Happy IBR's Day

 So every Sept 30th for the rest of the existence of time, today will be know as International Blasphemy Rights Day. IBRD came to be because of that Draw Muhammad controversy a couple 'o years back.

"Blasphemy Rights Day came about as a result of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy.  On September 30, 2005, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published 12 political cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

The cartoons led to Islamic protests across the Muslim world, some of which escalated into violence. Damage included more than 100 reported deaths, the bombing of the Danish embassy in Pakistan, setting fire to the Danish Embassies in Syria, Lebanon and Iran, and the storming of several European buildings (Atheist Examiner)."

 Today is not about making fun of peoples silly beliefs, it is about free speech. Pre-New Atheists religion got a free pass. They were exempt from criticism, but free to criticize. No longer. Some believers want to inject their belief into the science and history classroom when their mythology is neither scientific or historical. If believers want Genesis to be taught as an equal to evolution thru natural selection, then Genesis must endure and pass the same scrutiny that that discipline requires. Because they are unwilling to do that, no soup for you.

People died because a dude made a cartoon. WTF is that. This is the harm that religion causes and that is why today is sooooo important. Really, it is not about making fun of beliefs, it is about free speech. And in general, it is about....freedom. I'm gonna use my freedom to go to a BBQ and drink me some godless beer (with hotties, I hope). The free pass has expired and we have The New Atheists to thank for that.

Thanks New Atheists  
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List 'o countries where they have anti blasphemy laws.

Afghanistan, Algeria, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan.

When Will "It" End

Protesters chanting "I heart American, I heart American." Not.

 Let's see if I can squeeze one out before I finish my first cup of coffee and cigarette. Very early this morning it was reported that American-Yemeni cleric, Anwar-al-Awlaki, has been killed in an air-strike. Dude was totally on any and all enemy combatant lists and soooo wanted. Another notch on the achievement belts of the military and the awesome black President. Any who...

In the post Would You Kill The Fat Man I talked briefly about killin' peeps, like when you should or could do it, would I do it and is it ever the correct thing to do. Basically, my personal feeling is that if you have to sacrifice one to save many, then ya, I would kill another human being. Unfortunately, the business of killin' is never cut and dry.

Is the death of al-Awlaki for the greater good? Sure, he has called for the killin' of Americans, and I'm sure he has given that "order" many a time. If the end of his life was the end of it, then that would be having cake while a very large woman sings. Alas, it is not the end. In fact...

Gee, I dunno, are his homies gonna go all revenge-y-n-stuffs and go all...revenge. If it ended with his death, then we can all go home. So, is his death for the greater good if his death means more killing down the line, in the future.

There is this really great Hong Kong Kung Fu movie called Duel To The Death. In this movie, and many others like it, these two super awesome warriors battle it out to see who is the best. Many assassins come to kill them, but they all fall by the waist-side. Spoiler alert...What ends up happening is that once the killin' begins, it never stops. All the parties involved believe in that stupid "eye for an eye" philosophy (and ya know how the sayin' goes...it leaves us both blind). So at the end of the movie the two heroes both get so fucked up that die. Where is the greater good in that.

Will we ever "turn the other cheek", or who will be the first. Many have been killed on both sides, no one is innocent, everyone is guilty, everyone has won and everyone has lost. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that Anwar-al-Awlaki went bye bye, he was a bad bad dude. I guess I'm just wondering, before I finish my first cup of coffee...when is this shit gonna end?

Angry Atheist 101

We, The Super mighty Team Atheist, often times get asked something to the extent "WTF," "Why do you even care," "Why not just live and let live?" Well kind gentle and very good looking readers, I'll tell ya why...and how. Just like there are two kinds of people, there are two kinds of religion: good and bad, liberal v extreme, symbolic v. literal.

If someone has a liberal belief system and doesn't read the bible as the literal word of God, if someone wants/needs to use the metaphor of a Christ-man-god as something that mere humans can strive to emulate, to better ourselves, as a ladder to reach for God, or as a "something something" to aspire to to reach heights above and beyond humanity (if such a thing even exists), then I'm cool with that. But...

If the person, group or community believes that the bible is the literal word of God and it must be followed no matter what and that belief system preaches and teaches hate of certain other groups (GLBT, women, other religions, no religion etc...), that belief teaches that they must dominate others, then my friend...the shit is on.

There are two very important terms to know, if ya want to be an outraged angry atheist, dominionism and American exceptionalism.

Dominionism is just as it sounds, dominate. Not all Christians are dominionist, but the ones that are, are very powerful and influential. Their mission is to infiltrate every sector of society, public schools, government, military, movie houses, bakery's, every and anything in secular society they want to control it. It is not enuff to share the good news with you, a dominionist wants total control, a total takeover of what should be a secular and religion free public square.

American exceptionalism is the theory that God loves America better than everyone else (really) and that if we become the house on the hill, then God will favor us and shower us with, err...Godly stuffs. Any who, God has chosen America as his favorite and that is why "we" can stick our noses in other countries business, we can invade other countries (to spread Christianity of course) and basically, we can dominate-hence dominionism.

