The News at a Glance
First up- Gaza Christians warned to submit to Islam
Gaza-based Muslim groups affiliated with Hamas and possibly Al Qaeda have warned local Christians that Hamas' military conquest of the volatile coastal strip means they must now fully submit to Islamic ritual law."
“Missionary activity” will no longer be tolerated, and those suspected of trying to convert local Muslims to Christianity will be “harshly punished,” said Abu Saqer. Additionally, the consumption of alcohol is now prohibited in Gaza, and all women must fully cover themselves in public.
In order to ensure compliance with these regulations, Abu Saqer announced the formation of a new “military wing” that will [keep] a close eye on the subjects of “Hamastan.”"
Women have to dress in this manner and no booze is allowed?
Wow. It is amazing that the birth rates in these areas are what they are.
Next up- Read The Sunspots (Now Prepare Yourselves For Dangerous Global Cooling!)
Politicians and environmentalists these days convey the impression that climate-change research is an exceptionally dull field with little left to discover. We are assured by everyone from David Suzuki to Al Gore to Prime Minister Stephen Harper that "the science is settled." At the recent G8 summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel even attempted to convince world leaders to play God by restricting carbon-dioxide emissions to a level that would magically limit the rise in world temperatures to 2C.
Golly. I just took a little time off to plant flowers and take pretty pictures, and now it's global cooling?? Had I only known, I'd have skipped the pond design and gone with an igloo instead.
The real deal (from the perspective of an uber-conservative, of course)-
Politicians and environmentalists don't really know what they're talking about, nor do they desire to. That's not what this is about at all.
The socialist/communist era has died a slow death and those same socialist/communistic minded people are now moving into environmentalism to achieve the same goals, only this time with the peoples support, under the guise of saving the world from snowflakes and sun rays.
But hey, that's just my take.
Moving on... Muslims Won't Fund Footbaths
Muslim leaders in Metro Detroit have decided not to raise private money to pay for two footbaths at a local college campus now that the American Civil Liberties Union has said the plan doesn't pose constitutional problems.
The University of Michigan-Dearborn's plan to spend $25,000 on the footbaths was criticized on conservative blogs and radio shows this month. Critics said using public money for the project would violate the First Amendment, which says governments can't favor or subsidize religions.
Kary Moss, director of the Detroit branch of the ACLU, said its review concluded the plan is a "reasonable accommodation" to resolve "safety and cleanliness issues" that arose when Muslims used public sinks for foot cleaning before prayers, which often spilled water on bathroom floors.
"We view it as an attempt to deal with a problem, not an attempt to make it easier for Muslims to pray," said Moss, who likened the plan to paying for added police during religious events with huge turnouts.
"There's no intent to promote religion."
I think what UM-Dearborn really needs is a real Christian revival (and some baptising of folks in drinking fountains. Not just to see what accomodations are allotted, but yes, that too).
I, as a Christian, really shouldn't be using this to deliberately provoke them though, because that would be an unloving response. I know. It's so very tempting, but, sorry. I don't make the rules.
In any case, I really do think we need to seriously test these waters. Where does it all end?
That's it. We should create a smoker's ritual or something to that effect (I get to be Grand Smokey Poo-bah because I thought of it)! Let's just see how accommodating they are then. And, if you don't smoke, it's still OK to join, I want to be inclusive (because I'm so schweet like that). Just so long as you promise to always follow me around holding a lighter up just in case I need fire, it'll all be good.
In no time flat we will be given "reasonable accommodation" to resolve "safety and cleanliness issues" that arise when blowing smoke into other's faces and throwing flaming worship tools onto the floor and into trash cans.
Right?
