Saturday, May 30, 2009

Christ Conspiracy Motion to dismiss AIG-Shariah lawsuit DENIED

Motion to dismiss AIG-Shariah lawsuit DENIED
US District Ct of Michigan denies USG's motion to dismiss AIG-Shariah lawsuit
May 26, 2009
"In an extremely well-written and soundly analyzed opinion, Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff of the US District Court for the Eastern District Court of Michigan, has denied the U.S. government's motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Kevin Murray. (The full opinion may be downloaded above from this entry's unique url.) Mr. Murray, who is represented by legal counsel David Yerushalmi and the Thomas More Law Center (Richard Thompson and Robert Muise), filed a federal complaint against the Treasury Secretary, representing the U.S. Treasury, and the Federal Reserve Board alleging that AIG's promotion of Shariah in its Shariah-compliant insurance products violates the Establishment Clause because the federal government owns and controls 80% of AIG and AIG's actions have become the government's.
The government filed its motion to dismiss making two arguments. One, Mr. Murray, as a former combat Marine, practicing Catholic, and tax payer, did not have standing to even bring this lawsuit. Two, even if he did have standing, the government acted in buying AIG without any intent to promote or become involved in religious questions.
The Court spent much of its opinion reciting the law on the narrow exception to the no-tax-payer-standing rule. That exception is triggered in a claim of a violation of the Establishment Clause and when there is a specific legislative grant for spending that implicates the First Amendment. The Court carefully reviewed all of the relevant case law and found the argument made by Messrs. Yerushalmi and Muise in their brief persuasive.
On the second issue, the Court put together all of the facts as presented by the Plaintiff's brief and concluded:
Quote:
"In this case, the fact that AIG is largely a secular entity is not dispositive: "The question in an as-applied challenge is not whether the entity is of a religious character, but how it spends its grant." Kendrick, 487 U.S. at 624–25 (Kennedy J., concurring). The circumstances of this case are historic, and the pressure upon the government to navigate this financial crisis is unfathomable. Times of crisis, however, do not justify departure from the Constitution. In this case, the United States government has a majority interest in AIG. AIG utilizes consolidated financing whereby all funds flow through a single port to support all of its activities, including Sharia-compliant financing. Pursuant to the EESA, the government has injected AIG with tens of billions of dollars, without restricting or tracking how this considerable sum of money is spent. At least two of AIG's subsidiary companies practice Sharia-compliant financing, one of which was unveiled after the influx of government cash. After using the $40 billion from the government to pay down the $85 billion credit facility, the credit facility retained $60 billion in available credit, suggesting that AIG did not use all $40 billion consistent with its press release. Finally, after the government acquired a majority interest in AIG and contributed substantial funds to AIG for operational purposes, the government co-sponsored a forum entitled "Islamic Finance 101." These facts, taken together, raise a question of whether the government's involvement with AIG has created the effect of promoting religion and sufficiently raise Plaintiff's claim beyond the speculative level, warranting dismissal inappropriate at this stage in the proceedings."
end quote
We reached out to Messrs. Yerushalmi and Muise in a conference call. They both were quite obviously pleased by the well-reasoned opinion. They also said, almost in perfect unison: "There is not a fact in the complaint we cannot prove." Mr. Yerushalmi added, "This case is going to send a loud and reverberating alarm in Washington and in the financial world which is now running full speed and blindly to embrace Shariah-compliant finance."
When the case was first filed, arm-chair First Amendment lawyers (meaning law professors who opine while gathering wood splinters writing arcane law review articles and shotgun blog entries) almost unanimously concluded this case had zero chance to survive a motion to dismiss. Turns out they were wrong. Way wrong.
Indeed, Thomas C. Baxter, Jr., the legal counsel to the New York Federal Reserve, was a participant in a day-long conference at Fordham University's law school entitled, "Islamic Law and Financial Symposium," on February 23, 2009. After he gave the standard rah-rah Shariah finance is a win-win, someone from the audience asked him about the lawsuit. His answer: "While I will not comment on pending litigation, what I can say is that we are absolutely certain that the court will dispense with it very expeditiously."
Ooops!
Maybe it is time for Mr. Baxter and the other government lawyers to enroll in Mr. Yerushalmi's newly published on line continuing legal education (CLE) course designed for financial institution compliance officers, SEC lawyers, Treasury officials, and investors, on the civil liability and criminal exposure risks associated with Shariah-compliant finance (available here.) Maybe then the Baxters of the world could offer their learned opinions rather than just the standard arrogant hot air of a government bureaucrat who insists the government can do no wrong."
http://www.saneworks.us/US-District-Ct-of-Michigan-denies-USGs-motion-to-dismiss-AIGShariah-lawsuit-newsblog-2628.htm
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Christ Conspiracy I am NOT trying to create atheists!

