The other day, I stumbled upon this video about a young woman who was kicked out of the Westboro Baptist Church and her family for asking too many questions. Very heartbreaking. (The WBC is probably familiar to most of you. Its members protest soldiers’ funerals and preach that “God hates fags” and, well, everyone else who doesn’t belong to their church.)
Atheists were divided over “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day,” but I think we should unanimously and unequivocally denounce “International Burn a Quran Day.”
Look, there’s nothing wrong with criticizing the Quran for its violent verses. But it’s the height of hypocrisy for evangelical Christians to be making those criticisms, when they excuse the violence and other Bronze Age barbarities in their own holy book.
More info about this church and its book-burning event here.
Happy Fourth, everyone! On this day, more than any other, you’re likely to hear that America was founded upon Judeo-Christian values. Such a view is incredibly pervasive here in Utah.
The Salt Lake Tribune today profiled LDS painter Jon McNaughton who often blends politics and religion in his art. The painting at the right (“One Nation Under God“) got national attention during the 2008 presidential election, because it depicts Christ pointing to the U.S. Constitution. Behind Christ are the founders and dozens of other iconic American figures.
Funny, or just cruel and sad? For me, it’s a little of all three. I enjoy a good prank, but I’m rather disturbed that this worked and that many Christians are so pre-occupied with the “end times.”
In her defense, she’d make for a more interesting graduation ceremony than Danny Glover. ;)
I’ve been meaning to post this video for a while, but it’s particularly instructive after the discussion of Biblical inerrantism and the Gospels’ veracity on the last post.