text:
- Reem Masri
- Beirut
- Lebanon
This conversation is closed.
Do you think religion should be abolished? Would a world without religion be better than one with it?
So far this topic has been clouded with uncertainty; and it is most certainly controversial. Has religion brought bigotry upon the world? Or has it helped in the ascend from savagery to civilization?
Also what would happen if people stopped following religion? Would sectarianism be abolished along with it? Or would the world be chaotic.
In the end, it all comes down to this: Is it the people who apply religion in corrupted ways who are to blamed rather than the religion itself? Or is the other way around?
Jan 7 2014: South Park made an episode relevant to this: http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s10e12-go-god-go
The teacher, Mrs. Garrison, is forced to teach evolution to the class. After failing (she taught them that man was the offspring of five monkeys who had butt-sex with a fish-squirrel), Richard Dawkins is appointed to help her. They end up having an affair and she converts to atheism. There's a scene where they're lying in bed, and Dawkins says dreamfully, "Imagine a world with no religion..."
It then fast forwards 500 years, where Cartman is being unfrozen by people of the future. (He had himself frozen because he couldn't wait 2 weeks for the Nintendo Wii to come out). He finds that the world has moved on from religion, but he's in the middle of a war between different atheist factions that are fighting over what to call their atheist alliance.
The episode had some words of wisdom in the end. Cartman ends up finding a phone that he can use to call the past, and calls Mrs. Garrison, asking for "Mr. Garrison, or whatever he calls himself after having his sex change". Richard Dawkins panics and they break up. This causes the future to change, and Cartman finds himself amidst the warring atheist factions, but they're all at peace. He asks "Aren't you guys fighting over atheism?". Then one of them responds with something to the effect of "Oh no, we gave up isms centuries ago. Isms are great in the hands of rational people, but in the hands of irrational people, they only lead to violence."
I found it to be one of their wiser episodes. Even Dawkins afterwards acknowledged the legitimacy of the warring-atheists point, though he found the episode overall unappealing.
Reem Masri
Jan 7 2014: I think your comment has been the greatest so far! Thank you for sharing. And of course I thank everyone else who have shared their comments. :)
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Roy Bourque
Jan 6 2014: Modern religion is extremely biased. It is so steeped in dogma that it is incapable of recognizing its own faults. But that isn't new. The very religion that prophesied the coming of a Messiah saw to his death. They were incapable of recognizing him. For centuries, religion preached that the earth was the center of the universe. When Galileo challenged this idea, the Catholic church forced him to recant his theory under penalty of death. They also made a decree that no hypothesis could be made that would challenge the scriptures.
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Since then, the word theology has changed definition. The original definition would have included the scientific method; "theology has two branches, natural and revealed. Natural theology is knowledge of God through his works, by way of nature and reason..." Taken from 1904 Noah Webster dictionary. The modern dictionary contains no such reference.
Also since then, there are over 40,000 variations of Christianity worldwide. Seems they can't agree among themselves.
But that is only one piece of the puzzle. The number of people who have avoided criminal behavior because they believed in divine retribution is beyond number. The number of people who have been saved from self destructive behaviors through spiritual transformation encouraged by religion is also huge. And the insights that have been gained by those who dwelled deeper into religious mysteries has no shortage of testimonies.
That religion can bring about evil is not limited to religion. Drug wars, human trafficking, sexual crimes, gang and domestic violence, organized crime syndicates, and so forth, are not committed by God fearing people. And the number of lives lost or destroyed by such people is not a small number.
Religion needs reformation. Scientific knowledge is bringing about part of that reformation. Exposing religious crimes and learning to question religious dogma will add to it. Keep the faith. Get rid of the blindness.
Jan 14 2014: Hi Roy, interesting that the dictionary now doesn't presuppose the natural world is some good creation.
different religions may be useful in a positive sense, even if based on unproven or false assumptions. Are you suggesting we keep religions because they are useful, just try and weed out some of the negative aspects?
Jan 15 2014: Obey,
According to religious scriptures, Satan (or the devil) is the master of deception and is considered the most dangerous character. Despite this, deception often creeps into religion and people fail to take notice. During the witch hunts, deception was the order of the day. WHAT HAPPENED VALIDATES THE WARNING, yet was completely unrecognized by those in authority. It never would have happened if the truth was known. It was science that brought out the truth on disease and natural disasters, thus ending the belief in witches.
I presume that the reason the definition of "Theology" changed is because of how the Catholic church responded to scientific data. They rebuked the science of Galileo outright and issued a decree that no hypothesis could be presented that would challenge the scriptures. If that wasn't bad enough, it wasn't the scriptures themselves, but their interpretation of it that was defended. Rightly so, the scientists took offense and thus the gap has grown wider since.
Yes, I am suggesting that we keep religions because they are useful, but I strongly advocate that we proactively seek and weed out the negative aspects and false assumptions. To keep false assumptions is to invite the devil in your congregation.
Eastern philosophy doesn't expect you to believe anything without understanding to go with it. From what I have read, if you don't understand what they are teaching you to lead you on the spiritual path, then they haven't taught you anything. Until you understand, you simply don't know.
The Christians claim to follow Jesus but they disallow his claim that he had no use for blind faith. Any faith that is based primarily on unproven facts is in violation of his teaching.Jan 3 2014: Hello Reem,
Religion is a belief, and I do not think anyone can abolish a belief, so it seems like a moot point. I do, however, believe our world would be a better place without extremists, fundamentalist and overly enthusiastic people who feel that they need to dominate and control others under the guise of religions.
Many people use their religious beliefs and practices as a beneficial life guide, and many people use their religious beliefs and practices to intimidate, dominate and control others. In my perception, it is the domination, abuse, and violation of human rights that needs to be abolished, and that can sometimes be accomplished when we consider the laws that are in place and human rights.
For example:
Consider the sexual abuse by catholic priests, which was widespread, and covered up by the church. That is a crime and violation of human rights, and yet, the church and priests were absolved BECAUSE they are an organized church, and the cover-up was allowed within that organization (which btw, claims to be a representative of god).
I believe that our societies need to crack down on these criminal offences that are carried out under the guise of religion, and are often exempt from criminal prosecution because they are a church.
Comment deleted
Jan 24 2014: Praise azacca.Jan 3 2014: of course not.
religions are not the problem, people are the problem.
many people claim that religion has only brought strife and war and bigotry, etc but that's more to do with a group of people and their culture of exploiting religious texts for the purpose of stirring up emotions and conflict.
what these people don't seem to comprehend is that for many people, religion and spiritual philosophies provide peace of mind. they are not about excluding non-believers or advocating violence against other religions, for these people, it's a personal set of beliefs that help them keep an even keel, so to speak.
this cannot be measured in a lab and does not need to be in order to work for the individual believer.
i believe there have been many times in history when conquering nations banned religions and religious practice. by most accounts, the best that can be achieved is to absorb the religion and give it a new facade, so i don't think religion can be abolished regardless of how good the intentions may be..
Jimmy Strobl
Jan 3 2014: Scott,
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Would you agree that there's a difference between Religion and Belief? If so, would you care to define them?
Jan 3 2014: i guess religion is a set of rules, dogma, traditions and rituals. all of these have a way of moving a person into a particular state of mind, so i can see it's purpose for some. my grandmother takes great comfort and peace from her religion.
belief is a different creature altogether and i don't think i could put my finger on what exactly it is. it's the kind of thing i wish i had but am glad i don't, if that makes any sense. it would be nice to "know" rather than be always questioning, but i suspect that is taking the easy way out.
personally, i'm not easily convinced - maybe i just like to hedge my bets. i was brought up anglican but we were pretty lax about it. we went to the church service at easter and christmas and tried to be good and that was it, so i'm not adversely affected by my religious upbringing.
i'm not sure about the universe and how it all began. i like bits from both the scientific view and the mythical view of existence.
it certainly doesn't bother me what someone else believes.
violence in the name of religion, belief, god or revenge is crazy. it's obvious that the people that orchestrate that kind of thing are the real problem rather than the religion they claim to be serving.
