jps wrote:
On Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:32:35 -0400, HK wrote:
wrote:
On Jun 8, 2:19 pm, jps wrote:
On Mon, 8 Jun 2009 09:27:55 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:
Yeah, I'll bet some of the passengers in that jet that went down on the
way to France got religious, too. Didn't do them any good, either.
Didn't make any difference in THIS life. But I think it did in the next
one.
How very charming. Old fart believes in fairy tales.
How very intolerant to disrespect a popularly held belief. Why are you
so intolerant of the majority on so many issues? Do you really think
you are smarter than the rest of the country?
Yeah, it was very intolerant of those of us who supported the Voting
Rights Act of 1964 to "disrespect" the beliefs of the white trash who
opposed it.
I would have more respect for "religion" if its "believers" didn't work
so hard to try to force it down our society's throats.
It's the American constitution that guarantees free speech. The Freak
only likes free speech when it serves his pinhole view of the world.
That the majority of Americans believe in fairy tales and place more
faith in being forgiven than acting properly in the here and now is
sickening. Go to church to wash yourself of filth, pretend you're
pious and then go **** everyone else starting Monday morning.
We should use enhanced interrogation on that ****wads who use the
bible and Jesus as leverage to kill another man. There's absolutely
no difference between he and murdering Taliban.
Except one is a "Christian" and the other is a "Muslim."
Murder in the name of God is still murder.
It's not the "free speech" to which I object on the part of the
religious hucksters. I don't care what the "believers" do so long as
they do it with their own money and on their own property.
JustHate, by the way, is one of those who believe it doesn't matter what
you do in the here and now, because if you "accept" Jesus at the end,
you shall be "saved."
I wonder if Joe Stalin got religion at the very end, accepted Jesus, and
was "saved"?
There are those who claim the United States is a "christian nation." To
them, I say, "bull****."
Give this a read; I am sure you are familiar with it:
Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States and the Bey and
Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary
Authored by American diplomat Joel Barlow in 1796, the following treaty
was sent to the floor of the Senate, June 7, 1797, where it was read
aloud in its entirety and unanimously approved. John Adams, having seen
the treaty, signed it and proudly proclaimed it to the Nation.
Annals of Congress, 5th Congress
Article 1. There is a firm and perpetual peace and friendship
between the United States of America and the Bey and subjects of
Tripoli, of Barbary, made by the free consent of both parties, and
guarantied by the most potent Dey and Regency of Algiers.
Art. 2. If any goods belonging to any nation with which either of
the parties is at war, shall be loaded on board of vessels belonging to
the other party, they shall pass free, and no attempt shall be made to
take or detain them.
Art. 3. If any citizens , subjects, or effects, belonging to either
party, shall be found on board a prize vessel taken from an enemy by the
other party, such citizens or subjects shall be set at liberty, and the
effects restored to the owners.
Art. 4. Proper passports are to be given to all vessels of both
parties, by which they are to be known. And considering the distance
between the two countries, eighteen months from the date of this treaty,
shall be allowed for procuring such passports. During this interval the
other papers, belonging to such vessels, shall be sufficient for their
protection.
Art. 5. A citizen or subject of either party having bought a prize
vessel, condemned by the other party, or by any other nation, the
certificates of condemnation and bill of sale shall be a sufficient
passport for such vessel for one year; this being a reasonable time for
her to procure a proper passport.
Art. 6. Vessels of either party, putting into the ports of the
other, and having need of provisions or other supplies, they shall be
furnished at the market price. And if any such vessel shall so put in,
from a disaster at sea, and have occasion to repair, she shall be at
liberty to land and re-embark her cargo without paying any duties. But
in case shall she be compelled to the land her cargo.
Art. 7. Should a vessel of either party be cast on the shore of the
other, all proper assistance shall be given to her and her people; no
pillage shall be allowed; the property shall remain at the disposition
of the owners; and the crew protectedand succored till they can be sent
to their country.
Art. 8. If a vessel of either party should be attacked by an enemy,
within gun-shot of the forts of the other , she shall be defended as
much as possible. If she be in port she shall not be seized on or
attacked, when it is in the power of the other party to protect her. And
when she proceeds to sea, no enemy shall be allowed to pursue her from
the same port, within twenty-four hours after her departure.
Art. 9. The commerce between the United States and Tripoli; the
protection to be given to merchants, masters of vessels, and seamen; the
reciprocal right of the establishing Consuls in each country; and the
privileges, immunities, and jurisdiction, to be on the same footing with
those of the most favored nations respectively.
Art. 10. The money and presents demanded by the Bey of Tripoli, as a
full and satisfactory consideration on his part, and on the part of his
subjects, for this treaty of perpetual peace and friendship, are
acknowledged to have been received by him previous to his signing the
same, according to a receipt which is hereto annexed, except such as
part as is promised, on the part of the United States, to be delivered
and paid by them on the arrival of their Consul in Tripoli; of which
part a note is likewise hereto annexed. And no pretense of any
periodical tribute of further payments is ever to be made by either party.
*** Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not,
in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no
character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of
Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of
hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties,
that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an
interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries. ***
Art. 12. In case of any dispute, arising from a violation of any of
the articles of this treaty, no appeal shall be made to arms; nor shall
war be declared on any pretext whatever. But if the Consul, residing at
the place where the dispute shall happen, shall not be able to settle
the same, an amicable referrence shall be made to the mutual friend of
the parties, the Dey of Algiers; the parties hereby engaging to abide by
his decision. And he, by virtue of his signature to this treaty, engages
for himself and successors to declare the justice of the case, according
to the true interpretation of the treaty, and to use all the means in
his power to enforce the observance of the same.
Signed and sealed at Tripoli of Barbary the 3d day of Junad in the
year of the Hegira 1211— corresponding with the 4th day of November,
1796, by
JUSSOF BASHAW MAHOMET, Bey.
MAMET, Treasurer.
AMET, Minister of Marine.
SOLIMAN KAYA.
GALIL, General of the Troops.
MAHOMET, Commander of the City.
AMET, Chamberlain.
ALLY, Chief of the Divan.
MAMET, Secretary.
Signed and sealed at Algiers, the 4th day of Argill, 1211—corresponding
with the 3d day of
January, 1797, by
HASSAN BASHAW, Dey,
And by the agent Plenipotentiary of the United States of America,
JOEL BARLOW.
Article 11 is the key:
Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in
any sense, founded on the Christian religion;
Let those who think otherwise go argue with the ghost of John Adams.