Diplomats, scientists, musicians -- all want Bush out

Two dozen former diplomats - some Republicans, some Democrats - say the Bush administration's foreign policy has been a disaster, and they want Bush out.

60 influential scientists, including 20 Nobel laureates accuse the Bush administration of deliberately and systematically distorting scientific facts in the service of policy goals on the environment, health, biomedical research and nuclear weaponry.

More than 20 bands - including Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and the Dixie Chicks - will perform fund-raising concerts one month before the Nov. 2 election in an effort to unseat President Bush.

Religion and control of others

What is peculiar about the religious is that they are not content to lead their own lives in a manner that is consistent with their religious beliefs---they want to impose their religious values on others too. This is true of the Taliban of Afghanistan. And this is true of the Christian extremists of Alabama.

Taliban's "Ministry of Vice and Virtue" made it illegal to listen to music or watch movies in their country. The fact that you are not hurting anyone by watching a movie made no difference to the Taliban. Alabama is not far behind. They have made it illegal to sell sex toys in their state.

It is OK to sell guns in Alabama, even though you can use a gun to hurt others. But it is not OK to sell sex toys in Alabama even though you cannot use a sex toy to hurt others.

This is just one example of how a religion run amuck can interfere with the freedoms and personal lives of everyone, even those not following that particular religion.

Do you need religion?

Without religion how do you know right from wrong?

"When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion." -- Abraham Lincoln

Do you feel good when you do good? Do you feel bad when you do bad? If you answered no to either of these questions you might need religion.

Should laws be based on religious beliefs?

Should laws be based on religious beliefs?

"Only one ambition is worthy of Islam, to save the world from the curse of democracy: to teach men that they cannot rule themselves on the basis of man-made laws. Mankind has strayed from the path of God, we must return to that path or face certain annihilation." -- The late Saudi theologian, Sheikh Muhammad bin Ibrahim al-Jubair, who believed that the root cause of contemporary ills is the spread of democracy.

If you agree with Sheikh Mohammad bin Ibrahim al-Jubair I guess the answer is yes.

What's more, "to say that Islam is incompatible with democracy should not be seen as a disparagement of Islam. On the contrary, many Muslims would see it as a compliment because they believe that their idea of rule by God is superior to that of rule by men, which is democracy." Read more here.

What bothers me

Science is truth. That there are people in this world that would distort or suppress truth is hardly surprising. What bothers me is that nearly 50% of Americans seem to think it is OK for such people to run this country.

Read the story: Scientists accuse White House of distorting facts.

Scientists Accuse White House of Distorting Facts

The Bush administration has deliberately and systematically distorted scientific fact in the service of policy goals on the environment, health, biomedical research and nuclear weaponry at home and abroad, a group of about 60 influential scientists, including 20 Nobel laureates, said in a statement issued today. Full story on nytimes.com

Two of Bush's science advisers say their board distorted facts

Two scientists from President Bush's top advisory board on cutting-edge medical research published a detailed criticism Friday of the board's own reports, and said the board skewed scientific facts in service of a political and ideological cause. Full story on sfgate.com

Terrorism is not the problem

Terrorism is not the problem. Religious extremism is. Terrorism is just one of the manifestations of religious extremism. For terrorism to go away religious extremism has to go away. The "War on terror" doesn't make sense; we need a "War on religious extremism."

We can set an example for the world by voting our own religious extremist leaders out of office this November.

A modern country like ours should be run based on science and reason. Faith is believing without evidence. Faith is anti-science. Let the people of faith run the Islamic world.