Be Pro-Choice in Education--It Pays!

School choice should be a fundamental right in America. Not just legally, but backed financially with a voucher system that allows parents to use the taxes they pay for education for whatever school they choose.

There is good documentation for how well kids do in private schools, but this article shows there is a fiscal benefit to the state as well. Alaska is the leading spender of public money on education, but we also have failing schools -- 7 of the state's 40 high schools have drop out rates higher than 40%. Forty percent drop out rate! This is an outrage. This is terrible. This is underreported!

It is time to realize public schools are nothing more than indoctrination centers teaching political correctness not history, satisfaction with incompetence not a desire to be excellent, mindless acceptance not critical thinking.

According to an article at Heritage Foundation by Kirk Johnson,

Educational choice can improve educational achievement and states’ bottom lines. Not only do choice programs help students from lower-income families attend schools that they otherwise might not be able to attend, but they can also save money in the process. This should come as no great surprise; after all, it was a Nobel-prize winning economist, Milton Friedman, who first advocated such scholarships 50 years ago.[8] A record number of state legislatures have considered school choice legislation this year, indicating that such plans are gaining in popularity.[9] More should follow suit to make similar opportunities standard across the country.

read the whole article here.

Law of The Sea Treaty ---Just say NO!

From an article by C. Donovan at the Heritage Foundation is this:

The Law of the Sea Treaty ("Treaty") was conceived in 1982 by the United Nations (U.N.) as a method for governing activities on, over, and beneath the ocean's surface. It focuses primarily on navigational and transit issues.

The Treaty also contains provisions on the regulation of deep-sea mining and the redistribution of wealth to underdeveloped countries--as well as sections regarding marine trade, pollution, research, and dispute resolution.

The Bush Administration has expressed interest in joining the International Seabed Authority and has urged the U.S. Senate to ratify the Treaty. However, many of former President Ronald Reagan's original objections to the Treaty--while modified--still hold true today, and many of the possible national security advantages are already in place.

I quote further the same article:

Reagan's Objections

1. Former President Reagan's first objection to the Treaty was the Principle of the "Common Heritage of Mankind," which dictates that oceanic resources should be shared among all mankind and cannot be claimed by any one nation or people. In order to achieve this goal, the Treaty creates the International Seabed Authority ("Authority") to regulate and exploit mineral resources. It requires a company to submit an application fee of $500,000 (now $250,000), as well as a bonus site for the Authority to utilize for its own mining efforts. Additionally, the corporation must pay an annual fee of $1 million, as well as a percentage of its profits (increasing annually up to 7%), and must agree to share mining and navigational technology--thereby ensuring that opportunities aren't restricted to more technologically advanced countries. The decision to grant or to withhold mining permits is decided by the Authority, which consists disproportionately of underdeveloped countries. Technology-sharing is no longer mandatory, however, there are remaining "principles" to guide its use and distribution. Additionally, the Council has been restructured so that the United States has a permanent seat, and developed countries can create a blocking vote.
2. Secondly, former President Reagan believed that the Treaty would restrict the world's supply of minerals. The Treaty was originally designed to limit the exploitation of heavy minerals in order to protect the mineral sales of land-locked, developing nations. This is no longer a severe limitation, because production limits to preserve land-based mining have been removed.
3. The third--and still valid--objection is that mandatory dispute resolution restricts autonomy. Either a U.N. court or tribunal must mandate maritime issues involving fisheries, marine environmental protection, and preservation, research, and navigation. A country may opt out if the dispute involves maritime boundaries, military, or limited law enforcement activities. Submitting to external jurisdiction creates an uncomfortable precedent. Furthermore, it weakens the U.S. argument of autonomy when it refuses to submit to the International Criminal Court. Additionally, a country must petition to be excluded from mandatory jurisdiction requirements.

Carrie E. Donovan is Production and Operations Coordinator in the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies at The Heritage Foundation.

Evidently, the Bush administration sees the need to have a seat at the table because the opening of arctic sea-floor oil exploration will be a real donnybrook. But I wonder if our enemies or competetors are going to abide by any rulings not helpful to them anyway. Like most moves by the UN, this seems to be one aimed at restricting America's soveriegnty and security.

Therefore, urge your legislators to vote no on the Treaty.

Citizen Warrior--Message to Peaceful Muslims

A terrific article at Citizen Warrior on how peaceful Muslims can work with us to defeat islamo-fascism.

excerpt:

If you peaceful Muslims are trying to defend your religious beliefs, I think most people would understand and sympathize with your motives. But by doing it here, what have you accomplished? On this site, and on many others, we are trying to defeat terrorism. Have you helped our cause? No. All you've done is try to convince us Islam is great.

You need to understand the effect of your defense on the non-Muslim mind. If you want to end Islamic terrorism, and if you understood what effect you had, you would stop defending your faith to infidels.

Because even if we all believed you, so what? Even if you successfully convinced us Islam is really a religion of peace, what difference would it make? Does it help us defeat terrorism? No, not at all. We have terrorists quoting the Koran (urging Muslims to kill infidels) and we have other Muslims saying the Koran is only about peace. Where does that leave us? You've replaced clarity with confusion. You've replaced resolve with hesitation. And to that degree, you've given the terrorists the upper hand.

See the full article here.

Also see his seven steps to fighting terrorism.

Muslims Against Sharia

I had a post from the blogger at this site yesterday...and was a little suspicious so I went to the site to check it out. I am still a little puzzled but cautiously pleased by what I read.

The Manifesto they express admits a number of serious problems in the Koran and Islam in general which I have posted earlier on my site. Their solution is to take the offending verses out of the Koran and dispense with violent and arcane passages in the Hadiths and Sunna I suppose.

But gee whiz, if you find thousands of references to violence and domination to be offensive and not inspired by your diety, I would think it is time to turn to another source for enlightenment---not make one up to fit your idea of what religion should be.

Don't get me wrong. If these people are sincere, they are very courageous and just the kind of people we need in this world. What makes me shake my head is after acknowledging the awful truth about Islam, why stay with such a false doctrine?

Please, if you read this, consider the one true God who has been patiently waiting for you.

Choosing a President

The phalanx of Republican candidates is somewhat confusing. None of them seem to be fighting very hard, at least rhetorically, for the post position.

So here is a little info with links to the campaign sites:

Gulianni
taxes - keep 'em low
spending - keep it low
war - calls it war on terror, but considers the conflict important and generation-defining
guns - ok with 2nd amendment, tough on criminals--sound like gun control to me.
abortion - follows law, wants increase in adoptions
marriage - against gay marriage but supports civil unions
judges - will appoint strict constructionist
immigration - ? but NY is sanctuary city.

Romney
taxes - keep 'em low
spending - keep it low
war - calls it war with jihadists
immigration - wimpy language, no clear postion
guns - ?
abortion - against
marriage - against gay marriage
judges - ? probably constructionists
energy - open ANWR, pro-nuclear

Thompson
taxes - keep 'em low
spending - keep it low
war - names radical islam and al qaeda
immigration - no amnesty, no tolerating sanctuary cities
guns _ strong supporter 2nd amendment
abortion - against
marriage - against gay marriage
judges - strict constructionist
energy - use domestic oil, blah blah blah

Huckabee
taxes - abolish all income and payroll tax
spending - keep it low
war - names Islamic fascists
immigration - no amnesty, build fence
guns - strongly pro 2nd amendment
abortion - strongly against
marriage - what do you think?
judges - ?
energy - strong for energy independence

McCain

Why "Diversity Month" in Anchorage?

