Christianity Runs Amok

So, James Dobson's (Focus on the Family headquartered in Colorado Springs) flock have targeted Colorado's newly-elected junior U.S. Senator, Ken Salazar, a Democrat, for what they believe to be his flip-flop on a campaign promise to vote up or down Dubya's judicial nominees. No, Dobson's group doesn't believe there is any room for anyone to equivocate on this issue. Not even you or me. God is on their side and, by GOD!, if you're not with them then, well, they'll picket your wife's business. Which is exactly what the Dobson folks did to Ken Salazar's wife who happens to own a Dairy Queen in a suburb of Denver.

The story in the Rocky Mountain News that prompted the outrageous headline, below, reports that Salazar said:

"After being relentlessly attacked in telephone calls, e-mails, newspapers and radio stations all across Colorado, having my faith questioned, and having my wife's business picketed as part of these attacks, I spoke about Jim Dobson and his efforts and used the term 'the Antichrist,' " Salazar said in a written statement.

"I regret having used that term. I meant to say this approach was unchristian, meaning self-serving and selfish."

Okay, I can understand that. He'd had it up to here with Dobson's bullshit. And, the Rocky Mountain News, (the little paper that could ... I think I can, I think I can...) -- which I desubscribed to during the last election because their biases are so obvious, their editorializing of the news so blatant, that I couldn't keep intentionally turning my stomach every morning over coffee -- went for the sleazy headline.

I'm sorry, but has anyone checked out what the Westboro Baptist Church is up to these days? You may recall the Good Reverend Fred Phelps and his crew headed up to Laramie after Matthew Shepard had been beaten to death and, well, came up with this little beauty....

Slurs?

Is it at all troubling that JPII and this new vicar of Christ believed/believe my life consists of a "...philosophy of evil...?"

Slurs?

Do you know, do you care how many millions of people are dying of HIV opportunistic infections and afflictions and starvation because the Roman Church forbids the use of condoms or any method of birth control at all? (A Blogger I do respect noted that I have been overly critical of the Roman Church because it does, after all, provide so much to so many around the world. Ah, but here's the rub: There is a balance to be achieved and who among us can condone the continuing birth of children in countries where the average life expectancy is thirty-four years; who among us can not see the worth, the fabulous worth, indeed, the miracle of the practical application of stem cell research?)

Slurs?

Ah, this polemic, this interjection of religious fundamentalism into something as absolutely, bare-bones secular as the fucking filibuster for God's sake is so absurdly ridiculous (given that over 90% of Dubya's judicial nominees have sailed through Congress with nary a hair up anybodies ass); yes, this polemic is disgusting.

And, Senator Salazar -- (who is said to be a devout Catholic who even attended seminary -- that's where you go if you want to be a priest or, I guess, the Pope) -- I know you're new to this senator thing, but I'm reminded of a quote -- which I'll paraphrase, from Harry Tammen who was Fred Bonfils partner (original owners of the Denver Post): "Bon speaks twice before thinking once. I think twice before speaking once."

Ken, I'd take Tammen's advice, if I were you.