Uh .....

"Beyond parody:

(via Andrew Bolt)

'Without fanfare, the United Nations this week elected Iran to its Commission on the Status of Women, handing a four-year seat on the influential human rights body to a theocratic state in which stoning is enshrined in law and lashings are required for women judged “immodest.”'

.......

Just when I thought the Sudan and Cuba being named to the "Human Rights Commission" was a new um, high in human achievement.

Jeezus, muh-fuhn gawd.

ANZAC Day

May God bless the men and women of the Antipodes who gave their lives in service to freedom.

Not with a bang but a Barbie

(image credit: The Huffington Post)

Yikes.

Fresh on the heels of "Sugar Daddy Ken"

comes "Episcopal Barbie."

You know what? In today's world, both share equal moral importance -- that is, none at all.

What's sad is how this latest Barbie incarnation more or less puts the seal on the death of the religion in which I was raised. And why I left organized religion in the first place.

In this excellent essay, Walter Mead details the long, slow decline of one of the most elegant, aesthetically beautiful and moving, intelligent traditions the world has ever seen.

There is no more beautiful language than can be found in Rite One of the Book of Common Prayer. Listening to it used to bring me closer to Jesus -- it was as close as humans could get in expressing everything He meant. An example:

A Collect for the Renewal of Life

O God, the King eternal, who dividest the day from the night and turnest the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep thy law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done thy will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night cometh, rejoice to give thee thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The minute that beautiful music became "translated" into "more modern" language signified the beginning of the end, if you ask me. It's like Mozart set to Muzak.

Anyway ... I will always remain a committed Christian. I don't fault anyone who still derives comfort from attending church -- those who know the difference between the message and the delivery, that is. But me, I'd rather talk to the Big Guy and Jesus, and read the Bible, on my own. As far as I can tell, there's no Gospel of Mattel in there.

Bumper snickers fer yer Thursday

Back from fun in the Georgia and Outer Banks sun (90s, no humidity, woo-hoo!), and thought what better way to commemorate the trip than to share some bumper-sticker chuckles.

Some faves:

4 out of 5 voices in my head say Go For It!

As a matter of fact, I do own the road.

Don't piss me off! I'm running out of places to hide the bodies.

Driver carries no cash. He's married.

FREE TIBET! (with the purchase of a 44 oz. drink)

Hello, officer. Put it on my tab.

I'm a nice guy. My car is evil.

I is a college student.

I still have the body of an 18 year old but it's in my trunk and it's starting to smell.

I Still Miss My "Ex" But My Aim Is Improving