2007 Mayor's Diversity Month

September 15 through October 15

We read this headline in the Anchorage School District calendar. The description states

In 2004 the Mayor's Office launched Mayor's Diversity Week – a broad-based campaign that brought leaders and representatives from cultural, community, business, civic, religious and school-based organizations together to host events that combat bias and promote a respect for diversity. The city changed Mayor’s Diversity Week to Mayor’s Diversity Month in 2007, running September 15 through October 15.

OK, I have some questions.

1. Who is paying for this broad-based campaign?

2. What leaders and representatives were brought together, and when.

What 'religious' leaders were present? I didn't see any of them on the calendar.

3. What events were put on?
see muni calendar

A quick run-down of the list shows me some odd stuff mixed in with the expected art, lectures and books.

• Tobacco Control - Effects of Tobacco Use ( are we to be less-biased towards smokers?)
• Coalition for prisoner reentry
• Rotary program to spread knowledge and awareness (of what --ed.)
• Tour of Alaska Center for the Blind
• Anchorage Concert Assn...Ravi Coltrane
• Fashion and diversity
• Women of Color Roundtable ( Now THAT sounds diverse! -- How about we have a White Lady Roundtable?)
• Immigration Justice Project ( why does combatting diversity include disrespecting federal law?)
• Rally to promote diversity by Universal Peace Federation ( Is this headed by Cindy Sheehan?)
• Understanding and improving your credit score ( whaaat ?? )
• The Hollywood librarian
• Alaska Divas concert
• DMC planning. Review data and develop an action plan to address minority overrepresentation in the juvenile justice system. ( ah, do we actually need to wonder why? Could it be parenting? Oh, heavens no!)
• National Coming Out Day Party ( yes, we need to learn to appreciate all forms of perversity and insanity)

4. How did those events combat bias and promote a respect for diversity. Some were likely effective in giving an impression of commonality or let a child register a pleasant feeling about another race/culture. Others were just publicity attempts, or space fillers.

You might wonder how one respects "diversity" anyway. It is rather like respecting the weather. I think it would be more useful to dispense with the facade, and just BE diverse. Don't try to indoctrinate us to respect illegal immigrants or sexual deviants.

I wonder how much of a racial problem we would have if not constantly stirred up by race pimps like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Gee whiz, so much of what goes for cultural understanding amounts to enabling bad behavior. Listen to Bill Cosby, not Cynthia McKinney, Malik Shabaaz, Conye West or other idiots of color.

And speaking of idiots, given the cast of characters listed above why Al Gore wasn't here. An idiot of a different color.

Islamic arguments fall short of rational

In the islamic apologetic scene, or in debates I've seen, there appears to be a pattern to the arguments made by Musilms.

When presented with direct questions the Muslim apologist answers with the "yeah, well so are you" debating principle--as in "other religions have their violent sects too."

Another useful technique seems to be one many politicians like to use...mind-numbing details about totally irrelevant subjects. A good case in point is the recent speech by President Im-on-a-jihad at Columbia University. Presented with some hard-hitting questions, he responded with a lecture on the wonders of science and knowledge.

Appealing to the kuffar's sense of fairness and gullibility is heavily relied on. Frequent use of common terms and names that carry different meanings to a Muslim can confuse or mollify the kuffar.

• "We honor Abraham, Moses, and Jesus" . When the names they use are not the people we know by those names.
• "We respect the Jewish and Christian Scriptures" Without saying they believe the Scriptures to be 'corrupted' and invalid.
• "The Koran teaches us to love the 'people of the book'" Without saying it also tells them Jews and Christians are apes and monkeys or that they should be killed.
• "Islam is peace" Well, Islam means submission....and they are saying everything will be peaceful if you only submit - to islam. Hmm, doesn't seem to be working between Sunni and Shia very well. I think I'll take my chances on my side.
  

When all else fails, ad hominum attacks, yelling, screaming and burning flags or buildings are employed generously. To the more sophisticated islamist, instead of yelling and screaming, indignant accusations of islamophobia are often helpful to set the kuffar on uneasy ground.

Of course, we can always be cut off at the knees by references to the crusades. Oh my goodness, don't bring up the crusades!

It seems to me, the least used, and probably least understood by islamists, is rational thought based on facts.

ACES oil tax public hearing on Sunday

• Sunday in Anchorage -- 2 p.m., Loussac Library, Wilda Marston Theatre

This is an important issue. Be there. See the proposed bill here.

A letter I sent to my legislators:

I may be in the same boat as many of your constituents in that I don't really know what prevailing oil/gas extraction taxes are around the world. I don't hive time to research it and trust that you will have some of that done by your staff.

So I would like to present my request on the subject of the ACES plan put forward by Gov. Palin.

I do not want Alaska to over react to the slimy politics of the last session, and go hard after the 'bad guys' just to show we can. Increasing taxes to the point where it is not economically feasible for oil companies to make a healthy profit doesn't make good sense.

I don't have any problem with profits. I don't care if corporations want to pay their CEOs five hundred million dollars. It isn't my concern.

What does concern me is that Alaska provide a business stimulating environment which employs those of us who live here.

The conceptual problem, as I see it, is we either try to rake off a cut on the front end with taxes or rely on increased employment and circulation of money on the other end to provide the boost in economy.



Bottom line, please err on the side of low taxes in your decision.


Thank you for your time,

"Make Peace With Us - Or Else"

More hilarious comedy from the mullahs. This just in via Jihad Watch ...

A snippet of the Crazy Bearded Guys Comedy Show:

In an unprecedented open letter signed by 138 leading scholars from every sect of Islam, the Muslims plead with Christian leaders "to come together with us on the common essentials of our two religions" and spell out the similarities between passages of the Bible and the Koran.

The scholars state: "As Muslims, we say to Christians that we are not against them and that Islam is not against them - so long as they do not wage war against Muslims on account of their religion, oppress them and drive them out of their homes."

This is just too much....bwuahaha . "similarities between...Bible and Koran" HOO HA HA. As if we didn't know Mohammad plagarized from the Jewish Scriptures. guffaw.

"Islam is not against them - so log as they DO NOT WAGE WAR against Muslims.."" HAHAHAHAHA ... Stop, stop it's getting hard to breathe. What a funny show! Completely off the charts. You guys should do Vegas.

Getting...hard....to ....type...eyes ... filled ... with ... tears.


Have a nice day.

"Scholars" dig into muslim culture at APU

An article in Alaska Daily News today on page B1 reads "Scholars Dig Into Muslim Culture.

It is a piece on the current series at APU called Engaging Muslims, in a Q&A style inteview with Regina Biosclair, Cardinal Newman Chair of Catholic Theology. There wasn't much digging, just a quick fly-over of someone's fantasy land.

I am happy to learn about other cultures and develop relationships with just about anyone, but please--in the name of all that is good and truthful--don't try to decieve me.

Regina Boisclair was asked by ADN reporter "Why is it important for the general public to understand Islam?"

Before giving Ms. Boisclair's answer, let us look more deeply at the question. The primary assumption by questioner is the "general public" does not understand Islam. Secondarily, she assumes that Ms. Boisclair must truly understand. After all she is chair of Catholic Theology. She probably has time to read and research such things. Well, more than ignorant working people, anyway.