Jan 7 2014: "I guess religion is a set of rules, dogma, traditions and rituals"
If you believe this then religion will never make sense to you. It is possible to throw away the dogma, traditions and rituals and go looking for what lies behind them. Then you're a Buddhist.Jan 7 2014: religion makes sense to me but not for me.
it seems that religion is the set of rules that believers are required to follow in order to make it into the big night club in the sky.
faith or belief in a higher power or greater perspective doesn't need rules of conduct but if you want to be accepted in the club, then i guess ritual is the common ground.
there is room for all religions and philosophies on earth simply because they are facets of the same thing.
observing religious practice is not for me but i don't see the need to put them down or try to disprove them with science or another, slightly different religion.Jan 15 2014: Are you saying all religions are 100% benign?
I suggest people are the solution if they filter out the barbaric elements of their religious scriptures, doctrines, teachings.
Jimmy Strobl
Jan 1 2014: I'm an atheist and anti-theist myself, I believe that religion is one of the most damaging things in the world. However I would not wish to abolish it as such. Instead I suggest education as the cure from religion. Now admittingly this does not always work if religion is too deeply rooted in the political and educational system, as is the case with the US.
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There's a Wikipedia article on religiosity and education that is quite interesting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religiosity_and_education
And one on religiosity and intelligence that is also very interesting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religiosity_and_intelligenceJan 15 2014: Reem,
Religions did fill a void in mankind's quest to make sense of the universe. And indeed corruption found its way into religion via the 7 cardinal sins (to name a few). A great tool to control the masses , no doubt.
Yet there is an awakening, mankind is also asking more and more questions doubting ,probing the dogmas that before were unquestionable-people want answers.
To abolish religion nah! is too blunt- a top down approach.
Religion may die off in irrelevancy (like the KKK-slow death) . We may outgrow it like the appendix; or we may clash against it as theists may feel as the endangered species.
We shall see...
Cheers!Jan 7 2014: I think people should be abolished, they seem incapable of getting along with any other creature on this planet including themselves. There is a reason intelligent life from other planets do not come here to visit or stay and that reason is "us", we are toxic. When I was forced to listen to the religious non-sense, they told me I was going to Hell if I was not good "in their eyes". Now that I am free to think for myself I have realized that we have both Heaven and Hell right here on this earth. In case you would like to visit one or the other this is how to find them: You can find heaven and the garden of Eden by getting as far away from man as possible and by traveling in the opposite direction you will find Hell.
Julie Nawfal
Jan 1 2014: The problem is not religion. The problem is what people make with religious faith.
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Principles given in religious book can be read in different ways, and some people use these principles as a pretext to make crimes and all the horror we see all around the world.Dec 31 2013: I am really really against religions. Yet, I would be adamantly against abolishing them. Why? Because it would violate a very basic right of the individual. If we are to get rid of religions, it will only happen via education and reason. I don't think this will happen though. Making up stuff is quite easy. Learning, studying, verifying facts, requires work. Most people will gravitate towards the easy. That's why snake-oil salespeople are so successful. From those called apologists to those selling lemon-cars.
Nadav Tropp
Dec 31 2013: It'll certainly give people less things to kill each other over.
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Unfortunately, oppressing a religion can easily bring forth more violence then leaving it alone.
The best result will probably come from letting people making up their own minds while making sure they're better educated and more aware of other cultures and religions (the old "tell me all the reasons you don't believe in all the other gods and I'll tell you why I don't believe in yours)--the best way to turn a population non-religious without violent oppression being met back with violent resistance. Its why we see less religious populations in the developed world.
Use of force to convert a population to or from a religion is best avoided, however.
Dec 31 2013: Communist China never ran out of things to kill its own citizens over. Cambodia never ran out of things to kill people over.
Nadav Tropp
Dec 31 2013: That's what we call perfect solution fallacy. You're claiming that it because it doesn't solve the problem of its entirety, it shouldn't be implemented at all.
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If I developed an invention tomorrow that would cut deaths from cancer in half, would you argue that there's no point to it because people will just find some other reason to die instead?
Dec 31 2013: No, I'm saying that it did no good at all. It didn't provide even a partial "solution". The problem is NOT religion. Blaming religion is as stupid and short-sighted as blaming rocks for violence because some people pick up rocks to throw at other people. The rocks do not cause the violence. Likewise, your analogy is a false equivalency. Death is not a choice for most people. Violence is a choice. Religion is merely an excuse.
Of course, that basic truth won't stop a narrow-minded dogmatic from demanding that whatever he hates must be abolished.
Nadav Tropp
Dec 31 2013: Why would it do no good at all?
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Take the crusades for example. Or the rise of the Caliphate upon the founding of Islam. Or the slaughters of Tamerlane (well, at least some of them). Or the fighting between Catholics and Protestants in pre-industrial Europe. Or the Spanish Inquisition. Religion was a motivation for all of those.
Granted, saying religion was the only reason for such events is oversimplifying things, and sometimes it was just an excuse. Of course, even in the latter case, giving mass murderers an excuse that can pass off in polite society isn't what I call ideal.
I have violent Islamic groups just across the border from my country. More then one border, in fact. They use "Allah Akbar" as a rallying cry for anything from rocket attacks to suicide bombings to beheadings. They put up videos of the latter on youtube, if you don't believe me, though I wouldn't recommend you try to authenticate that claim unless you have a very strong stomach.
They're not all like that, in fact most aren't, but that doesn't change the fact those violent groups are very much real, sometimes on the fringe and sometimes less so. They extremist ones use religion as a combination of legitimization, recruitment tool, and reason to act--both rock and reason to throw the rock, if you would.
Besides, when did I ever call for abolishing religion? Out of purely practical reasons, I don't think abolishing it would work without turning to oppression by force of arms, and religions oppression usually leads to more violence as opposed to less, thereby creating the problem I'm trying to prevent.
I'm very much live and let live. My problem is with those religious people that don't feel the same. If you read my strategy above more carefully, you'll note that all I call for is better scientific education and more culturally diverse learning, as the two naturally turn people less religious.Jan 24 2014: Re: "In the end, it all comes down to this: Is it the people who apply religion in corrupted ways who are to blamed rather than the religion itself? Or is the other way around?"
Materialists teach that the universe has no purpose. All purposes and reasons to exist are made up by humans. Religion is one of the ways to deal with the existential angst and create such made up purposes and reasons. So, religion is used to justify, pretty much, any human passion. The passions exist with or without religion. Without religion, people will find something else to justify their passions. Take Marxist theory of class struggle, for example.
I think, seeing religion only as harmful is a very narrow-minded view. I do not know of any civilized society that has developed without religion. Apparently, it plays an important role in civilizations and society. It's important to understand its role and the circumstances under which it causes harm before declaring it useless and harmful as a whole. I have a feeling that getting rid of religion would be as wise as getting rid of sparrows because they eat crops (as it was done in China during Cultural Revolution with disastrous consequences). A similar idea would be to suppress immune system for causing incurable autoimmune diseases.
Comment deleted
Jan 20 2014: I assume you would be against all political and government conflicts as well? Are you advocating that we abolish all forms of government and political assembly as well? Surely they perform no good, but exist only for those who wish to commit ongoing atrocities in their name.Jan 7 2014: Religion to me means, relationship with a higher power.
We can use that to better ourselves, or to better the world.
Anything that exists in this world can be used for good or for bad. That is not only religion but also guns.
Emanuel Swedenborg said that if people accepted as their priority to love a God and to love their neighbour, all differences would simply be regarded as differences of opinion.
I'd like to think humanity has improved through the ages. We can each give our own reason for why.
Jan 14 2014: Suggest loving our neighbours would suffice. No need to love gods real or imagined.
being compelled to love Someone, even your creator, is kind of perverse
Jan 15 2014: I agree with you Obey. What makes you think you are compelled? You are not doing it now, right? Missing anything??
Compelling and loving are two opposites, agree?
You may be talking to traditional Christians.. I don't know, but as Swedenborgians we also oppose the "believe in Me or I'll send you to hell" approach. How can a God who says that, then say: "Love your enemies"??
Jan 15 2014: Good to hear.
just your quote starts with advice or instruction to love a god.
Suggest we don't need to love any gods to improve the human condition.
