Declaration of Beliefs

I believe in logic, reason and the ability of men to work their way towards the truth by the use of these tools.

I believe in science and the scientific method.

I believe that morality should be defined by men and enforced by men. Even if there is a God, we are under no obligation to obey his (her? its?) definition of morality. I totally reject the concept of morality by divine command.

I believe that men’s concept of what is moral and what is just evolves over time.

I believe that the law is an imperfect attempt to codify men’s current concepts of morality and justice.

I believe that given the two previous beliefs a “strict constructionist” interpretation of the law makes absolutely no sense unless one wants to delay justice and justice delayed is justice denied.

I believe that Liberalism has been the philosophy most responsible for the expansion of equal rights and justice.

I believe that Conservatism has been the philosophy most responsible for delaying the expansion of equal rights and justice.

I believe that religion is most often an extreme form of Conservatism.

I believe that the courts of the United States, especially the Supreme Court of the United States, bare the responsibility of protecting the minority from the tyranny of the majority.

I believe that the Death Penalty is morally wrong because of the risk of error.

I believe that there are times when an abortion is necessary in order to protect the physical or mental health of the mother.

I believe that the only people qualified to determine when an abortion is necessary are the woman involved and her medical advisors.

I believe that homosexuality is not a choice any more than being left handed or blue eyed is a choice and to deny homosexuals equal protection under the law, including the right to marry, is morally wrong.

I believe that religion is dangerous superstitious nonsense.

I believe that Islam is not a religion of peace but of murder and fanaticism.

I believe that Fundamentalist Christianity is the greatest danger to the survival of American Democracy that has ever existed.

I believe that American society has degraded to the point that we can no longer be confident of the country’s prosperity.

I believe that the average American has no patience and relies upon 10 second sound bites for information.

I believe the average American wants instant gratification without having to work for what they want.

I believe the average American is historically ignorant, scientifically ignorant and biblically ignorant and therefore there is something fundamentally wrong with our educational process.

I believe that George Bush is the worst president in the history of the United States.

I believe that the Bush Administration has engaged in a wide range of high crimes and misdemeanors ranging from lying to Congress and the American People to conspiring with corrupt private companies to loot the wealth of the Iraqi people and the American taxpayer.

I believe that any society that could re-elect George Bush is dysfunctional therefore American society is, at the current moment, dysfunctional.

I believe that the invasion of Iraq is the greatest single mistake ever committed by the United States and has led directly to the decline of the nation both in terms of real power and international prestige.

I believe the Republican Party can no longer be trusted to respect the rights of the American people.

I believe that the Bible is a wonderful book with much wisdom, but with also much to be criticized.

I believe that the Bible is the work of men and, even if there is a God, he (she? it?) had absolutely nothing to do with the generation of the Bible.

I believe that nothing in the Bible is a fulfilled prophecy.

I believe that the Book of Mormon is the totally fictional concoction of a second rate con man and it’s a terribly boring read as well.

I believe that the Theory of Evolution is fundamentally accurate.

I believe that neither “Creationism” nor “Intelligent Design” is a scientific theory.

I believe that Conservative Christians that promote “Creationism” or “Intelligent Design” as a scientific alternative to Evolution consistently use misleading or dishonest arguments in order to sway the very young and the ignorant and I find this conduct reprehensible.

I believe that Conservative Christian organizations pushing bible study in the public schools are doing so for religious reasons and essentially lying about their motives. I find this conduct reprehensible.

I believe that most Conservative Christian organizations use dishonest methods designed to persuade the very young, the ignorant or the emotionally distraught when they promote Christianity and I find this conduct reprehensible.

I believe that any philosophy that feels the needs to engage in misleading or dishonest conduct in order to promote itself or its beliefs is by definition a false philosophy unworthy of respect or adherence.

I believe that the Palestinian people have a right to a land of their own and to be free from foreign occupation.

I believe that the Jews deserve a homeland and that the state of Israel deserves to exist in peace.

Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea how to reconcile the rights of the Palestinian People with the rights of Israel and this depresses me.

I believe that global warming is the single most serious problem that will need to be addressed by my children’s generation.

I believe that the United States needed to eliminate oil as its major provider of energy at least a decade ago and the failure to do so is the single greatest contributor to the decline of the American Republic.

I believe that immigration needs to be managed by law and that the United States needs to regain control of its borders for both security and economic reasons.

I believe that English should be declared by law to be the language of the United States.

I believe that John McCain is a good man who would make a terrible President because he carries with him too much baggage from his past and from a Republican Party that has lost its traditional vision.

I believe that Hillary Clinton is a very competent politician who would make a horrible President because she tends to polarize people.

I believe that Barack Obama is a good man, with a mediocre jump shot, that would make a great President because people both at home and abroad would rally around his presidency.