The God Dam

Still Godless in 2012

2012-01-28T22:52:00.000-08:00

SurferJesus, Faithenate and I are still around and still atheist. Clearly we don't find much time to post much lately, but I know SurferJesus would like to. I expect Faithenate would like to, but we haven't talked about it. We all stay pretty busy.

I read my old posts here from time to time. I'd still like to try a "Testify" positive atheist testimony site. I think I might go order some atheist jewelry tonight. I still like the idea of a community science program, but I'm not sure where to start. Also, I tend to not follow through on things. But that would be a nice thing to follow through on.

Big didlo up your ass!

Same Shit, Different Judgement Day

2011-05-21T10:49:00.001-07:00

Ah, it's another judgement day.

Many Christians seem to think the rapture will involve them being called to heaven, leaving behind their clothes.

What the fuck?

So, is everyone naked in heaven? Or perhaps the styles or fabrics are different there, and you are issued a new set of clothes upon rapture. Does heaven have standardized uniforms?

But really, all these other humans who have died and gone to heaven before the rapture have left their earthly bodies here. Why would rapture be different? Won't it be odd being one of a few (or perhaps up to a half due to population growth and technological evangelism) walking around in an earthly body in heaven? Awkward.

Pre-Life? And Interpreting the Bible

2011-03-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Some random late-evening thoughts:

Religious people are so focused on the afterlife. What about the pre-life? As I understand it, there is no reincarnation in Judaism, Christianity or Islam. God breathes your soul into your mortal body at conception or birth, and then you live a mortal life and then live forever after with God and his buddies in heaven or suffer eternally in hell.

So, if there is no reincarnation (which oddly seems to be a popular theme in movies...hmmm), then you and your soul don't exist before your date of birth or conception. Past lives are also popular in movies, but I digress...or do I? I was going to state that people don't have a problem with not existing before their conception, but apparently some do.

Well, the point I was trying to make with logic is that if you have no problem believing you didn't exist before birth/conception, then why would you have trouble believing you don't exist after death? However clearly there is some popular fantasy that people's souls have lived mortal lives before and may yet again.

Clearly people are neither logical nor literal about their bibles.

And speaking of bibles, why is there so much effort at interpreting the bible and disagreements over it's interpretation? This god guy clearly had some issues with clear communication! You'd think the creator of all would be able to get his point across unambiguously.

Act Now and We'll Throw In Jesus For Free!

2011-02-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

I think the most compelling evidence against religion for me is that it has to be sold from one person to another. There is no independent verification process. Another person has to tell you which goods are god, which evil is not, and what is just part of god's mysterious plan for a better, bigger purpose than us. But you do have this handy book to guide you, although someone else has to tell you which parts are currently iron law and which are parables and can be largely ignored.

I was going to go on, but sometimes less is more.

A Week of Religious People Again

2011-02-01T20:17:00.000-08:00

After existing happily secularly for quite a while I had a rash of religious folks around me this past week. A group I was working with got to talking about going to church in their youth. One was apparently beaten if he was late for church or showed up smelly because he was working and rushed to church without a shower. Another was Pentecostal and went to church daily and participated in every Pentecostal revival that came through town. I gather they aren't as devoted as their parents, but they did get to talking about the power of prayer and their strong belief that it "works". I had the good sense not to join these conversations.

I fail to see any supernatural cause and effect between prayer and events, although I've previously compared prayer to affirmations and meditation as a mind discipline. But one man in my workgroup this week was positively convinced prayer of others saved him from a bad lifestyle that would have ended in his early death and expressed incredulity at the thought that anyone wouldn't believe in the power of prayer. Again, I stayed out of the conversation as a work environment it not the proper place for spiritual debate.

On my flight back home I once again had a cute girl next to me. I had spotted her in the gate waiting area and was mildly infatuated with her backside, and she was cute from the front, too. To my surprise she had the seat next to me on the plane, and she was wearing no ring, and she appeared to be an appropriate age for me. But I was completely turned off when she pulled out her bible and was taking notes about her reading. There's a conversation I didn't even want to start that day, so I started dozing while the plane was still boarding.

There were also two or three ladies on the plane that were either Amish or nuns...I couldn't decide which. They had rather plain dresses with white hats with the fabric hanging down the back. I had recently been in an Amish store (complete with computer-printed labels, cell phones, and they took AMEX unlike some of the other local businesses, but nevermind) and the hats were a little different, so I started thinking maybe they were nuns' habits. One of them was seated in the row behind me and sang semi-quietly the entire flight.

Test of Faith

2011-02-01T19:26:00.000-08:00

For various reasons I have not been following news well lately, and I completely missed what's been happening in Tunisia. But I've come in a little late on what's happening in Egypt.

The first articles and TV reports I saw about it were discussions of the Muslim Brotherhood who reportedly want a less secular and more Islamic-style government. I found myself worrying about such a transition and how it could make the world less safe for Israel and the U.S..

It quickly occurred to me that I was mentally taking the side apparently against the will of the people of Egypt, against democracy and for a reportedly oppressive government that doesn't allow free speech, controls the media and shuts down the internet and other communication services. That doesn't sound like me!

So I'm a bit ashamed of myself that I allowed—however briefly—my fear of religious oppression to overcome my belief in freedom and a representative government. Just because I've never seen compelling evidence for the existence of god(s) doesn't mean I want those who do believe in god(s) to suffer; however I wish they'd be more rational I don't realistically expect the world to suddenly shed its religions.

Then my cynicism kicked in, and I realize that the stories in Western media strongly implying a new Egyptian government that would concern many/most Americans are probably being made for the purpose of making the U.S. fear an Egyptian revolution. Whether the current government of Egypt is seeding those stories to discourage support of a regime change, or the U.S. government protecting a somewhat ally or just the Western media looking for talking points to catch our attention, I think we shouldn't allow these stories to frighten us.

After all, how does freedom and a representative government happen? Do dictators and otherwise powerful governments dole out power and freedom? No, the people revolt, and a peaceful revolution is a great way of doing it. Discount the fear of extremist Islam taking over the Middle East, and imagine freedom and democracy spreading through it like wildfire. Damn, how could that not be a good thing? Okay, I can actually think of one or two ways, but I can imagine mostly good ways for that to turn out. Power to the people! Let the people speak openly!

I fear religious influence on governments, but I believe that open communication is overall a positive thing for people everywhere. Writing in general was a technological leap; suddenly there is a species that can spread and retain experience and knowledge. The Gutenberg press really accelerated this, and then later postal services, radio, TV and the Internet allowed faster and wider dissemination of information so that now we are virtually a global community able to instantly react to happenings anywhere and communicate with people anywhere. If anything is more powerful in making people tolerate each other than communication, I don't know what it is. And toleration—live and let live—is one of my core beliefs.

Christians Are Arfraid of Atheists

2010-09-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

I did an internet search to see if others had already begun atheist, rational or critical testimony, but all I can find are "ex-atheist" and other conversion testimonies. For some reason this congealed a thought that has been vaguely in my head for a long time: Christians are afraid of atheists. I suppose this should have been obvious, but it hadn't really occurred to me on such basic terms.

It would explain why they react so strongly to atheists. If testimony, faith and coercion are the only tools you have to attract people to and keep them in your religion, then someone using critical thinking to challenge your faith and beliefs must be terrifying.

Perhaps that is why testimony of atheists returning to religion seem to be so popular among Christians.

By the way, the closest thing I found to atheist / rational testimony in my searches so far is this video of Ricky Gervais. It is in the spirit of my rational testimony idea.

Testify!

2010-09-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

I woke up in a rural / small city hotel after being suddenly diverted out of town for work, and then I headed downstairs for their free breakfast. In most of my travels I find Fox News on in the breakfast area, but this time it was the 700 Club on the telly. OMFG.

When I walked in there were a man and a woman praying over letters and telling people they were healed by Jesus...yeah, go back to the doctor, and they will tell you you're healed. Then there was a story about an orphaned child in Africa taken in by the ministry mission, and he caught the African "super virus" that was supposed to give a 10-day fever. But they prayed for him and the fever was gone in a day. Hallelujah.

Then they answered a letter from a young boy who was upset that his older sister no longer believed in god. They told him it's not his job to argue with her or pressure her (I'm glad for that much at least), but it was his job to periodically share with her how god helps him in his daily life. That is his testimony, they tell him.

Ah yes, testimony. As the only evidence presentable for the existence of god, testimony is a key element in spreading the word of god. When someone wants to convert you, they ask if they can give your their testimony. Christians give their testimony when speaking in front of a group.

But the way the 700 Club guy presented the instructions stuck a chord with me. The message of testimony is a personal, positive one. Hey, isn't that what I've been whining about in this blog? My failure to promote atheism in a positive manner? Haven't I been wondering how I can do so? Well, here it is: atheist/rational/critical testimony! Through testimony I can provide personal, positive messages about how my reliance on rational and critical thinking and the fruits of the scientific method help me in my daily life.

This is still in the idea phase, but I like it. Possible venues for my testimony include a Twitter account, a blog, and I am toying with the idea of a webcast, only I would want to be anonymous. Tricky, but not impossible. I don't think this blog is the place for such testimony as this is where we come to vent and mock. I need a new, pure, happy place to share my rational testimony.

Angry Atheists

2010-08-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

It surprised me at first how much anger comes through in our blog here. It wasn't part of the original idea to have a blog to spew anger, but that's what came out. I figured it would subside after a time, but it's usually when I get angry about something that I think to blog about it. There is also the problem that Christians close to us caused a lot of evil and hid behind their religion for guilt-free forgiveness without regard to the recipients of the evil acts. And the purported use of religion by those distant to pursue evil acts worthy of reporting far and wide.

My big message I wanted to get across in the blog is that you can live a good, happy and moral life without a belief in God. I don't think I'm doing a great job of it, but oh well. Whenever I hear atheism discussed by religious folk they speak as if love and morality disappears if you have no God to believe in. That's the idea I want to change. Love, morality, caring, meaning and fulfillment are not tied to any religion or God.

I guess I also want people to quit using religion as a tool to manipulate others, because that's what I see when I look at organized religion. It's a means of few people controlling the thoughts and ultimately actions of many others. The flock react to the preacher, not to God, because God is just a feeling of validation you have when you feel good about what your thinking, and that is reinforced by your peers and leaders in the church.

I wish I could be more like Carl Sagan in my attitudes. In reading his book I love his approach in speaking about God. He says something like "I see no compelling evidence for God". Heck, I'm not even sure he was an atheist. He just speaks about his (and science's) observations and the accuracy of their predictions compared to religion and pseudoscience without anger or accusation.

The Friendly Atheist also has a good approach. In a recent video he speaks of reaching out and speaking with people he is at odds with to good effect. A woman who outed his atheism to all his management at work and released press releases further out him eventually complained about a nasty email she received from an angry FA reader. He apologized for it and pointed out an unfounded incendiary speculation made in one of the press releases, and they started an apparently cordial dialog and met in person. I doubt either altered their beliefs and opinions, but here are two people talking and agreeing on fair play and free speech rather than spewing anger at each other to no effect.

The FA also makes a distinction between debates and discussion in public speaking. I like this. I don't think I've ever seen a debate or argument change someone's opinion. It just polarizes people over the issue and separates people. A discussion, however, still doesn't change opinions, but it can result in fairer play, lower aggression and bring people closer together even if they disagree on such things as God and morality.

Another problem in getting along with people when realizing I was an atheist is that formerly respectable religions begin to sound as stupid as UFO cults, voodoo and pseudoscience, and it's hard to maintain respect for people who believe in them. It's hard not to start feeling smarter and superior to people who believe in ludicrous stories with no actual supporting evidence. And a lot of other atheists seem to come to the same thoughts, because there seems to be a sport in other atheists mocking believers. Sometimes amusing, but probably not constructive.

I sometimes ask myself how to be more like Carl Sagan or Hemant Mehta—The Friendly Atheist. I don't really have a good answer. I suppose I need to get over the anger. That will be hard to do, and I find it's helpful to spew it out here rather than to hang onto it.

After posting this I realized that my last blog is based on a video series titled "Why Do People Laugh at Creationists", and my last tweet links to "The Bible: Evidence That God Is Evil?" I found both amusing and validating my beliefs, but they certainly wouldn't open a door to friendly discussion with someone of differing beliefs, would they?

Jesusland

2010-08-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

I can't coalesce my thoughts on this topic long enough to type intelligently about it, but check out this video about the dangers of Christian and Islamic fundamentalism—specifically in the case of creationism suppressing the results of the scientific method—to our country.

The video is part of a long well-made series debunking creationists.

I'll babble a bit about what's on my mind. The current transition from periodic media like newspapers and TV news to the internet is going to have some growing pains I fear. In general what takes the place of trusted journalists? More specifically I'm concerned that religious interests will try to overpower the voice of science and reason in the new media and risk slipping into a mini dark age.

I am not against free flow of information of course. I think in the long run the evolution of instant global communication will be great for humanity, but I worry about the bumps in the road along the way.

Edited to add: I like this video, too, by the same guy. It also points out the danger of muting science in favor of religious beliefs. I also love this text from a Despair.com-style poster shown in the movie:

Christianity: The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove and evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree... yeah, makes perfect sense.

Godwin's Gays and Mel Brooks

2010-08-04T18:34:00.000-07:00

The first several times I saw Mel Brooks' "To Be or Not to Be", I assumed the homosexual being rounded up by the German occupiers and being compelled to wear a pink triangle was just a gay joke. After all, if Jews wore yellow Stars of David, surely gays would wear a pink emblem, ha ha. I was taught history in school—grade, middle, high and college. We covered WWII several times, and nobody ever taught me that any group besides the Jewish were systematically rounded up and taken to concentration camps.

The last time I watched was the first time it occurred to me to do an internet search to see if there might be any truth to the concept. Holy shit, this was real. Gays were compelled to sew pink triangles into their clothing, and about 10,000 - 15,000 gays were sent to concentration camps. Far fewer, of course, than the 6 million Jews murdered in such camps, but how shocked was I that this part of history was simply omitted from my many years of heterogeneous—and apparently exclusively heterosexual—schooling.

Recall the George Carlin bit about bad words and the differences between "fart" and "fuck"? On TV they could say neither word, but there was much talk and action revolving around fucking, while nobody spoke of farts. Television was a fart-free zone. (Clearly this has changed in the past 20 years; I have to suspect Carlin's observations helped this along.) In school I learned all sorts of nasty history about wars, genocide, oppressive rulers, mass murder and rape, and Republicans. But I had no knowledge of the concept of homosexuality until I was 14, and then I was so naive I thought it was a new thing. Okay, so gay people didn't all come from the United Gay Republic on the continent of Gaydia, with their own skin color and religion, but still, this is a group that has been repeatedly identified, singled out and harassed or oppressed by rulers and governments over the years, but there was nothing about it in my schooling. It makes me wonder what else was left out.

It has actually been a while since I've seen To Be or Not to Be, but I was reminded of the internment of gays by a news radio report. A gay man who was sent to a concentration camp and survived has recently decided to tell his story. I guess part of my brain still thinks homosexuality was invented in 1984, because I was surprised to hear him speak of openly gay clubs and an active gay community in his pre-WWII hometown.

It reminded me of our more paranoid reasons for starting this blog anonymously. Sometimes I get to thinking that it's "okay" to be atheist. But the gays' recent and continuing persecution is a good example of what could happen to us, even in America, even in these modern times. Look how many people are trying, and how hard they're trying, to make/keep gay marriage illegal. Seriously what the fuck do you care? From all the fuss you'd think gays and lesbians are trying to pass laws compelling straight Christian families to bring homosexuals into their living rooms to have exhibitionist gay sex in front of their children. No, they just want the same life partner arrangement that heterosexuals have access to.

What do gay marriage opponents fear? Is it dick-in-asshole? But preventing state-recognized marriage doesn't prevent dick-in-asshole, and allowing state-recognized marriage doesn't bring dicks in assholes any closer to you. I can relate to not liking dicks in assholes, because as open-minded and accepting as I am, I just don't want to see dicks in assholes, I don't want my dick in an asshole, I don't want my dick in a man's mouth or hand, and I want nothing to do with another man's dick. I still have lingering homophobia about those things. But I don't give a flying fuck if other mentally well-balanced, responsible adults mutually consensually do with their dicks, assholes, pussies, mouths and hands at the appropriate venues.

I tend to project my phobias onto other people, and I should really stop doing that, especially with people who behave so differently from me. The more I think about it, the more I think it is about control and conformity. They don't subscribe to "live and let live". They want you to conform to their actions, their beliefs, their thoughts, and they'll be damned if you can be nonconformist and not be punished or at least shunned. So yeah, I think people would try to disallow atheist marriage if they could. And I think many Americans would persecute atheists if given the chance.

Hell, maybe they already are, but that part of history was left out of my text books.

I still can't get over that. A group of people systematically identified and interned by German occupation forces in WWII, and after 17 years of schooling and many years of cable TV history shows I had to learn of it from Mel Brooks, who by the way is a brilliant man. I am in awe of how he attacks the Nazis, racism and other general dickishness with such satirical ferocity and makes it entertaining.

Faith-based Fitness

2010-07-18T05:59:00.001-07:00

This is probably one of the most ridiculous things I've seen in quite some time. I just found a faith-based fitness program. And as they say, you can combine your desire for fitness with your love for the lord into the perfect fitness program. And they even go so far as to say "You have great workouts, a great meal plan, and the lord on your side. That's a winning combination."

