so don't ask if you don't want to know
Posts tagged religion
War? Hot nardly.
Dec 15th
We laugh over the claim every year that non-believers are waging war on Christmas. So here is my collection of recent battles:
Let’s start with Fox’s. Fox is the biggest PITA complainer and yet when they put up their ornaments this year, they were listed as “Holiday” ornaments. Apparently someone got the heads up on it and the page was changed to Christmas ornaments – though I can’t verify because as of this minute you can’t even get to any Fox ornament page. 404 my ass.
(Haha, I get a “potentially dangerous” warning from McAfee when I open Fox News website)
Another uber-religious blowhard, Rick Perry and his family wish you Happy Holidays.
Sure there are minor battles going on all over the country regarding government-sanctioned nativity scenes like this one in Santa Monica and another in Athens, Texas. Some city governments get it and let every religion (or non-religion) put up a holiday symbol but others assume when Atheists ask for equal treatment they’re really at war against Christians. Actually we just want fair and equal treatment for everyone, all or nothing.
The Atheists I know don’t complain about Christmas trees, official or otherwise. In fact, the rumor about the White House renaming their trees Holiday Trees is false. I don’t put up a tree anymore but it’s not for any non-religious reason. I love Christmas Trees, I just don’t have the room or the energy. In fact, Christmas Trees aren’t religious anyhow:
I love decorated houses. When I had a house I went overboard with the lights. I still have a 6ft winter penguin and a cute little inflatable reindeer. I love gift-giving and fellowship, some of the music and most of the other traditions for this time of year. I’ve even visited various nativity scenes (and a live one in Florida) with the kids over the years. The nativity is one of the nicer parts of the jesus myth. Who wouldn’t want to believe in a miraculous child? One of my favorite songs is Mary Did You Know? But to me it’s about as believable as Star Wars legends.
There is no war. People, especially Christians, must be reminded the season is NOT all about them, that’s all.
WTF is wrong with people?
Dec 12th
When did it become normal to change the way you do business because one person bitches? Or to cave to whatever some minority of your customers demands?
Case in point:
Lowe’s pays for commercials during a show called Muslims in America. I’ve not seen the show but I have seen the ads. Apparently Dearborn MI is a hotbed of normal people who happen to be Muslim, right? So they need a reality show? Okay, like an extended version of the …and I’m a Mormon ads. Whatever. Carry on.
Then Lowe’s pulled their ads because The Florida Family Association had their members send a bunch of anti-Muslim emails. BACKLASH blows up. Then some California state senator mentions he might call for a boycott against Lowe’s if they don’t apologize and re-run the ads. Poor Lowe’s. Who knew running a home-improvement empire meant you have to take a stand one way or another on Muslims? All Lowe’s wants to do is make money. I don’t shop there because they are anti-gay (and more expensive than Home Depot) but are they really anti-Muslim too? No, they ran the ads until they were pressured by religious bigots. Makes me wonder if their anti-gay history can be planted in the religious bigot garden too.
Another one: Alec Baldwin supposedly went a little nuts when a flight attendant wanted him to turn off his cell phone and now the flight attendant union wants the American Airlines to pull 30 Rock from the in-flight rotation.
Isn’t that a little much? Social media nightmare there. Nobody give a shit about Alex Baldwin making a fuss except the people who were there but let’s make a huge fucking deal about it.
I keep seeing more and more over-reaction to the squeaky wheel. Why is it companies are bending over backwards to keep the religious people happy? To keep any tiny portion of their customers happy? Just do your damned job and let people decide for themselves.
What happened to personal responsibility? If you don’t want to shop at Lowe’s for whatever reason then don’t. If you don’t want to sleep with people of the same sex then don’t. Stop getting offended over every little thing. Stop blowing shit out of proportion.
Stop trying to make everyone live the way you do.
Personally I don’t even notice which ads run during which shows. I don’t relate the plethora of Ford truck commercials to support of the message of any particular show. And though I have personal boycotts against certain companies I never expect anyone else to boycott with me or take any other action against them. I may provide information as to why I’m boycotting them but the decision is yours.
BTW Chik-fil-a is anti-gay too. Everyone should stop eating there. Seriously.
