It is an excellent grasp of soundbite, however, which seems to be rapidly taking over both government and theology.

If I can make a small side track on the religion thing:

I know I've mentioned this before: Tim's dad is super-duper involved in his Catholic parish, and is gung-ho on Catholic doctrine.

After we got back yesterday afternoon from the family trip, Tim asked his dad if, since he couldn't make it to mass Sunday morning because of the trip, would he be going to a Sunday evening mass. Tim's dad said that he had a lot to do that evening, so he probably wouldn't, even though it would be a mortal sin to skip mass.

I went O_o (but internally), and looked it up later. Sure enough, skipping mass is right up there with murder.

I just can't get down with a God who is so petty as to condemn me to the fires of hell for not going to a specific building once a week to recite the same pre-printed prayers with a group of people. And if it turns out that I'm wrong, well, I guess the joke will be on me.

But...seriously?!?

(Also, as we were looking it up, other mortal sins were listed, including extra-marital sex and masturbation [yes, whacking off is equivalent to murder], and it explained how the sinner must make a full confession of such sins to a priest, including FULL DETAILS of EACH INCIDENT. Uh...really? Again I say, that is FUCKED UP.)

t edit But it almost makes me want to go back to the faith just to make my confession. I would totally do that.

Dress!

[link]

I bought this redic creature (at half off of this price) for my upcoming birthday. Just feelin' my 80s I guess.

What do we think of spagetti straps?

If I get them put on, I can wear one of those clear-strap bras and have a much more comfy night (and shoulder the next day). If they would look irredeemabley stoopid, however, I am willing to suffer.

I'll leave details to actual practicing Catholics, but I thought confession was a private thing now that didn't require telling your list of sins to a priest. I was also under the impression that there were exceptions for the mass attendance for sick, elderly, grieving, whatever. But this all could just be my perception. My mother is devout, but I lapsed long ago. And am surely guilty of a number of mortal sins.

Cereal:

I suppose I do have to thank the freak-ass church for at least getting me to read/study the bible. Because, man, all the Catholic stuff that just appalls me? Nowhere in there. Jesus was basically all, "Love your neighbor. Don't fuck shit up. Any questions?"

Not a single thing on going to mass every Sunday, much less on telling detailed accounts of every time you whack off to some celibate dude. (Man, that is unsavory.)

I thought confession was a private thing now that didn't require telling your list of sins to a priest.

From what I read last night, confession is still a tell-all-your-lurid-secrets dealio.

I was also under the impression that there were exceptions for the mass attendance for sick, elderly, grieving, whatever.

Right, and I should have said that. If you're very ill, or the weather would make it dangerous for you to attempt to go, or if you're an hour or more away from a church, or -- my favorite -- if you're a mother who has given birth within the previous 6 weeks, then it is not a sin to skip mass.

(However, if you gave birth 7 weeks ago and don't make it, YOU WILL BURN.)

If I get them put on, I can wear one of those clear-strap bras and have a much more comfy night (and shoulder the next day).

This trumps silly. Wearing a strapless bra all evening is something I shudder to contemplate.

Man, my Grandma blew off a LOT of church having those eight kids.

Now I'm picturing Trudy's grandma having kid after kid just to get out of going to confession.

if you're a mother who has given birth within the previous 6 weeks, then it is not a sin to skip mass.

huh. We have a "tradition" in the family that the baby shouldn't leave the house for six weeks. I wonder if that's where it came from.