So as it turns out that's why America is so fat because when they go to the gym they're not taking the lord with them. It has nothing to do with the fact that they're not working out effectively, or that they're stuffing their faces with fastfood as soon as they leave. The problem is that they aren't glorifying god while they do sit-ups.

What a fucking joke. Religion is a placebo that they convince you you need before anything you do will be successful. Can't manage to drop those extra pounds? You need god. Can't get that promotion at work? God can help. Can't seem to make an A in physics? Forget study, turn to the lord. Wanna become a hot rapper singing about fucking dozens of girls and killing cops? God can help you with that.

ASSHOLES.

Anyway, here's the link. Be sure to watch the video.

Facebook Proselytizing

2010-06-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

Message from our FB overlords: "[Facebook 'friend' I haven't seen in 20 years] liked Radical Love Book on Facebook and suggested you like it too."

My god-dar twitches severely. Might as well check it out. Yup, it's some god crap book somebody wants to share with me.

I am momentarily tempted to see if The God Delusion has a fan page I can recommend to her.

Yay! Freethinker Camp!

2010-06-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

I am happy.

Kids wrestle with religion at Camp Quest

http://www.camp-quest.org/

I read about this at the Friendly Atheist

Trinity on Facebook

2010-06-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

I recently scanned and uploaded a bunch of old photos to Facebook, and they got a lot of attention from "friends" and "friends" of "friends" (who the fuck are all these people, anyway?). So naturally I do a little Facebook stalking on the women types, and I ran across a bunch of bible quotes and self-descriptions saying how lost they would be without God. Jesus Christ! Er, I mean what's up with that?

I totally get all the photos of kids, friends and inane status messages, but I still never get why their belief and devotion to God has to be publicly plastered everywhere. Isn't that really between them and God?

Perhaps I should have a Facebook description proclaiming how glad I am that some of our ancestry started approaching the world rationally and developed the scientific method, sanitation and medicine. Those three things are probably the most responsible for my quality of life. And perhaps the evolution of political and economic theory, and state diplomacy, but it's harder for me to quantify those effects on my life.

Now that I think about it, I'm particularly fond of refrigeration, also. I need to think of a way to put that one on Facebook without betraying where the thought originated.

That reminds me, I've seen the theme of abandoning technology and living naturally—read primitively—come up randomly a few times lately, as if rolling the clock back a few hundred or few thousand years would make life so much more simple and enjoyable. I always think—and sometimes say—"really? Life would be so much shittier without sanitation and medicine in particular. You have no idea." Infant mortality rates alone should make most anyone shudder at the thought of rolling back the clock more than a few decades. And World War II and the Cold War should make anyone shudder at rolling the clock back even that far.

My New Job

2010-05-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

Before I told you that of all people, I ended up taking a job at a baptist company. Don't worry, it's not like a xtian tv network or anything, but it is a baptist-based company. I was originally quite worried because it just goes against everything I believe in. It's actually going ok though. So far the only thing religious I've really been exposed to is orientation started with a prayer.

That was actualy pretty offensive though because I don't even want to hear that offensive shit. Of course they just don't get it do they? I've talked to my mom about this and she doesn't get it either, but it really is bullshit. Here, let me show you what I mean.

Xtians have taken to trying to sneak prayer into places by saying that they're going to have a prayer, but those who don't choose to are welcome to observe a moment of silence instead. The only problem is it's not a moment of silence because there's some asshole asking an invisible man in the sky for favors. And with the shit religion usually stands for, it's just offensive to have to listen to that shit. And like I said, they don't get it. They think, why are you so upset? I said you don't have to pray, you can just sit there and keep to yourself until we're done. Yeah, I suppose I could, but let's put the shoe on the other foot for a minute and see how you like it.

Let's say that I'm the head of a very liberal company, perhaps a porn distributor and you take a job there knowing that it's likely you'll never have to actually see porn because there are gov't regulations protecting you from that kinda thing. Now, when you show up for orientation I announce that we're going to watch a short ass pounding video, but for those of you who don't want to you can just sit there and keep to yourself in silence. So let me ask you... is that moment of silence acceptable, or would you rather we keep our offensive material to ourselves? Because offensive is offensive, and frankly, I'm seriously offended when someone starts preaching that bullshit because religion is nothing but bad. It's an evil in this world and we have to crush it. Too many horrendous things are done in the name of somebody's god and it has to stop. So yeah, I actually get offended when these assholes make me sit there silently while they spew their poison in the air.

Frankly, I'd rather watch a good ass pounding.

Still an Atheist

2010-05-03T18:40:00.001-07:00

I haven't checked in for a while, so I thought I'd pop by and say, I'm still an atheist. Still happy with that. Um. Yeah. Keep up the good work, guys.

So, how do you want that truck painted?

2010-04-08T18:09:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure what to say about the message in this photo, but its existence amuses me.

Feeling the Pressure

2010-03-18T08:27:00.001-07:00

Wow, I’m really starting to feel the pressure of being in the bible belt. We decided to put a bid in on a house and it’s on the corner lot of 2 major streets. And the other THREE corners have fucking churches on them. So I’ll be completely surrounded by the enemy if I take this house.

As well, I just took a job that turns out to be for a southern baptist org. Now, it’s a huge company so perhaps it won’t be that bad, but just being surrounded by all of that makes me sick to my stomach.

I’m just getting really sick of having to justify things to people who don’t want to do take certain actions because of an invisible man in the sky.

Jesus Soccer

2010-03-07T20:11:00.001-08:00

Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written guys, but life really steps in sometimes and it’s hard to make time for things I really want to do. Anyway, I have a brief topic to get me started again…

My wife signed up our son for soccer at his school. What she didn’t check was that it’s run by the YMCA. He had his first soccer game yesterday and they actually made them swear an oath to God before playing. Now, he’s only 4 and barely pays attention to anything going on around him, but it just makes me sick to even think about him being pulled into that sickening shit so early. So just to be able to kick a ball around with his friends he’s got to swear an oath to the invisible man.

And what’s even worse is that while it makes me sick, there’s nothing I can do about it because it is the YMCA afterall, and just because she didn’t pay attention to that doesn’t mean that I can change it. What would you expect from them? So now I’ve got to just sit back and let it happen for the rest of the year and hope he loses interest next year. If not then I’ll have to find a way to reverse any damage they’ve been doing. And yeah, I really do think that even that seemingly innocent prayer at the beginning of every game will do damage if unchecked.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got for now, and I’ll try to keep writing.

Hey, let's build another church!

2010-02-22T20:02:00.001-08:00

I keep noticing how many churches there are, but what really gets me is new church construction. There are so many damn churches around here I can't figure out who gets together and says "nah, none of those work for us, let's just build a new one."

Why Does God Need To Advertise?

2010-02-22T19:57:00.000-08:00

On a recent road trip I noted the ubiquitous human-placed crosses on hilltops and several billboards of the "Jesus Saves" variety, and I'm wondering why God needs to advertise. Come to think of it, why did God have people scribbling on rolled-up paper and leave humans to invent of the printing press and the internet thousands of years later?

Faith In Movies: Avatar

2010-01-24T22:42:00.000-08:00

Minor spoiler alert!

I finally got around to seeing Avatar. Aside from the Pocahontas / Gaian environmental theme I notice they switched themes mid-stream on faith versus science. During the middle of the movie they were describing the communicative bonding between Pandora's life forms as a planet-wide network for sharing and storing thoughts and memorie. Later they seemed to decide that inside the network lived ~~Gaia~~ a sentient god "Eywa" who actively "maintains balance" in nature. Apparently she does this by giving quite specific instructions to previously dumb animals.

I could've gone with the Pocahontas-like "live in harmony with nature" theme. The planet-wide bio-network idea was a pretty damn cool idea worth exploring more, and it could lead to some cool sequels and video games. But the deus ex machina of validating their religion at the climax was pretty lame.

Even during the mass ritual where they were sitting and swaying in concentric circles I was imagining that they were either consciously or subconciously manipulating the bio-network rather than simply ritualizing faith. Oh well.

See also: Faith Themes in Movies, although I now think I was trying to hard to include Kung Fu Panda in this topic.

Charlie, the She-Lord, Cometh?

2010-01-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

I won't try to explain the dream, for as most dreams the people, places and plot change from moment to moment, but at a particular moment a man who was then a pastor and was trying to tell me things while I was leaving his church (which wasn't a church when I was in it) that Christ will be reborn this year (it had something to do with a full moon and clear weather...), and her name will be Charlie. (Or Chuck...I forget exactly.)

It was funny enough to remember after I woke up. And yes, even in the dream it was a ridiculous proclamation on all counts.

God of Convenience

2010-01-07T22:10:00.000-08:00

A few vague inspirations over the holidays have culminated into a new god divinely inspiring me and the rest of us here at The God Dam to spread his word. At our convenience, of course. Because, behold, I witness to you the God of Convenience! (Dramatic music: duhn duhn DUUUUuuuuuhn!)

I now realize this god was trying to inspire me back in March 2008. He appears to atheists—yeah, ironic, I know—as a blue monkey (otherwise not much unlike Curious George) offering us the power of convenience. In March of 2008 he was offering me the validation of a god so I could win arguments with bible-waving Christians.

More recently during this past holiday season I was struggling with how to handle the holidays. Do I mock the Christians who have co-opted Pagan holidays? Do I celebrate a secular holiday such as Festivus? No! I needn't be burdened with such questions anymore, for as an atheist with the power of the God of Convenience behind me I have divine support for celebrating whenever the hell I feel like it! Rejoice and be free! Tonight was January 7 of 2010, in which I celebrate by watching football and baking bread. I do this in celebration of the God of Convenience and his flexible scheduling.

Moses brought you commandments. His blue-monkiness has instructed me to pass on holy Accomodations to you. Tonight I shall impart to you just one, because I was otherwise busy, so GoC said I could work on the rest later...at my convenience.

Here it is: You may put any other gods before him or even cast away divinity altogether. (Let's face it, there are times when Jeff, the God of Biscuits or John whom is worshiped at the porcelain throne is much more needed than GoC.)

He also said that should I wish to portray an image of him—although I didn't have to because it wasn't really a big deal, after all—that a search of "blue monkey" at Wikimedia Commons would be a particularly quick and free way of doing so.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Akrotiri_blue_monkeys.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manky.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blender_suzanne.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DaySign_Chuen.svg

This Song's Just Six Words Long

2010-01-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

Let's start the year by stealing from another blog, The Friendly Atheist! Inspired by a chain of "describe your [religion, lack thereof, journey or similar] in six words or less" blogs he asked his readers to contribute and posts his favorite responses:

The scientific method is my copilot. (Kerry)
Credulous fundamentalist, questioning skeptic, happy atheist. (Butch)
Forced into Catholicism. Ran away screaming! (Danene)
Accepted because taught, abandoned after thought. (Zach)
What was I thinking? So sorry. (GordonGoblin)

I can identify strongly with the first four, except I was lured into Baptists' hands instead of forced into Catholicism. The last one I think several times a week, but it has nothing to do with religion or atheism when I think it.

What good is atheism without faith?

2009-12-29T22:57:00.000-08:00

There are some billboards around sponsored by one of the local medical centers. They say "What good is medicine without faith?" Really? Pretty damn handy, I'd say. Much more effective than faith in improving quality and length of life. If I have the misfortune to wind up at one of those hospitals, please tell them I'll take the medicine, anyway!

It got me to thinking again about how Christians seem to include God in everything, and I mused about how they could include God in atheism. That kind of ironic or impossible humor is my style. Then I recall how I've seen Christians argue against atheists as if they accept the existence of God but choose to reject him. Perhaps that really is what is happening in their heads? Are they so stuck with God-is-in-everything that they can't comprehend that someone else simply doesn't believe in invisible omnipotent people that refuse to prove they exist? (But they love us!) Do they morph the idea into atheism being a rebellion against an acknowledged God? That would explain some of the attitude.

Another billboard I've seen a lot says "Nothing is too hard for God." Well then he must be one lazy bastard, eh? Or a dick. People give him credit for saving people from disasters. Doesn't he know that preventing the disaster in the first place would save a lot more people? What an asshole! Given the timing of these billboards I presume they are a response to the bad economy. (I guess I could go to the website advertised on them and check...nah.) Again, instead of helping people through the bad economy, why not just prevent it from going bad, mr. invisible love-us guy?

Santa Claus. Tooth fairy. Easter bunny. They love us, give us presents and want us to be good and happy. As we get older we are told that they don't really exist. I keep thinking parents used to tell their kids that God is also a tale and doesn't exist, but somewhere along the way somebody couldn't let go of the last comfy blanket, and now we're stuck with an imaginary friend that will only do good things for us if we obey him. And then only if he feels like it.

What good is faith without a rational approach to the world?

Christian University

2009-12-05T20:09:00.000-08:00

I'm not big into NCAA Football, but this year I have a mild interest because TCU—a local team—has an outside chance at the national title. I also like Texas who would have to lose in the next 7:05 of game time to give TCU that chance.

Yet I find myself mildy repulsed that TCU—Texas Christian University—has a religious base. So I can't decide whether to root for Texas to win and go to the championship game or Texas to lose and hope for TCU to make it in over Cincinnati.

Eh, there are probably atheists at TCU and surely Christians at Texas, so I guess I won't worry any more about it.

Technical Virgin

2009-11-30T21:14:00.000-08:00

So we're watching an episode of Two and a Half Men, and Judith's sister says, "Oh yeah? And who's the 'technical virgin'??"

So we got to talking about what constitutes a virgin any more - you know, are you still a virgin if you've done everything but? And how guys either are or aren't, period. I was surprised to find myself on a diatribe.

"Virgin" is a completely outdated term that means nothing. It comes from centuries of subjugation of women. "You have to be a virgin, which means you'd better not touch anyone else's dick or you're worthless. I, on the other hand, can stick my dick into whoever or whatever I want period. You know, as long as it's not a guy." It's fucking ludicrous.

What's more, it's one of those stupid rules that people go to extreme lenghts to get around, regardless of consequences. You can suck and rub and take it in the ass, and you're still a virgin, and therefore it's okay with God. Oh and by the way, while you're focusing on the letter of the law, you can still get HIV or syphillus. And you sure as hell are getting sexual experience, with the complications & emotional tie-ins and all that shit.

There's not a single defining line, for guys or girls. You've touched or you haven't. Someone's gone down on you, or not. A piece of you has been in someone else, or it hasn't. These days "virgin" really just means sexually inexperienced. So if you're an everything but girl (or guy), you're not a virgin. As far as a label goes, who the fuck cares?

Freedom From Religion

2009-11-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

It's funny how perspective changes when you let go of the idea that one faith-based religion is more normal, acceptable or respectable than the others how quickly that religion seems as baseless as astrology, phrenology or voodoo.

Godless Tweets!

2009-10-17T19:24:00.000-07:00

We're expanding! Godlessness spreads to Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/TheGodDam Let's get tweeting!

I'm feeling snarky....

2009-10-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

..so I come and bitch to you.

STOP being fucking assholes. Stop hating. Stop being hypocrites. Stop mentally (and otherwise) abusing children. Stop short-circuiting education. Stop pushing myth on top of science. Stop killing. Stop subugating. Stop being fucking assholes. This goes for all of you, not just the religious folk.

Oh, and quit blessing me. That's mostly for the Christians...Muslims, agnostics, atheists, Buddhists, and everyone else could give a shit if I sneeze.

Marriage = MY FUCKING BUSINESS, the return!

2009-10-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, we got a great comment on the original Marriage = blog! Go check out the latest comments, and throw your $0.02 in the ring.

Christian Dating

2009-09-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

I was just browsing the forums attached to a dating website. To my amazement a couple of christians lamented that they can't find other christians to date. Seriously? I can't swing a cat without hitting three single christians who won't shut up about Jesus or God. Anyway, somebody replied to one of the forlorn christians: "Yep, God will scare you up a piece of ass. Have faith."

Super Breeders for Jesus

2009-09-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

O.k. so today the super breeding Christian family the Duggars have been allowed to to make their special announcement AGAIN. I'm sure everyone knowing this family can guess and you'd be right - the bitch is pregnant AGAIN. How is that her uterus hasn't fucking exploded?? Now I have several questions of just plain logistics like what the hell do you do for a living without being reality show stars to financially support that many children for starters, but that isn't why I'm writing?

Now they grant god with all of their good fortune with children and I'm concerned that this religious bullshit will start to filter out to others who crave attention through religion and over breeding. Religion is the number one offender in encouraging people to have children and to have large families, probably because the only time you can play god is when you are seeking a medical intervention to create life, not to end it whether it be through abortion or suicide. And let's not forget that they do love to play god in creating life and when bullying others about their life decisions. Many of the religions condemn contraception. I have a friend who married someone very orthodox and had to get permission from her religious gynocologist regarding halting pregancy because they were having serious issues with another child, and couldn't really deal with a pregnancy. The fact that women in her community go to a doctor who is involved with their temple is horrifying to say the least. Nowadays, you can go to a fertilization specialist and have 8 embryos implanted and freeze the rest, and if all of those embryos manage to turn into babies you can keep them all and save the others for later. Now the reason most people won't destroy them or allow stem cell research which could help people already living is that they consider it religiously wrong and they consider them their children, and you wouldn't do testing on your children (but I guess it's o.k. to leave them in the deep freeze.) They liken doing research on stem cells to doing chemical research to a real live baby that feel pain which is ridiculous and very immature in it's thought process.

