How to leap frog carbon...
The world is going solar. According to new data released by the Fraunhofer Institute, in the first half of 2014, renewable energy, like solar power, accounted for almost 31% of ALL electricity produced in Germany. In fact, solar power generation was up 28% during the first half of 2014, compared to the same time last year.
For the first time ever in Germany - the cloudiest country in western Europe - solar power and other forms of renewable energy created more energy and electricity production than dirty coal. And, in June, Germany set a solar power record, using solar power to generate 50 percent of overall electricity demand for part of a day.
While Germany is relying heavily on renewable energy today to help fight global warming and climate change, it has had a pretty standard energy evolution. In the 18th century, Germany was burning wood. In the 19th century, it was burning coal. In the 20th century, it was burning oil. Today it’s getting electricity from solar and renewables.
That’s a typical evolution for a developed country (that’s not controlled by the financial interests of Big Oil). But what if the dozens of developing countries across the globe, that are still stuck in the 18th century and that still rely on burning wood for energy, jumped directly to renewable energy, and leapfrogged the whole carbon cycle?
Can you imagine how that would transform the fight against global warming and climate change? Well, that’s exactly what’s going on right now in rural India.
Right now, there are nearly 400 million people across India without electricity, with the majority of those people living in rural areas of the country. They’re forced to rely on candles, kerosene, and burning wood to light their homes and to do basic things like cooking. The stunning lack of reliable energy production in one of the world’s fastest growing countries led the new Indian Prime Minister, Narenda Modi, to call for every home across India to be able to run at least one light bulb by 2019 with the help of solar power. He didn’t call for more coal to be burned, or for more oil wells to be dug. He called for solar power.
That’s where companies like Simpa Energy come in. Simpa Energy offers Indians a pay-as-you-go model for solar power, allowing even the poorest Indians in the most rural of areas to have access to clean, green solar power. Simpa Energy customers use their cell phones (which even the poorest of the population have) to purchase a pre-paid code from Simpa, which they then type into a box connected to a solar panel array on their house. Instantly, their home lights up, and they have access to clean and green energy for cooking, cleaning, reading and anything else.
Right now, Simpa Energy, which was started just 3 years ago, has nearly 2,000 customers (a customer being one household) and that number is growing by the day. The company projects that its solar power will be reaching 75,000 people across India by the end of this year. But Simpa isn’t the only company bringing affordable solar power to India.
Companies like OMC Power are building “mini” solar power plants in communities across India that are capable of powering large cell phone towers, and are marketing battery-powered LED lanterns. OMC delivers those lanterns to its customers each day, and comes back the following morning to collect the lanterns, and recharge them using the mini solar power plants. This service costs Indians just $2 per month.
And there are still other companies that are distributing smaller solar power generators and systems – some that are pocket-sized - across India. A recent report by the International Energy Agency found that it would only cost $48 billion a year to provide universal access to modern energy (renewable forms of energy) to poor people across the world. And, that same report found that there needs to be a $12 billion per year additional investment in mini-grid renewables, like the solar power systems that are expanding across India.
Speaking about the financial challenges facing solar and other forms of renewable energy going forward, Rupesh Shah, a vice president at Simpa Enegy, told Think Progress that, “We’re at a certain scale now that we require a different level of investment. We were able to get by in the first couple of years with grants and things like that, but now we need more commercial capital.”
And Justin Guay, Associate Director of the International Climate Program with the Sierra Club, said, “What is desperately needed is public institutions to step in and provide loan guarantees and other forms of risk-taking capital that can help unlock the investment that’s required to really take this from a relatively distributed, small-scale approach to something that really takes on energy poverty and is able to eliminate this problem once and for all.”
The bottom-line is that solar power and other renewable forms of energy are the energy of today and of the future, in both developed and developing nations. Not coal. Not oil. Not natural gas. And as the richest country in the world, we need to finally embrace that fact, and lead the world in investing more in these clean and green energies that will be powering our country into the future.
Each year, Big Oil receives $500 billion in government subsidies. Can you imagine what would happen if that $500 billion went to investing in developing renewable sources of energy instead? Despite what Big Oil executives and their cronies in Washington might say, going green isn’t just a choice. It’s reality.
It’s the only option we have if we want to save the human race from a climate disaster. So, let’s start treating it like that, by investing in a secure energy future for America, and the rest of the world.
Comments
Solar panels too expensive?
