12/24/2010

This is beautiful:
A Holiday Message From Ricky Gervais: Why I’m an Atheist

Happy holidays, everyone! I'll see you in the new year.

12/14/2010

Well, the holidays are upon us and soon will end another year of blogging. I have to finish three books by January 28, so I may be unavailable here for some time. You'll have to be outraged on your own I suppose.

Our tree this year is spectacular! And though there are fewer gifts underneath it, it's still a joy to look at. I have so many ornaments from my travels; it's always fun to remember the places we've been to when we decorate the tree.

I miss those years when the boys were young and I could just go to Walmart and buy one of everything and they'd be thrilled. Now they're young men and very selective! :) But I did manage some fun buying a few gifts.

Happy Holidays! And if I don't see you again, Happy New Year!

12/02/2010

Happy December everyone!

I got another one of those "Girlfriends in God" emails that just makes you want to slap your head. Are these people serious?

This time, "girlfriend" Sharon Jaynes tells us a story from the days of her youth. She and her Christian friends went out to lunch with their atheist friend whom they "loved anyway." She describes her atheist friend as arrogant and proud, always acting superior. I have to wonder how much of that was just her own self-righteousness--you know what they say about projection, but whatever.

The Christians proceed to act all religious and embarrass the atheist friend by launching into a prayer. This act is not seen by them, of course, as rude...they're Christians. But Ms. Jaynes can't help but point out that Larry "held his head high and proud as if to say, 'I might be at the same table with these people, but I'm not one of them.'"

Clearly, I was correct, and all of this criticism of her "friend" is nothing more than her own arrogance and guilt. How could she possibly have known that her friend did this when she had her head bowed in prayer? Anyway, any reaction by her poor friend was likely a response to the feeling of being suddenly left out of a conversation, which we all know is awkward at a party. He's sitting right there at the table and they all proceed to ignore him and, in effect, talk on the phone with someone else.

Then they all order the clam chowder. The three Christians get bowls chunky with potatoes and clams, but the poor atheist gets nothing but broth. He complains to them. And Jaynes' response?

"Well, maybe it's because we asked God to bless ours and you didn't."

And Larry, duly shamed, eats his broth.

Are you fucking kidding me?

God, the ultimate creator and ruler of the entire universe, hears you asking for a blessing and gives you chunky soup while giving the atheist broth--meanwhile children are being raped and murdered, beaten and murdered, starving to death, dying of cancer.

Oh, but there's a good reason for all that! He cares about your asking for a blessing and gives you chunky soup, but won't save a child from being murdered because of some huge plan he's got in the works. Right...

And you have the audacity to call atheists arrogant and proud?

This is it! You're wondering why the atheists dislike you and your religion? Well, this is it! It's utter bullshit.

11/24/2010

An atheist's Thanksgiving [Must have been a link to an article]

11/18/2010

sorry, no links.

My recent Examiner articles from the Orlando Atheism Examiner:

The War on Christmas gets personal....maybe

Liberty Council officially launches war on holiday season

Cape Coral Mayor wants Ten Commandments display in City Hall

War on Christmas heats up earlier every year

Enjoy Halloween at Cassadaga

Christians upset over Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream violence

Atheists gather at Orlando's Epcot Center for Freethought Day at Disney

Are your tax dollars promoting religion and pseudo-science in Florida's pregnancy crisis clinics?

Holy Land Experience theme park hosts its mandatory free day today

Christians speak out against lifting Florida's gay adoption ban

Priest's bones traveling through Florida in eerie display

Event for Senate candidate Rubio headlines David Barton

"Burn a Koran" day pastor seeks refuge in Tampa

And my recent articles from the National Rationalism Examiner:

Pennsylvania county ends free speech in War on Christmas

Jesus weighs in on War on Christmas

Exorcist wanted. No experience necessary. Two-day workshop required

University students protest against free expression

King city council votes end run around First Amendment

Tenn. solution to church/state problem: earplugs for non-Christians

Dogs tell psychic they hate Halloween costumes

Battle looms over Christian flag at public memorial in King, N.C.

Earth to Denver and Peckman: That's a very bad idea!

Lincoln Journal Star writer claims young woman spoke to dead sisters over spirit telephone

10/29/2010

Can arguing with atheists be as futile and frustrating as arguing with theists? Absolutely! You have to know that atheists can be just as stupid as religious people. I get proof of it almost every day on facebook.

This latest bout with the stupid was all about Satanism. A guy named Colin Darwin (so I suspect it's not his real name) posted a picture of the South Park's Satan on his wall with some comments:

"[C]an I just state, that being an Atheist (hence rejecting xstianity*) does not mean I have an affiliation with you "satanists" [sic] out there. Maybe that works for others, but it doesnt [sic] with me. Im [sic] not entirely sure which is worse to be honest. Those that [sic] want Obi Wan Jesus as their saviour [ah, perhaps he's British; makes it all the more sad], or those that [sic] bow down to the cloven hooves of Darth Satan Vader. Both your little fairytales make me titter, but to be honest, if I really had to choose whos [sic] the most hilarious... [I had to remove about a dozen dots] think it might just be you pentagram scrawlers. And no, youre [sic] not in the bit scary. Seeing as most of you are spotty teenagers with a parent problem. LOL"

Colin got some likes for that and the dissing of the Satanists began. I believe "ridiculous asses" was tossed in at one point.

Colin added:

"I had a heated 'discussion' with one of those goat fanciers a while ago and I was told that satanism [sic] 'is the same as atheism' and that 'it also has the philosophy of humanism' [sic] wtf? lol. He defriended me though before I could stop laughing. :)))) I guess we dont [sic] talk about "satanists" [sic] much in our posts, but Im [sic] not having them on my bandwagon. If Im [sic] going to hell I'll send myself there. lol"

So, I commented the following:

"Actually, true Satanism sees Satan as an archetype, not a god or real (imagined) entity. Satan is the archetype of the rejection of god and the authority imposed by god-belief. The archetype of human independence and freewill, etc. Satanists are usually atheists and/or Humanists, sometimes anarchists. It's only crazy people who are the kind of religious Satanists who claim to worship the 'devil' as an evil being."

And for the life of them, Colin and his friends could not wrap their heads around this idea. They could not get it.

Colin said: "[I]f all of what you said is true...then why have "satan" [sic] involved in it at all? ... Being a "satanist" [sic] but proclaiming you are an 'atheist' does not compute with me. Atheism (to me) is the rejection of theology (atheism = anti-theism) and 'satan' [sic] is part of xstian theology (it doesnt [sic] matter that 'he' [I can't figure out why he put he in quotes here] is the bad guy in the xstian fairytale or not). These wackos are still trying to win numbers by joining in with us and inferring [sic--I believe he means to say implying.] we're all the same. So to that i [sic] say, get the hell outta here! Lmao."

Lmao, indeed. I suppose looking back on it now, it's obvious I'm dealing with teenagers. You just never know with facebook. More Satanist bashing followed. It was agreed that Satanists are just trying to get a rise out of people by using the name of Satan; they're getting off on the controversy; they're like emo kids whining that they get no respect, etc.

One girl said, "Substituting one god for another is still showing a complete lack of rational thought."

And I'm like, wtf? Can they not read? So, I tried again.

"I think it comes out of the idea that the Bible (or Genesis, at least) is a morality tale and Satan represents the good, the independent, the truth teller, etc."

Silly me; I didn't realize I was talking to idiots.

Colin replied: "I accept that "satanists" [sic] in their forms (one kind seem to be directly satan [sic] worshippers and the other kind claim to have some form of ideology based on what you say) reject "God". But my issue is whats [sic] been claimed where they state that they are "atheists" in the universal sense of the word. Again, I will say they are NOT. Because if they truly were, they would distance themselves totally from a Xstain entity to describe themselves. ... Just why would you need to reference a mythological deity ... when you claim to want others (especially atheists) to accept your 'philosophy'? Youd [sic] just drop that nonsense and profess your ideology free from tags of medieval pitchforks and horns lol. Of course, people are welcome to create whatever strange mantra they like (as we are all too well aware), but its [sic] NOT pure atheism to me, and thats [sic] where my arguement [sic] lies."

So, I said: "Well, now wait a minute, Colin. 'Pure atheism' is nothing more than lack of belief in gods. The 'intellectual' Satanists to which I refer fit atheism in its purist form. You seem to be insisting that atheists must not only lack belief in gods, but fit a certain standard you have created: they must also 'distance themselves totally from a Xstain entity to describe them[selves].'

"There are atheists who believe in UFO visitations, ghosts, astrology, reincarnation, etc. There are atheists who believe all sorts of stupid things. I'm a rationalist. I don't believe in belief. But you won't hear me saying, 'well, you can't be an atheist unless you distance yourself from all manner of stupid thinking.'

"It doesn't work that way. They don't believe in gods. Satan isn't real to them, he's an archetype. The god of the Bible isn't real, he's an archetype. Yes, they're a bit literary and perhaps a tad snooty. But they're still atheists. Yes, it's confusing to stupid people who can't tell the difference between that kind of Satanist and the other kind of Satanist. (It's really fairly easy, the crazy kind don't use big words or have college degrees.) But I personally never had much toleration for black/white thinkers, so confusing stupid people never really bothers me."

Did I get through? Did I show clearly that atheism is merely lack of belief in gods and these kinds of Satanists do not believe in gods? No. Apparently not.

Colin said: "The term 'pure atheism' was merely a figure of speech where i [sic] was trying to imply the notion of atheism without various apendages [sic] (ie. Satan). I wasnt [sic] saying that it exists as a form. You are correct though, it surprises me a lot too... that having the insight to see the pointlessness of "god" does not necessarily carry through to some peoples [sic] views of the rest of reality. Funny enough, ive [sic] had this debate before about ufos, ghosts, etc and had a heated discussion (particularly about ghosts) as to how you can reject one form of superstition and embrace another. And i [sic] guess this is more of the same when i [sic] think of it.

"Except," I replied, "that you seem to continue to miss the point that these Satanists embrace no superstition, as regards their Satanism. If I'm wrong, I apologize, but your last sentence seemed to show that."

Colin replied: "I doubt i [sic] can add any more to this. To me, calling yourself a satanist [sic] and an atheist, is like calling yourself a christian [sic] and an atheist. It doesnt [sic] make any sense. And basing your "philosophy" on a fictional, 2000yr old, fallen angel is plain absurd. But hey, takes allsorts [sic]."

So, I said, "If I can't get you to see the difference between believing that there is a god and Jesus was his son and therefore I'm a Christian, and thinking that the character of Scarlett O'Hara represents the struggle between my base desires and my rational acceptance of life's fragility and hope [I pulled all that out my arse on the spot!] and therefore I will follow the philosophy of O'Hara-ism, then I suppose you are correct: you can add no more to this."

Was I getting a tad snippy? Yes.

Colin replied with some kind of gibberish about being a worshiper of hard, cold science, which I really could have messed with him about. But I was getting tired of the stupidity. Here was a guy saying that to be an atheist, you had to reject all things Christian. And yet, here he was using this label "atheist" which is based completely on theism. If he's so damned puritanical about it, how can he base his lack of belief on theism itself? Shouldn't he call himself a Bright or something?

Then one of his friends who calls himself Aristotle's Muse decided to show himself to be a complete ass and offer this analogy for why Satanists are not allowed to call themselves atheists:

"It's like this," he says. "Imagine I'm standing in a trench along with my fellow atheists staring down my sight at the christian [sic] opposition forces entrenched ahead of me. It's a heated battle, and although we are heavily outnumbered, we are making real gains because we have a huge stockpile of ammo (facts and logic) while the bad guys [sic] ammunition is almost entirely depleted. It looks like it's only a matter of time before they're left with nothing but sticks and stones we can overtake them and claim victory.

"I'm standing shoulder to shoulder with my skeptic brothers; sniping off fundamentalists with logic and reason bullets.

"Suddenly along comes Private Satanist running up behind our front line screaming 'I'm one of you guys! I'm one of you guys!' He then proceeds to grab handfulls [sic] of fact bullets from my ammo box and throw them over my shoulder at the Christians.

'Did you see that guys? I hit that one in the shoulder! That looks like it stings; huh guys?!'

"Meanwhile the opposing Christians cheer in celebration their new source of ammunition.

"Do you know what I do in that situation? I turn 180 degrees and punch private Satanist square the face. 'GET THE FUCK OFF MY TEAM ASSHOLE!'"

So Aristotle's Muse is just pissed off that atheism isn't more exclusive. He'd like the word to mean more than it does. And he's quite the ignorant bigot isn't he? He doesn't even understand Satanism and he thinks that Satanists calling themselves atheists somehow gives religion an edge over his logic and facts. I mean, look at the stupid analogy! The atheists' ammo is logic and facts. How is a Satanist calling himself a Christian handing the Christians logic and facts? It makes no sense.

And the "facts" remain: atheism is merely lack of belief in deity and lots of atheists are stupid.

Then along comes some little dude with a weird unpronounceable name who just mucks it all up again with his inability to read and understand simple English.

"I really don't see any resemblence [sic] between Satan worshippers and Atheist, [sic] from [sic] what I read, you are probably confusing atheist [sic] with agnostics...It really doesn't make sense why Satanist [sic] are atheist when they use the name of a mystical [sic--because he doesn't mean mystical; he means mythical] creature that another mystical [sic] creature created...Either she is confuse [sic] or she is must [sic] making this up."

Now I'm the one lmao-ing. Is this guy for real? And don't even get me started on the agnostics!

By this point I'm really tired of repeating myself and talking to idiots so I said, "You're right, Adidv. A 'true' atheist would never do such a thing. Clearly they don't really understand what atheism means. I bet they don't even know what 'archetype' means. Heck, I'm probably not even a real atheist. I'm so confused!"

To which Adidv said (unbelievably): "You can quit the sarcasm now, I'm not buying it... And to be honest there is no such thing as a true atheist. just [sic] an atheist."

So, he's not buying the sarcasm, but he swallows it anyway. I suppose I should be feeling sympathy at this point. But the only real pity I feel is for myself for once again responding to stupidity and trying to educate stupid people. I might as well have been talking to fundamentalist Christians.

*I'm not sure I understand the abbreviation Colin uses: xstianity. If X is supposed to stand for Christ, it should be xian; but nobody writes it that way. It's always xtian. I have no idea what Colin's doing.

10/28/2010

It's almost Halloween! I've already been through one bag of Snickers. I'm working much slower on the second. This isn't my personal, bitch-about-my-family-and-angst blog anymore, but can I just say it: I'm getting a tad fat again. And the Zumba ain't helping.

Two things:

First, I'm at the gas station the other day with two of my boys and as I'm pumping gas this weaselly dude approaches me with a speech about how embarrassed he is to ask, but he and his friend are trying to get back to UCF and have no money for gas. I told him I didn't have any cash.

I was skeptical (duh). But I watched him and his friend. It became clear to me that they were stuck and had no money. So when I got in my car, I found some cash and drove over to their car where his friend was digging through the trunk probably looking for change and said, "Excuse me, do you need money for gas?"

He said, "That would be great."

And I handed him my bills. Then he said, "God bless you."