This whole mentality of overly religious families thinking that they are so much better than the rest of us because they have these enormous families and are doing god's will and work is revolting!!! I REPEAT REVOLTING!! Not to mention potentially dangerous for the survival of our species, no not Christians or other religious types, but humanity as a whole on this planet. Whether anyone wants to believe it or not, over-population is an issue, not will be, but IS and issue. I wouldn't be surprised if this is all some sort of ridiculous mind control campaign by the various religious institutions to drum up business. If they can continue to convince people that they need to be ridiculously regulated and assisted by god to help deal with the insecurity of life and then breed, well then that means their severly drooping business picks up. Because if you are religious then you will need to baptize, educate, and marry people in the church to be good with god, right?

These people I my opinion should be shunned and these programs with super breeders should be taken off the air. It is absolutely disturbing to me the changing attitudes of this country and how religious extremism is becoming the norm. Just go and read the blogs of this super breeding misfit Michelle and then see the comments. It's all about god. I'm sure they are happy to be able to do so much for god, and the peolple who leave comments are happy they are doing so well too. This should not be out standard for life. I think someone should spike the holy water with birth control since intelligence is useless.

Jesus says: Women Suck!

2009-08-12T21:48:00.001-07:00

Ever notice how the most highly respected Christian women are subservient to their men?

There's this guy on the Daily Show* talking about an xtian cult he joined (to see what it's like), and how he didn't help in the kitchen, they actually had a group of women assigned to do that...that the men's job was to follow Jesus, and the women's job was to follow their men. It struck me that the further into traditional Christianity you get, the more you get into those roles.

He just said the New Testament is about power, by the way. I think I can agree with that.

*"The Guy" is Jeff Sharlet, author of "The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power"

Marriage = MY FUCKING BUSINESS

2009-08-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

I have a new job, and I have a new favorite place to park at my building. Two days out of the last three, this big, bumper sticker-plastered truck has been in the space next to mine. Every time I see it, I have to fight the very sudden, violent, and real urge to key the fucking thing, because of this one particular sticker.

[Sorry, I'd've posted the pic directly, but I'm apparently dumber than Blogger.com.)

It's clearly one of those fucking holier than thou "sanctity of marriage" movements. I did a search so I could include the image, and found out exactly which movement: CBN's.

PROTECT THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE
Let your voice be heard.
Request your free bumper sticker!

We the people proclaim that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman! Please support the Federal Marriage Amendment (H.J. Res. 56):

Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution or the constitution of any State, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups.

CBN is proclaiming God's truth and love to America! Please join with us.

■Pray that God will protect His divine plan for marriage and the family.

■Act by contacting your senators, representatives and state legislators. Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or log on to http://congress.org to contact your state and federal legislators by e-mail.

■Share with your family and friends. It is vital to let our voices be heard now -- before the Supreme Court has a chance to make same-sex unions the irrevocable law of the land.

First, why this makes me violently mad: I can't fucking stand when people cheerfully, and with a great sense of community and purpose, fuck other people over. The smug fucking assholes haven't walked a single step in gay man or woman's shoes, but they'll happily say they're not real people and shouldn't have real rights. Hey, maybe they're 3/5ths of a person, right?

Next, let's pick this apart a bit. "We the people " oh don't go all Declaration of Independence on us so you can pretend to be opressed, noble, and intelligent. "We fucking holier-than-thou Christians" would be way more accurate. Okay, moving on.

"We [fucking holier-than-thou Christians] proclaim that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman!" I'm going to skip right over "sacred" so I can move on to this: "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution or the constitution of any State, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups." To turn that into Normalspeak, "No law should be understood to mean that 'marriage' has to include fags."

Okay, so marriage is sacred penis-and-vagina territory, and laws should enforce that. So this should be a nation of Christian laws. Oh yeah, THAT'D be just swell.

How many times, and how many different ways, do we have to ask, please, beg, scream, WHY DOES IT FUCKING MATTER TO YOU FUCKS??!? What do you CARE if I peg my husband in the ass, or if my best guy friend likes cock? He's not after YOUR cock! YOU'RE too homophobic, uptight, stupid and unattractive?

Personal attacks? Oh yeah, I'm all about the personal attacks. You started it, asswipes. Your cute little Man + Woman sticker could easily - and more honestly - look like this:

Edit: I'm SO happy. I was already happy about this post (man, that was cathartic), then I went looking on cafepress.com for marriage related bumper stickers. My absolute favorite is the FOCUS ON YOUR OWN DAMN FAMILY one. I gots ta buy it, I just GOTS to.

Woman Accused Of Wearing Pants. Oh, the Humanity!

2009-08-11T21:44:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what's more disturbing, that in Sudan 10 women were arrested for being indecently dressed—in a pair of pants (or trousers for Europeans)—or that Reuters thought it worthy of the "Oddly Enough" category. Or rather unworthy of a more respectable category.

One of the woman found that she had been blacklisted so that she could not pass customs to leave the country. She is on bail pending trial.

Woman in trouser case banned from travel

You're Oh So Special

2009-08-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, here in NYC, a tour helicopter and small airplane collided mid-air over the Hudson and both went under leaving no survivors. Nine people died in crash, among them a couple of teenage boys.

Of course a crash over the Hudson will have many eye witness accounts, and among most of that blabber was an interview with another tourist who was supposed to take the ill-fated helicopter tour at that time, but didn't because her son was scared. It was only after she had convinced him to go and they returned to the heliport that they found out what had happened. Later when she was interviewed she credited her life to god saying, "I thank god for saving us and for giving us another chance at life."

Really?!! Everytime I hear something like that I just wonder to myself, "what makes you so fucking special?" Why would god save you yet send some other family with their teenage son to their death?? Do believers really think that god spares them? And if this if true what does that mean for you? Do you become some super person out to do good and correct all the injustices in the world, or at least the ones in your small corner of it? Because I'd hate to think that god spared you just so you could return to your boring mundane life as whatever it is that you do that really isn't all that impressive.

This is absolute proof that everything that happens is either a result of our own personal choices and/or a case of being in the right/wrong place at the right/wrong time. Because I cannot for the life of me figure out why one person is spared while someone else will suffer only what I can imagine to be incredible amounts of personal emotional agony.

Now, the mother of the Italian teenager who was killed on the helicopter not only lost her son but her husband as well that day, and will return to Italy with nothing but a fucking T-shirt she bought on the street that says, "I Love NY." While the other Italian tourist, who is happy to be alive having been spared by god, will go home with her son and husband. I really hope that the mother of the dead child didn't hear her statement, she might disagree. However, I'm sure she'd love to hear the opinions as to why her family was chosen to die while the other mother was spared. If it indeed this was a conscious decision by god.

It's this idea of favoritism and mercy that people think believing in god will get them that is a completely human characteristic. It is that exact air of superiority that erks me, especially since I don't consider "believers" to be any better than anybody else. So you may want to ask yourselves "why am I so special?"

It's also at times like these when people love to throw out their stupid and completely pointless catch phrases that are supposed to make people feel better about the incredibly uneven justice that god dishes out: "god needed an angel" (can't he/she get really good cable?) "we just don't know why god does these things but he has a reason for everything" (I'm sure the grieving mother would love to know what his reason is), or my personal favorite "we should be happy for them because they are in a better place" (What did they go to some fabulous spa?)

What the fuck people!!

Look, question, and doubt.

Peace out.

Hello there

2009-08-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,
Just wanted to introduce myself, I'm a new publisher on this blog and I hope that it will be at times fun and thought provoking for all. Please remember that this is ONLY my opinion and not the law, and like many other things in life, reading this blog is a choice. If you don't like what you read, then stop reading. It is that simple.

I will say that I am educated, well-traveled, divorced and childless (by choice), and a well respected professional with many friends. One of my hopes is that believers will start to see atheists as humans, and not as social degenerates or monsters.

So in this blog you will see that I will post things usually when I'm irritated or absolutely angry and then somedays my mood will be more upbeat. Yes, I have more than one mood because I'm not a machine, so if you don't like it then move on.

Laters.

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

2009-07-17T02:08:00.000-07:00

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.

This...

2009-07-15T20:02:00.001-07:00

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

see more Political Pictures

Fin.

On the Mountain with Moses: Pocket Pussy

2009-07-12T21:31:00.001-07:00

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.

Technorati Tags: On the Mountain with Moses

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

2009-07-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

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?

Serious w/cute

2009-07-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

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

see more dog and puppy pictures

(OK, end of sappy uselessness.)

Matrix Quote Reloaded

2009-07-04T17:18:00.001-07:00

"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

2009-07-04T10:33:00.001-07:00

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?

2009-07-04T10:24:00.001-07:00

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.

Technorati Tags: Religion,Science,Mom

Spongebob and Sensibility

2009-07-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

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.

On the Mountain with Moses: Monkeys aren't for spanking

2009-06-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

So we went on a trip to Santa Monica last week and I got to thinking on the plane and for some reason it hit me... I wonder why Moses was on the mountain so long. What went on up there? So I've decided to put together a small series that outlines a few of the possibilities.

That's the setup... So in this episode let's see what god and moses might have been talking about.

M: I need to ask you a question about one of the commandments.
G: Go ahead my son.
M: I have a problem with 'Do not covet they neighbor's wife'.
G: What is your problem?
M: I really don't see what the problem is with just thinking about being with somebody.
G: That's your neighbor's wife and you're not supposed to think of her in that way. It's disrespectful.
M: But I just don't see what harm it does. I mean, if I don't tell anybody about it, what would make it so bad? I mean, my neighbor's wife is hot so why can't I picture her on top of me every now and then.
G: Moses, you're not supposed to think about things like that. You are to dedicate yourself body and soul to the mate you have chosen. You are to be faithful in every way possible.
M: Well, how am I supposed to get any good whack material unless I have a variety of
women to use? I mean, man doesn't live by bread alone.
G: That's something else I've been meaning to talk to you about. You shouldn't be pleasuring yourself.
M: What?!? What do you mean? What's wrong with going on a little yankation every now and then? I can't believe you won't let us spank the monkey.
G: Ok, for starters, stop talking like that. There's more polite language to use when referring to such things. And for another thing, I've told you before that sex is only for procreation. It's better to plant your seed in the belly of a whore than on the ground for the ants to eat.
M: So we can bang hookers, COOL!
G: No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm merely saying that you shouldn't waste your semen by not planting it inside a woman. And I'm telling you again to stop using that kind of language.
M: But why is it so bad to have a little salami massage now and then? My wife isn't all that pretty in the first place and then you made her bleed once a month and when she's pregnant she get's all fat and does nothing but eat. And I'm a lotta man and I gotta get mine. What am I supposed to do, bang her when she's bleeding?

G: Of course not, don't be disgusting, you can't stick your dick in something while it's bleeding... listen to me now you've got me talking like that. During those times you can go work in the fields or plan how you're going to conquer the next town and convert them to my word. But don't massage your monkey... dammit, there I go again... Stop talking like that.

M: So I can't bang my wife while she's on the rag or knocked up, and you don't want me whacking my... I mean, taking care of my own business... so that leaves hookers.

G: No, you still can't bang hookers. You have to remain faithful to the sacred union you've established in my name.

M: OK, but what if I'm doing a hooker and I'm thinking about my wife? Is that ok?
G: No, that's not ok either.
M: What if I'm with a hooker and I think about my hand?
G: This is going to be a long day. No, you can't do that either.
M: what if we're in different zip codes?
G: Now there's an idea.

OK, there's the first installment of On the Mountain with Moses. I hope you enjoyed.

Very Rough Photoshop...

2009-06-21T11:33:00.001-07:00

Why don't we see more of this kind of thing, really?

Fuck You Muslim Pricks

2009-06-11T17:25:00.001-07:00

OK so this isn’t going to be the usual funny, light-hearted post I usually do. Instead I’m going to vent a little about something that’s really starting to bother me a LOT.

I was in an airport yesterday waiting on a flight that was running 4hrs late. I looked over to my left and there was this guy sitting there in shorts. They were regular jean shorts with sandals, and a normal polo shirt. Just a normal guy. He was darker-skinned so he wasn’t white, but it’s hard to tell where he’s from exactly. But he looked like the kind of guy who you could probably be friends with at work or something.

Then directly to his right was his wife. Covered from head to toe in a solid black sheet with only a tiny slit for her eyes. SERIOUSLY MOTHERFUCKER?!?

OK, here’s the crux of my post tonight. I’m getting so fucking sick of these muslim prick asshole motherfuckers who think they’re so fucking above everyone else and esp their women. What the fuck makes him so much more worthy to not have to suffer the heat than his wife? It was fucking hot yesterday and I’m sure she was miserable in that black tent.

Then my fire was fueled even more when I saw the June 10th episode of the Daily Show. He was interviewing the producer of the Afganistan Idol. And he was saying that the religious nuts over there hadn’t thrown them in jail yet, and that even that pretty girl who sang on stage the other day and didn’t cover her face, and even got caught up in the music and barely moved on stage a little was still relatively safe and hadn’t been killed yet. If that’s your concern for holding a singing show and someone moving in a way while singing that could even be vaguely considered dancing, then fuck your piece of shit religion. I’m serious here. I’m really starting to fucking hate muslims and everything they stand for. They do nothing but try to control everyone’s lives and kill those for the most minor of offenses. Sure, american xtians can be bad too, but in general they really don’t kill someone for dancing.

So yeah, I’m getting sick of hearing about muslims all the goddamn time and I’m sick of people respecting their religion. Their religion deserves no respect because they don’t respect anything or anyone. The only ones who have rights in islam are muslim men. And even they’d better watch their step. But the way they support raping of women and killing women for the most minor offenses makes me want to just nuke all of those motherfuckers. So NO, I’ll never respect islam to any degree nor will I ever be able to be friends with a real muslim because of what they do to their women and children.

I’ve been friends with muslims before and they always seem like cool enough guys. But when you see them in a different setting, like at home, and see how they treat their sisters and their wives, there’s no way you can ever look at them the same again.

Technorati Tags: Muslim,religion

My "Religion"

2009-06-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

A discussion online inspired me to write how I really feel...this is my spirituality:

I am made of the stuff of stars. My ancestry goes back millions of years...I am the great granddaughter of the Earth itself, and of the universe. My mere existence is a lucky improbability. I am full of the joy of now, of being alive, of being part of a species that can just begin to study and understand its own existence. My heart is full of the things that I am, of this life and its joys, this being, each breath and step. I am.

Oh Yeah, Religion Sucks

2009-06-06T23:54:00.000-07:00

Oops, we fell off the wagon again. I haven't had much to post lately as I've been busy with secular life mostly free of religious nuts imposing on me.

I just finished reading John Grisham's The Last Juror, and racism and religion played a large part in the setting. I was surprised that there were still segregated schools in the early 1970's in Mississippi. I managed to miss out on most of the open racism because of where I lived, but I've seen hidden racism enough that I was surprised--pleasantly--that Obama could be elected.

Yeah, I really haven't got much else right now. Just staying busy and secular.

Big dildo up your ass.

Forking Incredible

2009-05-19T07:48:00.001-07:00

This is gonna be another short one, but it dawns on me (yet again) that religion is something that we’ll never be able to get around. We have this deep need to personify objects and apply meaning to things. Says the guy who came up with this while bitching at the forks because they refused to go into the drawer properly.

Technorati Tags: religion,forks

Exactly what I had in mind

2009-04-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

I was thinking a few days ago (again) about the mixture of paganism, Christianity, consumerism, and random crap that surrounds and fills our holidays. Then I ran across this professionally made cookie cake, decorated with a shining cross, white bunnies and easter eggs. It's exactly - EXACTLY - what I was thinking about.

Must be a sign from God. Dunno what it means, though.

BTW, I'll say it again: WHY does "a sign from God", or "wow, that's so beautiful, it must have been made by God" mean that it has to be made SPECIFICALLY by the wrathful OT guy who got nice and sent his kid to save us from our evil selves, etc etc etc?

Why should Christians have all the fun?

2009-04-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Who says Islam isn't evangelical? I snapped this shot while driving around San Francisco.

The God Virus

2009-04-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

My favorite podcast for a while now has been Dogma-free America, and they just had a mini episode where he talks to the author of the book The God Virus.

It certainly sounds like an interesting book where he compares religion to a virus outbreak and he makes some pretty damn good points.

I'm not going to spend too much time talking about what he said because it's available online, but definitely go have a listen. It's not as long as the usual podcasts so it's not too long.

So the episode is #83... I think this is the direct link, but if not then just find that episode on the site and you'll be good.

Christians stole my rocket car

2009-04-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

You remember when we were growing up and all the futuristic movies where people were flying around in cars and living in space all took place in either 2000 or 2010?

Well it dawned on me a few days ago that since we had pretty decent innovations and discovery before the goddamn xtians threw us into the dark ages. In fact, it's always been religion that's halted science and technology.

So what I'm trying to say here is that had it not been for the goddamn xtians, we'd all have our rocket cars by now... ASSHOLES!!

Big dildo up your ass.

Fooling God

2009-04-08T03:36:00.000-07:00

I heard a story on the radio today. If I recall correctly, Jews are supposed to purge their houses and businesses of leavened bread on passover because when the Jews fled Egypt they didn't have time to let the bread rise to take it with them.