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Solar-Cells
On Thursday, the Associated Press reports, “President Barack Obama is ordering the federal government to nearly triple its use of renewable sources for electricity by 2020.”
In October, the Department of Energy announced $60 million in subsidies for solar energy research and development programs as part of the SunShot Initiative. The primary goals of the program are to reduce the cost of photovoltaic solar energy systems by 75 percent and to double the generation of clean energy in the U.S. over the next 25 years—goals that are probably unachievable.
These announcements come on the heels of the recent bankruptcy of the government-subsidized electric vehicle technology company ECOtality, which received $115 million in federal stimulus grants. Of course, that followed the multimillion dollar failures of solar energy companies Solyndra ($529 million) and Abound Solar ($70 million). With last week’s bankruptcy filing by government-backed hybrid car manufacturer Fisker Automotive, a failure which will cost taxpayers $139 million, the question must be asked: Why is the federal government funneling good taxpayer money to bad companies and failing technologies?
I talked to one of my German suppliers recently and they are also paying 6 times what I do for power. Ouch the cost of clean.
This artic blast coming next week might help people think solar,
Supposed to be 45 degrees at night in Chicago instead of 70 degrees.
Sorry for getting off topic, but Thom today nailed the Evangelical community and how Bible ignorant they really are. NOWHERE in the Bible is contraceptives or abortion forbidden. NOWHERE!! Did you know that? Hobby Lobby has some explaining to do. Check out Thoms segment. Bravo Thom! Bravo!!
http://www.thomhartmann.com/bigpicture/what-bible-says-about-contraception
Kend ~ You are as impractical as you are uninformed. The initial costs of solar energy may be high; but, in the long run they pay for themselves many times over and eventually are free. Solar panels on your roof or in a solar farm have a high initial cost to be sure. However, no higher than the cost of building a super highway or any other transportation infrastructure. The solar energy infrastructure is the same thing. However, unlike with fossil fuel energy production, solar energy costs taper off and eventually become free. I call that a much better investment regardless of the environmental impact.
Wow............ $500 Billion in Subsidies? To OIL? I would definitely be interested in some verifiable facts that I can access on that number! I could just IMAGINE what that amount could DO to REDUCE DEBT and DEFICITS the Right Wing is always Screaming About! Maybe we need a Grassroots Campaign to run with THAT? Would ANY True Conservative have a problem with eliminating that kind of SOCIAL Handout? I'm quite certain Big Oil can AFFORD it! And it would be in THEIR Bests Interests right? Reducing the Deficit in such an astonishing way, WITHOUT raising a SINGLE TAX!!!!!!!!
Regarding the German success story, is any further proof required that Democratic Socialism is the answer to freedom and social justice for all?
Winner take, "almost all," under-regulated capitalsim is a ticking timebomb, and it's getting very close to taking down the United States Empire for good. Maybe at the point when we all hit bottom, Blue States could switch over and emulate Germany's sustainable fiscal policy while the Red States could continue their quest to have no government and concentrate wealth into the offshore bank accounts of billionaires. A foxmerized speedy race to the bottom is certainly their right if that's what they choose.
They have discovered a new ceramic material that can replace silicon in solar cells and it is much cheaper and environmentally friendlier than silicon. This could reduce the cost of solar panels quite a bit.
Quote Argonne National Laboratory: The material uses perovskite crystals made with a combination of potassium niobate and barium nickel niobate. It has shown significant improvement over today’s classic ferroelectric material. The new material can absorb six times more energy and transfer a photocurrent 50 times denser. Further tuning of the material’s composition should expand efficiency, the scientists say.
http://www.anl.gov/articles/new-material-solar-panels-could-make-them-ch...
Sure beats leaky polluting pipelines or exploding oil-trains. (re: Lac Megantic explosion that killed 47 people)
http://online.wsj.com/articles/after-lethal-crash-quebec-town-fears-retu...