And I swear it just popped out of my mouth. I said, "I'm an atheist, I don't need god, thanks," and drove off.

And then my boys let me have it.

"Way to go mom, why can't you just let the guy bless you?"

Well, I didn't do it on purpose. It just came out of my mouth. I was a little shocked at the "God bless you." I mean, here I am just trying to help out these young guys and they have to bring God into it. Why does God have to be involved?

And anyway, does God work that way?

Way back when, when I was Catholic, I was under the impression that if I made the sign of the cross I got some kind of blessing. But does God just hand out blessings like he hands out wings to angels when a bell rings?

Sounds a little weird to me.

Second, I got a call from a very happy and enthusiastic girl last night. She talked way too fast but it sounded like she was from something-something missions.

"Do you have some time to talk?" She asked.

"About what?"

"MISSIONS!!!!"

My god she was excited!

She went on to explain that her group had sent me, a homeschooler, a letter recently about missions. I'm like, Oh, yeah, I remember that. Really expensive pamphlet with it. Right. Like I'm going to send my teenaged boys on a mission.

So, I said, "Oh, we're a family of atheists, so, we wouldn't be interested in that."

She sounded confused and deflated. But she was very nice about it. She told me to have a blessed night, to which I replied, "Fuck you, bitch, didn't you just hear me, I'm an atheist!"

Just kidding. I said thanks and hung up.

Sheesh, what sort of monster do you think I am?

10/21/2010

My latest "Girlfriends in God" started off badly. When you're trying to "witness" to someone, or whatever it is my girlfriends are trying to do, you ought not invent facts. It's like writing a history book and not being careful about your dates. Your credibility is at risk.

So my "girlfriend," Sharon Jaynes, starts off by saying that she lives in Charlotte, NC, 200 miles from the coast and yet, there are seagulls at her local Walmart.

She declares these gulls lost; she claims they've forgotten their purpose and the habitat they were meant to live in. And then she goes on to talk about how some people are lost, too.

You see, you never know who's reading and what they know. I, for instance, spent a year out in Denver and saw lots of seagulls. Of course, I didn't assume they were lost. I figured that just because we call them "sea" gulls doesn't mean they only live on the coast. And I figured they'd be just about anywhere the food is.

And I was right. Gulls live all over the place, both inland and on the coasts. So, get your facts straight girlfriend.

This of course makes me wonder. She mistakenly believes the seagulls are lost and not living out their "purpose." But she is dead wrong. So, when she goes on to say some people are lost too, "standing in the parking lot of life subsisting off of the refuse of fast living," (you really have to give her credit for the metaphor), she's probably dead wrong there, too.

Now, I agree that there are people who struggle to find purpose and meaning in their lives. But imagine Sharon coming up to you and trying to drag you to the ocean where she thinks you belong (that would be her religion), when she really doesn't know what the hell she's talking about.

She doesn't know that you're not lost--you've just found some French fries in this parking lot that aren't healthy. She doesn't know what you really need, which is clarity, education, gumption, a salad, etc. or whatever it is you really do need. No, she thinks you're supposed to be at the ocean.

She's just wrong.

10/17/2010

Okay, so I didn't manage to eat everything I wanted to eat. I didn't even bring all the stuff I wanted back in plastic ware. I did bring home some leftover sponge cake dipped in chocolate and some baklava. But I missed a lot of food. We have a better plan for next year.

10/13/2010

This Saturday is Freethought Day at Disney. This year, the heathens are meeting up at Epcot just in time for the International Food & Wine Festival, which just happens to be one of my favorite entertainments.

So, it looks like I'll put on a lime green shirt and join the festivities again this year. And we'll pretend I'm just going to support my fellow atheists.

I'm told by the dh that I need to have a list of all the foods I really, really must try (or eat again) so that I am sure not to miss any. And I'm taking along some small plastic containers for those foods I really want, but can't fit into my stomach. It's amazing how full you can get by sharing nibbles all along the "World Showcase" of nations.

I imagine we'll take a break in Norway, as usual, and ride the boat.

So, whether you're interested or not, here's my list of must haves:

Roasted Corn and Cheese Empanada in Argentina

Lamington (sponge cake dipped in chocolate) in Australia

Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream in Belgium (OMG, garlic!)

Shrimp Stew with Coconut and Lime in Brazil

From O Canada!:

Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup

Maple-Glazed Salmon with Lentil Salad

Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta, Nanaimo Bar

and a Moosehead Beer

Applewood Smoked Beef, Duck, and Ham at the new Charcuterie & Cheese booth

Pastel de Choclo (Beef and Corn Pie) from Chile

Pork Pot Stickers and a Xinjiang Barbecue Chicken Stick from China

Strawberry Angel Verrine (whatever that is), Pear Streusel Pudding Cake, and Dark Chocolate Sensation from the chocolates and champagne booth.

Escargots Persillade en Brioche, Braised Short Ribs in Cabernet with Mashed Potatoes, and CrPme Brulée au Chocolate au Lait in France (I am the love with snails.)

Spätzle Gratin with Ham and Cheese, Nürnberger Sausage in a Pretzel Roll, and Apfel Strudel featuring Werther's Original Karamell Sauce in Germany

Baklava in Greece

From the Hops & Barley booth:

Boston-style Crab Cake with Cabbage Slaw and Rémoulade

New England Lobster Roll

Pecan Bread Pudding

From Ireland:

Lobster and Scallop Fisherman's Pie and Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Baileys Irish Cream Ganache (The closest thing to heaven you can find there! That's saying a lot because did I mention the snails and the garlic?)

From Italy:

Polpettine Toscane with a Rosemary Breadstick

Baked Cheese Ravioli, Creamy Bolognese Sauce, Melted Mozzarella

Cannolo Al Cioccolato

Kielbasa and Potato Pierogies with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream from Poland (Mmmmm, so good.)

Seared Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato PurPe and Mango Barbecue Sauce from Africa (I was scared off from Africa after an unfortunate snack there the first year; but I will give them another chance.)

Spanish Almond Cake from Spain, of course

And last, but not least (and certainly not in the order I'll be eating them): Bison Chili with Wild Mushrooms, Cabernet, and Pepper Jack Cheese from the U.S.

I am starving!! I can hardly wait.

I have to teach a Zumba class that morning, so I'll be nice and hungry by the time we get there. heheheh.

Meet me at the 4:30 meetup!

10/05/2010

Hah! Take that zoo sex perverts! I am now the proud owner of a little captcha thingie.

So, today was free day at the Holy Land Experience. Ugh. Can you imagine? Check out the picture accompanying my article at Examiner:

(photo by DeaPeaJay via flickr)

Is that gross or what? Is that what Christians want for their god, their savior, and their religion? They want it to become a spectacle?

Ah, what am I saying? It's always been a spectacle. The passion plays were a regular attraction in the early days of the religion. People would cheer and jeer as the story was acted out.

It's sick, sure. But it's also very human.

Take a look at the dude in the robes. He's got a mic. Too funny.

So, which is worse? Taking a child to the movies to see a snuff film like "The Passion of the Christ." Or, telling him you're taking him to a theme park (yay!) only to end up at the Holy Land Experience (aw, man!).

If they'd let you throw stuff at Jesus it might be more fun.

09/26/2010

Oookay! So I've been getting spammed like crazy lately with submissions to the comments page. They're the usual indecipherable nonsense with links. Sometimes it's something about music or movies but you know it must be porn. Sometimes you can tell it must be ads for penis enhancement...and probably porn. Sometimes they actually try to make it sound like a comment until it drifts off into nonsense and links that are probably about porn.

I guess they got tired of being coy because the one I got a minute ago says this:

Exclusive and real ZOO SEX videos

Take a free tour rigt [sic] now! 100% Anonymous sign up!

- 100% Exclusive ZOO SEX VIDEOS

- VIDEOS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN FREE ACCESS

- Anonymous ZOO SEX PORN BROWSING

- Accept all credit cards (100% Secure and Anonymous)

And the related tags are just crazy with bestiality. Bestiality this, bestiality that. Only most of the time they spell it "beastiality." They spelled it right once, but I think they did it by accident.

09/25/2010

Bumper sticker on a car at Walmart: Jesus is my designated driver.

Seriously? When you get drunk, Jesus drives you home? That's pretty scary.

09/10/3010

Youtube has put up a warning page about the link I shared below. At first I thought they'd removed the video completely and boy was I pissed off. Things are very bad, folks. Very bad.

Here's another fabulous link to a blog that is worthy of being featured in my blog instead of just in the news file. I think I love PZ Myers.

Setting the Koran on fire, vs. setting personal liberties on fire

09/09/2010

Burning Everyone's Koran [article again, no link]

09/08/2010

Okay, okay, I think we all get it! Nobody wants Terry Jones and his stupid little church to burn Qur'ans. Oh, my gawd, we might upset Muslims! Our soldiers are in danger! The Muslims will retaliate! There could be violence against American Muslims! OMG! Stop that man!

Give me a break. Jones and his group of uber-religious nuts have every right to burn the Qur'an. Muslims need to learn to suck it up and stop freaking out whenever someone doesn't believe what they believe.

We can't fight the violence of Islam by treating it with kid gloves, by giving in and acting as if their holy book and their beliefs are sacred and okay. They're not sacred. And many of their practices are absolutely not okay.

Muslims overseas need to get over themselves and stop reacting violently to any perceived threat against their religion. Grow up already! We should not back down and treat their religion with respect JUST BECAUSE they can't handle freedom.

American Muslims need to grow up and stop trying to make everyone else live by their rules. If you don't want to cart passengers in your cab because they have liquor, do not take a job as a cab driver!

We've all already agreed in this country that if you're going to serve the public, you have to serve all of them, not just the ones you like. That's why we have discrimination laws. I'm not really one for more laws, but maybe we need a new one that states that as an employee or business owner you can not discriminate against anyone in the act of performing your job or service because of your religion. Don't like it? Don't go into that line of work.

Do not expect people to refrain from walking their dogs near your mosque. If they want to walk their dogs on public property in front of your mosque they can do it!

Same goes for Christians! If you can't do the job a pharmacist must do, get another job! If you don't want to sell certain books to people, don't work in a bookstore!

Freaks.

We have the right to be disrespectful to Islam. We have the right to be disrespectful to Christianity and any other religion or belief. We need a demonstration where we burn all the "holy" books and stand up for people's rights to do things we find disrespectful.

09/01/2010

It's Wednesday and I think I'm finally rested from the Zumba Instructor's Convention. Four days of dancing and learning. It was fabulous!

Some time ago, I dared to complain on the message boards when I heard that the great Zumba god Beto led a huge crowd in prayer at last year's convention. Not cool, I said. Naturally they lambasted me. For one thing, you can't criticize any of the gods of Zumba. This is not something the gods of Zumba claim; it's the groveling, "we're all a big happy Zumba love family" instructors who screech anytime you dare to criticize anything related to Zumba.

Zumba blog that isn't constant praise? Holy shit it's all over the message boards. How disrespectful can you be?

Zumba is sacred. Like Jesus, and God, and Christianity. It's as American as--wait, it's as Latin as...nah, doesn't work.

So, anyway, this year the great god, Beto, apparently told everyone how he prayed last year that his mother could be there and this year his prayer came true, because she was there with him.

Big friggin' deal, right? But somebody on the boards said, "and boo to anyone who would complain about that." It had to be explained to the others that no one had actually booed when Beto said that (bright, anyone?). It was all about that person who complained about the praying last year. Boo the complainer.

Boo me? Well boo fucking you.

I did not complain about someone talking about prayer, mentioning that they had prayed, or were praying. I didn't complain about someone mentioning God or Jesus or religion at all.

I complained about someone standing in front of an enormous crowd of diverse individuals at a secular event and asking them all to bow their heads and join him in prayer to his particular deity.

If you can't see the rudeness there, the arrogance there, and the business ethics line crossed there, that's your problem.

I love Zumba. And I am not a Christian. I'm a Zumba [instructor and an] atheist and damn proud to be both. And I will stand up and complain again when people of minority faiths or no faith are put into situations where the majority can bully them into participating in a religious ritual at a secular gathering.

The only reason I apologized for complaining last year (yes, I apologized to the freaked-out message board) was because I should have known better than to air my very valid concerns to a group the majority of whom talks a big balloon full of hot air about family and love and god, but when push comes to shove is all too willing to shout down any critical, minority, or differing viewpoint.

Zumba is just a microcosm of the rest of the world. And yes, I'm still sorely disappointed with it all.

You might also enjoy these blog posts. He he he. Stir the pot biatch. [okay, if I re-link anything, it'll be those!]

08/22/2010

I'm not into celebrity culture. At all. I realized lately, however, that it's very much a human trait--worship, that is.

In the Zumba world, even, there is celebrity and worship. Criticizing any of the gods of Zumba typically results in a backlash. Recently someone dared to complain that an important part of a DVD instructors receive for the purpose of choreography, didn't actually contain much choreography, and pretty much got attacked for it. How dare you criticize the great Zumba gods? And anyway, how dare you be so negative? Let's all be positive and talk about what we're grateful for instead of what is lacking!

Well, except...we pay a monthly fee for that DVD, so I think we all have the right, if not duty, to complain if it isn't meeting our expectations and anyway, who made these people gods?

Why do people put others up on a pedestal and constantly feed their egos? Some of them aren't at all deserving. Actors, singers, models, and Zumba instructors who work for the organization are just people doing a job. They're not any better than you or I, and some of them are worse. Much worse.

Why do humans need to worship gods?

Is it because they feel inadequate and afraid in this uncertain world and emulating and cow towing to those they see as superior (certainly more beautiful) will somehow loose some of that fab and it will fall onto them? Is it like rubbing shoulders with greatness, or pulling at the hem of Jesus' robe?

I can see it with imaginary gods, I suppose. These entities are real creators. They can get you anything you want. Mostly what people want, though, they don't really get.

The Christian god (coincidentally or arrogantly called God) recently granted a Zumba instructor a really great demo gig. And we applaud that, we really do. And the other Christians chime in about how great God is and how if we just have faith in him we'll go places, get jobs, have enough money, etc.

But so often, and you just have to look around, this God is ignoring those in real need. I've harped on this before: Children are being tortured and murdered. Children are starving or dying of cancer.

And the Christians say, "Oh, well, there is suffering so that we can learn compassion, empathy, and sacrifice."

And then they turn around and give their God praise for fixing their iphone or giving them a great Zumba job.

For some time, I've thought that Christians (and other religious nuts) are just warped, or unable to think logically, or something. But maybe it's more subtle than that.

People just want someone to praise. Someone to look up to. Someone to thank for the miserable little slice of heaven they get. And they would never blame that god for any of the bad stuff that happens. Oh, no! That's either their own faults, or it's good for them, or it's so much more than they deserve.

08/15/2010

Stayed up late last night to watch Forensic Files. So, this guy is out very late for a legitimate reason. He's on his way home and spots some people breaking into a car, he backs up to confront them and is shot several times and killed. The killer flees, leaving behind some forensic evidence.

The dead man's wife, mother to his three young children, says the forensic evidence was a blessing from God.

?

I have no words.

08/12/2010

I'll be adding information on homeschooling high school honors on the Secular Homeschool page. My youngest son wanted to return to public school for 9th grade. I was excited for him. I thought he'd enjoy it, especially all the other kids.

