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I’ve been meaning to post this for a while, and it’s time to stop procrastinating. Sloth is a sin, after all.
Kansas State University researchers did some number-crunching and mapped the distribution of the seven deadly sins. They used certain criteria to determine the geographic distribution of sin:
- Greed: Average incomes versus total inhabitants below the poverty line
- Envy: Total number of thefts (robbery, burglary, larceny, and stolen cars)
- Wrath: Total number of violent crimes (murder, assault and rape) per capita
- Lust: Sexually transmitted diseases per capita
- Gluttony: Number of fast-foot restaurants per capita
- Sloth: Expenditures on arts, entertainment and recreation versus rate of employment
- Pride: An aggregate of the six other sins
Kentucky avoids gluttony and sloth, but the map seems more like a reflection of wealth than virtue, especially with sloth. Poorer states are the least slothful by these criteria. Detroit is a hotbed for every sin except sloth and gluttony.
The conclusions make sense if you think about the locations and their history. But does that mean anything in a discussion of apparent righteousness? Should such a discussion even be held?
Here’s what we reported on today:
Here’s what we reported on today:
- Beshear Shuffles Top Staff
- Some Services Back At Sts. Mary and Elizabeth
- Barzun, Northup Win Full Senate Approval
- Kentucky Prison Costs Soar
- Main Library Moving Offices to Heyburn Building
- Churches, Grant Coming To Arena Site
- City Begins Marketing Campaign for Road Safety
- United Way Seeking, Providing Volunteers
On Saturday evening, a group of parishioners at the New Bethel Church will bring unloaded guns into the sanctuary and listen to lectures about the Second Amendment, firearms safety and responsible gun ownership.
At the same time, on the other end of the county, an interdenominational group of worshippers will bring picnic lunches to a rival event sponsored by the Interfaith Paths to Peace.
“It’s certainly okay for people to own guns,” says IPP Director Terry Taylor. “I’m not opposed to that. But the idea of, just at a symbolic level, of bringing guns into a sacred space seems troubling.”
New Bethel Pastor Ken Pagano says the congregation isn’t worshipping guns or using sidearms as some kind of holy tool. They’re celebrating the fact that they can carry guns, and Pagano says it just so happens that the only place they can do that is in their church.
“The ladies had a ladies fashion show here last month and they did it in the sanctuary because that’s part of the building and that’s the biggest space we have,” he told WFPL.
But with the murder of the controversial Dr. George Tiller in his church, Taylor isn’t sure that now is a good time for churches to celebrate weapons.
“With what we’ve been hearing in the news lately about troubles and shootings in churches and other places, the idea of bringing even unloaded guns into a public space seems to me to be kind of problematic,” he says.
But again, Pagano says there’s nothing to worry about. There will be security guards making sure each gun brought into New Bethel is unloaded.
“I have more to fear from the person driving down the highway from a person with a cell phone texting or twittering than I do from a responsible firearms owner,” he says.
It seems like the arguments aren’t quite on the same level. It’s not that one side is making the case better than the other, but Pagano is defending the “Open Carry Celebration” in the physical sense. He says the guns will be unloaded and attendees will be taught how to properly own and use a gun so that no one gets hurt. No one will be shot at New Bethel. Taylor is looking at the philosophical implications of bringing potentially deadly weapons to a place of worship.
Pagano says the celebration is just that, a celebration of the freedom his parishioners have not only to own guns, but to worship however they please. He and Taylor are both preaching responsibility. Pagano says it’s up to people to responsibly manage firearm ownership while Taylor is concerned about how responsible it is for a religious organization to celebrate the ability to possess weapons.
What both sides have in common is a respect of the other’s beliefs. Neither side said anything bad about the other, and on Saturday night, after the guns are holstered and the picnics devoured, Taylor and Pagano will meet and discuss their differences like two responsible adults.
Here’s what we reported on today:
- Mayor Meets With King On Budget Changes
- Beshear Applauds Lawmakers’ Work During Special Session
- Louisville’s Tim Krekel Dies At 58
- Harrods Creek Bridge Renovations Begin
- U-of-L Neurosurgery Residency Program Reaccredited
- Group Offers Alternative To ‘Open Carry’ Church Celebration
- Indiana Budget Talks Underway
- Slots Advocates Say They Won’t Give Up
- Special Session Winding Down In Frankfort
Here’s what we reported on today:
- Louisville Antique Mall To Close
- Kentucky House And Senate Must Reconcile Budget Plans
- Senate Panel Rejects Slots Bill
- Healthy Start Gets Continued Funding
- U of L Gets NIH Award For Autism Study
- Churchill Offers Mea Culpa After Shaky Night Racing Start
- Funeral Saturday For Former Councilman George Melton
- Hiring Begins For Census Jobs In Jeffersonville
- Horse Industry Reps Call For Slots Bill Approval
- SUP Continues Fight For Breslin
- KY Special Session To Resume; Williams Says Slots Bill Dead
- Indiana Preparing Hunting Database
- Final Budget Hearings Begin
- Southern Baptist Convention In Town This Week
Here’s what we reported on today. Also, don’t forget that you have until 6:30 to submit questions for David Sedaris.
- Proposal Would Use Slots Funds For School Construction Projects
- Bridges Bill Clears Kentucky House Panel
- Bunning “Not Suprised” Williams Won’t Oppose Him In 2010
- New KDP Executive Director Is On The Job
- Southeast U.S. Already Feeling Climate Change
- Slots Opponents Rally in Frankfort
- Council Begins Public Budget Hearings
- Beshear Urges Lawmakers To “Face Kentucky’s Challenges Head-On”
- Study Reviews “Faith-Based Initiatives”
The talk of the town right now is New Bethel Church, which is asking parishioners to bring (unloaded) sidearms to church on June 27th. It’s an Independence Day celebration of sorts, and the service will also include a raffle for a free gun. In addition to small firearms, attendees are encouraged to bring canned goods for the food closet.
What do you think about this? There are churches with beer communions and other unorthodox (no pun) practices, so is the celebration of legal firearms a protected religious freedom? If not, where do you draw the line? Given the recent violence in Wichita, is the invitation to bring a gun to church in bad taste?
