Legislating Morality - the biblically founded case against "Pro-Life" and Anti-Gay legislation

Driving over 2400 miles in one week gives a person a long time to listen to Aerosmith CD's, marvel at how cows can eat while being rained on, and think DEEP THOUGHTS©.

This one has been rattling around in my head for a while now, and last weekend I tried it out on my (oxymoronic as it sounds) open-minded conservative fundamentalist christian friend. Even she said that the logic has merit, so here goes:

I believe the Bible supports "Pro-Choice", and most other liberal "agendas". First off - I choose to say "PRO-CHOICE" deliberately, as Pro-Choice is not "Pro Abortion" - nobody I've ever met who is Pro-Choice believes that the ONLY choice should be abortion, and that anyone who gets knocked up should ride the rusty coathanger, but that the CHOICE should be available to and ONLY between the family involved and their medical professional. That said, let us start first in the book of Genesis:

Genesis 2:9 tells us:
And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.


Note that God did not place these trees in the far corner of the garden, covered up and inaccessible. No, they were planted SMACK dab in the center where they were visible and easily accessible.

Now moving along, Genesis 2:15-17 says:
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."


Ok, note again - it isn't the TREE OF LIFE that is going to be a problem. The tree that will cause problems is the tree of THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. And God did not take that tree away and put it somewhere that was hidden and unreachable. No, he put this tree in the CENTER of the garden.

Take a minute here and think about this. God did not make this decision FOR the man. He told him not to do it, but He didn't make it impossible to do. He gave the man FREE WILL to obey or to make his own mistakes. To CHOOSE.

God already knew how the humans would choose. God knows all - the Bible says, "Lord, thou knowest all things." (John 21:17) and "God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things" (1 John 3:20). The writer of Hebrews teaches that "All things are naked and open unto his eyes" (Hebrews 4:13). Didn't God tell Jeremiah "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee" (Jeremiah. 1:5)?

So He knows beforehand that they're gonna screw up. He knows before He even plants the trees - and yet He goes ahead and puts them RIGHT where they can be seen and touched. Even conveniently puts a snake with a contrary agenda into the garden.

But it is obviously ENTIRELY important to God that the humans have free will. That they are given the right to CHOOSE whether to do what He tells them, or whether to do as they wish, or are persuaded to do by snakey acquaintances.

Adam and Eve had no prior experience to tell them that God would toss their butts out of the garden and make them work for a living and all that. They had to take His word for it that eating from that tree would be bad. There was nobody shown as an "example". God seems to have felt that these choices need to be based on trust and respect and free choice - not based on fear.

We also note that God did not decide to allot the punishment to other humans - he banished the pair from the garden on his own. Deuteronomy 32:35 says:
"Vengeance is Mine, and recompense."

It is also notable that God did not set Himself up as the government. (John 18:36 - Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”) While He gave rules to Moses and others, He didn't put Himself in the place of the rulers of the government. Matthew 22:21 - "Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."

So if the Bible itself preaches against a Theocracy, and God Himself has decided that even given the possibility of a less-than-desireable outcome it is MORE IMPORTANT that men and women be given Freedom of Choice - then how can the Fundies possibly go so far wrong by trying to enforce their morality through legislation? And if (as the Fundies believe) homosexuality is a CHOICE rather than a genetic "feature" - then where do they get off trying to deprive those people of their right to choose their gayness?

Luke 6:37 - Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven

John 12:47 - And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

61 days

Hi Honey, I'm Home!

Argh. I really am getting too old to do this road-trip thing in only 2 days.

I can't show you a picture of the Manatees, because it was overcast and dreary and all my photos came out very poorly. The manatees live in warm swamps, and the water is dark and they are kind of a brownish grey - so probably wouldn't show up too well anyhow. This is a picture from the web:



Had dinner with Susan (yes, I did give her hugs from y'all) and got some incredible blueberry muffins at a place called "Mimi's Cafe" in Murfreesboro, TN (in case any of you wanna stop in for a blueberry muffin.)

