Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Rod Blagojevich

2009-01-12T03:14:03Z

BWatson:

[[Image:Blagojevich with Emanuel.jpg|200px|thumb|Blagojevich with Rahm Emanuel]]
'''Rod R. Blagojevich''', a Democrat, is the current and 40th [[governor]] of the state of [[Illinois]]. He was born on December 10, 1956, in [[Chicago]]. Before being elected as [[governor]], Blagojevich served as Cook County Assistant State's Attorney and then Representative for Illinois' 5th District in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] (elected in 1996)<ref>http://www.illinois.gov/gov/bio.cfm</ref>.

On December 9th, 2008, Mr. Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges for attempting to sell the recently vacated [[United States Senate|U. S. Senate]] seat of [[Barack Obama]]. <ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_on_re_us/blagojevich_corruption_probe</ref> Liberal media outlets were disproportionately quick in pointing out that President-elect Obama had no involvement in the scandal, despite clear evidence being available to the contrary <ref>http://flapsblog.com/2008/12/15/why-is-barack-obama-lying-about-contact-with-hot-rod-blagojevich-part-3/</ref> including photos of the two together while the governor was trying to sell Obama's seat <ref>http://www.flickr.com/photos/fullosseousflap/3100630034/</ref>.

This also brings out the question of the Chicago "Meat Grinder" politics, as this could influence Barack Obama to the core.

The connection between Blagojevich and Rahm Emanuel is even more condemning. Emanuel has not commented on any connections with Blagojevich<ref>CNN News</ref>. There are two separate conversations of Emanuel talking with Blagojevich.

On January 9th, 2009, Gov. Blagojevich was impeached by Illinois House of Delegates. He will go to trial before the Illinois State Senate, and if two-thirds of its members vote to convict him, Blagojevich will be removed from office.

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blagojevich, Rod}}

[[Category:Illinois Governors]]

Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal

2009-01-12T03:00:42Z

BWatson:

The '''Nuremberg Trials''' were a series of 13 trials held in [[Nuremburg]], [[Germany]] from 1945-1949. They tried German [[Nazi]] leaders, and accused them of deliberately starting an aggressive war ([[World War II]]), along with such crimes as murder, enslavement, etc. These trials were a new development in international law. War criminals have been tried one way or another ever since war began. But at Nuremberg, for the first time, the leaders of a government were held on trial for starting an aggressive war.

The U.S. Army's [[Office of Strategic Services]] (OSS) Central European Section of the Research and Analysis Branch prepared a 91-page report entitled ''Persecution of the Christian Churches'' <ref>R&A Report 3114.4 (draft for war crimes staff, dated 6th July 1945)</ref> which contributed to the recognition that the [[Christian]] Churches were amongst the early victims of Nazi war criminality. The report describes "Nazi purposes, policies and methods of persecution of the Christian Churches in Germany and occupied Europe." Throughout the period of National Socialist rule, the Nazis employed a combination of ‘lawful’ and criminal devices to persecute the Churches in a cynically opportunistic manner. The various Christian Churches were systematically cut off from effective communication with the people. They were confined as far as possible to the performance of narrowly religious functions accompanied partly by legal and partly by illegal and terroristic means.

To establish criminal responsibility in connection with the persecution it was sufficient to show that the measures taken against the Christian Churches were an integral part of the National Socialist scheme of world conquest. From the start, the report argues that, unlike other civil liberty provisions, the key articles of the pre-Nazi [[Weimar constitution]], Articles, 135-140 and 149, <ref>[http://www.zum.de/psm/weimar/weimar_vve.php#Third%20Chapter%20:%20Religion%20and%20Religious%20Communities Weimar Constitution-Religion and Religious Communities]</ref>, "were never formally abrogated by the National Socialist regime, … were left untouched and still remain theoretically in force" and further "respect for the principle of religious freedom", continued to be reiterated in various official policy statements and in various "enactments of the National Socialist state". "To demonstrate the illegality of specific acts of persecution, it is sufficient to show that they were in violation of these legal provisions." In other words, the report argues that because the persistence of legal norms "[[immanent]]" to the German tradition of criminal law, there was no need to resort to ''ex post facto'' laws.

==Principal defendants==
*[[Hermann Goering]]
*[[Rudolf Hess]]
*[[Joachim von Ribbentrop]]
*[[Ernst Kaltenbrunner]]
*[[Wilhelm Keitel]]
*[[Alfred Jodl]]
*[[Alfred Rosenberg]]
*[[Julius Streicher]]
*[[Hans Frank]]
*[[Wilhelm Frick]]
*[[Karl Doenitz]]
*[[Erich Raeder]]
*[[Baldur von Schirach]]
*[[Fritz Sauckel]]
*[[Albert Speer]]
*[[Walther Funk]]
*[[Arthur Seyss-Inquart]]
*[[Konstantin von Neurath]]
*[[Hans Fritzsche]] (acquitted)
*[[Franz von Papen]] (acquitted)
*[[Hjalmar Schacht]] (acquitted)
*[[Martin Bormann]] (tried ''in absentia'')

== Controversy ==
Many critics of the trials have claimed that they were conducted by a kangaroo court and that the confessions of the defendants were extracted through torture. Reputable sources refute these claims out-of-hand, as they are often propagated by Holocaust deniers.

==See also==
*[[Franz Leopold Neumann]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*Claire Hulme & Dr. Michael Salter, [http://www-camlaw.rutgers.edu/publications/law-religion/articles/RJLR_3_1_2.pdf ''The Nazi's Persecution as a War Crime: The OSS Response Within the Nuremeberg Trial's Process''], Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion, n.d.

[[Category:World War II]]
[[Category:Genocide]]

September 11, 2001 attacks

2009-01-12T02:41:47Z

BWatson:

[[Image:National Park Service 9-11 Statue of Liberty and WTC fire.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
The '''Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001''' were the deadliest to ever occur on [[United States of America|US]] soil and had far reaching effects on both [[foreign policy|foreign]] and [[domestic policy]].
The coordinated attacks by [[al Qaeda]] affiliated [[Islam|Islamic]] extremists saw three transcontinental airliners strike the [[World Trade Center]] towers (buildings 1 and 2) in [[New York City]], NY and the [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] outside of [[Washington, D.C.]] within one hour of each other. The attacks succeeded in destroying both World Trade Center towers as well as a third building in the complex and significantly damaged the Pentagon (though the Pentagon was still able to function). A fourth airliner crashed in a field in Shanksville, [[Pennsylvania|PA]], failing to reach its objective.
[[Image:Sep 11 2001.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
The events of the day are often referred to simply as "September 11th" or "nine-eleven" (often written as "9/11").

