The Monday after...

Note: The following post will use the broad terms of "Atheists" and "Christians".  I do not presume to speak for everybody in either of those groups.  When I speak of "atheists" I speak first of myself and those that I know with the understanding that there are exceptions to every rule.  The same goes for when I speak of "Christians", I speak of my personal experiences as a former Christian and my experience with other Christians.  Do not take the broad statement personal.  If the shoe fits wear it, if not then be a grown up and put the shoe back. Don't get your feelings hurt by insisting on personalizing statements.

Well the Apocalypse was...to say the least...rather boring. I would have loved to have been at Rev. Camping's church Sunday morning. I am betting that a rousing rendition of "I'll Fly Away" was NOT on the agenda. The people I pity are the people that quit their jobs, gave away their possessions and had their hopes up on getting a one way ticket to paradise. the ones I don'tare the idiots that ran up their debt and now find themselves dealing with the consequences...they deserve it.

I was amazed at the amount of people that actually fell for this. It goes to show something pretty astounding...how few people actually know what they believe, how few people actually know their Bible. I one time repeated the comment that most Christians treat their Bible like the rest of us treat the End User License Agreement; they skim over it (if that) and click on "I Accept". Some disagree with that statement but I think it is safe to say after this fiasco that it is not far from being accurate.

As a former minister and bible student let me first explain the simple answer to Rev. Camping's prediction...no man knows the day or the hour...simple as that...that is the Bible reply to Rev. Camping and his nonsense. Scripture goes on to say that he will return as a "thief in the night", basically saying a thief doesn't call and schedule a good time to burglarize your home, he comes without warning. So if people did a little research of their own holy book they would have joined the rest of us in mocking the arrogance of this man and his group.

As an atheist there is even more of a logical reason why the Bible would not give you a date for the beginning of the Apocalypse. As I have often argued, the crux of religion is control. Control is, and always has been, the basis, the driving force and the reason for religion. This control is driven by fear. Fear of hell, fear of punishment or discipline, fear of the unknown always shrouded in mystery and fear of God/gods is the power behind that control. Now if you give out the date of an event that is the ultimate boogey man, the ultimate means of control, the beginning of the Apocalypse you would lose control before and after the date of said imaginary event. Now by that I mean that before said date people would do what they want, live as they want, reject the control to simply rectify their ways in time for the given date and after the date passed and it became clear that it was an imaginary event designed to keep the faithful in line nobody would listen to anything that the good book had to say.

Sadly, this event that never happened will do nothing to show people the ridiculousness of blind faith...He will come out with some explanation and his followers will accept it and move on and those that never believed it will say that Rev. Camping was right, it is near, the end really is near (no really! It is!) you just don't know when it is going to happen. Too bad that people are so blind as to see the lie of Rev. Camping, yet unable or unwilling to see the much bigger lie.

Are Atheists Angry?

Note: The following post will use the broad terms of "Atheists" and "Christians".  I do not presume to speak for everybody in either of those groups.  When I speak of "atheists" I speak first of myself and those that I know with the understanding that there are exceptions to every rule.  The same goes for when I speak of "Christians", I speak of my personal experiences as a former Christian and my experience with other Christians.  Do not take the broad statement personal.  If the shoe fits wear it, if not then be a grown up and put the shoe back. Don't get your feelings hurt by insisting on personalizing statements.

I was reading an article on yahoo about a pastor that got fired for supporting a book (Love Wins by Rob Bell, check out the YouTube video for it here) in which the author contends that not so many people are going to go to hell and that Christians are not such an elite crowd after all.  As expected the outcry is that, of course, there is only one way to heaven and everybody else is going to hell.  A hell that is at the center of the earth, filled with everybody that has gone there over thousands of years...occupancy must be pretty tight there...

Anyway, as I watched the you tube video for the promotion of his book, I was struck by his example of the art expo at his church where somebody had attached a note to a painting of Gandhi saying "Reality check: He is in hell".  And I couldn't help but think to myself, "And people think ATHEISTS are angry!"  Let's face it, one of the more common complaints you will find as you read across the internet and talk to people about atheism is, "Why are atheists so angry?"  or "Why do you hate God?".  Another aspect of this is that I often run into people who seem to think that I am an atheist because I got angry at God, or angry at church, or angry at religion or angry at...heck...take your pick...either way it always seems to come back to anger. So let me just point out a few thoughts on the subject...

I don't hate God

It is a simple logical statement.  I cannot hate someone that I do not believe exists.  Hate acknowledges existence.  I am not angry at God anymore than I am angry at Santa Claus for not giving me a Mercedes Benz for Christmas (or at the very least getting it confused and giving me a buxom blonde named Mercedes with a penchant for dancing and nudity!)  I cannot be angry at an imaginary person anymore than I can talk to them and expect a reply or assistance of any kind.  The simple fact is that to hate or be angry at God would be an acknowledgement of his existence.

Was I ever angry at God?  Absolutely.  Those that know me, know that I went through a journey to reach the point I am at today.  I was not always an atheist. I was raised in a Pastor's home, was trained as an old fashioned Baptist preacher, began preaching when I was only thirteen years old and was a pastor and taught theology in a Bible institute.  When my daughter died it was the catalyst for me to begin questioning things I had always accepted as truth.  I was out of state at the time of her untimely death and when she died I remember the very first question that started me on this quest for truth that led me to atheism: If you cannot trust God to protect your family when you are off doing his work then who can you trust?  That was the first time that I dared to question every thing that had been drilled into me from childhood.  Over the next few days I could make a fortune with a dime for every time I heard the words, "God knows what is best.  God knows what he is doing.  God has a plan.  She is in a better place." The platitudes began to disgust me and irritate me.  So yes I freely admit that my journey that led to athesim began with anger at a being that I firmly believed in at the time.  But the quest that began in anger developed over time into a quest for knowledge and understanding.  That journey began with anger, traversed through agnosticism and eventually led me to athesim.  I am today at peace with my daughter's death, though there are still times I blame myself for it...but ironically I do not blame God.  Once again, I cannot blame somebody that does not exist.

Now there are those that would read this and will just condescendingly shake their head and say, "Tsk, tsk, he is just in denial and is really and truly still angry."  My response to them is that it is easier for them to assume I am angry rather than to confront the obvious and prevalent lack of logic, truth and facts in which they have immersed themselves.  I understand that some might find that offensive and I apologize, but please understand, I am equally offended by the dismissal of what I have worked hard to understand and the conclusions I have reached as some simple temper tantrum of a child rebelling against a supposed benevolent father. 