OK, I'm ready to grant a level of scholarship to someone with the august title of Chair of Catholic Theology.

I know you can't wait. What's the answer? Gee, what does the great Christian Scholar of Theology think we all need to understand?

A. "So that they don't go around thinking Muslims worship another god (sic), so they don't go around thinking these people are evil, so they come to recognize that the Muslim world condemns terrorism."

"Westerners have a long history of predjudice, suspicion and fear of Islam going back thousands of years. But Islam is part of the family tradition--it's one of the three Middle Easterm Monotheisms, of which Judaism and Christianity are the others. They all have one god(sic), anointed humans, sacred texts, community who observe prayer, fasting and alms-giving and go on pilgrimage. Wat we have is difficulties in the family."

And this woman gets paid for her contribution? I'm sorry to have to submit that either she is grossly and regrettably misinformed or she has willfully attempted to deceive people who look up to her.

Look again at what she said.

1. "so they don't ... think Muslims worship another god"

I can understand why someone who had never done any research would buy that line. After all, it all sounds pretty similar, doesn't it. Mentioning the names of Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Moses, Jesus -- gee, it must be a 'family' thing.

What I can't tolerate is someone who espouses scholarship in theology and yet would perpetrate such a monstrous and demonstrable lie. Allah is not Yahweh...the Koran is without question the antithesis of the Bible.

I leave it to the reader to do his own research. There is plenty of information available ... you can start with the links on this blog. Try Answering Islam for starters.

2. "...so they don't go around thinking these people are evil..."

You know, I struggled with a facet of this question for some time after I realized that Islam was a vile cult given birth through a man of very low character. I have had close friends in the past who were Muslim--they were very nice folks. I came to realize that there is Islam (which is most definitely evil) and there are "cultural" Muslims (who may be just as ignorant of Islam as many Westerners). Not knowing much about their religion, they just want like many people, to pursue a decent and quiet life.

What the "general public" needs to know is more truth about what Islam teaches and the best way to help Muslims escape it.

3. "...the Muslim world condemns terrorism..."

Is this person on some high doses of non-prescription medication? Does she have a newspaper, a TV, a computer? Or does she say this because she actually thinks people will believe her?

Unfortunately, the room full of people at the first public lecture did, I think.

I don't remember seeing one demonstration by Muslims protesting Jihad or the Islamofacists. However, there are hundreds, if not thousands of examples of Muslims rallying to chant "Death to America!", or "Kill Those Who Insult Islam". There are many videos of these loving examples of Muslim peacefulness and piety, so it's a little difficult to swallow such a large bolus of crap.

4. "Westerners have a long history of predjudice, suspicion and fear of Islam going back thousands of years."

What in the world is she talking about? Most Westerners hadn't a passing interest in Islam because they never really encountered it--until 9/11. Unless, she happens to be speaking of the few hundred years of Muslim conquest of the Mediterranean and Spain, which was finally stopped by Europeans who were a little tired of being attacked and subjugated.

And please, "thousands of years"? As a scholar of theology, surely she would know that Islam got rolling in the seventh century when Mohammed had his encounter with the spirit world. That amounts to 1400 years...so it would more accurate to say hundreds of years. Assuming, of course, that what she was saying was true anyway.

5. And the most egregious statement of all from someone putatively learned: "Islam is part of the family." No, dear sister, not my family. Do some reading, or stop lying.

On her behalf, I have to say that she is probably only touting the Papal line...for he said the same horrible lie when he addressed Moroccans in 1985, saying "we worship the same God".

"They all have one god(sic)," (tell that to Muslims, who think Christians are polytheists)

"anointed humans," (Only Catholics, sorry)
sacred texts, (true)
community who observe prayer, (true, but in a fundamentally different way)
fasting and alms-giving (true)
and go on pilgrimage. (where do christians and jews go for the Haj? Maybe she didn't have time to read the Bible and see that there is no mention of pilgrimage.)


Another question by the intrepid reporter: "What things about Islam would surprise us, if we knew?"

A. Muslims invented algebra. ...The whole foundation of the Western Renaissance and enlightenment came out of Islamic scholarship. The philosophical background to Thomas Aquinas great works came out of Islamic scholarship.?

Ms. Boisclair, you really MUST start reading a little bit.

What you say is so ridiculous, it is laughable. But even if Muslims HAD invented algebra, which they didn't--sorry it was the Greeks, what have they done with it? Nothing. Hey, the Greeks invented everything, right? insert smile here ... Diophantus. was instrumental of course, as well as many cultures. but after al-Khwarizmi wrote about quadratic equations and became the "father of Algebra", what did the wonderful Persian empire do with the knowledge?

What has any Muslim-dominated society done with science? Nothing. The so-called Golden Age of Islam occurred under rulers not interested in fundamentalist, strictly applied Islam. They wisely adopted the scholars of conquered countries and let them continue to study.

As soon as the non-fundamentalists were supplanted by the Islamists, all progress and learning came to an end. Just look around the world! Where are the great economies, the great scientific discoveries, the great humanitarian efforts?

Let me give you a hint. It isn't in a Muslim-dominated country.

As for philosophy, Islam does not encourage philosophy or thinking, so don't even try that one. If you think me harsh....go find out the truth for yourself. This is no time to be ignorant and certainly no time to be hiding the truth from "the general public" because it might offend someone.


We need to understand that Islam is an evil and destructive cult. Only then can we see the need to help Muslims escape that prison. There is no rapprochement between fundamental Islam and civilization--there is only domination. I only hope it doesn't take another 9/11 for you to realize that.

Saturday afternoon break.

OK, I needed a lighter fare. This is just too darned cute!

Humans Can't Affect Earth Temperature!

How is it that normally intelligent people fall for such crackpot ideas? Sheesh, back in the seventies we were all getting ready for 'Global Cooling'. Now it's 'Global Warming' and according to idiots like Al Gore, humans caused it and can fix it.

In addition to being unscientific, hysterical and nutty--the assertion we can change the climate is wildly arrogant.

It doesn't take a climate researcher to understand that the Earth undergoes swings in cooling and warming just like every other sysem we encounter -- it changes over time.

Read this very good article on the effect of Solar magnetic field and cosmic rays on cooling. The Sun protects us from cosmic rays by covering us in the 'solar wind'. When it is very active, you see lots of sunspots and the cosmic radiation does not penetrate to earth.

That is significant because, as the article explains, the little cosmic-ray bullets knock around sub atomic particles in the lower atmosphere causing water vapor to condense. Condensation equals clouds equal cooler temperatures.

Well, hello, our modern warming period correlates nicely with the decreased solar magnetic field.

check out the full article here.

Hey, and just one parting shot. Carbon Dioxide is not a pollutant, it is plant food.

What's so Bad About a Mormon President?

So Mitt Romney is a Mormon. Fine. Just because I believe another person is following a cult, is no reason I can't work with or get along with him.

But I have a basic problem with electing him to a position as the most powerful person on the planet. I prefer that my president is truthful, and wise. Not always achievable, but that's what I'd like. Romney just doesn't do it for me. Either he is a Mormon in name only, or he is fully aware of Mormon theology and history--both positions cause me concern.

If he is the former, and merely warms a pew on Sunday, then I fault him for not being willing or interested enough to know what he believes about the most important issue of his life. What kind of man would say he belongs to what many consider a cult and not get to the bottom of it.