But you know, instead of sitting down with the kids on the first day of school and talking to them about the class and what they would learn and how cool it could be, the teachers basically bark at the kids and make them sign contracts agreeing to a long list of rules like "do not leave your seat during class without permission," and "raise your hand to speak." They warn them not to ask for too many bathroom passes, to be in their seats with their pencils sharpened before the bell, and inform them that they won't be reminded to turn in this or that important paper, they'll just be handed a big fat zero if they don't.

Who'd want to stay in a place like that?

So, he didn't want to go back after the first day and I couldn't blame him. He was overwhelmed by the chaos; and though I considered encouraging him to stick it out for a week or two, the look on his face told me not to go there. He did NOT want to go back to that place.

If you have a high schooler at home ready for honors work, check out the page in a bit and you'll see my curricula choices.

Well, I got another lovely Girlfriends in God. That's all I write about anymore, isn't it?

This was another one about trusting in God to protect you in times of trouble. The moral was that while you may be in a panic, facing financial ruin, or Hurricane Katrina, God is calm as a daisy. Trust him and he'll protect you.

"When the hard times come, when bad things happen, we do not have to wonder where God is. Instead we can hold on to the promise that is found in Jeremiah 16:19, 'Lord, you are my strength, and my protection. You are a safe place for me to run in times of trouble.'"

Can you say bullshit?

This only works when things turn out okay. But what about the people who trust in God and drown, or are murdered, or die of the cancer when they're nine?

There is no safe place, no protection. There is only the need to feel that there is, that this horror won't end badly, that you'll come out on the winning end.

Here is my girlfriend's advice:

"No matter what storm rages in your life today - no matter how fierce the winds or how high the waves may be - where you are is no surprise to God. Heaven is not in a panic. Keep your gaze on Him and your glance on the raging waters. 'Lash yourself' to Him and He will supply everything you need to stand firm in the storm."

Really? But what do you say when the body washes up on the shore?

08/05/2010

Wow! Two great Girlfriends in God emails in ROW! I didn't read this last one all that well, but here's the gist of the stupid:

Lady is at charity event, giving kids boxes of stuff.

Boy is crying.

Man volunteer approaches and asks what's wrong.

Boy's box is full of socks! (egad)

Man volunteer tries to help by saying he can exchange for box of candy and toys. (egad!)

Boy will not give up box. Turns out he has some kind of fungus or something serious on his feet and they won't heal unless he wears cotton socks but his mom can't afford them and he's been praying for a box of socks for the longest time and there it is! A box of cotton socks.

Can you give me a fucking break please?

Once again, I think my Girlfriend is LYING.

What kind of disease can ONLY be cured by the use of cotton socks? What kind of doctor would NOT purchase at least one god-damned pair of cotton socks for a little boy who needed them? Give me a break. Why would attention, at a charity event, not have been called to a little boy in desperate need of cotton socks? What kind of charity allows people to donate boxes without them looking to see what's in them? And what kind of charity would not disperse the socks among several boxes so that one kid wouldn't wind up with a box full of socks?

See? This story is clearly fabricated!

I'm not buying into your stupid stories designed for two stupid purposes:

1. To elicit emotion, through which your faith and belief deepen

2. To show me what an ass your god is while you think he's just peachy.

(You've all heard the grotesque story of the father whose son and another boy were drowning and, apologizing to his son, proceeded to save the other boy, because the other boy wasn't "saved." Can you be more disgusting with your faith?)

And stop telling me about how important your stupid, trivial prayers are to a god who lets children be murdered! It's like, you're not even thinking. Aren't Christians capable of big pictures? Can they only see their broken cell phone and pray about it one minute, and then, completely forget how stupid they just were for imagining their god gives a shit about a cell phone, turn around a pray for a missing child or world peace or the starving, suffering in Haiti??

You people do not make any sense. And neither does your god, who deigns to help you find your missing keys in time for you to make it to the job interview, but not a missing child before she's raped and mutilated.

And don't even dare try to tell me there's a reason.

08/04/2010

Well, it's a really bad sign when the Jehovah's Witnesses come back in a week. It means you've got a "save me" stamp on your forehead. Why do I have to be so nice?

This time, though, I actually had some fun. I usually just try to politely get them to go away, while countering some of the stupider things they say. But today, I let 'em have it.

They caught me getting out of my car after my Zumba class, so we stood out on my driveway, hiding in the shade of the house against the too bright sun. Their faces were beady with sweat, even though they hadn't been walking the neighborhood; they'd pulled up right in my driveway (another very bad sign).

They tried to tell me that I just needed to be open to the whole god thing. That translates to me as, you have to believe to believe. But no, they said--you just have to be open. Read the Bible.

Well, I read the Bible. (I told them last time that I read and studied the Bible.) But they said I didn't understand it. They tried to tell me that last week, too. I told them it was pretty clear to me. But no, I needed help with it; that's why I didn't believe it, they said.

They talked a lot more and read scripture that said how stupid I was, even though I thought I was wise, and how inexcusable it was to not believe in God because all I had to do was look around at "creation."

I balked and questioned at every turn. I called Noah a drunk and Paul "that gimpy guy." If there was a god, I said, and he was all-powerful, and he loved us, he wouldn't let little children be tortured and murdered.

There's a reason for that, they said. I wasn't buying it.

They kept trying to tell me that I needed help understanding the Bible and that's what they were there for. And I complained that God could only be understood through other people telling me about him. If I went to a Baptist to understand it, I'd be a Baptist, If I went to their church, I'd be one of them. If I went to a Muslim, they had their own book and I'd be a Muslim.

Oh, no. Those others interpret the Bible. The JW's take it at its word.

Well, then I should be able to read it and be full of God and full of understanding, but I'm not. I read it and didn't believe any of it.

That's because I needed help in understanding it.

This went back and forth for a time until I mentioned the invisible, hidden nature of their god.

Oh, no. They said. God has revealed himself to all of us. EVERYTHING you need to know, everything there is to know to help you know and love God is IN THE BIBLE!

But I READ THE BIBLE!

You need help understanding it.

BUT YOU JUST TOLD ME THAT EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW AND LOVE GOD WAS IN THE BIBLE! NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THE BIBLE IS NOT ENOUGH! I NEED OTHER PEOPLE TO INTERPRET IT FOR ME!

They just didn't get it. We went round and round and round. And I told them, that if a god existed, and it was the god of the Bible, I should be able to read the Bible and BOOM, it would all be clear, and not only that, it would be exactly the SAME for everyone. There would be no disagreements about interpretation. We'd all get it, because, as they said, GOD WANTS US TO GET IT!

But if an all-powerful god can't get us to get it, there's something very fishy going on.

It's the devil, they said.

Oh, you mean the dude GOD CREATED!

But he was good when he was created.

BUT GOD DIDN'T DO AWAY WITH HIM AS SOON AS HE WAS BAD!

There's a reason! (There's always a great frickin' reason that we're too puny to know, but oh, we'll know one day, real soon!)

He's going to take care of Satan really soon!

Well, what's he waiting for? Why has he let this awful mess go on for three thousand years (granting them a somewhat incorrect Biblical timeframe).

At that point I was heading back into the house and one of the ladies followed me up to the door saying, "You know, a thousand years is like a day to God."

THEN WHAT HAS HE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS???

I just know they'll be back next week.

08/03/2010

My last couple of Girlfriends in God emails were very helpful. The first one was all about why I should not commit adultery: it's just bad and brings a whole bunch of bad into your life. Well, duh. What does that have to do with God? Oh, yeah. She said that our great capacity to love was put there by God because he wanted us to be able to love him.

At first, I thought she was talking about sex because she did mention passion a lot. And I'm thinking, wha? Our sexual drive is about God? But no, on second reading, she was talking about the love.

I'm just not all that convinced that adulterous affairs have too much to do with love. Sometimes those Girlfriends of mine are just putting God into normal things. I want to hear about real God stuff. Not normal life stuff, like if you cheat on your husband, bad things can happen. Like we didn't already know that.

Tell me about the pitfalls of cheating on your husband with Jesus, or the priest, or something.

The next one was one of those slap-your-forehead-wow! emails. My Girlfriend and her husband got themselves into another financial bind, darn it. And instead of trusting God, she panicked! Then she went to the mailbox and got the mail. She said she hadn't gotten the mail for three days, which was unusual for her. So, the box was full. But also, there was a key to the bottom part of the box (?) and when she opened it, it too was full of mail. (And I'm like, why do you have so much mail over a three day period? Think of the trees!)

And wouldn't you know it? In all that mail (which included bills ...hello!) was a check for a speaking engagement she'd had for which she hadn't expected to get paid. And wouldn't you know it!!! The check was for the very amount she needed to cover here bills that week!

Holy moly! There is a God.

Well, let me tell you one thing right off the bat. I think the woman is lying. I don't think that the amount of the check was the exact amount she needed. I just think, straight out, she's lying. People do that, you know.

Anyway, she goes on to say that God made her not check the mail for three days so she could be reminded of how important it was to trust him and not panic.

What a bunch of bullshit. Basically what she's saying is that the money she needed was sitting in the mailbox all along and she'd have been spared three days of worry had she gotten the mail. God made her go three days in distress to prove a point.

What an ass.

And don't give me that bullshit about trusting him to take care of you. My aunt (not THAT aunt) used to trust God all the time to take care of her poor, wretched self. She bought into every pyramid sales scheme imaginable believing that this was the one God meant her to find. This time, she would be rich and all her troubles would be over.

She died with a garage full of stuff you put in your gas tank to make gas go farther--or some stupid nonsense.

Just get your mail every day, lady. And tell us about the times God doesn't bail people out and they end up living in their cars and losing their children to the state. Is that a test? Or did they just not have enough faith to please your fickle deity?

07/25/2010

So, I had the Jehovah's Witnesses come to my door this week. This time it was two plump, old ladies with Jamaican accents, mon.

I told them straight out, I don't have time to talk. I'm an atheist. We're all atheists here. I wrote a book about being an atheist. I have a website about being an atheist. I've been an atheist for twenty years and even before that I didn't believe what you believe. It isn't going to work. Don't bother.

But they still wanted to talk. And when I finally shooed them away, they said they'd be back.

So there! All you snobs who keep telling me I'm mean! Just come to my door and you'll see how mean I am. I'm so nice it's stupid. I practically invited them in for tea and cookies. I pretty much told them to come back, even as I was telling them I wasn't interested.

It's all the smiling. It's the "well, good luck out there in the trenches" teasing. It's the "that's a pretty disgusting god you've got there."

Wait. Well, okay it's not that. But I get the feeling they've heard it ALL before. Nothing phases these people. They just keep saying what they've been programmed to say. Talking to them is like banging your head against the wall. So, naturally people are rude to them.

This must be why Jesus said his followers would be persecuted for their faith. He knew how arrogant and pushy they all were.

Here are my latest Examiner articles, both Rationalism, and Orlando Atheism:

Save the date! Jesus returns May 21, 2011!

Gainesville church declares 9/11 "International Burn a Koran Day"

Christianity on ballot in Kissimmee

Religious freedom, hypocrisy clash at Ground Zero

07/24/1010

So, you should really read the articles under atheism about dicks. Apparently there was a convention somewhere; I wasn't there. And this guy Phil whom I know from Facebook (which means I don't know him) gave something of an accommodationist speech telling atheists not to be dicks.

And then somebody from Facebook (see I know this guy so not well I can't even remember who it was) said something about dicks and angry vaginas. And I wondered how come the women are angry and the guys aren't. And he said it was the feminists at the convention who said "angry vaginas" which I thought was odd.

I'm not an angry vagina. I'm a dick. I can't help it if the word originated because of brutish male behavior and is so named after the main thing that makes them male.

I'm not an angry vagina when I'm being a dick. I guess the feminists don't like the word bitch. Maybe it's because they don't want to defame female dogs. Whatever, I don't mind being a dick.

The fabulous piece by Al Stefanelli totally speaks to and about me. Even before I read it today, I was on my way home from teaching a most wonderful Zumba Fitness class when I saw a car with praying hands on the back window; under it were the words: In Jesus' name. And I thought about how this country is going to pure shit, not just because of religion, but also the national debt and the corporatocracy and the insanity of both the left and the right. And I felt like I was living in enemy territory of a sort, in which I just had to keep my head down and try to eke out the best living I could while I had the time.

And then of course I just wanted to go home and start being a dick about it. So, if you contact me and I'm a dick, you've probably just pissed me off. It's hard not to get pissed off when your eyes and ears are really open.

I'm not an accommodationist in any way. I will not coddle you and pretend to respect what you think and believe if what you think and believe are stupid, nonsensical, and irrational.

So, if that makes me a dick, which it does, too fucking bad.

07/18/2010

Ooh, somebody didn't like one of my responses in the comment section. He said I was mean. LOL. Remember when I called my aunt a....well, we won't repeat it, and my family all the sudden started reading the blog! LOL. No, I mean, really: LOL. I had to delete a whole section of blog posts because of my little tantrum. But this guy thinks I'm supposed to be the saint of atheism.

I'm not.

But okay, okay. To the commenter who likes to write whole words as single letters and asked me the questions: I apologize for being snippy. I hope I answered your questions to your satisfaction. If you have more questions, I will be happy delighted and eager to answer them!

Am I coming off too rational? Is that it? Am I not showing my stupid side; I'm sure I have one lying around here somewhere. Am I not baring my soul enough? Because I tried that a while ago and I didn't think it worked. I don't think people want to hear about my personal life and how it's no different from anyone else's. You've got your own miseries to worry about, you don't need mine.

And besides, once I get going on a downer, I can be outright morose (which is a lot like the word moronic, isn't it?).

But okay, let's just get it out in the open: I am really tired right now. I'm tired from being just plain tired, yes. But I'm also tired of the stupidity, not just of the religious in the world, and in this country, but of atheists and freethinkers, too.

But we've been through this all before. I am an anomaly or something. I belong to a very small group (am I bragging or whining, it's hard to tell). I am a social liberal, fiscal conservative, Libertarian atheist. (I don't even always agree with the Libertarians, if you must know.) I know of, maybe, three other people in the world like me.

So, if I go and peruse my facebook page and come back here to a stupid question and get bitchy about it, too bad*. This is my space. This is where I get to do the talking. This is my rebellion!

Bwahahahahaha.

Anyway, maybe I should put the faq page up again. Where'd it go? Do you think that if I had the faq up, that commenter person wouldn't have asked those stupid questions? You're so right! Who reads faqs?

*I hope that this comment, directed at Jason and not at as yet unnamed spellophobic commenter, does not, in any way, negate my previous apology to said commenter. I am truly filled with a little bit of remorse.

07/17/2010

Florida televangelist plans "9/11 Christian Center" at Ground Zero

Roswell high school students want their fetuses back

07/16/2010

I'm back! I got the cutest darned comment while I was away. Check it out on the comments page. Aren't morans cute?

I published a bucket load of Examiner articles while I was away. Here are the best ones:

From the Orlando Atheism Examiner:

Atheism 101: Why do atheists hate God?