Is it Atheists that are angry?

Ok..so here is a thought.  Let us compare for a moment Christians and Atheists. Compare their beliefs and practices.  Now mind you, as I said in my disclaimer, this is by no means a rule on all Christians OR Atheists.  This is my observations and personal experiences.  Yours may be different and you are absolutely entitled to them.  I will not judge you and your views, please return that respect.

Christians believe that, according to their sacred book, the Bible, all people are born sinners , born flawed due to a disobedient act made by the very first humans that were created by a divine being.  This divine being told them to not eat a fruit that he placed in their midst giving them access to it but forbidding them to touch it.  Now these two beings did not know that eating was wrong...how do I know this?  Well, the fruit was the knowledge of good and evil, so without eating it they could not know what was right and what was wrong, so they did not know that eating this forbidden fruit was wrong until they actually ate it and because they ate it they not only condemned themselves but everybody that was born after them.

So after condemning all of us, this divine being sent his only son, when he is divine, omnipotent and all knowing and could have or make as many son's as he wants to die so as to save the other creatures he had already created.  Now here it gets tricky because this son is him and he is his son...they are one and the same yet they are different people, so in essence he is killing himself, but...not killing himself but rather his son.  This death is deemed necessary so as to provide a path of redemption for the victim of the farce of justice that occurred in the garden.  So now we have a path to freedom and redemption and all you have to do is believe in this sacrifice and accept Christ as your savior and be born again, or is it be good and follow the rules? or is it be baptized? or is...well frankly it all gets a little confusing at this point but you have to get it right because to NOT get it right will get you into the lake of fire, or hell, forever and ever.

Now this exclusive club that gets to go to heaven, well, certain behavior is demanded of them.  Live right (which is open to interpretation), be good (also open to interpretation) and love everybody (unfortunately also open to interpretation and argument).  In the country we live in, these chosen few, get to decide what is right or wrong, they get to choose what is absolute truth and what is not, they get to decide the behavior that should be required and what gets into heaven and does not.  There is also a need to go to other places, other cultures and other religions (that have their own set of rules and requirements to get into their exclusive club) and convince them that their way to this divine being is wrong and therefore they must convert to the Christian way of getting to heaven.

This is a system built on fear, exclusivity, control and a need to force others into a conversion to their own point of view and religious order.

As an atheist I reject the myth of the fall of man and believe that I am responsible for my own behavior, not some ancient curse on a person that was guilty of a crime that they did not even know was a crime till it was too late.  I reject that I must do what is right in order to avoid eternal damnation and instead believe that I do what is right simply because it is the right thing to do.  I do not feel the need to convert people to my point of view and respect the right of others to hold onto their beliefs without me judging them and only demand the same respect in return.  I do not feel the need to go around telling people they are going to hell and that God loves them but will send them to hell...which is a contradiction in and of itself. 

In the final analysis I would argue that there are more angry Christians then there are angry atheists.  What other organization in the world could tell every body to go to hell...an get paid to do it?  I would argue that I am more at peace with myself now then I ever was as a Christian.  As a Christian I spent more time worrying if I was meeting up to the expectations of a being I could not see, could not prove with facts that he could see me, judge me or even help me.  I spent more time trying to correct others and help them be the best Christian that they could be.  I find myself at peace with the world around me.  I am a father, husband, employee and friend.  I strive to be the best father, husband, employee and friend that I can be.  I look within me and I realistically note the areas I need to improve in and I strive to make those changes that will make me a better father, husband, employee and friend.

In conclusion, it is sad that there are those that assume because atheists do not believe in their god myths that we are angry at them, at their god and even worse their country.  By that I mean that there are some that would argue that atheists hate America because they hate God.  Well having dismissed the myth that atheists hate god, I further add that loving my country does NOT require a belief in God.  I do not hate God.  I do not hate America. I do not hate Christians.  I am not out to persecute Christians or take away their rights.  I do not wish to silence them.  I do believe in separation of church and state and do not believe that Christians should be given the preference that they are given in this country but I do not begrudge their right to freedom of religion and only ask that they respect my right to freedom from religion.

Do you still think that Christians can govern unbiased?

This story came out of Alabama and frankly truly upset me.  I face a lot of people that say I unjustly stand against "born again" Christians and the religious right.  I get accused of just grouping people together.  Whenever I make a comment about "Christians" in general I am often called to the floor for it.  Funny thing is that I rarely see anybody stand up to people that make those of us that are secular in our religious views feel like we are second class citizens.  When a Christian group puts up a sign decrying Islam few people say anything, most just nod their head in silent agreement or stand mute in silent permissiveness. And those that say something get muted local coverage while those that oppose the sign placed by atheists get national coverage on national networks for a week's worth of time.  Are there people that oppose the sign below?  Absolutely.  Are there Christians that oppose the sign below?  Of course there are.  But they get muted local coverage while haters like Newt Gingrich get massive coverage nationwide.  It is not equal in any way shape or form.

(sign on I-26 in SC)

However, let an atheist group put up a sign that questions the premise of the Nativity fairy tale and all hell breaks loose across the networks and atheists are reminded in no uncertain terms that they are to mind their place and realize that freedom of speech only applies to you if you are part of the Christian persuasion.  Muslims, atheists and those of other faiths, beliefs or outlooks are not covered in that clause.

(billboard sign in NYC during Christmas)

I have upset some people by saying that I would not and could not vote for people like Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin (beyond her obvious and usually unusual insanity and idiocy) simply because as members of the religious right they would put their faith and their Christian beliefs over the well being and will of the people.  The religious right is firmly set in bigotry, homophobia, xenophobia, ethnic and religious prejudices.  It defines them.  Yes there are exceptions.  Yes there are Christians I respect and hold in high esteem.  But they are Christians that the majority of OTHER Christians would reject as liberals.

I live with a woman that is a professing and practicing Christian, but understands that religious beliefs (or lack thereof) is a personal matter that does not affect, for better or for worse, the worth of the person.  My future mother in law and brother in law are the same way and I respect all of them for it.  We discuss, we disagree and we still discuss and respect each other.  But overall they are the exception rather than the rule.  

Coming out of Alabama is the story that brought on this blog this morning.  New governor Robert Bentley in a statement on his inauguration day  made it clear who he considers family, whom he holds in respect and who is not on his list and what they need to do to be on that list.  He stands, again, as proof of what I have said all along, the more intense, dedicated and committed to church, faith, religion and the Bible a person is the less qualified they are to govern.  I am not saying that Christians cannot govern, that would be as simple minded and prejudiced as the Christian right  I simply believe that the more dedicated a person becomes to their faith the more they will have to choose if they want to lead or be missionaries.  In this country you cannot be both.  Simple as that.  Your faith is YOUR faith and YOURS alone.  