Anyway, with mass distribution and restaurants it is kind of a pain to actually get rid of inventory and then restock after Passover, so how do they solve this in Israel? Apparently all the businesses in Israel assign ownership their leavened bread stock to their Rabbis who sell it to one particular Muslim fellow who puts a $5k down payment on it. The businesses and such then hide their bread instead of actually getting rid of it. The contract for the bread sales states that the buyer must come up with the rest of the money shortly after Passover or the down payment is refunded and the bread ownership falls back to the original owner. Somehow the guy never comes up with the rest of the money any year.

What the fuck? Seriously? Why bend over backwards to find loophole to pretend you're following a tradition?

Compatible With Environment

2009-04-06T00:46:00.000-07:00

I'm making it slowly through Dawkins' The Extended Phenotype, partially because it has a lot of technical topics and terms that need careful reading and glossary checking, and partially because there's no plot compelling me to pick up the book every night to see what happens next. Nevertheless it's a very interesting read. And again it inspired some thought in me that isn't necessarily presented in the book.

And this is another blog where I don't quite have the idea fully formed. Here it goes anyway. And what I say here isn't really what Dawkins was saying, and I can't fully explain out of context what he was saying, and I might have understood it wrong in the first place. Okay, shut up with the qualifiers already, praiseNull!

Anyway, the inspiring concept was that brain patterns in the form of songs and ideas and such might replicate, mutate and evolve analogous to how genes do in natural selection. So a popular song--for illustration's sake let's think before recordings were possible and this is a folk song passed about from tribe to tribe--may replicate itself to other brains, mutate and evolve as it is communicated from brain to brain.

The moment of inspiration was when he said both gene selection and meme (brain pattern) selection must be compatible within their environment. Where this lead me was to think of religion as a meme, and it fits with what I've been saying. The concept of God, Jesus--or Mohamed or Moses or whoever--and morality mutates as it is passed from person to person, and groups of faith form and split over various disagreements.

What really really really really hit home was that atheism is not compatible with religion. Not in one mutation, anyway. Most Christians may believe in God and Jesus but aren't out to stone blasphemers or inflict other harsh punishments even though that's what the religion started. God and Jesus are kind (well, sometimes...anyway kind from a Christian's point of view), so kindness where the bible says you should stone someone is not a particularly incompatible view (or mutation of a view) to adopt (replicate) for a Christian. Divorcing or aborting a pregnancy is not too strong a mutation because in many cases it prevents suffering and misery. But perhaps "look, seriously, there is no God and all of this is made up" is too much a mutation of a meme--it's incompatible with the ubiquitous monotheistic meme. Perhaps the path from Christianity to atheism is to evolve the meme bit by bit to emphasize the morality and good social behavior and de-emphasize God, Jesus and life before or after this mortal life. And come to think of it, that's sort of the pattern I followed myself. Not that I ever had a belief in a literal God or that Jesus was actively saving my soul, but it took a long while to make the apparent leap from agnostic to atheist, or at least to declare to myself that no, I don't really believe that there's a God out there somewhere.

One more qualifier: Although Dawkins is an atheist and some of that shows through in this book so far, where I have gone with this has really nothing to do with what the book is about.

Atheism and Socialism

2009-04-06T00:34:00.000-07:00

I saw an episode of Family Guy where Meg becomes a book-burning Christian after watching a Kirk Cameron show and Brian mentions to the family that he is atheist. They were shocked. He said he figured they knew because he never went to church and because of his opinions, but the family was still horrified. Meg kept trying to convert Brian and told her church that he was an atheist, and pretty much the whole town went nuts with stoning him and calling him out on local TV newscasts.

Of course it's a cartoon, but it made me think some more about why Christians are so horrified by atheists. And today I recall how Socialism is such a horrifying concept and idea to most, yet Social Security, Welfare and some other programs are Socialism implemented. And people like them. And many church goers are fairly grounded and tolerant people who don't buy into every bible story or even their church's interpretation of them. They might not even believe in a literal individual God and Jesus; they may have pantheist leanings or just not give much thought to it. Some certainly make moral judgements without consulting or necessarily agreeing with their church or peers. But tell them someone is an atheist and they may be uncomfortable.

So maybe it's just the cognitive dissonance. As long as you don't call it atheism it's okay? And as long as you don't call social programs socialist it's okay?

Brian resorted to pretending he had found God so the bars would start serving him again, and to celebrate Meg took him to a book burning where the congregation was throwing Origin of Species and Stephen Hawkings books on the bonfire. Brian couldn't stand it and converted Meg back by asking her if God would have let her have such a hot mom while allowing her to grow up looking like her dad with a big ass and small breasts. Heh. Poor Meg.

Edit: I'm not for going all socialist. I just can't quite figure out why it's such a powerfully bad word and concept when the USA has several socialist programs implemented, and hell it's what the hard core conservative fiscal people are wanting to resort to (temporarily) to bail out Bear Stearns, AIG and the rest. I nearly shit myself when the Republicans nationalized the mortgage industry and don't quite undertand why it would be so systemically bad if Bear Stearns, AIG, GM and Chrysler all went tits-up. It's been a while since I took the SAT, but Socialism:US politics::atheism:religion.

My Lucky Shirt

2009-04-05T20:19:00.001-07:00

I hope this one is going to be short because I really just wanna kinda follow-up on some of the topics we've been spitting around here for a while. I'm playing with the notion again of why we need to even had a god figure in the first place.

There's really just something in our nature (as has been told by Dawkins) that makes us want to not only assign nature to things, but to also take control over things that we can't personally control ourselves. Because let's face it, you don't see anyone breaking their kneecaps to pray that a soda suddenly flies out of the fridge, right? That's because we can do it ourselves. But have your favorite baseball team get a couple points behind and suddenly it's because your wife didn't wash your lucky game shirt. Or the runner was tagged out at 1st base because you couldn't eat the hotdog fast enough.

There are so many stupid sports superstitions you can't even count them all. And some of them are easier to get away from than others. Let's say you have your lucky game shirt and your team always wins when you have it on. So of course you have to wear it to the game because they'll lose if you don't. Of course you never think about the fact that they win plenty of games out of town that you don't even go to. But all it would really take to get you off of that stupid tradition is to lose the shirt for good and have the team keep winning. It's really that easy. One day your wife just throws it away by "accident" and it's gone. Now that the team is still winning you're able to put the shirt back in its place as just a shirt and nothing more. Some other sports myths are harder to bebunk because they don't consist of anything solid like a shirt. Some of them require a chant or a special dance, or wave, etc. Those are the ones you'll never get rid of because you'll always do them regardless of what anyone around you says.

So it's not confined to religious nuts either. These guys are sports nuts and I actually met one a few months ago in Seattle. He was a diehard athiest who had a special network cable he always traveled with and it had never failed to get him a good network connection at the hotel. Forget the fact that most of the time it stayed in his bag because everyone's on wireless now. Just having the cable was good enough. And you know what? I just let it go. I wished him good luck with that and went on about my way.

But these stupidstitions are fucking everywhere you look. They're hard to avoid. So since I more or less promised to keep this short I'll stop it there. Except to say that I know actors have their little things too, and in keeping with the theme of one of my last posts, I'm sitting here wondering what kinds of things pornstars need to obsess on to get the job done. You would tend to see this in the male stars primarily I would imagine since a woman can always perform. But I could see a woman needing something every now and then as I'll demonstrate below.

2 male pornstars talking after a shoot:

1. Dude, what happened to you out there today?
2. Man, I know I fucked up. What could I do? I didn't have my lucky cockring.
1. DUDE, you went out and tried to do a scene without your lucky cockring? What were you thinking?
2. I know, I know. What could I do though, I had to go on. I'm under contract. I just don't know what happened to it.
1. Yeah, but this is what happens when you try to get away with something like that. Stuff like this happens man!
2. Yeah, I feel really bad about that. I just hope she's ok.
1. I don't know man, she looked pretty bad.
2. Oh god... should I sent flowers?
1. I'm not sure, I've just never seen anything like that before.
2. Me neither. And it's certainly never happened to ME before. I really hope she's ok.
1. Yeah, me too. Just imagine having someone go to cum on your face and they shit all over your chest. Dude, what were you thinking going out there without your lucky cockring?!?

Now, 2 female pornstars talking after a scene:

1. Honey I don't know what you were thinking but I doubt if he'll ever do a scene with you again.
2. Oh shit do you think so? Was it that bad?
1. What it that bad? Girl I'm not even sure I should be talking to you anymore.
2. It's not my fault, my boyfriend washed my lucky ass beads and I didn't get a chance to use them before the scene.
1. WHAT? You went out there without your lucky ass beads? Girl, don't you know that's a career killer? You remember what happened to Kelly Couchback, right?
2. No, I've never heard of her.
1. Exactly, nobody has. She was doing one of her first scenes ever and she mocked the lucky ass beads. Well, what happened next was just the worst thing ever. She was gangbaning these 2 guys and when one of them finished, she queefed cum all over his face.
2. Oh my god, that's horrible.
1. Well, not as horrible as what you just did.
2. I know, I know. I can't believe that happened. I hope he doesn't sue me.
1. Oh he's not gonna sue you, but you'll be lucky if you can ever get another job.
2. I just never thought that not having my lucky charms once would be so bad. I thought that at the most I might not be able to take his whole cock.
1. Yeah well you wish that's all that happened. I still can't believe you actually spewed chocolate all over him while he was eating your pussy.
2. Oh don't remind me. Has anybody seen him?
1. I don't know. The last I heard there was just a trail of peanuts leading back to his dressing room.

Big dildo up your ass.

Expressive Language

2009-04-03T18:39:00.001-07:00

This has been at the back of my mind for at least a couple of weeks, but it really hasn't been ready for a blog. What the hell, like my stuff is up for a Pulitzer anyway.

I periodically find myself looking for alternative phrasings to expressive statements like "thank God" or "bless you". A lot of people use god-related wording when expressing emotion: heavenly, divine, etc. And devil references can indicate strong negative emotion or playful or deceitful trickery: "damn him to hell", "he's a little devil".

Secular intense negativity is pretty easy as that's what swear words are for. Yet somehow damn is a greater curse when it is goddam! Yet I have trouble coming up with superlative secular positive expressions. The only one I could think of today was "orgasmic" to describe some great food. (But then SurferJesus told me to stop fucking his casserole.)

It's fun to come up with mocking secular alternatives to an enthusiastic "praise Jesus" or "it's heaven on earth", but I am unable to come up with useful daily alternatives.

I'm not suggesting that God is necessary for intense enjoyment outside of sex (btw, "oh god, oh god") but instead that religion has successfully co-opted our positive emotional language to make a profoundly happy secular person sound as corny as someone trying to use "gosh", "darn" and "shoot" to avoid swearing.

EDIT: It looks like Faithenate covered religious language expression about a year ago.

Moron Morality

2009-03-31T06:38:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry, did I say moron morality? I meant to say more on morality, my bad.

So there's this big debate as to whether you can have morality without religion. Now, before you click away thinking this is going to be the same old discussion, it's not. I'm going to present a counter theory of mine that's probably not entirely correct (nothing I ever say is), but it's a good starting point.

OK, so all of this bullshit that religion is full of peace and tolerance has been well debunked by now because we've seen way too many examples of how they run things when given the chance. And it's funny to me that the extremists are dismissed as wild-eyed crackpots who don't hold the true values of the religion as a whole. But what if that's backwards? I propose that the extremists are the only ones who are following what their religion tells them to do and it's the majority who aren't following god's word. What makes me say this? That's easy... I've read the bible.

Most xtians make excuses for the shit you find in the bible by saying it's just a metaphor or that something isn't meant to be taken literally, or that it was a different time and it was only to be applied in those specific circumstances, etc. Bullshit people... there's nothing in there that says, now look, I want you to do this, but only this time... or only until this date... or I don't really want you to do this, it's a metaphor for whatever you can pull out of it. It's time to grow up people. Your religion teaches violence and intolerance so get over it. And what's more, you're not a real xtian because you're not following god's real and true word. That guy over there who killed his wife for not wearing a scarf on her head... he's the one following god's word.

So now I'm left to ask myself why all these people are turning against god's official word and NOT killing everyone around them. The answer is easy... we all have a strong sense of morality that comes from both ourselves and from society and that gets in the way of religious doctrine. So it's not that religion supplies morality, it's that we're able to maintain morality despite religion. And being the clever people we are, we've managed to still link it back and give religion credit for it anyway. Ain't having a brain grand?

So let's recap real quick... religion tells us to kill people for the glory of god and then when we refuse because killing is wrong, religion gets the credit again for being peace-loving and tolerant. But there's nothing in the books that suggests that.

Dawkins says that there are many factors that go into making up our morality, which sounds right to me. It's not just one thing that implants it into our heads. But society has a lot to do with it because you have but to look at the sign of the times to confirm it. Back when the bible was written (and before), those religious killing sprees were ok because people just didn't know better as a society. They were too busy fighting over land and trying to establish themselves as dominant. Then move ahead into just the last couple centuries and we've gone from women being nothing more than filthy baby factories to becoming real people with real jobs and feelings and ambitions. And do you wanna hear something really crazy? Niggers are considered to be people now too. And they can not only hold jobs, but they can be the boss and order us white folk around. And they can even vote and this one will really knock your socks off... one of them became president. Now we've also refined our laws too. Many things that used to be legal have now been outlawed because they're just not considered ok anymore. One that comes to mind is this one and it'll just kill you. Kids have rights under the law now and you're not allowed to starve or beat them anymore.

So with all this change, what's driving it? Is the the bible and religion? I seriously doubt it since it hasn't changed (officially) in centuries. Though we all know that it's changed quite a bit hasn't it? So since our morality is changing, and the bible isn't, then it's pretty easy to say that we're not getting our morality from the bible or from religion. And don't give me that "oh well we're interpreting it differently" crap either. Because yeah, you're interpreting it differently, but only because your morality has given you the ability to see past its bullshit and now you have to look into the passages and see how you can distort their meanings so you can keep on believing that's where you're getting your morality. Give it up already.

And god commanded him to go into the town and kill every last man, woman, child, sheep, goat, etc. Let no living creature remain. Gee, I think that's a metaphor for love your fellow man and tolerate his beliefs no matter how different. Do you see what god's doing there? He's teaching us love and forgiveness by saying the opposite to show us how ludicrous it would be to be that way. It's reverse psychology.

Fuck off already and grow up.

Big dildo up your ass.

Appropriate Signs

2009-03-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

(photo links from Fail Blog)

see more pwn and owned pictures

see more pwn and owned pictures

The Blueberry Delusion

2009-03-25T20:57:00.001-07:00

Technorati Tags: god,blueberries

It used to be so hard for me to understand how xtians can constantly get so worked up over something that isn’t even real… i.e. god. But you know what, I had an experience just a couple days ago that’s changed my mind forever. In fact, now I can completely understand how it is that they can get so worked up over an imaginary friend.

So I was playing with my oldest son in the backyard and he was playing like he was going to the store. He rolls his little dump truck around and pretends to get different produce and then he comes over and gives it to you… or me, rather. What happened the first time was he came up to give me some blueberries and I held out my hand and he dropped them on the ground so I had to pick them up. Then the next time he did the same thing. I told him that he needed to start putting them in my hand. And the next couple times he dropped them on the table instead of putting them in my hand. And I found myself getting mad at him. Why the fuck can’t he just put the goddamn blueberries in my hand? How fucking hard is that?

Then something crossed my mind. THE FUCKING BLUEBERRIES AREN’T REAL!!! Why the fuck am I getting upset over imaginary fruit? Let him put them where he wants. It’s not like I actually have to pick them up and dust them off or anything.

And this is how I got with a simple playtime with my son. Can you imagine how easy it is for others to get that upset about their eternal life? Well, I guess you don’t have to, huh? So anyway, it’s so easy to get wrapped up in the game, but at some point you have to remember that the blueberries your preacher is handing you aren’t real.

Big dildo up your ass.

Those Darn Pagans!

2009-03-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

A very dear friend of mine is a Pagan, which I hold against her no more than she holds my atheism against me. But I went to the online pagan publication she writes for, and there on the front page is a drawing of a reeeeally old woman and this title:

Today we honor
Hag

I just found it funny.

It brings something to mind, though. We don't despise Paganism and Wicca anything like we do Christianity and Islam (I know I don't speak for all atheists, I'm currently talking about God Dammers). And I know some of the major reasons why: Pagans haven't been in the majority, and supressing and murdering and causing wars, for a very long time (if ever...?) So that's good.

But Paganism just tends to be more FUN, I think. Pagans don't take themselves overseriously, don't try to convert people or make everyone feel bad about themselves. Some of this is a side effect of being in the minority, sure. But some of it is just a better laid back-itude.

And there are hundreds of pagan inspired fantasy books out there, and we all KNOW it's fiction. People don't throw malatov cocktails because somebody got the handfasting ceremony wrong in "Gone with the Wynde".

I'm just sayin.

Fluffy Gay Blog that is full of WIN

2009-03-25T12:06:00.001-07:00

This, this is full of WIN WIN WIN

I only wish that I'd done this first. And that I was gay and had married a girl as hot and funny as this. I'm just sayin.

God is a Shitty Copilot

2009-03-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

The god-as-copilot quips Faithinate posted Saturday night were something I've been thinking about. Really? Does God have a lot of time in this type of aircraft? And I doubt he's under the FAA-mandated 60-hour limit since he seems to be lots of people's copilot. And how can he spare adequate attention to my flight?

