just so it's clear, because my rant wasn't. I have no problem with any person's belief in a God or a supreme being(s), Christ, spirtuality (of whatever type), . . . what I have a problem with is the moral inconsistency if not outright cowardice of organized religion regarding the institution of war (Quakers, Unitarians etc. being exceptions), its general penchant for anti-rationalism (with exceptions--Jesuits and other sects come to mind), dogmatic rigidity, and worst of all its followers general inability to capture the true spirit of faith, charity, community (even with non-believers), sacrifice, tolerance, . . .

To Zoltan the good Catholic, that there's even a "debate" about torture in this country without the American Catholic Church and "holy see" raising holy hell daily in every homily, bulletin, and every newspaper nationwide is telling in so many ways. Georgetown is actually paying one of the chief architects of our current torture policy as a "professor". Wasn't Dr. Mengele available? Need I even bring up the subject of widespread abuse of trust and immorality regarding the little dust up over priests raping children over decades and the Catholic Church's actions?

And if you're going to quote St. Thomas Aquinas you should at least take note of his thoughts on the idea of "proportionality" and "collateral damage" before you defend the military adventurism of Israel and America over the last 60 years.

And h/t to Ondelette and Sysprog. If I was to subscribe to a particular faith which I don't (being a recovering Catholic), it would likely be an eastern faith at least in their conception of human beingss place in the scheme of nature (God's creation whathaveyou) and their respect and reverance for it. Which is not to malign the myriad indiginous populations worldwide who have successfully preserved their innate animist beliefs in the face of colonial religous imperialism.

Hypernationlist theocratic racist apartheid states are OK if you're Jewish but not if you're Austrian or Arab. American and Israel--masters of cultural arrogance, double standards, hypocrisy, and two tiered political and legal systems.

Did anyone see the piece in the NYT yesterday (?) about the Pentagon's propoganda personnel budget being bigger than the State departments? Shocker. Not. But really that taxpayer payed for "spin" is never aimed at propogandizing our own citizens just all the "others" so they know that our bombings and collateral damage are for their own good and our aim(s) though not always on the mark, are always the most benevolent and altruistic. And you're better off being dead in the service of our superior world order than being alive. Because our military advertisers said so.

To quote FMJ and the unidentified marine colonel: "We are here to help the [insert nationality], because inside every

[insert slur] there is an American trying to get out. It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until

this peace craze blows over."

So many authoritarians and facists, so little time. So incredibly sad. I'm sure if us mealy mouthed non-violent [insert female anatomy slur] would just shut up or die the world could get on with its glorious little battle of who has the more effective Eichmanns and Goebbels.

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock . . . WinSmith et al should be showing up any time now.

Just curious what's gonna happen when American neocon whack jobs bump up against Israel's and they both want to employ the "who's the crazier asshole prepared to do the crazier shit so the world knows we're soooo crazy we'd take down the whole dang shootin' match if we have to temper our nationalist ambitions one iota" strategery. My guess is will all start to glow in a fortnight.

I know feeding trolls is frowned upon, but referencing the "holohoax" makes you not only a moron, but an a**hole not likely to be taken seriously anywhere in the world except maybe a Klan meeting or one of those infantile "white power movement" meetings, and likely indicative of the possibility you might have either a chemical imbalance, a serious mental condition, are delusional, or all three.

Do you hear voices? Do the animals speak to you? Has God appeared in your backyard telling you that if you don't raise a million dollars before Friday you'll die and not go to heaven? Do you own a firearm? Have you now or recently ingested psilocybin mushrooms, lysergic acid diethylamide, or are you suffering sleep deprivation induced psychosis from use of methamphetamine? Or are you simply drunk and feeling nostalgic for your days in the Lufftwaffe?

Please seek medical assistance immediately before you become a danger to "The Saggy" (you probably love the third person) or worse yet the Mossad takes an interest in you.

Compared to "The Saggy" I'm starting to miss WinSmith and JITA et al. But we've still got farragutless, neoconcabal, ehillesum et al to provide some comic relief and good old fashioned factually inaccurate missives.