With as much respect as I can muster for Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and others like them...this is NOT just a Christian nation.  We are a nation of different faiths, different views and different ideologies and while the rest of us may be going to hell (according to your faith) we are not there yet so you will just have to realize the reality of the fact and learn that it is liberty and justice for all...not just Christians, not just your brothers and sisters....but rather ALL.

Atheist Fundamentalism...

So Mandy pointed me in the direction of an article about this term, one I had never heard before.  Atheist Fundamentalism.  To put it in simplest terms it is a terminology used by theists and apologists that tries to equate atheism with their own passionate and unquestioned adherence to the belief in any of the superstitions and dogmas held by their organized religions and denominations.  As I write this post I write carefully, first avoiding the very generalities and assumptions made by true fundamentalists and second providing a clear view of my stand on this subject, aware that I will have to defend it to some of those that will read it.

First consider the term fundamentalist.  The dictionary defines fundamentalism as, "strict adherence to any set of basic ideas or principles."  It further defines fundamentalism as, "a movement in American Protestantism that arose in the early part of the 20th century in reaction to modernism and that stresses infallibility of the Bible not only in matters of faith and morals but also as a literal historical record, holding as essential to Christian faith belief in such doctrines as the creation of the world, the virgin birth, physical resurrection, atonement by the sacrificial death of Christ, and the Second Coming."

This latter definition, in my opinion, is unfair since there are other forms of "fundamentalism", not just Protestants.  Muslims for instance have a radical group that refers to itself as fundamentalists.  What you can, however, logically extract from the combined definitions is that a fundamentalist is a person that holds to a set of beliefs and ideas dogmatically and emphatically with passion and totally disregarding any views, facts, arguments or logic that would disagree with that 'fundamentalist" view.

We as atheists, the ones that actually pay attention to what makes an individual an atheist, refuse to accept this  name, title or description.  I would present a couple of reasons for your consideration.

(1) Fundamentalists refuse to accept any evidence that does not agree with their views.  Now the key here is "evidence".   Simply presenting an argument does not make it right.  When I consider what I hold as my "belief" for lack of a better word, I realize that it is a refutation of superstition not a promotion of a new ideal.  I admit to not having the answers to the secrets of life but I do know that there is no evidence or facts that prove the existence of God.

If facts were presented that were verifiable and did not include in any way the word or concept of "faith" and did not require the acceptance of coincidence, and anything that could easily be explained as coincidence that proved empirically the existence of a divine being I would accept the new data and facts and adjust accordingly.

What I refuse to accept is the reverse logic presented by organized religion.  The reverse logic that attempts to reverse the roles of cause and effect.  The kind of reverse logic that says, because this happened, then god must exist.   For example, the reverse logic that states because there is an organized and unbelievably amazing world of nature around us...there HAS to be a God that created it; the kind of logic that states that because as humans we have "moral laws" then there must be a God to dictate those "moral laws".  This kind of reverse logic skips the necessity of proving the cause and simply uses the effect as proof.  These are not facts, this is non empirical and this is not proven evidence.

(2) Atheism is not an organized system of belief and because of this a person that actually understands what atheism is cannot use the term fundamentalist to refer to them self.  Now as Dawkins says, too many people confuse passion with fundamentalism.  Make no mistake, I firmly believe what I say I believe.  I am even passionate about it but as there is not organized system of beliefs for Atheists to adhere to I cannot be referred to as a "fundamentalist", the mere idea is laughable. I have been accused of arrogance because I do not believe in God, it is not arrogance to demand proof of something so important, so life consuming and  something that demands the right to control and influence my life and it is not arrogance to insist on facts and evidence and to refuse to accept feelings, faith, beliefs and a myriad of other subjective, fluid and immaterial arguments.  I simply adhere to the general idea that if it cannot be proven with hard and tangible facts then it is mere theory, mere conjecture and not something I am willing to tie my entire existence to.

Not all people that claim to be atheists actually ARE atheists.  There are many people that are more angry with organized religion, its vicious bigotry and hypocrisy and therefore reject the existence of god in anger to the people that claim to follow him.  Just like all people that claim to be Christian are not true followers of Christ so not everybody that claims to be an atheist actually is.  I for one am a firm believer that faith and organized religion serve a purpose and to remove it completely from the fabric of society would be disastrous and an invitation to chaos and anarchy.  While there is no doubt that countless atrocities can be attributed to religious "fundamentalists" I firmly believe that the atrocities that would be committed by human kind that has no restraints would be much worse.  The difference between me and atheists that argue for the elimination of religion is that I have zero confidence in the supposed good nature of mankind.

This term "atheist fundamentalism" is, in my opinion, a weak attempt by fundamentalists to bring atheists to their level.  It is, in my opinion, another example of how fundamentalists want to control and establish the terms of any conversation.  First they demand an acceptance of their bible as the final authority knowing that if they can manage this fallacy then the rest of their argument falls into place.  Remove the authority of the Bible and they do not have an argument to stand on simply because the Bible is its own only defense.

Having failed to establish this base rule for argument they must then make their opponent equivalent to themselves in order to simply dismiss facts, evidence, logic or any argument that may disagree with their views.  Now less I be accused of using generalizations and terms that pull all Christians in, thus offending those who take exception to the statement, I am referring to fundamentalists.  If you are a fundamentalist, then I guess the shoe fits.  If not then I guess I am not talking about you.

November 2, 2010: A Rant about Bullshit, Chicken Shits, Bat Shit and Dumb Shits

Ok....so let me first start with acknowledging that it has been a while since I have blogged....I am aware of this and would apologize if it weren't because...life is good...and I don't have as much desire to blog as I used to.  There is also the fact that I am very frustrated with the current political situation and most of my blogs would be basically outrage and venting...and I am TRYING to avoid doing too much of that.  Having said that, I will start with a warning that this blog is a little off the cuff.  This blog is a little bit of a rant mixed with a lot of disillusion.  This blog is a dirge for what is coming and an ode to what might have been.  It is a disparaging look at the two primary parties in the upcoming election mixed with a barely disguised look of disgust at the poor alternative that we are being offered...namely the Tea Party.  This blog is equally a kick at the Democrats as the Republicans.  It is a kick in the ass and the elephant in the room....and a sincere hope that they all choke on their tea concoction.

