Down With Theocracy and other bits and pieces

Saturday, March 22, 2008

The last couple of days have been "Blog Against Theocracy" days. I didn't have my shit together to write a whole, fleshed out post for it. There should be some really interesting reading out there in thar internets.
I'm still sorting out how I feel about religion, but regardless, that's a private matter that has no place in civic life. I think that the French are way ahead of us on this one (well, they're way ahead of the US on a lot of stuff, but my francophilia can be another post). Where our constitution assures us that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," France's revolution purposely set out to create a secular society. They made the decision that government and public life rely on certain morals or values, and that all are afforded rights, but these come from the people and the state and not from any god or church.

Now, in practice, France's execution of these principles gets a little muddy.....wearing a crucifix to school is ok, but a headscarf isn't, for example....still, though, they're further along on kicking out theocracy.

I'm so troubled by the US's increasingly conservative, Christian leanings. Are they really increasing, though? I suppose the religious right has gotten much more publicity in recent years, but we are a country founded by whack-job puritans.......I dunno.....It's upsetting nonetheless.

I really wonder whether some people here realize that our country is the laughing stock of the first world, with schools trying to teach creationism, abysmal stances on women's health and abortion, general stupidity of a good portion of the population.....Yes, people laugh at and deride Americans. A lot.

Oh boy, I've strayed off the topic. Why do some Americans hold Iran up as being the epitome of all that is wrong with a government while trying to make ours look exactly the same. Seriously, the people in the Iranian government who charge around the streets making sure women's headscarves aren't slipping off? How's that so different from all these church youth groups that are urging teen girls to dress really modestly so as not to excite any boys. The boys, of course, can dress however they want. (Note that I'm differentiating between the one sided "women must cover up because men have no control" and traditions where modesty is encouraged for everyone.)

Um....Let's consider this Part 1. More later....

I must got pretend to be a catholic for a couple of hours......I'm getting paid to sing for easter and holy week services at a parish in Berkeley. It'll be fantastic money, but I'm getting really bored with it.

It's a wonderful sunny saturday! Get out of the house and stop hiding at the computer reading!!