==The Attacks==
[[Image:9-11.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]


*8:46 a.m. EDT - American Airlines Flight 11 (Boeing 767-200) crashed into the 94-98th floors of the North Tower of the World Trade Center (WTC 1).
**Casualties - 11 crew, 81 passengers.

*9:02 a.m. EDT - United Airlines Flight 175 (Boeing 767-200) crashed into the 78-85th floors of the South Tower (WTC 2)
**Casualties - 9 crew, 56 passengers.

*9:37 a.m. EDT - American Airlines Flight 77 (Boeing 757-200) crashed into the Pentagon.
**Casualties - 6 crew, 58 passengers.

*10:03 a.m. EDT - United Airlines Flight 93 (Boeing 757-200) crashed in a field outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
**Casualties - 7 crew, 38 passengers.

*10:05 AM - The WTC 2 (South Tower) collapses.

*10:10 AM - An external portion of the Pentagon collapses.

*10:28 AM - The WTC 1 (North Tower) collapses.

*4:10 PM - World Trade Center Building 7 is reported to be on fire.

*5:20 PM - World Trade Center Building 7 collapses.

===Ground Casualties===
[[Image:393px-WTC-remnant highres.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Remains of the South Tower, September 13, 2001.]]
The total loss of life is constantly being reevaluated to account for wrongly reported missing persons and, in some cases, occurrences of fraud. Estimates of more than 6,000 deaths were announced following the attacks. The current estimate is 2,996 fatalities as a direct result of the attacks. About 500 foreign nationals from over 90 countries are believed to have died in the attack.<ref> [http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/10/29/wtc.deaths/ "New York Reduces 9/11 Death Toll by 40"] at CNN.com, Phil Hirschkorn, 10/29/03</ref>

The Department of Defense reported the deaths of 125 people at The Pentagon. The aftermath of the World Trade Center towers collapsing created a good deal of confusion and has been the main source of discrepancies in casualty estimates. As of October 29, 2003, New York City reported 2605 deaths in the attacks, not counting the passengers and crew of the planes. <ref> [http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/10/29/wtc.deaths/ "New York Reduces 9/11 Death Toll by 40"] at CNN.com, Phil Hirschkorn, 10/29/03</ref>

As a matter of course, the deaths of the 19 [[suicide|hijackers]] are not included in these casualty totals.
==Economic Impact==

The material costs of the attacks are well in excess of one hundred billion US dollars. Factoring in stock market losses, loss of revenue in New York City, loss of jobs, impact on air travel, and heightened security, some estimate the cost approaches two trillion dollars.<ref>[http://www.iags.org/costof911.html The Cost of September 11] Institute for the Analysis of Global Security</ref>

Some estimates of the cost of executing the plan place it in the $400,000-$500,000 range, making it an extremely "profitable" operation for al-Qaeda. <ref>[http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Exec.htm The 9/11 Commission Report]</ref>

==Finding Out What Happened==

The perpetrators of the attacks were soon identified as members of the al Qaeda terrorist organization headed by [[Osama Bin Laden|Osama bin Laden]], who proudly took credit for killing thousands of innocent people. Explanations of the motives for the attack vary widely. Bin Laden viewed it as a [[Jihad]] against the West, blaming America's foreign policy towards Israel, sanctions against Iraq for its role in invading Kuwait and forcing it to pay back the damaged parties, and American troops in Saudi Arabia at the request of the Saudi government. From the viewpoint of the American leaders, Bin Laden was embittered against a society with freedom of speech, freedom of government, and freedom of religion and that those philosophies had led the United States to become the richest nation on the planet.

==Social Impacts==

Following the attacks there was a strong surge of patriotism in virtually all facets of American society. The government, being aware that the most deadly attack ever on American soil could stir up animosity against the ethnic or religious group of the perpetrators, went out of its way along with the media to separate Islam from the actions taken by its more radical adherents, referring to it at multiple times as a "religion of love". While people of Middle Eastern decent and adherents of Islam were concerned at first, the overall effect of hostility towards these groups was barely noticeable. Although there were literally millions of Muslims in America out of a total population of 300 million who could have sought out reprisals, in an entire year less than 500 cases of aggression of verbal hostility were reported.

==Consequences of the Attacks on US Policy==
===Domestic Policy===

The attacks were a direct or indirect cause of massive changes in United States domestic policy. Most notably, the ''Homeland Security Act of 2002'' "established a [[Department of Homeland Security]], as an executive department of the United States" <ref>[http://www.whitehouse.gov/deptofhomeland/bill/hsl-bill.pdf H.R. 5005 The Homeland Security Act]</ref>, a cabinet level position. One of the tools implemented by the Department is the [[Homeland Security Advisory System]], a color coded advisory system meant to "establish a comprehensive and effective means to disseminate information regarding the risk of terrorist acts to Federal, State, and local authorities and to the American people." <ref>[http://www.dhs.gov/xinfoshare/laws/ DHS Laws and Regulations] Department of Homeland Security</ref>

Another notable result of the attacks was the ''[[USA PATRIOT Act|USA PATRIOT Act of 2001]]'' ('''U'''niting and '''S'''trengthening '''A'''merica by '''P'''roviding '''A'''ppropriate '''T'''ools '''R'''equired to '''I'''ntercept and '''O'''bstruct '''T'''errorism). The act was written to expand the authority of law enforcement and the justice system in the pursuit of terrorism suspects.<ref>[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c107:H.R.3162.ENR: ''The USA PATRIOT Act''] Library of Congress</ref>

===Foreign Policy===

In response to the attacks, the United States declared a [[War on Terror]], which comprises United States military action in [[Afghanistan]] and [[Iraq]] as well as a significant increase in intelligence gathering and a new outlook on foreign relations.