I just posted a new comment from my MySpace blog on the forum. Here's what I said there:
I like this message, because it came on the heels of a discussion I was having with FTL about the thrust of my work, which is NOT to create "atheists" out of people but to enjoy as a freethinker many creative concepts conceived by humanity since time immemorial. This person on my MySpace blog epitomizes my work pretty darn well!
[quote]
It's unfortunate that more myspace people don't find their way to this blog to be challenged and hopefully deprogrammed.
My thanks to Acharya for being one of the ones who freed me from false thinking and brainwashing.
The process does not leave one an atheist but frees one to embrace the wider emerging awareness of a universal god, not a tribal god who has sown so much bloodshed and destruction, especially in the Mideast.
Posted by Dan on Friday, May 29, 2009 - 3:26 PM
[/quote]
Again, I'm not trying to cause people to become atheists - or theists. What you do with your own consciousness is entirely up to you. You have a right to the privacy of your own mind. I am completely uninterested in mind control, either of myself or of anyone else. The only "mind control" I personally engage in is to direct my thinking to positive and creator endeavors whenever possible. Otherwise, I am free to contemplate God or No God, depending on the situation and how I feel.
That, to me, is the essence of Freethought. And I'm really glad when someone like Dan "gets it." Cool
My only criterion for belief systems is whether or not they produce nice, tolerant and loving people. If not, whether theistic or atheistic, they need to go the way of the dodo. I would much rather hang around with a sweet born-again Christian with Down Syndrome than with a nasty atheist with a high IQ.
http://forums.truthbeknown.com/viewtopic.php?p=16721#16721
D.M. Murdock/Acharya S
http://TruthBeKnown.com
http://StellarHousePublishing.com
http://TBKNews.blogspot.com
http://FreethoughtNation.com

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Christ Conspiracy Atheists: No God, just whining | Charlotte Allen | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk






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Having been the victim of atheist hate speech, I have to laff.

"I can't stand atheists รข€" but it's not because they don't believe in God. It's because they're crashing bores."







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Atheists: No God, just whining | Charlotte Allen | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk*






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Friday, May 29, 2009

Christ Conspiracy Gnosticism in 'A Course In Miracles' all Weekend on Aeon Byte!!!

