I gotta be honest - I was hoping after the election I could get less into politics and more into poker - but poker ain't paying right now, kids - and I'm tired of writing bad beat stories.

the world is evil, ya know that - that's part of the reason I'm a Christian - I don't need any serious work to be convinced at our core humanity is capable of terrible things that happen nowhere else in nature.

Think about it - Remember that Val Kilmer movie about the two lions in Africa? - It was so rare for them to kill for sport - Animals don't kill for sport very often - oh, sure, a cat will kill a bird and bring it to your doorstep, but at it's primal nature, I think is more basic - are we supposed to eat it or be proud? - I'm not sure - but my old siamese always used to do that -

my mom has two new cats now - I'll probably get some soon - but maybe not - as my drummer friend is allergic - we'll see -

but humans do it all the time - and who kills for possessions and power the way humanity does -

nope - and there is a hole in me - (in everyone, really) and I think that's what CS Lewis described as the God shaped hole - it's tough to recognize - and I knew for a time I was trying to fill it with booze - so now as my spirituality revives, I find myself drawn to Christ

but the Christ I found in the bible now looks nothing like the church that takes it's name - almost like I'm looking at a cheap paper copy in America - artifical, like Hollywood.

I find how revolutionary it seems to be to suggest that we should pray for our enemies - the words "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" have escaped the notice of many on the Religious Right - instead we try to find ways to escalate wars - and seek doctrines that justify the sword and the elevation of money, even putting God's name on it when once Jesus seemed to make clear that Money was Caesar's, but what's God's is God's and should not be given to Caesar.

but that's what the church tends to do when it tries to merge church and state - they don't see it - they think they have an Old Testament mandate or something - but they're not Jewish, and if they believe violence is the way of Christ, then they may have a suprise coming -

but then God is also merciful to the ungrateful and the evil - and I suppose I too have been both - for I once cast votes for these men who have started this latest war - and I suspect they'll get one more in under my watch before they're done - on my vote using my tax dollars.

and it was stupid - we had Bin Laden cornered in Afghanistan - cut off from Tora Bora - but instead we move those troops and Special Forces to prepare for Iraq -

this war in Iraq didn't have to happen - it only did because a man famous for ruining everthing his daddy gave him became president and ruined his political party, the name of this Country and everything it stands for. When he leaves office in two years, and when this Congress is done with oversight, it'll be the first time the American people will know the truth about this war and we'll have a better idea of the cost in blood by then - although we may only know it in abstract terms of "much greater then in 2006"

and wanna know what really sucks - maybe he isn't a Christian - maybe he doesn't give a rat's ass about what he's done.

but because I do claim the title, I gotta pray for him. But he'll need it - his legacy will be blood forever on that Texas family. He will be one of America's most hated and reviled presidents -

in many parts of the world - he already is.

Here's a prayer - Lord don't let those fuckers use nukes on muslims. - and if by specifically I mean Israel on Iranian bunkers - even better.

let it be what it's supposed to be - the gospel of PEACE -

rb