Ken Stone
Jan 5 2014: Yeah, and once we reach the end of what science can observe we must surely come to the conclusion that a creator made it like that, because when a magic talking snake persuaded a woman made out of a bone that she should eat a piece of fruit a man in the sky got cross and ordered them out of the magic garden and then they went out and met lots of other people who shouldn't have existed but they did, and then there was a giant flood, which is impossible, but there was one, and it killed everything but in a nice way because they deserved it, and then the magic flood magically disappeared and then God made someone pregnant although not in the usual way because that would mean he had sex and we don't like to think about that so she was a virgin, although that's not what the bible actually says, because we know it was mistranslated, but we believe it anyway, because we want to and that makes it true, and she gave birth to a little boy who could fly, but that's not the way we want to think about it either, so we ignore those bits of scripture, and then he died but he didn't really, except he did, but then he came back to life again and that means God can forgive our sins, in some strange way, even when we haven't done them yet, and he won't set us on fire anymore, unless we don't say we are sorry. The sooner science realises this is the only rational explanation the better.
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Plagiarized from someone else.....
Jan 15 2014: Pretty much sums it up.
however the power of religious beliefs, the psychology, the social and cultural pressures should not be underestimated.Jan 5 2014: Hell and Heaven , and sins are all the psychological devices to control the human behavior so that harmony can be established and people live in a civilized way.
Most of the religious scriptures contain many abstract concepts presented through metaphors, allegories,parables and visual symbols.
And,when people interpret such concepts in a literal sense then the problem is created.
Like the example of believer and non-believer. Some people take the concept of believer and non believer in the literal sense and interpret it this way that one who follows their religion is the believer and one who does not follows their religion is non-believer.
This is just the summary. A voluminous book can be written on this.
Please do not get offended after reading.
How do I know : Through years of thorough observation,meditation,research and analysis,comparative study,lessons of life .
Jan 15 2014: Are you suggesting assuming the different rules in religions are from a god is negative and we should just focus on removing our reducing our ego?
Scott Bell
Jan 2 2014: The word Religion is grossly misused, misapplied, and misunderstood......in the same manner as Love.
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We first trip when we assume we know what it Is.
What is your understanding of 'religion' if I may ask in the spirit of Dialogue?
Jan 3 2014: That's an interesting take on the issue, Scott. If we don't have the same understanding on what religion is, we're simply talking at the same time using the same word - but not even addressing the same issue.
Jan 3 2014: :-)
Could we agree that it is a Concept?
Jan 3 2014: I barely speak English to even know what a Concept means..
To my understanding, religion is a system of belief. Is it the same as a concept? :)Jan 29 2014: To abolish religion you need a time machine.Jan 28 2014: A very interesting sub-conversation beow between Arkady and Obey and some interesting insights thrown in by Brenden.
Here are my two cents.
Trying to abolish religion will be like attempting to step on the head of your shadow. It is futile and great waste.
Religion is not the substance of life, it is just a container. A great, old and very useful one but a container nonetheless. It is as good or as bad as what is filled in it.
If we destroy it, another container will come up and take its place. There are several competing for its losing place already. If you really don't need it you can still have a reasonably good life with as much meaning you wish to associate with it.
I believe a moral alignment is possible even without the 'container' we call religion. We have a choice to use reason.
The world will be just as it was with or without religion. We may think it is better or worse depending on whether we are drinking the elixir or envenom of life. Hardly matters if we are drinking from a jar or a peg.
Jan 29 2014: Hi pm.
for the record I don't support banning religion.
I support freedom of religion up to the point it impacts the rights of others, including freedom from religion.
I think we'd be better off on balance if we grew out of religious beliefs, just like we grew out of slavery, or of many superstitions, alchemy, monarchies, to democracy,human rights, science, reason and evidence increasingly.
personally I can't find consolation in fairy tales or religious beliefs not reasonably supported by evidence and reason.
others can and do.
suggest we would cope just fine withOut religion just as the say 10% or more non religious people already do.
but tribal power structures like religion put up a good fight against train and evidence.Jan 28 2014: You could never have society without religion. religion is in the founding of any organized society. Religion is found everywhere that humans gathered together and decided to act civilized. It was found in the Americas even though they were separated from the rest of the human population for thousands of years, so either religion was founded in the dawn of our species, or it is the defining characteristic of any society. Any AP world history course will make it abundantly obvious that religion was necessary for the beginning of civilization. The writing system was developed from stamps used on clay tablets recording storage and distribution of goods. Why were these goods stored in the first place? They were offerings to the particular deities of the time, being carefully guarded and recorded by the priest class. If you were a farmer back in the ancient world, would you trust anyone to take your food, store it, and promise you your fair share along with everyone else unless you thought it was an offering to a just god that would reward you? Freeing a priest class and having them store access crops freed people from working the ground and allowed them to do other things. Every defining characteristic of culture owes it's existence to religion.
Religions do lead to wars, but can you really be unhappy when in the end you have plenty of food, homes, medicines, and art? Some people see religious wars as destroying the beautiful things that humans achieved, but religion is the reason we have those things in the first place.
It is obvious religion was necessary in the ancient world, but is it still so? If religion wasn't necessary anymore, then it would have done away with itself. Religion was formed over thousands of years side by side with us. There is physical human evolution and there is mental and societal evolution. Religion has a lot of factors that ensure only the best ones survive. As long as people are unhappy or in a bad situation, they will seek religion.Jan 24 2014: Re: "Has religion brought bigotry upon the world?"
I grew up in the Soviet Union where there was plenty of bigotry in an officially atheistic society. So, the *facts* seem to show that bigotry exists in the absence of religion as well.
"Or has it helped in the ascend from savagery to civilization?"
I think, yes. It takes religious belief to rally thousands and millions of people around an idea, to act together to achieve a goal, and to impose moral rules on millions of people. It's a different question how and why these rules originate. But religion seems to be very instrumental for aligning values for society.
"Also what would happen if people stopped following religion?"
I think, people need to come up with something to live and die for. Unfortunately, any earthly goals vanish or prove themselves vain. Dennett in his talk http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_dennett_on_dangerous_memes.html mentions a few things. Then he concludes
"The secret of happiness is: Find something more important than you are and dedicate your life to it."
Well, the idea of God seems to be an archetype of "importance". By definition, nothing can be more important. Anything less fades in comparison. So, why make idols of "earthly things" subject to corruption and decay? If people stopped following religion, I think, they would, eventually, come up with an idea to replace it. There is a Russian saying "Holy place is never empty".
"Would sectarianism be abolished along with it?"
No. Tribalism, like bigotry, exists in absence of religion.
"Or would the world be chaotic."
It would be more difficult to align values for society. I think, eventually, someone (government, corporations, or someone else) will come up with something similar to religion.
Jan 28 2014: Wouldn't it be better to commit to some cause or purpose that wasn't based on one of thousands of contradictory religious beliefs?
Perhaps something based on what is reasonably demonstrated to be true? Like most of us have the ability to suffer and feel joy and there are ways to minimise the former and increase the latter.
Jan 28 2014: Re: "Wouldn't it be better to commit to some cause or purpose that wasn't based on one of thousands of contradictory religious beliefs? Perhaps something based on what is reasonably demonstrated to be true?"
Like what, for example? People rarely dedicate their lives to something that already exists or is known to be true. Usually, lives are dedicated (and with most spectacular results) to some wild fantasies like conquering space, climbing mountains, or curing cancer. Cure for cancer isn't "reality" yet and contradicts thousands of years of human experience, doesn't it? World peace as well. I think, "God" is a prototype for such aspirations, in most abstract sense.
Jan 29 2014: Seems a bit lazy intellectually if people can't figure out something meaningful not based on conflicting unverifiable supernatural stories.
helping your family and loved ones. Helping your community. Helping the poor. extending our scientific understanding. Improving medicine, technology etc.
Creating art and music.
I suggest non religious drivers can rally prior people too, like marches supporting gay marriage, racial equality, against war, for the 99% against wealth concentration and corruption. etc
if you find some god concept more satisfactory, that's fine by me. Just saying there are other options.
even a combination of the above and many other things that enrich our lives.
I doubt I'm the only one that has no need for god or goddess concepts, try to bad my life on what is reasonable and still find meaning and purpose.Jan 29 2014: I don't see why you call religion "intellectually lazy". Most of what you mentioned was inspired by religion long before the word "atheism" even existed. These things are so obvious to you *today* that you don't understand how it can be otherwise and why people need belief in God to do these things. But I do not know if these ideas would be so obvious if not for thousands of years of civilization development dominated by religion. Who knows what the world would look like if it were not written in a "holy book" thousands of years ago "love your neighbor as yourself", "look after orphans and widows in their distress", etc. Unfortunately, there were no atheists around to teach people these things, so the priests had to do the work.