A typical 123 Watt solar panel costs about $1,000* but a Do It Yourself home-made 123 Watt solar panel costs only about $120* for the better quality material...about $93.00* if you shop around. You can buy 3" x 6" (or other sizes) solar cells which you would solder together. The solar panel can be made out of wood (if you properly treat and waterproof an paint them) or aluminum. Then you can attach the solar cells to the panel with a swirl of caulk. Caulk is fairly cheap and is flexible. Just put a swirling glob in the middle of the solar cell and carefully seat it on the panel...that's all. If you want, you can use tile spacers to space the cells and/or a small thin board strip to act as a guide. Then you need to attach the rows of cells together and the panels together, with electrical conducting busses, to carry the current to the batteries. The batteries are another fairly expensive thing to buy. If you use lead-acide batteries...I believe you need Deep Cycle batteries and not Starter batteries like you have in your cars. Don't forget the diode between the solar cells and the batteries else your batteries will discharge through the solar cells at night. The diode prevents current from running back to the solar cells. Then you need to cover the solar panel with Plexiglas but you have to make sure the Plexiglas is of a type that won't "brown out" over time, because that would reduce the efficiency of the panels over time. Use a UV resistant, and a high transmission of light..like >92%
If you plan to connect to the house electrical grid you need other equipment as well. You need a device to change the DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current)...like your normal house is AC. If you don't know anything about electricity or house wiring you probably should get a good guide or book on the subject. Best to have an electrician check it out which you might have to do anyway if you need a permit.
* These figures come from a video from a guy that was trying to sell Do-It-Yourself guides to building your own solar panels.
I've read, elsewhere, that the biggest cost of having solar panels installed by a business is the installation labor and tacked on profit for the business. It also, most likely, includes the cost of insurance...which is something you won't have if you DIY...unless you can get insurance yourself. Some states (or is it Federal?) gives you a tax break for commercially installed solar panels. I don't know if you can get the same treatment for DIY panels. Also, some building codes might prevent you from DIY. I don't know, but it is something to check out. One thing though, If you have built it yourself, you will know how to fix it if it breaks and replacement parts should be inexpensive. Solar panels are supposed to last from 20 to 35 years, as I understand it.
If you can solder, read a multimeter to read current, voltage, and resistance then you can probably build a solar panel easily.
Amen, 10-K! And I propose that the "red" states secede from the union. Those confederate yahoos are a drain on our tax dollars. Who needs them anyway? - AIW
Barefoot College - Training Grandmothers to be Solar Engineers.
Have you seen a long running project which has been working in India since the 60's http://www.barefootcollege.org/ Just goes to show what can be done with a cooperative movement.
Thanks for that information and link, datc42! I think that is just wonderful! India has some really great technical schools and they even put the classes/tutorials on youtube. Just do a search in youtube for nptel or nptelhrd. The Indian Institute of Technology is scattered around various cities in India. They show a wide variety of University courses.
Kend, did someone else write your last post for you? Either that or virtually overnight, you've learned how to spell. You also seem to have suddenly mastered sentence structure and the correct use of punctuation! Holy moly...
As to the actual content of your message, all I see is more of the same; yet another effort to convince us that clean energy is "too expensive". Yeah right, Kend. While our military recruits keep plundering, murdering and dying on foreign soil, stealing Arab oil; while our mountains are destroyed, our water and air poisoned, our land rights threatened, our tax dollars sucked up by fossil fuel subsidies and we pay $4.00 a gallon at the pump, you're still trying to convince us that clean energy is "too expensive". Good luck with that. - Aliceinwonderland
Hemp may be a viable solution. If I were as passionate about it as you seem to be, I would develop a busines plan and start a company. Waiting around for someone else to pick up the ball won't work. Agencies like the Small Business Adminstration will assist you with developing a plan. Organizations like Score can also help as well. It' snot as hard or scary as you might think to start a business.
Thom Hartmann ~ (Apropos to post #6) There were a few discrepancies in your rant about the Bible I should point out. First, the mob outside Lot's house weren't after his daughters they were after the two angels God sent to him to warn him the city was going to be destroyed. The town folk noticed them walking through town and followed them to Lot's house because they wanted to gang rape them. Lot--no doubt in an attempt to win "Father of the Year"--offered his daughters in exchange for the "strangers." The angels then simply struck the mob blind enabling them and Lot and his family to escape.
Secondly, Jesus wasn't a direct descendant of Lot, he was a descendant of the family of Abraham. Lot was a member of that family.
Finally, when Jesus said he did not come to 'destroy the law but to fulfill it,' he was talking about his own role in the law, not the ancient law in it's entirety. You must remember, this was the same Jesus who helped a prostitute escape the justice of the old law and then forgave her. This was the same Jesus who when asked what someone should avoid eating in order to avoid defiling themselves replied, 'Nothing! Nothing whatsoever that enter the body can defile it, only that which proceedith out of the mouth defiles the person.' This was the same Jesus who said, 'You have been told and eye for and eye a tooth for a tooth, but I say to love your enemies and do good to them who hate you.' This was also the same Jesus who when asked straight up what must be done to obtain eternal life replied to love God above everything else, to do the ten commandments, and to love others as they love themselves. When asked what to do to be best of all and have eternal life he responded, 'Go sell all that you have, give the money to the poor, and pick up the cross and follow me.' At no time does he mention the obscure laws of Deuteronomy or Leviticus. You see, that one quote out of context does not mean that Jesus didn't in fact come to destroy the old law because that is exactly what he did.
