as a christian, i am often frustrated by those in public life who hijack that term in order to justify discrimination and hatred. people pick out-of-context snippets of the bible– often using out-of-date translations in the process– to claim that they have “spiritual basis” for attitudes that are completely out of alignment if you read the whole book. the exploitation of faith and how it is now seen as something you flaunt to garner election support is, to me, the most disgusting aspect of political process– which is saying something, as i feel that the entire system is mired in the muck. and, typically, the media is more than happy to shine the spotlight on those who twist and bastardize faith in this manner.

but, every once in a while, a rational voice pokes through. enter herbert w. chillstrom (from a strib op-ed piece last week):

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Thanks to my lovely wife and her family, I’ve become addicted to listening to holiday music starting Thanksgiving Day. Each year I can’t wait for KOOL 108 to ditch their normal oldies play lists for the sounds of Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Nat King Cole, and Jose Feliciano.

After listening to KOOL 108 for 4 weeks straight now, I have discovered there are a few songs that I absolutely cannot stand… for various reasons:
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in case you haven’t heard of the latest airline / muslim kerfuffle, go here. (Then come back.)

oy.

well, i guess it depends on what version of the story you believe. if you believe this one:

Shahin said Tuesday that three members of the group prayed in the terminal before the six boarded the plane on Monday. “We did nothing” on the plane, Shahin said.

then the USAir passenger (margaret lou from sioux falls, SD, no doubt) apparently watches Fox News too much and handed a note to the flight attendant simply because the imams looked suspicious.

if you believe this one:

Pat Hogan, spokesman for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, said that witnesses to Monday’s events told police that before the flight that besides praying, the imams were spouting anti-American rhetoric, talking about the war in Iraq and Saddam Hussein.

One of the imams was heard saying that he would do whatever is necessary to fulfill his commitment to the Qur’an, witnesses told police, Hogan said. Other witnesses said some of the imams were repeating “Allah, Allah,” he said.

then i suppose that’s a different story.

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I was reading this article about a man in New Jersey who found a bag full of letters meant for God that had been kept by a New Jersey minister who had passed away.

The last bit of that article infuriated me.  The man who found these letters; which contain very private, personal, revealing information (and he knows because he’s read them all!); is going to put them up on eBay to sell.

Yes, that’s the world we live in today people.  Anything to make a buck.  For sale: the deepest darkest secrets people entrusted with their priest to bless, and for only themselves and God to know the contents.  Right next to the Xbox 360, TMX Elmo, and Robosapien on eBay!

My only hope is that he comes to his senses and rightfully destroys those letters.  Or the Karma Police get him real good.

One of my least favorite Star Tribune columnists, Katherine Kersten, now has a new blog titled “Think Again“.

At first glance you certainly wouldn’t label Kersten a “right-wing wack-job”.  But if you read enough you’ll start to see the double standard she brings to her column.

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