CultUre Peace

Bill Maher on Jerry Falwell

2007-05-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

Bill Maher has never been much liked by the Christian right, and it's no surprise that they are upset about his comments about Jerry Falwell. I might be biased because I am quite a huge fan of Bill Maher's, but, IMHO, calling for him to be off the air is ridiculous.

There are many religous people who think nothing of condemning and belittling those that do not live up to their standards of morality. I think it is only fair that someone speaks up for those demonized by Jerry Falwell et al.

If you agree with Jerry Falwell, I can understand how you'd be offended. However, the Hate he spewed was equally offensive to a host of people, myself included. I guess if I could face the reality that people like Jerry exist and represent Christ (so they say), then the holier than thou crowd have to live with the reality that people like Bill Maher exist and represent a whole ensemble of folk who find no Christ-like quality in Jerry Falwell.

Of course, I simply have to give you the chance to see this for yourself. Hilarious and raw.

Hmmmm...???

2007-05-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

Which God or Goddess are you like? Your Result: Budha You are Budha. You are a very peaceful person, you love all who love you. You are a cheerful personality, and you have a great sense of humor. Congratulations!! You are Budha!!
Jesus
The Christian God
You are your own God or Goddess
Goddess Bast
Satan
God Zeus
Goddess Sekhemet
Which God or Goddess are you like? Make Your Own Quiz

American Hostages

2006-11-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

I was very disturbed to read about the forgotten plight of three Americans abducted in Columbia. I am sure there are efforts underway to bring them home, but yet I wonder I why their ordeal barely registers on the radars of news monitors. Have we reached such a low point that even American life has different value depending on whether a person is abducted in a political hotspot?

More on this story here

Hmmm, Food for thought?

2006-10-31T10:15:00.000-08:00

About the negative ads in the Tennessee senate race targeting Harold Ford, I think this article makes a very valid point. We all tend to look at things through the veil of our expiriences and the fact that we aren't racist doesn't mean there aren't others that are.

In fact, the simple truth that it took 31 years for South Carolina to make the necessary changes to its constitution, and, the fact that ANYONE voted against the change, it a testament to the fact that whether or not we choose to admit it; the KKK didn't simply disapear from the face of the earth.

I used to think it was a gross misconception that there are still people out there who are outrightly racist, and, that blacks hurt themselves by crying foul from a state of self imposed segregation. I finally concede that indeed I am simply a lucky woman to have never encountered the ignorant hateful people, whose only claim to selfworth is the color of their skin.

Context provides the moral thicket. Consider that when South Carolina finally repealed its Constitution's ban on interracial marriage in 1998 — 31 years after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down such laws — almost half of white voters voted to keep it in place. These ads and commercials themselves may not be overtly racist, they just hope you are.
LA Times article here

This guy gets it!

2006-10-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

"We rightly criticise that in most Islamic states, the role of religion for society and the character of the rule of law are not clearly separated," he added.

"But we fail to recognize that in the USA, the Christian fundamentalists and their interpretation of the Bible have similar tendencies".

Gerhard Schroeder, former German Chancellor, in his memoirs 'Decisions: My Life in Politics'

A very good observation, I hope he and I are proven wrong. Maybe the power of democracy is stronger, but as I see most of my friends planning for thanksgiving and some don't even know it's election day on November 7Th, I am reminded that it's the extremists in the country, the conservatives and liberals alike that actually vote. Will the over-worked, enterprising, moderate American let the country be hijacked by the extremists? What will it take to break the circle of marked indifference? I wonder...

Am I a Leftie?

2006-10-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

You know, for the most part I am a liberal. I would be more moderate except the right wing scares me, despite being a catholic or perhaps precisely for this reason, I fear extremist Christians just as I would extremist Muslims, even though, I grant you that the former are less likely to blow up people. less likely being the key phrase here.

Honestly I think the ACLU is doing a good job of protecting civil liberties and that job can only be smeared by someone that has no concept of what life under a rouge nation can/would be like. Of course if you are a blond hair, blue eyed all American you probably truly have nothing to fear from wire taps or clandestine prisons or torture techniques. Yet, we forget that in this blend of a multi-ethnic America, there are many people of 'Persian' decent who are American citizens and have a lot to fear. Most of them are well adapted and completely integrated into our American way of life. The argument is one of principle; do we abandon the moral high ground and stop to fighting this war in the manner of the terrorists we seek to undermine? I can understand the argument for that opinion. And yet in taking up the fight with such tactics we become a part of the problem. I think the most telling sign of things going wrong is when you cannot find allies amongst friends.

