tdaxp

Markos Moulitsas Zuniga writes "The gloves are coming off in Lousiani" in response to this weird, anti-Catholic advertisement put out by the Lousiani State Democratic Party

Not stopping there, he posted a bizarre pueudo-summary of an article previously written by Jindal for the New Oxford Review.

Much of the nonsense about the relationship between Church and State comes from the late 19th century, when anti-immigrant nativists targeted Catholics (Irish, Italians, Poles, etc.) as un-American and un-Christian. It's no surprising that Louisiana's Democratic Party, facing a second-generation American and first-generation Catholic, decided to play the faith card again.

For some time I have been using this Chi-Rho emblem:

to symbolize the Christian 4GW. The original design was by James Greece of Catholic and Loving It, with a minor change by Lexington Green of Chicago Boyz.

I found the original graphic on a now-defunkt clipart page, so I am grateful to James for letting me know of the image's original location, and its use as part of his wedding services company. (As a newlywed myself, I can appreciate his work!)

As long as the subject is Christian symbolism, I also wanted to point out "It's Christmas! Let's be glad!" by Sufjan Stevens. Sufjan describes his church as "kind of Anglo-Catholic," so the Christian and Marian themes shouldn't be surprising.

Sing a carol to your mom
Because she knows what's going on
And she knows if you've been bad or good

And if you get what you deserve
To be graded on the curve
Oh, you got a lot of nerve

Listen to the song on last.fm, download from podbop, or purchase from Amazon.

True Sufjan fans may appreciate the animated YouTube video of 'Put the Lights on the Tree'.

Hoegh, P. (2007). Senator criticized over move to restrict alcohol in church. CNSNews.com. January 19, 2007. Available online: http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200701/CUL20070118a.html.

The news is so incredible that I thought it was fake:

Democratic State Sen. Lowen Kruse has introduced a bill that would eliminate two provisions to Nebraska's underage drinking law which allow in their own homes or at places of worship during religious ceremonies.

While saying the primary goal of the bill was admirable, Catholic League President Bill Donahue worries about the implication for Mass. Catholics and some Protestant denominations use wine in their communion services.

I immediately tried to check this out by going to Senator Kruse's webpage.



Kruse provided a link to the , where I found the proposed law. The strikethrough (like so) is the part of the law that Senator Kruse wants to revoke:

53-180.02. Except as provided in section 53-168.06, no minor may sell, dispense, consume, or have in his or her possession or physical control any alcoholic liquor in any tavern or in any other place, including public streets, alleys, roads, or highways, upon property owned by the State of Nebraska or any subdivision thereof, or inside any vehicle while in or on any other place, including, but not limited to, the public streets, alleys, roads, or highways, or upon property owned by the State of Nebraska or any subdivision thereof. , except that a minor may consume, possess, or have physical control of alcoholic liquor in his or her permanent place of residence or on the premises of a place of religious worship on which premises alcoholic liquor is consumed as a part of a religious rite, ritual, or ceremony.

It actually gets worse than this. Not that not only are the religious service excemption revoked, but other exemptions stay on the books.

53-168.06. No person shall manufacture, bottle, blend, sell, barter, transport, deliver, furnish, or possess any alcoholic liquor for beverage purposes except as specifically provided in the Nebraska Liquor Control Act. Nothing in the act shall prevent (1) the possession of alcoholic liquor legally obtained as provided in the act for the personal use of the possessor and his or her family and guests; (2) the making of wine, cider, or other alcoholic liquor by a person from fruits, vegetables, or grains, or the product thereof, by simple fermentation and without distillation, if made solely for the use of the maker and his or her family and guests; (3) any duly licensed practicing physician or dentist from possessing or using alcoholic liquor in the strict practice of his or her profession, any hospital or other institution caring for the sick and diseased persons from possessing and using alcoholic liquor for the treatment of bona fide patients of such hospital or other institution, or any drug store employing a licensed pharmacist from possessing or using alcoholic liquor in the compounding of prescriptions of licensed physicians; (4) the possession and dispensation of alcoholic liquor by an authorized representative of any religion on the premises of a place of worship, for the purpose of conducting any bona fide religious rite, ritual, or ceremony; (5) persons who are sixteen years old or older from carrying alcoholic liquor from licensed establishments when they are accompanied by a person not a minor; (6) (5) persons who are sixteen years old or older from handling alcoholic liquor containers and alcoholic liquor in the course of their employment; (7) (6) persons who are sixteen years old or older from removing and disposing of alcoholic liquor containers for the convenience of the employer and customers in the course of their employment; or (8) (7) persons who are nineteen years old or older from serving or selling alcoholic liquor in the course of their employment.