All right, I really don't think this one is all that good. I was in too much of a hurry. But still...you're dying to know, right?

One nation, indivisible

Florida school district sued for banning Bible give-away

And from the Rationalism Examiner:

Native American boy granted special rights because of religion

Conservative columnist tries satire, fails miserably

Pledge of Allegiance is unpatriotic

Paranormal "expert" finds proof of ghosts in Texas courthouse

75 years on, AA gets more respect than it deserves

This one, for some reason, sparked a LOT of comments.

I don't read the comments at my Examiner sites very often. Too many of them are cruel and I don't need that in my life. If you'd like to make a comment that I'll see, send it through this site.

06/24/2010

My latest Examiner articles:

Atheists of Florida new billboard promotes unity, celebrates Independence Day

World awaits God's response to oil spill prayers

Florida judge makes mockery of justice system (again) with "Psychic Court"

Orlando workshop will help teachers spread Christianity in public schools

Parapsychology exploits children, tarnishes psychology

Florida church donates to school in exchange for access to students, families

Malibu Bigfoot spotted vacationing in North Carolina

Tough questions Christians face finally answered this weekend

Crist vetoes abortion ultrasound bill

Commercial fortunetelling is now legal in Montgomery County, Maryland

06/23/2010

I'm going to take a break for a few weeks...again. So, instead of cleaning out the news, I'm going to leave it all there for you. You'll have plenty of time to read it all. And when I return to the rat race, into the archives it goes to make room for new stuff.

Before I duck out, however, I'll try to post links to my latest Examiner articles.

06/22/2010

I've started receiving "Girlfriends in God" emails. I can't remember how I came across them, but it had something to do with an article I wrote for Examiner. I also get a conservative (uber, right-wing, religious-nut conservative) newsletter. (It's amazing how angry people can be.)

Anyway, my latest "Girlfriends in God" blog was strange, but very profound.

My new "girlfriend," Mary Southerland, started out talking about laundry and about how she and her family couldn't figure out how to work all the settings on the washing machine, so they decided to wash everything on one setting and in cold water and that solved the pink underwear problem.

This is a fine, dumbed-down, intellectually lazy solution to a problem of ignorance. Oh, how apropos. Does she realize, you think? Nah, I don't think.

She then inappropriately segued into a statement about the human condition:

"When a life crisis comes, we generally have an automatic and very human setting of fear and anxiety. The good news is that we can change that setting to 'peace' by counting on God."

Yes, Mary, exactly. God is a balm. (You put the balm on? Who told you to put the balm on? I didn't tell you to put the balm on. Why'd you put the balm on?)

Anyway. It's true. Humans are sentient creatures. The natural cautions of the animal kingdom (the fight or flight response, for example) are compounded in us because we know consequences and we know death. We are fearful, anxious, desperate animals, struggling constantly to ease those negative feelings.

We find and stick to what is easy for us; sometimes the easy road isn't a pleasant one, but we stick with it, because we're afraid of change.

So, Mary goes on to tell us about how we count on God and how he makes things all better.

We count on God to be with us.

We count on him for direction and guidance.

Count on God for provision.

And, we can count on God for protection.

That's the one that really got me:

"God will fight for us when we are attacked. When we yield control to God and follow Him, God fights for us but when we pursue our agenda, we step out from under His umbrella of protection and into our own limited strength."

So, when the psychopath gets hold of you, God is going to fight for you? You just let it happen and don't worry, God is in control?

Well, yeah, in the Christian sense God is in control all the time. His will is done and all, right? So, if you get Bundy'd, that was his plan. He probably had a reason, like, maybe your parents could go on a tour to high schools all over the country talking about how godly you were. So, you were murdered so that other kids could be converted. Nice.

See, I get the balm thing. I do. I understand how frightening the world can be. I understand the problem of death. I see how we need some comfort.

But we need real comfort, not false hope. The reality is that there is no god watching out for you and protecting you. Where was this god for Kathy Devine, Christa Hoyt, or Polly Klaas? Do you know how many Christian women are raped and murdered every year?

What about the children? If God won't protect the children from violent death, why do you think he's helping you drive your car?

(And what's the deal with the people who say God shouldn't be your co-pilot, he's the pilot? Please, people, please drive your cars and do not rely on a deity.)

None of it makes sense.

To combat the fear and anxiety of living, exercise your reason. Understand risk. Know safety and cautionary procedures. Use your common sense. Recognize death for what it is--the equivalent of your pre-birth state.

And if something awful should come your way? Fight like hell! Don't just lay there and pray! Fight your own fight, because you are the only one there to help yourself.

Don't be fooled into a false sense of security by a soothing, invisible balm.

06/12/2010

Possibly the best piece of writing on the planet:

There is No God (And You Know It)

06/11/2010

My latest articles:

The Courts' Ten Commandments lunacy

Catholic League says refusal to honor Mother Teresa is bigotry

130-ft cross coming to Longwood neighborhood

Florida Christian school shut down over abuse allegations

06/04/2010

I got really skewered in the comments on my articles at Examiner. Most of the really bad ones recently came from this article on my Rationalism page. I didn't read very far back, so there's probably a lot more abuse to be had. But that's why I choose to not read the comments most of the time, though Examiner encourages us to "communicate" with our readers.

People can be pretty severe. I didn't read them too closely, because I don't like to have my feelings hurt (who does?). But I recall words like ridiculous, idiotic, lame. And some people said I couldn't write and they wondered why Examiner hired me. Several times people tried to denigrate me by referencing my biography in which I say I have a BA in history and a lot of cats.

Well, I made the best of it. Maybe I'm getting thicker skin. One guy complained that he hoped I didn't get paid for that particular article because it was such rubbish, or something mean. So, I left a comment saying that I did get paid and that I was pretty glad that the thought of me getting paid pissed him off.

But Examiner wouldn't let me use the word pissed so I had to remove it. I still left the part saying I got paid. I'll just have to imagine that he knows how happy I am that he's pissed off.

Some people complained that I was using Examiner to tout my own views. But when I applied for the position, I sent in a sample article, and they said that was just what they were looking for.

So, go figure.

It's hard to put yourself and your opinions out like that, especially on the controversial subjects. But I try to remember that people forget that there's a real person on the other side of their remarks. It's very easy to say cruel and bitter things to people on the anonymous pages of the Internet.

I know. I still remember when I first found atheism and went onto the then-novel AOL and found a chat room for atheists. It was exciting to find I wasn't alone. But there were Christians in the room also and they said awful things.

My response, at the time, was to give back as good as they gave. Then I sought out other venues in which to argue with Christians and on both sides we were awful to one another.

So, I can understand immature people expressing themselves poorly. And I can understand otherwise good people doing the same, out of emotional torment or frustration. I've been there myself.

I like to think I've grown a bit. Or maybe I've just mellowed. (Which strikes me as funny, because I'm pretty sure one of the commenters called me a pothead.)

Of course, I can understand that some people really do think I'm an idiot and don't mind saying so. But I'm clearly not one. And I think I do have the writing skills, and the education, necessary to do what I do.

And I'm having so much fun.

06/04/2010

Happy National Doughnut Day! I got a free one at the Dunkin' today. So happy. And fat.

Here are some of my latest articles:

UFO expert confirms aliens landed in Angel Fire, NM

That was a fun one to write!

Think acupuncture's bunk? It still is

Federal judge rules against graduation in churches

Atheist wins appeal for "no god" license plate

Louisiana physicist has proved God's existence

Accommodationism movement is bad for science

Bill allowing teachers to pray with students on Gov. Crist's desk

Florida teacher accuses colleagues in holy water incident

Universal's World of Harry Potter stirs up old controversy

Voodoo insanity should be ignored, not aided, by police

A bit of sanity prevails (for now) in Florida

Gov. Crist adds to hate crimes legislation

06/02/2010

Check out this guy "cleverly disguised as a responsible adult." I don't think so!

06/01/2010

I had a great trip up there in the north. We went to Minneapolis and got a picture of the Mary Richards statue downtown. The Mall of America was amazing! I got some chocolate covered bacon at one of the chocolate shops. It was okay.

We had some cheese curds in Wisconsin, both fresh and fried. And we visited a contemporary art museum for a lot of laughs.

Chicago was beautiful. We ate at the original Pizzeria Uno and took a trolley tour. If I had to choose a big city to live in, that would be the one. We did get "helped" by a local who naturally ended up asking us for money. We were discussing which way to go on E. Ontario to get to the hotel and he demanded that we follow him because he knew a faster way to get there.

It wasn't faster, or shorter, but he insisted it was a better way. Beats me why we didn't just tell him to bugger off. I guess you have to get used to being rude to people if you're going to live in the city.

Our last stop was St. Louis. We rode in a little pod to the top of the arch. We ate at Pappy's and visited the zoo.

There were some awful people at the zoo. One man held his small child over the railing at one of the exhibits as "discipline." And in another family, a man and his teenage son were banging on the glass in the herpetarium.

People, in general, are pretty gross.

05/20/2010

This is funny. This 8th grader gives his teacher the finger and they call out the cops and lock down the school! Then they ban the kid from--get this--eighth-grade graduation.

Give me a break. The world has gone completely insane.

05/11/2010

Yogi huckster in the news again

Hitchens' irrational stance on French burqa ban

Orlando woman claims right to what your children can and can't read

05/07/2010

More articles:

Florida's little textbook war

National Day of Reason a reminder of hope

South Carolina gone mad with religious fervor

Toxic fallacy: a response to willful misunderstanding

05/07/2010

We're in Season 3 of The Real Housewives of New York City. Last night America was fortunate enough to see Alex "take Jill down." People often dish about these women as if they're spoiled, privileged divas far removed from the world of the "every woman." Not true. These women, all of them, exist in every corner of America. Every circle of friends has a least two of them.

There is always a Jill. She thinks she's the nice one, the one who rises above pettiness and ill-bred behavior to show others how it's done. And yet, she's the one gossiping, back-biting, snarking, and nit-picking. She's a bully with a smile. She can say anything to you that she wants, but you are not allowed to speak to her in a way she doesn't care for.

There's often a LuAnn, a Countess, who thinks she has superior breeding and manners. She can tell everyone else how to behave but hasn't quite fathomed that she is also confined to the rules she insists make one a fine and proper person. She's the one at the restaurant telling you you're using the wrong fork, the epitome of rudeness. But she thinks it's okay because she smiles and calls you darling.

There's usually a Ramona--a little batty, a lot silly, and generally inappropriate. Things just fly out of her mouth and she doesn't think there's a problem with that. Until something flies out of your mouth in her direction. She's the one who expects everyone to come to her parties, love her dress, and bring her gifts. But if she doesn't have time for you, that's your problem. She cries a lot because people are so mean.

And, if you're really unlucky, you have a Kelly. Kelly is gorgeous and she knows it. She thinks she is better than everybody else in every way. But what she is, is deluded. She is so vacant of any really deep thoughts or feelings, any real insights into herself and the world, that she can't even hear herself contradict herself. Most women only put up with Kelly because there are men around.

And you have the semi-sane ones: the Bethenny's and Alex's. Bethenny will tell you what she thinks, until she realizes you're a Jill or a Luann and you're not capable of processing anything that reflects badly on yourself. At that point, Bethenny will apologize or agree, just to get away from you. And then she'll feel bad about it later.

Alex will let you walk all over her because she's truly nice. She'll never really be happy in a group of women because she's never really heard unless she's playing by their rules. Alex's best friend is never a woman.

Clearly, too many women are so filled with insecurities, masked by an over-inflated ego, that they appear crazy to rational people. But, unfortunately, even a healthy dose of reason can't erase many of these behaviors.

Women are taught from childhood by the other women in their lives, and in society, that it is important to have the gossip, to not be the subject of the gossip, to spread the gossip, but to act as if you would never do such a thing.

Women are taught to act as if they are pretty and proper, not moral and kind. Ugliness on the outside is to be avoided at all cost. Ugliness on the inside is ignored because so few ever look that deeply into themselves.

05/05/2010

I am now, in addition to the Orlando Atheism Examiner, the national Rationalism Examiner!

Here are a few of my recent articles:

Noah's Ark debunked...again

Without National Day of Prayer we'd need "more jail cells"

John Hagee invades Orlando in June

Christian yoga threatens religion as we know it

Will the National Day of Prayer disempower religion in the long run?

Porn addiction therapy for women demonizes masturbation

04/28/2010

This morning, for some odd reason, I woke up already boggled at the idea that humans today believe that a compilation of writings by ancient middle easterners are the sacred and true words of a god. I just can't wrap my head around it.

Yes, I get the psychology of religion. I see the emotional need of it. I get that it is a coping mechanism. But that's the comfort part of it. The part that gives you rules to live by, to order this seemingly chaotic life. The part that tells you you're special to a supreme being, that helps you give meaning to your existence. The part that tells you that life doesn't end, to ease the sting of death. I get it.

Clinging to all of that is okay. I have no problem with it.

But to persist in claiming that the Bible is in any way true, or sacred, or a complete and good moral standard is patently absurd! Why can't people have the good parts of religion without the utter nonsense that leads them to hate others?

That part I do not get.

04/27/2010

This is an enhanced version of my recent facebook note.

My childhood friend, Bitsy, unfriended me on facebook. she was apparently upset over an Orlando Atheism Examiner article I wrote about the Atheists of Florida planning to sue the City of Lakeland over their sectarian prayers at meetings.

Before she unfriended me, she posted a comment on the link that said: "You have got to be kidding! Let's worry about the state of our nation. Like feeding the hungry, the abused children, healthcare reform, jobs, etc. Not that someone said a prayer before a meeting. Which if I am correct we have the right to do."

This is a typical response atheists get from Christians when we complain about the erosion of our rights. There are so many more important things to worry about, they say. How petty of you to complain about prayer in government. In reality, this kind of response simply masks a rude belittlement of the rights and freedoms of people you do not agree with and do not want to hear from or about.

When I went to the post in question, thinking of a way in which I could phrase a response politely, I found the comment had disappeared and upon further investigation, realized I'd been unfriended. I struggled for a while trying to decide which upset me most: Was it that she'd dumped me rather unceremoniously, without so much as a good-bye or an explanation? Or was it that she'd dumped me before I got the chance to respond? Because, let's face it, I do like to be heard. That is often enough to get me unfriended right there. Too many people don't want to hear opinions that differ from their own. I can't say I'm all that fond of it myself. But I don't unfriend people for simply speaking their minds on controversial subjects.

I do unfriend people for several reasons, however. I unfriended one woman because she kept posting pictures of herself in bikinis. I should have just hidden her, but I hadn't really learned about that wonderful tool yet. And I unfriended another woman because she was just stupid, and kept posting stupid, stupid stuff. And I thought, if just seeing her profile picture elicits a cringe response, I should probably dump her. It's not like I knew her. She and I shared only one thing in common and that just wasn't enough for me. I would unfriend someone who turned out to be vulgar, violent, or a lunatic. Or someone that I just didn't like.

But when it comes to people I actually know, people I would recognize in person, whom I've talked to, and spent time with, well, those people would have to do something pretty awful for me to unfriend them. Granted, my link to the people of my childhood is tenuous at best, even to Bitsy whom I considered my best friend in junior high and early high school. Bitsy was my best friend, but I doubt that I was hers. She was my best friend because she allowed me to hang out with her, despite the fact that I was me. But I have fond memories of those times and of Bitsy's level-headedness.

