Suicide Bombers in Paradise
Legend has it that if you are martyred as a suicide bomber in the Middle East you will get 72 virgins in paradise. Since 9/11 there have been just over 20,000 suicide bombings. Doing the math, I discovered that as of this writing there should be 1,440,000 virgins in paradise.
My questions are, 1) Where do all these virgins come from? and 2) What happens to them after they have been “used” and aren’t virgins anymore.
Seventy-two virgins seems a little greedy to me. Besides, why would you want virgins? I’d be happy with just one porn star.
Gay Marriage Nationwide
Help me understand this. The Supreme Court is about to rule on whether same sex marriage will be legal in all 50 states. It is likely to pass. What I don’t understand is how this country, that is SO conservative on other social issues like abortion, gun rights, the death penalty, marijuana, immigration, etc., can virtually overnight accept gay marriage.
Is it concern for civil rights? Is it that lawmakers (think Dick Chaney) admit to having homosexual relatives? Everyone suddenly embraces human decency? I don’t think so. Why are some of these extreme right-wing red states suddenly accepting all this?
There is something hugely hypocritical here, but I don’t know what it is. I’d welcome your thoughts on this.
The Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is being heralded as “the best musical of this century.” What confuses me is that it is also the most blasphemous production, ever. There is a line in one of the songs that translates to “fuck you, God, in the cunt.” Wow!
Now, excuse me, why is a show like this so popular that tickets are selling for $250? The United States is supposed to be this hugely religious country. Why isn’t the show banned? Why aren’t there picket lines all around the theaters?
Is it just that only the nonreligious people (like me) are going to see it? Maybe. You’d think the religious community would be marching on Washington to protest this blasphemy.
I’m confused. What are your thoughts?
Re: Marriage Equality–I think there are more folks who realize they ‘know’ or are related to gay folks and have been able to see the equality issue from a more ‘human’ perspective. Maybe?
Re: Book of Mormon, Is it because the blasphemy is in the guise of Mormonism? When the blasphemy occurs in the context of Mormonism, it can be viewed as poking fun at a "fringe" group. Mormons become the butt of the joke, while the blasphemy is a means to the end.
Re: Same-Sex Marriage
Activist federal judges is the reason same-sex marriage is legal at least for the time-being in most of the 35 states & DC where it is legal now. By "activist judges" I mean wayward ones who actually follow the Constitution. They oughta be impeached, just like that Muslim Hussein Obama! In about 20 of these 35 states, thei will of the people as set forth in their state statutes or constitutions remains that marriage is limited to one man with one woman. So the Supremes could set their activist underlings straight (no pun intended) and reinstate the will of the people in the 20 or so states. Just like the Supremes of yesteryear in their infinite wisdom reinstated the death penalty.
You gotta’ remember that the game ain’t over ’til the Supremes sing. Even Clarabel Thomas, who apartently refuses to talk at work.
You and I grew up together. Ten percent of the population is gay. Who were they? Never occurred to me. "Queer" jokes were not common, but I don’t recall anyone taking issue with that kind of humor.
Things changed for us in 80’s when we lots of volunteer work and some of the folks we worked most closely with were openly, though quietly, gay.
One of the co-managers, an openly gay man who had earned my absolute respect, told he wanted to be seen "as just another guy." Until he said that, I had never recognized my own filtered perception.
Here is piece you might find interesting: http://news.yahoo.com/wall-street-came-gay-marriage-051951567–sector.html