Since 1977, 'A Course in Miracles' has taken the alternative spiritual-seeking world by storm, both with great fanfare and often great controversy. We explore its history, tenets and ultimate rewards. We also discover if the timeless wisdom of the Gnostics is part of the fabric of 'A Course in Miracles', as well as other esoteric schools. And does its message resound in the core theology of The Gospel of Thomas, the Valentinian tradition, and other Gnostic legacies?
Astral Guest-- Rogier Van Vlissingen, author of 'Closing the Circle: Pursah's Gospel of Thomas and A Course in Miracles'.
Topics Discussed:
--The kernel theology and psychology of `A Course In Miracles', as well as how it exactly works to aid spiritual growth.
--The Gnostics elements of `A Course in Miracles' including an illusionary world, salvific knowledge, an Cosmic Christ and more.
--How certain popular esoteric books like Gary R. Renard's `The Disappearance to the Universe' and Ken Wapnick's `Love Does Not Condemn' complement `A Course in Miracles' as well as tie it to other occult ideologies.
--Understand the eclectic Pursah's translation of the Gospel of Thomas and how it stands up to other translations.
--Breaking down the Gospel of Thomas and other Scripture to find the timeless message of `A Course in Miracles'.
--How the Apostle Paul is the antithesis of `A Course in Miracles' as well as other schools of thought that seek enlightenment.
And much more!!!
Just go to http://www.thegodabovegod.com/. The program is broadcast all weekend long. Listen to it at your convenience.
All past shows of Aeon Byte are available at http://www.thegodabovegod.com/shop/. Digital or CD copies in bulk can also be purchased through our homepage.
Abraxas

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Christ Conspiracy Muslim extremists behind anti-war protest driven off by members of their own community | Mail Online





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Take a look at the photo here - does that look like a city in Great Britain to you? Or Pakistan?

Unbelievable. How long before U.S. cities start looking like this?

Are the "moderates" for real, or is this "stealth jihad?" Who can tell the difference between the mods and rads?


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Muslim extremists behind anti-war protest driven off by members of their own community | Mail Online*
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Christ Conspiracy Bishop: Cutie Fling Could Have Been Worse - CBS News





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I just love this story. Now, here's a REAL man who chose love with a woman over a homoerotic relationship with an invisible Jewish guy.


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Christ Conspiracy "Who Was Jesus?" New Reviews!

Hi there -
I thought you might enjoy seeing a couple of new reviews of my book "Who Was Jesus? Fingerprints of The Christ" at Amazon.
The first is from a gentleman who was a Franciscan missionary to Japan and who has an interesting perspective. You may recall his remarks on my latest blog post - boy, did that kick up a storm! 120 comments!
Any way, here's the link to my book page, with the reviews following.
http://stellarhousepublishing.com/whowasjesus.html

5.0 out of 5 stars Fingerprints that Touched Me
May 26, 2009
By Brian Redmond "truthseeker" (Japan)
"Who Was Jesus? Fingerprints of the Christ" has touched me greatly, and with a healing touch at that. I have spent a lifetime trapped within the inconsistencies of institutionalized Christianity, with the consequent frustrations and attempts to rationalize the irrational that such a position entails. D.M. Murdock has freed me with this book. Gently, but irrefutably logically, by quoting impeccable sources, she shows that the basis of Christianity, the Four Gospels, are not inerrant, and not even history. This enlightenment has lifted a huge burden from my shoulders, and far from destroying my belief in Christ or God has strengthened my belief in both. Now I see that God, our maker, has never and can never be described in words, and that Christ, our Saviour, will always have to be ourselves doing what God wants, that is being decent people, and thus we will be saved, by God and by ourselves being the Sons and Daughters of God.
Brian Redmond, real name
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5.0 out of 5 stars The Case Against Christ
May 22, 2009
By A. Richins (Salem, OR United States)

