News Roundup for 1/16/09

Jesus, as the Almighty appeared in 'Wolfenstein 3D'

-Headline of the day-
"Follow Jesus Like Nazis Followed Hitler, Rick Warren Tells Stadium Crowd."

What, by goosestepping?

Barack Obama's one big failing -- his poor choice of pastors to identify himself with -- continues to cause him problems as Bruce Wilson digs up a 2005 sermon where Pastor Rick establishes his nutjob bona fides.

According to the report, "During his Anaheim stadium speech Warren, sometimes called 'pastor Rick' talked about a number of visions and communications he had received from God. By calling on his church members to follow Jesus with the fanatical dedication with which the Nazis, or Hitler Youth, gave to Adolf Hitler, Rick Warren appeared to be in effect asking his Saddleback members to be fanatically dedicated to Warren's own leadership, given his role in divining God's intent for the Saddleback church flock."

Sounds great, because that worked out so well the last time. In the same sermon, Warren claims that God had "personally instructed him to seek, for the good of the world, more influence, power and fame." Call it a Purpose Driven Reich.

"Solomon's prayer for more influence... in Psalm 72 [Solomon] says 'God, I want you to make me more influential. God, I want you to give me more power. I want you to bless my life more. God, I want you to spread the fame of my name through other countries,'" he said.

My advice to Barack Obama; become an atheist. You suck at this religion stuff. (Huffington Post)


-Bwah-bwah-bwahbwah-bwah,,,-
Former Bush press secretary Scott McClellan spoke with MSNBC's Keith Olbermann about the president's final farewell address last night." Scottie, who has recently said that Bush and Cheney are "deluding themselves" with regard to their historical legacy, didn't like the speech much.

"It's the same song and just a different variation of it," he said. "It's like listening to Charlie Brown's teacher." In case you were never a child, the report helpfully informs us that "Charlie Brown's teacher was represented in movies as a voice made by a trombone with a plunger -- continually squawking but never making sense."

While I doubt Bush will like his ol' buddy's assessment -- accurate enough though it is -- that's kind of the way I saw it. Bush opened his mouth and sounds came out. Nothing especially exciting or surprising, just sounds. Although, I wouldn't have compared it to Charlie Brown's teacher -- which at least has some limited musicality to it.

To me, it was more like the dying bellow of an eviscerated yak. I'll leave it to you to imagine what that'd sound like. (Raw Story)


-Bonus HotD-
"Your federal tax dollars are going to abstinence-only clowns."

No, literally.

Meet Derek Dye, a juggler "who uses his skills to teach middle school children abstinence-only policies." Dye has received a $800,000 grant from the feds to juggle.

Hey, I can do that, where's my fed bootie?

Before you get too critical, take into consideration that Dye has a degree in this sort of thing. The juggling stuff, that is, not the counseling stuff. According to the report, Dye has a "'Bachelor of Fun Arts' from Barnum Bailey Clown College, and an abstinence educator certification that can be purchased for $50."

If you're wondering if Bush grants can get any stupider, you don't want to know about Gunnar, the "Condoms will Kill You" lion tamer. (Think Progress, with video)