More Of Them Than Us

OK, I'm feeling kinda caca poo poo dookie lately (what else is new) but that is not gonna stop me from the good 'ol atheist blogging. I'm just going to make this post short and sweet (like me on a good day).

As if we needed another reason to not vote for Texas Gov. Rick Perry (besides we are prog-lib-atheists) here he is, the man himself, giving us another gem. On Sunday at an evangelical Christian school dude said...


     America is going to be guided by some set of values-the question is going to be who's values. I would suggest...it is those Christian values that this country was based on.


OK in a nutshell...the dominionism that the atheist blogosphere keeps talking about (as well as NAR), this country wasn't founded or based on Christian values, which Christian values-there are so many splinter cells and who said "America is going to be guided by some set of values"...you; or the preacher that told you that.

I read a really good article earlier in the Atlantic about how republicanism is taking over the country (seriously, the article said/claims there are more of them than us. I dunno, which is it) and if I had better brain capacity I would have written about that...why, because this next election is made of important. If a Perry or a Bachmann (not a chance) were to win what would the consequences be...gee, I dunno...

....creationism being taught in science classrooms as an equal to "the big bang", abiogenesis and evolution thru natural selection, repealing of Roe v. Wade (man you they have wanted that one for a long time, a long time), separation of church and state (the battle for secular society), the rewriting of history to acknowledge confederate stuffs while erasing MLK, GLBT and Native American stuffs, and...chicken butt. You get the picture.

If the Atlantic article IS true...then we need to remember all these reasons to not vote for the dominionists like Perry, because there are more of those voters, than us.

*CNN Belief. The candidates religion(s).

God's Love And Christian Doublespeak

Former Bishop John Shelby "I always give this guy credit" Spong kills it in his short piece in the Washington Post's On Faith. In The Contradictions Of Religious People Spong touches on the very unChristian behavior of Christians. What is that Gandhi quote, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians (ouch bro, say what you really wanna say)." We saw this kinda behavior the other nite during the GOP Teabagger debate when the crowd whole heartily clapped when Rick Perry bragged about all the people Texas execute during his reign. WTF. That's God's love(?).

The term pro-life seems like it's straightforward, but it's really a great example of Christian doublespeak and double-do. Say one thing, but mean the other. Say one thing, but do the other. Gov. Rick Perry is pro-life, but what does that mean: they want to save a cell (not a human) from being aborted, but they will approve of the killing of abortion doctors (a full grown adult). The term pro-life seems to mean the sanctity of life and of humanity, but then why did the small government people applaud Perry's 234 executions the other nite, why did they say that an uninsured person in a coma "has the right to die," and that they should die. What's pro-life about that. Seems like a pro death philosophy that does not have any regard for human life.

Everyone's least favorite and original doninionist, Pat "God causes erff-quakes because he's mad at the gays" Robertson said a Pat Robertson the other nite when he said that it is OK to divorce your spouse if they have...da da daaa...Alzheimers. Forget the sanctity of marriage and the vows "in sickness and in heath." Nooooo, fuck that shit. Loyalty means nothing to Gods party and, I guess, when it comes down to being there for the person you made that commitment with, you can just go Newt Gingrich and leave your sick/dying spouse because...because you are lonely and have needs (I don't even know why a person would do that. Can't even imagine being that selfish). So much for Family Values among conservative heteros (and to them, it is the gays that are destroying traditional marriage.sheez).

My last example of Christian doublespeak and double-do is from up North in Oregon. Yes, and by yes I really mean N000000000, that crazy splinter cell of Christianity called Followers Of Christ are on trial again for killing their babies. I reported on different instances earlier this year and for the fourth time a couple from the same church is on trial for praying for their obviously sick baby instead of, I dunno, calling 911. Because of these cases, all from the same church mind you, legislation has been passed that makes it a criminal offense to kill your baby thru prayer, err, not seek medical attention for your children. If this is part of God's plan, then the plan is fucked up I tell ya.

All god's creatures are created equal...except women, GLBT, atheists, other religions and animals. If that is not a good example of Christian doublespeak and Christian double-do, then I don't know what is. On one hand the term pro-life seems really life affirming, that is unless you are a doctor that has dedicated your life to helping people at a place where abortions are, like, less than 10% of the services provided (then they will kill you). Christian hetero marriage shows god's glory, you are doing God right by hetero marriage and having hella kids (God's work), but don't randomly get sick, or get a disease, otherwise your spouse will leave you (when you need them the most). It's OK, Pat Robertson said Alzheimer's is "like death."

Gandhi was right. Please kill me now. Sheez.

* Something to Quack About in Oregon

* Update On Abusive Faith Healing Parents

The Words Are Too Big and What Is NAR Anyways...

Don't diss the 80's. that was my 60's.

Look, I'm just an average baddass dude with really get hair and a stud body-I'm not superman. So when I'm in over my head, I admit it. I was just trying to read an article over at the super awesome Religion Dispatches called Beyond Alarmism and Denial in the Dominionism Debate, but the words are too big for me. So I had to do some lookie lookie. Here's what I found.

I've talked about dominionism before. Basically it is the followers of the Prince of Peace and the specific type of Protestant denomination (outta a million diff ones) and how they must rule over the erffs, the peeps and everything else-because Gwad said so. Any who, while I was reading the article the acronym NAR kept coming up. So WTF.

RICK PERRY THE RESPONSE (in all captials).

Some how, I'm very foggy on it still, dominionism and the New Apostolic Reformation are both mutually exclusive and independent at the same time. You can be one with out the other, or not. Anyways...It is a movement of Protestants associated with Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. They believe in a direct relationship with Gawd, thru Jesus and and believe in revelation, prophecy and miracles like healing. Presidential candidate Gov. Rick Perry is supported by NAR homies (and that says a lot, right).

