Food Activist's Life Becomes The Life of Brian 165
krou writes "After food activist and author Raj Patel appeared on The Colbert Report to promote his latest book, things seemed to be going well, until he began to get inundated with emails asking if he was 'the world teacher.' In events ripped straight from The Life of Brian, it would seem that Raj Patel's life story ticks all the boxes necessary to fulfill prophecies made by Benjamin Creme, founder of religious sect Share International. After the volume of emails and inquiries got worse, Patel eventually wrote a message on his website stating categorically that he was not the Messiah. Sure enough, 'his denial merely fanned the flames for some believers. In a twist ripped straight from the script of the comedy classic, they said that this disavowal, too, had been prophesied.'"
Photos on Slashdot. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Here come the quotes... (Score:1, Insightful)
Monsanto's gonna make a scarecrow out of him, nailing him up in their cornfields.
Re:A Question Is Answered (Score:3, Insightful)
That does not prevent the idolizing of politicians, individually or as a party.
President or party Messiah anyone?
It does not prevent the abuse of the state, just warranties that state has a monopoly on certain kids of abuse.
School teachers accused of pederasty with immunity of prosecution anyone?
Not that I don't support "the separation between church and state. Is like separating good and evil." (That comes form a cartoon of wizard of Id, and cannot help but quote it here).
Who says he ain't a religious leader? (Score:4, Insightful)
He is promoting rules of how you should eat, a dietary law if you will. If he tells us how to run our sex lives and wears a funny hat, case closed.
"Since God has given us the Papacy, ..." (Score:3, Insightful)
I was thinking more like Pope Leo X, [wikipedia.org] who famously said: "Since God has given us the Papacy, let us enjoy it."
He was a fun loving guy, gave tons of money away to the sick and to the poor, loved the arts and people of learning. He restored universities, gave more money to teachers, and on and on.
There's a lot of negative things that could be said about him, but for some reason I have a difficult time calling them to mind.
Raj Patel might want to consult the wisdom of Winston, [google.com] after having consulted the wisdom of Brian.
Re:A Question Is Answered (Score:4, Insightful)
Those are all nice quotes, but unfortunately about as likely to affect current opinion as:
"Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!" -- George Washington in a note to his gardener
Re:Who says he ain't a religious leader? (Score:3, Insightful)
The absolutely critical question is how he feels about spaghetti and meatballs.
Re:A Question Is Answered (Score:3, Insightful)
And yet most US politicians seem to need to at least pretend to believe in god to be elected.
Re:Funny you should mention that... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Funny you should mention that... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Funny you should mention that... (Score:5, Insightful)
Ah, you don't mind atheists, as long as we shut up and let you get on with implementing your superstitious agenda for society, eh? Personally, I rather like a culture where, for instance, I can draw whatever cartoons I like, regardless of what your sacred traditions might say to the contrary. I like living in a culture where I can readily obtain contraceptives, regardless of how terribly sinful the Pope might think they are - and then proceed to use them with the consenting adult partner of my choice, whether or not I have gone through any kind of ritual or ceremony beforehand. In general I'm perfectly happy as long as Catholics and Muslims and the rest of them unobtrusively go about their business, but I am terribly offended whenever they try to impose their own peculiar rules on the rest of us. Offended, yes, and insulted.
So I'll happily go about my own business and never mention anything about whether there's a god or not, as long as you all do the same. Keep your superstitions to yourselves and you'll hear no quarrel from me.