Christian scholars have made careers being apologists for the Christian faith. This book reveals that they may in fact owe their readers an apology.
I think the title may mislead some. The book isn't about discovering who the real Jesus was, and it certainly has nothing to do with the Templar Knights or whether or not Jesus was married. It's a critical analysis of the gospels, and the dogmatic belief held by many Christians that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, which was written by eye witnesses.
The author, who is fluent in Ancient Greek herself, and an expert in ancient mythology, draws from the research of several biblical scholars, including Christian sources.
For being such a short, easy to read book, she does an incredible job and laying out both sides of the argument. I came away with a better understanding of exactly what source materials biblical scholars actually have to go on, and the methods by which they've approximated their dates.
No one will miss the point that Murdock doesn't believe the gospel accounts are history, but it's not presented in a rash or deliberately abrasive manner.
Though this book is a great resource for those who may choose to engage a fundamentalist Christian in a debate, I believe her target audience for this book was actually Christians. She avoids for example, attacking Christianity on the grounds that it proposes donkeys can talk, people can fly up into outer space, and that loving God will fry you for eternity for not believing he committed a human sacrifice to himself. But rather, she pose questions like, if zombies really rose from the dead and walked around town, why didn't anyone record it? If King Herod knew the precise location of the infant Jesus, why did he need to have every young male in Bethlehem killed? Why does Jesus suggest that men castrate themselves?
If you have a Christian friend of family member who tries to pressure you from time to time to convert to their faith, ask them to read this book in exchange for going to church with them a few times.
http://stellarhousepublishing.com/whowasjesus.html
If you haven't seen the great reviews by scholars and ministers there, do take a look!
Enjoy!
Acharya S/D.M. Murdock
Author, "The Christ Conspiracy," "Suns of God," "Who Was Jesus?," "Christ in Egypt" and "Jesus as the Sun"
http://TruthBeKnown.com
http://StellarHousePublishing.com
http://TBKNews.blogspot.com
http://FreethoughtNation.com
P.S. If you would like to see all of my books on one page at Amazon, check out this link -
http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3NDVVHER1AN9I



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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Is Jesus a Myth?

-----Original Message-----

From: Acharya S

Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 12:25 PM

To: Dispraxis

Subject: Is Jesus a Myth?



Hi there -



My new blog post tackles an unpopular but important issue in that so many millions are trying to bring off "Armageddon," as evidenced by the Bush-Rumsfeld debacle using biblical scriptures to incite American soldiers in Iraq.



http://TBKNews.blogspot.com/2009/05/is-jesus-myth.html



or



http://TBKNews.blogspot.com/



Although I deal with many subjects within the fascinating field of comparative religion and mythology, one of my major focuses is on the thesis that the biblical figure called "Jesus Christ" represents a mythological compilation of characters, including various Pagan gods and the awaited Jewish messiah(s)....



It is imperative that the human family not believe blindly in religious ideologies and stories but study scientifically the foundation of those religions, eventually discovering that many of the most important religious and spiritual concepts date back to the hoary mists of time and possess very human origins.



http://TBKNews.blogspot.com/2009/05/is-jesus-myth.html



Enjoy!



Acharya S/D.M. Murdock

Author, "The Christ Conspiracy," "Suns of God," "Who Was Jesus?," "Christ in Egypt" and "Jesus as the Sun"

http://TruthBeKnown.com

http://StellarHousePublishing.com

http://TBKNews.blogspot.com

http://FreethoughtNation.com

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On Atheist Nexus: Religion is Aberrant; Atheism is Truth

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

[Real World Atheism] Should Universal Health Care Cover Faith Healing?

Should Universal Health Care Cover Faith Healing?

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1897498,00.html

---excerpt---

Lobbying may be the one remaining recession-proof industry, and as Washington prepares for a summer-long debate over how to reform health care, lobbyists for every conceivable interest group have camped out in congressional anterooms to press their case. There are advocates for doctors, insurance companies, patients, nurses, pharmaceutical companies, big business and small business. And for faith healers too.

Of course, they wouldn't call themselves "faith healers." They argue that the term dismisses what they do as simple wishful thinking. But practitioners of Christian Science as well as other alternative therapies — including acupuncture, biofeedback, herbal medicine, holistic medicine and Reiki, a Japanese healing and relaxation technique — are intent on influencing the coming health-care-reform process. "We're advocates for people who want access to spiritual treatment," says Phil Davis, a Christian Science practitioner and his church's chief lobbyist. Their goal is to encourage Congress to think of health care as more than just medical care — and to allow insurance companies to provide coverage for their holistic treatments. (See the top 10 medical breakthroughs of 2008.)