Religious Manipulation

by JCWilmore

There are extremists apart of every religion from The Westboro Baptist Church to a Muslim cult found in Russia holding followers underground.

The NPR article reports children, ages 1 to 17, were held underground in an elaborate complex with their families with no heat or ventilation for over then years.

Thank the gods police found these families and now they are receiving medical care and hopefully the families will seek counseling to help through this mental trauma.

by Kareesa Tofa

Desperate people listened to this cleric and are now confused about what exactly was wrong with their thinking.  Fear was a powerful tool used to manipulate these families and it makes me sick.  

Manipulation corrupted religions in the past and it was no different for Paganism.  One example was how John Friend used his yoga studio and spiritual practices to manipulate women into being a kind of sex slave.

Of course the media sometimes explodes these scandals and also uses fear to manipulate the public into an overly questioning state.  This can be beneficial, but the lingering effects can be damaging to a majority of worshipers who just want to practice without prejustice.

People need to protect themselves from too good to be true stories from anyone about spirituality.  How?  Ask questions, if you feel uncomfortable voice how you don't and refuse to preform, read everything and don't drink the cool-aid.

Abortion: Rewinding Time

by Ceridwen

I feel the American mind is going back to the 1950s when I hear Rush Limbaugh call Sandra Fluke a slut and again when Lisa Brown, a Michigan representative, uttered the offensive word vagina.

I don't like the word vagina, it sounds like a dirty word to say, I think my sexual organ should be called electra, but I forgetting the main issue, America, stop acting like the abortion issue is a political one.

An abortion is between a woman and a doctor; it's private, sensitive and a choice, not a political issue.  Even when people make it a political issue just think, how are my medical records any of your business?  The only reason this issue came up again is because of the medical advances available for premature babies.  I honestly believe life begins when a baby is born, until then, the life is just potential.

Unwanted children are a tragedy, but on a very strange note, aborting unwanted children did have a positive effect on the crime rates between 1985-1997.  Freakonomics has fascinating articles and a few podcasts on this topics pointing out how abortion reduces crime.  This is not just a policy for crack whores, but level headed college students who don't want a child now, but later have one.  Most women who have an abortion have children later, when their ready.

by David Roseborough

Doesn't a girl have a right to have a child when she is ready?  I think so, but with America still in the dark ages on sex education, abstinence please, is there any wonder why girls become pregnant as teens?  The rest of the modern world is laughing at America, why is America so scared of sex?  I blame the Puritans and their anti-sex ways.

American's do not want to admit women are having casual sex, abortion makes people confront the issue of woman's causal sex and American's do not like it.  It is an issue dealt with already, Roe vs Wade, learn from the past and move on.  Improve sex education for goddess sakes, teenagers are already having sex, make sure they are educated and have access to check ups and condoms.  Please stop this time travel nonsense and deal with the now issues of Americas sex education.