I want to emphasize that this is a little bit of a rant.  Take it for what it is worth...which isn't much.  I will start with a prophecy of doom.  We, as a nation, are headed for disaster.  Things are bad but they are about to get worse.  The Republicans have their sights set on the White House for 2012 and they do not have much to offer, so the only way they can be competitive is to drag down the current administration...and it is about to get dirty.  Mark my words, our government is headed for a two year shutdown, the economy will only worsen, the recession we are just pulling out of will come back and it will be worse than it has been.  Disagree all you like.  Call me a nay sayer.  Accuse me of being partisan all you like.  just mark my words, write them down...and remember I told you so.

As a country we have all played a part in this mess that we are in.  Politicians are more concerned in keeping their jobs instead of actually doing their jobs.  I am ranting against four groups in particular....

1. Bullshit...The Elephant in the room.

Now I make no bones about it.  I was raised Republican.  I was raised a devout Christian.  I was raised as right wing as you can possibly get.  I lived this way for most of my young adult life.  In my late twenties I began thinking for myself, re examining my beliefs.  I am now an atheist.  I am a liberal politically and align more with Democrats than I do Republicans.  By saying that I am acknowledging that this post, and almost every post I write leans left and towards the Democrats.  So you may freely disregard everything I am about to say...simply because you are as partisan to the right and the Republicans as I am to the left.

The GOP has raised the bar on the well developed art of bullshit.  They have run a campaign on lies, fears, hate, homophobia and xenophobia.  And they have done so successfully.  Some might argue that the ends justify the means and for the GOP (for any politician, regardless of affiliation, for that matter) winning is all that matters.  Let us look at the facts.  The economy, believe it or not, is actually on the rise.  True it is slowly but in actuality the numbers are improving.  Americans, this last year, paid the lowest taxes that they have paid in over a decade, despite the fact that Democrats, historically known for raising taxes, were in power.  Illegal immigration is at its lowest mark in over a decade...a decade in which Republicans were in power for the largest part of.

However, to hear the GOP, the economy is not recovering at all (as I heard on the radio a few weeks ago it is the Democrat's fault.)  Americans are paying more taxes than ever and the Obama Administration is not being tough on immigration and as a result the illegal immigration is at a high point and crimes committed by these "fererners" is also at a high point.

In short, republicans are winning the election and they are doing so running on out right lies and gross exaggeration.  The GOP has found a way to tap into the prejudices, the fears, the hate, the homophobia and xenophobia and the darkest, ugliest emotions of the human nature and as a result they are winning.   They have presented us with all the problems...and don't get me wrong, we have a ton of problems...yet they present no real solutions.  After two years of chomping at the bits, they are eager to take the reins again and just salivating at getting back to the same old policies that put us here in the first place.  I look at the GOP and its bastard child, the Tea Party, and I am afraid.  I am afraid because there is no voice of reason.  All I hear or the Boehners, Gingrich's, Palins, O'Donnells, Pauls, and a myriad of other fools and all I see are radicals.  All I see are right wing nut jobs that have no voice of reason, no sense of responsibility.  They only care about winning.  Don't worry...I will be getting to the DNC soon enough...

The Republican Party has allowed people like Bachmann be the face and voice of their party.  If these are the people that will be leading the country...then we have reason to be afraid.  Bachmann has made it clear that the top of their agenda is a series of Congressional Inquiries.  They will bog down the legislative branch for the next two years in a clear and intentional attempt at keeping the President so tied up that he will not be able to get one single thing done, thus opening the way for Republicans in 2012.  I know...I am just being Mr. Negativity.  I know, I need to have more faith in the system.  Well...bullshit.

2. Chicken Shit...The DNC...and ass without balls....

In the movie "Pure Country" the old guy looks at Dusty, played by George Strait (who notoriously will only wear a white cowboy hat), and says, "The funny thing about that little white speck on the top of chicken shit. That little white speck is chicken shit too. "  The Democrats may try to play innocent in this whole mess but frankly they are a large part of the reason they will lose control of Congress on November 2nd.  In my opinion, the biggest fault of the DNC is being chicken shit.  The Democrats have sat on the sidelines for two years and let the Republicans and their FOX News control the entire conversation.  Their cowardice has been almost criminal.  When the Republicans throw out their blatant lies and exaggeration the Democrats have failed to speak up.  They held a confidence in the American peoples ability to see change for themselves that was grossly unwarranted.  When change is slow you have to make it clear where the change is happening.  While the Republicans have played their homophobia and xenophobia cards the Democrats sat on their asses stuttering and stammering their useless, senseless and non committing replies.


When the controversy of the Islamic Cultural Center in NYC blew up nationwide the spineless chicken shits stared wide eyed into the cameras like bloated road kill and yammered the same bullshit rhetoric right along with the radical, fascist GOP.  What they SHOULD have said is, "It's the Constitution stupid! There are no ifs ands or buts about it.  There are no maybes.  There is no "no fly zone" for our Constitutional rights."  There is no excuse for the blatant fear mongering the GOP actively used in there campaign of Islamaphobia; just like there is no excuse for the piss yellow Democrats not standing up and saying firmly that there is a right and there is a wrong and singling out a group of people based on their religious affiliation and attempting to restrain and restrict their rights is wrong.


The Democrats, as I have already mentioned, have been slow, timid and just plain chicken shit when it came to calling republicans out on their bullshit and proving them wrong with the numbers.  I will agree, change has been slow.  You cannot correct eight years of bad policy and reckless spending by a war mongering administration in two years.  Hell, you can't change a toilet in two years in DC.  The change has been slow, but it is the difference of a landscaper doing a work of change and a tornado carving a path of destruction.  Change takes time.  But in a day and time when people get married, have kids and live happily ever after in two hours we don't get that and we are angry that the President has not fixed this country in two years even thought the Party of NO has fought every step of change at every turn.


So the economy HAS been slow in recovering, but the greater point is simply this...it actually IS recovering.   new jobless claims are bouncing up and down as opposed to the consistent downward spiral we have been experiencing for a couple of years.  Reform has come to the reckless, out of control banks on Wall Street.  For those of us with liberal leanings we have seen some progress on the health care reform.  I know...you immediately bristle because I said for those of us of a liberal leaning...well shove it up your ass...this is our country too.  the debt is a real issue, one that began with the former administration and certainly has not been helped by this administration.  But the very people that want the deficit cut want other people's benefits cut, not their own.  In a recent poll people were very concerned with the deficit and wanted it cut...as long as they didn't lose their Medicaid, their SSI, their Social Security.  