What makes us better than anyone else. An interpretation from that bronze age book that those atheist keep talking about and the revelation that God has spoken and it is "our" duty, our mission to make this so. In reality, those that subscribe to these two terms are no better than their Islamic counterparts that claim Allah wants them to spread and takeover. I haven't seen it in the media lately, but don't forget the American Taliban. Taliban is Taliban is Taliban someone used to say. Religious extremism is bad all the way around, no matter who or what side is practicing it.

GW Bush infamously filled cabinet posts, government positions with evangelical peeps that also believed as he did, that God hearts America better and that it is the American duty to spread that specific form of Christianity. Like I have said many times, they have entire universities, TV and radio stations, they already dominate the landscape; but they want more.

That is angry atheist 101, folks.

* The idiocy of American exceptionalism, from DFCW

* Denial of Dominionism from Religion Dispatches.

* I forgot an important term, The New Apostolic Reformation.

The Freedom To Tweet, Or Not

 America, I heart  you. More precisely, I heart the freedom and liberty that all Americans enjoy. Sure this country is not perfect, but it is better than, let's say, living in hot ass Kuwait or Saudi Arabia.

Recently a judge in Kuwait sentenced a Sunni activist to three months in jail for...blasphemy. OK, this is where I say, WTF. The judge determined that the Sunni activist said thingies deemed derogatory to Shiite Muslims...in a series of tweets. In the whole wide world there is a blasphemy trend, err, an anti blasphemy trend. There is that stupid UN resolution, which is really stupid and our very own president supports it (c'mon blood, sheez).

Freedom of speech is becoming less and less free in many parts of the world. If I had a nickel for everytime I have heard of a blogger being jailed for simply stating their views, whether right or wrong, I'd have at least $2.25 (I'm trying to say that it is common). If I didn't live here in the awesome states, perhaps I would be in jail.

Let's see off the top of my head, I totally blog about religion all the time and I criticize the government. On the Twitter and the Facebook, I have said that "I feel like killing people." So I have feelings and opinions and I express them. Revolution is in the air and the Arab Spring, I hope, will bring freedoms to the Middle East. Recently, in Saudi Arabia women were granted the right to vote (but not until a year or so from now), but they cannot drive a frackin' car. A woman was recently sentenced to 10 lashes because she...drove.

I haven't asked in a while, "Is everything getting better or worse, or both simultaneously?" Jail for tweeting and lashes for driving. This time I'll say worse.

Thanks American...for being you.

* Voting, driving and lashing, not ness. in that order.

* Tweet, go to jail.

God The Baby Killer In Oregon

This is the update that I do not want to do..but that is what atheist blogging is all about. It seems that I have mentioned the Hickmans way to many times. I have mentioned Followers of Christ Church in Oregon many times, too many times.

This is the mom that pretty much killed her baby. I do not feel sorry for her.

Basically the super horrible story is that Baby Killer Mom had the baby at home, the baby was like a million months premature, and 45 minutes after birth, the innocent baby died.

The thingy about the Hickmans is that they do not believe in going to the doctor or the hospital, what do they do...they pray. They fuckin' pray. Needless to say...the innocent baby died. So WTF.

No.

It has been two years since the innocent baby died at the hands of negligent parents and the defense just rested their case. The Hickman's have been asked several times, "would you do anything different." They replied, "No."

"Why didn't you call 9-1-1?"

"I was praying," Negligent Dad.

The negligent mother baby killer said that she would have to get permission from her husband in order for her to call 9-1-1.

"I can say what I feel, but ultimately, he decides. It's kind of a fine line because I don't want to disobey him or anger him," she said. "If I gave him my opinion, and he told me to shut up and I didn't, then my marriage could be in jeopardy," Shannon Hickman said. "I have to submit my husband." 


So WTF. I wish that there was a God so I can be pissed at him. I totally want me a half white and half Filipino innocent atheist baby (and my super hottie skeptic-atheist-feminist sugar mama) that I would love so much. If there is a God, then dude is totally irrational and unfair. He gave an innocent baby to parents that could have helped him/her survive, but instead he gave the baby to baby killer parents. There is absolutely nothing that can be said that would absolve God from this crap-o-la tragedy.


He works in mysterious ways (bullshit). We cannot understand the mind of God (bullshit). He is testing us (why the fuck does an all powerful God need to test people). Who killed more people in the bible the devil or God. The devil killed nine people in the bible and God killed 100's of 1,000's. God has killed entire cities, towns, civilizations. If that is Gods love...I certainly don't want it.


It is 2011 fer Christ's sake. The doctors said that if the innocent baby was taken to the hospital there was a 99.99% chance of survival (emphasis on was). I'm pissed and saddened. I can't wait for sentencing, I hope they get the death penalty (I know they won't, I'm just pissed).

I'll keep a look out for the results. Until then, fuck you God.




* Article

Dead Sea Scrolls, Mushrooms and Me

I wonder if the 60's culture had an influence.

Team Atheist Nerd Goober, I heart you, I really do. Some people wonder why an atheist would think so much about God, or why an atheist would be so into the bible. I just think it makes us totally awesome...and way smarter than the average lay believer. I also think that the best way to debunk Christianity is with Christianity. The billiard king, John, does it at Debunking Christianity, so does Price, Avalos and of course I have to mention, Bart "frackin'" Erhmann.