"What is reasonable" is very unclear. Helping other people doesn't seem reasonable at all. I can find a lot of reasons why I should not do that.
Regarding racial inequality, here is a sentence from Wikipedia article about MLK: "He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs." People do not do anything because of "lack of belief".
Jan 29 2014: Most of what you mentioned was inspired by religion long before the word "atheism" even existed.
Religion came into being with its opposite, ' atheism'. Nothing can exist without its opposite. People didn't put that way, but they experienced it that way. It's two sides of the same coin.
pat gilbert
Jan 28 2014: I would add this one as well
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Jan 30 2014: It's funny how the "ignorance-idiocy-malevolence" scheme works on both sides of religious debate.Jan 29 2014: "If people stopped following religion, they would, eventually, come up with an idea to replace it. "
Whatever the replacement it doesn't eliminate the essence of religion.
' re-ligare' means to unite, to unite people around a belief, no matter what belief is.
Soviet Union on a deep root level was a religious state , where God was replaced by Lenin ; paradise by communism, hell by capitalism....after life by bright future...and so on , you know the litany.
I would say, that Religion and God are not unrelated but they are not identical either.
Jan 30 2014: Re: "Whatever the replacement it doesn't eliminate the essence of religion."
Yes, that's what I meant.
Re: "I would say, that Religion and God are not unrelated but they are not identical either."
I agree with this as well. Getting rid of supernatural beliefs does not mean getting rid of religion.Jan 30 2014: "I think, yes. It takes religious belief to rally thousands and millions of people around an idea, to act together to achieve a goal, and to impose moral rules on millions of people."
I don't agree, this has been accomplished in the past through war. Not that I'm advocating that.
I agree on the higher purpose perhaps enlightened self interest? In my experience the mason dixon line on this subject is the willingness to communicate.
A trite statement but being interested instead of interesting. Interest by the way is at the core of happiness
But this is very easy to say from a comfortable first world environment, but one of the prerequisites to this type of environment is the rule of law. In other words it is easier to have this perspective in a safe environment.
Also a trite statement is the idea of having the opportunity to improve your standard of living through innovation. It is a defining characteristic of countries who have a safer more productive culture.
Jan 30 2014: Re: "I don't agree, this has been accomplished in the past through war. Not that I'm advocating that."
You may have seen this
where Jonathan Haidt mentions that war experience and religious experience have a common element of "self-transcendence". Perhaps, it is true that wars tend to unite millions of people and give them a sense of national/cultural identity and a sense of a "noble cause" - similar to religion.
Jan 30 2014: Yea I find him to be obnoxious and don't put any credence in his theories.
Either way it still is a motivator?
To me man is a spiritual being.to address him as an animal is ignorant.
The OP is saying the solution may be to get rid of religion, I have found it to do more good than harm. This from an existential perspective.Jan 22 2014: It would be as criminal as murder to deny a system of belief in a effort to do away with chaos. And if you truly believe that this is what should be done you should understand that you in doing so would be not only creating more chaos but doing so because the majority would understand that you are only proving scripture right not wrong. You must understand that freedoms are not in place for the one but the meany and that chaos can not be done away with without doing away with freedom and then what kind of world would you rather have.
Comment deleted
Jan 21 2014: I respect your view and to that extent I'm trying to understand it. "Religion" is most universally and commonly defined as " a system of belief". To this extent most forms of government and political assemblies are just that, systems of belief, to which you could apply your same "cost/benefit analysis" with little effort and find very similar results to those you have espoused below. So please help me understand why are we advocating to abolish certain systems of belief and not others? What is the distinguishing or determinate factor? Help me understand your rationale.
Jan 21 2014: Actually no. Religion is not commonly defined that broadly. I doubt that such definition was in Reem's mind. It would not make sense. Think about those bestiaries involving gods and devils, and you'll get a better picture of what was meant.Jan 17 2014: Perhaps a definition of terms is appropriate. By "religion" I assume you mean "a system of belief". I would assert that all of us as individuals have "a system of belief". So are we advocating an abolishment of all personal systems of belief? Or just a particular kind of belief system?Jan 16 2014: Yeah, religion is notorious for giving itself a bad image. I doubt the religions of the past will continue into the future. Religions seem to evolve (ironic) just like any other social construct that we create. People will always want to explain things that we don't understand. As new religions form, we will be inspired and disgusted at the same time.Jan 15 2014: We CAN do everything without religion however one must include motivation in this equation. For some people a divine motivation is the key component in their action. This works in both the positive and negative forms. Look at many works of the art that came out of the Renaissance. Call me a sentimentalist but I think our world would be lesser without it. If we could somehow erase all the bad and keep all the good that would be great but I don't believe that notion lives in the realm of reality.
Jan 16 2014: Fair enough Steven.
we are stuck with religion in the past, and good and the bad it inspired.
some religions actually prohibit graven images. Very sad when Taliban blew up the Buddha statues
I'm not sure if there will be less great art looking forward if the influence of religion reduces.Jan 15 2014: It is just a suggestion that if we all regard ourselves as god, would that make the relationship among people easier or more difficult?
Do we as kids have a tendency to love others? I don't think so, that is something we have to be taught or even be 'forced' into.
It would also seem easier in a marriage relationship to see the relationship as more important, and maybe as 'above' the two lovers.
Just a thought.Jan 14 2014: I find all the conflicting religious beliefs an affront to reason and evidence.
so many conflicting and mutually exclusive beliefs and most believers ignoring how unlikely it is they have the right one. In fact I'm not aware of any for which there is a good reason to believe if based on unreliable revelation, not evidence and reason.
however I support freedom of and from religion as long as they don't impact the rights of others. Believe the bible, talking c
donkeys, zombie invasion, water walking etc if you want, but don't kill adulterers, naughty children, homosexuals, and people who work on Saturdays. Don't keep slaves, even if your bible or Koran endorses slavery, genocide, etc.
I hope irrational beliefs die out including the cultural construct of religion. I think we would be better addressing problems and life using reason and evidence. Assuming to reduce suffering and improve the human condition, not stick with the nasty stuff in religions and the negative consequences of religious belief.
I expect there will still be conflicts once we leave religion and superstition behind. But at least it won't be driven or reinforced by religious beliefs, it won't be because people believe they are carrying out the will of some divine dictator, that a God gave them some land. There will be oobe less thing to divide us.Jan 13 2014: I guess this question only makes sense if you are an atheist. If religion didn't exist God still would. And why such a paternalistic attitude? Shall people of faith stand quietly in the corner while you decide what to do with them?
Jan 14 2014: religions still exists even though no gods and goddesses are proven to exist
in fact most religions are mutually exclusive, and all k but one most be false, yet so many different religions have been followed.
Jan 15 2014: The existence of God is not conditional on human effort or understanding. The only conditions necessary for God to exist are that he exist that he be God.
Jan 15 2014: I agree.
Gods, goddesses, fairies, nature spirits, and any thing you can imagine and things being human imagining could exist.
all the different religions are human constructs whether any gods exist or not.
I actually support freedom of religion and from religion. But have no issue fighting against the aspects of religion., that are harmful, and highlighting faith and revelation are flawed approaches with inherent issues.Jan 11 2014: Religion has always been with mankind. Remove it and it will be replaced by something else which will become similar. Like anything else, it can be used for good or evil. If you look at the middle ages, the church was used by the government to control the population and the church became very rich. Yet there were pockets doing good under the church.Jan 9 2014: religion despite different atrocities committed under its guise still serves as a sort of harness that brings sanity in this chaotic era.


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There are at least as many reasons why some Corvette lovers have more than one example of America's Only True Sports Car as there are multiple Corvette households. That holds true for DeSoto, Missouri's Terry Smith. Several years ago, Terry and his wife, Kathy, were at Corvette Funfest at Mid America Motorworks. They were proudly showing off their L79-powered '68 Corvette as part of the "Funfest 50," chosen to represent the first-year C3 in that special display honoring Corvette's 50th Anniversary. Their '68 was flanked by two other Vettes that had something that the Smith's Shark didn't have. "I had a '67 big-block on one side of me, and a '69 big-block on the other," says Terry. "I told my wife, 'I think that we need to start looking for a big-block." But, unlike some spouses who may have disagreed, Kathy went along with the idea. "I had just about talked myself out of buying it, and she said, 'Let's go ahead. It's an investment, and we might as well have fun as we're doing it," he says. "She didn't twist my arm too far, though!"
