Friday, July 17, 2009

Rural Religion++++++++++

My job takes me all over the place, and last week in particular I worked a rural job site--a retail store of a big public corporation, mind you--and they had a crucifix on the wall and some book whose title I can't recall but had the title and look of a book you just know is going to be religion-steeped before you open the cover. Well, the book was out in the customer area, not on the wall.

So what's up with the rural areas tending to be more religious? Maybe there aren't enough people to point out the more blatant nonsense? Maybe those people are stoned to death?

Why can't I ever stumble into a rural pocket of critical thinkers? Wouldn't that be something?

That reminds me of a time years ago I had a computer service call out in the boonies. The call was for an in-home service contract which was unusual for me; usually I work on corporate PCs. So I'm following the directions, turn off the freeway onto a side road, turn off the side road, across some railroad tracks onto a dinky asphalt road. Then run onto a gravel road, then turn onto a couple of ruts running across a field and through some trees. On the other side of the trees I come to a clearing with a trailer house, 2 or 3 pitched tents and 3 barking rottweilers (or similar big dark scary dog). Oh, did I forget to mention the huge confederate battle flags draped about? I'm about as white as the background behind these words, and if I had been any less white I would've whipped a U-turn and hauled ass outta there. I'm not kidding. I almost did, anyway, but figured somebody would have to take the call and I couldn't think of anyone whiter than me. The scene was straight out of some movie I saw where some racist group had a camp and would kidnap black people, set them loose in the woods and hunt them. I guess the men were off hunting black people or jews or something because there was only a woman and a baby there, and she immediately came out and tied up the dogs and I fixed the computer, thankfully without the need for a return visit.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

This...

This is a large part of why I believe things will get better...much, much better.

mahmoud ahmedinejad
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Fin.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

On the Mountain with Moses: Pocket Pussy

I was in the shower this morning and was inspired to write a new episode.  It’s best if you don’t ask too many questions about that.

So here we join god and moses on the mountain to find out what the hell took them so long up there when they were writing the 10 Commandments.

If you wanna check out the first episode you can find it here.

 

G:  Moses, what are you doing over there.  Are you making an idol?

M:  Oh, nothing much.  I’m just whittling something.  And no it’s not an idol.

G:  So what is it then?  You’ve gathered wood, cowhide, thread, and it looks like you’re making some kind of slippery gel.

M:  Just a little something to keep me busy during the times we’re not talking.

G:  Anyway, I’d like to talk to you more about pleasuring yourself.

M:  Ok, I get it.  You don’t want me touching my dick except to take a piss.

G:  What have I told you about that kind of language?  And you’re not restricted to only touching yourself when you pee.  You’re allowed to guide it into your wife when it’s too dark to see.

M:  Hey, is that why you gave us so many fingers?  So we could put one in her ass while you’re holding your dick to make sure it goes in her pussy?

G:  Look, I can tell you’re just trying to get a rise out of me so stop it.

M:  Ok, so what else you got?  What about “PLEASURING YOURSELF” (said in a mocking ominous voice)?

G:  Oh, real mature.  I don’t sound like that.

M:  Yes you do.  You’re always like (said in same mocking tone) “Moses don’t touch your weewee!” and “Moses that isn’t your sheep!”  You sound exactly like that.

G:  I do not.  And I’ve never said weewee.  Look, I’m just trying to make you understand that you’re allowed to touch your… manhood… just not in a way that’s meant to take the place of your wife.

M:  I get it.  And I promise, I won’t touch my dick in any way that is meant to be pleasurable.  Is that all?

G:  Yes that’s all.  And that’s all I ask.

M:  Do you want me to get another stone tablet and add it to the list?

G:  No that won’t be necessary.  I’ll be giving you a book with a bunch more things in it.  I’ll put it in there.

M:  A whole book, really?  Do you really think that’s necessary?

G:  Yes.  These commandments I’ve given you are just the biggies. 

M:  So when do I get to see this book?

G:  Well, I’m commissioning some writers right now.  As soon as I decide who it’s going to be I’ll get a copy to you.  But I warn you, it may be quite a while before it’s ready.

M:  So why even bother with these commandments then?

G:  Because I needed to have a quick list of things for you to use to guide your lives while I get the book ready.

M:  Hey god, check this out.  I finally finished that thing I was working on.

G:  What is that thing?  It looks like some kind of tube that you’ve glued goat hair to and stretched cowhide inside.  What the hell is that thing?

M:  You said I couldn’t touch myself for pleasure right?

G:  (looking cautiously)… yeah…

M:  Well, this way I can get pleasure without touching myself.

G:  I don’t see how you could possibly get anything out of that.

M:  Well, you take the gel I made out of yak fat and you spread it all over the inside, and around the opening of the hole.  Now I just slip it on my dick and rub it up and down.

G:  Oh that’s just gross!  Get that thing off of you.  I can’t believe you’d put your cock inside a dead animal.

M:  (Moses laughs) You said cock!

G:  Oh shut up this is serious.  You can’t pleasure yourself like that.  I thought we settled that.

M:  We did settle it.  You said I couldn’t touch myself like that, but I’m not touching myself.  See, I can even prop it up between 2 rocks and do it on my stomach.  See!!

G:  Oh Jesus Christ! [Jesus comes running up.]

J:  Yeah dad?

G:  Nothing Jesus.  I was just talking to Moses about something.

J:  What the hell is he doing on the ground?

G:  Nothing important.  Look I didn’t mean to call you.  You may go.

J:  You were just taking my name in vain again weren’t you?