Aliceinwonderland ~ I noticed the same thing about Kend's latest comment. Kinda scary isn't it. Like Jekyll and Hyde.
Ou812 ~ I know all about business start-ups thank you. I minored in business. FYI there are already a plethora of independent farmers and entrepreneurs who are ready to jump on this bandwagon as soon as the Fed releases it's ban. HEMP cultivation for any purpose is still illegal in the vast majority of the union. It would really have to be legalized in ALL 50 states before production could meet the needs of the average consumer. It is a huge undertaking not to be accomplished by merely a few, and certainly not by one.
Hey that's the ticket, "OU"! I'll grow hemp in my back yard. Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that?!!! - AIW
Rooftop Solar Power in Australia Forced Fossil Fuel Plants to Give Away Free Electricity
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/rooftop_solar_power_in_austr...
And then, after they escaped the town of Sodom (or was it Gamorrah?), just before they were destroyed, Lot's wife defied Lot's advice to not look back to the smoldering ruins of Sodom and Gamorah and she was turned into a pillar of stone. Bad, Bad, wife! See there what happens when women don't take their husbands seriously? ;-|
Then Lot and his daughters took refuge in a cave and then Lot's daughters got him drunk and "defiled" him so that they would not be without children. Yeah, there is a lot of smut in the bible isn't there.
I wonder, is the Sodom and Gamorrah story part of the reason why the thumper crowds are homophobic? What did all those priests do all those centuries..play chess? Obviously not.
Thom.
My Grandfather was known as the Father of Solar Energy, so it kind of runs in the blood. I helped him with experiments on simple solar stills and solar cookers designed for the 3rd world when I was a kid. Enjoyed your article above, and glad to see that there is hope for breaking free of the Fossil Fuel paradigm.
Synchronistically (there are no coincidences) I get this article in my email today with one of the most bizarre arguments I have ever seen FOR Fossil Fuel energy and against Clean Energy. It is full of holes that I'm sure you will see right away. For instance, all those cars, trains, ships, and such that he says would create heat in their operation on Free Energy, are already creating heat on fossil energy, with the added factor of emitting greenhouse gasses that further trap that heat.
http://www.naturalnews.com/045941_global_warming_free_energy_devices_scientific_suppression.htm
While he may have a point at some level that total energy consumption would go up, he doesn't balance that against the total lack of greenhouse gases from clean technologies. Some of his points are totally laughable, and a summary could make a good short segment for your program.
Mystic
Careful what you say...beware the snarks. For the snark is a boojum, you see. Some have feathers and bite, and some have whiskers and scratch. Some will just throw you into prison if they trick you into incriminating yourself. You have a right to remain silent. If the snark catches you, remain silent...it is your right. Very good advice that most people ignore.
Aside from the lawyer that first appears on this video, there is a long-time career law enforcement officer that corroborates what the lawyer says (he starts at 27:22 minutes into the video). Most people, even innocent people, believe that all they have to do is to cooperate with police and answer their questions. But, even innocent people have been convicted because the police trip them up, take words out of context, and "whatever you say will be used against you in a court of law". Nothing you say, to the police, will be used to defend you in a court of law. The police can even, legally, lie to you when they interrogate you. They will tell you anything to get you to incriminate yourself.
Beware the snarking trolls who may not be who they say they are.
KEND I CALL BULLSHIT!!!
First of all, much like the continued research by anti-marijuana organizations that try soooooo desperatly to thwart the legalization of marijuana ( both Medical & recreational use),through wishy washy rehtoric yet have only proven again and again that marijuana IS NOT the dangerous drug that the government has made it out to be. The same holds true for Solar Power; The more it is challenged the more we find to be good about Solar Power, as well as wind, and wave generated power. All three have been proven to work effectively and efficiently without the negative impact that conventional energy causes. I am actually sitting in my home where we have installed 12 P.V. panels and a Domestic Solar Hot water System. We are able to generate 65% of our own power through Solar energy. All we need to do is eventually add about 6 more panels and we can "go off the grid". However the only downside...FPL (Florida Plunder & Loot) lobbied to stop people from being able to go off line 100%. When we do supply 100% of our own power we will still receive a bill for "service", be it only for about $18...Just another way BIG corporations rip people off.
