Me Rambeling On And On About Change

OK-ie, it's ultimate question time kiddies. No not does Gawd exist-that will never be answered. It's "Are things getting better or worse." As y'all know that last million times I wrote about this I (probably) said "yes, things are getting worse (thanks depression)." Well months later it's yes, things are getting better."

The battle for secular society is like any long running combat situation in that there are ups and downs. I've been interpreting it as "it's been looking good" as of lates (thanks Prozac). In jolly old England there is a big row (whatevah that is) because the gov just said the correct in that no more soup-no-it's no more prayers at official gov businesses-n-stuff. Just like here in the states the response is the super lame "but it's tradition (1)". That is not a good excuse, much less reason, for violating this fundamental law.

I believe that their courts ruled to take prayer out, then of course, there was an uproar. Whatever their president is called said something and even that Queen we have heard so much about the past million decades  said something.

I'll say that because there is such an uproar...that's a win for Team Atheist. Good job, peeps.

Tom Krattenmaker did the awesome and wrote this really good article and I dunno if it was syndicated, but I read it at USA Today (2). "Millennials aren't amoral and adrift" was da entertaining for me. It's been a while since I was touched/inspired/moved/had any kinda feeling at all (as opposed to opinion, I always have that) in music, songs, any art or any of the million gazillion articles that I read everyday. Not today.

Are things getting better or worse. Well, obviously it depends on which side of that line drawn in the sand that you stand on and if you think that metaphorical glass is half empty or half full. Millennials are way less likely to go to church than people my age and older. the numbers have been going down for quite some time and perhaps it is at a tipping point because "they" are talking about it so much. I think The New Atheist have something to do with this. Good job, peeps.

Whenevah I ponder the question I can't help but think that things are relative and everything just stays the same. Remember that old sayin' I overused years ago "the shores of the river bank constantly change, and yet it is always remains the shore of the riverbank, which is the same." So  maybe all older generations say of the younger generation stuffs like "yes, they are not as pious as we were," or the classic "kids nowadays are stupid".

"Kriss", you yell at me, "Butt-eye know some cool kids..in fact, I'm one of them."

Yea, whatevah...Anyhoo...One of the cool things about these people, not kids, that were born on or after 2000, is that they are down with the altruism. It's not just about them, their families and their country. They have concern about the environment, the economy, education, others, and dig this older people, they care about equality. They care about the world. Opposing LGBT marriage is so grandpa. Boys are better than girls, shut the fuck up man, this is not the 1950's (3).

Last week I talked about the hipster churches that are attempting to evolve from the ancient crusty "fire and brimstone" religious experience of us, our parents and their parents and how I believe that this is a move in a better direction. I still don't believe that Jesus is a 1/3'er (3)or end of times: but I will give them credit in the areas of fighting sexism (female clergy, contraception) and for LGBT rights/equality.

Googled "they eye of God." Seeeee, he has blue eyes.

Pastor Rob Bell introduced a kinder Christian experience with his book published last year that ponders a Christianity with no (concept of) hell. Bishop John Shelby Spong is a very vocal about revolutionizing the church he loves so much. Here, last week, I talked about the hipster churches fronted by hottie tatooed pastors (hello), church rock concerts and such. change is in the air and in the pews.

You know another reason why I think this thing is working. Just watch what the opposition is doing. Catholic bishops widened their war on women to include contraception, i think, because they feel threatened.  Don't believe the bull that they are fighting for religious liberty. They are fighting for the kinda tradition that I mentioned at the top o' da page, the wrong kinda tradition. Why is the Queen punching back over this particular row, cause she's scared. They are fighting to control women, entirely, because they have relinquished some of that in recent decades and it appears in the upcoming decades.

I Googled something like "stupid kids", or "how stupid are kids." This is for you, you know who you are.

Here in the states we may not be as secular as the UK, but since the arrival of The New Atheists, we have done good work and made great progress. Again, why is it important for me to see the drifting of youth to a more liberal religion than there parents and grandparents. With the move comes the liberal interpretation of that bible they keep talking about. Ever wonder why evangelicals hate on the super awesome Black Prez, the bible. They interpret it as literal and he goes Jefferson on it.

In the battle for secular society it is the extremist that is our opposition. It might be strange bedfellows to team up with liberal religion, but we have the same goals: LGBT, feminism, civil rights, equality, environment, change, evolution. Can we reason with extreme Islamists, or is there a line drawn in the sand. Will the abortion, and now contraception, debate ever be conclusively solved, or are their two polarized sides. I read last week the GOP voters are tired of social issue debates because the lines have been drawn and seemingly are so entrenched that compromise (not that I want that) is a fantasy.

This is why at this moment I feel things are getting better. It is also very sunny outside right now, and you guys know how I heart that.

* Does this post even make sense, I'll edit later. Going fer a walk to get some sun. Out.

(1) Wow, that is so lame. It WAS traditional to own slaves. It WAS traditional to beat your wife and/or children. If one does that now, they go to jail. Just because something is tradition does not automatically mean that that endeavor is correct or right or good. Lame.

(2) Tom wrote Onward Christian Athletes. It is a must read. It's about the infiltration of evangelicals in all of pro athletes. There are pastors-n-stuff inside clubhouses. If you don't believe in dominionism before reading this, well....

(3). The trinity, yo.

* Update: Atheist will outnumber Christians (I think in England) in 20 years. See, I told you.