Montana Republican Party Fail

The Montana GOP just released their 2010 platform. It contains this doozy of a line.

We support the clear will of the people of Montana expressed by legislation to keep homosexual acts illegal.

Aside from the fact that their is no way to "keep" homosexual acts illegal in Montana since they were decriminalized in 1997, I am baffled by conservative action against consenting adults. Aren't Republicans constantly railing against government intruding where it shouldn't? Don't they want smaller government? How does that square with outlawing homosexual acts?

Just because you don't like something doesn't mean it should be outlawed. I don't like, burqas, toe jam, or bad rom-coms. I also don't think they should be illegal. Conservatism is supposed to be about dealing with the world as it is, not how you want it to be. Gays are here, they want relationships, and it doesn't hurt anyone. Someday these people will have to accept that.

HT:From Here to Eternity

Super Mario Crossover

Some clever soul recreated the original Super Mario Brothers video game as a flash game. The kick is that you can play through as other classic 8-bit characters such as Link, Simon Belmont, and Mega Man. It's so awesome, I can't believe no one else has done it before. Check it out here. Fair warning, though: don't click through if you have other things to do because this will consume a few hours at least.

Bonobos Are Clearly In League With Satan

Vanessa Woods at Psychology Today wrote an article on bonobos and how she believes their pacifist ways are the key to "[saving] the world." One of her readers, a pastor, took issue with the piece, however, because bonobos are quite promiscuous and not just heterosexually, either, but...homosexually so.

When I read your article about bonobos, I of course, thought of [my son]. He would love them. But, I had to ask the question, "Am I comfortable with him learning about bonobos and their behaviors?" It's a good question for me to ask myself. If I'm honest, I would say my first reaction was to shield him from these animals because of their behavior. This wouldn't be uncharacteristic for us, since there are lots of animal behaviors that are difficult for a four-year old to understand (i.e. mating, violence, etc...). However, what's different about this particular behavior is that in an orthodox biblical position, homosexuality is a sin... but animals don't sin. We don't typically place animals in a moral category. In other words, they don't do righteous acts or unrighteous acts. So...what am I to make of these animals that engage in homosexual activity?

It seems to me that this behavior reveals a sense of brokenness in the natural world. Paul spoke of the unnaturalness of homosexuality, "men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men..."(Rom. 1:27). So, what he says is unnatural, now looks to be natural! But, just as natural disasters aren't normative, neither is homosexual activity within animals. The creation itself is marred with the effects of sin (i.e. death).

You can read the entirety over there, but this is the meat of it. It's nice that this guy didn't condemn the bonobos to the depths of hell, but his email still leads to some troubling conclusions. He says that the bonobos can't really sin because they are animals, but that their homosexual acts are indicative of a broken world. But, why would God allow an animal to be acting in a "wrong" manner because of what a couple of humans did? Yes, I know one can easily ask why we are paying the price for the mistakes of Adam and Eve, but I feel one can make a more likely logical argument for that than for the punishment of animals. And while bonobos are quite close to us genetically and very smart, they don't have the intelligence and reasoning capability of a human.

All of which is to say that I have a hard time ascribing the actions of an animal to human sin.

Everyone Should Have a Pet Like This

Well, everyone cool anyway.

AT-AT day afternoon from Patrick Boivin on Vimeo.

From the Ashes

I'm back.

I apologize for not giving any notice of my prolonged absence. Honestly, I didn't expect it to last this long. Regular readers of the blog know that I have been in a custody battle with my ex-wife. I had reason to believe that she may have been online looking for info to use against me. In order to protect myself, I locked down my blog, my Facebook account, my Twitter page, and so on. I just could not take the chance that she (or her lawyer) would find something I had written and use it against me in someway. As much as I love writing, getting my girls was more important.

Last week, though, over two years after I began this journey, my ex-wife finally signed the parenting plan and I have full custody of my daughters. I can hardly describe the exhilaration, the relief, the unbridled joy I feel now that this is over. My work with them and for them is, of course, not done. But for all of the moments I wonder "what the hell have I gotten myself into?" I have two more where I find I love being a parent and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Okay, enough of the sap, eh? What this means for you, lucky reader, is that the Captain is back to blogging. I'm sure my absence only made your heart grow fonder of my and my presence will now only strengthen it as some famous English dude said (or something). Stay tuned for deep thoughts, not so deep thoughts, sarcasm (always), and the usual blatherings from the deepest, most cobweb-riddled recesses of my mind. Perhaps I'll make you think or perhaps I'll get your blood boiling or perhaps I'll just make you say, "Uh, WTF?" Whatever it is, I hope it's interesting and you'll leave the occasional comment.