Lastly, and I'll use marijuana again as an example. The U.S. has had a ZERO Tollerance policy when it comes to it's Drug "problem" since the early 80's, however we have te highest in underground sales, Highest percentage of drug crimes and bloated prisons. Mean while many other countries realized the woe of their ways and learned from their mistakes and lifted such silly waste of time laws that actually created greater social and economic problems. You may recall a period in U.S. history Know as Prohibition. During that time the U.S. saw a enormous increase in crime, through boot legging and illegal sales. Our prison population increased by 26%, However once we lifted Prohibition things calmed down. Whats my point; It seems that the U.S. is always draging its feet, kicking and screaming, when it comes to change, even when it is for the better. Germany and several other European and Asian countries got on the Solar ball decades ago with policies that mapped out a plan as to when they would be "off line". Originally Germany was perdicting to be 100% off nuclear and coal power by 2050...Just a year or two ago they announced that they are 20 years ahead of that plan. Hmmmm!!!
Your German friend may be somewhat right about cost, at this time, however someone somewhere along the way has to sacrafice a little so that the future is a better place...Isn't that what you would want for those darling grandchildren you like to talk about???
Palindromedary ~ Yes, that is what the Bible thumpers refer to for their persecution of gay people. However, it is not actually the case. Also, Lot's wife was no saint either. In fact, she was a first class Biatch! When Abraham and his brother Lot returned to the land of Canaan there was much work to do to prepare it for the nation of Israel. It was Lot's wife who's greed and lack of concern for Abraham, her own people or God who insisted the she and Lot move to Sodom. She knew well that the city was full of thief's, rapist, and ungodly people; but, she also knew that there was a lot of wealth and easy money there. Also, since Lot was somewhat PW'ed (Kitty Whipped) so off they went. Both Abraham and Lot showed a tremendous amount of restraint. It was Lot's wife's fault that the entire rescue process was necessary.
Also, she was turned into a pillar of salt not stone. Some speculate that the salt was a metaphor for the bitterness that existed in her heart.
Actually, the 'thumpers' would do well to examine that story a lot closer. They would find that the gay practice had a rather minor role in their damnation. It was first and foremost the worship of money, and all the over indulgences and evil that come along with it that were their downfall, as well as the downfall of Lot's wife.
Another lesson from the story is the patients of God. Personally, I'd have fried her butt with a thunderbolt the moment she demanded taking Abraham's brother away from the tribe. But that's me.
The right way to handle a police stop video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDJrQBwJpqk
And here is a more detailed explanation of the last video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkpOpLvBAr8
AIW: If the red states did in fact decide to secede, I hope they don't form a land bridge with Canada. I'll have to check that. We could end up with the Kochstone pipeline. I also see a flood of red state refugees fleeing into the blue states.......LOL
DAnneMarc: Thanks for that correction...a pillar of salt...I remember now. I suppose it was appropriate since the area around the Dead Sea, including the Dead Sea is very salty.
It looks like the actual locations of those two towns have been argued for a long time. The most recent archaeological suspected site for Sodom is located 8 miles NE of the Dead Sea in Jordan. Enter 31.8, 35.7 into Google Earth to go to the site. Not much to see though. The site is called Tell (or Tall) Al-Hammam. Tell (or Tall) means an archaeological mound or ruins. Al- means "the" and Hammam, in Arabic, means Toilet or Restroom. They have found bronze age artifacts that show destruction by an intense fire. There was an upper Tal and a lower Tal ...massive stone walls and a rampart and towers.
http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2009/01/12/tall-el-hammam-2008-a-pe...
Palindromedary ~ Here is an interesting site that sumerizes the liberal and conservative political implications of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. It basically says the same thing I've been saying:
Quote Religious Tolerance Website:Background:
Genesis 19 contains three fascinating stories, two of which involve serious sexual transgressions, by both biblical and modern-day secular standards of behavior:
Attempted rape of angels in Sodom: In verses 1 to 29, the first story apparently concerns all of the men in the city of Sodom attempting to rape two angels who were visiting their city. God sent fire and brimstone down upon the city in a kind of mini-genocide, killing essentially all of its inhabitants: men, women, children and infants. Only Lot, his wife, and two daughters escaped the conflagration.
