Living On The Hill

Don't criticize America or the bible, unless you are on Team Atheist and Team Skeptic.

OK one more time on torture, killing dude and was it oakely dokely. The recent poll from Religion News Survey counters the image of Americans celebrating Osama Bin Laden's death (thanks media). All across the board, and that includes us (Team Atheist), American peeps "don't think celebration of anyone's death is justified." That's good, right. Oh wait, there's more (there's always more).

For 51% of peeps, the insane ones, "God has granted America a special role in human history." That ladies and germs is called American Exceptionalism". Recently there has been president bashing (well, there is always president bashing) because he had opportunities to say, or use the term, American Exceptionalism, but he did not. 

Back in the day, before I was born, in the 1800's American Exceptionalism paved the way for the paving over of indigenous peeps. Sorry shiny, beautiful brown people, Gawd said it was OK for those of Anglo Saxon blood to take your land-n-stuff. Manifest Destiny and A.E. are interchange-y terms, both mean that the superior whites, or as I say when I'm in a bad mood-crackers-are destined to spread coast to coast because the Gawd of Crackers said so (no offense anyone, just trying to be funny).

"The belief in an American mission to promote and defend democracy throughout the world, as expounded by Abey Lincoln and Woody Wilson, continues to have an influence on American political ideology (link)."

Pretty even numbers all the way across. We are all the same, except that belief thang.

Of the 51% of the peeps in the survey that believe that white Americans and only their America are, just call it like it is, better than everyone, one million percent of them are Teabaggers, really. OK maybe not, here are better numbers.

• 64% of Tea party members say God has special role for the U.S. in human history, compared to 64% of Republicans and 51% of the general public.
• 55% of Tea Party members say God had a hand in locating Osama bin Laden, compared to 49% of Republicans and 39% of the general public.
• 66% of Tea Party members DISAGREE that torture can never be justified, compared to 53% of Republicans and 43% of the general public.
• 59% of Tea Party members say harsh interrogation methods provided critical information that led to the capture of Osama bin Laden, compared to only 42% of Republicans and 27% of the general public.

Why?

Americans are exceptionally stupid when it comes to soccer, but we have football. Yeah.

To them "the United States is a "shining city on the hill", and exempt from historical forces that have affected other countries." Gee let me think, mmm, what is it that could justify something incredible like urging people to believe that they are better than others and that it's OK to take their stuff and kill them if they don't like it. Let's see...something that can justify slavery, the degradation of women and minorities and make you believe in things that are totally miraculous. I know, it's that new Jesus Potter Harry Christ book. Wait that wasn't around back then, OK, it must be the bible.

I'm not sure what Jesus Potter Harry Christ is. Cool pic tho.

Again, back in the day that guy, not OBL this time, this time Jesus, gave a talk and he told everyone that they are special and awesome and you live in this cool city with slight elevation (Mathew 5:14); sort of like the Oakland Hills or the good parts of San Fransisco...the good parts. Is there something called biblical exceptionalism. If American Exceptionalism excludes or forgets entire races and populations, then what is it if you forget or exclude, or only pay attention to parts of the bible...could it be cherry picking.

Also in Matt 5 is dude, Jesus, talking about feeding the poor, the one about the meek shall inherit the world (nothing meek about going into another country and taking out dude, that's OBL), blessed are the pure of heart (as if anyone like that exists). So living on the hill, one part of one sermon from JC is the inspiration for A.E. and M.D., which are concepts that divide people and justifies killing and stealing, but the rest of it is forgotten, or dismissed. WTF.

What about later in chapter 5 numbers 27, 28, 29 and 30. Can't forget those, right. Don't boink your neighbors hot wife (even if she drinks a lot and says, "It's OK, he doesn't have to know."), ya know, 'cause it's all sin-y-n-stuff. Part 28 is even stricter, you can't even think about boinking your neighbors hot, drunk wife. That is a sin also. Guess what, yes we have more bananas. If you can't control your thoughts and it manifest in checking out your hot neighbors wife, then say bye bye to that eye; and whatever you do don't frackin' touch her. So don't think about her, look at her, or touch her. All are sins and all are included in Matt five. It's all or nothing, well, unless you are a picker of cherries.

The only thing exceptional about America is our ability to take peoples stuff and their lives, esp. if they are brown. What is that George Carlin joke, something like American got mad at Germany because they bombed and killed people and "that is our job," so we bombed and killed them. It's funnier when he says it. We have this uncanny ability to justify atrocious behavior, slavery, genocide (hello Native Americans and Palestine/Israel-happy Nakba btw), and mullets (jk).

I was ashamed to see all those young peeps climbing trees and fences and chanting USA, USA on the news.*  It really was no different than shots of Muslims cheering at news of 9-11. doesn't that, the fact that we both cheered at violent death caused by the hands of our own, doesn't that show we are all the same and that no one is exceptional. We are all equally good, and we are all equally bad.

"Nufff said"

This has nothing to do with anything in this post, except that this mom is exceptionally WRONG.

* Don't get me wrong. I'm glad that we got 'him' and that at least this part of 'it' is over. I just didn't cheer at the news of violent death.