==Conspiracy Theories==

Many conspiracy theories <ref>[http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061002/alterman Lying About 9/11? Easy as [[ABC]]], Eric Alterman, ''The Nation'', September 14, 2006 (October 2, 2006 issue). </ref> have sprouted up from the events of September 11, 2001, including the "Loose Change" movies seen on YouTube. While compelling, these movies have been comprehensively disproven by independent experts <ref>[http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/1227842.html "Debunking The 9/11 Myths"] ''Popular Mechanics'', Mar. 2005 Cover Story</ref>. Some theorists have gone so far as to accuse our president, [[George W. Bush]] of treason in advancing their conspiracy theories. Prominent endorsers of such theories include [[liberal]], [[lesbian]] talk show host [[Rosie O'Donnell]] as well as known-philanderer and actor [[Charlie Sheen]]. A third of the American public has bought into the idea of some sort of role by federal officials. This view is much more common among those who get their news solely from the internet and is rare for those who read newspapers or watch the news on regular television. "Members of racial and ethnic minorities, people with only a high school education and Democrats were especially likely to suspect federal involvement in 9/11"<ref>http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=CONSPIRACY-08-02-06</ref>

==Sources==
*[http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report.pdf The 9/11 Commission Report]
*[http://wtc.nist.gov/NISTNCSTAR1CollapseofTowers.pdf Final Report on the Collapse of the World Trade Center Towers], [[National Institute of Standards and Technology|NIST]].
*[http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/11/chronology.attack/index.html September 11: Chronology of Terror] at CNN.com
*[http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/penttbom/penttbomb.htm Federal Bureau of Investigations PENTTBOM Press Release]
*[http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/trade.center/victims/main.html Lists of Victims] at CNN.com

==Additional Information==
*[http://www.archive.org/details/sept_11_tv_archive The Internet Archive's file of ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, and BBC broadcasts for Sept 11-13, 2001]
*[http://www.televisionarchive.org/ Television Archive of news broadcasts for 9/11]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[category:United States History]]
[[Category:Riots and terrorist incidents in the United States]]

John Roberts

2009-01-12T02:38:17Z

BWatson: Removing confusing statement. Might just be me. Discuss?

[[Image:Rootw.jpg|right]]
'''John Roberts''' (1955- ) is the 17th and current Chief Justice of the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] (2005-). He was appointed by [[President]] [[George W. Bush]] to replace [[William Rehnquist]] as Chief Justice, after having served on the Court of Appeals for the [[D.C. Circuit]].

Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] is known best for building a consensus, and writing opinions to maximize support by fellow Justices. While other Justices often cite their own prior opinions, Chief Justice Roberts is a master at citing the decisions of fellow Justices to win their support for his opinion.

==Career==

==Confirmation process==
With the death of Chief Justice [[William Rehnquist]] in 2005, President Bush withdrew Roberts' nomination for associate justice to replace Sandra Day O'Connor and renominated him for chief justice, with only a slight delay in his confirmation hearings to allow for Rehnquist's funeral services. The nomination was first considered by the 18-member Senate Judiciary Committee. On September 22, the committee voted 13-5 to send Roberts' confirmation to the full Senate, winning the support of Judiciary Committee Chairman [[Arlen Specter]] (R-Pennsylvania), and ranking minority member [[Patrick Leahy]] (D-Vermont). On September 29, Roberts was confirmed by the full Senate by a vote of 78-22. Hours after confirmation, he was sworn in by the senior associate justice, [[John Paul Stevens]] at the White House.

==United States Supreme Court==
In his first two years on the [[U.S. Supreme Court]], Chief Justice Roberts has written only 24 opinions, mostly on uncontroversial or simple topics. In his first year he sought unanimity in his decisions, leading him to dilute the strength of his opinions to satisfy everyone. For example, Chief Justice Roberts obtained unanimity on a controversial Solomon Amendment opinion by stretching to satisfy protesters against military recruiters:<ref>126 S. Ct. 1297, 1307 (2006).</ref>

:The Solomon Amendment neither limits what law schools may say nor requires them to say anything. Law schools remain free under the statute to express whatever views they may have on the military's congressionally mandated employment policy, all the while retaining eligibility for federal funds. See Tr. of Oral Arg. 25 (Solicitor General acknowledging that law schools "could put signs on the bulletin board next to the door, they could engage in speech, they could help organize student protests"). As a general matter, the Solomon Amendment regulates conduct, not speech. It affects what law schools must do--afford equal access to military recruiters--not what they may or may not say.

Similarly, in the campaign finance case, Roberts invalidated the restriction at issue but avoided establishing a bright-line rule in favor of political [[free speech]].<ref>FEC v. Wis. Right to Life, Inc., 127 S. Ct. 2652 (2007).</ref>

== Record as an Appellate Judge ==

Chief Justice John Roberts served only briefly as a judge on the Court of Appeals for the [[D.C. Circuit]] before being nominated and confirmed for the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] (he was originally nominated in 1992 for the Court of Appeals by the first President Bush, but the Senate controlled by the Democrats at the time did not allow a vote on his nomination). In one important dissent, then-Judge Roberts declared that "a facial challenge can succeed only if there are no circumstances in which the Act at issue can be applied without violating the" Constitution. ''Rancho Viejo, LLC v. Norton'', 334 F.3d 1158, 1160 (D.C. Cir. 2003), ''cert. denied'', 541 U.S. 1006 (2004).
[[Image:Roberts-Newsweek.jpg|thumb|310px|left]]
==Health Problems==
Justice Roberts suffered a seizure on July 30th 2007 while at his vacation home in Port Clyde, [[Maine]] on Hupper Island. As a result of the seizure he fell five to ten feet but suffered only minor scrapes. The fall occurred on a dock near his house and he was taken by private boat to the mainland. Doctors called the incident a benign idiopathic seizure which means there was no obvious physiological cause. Roberts suffered a similar seizure in 1993.
== References ==

<references/>

{{USChiefJustices}}
{{DEFAULTSORT: Roberts, John}}
[[category:United States Supreme Court Justices]] [[Category:United States Chief Justices]]

First Amendment

2009-01-12T02:18:26Z

BWatson:

The First Amendment to the [[Constitution]] of the [[United States of America]] says:

:[[Congress]] shall make no law respecting an establishment of [[religion]], or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the [[freedom of speech]], or of the [[press]]; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the [[government]] for a redress of grievances.