I’m kidding… but not about the anti-gay thing. If you really want to eat their food I won’t judge.
About those billboards…
Nov 14th
Don’t get me wrong, the signs are GREAT! I kind of have a problem with the locations though. The whole point is to raise questions and get people thinking, right? Who exactly? The churchy people, right? So why are the three billboards 
I’ve found so far is such shitty locations?
First one, the one on Apache Trail east of 80th St in Mesa. Surrounded by old fix-it shops and a block away from Castle Boutique. Not a great stretch of Apache Trail. Not a church or even a neighborhood in sight.
The second one I found at Dobson south of Main in Mesa, in front of some furniture store, actually on (what appears to be) railroad property. Swell. And I can’t think of a church within miles. Also not a family neighborhood. Mostly stores and industrial-type businesses. The only people who will notice it are the ones trapped by trains, and as seldom as trains roll through there, that’s not much.
The third one is only slightly better. It’s on Southern east of Country Club and right outside of Mesa’s only roller rink. Children. Get kids thinking. But it’s actually on crammed on railroad access facing the other way and there are giant palm trees blocking it until you’re right on top of it. I have NO idea how often trains roll through there to stop traffic.
Were these locations decided upon by the local FFRF people or by Clear Channel? Are the locations designed to comply with posting them but in the most non-offensive places available? Why not along the highways? Why not closer to actual neighborhood full of soccer-mom traffic? Why not outside of a major mall or giant shopping center? We certainly have enough of those in Mesa.
Only the Chandler Heights/Arizona Ave billboard is within my normal driving area so I likely won’t go looking for the rest. Maybe someone closer to them can scope out the actual locations and let me know. Are any of them in good locations?
In the valley:
Southern, 2,640 feet east of Country Club, south side facing west.- Chandler Heights Rd., 1,375 feet east of Arizona Ave., south side facing east.
Apache Trail, 20 feet east of 80th St., south side facing east.Dobson, 500 feet south of Main, east side facing north.- Washington, 115 feet south of 27th St., north side facing west.
- 16th St., 30 feet north of Grand Canal, east side facing south.
- Cave Creek Rd., 0.5 miles north of Bell Rd., west side facing south.
- Glendale Ave., 120 feet west of 25th Ave., south side facing east.
- US 60 Grand, 2,112 feet north of Northern, west side facing northwest.
Tucson:
- Ajo, 700 feet west of Alvernon, north side facing west.
- Speedway, 60 feet east of Main Ave., south side facing east.
my thoughts on global climate change
Oct 31st
Yes, I believe our wonderful planet is going though some obvious and somewhat dangerous changes in climate. Arctic and Antarctic ice fields are melting more than in previous recorded history. There is evidence of that. There has been record-breaking heat and snowfall over the last few years. Hurricanes are coming more often, tornadoes are hitting places they’ve rarely been before, even the earth is quaking in unusual places.
We had horrific dust storms here four afternoons in a row whereas we might have had one or two big ones in the entire monsoon season before.
Shit be happenin’ folks.
Now, there is sooo much information and misinformation out there as to why. Some people believe it’s just the way the earth evolves (that’s not the right word but I can’t think of the correct one) and we’re just due. Some people believe it’s connected to how we’re treating our planet. Some idiots believe it’s an indication that god is pissed.
To me why doesn’t matter. To me it seems that if burning fossil fuels enhances the change in any way, then we should work harder to get away from that. If we’re putting too many chemicals into the air and our ozone layer is effected, then stop putting fucking chemicals into the air. Even if it is earth’s natural inclination to go through one of these global climate shifts every million years or so fine, but let’s not make it worse by helping her make it harder on us.
With the freshwater polar ice melting, our seawater consistency is going to change. That will endanger marine life and only so much of that will survive. So let’s stop over-fishing our seas and them stand a greater chance. Over-cutting of forests (not here so much as most lumber companies replant trees) endangers both the ecosystem in that area and the planet’s ability to clean the air for all of us. So stop wasting paper.
Every time you leave a light on in a room you’re not in, you hurt everyone. Every time you run water without using it, you hurt everyone. Every time you drive a gas-guzzling vehicle, you hurt everyone, right?
