Trial by Media

These cop things and other allegations of wrong doing need to be resolved somehow. The review boards, grand juries, and courts are certainly not perfect, but what is the alternative, trial by media? I have learned not to base my opinions on the first media reports that come out immediately after the incident. I give it awhile to settle down and then, if I'm interested, I look it up on Wiki. Our local paper features a number of syndicated columnists, some from the left and some from the right, and I read those too. I read about the Rolling Stone rape story in one of them just the other day. I don't remember the guy's name, but he said pretty much what you said about it being a disgrace to the profession of journalism.

I have heard on the news about the latest torture report, but I haven't gone into it. It sounds like the same stuff we were being told at the time it was going on. I saw Dick Cheney on the news the other day admitting to it and claiming that it was the right thing to do. I thought at the time, "Why is this guy not in jail?" There appears to be a difference of opinion about the exact definition of "torture". Aren't there specific laws about that? Maybe not. Maybe they never passed any because they figured that Americans just don't do those things. Well apparently they do, so congress needs to get busy, and I'm sure they will as soon as they catch up on the rest of their unfinished business. (I make small joke.) Sometimes you have to laugh to keep yourself from crying.

The thing about the Pope's decree granting immortal souls to animals is that it contradicts what every Christian church, including the Catholics, have been saying for 2000 years. Like the one guy pointed out, though, it didn't come from the Bible. I understand that the Pope said it to comfort a little boy whose dog had recently died. Maybe he didn't know that the microphone was on. When are those politicians and celebrities going to learn? The microphone is always on, just like the gun is always loaded!

There are several definitions of the word "soul", and I understand that you were using a different definition than the Pope was. I rather prefer "consciousness" to "soul" myself. It's more specific to what I believe to be important. The Hindu concept of Nirvana does not appeal to me. What good is eternal life if you aren't aware that you are alive? The Law of the Conservation of Energy doesn't help either. Living forever after breaking down into sub atomic particles doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me. No, if I can't go as myself, then I don't want to go.