Conservative Jews and Christians generally group the first part of Genesis 19 with about a half-dozen other "clobber passages" which they believe condemns all forms of same-gender sexual activity, both in biblical times and now.
Liberal Jews and Christians generally consider the story to be mythical in nature. Its basic message is the importance of treating strangers with kindness. They view the chapter as condemning rape -- an action that is unrelated to consensual sexual activity within a loving and committed same-sex relationships.
DAnneMarc: I wonder just how many of those conservative literalists would have their children stoned for being disobedient or disrespectful of their parents.
Quote atheism.wikia.com:Disobedient and disrespectful children should be stoned to death. (Exodus 21:17) [4] Stoning is a slow and cruel death. Stoning to death is the prescribed Old Testament punishment for many different types of sins (this punishment is also ascribed to oxen who gore people). In the new Testament Jesus confirmed that disobedient children should die.
http://atheism.wikia.com/wiki/Bible
And it specifically says in the Bible that Jesus said not to pray in public...not in the synagogs or street corners...but in private. How many Christians or Jews or Muslims really believe that they are following the commandments of Jesus or of their God? Jesus said to keep your religion to yourself...according to the Bible. They are all hypocrites who pick and choose what they want to believe.
Here's a guy that really ticks religious people off. I used to listen to him a lot. (less than 5 minute video)
DAnneMarc: I read the information in that link you provided. Interesting difference of opinions between the conservative and liberal Christians and Jews. The liberal Christian's position in most of it is far more believable than the conservative position. But, I believe that most of it is all just made up.
I know that Abraham came to the Levant from the city of Ur in the fertile crescent and brought stories with him, like the flood story...the Epic of Gilgamesh morphed into the Noah's ark story. etc. And a lot of other stories were plagiarized from other ancient stories that may or may not have been true.
A good leader leads by example and our country is corrupted. Viva voting.
DAM -- I noticed the other day while throwing away (actually cataloging) my LA times an article I wanted to ask you about. It said on Feb 7, 2014, Obama took hemp out of a certain type of controlled substance category. The article said US farmers were rejoicing since they knew Canadian farmers were doing a $1 billion business in hemp. Do you know about this recatagorization of hemp and its impact?
MMmm -- Did you miss the nixon tape about the motivation for his "War on Drugs"? His key motivation was to bloat our jails. Of course, he wanted them bloated with all the anti-war protestors.
Quote chuckle8:DAM -- I noticed the other day while throwing away (actually cataloging) my LA times an article I wanted to ask you about. It said on Feb 7, 2014, Obama took hemp out of a certain type of controlled substance category. The article said US farmers were rejoicing since they knew Canadian farmers were doing a $1 billion business in hemp. Do you know about this recatagorization of hemp and its impact?
chuckle8 ~ No Chuck, I did not know that. Buried deep in the valley of our mainstream media no doubt. However, I did do a little web search and found that you are absolutely right.
If this all pans out the way I envision it, fossil fuels and climate change will both eventually be long gone memories of the past. This is spectacular news! Thanks Chuck!! Certainly, if true, Obama has just redeemed himself for every other failure during his administration. He will be remembered as the President who saved the planet. It might not be widely known yet, but we may be finally on the road to environmental and economic stability. Persistence pays off at last. Keep your fingers crossed.
Quote Palindromedary:And it specifically says in the Bible that Jesus said not to pray in public...not in the synagogs or street corners...but in private. How many Christians or Jews or Muslims really believe that they are following the commandments of Jesus or of their God? Jesus said to keep your religion to yourself...according to the Bible. They are all hypocrites who pick and choose what they want to believe.Here's a guy that really ticks religious people off. I used to listen to him a lot. (less than 5 minute video)
Palindromedary ~ Thank you so much for that link. Pat Condell is spot on. He says nothing less than what I've been trying to say since I joined this blog and since I was enlightened over 25 years ago. Kudos for Pat. Kudos to you too Palindromedary for sharing that. Thanks again!! Keep it in the closet folks!!
Palindromedary ~ I agree that the liberal Christians definitely have a far more healthier perspective of Bible stories. Until I found that website I never thought of Christians in a political sense. However, It certainly does make sense to look at them that way. If you notice they even consider the stories more of a myth with a moral lesson than actually history. I think that it is important to keep that perspective because real or not then, the only thing that is truly real today is reality. Whatever may have happened in the past--true or not--is still just a story.
