How much damage has religious faith wrought on the world?

Besides being the height of irony, it’s also the saddest of commentaries—that bodies of belief with moral codes of conduct are also responsible for so much mayhem and ugliness and cruelty and endless vindictiveness, motivated by the central tenet of fearing a God who engenders dogmatism and orthodoxy, resulting in a bunch of us running around with our hair on fire and worried about displeasing a fickle deity who may or may not even exist.

Religious texts are commandeered for political purposes, shallowly embraced, conveniently and subjectively interpreted and utilized, and misunderstood. What would be different about the whole enterprise if scripture was freshly written today and a new story was told? There would likely still be gaps in witness and understanding, differences and varying contexts that lead to violence, because humans haven’t evolved all that much when it comes to self-preservation and the need to defend territory and opinions.

And maybe a new story couldn’t be told anyway, because enlightenment of a sort has come, and people wouldn’t fall for a story that conveniently fills any remaining gaps in understanding and knowledge, and sounds too good to be true.

So, did Trump leave the G7 summit because he needed to return to DC to be present for urgent discussions re Israel and Iran, or was it because he felt unloved and unappreciated amidst all the leaders he’s alienated since taking office?

He picks his battles poorly sometimes, and pursues feckless, fruitless courses of action. Canada as the 51^st state? Of course not. Greenland annexed? Of course not. Take over the Panama Canal? Doubtful. How much of what he bellows is mere distraction from something else he’s actually doing?

Stop being ridiculous, Donald. You’ve lost our trust, which, for many, you never had in the first place. You’re a paper tiger, hot air. And you’re making a gargantuan mess we may or may not be able to clean up.

He is the poster child for awfulness. What good is he, and what the hell is he doing in the Oval Office?!

Between the weather and the circumstances, it maybe wasn’t the big celebration some were hoping for. It didn’t help to have a President who wanted to make it all about himself, who wanted to emulate North Korea with his very own birthday celebration, complete with hardware and thousands of troops marching by in review.

I’m not a fan of glorifying war, but the Army has been around for 250 years, and remembering the sacrifices of those who have served over the years seems appropriate. All the other hoopla in honor of a weak President’s birthday is beside the point, unnecessary, ridiculous, wasteful, embarrassing, and shameful, the opposite of Must See TV, whatever that is.

Big day today, folks. Flag Day here in the states, the Army’s 250th anniversary, and also Donald Trump’s birthday. The little boy turns 79. He’s gonna get the military parade he’s apparently always dreamed of. Unless there’s lightning.

It won’t be canceled, just postponed, because someone has paid big bucks to ship all those fancy implements of war to D.C.—of course the parade will happen at some point! Anyone who chooses to waste time tuning in will see marching troops in period fatigues, some animals, and all those big, beautiful tanks tearing up the macadam.

It promises to be quite the show, and a great day for America. Because war and testosterone and emulating dictatorships seem to be what we’re all about, lately.