I highly recommend investing some time into training and safety drills rather than asking God for help. Here is an article telling of a pilot who decided to pray out loud instead of take planned contingency procedures and then ditched the plane in the water when observers thought he could have made the airport. 16 dead. I guess they are now with God? See, you can't have a copilot with a conflict of interests!

Jesus is a cool dude

2009-03-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

Yeah, we were talking the other night about how ridiculous it is that people thank god for letting them do things... you know, like when they win awards and such. And of course, that got me really kind of inspired to write a porn acceptance speech. Because after all, there's no reason Jesus can't help you bang a chick really hard, right? He's a cool dude and he preaches peace and love, and what's more peace and love than a nice piece of love?

This award is for the best sex scene between a man and a woman...

And the winner is Dirk Diggler!!!

[Thunderous applause]

Oh my god. Oh my god. I'd like to thank everyone for this amazing award. You really make it worth the work. I'd like to start off by thanking my agent, who works hard to get me auditions. I'd also like to thank the director and the producers for being so patient on set. And of course there's my co-star. Without her being so wonderful that scene wouldn't be what it is.

But most importantly I'd like to thank the lord for giving me the ability to do this. Without god's help I would never have been able to tongue her pussy so long without getting sore. And the way I slammed my cock in the back of her throat was truly inspired. And that's not all, the lord our god gave me the extra ability to go ass to mouth without hesitation, and as we all know, if you hesitate in this business you're dead.

And when it finally came time for the money shot, I could almost feel the lord's blessed hands squeezing every drop of cum out of my nuts.

So yeah, most of all the credit goes to god. So thank you god for giving me the extraordinary ability to fuck hoes longer and harder than anyone else. And thanks for giving me a rock hard cock that is almost completely intoxicating these women all on its own. No one fucks like you lord! Peace out ya'll.

Anyway... it would go something like that...

Big dildo up your ass.

Live Blog - The God Dammers' Saturday Night

2009-03-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

SurferJesus says he used to date this girl, years ago, and wanted to marry her, but they couldn't because of the big difference in religion between their families. Her family believed it was most important to shun Islam, while his believed it was most important to shun Christians, and he didn't want to go through the trouble of converting.

Three guys I knew in college were publicly flogged for hoping out loud that the world wouldn't end any time soon.

What would the pamphlets look like for door to door evangelical atheists? Christians always have happy, blissful people smiling on the front, but atheits are realists. So maybe people with "WTF?" expressions, or people with goggles and test tubes.

If you wanted to publicly prove that you were a really really good atheist, what would you channel to speak in tongues? You could channel Carlin, I suppose, or Dawkins, or Joe Pesci (he swears a lot!)

SJ asks, What's going to be the penalty for hosting a gay wedding reception? And I said, no, atheists get pissed off when STRAIGHT people get married. PN added that it's far worse to involve an invisible third party. The way marraiges are these days, rings should probably be made out of something biodegradable.

The real pisser about being atheist is that it usually isn't, in and of itself, an excuse to get together with other people. I mean, there are atheist clubs, but only because we need to resist, to fight for reason. Without resistance there isn't a reason to have a full organization, get together every week, do dinner parties...you're forced to go out and make friends on your own charisma. Pisser.

Atheist award ceremonies are a lot shorter, because you just get up and say "Thanks! I worked really hard!" And sit down. (Isn't it odd how porn stars thank God when they accept their awards? I think SJ's going to elaborate on that, sorry...)

Jesus is EVERYONE's copilot. When I'm flying, I think, "How much time does God HAVE on this kind of plane?"

Christians Looking Forward To Armageddon

2009-03-20T13:29:00.000-07:00

Taking some threads from SurferJesus' and my recent posts, a shared belief among many Christians is the prophetic wars and horrible things that are going to happen at the end of the world, or the conquest of the world by Hell, or some similar bad thing where all Christians will teleport to heaven via the rapture. And they're looking forward to it.

Those damn Christians are always euphoric about the afterlife and about the end of the world. Do they really look forward to all the bad shit, or are they operating in cognitive dissonance mode and not realizing that their vision of holding hands with God results from widespread misery and evil on the mortal Earth? Why yearn for that even if you believe in it? And why do many keep predicting the world will end soon? Which, by the way, they've been doing for eons. The world is always about to end, according to somebody.

And Christians and Muslims general goal is to spread their religion and take over the world. They don't quite put it that way, but they have little tolerance for us atheists asking logical questions about their silly faith, and they think more and more people should be like them. Don't they realize the consequences? They seem to almost look forward to a religious war where God shows everyone they are right by letting them win. (Both sides of the war believe this.)

It's really weird to watch somebody supposedly peaceful and nice to talk lovingly of the impending end of the world and the associated wars, but I've seen it repeatedly.

And the implications are scary. I agree with SurferJesus that Christianity if allowed to take over the United States would degenerate into a state of harsh punishments for dissenters.

Remember when Clinton got militarily involved in Yugoslavia? I don't recall anyone pointing this out, but I wonder if it's why so many Christians seem to hate the guy. He was protecting Mulsims from being wiped out by Christians in Yugoslavia. Modern day Christians in an industrialized nation (they even exported cars to us: the Yugo) were ethnically cleansing their dogmatic competition. And it doesn't surprise me. I've heard Christians speak with hatred and a suspense of humanity about people they dislike. Hey, if God is on their side, got hates the dissenters, too, so how can they not feel justified in wanting them tortured, maimed and killed? And they are euphoric in this.

More Crazy Testicles

2009-03-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

I just love catchy title, don't you?

So yeah, this is a comment/response to PraiseNull's comment on my first post on this topic.

So he's right to a degree that it's hard to look at the world with the cynicism that I do, but is it really cynicism? Am I really all that far off base? Look at any theocracy and show me where non-believers weren't persecuted. In fact, show me any theocracy where even the believers who just didn't happen to believe the same thing the established religion believed weren't persecuted. And these people aren't any different than you or me. We all want the same things. We want to be happy. We want a good life. We want to instill values in our kids and have them grow up to be what we consider 'good people'. We want the world to be a good place. But what happens when people refuse to get along and work at being tolerant of each other is they turn to religion. They setup an impossible doctrine and make laws that are ridiculous. And then they punish people for breaking them.

Remember that story last year where the couple was arrested in Dubai for drinking OJ in public. They were germans visiting and it was during that stupid fucking ramadan (sp?) holiday where you're not allowed to eat or drink in public. The story I get is that it's because they want you to experience what it is to be poor and sort of walk a mile in their shoes. So somehow that's turned into a religious crime that's actually punishable, even to outsiders who know nothing of the law. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect someone to come to your country and not run a red light, or to not rape a child. Those are common sense laws that are fairly ubiquitous. But drinking juice... how the fuck is someone supposed to know a stupid law like that? And I call it a stupid law just because I don't want to typy "fucking bullshit goddamn assinine motherfucking asswiping piece-of-shit monkey-fucking stupid law" every time I go to type it. So just know that's what I mean from here on out.

I've started listening to the dogma-free america podcast and the shit that goes on in this world in the name of religion is just fucking amazing. Women being buried alive for wanting to choose their own husbands, kids being beaten for not believing a rotting body sitting on their toilet is actually going to come back to life, pedofiles claiming their cleansing little kids by fucking them up the ass, blind kids being hung from ceiling fans and beaten to death because they're unable to read the koran, 1yr olds starved to death because they're unable to say amen after grace, etc. This is all just pure evil. And what's worse is those are ALL real stories.

Now, not everything religion has to offer is evil... or is it?
There are some seemingly benign actions that everyone puts up with like praying before meals, organizing group prayers to alleviate drought or a crime wave, having something censored because it offends your religion, etc. Well, if pot is a gateway drug then these are gateway religious behaviors. Just the practice of these things leads to you wanting, no NEEDING to control other people's lives. All of a sudden it's your business where my dick goes, and even worse, where my hands go. I'll tell you something right now. If I wanna lotion-up and stroke my cock with my right and shove a curling iron up my ass with the other one, that's none of your fucking business. That's only between me and the owner of the curling iron (who I'm sure might object sutstantially). But it's certainly not a religious matter.

Let's look at gays in the military. If I were gay and in the military and someone asked me about my sex practices, I would ask him first. I would say something like...
So how about you and your wife? Do you fuck her in the ass? Does she finger your ass when she sucks your cock? Hey does your wife swallow? How high can you get her legs up over her head? Come on man, tell me... what's it like to be deep inside your wife's pussy?

Of course all of those questions would be met with extreme offense, and might even start a fight. So why are the details of my sex life important, but yours aren't? It doesn't matter in the least whether I'm fucking a man or a woman. The details of my sex life are none of your fucking business. Yet, because there's a book that says it's bad to fuck a man up the ass, you're going to make it your business who I fuck. But you could line up people of both sexes bent over in the dark and you could be lead in to fuck one of them in the ass at random and I guarantee you couldn't tell the difference between a male and a female ass. So any of you guys out there who fuck their wives in the ass are just as guilty as the gayest queer out there. I mean, you like to fuck ass, so how can you blame queers for it?

So where was I... oh yeah, gateway bahavior. By making it ok to pray, or to censor a TV show, etc you're making it ok to go further. Next you move up to wanting to post religious signs in government buildings. You make it ok to stop educating your kids by teaching them design theory. You make it ok to illegally start a war because god wants you to. You make it ok to keep people out of jobs because they don't believe in god. And much much more, right?

Then people are voting by religion and then we've got a theocracy. And I know the xtians think that's what they want, but it's really only while they're on top. What happens when a radical comes into power (as they always do) and starts making weird, restrictive laws? Within 10yrs women would probably not be allowed without being covered up. Then we do away with evolution in schools. Then you're not allowed to hold public office if you're not xtian. Then companies are allowed to use religion as criteria for whether you're qualified. Then you can be refused medical care based on religion. And it goes on and on.

So what is it causing these changes? Is it that people are basically good and they're just doing what's best for us? Or is it that people are basically selfish and evil and they've not got laws to back up what they've been dying to do? It's ridiculous and very scary how close to Pakistan we could become.

So yeah, maybe I'm a little cynical, but it's also not that far of a leap. Look at Canada even. Right now they're in the middle of a huge free speech crisis because the religious fucks are allowing people to be sued for offending their religion. IN CANADA!!! So yeah, it's not that far outside the realm of possibility that we could fall under such rule. And once that kinda shit gets going and is endorsed by the state, it's easy to take it one step further. And another. And another.

The funny thing is that while it's against the law for the US government to endorse a religion and have an official US religion, there's nothing like that at the state level. States have the right to have an official endorsed religion. And until the late 1800s, Massechusets had an official state religion. Scary huh?

OK, I'm just rambling now but I'm sticking to my guns. Religion doesn't make good people do bad things. It turns good people bad. But make no mistake... when they're doing those bad things in the name of religion they're no longer good people.

Big dildo up your ass.

Maps

2009-03-20T01:22:00.000-07:00

A random, late-night thought: I was into maps as a kid. I recall one of my elementary classes having some extracurricular map instruction self-study courses available for extra credit, but you had to get your main work done first. I put an unusual effort into finishing my work so I could do the next map course.

I recall thinking that I had no way of telling if the maps were true. At the time I had not been to many of the mapped places. As I got older it was a comfort to travel around by plane and car and verify that the maps were true. I don't mean every road and every detail, but that the cities were where the maps said they were. I could see them from the air; I could navigate between them by car. I've driven in a 20-foot circle where 4 states meet. I've cruised the sea from Florida to Cozumel. I've stood at Pike's Peak and looked over the fruited plains. (That reminds me, I've also been to San Francisco.) I've driven alongside a few hundred miles of the Mississipi River. I've been into the Smoky Mountains. The maps were true.

I am not from Missouri, but sometimes you need to show me. I've had too many people testify with sincerity things I later found out to be complete bullshit. I'm not the type of person to do that, and it is hard for me to accept that others do it, but I've seen it repeatedly and know from experience that some people are simply full of shit. So don't testify to me about your dear and fluffy lord or show me a bullshit piece of cloth that covered him 2000 years ago or a popular book that has been translated and altered multiple times, isn't verifiable and contradicts itself as a matter of habit.

Your Own Personal Jesus, Fuck You

2009-03-20T00:41:00.000-07:00

My thoughts on religion lately--although I'm not sure I've put it quite this way--are that religion is not actually a cohesive set of beliefs but a framework for an identity and self-entitlement. "I am Christian and can justify my actions through scripture/church peers/church elders." However the individual beliefs vary so much it's comical.

Christians--and I use Christians all the time because that's what I've grown up around and am surrounded by--seem to believe all sorts of crazy things that aren't shared beliefs. In particular I've had them describe tree fairies (remember that, Faithinate?), varying incarnations of angels (you'd think there'd be a standard definition of what an angel is), ghosts, etc. And they have differing beliefs on raising kids, accepting gays, and all sorts of other stuff.

It's hard to look at the world as cynically as SurferJesus looks at it, but the more I look the more the cynicism seems justified. Perhaps the most comforting thing about religion is that it accepts and forgives your flaws and sins if you pay mouth service (and tithe) to the church. It cleanses the guilt from the guilty without remedying the victim, and quite often it demonizes the victim for not accepting the sinner's cleansing. I think the three of us have seen examples of this closer than we want, and closer than I could have imagined just a few years ago.

No, I take that back. I had imagined the possibility before that the sinner had wronged the victim. Some questions had no satisfactory answers, and one possibility seemed to fit. When I was told the story I was not surprised. It's just that everyone else who knew about it kept quiet about it, deified the sinner and made the victim a pariah. Some great goddam Christians, eh? That sin fucked up at least two generations of a family, and the rest of the family praised the sinner and wondered why the vitcim was so crazy. Fuck you all, seriously, for allowing Christianity to celebrate a multi-year child rapist for 40+ years and leave those of us who finally say enough is enough to be the outcasts.

I think I was going somewhere else with the thread of thought that started this post, but now I am here, pissed off at the more prominent Christians in my life. And sometimes we wonder why so much anger shows through this blog. It's because I've seen too many Christians, Muslims and Jews near to me and far away use religion to excuse acting in ways universally perceived as evil when not blessed by or later excused by God (with or without the victims' consent). Fuck all of you.

Oh yeah, I think the point I was headed for is that each person has their own individual religion or set of beliefs rather than a cohesive shared religion. Perhaps the shared parts are the forgiveness. "God forgave me, really, so I'm all right now." And everybody's happy...except the family pariah who was raped by her father for years and her family. But it's her fault because she hasn't accepted that God forgave the sinner. Guess she didn't get the ~~memo~~Bible.

Deep-fried Goat's Nuts

2009-03-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

Since PraiseNull brought up Dawkins I might as well go ahead and get this off my chest and see if I can articulate it well enough to not look like a huge asshole.

Dawkins always that it takes religion to make good people do bad things. I'm not so sure about that. One of the things I've had a problem with for a long time is how can you really be all that good of a person if anything can talk you into doing something that bad? Religion gives bad people an excuse to do what they really want to do. Of course it's not as simple as that, so I'll flesh this out a little.

We all know that there are nuts on both sides of the fence. You can find athiest nuts(salted nuts) just as you can find religious nuts(deep-fried goat's nuts). These aren't the ones we're talking about really though because they're so far out there it doesn't matter what's happening or who they are because they'll always be nuts. Oh no, it's the middle of the road religious crazies I'm talking about here. The ones who look like you and me, and even to a degree talk like you and me, but they're definitely NOT you or me.

These are the people who think it's ok to tell a child that he's going to hell because he saw his aunt's tit when she came out of the bathroom. Or who are beating their kids because their grandma died on the fucking toilet and the parents left her there because god's gonna bring her back and the kids don't believe enough. The kids get beaten whenever the body smells because it's their disbelief (true news story, I swear). Or who have some guy fired from his job and now he can't feed his family because he doesn't believe in god. These people aren't out physically killing people, but they're far worse. Killing someone is a single act that ends a life, but it doesn't effect the public in general. And it takes a lot more planning and is harder to do in mass numbers. But fucking up somebody's life, well shit, you could do that several times and day and it's not only a lot easier, it's legal so you can be perfectly open about it.

These people who do these things think so little of human life that their victims are nothing to them. Do you really think they look at us as people? No, they look at us like ants or animals who just get in their way and need to be controlled. The big question though is why do they do these things? Do they really want to make us better? Do they just want to rule us so they can show everybody how much better they are than us? No, that's not even close.

The reason these people do these really mean things is because we have laws and they can't legally kill us anymore. Y, go ahead, I know what you're thinking. We've come a long way as a society and xtians don't really wanna kill us anymore. I'm afraid to say that's just a little naive. Listen to the way so many of these guys discuss god when you bring it up. It really doesn't take long for xtians to get really really upset. And I mean really really upset. They hate having to explain their god, and to justify their religion. Do you really think religion would have spread like it did if they weren't allowed to kill anyone who didn't believe? If logic and reason ruled there wouldn't be any religion today because nobody would have bought into the bullshit. It doesn't stand up to the simplest of tests.
But that's not what this is about.

Look guys, it's like this. If someone shows you who they are, believe it. And that's the problem we as athiests and as a society have. We refuse to believe what people are telling us about themselves. Sure, if we had a complete theocracy in America there wouldn't be religious killing right away. It would take a while. It might even take a couple decades for religious killings to be sanctioned by the state. But if you doubt anything I'm saying, then just look at the middle east. Look at Pakistan. People are all the same. We're not anymore moral than they are and our religion isn't any better than theirs. If people in America were given religious freedom to really practice the way the bible says, I guarantee you that you'd see a switch to the Old Testament again. Right now they're all leaning towards the New Testament, but that would change.