I don’t understand enough about the process of making things. Is it better for the environment to have wood furniture and replant trees? Or is plastic furniture made out of who-knows-what better? Maybe glass and steel furniture is better for the environment. if you break it all down to the building process which is less offensive to the earth? I’m betting though that buying gently used stuff is best for all. Let’s use up what’s already made before we destroy more resources to build new.
So here I am, running the A/C because it’s still hot outside and it’s almost November. I drive a big-ass grand marquis because I have no choice at the moment. That’s the only used car I could afford at the time. The next one will be better for the environment, I promise. I consistently save water so I get points for that. I’d love to recycle but my apartment complex doesn’t have that option. Most of my furniture was bought used.
Where are my options? Why aren’t there solar panels EVERYWHERE here in the valley of the sun? Why aren’t there recycle bins everywhere? Why are new houses allowed to be built when there are so many empty ones around? Why are electric or hybrid cars only now becoming available? Why aren’t big stores and other huge buildings required to have solar panels?
What is the hold up? Are we seriously waiting for bigger disasters to happen? Or is it all about the benjamins? Really? We have got to stop thinking about the bottom line and start planning for the future. Where we’re all freezing or melting. A future where oil reserves are tapped out, trees and animals are only found in zoos, and we’re all using gas masks that are probably made out of chemicals that will kill us anyway.
Well… not MY future. With my health issues I’ll be lucky to survive the zombie apocalypse. Kira and Jack’s future. Their children’s future. If there is one. It doesn’t matter why the global climate change is happening, what matters is that we get through it. Stop arguing about the why and come up with ideas to make it better.
FFRF Valley of the Sun meeting
Oct 30th
I’m the first to admit I’m a cynical bitch but this morning was a… a… complete waste of my time. I’m kind of looking for new groups to check out. Looking for new opportunities to meet like-minded people.
So today I show up at the location of the local Freedom From Religion Foundation group. The majority of the attendees – 90%? – were retirees. Nobody spoke to me. There was some eye contact, but no greeting or anything.
I’m used to welcoming and being welcomed into groups like at our evfn and PodcampAZ events. Not even a hello.
The actual meeting started out fine. Sort of introductions of the #1 and #2 people. We were told about the upcoming placement of the FFRF billboards (and she promised to send out exact locations) a couple of which I jotted down. They talked about a couple of books we should check out. Then the special guest started…
Bob McWhirter, “Baby Don’t Be Cruel: Origins of Punishment, The Eighth Amendment, and Religion”
Oh. My. Gawd. This had to have been the most boring and painful 1:45 minutes of my life. Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.
- this guy needs serious help in putting together a power point presentation.
- we don’t need 100+ slides of quotes from old greeks and bible stories tied in with Elvis and The Princess Bride references.
- his points could have been made with 1/3 of the slides and in 30 minutes or less
I’m pretty sure he was shooting for why the death penalty is wrong. And though I disagree with him I might have been swayed had his presentation been better.
The thing is, almost everyone in the audience was all for him and his presentation. Forgive the expression, but he was preaching to the choir. There was no discussion, no Q&A or any chance to ask for citations – and believe me he pulled some of his information out of his ass.
This is so not the group for me. I’m for conversation. Discussion. Points and checks. Questions and answers. Oh well, I tried something new and it failed. Moving on.
Fantasy vs fanaticism
Aug 11th
I like happy dragons. The Anne McCaffrey version of dragons and Puff the magic dragon and Pete’s Dragon, but not the Chinese version of dragons full of fire and death. In fact, my first tattoo was of a happy dragon. I love the idea of it. But I know it’s fantasy – there have never been dragons. But it’s fun to imagine, right?
Santa Clause is a really nice fantasy. Fun to believe in when you’re a kid and fun to help kids believe in.
Aliens! Egads, I KNOW there’s no scientific proof of aliens ever actually being here but I think it’s fun to think so. It’s just FUN.
Fairies are fantasy, but that doesn’t stop us – even as adults – from loving Tinkerbell. Unicorns are fantasy, but that doesn’t stop some people from having collections of unicorn art.