This is generally taken as a limitation on the power of the federal goverment with respect to:
#[[freedom of religion]]
#[[free speech]]
#[[freedom of the press]]
#[[peaceful assembly]]
#[[political activism]]

== Conservative Interpretation ==
Liberals often focus on the so-called "[[establishment clause]]", in noting that the federal government cannot endorse or establish a religion. However, liberals often overlook the clause explicitly allowing for the free exercise of religion. Conservatives argue that this clause can be interpreted to allow much more leeway to the majority of religious Americans than liberals currently allow.

{{US amendments}}

== Liberal Violations ==
American [[liberals]] have attempted to use the so-called [[Fairness Doctrine]] and political correctness in order to silence conservative viewpoints. These ideologically-motivated attempts to limit free speech are in direct violation of the First Amendment, specifically, and, by extension, the entire U.S. [[Constitution]].

[[Category:United States Constitution]]

Undercover Muslim

2009-01-12T02:12:54Z

BWatson:

An '''undercover Muslim''' is an adherent to the [[Islam]]ic faith who attempts to conceal his faith once it becomes beneficial to himself professionally or politically. United States president-elect [[Barack Hussein Obama]] is widely considered to be an undercover Muslim.

[[Category: Muslims]]

Scientism

2009-01-12T02:06:08Z

BWatson:

'''Scientism''' is the belief that the [[scientific method]] has no (or few) limits and can successfully be applied to almost all domains and provides an explanation for everything. It is also used to refer to the idea that others worship [[science]] and its results.<ref>Ashgate Science and Religion Series</ref> Followers of scientism are directly responsible for the evolutionary ideas which encouraged Hitler's Nazi Holocaust and many, especially [[Richard Dawkins]], advance the [[atheistic agenda]] even in spite of overwhelming evidence supporting [[creationism]] and the existence of [[God]].

== Reference ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scientism Scientism] (Merriam Webster Online Dictionary).
* [http://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/gengloss/sciism-body.html Scientism] (American Public Broadcasting Service).
* [http://www.philosophyetc.net/2007/08/scientism.html Scientism] (Philosophy, etc.)

[[category:religion]]
[[category:science]]

Conspiracy theory

2009-01-12T01:53:44Z

BWatson: Removed claim that paleontology is not a conspiracy.

A '''conspiracy theory''' is a belief that the official report on a major event is inaccurate or blatantly false in order to cover up an unattractive occurrence. Generally, conspiracy theories are dismissed by the public as nonsense. Some of the most notable are:

*FDR knowing about the [[Attack on Pearl Harbor]] in advance and encouraging it so America could get in the war; that officers ignored evidence that the attack had started
*The theory that the [[Apollo 11]] lunar landing, commanded by Neil Armstrong, On July 20, 1969 was fake.
*Various [[9/11 conspiracy theories]].
*The [[JFK]] assassination conspiracy theory.
*The [[George W. Bush]] presidential campaign conspired to rig the election in 2000.
*The [[Vast right-wing conspiracy theory]] of [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]].
*The theory that a [[neocon]] [[cabal]] controls the [[George W. Bush|Bush Administration]] and is responsible for the [[War in Iraq]].
*The [[Jews]] are [[Anti-Semitism|conspiring to destroy civilization]]. (Very popular theory in [[Europe]] from the [[Middle Ages]] on, seems to have lost a lot of currency outside the [[Middle East]] since the [[Holocaust]].)<ref>[http://newint.org/features/2004/10/01/conspiracism/ "ZOG Ate My Brains"]</ref>
*The theory that the Iraq War was started by [[Big Oil]] in order to gain access to cheap [[petroleum]].

==Common elements of Conspiracy Theories==
Who's blamed for everything may change, but most destructive conspiracy theories believe the same things:

* The world is divided into 'Us' and 'Them'. We're GOOD, They are EVIL.
* Our opponents are evil and subversive... possibly not even human.
* "They" are causing '''all''' our troubles – WE are blameless and without fault.
* Time is running out and we must act immediately to avoid disaster!
<ref>[http://newint.org/features/2004/10/01/conspiracism/ "ZOG Ate My Brains", again]</ref>

Conspiracy theories provide an important element of certainty in a world that seems random and perverse. Believing that a small, evil group controls everything is actually more reassuring to some minds than believing [[Coincidence theory|things just happen by random circumstance]].

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Conspiracy Theory]]
[[Category:Terms]]

Michael Moore

2009-01-12T01:49:38Z

BWatson:

[[Image:Michael-Moore.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
'''Michael Moore''' (born April 23, 1954) is a [[liberal|left wing]], admitted [[socialist]] filmmaker and [[conspiracy theorist]]. Moore is critical of the US government, as can be seen in his reply to the question "You do not seem to like the U.S., do you?":
{{cquote|I like America to some extent. … Americans are simple and clear. They are charming people. You will understand how good an individual American is. What I am not satisfied with America is that the nation cannot control the government and economy. Only a handful of people have the power to control the country.<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=32174</ref>}}

==Manufacturing consent==
He is a hero in [[liberal]] Hollywood and to booksellers who tend to agree with his politics. Moore's films and commentaries are often based on themes of alleged "capitalist" greed. Though a multi-millionaire, Moore frequently appears on television and in photos dressed like blue-collar workers with whom he attempts to identify.

Moore produced a movie portraying President [[George W. Bush]] as part of a massive conspiracy, named ''Fahrenheit 9/11''. The contents of the film were systematically shown to be untrue, maliciously edited, and bordering on treasonous by an independent study <ref>http://www.davekopel.org/terror/59Deceits.pdf</ref>.

Moore was the producer and host of the television series "The Awful Truth," which was typified by a type of sketch-comedy activism that was often directed against large corporations and government agencies.

Moore's movie "Bowling for Columbine", which used the Columbine school massacre as a starting point, won the Acadamy Award for Best Documentary. Some of his other work includes the anti-corporate film ''Roger and Me'' and the books ''Dude, Where's my Country'', ''Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American'' and ''Stupid White Men''.