De facto leader, C. Peter Wagner engages in "spiritual warfare" and also claims that God acted thru him to end mad cow disease in Germany (crazy much?). Another leader said that the tsunami in Japan was caused by the president repealing DADT (OK?) and the Japanese peeps not sufficiently embracing Christianity (double OK?). Needless to say, they are totally homophobic (which seems to always be the case with these nut jobs).

Don't diss the 70's either.

I will end with this quote from wiki...

"Forrest Wilder describes the New Apostolic Reformation as having "taken Pentecostalism, with its emphasis on ecstatic worship and the supernatural, and given it an adrenaline shot."^[1] Wilder adds that beliefs of people associated with the movement "can tend toward the bizarre" and that it has "taken biblical literalism to an extreme."^[1]

The organization has become increasingly involved in political activism, with many of its leaders supporting the 2012 presidential candidacy of Rick Perry.^[1]"

Now we know.

Dangers New Name...Rick Perry

Yea, let's vote for this guy.

Well, that was an interesting blog break. Any who, I've never thought that I would say something like this but, Texas Gov and presidential candidate, Rick Perry, makes G.W. Bush look like an intellectual; not really, but pretty close. Perry has made headlines this week and that it not a good thang.

First dude said that he does not believe in global warming, then he said that evolution has "gaps" in it and then, one more 'then', then he said that in Texas they teach creationism and evolution in schools and it is up to you to decide. OooooKkkaaay. I decide to believe scientific evidence over the bronze age thinking and believing of, da da daaa...the bible.

First of all they do not teach creationism in Texas schools, well at least not part of the official curriculum. It is my understanding that teachers in Texas, if they so choose, can talk about intelligent design (which is and is not creationism) but only evolution is part of the official curriculum. Second, evolution does have gaps in it...so what.

Evolution does have "gaps" in it but it is still the best explanation of how life evolved here on erffs. If the other "theory" is genesis, then the theory of evolution whomps all over it because the "theory" of genesis is a hole, in it's entirety. It's not even a theory. It's folklore. A scientific theory is tested and peer reviewed. Genesis cannot stand up to that scrutiny.

What scares me about Perry's statements is that there are voters out there that do not know that. There are voters out there that will not, or cannot, think critically. When peeps hear that the theory of evolution has gaps in it, I fear that they will instantly poo poo it and dismiss it (but they will not turn the critical eye on genesis).

 Perry recently said, "God is how we got here." If that is not a dangerous statement, then I do not know what is.

A Step In The Wrong Direction

Yuck, I'm-a-gonna fuckin' barf. When it seems that we have taken one step forward, a step in the correct direction, a direction that is fair for everyone, the step we on Team Atheist call the secular public square...then Rick Perry happens. I had written earlier about how one, just one college is offering a degree in secularism and mentioned that there are a couple (two) of classes on atheism (when there are entire Christian TV and radio stations and colleges), and I thought that was progress. well, we have taken two huge steps back.

"Yeah, I think it would be extremely beneficial to our nation to hear some of our top leaders, especially if he gets elected as president, to take stands like this," Cole said, "and preach from the White House, ultimately from the White House (NPR)."

I think that quote sums up the whole thingy. We don't need someone preaching from the White House. We don't need someone that relies on prayer (when many studies have shown that prayer doesn't work). I think what believers are missing, just like in the 9/11 cross memorial thing is that, if you are going to rely on God to get us out of this, then isn't it Gods fault that we are in this.

For the 9/11 thing many are saying that two randomly fused beams in a building full of beams that meet at right angle, that was blown up is a sign that God has not left us, that there is hope (when hope occurs naturally anyways). Well, why did god blow up the building and kill all those people in the first place. Howz about we say that humans did it and humans will get us out of it.

Like I have said many times, I don't care if peeps believe...just keep it to yourself.

* NPR

This Is How Crazy The Response Will Be

I was gonna write about that college in So-Cal that is offering a degree in secularism, but I've already written about it and besides that, this article from the mighty Mo Jo is just too epic. As you know, because we are Team Atheist, Texas Gov Rick Perry is a-gonna have a prayer revival thingy this weekend. Sure there is the church state thingy (American Atheist just got their case thrown out of court, boo) and attendance is only about 8,000 in a 70,000 stadium, fuck that shit. Let's look at the loonies that are associated with this event and the Gov.

* The American Family Association and the International House of Prayer will be involved. Too bad that the Southern Poverty Law Center considers both, hate groups. Fo sho there will be converting going on and if you are not Christian, you are not invited (even tho many have said otherwise).

* A Rev. Doug Stringer will be there and of course he thinks that 9-11 was God's punishment because of those super powerful, GLBT communities. Dude also thinks that legalizing gay marriage will destroy the world.

* Minister Cindy Jacobs thinks that all those dead birds earlier this year is, guess...God's punishment for repealing Don't Ask Don't tell. OK?

* Endorser of the event, Alice Smith says that you are stinky because you are having an affair and, guess...God is punishing you.

* Alice Patterson the Texas State Coordinator of The Response claims that the Democratic party is an "invisible network of evil."

* The Family Research Council, another identified hate group by SLPC, made this awesome connection between those powerful gays and...Hitler. They believe that Hitler choose to surround himself with The Gay because they make better killers. Peeps, I can't make this shit up.

You guys have to read the article. It is soooo good. The religious right attacks Glee (of course) whales, grizzly bears, Hurricane Katrina, Muslims and even Oprah to a few (there is more). Oh man, just go there to read the batshit crazy quotes from the religious leaders.


And on that note my kind gentle and very goodlooking readers...have an awesome weekend, yo.

* Mother Jones