Another area that highlights the DNC chicken shit, yellow livered, spineless tendency is the "Don't ask, Don't tell" policy.  Because the radical religious right has managed to lay siege to this country, the politicians want to appease both sides.  But much like the Civil Rights movement, much like the woman's suffrage movement this is an area where there is no middle ground.  Somebody is  going to go home unhappy.  And if we are going to remain a free people that protects the rights of free people then without a doubt, the people that HAVE to go home unhappy are the biased, hate mongering, homophobic radicals that see it as their patriotic and god given duty to oppress a group of Americans and restrict their rights.  Our President claims to oppose the policy yet appeals the ruling of the court that states it is unconstitutional.  After the ruling he changed his underpants stained with the chicken shit he spewed out at the thought of the Dobsons, Limbaughs and Robertsons that were going to come for him in the middle of the night and like a true coward immediately filed an appeal.  Don't give me the bullshit that he HAD to.  He did not.  He could have let it stand.  But he chose not to.  Why? Because he wanted to appease the right wing nut jobs that hate him any way, irregardless of what he does.   When will this administration realize that these people hate him and will continue lying about him?  When will he realize that a great number of them would thank their God the very next Sunday morning if he were to meet an untimely demise?  When will he realize that there is nothing he can do to appease them, appeal to them, convince them that he is even an American, much less the duly elected President of the United States?  What will it take for him to realize this, take the gloves off and finally be the President some of us know he can be?


After the beating the DNC has taken during this election the President FINALLY came out swinging.  But it was too little too late and by then the candidates he was campaigning for were to chicken shit to even acknowledge it.  Instead many of them have distanced themselves from him and his message; a message that simply says, yes, change has been slow, yes we have made some mistakes.  But we are fighting for you and look what we have managed to accomplish in just two years despite all the partisan conflict and childish behavior and if you fire us now, in the midst of change then look at how little will be accomplished if you send these big business whores back to Washington.


3.  Bat shit...and as proof that fear trumps common sense...enter stage right...the Tea Party.


The Republicans created a monster.  Their bastard child has come back to bite them in the ass which would be amusing if it were not for the probability that we will all have to deal with these bat shit crazies.  The tea party claims to be a true grass roots movement, despite the big money that has been traced to big business, with no leaders.  This movement is long on bitching and short on solutions.  They are quite adept at pointing out the problems, and trust me, I am well aware we do have a lot of problems, but they are incredibly incompetent at offering real, sensible and tangible solutions.


And when they DO come up with solutions we come to realize how really bat shit crazy these people are.  Tea Party candidates' solutions have ranged from eliminating Social Security (as long as we don't take away their SSI or their own parent's Social Security as in the case of Sharon Angle in Nevada) to repealing Equal Opportunity (as in Rand Paul in Kentucky) to an outright armed uprising (as in the case of the again truly batty Sharon Angle.)


These people have no official leader and no official message.  The fact that they have no leader means they are not accountable to anybody.  Allow me to explain.  When the Democrats make a mistake you will find that immediately it is President Obama, Pelosi and Reid that are called to the carpet.  When the Republicans make a mistake it is their leaders that are called to the floor, usually their favorite scape goat Michael Steele.  In the case of the Tea party, Sarah Palin, Jim DeMint and others can gain rock star popularity without suffering the repercussions of the idiots running under their name.  Nobody is held accountable for their actions.  This party runs from reporters out of incompetence.  They demonize the only means that the nation has of knowing what they are running on.  These cracked tea pots want to blame the questions without taking responsibility for their answers.  These candidates want the people to vote for them without even telling them why they should vote for them.  they fail to realize that harassing, demonizing and even arresting (as in the case of Joe miller in Alaska) just makes us all feel they have something to hide...in most cases their idiocy.


This movement is nothing more than an outlet for the angry white man.  It is a movement born in true frustration with a system that is truly not working for anybody except the actual politicians.  I will give them that much.  But rather than helping, they have become a part of the problem by becoming little more than a leaderless mob.


4. Dumbshits...the American voter of today is, in general, a product of an impatient, selfish and proudly ignorant fast food, soap opera morons.  They are, in short, a merging of Stewey and Bart Simpson.


Now allow me to clarify.  While that statement may seem to be a blanket diatribe, a stereotypical accusation of all voters, that is not my intention.  I am well aware of the fact that there are a lot of smart, savvy and intelligent voters.  People that vote after much study, research and thoughtful analysis.  I am privileged to be in a situation where I am surrounded by people that are smart, intelligent and much more restrained than me and my hot headed tendencies.  But let us face it...for every voter that truly prepares out there there are a dozen that vote (or don't vote for that matter) for Palin or Clinton just because they are women.  Likewise there weree an unbeliveable amount of voters that voted for or against Obama just because he was black.  American voters are lazy and ignorant.  These dumbshits will go to the polls November 2nd armed only with the quasi intelligence bestowed on them by Ed, Hannity, Olberman, Limbaugh, Maddow, O'Reilly or Matthews.  They did no research on their own, they did not spend one iota of effort or time.  They will go into that booth feeling proud of themselves as they enter and vote for who FOX News, MSNBC, CBS or CNN told them to vote for, information imparted to them as they listened in passing while stuck in traffic, cooking or eating dinner, yelling at their kids, screwing their wife or a half a million other things that were more important to them than the destiny and well being of this great country we call home.


When I speak of dumbshit voters I am referring to the idiots that think it is possible to correct in two years what took nearly a decade to screw up.  They fail to realize that the bullshitters that want to return to power were the ones in charge when all hell broke loose in the first place.  Not only did they steer us here in the first place but fought like crazy every step of the way in the progress that has been made the last two years. 


This country deserves what is coming.  The GOP will take control along with their bat shit crazy cousins in the Tea Party.  They will shut down government.  They will send bills to the President's desk that they know damn well he would never sign.  The Democrats will prove over the next two years that they are just as capable of childish behavior as the Republicans are by dragging the filibuster along painfully on every issue.  And when it is all said and done, like Rome of antiquity, it will be the politicians that we voted into office that damn us to our own self destruction.

Why I am a shitty Atheist

So I have been reading some of my fellow atheists blogs and lately a lot of the rumbling has been about whether or not an atheist should be insulted when a Christian friend, family member or even stranger makes the statement, "I am praying for you".  Well the consensus seems to be that it is highly insulting and that any atheist worth his or her salt should be insulted.  I scratched my head at this...why?