Moore also directed the anti-war music video for "Boom!" by [[System of a Down]], which was released to coincide with the beginning of the [[Iraq war]].

His production company which produces feature documentary-style films is Michael Moore Films.<ref>http://www.michaelmoore.com/</ref>

Michael Moore was the subject of the 2004 documentaries ''Michael Moore Hates America''<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411646/</ref>, ''Fahrenhype 9/11''<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427228/</ref> and the 2007 documentary ''Manufacturing Dissent''.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0961117/</ref> He was also the subject of books including ''Michael Moore Is a Big Fat Stupid White Man'' by David T. Hardy and Jason Clarke<ref>http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Moore-Big-Stupid-White/dp/0060779608/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-2466588-5816760?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174624100&sr=1-1</ref> and ''Forgive Us Our Spins: Michael Moore and the Future of the Left'' by Jesse Larner.<ref>http://www.amazon.com/Forgive-Us-Our-Spins-Michael/dp/047179306X/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-2466588-5816760?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174623950&sr=8-1</ref>
[[Image:Moore html.jpg|right|thumb|Michael Moore, ranting|175px]]

== Sicko ==
In his comedy documentary, ''[[Sicko]]'', Michael Moore claimed that the American health care system was a failure (a complete [[liberal]] fabrication), and praised that of the socialist nations of [[Canada]], [[United Kingdom|Britain]], and [[France]], as well as that of the oppressive communist regime of [[Fidel Castro]] in [[Cuba]]. Sicko was released in late June 2007. In this documentary, Moore argues for a nationalized health care system, citing the supposed positive effects from the health care systems of the aforementioned countries, and the supposed negative effects stemming from the health care system of the United States. <ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386032/</ref><ref>http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/about/synopsis/</ref> Sicko received much criticism for dishonestly ignoring the problems with, in particular, the British national health service <ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/minette_marrin/article2753620.ece</ref>

==Criticisms of Sicko==

Kurt Loder of [[MTV|MTV news]] alleged:

<blockquote>"Michael Moore may see himself as working in the tradition of such crusading muckrakers of the last century as Lincoln Steffens, Ida Tarbell and Upton Sinclair — writers whose dedication to exposing corruption and social injustices played a part in sparking much-needed reforms. In his new movie, "Sicko," Moore focuses on the U.S. health-care industry — a juicy target — and he casts a shocking light on some of the people it's failed.<br>

Unfortunately, Moore is also suspected of being selective with the truth, and never more so than in this film. His cherry-picked facts, manipulative interviews (with lingering close-ups of distraught people breaking down in tears) and blithe assertions (how does he know 18,000* people will die this year because they have no health insurance?) are so stacked that you can feel his whole argument sliding sideways as the picture unspools. The American health-care system is in urgent need of reform, no question. Some 47 million people are uninsured (although many are only temporarily so, being either in-between jobs or young enough not to feel a pressing need to buy health insurance). There are a number of proposals as to what might be done to correct this situation. Moore has no use for any of them, save one.<br>

As a proud socialist, the director appears to feel that there are few problems in life that can't be solved by government regulation (that would be the same government that's already given us the U.S. Postal Service and the Department of Motor Vehicles). In the case of health care, though, Americans have never been keen on socialized medicine. <ref>http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1563758/story.jhtml</ref>
</blockquote>

==Earnings==
Michael Moore's films have grossed worldwide in excess of $200,000,000.00. A breakdown for just the [[United States of America]] is below.

{| style="background:white" border="1" class="wikitable"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center"|Michael Moore's Gross US box office film earnings<ref>[http://www.the-numbers.com/people/directors/MIMOO.php The Numbers]</ref><ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386032/business</ref>
|-
! Film
! U.S. Gross $
|-
| Roger & Me
|style="text-align:right"| $6,706,368
|-
| Canadian Bacon
|style="text-align:right"| $178,104
|-
| The Big One
|style="text-align:right"| $720,074
|-
| Bowling for Columbine
|style="text-align:right"| $21,576,018
|-
| Fahrenheit 9/11
|style="text-align:right"| $119,114,517
|-
| Sicko
|style="text-align:right"| $24,540,079
|-
| '''TOTAL'''
|style="text-align:right"| '''$172,835,160'''
|}

==Treasury investigation==
According to ''Reuters'' in June 2007, Moore is reported to have hidden assets in Canada in reaction to an official investigation. Moore was operating offshore in Cuba allegedly as a "journalistic endeavor." The United States Treasury Department does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations. <ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1119539820070613 Moore fears film seizure after Cuba trip], Michelle Nichols, ''Reuters'', June 12, 2007. </ref>

==Criticism==
'''[[Christopher Hitchens]]''' said of Fahrenheit 9/11, and Moore's work:
{{Cquote|To describe this film as dishonest and demagogic would be to promote those terms to the level of respectability. To describe this film as a piece of crap would be to run the risk of a discourse that would never again rise above the excremental…Fahrenheit 9/11 is a sinister exercise in moral frivolity, crudely disguised as an exercise in seriousness. It is also a spectacle of abject political cowardice masking itself as a demonstration of 'dissenting' bravery." <ref>[http://slate.com/id/2102723/ The lies of Michael Moore]. By Christopher Hitchens, //Slate'', June 21, 2004.</ref><ref>[http://www.newmediajournal.us/guest/p_ibbetson/06092007.htm Michael Moore: A Criminal Profile], Paul A. Ibbetson, ''New Media Journal, June 9, 2007,</ref>}}

In 2004, Moore warned that if [[George W. Bush|Bush]] was re-elected as President: "...he's going to bring back the draft. He will be forced to. Because, thanks to his crazy war, recruitment is going to be at an all-time low. And many of the troops stuck over there are NOT going to re-enlist. The only way Bush is going to be able to staff the military is to draft you and your friends. Parents, make no mistake about it - Bush's second term will see your sons taken from you and sent to fight wars for the oily rich."<ref>Moore, Michael [http://www.clark04.com/moore/ ''I'll Be Voting For Wesley Clark/Good-Bye Mr. Bush''] 14 January 2004; Clark for President site. Accessed 17 March 2008</ref> Over four years later, the draft had not been reintroduced.