I also agree that there is a significant amount of evidence to conclude that many of these stories--myths if you will--were 'borrowed' or 'shared' from prior cultures. It certainly stands to reason that any great legend, myth, or epic tale would stand the test of time and simply have the names and places changed in order to suit the new storytellers. However, I also see great value in any tale that stands that test of time. Certainly the people enjoyed telling and hearing those stories over and over again because they relate to some truth that they convey. Even the story of Goldilocks and the three bears has some intrinsic moral value.
The one thing I have to disagree with is that quote you cited above that states:
Quote Palindromedary's quote: In the new Testament Jesus confirmed that disobedient children should die.
I'll admit that the New Testament is a bit tricky to read. I divide it between the four Gospels and the "letters" supposedly written by the Apostles. In the Red letter edition of the Bible, the words of Christ are printed in Red making the Gospels jump out from the rest of the books. I placed all my attention on these Gospels because they are the direct quotes of Jesus. The rest of the New Testament--with the exception of the book of Revelations--is nothing more than, at best, the opinion of alleged Apostles. Like I said before, I don't even waste my time with that irrelevant hearsay. Jesus rebukes his Apostles so many times in the Gospels and whatever they may have had to say after his death means less than nothing to me. At one point Jesus even referred to his Apostle Peter--the founder of the Roman Catholic Church--as Satan. I'm sure that wasn't just a freudian slip. At the last supper, Jesus even correctly prophesied that Peter would reject him three times before the Cock crowed that morning. The Apostles just don't impress me at all. If Jesus is actually quoted as saying anyone should be put to death for anything I'd really like to see that quote myself. I've read those Gospels many times and would be quite shocked to see anything like that which I've missed. If indeed he is quoted as saying anything like that it would completely cause me to rethink my opinion of Christ and Christianity. However, if its in the letters of the Apostles I'd take it with a grain of salt. The Apostles--other than Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John--have done far more harm than good to the cause of Christianity.
Apropos to #38 ~ Palindromedary, it took a bit of doing, but here is the direct quote to support my statement--ie. Apostle Peter is Satan.
Quote The Holy Bible: The Gospel According To Matthew:Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
I just wonder exactly what the Bible thumpers and members of the "Holy" Roman Catholic Church have to say about that little tidbit about their founder, Peter, "The Rock?"
DAM -- Speaking of redeeming Obama, I recalled something he did during his first month or two in office that made me overlook things he has done. I, of course, present lists of things he does that keep me in his favor. However, this is one I forgot, and no one ever mentions. He said faux news should not be allowed into his press conferences. He said they were not a news organization. The other corporate news organizations said they were not coming either unless he let faux news in. Obama backed down which in my opinion he had to do.
Quote chuckle8: He said faux news should not be allowed into his press conferences. He said they were not a news organization. The other corporate news organizations said they were not coming either unless he let faux news in. Obama backed down which in my opinion he had to do.
chuckle8 ~ Why would you think he "had to do" that? So what? Let some high school newspaper cover his press conferences and have the scoop over all those stuck up, corporate fat cats. If the media wants to cut off it's own nose to spite it's face I say let them. Then they can calmly explain to their audiences why it was necessary to second guess the President of the United States and black out his press conferences. I would have loved to see that. Who rules this country anyway, the government or the media? I'm through cutting Obama any slack for anything. That is why my recent praise is conditional. I want to see results. That is precisely why I said "if true, Obama has just redeemed himself for every other failure during his administration." Whether or not that is true, actually remains to be seen.
Quote DAnneMarc:I'll admit that the New Testament is a bit tricky to read. I divide it between the four Gospels and the "letters" supposedly written by the Apostles. In the Red letter edition of the Bible, the words of Christ are printed in Red making the Gospels jump out from the rest of the books. I placed all my attention on these Gospels because they are the direct quotes of Jesus.note: the four canonical gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Jesus criticizes the Jews for not killing their disobedient children
according to Old Testament law.....
Mark 7:9–11
9 And he (Jesus) said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11
So, Jesus is saying that you should listen to Moses. Remember, Jesus was a Jew, afterall.
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God said the act of adultery was punishable by death. Jesus says looking with lust is the same thing and you should gouge your eye out, better a part, than the whole. The punishment under Jesus is an eternity in Hell. (Matthew 5:27)
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Matthew 6:5-6 condemn public prayer and command people keep it a secret.