It is not the first time that I have read one of the blogs of my fellow atheist bloggers and scratched my head.  I think it is important to think for ourselves so I do not think that is a disrespect to them.  I hold a lot of respect for most of these guys and follow their blogs fairly regularly, at least as much as my hectic life allows me to anymore.  I am not detracting from their blogs or their views in any way, just I don't necessarily agree with them all the time.  Hell, when I used to be a Baptist Pastor I didn't agree with my fellow Baptists all the time so why should it be any different now?! lol

Before I go any further in this blog I want to make something clear. I am an atheist.  I say those words unequivocally.  I don't blare it from the roof top, I am not a "Atheist Manifest" thumper, I don't go around trying to convince the world of the "wonders" of logic, reason and atheism but I am still very firmly set in what I hold as truth and facts.  My family and I have discussions all the time.  Not just my family that I grew up with but the family I have become a part of and already acknowledge as my own.  Especially in the family I am marrying into, we have had a few discussions on the subject...and I am sure there are many more ahead of us because it is what we do, we discuss we pursue knowledge and we enjoy the exchanging of ideas and ideology.  But at the end of the day, I am without a doubt an atheist.

Now you may say (with a condescending and knowing smile) what exactly do you mean by that Julio?  What do you believe that makes you an atheist.  Simply put I do not believe in superstition, I do not accept the concept of faith.  Evidence that cannot be seen is not evidence at all and there is no substance in hope therefore I reject faith based on the definition the Bible gives for it. (Hebrews 11:1)  I reject the existence of God, Allah, The Great Spirit, the Universal Consciousness and any other form of unproven and unsubstantiated deity or superstition.  I do not believe in the existence of heaven or hell or anything in between.  I do not expect others to agree with me, I do not force my views on others...I just hold these things as firmly set in my mind.

Having said that I find that there are a few things that I just seem to be different from my fellow atheists and I am sure many of them will disagree with me, as is their prerogative and right...a right I respect.  Here are just three things...

(1) "I am praying for you"

When a Christian tells me that they are praying for me I am not instantly insulted.  Especially when a family member or friend tells me this.  Now, allow me to clarify, I am not saying I am NEVER insulted.  I do understand that for some it is a condescending way of telling me that I am wrong, they are right and it is just too sad that I am so friggen stupid...so stupid that I just can't see the nose on my face.  I agree that there are many people out there that when they say that they are telling me I am going to fry in hell and it is just too bad I won't make it to heaven with them.  But that is not always the case.

Understand that Christians, over the years, develop a manner of speech.  They don't know how to "think outside the book" for lack of a better way of putting it.  When my close family members look at me and say, "Julio, I am praying for you" I understand that they are really saying, 'Julio, I love you.  I don't understand you and I don't agree with you.  I am scared of what will happen to you if you are wrong.  I don't know how to change your mind so I will do the only thing I know how to do...pray for you."  Now if I want to, I CAN take insult in this.  Sure I can.  But I am bigger than that.  I realize that behind it is love.  That love may be accompanied by a lack of understanding and a lack of knowing what else to do or say, but it is still love.  I choose to see that love rather than to see the insult.

Now I will tell you, I have not always seen it that way.  I have always been one to jump to the defense on it.  But a recent conversation with somebody I love and respect a lot brought it back into perspective for me.  What am I going to do when I am forced to stand next to the casket of my mom or my dad?  Am I going to sit there thinking "You old (expletive) you never could quite leave it alone could you?"  Or am I going to see the face of a man or woman that loved me, and suffered more often than not silently, because in the doctrine they firmly believe in I was going to be forever lost to them.  That does not mean I have to agree with them.  That does not mean I have to even pretend I agree with them.  But it does mean that I CHOOSE to see their intent...not what insult I can take away from it.

(2) A world without religion

There are those that often talk about a world without religion.  I myself have often referred to a world without religion.  One of my favorite posters is the one with a picture of the twin towers and it says, "Imagine a world without religion".  This may sound good, this may sound nice but first it is a pipe dream and second it is a dangerous dream.  Allow me to elaborate.

First, I want to set some ground work for my argument.  I know that Atheists and Christians alike will disagree with me on this but humor me.  People on a whole are in need of some sort of control.  This control is manifested in a three strand "rope".  If you take a single strand it is easily broken and control is lost.  The three strands are: Government, Religion and Self-Interest.  If you have only Government you have the failed Soviet Union, if you have only Religion you have theocratic states like Iran if you have only self interest you have anarchy and chaos.  The three work together to form a society that we all can live in.  When you have too much of one you have trouble as evidenced in the ebb and flow of our own culture here in the USA.

I used to think it would be a perfect world if everybody followed logic, rejected superstition and tossed off the chains of religion.  But look around you, for every person you know that scares the "hell" out of you with their religion, imagine what they would be like WITHOUT their religion.  there are many former drunks, drug addicts and violent criminals that "found" faith (or it found them) and it gave them purpose and direction.  While you and I, as atheists, may look at them and smirk at their "simple mindedness", imagine how this world would be without this "coping mechanism".  Imagine how busy psychiatrists would be if people didn't have their own personal shrink to talk to every night in their prayers before bed.  I am not saying that it is ideal, I am not saying that I agree with it.  I am, however, saying that the history of the world proves without a doubt that as a whole society needs something that they can use as a guiding force, something that gives their existence meaning and something that comforts them.

Not only does religion serve as a coping mechanism and as a comfort for people of all races and cultures but it also serves as a control mechanism.  Constantine understood this.  I have always said that one of the most brilliant men in the history of the world was Constantine.  Rather than allowing the Roman Empire to dissolve and disappear he reinvented it.  He realized that where the sword had failed religion would succeed.  Men are anxious to die on the edge of a sword to become martyrs and heroes but to control the "souls" of men is to truly control men.  Therein lies the secret to true control.  Constantine understood this truth.

This system of control is evident in the world we live.  Look at the religious right.  Have you never noticed that  all the issues that are of the greatest importance are in one way or another sexual in nature.  Abortion, gay rights and sex education in schools and in our culture as a whole.  This is the most intimate part of who we are and if the church can control us where we are truly ourselves then they control us in every other aspect of our lives.  Not only that but let us face it, we live in a world of political correctness and it is behind closed doors, in the most intimate moments that our "souls" the essence of who we are, as it were, is truly open, revealed and most vulnerable.  These are also matters (sexual issues) that affect the future of their control.  If we "kill babies" and have intimacy that does not produce more children then it is only a matter of time till there is no one else to control.  Studies have suggested that part of the preservation of the species is tied to religion since religion throughout the history of mankind has in one way or another had some tie to sexuality and propagation.