The cats pretended not to know me when I got home, but then when I went to lay down they kept maowing and hurling themselves against the door. *chuckle* I guess I called their "we don't know you, go away you stranger" bluff.

Amanda - I showed Dad the pictures I took at your wedding, but I don't have your new number to give to him - please E-MAIL it to me (do NoT post in comments, PLEASE... ) and I'll get it right off to him. He can't stop saying what a beautiful lady you have turned out to be. Maybe you and Brad can get a portrait of the 2 of you to send to him?

It rained all the way thru Tennessee, Kinfucky, and Indiana on the way back home. Driving in rain is ok, but I need to get new wiper blades, the ones I have now squeek every time they go up the windshield. SQUEEK, thunk. SQUEEK, thunk.

Tomorrow is back-to-work. I dread the pile of stuff waiting for me!

64 days

Mermaids

We went today to someplace called "Homosassa Springs" and saw manatees. They have mermaid tails. They are, however, considerably larger than Disney mermaids - considerably larger, in fact, than what I had imagined they were like from the photos I had seen of them in National Geographic.

They're like.... Hippopotomus Mermaids. Ginormous suckers, they be. The tails are cool, though, they slap them around in the water and they make whirlpools that last a rather long time after the manatee has moved on.

We drove through my favorite Florida town (because the name is fun to say) - Okahumpka. Oh-Kah-HUMP-kah....

Just say it. It is fun to say. Just like Ypsilanti and Muskegon.

One more day here with dad, then I'm driving home starting Friday morning. Will have either lunch or dinner with Susan in Nashville, depending on when I get to Nashville. I've been so relaxed these last couple days have sped by like a Japanese commuter train.

68 days

Live from Florida - It's Monday Afternoon!

Honestly, that line is SOooooo much better with New York and Saturday Nite...

Well, obviously I got here. Yay me. Drove ok, only one "iffy" moment, I started to get the white-line hypnosis thing and weaving a bit in the traffic. Pulled over at the first rest-stop and took a 1/2 hour break and was just fine afterwards. The days are gone gone gone gone when I used to be able to pull 1200 miles straight through, for sure, you betcha!

Comfort Inns get my recommendation. I am not getting any cash from them for this, but damn, they have nice rooms. The sheets in this one were even so nice and soft and cozy that I wanted to abscond with them (but they were the wrong size for my bed, so I left them.)

Even the stretch of 80/294 through Southern Chicago and eastern Indiana was a breeze. This area (known as the "Borman Expressway) is notorious for being continuously under construction and the place where I have honed my feelings about Indiana drivers. Quaylesque is my usual word for them (Sorry John!). But this last weekend they were actually behaving responsibly and not worshiping the large orange traffic cones. Perhaps it was the proximity to the Obama campaign? Or is this part of the change we need actually taking effect? (/snark)

So here I am, down in the land of sunshine and palms and orange trees, orange trees, orange trees everywhere. Daddy lives in a gated community near a small town in Central Florida, within driving distance of the mouse and the area of insanity surrounding the mouse's acreage, but the area is still pretty rural and "open" feeling. I have to hijack some of a neighbor's bandwidth to get online, (he has not wifi) but I can read the news and it is just a joy to spend a few days with him.

Even if he DOES insist on watching Faux News!!!



70 days

On the Road Again

ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually I'm not all THAT excited about driving to Florida again, but such is what I am doing next week. Visiting Dad, who has been kvetching at me about waiting to come down for so long.

Oy, and indeed - vey.

I love seeing Dad - I am not so loving all the driving anymore. I'm old. But TSA is still being stupid about things like shoes and nail clippers and bottles of Terrahist Shampoo - so I'm gonna drive.

As long as the weather holds up, I'll be fine. Tired, but fine.



73 days

Cliche's Abound

The end of an error.
Yes, we can.
Yes, we DID.


Thank you, America. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope Leandra knows, wherever she went - she's smiling from ear to ear, no doubt.

Change is coming. Hopefully it is the change we need, the change we deserve, the change the world needs.

Don't let them change you, P.E. Obama. Don't let them turn you into just another presidential asshole. Remember, WE THE PEOPLE are sending you in as our front line defense against the fascists who want to turn this country into a theocracy or worse.

