Tax Status of Reece's Church?

Based on how Greg wrote parts of this story there are many questions I have about the church's tax status:

"The Rev. H.L. Harvey Jr. stood at the pulpit of his Avondale church Sunday and introduced Vice Mayor Alicia Reece as 'qualified to run this city like no other mayor has ever run this city.'

After her speech launching her campaign for mayor, Harvey returned to the pulpit for a fund-raising plea. 'There is another candidate, from my understanding, who is rich, and he's getting help from other folks,' he said, referring to Councilman David Pepper. 'But we need to help our own.'

Church ushers handed out fund-raising envelopes for what Harvey called 'soft money' and 'seed money.'"

If ushers were passing around political fundraising materials in the church or on church property is that not a blatant violation of the law?

This kind of thing happens in many churches. It happens in fundamentalist churches with often more of a wink and smile, no so up front of an act.

This event was a fundraiser and did not know fundraiser could be held on property owned by non-profit entities. If they had not passed out fundraising materials, her making the announcement there would not have been a significant issue on the tax status question. The IRS should act. They should be reviewing or auditing the politically related actions of every church in the city and region. I wonder how many church membership listings were handed over to the Bush campaigns out in Mason and West Chester.

What Good Do GOP Congressmen Do?

If two Republican congressmen can't reward an area that went for Bush in huge numbers, then what good are they? Our region needs a new Bridge for I-75. This highway was built in part as a defense for invasion. How do we not get the funding? Throw some of your political capital around, Steve Chabot. The GOP owes your people big. I mean when you gin up people to fear gays and Muslims, you better gain something from it, especially something that the National Transportation System really needs to maintain.

Fringe Fest News

Here is a great update on the acts scheduled to appear at this years Fringe Festival. This diverse set of plays, music, dance, art, and comedy has grown quickly. This is just its second year and there are acts performing from Brooklyn, Minneapolis, Illinois, and even Hollywood, as well as many acts from all over Ohio and Kentucky. This year's event is in June. You can get full details at their website: www.cincyfringe.com.

Reece is Running

That makes three for Mayor. That clock is ticking for the GOP. Chris Smitherman is now supposed to tell us what he already decided about running for mayor. I wouldn't mind an email on that.

Hot Cincy

You can not get better press for a city then this AP feature story by Terry Kinny. The main focus is on the recent string of growth spurts by several local corporations. What comes is the sense, that yea, Cincinnati is a city with something to offer people. I think a great point comes from a Chiquita spokesman:

"It's a big enough city that there are plenty of cultural attractions and very good infrastructure, yet it's not too big to be overwhelming," said Chiquita spokesman Mike Mitchell, who moved from Phoenix three years ago.

There is plenty to do in this town. The people need to just get out and do it. The folks out in the suburbs need to hire a baby sitter and come downtown. Go to a club. Go to a show. Go out to dinner. Don't worry if you see a homeless guy or, heaven forbid, a non-white person waiting for a bus. They are not going to bite you. As long as you are not trying to buy drugs in OTR, you don't have to worry about gang violence.

I Meant to Do That

James C. Dietz, a man pushing his religious beliefs gets caught in the Intelligent Design is not religion lie. Now, the first level of lie or I shall just say rhetorical misrepresentation comes from the mention of his religious website: www.existentialrational.com. It is not so much a bible thumping site as it is just a philosophers take on why he is religious. His website reads like a text book philosophical argument on the existence of "God" (presumably the Christian God). For all I know he wrote a text on the subject. He uses the 'logical' tactics of emotion, presumption, perspective and circular reasoning to establish his views. Fine, I have no problem with that.

What he does though in his column is just sad. He tries to say that the basis for ID is not religious. This is where he is just either lying or fooling himself. He says:

I believe that most proponents of intelligent design accept the fact that biological organisms evolved and continue to evolve over time. The difference is that they have observed and accepted the evidence for sophisticated design parameters being introduced into the biological systems of all organisms. They believe that intelligent design parameters have been and, in limited ways, continue to be introduced into the evolution of biological organisms.

Now, first I disagree that most ID proponents believe in evolution as the original of human life. They make accept it for non-humans, but they don't like thinking they are related to apes.

Secondly, he is trying to scientific terms like "observed" and "evidence" and fails to inject his emotional assumptions and false presumptions. The concept of design is a human one. We see form, shape, and structures as something that can't happen unless someone made it. He also has arbitrarily determined what a "design" constitutes. He like sees something that happened and assumes, because he fits his religious beliefs, that what happened, how it looks, acts, and is structured must have been designed by someone for some purpose.

What he is doing is nothing different than if while tripped over my own feet, stumble, and manage to twirl in the air and land on the my feet and then claim, "I meant to do that."

ID is based on philosophy, so why Mr. Dietz is promoting it is not a surprise. The fact that he is pushing it is also another reason to support the fact that he is doing it for religious reasons. Why does he want it taught in Science class? It is not science. If he wants the concept discussed in philosophy class any time the origin of life is debated, then I say fine. Otherwise, no, keep philosophy out of science class.

Mr. Deitz might be surprised to know that there is far more to evolution than Darwin, but when you need a whipping boy, Chuck Darwin is the choice of all honest religious zealots.

I am getting a bit sick of this topic though. Why is the editorial page pushing this issue? I think in the last few months they have had at least 5 if not more guest columns or editorials on ID/creationism and or evolution. The issue is only fodder for religious extremists. Either someone on the Enquirer Editorial Board is fundamentalist/evangelical Young Earth bible thumper, or they view that Demographic as a hot desired market they need to cater towards.

UPDATE: Also, big reason why ID is religious takes form with the concept of a supernatural entity required to have the 'power' to design life. If you believe in ID you believe in a religious concept. It may not jive directly with the various sects of Christianity, but it is religious. Belief in a supernatural creator is one of the definitions of a religion.

Cunningham's Mouth, Yet Again

Local media whore Willie Cunningham has has once again said something stupid on national television. Tom Tomorrow's description of Willie as a "a second- or third-tier radio guy" is something I am sure will do nothing to hold back the self constructed ego of the scourge of Cincinnati airwaves.