Magic Statistics

Russia's ultra-nationalist political parties are competing to see who can produce the most racist television advertisement. Then, for comic relief, the parties accuse each other of being offensive.

Russia's far-Right is locked in a contest to see who can best exploit rising nationalism by producing the most racist television election advert.

A commercial for the LDPR party for Moscow's council elections next month suggests that immigrants are responsible for all the city's car crashes and violent crime. Another, from its rival party Rodina, which means "Motherland" in Russian, shows four men apparently from the country's turbulent south behaving boorishly. Human rights groups have condemned both. But the loudest claims of racism have been raised by the parties themselves - at each other.

Rodina sought a court order yesterday banning the LDPR's advert on the grounds that it was offensive. The LDPR's five-minute broadcast shows its leader, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, ranting against ethnic minorities and vowing to "clear Moscow of guests".

Hold on there: That last comment is insensitive to tourists.

The 64th session of the Synod of the Diocese of Saskatchewan, Anglican Church of Canada, met recently and passed several motions related to controversies over same-sex marriage and ordination of active homosexuals.

A motion passed on the last day of the Synod affirmed that all persons are beloved in God’s sight and declared homophobia and all forms of sexual hypocrisy and abuse as contrary to God’s commandment to love our neighbour as ourselves. A further motion was passed which affirmed the historic teaching of Scripture and the Church that fornication, adultery, and sodomy, no less than other sins, are contrary to God’s will and incompatible with fulfilled life as a disciple of Jesus Christ. A final motion concerning the Anglican Communion and the General Synod reads:

Be it resolved that this Diocesan Synod memorialize General Synod as follows:

1. That this Diocesan Synod affirms and upholds the continuing authority of the Solemn Declaration of 1893 as the charter document of the Anglican Church of Canada;
2. That this Diocesan Synod objects, along with our two Bishops, to the consecration of Gene Robinson in the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA);
3. That this Diocesan Synod regards any decision by the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, with respect to the endorsement of the blessing of same-sex unions, which would jeopardize our full and visible communion with the Anglican Communion throughout the world, as deplorable, and seriously affecting the relationship between this Diocese and the General Synod.

This motion was carried.

via titusonenine.

Charles Colson has concerns about a new book entitled The Gospel According to Oprah. Author Marcia Z. Nelson thinks that Oprah’s work is "compatible with religion". Not really, says Mr Colson. Oprah’s live-your-best-life message does indeed invoke God at some points, but only as a means to a higher end–self-fulfillment. So, be careful.

I’m not saying don’t watch Oprah. She’s talented and generally provides wholesome entertainment. But don’t confuse it with the faith.

What caught my eye was this snippet:

Nelson is able to write, apparently with a straight face, "Augustine would make a great talk show guest. His Confessions stands as a fourth-century memoir of his life makeover through God’s spiritual fitness program."

How naïve is that? St Augustine’s talk-show debut would, I think, look more like the scene from Walker Percy’s Lost In The Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book in which John Calvin appears unexpectedly on The Phil Donahue Show:

Donahue: What did you say your name was, Reverend?

Stranger: John Calvin.

Donahue: Right. Who else? Okay, we got to break here for these messages. Don't go 'way, folks. We're coming right back and sort this out, I promise.

Cut to Miss Clairol, Land O’ Lakes margarine, Summer's Eve, and Alpo commercials.

But when the show returns, John Calvin, who does not understand commercial breaks, has jumped the gun and is in mid-sentence.

Calvin (speaking in a thick French accent, not unlike Charles Boyer): . . . of his redemptive sacrifice? What I have heard is licentious talk about deeds which are an abomination before God, meriting eternal damnation unless they repent and throw themselves on God's mercy. Which they are predestined to do or not to do, so why bother to discuss it?

Donahue (gravely): That's pretty heavy, Reverend.

Calvin: Heavy? Yes, it's heavy.

Donahue (mulling, scratching): Now wait a minute, Reverend. Let's check this out. You're entitled to your religious beliefs. But what if others disagree with you in all good faith? And aside from that (prosecutory again, using mike like forefinger) what's wrong with two consenting adults expressing their sexual preference in the privacy of their bedroom or, ah, under a bush?

Calvin: Sexual preference?

Yeah, it would definitely be more like that.

Canadian MP Dan McTeague (Lib - Pickering-Scarborough East) wants to keep rapper 50 Cent out of Canada because the rapper (I hesitate to call him a singer, or even a recording "artist") has a criminal record and his "songs" glorify gun violence. Way to go, Dan.

Personally, I'm in favour of keeping all rappers out of Canada. But that's just me.

via Drudge.

Al Franken doesn't know the difference between "demeanor" and "ethics". In view of his duplicity in the recent Air America funding fraud, that's not surprising.

via Nealenews.