The conclusion of this argument is simply put that a world without religion would be a world that is confused a world that would lack direction and a world lost in chaos and anarchy.  If we think a world with religion is bad, imagine a world in which the basest of man's instincts and urges go unchecked.  We make the assumption that if there were no religion man would become advanced and would become more logical and would live together in harmony and the world would be a better place.  There is no more evidence to support this pipe dream, this mythological utopia then there is to support the existence in a deity of any kind.  As a matter of fact, the evidence of man's history shows that even with religion those basest of urges have come out, have shown what destruction and havoc they can wreck.  In a world with religion man must form a religion that justifies his violence often working his way through contradictions and self conflicting conclusions. Imagine a world where such moral wrangling were unnecessary due to the absence of religion. This is not a world I would want or wish to live in or have my children raised in.  So in some convoluted logic, religion does serve a purpose if nothing more than to provide a coping and control mechanism for the preservation of the species as a whole.  There are those of us in this species that see religion for what it is and choose to reject religion while still maintaining the rules of society, but not everybody would do so, and if it takes my neighbor thinking he will burn in hell if he kills my children for screaming loudly while playing outside in the yard, then so be it...by all means...PLEASE...believe in whatever God that keeps you from crossing that line.

(3) Atheist Proselyte-rs

Due to the arguments above I do not go out and actively try to convert people to atheism.  I worked with a man that had not had a drink in 15 years.  Before that he had lost everything.  Went from a man with money to a bum on the street due to alcoholism.  He "found" god and it changed him.  His "faith in God" was his coping mechanism that changed the direction of his life and allowed him to be a manager of a local retail store, have a happy marriage and a house of his own.  What right do I have to rip out what was, for him, his foundation, his coping mechanism?  Tear away what served as the building blocks for a new life and his life falls apart again, how is that conducive to anything good or positive?  How is that a good thing?  I cannot find a justifiable reason in doing that.

Most atheists I know are ok with their kids believing in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and that ghosts haunt the world on Halloween because it makes their kids happy to live in those fantasies.  Most of us would not sit down and tell our three year olds that their imaginary friend  is just that and that they need to grow up and deal in facts and realities.  If you do then you are no different than the world I grew up in where Santa Claus took away from the "truth" of the Birth of Jesus Christ and the Easter Bunny led children away from the "truth" of Christ's resurrection.  Generally we allow it because it makes their world bright and beautiful.  In that same line of reasoning, if there is no truth to the fairy tale of God, Creation, Heaven and Hell and it makes these peoples' life ordered, happy and complete then why should we be the ones to rip that away from them?

How do I deal with people who have questions about my lack of faith?  What do I do to leave this door open for my children?  I teach my children to think for themselves, to question everything and to not let anybody ever tell them what they have to believe and to never allow anybody to stifle their curiosity.  I teach them that nothing is as it seems and that they cannot allow their religious and political beliefs to be established by others without them researching and studying for themselves.  If after they do that, they still choose to believe in God, then so be it, that is their choice and I respect that choice.  But if they demand facts, they demand reason, they demand logic...then who knows where that road will lead them.

So in reply to my atheist friends and fellow bloggers, I respect your views on these matters, but I have to respectfully disagree with you.  What is good for you and is good for me may not be good for everybody.  To those that are of faith, I apologize if these arguments come across as arrogant and condescending, that is not my point or my desire.  I respect your views on faith and religion, and respect your choices...these are merely mine..and mine alone.

With LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL....

Remember that Pledge of Allegiance we all said as kids...

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of

The United States of America

And to the Republic for which it stands

One Nation

(under God)

Indivisible

With Liberty and Justice for ALL

(obviously...the parenthesis was added on my part since I no longer accept its validity and the emphasis on All is added for reason of this post.)

Now I have argued for a couple of years that the Pledge of Allegiance does NOT promote equality since it specifically alienates a large portion of this country that chooses to NOT be "under God", but THAT is not the point of this blog.

The last line...with liberty and justice for all...is significant and is what I want to zero in on today.  A study of the word "justice" implies a definite sense of equality.  Equality is something a lot of people do not like to discuss.  It is important, however, to understand that equality is an integral part of justice.  Justice is NOT justice if it only applies to and defends a small portion of people.

As a highlight to this fact let us consider the ruling of the Judge that ruled that the ban on same sex marriages in California, otherwise known as Prop 8, was and is unconstitutional.  While this came as a surprise to some, all I kept wondering is how can this even be a question.  What I found interesting is that the ruling is the exact same argument I have used in arguing in defense of the rights for the LGTB community to marry and even to adopt children. Simply put....there is NO argument physical, economic, political, emotional, biological, sociological that does NOT have its basis in archaic religious views and ideals.  Because of this, something that should fall under civil rights (since marriage is a CIVIL matter) has become a RELIGIOUS matter.  Now this is something I have argued a bit with some people that are very close to me whom I have grown to love and respect.  I have not approached it directly...at least not in a long time.  But I am going to attempt to do so in this blog.

Whenever I make the argument of religion being an intolerant group of homophobic, male chauvinistic bigots I immediately get the response that that is just MY experience with religion and that I grew up in the "fringe" but that "mainstream" religion is much more tolerant.   Immediately I am presented with the example of the Lutheran Church welcoming the gays to their role as ministers, the Episcopalians doing the same and the Methodists are tolerant.  These examples, on the surface, are hard to argue with.  It does appear, on the surface, that religion is becoming more and more tolerant.

But here is the real question...has God, the Bible and Christianity changed?  Now this becomes a question to me that is very relevant.  I am, as I have made no secret, an atheist.  I do not believe in God, I do not accept the Bible as truth and reject all forms of religion (including Christianity) as meaningless superstition designed to provide the needed structure, control and comfort that we as humans require in a social environment.  Therefore, if religion is a tool of social structure then it would make sense that "religion" would accommodate with times and the changes that naturally occur over time.  But that then would mean that there is no basis of TRUTH and FACTS to it because while "religion" would change...TRUTH does not.  That is the whole point of absolutes...they don't change.  So if the Christian "religion" truly has its foundation in faith in God and the Bible then those are absolutes that do NOT change and veering away from them means that those religions are more social clubs than anything.

Now I know this is where the whole discussion about Black & White vs. Gray comes in.  I grew up in a Black & White world.  The Independent Fundamental Baptist movement is NOT know for its gray areas (or gray matter as the case may be!)  I grew up in a world of absolutes, which is one reason I detest absolutes.  But if there is one thing I learned from being a theology student is that the Bible is a book of absolutes.  Because of this I make the very clear statement that the BIBLE is a homophobic, male chauvinistic, bigoted and violent book.  There is just no way around it.  People in modern "mainline" religion may choose to flat out IGNORE parts of the Bible that does not suit their personal ideology but they cannot change its intent, purpose and interpretation.  