Help us bring back the America we grew up believing in. The America Dr. King dreamed about.

75 days

My Voting Day

Yes, I did!

I got up in the dark, and made myself a cuppa tea, fed the cats, threw together my lunch, tossed out the tea as it had gotten cold and I wasn't in the mood, took my bloodsugar reading and ate my meds, then hit the trail.

Stopped at Star$$$ for a latte, since it was still 5dark30 a.m., then drove to the parkinglot of the local Lutheran church and sat in my car listening to the news on the radio and drinking the latte. About 10 to 6 a few folks started to get into a line, and I decided I wanted to be near the front of that line, so I joined in. I was 5th or 6th in the line.

A very nice young lady came up to us and introduced herself as being from "Election Watch" or something like that. She was going to help with any problems. Well, the first problem was that nobody inside seemed to have any idea what time it was. Poll opened 5 min. late, and the Election Watch gal was on that like white on rice, I tell you.

Except for the lady in her pajamas who was freezing her toes off, the rest of us were pretty much not too concerned.

So I got inside, and they had 4 people verifying registrations, each with a section of the alphabet - last names starting with A-E, F-J, etc. Amazingly, many of my fellow voters did not really know what their last name started with.

"What is the first initial of your last name?"

"H".

"And your last name is?"

"Rodriguez"

Ooooookkkaaayyyyy.

I was the first person in the "A-E" line, and I helped the girl find my name, as she was apparently alphabetically challenged - and so I was the first one in my precinct to get a ballot.

I voted. I voted first.

I got a sticker similar to the one shown above - it is on my shirt as I type this.

I have now done all that I can do except one last thing:

I will watch the results tonite and pray - and sing:

76 more days till the Shrub goes home

76 days till Cheney leaves

They be followed by ROWS and ROWS of the flunkys hired by Rove

And the Regent College gradueeeees

76 more days till they kick Shrub out

And no matter who gets in it is true

That the country that used to be first in the universe

Is much worse off than under "42"

76 days

I'm gonna go vote tomorrow

bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow,
I will vote.
Just thinking about tomorrow
Makes my inners clench cause' I have to get out of the house by 5:30 am
so I can vote

Tomorrow
Tomorrow
I'm VOTINGtomorrow
You better be voting too!



77 days

You Heard it Here FIRST

I've stayed mostly out of political commentary except for a few backslides over the last 6 months, mostly due to my desire to exercise some adrenaline-rush control over my angry emotions regarding a party I used to think was honorable and had some redeeming value.

However, I wish to be the first to put MY sincere support behind what I think is the PERFECT G.O.P. ticket for 2012.

Palin/

Quayle

2012

The Moose Potatoe Ticket!

88 days

I am in the "dog house"

Mindi is rather put out with me.

First off, she does NOT like being on a "diet". Not that I blame her. But I'm inordinately fond of the silly little critter, so I'm trying to keep her healthy as long as I can.

This causes an early-morning PITA, however. Since the cats chew my computer cords, they're no longer allowed into the bedroom under any circumstances. So in the morning, one or both of them begin bodyslamming themselves up against the bedroom door demanding breakfast.

Meh. They get fed right before I leave for work every morning, they KNOW this - or they freaking SHOULD know this, as it's been the case for several years - but the heartrending maowwwwwww-ing of starving cat is my morningsong every day.

This morning I was a bit ahead of schedule (HUH???? THIS NEVER HAPPENS!!) and so I fed the whiney ones and grabbed the bowl for water and dumped out the old and refilled with cold fresh water. Came back to put the water bowl down and Mindi the Fatass has her brisket parked right where the water dish goes.

"MOVE, Mindi"
"Stupid - get out of the way!" *small shove with foot*
*Push with free hand*

Nope. She wasn't going anywhere.

So I watered her.

I stuck my fingers into the water bowl and dribbled water on her back until she moved. Took THREE waterings to get her to move!! Mindi was Not Happy©.

I am, therefore, in the dog house. Oh well. Move over Rover.

90 days