Recently that thing called Google (ever hear of it?) has digitized the Dead Sea Scrolls and has made them available for public viewing (I think four or five parts of it, not the whole thing). That is something that Team Atheist Goober can really sink their/our teeth into. You can view the actual scrolls and there is a 'translator' just in case you do not read ancient Aramaic (I think that is the language). All right, fuck that shit, that is not what I wanted to talk about, but deff. check it out.

The translation is "...in 2011 an atheist blogger with brown skin and long waist length hair..." and that is all.

Soooo, not that many people can decipher the DSS. Back in the day there was a team of biblical scholars that had the task of unrolling it without fuckin' it up and translating it. Of the team, only one was non Catholic. His name is John Allegro. This is so good, I'm going to get right down to it. His translation said that there is no such thing as a dude named Jesus and that Jesus is just a metaphor, sit down for this one,...for a mushroom sex cult. Yea, baby. He was on the cover of Time Magazine in I believe 1969 (I was one at that time). I just read the Davinci Code and in that book, which is fiction, early Christianity was a fertility cult, complete with doing it with the ladies...because they are all powerful Goddesses-n-stuff.

krissthesexyatheist is the shit.

 There are others experts that have similar conclusions. Acharya S. believes that early Christianity is all made up-n-stuff and that they stole it from earlier Gods, like Horus the Egyptian Sun God. Robert Price is a Jesus Mythicist, Tim Callahan does really good scholarly work and again, Erhmann. So the idea that early Christianity is not, err, Christian-y is not totally isolated. But then why doesn't the "truth" come out. If Christianity is a mushroom cult, which would be really baddass, then why doesn't the truth come out. I'll tell you why, kind gentle and very good looking readers.

Kriss thinks that Mary Magdalene is hot.

In the book, The End of Biblical Studies, Dr. Avalos pretty much says that the truth doesn't come out because then biblical scholars, and the entire religious establishment, would not have jobs (and that is me paraphrasing). So if the other biblical scholars, who were all Catholic, came to the same conclusion and admitted that JC was all about the magic mushrooms and kickin' with the ladies, then two thousand years of their work would go down the drain. All that stuff about sin, sex and the female body would be thrown out the door. Celibacy, fuck that. Funny thing, that is also a theme in the Davinci Code (if word got out that Christianity was a fertility goddess cult, then the male dominated dominators would have to find new jobs). Needless to say, when Allegro came out with his book, he was lambasted (I've never used that word b4).

Ya know, even if Allegro's interpretation is not the truth it still throws a wrench into the machinery of the Jesus cult. The bible is supposedly the infallible word of God. If that is the case, then why are there so many interpretations: he's all powerful, the word is infallible...or not. If the bible is the word of God, then which one? How come there are bibles before the bible, like the DSS, and bibles after that. How come Constantine had to compile the first bible (325ad), and why were there many books left out. That doesn't sound like the work of an all powerful God and it certainly doesn't sound like the truth.

Still, for the atheist goober like me, you and us, checking out the Dead Sea Scrolls is made of awesome...even if it isn't all about partying like you are at a Dead show with those goddess like pretty ladies (Helllloooo). Enjoy fellow teammates....

Your Bodies Your Selves

I'm very proud of the fact that I'm a bro's bro. I'm the definition of dude. Really, a human male can't get any more manly than this (I can bro out on anything from musical equipment to sports to beer). I'm also very proud to be an out feminist. Years ago I came to the conclusion that if as a society we could treat women with equality, fairness and acceptance, then possibly, very possibly, we would have world peace. Just like I went to bro-dude training camp growing up (martial arts, team sports, shows, music etc...) to become the specimen that I am today, I also had to go to bro -dude-feminist training camp. Unfortunately that didn't start until I was about 19-ish.

For a sociology class I had to read "Backlash" by Susan "Hey, grrl, I'm Kriss" Faludi and after that...it was on. I read all the feminist books of the early 90's, I went back and read the classics (Fem Mystique) and I even jumped into the failed Mens Movement (at first it was an attempt to evolve men, but really it ended up being dookie-great original idea tho). The one book I did not read, tho, is having it's 40th anniversary...The super classic...Our Bodies, Ourselves.

If Jerry Falwell of the (not) Moral Majority calls it "obscene trash" then by golly, ya know it must be good. I guess I take for granted that Grrl Power is so prevalent right now and that the right now ladies (I work next to a college) are pretty much in tune with their bodies and themselves. It's hard to imagine that just decades ago this was not the case. The book came out in 1969 and there were still taboos about women's bodies that are all, like, 1950's-ish. Soooo hard to imagine that masturbating was considered a no no. WTF

The book has sold over 4 million copies and is published in hella languages. The first one was 75 cents and the newest and most update one is $26 (which is the average price for a book). Once again it is hard for me to imagine that there was a time when there was no resource for women to learn about their own bodies. Since it's first publishing, many a mother has given a copy to their budding daughters. The publishing of the book has forced medical science to address women's bodies and see the differences between the sexes (there is still that problem today of making drugs specifically for women, but it is better than before), there are now gender studies in college, and for the average female peep, it made the conversation about sex and bodies OK (WTF did people do before, not talk about it. so weirdo).

Well, I guess I have another book to put on my list. I can't believe that I haven't checked it out yet. Perhaps it is the left over residue of my Catholicism. Congrat's ladies.

* Article

* Our Bodies, Ourselves website

* Free O B, OS on Google Book Search.