It was clear from the beginning that we now had little in common, but having a connection on facebook was nice in that it kept me up to date on how she'd turned out, her kids and grandkids, etc. I like to know these little things about the people I grew up with. I suppose it's just nostalgia. Unfortunately, nostalgia can be a dangerous thing. It blurs reality and confuses us, leaving us open to yearning for the return of something that never was.

I'm sorry to have lost the connection with her and I'm sorry that I offended her. But there's nothing I can do about it because I was just being honestly me. If being honestly me is offensive, there's no apology to be made and no amends can change the situation.

I would have liked to have had the chance to discuss the issue with her, but clearly she didn't want to hear any more about it.

One thing that confused me was why she blamed me for what the Atheists of Florida were doing. It reminded me of a time when a friend of mine said, "I saw your leader on television last night." Huh? Turned out she was talking about the president of American Atheists.

I had to explain that atheists don't have churches and leaders like religious people do. She saw the president of an organization, not my leader.

So, perhaps Bitsy thought that I was included in the "Atheists of Florida" that I mentioned and didn't realize that was the name of an organization to which I do not belong.

Doesn't really matter, though. I still agree with what Atheists of Florida is doing and would support them.

As to her remarks, I have the following response for Bitsy:

"No, I'm not kidding. Yes, of course we should continue to work to improve the state of our nation, feed the hungry, help abused children, etc. Standing up for our rights in small things in no way disables us from working on the big things.

I don't think that's really what upsets you. I think you just don't like that atheists are demanding an equal voice in government. This lawsuit isn't about "someone" saying a prayer before "a" meeting. It's about government officials elected to represent the entire community, choosing to use that time to beseech a particular deity, thus lending an air of authority to that particular religion. Individuals have the right to pray any time they want, yes. Of course, there are rules about disruptive behavior at government meetings and in public schools, but prayers can be said by any individual any time. But this isn't about individuals praying on their own, this is about government-sponsored, government-authorized acknowledgement, and practice, of religion."

The sad thing about facebook for me is that just like in every other social aspect of my life, it has led to disappointment. I have learned in the last fifteen years that most people will inevitably disappoint me. People who are very religious disappoint me, especially those I expected to be more rational. People who are mildly religious, but refuse to acknowledge the rights of all people to secular government disappoint me. People who are unable to grasp the meaning of real freedom disappoint me. But I'm learning to live with disappointment.

04/27/2010

Here is the article I just wrote today for Examiner, as well as the ones I wrote while I was away:

Public school ceremonies in churches violate separation of church and state

Florida's Christian Family Coalition throws tantrum over parental notification setback

Old Testament scholar loses job over his views on evolution

Christian God rescues lost Florida girl

Atheist billboard damaged in St. Augustine

Atheists of Florida plan to sue over city commission prayers

(This one lost me a friend; I'll blog about that in a minute)

Proposed amendment would repeal Florida's Blaine Amendment

The Pagan origins of Easter

Atheism 101: What do atheists believe? (Part two)

Florida Senate opening prayer crosses into politics

I had no idea I wrote that much while I was away.

04/26/2010

I'm back. That was fun. While I was away we atheists had "A Week" on facebook. We all changed our pics to A's so we could see each other.

My friends list started filling with atheists and hasn't stopped. Not only is it overwhelming, I'm not sure it's such a good idea.

If you know me, you know I'm a socially liberal fiscal conservative. I think two of my new atheist friends share those views. Oy vey. I don't want to defriend my new-found, uber-liberal, anti-free speech, "friends." But I'm finding that I'm forced to hide a lot of them.

Unfortunately, I'm hiding a bunch of others too! I keep hitting "older posts" time and time again only to find I'm still only four hours deep into updates. I don't have time for it. So, I'm hiding perfectly fine, deserving atheists who want to tell me about their vegan diets and their dogs. Can't be helped.

04/02/2010

I'm going to go quiet for a few weeks. No news updates or anything. Be back later.

04/01/2010

April Fools Day brings out the Pagan in all of us

03/26/2010

All too often a Christian will attempt to show evidence of his religion's validity by pointing to the suffering and death of Jesus' followers.

People wouldn't suffer and die for something the knew to be false, they say.

Well, that's not really true. There are certainly crazy people stubborn enough to do that. But most people, I agree wouldn't suffer torture or death for something they knew was false.

But they would do it for something they believed in.

So, the Christian says, the evidence for their religion had to be powerfully strong for Jesus' followers to be willing to die for it.

Okay then. I put it to you that the evidence for the Hindu goddess Kali must be overwhelming for Tekamdas Meghwar. He slaughtered his three daughters on Kali's altar before slitting his own throat, in an effort to please the goddess.

People don't do things like that without good reason, right? Kali must be real.

03/25/2010

Parents right to continue lawsuit against school board over religious song

03/24/2010

Atheist billboard campaign arrives in St. Augustine and Jacksonville

03/17/2010

Osceola County Commission invocations violate separation of church and state

03/11/2010

Florida's specialty plate program lends government endorsement to pet causes and beliefs at Orlando Atheism Examiner.

Check out my conversation with NJ Doolittle on the comments page. This is an example of why I got out of debating with Christians. They have no education in their own religion and you spend days explaining to them what they ought to know, just to have them call you a bitch and disappear. It's hardly worth it.

The wackiest news of late is the Chief Exorcist of the Vatican telling us that the Devil resides there. You've got to be kidding me.

Can you believe that in the year 2010, not only do people still believe in the Devil and exorcism, but there actually exists a Chief Exorcist for the Catholic Church?

How do these people get through the day with all the cognitive dissonance they must hold onto to function in the real world?

And this is the exorcist's explanation for the crimes of the Catholic Church: Satan. It's Satan. Of course. Because humans would never behave this way without Satan around.

Well, how about we lay the blame on Satan's creator? Why do we blame Satan? Like he has a choice, right? All God has to do, you know, any time now, is just get rid of the dude.

03/09/2010

Apparently a member of Atheists of Florida was dissed by Governor Charlie Crist yesterday. The atheists are calling it an assault; I don't think they're helping their cause with that. But clearly Crist acted like a petulant, spoiled politician, instead of Mr. Middlebrooks' representative in government.

03/09/2010

The Daily Show misses the point on Mother Teresa stamp

03/08/2010

Palm Bay: A perfect place (for Christians) to live

03/08/2010

American Atheists has come out saying that they question the survey that says atheists are smarter than theists. Their reason? Intelligence "can be difficult to define and quantify."

Really?

The funny thing is that in the comments section accompanying the article, this little bit of difficult-to-define-and-quantify "smart" appears:

"While I know that they will never be able to prove that God does not exist because of His divine presence in the lives of so many, I am refreshed to finally see proof of [sic] atheists who are not so hate filled exists."

This is evidence of lack of intelligence right here. This is how you determine stupidity.

First, no one needs to prove the non-existence of something. Anyone who puts the onus on the nonbeliever is not smart.

Second, the reason given for not being able to prove God doesn't exist is this: because God exists. That's stupidity. It's not smart.

And finally, this person has FINALLY seen proof that atheists who are not "hate-filled" exist. Well, this person clearly has not taken any time at all to look around. That's not smart.

I appreciate that atheists don't want to appear snobbish and overbearing and smarter than everybody else. And yet, Dr. Ed Buckner, president of American Atheists, says this: "And we're totally against Atheists suddenly telling the world, 'Hey, look at us, we're right because we're bright!' "

Uh. Mr. Buckner...did you just get in a great big DIG at The Brights? Are you going to try to tell me you used the word "bright" just off the top of your head?

Snob.

The study in question poses a general observation. And in general, it is obvious that religious people are less intelligent than atheists.

This doesn't mean you. It doesn't mean I'm smarter than you. It doesn't mean I'm smarter than every religious person in the world.

If you think that's what it means, you're stupid and the study probably is talking about me and you, and how I'm smarter.

03/07/2010

Secular homeschoolers find Darwin on their own

03/05/2010

Atheism 101: Is nonbelief a belief?

03/02/2010

Florida bill would allow majority to promote their religion in public schools

02/28/2010

I published my first article at Examiner.com!

02/28/2010

I had to leave a comment at Lisa Derrick's blog yesterday. In her article, "Oh my moons and stars! Godless atheists invade White House!" she starts off hinting at an apology for calling atheists "godless." Now me...I'm a skeptic. I'm not so skeptical I won't accept evidence. I'm not even so skeptical I will automatically dismiss a proposal that sounds reasonable. But I am skeptical of people and their intentions. And when someone apologizes for something innocuous, I have to wonder why.

Why, if godless equals atheist, would she bother to apologize at all? And why, if she had some concern that atheists might not like being called godless, would she do it, only to try to explain it away?

It seems to me, that if you are going to apologize for something, but still do it, you're admitting that you're insulting someone, but refusing to refrain from it.

I should know. I do this all the time. Which is probably why I'm skeptical. But when I do it, I come right out and apologize for offending people, knowing full well I'm doing it. I don't attempt to tell them they shouldn't be offended.

I don't particularly care for the descriptive, "godless," because the opposite imagines there actually is a god to be full of. Oh, I think religious people are full of something, that's true. But it's not a god--an unseen, unknowable entity. So, no, I'm not godless. I'm without belief in gods. But not empty of something that other people are filled with, as that term implies.

But that's not why I commented on Derrick's article. It was the other little dig she had to work into it. Sure, she seems to say, atheists and agnostics have just as much right to meet with officials at the White House as any other people of faith, because, after all, atheism is a belief system too!

So, truly, what she's saying is that we ALL believe. We all have a belief SYSTEM. I can only assume that if she came to accept that atheism is, in fact, NOT a belief system, she would be heartily against atheists meeting with White House officials.

What has she left me to believe?

02/17/2010

Some time ago, someone said that she believes that her god will reveal himself to everyone in his lifetime and then each person will know the truth of her god's (aka: God--can you say arrogant?) existence. The problem with this idea is that inevitably, the fault of hell will lie, not with God, but with the condemned. It ALWAYS turns out that way.

He's given you all the proof you need, they'd say. And you still refuse to believe in him. So, he's not sending you to hell, you're sending yourself there. (When people say that, I know they're too dumb to talk to.)

God must know what it would take to convince me of his (ugh--the patriarch deity) existence. The problem is that many Christians do not understand what it would take for a rationalist to accept the existence of some heretofore unseen, unknown, unknowable entity. It would take quite a lot.

The Bible certainly hasn't succeeded, and for many a Christian that is all it SHOULD take. Just look in that book! God's hand (?) is all over it. The prophecies alone, foretold thousands of years before they occurred (all told about in the same book, the same writings, in the same religious tradition, how odd is that?) are evidence enough of his existence, they say. And yet, the rationalist refuses to believe!

That's the whole point, people! If you have to believe it, something fishy is going on. And rationalists will always choose to refrain from "belief." We either know it, through hard, cold, ruthlessly objective FACTS, or we don't know. But we certainly won't believe it just because some other people (especially other people who wrote ages ago) said it.

So, what would it take? A whole hell of a lot.

Let's say this god wrote "I exist" in the stars. He literally rearranged the burning stars in the sky just so it would spell out, for those of us right here on the Earth, "I exist." And let's say this phenomena remained in the sky for a long, long time. Let's say the scientists were baffled and everybody except blind people could see it. No, wait, let's say all the blind people and all the people not of sound mind were suddenly cured and could see and understand the "I exist" written in the stars. And let's say God made the stars so bright, or dimmed the sun, so that we could even see it in the day time!

Would that convince me there is a god? Well, it would convince me that something very weird and scary was going on. It would convince me that some kind of conscious entity somewhere was sending us a message. But I wouldn't be certain it was the Christian God. Some kind of very powerful being or beings, yes. Christian God? I'd need more.

Hmmm. I think it would have to show its face in the sky and talk to us. To all of us. We could all hear it, in our own languages. And this god would have to tell us he is the Christian God and say something about Jesus and all. And then he'd have to do more. Yep. Because, for all I know, it could be some kind of weird trick. I mean, really, it's just a face in the sky, right? And sure, everyone sees and hears it, but you've heard of mass delusions right?

So, this god would have to heal people. And I don't mean curing things like cancer or sick people getting better. I'm talking lost limbs reappearing, people really really coming back from the dead. As in, already autopsied and embalmed back from the dead. Seriously back from the dead, you get me?

Then I might be inclined to accept it.

And then what?

What? You think it would just end there? You think everyone will just get down on his knees and praise the guy? Most people would, sure, I guess. And I suppose I would praise him a bit. I mean, wow, right? Big, powerful dude.

But then the questions would start, wouldn't they? Questions like, why now? Where the hell have you been? Why all the scary stories about hell and eternal torture if you were just going to show up out of the blue and settle it already? And why did you have to settle it, anyway? I mean, back to where the hell have you been? If humans are your children and you love them, why haven't you been around all this time in the hard, cold, factual form? Why all the mystery?

And wouldn't the Jehovah's Witnesses be pissed? Aren't there only supposed to be a certain number who end up believing and getting into the paradise that I think is right here on earth? Wouldn't they be, like, wait a minute, all of us? ALL OF US here on this little planet? Not what they were promised!

Those of us with hearts would have some serious questions for the big guy, too. Why do you let little children suffer and die? Why do you let your fans condemn anyone who doesn't act the way they think they should? Do you really hate homosexuality? If so, why are humans and other animals even capable of it? Are you really seriously trying to tell us that there's this OTHER god called Satan who is SO powerful he could corrupt your beloved creation and you just let it happen?

Why?

That would be the question(s) of the century. Why?

Maybe that's why. The dude just can't face the music of the shitty thing he's done.

Or maybe he just isn't there.

02/09/2010 again

The 'Best of Penn says: Religion' DVD is now available at Amazon!

02/09/2010

I can't access my fan page on Facebook again! I'm getting a little bit ticked off about it.

Anyway, one of my friends posted an update about Lucilio Vanini, a really good-looking Italian guy (if the picture on his coin is accurate) born in 1585. He was an atheist and dared to say so, even after being forced to write a book condemning atheism. And for his trouble he had his tongue cut out, was strangled at the stake, and burned. He was tortured and murdered by Christians on February 9, 1619.

So, I hereby declare Feb. 9 as Vanini Remembrance Day. I wish I could have had his love child.

02/08/2010

I created a contact form for the website and this blog. I guess it's pretty rudimentary, but it's what I could figure out with my limited knowledge of FrontPage (and I still needed my husband's help).

I already got a comment! How cool is that? My reader said, basically, that God let's us pray, even for little things. We have to be quiet and wait for the answer. Of course, sometimes that answer is no.

You really have to hand it to the religious! They have rationalized the crap out of their beliefs.

If you pray, and you get what you pray for: Yay, God! God is GREAT! Just look at the awesome power of prayer! See how that is proof that God exists and loves us?

If you pray, and you don't get what you want, the answer was no. Yay, God! God is GREAT! Just look at the awesome power of prayer! See how that is proof that God exists and loves us?

Uh-huh. Right. Okay.

