Libertarian Commentary #16-19C, By Nathan Barton

False religions are, of course, a dime a dozen and have been since not all that long after Adam and Eve got kicked out of the garden. Today, more than ever, we see the world infested with them.

New Religions: As Western Civilization (Euro-American Civilization) continues to rapidly deteriorate, there are many bizarre features. One of these is the development of new, alternative religions – or at least their rapid growth and domination of the lives and actions and pocketbooks of many people. Of course, many of these have been around for decades or even a century, but not in the form and with the preeminence which they have in 2016.

The first, of course, is sports, or should I say SPORTS? It, like so-called Christianity (and like Islam, whether they want to admit it or not) has many sects or denominations.

Here in the Fifty States, and especially in the State of Texas, “American” Football is by far the most popular of the new religions. Its adherents spent many hours a week (not just “in-season”) with its rituals, and shell out $billions each year. Part of that, in 2016, is in a small Texas city, which according to Fox News just had an election in which voters approved SIXTY-THREE MILLION DOLLARS to build a new HIGH SCHOOL football stadium for their town. Of course, by Pro standards, $63M is just a drop in the bucket. But for high school? Wow.

Europe, of course, and especially the United Kingdom, has a different sect dominant.  It is ALSO called “Football,” but Americans call it soccer (and its closely affiliated sub-sect “Rugby”). And their worship is often very different. MSN Sports reports that the Manchester United team bus was attacked before a game by a group of supporters of the opposing team, two people were injured, then went on to lose the game. Violence is very common among fans of football in Europe and the UK, of course, with riots in stadium and parking lot and nearby eating and drinking venues. This seems to have been an escalation of the usual scrums, though, with rocks being thrown in what seems to be a planned ambush. No word on whether Manchester United supported Brexit (LEAVE) or staying in the EU (REMAIN).

Old Religions: Of course, it is NOT just “new religions” that continue to suck in people and do horrific things (or have people do such things claiming religion as their reason). ALMOST foremost in today’s world is that death cult, Islam. The Blaze reports just how much of a death cult it has become. The Caliphate (Islamic State) has executed a seven-year-old for cursing. Incredible. Of course, they have long killed “christian” babies together with raping and killing their mothers and otherwise torturing and killing their fathers and siblings. But this was a Muslim child (Islam says that children of Muslim fathers are Muslim from the womb). As his parents watched, the religious judge convicted him and sentenced to death, and Caliphate warriors took the little boy out and shot him dead. Don’t know why they didn’t behead him – some aspect of Islamic theology I guess I don’t understand well enough.

Of course, there are those that disagree with my assessment of Islam as a death cult. The Blaze also reports that an Egyptian official says that the problem with radicalization in Islam isn’t the fault of Islam or Muslims, but the West is to blame. No, not the conquest and occupation of vast parts of the “Dar-al-Islam” (the Lands of Submission and Peace, the Ummah) by Western powers for the last two-plus centuries. Not the Crusades of Bush II and not the constant stream of drone attacks by the thug in the White House. Nope, the thing to blame for the rise of Radical Islam and the increasing violence in Muslim society, at least in Egypt, is Tom & Jerry. And not the drink: the CARTOON! Tom and Jerry create a mental attitude of violence and disobedience of authority and all sorts of other evil and awful things in the minds of Egyptian/Muslim children. (Maybe that is why the boy in the Caliphate was cussing?)

But successful and evil as the religion of peace, Islam, is, there is one more false religion even more evil and more successful.

Of course, it is one of the oldest religions, scarcely a new one – in fact, it long predates Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: the cult of the state. But we spend (right here in the Fifty States) an incredibly staggering amount. as CNS News reported. $1,914,650,000,000 was collected in FY 2016 so far in taxes – just shy of $2 TRILLION dollars: even at the current price of 1200 dollars per ounce of gold that is 1,531,720,000 ounces of gold: 52,516 TONS of the yellow stuff. And yet – AND YET! – the FedGov still spent $355 BILLION more than they collected. It is the greatest scam in world history. It developed as a revolt against God, and it is still that. It is a vile form of slavery, and part of its vile nature is that so many people are convinced it is GOOD.

Which makes this next story a commentary on a disgusting idea: we know that beer (and other alcohol products) have long tied their advertising and consumption of their products to these religions, both new and old; sports of all kinds. But now, Budweiser has discovered the advantages of advertising tied to an old religion: worship of the state. The Blaze reports that Budweiser beer is changing its name to “America” beer for the rest of the “Elect A New Massa” season, with quotes from the Constitution and all sorts of things. Just as vineyards in France and elsewhere in Europe tied their sales to the Roman Catholic Church for centuries, now the beer makers are tying it to the most successful of world religions today.

Mama’s Note: Just makes me laugh. I don’t see anything sinister in this frivolous rename, just another joke built on advertising and brand recognition. The beer and spirits industry have long been tied closely to the “state” in too many ways to make this remarkable. It will be interesting to see how their customers respond to it. Their product has deteriorated for some time now, and the name won’t change the watered down swill they’re selling. The only think I ever liked about Budweiser are the ads with the big horses and wagon… and since I don’t watch TV I miss most of those.