Not the kind of man I want for president.

If he does know about Mormonism, about its history and teachings, then I believe he has a serious problem discerning truth from fiction. I do not believe him to be stupid, so I fault him for bad judgment.

Not the kind of man I want for president.


============

And by the way, one of my cult links has a great read on witnessing to Mormons ... here is an excerpt:

What is the point of all of this? The majority of those that come out of the cults come out because they are looking for the truth. Almost everybody that comes out of the Mormon Church, comes out because they are looking for the truth. Next time you witness to a Mormon, don't discuss eternal marriage; don't discuss major doctrines of the Bible, go straight to the Old Testament and show them Deuteronomy 18. Agree together that the first one of you that lies is serving the false religion. .....

If they are not interested in the truth, you can never convince them. You can beat all their arguments with Scripture, but that will not change them. You can prove that Joseph Smith is a false prophet, that there are mistranslations, that nothing about the archaeology of the Book of Mormon is correct, but they will walk out the door believing in Mormonism and they will just go on to the next door. Once the Mormon hears the gospel and rejects it, let them go. ...

You have to love them, and you have got to show them right away that what they are following is false. And if they will not accept that, you will get nowhere. It is up to the Spirit of God now, because your arguments will not work. Jesus said: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
(Revelation 3:20)

Where Have All the Polar Bears Gone?

The Anchorage Daily News has had several articles on the effects of global warming...some pretty emotional, like this one "Alaskans urge Congress to take action on global warming" and tells of the concerns of the eroding village of Shishmaref.

While it makes a good story, the plea that congress do something about it is like saying "make the sun cooler, please."

Read this excellent article by Timothy Ball

some others:
http://nov55.com/gbwm.html
http://www.transtronics.com/reference/globalwarming.htm
http://www.physorg.com/news11710.html


Is Environmentalism is the new socialist movement to control mankind? Interesting question. Also interesing that the first thing Mikael Gorbachov did when USSR dissolved -- was get into the green party. Guess he was just a closet environmentalist all those years as president of the most environmentally friendly nation on earth.

Islam, the Greeks and the Scientific Revolution

A trio of outstanding essays by Fjordman posted on Dhimmiwatch. A must read for any thinking person who desires to know how illogical and silly are claims that everything important was invented by muslims.

Muslims failed to develop clocks and eyeglasses and were actively hostile to printing, yet immediately embraced gunpowder and firearms (though the development of the latter soon stagnated, too). I think this highly selective view of technology tells us something about their mentality: They didn't see the value in printing, but they liked gunpowder since it could be used to terrorize and intimidate non-Muslims. Infidel technology is primarily interesting if it can be used to blow up other infidels. Sadly, I'm not so sure Islamic mentality has changed significantly in the 800 years since then. During the past few decades, globalization, Muslim immigration to the West and the massive influx of petrodollars to Muslim nations with huge reserves of petroleum have enabled Muslims to acquire or buy technology they are unable to develop themselves. The result, along with a huge demographic increase in Muslims which is again caused by infidel advances in medicine, has been a tidal wave of Jihad sweeping across the world. The lesson for non-Muslims should be: If you provide Muslims with technology and know-how, this will not be used to create peaceful and prosperous societies; it will be used to kill or subjugate you.

As writer Bassam Tibi notes, Muslims today tend to view science as something that is separated from society, and believe they can adopt or appropriate modern science and technology but not the wider framework that goes with them.

I agree with Tibi. Muslims have no understanding of science as the basis of technological progress, and free speech and rational criticism of everything, including religious doctrines, as the basis of science. They talk about science as if it were a commodity, a television or a personal computer, something which Muslims "had" earlier, then "lost" or handed over to Westerners who "took" it from them. Hence, Muslims shouldn't feel grateful for anything infidel science provides them with, since science was really "theirs" in the first place and they're just taking back something which rightfully belongs to them. But science isn't a commodity; it is a method, a way of looking critically and rationally at the world.

full article here.


Interesting isn't it, that the current Islamic crazies are funded by the oil that Infidels developed the technology and processes for extracting. And what exactly have these oil-rich nations done with their money, except consume and acquire? Hello? ...........chirp, chirp, chirp. /snoman off

The same God?

Islam purports to worship the same deity as the Jews and Christians. Does this make sense? What evidence is there to support such a claim? If such a statement were untrue, it would unravel the whole of Islam, wouldn't it?

Let us look at the respective natures of Allah and Yahweh.

1. Allah does not enter time and space to communicate with his creation. Yahweh has numerous contacts with his creation, beginning with Adam in the garden continuing through the incarnation in Jesus and culminating in the presence of the Holy Spirit in believers today. This is undeniably a deal breaker in the attempt to argue for identity of Allah and Yahweh.

2. Allah is not constrained by concepts such as logic and reason, he can produce evil, he delights in punishing those who do not believe, yet it is oddly said that he is merciful.

Yahweh is unchanging, always forgiving, always good and always faithful. Yahweh demonstrates love and compassion those who deny him, giving them many opportunities to return to His love.

It was this consistent faithfulness that Abraham relied upon when God told him to sacrifice Isaac...But God had promised to bless Abraham with multitudes of descendants through Isaac. Abraham knew he could rely on God's promise and that somehow God would make this work -- A much different and infinitely more profound story than that of the Abraham written of in the Quran, who submitted to an apparently monstrous command by Allah without any reason to believe Allah would or could make good on his promise. This difference between obedience and submission is food for a lot of conversation.

3. Names: Allah is not a name, but a title, where Yahweh is the personal name of God. If Allah gave the scriptures to the Jews, why isn't Allah mentioned once? Yahweh is mentioned thousands of times in the Bible.

4. Muslims account for the differences between the three faiths by insisting the Bible has been corrupted. On its face, this is a preposterous argument, since the Bible is not just believed to be scrupulously accurate, but historically and verifiably so. Allah's document came through one man, has no documentation even remotely close to the Bible verification.

Interestingly, the Quran says the Bible was not corrupted at the time of Mohammed....so when exactly did this 'corruption' occur? And given the fact that we have early manuscripts of the Bible available from 100 AD, we also have the astounding comparison of Dead Sea scrolls showing the Bible hasn't been 'corrupted' from Jesus time forward.

Try this illustration. If I wrote a book on how to build a chair, and it was translated into several different languages, I might see that in Thai, there was an interpretation of Oak to say Teak or perhaps some Alaska Native translated knife as 'ulu'. Now, there would be discrepancies in the Thai and Alutiq translations for sure, but the message of how to build a chair is still there for both to see.

Similarly, the Bible has been translated from its original Hebrew and Greek into thousands of languages...but the message of God's redeeming and sacrificial love is always there. A much different message than that of mankind's need to submit to a being that delights in death and suffering.

Amnesty aka The Dream Act ...

just in from Michelle Malkin ... highlighting that neither Stevens or Murkowski are on board to vote no. Call now!

...Here’s the latest from Numbers USA on the grass-roots campaign to kill the illegal alien DREAM Act amnesty:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has not announced when a vote will occur on the DREAM Act amnesty amendment (now SA 2919). Reid did announce, however, that no more votes will occur this week, and that the Senate will hold only one vote today on an unrelated defense matter. In other words, any potential vote on SA 2919 will not occur until next week.