Ghosts, gods, superheros, vampires, bigfoot… the fantasy list goes on and on. Somebody made these stories up years ago and they were such good stories we still enjoy them today. What story imagined today will become the next bible or scary campfire tale?
The problem comes when adults believe in these things with such fervor that they base their lives on them. UFO hunters? Ghost hunters? Religious people? Even worse are those people who set up businesses to take money from the fanatics. If you don’t know the difference between fantasy and fact, how can you protect yourself from the shysters ripping you off?
Thousands of people spend money on psychics and horoscopes. Millions of people tithe 10% of their income (or more) to a church. And what do they get out of it? Maybe piece of mind. Maybe hope? Is it worth the cost? Do you know the difference between your fantasy and actual facts? Is there scientific proof or is it all allegorical? Science expects you to get a consistent result when you test a theory. Can you test your fantasy and get the same results every time?
If I don’t like you…
Aug 7th
it’s not because you’re black, or gay or jewish. It’s because I just don’t like you personally. And even then I try to be polite to your face.
I try very hard not to be a bigot. I try – often rewriting my point of view on something – not to generalize people based on anything other than their behavior. I believe each individual is different.
After saying that, I still have some biases (is that the correct plural for bias?):
- Hispanic men and their tendency to harass young girls, too young.
- Groups of black women tend to get loud and obnoxious.
- Anybody who appears on Springer.
- Stupid people.
I don’t know a real Chinese person. Or Japanese. Or any “Asian” person for that matter. I have no bias against these people because I’ve never spent any time around any. There just aren’t that many here. I don’t know any Muslims either. I don’t assume anything about such people as I pass them in the store, other than wondering if those coverings are really hot here in Arizona or if it keeps them cooler. Sure I get annoyed when people from other countries can’t/won’t speak enough English to communicate, but I don’t then hate the person.
I’ve had and still have gay and lesbian friends and I’m supportive of their fight for their rights. But I have met a few I didn’t like not because they were gay but because they were jerks or the way they treated me.
It’s all about personal behavior. I try and give everyone a chance to show me their personality (if they have one) and I make my like/dislike decision based on that. I work very hard at being blind to our cosmetic differences and judging people on what’s inside.
I don’t understand hating an entire group based on the actions of a few. Y’all may think I hate all Christians but I don’t. I have an active dislike of hypocrisy. I can’t stand it when someone claims a certain belief and then molests children or has a secret gay lover or embezzles from their church. And especially when others of that religion sit by and let them get away with it. I hate it when someone tries to preach to me when I know they don’t follow every world they preach. Seriously if you’ve ever seen the Grand Canyon you can’t believe the bible – but that’s another post.
Okay, I’m dismissive of your belief in God, ghosts, chakras, ESP, or horoscopes, but I’m not dismissive of you unless that’s all you’re about. I believe aliens could have visited earth over time, but people – educated people – still like me! We all have our thing.
Don’t hate generally. Take each individual AS an individual and judge them for yourself based on that, not the cosmetic differences or country of origin or belief system, and I’ll keep trying to do the same.
Chip, chip, chip
Jun 28th
Thanks to Roe v Wade, women finally had the right to make the ultimate decision regarding their own bodies.
Since then those anti-choice people have tried intimidating the providers, bombing clinics, killing the doctors, and otherwise terrorizing women and staff on a daily basis. When those methods failed, they got involved in the political process.
Due to political pressure, some states have no abortion providers at all, some have limitations so strict it’s nigh impossible to get one. Currently they’re stomping on funding for Planned Parenthood, despite the fact that abortions are like, 1% of the services PP provides to poorer communities. In some states minors need parental permission and in other states they’ve made it illegal if you cross state lines to get one.
Having a legal medical procedure has become a maze of legalities.
Chip, Chip, Chipping away at your rights and you’re not paying attention.
I remember when you could get on an airplane without passing through metal detectors. Now they’re making dying cancer patients remove dirty adult diapers just in case there might be what? They’re damn-near molesting children in the interest of what? Security theater? Now we’re walking through x-ray scanners that nobody can seem to agree are actually safe.
