Why abstinence is better than condoms…wait, is it?

But, then again, is it? I think we all know how abstinence is supposed to work. I’m pretty sure we all know how something like a condom is supposed to work. Both have the same basic goals in mind: no transference of STD’s and such and no pregnant chicks. Of course, the bigger issue is which one works the best. I guess it’s all a matter of facing reality. Which is more practical? Which is more likely to be used?

Ok, so, you have abstinence. In a perfect world, this would be the way to go. Hey, sex is great, sex is fun, and if we all could, we’d all be doing non-stop. Take the situation in Africa, for instance. There seems to be conflicting ideas on how to combat the AIDS issue there. Apparently, the U.S. seems to think (and by U.S., I mean the Bush administration) that abstinence is the way to go. Apparently “our” abstinence plan has come under fire by the UN, being referred to as a damaging “dogma-driven policy.” Can’t say I disagree, because, let’s face it, having your primary tool to combat AIDS being abstinence is not a plan that’ll end up with a happy ending. Read that article, I don’t feel like discussing it, and form your own opinions. Do you believe that funding religious groups that are opposed to condom use will be an effective way to wage war on AIDS?

Let’s face it, people are going to have sex. There’s nothing you can do about it. People who believe abstinence is the way to go are assuming that everyone is the same, that everyone’s “moral” center is in the same spot. Rather than attempt to attack the “moral” issue of sex, multiple partners, etc, why not go with a more practical, less threatening approach? Our current patent laws prevent any sort of widespread treatment of AIDS, and I don’t see these religious groups offering to pay for medical treatment when the abstinence plan fails. C’mon, what’s easier, taking the time to throw a condom on, or resisting primal urges that have been hardwired in our brains throughout the history of the human race?

Again, this is when a perfectly good idea, such as religion, is used to screw things up. If we all remember our history correctly, forcing ways of life and religious ideals was part of the problem in Africa all those years ago that’s made it the hole that it is today. I’m not blaming religion, don’t get me wrong, but it’s this superiority complex that I find irritating and sometimes infuriating that causes these issues. It’s the assumption that one way is better than the other way. Of course, I’m kind of doing this same thing, I realize that, but I’m looking at the reality of the situation. You’re never going to get millions of HUMAN BEINGS to suppress their urges. Just never going to happen, especially when the people asking them to do so have conflicting theological interests.

Just think about it.

Another sad aspect of religion

Just read myself an article tonight about anti-gay protesters at, get this: funerals! Wait, it gets even better, guess whose funerals they’re protesting at? Two members of the American military that died. Why? Because they were fighting to defend a country that “harbors gays.” Pathetic, if you ask me.

People who do this are, again, pathetic. They obviously have nothing but hatred in their hearts, and from what I understand about God, that dude isn’t into hatred. correct me if I’m wrong here. I don’t care what you believe in, who you believe you, what you think is immoral, it’s just wrong to do this at someone’s funeral. I’m pretty sure most people on the opposite end of the political spectrum will agree with me on that.

This is the problem with religion. As much as I rail against it, it’s basis was rooted in good, it’s supposed to be all about being good to your fellow man. It’s not about using it to promote hatred, bigotry and intolerance. Ok, lemme assume for a moment that God is real, he exists and he created all that we see here. Now, isn’t it pretty safe to assume he then created gays and lesbians? If we can assume that (I mean, c’mon, would God create something he supposedly hates?) he created gays and lesbians, would he want his other creations railing against gays and lesbians? Especially at funerals?

This is my problem with religion. Something that could be a great thing is turned into “my god is better than yours” and people die because of it. People kill because of it. Yes, religion helps keep a good number of people from going off the deep end and keeps this world from spiraling into anarchy. But, people start wars, people kill other people because one doesn’t worship God the same way the other one does. Does that make sense to you? You know what would be ironic? If all these extremists, the members of this “church” aren’t affiliated with a major religion (by the way), ended up in hell and the rest of us decent folk just trying to be who we are and live our lives the best we can end up in heaven (I don’t necessarily believe in the concept of Heaven and Hell, but this is for the sake of the argument).