It will take 41 NO votes to kill this amnesty. Currently, only 21 Senators are telling their constituents that they will vote NO on the amnesty.

Here are the wafflers who voted no on the illegal alien shamnesty bill in June, but have not yet pledged to vote no on the DREAM Act amnesty.

Phone them by contacting the Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121.

Are you a 9/10 or a 9/12 person? --- Michelle Malkin

Exerpt from a great article by Michelle:

There are 9/10 people and there are 9/12 people. 9/10 people live in a world of make-believe, where sensitivity trumps security and second-guessing is their only acceptable homeland security policy. 9/12 people are the John Does in your neighborhood, on your plane, train or bus, moving ahead with their lives but always on alert.

Which one are you?

see full article at her site

No Driver's License for Aliens ... HB3

Congrats to Rep Bob Lynn for sponsoring this bill ... If you can't document that you are a legal resident--no driver's license.

The bill is sitting in finance committee right now.

AS 18.65.310 is amended by adding new subsections to read:                                              
04            (h)  The department may not issue an identification card under (a) of this                                  
05       section to a person who has not presented to the department valid documentary                                    
06       evidence that the person is a citizen of the United States, a national of the United                             
07       States, a legal permanent resident of the United States, or a conditional resident alien                         
08       of the United States.

Alaska Legislature trying socialized medicine?

Yikes! Mandatory Universal Health Care. Call your representative now, and say NO.

HB242, Sponsors LEDOUX, Buch, Gara

TITLE: "An Act establishing an Alaska health care program to ensure insurance coverage for essential health services for all residents of the state; establishing the Alaska Health Care Board to define essential health care services, to certify health care plans that provide essential health care services, and to administer the Alaska health care program and the Alaska health care fund; establishing the Alaska health care clearinghouse to administer the Alaska health care program under the direction of the Alaska Health Care Board; establishing eligibility standards and premium assistance for persons with low income; establishing standards for accountable health care plans; creating the Alaska health care fund; providing for review of actions and reporting requirements related to the health care program; and providing for an effective date."

and SB160

Sponsors: FRENCH, Ellis, Wielechowski See full text of bill here

UPDATE:

Some of this is pretty scary for Alaska...such as:

23 Sec. 18.06.050. Essential health care services; eligibility. (a) Every resident
24 of the state who is not a beneficiary of a health care plan providing coverage for
25 essential health care services, or who is not eligible to be enrolled in a publicly funded
26 medical assistance program providing services equal to coverage for essential
health
27 care services, shall participate in the Alaska health care program.

Every resident? Legal resident or anyone? Why should I pay for people who are not here legally?

Well the bill defines 'resident' as that described in AS01.10.055--All you have to do is plant your illegal carcass here and you qualify for free health care under this bill!
"

AS 01.10.055. Residency.

(a) A person establishes residency in the state by being physically present in the state with the intent to remain in the state indefinitely and to make a home in the state.

So where does the Alaska Health Care Fund get its money?

28 Sec. 18.06.070. Alaska health fund. (a) The Alaska health fund is established
29 as a separate trust fund of the state. The fund consists of

30 (1) state money appropriated to subsidize uncompensated care;

31 (2) federal money appropriated to the fund;

01 (3) private employer and employee health care contributions received
02 by the department and appropriated to the fund;

03 (4) health care premiums received by the department and appropriated
04 to the fund;

05 (5) other appropriations by the legislature;

06 (6) contributions appropriated to the fund from the United States

07 government and its agencies, or from any other source, public or private, provided for
08 purposes that are consistent with the goals of the Alaska health care program; and
09 (7) interest earnings from investments of the fund appropriated to
the
10 fund.

Get ready to open your pockets, taxpayers! Yes, we will treat some emergent health problem for people who can't pay for it...but hospitals do that NOW! What we will begin promoting are long lines and poor care at tremendous cost..

Here is a good look at Universal Health Care
To quote a bit of it:

Can you imagine, in such a climate, that we will not end up with some form of tax funded universal health care?

If we do, you can be sure of two things . . .

1. The resulting policy will be sold as a visionary step forward
2. The prices and terms of your health-care will be set behind closed doors

The so-called visionary quo will come in return for a substantial quid. The program will amount to the most massive system of corporate welfare yet devised.

Sanctuary city update --

Anchorage Daily News has an article this morning about a proposed Assembly action to ask traffic violators their citizenship. Among many things, it answeres the question of how HJR22 of 2003 affects the issue...

Some cities, such as Chicago, ban police from asking people if they are legal U.S. citizens, according to The Associated Press. Anchorage has no such rule, Hasquet said.

Anchorage Police Department Capt. Bill Miller said the 2003 resolution -- which is not a law -- did not change the way police work with immigration authorities.

"We enforce any law that we have the opportunity to enforce," he said.

see the full article here

OBL, Thompson and the Long War

This is an excellent view of current status of the current political scene...

...That situation boils down to one, overarching reality: We are at war. We have been at war for 30 years. If the netroots want to parse the definition of war or even try and pretend that this is not so, it hardly matters. Radical Islamists believe they are at war with us. They believed it before there were netroots, before there was an internet. And they will continue to believe it no matter who is president, no matter what foreign policy we espouse, and no matter what their apologists and appeasers here and abroad would have you believe....

See the full article at RightWingNuthouse

Central Questions concerning Islam

from Lamb and Lion Ministries:

Central Questions

Well, what about it?

• Are Muslims the spiritual brothers and sisters of Christians and Jews?
• Do we all worship the same God?
• Are the Islamic holy scriptures, known as the Koran, inspired by God?
• Is Islam another path to God by which one can attain eternal life?
• Are the Islamic fundamentalists representative of true Islam, or are they a terrible aberration of an otherwise peace-loving religion?
• Is our war really a political one against international terrorists, or is it a spiritual battle against a demonic, intolerant, militant, and imperialistic religion known as Islam?

Hint: the answers are
no
no
no
no
yes, no
no, yes

Check out his website for full explainations

Anchorage is a Sanctuary City ??

Got this from BillOreilly.com, who pulled it from Congressional Research Service, June, 2007

August 23, 2007

Below is a list of cities and counties that have sanctuary policies, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service from June 2007.

• Alaska
  • Anchorage
  • Fairbanks
  ......In May 2003, Alaska's state legislature passed a joint resolution prohibiting state agencies from using resources or institutions for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws.

Most cities that are considered sanctuary cities have adopted a "don't ask-don't tell" policy where they don't require their employees, including law enforcement officers, to report to federal officials aliens who may be illegally present in the country. Localities, and in some cases individual police departments, in such areas that are considered "sanctuary cities," have utilized various mechanisms to ensure that unauthorized aliens who may be present in their jurisdiction illegally are not turned in to federal authorities. Some municipalities address the issue through resolutions, executive orders or city ordinances, while many police departments address the issues through special orders, departmental policy and general order.

I will check on who is responsible, and what we can do about this....Update to follow.


UPDATE...
It was HJR22 and SJR15 in 2003 that initiated this travesty... I copied the 'resolveds' from HJR22, but read it yourself here.