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Matthew 5:17-19 and MANY other verses say that the old law is forever binding.
http://www.evilbible.com/do_not_ignore_ot.htm
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King James Version
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
http://www.berenddeboer.net/sab/mt/15.html
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Quote Bart Ehrman, author of many books including Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know About Them):Though it is evidently not the sort of thing pastors normally tell their congregations, for over a century there has been a broad consensus among scholars that many of the books of the New Testament were not written by the people whose names are attached to them. So if that is the case, who did write them?... the Gospels are filled with discrepancies large and small. Why are there so many differences among the four Gospels? These books are called Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John because they were traditionally thought to have been written by Matthew, a disciple who was a tax collector; John, the "Beloved Disciple" mentioned in the Fourth Gospel; Mark, the secretary of the disciple Peter; and Luke, the traveling companion of Paul. These traditions can be traced back to about a century after the books were written.
But if Matthew and John were both written by earthly disciples of Jesus, why are they so very different, on all sorts of levels? Why do they contain so many contradictions? Why do they have such fundamentally different views of who Jesus was?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124572693
Palindromedary ~ Thanks for answering that question with the direct quote. I actually read it the other night; but, it took two night to sink in. Indeed, I had nightmares about it last night. One thing is for certain, the mind can block out almost anything that makes it uncomfortable.
I went through several stages when I verified that quote. First stage was trying to rationalize it. The first rationalization was that Jesus didn't say a child should be put to death, just that they "must surely die." Then, after a lot of thought, I came to the conclusion that there was no difference. Secondly, I reflected upon my experience with some really bad children I had the displeasure to know. These children were pure evil. It was in their hearts. If they were playing on a railroad track when the train was coming I would not have uttered a word. However, pure evil in the heart is not what is in the quote. It specifically states, "whoever reviles father or mother..." Then, after a lot of thought, I came to realize that everyone at some time or another reviles their mother or father. It is a natural thing to do in any circumstance. Children don't know any better. If they did, they would all be tried as adults for any crime in a modern court. However, courts realize that children just don't know any better and proceed accordingly. I cannot for the life of me fathom that this quote is a part of the Gospels--yet it is. It essentially, justifies the murder of almost any child. This isn't even an abortion, this is the murder of children who have already been born; and, for all practical purposes, over the mere hearsay of the parents.
All I can say Palidromedary is that you have opened my eyes and caused me great personal conflict. Don't take it the wrong way, I appreciate that very much. (See how a little knowledge of the Bible can go a long way?) Please accept my gratitude for providing the truth; and, please keep up the good work!!
DAnneMarc: Wow, "pure evil children"..I have seen a few that some might have thought were "possessed". Just glad I never had any. I had a nephew (an uncle's kid's kid), though, that got killed while playing on the train tracks...train hit him. I never knew the kid...barely knew the parents (my uncle's kid and his wife). I never even knew about it until I found out while searching the internet.
"Why is the federal government funneling good taxpayer money to bad companies and failing technologies?"
I'm going to guess that you have never been involved in the development of a technological product. If you had, you would realize just how foolish that question is. Failure, Kend, should be viewed as a learning experience on the road to success. Nothing more - because that, in itself, is PLENTY! There was a time in our history where starting a business that failed did not brand one forever as a failure - that was BEFORE Reagan, of course.
Compare that $853 Million to the $700 BILLION the banksters were awarded for crashing the global economy, and tell me which was the better investment. Consider the knowledge gained, and essentially transferred to the public domain, by the efforts of those 4 companies. Even a result of "Well, THAT didn't work!" puts the next guy to try his hand at it in a better position, don't you think? How do you know if a given approach will work or fail, if it has never been TRIED?
I might also have suggested comparing the subsidies to those "failed" companies to the NEEDLESS "funneling of good taxpayer money" to Exxon/Mobil, Shell, Texaco, etc., and ask the very same question. Which is the better investment, the one that helps established companies in a MADLY profitable, if slowly dying, industrial sector, wring even MORE profit out of destroying the habitability of our planet, or the one that helps new companies in a developing industrial sector learn more about what works and what doesn't? You make the call.
Those pig plutocrats always have their way with Obama. When has that guy ever stood his fucking ground and shown some spine?
Bernie Sanders for president! - AIW
I'm with you on that, AIW!!!
mstaggerlee ~ VERY, very, WELL SAID!! And if I might be so bold in reading you, may I also add, "Muchas Garcias!!"
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