While I don’t consider myself to be affiliated with any certain political party, it’s definitely harder for me to identify with the Republican talking heads that I hear on a daily basis - whether they’re on Capitol Hill, or polluting the TV/radio airwaves.  This is not to say that Democrats, Libertarians, Independents, or U.S. Pacifists are any better, but I would consider any of them the lesser (and usually younger) of two evils.  One of the undeniable truths that I took away from the 8 years under Dubya is that there are few things Republicans love more than some good, old-fashioned fear mongering  – another was that you can get elected to your 2nd term as President of the United States even if you go “full retard“.  This mode of not thinking was bad enough during the Republican run, but their political fearscape switched into high gear when Big Bad Barack Obama moved on up to that deluxe Oval Office in the sky.  I have no problem with people thinking Obama has done nothing of note with the power he’s been given so far, and I would somewhat agree with that assessment; but when I hear things like 1 in 3 NJ conservatives think he may be the anti-christ, and people drawing comparisons to Hitler, it makes me think that there may be greater powers of suggestion at work.  Well, the people at SuperNews have now confirmed that suspicion in one of their most recent videos.  Move over H1N1, because Fearus Ignoramia is sure to be the hottest epidemic since the Salem Witchcraft Trials.             

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”  Franklin Delano Roosevelt

If you are ever in one of Maryland’s fine correctional institutes and find yourself needing help from a higher power, there’s only one place to call – Jesus Christ Bail Bonds:

Choosing a religious affiliation is not an option for some people - either because you were raised in a certain denomination, or decided to go with ”none of the above”.  But if you are in the process of searching for a faith to call your own, it’s important to pick one that mirrors your own beliefs.  It can be a long and difficult process to say the least, but thankfully our friends at Holy Taco have developed a pretty simple flowchart to aid you in this eternal quest:   

After being on the air for twenty seasons, it isn’t a stretch to say the quality of The Simpsons has declined in recent years.  At one time, you couldn’t pry me away from the TV screen when Springfield’s favorite family hit the airwaves each Sunday night.  And even though I rarely watch any of the new episodes anymore, it would still get my vote as one of the best shows on TV right now.  One of the things I have always liked about Mr. Groening’s creation is the mixture of low & high brow comedy, and the writers’ willingness to spotlight issues that other shows usually shy away from.  One of the taboo subjects that continually pops up in the show (and one which I also like to discuss) is the topic of religion.  Since there are countless instances from The Simpsons’ archives that feature some type of religous dialogue, it’s difficult to pick the best one – but this excerpt from a 2006 episode titled ”Monkey Suit” is definitely one of my personal favorites: 

A number of churches are beginning to discard rites and rituals of the past, opting instead to add more flair and panache to spice their message up a little bit.  Some spread the word by holding revivals featuring the top christian rock bands the kids listen to these days (apparently this is one of them?); others choose to have their elderly choir sing renditions of songs by Eminem, Chamillionaire, and MC Hammer to show they are hip – whatever puts the asses in the pews:

(Via Unreasonable Faith)

Well he’s really a “pastor”, but Kerney Thomas is definitely filled with the holy spirit…or maybe he’s just full of a whole lot of spirits.  I kept expecting to see a flock of crows begin to circle his head, or maybe Howard Dean jumping out of the background to add some accompaniment:

(Video via Unreasonable Faith)