Moore says that corporations are "terrorists" and has said "I don't own a single share of stock" but IRS records showed he owned at least several hundreds of thousand dollars in stocks in Pentagon contractors like Boeing, pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly, and even Halliburton, the company most vilified by Moore in ''Fahrenheit 9/11''.

Moore uses a private jet on his book tours and stays at the Ritz Carlton hotel when in [[London]], but conducts press interviews in a cheap hotel nearby to give reporters the impression he is staying there instead. Moore calls himself "an Average Joe from Flint, MI" and says, "Once you’re working class, you’re always working class". The reality is that hypocrite Moore lives a luxury-class lifestyle out of reach of most Flint residents.

Moore says that Americans who live in white neighborhoods are racist, but lives in a town (Central Lake, Michigan) which according to the 2000 Census, had a black population of zero.

==Wikipedia controversy==
[[Image:Moorecagan.JPG|right|thumb|200px|Moore with [[Leslie Cagan]] [[United For Peace and Justice]]]]
Michael Moore's official website [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Attack_sites/Proposed_decision#Michael_Moore] put an image and name of a [[Wikipedia]] editor on its main page with links to edit both Wikipedia's article on ''[[Sicko]]'' and the Wikipedia editor's user page. Wikipedia policy explicitly states,
:"A website that engages in the practice of publishing private information concerning the identities of Wikipedia participants will be regarded as an attack site whose pages should not be linked to from Wikipedia pages '''under any circumstances'''."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/MONGO#Outing_sites_as_attack_sites]
Wikipedia Dispute Resolution policy stated aim is to "primarily investigate interpersonal disputes" [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Arbitration_policy#Scope] and not content disputes. Policy further states,
:"Links to attack sites may be removed by any user...Deliberately linking to an attack site may be grounds for blocking." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/MONGO#Links_to_attack_site]
Wikipedia Conflict of interest policy states, "Adding material that appears to promote the interests or visibility of an article's author, his family members, employer, associates, or his business or personal interests, places the author in a conflict of interest." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:COI#What_is_a_conflict_of_interest.3F] and "Campaigning. Activities regarded by insiders as simply "getting the word out" may appear promotional or propagandistic to the outside world... may have a conflict of interest."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:COI#Examples]

Protection of Wikipedia editors from activities targeting editors for harassment also states,"Any user, including an administrator using administrative powers, may remove or otherwise defeat attempts at harassment of a user. This includes harassment directed at the user themselves."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/MONGO#Combatting_harassment], and finally, "It is unacceptable to harass another user."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/MONGO#Harrassment]

Unequivocally, Michael Moore's official website, michaelmoore.com, engaged in egregious violations of multiple Wikipedia policies warranting blocking of users from Michael Moore's website, and editors linking to it. Further, official Wikipedia policy states all links to Michael Moore’s website from Wikipedia must be removed.

In discussion of the case, harassment and intimidation of a Wikipedia editor was excused, whose expertise on the subject of healthcare was characterized as "an attorney, who is a Fellow at the [[American Enterprise Institute]], a [[conservative]] think tank." [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-October/083230.html] The interpersonal nature of the attack was ignored by Wikipedia's rule making body, in favor of,
:"a bunch of considerations. One is that ''Sicko'', finally, brings to public attention information which has not been generally presented by American media. This is right up our alley... we and whoever runs Moore's website look ridiculous. ..."

Wikipedia's Neutral Point of View (NPOV), laid down by founder [[Jimbo Wales]] allegedly is "absolute and non-negotiable."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view#_note-0] Wikipedia Arbitration Chairman stated,
:"Obviously we need to make an exception for prominent people whose viewpoint we support."

When asked what he learned from the Michael Moore experience, the Chairman said,
:"If a powerful [[leftwing]] celebrity attacks a [[rightwing]] Wikipedia editor on his website, his supporters on Wikipedia should be able, as a practical matter, to prevent removal of links to his site."

==See also==
*[[Schlockumentary]]
*[[Previous Breaking News/Michael Moore|Articles about '''Michael Moore''' from previous "Breaking News"]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.racewire.org/archives/2007/07/moore_attacks_cnn_network_spew.html Moore attacks CNN network, spews anti-South Asian sentiments], ''RaceWire.org'', July 10, 2007.
*[http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-October/082987.html WikiEN-l Harassment sites], Sun Oct 14 19:27:21 UTC 2007.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Michael}}
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Anti-war Movements]]
[[category:propagandists]]
[[Category:Liberal Activists]]

Schlockumentary

2009-01-12T01:45:30Z

BWatson:

'''Schlockumentary''' is a term referring to [[documentary]] films that use [[junk science]], dishonest editing, and/or highly [[bias]]ed research methods intended to arrive at [[partisan]] or [[conspiracy|conspiratorial]] conclusions. <ref>[http://www.americanthinker.com/2006/12/michael_moore_issues_iraq_with.html Michael Moore Issues Iraq Withdrawal Fatwa], By Noel Sheppard, ''American Thinker'', December 04, 2006.</ref>

==Origins==
Schlockumentary is a portmanteau of the [[Yiddish]] word schlock -meaning junk-<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,865066-2,00.html Block That Schlock], ''TIME magazine'', Nov. 23, 1959</ref>, with documentary. It is a favorite tactic of [[liberal deceit|liberals]] to disparage viewpoints with which they disagree. "Filmmakers" such as [[Michael Moore]] are notorious for their libelous films which use faulty logic to advance their [[liberal agenda]] despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

==Examples==
*''[[America: From Freedom to Fascism]]''
*''[[Michael Moore|Fahrenheit 9/11]]''
*''[[Fox_News_Channel#Fair_and_Balanced|Outfoxed]]''
*''[[Loose Change]]''
*''[[An Inconvenient Truth]]''
*''[[Sicko]]''
*''[[The 11th Hour]]''
*''[[Super Size Me]]''
*''[[Bowling for Columbine]]''

==References==
<references/>

==See Also==
*[[Mockumentary]]

[[Category:Cinema]]
[[Category:Schlockumentary| ]]

Hinduism

2009-01-12T01:36:45Z

BWatson:

[[Image:Hinduism.jpg|left|Hinduism]]
'''Hinduism''' is the fourth largest religion in the world and is the oldest among major religions.<ref>The largest being [[Christianity]], [[Islam]], Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist, and Hinduism, in that order[http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html]</ref> Historians believe that it originated more than 5000 years ago.<ref>[http://hinduism.about.com/od/hinduism101/a/origin.htm Origin of Hinduism] (About.com)</ref> Hinduism is the first [[Dharmic religion]]. It can be called "the religion of India;" about 800 million of the world's 1 billion Hindus (80%) live in India.<ref>[http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/Brief_analysis.pdf Census of India, religion data, brief analysis (PDF)]; "At the national level, of 1028 million population, 828 million (80.5 percent) have returned their religion as Hindus followed by 138 million (13.4 percent) as Muslims and 24 millions (2.3 percent) Christians. 19 million (1.9 percent) persons follow Sikh religion; 8 million (0.8 percent) are Buddhists and 4.2 million (0.4 percent) are Jains as per the 2001 Census. In addition to these, 6.6 million belong to ‘Other Religions and Persuasions’ including tribal religions which are not part of the six main religions stated above. About seven lakh (or 0.7 million) persons have not stated their religion."</ref>
According to a recent American survey, Hindus are the best educated and among the richest religious groups in the [[United States]].<ref>Hanerjee, Neela, [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/us/25cnd-religion.html?ei=5124&en=1f44cce06fd2c02a&ex=1361682000&adxnnl=1&partner=digg&exprod=digg&adxnnlx=1204020358-3HkVoV4zxeYh9vTOw6Tydw Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate, Report Finds], New York Times, 25th February, 2008.</ref>
[[Image:Hinduism..jpg|240px|right|Shiva the Cosmic Dancer]]
Hindus believe in [[reincarnation]] and eventual unity with what is known as [[Brahman]] as well as respect for all life forms. Their holy writings are known as the [[Vedas]]. The goal of Hindus in life (purusharthas) is to follow four life-long aims: dharma (righteousness), artha (material success), kama (love/pleasure), and moksha (release from reincarnation/reunification with Brahman).

== Description ==

In 1966, the Supreme Court of [[India]] defined what Hinduism is for legal purposes:

1. Belief in the authority of the Vedas (an ancient hymns to the gods, written in Sanskrit). The oldest collection of hymns in the Vedas is the Rig Veda, which was written between 1800 and 1300 B.C. The greatest Veda hymn is the “Bhagavat Gita,” a section in the Mahabharata concerning life’s never-ending spiritual journey towards perfection. Bhagavat Geeta is rendered as a dialogue between Shri [[Krishna]] (incarnation of [[Vishnu]]) and Arjuna (the great archer) in the middle of the battlefield.

2. Spirit of tolerance and willingness to understand and respect an opponent’s view.

3. Belief in world rhythms: long periods of creation, maintenance and dissolution follow each other in endless succession.

4. Belief in reincarnation (rebirth) and preexistence.

5. Belief that there are many ways to salvation.

6. Unlike most other religions, Hinduism is not defined by a specific set of philosophical concepts.

7. Belief in one god. Contrary to popular belief, Hinduism is not a [[polytheism|polytheistic]] religion. The Vedas, the primary Hindu holy scriptures states that there is only one [[God]] but can manifest in many forms. This is the reason why there are many deities. A common example used to explain this is that an individual can be called different names depending on the relationship has with another. A man can be a son to his parents, a nephew to his uncle, a father to his son, and a husband to his wife all at the same time. None of these different relationships suggest multiple people but rather different aspects of one person. The same is applied to God in Hinduism, which has no form and is infinite. Hindus may call God, Paratman (Supreme Soul), Brahmana (Eternal Spirit), or Ishvara (Supreme Lord). Deities have various names but represent aspects of God that manifest in the world. For example [[Agni]] (fire, Divine spark), Vayu (wind, or breath which could mean life force, [[Indra]] (in mythology king of gods but also refers to the senses such as vision, hearing, touch, taste), and [[Lakshmi]] (fortune).

8. Secular multiplicity and accommodating flexibility in spiritual practices.

Relations between Hinduism and Christianity have also been shaped by unequal balances of political power and cultural influence. Although communities of Christians have lived in South India since the middle of the 1st millennium, the great expansion of Indian Christianity followed the efforts of missionaries working under the protection of the British colonial government. <ref> [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-261549/Hinduism Hinduism and Christianity] Encyclopædia Britannica. </ref>

Some state governments such as Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh have passed anti-conversion laws, attempting to prevent Hindus converting to other religions such as [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]].<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/24470.htm India: International Religious Freedom Report 2003] (U.S. Department of State)</ref>

For more on Hinduism, see [[World History Lecture Three]].

==Criticisms==
===Sati===
''Sati'' was a practice during the medieval period whereby Hindu widows were forcefully burned to death by family members of the husband. This practice was abolished in the 19th century by the efforts of Ram Mohan Roy and Lord William Bentinck.

===Caste system===
Another criticism of Hinduism is its caste or ''varna'' system. Traditionally Hindu society is divided into four castes:
*''Brahmin'' (the highest caste in Hinduism)
*''Kshatriya'' (the warrior or ruling class)
*''Vaishya'' (merchants)
*''Shudra'' (unskilled laborers and servants)

''Shudras'' were the lowest caste and were denied of many rights in past. Apart from these four main castes, there is another group called the ''Dalit'' (Untouchables).<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/living/caste.shtml The caste system] ''BBC''</ref> Historically these ''dalits'' are the victims of discrimination by higher castes. Even today there are many reports of discrimination against ''dalits''.<ref>[http://indianchristians.in/news/content/view/1954/44/ Dalits face discrimination in southern Tamil Nadu] ''All India Christian Council''</ref><ref>[http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2007/02/13/india15303.htm India: ‘Hidden Apartheid’ of Discrimination Against Dalits] ''[[Human Rights Watch]]''</ref>

== External links ==

*[http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Hinduism-Hindu.htm Hindu Religion]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Hinduism| ]]
[[Category:Dharmic Religions]]
[[Category:India]]

Rod Blagojevich

2009-01-12T01:35:21Z

BWatson:

[[Image:Blagojevich with Emanuel.jpg|200px|thumb|Blagojevich with Rahm Emanuel]]
'''Rod R. Blagojevich''', a Democrat, is the current and 40th [[governor]] of the state of [[Illinois]]. He was born on December 10, 1956, in [[Chicago]]. Before being elected as [[governor]], Blagojevich served as Cook County Assistant State's Attorney and then Representative for Illinois' 5th District in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] (elected in 1996)<ref>http://www.illinois.gov/gov/bio.cfm</ref>.