We cannot look at any nation's human rights record and raise concerns because we now head the league of torturers. Nelson Mandela once said, "it is not enough that justice be served. Justice must also be seen to be served." That's simply food for thought.

What is my point? It is unacceptable that in the interest of trying to seem amicable to cultural differences we lose sight of what America great; freedom. No Muslim should ever be allowed to impose their views on anyone else, in the taxis or anywhere else. In a similar tone though, I don't appreciate the right wing trying to dictate what is acceptable and American either. We have to go for consistence here. If we leave room for Christian rhetoric then it is only fitting we leave room for Jewish and Muslim ones too. We can't both eat our cake and have it. Honestly if republicans stopped peddling to rightwing zealots, I'd be the first to re-assess which side to lean towards. (There's no excuse for Bush though, I think there are many more able men and women.)

So what am I getting at? There are conflicts between, what the conservatives say, and how they act. Don't impose your Muslim ways on me, but I can and will impose my bible totting views on every American. Pick an Ideology and stick to it. Do not argue the issue on both sides of the coin as it suits you.

On the issue of the Iraq war, I was very supportive of the war. I believe Saddam should have been sent packing during the gulf war in the 90s. The humanitarian benefits of a regime change in the region are enormous. Even without WMD there was enough reason to go in there. I honestly believe that the president is right, and, that if we do stay the course, we will win. Not winning that battle has more repercussions for our long term future that we can possible imagine. We cannot, and should not, pull out until the region is stable. That being said, I have major qualms with this administration. Why? Because a very important issue was over simplified and sold to the public under false pretenses, and now, we run an even larger risk, that of pulling out too soon and leaving Iraq worse than we found it. I fault this administration for excessive cronyism, incompetence and arrogance on the world scene, that has lost us many allies in Europe, and, created a hostile environment that has made winning this war all the more difficult. Make no mistake about it, Bush is very right, the situation if we fail in this war is bleak. The problem is that this administration undermined itself, when it presented a complex time staking operation as slam-dunk, when it endorsed torture and gave up the moral high ground, and, when it curtails the very freedoms that we all fight for, in the war against terrorism.

Now I wish there was one single democratic candidate with the guts to have an actual opinion, to break from the rhetoric, and do what's right for this country. So we have a choice between barely competent and completely cowardly. The final choice for me comes down to backing the party that would curb as few of my rights as possible. So I vote for choice, for freedom, for the Idea that I go to church and pray to God, but, for heaven's sake, keep him out of government.

So in this polarized climate, am I a liberal, biased, leftie? I guess so.

2006-10-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

Paul Hunter 1978 to 2006

Hunter passed away on October 9 2006, aged 27. He leaves his wife Lindsey and young daughter Evie Rose.

Paul Hunter both young and extremely talented, his passing will leave a huge vacuum in the world of snooker. I will never forget the 2004 Master's Final game between Paul Hunter and Ronnie O'sullivan, that captured my heart. There are very few public personna's who capture the hearts of the distant observer, for me, Paul Hunter was such a man. Thay say, 'Snooker is a game for gentlemen' ; Paul Hunter was truly the quintessential gentleman.

Paul Hunter factfile:

1978: Born October 14.

1995: Turned professional at the age of 16.

1998: Won the Welsh Open.

2001: Recovered from 7-3 down to beat Fergal O'Brien 10-9 and win the Wembley Masters title.

2002: Hunter again came from behind to retain his Wembley Masters title, this time beating Mark Williams 10-9 after being 5-0 down.

Won the Welsh Open title and British Open title in Telford later that year.

2003: Reached the semi-finals of the World Championships, leading Ken Doherty 15-9 before slipping to a 17-16 defeat.

2004: Claimed his third Wembley Masters title by beating Ronnie O'Sullivan in a last-frame decider after trailing 7-2.

2005: April 6 - It was announced that Hunter had been diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumours, a rare form of cancer.

April 14 - In his first competitive appearance since his diagnosis, he came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Jimmy White in a Premier League fixture in Doncaster.