As to my friend's cell phone. I guess the answer was a big, fat NO. It died. She has to get a new one. And not one word about the miracle or the fact that all that praying did diddly squat. Do you have ANY idea how hard it was for me to keep my mouth shut on Facebook about that? Near impossible, let me tell you!

I mean, after the relapse I really wanted to know what happened to the miracle! Don't God's miracles stick? Was she supposed to continue praying? Or did she not express enough gratitude or something? If not, why didn't she just admit that there was no miracle, after all?

Or is it that all this prayer, god, and miracle talk is just so much a part of some people's vernacular that they don't even listen to what they're saying? Maybe her "prayers" were just her being upset about her phone and hoping it would be okay. Maybe when her silly friends said they'd pray too, they didn't really. Maybe just saying they will is an expression of concern and compassion.

That would be odd. But I'm wondering if that's the way it is...

So, now you don't have to email me your comments and risk me sending back a nasty response. (I'll just give a nasty response here or on the comments page!) If you want me to email you, include your name and email address and I might just do that. If you do not want me to publish that information, tell me and I won't, UNLESS you are rude, hateful, and insulting. Then I might just do it anyway. But I'm not especially out to hurt anyone, so I likely will honor your wishes even so.

02/05/2010

Well, my poor friend's phone had a relapse and she's (I

s%^& you not) asking for everyone to pray for her phone?

How do you people expect me to take this god thing seriously and stop picking on you when you do stuff like this?

How about we pray for the children dying of cancer? How about we pray for children being beaten and sexually abused? How about we pray for people suffering and wasting away toward death?

You want people to PRAY for your STUPID PHONE??????

And the worst part is that people are actually responding with promises to pray for the damn thing. Can people be any dumber?

And so much for the miracle! I guess God's grace doesn't adhere very well to iphones.

Speaking of dumb. Citizens of the great bastion of common sense and logic, the state of Georgia (I know, too funny, right?), can rest easier these days. The Georgia senate has passed a bill banning the implantation microchips in Georgia brains without consent--no matter what the Georgian's age. Whew. I feel better now. Wouldn't want those Georgians to get implanted and start doing the bidding of the evil master government or something. How horrible would that be?

You all know what this is really about, don't you? It's about religion and the Bible. According to Rapture Christ God's going to rescue all the true Christians before the forced implants go in, so I really don't see what the fuss is about. And it just seems to me that all the true Christians would be up in arms over the Georgia senate's legislation. Aren't they just attempting to forestall Armageddon and thwart God's will? Shouldn't God smite them or something?

02/04/2010

One of my friends on facebook posted this:

"I have a Miricle [sic] to report! Seriously! I prayed and prayed about my iphone. I couldn't wait any longer to check it, so about 20 minutes ago I tried to turn it on and......Its [sic] now working! I did have to use a needle to pick out a piece of rice that was stuck in the charging port. Thank you Lord for caring about my cell phone!"

Where to start....

Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, what an idiot, right? I mean, it was the rice that did it. But farther down on my page I found that she'd dropped her phone in a glass of water, so I don't know where the heck she picked up the piece of rice, and it being in the charging port probably wouldn't affect the phone.

But...is she serious? Is she seriously trying to tell us that GOD healed her iphone? God couldn't save the hundreds of children kidnapped, raped, and murdered each year, or the thousands starving and dying of dysentery, or the people of Haiti....but he cares enough to heal your iphone? I just can't get over the bizarre-ness of that.

If suffering and dying is somehow all part of the plan and gives us the opportunity to do good deeds, why isn't having to fork over mulah to buy a new iphone after you carelessly dropped it into a glass of water not an opportunity for a lesson?

Although, tell me what good deed you can do when a little girl dies of cancer? How does her suffering do anyone any good at all? What? It lets you take meals to her family? Give me a break.

But God will heal your iphone if you pray about it.

You know what, that's just disgusting.

02/03/2010 not again!

When I post more than once or twice in one day, I can safely say that I've learned a valuable lesson. Today's lesson is this: always continue to be polite, and attempt to find common ground and acceptance.

I imagine that anyone reading this blog over the last several years might think I only encountered crazy/mean Christians. And I can see why they would think that. Those are the kinds I like to poke fun at and talk about. I have, a few times at least, reminded my readers that I know a lot of kind, loving, decent people in all sorts of faiths, including Christianity. Most of my family is made up of Christians and most of them are better people than I am.

But, when you're an outspoken atheist, you do tend to get some crazy emails from some angry people. And it's too easy, really, to make assumptions, when you get another one, about that particular person and what might be going on for them.

I'm really glad that my fellow Zumba instructor, who I introduced you to earlier, and I continued our dialogue. For one thing, I found out she's nice and normal. Unfortunately, I found that out just after I posted my blog about her email. (What a snarky brat I am.)

She was not happy about that, let me tell you. Fur was flying. But I think we have come to some kind of understanding. She wants me to let you know she'd had too much cough syrup when she wrote to me and might have a been a tad condescending. And, she said she did not mean that I would know the truth after I died (and would consequently get to BURN in HELL--muwahahahaha). No. She meant that she believes that her god will manifest himself to me at some point in my life. I assume she believes that will happen for all infidels. I mean, I'm not so special, right?

I have the greatest idea for another blog about just that very thing! But I've written too much for one day, so I'll leave it for another very soon.

Oh, and she also wants everyone to know that there is a third option for why Christians misspell so many words and use poor grammar when they write hate mail:

3. They're typing on their cell phones under the influence of cough syrup.

You heard it here folks. Never assume anything about anybody until you've exchanged at least five emails. Not to say we're the best of friends, but I wouldn't slug her or anything if I saw her in person. (Not that I'd slug anyone. Really. Really, I hit like a girl.)

I've added a LOT of mail in the last day or so. I put at least one under every heading except the "sanity" group. (Figures.) And I finally added back in some of the blog archives. I think I know where to find the really old stuff, but that will have to wait for another time.

02/03/2010 addendum

The vast majority of insulting emails that atheists and atheist organizations receive are riddled with spelling and grammar errors. Why is that? Is it because:

1. The majority of people who write hate mail are poorly educated? Or is it:

2. When people write hate mail they are so upset that they make a lot of mistakes?

02/03/2010

Well, the Zumba world is at it again. A fellow instructor actually used the Zumba website "contact an instructor" function to send me a personal insult. (Yes, you too can insult me using the Zumba company! Just go to the website and search for me. It'll be fun!)

I suppose I wouldn't have minded if the insult was something along the lines of: "You can't keep time." or maybe, "You really shouldn't wear that when you teach." But no. It was about this website.

She said, "I just wanted to tell you how sad I am for you that you have to devote alot [sic] of time and effort into convincing people there is no God. What an utterly un-fulfilling thing that must be. I will sincerly [sic] being [sic] praying for you."

First of all, of course, 'a lot' is two words and not one. And sincerely is 'ey'. And 'being' is just wrong. Now that the grammarian in me is content.

Why do Christians have to insult you before they say they'll pray for you? As if the praying will make up for the fact that they felt so much animosity they had to send you an email to tell you how sad they are for you and how 'unfulfilled' you must be.

She goes on (naturally): "I also find it extremly [sic]hypocritical [sic] of you that you accuse us of being close minded [sic] when YOU, yourself [sic] are so close minded [sic] about there being no God. One day, you will know the truth."

And there's the threat. There's always the threat, isn't there? One day, oh, one day, when you die, you will find out how wrong you are and BURN in HELL. That's really what she wanted to say, you know. That's really what they all want to say. BURN in HELL you HERETIC.

But instead, they offer you subtle insults and threaten you and then promise to pray for you. What would they pray about, I wonder?

Dear Lord, please protect Dianna when she teaches her Zumba class. Please watch out for her and her family and keep them safe. Please help her to see that I am really a nice person, despite the fact that I insulted her, used really poor grammar, and misspelled a lot of words in my email.

Nope. I can't imagine they'd pray something like that. I'm thinking, let me see...

Dear Lord, please make everyone believe in you so I feel better about talking to myself. He he. Right. Atheists wish.

So, you remember my high school reunion? If you've been reading long enough, you do. They always have to pray at my high school reunion. What IS it with Christians and this incessant need to make everyone in a room full of diverse people bow their heads and beseech their deity?

Do they just not stop and think? Yes, I would like to think that that's all it is. There's no intent to convert, or force infidels to take part. They just want to pray. And they just want everyone to pray with them. I can feel the spirit, yes I can.

However, if that were really true, once they learned that such prayer makes nonbelievers and people of other faiths feel uncomfortable, you'd think they'd stop doing it, right? But they don't. They just keep doing it. And that is why I guess I'm totally wrong! It's not at all about feeling in the spirit of good will and wanting to embrace their God and pray with a whole bunch of people (which, as I said, I get...I mean, there was just nothing--no thing--cooler than attending the Freedom From Religion Foundation's non-prayer breakfast and taking part in the Moment of Bedlam! Hundreds of atheists making noise. You just had to be there!)

But no. When they know it bothers other people and they do it anyway, they're doing it for one reason only: arrogance. This is a Christian nation, they like to say. The majority of us are Christians, and god-damn-it, we're going to pray to our god whether you like it or not. And you should really just stand there, bow your damn head, and be quiet while we do it. If you don't like it, just leave! Leave the reunion you paid to get into and be last in line for the buffet! Or leave the convention you paid a whole hell of a lot to attend and miss what comes next! Just get the hell out of our Christian country (that's what they really want to say, no doubt. Heck they DO say that!)

That is the loving (NOT), kind (NOT), hopeful (NOT), tolerant (NOT) Christian attitude that I am, unfortunately, most often confronted with. They turn their prayers into weapons. They turn their "I'll pray for you" into a weapon. They absolutely turn their "Merry Christmas" into a weapon.

They're mean-spirited people. And I'm pretty sick of it. I was to the point where I was tired of writing about them and their behavior. I only wrote about the Zumba Christians before because I thought it was so funny...and hypocritical. But now I see that I must continue to harp on the disconnect between who they (and their more liberal allies) say they are, and who they really are. I will continue to expose their behavior here...and take the heat. (LOL. Get it? Take the heat? He he he)

01/26/10

Read "Haiti and the hypocrisy of Christian theology" by Richard Dawkins. Man, I love that guy. He can skewer nonsensical thinking better than anybody. It's always fun to read the comments he elicits, too. Are people THAT stupid? How can you read something and then let everybody know you have know clue what you just read?

People can be so stupid; it boggles.

I'm off to a writers' conference this weekend. Prepared for the usual: What have you published? And the inevitable responses that follow. Quizzical looks, pauses before exiting, turning away, gasps, that sort of thing. Funny thing is, there are quite a number of atheists in the room every year. I'm just not a good little keep-it-to-yourself atheist, I guess.

There are few atheists who are upset that the new Darwin movie didn't get a larger distribution. Are you kidding me? Are there any explosions or car chases in it? Is it a funny romance? Does it have any famous actors in it? Does it have a dramatic, suspenseful story that keeps you on the edge of your seat? No? And yet you still think every theater in the country should run it just because you want to see it? Do you not understand business at all?

Then we have the "Friendly Atheist" who claims that Indiana Christians oppose a bill that would help children, clearly attempting to cast them as neglectful of the welfare of children. I hate it when people do that.

I remember when my youngest went to a charter school. It was owned by a woman who one time told me that the Pledge was a non-issue because it could only offend atheists and how many of them could there be, right? She obviously didn't know who she was talking to.

Anyway, there was some scuffle in the school board; apparently they were trying to tighten the rules for charter schools. And this woman says, "And they claim to care about the education of our children!"

To her, if you didn't agree with HOW children should or could be educated, you didn't care about their education at all.

So, the Indiana Christians must be heartless child abusers for not wanting the government to step in and regulate church day care centers. This is typical of liberal atheists, though. More government in our lives. More control. They think they can force people to be tolerant of others by forcing them to hire people they don't want to hire.

In this case, of course, the government wants church day cares to hire only so-called "qualified" people...by the government's standards, of course. That's really rich, when you think about it.

It seems to me that churches feel they should be outside government intrusion, because of separation of church and state and all. Yes, as long as this "separation" thing works in their favor, they're all for it. But when it doesn't--when, say, people want them to get their religion out of public schools, oh, well then, there's no such thing.

I digress.

Just because churches don't want the government telling them who is qualified to work in their day care centers (because next the government will be telling them they have to hire gays and atheists, for god's sake!), doesn't mean they don't care about children. To even hint that they don't in your title is just weak.

On a happier note, the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Doodlee under the great Doodler, has seen fit to bless us with proof of her existence by exposing her likeness on a potato chip. Gotta love these deities. They really know how to yank stupid people's chains.

01/12/10

Great quote in the LTE, "Don't push your religion on others," under "Religion" in the news:

"There are a lot of Christians who feel persecuted for talking about their beliefs in public. The editorial displayed some of those feelings when the author asked, 'How can there exist such virulent anti-Christian venom in a majority Christian nation?' There isn't 'anti-Christian venom'; there is anti-proselytizing venom."

01/04/10

Okay, sensitive subject time. I'm not sure about the ethics here...if I should or even can discuss this. I guess I'll have to leave out some important information. Hehehe.

There's this new aerobic sensation out there, you may have heard about it. It's called Zumba. Zumba uses Latin rhythms and a LOT of booty shaking. Some of the younger, more, shall we say, fit instructors add a level of spicy to their classes that make them sizzle and draw men (and women because there are some smokin' hot guy instructors out there) like flies.

The music used is often reggaeton, kind of like Latin hip-hop, with very suggestive lyrics and cursing. But this is all okay, because Zumba is fresh and young and hip and nobody really cares. They just want to dance.

Well, somewhere--and I'm not saying where--somebody started up a discussion with: How do you use Zumba to glorify God? And a bunch of these Christians started talking about what songs they use and whether or not they tone down the booty shaking. Most of them seem to think the booty shaking is just fine with the big guy.

And my thinking is very simple: if you think hip circles and body rolls glorify God, you're reading the wrong book. Don't get me wrong. If these were people who were very liberal and worshiped, maybe, the UU god or something, I wouldn't have thought twice about it. But these were people who were saying the US was founded on Christianity and who were upset about people complaining that bringing religion into your fitness class might not be a good idea, while apparently it's okay to offend Christians with bad language and dissin' the big guy's son.

I almost--almost--joined the conversation at that point to clue that person in on the difference between religion and moral sensibilities, but I knew it would land on deaf ears (read closed mind).

But I can say it here.

We can be careful not to bring religion into parts of our lives in which we know not everyone is a believer. This only makes sense. People come to your class for a workout, not a prayer. But if the music you use in your class and the moves you do with your body offend someone, that is their problem to deal with. If Zumba was a Christian workout, I could see what the complaint is. But if Zumba was a Christian workout, it wouldn't be any fun.

You can't go around all day complaining when someone curses by saying they've offended you as a Christian. That's just ridiculous. And we live in a free society, where I can denounce your religion and make fun of your god. If you're offended, okay, go away and stop listening.

But none of that makes it okay for you to bring your religion into a secular class that I have paid for anymore than it would be okay for me to denounce your god in that class. Doesn't that make any sense at all?

