The Blaſphemous Bicycler

Pure comedy genius. After a rough week (sinus infection and a dead car) this made me laugh.

Click the link if you don’t understand the pun.

In order to bring myself into compliance with mainstream American culture, I have erected a plastic replica of a pine tree in my living room.

Isn’t it lovely?

I have a bicycling Kermit-the-Frog ornament to let everyone know that I am a badass bicyclist.

Back in the old days, when Christmas was invented, and when people still believed in Jesus, they also believed in “Angels” (people with wings who could fly around in the sky). Nowadays, because of modern science and telescopes, we know that people who fly around in the sky are actually space aliens, so I have updated my tree-topper accordingly.

Happy Solstice, Saturnalia, Christmas, shopping!

I saw this one laying on a table at the bookstore, and the belligerence of the title kind of sucked me in. I kind of expected this to be one of those “I’m more Buddha than you” holier-than-thou sorts of books, but it really wasn’t.

Mostly, the Author is just making a case that acceptance of all four Dharma Seals are necessary and sufficient for someone to call himself a Buddhist.

He doesn’t belabor the point though, and most of the book just reads pretty much like any other introductory Buddhism book for a Western audience.

It’s not the Author’s fault, but I’ve read a few too many of those, and this one felt a little redundant.

I’d really like to find some books that delve a little deeper, without reading like textbooks for a graduate program in Buddhist Studies.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Anyhow, since I only accept three of the four Dharma Seals, I disagree with the whole premise of the book. I also find the title needlessly combative, so I give What Makes You Not A Buddhist only 2 Jihadis out of 5.

Evidently, if you invite a bunch of heathens to a Halloween party, they will all come dressed as clergy…

We all prayed really hard, and God send us and Angel!

Captain Morgan descended from the heavens, and there was much rejoicing.

I just finished another wonderful freebie from Manybooks.net.

I watched the movie version of this a long time ago, but never got around to reading the book.

It’s a really good book. There’s lots of interesting discussion of the differences between deities and men, and between men and animals.

There’s a particularly funny part where the narrator has to invent a religion, on the spot, to keep from being eaten by a mob of angry monsters.

Animals become men, men become animals, and all sorts of hell breaks lose.

I give The Island of Dr. Moreau 4 Jihadis out of 5