April 15: Confirmed he would compete in the 2005 World Championship. Hunter lost in the first round to Michael Holt.

October: Beaten in the last 16 of the German Open.

December: Came from behind to beat Jamie Burnett 9-8 and reach the third round of the UK Championship in York.

2006: April: Played through the pain as he was beaten 10-5 by Australian Neil Robertson in the first round of the World Championship.

July - Was given the go-ahead to take a year out from the game in order to continue his fight against cancer, after an extraordinary general meeting of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association agreed to freeze his ranking.

October 9: Died aged 27 after losing his battle with cancer.

2006-06-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

I came across this quote from the UNESCO preamble,

"Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defence of peace must be constructed."

Beautiful...

The Sneaky Japs

2006-06-20T23:42:00.000-07:00

So the Japanese feel that in order to preserve depleted fish pools we should recommence whaling. Well it is good to see that they have learnt the art of nonsensical logic from their American counterparts who for the most part vehemently deny global warming as anything more than an exaggerated ploy by those that believe we should preserve this world for future generations.

It is sad to see that not only has this draw minimal protests, but they might actually eventually succeed in lifting the ban on whaling. I feel like calling the smart guy complaining about depleted fish pools in the pacific to ask him about the impact of humans. Arguably Humans contribute alot more to any depletion on the planet than a hand full of whales. There are about 6 billion of us! And only a few thousand whales...now whales do enjoy larger diners but it would make more sense to protect the fish from humans.

I thought about it and realised that with the missile standoff with North Korea and Nuclear stand off with Iran; perhaps very soon it all won't matter anyway. Being that we want guns and wars; perhaps we will succed in reducing the impact of humans...na? Somewhere along the way humanity lifted the ban on seeking wars too.

All this bodes well for the fish though...who can now swim the ocean waters hopeful that the whales and human will soon not be a problem. Problem is by the time we humans get round to annihilating eachother we would have destroyed the planet too...so fish safe but not the ocean...;-)...hehehe...

Birth Control

2005-04-15T23:03:00.000-07:00

I was just wondering what exactly those who oppose birth control would like to see happen. Maybe every woman should just keep on poping out kids until she is 50. Or maybe we should expand the abstinence programs for teens to include everyboby. Yeah, I think people should just stop having sex altogether. That would solve the problem of birth control, STDs etc. Divorce rate might hit the roof though(cos everyone would be grumpy and all), but hey who wants to be married if you can't have sex anyway. All that work and no reward:-).
OH I get it we just use the calender method if you are married. Now I get it, we can basically "do it" a couple of days a month (still no garantee you won't end with 10 kids you can't afford) and then pray to God(cos only he can help you) that your spouse does not "by mistake" (cos it's never intentional of course; you love each other) sleep with some else..(usually the case in African countries)
Don't get me wrong I am all for religion, but unless we overnight turn into the late Pope or Mother Theresa, then the no condom, no birth control theory is just unrealistic. I know most people in America would see this as common sense and this post as pointless but there is a trend to move backwards and forget what things used to be like.

You have the right to.........(What? we do.. WOW this has potential)

2005-04-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

Nothing that applies to any other business should apply to the medical field. A pharmacy is not just a business so that we can just take our business elsewhere. What if next your doctor became a Jehovah witness and refused to give you a transfusion; “sorry but you have to find someone else!” (You could bleed to death, but… hey, it’s my right we’re talking about here).
Religion and Medicine do not mix-AT ALL,which is not to say you can't be a religious practitioner.
What if it starts with birth control pills and then goes on to include other drugs: what if Pharmacies team up with manufacturers and choose the medication they fill out accordingly. At a first glance it might seem harmless to let a few pharmacists get off with refusing to fill out birth-control prescriptions but these laws do not even specify Birth-control it's anything that goes against their convictions. So watch out, maybe next it will be anti-acids then pain medication etc!! Then we will have to do a "google search" just to find a pharmacy that will fill out all your prescription!

It is much like being a Public defender; you get to defend the guilty and the innocent regardless....of course you could decide not to be a public defender!

The only Instance a Medical Doctor can refuse to treat a patient is in case of an abortion request. That means that if Bin-Laden were injured and came to me, I CAN'T refuse to treat him...(I can still call the cops though!)
"Someone who is 'against' birth control for religious reasons is not by nature practicing discrimination. He is exercising religious freedom."