Spring in Palestine

Outta habit I when I write about Israel and Palestine I always write it like this "Israel/Palestine". They are connected. When you talk about one, you halfta talk about the other one-even when you write it. Palestinian President Abbas just returned from the historic and epic New York/United Nations trip to 1,000's of supporters, supporters for a Palestinian state. This stuffs is the definition of super heavy and 'lil 'ol me cannot do it justice...but I will say a little something something.

 This is the example someone gave to me the other day. This someone is not, how should I say it, astute and eloquent in understanding and talking about politics (and I'm certainly not an expert, but I know more than dude). Dude said of Israel/Palestine that it is as if a neighbor moved next door and every year he takes more and more of your backyard. Sort of simple, but yea, I can go for that.

Palestinians have been waiting, negotiating and fighting for a Palestinian state for 60 years (and they certainly are not gonna get it anytime soon), and that is why this recent trip is so important. They are the neighbor that was there first. Their backyard is getting smaller and smaller. Why?

The Israelis (Jews) believe that Palestine's backyard really belongs to them and that they were there first. Why, because of their particular bronze age book says that their particular bronze age God, Abraham, said so. So, like, 60-ish years ago they decided to move back. The thing about that is, now there are people living there and they have been living there for a hella long time-Palestinians.

Que the Christian Zionists. For the longest time I didn't understand why American Christians would be interested in the establishing of a Jewish Homeland. The short of it is that in order for the American Christian end of times scenario to happen, that is JC coming back, the Jews need to have an established homeland. This is because in the American Christian bronze age book, the bible, their God says for the prophecy to become true, these things need to happen. That is why American pours hella money into Israel and is going all apartheid-y on the brown Palestine people.

This is all because of predictions in super old books that were written totally a long time ago. Not only are there people that still believe this, they are people in very powerful positions in this country. The dominionist, the American Execptionalist, they are on the side of Israel; but not because they care about the Jewish people, no the opposite in fact. Part of the super stupid prophecy is that for the American God to win over evil, the world gets destroyed and it gets destroyed after and because of the established Jewish homeland (keep in mind I'm going super general on all this). Who is a dominionist, people in politics, including three that are running for president.

Like I said, I dunno too much about it. It seems that the two state solution is THE solution (no one is gonna move out), tho. The Palestinian Spring has started, but will it grow to be bountiful. Will freedom and liberty, and that democracy that peeps keep talking about, blossom in the Palestinian Spring? I guess we will see.

Good luck brown homies (I'm brown also).

More Cherry Pickin' From The Bible

I totally support the GLBT/LGBT communities and want to be alive to see society as a whole treat them fairly, with equality and with acceptance. But what is this atheist to do if the GLBT peeps are the Christian. Yea, now what.

The Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards' article in Huff Po, Top Five Questions, is an attempt to answer some common questions that she has fielded over the years to explain how she interprets scripture and, I guess, justifies her belief. I'll go over a few of her points and ask some questions of my own.

Her question #2 "How can you be sure that you are not making stuff up to justify something that is cultural trendy."

She says that Christians live by faith, not by certainty. Then she does that thing that Team Atheists hates so much, she cherry picks and quotes scripture. Ugh. First of all faith is powerful because the evolved human brain is, well, evolved and powerful. If you have faith in anything, a frackin' pencil or whatever, the results will be the same. If you pray to god, or a pencil, and you do the same activities with the same gusto, then the results will be the same. As far as cherry picking form the bible to prove your point, anyone can do that and anyone can cherry pick form the bible to prove or debunk a point. So WTF, it's totally useless.

She mentions that the bible was used back in the day to justify slavery and to "keep women quite in church." She points how at those times, culturally, believers would cherry pick passages to justify, I dunno, slavery. Then guess what, she does it herself. Her hand picked scripture that says love-n-stuff somehow trumps the scripture that says "man and a woman" or "no woman can teach a man." From the atheist perspective, they are both wrong-because after all, they both can't be correct at the same time.

Samuel 18-2. Samuel 1 is about those special bro buddies David and Jonathan (which you should read, it's kinda sexy and romantic sounding, super gay, but very touching-yes, I said touching) and it seems to say "yea, go ahead and be butt buddies, who cares." Then if you move over to Colossians 3-22, then all of a sudden it's all about "slaves listen to your masters." WTF.

Team Atheist sees the bible for what it is, a super ancient book, written for ancient people in a time when most people could not read or write. It was and is a political tool used to control, and yes, sometimes, unite the masses. Back in the day people learned from storytelling and symbolically the bible does tell many stories to live by, but to use it today as justification for your particular cause...well, I wouldn't look to it as an authoritative resource.

The Rev does the same kinda cherry picking that she accuses others of. So what if you can find a bible passage that you can interpret to justify your lifestyle; I'm sure that a different passage could be found to counter that.

So WTF. So what that there are some GLBT homies that believe in Gods special plan and that Jesus hearts the gay. They are not harming anyone, right, and they are happy, right. That may be true, but like I said before, I wouldn't want to be a member of a club that is hurting my friends. If I had an abusive friend that could hurt his self or others, I would totally say something. Well that is what the club of Christianity is. Sure some GLBT might be saved by accepting Christ, but it sure seems like there is a lot more getting hurt and persecuted by others that have also accepted the same Christ.

So WTF.