G:  Look, I slipped.  It won’t happen again.

J:  How would you like it if I took your name in vain?  Maybe next time I’m with my friends I’ll just be like Goddammit this and Goddammit that.  See how you like it.

G:  What?  Where did you hear that word?

J:  Moses taught me.

G:  Moses?!?

M:  Yes Lord?

G:  Oh, so now it’s Lord is it?

J:  Listen dad, while I’ve got you can I have the keys to the pearly gates?  Some friends and I wanna throw Peter a small party and we need to set some things up. 

G:  No you can’t.  You always get into trouble when you go over there.

J:  Please daddy!!  I promise I won’t do anything wrong.  I’ll just be setting up for the party.

M:  Why don’t you give him the keys?  What could happen?

G:  Oh you just go fuck your dead animal thing.  What the hell do you call that thing anyway?

M:  I’m not sure yet.  Right now I’m looking at either The Willing Goat, or The Silent Wife.

J:  Wow, did you fuck that thing?  That’s cool.  Could I get one of those?

M:  Sure, how many do you need?  Boy, I guess these things could really catch on.

If we wrote a bible that makes sense, what would it look like?

Not something that we could all agree on, that's impossible. But how about a bible that would at least make more sense to us, be harder to tear down? How about a bible that didn't directly lead to subjugation of women, abuse of children, wars and ignorance, etc etc?

Just off the top of my head, a good bible needs a few things:
- an explanation and reason for the origins of existence
- explanations for other unknowns (like things after death, or important scientific principles...the ancients should've been told about germs...)
- guidelines & principles for living and dying
- a reason for following those principles, i.e., consequences, possibly embodied by authority figure(s)

What else am I missing? Remember, I'm trying to take the things that are wrong out of the bible, so I'm not looking for smartass comments like "cruelty & mysogeny" etc. What else does a Good Book need?

Friday, July 10, 2009

Serious w/cute

I think we'd all be more likely to believe if God worked like this.

cute pictures of puppies with captions
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(OK, end of sappy uselessness.)

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Matrix Quote Reloaded

"Do not try to bend the god, for that is impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth."

"And that is?"

"There is no god."

Our Newest Member

My sister has decided to join us here on the Dam.  She hasn’t chosen a name yet, but it’s probably coming soon.  I’m partial to YentaNoMore, but we’ll have to see what she chooses. 

Her first post should be coming soon enough.  I don’t know what style she’s going to write in so this will be a new experience for all of us.

So treat her as nicely as you’ve all treated us.

My Mom… WTF?

Sometimes I just can’t believe what goes through my mom’s head.  We were talking on the phone this morning and of course we got talking about religion.  Well, she started saying (again) that she can’t believe that we’re not believers because we were raised in church.  She then said the most whatthefuckever thing… she said “You guys were doing just fine before those science teachers got a hold of you and started teaching you all that crazy stuff.”  I was like… “What?!?”

She said, “Yeah when I was growing up we had natural science and not all that crap you were taught.”

I said, “So what’s natural science?”

She said, “It’s where they teach you about bugs and trees and stuff.”

So I said, “And what did they teach us then?”

She said, “I don’t know, but they spent a lot of time teaching you God doesn’t exist.”

I said, “Well actually they never even mentioned God.”

She said, “I’m sure they didn’t because they’re not allowed to talk about God in school anymore.”

I said, “WHAT??? So if they aren’t allowed to talk about God then how did they spend all their time teaching us he didn’t exist?”

 

I think she just changed the subject after that.  But you can see how people are just looking for excuses and people to blame when their kids don’t believe in god. 

We also talked about something I’ve blogged on before… the fact that people don’t really care what you believe in as long as you believe in something.  Religion is protected in this world, but lack of religion isn’t.  Unfortunately it’s just too true.

 

OK, that’s all I’ve got for now.

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Friday, July 3, 2009

Spongebob and Sensibility

SpongeBob cast of characters:
Mr. Krabs - An old, krusty crab who is owner/manager of a burger joint, "The Krusty Krab"
SpongeBob - a cheery, oblivious idiot (sponge) who LOVES his job as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab
Squidward - a grumpy, lazy cashier (squid) who works at the KK.

In this episode of SpongeBob my kids (okay, and I) are watching, Mr. Krabs left SpongeBob "in charge" of the restaurant while he went to do an errand for 15 minutes. Of course, SpongeBob wants to do all kinds of stuff - work more, redecorate, clean etc - and Squidward keeps tricking him to get out of extra work.

In one of his diversions, Squidward tells him a Krusty Krab "secret", that the place stays so dirty to make the food more delicious by comparison. Of course SB is amazed and enlightened, and goes about filthying up the restaurant to extremes.

Still with me?

I found myself thinking, gee, you really have to ignore everything around you and everything you've ever seen and experienced to buy into that, and....wait a second, that sounds like a blog.

Do I need to say it straight out? Well, okay... I find quite lot of organized religion and most of the pseudosciences to be this way. "Nevermind what you've seen or been through and accept what I tell you." You gotta admit, it's pretty counterintuitive that, say, whacking off is bad. Like, REALLY bad. Or that women are vile, evil, disgusting and unworthy creatures that become "unclean" once a month (oh yeah, and we also bear life).

I understand, too, that microscopic organisms are rather counterintuitive, too...it took us thousands of years to figure out the real source of diseases. But we were able to prove it. I myself can look into my 10 year old's microscope and SEE tiny organisms. I can see the effects of infection and antibacterials in my life. Science, you know? I'm all for science and common sense.