Well, then they started talking about a song we use that appeared to be Christian! The lyrics they could understand were very religious. This is a popular song, but it is approved, shall we say, by Zumba.

My first thought was, ick. I don't think I want to use that song. It sounded so overtly religious that it could offend someone, given that they could understand Spanish. But, as it turns out, the song is a Santeria cleansing chant.

And I'm sorry to say that made me giggle with pleasure. What are they going to do now? Are they going to glorify God and stop using that song?

Somehow I don't think so. Somehow, I think they're hypocrites.

01/01/10

Another year around the sun! The Solstice holidays are finished, I feel full and fat, and we're starting all over again.

So, here we are on the first day of a brand new year. (Cue hubby in the background: "You know all the numbers are just man-made and therefore meaningless." Yeah, yeah, okay. But the tilt of the earth and the seasons and the renewal every year must mean something!?) I feel renewed myself, and rejuvenated.

I'm going back to teaching Zumba and I have a weekly class, plus a half share in a Saturday rotation at a local gym. I am SO excited to be back! But being back has made me pull in a little with the atheism activism. This has happened before, so for me, it's a no-brainer.

I took the "Atheism is Myth-understood" sticker off my car and exchanged all of my atheism stickers for others that mean just as much to me, but aren't quite so in-your-face. Many of you may consider this some kind of cop-out, or compromise; but I don't think I agree.

It's one thing to be an atheist, to live free of dogma, to embrace science and the unknown, and to be honest with others about that, and quite another to broadcast it everywhere you go.

I mean, look at it this way. The religious people that I respect the most don't have Jesus fish on their cars. They certainly wouldn't put anti-atheist or homophobic emblems on their cars. And they don't talk about God and Jesus all the time, every time I see them.

So, I don't see how I am compromising by recognizing that it's not a good idea to insult people while I'm on my way into the gym to teach Zumba.

So, my new bumper stickers are:

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups." And:

"I'm feeling much better since I gave up all hope."

I still have my FSM, of course. And she [uh, yeah, I said SHE] says tons about what I think about religion and religious people in a way that most wouldn't even understand. It's like a fabulous private joke riding on the back of my van.

11/06/09
There's always this little twinge of disappointment I get when I meet someone new, or reacquaint with someone from the past, and I find out they're religious. I'd like to be able to just let it go, to just sigh and think, "the poor things, they can't help it." But the truth is I believe they can help it and they're just too scared or dumb to do it. No doubt there's so much more to it, psychologically, emotionally, etc. (I'd say intellectually, but dumb is dumb, right?)

I've heard the accusation before: You just think you're smarter than I am.

I remember the first time I heard it. I tried to rebuff the idea; I tried to be kind; I tried to make it sound like I didn't think I was smarter than the person who said it. But the truth remains: I am, and was, smarter than she is.

I can't help it if I'm smarter than some people. I can't help it if I'm smarter than most. I suppose I could help that I like it. But really, in my world, intelligence is a good thing--a thing to work for, and a thing to be proud of.

And because I think that at least some of the ignorant people I know could, if they worked at it, increase their intelligence, even as it regards religious nonsense, I don't feel bad when I have to treat them with a bit of condescension. They COULD help themselves. But they don't. They deserve to be teased a bit, needled, and even laughed at on occasion.

On the bright side: I put my new "Atheism is myth-understood" bumper sticker on my car. Wow! It's big. You can read it from a great distance. It's perfect.

I revel in the reactions of the stupid people when this little blonde lady with a big smile gets out of the car, because I know they were expecting a scrawny, stringy-haired, hippy-type, grumpy guy.

10/18/09
Freethought Day at Disney was a success! I had a great time, though I only managed to make it to the lunch meetup. I met some new atheists, saw some familiar faces, and had a wonderful, tiring day.

We started off on Friday at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. My husband and I love to walk through the countries and sample their foods. Well, my husband is something of a tag-along, but he helps me eat (most of) the stuff. Neither he nor our 13 yo son would eat the escargot at the Paris, France booth, so I was left to them myself. Oh, my, gawd, were they good. In years past, the little snails were drenched in garlic and butter and put on a piece of hard toast. This year, they were each snug inside a little round biscuit with a lid. Very cute, very buttery, very delicious! Three of them. And I ate them all.

I was so full by late afternoon that I couldn't eat all the things I wanted. George made me sit on a bench and prioritize my food list. Still didn't help. On our second pass through we did a few desserts. Ireland was serving a chocolate lava cake with Bailey's ganache. OH MY GAWD! Nothing compared. I really only missed out on some scallops and salmon I wanted to try. But if I wouldn't get full, and if I could stay the entire day, maybe I could try everything. Oh, well. Maybe next time.

On Saturday, we got some questions about our FDatD shirts. You can tell when people don't know what to say. The receptionist at our hotel seemed curious and asked how many people showed up. I'd told her we were a group based in Brevard, but I was thinking maybe she thought there were thousands of us. I told her there were usually about a dozen. (I counted 17 at lunch.) Thinking back on it, I imagine she was surprised there would be that many. People don't realize how many people around them are atheist.

Then a man in line at one of the rides told my husband he couldn't read all of the first word on his shirt so hubby pulled away his jacket. The man read it, said "oh," and that was that.

Disney employees were also curious. Nobody spit on us. Nobody shrieked Bible verses. Don 't listen to George. There was no ill will visible.

So, that was the kickoff for the holidays! My determination to lose 10 pounds before we start the food fest was not realized. So, we'll hold steady through the next few months and shed a few pounds in January. That's the best way to do it, anyway.

We left our hotel on Saturday morning prepared for a Florida October day and ended up having to stop off at Walmart for jackets!!! (hence our missing the first meetup of the day.) I LOVE cold weather. I wasn't meant to be a Floridian. But, as I've said before, I'm clearly not getting out of it.

Cold weather makes me think of Thanksgiving and Christmas and all that holiday cheer (you know--chocolate covered cherries, hot chocolate, Magic Cookie Bars, chocolate truffles, that sort of thing).

So, it's on to the War on Christmas 2009. I'll report if I can stop laughing.

09/22/09
Well, it appears that the rapture occurs today, or yesterday, or something like that. It's all so confusing. While I'm getting these flashes of yellow and red and blue, so far everything appears normal. There are fewer real Christians around than I thought. But, I haven't exactly left the house yet.

On Sunday, I learned that George Ricker died in August. I was very disappointed that no one bothered to let me know. But I guess that's what you get when you're aloof and unsociable. But I've received various emails from the Freethought Association about freethought music and a dinner-and-a-lecture, etc. Interesting priorities. Or maybe I should take it all as a message of some sort, ie: trivial matters, we tell you. Serious stuff, you're on your own, biatch.

Anyway, George Ricker and I did not always see eye-to-eye. He thought I was a diva, and I thought he was a blow-hard. But he was a good man, a wonderful father and husband, a moral and decent person. He will be missed in the atheist community.

You've got to watch the new video I linked to: Ultimate Praying Championships. It's hilarious! I know that the religious get worked up when they're made fun of; I just wish they could step back for a moment and see their actions objectively...just long enough to understand the humor we get from them. Then they can go back to being highly insulted.

I attended The Great Debate on September 17, at the UCF Arena in Orlando. It was fabulous. But while I really connected with Christopher Hitchens, enjoyed his demeanor, intelligence, forthrightness and biting wit, it was clear that he spoke well over the heads of the Christians in the audience. And whenever D'Souza spoke his nonsense, and I'm thinking, huh?, the Christians applauded like mad.

Emotion works for them. Soundbites that appear on the surface to make some sense work for them. They either can not think deeply enough to understand the problems inherent in their logic, or the willfully do not.

It's time to get ready for Freethought Day at Disney!!! I missed last year, and can't wait! I love the Magic Kingdom, and it's even more fun when there are several green shirts to meet up with.

4th Annual Freethought Day at Disney
October 17, 2009
Magic Kingdom, Orlando
All Day!

I'll see you there!

08/24/09
The personal essay, I'm an atheist, so what?, has stuck with me. Two things really bothered me about it. First, of course, was the condescending way the author was treated by his co-worker and second was that the author did absolutely nothing about it.

The idea that because this woman was older than the author, she had more insight into religion, on the one hand may seem a possibility. Many of us study quite a bit and therefore, the older we are, the more time we've had to pursue such studies and possibly the more knowledge and insight we have. And if the woman had said, "well, I'm older, and I've studied quite a bit about my religion and maybe one day you can learn what I've learned," maybe I'd give her a pass. But I'd expect the author to let her know how much he's studied (quite a bit coming from Catholic school upbringing). But he didn't.

And unfortunately the woman didn't say that. She said, basically, "I'm older. Someday you'll get it."

That's insulting. What the woman is saying is that the author is just young and naive. She's saying he will simply toss his reason and his rationalism out the window when he's older. Atheism is for the young and stupid. Older, wiser people believe in gods. Bullshit.

The author should have called her on it. He should have said, what compels you to accuse me of having so little understanding of myself and my reasoning that I would turn against that knowledge in the future? Truthfully, we're talking about reason, evidence, and knowledge-based thinking here. We're not talking about beliefs after all.

You can't unlearn what you know to be true based on factual evidence without some real brainwashing trauma. A rational, non-believing skeptic doesn't turn to magical supernaturalism. It doesn't happen. (So, yeah, any nut who tells you he used to be an atheist but is now a devout Bible-thumping Christian. Nope. Didn't happen that way. And it's easy enough to discover--just talk to them a while. They were NEVER completely rational.)

I have read statistics about how people turn to religion when they get old. But to assume everyone will do so is insulting because the reality is that older people turn toward religion because they're closer to death, not because they get smarter.

What the woman was actually doing however, is standard. She can not imagine that other people (except those she doesn't know or doesn't like or admire) could be different from her. And the only way she can rationalize that in her dull brain is to assume that if that person was exactly like her (read older, a woman, smarter, whatever) they would believe just what she does. Because let's face it, it's a big scary world out there and it feels oh so much better when everyone you know and like has the same delusions you do.

08/12/09

I have a strong bias toward individual and family rights. I don't believe it takes a village to raise a child. It's none of the villagers business what I do with my kids--how I raise them, what I teach them, what I feed them, what they watch on t.v.

But just as I agree that animals do not have a voice and therefore must be protected from abuse, children also must be protected from their parents in certain situations. Those situations, however, must be extreme, in my opinion, to warrant government interference in the family.

I agree that children should not be physically abused. But I do not agree that spanking is physical abuse. Where do you draw the line between discipline and abuse? That's a very difficult question and could be, and probably is, decided in a clinical way. Same with emotional or psychological abuse. We must err on the side of the family, in my opinion, before removing children from their homes. Parents should be free to yell at, denigrate, or humiliate their children, up to a point. What is that point? I don't know. But my feelings on the matter should not outweigh a panel of psychologists, that's for sure.

Life can suck. I think we all should just get over the idea that we have the right to tell other people they have to parent our way. Lots of kids grow up with lousy parents; it can be, unfortunately, a rite of life. It makes some kids stronger people, better people. We can't take over the family because it makes some other kids' lives a struggle.

So, when I heard about the father charged with 2nd degree reckless homicide in the death of his daughter because he expected God to heal her, I was conflicted. On the one hand, this man has the right to practice his religion and teach it to his children. And if he is going to truly teach them to practice his faith, he should have the right to withhold medical treatment for his child.

I pondered how I would feel if I was against medical care, for whatever reason. How awful would it be to have a government representative literally force medical care on me? That would definitely be too intrusive. And because I am so strongly in favor of parental rights, I felt it would be too intrusive into the family for the government to force such treatments on my children as well.

I do not consider human life to be sacred. I do not believe we must save every life at all cost.

But I do consider human life to be uniquely valuable and worthy of protection. However, an adult person who wishes to die should be allowed to die. An adult person who wishes to not receive medical care should have that right.

But what of children?

So, as horrible as it may sound to you, my first reaction to this story and others like it was, okay, this is that family's way and the child died. Children die every day. People die. It's part of life. And I felt that actively causing your child's death was vastly different than simply letting nature take its course. And I felt that the man did not deserve any punishment.

But after giving it more thought, I realized a few things. First, I realized that we are living in a time in which we can all be aware of the value of medicine and anyone who wants to be healed ought to be given the opportunity to try. And I realized that children are a lot like animals in that, until they are of a certain age, they don't really understand the concept of forever dead. And, I noted that in this particular instance anyway, the child did not have a serious, probably fatal disease, but a common, easily handled condition.

And so, I have decided that any person who does not seek medical help for their children when they are clearly very sick, knowing all that we know about health and medicine, should be liable in some way if that child dies.

07/13/09

I went to the high school reunion and yes, they prayed again. The emcee gave some kind of little pre-pray speech mentioning other religions, I think. I wasn't paying that much attention. My guest said something about it and I said, "Oh, are we at the praying part now?" And then emcee guy went ahead and prayed to our heavenly father (blech) and I'm pretty sure he finished up in what's his name, amen. I said, "right." Then there was a bit of discussion at the table about being left out. Hindus and Buddhists were mentioned. And I raised my hand for the atheists. Go atheists!

I was glad to see I was not the only one with little appreciation for Christian rudeness. Let me make it perfectly clear: not all Christians are rude. Many Christians understand that they don't hold the monopoly on religion. We are a free society that includes all kinds of faiths and many with no faith at all. To stand up in front of a group of people and demand they all bow their heads and be quiet (did emcee guy say that? I think he did) while they beseech their deity is nothing short of rudeness...with a bit of arrogance thrown in to boot.

I really dislike rude people. But most of the time, in most every other respect, these same people can be quite friendly and polite. I suppose that the same cognitive dissonance that allows them to be rather intelligent and yet believe imaginary things at the same time, allows them to be rude and yet turn around and smile and be very nice. Religion is strange, isn't it? And it certainly does strange things to people.

It's difficult to describe the feeling being free of it gives a person. Refreshing. Joyful. Embracing of the universe and all within it. Yeah, it's that powerful. It's such a shame pity has to be a part of it. But, hey, look around!

All in all, I had a good time at the reunion, notwithstanding a bit of unnecessary, and very public, praying. (I have to wonder what happened to the Bible and its prohibition of such displays.) I know there are some people who love reunions. And there are some who shun them. And then there are those who go out of a sense of obligation...it's what you're supposed to do. (Unfortunately some people get married and have children for the same reason.)

I'm not sure why I go. I think it's a rite of a sort. These are people who shared part of my life, like it or not. They're like parents, you're stuck with them. So, go. Check them out. They tend to look much the same. They act much the same and talk much the same. And you may think you've changed a great deal, but no doubt they're looking at you and thinking you haven't changed much at all.

You don't know what they've been through. You don't know the pain, the shame, or the fears they've lived. And you may not know the joys and wonders, either. Sure, the ones you were close to, you catch up on all that. But the rest? You just look at them and chat with them and think, nothing really changes. Not all that much, anyway. We're all still here. The ones who left us, whose pictures are on the memorial board, probably didn't change much either. But they thought they did. I bet they thought so.

So here's my little non-prayer for the alumni of Titusville High School Class of 1979:

Let us thank the hard working people of Royal Oak Country Club for preparing all this food, serving us drinks, and cleaning up after us. Let's thank the organizers of this grand event. And let's thank the cool DJ for the music from back in the day.