* Oops I forgot to mention true Christianity. If different groups are saying that they and they alone are the one true Christians, then doesn't that make them all...not true Christians. Just saying.

* Sammy 18...

18:1 It happened, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 18:2 Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. 18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 18:4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his clothing, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his sash. 18:5 David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 18:6 It happened as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music. 18:7 The women sang one to another as they played, and said,..


Wow, that is some soul mate kinda stuffs. One day me and my awesome atheist lady will say that about each other...one day (le sigh).

The End Of An Era, Then End Of Me

Wow, R.E.M. just broke up. They were one of my favorites in my teenage years that was, for better or worse, the 80's. R.E.M., The Smiths and U2 (before they became all Christian-y) were my favorites.

Of those three bands, R.E.M. had the guitar work that I really liked (The Smiths a very close second). It was in the early 80's, as me and my post puck country homies listened to mix tapes, getting stoned and drunk at the river or The End of The Road (our hangout), that I entertained the idea that I would like to be in a band and I started my long journey into music-playing and learning. I recall talking to "M", and trying to impress her with my desire to become a touring musician, and how her eyes lit up and I could see the smile in those eyes of that Norwegian pretty, pale face. It was moments like that that I thought "Yea Chris (I was Chris, not Kriss back then), you are on to something, buddy." A lot has happened since my teenage years of the 80's.

My favorite R.E.M. albums were from the 80's, but they really took off in the 90's. That decade they became so popular, and likewise, so important. As a post punk mod in the 80's I have to credit that music as the vehicle that shaped my politics. The Clash, The Style Council (esp. them) R.E.M. and U2 molded me into the progressive, social, liberal that I'am today. I fear what I would have become if I were never touched by music in those formative years (probably a mainstream republican, really). Alas, things change, and every good thing comes to an end.

It seems that the band is quitting on good terms. Hell they have accomplished all that a band can accomplish-they have nothing to prove. Still, it means more to me than that. "For those keeping score" and my kind gentle and very good looking readers, y'all know that I have been going thru the worst worst summer ever ever (I'm better now, thanks for all the support). Months ago I started the project Nu Kriss Summer/Fall 2011, or From The Ashes, The Phoenix Arises (but I'm still in the ashes part) and it is still a work in progress. Redefining ones self is a lot harder than I ever thought it would be, but like the show, the redefining must go on.

I haven't played my guitar in months, and I don't even listen to music anymore. The concerts that were the highlight of my summers, are skipped with no love loss. The football season is here, two games have passed, and I have not watched my team. Why, I'm letting go-I'm trying to change, trying to grow.

As evolved human animals we have this ability to seek patterns and see symbols in our daily lives and our environments. That is why we have discovered that seeds grow into trees and plants, that there are seasons, germ theory etc...Is R.E.M. a sign that my youth has ended (the band from my youth calling it quits after 31 frackin' years)? I don't know, only time will tell.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but...the season is about to change, and so am I. Wish me luck and thanks R.E.M..

* Slate

The Evolved Republican

I have talked before how words change, evolve and eventually get bastardized. Environmentalist, feminist and atheist are words that at one time had a more simple meaning, but now they have grown to imply negative yucky-ness (feminist equates to man hater, really). The word republican has also changed, especially since the emerging of the teabaggers, err, tea party.

Old school republicans are out, they are the republicans of our fathers and their fathers and quite frankly, they are not republican enuff. Where at one time to be associated with the republican party only meant small government and conservative spending, taxation, pro business. Now, the republican party is the party of the answer "no", super religious, like, literal bible religious and because of that, also anti science.

50% of Tea Partier's do not believe in global warming and 51% do not believe in evolution. With that said 100% are uber religious. The current top three GOP candidates are promoting an anti science and pro infallible scripture platform and, "you betcha", they have the mission to use the government to usher in that kingdom of God that they always talk about. As far as I know, only former Utah Gov. John Huntsman has gone on the record and sided with science on evolution and the climate.

I sort of feel sorry for a true, old school conservative republicans the same way I feel bad for good, normal Christians that are not evangelical weirdos. In the past I've made fun of the republican party because they are still debating the scopes monkey trail and Roe v. Wade. Now I'm gonna add to that evolution, climate change and infallible scripture.

Like I said yesterday, if ya don't want us making fun of your silly beliefs, then stop having silly beliefs.

* CNN Belief Blog

I Hope So, I Really Do

I've said it before and I will say it again and again...Religion is the most important topic, it is the most important issue that must be dealt with, like, right now, and the decades to come. Women's issues, GLBT, secular society, the battle for the classrooms (history, science), the economy, anything, absolutely anything can be associated with religion and it's aftermath that permeates the entire society; both public and private.

I have also mentioned that we have to look no further than the local newspaper, or any newspaper for that matter, to see how prevalent and constant religion is in our daily lives, whether we are believer or not. Par example...

Today's Sacramento Bee (certainly not my favorite of all the dailies, but it is my local rag, so there) has so many gems, err, examples. Iranian President, I'm a dinner jacket, said that two planes couldn't possibly bring down the twin towers (WTF). Sounds like he has been watching those self produced online videos. The C.I.A. wants to place ads in Arab newspapers; why I do not know. There were complaints at a prayer rally in a public school (ya think), Suicide, bullying and probably the gayness in NJ, anti-gay group gets a new chairperson, but to them it is a chairman because the bible says so, all those executions-n-stuff, Lady Gaga needs to meet with the awesome black president to talk about bullying, Palestine and that really important statehood thingy, Troy Davis-that is all, fines for full face veils in France, etc...