So if you can look past basic human compassion. If you can look past human suffering. If you can ignore a starving family. If you can overlook all of these things because your bible tells you to, then no, you're not a good person. You're an evil motherfucker who's really only being kept in check by the law. But given your teeth you would bite. Humans are all the same. That's one thing that the equal rights movement has taught us. So if you want us to not be bigots and treat everyone the same because deep down we're all the same people, then you have to accept the argument that any theocracy is just Pakistan waiting to happen.

Religion is nothing but justification for doing what you really wanna do to begin with. How can you honestly call yourself a good person when you allow something to turn off your compassion and emotions to real people? Hell, just a few yrs ago I was completely fucked over by a guy at work who claimed to a mega-xtian. As a result I got fired for something I like totally didn't do. He fucked me and he fucked my family. It's a good thing I'm good at what I do and I wasn't out of work long at all. But there's no way he could've known I wouldn't be unemployed long. And the thing is, he seemed like a nice enough guy. We hung out, we talked, we joked, etc. But when the chips were down, he fucked me. And he didn't lose a second's sleep over it. So Mike, here's to you, you xtian fuckshit motherfucker. Go fuck yourself. And I DO wish you a blessed day. I wish you all the god you can muster because I know what god is like. So the last laugh will be mine.

Faithinate has a friend right now who's really upset about the religious discussions they've been having online lately. Her friend is telling her what kind of person she is, but Faithinate still refuses to believe it. She's hoping she wrong. Trust me dear, your friend is exactly who she's telling you she is, so believe her.

I had more but I can't remember right now.

OK, take care guys...
Big dildo up your ass.

The Jesus Fallacy?

2009-03-19T18:58:00.000-07:00

I'm reading Richard Dawkins' The Extended Phenotype. As far as I know it has nothing to do with atheism or religion, but a possible atheist insight hit me while reading it.

In arguing a particular point on genetic adaptation he brought up what he called the Concorde Fallacy, that sometimes a choice is made not on the results that may follow but on the effort put into the project so far. His biological example was of some sort of wasp that makes a burrow and collects katydids to feed the larvae. Sometimes two wasps will collect katydids in the same burrow and then fight over who keeps the burrow. Research bore out to his surprise that the wasps will fight with effort related to how many katydids they themselves collected rather than how many katydids in total are to be won which is the logical value of the burrow.

This brought into focus some thoughts I've had recently about Faithinate's atheism Facebook debates. It occurs to me that atheists in general--and certainly us three on this blog in particular--can and do question beliefs, value and even ourselves, and I sometimes wonder if that's why we're atheists: we question belief and come up with no compelling answers. The same arguments to be made for Christianity or other religions are no more compelling than things generally regarded as absurd such as alien abductions, UFO's, witchcraft, etc.

Sometimes I read accounts of Christians questioning their beliefs and then becoming rededicated. I don't see their compelling reasons, but I wonder if it's analogous to the Concorde Fallacy? Have they put so much time and effort into their beliefs that it's not worth dumping in the face of dubious evidence for and plenty against?

Faithinate recently brought up the question again of whether atheists are smarter in general than religious people. I don't want to believe that, and it's rather conceited, but then again we three seem to be relatively rare in the ability to objectively look at ourselves and fundamentally change if we deem necessary or desirable. Objectively the argument for Jesus over Horus or Ra or a secret government collaboration with space aliens are equally compelling--that is to say, hardly at all. Only personal testimony and dubious real evidence is available to show for them. That says a lot to me, but somehow the Christians we talk to can believe apparently unfailingly in God and Jesus while dismissing Wicca, Scientology, UFO's and hollow Earth "theory".

The Blindfold

2009-03-17T20:33:00.001-07:00

I was talking to my mom again today (the southern baptist) and I was talking about how Jesus seems to be taken from the story of Horus. And she asked why it's so important for me to convert her to athiest and destroy her beliefs.
Well, I told her it's not necessarily about converting her as much as it's about seeing how much direct evidence she's willing to completely ignore. It seems that no matter what evidence comes to light and what proof you can offer, xtians are going to remain xtians no matter what.

Personally, I really can't comprehend that at all. Absolutely everywhere else people will change their minds if their wrong and it's ok. But in religion there's no way to change. Oh sure, you may get discouraged with one religion and switch, but you're still sticking with the program.
Seriously though... what the fuck does it take? How much evidence does it really take to make these assholes look up and say, wait, there can't be a god or jesus was a fake.

Along those same lines we were talking the other day about religion in this country, and this may be combining topics too much, and I was saying that we have all the freedom of religion here we could ever want. But what we don't have is freedom to NOT religion. This goes directly into my post from the other day and I really believe it. While the law officially protects us, public opinion doesn't and protecting the godless doesn't seem to be much of a priority. It's one of those laws that just gets overlooked when applied to athiests. You know, kinda like the separation of church and state gets overlooked when they pray at senate meetings or swear the president in on a bible. Or when the military refuses to promote someone to general because he's athiest, or someone can't get elected to public office because he doesn't pass the imaginary friend litmus. It's bullshit and there's nothing we can do about it. We're the new gays. I talked about this when we first started this blog. The reason we haven't put our names up here is because we're all professional people and we can't afford to have our careers effected. I've both heard stories and known a couple people who had problems in our professional community, and trouble finding jobs even. I even had someone tell me exactly of his trouble and advised me to never let out my religious beliefs unless I was ready to say I'm a specific religion.

So being godless in this country is strictly taboo. So what the fuck ever guys. If I ever start my own company or make my millions I'll proudly put my name up here and all those xtian fucks can suck my dick.

So anyway, that's all I've got now.

And until next time...
Big dildo up your ass.

Topical Scientology

2009-03-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

I rarely read Fark any more, but I hopped on today and got this article, which is part 5 of a series I haven't read. The interviewer is asking a Scientologist about secret Scientology stuff, and a couple of his answers completely floored me...not because I'm surprised a Scientologist said it, but because it's a repeat of some of today's fun:

For you to talk to me, you as somebody who is not a Scientologist to talk to me about what my beliefs are or to ask me to explain any core religious belief, that's an offensive concept. Nobody should ever be asked to do that.

I was going to post quotes from the debate that mirror this, but I lost steam. Just trust me...this is a theme that comes up with Scientology nutcases AND everyday Christians near you.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself, asshole

2009-03-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

So of course, the Facebook religion debates have degenerated, at least in one sector, into namecalling, hurt feelings, and a persecution complex. There's a lot I could talk about - I could give you specifics, I could rant about any of a number of things that came up in the course of the discussions and the post-game metadiscussion bitching...but there's one thing, ONE THING that bugs the shit out of me more than anything else. It's what still keeps cropping up in my head, long after all the "BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH" has quieted down, and it is this:

Why is it so acceptable for the atheist to discriminate against the christian? Something to ponder. There is so much prejudice against christians...hmmmm

Now, this isn't limited strictly to Christians. I've heard many the member of a majority group pull out the old Oh Woe Is Me, WHY is MY GROUP the only one that it's okay to persecute in America today?

Fuck. You.
Fuck. You.
Fuck you.
Fuckyou.
Fukyu.

I'm serious...this has to be one of the most offensive things anyone has ever said within a 15 mile radius of me. And again, it's not just the Atheist/Christian dynamic here. It's men: "Oh sure, make fun of men. You can't pick on any other group, but go ahead and pick on the men." And white people. And, god, what else have I heard? There've been more, but it's always the people in the OMFG THERE ARE SO MANY OF YOU majority, whining and getting sand in their little vaginas.

And as much as I want to pull the Atheist card - it IS hard to come out of the closet, we do have to fear for violence and retribution and problems in our careers - even that really doesn't compare to other minority groups, even today. Talk to black people. Mexicans. Nearly anyone from a "brown people" country. Mixed race couples. Anybody gay.

Fucking seriously, you're going to pull the persecuted Christian shit on me? Let's talk when you can't wear the cross around your neck for fear of a beating. When every fucking piece of legislation that's pushed in an 8 year period takes away your rights, your funding, your education. Let's talk when kids in school are regularly beaten and sometimes killed for being Christian. Let's talk when your husband can't get a job because he let it slip on MySpace that he loves Jesus.

In short, fuck you.

---

This persecution complex, by the way, came about because I had a great in-person religious discussion with a couple of friends, and we agreed we should continue online. Then we did, along with several other people, and one friend got VERY upset because (suprise!) I don't agree with or comprehend her religion, and expressed why in a series of online discusions. While I was very calm, fair, and rational in those discussions (and the postgame), I come here to rant and blow off steam. *MOTHERFUCKING SIGH*

The Bigot Manifesto

2009-03-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

I'm always torn when I go to write posts like this because I have a lot to say, but I don't want to publish a novel and make you guys read it. So I'm stuck between being too brief to be interesting and witty and being too windy for the internet. I'll try to strike a happy medium.

This isn't necessarily a pure athiest topic, but it definitely has roots in the differences between religion and secular behavior.

What I'm talking about is how we view foreigners. It's very interesting that here in America anyone who comes from another country and is a lot browner than we are is instantly objectified into some kind of animal. Just look at how most of us view anyone from the middle east. They're either terrorists or animals who deserve anything they get. This is reflected by our government as well as many Americans. We don't trust them, and we have little to no sympathy for anything that happens to them because they bring it on themselves.

Faithinate and I were talking about that just this morning. We really don't see these people as human a lot of times. They get pidgeon-holed into these stereotypes and we really don't even care to look any further.
At the end of our conversation she asked what it would take for this attitude to change. I thought for a few seconds and I remembered something that happened to me at a conference in Seattle just a couple weeks ago.

I was with a whole group of my friends when a guy came up that I had never met before. A couple guys in the group knew him and said hi so he was at least known by someone there. I'll tell you though that I looked at him and made some instant judgements about him. His name was Mohamed (or something close to that, don't remember exactly to be honest) and he had that long scraggly beard with no mustache that a lot of the really religious middle-easterners wear. He had on one of those little hats too. Not the yamaka, but the other one that you always see these religious nuts wearing on CNN. And frankly, he just looked like one of those assholes who does nothing but preach about how all Americans are going to die unless we turn our lives over to Islam, etc.

Well, someone was telling a story and it took a couple mins for it to end and when it was over someone looked at Mohamed and said, so what's up man, how's it going?
This is when I expected a terse answer that was just barely polite, but instead I got a huge surprise. Mohamed said something similar to... hey man, things are just fucked up at work, and I almost couldn't come because my daughter has the flu, etc... after all this time I can't believe how surprised I was to find out he was just a normal guy like me.

So this is where I get back to the story with Faithinate. The way to change the perceptions that all brownies aren't real people and that they deserve whatever they get is to have normal interaction with them. Get to know them. Learn what they think. They want their kids to be safe just like we do. They want to make money, play with their kids, save for retirement, and have a good dinner just like we do. They're not the enemy. And they don't deserve what's happening to them a lot of times over there. So the answer is as it always is... get to know them. And the only thing that's going to make that possible right now is immigration. The more they immigrate here the more we'll interact with them and the more we'll come to see them as people and not just objects who are all bent on killing us.

Unfortunately though it's just not that easy. There's a lot of dogma in those middle eastern countries that makes these people who they are. Yes, they're just like us in that their lives and the lives of their families are just as important to them as ours is to us. That's actually what's meant by 'all men are created equal'... not that we're all on the same level physically or mentally, etc. Anyway though, that was a useless digression. But there are some major differences in our dogma. They choose to follow a religion that's filled with violence and has lead that part of the world to be one of the most intolerant in history. Their religion doesn't tolerate outsiders and they take offense at absolutely everything. So the cultures are so different it's really difficult to really identify with them as people. Even though you can get to know them and may be even like them to a degree, there's really a lot to get past before you could ever really be close close friends with someone that different culturally.

A few years ago I worked with another guy from the middle east whom I liked very much. I actually got to know him pretty well throughout the months we worked together and I considered him a friend. His sister also worked with us and she was smart and pretty. I liked her pretty well too and actually would've dated her given the chance. Then one day it happened. You know what I mean, that one thing that happens to show you what someone's really like. His sister accepted a date with an American guy she had been talking to for a few weeks. Her brother forbid her to go on the date and was ordered to go home on the spot and wait for him. I didn't see her for a couple more days and when I did I noticed she wouldn't make eye contact with anyone. She was timid and quiet. I asked my friend what had happened and he proudly told me that he had to remind her who she was and that she doesn't do anything without asking him first. Seriously dude, this is a real deal killer for me. I can't be friends with anyone who treats women like that. And what's worse is MOST middle eastern men treat their women like property.

So it's really not as easy as I made it sound in the beginning. In theory it is, but in practice, there's a lot to overcome because culturally there's a big difference between us. And of course, it's their dogma that makes them treat women the way they do. I don't understand why any woman would ever want to belong to any religion because none of them treat women like people... but that's another post.

And this is largely the fault of the media. You almost never hear about anyone from the middle east who isn't trying to kill us. I don't think I've ever seen anything on TV that shows them as peace-loving, honest, humble, normal people. They're always blood-thirsty animals out to destroy us in our homes (ala Bush). Sometimes you see Arabic rights groups talking about how they're just the same as we are, and that Arabic women enjoy sex and have a free sexuality a lot the same as we do, but you never actually see that. You never see women in the middle east in any other position other than being completely covered up and treated like fucking pets. So it's easy to say Arabic women have these qualities, but it's never shown to us by the media. That's probably because it doesn't suit their purpose of creating animosity so we can keep a war going. There's nothing the media has to gain by showing us how we're alike enough to get along. They need us to be as different as possible.

So let's try to look past some of these cultural stereotypes that are pushed on us by the media and start getting to know these guys as people. Because they are.

Unpolished rant: The Bible is not Clear

2009-03-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

Understanding what God wants from you shouldn't be that difficult. People like to say that God is the parent and we're the children, so let's go with that. I try to make it VERy clear to my kids what the rules are; what's okay, and what's not so okay, what's praiseworthy and what's absolutely forbidden.

Of course I give my kids leeway; have some freedom, even have the opportunity to screw up. But I don't let them damage themselves or others. I stop them before they run out in front of cars, before they pour boiling water on themselves.

This God I grew up with, He's fine with His children maiming, raping, and killing each other. He only makes a few of the rules clear, and those aren't all of the important ones (so "honor your parents" made the 10 commandments cut, but "don't hurt children" didn't? How about "don't rape"? "Don't betray"?) We're left with huge debates on whether being gay is a sin (Leviticus says yes, the 21st century says no), whether divorce and contraception and premarital sex are wrong, on and on.

And there's a key difference here. If we're really His children, and therefore too stupid (immature, not godly, whatever) to know the mind of God, then why do we get to CHOOSE whether to BE His children? My kids aren't allowed to say YOU'RE not my MOM...

Clarity

2009-03-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

The gentle slope from "superChristian" to agnostic to considering paganism to here, at atheism, has for me been an incremental journey of clarification. Again and again, I've had these large and small "Oh, I SEE!" moments. One of the most significant of those moments came some months back when SJ, PraiseNull and I all realized that we were capital-A Atheists. Reading Dawkins (and other authors) and watching his lectures have provided many more OHISEE! moments. And now, we have these conversations I've started up on Facebook.

We never reach a consensus, of course, but as always, typing out my thoughts helps me see what I really think much better. So here are a few things I've solidified in my online talks:

- I think that morality is a natural result of evolution and society; it's easy enough to see that, over time, people must have begun to disapprove of things that they didn't want done to themselves and their kin. The more we all agree not to kill and steal and rape each other, the happier we'll all be.

- I think there are degrees of Christianity, and I tend to dislike people who are less conservative (the Bible is the inerrant word of God, all that stuff actually happened, the Earth is 6,000 years old) and tend to be friends with the more liberal (much of the OT is irrelevant, evolution yah, yay hippie Jesus).

- I have a really hard time ditching my preconceived notion that Atheists are, generally speaking, better educated and more intelligent than religious types.

- I realize that being Atheist doesn't necessarily mean you actually share the same beliefs; it only guarantees that you share one specific disbelief. So I make sure to tell people I debate that I do NOT speak for all Atheists.

- I should probably start calling myself an Atheist-Humanist.

- We watched Religulous last night, and it was better than I'd hoped. It double-solidified this feeling I've had that I can't be a closet Atheist, that I have to talk to people about it.

- I believe that irrationality shouldn't be a virtue; it leads to all kinds of problems. I find it strange that I have to say that, and explain to people why.

That's good for starters...

"Irreverently" Denying Jesus?

2009-03-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

Word usage can be entertaining. I was just following some link chains starting with the blogs linked from here and wound up at Jesus Christ: In the Name of the Gun" which is a web comic I've seen before. What caught my eye was an ad for "The God Who Wasn't There".

The ad quotes a Newsweek review: "Irreverently lays out the case that Jesus Christ never existed." I am curious: is it possible to deny the existence of Jesus Christ with reverence? Please type for me how that would look.

"With all due respect, your religion is bunk." Nah, it's not quite working. Certainly anyone who believes in Christ would find the argument against irreverent, but even from the side of atheism is it possible to present the argument in a "reverent" manner?

Is the Lard In You?

