Religious Man Wants to Rename Mt. Diablo

[emad]

OAKLEY, Calif. - An Oakley man has asked the federal government to rename Mount Diablo, saying the current name, which means devil in Spanish, is offensive to his religious sensibilities.

Art Mijares applied to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names for the change and suggests naming the mountain Mount Kawukum, which he believes has American Indian roots.

"Words have power, and when you start mentioning words that come from the dark side, evil thrives," Mijares told the Contra Costa Times. "When I take boys camping on the mountain, I don't even like to say its name. I have to explain what the name means. Why should we have a main feature of our community that celebrates the devil?"

To make the change, Mijares would need to persuade federal, state and local governments that it's necessary. That may be easier said than done.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=757&e=10&u=/ap/20050414/ap_on_re_us/mount_diablo

[solinvictus]

1. Why not Mount Spngebob Squarepants?

Is that inoffensive enough? No, I forgot, Spongebob's gay, so that won't work either.

[tanyev]

2. You go, buddy.

Devote the rest of your life to that campaign. Maybe it will keep you too busy to cause any other problems.

[jandrok]

3. I suggest Mt. Titicaca

Much less offensive, IMO. Inca root instead of Amerindian, but what the hey.

[cornermouse]

4. Politically correct, republican style.

[hobbit709]

5. What about

Hell, Michigan
Devil's Playground, Colorado
Purgatory Mountain, Colorado
or any of hundreds of other places named devil, satan or whatever something?
Words have power only if you believe in them. Otherwise any hypocrite would explode in front the wolrld.

[emad]

6. Hell's Kitchen, NYC......

ALWAYS loved that one....

[rock]

7. Great idea!

How about "Mt Fornicating Dog Turd". That shouldn't offend anybody. (Even dogs!)

[Zenlitened]

8. What's really sad is that...

... this religionist horse-shit even gets covered as "news."

In a more enlightened age, he would be free to fret about devils or whatever else he pleases, but no one would feel compelled to elevate his musings to something approaching a matter of public concern.

This is not a story about faith. It's an example of the foolishness of one man and a society that has clouded its wits with shallow god-talk.