The Off Topic Topic

[celedhring]

Seems like Spain is pondering extending tax subsidies that the Catholic church enjoys to other religious faiths. About time. I would just kill them outright (the subsidies, not the Catholics!), but since that's still a non-starter at least pay some lip service to the "nonconfessional state" bit in the Spanish Constitution.

[Duque de Bragança]

Seems like Spain is pondering extending tax subsidies that the Catholic church enjoys to other religious faiths. About time. I would just kill them outright (the subsidies, not the Catholics!), but since that's still a non-starter at least pay some lip service to the "nonconfessional state" bit in the Spanish Constitution.

So the Catholic King is going to subsidise Islam? Fair enough, Franco would not have won against Bolsheviks and Anarchists if it were not for Moroccan Muslims.

[celedhring]

It's actually the evangelicals the ones that have been more vocal about this (they're still above Islam as Spain's #2 faith IIRC).

It has to be done. It flies on the face of freedom of religion the many advantages that Catholicism enjoys vs other faiths, in Spain.

[Duque de Bragança]

It does not have to be done. End all subsidies.
As for "evangelicals", lefties sure prefer to criticise them instead of Islam.
Evangelicals are annoying, but not dangerous, or at least not more than say Jehovah Witnesses.

[celedhring]

It does not have to be done. End all subsidies.

That's my position, but it's just not gonna happen in the near future. And equality is preferable to the current situation.

[grumbler]

http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/316498-uk-press-locked-out-of-white-house-over-birthdate-snafu

UK press locked out of White House over birthdate snafu

British journalists were apparently locked out of the White House on Friday amid confusion over the United Kingdom-style formats of their birthdates.

Unlike in the United States, where the month appears ahead of the day and year, most European dates are written with the day first, followed by the month and then year.

Several members of the press from across the pond tweeted about the apparent mixup, which came about an hour before British Prime Minister Theresa May was to appear at a White House press conference alongside President Trump.

There was no immediate word Friday afternoon whether the issue had been resolved.

These are journalists and they don't know how to enter birth dates on the forms they get in the US?  The ones that actually say "mm/dd/yy"?  They deserve to get locked out.  Buncha rubes.

[Duque de Bragança]

It does not have to be done. End all subsidies.

That's my position, but it's just not gonna happen in the near future. And equality is preferable to the current situation.

Then use austerity to end all subsidies. As for equality, given the peculiar ahem views of islamic bodies about apostasy and freedom of religion, they don't qualify for it.

[celedhring]

It does not have to be done. End all subsidies.

That's my position, but it's just not gonna happen in the near future. And equality is preferable to the current situation.

Then use austerity to end all subsidies. As for equality, given the peculiar ahem views of islamic bodies about apostasy and freedom of religion, they don't qualify for it.

Not gonna happen with the conservatives in power, they hoard the Catholic vote. Heck, it didn't even happen with socialists in power.

As for giving money to Islam, it's not like we have to be dumb about it. If we're gonna give them money it should be on our terms. Give it to the Spanish Muslim Commission, which is fairly moderate, and let them run with it. Right now Saudi Arabia has stepped into the void hosing money for Wahhabist mosques.

It's ultimately a matter of civil rights anyway. If Catholics get it, everybody should get it*.

*We even have a similar subsidy scheme for non-religious NGOs.

[Syt]

[Ed Anger]

I laughed.

[grumbler]

I laughed.

Yeah, that's an old joke, but it's actually funny as a visual.

[Syt]

A guest from Argentina brought these last week.

[celedhring]

GF says they are not as good as they used to be. She recommends Cachafaz.

Still, you prompted me to get a box today 

[derspiess]

Havannas are good.  Terrabusi and Cachafraz are better.  Hell, Jorgito is better as long as the package isn't all beat to hell.

If I'm getting Havanna, this is what I get:

[The Larch]

Mmm, alfajores...

All that dulce de leche is going straight to your belly, though.