2009-03-14T02:52:00.000-07:00

Apparently a woman took a liking to me on a job site this week. I was working in a business inside of a grocery store and wandered out into the store for a quick break and some snacks. Her opening line I heard as "is the lard in you?" I realized she was saying "is The Lord in you" and that pretty much ruined the chance of that conversation going anywhere. She wasn't cute, but I'm not picky lately, but that wasn't the way to start with me!

Or maybe she was just calling me fat.

Really, to we have to start with religion? I don't meet people and say "have you realized God is bullshit?" Hmmm, maybe I should start...

Actually I kind of wish I were religious because that gave me a new idea for a pickup line: "Do you have a little lord in you? Would you like one?"

Just believe SOMETHING!!

2009-03-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

I find it something that the religious in the world (this country especially) need you to believe in a god. Any god, any kind of god will do, but you absolutely have to believe in something. I mean, how can you not believe in anything?

It's really strange that you don't have to have the same religious beliefs as the people you're talking to and you don't even have to agree that the same god exists. But to not believe in one at all makes you an outcast to the point where you're put on social trial. It's like all of your organs are on the outside of your body because you didn't feel like you needed a creator who knew where everything was supposed to go. So you just left it up to nature and now look what happened.

A lot of these are the same asswipes who insist that you drink with them at parties or do drugs with them in the back room. You don't have to be drinking beer, but you'd better be drinking something and it's a huge personal affront if you're not. For some reason their actions are only validated if you're doing something similar. Misery may love company but lunacy apparently requires it.

I'd like to also point out that these hypocrits don't even drink their own kool-aid. They aren't comfortable unless you belong to a god (again, it doesn't matter who it is), and they insist that you drink with them, but they would rather see you bitter and alone than in a gay relationship. For some reason that seems to be the exception to the rule. You're not allowed to be gay under any circumstance.
FUCK YOU.

God Bless You

2009-03-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

This is going to be fairly short because I really just wanted to bitch for a minute.

I'm getting really sick of these assholes who feel the need to bless me at random points of the day. One of those door-to-door meat guys came by a few days ago and on his departure he spouts 'god bless you'. Hey, fuck you prick!! Who the fuck do you think you are pushing your imaginary friend off onto me and what the fuck makes you think it's appropriate in a business transaction? Why haven't you idiots caught on to the fact that mixing religion and business isn't a good mix?

It's like those fuckers who stand on street corners and beg for money. They always feel the need to put god bless you on their fucking sign. Like I'm going to be swayed by that. I'm gonna feel some deep moral obligation because you hope your invisible friend will treat me well. And that's obviously going to mean money for you.

But this shit is everywhere. You can't go anywhere without a random waitress blessing you or without some grocery clerk assaulting you with her religion.

And I realize how you people feel. You're just being nice. You don't see it as an offense. But it has NO business in business. You have no idea who I am and whether or not I believe what you do. What if I did that? What if I picked something that's close to my heart and used it in my salutations to complete strangers.

Now let's see... what could I pick... ok, here's one...

"Good morning, dude."
"Hey, good morning, what's up?"
"Oh nothing, say, I've gotta go but we'll catch up later."
"OK, talk to you later. Big dildo up your ass!"

Now, I don't mean that as an insult. I happen to LOVE a big dildo up my ass. So I mean it as a compliment. But just because it's something I hold dear, and something I'm passionate about, and something I'm hoping everyone can experience, doesn't make it appropriate to use as a greeting with people at work or with strangers in public.

So if you ever get blessed by someone, just wish them a big dildo up their ass. I promise, you'll feel better.

Legitimate religion

2009-03-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

One thing that's really become apparent to me lately is that there's no standard for what constitutes a legitimate religion. Of course, we're not only starting to see what dangers something like that can hold, but it's at the very least an inconvenience.

Here's the thing... I can take my daughter to school in the morning and on the way we can concoct some bullshit religion with a bunch of stupid rules and there's not only nothing anyone can do about it, everyone is automatically legally and morally bound to respect it.

So if I go to a city counsel meeting and say it's against my religion to have chairs lined up in a row, then they've got a choice to make. They can either move all the chairs or they can risk a lawsuit by me because they're not honoring my religious beliefs. It's fucking ridiculous isn't it? But there's nothing anywhere that has even a vague guideline for legitimizing a religion. And a lot of the religions out there aren't even that old. Look at the mormons... that shit's a fucking joke started by a KNOWN con man. And yet it took hold and we have to honor it today.

And to me they're all ridiculous. I've lost the ability to see the difference between what's considered legitimate in religion. My mother tells me stories sometimes of stuff that goes on in other religions and she's always talking about how crazy it is that those people believe that shit. But it all sounds like bullshit to me. Her brand of bullshit is the same as theirs.
I mean really, what's the difference?

Nonreligious Now 15% of American Population

2009-03-11T05:08:00.000-07:00

I'm staying at hotels a lot lately, and they keep putting USA Today newspapers at my door. They don't seem to take the hint when I don't touch them for a couple of days...the cleaning crew keeps bringing them in and stacking them in my room. Whatever.

But a headline caught my eye recently. This USA Today article says that "Nones" now make up 15% of the American population, up from 8% in 1990. "Nones" is their cute term for those who answer "none" to survey questions asking their religious affiliation.

I am a bit surprised but certainly encouraged. About the "Nones", not about the freakin' newspapers they keep piling up in my rooms.

Evil, Religion and Atheism

2009-03-07T12:28:00.000-08:00

Would Christians would be as evil as they think atheists are if they suddenly lost their faith? If they had no fear of god or believed there was no afterlife would they act like dicks?

Irrational Fear of Donating Organs

2009-03-06T22:21:00.000-08:00

I will admit I have not yet signed up to donate my organs after death. I really should do that. For the longest time I avoided it because of some weird irrational feeling that I may somehow need my body after I'm gone even though I've never actually believed that.

I think now it's just procrastination that's kept me from filling out the organ donor stuff. After all I haven't renewed my passport yet, either, and I have no irrational fear of leaving the country.

After Life: Oblivion?

2009-03-06T21:57:00.000-08:00

In Faithinate's debate and Lewis Black's book I noticed that at least these two people can't accept the idea that there is nothing after death. I suppose at one time that bothered me, but I really don't worry about it anymore.

I have seen no evidence that anything--aside from a corpse and others' memories--will be left of me after I die. And if there is something, how am I expected to prepare for it with no information?

I certainly have no memory of anything that happened before this life. As far as I know nothing that defines who and what I am existed before I was born, and that doesn't seem to bother anyone. Besides, if oblivion really is what happens after death then I will be unable to care, won't I?

I think the thing that really got me over worrying about the afterlife is that billions of people have already died and faced whatever happens next, if anything. Whatever will happen has been happening and will continue to happen. Until I have some verifiable information I don't see the point of using what life I have to worry about what comes next.

And if you're curious, yeah, from the information I have my best guess is that we just "wink out".

Debating God: What kind of atheist am I?

2009-03-06T21:39:00.000-08:00

Atheism is not evil. Atheism is not a religion. Atheism isn't a cohesive framework of beliefs outside of "there is/are no god(s)" or "I have yet to see compelling proof of a god or gods".

I am not the type of person who can change another's belief. I've had no success doing it in the past, and it is excruciatingly annoying to me to try. Besides, if one person believes in god and the other doesn't it is hard to make a point that the other will respect. Or so it seems in the few online debates I've read so far.

I also observe it's hard to make a statement about the opposition without offending them deeply. An atheist tries to separate goodness or morality from god and a Christian thinks you're about to nail them to a cross. A Christian makes a point from the stance of god/Jesus/the bible says, and the atheist is offended at the implicit suggestion that correct judgement cannot exist outside of god--or the particular god the opponent wants to believe in.

I find it interesting how people try to tell you what you think when you don't believe in god. I guess the Christians think the same thing when you quote the Bible at them, but I didn't point to a book and say it's the basis of my beliefs; they did. As far as I can tell each religious person has their own personal religion and pretends that there is cohesion with the rest of Christians (or whoever). Until you try to bring up the Spanish Inquisition, Crusades or other problematic causes in the name of religion. But as far as I can tell atheists generally make no presumption about other atheist's beliefs.

So, what kind of atheist am I? I'm not the type that wants to convince religious folks that their god doesn't exist. I can have a conversation, but at my age I'm not interested in being converted. If you're interested in how people can live without god and manage not to rape children or conquer Europe in the process I can talk to you. However I am annoyed when atheism is associated with evil or foolishness. Religion does not have a monopoly on morality.

Debates with Christians - If there is no God?

2009-03-05T22:30:00.000-08:00

This is the second big debate thread I've had online (actually a friend started it). I thought I'd post it here for funsies.

If there is no God?
--------------------------
Andrea
After a discussion I was having the other night a friend sent me this article by Dennis Prager...
Good reading.

We are constantly reminded about the destructive consequences of religion -- intolerance, hatred, division, inquisitions, persecutions of "heretics," holy wars. Though far from the whole story, they are, nevertheless, true. There have been many awful consequences of religion.

What one almost never hears described are the deleterious consequences of secularism -- the terrible developments that have accompanied the breakdown of traditional religion and belief in God. For every thousand students who learn about the Spanish Inquisition and the Salem Witch Trials, maybe two learn to associate Gulag, Auschwitz, The Cultural Revolution and the Cambodian genocide with secular regimes and ideologies.

For all the problems associated with belief in God, the death of God leads to far more of them.

So, while it is not possible to prove (or disprove) God's existence, what is provable is what happens when people stop believing in God.

1. Without God there is no good and evil; there are only subjective opinions that we then label "good" and "evil." This does not mean that an atheist cannot be a good person. Nor does it mean that all those who believe in God are good; there are good atheists and there are bad believers in God. It simply means that unless there is a moral authority that transcends humans from which emanates an objective right and wrong, "right" and "wrong" no more objectively exist than do "beautiful" and "ugly."

2. Without God, there is no objective meaning to life. We are all merely random creations of natural selection whose existence has no more intrinsic purpose or meaning than that of a pebble equally randomly produced.

3. Life is ultimately a tragic fare if there is no God. We live, we suffer, we die -- some horrifically, many prematurely -- and there is only oblivion afterward.

4. Human beings need instruction manuals. This is as true for acting morally and wisely as it is for properly flying an airplane. One's heart is often no better a guide to what is right and wrong than it is to the right and wrong way to fly an airplane. The post-religious secular world claims to need no manual; the heart and reason are sufficient guides to leading a good life and to making a good world.

5. If there is no God, the kindest and most innocent victims of torture and murder have no better a fate after death than do the most cruel torturers and mass murderers. Only if there is a good God do Mother Teresa and Adolf Hitler have different fates.

6. With the death of Judeo-Christian values in the West, many Westerners believe in little. That is why secular Western Europe has been unwilling and therefore unable to confront evil, whether it was Communism during the Cold War or Islamic totalitarians in its midst today.

7. Without God, people in the West often become less, not more, rational. It was largely the secular, not the religious, who believed in the utterly irrational doctrine of Marxism. It was largely the secular, not the religious, who believed that men's and women's natures are basically the same, that perceived differences between the sexes are all socially induced. Religious people in Judeo-Christian countries largely confine their irrational beliefs to religious beliefs (theology), while the secular, without religion to enable the non-rational to express itself, end up applying their irrational beliefs to society, where such irrationalities do immense harm.

8. If there is no God, the human being has no free will. He is a robot, whose every action is dictated by genes and environment. Only if one posits human creation by a Creator that transcends genes and environment who implanted the ability to transcend genes and environment can humans have free will.

9. If there is no God, humans and "other" animals are of equal value. Only if one posits that humans, not animals, are created in the image of God do humans have any greater intrinsic sanctity than baboons. This explains the movement among the secularized elite to equate humans and animals.

10. Without God, there is little to inspire people to create inspiring art. That is why contemporary art galleries and museums are filled with "art" that celebrates the scatological, the ugly and the shocking. Compare this art to Michelangelo's art in the Sistine chapel. The latter elevates the viewer -- because Michelangelo believed in something higher than himself and higher than all men.

11. Without God nothing is holy. This is definitional. Holiness emanates from a belief in the holy. This explains, for example, the far more widespread acceptance of public cursing in secular society than in religious society. To the religious, there is holy speech and profane speech. In much of secular society the very notion of profane speech is mocked.

12. Without God, humanist hubris is almost inevitable. If there is nothing higher than man, no Supreme Being, man becomes the supreme being.

13. Without God, there are no inalienable human rights. Evolution confers no rights. Molecules confer no rights. Energy has no moral concerns. That is why America's Founders wrote in the Declaration of Independence that we are endowed "by our Creator" with certain inalienable rights. Rights depend upon a moral source, a rights giver.

14. "Without God," Dostoevsky famously wrote, "all is permitted." There has been plenty of evil committed by believers in God, but the widespread cruelties and the sheer number of innocents murdered by secular regimes -- specifically Nazi, Fascist and Communist regimes -- dwarfs the evil done in the name of religion.

As noted at the beginning, none of this proves, or even necessarily argues for, God's existence. It makes the case for the necessity, not the existence, of God. "Which God?" the secularist will ask. The God of Israel, the God of America's founders, "the Holy God who is made holy by justice" (Isaiah), the God of the Ten Commandments, the God who demands love of neighbor, the God who endows all human beings with certain inalienable rights, the God who is cited on the Liberty Bell because he is the author of liberty. That is the God being referred to here, without whom we will be vanquished by those who believe in less noble gods, both secular and divine. Written 7 hours ago - Comment - LikeUnlike - Report Note
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Michelle at 5:58pm March 5
Good article. Don't forget to credit the author. :)
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Andrea at 7:19pm March 5
oh yeah I meant to do that... busy busy day here.
author Dennis Prager
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Kellie at 8:08pm March 5
Although I had to look up the word "hubris", I like # 12. I already hear it in the conversations I have had on this topic.
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Andrea at 8:10pm March 5
amen to that sister! (listen to me preaching lol)
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Faithinate at 8:58pm March 5
Oh my word, my head hurts....I will reply...
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Kellie at 9:02pm March 5
ha-ha-ha. Is this round 2 or 3? I am losing count :)
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Faithinate at 9:07pm March 5
Replying to the conclusory paragraph first: God is not necessary. The God of Israel "endows all human beings with certain inalienable rights"? Let's start with the right to life, and talk about the vast numbers of people God condemned to death, EVEN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. A few examples:

1 Corinthians
- If you defile the temple of God, God will destroy you. 3:17
- Paul claims that God killed 23,000 in a plague for "committing whoredom with the daughters of Moab 10:8
- If you murmur, you'll be destroyed by the destroyer (God). 10:10
Hebrews
- God will not forgive us unless we shed the blood of some innocent creature. 9:13-14, 22
- Those who disobeyed the Old Testament law were killed without mercy. It will be much worse for those who displease Jesus. 10:28-29
- The Israelites kept the passover and sprinkled blood on doorposts so hat God wouldn't kill their firstborn children (like he did the Egyptians in Exodus 12:29).
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11:28 Faithinate at 9:13pm March 5
That's just for starters, but you get the idea. Even by NT standards, this is not a loving God, but still a bloodthirsty God.

To address something that stands out in EVERY religious discussion I had; whether or not Hitler was an Atheist (I need to find the article explaining his actual beliefs, he did believe in God), his loony ideas and despicable actions in no way reflect a godless society, but rather a very disturbed and overly powerful man who came to power in a desperate place at a desperate time. HE WAS A BLOODY LOONY, HE'S NOT ONE OF US. We've agreed before, Andrea, that in any sufficiently large group, there will be the crackpot end of the spectrum that are capable of doing horrible things. I further posit that ANY philosophy, theology, methodology, given enough time and popularity, can enable mankind's inner demons (so to speak). The question is whether that philosophy etc TENDS TO ENCOURAGE evil behavior. I believe that most major religions do, whereas Atheism.....
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Kellie at 9:15pm March 5
God gives life, but He is the ultimate creator and also has the ability to take away as He deems necessary. Also, we can pick verses out of the Bible all day to lend credence to our own beliefs, just as we could disect each others sentences (completely out of context) to make our own meanings.
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Faithinate at 9:19pm March 5
...and the Atheist movement (can we call it that?) tends to encourage humanity, equality, progress, etc. Does religion do NO good? No, of course not. There's a mission house just up the street that feeds, clothes, and gives medical attention to the homeless. We have that capacity for good in us, and as time goes on I think we will see an increase in "godlessness", and more secular charities and programs.
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But I digress. For #1, I've already discussed how there IS good and evil without gods; you're essentially arguing that we're too stupid to naturally come to the conclusion that you should be kind to kids, you should condemn things like theivery, murder, and rape because you wouldn't want those things to happen to you, etc etc. Humans have evolved, society has evolved, and we can clearly see (even in the Bible) that morals have evolved.
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Kellie at 9:20pm March 5
Hey Jen, I don't think that its major religions that encourage evil behavior, but rather, they are the perfect tool to manipulate people.
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Faithinate at 9:21pm March 5
Put those verses in context, Kellie, and see how many of them come out the exact same way; God condones killing, God metes out eternal punishment (that's a Biblical reference to a very real hell, Andrea!) for nonbelievers, God has again and again ordered the slaughter of entire cities, including women and babies. This isn't picking and choosing, this is your book, and your God. You begin to see why this is upsetting to me.
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Faithinate at 9:26pm March 5
"Without God, there is no objective meaning to life." As an Atheist, I have the joy of making my life mean what I want it to mean. I realize that Xtians have some latitude there, but ultimitely your life is about serving God and going to Heavan. I'll leave it there for now, lots more points to go.