This blog has a "health mullahs" to point out over-zealous health laws. However, this isn't a health law. It keeps the exemption allowing 19 year olds to sell and serve alcohol, it keeps the exemption that allows 16 year olds to handle alchol, it keeps the provision for people making their own moonshine.

This is not a health law. This is hate speech in legislative form, designed to harrass Catholics and criminalize Catholocism. Senator Kruse, a Methodist minister, should be ashamed of himself. Like all other bigots.

My recent podcast discussed Christianity and evolution, and my blogfriend Sean Meade raised some issues with my understanding of the faith. It's delightful to have this sort of conversation, and I am very grateful to podcaster Phil Jones for the discussion his work has brought. My short answer to his questions “Paul believed in resilient enterprises.” For a longer answer, read on...

Paul summarized Christianity in three words, one of which is most important

"There are three things that will endure - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love."
(1 Corinthians 13:13)

Paul was explaining Christ's commandment to 'Love your neighbor as yourself' (Matthew 22:39). But Paul didn't just apply the commandment to the individual-level-of-analysis -- teaching Christians how they should treat each other -- but also the system level -- how Christian groups should interact with each other. Using circumcision as an example, Paul writes

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth... The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." (Galatians 5:6-7,14-15)

Paul gives a tricky prescription for the church. Paul is insisting there are both relevant and irrelevant doctrinal questions. The relevant one is love, without which the everything is forfeited. Yet an irrelevant one is circumcision, which doesn't matter, and which Paul wishes Christians would just stop arguing about.



In other words, Paul is insisting that Christianity be a resilient enterprise. It should be a realm of limited competition, in which affiliates are free to adapt themselves to local conditions but not free to engage in destructive competition. The Catholic Church comes the closest to any organization in history in implementing this. A plethora of bishoprics, orders, uses, and rites fill up the local niches, bending to this preference and that, in order for the basic message to remain the same against ideological encroachment.

The Companions of tdaxp and His Lady, a friend from Tianjin and another from Singapore, left today back to their hometowns. Lady of tdaxp and I had both grown accustom to them around, and the constant hubbub of a full apartment is surprisingly painful to miss.

It turns out that the Church I saw off Wangfujing is actually the East Church, or Saint Joseph's Church. It's one of the four main CPCA pseudo-Catholic churches around Beijing. Saint Joseph's was built in 1655.

Today we went to another, the Western Church. The Western Church is the youngest of the four "directional" churches, built in 1723 and repaired in 1912. It's appearance is sadly abused. We also saw another abused Cathedral of sorts -- the very Soviet Beijing Exhibition Center, celebrating a political philosophy (International Communism) more forgotten than Christianity could ever be.

"As Holidays Approach, French Find New Ban on Religious Symbols Cuts Both Ways," William J. Kole, Associated Press, http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB720IZO2E.html, 13 December 2004.

France continues her anti-Catholic, anti-Islam, anti-God bigotry.

PARIS (AP) - They arrived as they do every December: gaily wrapped gifts destined for children at a kindergarten in rural northern France.

But this year, teachers unwrapped a few, took a look and sent all 1,300 packages back to City Hall. The presents were innocent, but strictly speaking, illegal: seasonal chocolates shaped like Christian crosses and St. Nicholas.

As Christmas approaches, France is awakening to the realization that a new law banning conspicuous religious symbols at schools - a measure used mainly to keep Muslim girls from wearing traditional Islamic head scarves to class - can cut both ways.

"It's an unhealthy political affair. Absolutely regrettable," said Andre Delattre, mayor of the northern town of Coudekerque-Branche, which has shipped the traditional chocolates to local schools for 11 years.

"What's the point? It's the children who are being penalized for this difference of opinion," he said. "They've been deprived of a festive moment."

The law, which took effect in September, bans overt symbols such as Islamic head scarves, Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses at public schools.

In the United States, religious expression is encouraged. The U.S. Justice Department recently intervened to protect a Muslim schoolgirl's right to wear the head scarf. In France, they would make her a criminal.

No wonder our ancestors fled that continent of death and decline.

Hat tip Democratic Underground.