Hey TSA, no matter what you do determined terrorists will find a way around it. YOUR METHODS DON’T WORK. It’s lazy and inefficient – not to mention embarrassing/slightly criminal – to fondle every third person in the name of being politically correct. Just go back to regular metal detectors – to stop the average idiot who wants to make a name for himself by taking down a plane – and maybe learn from other countries and PROFILE! Profile isn’t always a dirty word.
Chip, Chip, Chipping away at your rights and you’re not paying attention.
Why is politically correct supposed to be a good thing? Now you have stupid zero tolerance policies in schools. Politically correct is lazy and stupid.
Well gee, let’s paint every infraction with the same brush and then we don’t have to think!
In the meantime your rights are being chipped slowly away and you’re not paying attention. What happens when it’s something that does pertain to you and you’re too late to step up?
Nosy people have decided how you can and cannot discipline your children. Nosy people are deciding what they should and shouldn’t learn in school. Side note: Miss USA contestant responses to “should evolution be taught in public schools?” Nosy people have determined that every person should be treated equally regardless of their intention.
And by Nosy I mean lots of Republicans, lots of Christians, and lots of people who’ve learned how to bend and influence the political/legal process in their direction while the rest of us aren’t watching.
Maybe we should become nosy fuckers.
Tell me why
Jun 17th
People have mentioned that my Atheist posts are getting too aggressive. Gee, I thought pointing out the hypocrisy of many supposed people of faith might be enlightening to a few.
So in this post I’m asking. Why are you religious?
Is it because you were raised that way? Family tradition? Because it’s easier to go along than to reason for yourself?
Do you really believe in the Bible? In the whole thing or only the parts that are comfortable for you? All religions are based on some documentation – what if that document were fictional? Why base your entire life on the words in a single book? What if that book were written as a joke or to control the ignorant 2000 years ago and nobody thought it would stick?
Are church activities your social activity? Do you go just to hang with friends?
Do you honestly believe praying for Uncle Dave to get better really works? What if 200 people at your church mouthed the words (because I can’t believe everybody puts their all into those group prayers) and Uncle Dave still dies, it’s actually God’s will? If everything revolves around God’s will then why bother? It’s God’s will that children get sick and die painfully of cancer when someone supposedly so benevolent would find a less destructive way to kill them. If he’s so wonderful, why make innocent children suffer? It makes no sense to me.
Do you belong to one of those religions that absolves you of your “sins” upon confession? I had family like that. Do whatever all week then go to confession, spend a few minutes chanting some words and BOOM – forgiven. How is that right?
Please, tell me why? Honestly I don’t understand how anyone ever goes along with that thing called religion. I’m confounded. What does it do for you? Why?
An Open Letter to Dave Mabus
Jun 12th
Hello Dave AKA Dennis Markuze,
First of all, thank you for waking me up this morning with your tweets. What a wonderful way to spend your sabbath! You bothered to open no less than 8 new twitter accounts just to call me and my friends to your hate-infested posts! Nice work.
Let me just say, I’ve seen it all before and it really isn’t going to change my mind. All that hate just proves my point about Christians and cements my position in Atheism. Why would anyone want to believe as you do? Such a sad and hateful little world you live in.
Now, calling out my friends is just stupid. You have no idea if or what religion they might be. Yes, I have religious friends, although my religious friends don’t feel it necessary to attack other people with their hate-filled rants.
I h
onestly don’t understand the point of your constant tweeting to people and linking to that same post. Is it working? Do you have a list of Atheists who suddenly change their point of view to yours? Or do you get some sadistic joy out of annoying people? Do you realize you’re a laughing stock?
You sir, are an Internet Troll. Your methods will never work in making the change you appear to be working for with the agility of a legless bull elephant. If you really want to change the world, maybe sending links to like-minded people and gathering a following would work better for you. You could run for politics and affect change that way. People who agree with you would vote for you in droves. You know, be normal.
Alas, I fear you will continue in your ham-fisted way to annoy your betters. The thing is, now that I’ve reported you (again) as a spammer I turned my phone off and went back to sleep. I’ve fed the troll and now I’m content. But you sir will always and forever be a boring nutcase. Have a nice day.