Once that arm twisting (estimated at 1/16 inch) was completed, Terry began his search for a 427-powered '68 to join the 327-powered one they already had. Fortunately for the Smiths, they didn't have to look outside of Missouri to find the car that you see here. "I got it in 2006 up at Schroeder Motors," recalls Terry. "He deals in Corvettes up in St. Charles, Missouri. It was the first car we ever bought from him, and we did OK as far as I'm concerned."
See if you think this is OK: A '68 Corvette coupe that was built with the hydraulic-lifter-equipped, 400 horsepower RPO L68 427, wearing three Holley two barrels underneath its triangular chrome air cleaner like its solid-lifter sibling (the RPO L71 427) does. A Shark optioned with a Rock Crusher and a luggage rack. This one was wearing its original Safari Yellow acrylic lacquer paint on the outside, and its original black vinyl seat covers and OEM black nylon loop-pile carpets inside. Unlike their L79-which Terry had restored himself-the L68 was complete, intact, and drivable. Sort of. "The car wasn't fun to drive when we first got it," Terry says of the 427-powered car's persistent cooling problems, which first cropped up on the trip home from St. Charles. "That was a nightmare. When you have to sit there and watch the temperature gauge spike, it's not fun." The solution-a black-epoxy-coated aluminum radiator from DeWitt's, plus a Weiand high-flow water pump. Combined, they cured the car's chronic cooling crises, and helped Terry and Kathy keep their eyes on the road (and not the temperature gauge) when they were out on the road.
There's some other non-OEM hardware on this car, along with the cooling system, courtesy of the Shark's previous owner. He'd updated the L68 with an L88-grind camshaft, while freshening up a car that had tallied 82,000 miles since its purchase in Las Vegas in 1968. "He rebuilt the engine, put all new factory-numbered bushings on it, and cross-referenced everything to verify that it's a numbers-matching '68," says Terry of the Corvette that, according to the history that accompanied it when he bought it, had been a garage queen between 1988 and 2002.
One item on this '68 is strictly for appearance's sake: the luggage rack on the rear deck. Terry doesn't use it. "I've seen people tie their T-tops to it, but I'm not going to do it," he says. "I can just see them falling off, and a semi running over my T-tops."
However, the 427 under the hood does get regular use, and Terry says it's really something to drive. "It's got more oomph than I really want to test it to," he says with a laugh about the upgraded L68's power. "I like the way the cam sounds-it lopes, and sounds good." And this car does get driven regularly. "As a matter of fact, we had it to a show this past Sunday at the AmVets in DeSoto," Terry says. "It took a first, and the other one (their 327-powered '68) took a third."
Terry says that he's learned many of the quirks of the first-year Shark, thanks to having two in his garage. "I am stumped once in a while," he says. "Recently, I tried to get the wiper motor and washer pump working. I had to get the original motor rebuilt, because it's the only one that will work. The '69-'72 wiper motors won't put the wipers or the wiper door in the proper timing." Regardless of their quirks, both of the Smith's '68s were honored at Corvette Funfest in 2007, when Mid America Motorworks founder and president Mike Yager picked both of them for his President's Choice award.
If you're still looking for your first Corvette-or if you're like the Smiths and are looking for another to complement the one already in your garage-Terry has this advice. "If you've ever dreamed about owning one, like I have ever since I was a kid, you need to go for it and get one. The more I drive it, the more I like it. "People say you either love 'em or you hate 'em, but I love mine more and more every day."

subset: commoncrawl


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Activists occupy the Stena Don oil-rig in the Arctic. If they succeed in stopping drilling for just a short time the the operators Cairn Energy, will struggle to meet a tight deadline to complete the exploration before winter ice conditions force it to abandon the search for oil off Greenland until next year.
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Barnard General Store near $500,000 goal to reopenBy Christian Avard
Staff Writer | December 31,2012BARNARD There will be a happy future for the Barnard General Store.
The Barnard Community Trust will reach its $500,000 fundraising goal next month and purchase the store and property from the current landowner thanks to an extended fundraising deadline, according to the Preservation Trust of Vermont, the soon-to-be property co-owners, and the Barnard General Store will be back in business.
Its a great New Years story, said Paul Bruhn of the Preservation Trust of Vermont.
The property, which includes the store and up to two acres of land, was sold for $500,000 to the Barnard Community Trust Inc. and the Preservation Trust of Vermont in June.
The Preservation Trust of Vermont will own the property and the Barnard Community Trust conducted the fund- raising.
The deal, inked with current owner Bill Twigg-Smith of Barnard, left the Barnard Community Trust with only six months to raise the necessary funds. If they could not raise $500,000 by Dec. 31, the property would have been placed on the real estate market.
The Barnard Community Trust raised $430,000 but an extension was requested per Twigg-Smiths lawyer for business-related purposes. Tom Platner of the Barnard Community Trust said they now have until mid-January to raise the remaining funds.
The village decided to hold the note for the balance but we still have to finish the fundraising. The deadline is not a killer anymore, Platner said.
The Barnard Community Trust did a mass mailing before the Dec. 31 deadline and received a great response from the Barnard community. They are confident the money will arrive before they close on the property next month, Platner said.
We now can sign an agreement with an operator; before we couldnt do that. This allows us to move forward and faster, Platner said.
The Barnard Community Trust has already received requests for proposals with potential operators. Three of them will submit full business plans and Barnard Community Trust board members will begin the interview process this winter.
The Barnard General Store had operated for 180 years and was a favorite spot for locals and tourists alike. It was one of the longest-operating general stores in Vermont until store owners Carolyn DiCicco and Kim Furlong closed it in May due to difficult financial times, poor weather and big-box store competition.
Bruhn said the Barnard Community Trust and Preservation Trust of Vermont hopes to reopen the store in spring 2013.
Twigg-Smith could not be reached for comment.
@rutlandherald.comMORE IN Southern VermontBENNINGTON — Ask author and Bennington College graduate Charlotte Silver if the title of... Full StoryPresident Calvin Coolidge was remembered in all sorts of ways Saturday on the 143rd anniversary... Full StoryPresident Calvin Coolidge was remembered in all sorts of ways Saturday on the 143rd anniversary... Full Story
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Fashion Collectibles #2804
Skipper® doll's red tricot bodysuit had an elasticized bodice, waist, and legs. Red cord was used for the spaghetti straps. The doll topped it with a woven, red ground, flower and heart print skirt with an elasticized waist and white-lace-trimmed ruffle at the hem. A mustard tricot hip wrap and a velvety little dark blue bag with a braid shoulder strap completed the set.
All images and descriptions courtesy of Collector Books, publisher of "Barbie® Doll Fashion: Volume 3" by Sarah Sink Eames.
Production doll may vary from the photo shown above. Mattel reserves the right to modify the fashion/fabrics, sculpt, hair color/style, and accessories. Doll cannot stand alone as shown.


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Berton R. Moed, M.D., Endowed Lecture in Orthopaedic TraumaEvent Details: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., May 14, Anheuser-Busch Institute
Second Annual Berton R. Moed, M.D., Endowed Lecture in Orthopaedic Trauma
"Orthoplastic Extremity Reconstruction: The History of Modern Limb Salvage"
Saturday, May 14, 2011
8 a.m.-noon
Saint Louis University
Anheuser-Busch Institute
3rd Floor Auditorium
1755 S. Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63104
Presented by L. Scott Levin, M.D., FACS
Paul B. Magnuson Professor of Bone and Joint Surgery
Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Professor of Surgery
University of Pennsylvania
To RSVP for this event, please call 800-637-5463.
Schedule of Events
8 a.m. Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Orthplastic Extremity Reconstructionâ€"The History of Modern Limb Salvage - L. Scott Levin, M.D., FACS
9:30 a.m. Coffee Break
9:45 a.m. Case Presentations
11:00 a.m. Program Conclusion
Educational Objectives: Residents, faculty and physicians from the community will discuss orthplastic extremity reconstruction and the history of modern limb salvage.
Accreditation: Saint Louis University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Continuing Medical Education Credits: The Saint Louis University School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.
Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.


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At their wedding reception in 1992, Barack Obama and his bride, Michelle, made their way to a table to greet three women who had taken him under their wings as a young community organizer.