I agree, it is not discrimination to refuse to fill out a prescription; it is not exercising religious freedom either! Exercising religious freedom would be not taking birth-control pills themselves- not filling out prescriptions is not doing their job! Back to the Jehovah witness Doctor; not accepting a transfusion would be my right, not giving one to my patient (big difference!) Everyone has the right to practice their religion so long as they don't adversely affect others. As the saying goes "your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins"!

A civilized political ad.; Is that possible?!

2005-04-15T09:15:00.000-07:00

As I roamed TV channels last night, the British presidential campaign Ads on c-span caught my attention. There was one word for it CIVILIZED. Instead of bad-mouthing each other, both the Conservative party and the labour party had ads that focused on what they would do. Blair mentioned some things he HAD done. Ultimately they both had the same message each stressing on what they would do in areas that had been traditionally ingnored by the other party(subtle critic). I was amazed at how constructive their aproaches both were. If I were British I would vote for BOTH parties; that's how well they came across. This of course means that which ever won I would not be quite so anti-government. Far be it from me to suggest Americans learn a thing or two from our allies(we are far to arrogant for that),but I must mention that after centuries of battle and turmoil the British are actually doing it right! They can come away from elections and say-" hey,I didn't agree with that guy on a few issues but he's not so bad."
American politics has become so polar because we focus so much on throwing mud at each other to gain votes we completely entrench our opposition in its extreme stance. BOTH the right and left are guilty of doing this. Of-course after elections we look for "Bi-partisan" support for bills etc. Anyone else see a problem with this senario?
Personal beliefs aside, the majority of politicians fought to get into office for nobel reasons rather than an agenda to destroy the country. And for every mistake any politician makes, they also make some good calls. It is very similar to the half empty, half full theory. Are we going to focus on the Good an individual can do or will we undermine all his efforts by focusing on the negative. I am not saying critic has no place in the system. I am saying that some how all we hear is critic, critic, critic. Once in a while both sides should stand back and commend oponents for achievements.
Then again, what do I know?

I'm so BLUE

2005-04-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

I really like this comic depiction by Mark Fiore. It leans to the Left but I think the essence of the message is quite in line with what Culturepeace is about- People in the "Red Zone" are not quite that fundamently Different from the BLUE.

Depressed

Just Another Circus or NOT?!

2005-04-13T23:47:00.000-07:00

I read something that bugged me today about how Europeans are down the path of self-destruction. This was in response to a post on a forum made by an European that the MJ trail is a circus. Personally, I don't really care to debate the issue of his guilt or innocence(perhaps that's cos I don't have any kids). It is a criminal case and I would leave it to the justice system to deal with it. On the other hand I think that without knowing the facts, it is better to be just and afford the man the presumption of innocence(even if we seriously doubt it). Botttom Line; Is that we do not know the facts either way! We are simply bombarded with information from the media with their spin on it(even THEY don't have all the details). The greatest illusion is that of knowledge! So in defense of Europeans sometimes a more pragmatic approach to certain issues will yield less violatile debates that are essentially pointless.

Blogs I like

2005-04-13T23:43:00.000-07:00

I was surfing blogs today and come across some blogs with different opinions. I have listed a few of them here. In the spirit of culture peace some have a conservative agenda and the others are more liberal. I honestly think they all make valid points in their own way.

A unifying power: in Life as in Death

2005-04-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

Just a small footnote ( or rather overhead note!) to my tribute to the pope. It was so wonderful to watch his funeral and see that even in death he brings together people of every nationality and creed. Although I am sure most of the crowd that gathered at st. Peter's square to witness his funeral were for the most part catholics, in the front row seats, I saw some very non-catholic looking faces. Leaders of so many different religions not only paid their respects to the Pope but also actively participated in his funeral rites, turning it into one of the most global events in recent history. Indeed the turnout of National leaders made me constantly remind myself that I was watching the pope's funeral not a ceremony at a UN summit. And of course I loved the way the media zeroed in on the offering of peace during the mass when the presidents of Isreal, Iran and Syria shook hands! All in all a majestic end to a royal life.

2005-04-04T02:25:00.000-07:00

A portrait of Hope and Love!