SJR15 sponsored by Ellis and Elton
HJR22 sponsored by Gutenberg

The official list of co-conspirators

SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) GUTTENBERG, Coghill, Crawford, Kerttula, Holm, McGuire, Ogg, Samuels, Gara, Gruenberg
SENATOR(s) Ellis, Elton, French, Lincoln, Wagoner, Stevens G, Dyson, Seekins, Taylor, Guess, Therriault, Ogan, Davis, Cowdery

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the government of the United States of America in its campaign against terrorism, and affirms its commitment that the campaign not be waged at the expense of essential civil rights and liberties of citizens of this country contained in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that it is the policy of the State of Alaska to oppose any portion of the USA PATRIOT Act that would violate the rights and liberties guaranteed equally under the state and federal constitutions; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that, in accordance with Alaska state policy, an agency or instrumentality of the State of Alaska, in the absence of reasonable suspicion of criminal activity under Alaska State law, may not

(1) initiate, participate in, or assist or cooperate with an inquiry, investigation, surveillance, or detention;

(2) record, file, or share intelligence information concerning a person or organization, including library lending and research records, book and video store sales and rental records, medical records, financial records, student records, and other personal data, even if authorized under the USA PATRIOT Act;

(3) retain such intelligence information; the state Attorney General shall review the intelligence information currently held by the state for its legality and appropriateness under the United States and Alaska Constitutions and permanently dispose of it if there is no reasonable suspicion of criminal activity; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that an agency or instrumentality of the state may not,

(1) use state resources or institutions for the enforcement of federal immigration matters, which are the responsibility of the federal government;

(2) collect or maintain information about the political, religious, or social views, associations, or activities of any individual, group, association, organization, corporation, business, or partnership, unless the information directly relates to an investigation of criminal activities and there are reasonable grounds to suspect the subject of the information is or may be involved in criminal conduct;

/snowman..

OK, I must be missing something here. It starts off by talking about concern for citizens, not illegal aliens. Then it goes on to say immigration is the Fed's problem, and we're not going to help. Hmm, if some illegal alien decides to make a jihad attack and blow up the pipeline or torch the airport, is that still the Fed's problem?

Evidently the Alaska legislature is happy to be politically correct and keep their heads in the sand....and if the unthinkable happens, it is probably Bush's fault anyway.
I still need to find the actual vote tally...but at least Ellis and Gutenberg should be held to account for this violence against our security.
snowman/

UPDATE 2

Here's the house vote--looks like everyone voted for it, except Lynn.

05-12-2003                    House Journal                         1577 
CSHJR 22(RLS) was read the third time.

The question being:  "Shall CSHJR 22(RLS) pass the House?"  The
roll was taken with the following result:

CSHJR 22(RLS)
Third Reading
Final Passage

YEAS:  32   NAYS:  1   EXCUSED:  4   ABSENT:  3 

Yeas:  Anderson, Berkowitz, Cissna, Coghill, Crawford, Dahlstrom,
Fate, Foster, Gara, Gatto, Gruenberg, Guttenberg, Harris, Hawker,
Heinze, Holm, Kerttula, Kohring, Kott, McGuire, Meyer, Morgan,
Moses, Ogg, Samuels, Seaton, Stoltze, Weyhrauch, Whitaker,
Williams, Wilson, Wolf

Nays:  Lynn

Excused:  Croft, Joule, Kapsner, Kookesh

Absent:  Chenault, Masek, Rokeberg

And so, CSHJR 22(RLS) passed the House and was referred to the
The Senate apparently tabled the resolution  (yea for our team).

What does all this mean for us? Do local law enforcement folks ignore the Patriot act or do they comply? Watch for update. Snowman out.

Oops -- missed a pluralism lecture...

Missed this one: UAA, APU and the local Plur-istas are doing a good job of proselytizing for their new syncretism. When are local Christian and Jewish groups going to counter this with some discussions offering a more realistic and truthful examination of the clash against civilization. And put some truth about what the Bible actually says, as opposed to what Pluralists would like it to say.

Harvard professor to discuss Islam in UAA Polaris lecture
Daily News staff
Published: August 19, 2007
Last Modified: August 19, 2007 at 02:30 AM
William Graham, Harvard University professor of Middle Eastern Studies, will offer geopolitical insights during his presentation "Beyond a Clash of Civilizations? The Case of Islam" next Sunday at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

William Graham
Dean of the Faculty of Divinity, John Lord O'Brian Professor of Divinity, and Murray A. Albertson Professor of Middle Eastern Studies
BA, University of North Carolina
AM, PhD, Harvard University

Professor Graham was appointed Dean of Harvard Divinity School and joined its faculty in 2002. He has been a member of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences since 1973. He has served as director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Master of Currier House, and chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, the Committee on the Study of Religion, and the Core Curriculum Subcommittee on Foreign Cultures at Harvard. He is also former chair of the Council on Graduate Studies in Religion (U.S. and Canada). His scholarly work has focused on early Islamic religious history and textual traditions and problems in the history of world religion. In October 2000 he received the quinquennial Award for Excellence in Research in Islamic History and Culture from the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), the research institute of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. He has held John Simon Guggenheim and Alexander von Humboldt research fellowships and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the author of Beyond the Written Word: Oral Aspects of Scripture in the History of Religion (1987, 1993); Divine Word and Prophetic Word in Early Islam (1977; American Council of Learned Societies History of Religions Prize, 1978); co-author of The Heritage of World Civilizations (7th rev. ed., 2005) and Three Faiths, One God (2002); and co-editor of Islamfiche: Readings from Islamic Primary Sources (1982-87). He is also the author of numerous articles and reviews. He is a summa graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds honorary doctorates from UNC and Lehigh University.

From the Harvard Divinity School website Student Voices on Pluralism at Harvard

This discussion took place during the 2003 Dean's Weekend.
...
BILL GRAHAM: Our second panel takes up our question and moves it a little bit further in discussing the encounter with religion in the modern university. We have a group that's going to bring a variety of different perspectives. Diana Eck and I go back to graduate student days together here at Harvard, when we actually sat in some of these classrooms. There are so many things one could mention about Diana, but the most crucial thing here is her work with the Pluralism Project, the project that she has spearheaded now for a number of years which is looking at the new religious diversity in America and is the key national project trying to take cognizance of that and beginning to lay a groundwork of data for what we hope will be a variety of different kinds of studies of American religious pluralism in coming months and years.

...
/Snowman:
The Pluralism Project is a big Harvard program where folks get all squishy about how similar all religions are, and how we can all get along.

What they studiously fail to recognize is the reason pluralism can even breath is because those involved either believe nothing or know nothing about the faiths they include in this big stew.

Islam is not compatible with any religion, the core of islamic belief, as documented in the Quran, hadiths etc are to dominate and subjugate the world.

These are people who spend lots of time reading without seeing, I guess
/Snowman

Administration backs off screening contractors for terrorist ties

What in the world is going on in Washington?

"Plan for Terror Screening of Aid Groups Cut Drastically," by Walter Pincus for the Washington Post:

The Bush administration has decided to sharply scale back its plan to screen U.S. foreign aid contractors around the globe for potential terrorism connections, deciding instead to begin with a pilot program involving aid recipients in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip before expanding it worldwide.

The decision, announced Tuesday at a meeting of U.S. officials and representatives of nonprofit groups, was made after lawmakers and several large aid organizations said that the global screening requirements were onerous and unwarranted. An official of the U.S. Agency for International Development had earlier promised to defer the program, which initially was to have taken effect Monday.

The global screening program, initially described in a July 17 Federal Register notice, would have required that all nongovernmental organizations seeking funds from the agency provide detailed information about key personnel, including phone numbers, birth dates and e-mail addresses.