People need to look past their petty differences. Need to realize there are things and other people in this world they aren’t going to like. That there are things and people in this world that their interpretation of the bible says to them are wrong. If I understand correctly, only God can judge. If I’m right in that, then why do people like this feel like they are supposed to judge, and even carry out sentences?

Flipping and flopping

As much as I hate to start anything that may result in back and forth mud slinging, I’m just here to ramble. Recently, I’m sure we’re all aware, there has been some, well, problems with the way things are going in Iraq. For not only us, the U.S., but also for the Iraqis drawing up their constitution. I’m not too concerned with the whole constitution issue right now (I am, but I’m not going to go into it here and now, I don’t have much of an opinion on it one way or the other).

I’ve never liked George “Dubya” Bush. I won’t lie, I won’t sugarcoat it, I think he’s a babbling idiot who doesn’t deserve to be in office. He surrounds himself with “yes” men and women, can’t take critical comments (a sign of a bad leader, if you ask me, everyone needs to be able to take criticism of their ideas and beliefs and work through them if they plan on being effective at anything) and he doesn’t seem all that concerned over the fact that this country has been split like a log being broken up for firewood. I tried, I truly tried, to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. When he told us all over and over about the substantial evidence that proved he was building up his WMD stockpile and threatened our way of life, I figured how could that not be true? The intelligence we had on this, supposedly, was 100% fool proof, there was no reason to doubt it, so there was no reason to doubt the president.

Ok, ok, I’ve heard the arguments that we didn’t officially go to war with Iraq because of this whole WMD issue (which I say is bullshit, since that’s the only thing the public was force fed for months and months). When your main point turns out to be false, what else am I supposed to think? So, the country was behind the Iraqi war and, subsequently, a long-term stay. That is, until it became apparent that the whole WMD thing was bullshit. Support could have been saved, even support from people like me, if he had looked the country in the eye and said, “Yup, we were wrong about the intelligence, but we need to follow through, blah blah blah, etc.” Instead, it turns into a circus. Trying to play connect the dots with nonexistent dots, trying to find other ways of justifying this military action.

For a while, it seemed to be Bush supporters versus non-Bush supporters (as in, people who voted for him and those who didn’t). For the record, I support the troops. I say spend however much it takes to protect them for as long as it takes for the job to get done because, quite frankly, we fucked that country up, we stay until it’s somewhat fixed. I ain’t talking until it’s turned into a giant Ritz-Carlton, but I think everyone knows what I mean. What I don’t support is a man and his chronies who won’t answer to the public for mistakes they made (the boss is always held accountable, it was his job to make sure what he was getting was credible). I won’t support someone’s who policies seem to be to rush head on into the hornets’ nest without thinking how the hell we’re going to get out of there (within the next decade).

It’s funny, anyone see his latest polls? Seems a large number of people have ceased to think Bush knows what he’s doing (with Iraq, anyway), despite the fact that many of them had to be people who voted for Bush and, for the longest time, supported him and his misguided war. Of course, now I’m probably going to hear from some of you who’ll tell me I don’t really support the troops if I don’t support the war and Bush and I’m un-patriotic for being against Bush and his war policies and blah blah blah. Say whatever you need to say that will help you sleep at night.

I’ve learned a lesson: never trust a politician, especially when something he’s pushing for and has “evidence” to back him up is in his best interest. I’m just wondering if anyone else has learned this lesson.

When failure kills

Recently, as you may or may not know, I failed. I failed as a human being and I failed as a friend. It’s funny, I see so many douche bags, scum dicks and slutty whores who make so many mistakes, do some seriously stupid shit, and I think to myself “how in god’s name can they take advantage of someone like that” or “who does that to someone” and much more.