CultUre Peace mourns Peace Advocate

2005-04-04T01:47:00.000-07:00

I believe the greatest legacy of Pope John Paul the second is that of tolerance and understanding, the seeds that bear fruit in time to be peace and justice. It is because of this legacy that I decided to pay homage to this great man on this blog.
While many did not agree with him on his more conservative stances, there was a light his presence brought and universal truth resonated in his words breaking all conventional boundaries of religion, class and geography.
What I have found most fascinating was his ability to touch the hearts of men, who not being Catholics were not necessarily inclined to listen to his message much less accept it. This was primarily because addressed issues that were inherently important to all mankind. He was an advocate for Peace, he denounced all forms of oppression, and he was an activist for the poor, the weak and the helpless.
One of his strongest convictions is the dignity of human life. From this steams a variety of principles some of which are very controversial. The Pope was very much against the death penalty. Despite the fact that he had witnessed firsthand the cruelty of man’s inhumanity, he believed no soul was beyond redemption and that God’s mercy was boundless. This Pope did not just preach forgiveness, he practiced it. He visited in jail the man who had attempted and very nearly succeeded to kill him. He forgave him and refused to disclose the details of that conversation. There-in lies one of the most compelling characteristics of this Pope, he did as he preached.
I cannot help but wonder if perhaps in his commitment to life, he should have taken a more liberal stance on contraception. AIDS is a very big killer in Africa and lots of lives are lost everyday, as not using condoms is justified on a moral/religious ground. It is hypocrisy to engage in sexual promiscuity and then claim moral high ground on the use of condoms but that is reality. It would be wonderful if everyone had the moral integrity of the Pope, but they do not, and as such we have the moral obligation to protect the life not of the potential egg or sperm but of the wives and children who die everyday of AIDS. Then again, what do I know?
I completely agree with his anti-abortion stance; however I unlike most with similar views do not seek to impose these views on others. I find it hilarious that anti-abortion activists come from a social class that are least likely to ever face the reality of an abortion. I believe the final choice is up to the individual because so are the consequences. My convictions have never been tested in this matter and so they are not even convictions they are “what I would like to do”. I think only those who have actually had to make this choice in face of great adversity can truly have a conviction. For everyone else our opinions are nothing more than what we have been programmed to believe is morally or socially correct.
Premarital sex: another big issue. I agree with the Pope that sex is taken too lightly but unless we all start getting married before the age of 20, premarital chastity is never going to be a reality except for a very few cases. This is of course something I would hardly expect a man with decades of celibacy under his belt to understand. I also believe one of the roots of most of modern society’s problems is the breakdown of the family unit and that marriage is taken too lightly. However if marriage becomes the young persons license to morally acceptable sex it would only compound the problem. Then again, what do I know?
Gay people will always have my unfaltering sympathy. I cannot even begin to imagine what it most be like to live such a persecuted life. Every openly gay person displays great courage, integrity and resolution to defy the odds, all traits that I admire in any individual. This is a long debate that many will disagree with me on but, in the spirit of tolerance one has to accept every person, for we were all created in God’s image (even the Gay person). I also sometimes wonder how being gay is any more “un-natural” than life long celibacy. Then again, what do I know?
As a woman the Pope’s adamant position on female clergy saddens me the most. Then I remember that 1000 years ago we were said to not have souls. 100 years ago American women could not vote. Things will eventually change, perhaps slowly but certainly. The biggest mistake we can make is adopting the false delusion that women are no longer second class citizens. The dream of gender equality is yet to be reality. We have to keep the wheels of change oiled and in motion. If head of a prestigious academic institution in the US can say “women are innately deficient…….. “(Never mind the context) and be defended by other Americans in the name of academic dialogue, I personally become very concerned for the fragile equality that women in some countries in the western world now enjoy.
I didn’t mean to touch on so many hot issues all at once. I will revisit all these issues at a later time with more in-depth analysis to try and understand the reality of the various issues. Here I have mostly given my own simple opinions and of course I am no authority nor do I claim to be.
To conclude, I join the millions of Christians, Muslims, Jews and atheists in regretting the passing of a philanthropist whose vision of the world so universal it brought hope to people of every faith. We all look to the future and hope that his legacy will live on not just in the Catholic Church but in the hearts of men

2005-03-31T22:28:00.000-08:00

The tombs of Kings tell great stories if only we Listen!