OK, I think I proved that point. I wasn't even done going thru the paper, there was still sum-mo. It really shows how prevalent religion is in the news, everyday. Hella kids bully the gay kids, whether they are gay or not, how did those kids learn to hate on the gay kids-the bible. Anything to do with the middle east is religious. It is Christian v. Muslim, us v. them. The supposed good guys, v. the evil bad guys (and fo sho they feel that way also), and the very important to me, the battle for secular society (I didn't include the 25ft cross), the religion free public square-schools, government buildings etc...I wrote the other day that many people believe that God controls the economy and what about Israel?Palestine right now. Wow, that is the heaviest of heavy shit.

It doesn't matter if you are religious or not...it effects and affects you. It is a part of your life. You didn't choose it, it was forced upon you-you had no choice in the matter. This is why it is important to question the beliefs of those who are running for president. This is why the battle for the science and the history classroom is so important. More and more we have to compete with the China's, the South America's, the India's, etc...They are getting advanced science degrees and advanced computer information science degrees while we battle to teach creationism as equal to evolution in public schools.  Most people (I'm committing the logical fallacy that I mentioned earlier) who believe have not read the bible (I can't believe I just did that. yuck). A simple and narrow religion is catch phrasing, sound biting and conditioning people to believe talking points like the president is not a Christian, global warming is not proven, evolution is just a theory, God wants you to be rich, etc...

The remedy for all of this is right in front of our eyes in the form of the daily paper. If as a whole society we can acknowledge that religion is a totally important factor in our daily lives and see what an impact it has daily, on everyone, then wouldn't people (finally) question the whole thing, question religion-what it is and what is does and how it does it.

I hope so.

Cats and Dogs, Science and Religion

Why are we still debating this. Ugh and WTF with a head shake. Maybe this is why I don't go to Huff Po Religion and Huff Po in general anymore. Usually this writer has really really good articles, but today I have to disagree with dude. In the article Can Religion and Science Coexist dude concludes (thru a survey) that most scientist have no problem with religion. I forgot what that logical fallacy that is when you say "most people..." but I know one when I see one.

 Here's the short of it...no. Science and religion are not compatible. Science deals with the material, the observable and the measurable. If there is no matter, then it doesn't matter to science (I couldn't resist that one). Science comes to conclusion through super rigorous testing, the scientific method, and more peer review testing. Science changes when the best information becomes available (and that is a good thing). Science is the truth as best as we can know it at the moment.

Religion is none of those things. Religion works because of faith (which, if you had faith in anything, the evolved powerful human brain will make those thingies come true). You cannot measure God or the afterlife. You cannot give your God data to a peer for them to independently test it's validity-it is based on belief and faith. Religion never changes, they are always correct (not). Where the scientific method can predict an outcome, religion is after the fact and fudges the truth to comply with scripture. Science and religion are cats and dogs.

The article claims that the scientists that have the most problem with religion are the scientists that see religion in very narrow terms (often associated with evangelical Christianity). The scientists that have a wider view of religion to include meditation-n-stuffs, the survey concludes, are coolio with religion. I get the feeling that the author is poo poo-ing the scientists for having a narrow view of religion. Well poo poo on him.

They often call us (Team Atheist) out on this one, but they are wrong for doing that. To say, that is not my religion, or we don't do that, is, well...dookie. I guess the simple answer is "then I guess we are not talking about you, so shut up." The reason why scientists and the New Atheist call out believers for having a narrow view of religion is because they practice a narrow religion. What is that great saying, "If you want us to stop making fun of your silly beliefs, then stop having silly beliefs." So what that some Christianities accept evolution, good, they should. But to say that we cannot call out Christians that believe in Genesis over evolution, well, once again...that is dookie.

One good thing in the article that was concluded in the survey is that the majority of scientists, whether they were cool with religion or not, are totally against teaching creationism in the science classroom. Well, I'm glad that we can at least agree on that.

* Article Huff Po Religion.

* Update Sept 25th. the last paragraph is the same logical fallacy that I mentioned earlier (but it's cool when I do it. I didn't create the double standard, I just acknowledge it...now...) Awesomeness.

Old Lady Dobener and Her 25ft Cross

This is a very good example of the "little old lady goes to church on Sunday and does no harm" part of the debate. This time is is an actual honest to God real human hella old lady in Los Angeles.

72 year old Laly Dobener can't understand what all the fuss is about. I mean, gee wiz, all she did was erect a 25ft cross, complete with yucky blood stains (paint) where JC's hands and feet were stapled...on her front yard. One neighbor said something like when you turn onto our block it looks like there is a church there. Old Lady Dobener, she says, is only expressing her religious freedom and is confident that her free speech is protected. So...WTF.

This is the part of the debate that I personally have been thinking about a lot. As all you kind gentle and very good looking readers all know, I've been sitting on the fence as whether to become a full fledged angry atheist, or remain an accommodationalist. This is a litmus test.

So hypothetically there is a little old lady that goes to church on Sunday and she does no harm. Should I hate on her. What can I possible blame her for. The same goes for Old Lady Dobener. What harm is she doing me by erecting a ridicules 25ft cross on her front yard. I don't agree with it, but really...WTF.