Loretta Augustine-Herron, one of the women in his memoir, "Dreams From My Father," recalls him asking them, "Can I get you anything?"
"When you are elected president," she told him, "we want an invitation to the inaugural ball."
According to Augustine-Herron, he replied, "You've got it" and flashed his toothy smile.
But four years ago, invitations never came for the three women, who appeared in Obama's book under the pseudonyms Angela, Shirley and Mona but are still known in the community as "Obama's Mamas."
They assumed that Obama's wedding-day promise had fallen through the cracks amid the hoopla of his first inauguration. They convinced themselves that they were better off staying home watching the festivities on TV. The truth is that they were heartbroken.
But this time around, the president came through. Two weeks ago, Augustine-Herron, 71, and Margaret Bagby, 74, both of Calumet City, and Yvonne Lloyd, 83, who recently moved back to her native Nashville, Tenn., received an email inviting them to Washington.
"The First Family would love if you could join them for festivities during the Presidential Inauguration in D.C. from Saturday to Tuesday," the invitation said. Not only will the women be going to an inaugural ball, they have three tickets each to the swearing-in ceremony and the inaugural parade.
"We were very disappointed and hurt the last time," said Augustine-Herron, who is making the trip to Washington with her friends this weekend. "This time, my dream is to shake his hand, look him in the eye and call him 'Mr. President' to his face."
In the U.S. and around the world, enthusiasm for the Obama inauguration is far dimmer than it was four years ago. Even Oprah Winfrey is sitting it out this time.
An estimated 1.8 million people crowded the National Mall in 2009 to witness Obama taking the oath of office, the largest turnout for a presidential inauguration ever. Thousands of Chicagoans were among them: Obama relatives, incoming administration officials, well-connected friends and donors, and average people who put up with an overnight bus ride.
Four years ago, Rahm Emanuel was Obama's incoming chief of staff. Today he's Chicago mayor and host of a talked-about late-night party — the "post-party" or the "closer," it's called — that begins at 11 p.m. on Inauguration Day and runs until 3 a.m. the next. He said he was "very excited" about the swearing-in and was bringing his family along.
Inaugural planners are girding for swearing-in numbers more in line with those predating the Obama presidency — 500,000 to 700,000 people. Numbers leap when there's a change in power between the political parties; they fall when the same man takes the oath for the second time.
A swearing-in ticket remains a hot commodity. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., had 1,300 tickets to distribute and requests for more than 5,000, said Christina Mulka, his spokeswoman.
"Our goal is to make sure as many Illinoisans as possible from all parts of the state and all walks of life get a chance to witness this historic event," Mulka said.
Most House members, such as Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., got 177 tickets. The Chicago lawmaker had more than 3,500 requests, said aide Tumia Romero, who noted that economics kept others from asking.
"Some people who tried to organize buses have had to cancel," she said, "because people can't afford to attend."
Demand in GOP Downstate turf was less. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., from Taylorville, found his 177-ticket allotment enough to satisfy all requests, spokesman Andrew Flach said.
Party planners are eyeing lower numbers too. In 2009, an Illinois State Society Ball drew 5,000, but Saturday's crowd was expected to be half that, said Suzanne Ing-New, who led the planning.
"The last time around was an anomaly," she said. "We're never going to see that again. We're never going to have a first African-American president. We may see the same level of enthusiasm if there is a first woman president."
Many of the people traveling to the capital now are campaign volunteers who worked to get Obama re-elected in November. About 50 volunteers from the Democratic Party of Oak Park planned to leave Sunday by bus.
Some said they want to show their support for the president as he fights for issues such as gun control and health care.
"For a lot of people, it's a different feeling this time. It's more to show the president that we are still with him, that we've still got his back," said Donald Harris, a Chicago activist who organized two buses for 110 people, including trade union members. "We hope he can look out there and see the thousands of people and know that he is not alone up there fighting."
Mae Ya Carter Ryan, 11, of Chicago, has been invited to sing the national anthem at one of the unofficial galas, the Illinois Presidential Inaugural Celebration on Sunday, but she and her mother, Ina Carter, on their first trip to D.C., were empty-handed when it came to tickets for other events. Still, they're happy.
"I might meet the president, so I'm really excited," said Ryan, a sixth-grader at Haines Elementary School in Chicago. "I'm looking forward to everything, and I can't wait to visit the museums and the Capitol."
But even some of "Obama Mamas" don't think they'll get close enough to say hello.
"I'm excited mostly about being able to see him," Bagby said. "But I envision him waving at the crowd and not even seeing us."
Sitting in the living room of Augustine-Herron's home last week, the two women reminisced about the three years they worked on race and poverty issues with the tall, skinny young man with a boyish face hired to take the helm of the Developing Communities Project.
As Augustine-Herron talked about how she felt that Obama was right to try to reach a compromise with Republicans in Washington on issues such as gun control, the budget deficit and the debt ceiling, Bagby fidgeted in her chair, becoming increasingly agitated at the conversation.
"Loretta is very learned and up-to-date, but I think she loves Barack so much that whatever he does is just fine," she quipped. "I love him too, but I'm so mad with him for not just telling those people, 'This is what I want. Just do it!'"
That's what they used to tell Obama when he started in 1985, but he preferred to find the middle ground, they said. They taught him how to get inside the culture of the neighborhoods so he could determine what the problems were. In turn, he taught them how to work to solve those problems.
"When he came in for the interview, I was sitting next to Yvonne and she turned to me and said, 'Loretta, Loretta, he's so young,'" said Augustine-Herron. "I said, 'Girl, they're going to eat him up out there.'"
They were mistaken. He taught them organizing skills so they would be more effective in the community. And though he never forced his will on anyone, they said, it was always clear what he wanted.
"Whenever he tells you, 'I don't think …' he's telling you that he knows what he wants. And you really need to look out when he says, 'My sense is that …'" Bagby said.
It didn't take long for them to realize that he had the potential for greatness.
"We've been mesmerized ever since we met him. We've always felt like his second mom," said Augustine-Herron. "We used to always fuss over him and try to get him to eat right and not go into some of the bad neighborhoods. That's why we went with him most of the time. He was fearless, and we were scared something would happen to him."
For now, they are satisfied just being invited to the inauguration, even if they don't get to give him a hug.
"I'd like to get a note to him and ask him to invite us to an event when he comes home to Chicago," she said, "so we can remind him how to kick (Republican House Speaker John) Boehner's behind."Copyright © 2015, The Baltimore Sun


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The Rock Vs Brock For WWE Championship
This is going to be built after the entire year of Brock causing terror to the WWE in 2012-2013. He wil win the WWE Championship with noone being able to stop him. Here comes the Rock to save the Day and become the WWE champion. Then the next night because most likely he will have some movie to do, give up the title and this will


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Mayline Group Luminary Series Desk Bridge
Mayline Group Luminary Series Desk Bridge
Weights & Dimensions
|Product Type: Desk return
|Frame Material: Manufactured wood
|Country of Manufacture: China
About the ManufacturerEstablished in 1939 as the Engineering Supply Company, Mayline has come a long way from its expertise in drafting tables, blueprint files and straightedges. The war years capitalized on their high quality and precision manufacturing for providing highly accurate navigational and mapping accessories for all branches of the military.
Though still a market leader in manual drawing (they invented the straightedge) and large format filing, Mayline has moved to the forefront of office ergonomics. The Mayline Group now includes Tiffany Industries, Kwik File and Mayline products.
Mayline Group Luminary Series Desk Bridge
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OUR SKU # MY5317Luminary Series Desk Bridge is also sometimes listed under the following manufacturer numbers: BR2448C, BR2448M


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Phoenix Suns
Despite back-to-back wins, Phoenix Suns aren't satisfied
If you're a struggling NBA team that's lost seven straight games, it's a nice thing when the NFL team in town has lost nine in a row. The focus is on the football squad which alleviates pressure while you try to get things back on the right track.
That's where the Phoenix Suns were just last week. Despite being mired in their longest losing skid in nine seasons, the sports eye in the Valley was squarely on the Arizona Cardinals.
The Suns were able to snap out of their losing streak with consecutive wins against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Utah Jazz. And with winnable home games Monday night against Sacramento and Wednesday vs. Charlotte, Alvin Gentry's team could actually be looking at streaking in the other direction.