Based on this argument I would suggest that it is impossible to be a LGTB AND also be a Christian by the Bible standards.  Now this on the surface seems to be a harsh statement that a LOT of people would disagree with but the Bible itself presents its own argument.  There is of course the Old Testament passages that have often been mocked and decimated by the simple logic of reciting the other laws and the simple logic that if you are going to give credence to one law then you must give credence to the others as well.  But the homophobic tendencies of the Bible are not merely Old Testament antiquated ideals.  The New Testament also clearly condemns homosexual practices.  For instance, consider Romans 1:24-28:

²⁴Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. ²⁵They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
 ²⁶Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. ²⁷In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
 ²⁸Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.


Now that is the New International Version...one of those new versions that are supposed to make it clearer than the Old Fashion King James 1611.  The Revised Standard Version says:



 ²⁴Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
 ²⁶For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; ²⁷and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
 ²⁸And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

Hell...that makes it even "clearer" and "harsher" than the trusty ol' King James Version that the Independent Fundamentals are so fond of:


²⁴Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
 ²⁵Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
 ²⁶For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
 ²⁷And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
 ²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

The point is...no amount of creative interpretation can make the Bible's homophobic ideology go away. The truth is that by its very nature it does not allow for both.  Acceptance is NOT part of a book that speaks of divinely sanctioned genocide (Face it, what the children of Israel did in Caanan in the book of Joshua is no different than what Sadaam Hussein did in Iraq with mustard gas...except...God authorized it...no...commanded it and they killed more than Sadaam Hussein ever dreamed of in his most evil fantasies of genocide) and promotes discrimination based on faith, gender and race.

The religious right has been allowed to make the political landscape of our great nation one that is centered on religious fights and a culture war that is founded on their religious values their moral rules.  Values and ideals that they want to legislate on everybody around them.  It is for this reason that Murray County (in North West GA) JUST voted in the right of privately owned businesses to be allowed to sell alcohol in a glass;  the vast majority of couties in the south do not allow the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday (because church people can't bear the thought of the heathens daring to drink their booze and enjoy a football game while they are at church) and it is for this reason that Prop 8 was even allowed to be voted in.  It is for this reason that a Mosque in NYC is such an issue to people that do not even live in NYC.  Because religion by its very nature is divisive, racist, discriminatory, homophobic and sexist.

I would love to see the following questionnaire answered by 30,000 people...10,000 in the South East, 10,000 in the North East and 10,000 in the West...(and yes...I put it together and I am sure it would be modified after more thought)

Demographic Baseline

1.       How old are you?    

          18-25,    26-32,    32-45,    45-65, 65+

2.       What Gender?     

             

          M, F, Unspecified

3.       What geographical area of the country do you live in?  

          SW, W, NE, MW

4.       Income Level?

5.       Level of Education?

Religious Baseline

1.       What Religious Affiliation do you hold? (Denomination)

2.       How often do you go to church in a week?  

            occasionally, 1x week, 2x week, 3x+ week

3.       Have you ever read the Bible completely through? more than once?

4.       How dedicated would you consider yourself to your church and faith?

Current Issues

1.       Do you believe that America is a “Christian” nation?

2.       Do you agree that same sex marriages should be recognized by the state?

  

           Explain the reason for your answer.

3.       Should same sex marriages be allowed to adopt children? 

          Explain the reason for your answer.

4.       Do same sex marriages affect the endurance of the “traditional” family?  

           

          If so, in what way?

5.       Is abortion a matter of women’s rights?

6.       What reason would be acceptable for an abortion to be considered morally permissible?

7.       At what point does “life” exist? 

         Based on what?

8.       Should a Mosque be allowed to be built near ground zero?  

         Why?

      If this were put out as a poll and you could get 30,000 people to respond there are a couple of things I predict you would find...

      1. The more dedicated a person is to their faith, their church and their Bible the more intolerant, bigoted and homophobic they would be.

      2. Education, income and geography would VASTLY affect the opinion of each person on the current issues.  Higher educated people and wealthier people would be more tolerant while people that are poorer, less educated and live in the south would be the most intolerant.

    

      Oh...and ironically...the area of the country that is considered the "Bible Belt" also happens to be the area of the lowest education scores and they have the highest single parenthood percentages in the country. So much for the LGTB community destroying the sanctity of marriage.  As a matter of fact a study done by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2007 showed that with the exception of Washington D.C (that had the HIGHEST percentage of single parents in the country at 54.3%) all of the top States were southern states: Alabama (30.9%), Arkansas (27.3%), Florida (27.2%), Georgia (27.4%), Kentucky (25.5%), Louisiana (31.8%), Mississippi (33.4%), North Carolina (27.1%), South Carolina (30.2%) and Tennessee (28.4%).  Now mind you, there were some northern and mid-western states such as Delaware (28.9%), Maryland (25.9%), Michigan (26.2%), Missouri (25.3%), New York (27.0%) and Ohio (26.7%) that were above the national average but all the top states were in the south...in the Bible Belt...because they do such a good job protecting the sanctity of marriage. (for the chart with these numbers go to the U.S. Census Bureau site and search for the chart file by name detailed_tables_ACS.)

      (for more on the sanctity of marriage in our country see the U.S. Census Bureau) 

      I know this blog has been somewhat scattered, but the point comes down to this: homophobia, bigotry and male chauvinism are hallmarks of religion; it is based and founded on it.  It is part of the control.  Some things simply are not compatible.  Since it is generally accepted by everybody that is NOT hyped up on religion that homosexuality is not a choice but rather genetic or natural and religion is a product of indoctrination and brainwashing...essentially a trained aspect of the human psyche...if it comes down to a choice between the two I guess the superstitions of religion would lose.  

      Furthermore, I want to emphasize that I am not in any way saying that gay people should stop being gay...as if they could...I am saying that there is not really a home for them in a faith founded on a book that is old fashioned, superstitious, homophobic and bigoted.  That is just my opinion of course... But regardless, the judge in California made the right call...there is no non religious reason for promoting or supporting the bigoted and hateful discrimination against the LGTB community.  Lets just hope Kagan is on the bench by the time this goes to the Supreme Court so that there would some balance on the conservative right leaning activist court when this case hits the bench...as I am sure that that is where it is headed.

      P.S.  This is strictly MY opinion...and by no means do I expect ANYBODY to agree with me.