Also, I have new icons. Hurray!

Monday:

First, the context - my sister, while being the intelligent and politically active type, fails at the internet. The internet outside of Google/BBC/etc, anyway it's the same thing, right?, so I send her the links I think might interest her as I roam the blog-o-sphere. I thought todays links were particular interesting, and as good a start as any for posting in the new year^^

If you have twistedchick on your flist, you'll have seen these first few -

Project Censored: Top 25 censored news stories of 2008 (there's also one for 2007) - I'm checking around on the validity of these, but the initial read through is pretty chilling.

Beliefnet's Interview with Mike Huckabee - my favorite parts are on page two, specifically "The Bible, however, was not created to be amended and altered with each passing culture" and "Marriage has historically, as long as there's been human history, meant a man and a woman in a relationship for life." Huckabee was obviously not paying attention in History class (also, amending the constitution so it falls more in line with your religious beliefs? Really? Really?).

Salon.com article on Huckabee - Another look at the Constitution issue. I do not want this man to be president.

And then, because I cannot leave well enough alone (always linking! can't help myself!), I did some quick googling (well, for the first one, already had the second in my memories) and sent these in a follow-up email (quoted verbatim, in the naive belief that Sister will never think to plug it into a search engine).

Taking "Marriage has historically, as long as there's been human history, meant a man and a woman in a relationship for life" first, I'd like to point you to this article - It's a response to Mitt Romney but, as he's making the same arguments, we'll go with it. The point being that the entire argument (one man+one woman=marriage forever and ever amen) is flawed, and also total bullshit - humans have been getting up to all sorts of stuff, WITH the approval of their society/culture/religion, for as long as there's been a human history. Including (some of) the Hebrews who wrote the old testament, including (some of) the early Christian church, including (some of) the CURRENT Christian church.

Moving on to "The Bible, however, was not created to be amended and altered with each passing culture," (this one made me giggle hysterically into my hands), let's read this essay by synecdochic (read the comments, follow the links, this one is fantastic) in which we learn that that yes, the Bible WAS amended and altered with each passing culture. And still is today - have you seen how many versions/translations are sitting on the shelves?

Finally, on a totally different note, have you read penknife's post on how slash =/= brussels sprouts? Lots of awesome.