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Anti-religious Rob

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Readers might have noted that I am becoming increasingly anti-religious on my journal - and in general. Calling the word of God the truth like this morning's TV evangelist did definitely does not calm me down. Religious belief systems are just one of many theories on creation, life and morality. And arguably they belong to the most far-fetched.

I'll repeat a phrase I posted earlier today: my lifestyle is as valid as any religious belief system. And possibly even more because I'm only delusional when I'm on drugs and not every time I see a Bible or Koran. I also no longer care whether I offend people with any Satanic or atheist outings. Religious people who approach or attempt to affect my lifestyle offend me as well, by assuming I'm gullable enough to believe in fairytales.

European Christian Constitution

European Union

Europe started as the EEC, so having an ECC as next step wouldn't be too bad: Angela Merkel wants a Christian constitution for Europe:

Mrs Merkel will take charge of efforts to revive the constitution when Germany assumes the EU's rotating presidency next January. Any attempt to mention Christianity - or simply God - in the text will be met by stiff resistance from secular France, from Britain, which treads carefully in this area, and from northern Protestant countries such as Sweden and Denmark. During the tortuous negotiations on the constitution in 2004 there were concerns that any religious reference could upset Europe's Muslims and Jews.

But Mrs Merkel, the daughter of a Protestant pastor, is determined to reopen the debate when she tries to revive the constitution, a controversial move in itself because many EU leaders want a slimmed down document after last year's no votes.

Neil says she wants a new constitution, but this doesn't sound like it at all. Words like "revive" make me uncomfortable. Either way, any new or revived constitution would need to address the many problems I had with the previous constitutional attempt. Furthermore, as much as I prefer Christian traditions over Muslim ones, the constitution should make very clear that freedom of religion only works when said religions acknowledge being merely one viewpoint and not the absolute truth. Otherwise, leave God out of the constitution.

And a small note to potentially offended Jews and Muslims: if our Christian, pagan and enlightened traditions are a problem, stay in Israel or Arabia. Or move there. Europe is European, okay?

Superstition

Anglosphere

Reading Ugandan newspapers can be quite funny. A letter published in this morning's edition argued against legalisation of prostitution and focused on the "would you want your daughter to be a whore" argument. Fair enough, that's probably not what anyone wants. On the other hand this is a country with 70% unemployment, so some people will be drawn to work on the streets regardless of morality and public opinion. Legalised prostitution as we know it in the Netherlands might actually be beneficial. It would generate tax income, enable workers to get health care, unions, and so on.. Anyway, that's not what interested me about the letter.

No, it was the argument that sexual intercourse is often used by satanists and witchdoctors to transfer demons and demonic thoughts. Sitting next to one of the many "Jesus Christ is the lord" churches, it's hard to ignore that religion is a major player in Uganda, but I had not expected such superstition even though there are plenty of nutters back home who want to ban rock festivals because of the unsavoury lyrics.

I'm kind of glad I packed my Satanic "God is busy, can I help you" shirt for religioun has a tendency to make me a rebel.

(No, not one for Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army, who are ignoring the cease-fire a little bit according to the papers. Think of a Resist the Lord Army instead, using rock music and t-shirt catchphrases instead of torture and rape.)

VVD joins D66 on heresy

European Union

With both van Aartsen and Verdonk coming out for protecting freedom of speech, VVD has now pretty much joined D66 in the opinion that old laws on heresy should be striken, rather than given new life.

There is not much honor in the iconoclasm of 16th century Holland, but prosecuting heretic words is not a good idea either. It's a shame the left turned the debate on terror acts into one of boundaries of free speech, and I'm glad the two parties currently an option for me are standing up for it.

Update: okay, can't blame the left this time: PvdA, SP and Groen Links are with us on this and want the law striken. It's just the CDA and some religious splinter fractions who like to limit freedom of speech. All I have to say now: fuck them, their God, and when I'm done with Mary, she ain't no virgin anymore. Just because I can.

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Tom has more friends but mine are prettier! (#1/1)