite of the fact that I was religious and she was not. I went to church, taught my children about god and said my prayers.

In the ensuing years I returned to school, became a teacher and dumped religion. Remembering the many heated conversations we shared all those years ago, I was looking forward to telling her that she had won all the arguments; that I too, am an atheist. Now, you can see where this is going…

Her former husband died in a traffic accident and she remarried; a believer. Now she is one too!

Well, so much for the win/loss record.