Tuesday, January 24, 2006

The Bible Tells Me So

Ran across this on one of the History Channel boards, and had to post it here as one of those examples of biblical justification for denying human rights to someone…

When the good Reverend Dr. Wilson was contacted requesting permission to publish his sermon, he replied:

AUGUSTA, January 8th, 1861.

Gentlemen:--I confess to an honest reluctance in allowing the publication of the sermon, a copy of which you politely request. It was not written with a view to wide circulation, nor was it prepared with exclusive reference to the present unhappy agitations of the popular mind. You are aware that it is the closing discourse of a series upon “Family Government,” intended for my own church, and for immediate effect at home. But, still, its discussion may be the means of doing a service to my slaveholding brethren throughout the State, by promoting intelligence upon a momentous subject of practical interest to them and the whole world. It is surely high time that the Bible view of slavery should be examined, and that we should begin to meet the infidel fanaticism of our infatuated enemies upon the elevated ground of a divine warrant for the institution we are resolved to cherish. My sermon is, therefore, placed at your disposal. (emphasis mine)

Joseph Wilson’s full sermon here: http://docsouth.unc.edu/wilson/wilson.html

I am sure that you will bear with me while I take another step in this great argument, and show how completely the Bible brings human slavery underneath the sanction of divine authority, upon other and stronger grounds. Indeed, my text compels me to take this course--for, if our domestic servitude be essentially different from that to which the Apostle’s exhortations refer, we do but beat the air with empty sounds when we endeavor to apply them to the masters and servants who compose the christian congregations of this section of our country. If Paul, or rather the great God, speaking by his inspired lips, meant to confine his evangelical teachings to a state of things wholly unlike that under which we live, then this portion of Scripture is to us a dead letter, and can have no influence upon our consciences or conduct. If we preach from it at all, therefore, it must be employed for the practical benefit of hearers now as much as when the Ephesian church opened their ears and hearts to its reception. And, in truth, in the suggestions of this very thought, there is a remote scriptural plea to be found for the divine sanction of slavery.

And further:

Does this great, beneficial, civilizing institution of slavery live beneath the light of His face, with no fault to be found with it upon the part of His infinite holiness, except when and wherein it may suffer abuse at the hands of the parties concerned? Surely the Bible is clear enough upon this point to satisfy the most sensitive conscience. Light cannot shine with greater brightness than does the doctrine of the sinlessness--nay, than does the doctrine of the righteousness--of an institution, which, besides being sustained and promoted by a long course of favorable providences, besides being recognized as a prime conservator of the civilization of the world, besides being one of the colored man’s foremost sources of blessing, is likewise directly sanctioned by both the utterance and silence of Scripture.

Well… that plan for controlling the darkies didn’t work out very well for the bible-thumpers of the 19th century; nor did their attempt to similarly keep the girls in their place in the 20th.  And they’re in for one hell of a fight in the 21st century, because most of us don’t give a flying fuck WHAT their buy-bull says about the homos… or anyone else for that matter.  It’s embarrassing enough to have to admit that such a large number of our adult citizens consider the myths of ancient goatherders to somehow be “true,” without allowing their fairy tales to hold any sort of sway or influence in public policy.

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.—Voltaire

Sunday, January 08, 2006

I Love Ingersoll

His followers believed he had said that “Whosoever believeth not shall be damned.” This passage was the cross upon which intellectual liberty was crucified.

~Robert G. Ingersoll~

Friday, January 06, 2006

Hard to Believe…

I haven’t had a cigarette in 4 whole days - since January 2nd.  Why not the 1st? Because I miscalculated when I bought the last batch, and I still had more than a pack left at midnight on New Year’s Eve.  Since I’m such a cheap bitch, there was no WAY I was just going to throw away an almost-$5 pack of smokes!  So I finished those up as of around 11:30 PM on the 2nd, determined to be a non-smoker.

Though I bought some Nicoderm patches, I haven’t even felt the need to put one on yet.  I decided that since I’m already taking the Wellbutrin, I’d rather not add nicotine on top of it unless I feel like I’m jonesing so hard I’m about to have a meltdown.  So far although I’ve had a few moments of total bitchiness, I haven’t even come close to the completely psycho feeling I remember from previous attempts to quit smoking.  I’m pretty sure the higher dose of Wellbutrin is directly responsible for that.  The last fairly successful time I quit (for over a month) was while using Zyban and the patch.  Zyban and Wellbutrin are the same drug, bupropion, but one’s 75mg and the other’s 300mg.  After 30+ years and multiple attempts, I know myself and my habit well enough to know there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell I could kick cigarettes without chemical assistance.  So far, it seems to be working, so I’m pretty pleased.

My near vision’s blurrier than normal, which I’m hoping is a side-effect that will go away after I’ve been on the meds a bit longer.  Some of the other side-effects I’ve noted are more frequent trips to the bathroom, and some agitation - although that might just be because I really want a fuckin’ cigarette!  Hahaha.  I’m not feeling the chemical withdrawal as much as I am the withdrawal from the physical rituals or habit of smoking.  The trouble is, I really LIKE to smoke… and if it weren’t for the health problems it causes, I wouldn’t give it up.  Little Oral Annie that I am, not smoking means I end up eating more, or chewing my fingernails down further than they already are.  Just what I need, to be fat and have raw bloody stubs for hands.  That should be helpful in landing a new gig… not!

I’m hoping this time it’ll stick, and I can quit for good (without getting as big as a house).  So far, so good.  We’ll see what it’s like to try and make it through the weekend, when everyone’s actually here in the house with me.  Being at home alone all week, I’ve been able to stay relatively sane by either getting involved in some cleaning project (they are legion around here), or if I don’t feel like I can work my way through the urge, I lie down for a few minutes and make my brain vegetate til it passes.  That’s what I’m going to do right now!!!