I'll tell y'all WTF. As I mentioned before if you had an abusive someone in your life, wouldn't you say or do something before they got hurt or hurt someone else (I would). Well, that is how I see church membership. I could not belong to a community where the leaders were sexist and homophobic. My personal salvation is not more important than members in my group being treated fairly. We all get treated equally and fairly and that is that.

Last year there was a really weirdo dude here in Sac Town that put a Nazi flag in his front window. The flag didn't really harm anyone, but the city made the weird guy take it down (I forgot the reasoning tho). Old Lady Dobener's hideous 25ft cross is not *harming* anyone one, but does she have the right to do that.

I say make her take that ridicules cross down, chop it up into firewood and make her pay for it. There must be some city building code stuffs that she violated (really, you can't erect a 25ft anything on your front lawn). What would happen if we put the Scarlet-A, a 25ft one, on our front lawn, would people get mad and would they make us take it down. I'll quote Sarah Palin...

"You betcha."

* SF Gate

* Sitting on the fence.

Religion News Roundup For...Today

Wow what a kick arse day for religious news. Team Atheist if you do not go to Religion News Service, Religion Dispatches and CNN Belief Blog you are missing out. Check out all the good fun reading I've done so far this morning.

I never really thought that the Foo Fighters were all that (nothing against them, just not one of my favorites), but I sure do like them a lot more now. Apparently they counter protested everyone's least favorite protesters, Westboro Baptist Church. Appropriately, they played a song called "Hot Buns."

After a million gazillion years the super stupid DADT is fin. As of midnite the armed forces just got a lot cuter, cleaner, patriotic and flamboyant at the same time. I would never join the armed forces (to kill brown people for economic interests), but I sure do appreciate those who do. It takes a special kinda person to answer the call of duty. Congrats to all GLBT in the military and...let's see if change really happens.

Rowan says that atheist are the "new cool thing" and I agree with him. Thanks Rowan.

Team Atheist has know this for years, but now we have scientific evidence that Pat "Leave your wife is she has Alzheimer's" Robertson is mentally ill. Robertson's theological counterparts, that do not agree with him, say that he is an embarrassment." We knew that also.

Here is some blatant self promotion and here are real journalists commenting on the same thing (but really, who's better looking. thanks). Those survey's that Team Goober Nerd Geek Atheist and Skeptic like so much have concluded that many Americans believe that God has a special plan for them, God believes in small government and God controls the economy. Oh God.

On that note...awesome sauce, peeps.

Survey God Controls The Ecomony...And I'm Brad Pitt

OooooKkkkaaaaayyyy, this is made of stupid. So I'm getting right down to it. 20% of American believers surveyed believe that the Great Surveillance Camera in the Sky, ya know when he is not starving people in Africa or hurricane-ing and flooding people, cares about the US economy. No shit.

The headline reads Baylor religion survey reveals many see God steering the economy. This is the part where I say...WTF and shake my head. God cares about the economy, oh frackin' pleeeeeeaaasssseee. Alas, it is true. 1 0f 5 believe that the "economy works because God wants it to work." Not surprising, it is conservative religious folk that think big bad government is "working against God's plan (God also wants small government (?))." And as if it couldn't get worse...

Aprox 73% of those surveyed believe that God has a special plan for them. Agh, that is so nice. Africans are totally starving, there are hella wars all over the world-n-natural disasters, but God has a "special plan for them". Arrogant much, sure seems like it.

Ugh, in fact double ugh. The voyeur sky father, the one who watches you when you sleep, he knows your every thought feeling and emotion, even before you do, there is no escaping him-even when you die, he will still be there..he has a fuckin' plan for you (meanwhile, the world is ending). Economics stuffs like supply and demand, imports and exports, the GDP of countries, all matter not. Why, because frackin' God controls the economy. If we worship him the economy will get better, that is in his plan also.

I read an article the other day that said the fear of dominionism and American exceptionalism is fakey fake. Looks like it has permeated deep into American society...and that is something to fear.

* Super shitty day yesterday, but today is another day and I'm feeling pretty good...so far.

* Review: dominionism is the mission evangelical Christians have (some of them) to inflitrate every sector of society. American exceptionalism is the fact that God likes American better than the rest of the world and that he has a special plan for American, but we have to go all dominionist first. People believe this shit (?).

That Totally Heavy Rock Thingy

OK, let's see if I can connect two dots (not feeling 'it' at this moment-hope it gets better. le sigh). @weesue on her super good hub site for atheist and religious news, Ex Fundamentalist, asked that really good brain teasing question, If Matt 19:26 is true, then can God create a rock so heavy that even he cannot lift it (I'll wait while you think. da da da da dooommmm). Don't waste your time, I'll just tell you.

What Matt19:26 basically says is that stupid mere humans are all stupid and limited-n-stuffs, but my dad, God, he can do anything...anything.

So if there is an all powerful and all knowing God, a God that can do anything, then can dude create a rock so heavy that even an all powerful God dude cannot lift it, right(?).

Here's the short of it: If dude is all powerful, then of course he can create a totally heavy rock, but can he create a rock so heavy that even he can't lift it, because if that is the case, then dude, God, is not all powerful. Either way you look at it, God is not all powerful. He either can create this rock, or not. He can either lift that rock or not. Either way, God is not all powerful.

