Imagine, but within reason

Now, I love "Imagine" as much as the next 70's-roots liberal, but I actually disagree with one part of the sentiment, and I know some of you will disagree with my disagreement.

I don't particular desire a world with "no religion, too". Uh-uh. There is no consensus among "reasonable people" (those who abhor war, famine and pestilence) that religion in itself is a bad thing. I am a grossly non-practicing Jew. I have tried attending synagogue within the last 10 years and (in a prissy Oprah-show-guest tone) "found that there was nothing for me there".

I spend every Christmas and Easter morning at my wife and kids’ Catholic church, and have beamed with great love and pride as my children were baptized, or christened or confirmed or whatever the hell it is. (Their ages being different, these were two different occasions.)

It's more an intellectual conclusion, rather than a real feeling that I have settled on regarding religion. In SOME ways, from SOME angles, there is SOME merit in taking things at face value. Churches and synagogues and mosques and their members do charity work. The clergy charge their congregations with acting properly toward other people. They promote the Ten Commandments, the first four of which are of dubious value but at worst meaningless, the fifth is arguable and the latter four of which are utterly indisputable.

All that one reads about religions causing war and division has merit of course, aside from being a tired piece of anti-religious "wisdom". BRAAAAAHHHHH (buzzer sound)---- the world is not black and white, and that particular truism cuts both ways (actually cuts all ways).

If one can argue against Big Government and others argue that government has a duty to use my tax dollars to serve the common good, which includes feeding the poor, then one can argue that local churches, synagogues and mosques do good works while their dopey national- and international-level leaders get involved with stupid enterprises like the Crusades, ignoring holocausts, and the like.

Sorry; there are contradictions in reality. I feel the good intentions around me in my wife’s church while abhorring the fucking stupid ignorant red-neck reactionary douche-baggery of the anti-choice stickers on some people's cars. (I absolutely REFUSE to use the term pro-life, because so many anti-choicers fall on the same side of things as supporters of The War, and favor capital punishment.)

"Imagine" is a lovely song, and everything it advocates is lovely and desirable, except for one. In the name of sheer logic, I'm just pointing out the flaw. Not having religion, too, might be a fine thing, but logically, it does not qualify as something that must be done away with in promotion of the Greatest Possible Good for All.

On the other hand "Instant Karma" rocks much more effectively. Very slightly less profound than "Imagine", but much funkier.

John Lennon was a very, very, very clever, creative guy, and probably a genius. But reading up on as much Beatles biography as I have, one also sees much evidence that he committed acts of violence in his youth, mis-treated his first wife and son (badly), and always admitted that he was no angel. Make no mistake though; he was my favorite Beatle; the edgiest, coolest one, and the writer of more of my super-favorite songs than any of the others.

Whew.

Amazing discoveries

I'm always fascinated by the possibilities of typing with one's hands not properly situated on the home row.

In another browser, still open, I tried to enter "Amazon.com". Fingers in the wrong place, I typed in "anazib.com".

Clever folks that they are, the Amazon website came up!

This is why I suggested that my employers should register an address at a very common misspelling of our name, and redirect to our site.

My suggestion went nowhere.

But I'm very impressed by this thoughtful measure that Amazon took, for their own good. What has it cost them? $100.00 per year? And they just increased the likelihood of me placing an order!

Same thing with www.anazom.com and www.anazon.com.

However, at http://www.anason.com/ I discovered a site belonging to a woman who I'll bet my friend Chazz would be interested in. I may have discovered a new friend for a friend. Huh.