I became one of those people. I became that scum dick douche bag for a time. See, what people, and what I didn’t do, was take the time to step back, take a few deep breaths and think about what they’re about to do. It’s a problem that is plaguing society, if you ask me, and it needs to be rectified. These days, it’s all about three things: me, myself and I. We don’t take into consideration other people’s feelings, whether they be strangers, acquaintances, friends, the closest of friends, lovers, girlfriends and wives.

I’m guilty of that, and I’m here to tell you, it’s the most horrible feeling in the world when you finally come to your senses and realize what you just did. Spending the early part of my life pushing loved ones around and away and then the more recent parts of my life trying to make up for it, I know what it’s like to be on both sides of the fence.

How good it feels to have a heart that’s as black as coal, and how good it feels to have a soul that couldn’t hurt a fly. These parts of my life can be contrasted like night and day, Britney Spears and Carley Simon. My most recent failure felt like I stabbed myself in the back, and a piece of me died when I did that. It’s bad enough when I’ve had someone tear my heart out. It’s worse when I do it to myself, and not have a clue as to why.

So, my friends, take: some advice from me: life, family and your friends aren’t some playthings. You need them, trust me on this. Some more than others, as I’ve recently realized, but you need them all nonetheless.

When sports figures need a wake up call

Today’s professional athletes seem to have lost the basic principles of being a professional athlete. They’ve forgotten what playing the game(s) used to be all about, what it used to mean. That is, before the insanely large contracts, the fans, the media, the constant spotlight. I think we can all think of a few extreme cases *cough*T.O.*cough* of athletes going way too far. You have athletes dishonoring a sport and the greats who played by taking illegal substances to boost their numbers. I’m not one to argue morals, or to say someone is immoral or a culture is immoral (the way I’ve lived, I should definately not talk), but, this just goes to show you what the American culture has turned into. “Win at all costs.” We see it in the corporate boardroom and we see it on the fields.

So, who should we start off with? How’z about Terrell Owens? Sounds good to me. This is a man who has no idea what’s going on around him. This is a man that needs a serious reality check. This is a man that once, recently, compared himself to Jesus. When you start comparing your plight, one that involves you being a greedy bastard mind you, and yourself to Jesus, you’re just plain nutso. Especially, like I just said, if it’s about you thinking you aren’t making enough millions. Last I checked, Jesus wasn’t a greedy millionaire. Of course, I could be wrong, I don’t go to church. Ok, so you have T.O., who signed a perfectly good contract, complaining that he deserves more money due to his performance last season. I’ve got some advice: short term contract. Only ask for one year deals, and you’re all set. I think all of us would be happy with the slimest fraction of that that prick makes in a year. Because this man-child isn’t happy, we get to watch some Jerry Springer show on ESPN, the local news and read about it online and in the paper. Maybe it was the way I was brought up, but I could never imagine saying, doing and just acting the way he’s been acting all these years. It sickens me.

Moving on, we have the steroid issue in baseball. I think Ryne Sandberg said it best in his Hall of Fame speech when talking about these people who take steroids to further their game, their fame and their contract negotiations.

A lot of people say this honor validates my career. But I didn’t work hard for validation. I didn’t play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel. I played it right because that’s what you’re supposed to do–play it right and with respect.

That’s what a game like baseball is all about. It’s about honor, and yet, we have these “men” who juice up to hit more home runs, strike out more batters, just so they can get their name into some record book. In the end, it’s not just how many records you have set, it’s also how the people in and around the game think of you. Just like anything in life, it’s all political.

It’s sad, really. I’d give up so much just for one chance to step into that batter’s box and take my hacks. Just one at-bat. These guys get to do this for a living, have the talent, the ability and drive to make it, and they act like it’s their God given right. I suppose maybe they’ve forgotten what it’s like, to be on the other side of the fence, and these people get lost in the bank rolls and Mercedes and forget what got them there and what it was like.