Politics and Culture

One of my working assumptions is that religious feeling is built into each human being. It's not just me, either: people who aren't dumb like Andrew Newberg believe this as well.

Materialists think that those parts of the brain we now use for religion at one time helped us hunt sabretooths and get jiggy with cavewomen, who may not have been as desirable to cavemen for their ignorance of Nair and toothpaste.

I think that we were created that way.

Raquel Welch in prehistoric times. Religion helped primitive man, who eventually produced Raquel Welch, for whom we should be grateful.

This understanding of human nature allows me to see innate religious feeling in many seemingly secular phenomenon. Remember when environmentalists wanted the world to turn off the lights? What did that accomplish? They actually used more energy.

I'll get back to that later. In addition to the innate impulse to worship, some secular philosophies resemble theologies. Many of my protestant brothers and sisters believe that faith alone- as opposed to the Catholic and Orthodox inclusion of good works- saves (one from Hell).

A similar principle is operative in leftist politics: policy positions alone makes a good man. Think of the Kennedy memorials and Wellstone funerals. Gloria Steinem attacked Clarence Thomas during phony Anita Hill affair, but defended Bill Clinton in the real Lewinsky scandal. The difference? Well, Clinton defended women's choice to abortion. The belief that one's politics is the most important part of one's character has a long pedigree. Paul Johnson points this out in Intellectuals.

In the entertainment world, ultra-aesthetes estimate a man's worth by their "talent" or, when that's not readily apparent, "artistic attitude." Michael Jackson worship is an example of this. So's the current controversy over Roman Polanski. Go here for a list of people who think that talent trumps behavior (by the way, it's very disappointing to see Monica Bellucci on the list. I almost have a "saved by hotness" philosophy).

Too bad Monica Bellucci is a moral fool.

It's clear that to get any respect from the Obama administration, a nation has to brutally suppress demonstrators, illegally pursue a nuclear weapons program (preferably both), or place nuclear weapons next to staunch allies (article headline should read: "Russia finally stands up to Poland").

All Honduras did was follow its constitution and, at the same time, resist a malevolent America-hater like Hugo Chavez and his stooges across America including, apparently, in the Obama White House.

Now, through pressure from the U.S., Honduras has allowed the president who attempted to ram through an unconstitutional referendum back inside the country.

Strangely, few, if any leftists cheered when this tiny nation attempted to resist American pressure.

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduran de facto ruler Roberto Micheletti said on Saturday the United States has revoked his visa to pressure him to step down and reinstate exiled President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a June military coup.

Micheletti, however, was defiant of the latest move by Washington, which said earlier this month it was cutting more than $30 million in aid to the poor Central American country.

"We will not back down. Dignity does not have a price in our country," Micheletti told Honduran radio.

Asked if he his visa had been canceled, Micheletti said: "Yes."

"We received letters from the U.S. Consulate in Honduras which say that because of the what happened on June 28, our visas have been suspended," Micheletti said.

It's actually the most angering action by the Obama administration this year. Couple this with it's buffoon-like move over missile defense in Poland and Hungary and you have the dumbest foreign policy since Jimmy Carter.

The West's fascination with nudity is further proof of its degeneration. A whole continent with free college and tons of leisure time, and the only creative idea they have in their whole society is to take off their clothes. They have nude commercials for bad products. Nude art. Europe had better art when people were dying of the plague and burning witches.

Next up: Instead of battling each other with good ideas, politicians in Europe will debate au natural.

First, why would anybody want to put bombers in Latin America? Is there a threat in the hemisphere? Clearly, it's an anti-American move.

Second, why would Russia throw up this trial balloon? To test Obama, of course. Let's see how Obama reacts.

Third, isn't everybody supposed to like us now?

Here.

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Russia expressed interest in using Cuban airfields during patrol missions of its strategic bombers, Russia's Interfax news agency reported

"There are four or five airfields in Cuba with 4,000-meter-long runways, which absolutely suit us," Maj. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev told Interfax.

Zhikharev, who is the chief of staff of the Russian Air Force's long-range aviation, said, "If the two chiefs of state display such a political will, we are ready to fly there."

Zhikharev also told Interfax that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has offered a military airfield on La Orchila island as a temporary base for Russian strategic bombers.

"If a relevant political decision is made, this is possible," he said, according to Interfax. Zhikharev said he visited La Orchila in 2008 and can confirm that with minor reconstruction, the airfield owned by a local naval base can accept fully-loaded Russian strategic bombers.

Who was arrested? An Army supporter for using racial language!

I'm glad that some Muslims denounced the violence.

It's not only telling that people now view middle-agedness worse than they do homosexuality, but it's now practically impossible to invoke traditional morality in a court. Witness that the grandparents, one being a few years older than myself, had to say, "studies show that kids do better in opposite-sex households." Because, you know, we need a study for that.

Besides age, another reason that courts have taken away children from even their biological parents is smoking.

Here and story below.

Edinburgh, Feb 3, 2009 / 06:36 am (CNA).- Two British grandparents aged 59 and 46 have been told that they are too old and unfit to care for their grandchildren, who are to be placed with an adoptive homosexual couple.

The children had been in their grandparents’ care during their mother’s struggles with heroin. After their mother failed to bring them home from a visit, social workers became involved and the police were called in.

Read more »

In Iraq, American soldiers were criticized for not stopping looting. In Georgia, Russian troops actually loot.

This reminds me of a story a Hungarian soldier told me about the times he would play cards with Russian soldiers. When the Russians would lose, they'd offer machine guns, rocket launchers, and armored personnel carriers as barter. They'd hide them first.