"Life is ultimately a tragic fare if there is no God." Sure, you can think of it that way. There's certainly a lot of suffering; I still say it's better than well more than 9/10 of the population of the Earth burning for all eternity because they believed in Zeus, or Allah, or were born Jewish.

With these two points, you're essentially saying that life's no good if you can't believe in God, much like a child might consider Christmas sucky if there weren't a Santa Clause. Is it really that bad to learn that it was only people all along? Moving right along to...
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Kellie at 9:32pm March 5
Jen, so what do you believe happens after death? Is it just over? This is a serious question, it isn't meant to be sarcastic...
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Faithinate at 9:33pm March 5
"4. Human beings need instruction manuals." We might be able to agree on this, but I gotta say, the Bible is the WORST instruction manual ever. It's uninclusive, contradictory, ambiguous, and filled with cruelty and horrors almost too great to discuss. Talk about cherrypicking; "love thy neighbor", absolutely. But I say again; society evolves, morals evolve. You grow and learn your own personal code. Let's write a new manual, and update it as the times evolve. In Version 1.0, let's be sure to include equality for women, all the races, protection for children, and warnings against unneccessary violence. The heart and reason, and personal reflection in the context of global societal morals, ARE sufficient guides to leading a good life and to making a good world. -----------------------------
Faithinate at 9:36pm March 5
Kellie, I think it's highly likely that there's nothing after death. I like to think that there's so much about the world and universe we don't yet understand, who knows? Maybe an afterlife is possible, but I think the reward/punishment dynamic is so far unlikely as to be nigh well impossible.
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Kellie at 9:44pm March 5
God has the ability to do as He pleases, He is the creator of us all. However, that right is not given to mankind (unless specifically commanded by Him). It has been and always will be abused by some individuals, regardless of what religion or lack of. For Pete's sake, the Catholic church use to sell "salvation" because they wanted more money. These are not acts of God, but rather of man left to his own devices. We can argue religion all day and never have any impact on each others stances. However, I don't think that any of us can argue that mankind is capable of an absurd level of cruelyt and greed.
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Kellie at 9:45pm March 5
I also don't think that we can argue with my amazing gramatical capabilities (seriously, can I spell anything right today :)
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Kellie at 9:47pm March 5
Thanks Jen. I didn't know what an Athiest's beliefs were about death and I never have time to look anything up anymore.
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Kellie at 9:47pm March 5
Goodnight all. Have fun with your conversation.
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Faithinate at 9:51pm March 5
#5 says that we want there to be ultimate justice; while yes, I agree that would be wonderful, it's a fairy tale. Life can be random and cruel, absolutely. The god of the Bible is purposefully cruel, which is infinitely worse. If we're looking to god for justice, why do we need a justice system? We've grown to the point where we have an organized system in the quest for justice; as time goes on, the system will improve worldwide. We'll never make life fair, but it shows the relative sophistication of the human spirit that we make the attempt and put so much weight on justice.

I think #6 shows a very cursory, almost flippant, understanding of Wester European history, and it makes my head hurt to think about trying to address it. The single-cause theory of history is ludicrous, like a single-cause theory of behavioral analysis. My head hurts, ouch. ONWARD!!!
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Faithinate at 9:52pm March 5
Atheists don't have a unified belief in anything, necessarily. We're united by the understanding that gods don't exist. After that, you really have to ask the individual what he/she believes.
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Faithinate at 10:03pm March 5
"Religious people in Judeo-Christian countries largely confine their irrational beliefs to religious beliefs (theology), while the secular, without religion to enable the non-rational to express itself, end up applying their irrational beliefs to society, where such irrationalities do immense harm."

This makes me want to cry. I'm guessing that Christians (or at least the author) thinks that irrational thought is good, as long as it's about God?!

That aside...you express your non-rationality in religion, which NEVER EVER EVER impacts society (WTF??). You believe in an invisible guy in the sky that tells you to hate gays, shun nonbelievers, etc etc. Whereas if I as an atheist want to indulge in the non-rational, I can argue with my husband about whether or not he should bring me flowers because I got the disposal fixed. Or go on a ghost hunt. Or see a freakin' movie, for dog's sake.

Argument, LAAAAAAAME!
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Faithinate at 10:15pm March 5
"8. If there is no God, the human being has no free will." *Sigh* Nice try...you guys were sick of the rest of us saying that the existence of God would mean no free will, eh? Sure, genes can predispose some behavior (you're saying that's not true if you believe in God?) And environment definitely does; otherwise, children of Christian parents would randomly turn out to be Atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, etc. from a very young age. Predisposition and environment affect a person, surely, but it doesn't take away free will. People think, grow, change, experience...we're people, we have freedom of choice.

It becomes ridiculous, the things you have to say out loud.
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Faithinate at 10:20pm March 5
"9. If there is no God, humans and "other" animals are of equal value." The joy of having, by an insanely tiny chance, even begun to exist should be quite enough to make you feel special. No? Okay, well, how about being able to write? The ability to use tools, travel internationally, go to space? Not ringing any bells? You seriously can't come up with ANYTHING to say to your kids when (God forbid, hah), they ask you "Hey Mom, am I better than a dog?"

And by the way, I think the Bible devalues animals far too much. They're there for us to eat and use and sacrifice whenever god gets pissy, or hungry, or something. PETA should be secular, if they're not.
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Faithinate at 10:41pm March 5
"10. Without God, there is little to inspire people to create inspiring art." I'm not artist, and already I can think of a myriad of inspiring things that I'd love to paint, or sculpt, or communicate through art. My love for my children (and theirs for me), the incredible beauty of the world and universe, the mysteries of same, the complex relationships of my friends and family, my dreams and goals, on and on and on. Just because a few people made blasphemous or disgusting art pieces, that doesn't invalidate secular art.

So, was Pablo Picasso a religious artist? Most of Manet's career was of non-religious matter. Ditto Monet. Michelangelo was commissioned by the church to do the Sistine Chapel and others, and it is well believed he was gay. There's plenty of beautiful religious art, and plenty more secular.
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Faithinate at 10:41pm March 5
More later, I'm done for tonight. Good times, in all.
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Aimee at 10:55pm March 5
Intersting article. On the whole atheist vs. believers topic, I was very interested to read what the ATheist code (or whatever it was called) was that Nicole posted. I feel these values are much the essence of Christianity-of what Jesus taught. Isn't that ironic?

I don't feel I can argue (nor am I really interested in trying to convince anyone else that feels as passionately as you do Jen)that there is no God, because honestly I'm not that talented. I'm no biblical scholar. However I do find the discussion fascinating from the standpoint of what people that have differing beliefs from me think, feel and believe on this and other topics. I know there is a God. I can't say how, I just do. Of all the things in my life I have been unsure about, my belief in GOd has never been one of them. I am certainly glad I live in a country that protects the rights of atheists and christians, etc. alike. I truly believe that people HAVE be able to choose to believe in God ...
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Faithinate at 11:01pm March 5
It's cool Aimee, I don't have to debate EVERYone :}

So there is a God. Why THIS one? And why do you get to pick and choose which parts of the Bible are relevant, and which ones God thinks it's okay for you to ignore? You don't have to answer, I just want you to think about it.

And I agree; I think it's wonderful, and we're very lucky, to live in a country where you and I can beleive whatever we damn well want to and talk about it when/wherever we want. Incredible, wonderful.Aimee at 11:04pm March 5
or not in order to have a personal relationship with him. It is funny even to myself how much faith I have that there is a God because I grew up with a Catholic mom who still holds fast to the thinking that she's a Catholic and how important that is based on two things #1 her devotion to her Catholic mom and #2 the guilt she was raised with in the church. Honestly, she's a Catholic in word much more than deed. I would say she is a Christian, by deed for sure. We went to church sporadically, I don't think I ever heard my mom pray to God other than the prayers you are taught in Catholic church, etc. I don't attend church regularly although I don't think it is a bad idea to do so. I don't take the bible word for word, for the most part. I just think of it as a guidebook to life written by man, therefore some parts I think of as more a product of the times in which it was written. I don't believe the Bible is to be worshipped. I'm not really religious but I am deeply spiritual.Aimee at 11:10pm March 5
It seems to me (and I am counting on you setting me straight here it I am interpreting this wrong, Jen.) that most of your problems lie with religion. Do you see God and religion as the same?

An Jesus Christ (that "some invisible guy in the sky") does not tell me to hate anyone nor to shun anyone. It is quite the opposite. Jesus spent his adult life embracing those that were being shunned.

I can tell you why I get to pick which parts are relevent and which parts to ignore...because He gave the me free will to do so just as He has given you the free will to not believe in Him. I may be right and I may be wrong in being so picky-choosy, but for now & where I am in my journey, this IS what I do. -----------------------------
Faithinate at 12:22am March 6
"most of your problems lie with religion." Sure, I'd say that's accurate, especially since I don't believe in God, or god, or gods. I don't have a problem with God any more than I have a problem with Allah, or Ra, or angry purple unicorns. You can't be pissed off at a concept (not rationally anyway). God is not the same as religion, God is the concept around which religion is based. I think religion causes a lot of problems; I think God is ridiculously unlikely.

Jesus is your friend, your savior, your personal messiah, right? And he's perfect, he's everything you'd want in a friend/savior. He listens to everything you have to say, knows everything about you, loves you unconditionally, would (and has) give his very life for you. And there's a book about him (several, in fact, bound into one), but only some of it applies, and the deciding factor in what applies and in what doesn't is your existing moral code and intuition. If we changed the word "Jesus" for "talking goat" or
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Faithinate at 12:28am March 6
"leprachaun", then we'd call it an interesting fantasy life (for a kid) or a delusion (for an adult). Why does everything about Him get to be completely subjective? Why does the OT not count for some people? Why do people get to interpret passages any which way they want to? That's not religion, that's art.

Jesus shunned...here are 2 examples from Matthew (there are lots more): Jesus tells his disciples to keep away from the Gentiles and Samaritans, and go only to the Israelites. 10:5-6

Cities that neither "receive" the disciples nor "hear" their words will be destroyed by God. It will be worse for them than for Sodom and Gomorrah. And you know what God supposedly did to those poor folks (see Gen.19:24). 10:14-15
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Faithinate at 12:29am March 6
There's lots more at http://skepticsannotatedbible.com

Anyway, I know you didn't want a big debate, just replying. And I can't stress enough that I don't...necessarily...MIND that you guys believe in God. You have different experiences and different mindsets. But little of it makes sense to me.

Oh grow the Fuck Up!

2009-03-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

Man there’s nothing that’ll get me going faster than someone who won’t entertain even a basic argument on their beliefs. Faithinate recently wrote a short note on Facebook that was clearly meant to enflame someone. She wrote that religion hijacks morality [paraphrased]. Now, as much as I agree with this on so many levels, she has a friend who clearly doesn’t agree and in fact it turns out she’s a pretty strong xtian. So of course the first thing she does is get offended and start saying that we need to respect her religion and basically everything about it.
So it got blown up after that by me and a couple other people who chimed in and while I’m not going to bore you with the same old arguments you all know, I’ll just say that after all this time in the discussion she’s not even willing to entertain any kind of question that the original statement may be right. And in fact, she got into this ridiculous diatribe that her religion is really the new testament and that the old testament doesn’t count. And that her god was generous and loving and how much she loves him with all her heart yada-yada-yada. You guys know all that fucking rhetoric that menas nothing at all to anyone, including the person saying it.
But to me, it’s offensive that these people can’t even entertain a basic argument about their faith. Faith is faith, but unexamined faith is nothing. And it means nothing unless you examine it. They act like being xtian is the same as being gay. You’re either born that way or you’re not. There is no choice in the matter. So to question it is futile because it’s what you are. When you’re really full of shit is what you are. Seriously, if you can’t put your religion up to even the simplest scrutiny then what do you honestly believe in? If you can admit that your religion isn’t perfect then there should be no reason you can’t look at it with a critical eye and say when something’s clearly not right. How hard is that? It doesn’t weaken your faith in the least to question how it’s practiced.
Anyway, the whole thing ended by her saying she’s pray for me… pray that I’d be able to open my mind. That’s a fucking gas. She won’t even discuss the simplest topics about her religion that do anything but praise it, and I need to open my mind. And I’ll say again…religion turns off your brain.

Jesus Strikes Again

2009-02-28T02:54:00.000-08:00

Damn, I was doing so well at living a secular life. So I'm on a plane today sitting next to a cute girl from Chile, and next to her was another cute girl. Chile girl and I are talking, and she is apparently comfortable enough with me to talk about how she's a bit overwhelmed and lost since graduating college. I know the feeling well; while you're in school your goal is to finish and get out. There aren't too many paths to take or choices to make, and the goal is the same. Then you're out in the world, and the freedom can be frightening. She seemed to be a bit lost philosophically and was reading some Indian religious book and was into it and the mix of cultures she experienced working for a couple of months at Berkley.

Somewhere in there Chile girl mentioned she was raised Catholic and later mentioned she was looking for answers in various cultures and various religious writings. I had been supportive of her multicultural experiences although I wasn't particularly a fan of any religion. I assured her that there are choices to make, and they have consequences but that generally there aren't wrong decisions about which way to take your life. The cute Jesus girl next to her jumped in and asked her why not search the Bible for answers? Then they had a long conversation about God and Jesus and faith and challenges and such and I got some sleep after trying to listen to for a bit.

As we were deplaning cute Jesus girl told cute Chile girl she would pray for her. I'll be thinking about them tonight, but it's not exactly praying.

I just realized a cooler title for this post would be Jesus on a Plane: Get this motherfuckin' Jesus off this mutherfuckin' plane!

Critical Thinkers

2009-02-27T02:42:00.000-08:00

So I'm driving around in Southern California and stumble across a shop in a business center called Critical Thinkers. Boy was I excited. Was this a meeting place for atheists? A shop selling atheist "propoganda" or somesuch?

Unfortunately it was simply a normal teaching supplies store. Oh well.

Several Years Behind

2009-02-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody, I know it's been quite a while since I've blogged but you know life steps in sometimes and I've been mega-busy with one thing or another. And since I'm the first one to blog in quite some time I'll give you an update on Faithinate and PraiseNull.

Faithinate has started her own business that keeps her more than busy and that's on top of the 3 kids. So I know she's going to try to start posting again too.

I haven't talked to PraiseNull about his posting, but he took a job that takes him out of state most of the time so he's pretty damn busy himself. But I'll talk to him and try to get him on track again too. But I'm going to try to start posting every weekend if I can because I want to keep this going.

So now on to my topic...

It seems to me that almost everyone I know is a few years behind me in many thought processes and Faithinate has finally started to come around in one. She's already a strong athiest, but xtians never really bothered her before. She just let them exist along with her without much minding. However, the other day she was on the way home from her friend's house and she got smacked in the face with how many churches there were on the way. She started getting offended and weirded out at the same time. That's not really the right word for it, but scared probably isn't either. It's that same nervous feeling you get when you go somewhere and you notice you're the only type of one person there. Nobody's going to do anything to you, but you do get slightly nervous when you go to a restaurant and you're the only one there who's not vietnamese or mexican, etc.

The ridiculousness of the number of churches suddenly hit her and she didn't like it. Well, I've been like that for years and it's good she finally came along on her own. But I tend to lead efforts like that. We've known a few people in our lives that I've pegged as assholes or lazy, or something shortly after meeting them and everyone always thought I was just being my normal way. But within a year or so everyone was on my side. I'm not attributing any special powers to myself, I'm just more cynical than everyone around me so I come to these conclusions faster than they do.

So I'll say under so uncertain terms that we've got more churches in our metroplex than we do gas stations and I would hazard a guess that it's one of the highest church areas in the nation. We counted recently, and we've got 6 churches within easy walking distance from our house. And I mean easy walking distance. We've got one intersection a few blocks that has a church on 3 of the 4 corners. Go ahead and tell me that's not ridiculous and more than a little offensive.

I'm also relatively offended when someone uses the title 'reverend'. It's a fake and bogus title. You don't see guys making business contacts refer to them as 'pokeman champ' do you? Because it's about the same level of study and science. They're both childish pursuits and to legitimize something like religion with a revered title is like giving a PhD to someone for telling campfire stories. People who study fictional literature for a living are called literature professors, not reverends.

So let's stop legitimizing these pretentious assholes by referring to their titles. All they do is suck the life out of society by burning books and blocking legitimate scientific legislation that will actually improve the common good.

So you may think it necessary to beg for respect by forcing everyone to call you reverend, but personally, I'd respect you more if you were a grand wizard thingy in D & D.

Ah, the Secular Life

2008-11-29T12:13:00.000-08:00

I haven't had much to say in a while, partially because I've been happily living my life without hearing people around me talk about how Jesus tied their shoelaces with them or some such. It's really nice.

I did meet a Pagan on Halloween. She talked briefly about Samhein and Persephone and seems to believe in ESP. I wasn't around her enough to know how serious about it she was, but she wasn't pushy. We didn't hook up, but maybe if I had another day or two.... (Because she was cute, not because she was Pagan.) We trick-or-treated, costume-less, at a couple of houses and I kid you not she got a beer. Apparently because she was Canadian and the guy had a Molson Canadian handy. (And probably because she was cute.)