In Case You Slept Through Church This Sunday

In case you slept through church this Sunday, perhaps these questions can wake you up!

Kansas Lawsuit Against School Board Dismissed

Citizens For Objective Public Education, in Peck, Kansas, determined last year that public schools in Kansas were teaching our children too much evolution and not enough creationism. So naturally, they went to court. Their damage, for which they demanded compensation, was that all of Kansas public school children had been encouraged to become atheists. Where the hell is the eye-rolley when I need it?

Yesterday, the Kansas Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit. Judge Crabtree, apparently, was unable to see a large number of  young atheists running amok in the state of Kansas, and was also unable to connect any rampant atheism to science classes in public schools. Also there's that pesky constitutional right to freedom of religion or lack of religion, and to separation of church and state. Not to mention Abington v. Schempp, 1963 which disallows any bible thumping of any kind in public schools nationwide and the show of religious preference that accompanies bible thumping. Judge Crabtree was quite insistent upon proof that there had actually been any damages caused by the rare occurrence of Federal Law being properly followed in Kansas public schools, and the good Christians of Peck were unable to prove that a little book learning had damaged their children in any way, so the lawsuit went bye-bye. He noted, as well, that since schools in Kansas are not consolidated, and there is no actual approved and adhered to curriculum in Kansas, but small, generally unqualified school boards deciding curriculum in public schools, such a lawsuit would be a waste of time, anyways.

This is why Frankfort, in USD 380, continues to teach about the Jewish culture by showing the movie, The Ten Commandments, to sixth graders and pronouncing them "informed" about Judaism after the children fail to identify the Jewish holiday about which the movie was made! Once again....eye rolley, here. Using Hollywood and the entertainment industry to define and stereotype a culture is, unfortunately, as predictable in Kansas as using a poorly translated collection of biblical hocus pocus to teach science.

Flying Spaghetti Monster Rules Oklahoma

Oklahoma has gotten quite subversive in the religious choices of the alternative crowd! Shawna Hammond, of Enid, Oklahoma, just had her license renewed wearing the official symbol of her creed: a spaghetti strainer in tribute to her deity, the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

In 2005, a man named Bobby Henderson wrote a letter to the good-for-nothing Kansas State Board of Education to protest the ridicules and irresponsible teaching of creation, a`la Christianity, in public schools. He offered, as an alternative to the imaginary dude in the sky, the lordship of an all-powerful Flying Spaghetti Monster. Because Spaghetti is made of pasta, all of the Faithful are, naturally, Pastafarians. This religion, postulated in desperation to make a point to a state school board that lacks skills and value of any kind, has actually gained popularity and devotees worldwide. Once again, thank you very much, Kansas! (your writer growls sarcastically, here. Kansas seems to always be the cause of such exasperation)

This is a sign of the times, in case anyone here in the Midwest is paying attention. In a case such as this, it is probably as safe assumption that for every one young person such as Shawna Hammond, who does not mind standing up for her opinion of the silliness we call organized religion, and getting her picture for her drivers license taken with a spaghetti strainer on her head to prove a point; there are at least half a dozen others who feel the same way but are more subdued. Oklahoma, Kansas, and the entire Midwest should become more aware of what's it's people want, and who these people are. Especially the young: they really do represent Tomorrow. 

To Evolve, Or Not To Evolve

Has anyone ever wondered why Hollywood and Washington DC does not spend much time on questions of spiritual evolution? Has anyone ever wondered why science classes in public schools do not teach very much about the DNA similarities between humans and other animals on this planet? Has anyone ever wondered why transcendence of baser tendencies, only needed in times of serious threat to survival, are discouraged in America and written off as idealistic and "silly"? The fenced in pen may be warm and temporarily safe and the corporate farm's brand of "feed" may be convenient, but where do all the sheep go after living in sheltered captivity?

 

An Animal Not Afraid Of Vacuum Cleaners

It's evolution in progress! A cat who is not afraid of vaccuum cleaners!
 

 

Fundy Christians Still Ride High Horse

An advertisement for Dr. Pepper has got fundamentalist Christians crying the blues again. Some of them are very, very upset because the picture depicts evolution. Fundies believe that a white man with a white beard and a white robe created the whole, wide world, and every life form on it, in seven twentyfour hours periods, while perched upon a cloud! Because they think this, they are whining that they do not want to drink Dr. Pepper anymore. Here's the picture that made them cry:

 

And here is how I fixed it for them:

 

 

In the words of a beloved High Priestess of mine: "How I long for the days when we simply tossed them into the coliseum with the lions!"

 

Jack Wu, Republican Candidate For Board Of Education

Katy tried
I was halfway crucified
I was on the other side
Of no tomorrow.





The lyrics above are from "Are You Really Dr. Wu", by Steely Dan. The picture to the left is of Jack P. Wu, Republican candidate in Topeka, Kansas, for the Board of Education. This really has me laughing almost too hard. Most Kansas Republicans are quite funny, when they are not being really stupid or downright crazy, (see Brownback's twittergate moment or Mike O'Neal's emails about Mrs. Obama for more information) but Jack Wu is almost in a league by himself. Kansas has been battling it out over teaching creation as scientific fact rather than evolution as scientific theory for eons now, but Wu is running on the platform that Kansas schools should not teach anything about evolution at all. And here's his resume. It looks rather empty. But here is something that is very interesting about Jack Wu....he attends Westboro Baptist Church! And here's what he had to say about what public high schools teach about evolution: Wu’s mission in running for office is to “make a difference in this evil city of Topeka and this perverse state of Kansas. Students don’t need Satanic lies like evolution filling their heads".  If elected to office, Jack would like to "purge such lies from the curriculum.” Whoa! Satanic lies? And you'll purge them from the curriculum? Really, Jack? What on earth have you been smoking?

I don't know which makes me laugh harder, the Westboro Baptist Church referral, or "Satanic lies" idea, but I do not think he's going to win. I do think that the perfect campaign slogan for Jack Wu to use in this election, and in all of his other political races for public office is the quote from the above cited Steely Dan song, though; "On the other side of no tommorrow"; because that is obviously where Jack Wu spends most of his time!