There are many Christian philosopher explanations that can explain away an answer, but you have to fudge the info and get further and further away from the basic meaning of the question. Really, it either is or it is not. That is all. I'm not going to go into those explain away nonanswers, but I will say that I like one of the atheist answers: There is no God to do any creating, so no dude can't create anything much less a heavy ass rock. So there.

OK, here's where I go all dot connect-y. The super awesome crusader for secular society, none other than the Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, recently said "Three presidential candidates claim that God has chosen them to win...At least two are wrong, and I'm guessing three are (RNS)." I know Perry and Bachmann were "called by God" to run, I forget who the third one is, any who, only one person can win.

So can God create a rock so totally heavy that even s/he cannot lift it? Can an all powerful and knowing and all mighty God ordain the next president of the United States...simultaneously three times over. Seems like the definition of impossible (and the answer is no).

This past weekend I wrote about the contradictions that come from conservative Christians (pro life, pro death penalty) and today it is about contradictions in the bible. The bible says that God is all powerful (omniscient), Mark 19:26 says that god can do anything, so WTF. Can he or not. It seems to this atheist the only thing that the bible, God, Jesus and his followers can do is make impossible statements that defy common sense and the understanding of the world around us.

As far as God calling on three different people to run and win the presidential race, I'll go with the atheist answer on this one. No God didn't call three peeps to run. There is no God, therefore there is no God to do the callin'

Awesome sauce, thanks Sue,

Kriss

* Wiki on the rock question.

* Maybe next time we'll tackle...Can god count to infinity. That one is a doosie.

Christian Doublespeak Christian Double Do

I wrote about this the other day, but it is so crazy pants and so WTF, it needs more attention.  During the other other Republican debate, the man who is threatening to become the next president of the United States from the execution capital of the world, that is you Texas, Gov. Rick Perry went all contradiction-y and claimed to be pro life and pro death penalty at the same time. Since I wrote that first post, I have discovered some minds and opinions that are better and greater than my own (yes kind gentle and very good looking readers, that is possible).

N.T. Wright, Anglican Bishop, "You can't reconcile being pro life on abortion and pro death penalty." The piece is appropriately called American Christians and the Death Penalty.

With confusing use of terminology "it seems unlikely that Perry will face much of a challenge on the question of the consistency of his stance on these positions," Robert P. Jones. And that is a total shame. Really, I totally believe that Perry needs to be called out on this. Do we want a president that represents us to the world that makes contradicting statements. I mean, c'mon now, we already had GW. Sheez.

Susan Brooks Thistlewaite's Who Would Jesus Execute starts off with the powerful line "If you support a pro death by execution position, you're barely a Christian." True that homie, that is what The New Atheists have been saying. So Gawd loves you, but if you don't worship his son, then he'll kill you. All Gods creatures are created equal, except women, GLBT, other religions and animals. Ugh, doublespeak double do much (sure seems like it).

I'm sure I mentioned the man, John Shelby Spong, in the other post but he is so awesome I have to mention him again. Dude says in The Contradictions of Religious People "I do not understand why people are surprised by contradictions in the lives and rhetoric of religious people...If the religious voices of the Protestant right and the Vatican were silenced, opposition to the basic rights and justice for homosexuals would be almost nonexistent. It is religious zealots in the pro life movement, who murder doctors at family planning clinics. I have had 16 death treats in my life, none came from atheists or Buddhists. They came from "bible quoting, true believing" Christians."

Wow they death threat-ed a Bishop. Gee, scum bag much...so frackin' bad. I want to say that it is anti-Christian behavior, but it is really right along the lines of what they do.

Perry said, "I think (most) Americans understand justice," the other nite when he received applause for bragging about all the executions that have happened under his watch. I have to agree, but what is this justice that he is talking about. It is God's justice. It is biblical justice. It is god's way, or our way (or it is the way to the execution chamber-esp. if you are a minority). I agree that most Americans agree on this, after all we are a "Christian Nation" in a landscape populated mostly by Christians, but that doesn't make it correct or right. Back in the day most people thought slavery was OK and that black people, or those sick men of Asia, were not equal to their Caucasian counterparts. Back in the day most people thought that women did not have the same intellectual capacity as men folk. Just because most people believe something, that doesn't make that something correct or the right thing to do or believe.

(It's a long one today-"That's what she said. Aaaaaa, Sexist much, Kriss-bare with me it's almost over)

The media needs to get on this shit. A week or so back the trend story in the atheist blogosphere and a few cool mainstream newspapers was should the media intensely question the candidates religious beliefs. Fo sho yes to that, esp. when candidates like Perry are saying the stupid and making contradicting statements and esp. when peoples lives are at stake. Media, I command you to get on this shit.

Lastly, you never hear people say "Dam, I wish those atheist would stop with their Darwinian wars and stop invading countries and shoving evolution down their throats," "Dam, didja hear about that atheist that went on that shooting spree killing hella people because s/he wants others to not believe in a God and believe in evolution thru natural selection," "Dam, those atheist are always contradicting themselves why don't they make up their minds about rights for everyone, the sanctity of life-n-shit and stop their atheist doublespeak and double do."

Like I said the other day, only religion can be equated to statements like that.

* Washington Post. Good hub page of opinions in this topic.