On December 9th, 2008, Mr. Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges for attempting to sell the recently vacated [[United States Senate|U. S. Senate]] seat of [[Barack Obama]]. <ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_on_re_us/blagojevich_corruption_probe</ref> Liberal media outlets were disproportionately quick in pointing out that President-elect Obama had no involvement in the scandal, despite clear evidence being available to the contrary <ref>http://flapsblog.com/2008/12/15/why-is-barack-obama-lying-about-contact-with-hot-rod-blagojevich-part-3/</ref> including photos of the two together while the governor was trying to sell Obama's seat <ref>http://www.flickr.com/photos/fullosseousflap/3100630034/</ref>.

This also brings out the question of the Chicago "Meat Grinder" politics, as this could influence Barack Obama to the core.

The connection between Blagojevich and Rahm Emanuel is even more condemning. Emanuel has not commented on any connections with Blagojevich<ref>CNN News</ref>. There are two separate conversations of Emanuel talking with Blagojevich. These point Emanuel- and, by extension, Obama- having a part in Blagojevich's criminal actions.

On January 9th, 2009, Gov. Blagojevich was impeached by Illinois House of Delegates. The State Senate is expected to convict him of his crimes later this month, a fact that the liberal media has attempted to obscure.

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blagojevich, Rod}}

[[Category:Illinois Governors]]

Embassy

2009-01-12T01:31:51Z

BWatson:

An '''embassy''' is an accredited diplomatic mission from one sovereign nation to another, and is now more commonly used to describe the institution carrying out such a function and the premises or buildings in which it is situated. The chief official of an embassy is the [[ambassador]]. Embassies are normally considered to have [[diplomatic immunity]], and the violation of this immunity by or with the connivance of the host government - as in the siege of the Embassy Quarter in [[Beijing]] during the [[Boxer Rebellion]] of 1900, the storming and sacking of the [[British]] Embassy in [[Beijing]] by the [[liberal|leftist]] [[Red Guards]] in 1967, and the kidnapping of [[United States]] Embassy staff in [[Teheran]] by [[Revolutionary Guards]] in 1979-1980 - is considered a serious outrage.

See also: [[High Commission]]
[[Category:International Politics]]
[[Category:Government]]

Embassy

2009-01-12T01:31:11Z

BWatson:

An '''embassy''' is an accredited diplomatic mission from one sovereign nation to another, and is now more commonly used to describe the institution carrying out such a function and the premises or buildings in which it is situated. The chief official of an embassy is the [[ambassador]]. Embassies are normally considered to have [[diplomatic immunity]], and the violation of this immunity by or with the connivance of the host government - as in the siege of the Embassy Quarter in [[Beijing]] during the [[Boxer Rebellion]] of 1900, the storming and sacking of the [[British]] Embassy in [[Beijing]] by the [[leftist|liberal]] [[Red Guards]] in 1967, and the kidnapping of [[United States]] Embassy staff in [[Teheran]] by [[Revolutionary Guards]] in 1979-1980 - is considered a serious outrage.

See also: [[High Commission]]
[[Category:International Politics]]
[[Category:Government]]

Hell

2009-01-11T23:36:36Z

BWatson: Removed strange image at bottom. Seems out of place, unencyclopedic and possibly vandalism.

[[Image:Hieronymus Bosch - The Garden of Earthly Delights - Hell.jpg|right|300px|thumb|''Hell'', painted by [[Hieronymus Bosch]], part of ''[[The Garden of Earthly Delights]]''.]]
In the English translation of the [[Bible]]'s [[Old Testament]], the word '''Hell''' normally corresponds to the [[Hebrew]] ''sheol'', which was simply the place of the dead. But in the [[Greek]] [[New Testament]] the word used is either ''Gehenna'' (the garbage dump outside the walls of Jerusalem where fires were kept eternally burning to consume the refuse and keep down the stench) or ''Hades'', the [[Greek]]s' dark, gloomy underworld. The modern English word appears to derive most directly from "Holle" or "Hela" or "Hel", goddess of the dead in Germanic/[[Norse mythology]]. When the [[Anglo-Saxons]] later embraced [[Christianity]], the existing word in the language was reused in the new Christian concepts.

To Christians, Hell is a place where the souls of the wicked are punished eternally for all the [[sins]] they perpetrated during their lifetime on Earth. Since all have sinned (Rom 3:23), Hell can not be avoided on one's own merits, but through the love gift of [[Jesus]] one can know, love, and serve [[God]] and share eternity with Him in [[Heaven]].

The Christian and [[Muslim]] religious traditions often emphasize the ''Gehenna'' aspect: Hell is extremely hot and filled with fire and [[brimstone]]. Opinion varies on the question of whether, while hell itself is eternal, experience of it purges away the sins of sufferers to the point of eventual redemption. See [[purgatory]]. A minority of Christians do not believe in an eternal Hell as punishment, believing instead that the souls of the wicked are annihilated. This view is referred to as [[Annihilationism]]. There is also a question of whether Hell has a literal burning fire, or whether it is separation from God and therefore has the same torment as if there was a burning fire. This view has been supported by writers such as [[J.P. Moreland]].

Although Hell is a focus and a concern in Christian theology, the Bible has an even greater focus. In the [[King James Version]] the word Hell is mentioned 54 times, but [[Heaven]] is mentioned 551 times.

* [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 13:41-42 - ''The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.'''

* Matthew 25:41 - ''Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.''

* Matthew 25:46 - ''And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.''

* [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 9:43 - ''And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched.''

* 2 Thes 1:7-8 - ''And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.''

* [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] 20:10 - ''And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.''

* Revelation 20:14-15 - ''And death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.''

== See also ==
* [[Dante's Inferno]]

[[Category:Abrahamic Religions]]