Count Four » religion http://www.countfour.org When angry, count four; when very angry, swear. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:55:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Privilege is Privilege http://www.countfour.org/2009/11/30/privilege-is-privilege/ http://www.countfour.org/2009/11/30/privilege-is-privilege/#comments Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:09:08 +0000 Moose http://www.countfour.org/?p=155 A cogent answer to an ill-considered editorial on same-sex marriage and race.

]]> http://www.countfour.org/2009/11/30/privilege-is-privilege/feed/ 0 Not To Be Silenced http://www.countfour.org/2009/01/19/not-to-be-silenced/ http://www.countfour.org/2009/01/19/not-to-be-silenced/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:28:14 +0000 Moose http://www.countfour.org/?p=117 Bishop Robinson’s prayer at the beginning of Sunday’s concert welcoming the President-elect. While HBO did not deign to show it, and many there in person did not hear it because of sound issues, it was recorded and it should be heard.

]]> http://www.countfour.org/2009/01/19/not-to-be-silenced/feed/ 0 No Apologies http://www.countfour.org/2008/04/19/no-apologies/ http://www.countfour.org/2008/04/19/no-apologies/#comments Sat, 19 Apr 2008 04:07:16 +0000 Moose http://www.countfour.org/?p=82 Screw freedom of religion. Take these nut cases, lock the adults up for the rest of their miserable lives, and relocate the children back to reality. Any “religion” that forces sex on minors, enforces the wearing of antiquated clothing, incest and statutory rape on its adherents deserves nothing but contempt from civilized society. It’s a cult, pure and simple, and should be shut down post-haste.

]]> http://www.countfour.org/2008/04/19/no-apologies/feed/ 0 A Markedly Less Pleasant Piece Of Mail http://www.countfour.org/2008/03/21/a-markedly-less-pleasant-piece-of-mail/ http://www.countfour.org/2008/03/21/a-markedly-less-pleasant-piece-of-mail/#comments Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:17:45 +0000 Moose http://www.countfour.org/2008/03/21/a-markedly-less-pleasant-piece-of-mail/ I love this quote from a Slate article about why Easter has never quite caught on with marketers of presents quite like Christmas has. In comparing the two:

Despite the awesome theological implications (Christians believe that the infant lying in the manger is the son of God), the Christmas story is easily reduced to pablum. How pleasant it is in mid-December to open a Christmas card with a pretty picture of Mary and Joseph gazing beatifically at their son, with the shepherds and the angels beaming in delight. The Christmas story, with its friendly resonances of marriage, family, babies, animals, angels, and—thanks to the wise men—gifts, is eminently marketable to popular culture. It’s a Thomas Kinkade painting come to life.

On the other hand, a card bearing the image of a near-naked man being stripped, beaten, tortured, and nailed through his hands and feet onto a wooden crucifix is a markedly less pleasant piece of mail.

The other comparisons of the crucifiction to Abe Ghraib are completely over the top, but aside from that the article itself is a pretty good examination of why it’s not the gift-giving holiday it might be if Madison Avenue had its way.

]]> http://www.countfour.org/2008/03/21/a-markedly-less-pleasant-piece-of-mail/feed/ 0 Unreason Versus Reason http://www.countfour.org/2007/08/25/unreason-versus-reason/ http://www.countfour.org/2007/08/25/unreason-versus-reason/#comments Sat, 25 Aug 2007 14:08:36 +0000 Moose http://www.countfour.org/2007/08/25/unreason-versus-reason/ Sam Harris takes the journal Nature to task for their review of a religious book, and their general, overly accomodating attitude toward religion.

Link via Doubting Thom.

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