I've heard the "Muslims aren't allowed to convert" thing too, and it's just so baffling. I know that in some Muslim countries there are legal penalties for converting to another religion, but do these people think Obama has some kind of chip in his brain or programming that prevents him from believing anything else?

Apparently, it's in the Koran.

My hostess in St. Thomas went on and on and on about that. As a matter of fact, she's so convinced about this that she's convinced herself it's all a conspiracy to turn America into a Muslim nation...that's the only reason the Muslim's haven't killed Obama, is because his "conversion" is a hoax and all part of the greater plan.

What is the matter with me, that I'm still capable of being surprised that people not only parrot this shit, but actually believe it?

You know, if I actually heard people saying these things my head would explode, but getting the ideas third-handed or so they are kind of fascinating in their wrong-headedness.

Ok. Is this brown and white or brown and blue? [link]

Looks blue to me, esp. in the zoom view.

What is the matter with me, that I'm still capable of being surprised that people not only parrot this shit, but actually believe it?

You and me both, pretty lady. You and me both.

Looks white at maximum zoom, vw.

I cannot get going today! I think that means I should take a bath, since I am not doing laundry or washing dishes...

What is the matter with me, that I'm still capable of being surprised that people not only parrot this shit, but actually believe it?

I really almost lost my mind about it and finally had to just ask her not to talk about it. The first time she said it I was so dumbfounded I didn't even have a response. So, I'm with you. Completely.

"Muslims can't ever convert. He's lying."

Wouldn't you have to, oh, BELIVE in a religion to assert that someone cannot convert from it?

The Obama-is-Muslim stuff is nonsense, but if one WERE a Muslim, one would believe that there is no out-conversion, only apostasy, which is punishable by death, in Islamic theory.

Jews similarly consider someone born Jewish (to a mother who is halachically Jewish herself) to be a Jew forever. You can convert out, but we'll just consider you mistaken. The obligations and privileges of being part of the Jewish people apply whether you ever accept them on yourself or not. We do not, however, kill people who convert to another religion, not even in theory.

Clearly, however, if you don't believe in a religion and weren't born into it, you don't have to take what that religion says as truth. Hence, I blithely go on, working to earn my own way into heaven, so to speak, in the Jewish manner, while the Southern Baptist neighbors I grew up with are all convinced I'm going to hell, no matter what I do.

Obama doesn't have the chip, but McCain does! Manchurian Candidate!!!

:: runs & hides. ::

ION pledge drives in the morning should be illegal. They do not wake you up. Yup, running late.