"Those games, that if we're going to get back in this thing, we're just going to have to try to find a way to win them," Gentry said. "It all starts with Sacramento Monday, and that's what we have to place all our emphasis on right now."
The Kings enter Monday's game with a 7-16 record and are woeful 1-9 away from home -- the worst in the Western Conference.
Suns forward Michael Beasley knows that winning back-to-back games is a start, but not nearly enough for the Suns (9-15) to be satisfied.
"I think we all understand that two wins is minuscule in the big picture," Beasley said. "We have a goal to get to and two wins is not going to help us get there. We're definitely happy to get that bad streak over, but we all understand we don't want to get there again."
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An American teenager who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics makes an extraordinary discovery in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost relic in hand, the teenager unexpectedly finds himself traveling back to ancient China to join a crew of warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King.
Rated PG-13 for sequences of martial arts action and some violence.
Visit the official site
Cast: Michael Angarano, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Collin Chou, Yifei Liu
Produced by: Ryan Kavanaugh, Casey Silver
Directed by: Rob Minkoff
Written by: John Fusco, Ch'eng-En Wu
Running time: 1hr 53min
Opens: Apr 18, 2008 Nationwide


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Memorial To Fix Martin Luther King, Jr. Quote
Originally published on Mon January 16, 2012 6:48 am
By editor
Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. Americans honor Martin Luther King, Jr. today. And those visiting his new 30-foot tall memorial in Washington, D.C. will find a quote that reads: I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness. Well, it may be carved in granite, but it's not actually what the civil rights leader said. Fixing a quote embedded in three feet of stone presents quite a challenge, but it will be changed to more accurately honor Dr. King's memory. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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How to get a free iPad 2.
Obtain an iPad 2 free
The free iPad 2 giveaway explanation
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It was a big week for Jaime Penedo, who took home MLS Latino of the Week and Save of the Week honors.
Penedo is expected to get the start in net against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday and will then depart for Panama ahead of their World Cup qualifiers against Jamaica and Honduras next week.
Earlier this week, Penedo was asked about his clutch save on Jordan Harvey in the 82nd minute of LA's 1-0 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC and even the Panamanian 'keeper struggled to hold back a laugh.
"If a goalkeeper tries to explain a save like that, I think that they're lying. In a situation like that, a forward has a microchip in his mind that says that he's going to score. A goalkeeper has in his mind, a microchip that he can stop the ball," said Penedo. "What I did in that situation, I got up from the field and ran, ran, ran till I got the ball."
In the lead up to Saturday's California Clasico match between the LA Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes, I spoke with the finest reporter covering the Earthquakes beat, Robert Jonas.
Jonas of Centerline Soccer and Quake, Rattle and Goal broke down the Earthquakes and their recent struggles. Currently, San Jose is in eighth place in the Western Conference, but just three points behind fifth place Seattle Sounders FC for the final playoff berth -- albeit with two extra games played.
LA Galaxy Insider: What's the Earthquakes' mindset heading into this game?
JONAS: "Unlike last year where they were willing to stand toe to toe with teams and outslug them in 3-2 games, this year -- especially under new head coach Mark Watson -- they've been becoming a more defensive team and are trying to choose their chances on offense carefully. They're not getting the same type of service that they were last year, so the 72 goals that they scored last year was certainly an aberration, and they're well below that this year. This year, they've tried to manage the game the best that they can on the defensive side and take their chances selectively on offense."
LAGI: With the Earthquakes taking few chances does it limit the effectiveness of Alan Gordon, Steven Lenhart and Chris Wondolowski?
JONAS: "It limits the chances that [the forwards] are getting which is the reason that their goals are down. A 1-0 game gets the same number of points as a 3-2 win, so they're not getting the chances to pump in as many goals. Are they less effective? I think you're seeing them play a little farther back on the field, especially Wondolowski, who is willing to track back on the defensive side. It's definitely affected his goal output and it's not surprising given the mentality change."
LAGI: The Earthquakes will be without the services of Victor Bernardez, Rafael Baca and Justin Morrow due to suspension, how will this impact the team?
JONAS: "It is a big loss for the Quakes, but nothing that they haven't experience all season as injuries and suspensions have been a running theme this year. With Victor Bernárdez, you'll probably see Jason Hernandez pair up with Clarence Goodson in central defense. Jason has a lot of experience with the Earthquakes and is the longest tenured Earthquake at the moment. He's played in the last couple of games so he has his feet under him, so that should be an easy switch. Maybe he's not as effective, but definitely someone who is comfortable out there. The big question is who replaces Rafael Baca as he and Sam Cronin have formed an almost anonymous central midfield duo that works extremely hard on the defensive side ball and so effectively together that it's a big question mark. A player like Walter Martinez might be able to step in there as he did so earlier in the season as an almost attacking midfielder, which would allow Cronin to drop into a defensive midfield role. In talking to Mark Watson, he's keeping his options open and is still considering guys who slide in there like wingers Marvin Chavez and Jaime Alas or even a wildcard like the defensive-minded Brad Ring."
LAGI: The Earthquakes will be going up against LA's physical center back tandem of Leonardo and Omar Gonzalez, might their physicality hamper the San Jose attack?
JONAS: "It's an issue that has presented itself all season. Any physical center back duo has given Alan Gordon, Steven Lenhart and Chris Wondolowski trouble. The Earthquakes aren't going to sneak up on anyone anymore, so if a lot of the game is dependent on aerial attack then a lot of defenders can key in on that and do an effective job of stopping them. The fact that Omar Gonzalez is such an effective player in the air, is not going to do the Earthquakes any favors."
LAGI: How can the Earthquakes win this game?
JONAS: "For the Earthquakes to even get a result, they're going to have to complement the playing style of LA. From my perspective, it's all about limiting the passes, limiting the attacking runs that LA does so well in the attacking third, and maybe playing deeper in the field. We know how dangerous that LA is on the counter attack and I think that we're going to have to see the same thing out of the Earthquakes if they're going to go poach goals in this game. For them to get all three points, it starts with playing strong defensively and keeping the game scoreless as long as possible, and then poaching a goal in the second half. This isn't the Goonies anymore. They don't just come back naturally—or unnaturally if you will—they have to be much more disciplined with their chances."
LAGI: Your prediction?
JONAS: "I predict that the Earthquakes can keep it close for a while, but given their struggles and the fact that they have one road victory in all competitions this season, a draw would be the best case scenario. But I see a late goal leading to a loss."
In the latest edition of View from the Booth, Joe Tutino and Cobi Jones analyze the California Clasico between the LA Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes.
Check it out below...
CARSON, Calif. – Landon Donovan is back with the full U.S. National Team.
Donovan and Omar Gonzalez both received calls to join the U.S. squad for their World Cup qualifiers and each spoke about the task ahead of them in this piece on LAGalaxy.com.
The call for Donovan is his first World Cup qualifier call since June of last year and Gonzalez is particularly enthusiastic to have him back with the full squad.
"I'm very excited to have him there," said the Galaxy defender. "This whole year, he hasn't been there with the national team and I think that we're really good friends and to have him there to bounce some things off him, since he has so much experience, is going to be great for myself.
No matter the setting, Landon Donovan and Omar Gonzalez expect plenty of hostility at World Cup qualifier in Costa Rica
CARSON, Calif. – Next week the U.S. National Team will travel to Costa Rica for a World Cup qualifier that could put them another step closer to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
However, this time around, the U.S. won't be playing the Costa Ricans at the famed Estadio Saprissa where they are winless in qualifying matches, but the brand new Estadio Nacional. Built in 2011, the Estadio Nacional is a far more modern stadium than Saprissa and also contains a track around the pitch, which separates the intimidating Costa Rican crowd from the field. The LA Galaxy are expected to take on C.S. Cartagines at Costa Rica's national stadium on Sept. 25 due to lighting issues at Los Brumosos home stadium.
But will U.S. reap any benefits by not having to play at the famed "Monster's Cave"?
"In my opinion, Saprissa is the hardest place to play in CONCACAF so it can't hurt. That's for sure," said Donovan. "But any time that you play Costa Rica at home or away, we expect a difficult game so we expect that same."
No matter where they play, Gonzalez is sure that they'll get a great deal of flak on the field and in the stands after their epic "Snowclasico" World Cup qualifier in Denver in March that saw the U.S. defeat Los Ticos 1-0 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
"I think that it'll be a hostile environment and they're not going to make it easy for us," said Gonzalez. "That's something that we already expect going into those countries. I think that the environment is going to make it a fun game.