That information was to have been reviewed by intelligence and law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, to ensure that there were no connections with individuals or groups associated with terrorism or threats to national security. It would have affected thousands of individuals in nonprofit groups, charities, religious organizations, colleges, universities and private corporations.

At the presentation Tuesday, USAID officials said they would initially carry out a "pilot vetting program" with recipients of grants and contracts in the West Bank and Gaza, according to materials presented at the meeting and made available to The Post by a contractor organization on the condition that it not be identified.

Cartoon of the day -

Well, it's not new but it deserves another look.

Where are the moderate muslim voices?

Muslim friends in Anchorage, it is time for you to make yourself heard loudly and forcefully to denounce Islamo-fascism.

One young Muslim man stood up at the question period during the Engaging Muslims public lecture on Sunday complaining that he felt defensive about being labeled a 'terrorist' just because he was Muslim.

Gee whiz, folks, this can't be too difficult to figure out! If you sit by quietly while your coreligionists perform barbaric acts almost daily, indulge themselves in hateful speech, and cheer the death of non-combatants, women and children -- you're not helping your case. If that is not what you believe, speak up.

Write an editorial to the paper, take out a fullpage ad stating your horror and revulsion of Islamo-fascist action and doctrine. Work with local groups or churches to make a coordinated statement supporting the American way of life, the defense of liberty and the dignity of all people -- of whatever religion.

Maybe you don't like it, but that is just reality. It's too bad that we can't assume you are not sympathetic to Bin Laden, Hezbollah, etc, but the fact is we have no idea unless you tell us where your loyalty lies.

I pray for you and urge you to consider the one true God, who comes into time and space to communicate with His creation. His name is Yahweh, not Allah, and he loves you very much.

Islamo-facsism Awarness Week - Oct 22-26

From American Congress for Truth there is an announcement of the upcoming event--it is about time!

...Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, and the sponsor is the David Horowitz Freedom Center. It will be held on more than 100 college campuses across the United States during the week of October 22-26, and will be the largest conservative student protest in American history. full article here

They make the following radical proposal (shudder):

In a related measure calling upon “all campus political, cultural, ethnic and religious groups to [oppose] all forms of religious supremacism, violence and intimidation,” the David Horowitz Freedom Center has drafted an Islamo-Fascism Petition affirming four major principles:

· “the right of all people to live in freedom and dignity”

· “the freedom of the individual conscience to change religions or have no religion at all”

· “the equality of dignity of women and men”

· “the right of all people to live free from violence, intimidation, and coercion”

Maybe someone at UAA or APU will join...hello?....anyone home? One can only hope.

Amanpour's immoral equivalence

Concerning the recent three part series by Christiane Amanpour, Frontpage has a great review by Phylis Chesler.

After watching Amanpour's segment on the Jews, I was disheartened and outraged. How long will people have to suffer Big Lies on our screens and be forced to react defensively, only after the fact? How much Saudi money might really be involved in CNN's series? In addition to bin Talal, we do know that the Saudis have been buying up shares in the Western media, (UPI for example), influencing curriculum on campuses, and in some instances, buying certain journalists outright. (There is a scandal about this still under wraps in Europe right now. Stay tuned for an update).

see full article here

I suppose we can find out why by following the money. Arabs are buying our assets and buying off our politicians evidently--with our oil money. Guess it's time to invent a new propulsion system for our cars.

What to do about Muslims?

I often wonder what is the best approach to this problem of Arab imperialism in the guise of a religion. the following excerpt from an article on HirsiAli's site has good suggestions. Make muslims face the issues that the basic doctrines of Islam promote...Despotism and corruption in Muslim lands, economic paralysis despite trillions of petro dollars, and good grief, do I have to add how utterly depraved are the actions of millions of devoted Muslims? Just because many may be considered moderate, doesn't excuse the action of thousands of perverted attacks by individuals enacting exactly what the Quran tells them to do.

And then, beyond the political and journalistic groups, and beyond those who are to protect and instruct us, there are ever-widening groups of citizens. These must make sure that in every encounter with Muslims, their new knowledge, and new implacable attitude, are not hidden from view, but self-confidently displayed.

What effect will this have on Muslims? It will madden many. So what? Many have already been taught to spread Islam, to subdue Infidels, to remove every obstacle to the imposition of rule by Muslims. And they are prepared to use what instruments at the time prove most effective. Furthermore, they have never been put in a position where they are forced to look at, or to confront, the history of Islamic Jihad conquest and the subjugation of non-Muslims. Make them do so. Force them to do so.

And make them look -- because increasing numbers of Infidels will not for one minute let them forget -- at the way in which the basic doctrines of Islam, and the figure of Muhammad, have worked themselves out in history. If there is despotism and corruption all over the Muslim lands, make sure they understand that it is Islam itself that locates political legitimacy in the will expressed by a whimsical Allah, as revealed in the Qur'an, and glossed -- for most Muslims -- by the Hadith and Sira. Make them look at the fact that there is economic paralysis in the Muslim lands, despite the ten trillion dollars received since 1973 alone by ten Muslim members of OPEC. The few Muslim states that have some economic development have it because, though Muslim, they have for a long time been living with the systematic constraining of Islam as a political and social force, as in Turkey. Or they might enjoy a relatively higher level of economic development because they have within their borders a sufficient number of non-Muslims who are able to provide the essential element for economic development, as in Malaysia, or to provide a kind of modernizing and civilizing effect on the local Muslims, or at least on some of them, as has happened because of the large Christian presence in Lebanon.

Full article here

Warning to West on 'evil of Islam'

This is a concise and powerful statement by Dr. Wafa Sultan about the serious nature of what we face.

Private security was hired for Dr Sultan, who left Australia yesterday, and state police authorities were also made aware of her movements in the country.

The organisers of her visit asked the media to not publish anything about her stay until she had left the country because of security-related concerns. Dr Sultan said Islam was a "political ideology" that was wrongly perceived to have a moderate and hardline following.

"That's why the West has to monitor the majority of Muslims because you don't know when they're ready to be activated. Because they share the same basic belief, that's the problem," said the 50-year-old, who was last year featured in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

see full article here

Engaging Muslims..Dr. Borelli

The introductory session, a public lecture by Dr. Borelli on Aug. 26 was shocking in its dhimmitude.

He spent 90 minutes dabbling through history and recent Vatican documents extolling the virtues of dialog. Geez, I must have heard 'dialog' a hundred times! I had gone with a notebook to write down items I found needed questions or were particularly interesting...but ended up without more than the first in a series of errors and fallicies, shibblleths and outright blasphemy. All the trite drivel about the crusades and how knowledge flourished under Islam, blah blah.

I was frankly depressed that so many people were nodding their heads and clapping at such foolishness.

When question time came, I walked to the microphone and made my pitch for one item of truth. "Dr. Borelli, the syllabus for this course gives justification for the series in ten points. I see that in number six, Pope Benedict XVI is quoted as saying to Turks in 2006 "the way forward is ...via dialog...in truth.." As a Christian I know the truth is sometimes difficult. But we must face it. The last point in the justification says we worship the same God. Even a cursory study of the Koran and the Bible would deny that...what is your response?

His response was that we indeed have the same God.

