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<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3>After posting the short note below on Friday, the
following item (which can also be found by Googling) appeared in a monthly
reprise of <EM>News of the Weird.</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT face=Verdana size=3></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG><FONT
color=#0000ff><EM>News of the Weird</EM>: Holy Wars</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT
color=#0000ff> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT color=#0000ff><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Holy Wars</B> – <?xml:namespace prefix =
st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:City></st1:place>'s Church of the
Holy Sepulcher most recently made <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">News of
the Weird</I> in 2004<STRONG><FONT color=#000000>*</FONT></STRONG> because of
continued petty territorial fighting among the six Christian denominations that
share management of church, which is home to some of Christianity's holiest
sites<B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> <FONT color=#ff0000>including that
of Christ's resurrection</FONT>.</B></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT
color=#0000ff> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT color=#0000ff>As Easter
approached this year [2007], three of the groups that control one 10 stall
restroom could not agree how to divide responsibility for repairing it, leading
to a pervasive stench in the building.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT
color=#0000ff> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT color=#0000ff>Furthermore,
the path of the outflow sewage pipe (which needed enlarging) passes under the
property of a fourth denomination, which has resisted helping unless it is
granted control of one of the 10 stalls.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p>Needless to say, if major
Christian denominations cannot find a way to peacefully and effectively manage a
10 stall restroom on the site of Christ's alleged resurrection, what chance is
there for their finding a way to solve the vast, sometimes venomous (see Taro
Tanaka's post below) theological/doctrinal differences that separate
them.</o:p></P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3></FONT> </DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3>
<DIV><BR>Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)<BR><A
href="mailto:deco@moscow.com">deco@moscow.com</A><BR></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff><STRONG>* </STRONG><EM>News of the Weird</EM><FONT
size=2> [2004] <STRONG>Recurring Themes</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2> </FONT></DIV>
<P><!--BEGIN_TEXT--><FONT color=#0000ff><EM>News of the Weird</EM> reported in
2002 on a rooftop brawl in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher (under joint
control of six Christian faiths, whose adherents sometimes get snippy with each
other), when a cleric placed a chair in an area reserved for another faith. In
September 2004, Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox clerics had a fistfight
(resulting in at least five injuries) after a Catholic left a door open during
an Orthodox service.</FONT> </P></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=deco@moscow.com href="mailto:deco@moscow.com">Art Deco</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">Vision 2020</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, June 22, 2007 8:56 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] Thoughts for Ms. Tanaka</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3>Perhaps it is time to remark again about the
folly of asserting the truth of supernatural religious statements.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3>The dispute between Keely and Taro Tanaka
illustrates in a microcosm the larger problem:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3>There are thousands of different religious
faiths. Between each there are major
inconsistencies/incompatibilities. There are thousands of different
Christian viewpoints alone -- ones that say if you do X you will be condemned to
hell versus ones that say if you don't do X, you will be condemned to
hell.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3>At present, there is no agreed upon, rational
method to decide which of all these viewpoints, if any, is the correct
one. If there is eternal life, then the stakes are very high -- a correct
decision is crucial, and one would hope for clear,
indisputable instruction from an alleged supreme being(s) who is concerned
with human welfare and destiny.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3>Under the assumption of those that believe that
there is a God or (Gods) is this very unclear, unverifiable, confusing,
frustrating situation (where the apparent choices are so allegedly
eternally consequential) something that an allegedly all powerful, perfectly
good being would construct, or a is it situation an indifferent being or a
sadistically prankster would construct?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3>W.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=kjajmix1@msn.com href="mailto:kjajmix1@msn.com">keely emerinemix</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=taro_tanaka@hotmail.com
href="mailto:taro_tanaka@hotmail.com">Taro Tanaka</A> ; <A
title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, June 22, 2007 7:55 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] Thoughts for Ms. Tanaka</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Well, now.<BR><BR>I thought, upon reading the Princess' treatise
below, that I'd try to respond point by point. I thought I'd offer a
reasoned defense of the Person (and judgment) of Christ; I wondered how best to
frame a rebuttal, set forth my own theological views, and reason for a balanced,
true doctrine of prayer for one's enemies. <BR><BR>That is, right after I
finish herding the squirrels in my front yard, dressing them in leiderhosen, and
teaching them to play the cello.<BR><BR>Tanaka/Witmer is, at this point,
incapable of reasoned judgment and dialogue, and further attempts on my part run
the risk of causing him to further offend the Mighty One he so fervently
proclaims. I'd rather pass.<BR><BR>keely<BR><BR><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: italic">"And these women that you spit on as they try to
change their worlds/</SPAN><BR style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Are immune to your consultations . . . they're quite
aware of what they're going through"</SPAN><BR>(With apologies to David
Bowie)<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<HR>
From: taro_tanaka@hotmail.com<BR>To: vision2020@moscow.com<BR>Date: Fri, 22
Jun 2007 13:21:48 +0000<BR>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Thoughts for Ms.
Tanaka<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>_______________________________ <BR><A
href="mailto:kjajmix1@msn.com">kjajmix1@msn.com</A> wrote: <BR>> I have
rarely read a paragraph with so much theological error, macho blustering,
and sheer ridiculousness as the one below by She of the Sushitushi.
<BR> <BR>Well, Keely, given your theology, I'm not surprised that you
disapprove. In fact, I would worry if you did approve. Perhaps you think of
Jesus as: <BR> <BR>A limp-wristed lily-boy <BR><A
href="http://42.bloguje.sk/img/jesus_blond3.jpg"
target=_blank>http://42.bloguje.sk/img/jesus_blond3.jpg</A> <BR> <BR>A
hippie who thinks you're okay, I'm okay <BR><A
href="http://www.tc.umn.edu/%7Ehick0088/images/blog/buddy-jesus.jpg"
target=_blank>http://www.tc.umn.edu/~hick0088/images/blog/buddy-jesus.jpg</A>
<BR> <BR>A poor doofus knocking at your door to get inside because
there's no knob on the outside to let Himself in<BR><A
href="http://www.spiritwatch.org/HeartKnock.jpg"
target=_blank>http://www.spiritwatch.org/HeartKnock.jpg</A>
<BR> <BR>etc. <BR> <BR>But the fact of the matter is, Jesus comes
in judgment, including condemning the wicked to eternal damnation <BR><A
href="http://adishakti.org/images/jesus_and_mother.jpg"
target=_blank>http://adishakti.org/images/jesus_and_mother.jpg</A>
<BR> <BR>and when Jesus wants into your heart, he doesn't take "no" for
an answer <BR><A
href="http://eyeofthestorm.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/jesus_gun.jpg"
target=_blank>http://eyeofthestorm.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/jesus_gun.jpg</A>
<BR> <BR>furthermore, Christians are members of both the Church
Militant and the Church Triumphant <BR><A
href="http://www.wga.hu/art/r/raphael/4stanze/1segnatu/2/disputa1.jpg"
target=_blank>http://www.wga.hu/art/r/raphael/4stanze/1segnatu/2/disputa1.jpg</A>
<BR> <BR>And therefore we need to live accordingly. <BR> <BR>You
can go on living as one of the people of the limp-wristed lily-boy hippie
doofus door-knocker Jesus, but you'll still have to answer to the real
Jesus, before whom no man can stand when His anger is
kindled.<BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<HR>
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