In this quick little tutorial I will tell you how to setup your own personal proxy server with MySQL authorization to make sure the only people allowed to use it are those you want.
(more…)

Congrats to the Xbox 360 team on the NXE Launch!

It is always my greatest regret to bring up politics and religion when it can be avoided. In this case, however, I find a need to talk about it.

The recent election passed and many states imposed a vote over the ban of gay marriage in their respected states, most notably being California’s Proposition 8.

I find religion’s greatest downfall to be the fact that it fails to adapt to the modern world. People base their lives on works written over 2000 years ago and take information from it that is highly controversial and base their lives on it. Homosexuality is the best example of this for Leviticus 18:22 states, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”

Now let me quote the bible some more and see how its words stand today:

• If I had a daughter how much could I sell into slavery for? (Exodus 21:7)
• My friend insists on working on the Sabbath to help bring in much needed money to his family, should I proceed to kill him now like Exodus 35:2 says to?
• I will admit, my vision is not perfect and I do wear contacts, do that mean I’m not allowed in church as Leviticus 21:20 says?
• Must football players only play football with gloves on to prevent them from being “unclean?” (Leviticus 11:7-8)
• Must I stone the local farmers for planting two different crops? (Deuteronomy 22:9)
• Must I burn my friend for wear clothing made out of two different linens? (Deuteronomy 22:11)

Do we follow those passages today? We obviously do not. Why should we automatically accept a single quote in the bible? Why do omit other versus to match today’s way-of-life but yet people shun something seemingly insignificant. Do people just use religion to cover their own discrimination?

This is why I dislike religion. It is followed only as people want to follow it rather than being followed as the holy book that people claim it to the be. They hide behind their books to try to cover their own opinions with those of a larger group to defend themselves. If you want to believe in a god or an afterlife then do so, but do not use it as a cover-up. If you follow a religion be loyal to it and don’t selectively follow it.

Final Words

Proposition 8 passed in California thus banning gay marriage. Now why is it that California revoked an amendment to require physicians to notify legal guardians of pregnant teenagers. Last time I checked the bible is against killing so why make killing easier? On top of that Washington approved doctor-assisted suicide. Does this not violate any biblical passages? Stem-cell research was approved in Michigan once again bringing up the topic of abortion. Does this obviously not show that people are slanted on what they feel? People obviously selectively follow the bible based on their own personal beliefs, not those of their god. If that is true then why follow any religion if you believe you can lead yourself? Religion fails to adapt to the modern-era and thus people have just taken it into their own points of view. I absolutely hate this idea for it is unjust. If you disagree with something or it violates your personal beliefs, then fine. Do not, however, oppose something based on personal beliefs and hide behind religion to defend your actions.

Stats

• At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.
• According to UNICEF, 26,500-30,000 children die each day due to poverty.
• Around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted.
• Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.
• Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen.
• 1 out of every 2 children live in poverty conditions.
• 1.6 billion people — a quarter of humanity — live without electricity

Resources

• http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/
• http://www.change.org/blogactionday
• http://www.kiva.org

If you cannot give, just think. It’s better to at least care than to be indifferent to this tradgey that is occuring. Be informed about poverty and see what you can do to help. You don’t have to jump onto every poverty fundraiser but rather just support the end of poverty and voice your opinions to those in power.

As you may have noticed I have a new, more charitable, ad on the right sidebar. Blog Action Day 2008 is a day for bloggers to set up and fight poverty. Find out more at blogactionday.org.