Yes, he really did. I am convinced now that Catholic leadership is not a Christian denomination, but in league with the enemy. That is not to say individual Catholics are not Christians, but what a difficult thing to swallow. A learned man, who claims to have great experience with Muslims saying we have the same God? This is a monstrous lie and does nothing to foster truthful interchange. In AA, an alcoholic's first step is admitting the problem. I think it's about time we admitted the problem and stopped pretending.

I pray for Muslims. that they my see the truth of the real God, the one who loves them.

As for Catholics, apparently the Pope and his council think there is some benefit in denying the truth. The truth being we have profound differences in theology, world view, even the use of logic when dealing with Islam.

Engaging Pluralism at APU

APU's Newman Chair of Catholic Theology is planning to host a series dedicated to fostering an understanding of and dialog with muslims. While that is an admirable goal, it dismisses some serious differences between Islam and Christianity in the interest of Pluralism. Anyone who is aware of what is happening in the world today will be mystified at the language of Pluralism and the idea that we should all just sit around the campfire and sing kumbaya.

First lecture is Sunday Aug. 26 Please consider attending to ask questions.

See APU's website for full information http://engagingmuslims.alaskapacific.edu/summary.php

I add my editorial comments at several of these points in the following justification for the series.

Engaging Muslims: Religion, Cultures, Politics
Why is it appropriate for the Cardinal Newman Chair of Catholic Theology to use
grant money to teach about Islam?

*The two single largest faith traditions in world are the Catholic Church and Islam, about 1 billion each.

*Benedict XVI has declared (in Cologne, August 20, 2005) that dialogue between Catholics and Muslims "cannot be reduced to an optional extra" and that such dialogue is "a vital necessity on which in large measure our future depends."

*The bishops of the Catholic Church, meeting at the Second Vatican Council in 1965, pleaded "with all to forget the past," and urged "that a sincere effort be made to achieve mutual understanding; for the benefit of all men, let them together preserve and promote peace, liberty, social justice and moral values." (The Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions [Nostra Aetate] 3)

*Speaking to the tiny Catholic community of Ankara, Turkey, in 1979, John Paul II suggested: "My brothers, when I think of this spiritual heritage (Islam) and the value it has for man and for society, its capacity of offering, particularly in the young, guidance for life, filing the gap left by materialism, and giving a reliable foundation to social and juridical organization, I wonder if it is not urgent, precisely today when Christians and Muslims have entered a new period of history, to recognize and develop the spiritual bonds that unite us, in order to preserve and promote together for the benefit of all men, 'peace, liberty, social justice and moral values' as the Council calls upon us to do (Nostra Aetate 3)."

snowman ...
What spiritual bonds unite us? Mo has instructed his followers that Christians and Jews are monkeys and pigs, that they should be converted, subjugated or killed. Christianity teaches we should love our enemies and pray for them.

Current events underscore that many devoted Muslims take Mohammed at his word and seek to destroy non-muslim cultures and subjugate or kill all infidels. Not just rantings from bellicose mullahs on Fridays but actions that fill our newspapers daily. On what basis is that a spiritual bond?
/snowman


*Benedict XVI reiterated this in his 2006 (November 28) visit to Turkey, on the eve of the 29th anniversary of John Paul II's speech in Turkey: "For my own part, I also wish to highlight the qualities of the Turkish population. Here I make my own the words of my immediate predecessor, Pope John Paul II of blessed memory, who said on the occasion of his visit in 1979: 'I wonder if it is not urgent, precisely today when Christians and Muslims have entered a new period of history, to recognize and develop the spiritual bonds that unite us, in order to preserve and promote together, for the benefit of all men, "peace, liberty, social justice and moral values"' (Address to the Catholic Community in Ankara, 28 November 1979).

*Benedict XVI continued in his 2006 address in Turkey to give the contemporary reason for Christians and Muslims to know one another better: "We are called to work together, so as to help society to open itself to the transcendent, giving Almighty God his rightful place. The best way forward is via authentic dialogue between Christians and Muslims, based on truth and inspired by a sincere wish to know one another better, respecting differences and recognizing what we have in common."

snowman...
Mohammed did not instruct his followers to engage in dialog, unless it was to deceive or bide time until a position of strength was achieved. And what is it that we have in common? We don't believe in the same God, we don't believe in the same world view regarding science, philosophy or free will, we don't agree on basic human dignity.

After the Danish cartoon rage episode, Pope Benedict XVI quoted a 14th century document about Mohammed's legacy being one of evil and inhumanity in order to spark a 'dialog' about the need for reason. What he got were death threats for insulting the 'prophet'.
/snowman

*The two scriptures among all religions that most closely fit our Christian understanding of Scripture are: the Bible and the Qur'an.

snowman...
How is it that the quran fits the Christian understanding of scriptures? The quran is the opposite of the Bible...Muslims say it has been corrupted (but still point to verses they claim support islam). How can one possibly make the assertion that there is anything remotely similar? The quran has at least 1000 references to war with and subjugation of infidels, it counsels muslims to convert by force, or murder infidels and apostates. The Bible tells us to turn the other cheek, to walk the extra mile and to pray for our enemies. The Bible was written by God's spirit moving in men...66 books 40 authors following understandable themes. the quran was apparently given to one man by a spirit being that exists in a hash of unorganized statements. The hadith are required to even make sense of it. Yahweh is a God of reason, logic, and consistency.
He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Allah is capricious, illogical, unreasonable and inconstant. Again, where is the similarity?
/snowman

*It is impossible to understand the development of the Catholic civilization of Europe in all its artistic, intellectual, theological, spiritual and literary aspects without understanding the encounter between Christianity and Islam. The Thomistic synthesis of the high Middle Ages that determined the direction of Catholic intellectual life to the 20th century is incomprehensible apart from the influence of Islam. Franciscan spirituality was forged in the encounter with Muslims. The Islamic elements in Iberian, Middle Eastern, Balkan and East European cultures are essential to understanding those cultures and the Christian traditions within those cultures.

*Speaking to a crowd of 50,000 young Muslims in Morocco (1985), John Paul II pointed out to them: "Christians and Muslims, in general we have badly understood each other, and sometimes, in the past, we have opposed and often exhausted each other in polemics and in wars. . . I believe that today, God
invites us to change our old practices. We must respect each other, and we must stimulate each other in good works on the path of God."

*This was after John Paul II had already told the young Muslims: "Christians and Muslims have many things in common, as believers and as human beings. We live in the same world, marked by many signs of hope, but also by multiple signs of anguish. For us, Abraham is a model of faith in God, of submission to his will and of confidence in his goodness. We believe in the same God, the one God, the living God, the God who created the world and brings his creatures to their perfection."

snowman...
The same God? Please clear up the following:

1.Allah is not mentioned one time in the Bible, even in early Arabic translations of the Bible.
2.Our God has a personal name, Yahweh....not Allah.
3.The Quran often contradicts the Bible. For example, it denies that Jesus was God incarnate or that he died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins.
4.The Christian God never contraticts himself in the Bible, the Quran is full of contradictions.
5.Yahweh is knowable, personal, spiritual and full of grace. Allah has none of these attributes.
6.Yahweh is constrained by his unchanging nature. Allah exists outside of reason and logic and cannot be trusted for anything.

Jesus Christ preached a gospel of peace and reconciliation and rejected the use
of armed force.

Muhammad and Allah have nothing to do with Christianity or the one true God of
the Bible.
/snowman