"We're going to go in there and fight hard," Gonzalez added. "The fans are going to go give it their all and support their team, but we're definitely going to have our backs against the wall, but it's up to us to be united and to play the proper way and hopefully come out with three points."
Highlights of that last meeting between Costa Rica and the U.S. are below...
Landon Donovan and Omar Gonzalez are off to the U.S. National Team for World Cup Qualifying.
The pair were named to head coach Jurgen Klinsmann's 23-man squad for the U.S. matches against Costa Rica in San Jose on Sept. 6 at the Estadio Nacional and against Mexico on Sept. 10 at Columbus Crew Stadium.
Donovan and Gonzalez are just two of four LA players that will not be available for the Galaxy's match against the Colorado Rapids on Sept. 7, joining Robbie Keane (Ireland) and Jaime Penedo (Panama), who were each named to their respective national teams.
The complete U.S. roster is below...
GOALKEEPERS: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando
DEFENDERS: DaMarcus Beasley, Matt Besler, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron, Edgar Castillo, Brad Evans, Omar Gonzalez, Michael Orozco
MIDFELDERS: Kyle Beckerman, Alejandro Bedoya, Michael Bradley, Mix Diskerud, Fabian Johnson, Jermaine Jones, Graham Zusi
FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Aron Johannsson, Eddie Johnson
CARSON, Calif. – A player with Landon Donovan's resume should certainly be among the league's highest paid players and by reaching certain incentives, the Galaxy forward will stand head and shoulders above all others on the league's pay scale.
According to Soccer by Ives, the four-year, $5 million a season deal that Donovan signed will make him the league's second highest player behind U.S. teammate Clint Dempsey, but by reaching performance incentives, the Galaxy forward will be able to bypass his U.S. National Team counterpart.
Galaxy head coach and general manger Bruce Arena told reporters that it was "safe to say [Donovan's deal] is multi-year and he got a raise." When asked about his contract on Wednesday, Donovan admitted to reporters that his deal was heavily incentive-laden, but revealed that the Galaxy were more than willing to make him the league's top paid player.
"I never made decisions for money, and I think I'm a much happier person because of it," Donovan said on Wednesday. "At the same time, you do want to be valued and respected, so it was important for me in this process to be treated fair financially.
"The Galaxy made it clear early on that they wanted a type of deal that would give me the opportunity to be the highest-paid player in the league, if I perform well," he added. "I think that was important to me, and I think that was fair, so we came to a good agreement."
CARSON, Calif. -- Landon Donovan has re-signed a new multi-year deal with the LA Galaxy, but don't look for him to pursue any offseason loans in the future.
Donovan has gone on loans in the past to Bayern Munich during the 2008-09 season as well as a pair of loans to Everton in 2010 and 2012, but the U.S. international admitted after his contract announcement press conference that he's unlikely to go on loan again.
"It's not really something that I'm interested in," said Donovan. "I want to be here and I don't have a real desire to go try anything or do anything. They've committed to me and I want to commit to this team too."
In a teleconference call with reporters, Donovan was asked about his former Everton head coach David Moyes who is now the head man at Manchester United. Rumors have swirled that Donovan would be on Moyes' shortlist at United, but when asked about any conversations that he's had if with the Scottish head coach, Donovan didn't go into specifics, but dropped a hint.
"I'm not going to comment on specific conversations I may have had with David in the past," said Donovan. "But…we'll say I had talks with some very high profile teams in England, how's that?"
Thoughts on Donovan's comments?
Share your thoughts below.
Landon Donovan is staying with the LA Galaxy and ahead of his new deal with the club, I spoke with the Galaxy talisman about his new deal and his desire to stay in Southern California.
Check it out below.
Check out the Landon Donovan press conference below...


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Girl's Camouflage Clothing
Having a baby girl? The Camo Shop carries many choices: dresses, overalls, gift set outfits in the Realtree camo pattern. Girls camo clothing have either bows or pink trim. Shop for baby showers or everyday clothing.
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Social Justice Computing Program Launched
A new program at the John Cook School of Business is partnering two key SLU philosophies - service to others and sustainability - to provide home computers to area students who don't have them.
The idea began with Craig Van Slyke, Ph.D., associate professor of decision sciences and information technology management and associate dean of the business school, while he was involved in a year-long seminar on the Jesuit mission.
|John Cook School of Business service leadership students Thanh Truong (left) and Taoran Li (right) deliver a computer to area student Darrion Stevens.
"During that same time period, my colleague, Don Hardaway, Ph.D., and I were having ongoing discussions about open-source software. It was one of those moments when different streams of thought converge," Van Slyke said.
"The opportunity to take advantage of the open-source software while providing learning for our students and improving the lives of those around us just seemed like a natural."
Those discussions between Van Slyke and Hardaway, an associate professor in the decision sciences and information technology management department, were just the beginning, and the program now known as the "Social Justice Computing Project" began to take shape.
"Once Craig and I decided to move forward with this idea, the operational details were fairly simple to deploy, given the ease of installing Linux today," Hardaway said. "Students who had never worked with the technical aspects of PCs could easily be trained through a simple demonstration to install the leading desktop Linux distribution known as Ubuntu."
Getting students involved has been pivotal in making the project successful. Rob Boyle, Ph.D., manager of leadership programs at Cook, said it seemed a perfect fit for the school's service leadership certificate program.
"The Social Justice Computing Project has been a great way for service leaders from the School of Business to combine their technological savvy with their altruistic values," Boyle said. "Each time a computer is updated and delivered, there is a real sense of satisfaction that a significant difference has been made in the academic life of a young person in mid-town St. Louis."
Hardaway adds that student involvement goes far beyond just dropping off a computer at someone's house or setting it up at a youth center. From getting the word out to those who have computer equipment to donate to erasing all the data from the old hard drive and installing programs, it's a hands-on experience.
"Teaching students to install Ubuntu is just a matter of demonstrating it," Hardaway said. "Only one CD is used and on the majority of the PCs it is just a matter of plugging the CD into the PC and rebooting it. From there the software on the CD takes over and leads the students through a very simple series of graphical screens to install the system. It is basically a point-and-click process and is much easier than installing Windows. Any novice can do it."
And what does the project mean to the SLU students? Thanh Truong, a junior majoring in accounting, feels it is an integral part of the University's mission.
"To me, the Social Justice Computing Project helps SLU live up to the culture of being men and women for and with others by helping those in need," Truong said. "Every time I finish a computer delivery, it is very exciting for me. It only takes a little of our time to make such an impact on someone's life."
The project currently involves four students whose efforts have helped provide 15 computers to area students. Leaders at various service leadership sites proide referrals.
As part of the Sixth Annual John Cook School of Business Service Day Friday, April 1, students also will donate and install computers in the pre-school facility and teen center at Hope House, a transitional housing complex for homeless families in the St. Louis area.
A good program often needs some financial backing and a $50,000 contribution from AT&T has been instrumental in helping the Social Justice Computing Project.
If you have a CPU, monitor or keyboard (no printers or speakers please; PC's only, no Macs) that is less than six years old, please contact Rob Boyle at email@example.com to arrange drop off or pickup.
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A fore-and-aft rig is a sailing rig consisting mainly of sails that are set along the line of the keel rather than perpendicular to it. Such sails are described as fore-and-aft rigged.
Fore-and-aft rigged sails include Staysails, Bermuda rigged sails, Gaff rigged sails, Gaff sails, Gunter rig, Lateen sails, Lugsails and the spanker sail on a square rig.
Fore-and-aft rigs include:
Barques and barquentines are partially square rigged and partially fore-and-aft rigged.
"Fore and Aft" is distinctly English maritime phraseology, but the Dutch (or Afrikaans) equivalent is 'voor en achter', with a similar meaning.
"Fore and Aft Rig" is a nickname for a kind of Royal Navy uniform with a conventional jacket, shirt and tie and peaked cap rather than jumper, bell bottom trousers and round hat (known as square rig). Fore and Aft Rig is worn by all officers, warrant officers, chief petty officers and petty officers. It was once also worn by junior ratings who did not belong to seaman or engine room branches (e.g. artificer apprentices, medical personnel, administrative personnel, cooks, stewards etc), although they too have now worn square rig for many years.