Let's take a moment to remember those who are no longer with us. And let's look around and give a smile to those we don't really remember. Let's be glad for the day, and glad for the night. And let's promise to do this again in ten years.

Now, let's eat!

05/14/09

See "The Other L Word: Why I am a Libertarian" in the news. This is an article by Michael Shermer; he felt compelled to write it after the comments on a previous blog lambasted him.

Reading the comments left for Mr. Shermer, especially relating to his original post, took me back to a time I tried to communicate my ideas of freedom to other atheists. You'd have thought I was slapping them across the face. The bitchiness my ideas invoked was puzzling to me and eventually led to extreme disappointment with atheists.

I'm learning, clearly, to live with feelings of extreme disappointment in the human race.

But it was refreshing to see Michael Shermer express the same kinds of ideas that I tried to, without his eloquence. I should note that I'm not a card-carrying Libertarian. I don't mind being labeled as one, but I can't say I agree with everything they, as a political party, espouse.

It's not that I have anything against labels, mind you. If the label fits, slap it on. I recall, during my heated 'discussions' with fellow atheists labeling someone's ideas as fascist. Well, now, the guy said, if you're going to start name-calling, I'm out of here. After which he proceeded to email me and call me a name.

I can laugh about it now, because, well, it was funny. And that reminds me of how people don't listen. They hear only certain parts of what you're saying and make assumptions based on that. I have little doubt I'm as guilty as the rest.

Case in point: I tried to discuss such ideas as Shermer's recently with family (bad idea, right?) and was, again, disappointed. Maybe it's me. Maybe I can't articulate properly. Anyway, the looks from one member of the family told me, during the conversation, that she was saddened by what I was saying (which was, basically, that it was not right for the government to take money from everyone to pay for her healthcare). I said that if the government stopped taxing us to death, we'd all have more money to GIVE to charities and causes we want to give to. To which the other family member offered the tired liberal response, "But people won't give."

I realized only after this discussion that what they were hearing was that I was selfish and didn't believe in charity. They believe that Libertarian ideas would result in a selfish, uncaring populace that watches its elderly and poor die in the streets.

I know I didn't say that. But I can see it now in their faces after the fact. They think I'm a cold-hearted, selfish bitch.

It's the same with Objectivism. All people can hear in the ideas of Ayn Rand is the word 'selfish'. They can't get past it. But I wrote a blog a long time ago pointing out that it wasn't the Libertarians or the Objectivists who were selfish and greedy. I don't think I want to go into that now. I have no doubt something will occur to launch me into it another time. But to give you a hint: economic liberals are selfish and greedy.

In a way, though, I guess that my family is right. Now, anyway. I mean, when I was younger, I wanted to do so much for my fellow man. Now...now I think I'd give it all to cats.

05/09/09

Check out the article under religion titled, "Defectors to faith mark a growing trend." My husband and I will have to have a talk with the boys today about which religion they will join.

Our oldest seems unlikely to embrace any type of religion, so he'll have to be a Buddhist. He's inherited his fathers cold, calculating, and pessimistic view of the world, and his mother's rabid pitbull debating techniques. So young to be in the fray. I've given him my history with debate and the disappointments it brings. We'll see how he does with it.

The middle child is tall, lean, and dreamy. He'd make a great Wiccan, except that he might think of it as a girls' religion. His distaste for people, following in his parents' footsteps, means he might be better off as a quaker. He might embrace Jedi, except I think it's a social religion, too.

And the youngest has already created his own religion. It has a god, Fes, but there are times when I'm certain that J is his own god.

I wish them all well in their faiths. And I will take up the arms of debate again if I must, if they should try to convert me. Except for J, as worshiping Fes entails eating chocolate. J may have a convert already.

04/21/09

My apologies for the previous post. I don't know what got into me. He he. Look, there is a lot to make fun of in religion. I can appreciate that for many people, their religious fervor is devout and genuine; and I can understand why it would hurt them to see it laughed at. But this is why I prefer to stick to science. It's hard to laugh at science.

People do it, of course. Religious people do it. They think it's funny. They're usually laughing at some type of straw man they've created out of their small understanding of something scientific. It's unfortunate that that only gives the intelligent more things to laugh at regarding them.

But think about it. They think we're stupid for laughing at their nonsense. And we think they're stupid for trying to laugh at something they don't understand.

Who is right?

I took a long drive with my brother the other day and he posed just this sort of dilemma. Many of his friends are very conservative people. Conservative, not in the idea of fiscal conservatism or original Republicanism; but conservative in the idea of religious whackos. He thinks they're being stupid when it comes to Bush, Obama, gay marriage, etc. But they think he's stupid. So, how does he know, he wondered, if they're right and not him?

Simple, I said.

Just look at the basis of a person's beliefs and attitudes. His friends ideas are fear-based. Most of them are based on the fear that their world is under grave threat by some outside force, namely Middle Eastern terrorists (but sometimes also Mexicans and gay people).

My brother's ideas are based on reason, evidence, and compassion.

So, which ideas are more trustworthy?

Naturally, his friends won't agree. But fear-based thinking never allows for dissent. And there's another clue to who's thinking clearly and who isn't.

And so it is with the religious--who is right? The person who believes in a book written by several men at several points in ancient history and who looks inward at their 'feelings'? Or the person who looks outward at the world and uses the scientific method to determine reality and truth?

Anyone who trusts the former and laughs at the latter has serious issues to deal with. And I can understand that. But that doesn't mean I have to stop getting a laugh out of them now and then.

04/10/09

It is officially Easter for me! There's a large Reese's Peanut Butter Bunny with my name on it in the closet and I'm starting in on it today.

The boys are so much older now. They don't want an egg hunt on Sunday. But they want turkey and stuffing and a basket full of chocolate (and jelly beans for the older kid). When I told them I always buy too much candy for them, they said to leave out that fake grass. All it does is take up room that could be used for more candy.

My dh thinks it's ridiculous to fill a basket full of candy for 19 and 17 yos. He may even think it's ridiculous to do it for the 12 yo. But since when have I ever cared what dh thinks? Well, okay, I'm being defiant. But it's Easter! It's when we celebrate the rebirth of the earth! Weave baskets out of grass (or buy them at Walmart), worship bunnies, and gather colorful eggs (forgot...they don't even want to dye eggs this year).

Okay, maybe, I suppose, you could say...that if they're too old to dye eggs and hunt them, they shouldn't get the basket. I have little doubt that if I told them as much, we'd be in the kitchen this afternoon dying eggs and I'd have to go to Walmart for those plastic ones to hide.

Well, this Easter bunny has no problem filling a few baskets and forgetting those other things. I mean, one day, they'll be gone, off on their own. And then who will I have to fill a basket for? Just me? Hmm. Yes, I suppose I will have to fill a basket for myself.

There's good in almost all things.

04/07/09

Well, I still haven't received an answer about prayer at my high school reunion. The organizer of the event said she is not ignoring me; she just doesn't know what to say yet. And she also said that she is "just against intolerance of any kind."

What that says to me is that she thinks that, maybe, I'm being intolerant by asking that we refrain from having a Christian prayer spoken during the proceedings, as a blessing before we eat.

This is the problem we have with Christians in this country. You can't really talk about religious freedom with them because, to them, what we call freedom is intolerance.

Too many Christians in this country feel that inclusion means they are left out. If they have to include everyone, and accept that not everyone is Christian and doesn't want their religion in every facet of our lives, they feel that they are being imposed upon.

It is not, in any way, intolerant of Christianity to ask them to pray on their own and not expect the whole room to join them. But they feel otherwise.

They just don't get it. And I'm, personally, tired of trying to educate them.

04/02/09

Why do people feel the need to lead other people in prayer?

It's been ten years since my last high school reunion. I think I was more sociable in high school than I am now. I think maybe that's because I was crazy in high school. I had no clue...about so many things, most notably, who I was. But this blog isn't about all that.

This blog is all about the praying. I don't remember much praying in high school. I went to a public school, after all. I think there was praying at football games back then, but I bet they put a stop to that. I definitely remember going to the baccalaureate ceremony, thinking it was part of graduation, you know, with speeches and awards and stuff. It turned out to be a religious ceremony. I was so bored...and even back then, some fifteen years before I would realize atheism, I was annoyed.

So, I'm not sure if my reaction to the scene at my last reunion was warranted or not. You see, at my twenty-year high school reunion, we were all gathered in a room where we had a sit-down meal. And before we got up to fill our plates at the buffet, someone had us all bow our heads for the blessing.

I can't believe it's been ten years since I wrote about that, right here at Atheist View. Sorry the archives aren't around anymore; but the gist of it all was that I was so shocked and befuddled, I pushed myself out of my seat and walked over to the bar and ordered a glass of wine. (Okay, I admit it, I drank too much at my twenty-year high school reunion. I had such a headache...)

I was so put off by the ordeal that the first thing I blurted out of my mouth later, upon meeting up with an old acquaintance was, "I'm an atheist." Granted, I was new at it; but it was highly inappropriate even so. I said it because I felt put upon. I felt as if I'd been coerced into a religious ritual I wanted no part of and I needed to shout out that I'd been duped. I needed to cleanse it from my skin and my psyche.

I didn't feel that my rights had been violated; that I leave to government-sponsored prayer. No, I felt I'd been taken advantage of by arrogant, self-serving Christians who took it upon themselves to assume not only that we were all Christians, but that any that weren't could just sit quiet and deal with it, because by god they were the righteous! They were the holier than thou! They were going to beseech their deity whether anyone else liked it or not.

It was akin to being spit on.

Why do people think there is nothing wrong with inviting a religiously diverse group of people to PAY for dinner and then insist they wait while they lead them in prayer? What purpose does it serve? Why can't they get their food, sit down, and pray quietly to themselves? Why the show?

That's really the crux of the matter, isn't it? Why do they need everyone to hear them? Why do they need everyone to pretend to join them? Is it that they're insecure in their beliefs? Or is it, that they're just rude, arrogant people who don't give a damn about anybody who isn't like them?

So, there's talk of a thirty-year reunion to which I may or may not go. I emailed the organizer and asked about the prayer issue.

You might say, why do you want to make a big deal out of it? I guess my answer is that things that are important to me, are big deals to me. And to me, rude people, arrogant people, should not be given carte blanche to snoot their noses at this religiously diverse population just so everyone can see how pious (dumb?) they are. If I don't say anything, if I just go, and sit there, and let them pray without letting them know how I feel, I'm just going along to get along. Not only does that threaten my self-esteem and my intellectual honesty, but it allows the dominant religion in this country to continue in their thwarting of the rights of the minority.

No, suffering through prayer at your high school reunion isn't a trampling of your rights. But your silence about it only leads the rude and arrogant religionists to continue their assault on your rights.

The response from the organizer has thus far been silence. Better to ignore the 16% (and growing) of the population who do not subscribe to your archaic beliefs than to accept that maybe you ought to pray on your own time.

03/29/09

I created a fan page on facebook after I learned that one of my "friends" did it.

This guy, John Shore, invited me to be his friend and I wondered why. In investigating his website to see what we might have in common (no friends), I found that he was a Christian. Hmph. I read some of his writings and was further disturbed. One thing he said was that atheists have a belief too and should just admit it.

What is wrong with people? Why can't they understand a simple little thing like non-belief?

No. I do not have any beliefs. I shun belief. I do NOT believe that the Christian god does not exist. I just don't believe it does.

I guess that's too subtle. Believers must need black and white, all or nothing kinds of input. They can't fathom the more difficult stuff.

Anyway, so I accepted the guy as my friend, thinking that if he starts in with the proselytizing, he's getting the boot. Turns out he's not a bad guy. He calls himself a heretic because he doesn't believe in evangelism and instead believes that he should love everyone.

It seems to me that judging atheists, in general, as people who hold a belief about his god, is just a tad unloving. But he's still okay in my book. So far. Hehehehe.

03/20/09

It's 'coming out' day for atheists on Facebook! Sponsored by Richard Dawkins' Outcampaign.org. Change your profile photo to the scarlet letter!

03/16/09

Thinking about the awful state of atheists in filmdom ended with me trolling the Internet for good atheist films. I wasn't looking for films in which religion is simply absent, but in which the focus of the film is on an atheist character who is good and moral and remains staunchly atheist in the end.

Atheist Empire has a list of atheistic movies, including Contact, Saved, and Dogma. I'm thinking, nah, not so much. Didn't the Jodi Foster character waffle in the end of Contact? And Saved is not atheistic at all. Sure, it makes fun of an extreme form of Christianity, and thankfully, if I recall, the atheists don't become saved; but I'm pretty sure it's just a movie against nut cases, not against religion or for atheism. A milder, kinder form of Christianity is promoted. In fact, one might say that the two extremes are the nut cases and the atheists. Not good.

Same with Dogma--promoting liberal Christianity, not atheism.

I agree with Chocolat, however. So...there's one.

Somebody over at the Rational Response Squad recommends a film called Bad Boy Bubby. I've never heard of it, but I'll check Netflix. It sounds very disturbing, though. Rape, incest? And atheism? Not boding well.

Also recommended are The Life of Brian and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I've never seen The Life of Brian, so I'll give that a try. The newer Hitchhiker film wasn't good. What a disappointment. The old version, from the BBC miniseries, was truer to the books.

There was a little discussion of The Golden Compass in my search, but I wouldn't call that one atheistic either. I mean, doesn't the guy kill god in the end?

So that's it. Chocolat, Bad Boy Bubby (maybe), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Life of Brian (maybe).

That's just sad.

03/15/09

Most of the news I get is of the stupid variety, so that box will be updated more often. I have to admit, sometimes I don't know where to put some items. Look at the 'Atheists call for debaptism,' for instance. I almost put that one in the stupid box. But I figured it relates more to atheism than it does to atheists being stupid. And then there's the one about witchdoctors mutilating the remains of albinos in Tanzania. I almost put that one in the religion box. But is witchdoctorism religion? I think it's just stupidity, so it's stupid on both counts. (Not to say murder is stupid. Murder is awful. But that's one of the things that is stupid about humanity, so, okay, I guess I'm saying murder is stupid.)

update:

I watched Brideshead Revisited last night. I had no idea it was another one of those 'atheist has to deal with religious nut and loses love because of it' movies. The other one was The End of the Affair. Anyway, it was a really long movie, but I didn't realize how long until it was over, so I'll say it was a good movie, if not a tad melodramatic. In the end, Charles goes into the chapel at Brideshead and dips his fingers into the holy water, and I'm like, great, he's going to make the sign of the cross and become religious. But instead, he almost puts out the candle with his wet fingers. Almost. I don't know what it means. But I'm going to say it means he loved and respected Sebastian and Julia, so he left them their light. But, let's go online and see what the experts say.

Oh, well. The experts say the book is a bit different from the movie and dear Charles the atheist becomes a Catholic in the end. Figures. The atheist always either converts, or wallows in some form of insanity by the end of most books and movies. (That's probably not true, but it feels like it right now.)

I added my mailbox and guestbook links in the left column today.

03/14/09

I completely redesigned the website!