Lay Theism

It’s interesting here in the US how much freedom we have to do or say what ever we wish with regards to our speech and religion. However, I think it’s unhealthy the number of people who cloak themselves in religion to literally steal your money. Some, like Peter Popoff, don’t believe their own bullshit, and are bilking people out of millions of dollars.  Others, like our local Baptist preachers, seem to believe their rhetoric, but they are nearly as aggressive with extracting money from their congregations.  Sitting in a Baptist service as a non-believer now blows my mind.  The Emperor has no clothes, there is no wizard behind the curtain, and religion is like politics without the elections.  It’s truly appalling to listen to these preachers go on about their new sanctuary, and faith-based school, and their mission trips to convert the unwashed masses, and yet leave in a new Mercedes. Since I no longer attend church, I am able to direct my money into charities that actually do good works for people without fear of conversion.

Anyway, I started thinking about it because of the bombing in Pakistan and the recent treatment of religious groups in China.  These events and other less notable happenings occur every day, but isn’t it interesting that so many people have a warped, and certainly different interpretation of their religion? I hope I live to see the day where the majority of us look at the remaining, shrinking minority of pious people left, and say –won’t it be nice when their eyes open and they stop killing, persecuting, and condemning in the name of a myth.

Atheism, History, Politics, Religion Baptist, bible, bullshit, fakes, James Randi

You have got to be kidding me. The Southern Baptist Convention has once again done themselves a huge disservice by acting like this is the 1st century BCE.  The SBC has pulled Gospel Today from the shelves at its bookstores. What surprised me more is that the SBC actually owns Lifeway bookstores. Who knew?!  Anyway, maybe moronic actions like this will ultimately be their undoing (from the Associate Press):

The group says women pastors go against its beliefs, according to its interpretation of the New Testament. The magazine was taken off stands in more than 100 Lifeway Christian Bookstores across the country, including six in metro Atlanta.

“They basically treated it like pornography and put it behind the counter,” the publisher, Teresa Hairston, said. “Unless a person goes into the store and asks for it, they won’t see it displayed.”

Nationally, the Southern Baptists have adopted statements discouraging women from being pastors, but their 42,000 U.S. churches are independent and a few have selected women to lead their congregations. The faith was organized in 1845 in Augusta, Ga.

Chris Turner, a spokesman for Lifeway Resources, said the cover was not the reason the magazine was pulled from Lifeway’s shelves.

“The buyers said the statements that were in it took positions that were contrary to what we would say,” Turner said. “It wasn’t so much that there were women on the cover.”

Featured on the cover are Pastor Sheryl Brady of The River in Durham, N.C.; Pastor Tamara Bennett of This Is Pentecost Ministries in Sacramento, Calif.; Bishop Millicent Hunter of The Baptist Worship Center in Philadelphia, Pa.; Pastor Claudette Copeland of New Creation Christian Fellowship in San Antonio, Texas; and Pastor Kimberly Ray of Church on the Rock in Matteson, Ill.

Backwoods, unenlightened fucking idiots. I only put the f-word in here hoping to increase my hits if people go searching for “fucking baptist porno” or “female pastors take it on the chin” or “lifeway books whips it out, but only if you ask nicely”.

Ironically, I support these women being in positions of leadership, as I would anyone.  Discrimination is such an ugly way to retain power — and that’s all it ever has been.  I’m so disappointed that I was born into the baptist faith.  Took me 40 years to escape from the shackles.  Sigh…

Religion bigots, Christian, discrimination, faith, ignorance, magazine, morons, sad

After seeing the best SNL opening I have seen in a while, I was inspired to blog about it.  First, Tina Fey nails Sarah Palin… in the theatrical sense.  Then, they whipped out (oops) the whole MILF thing. But they couldn’t leave it at that.  Amy Poehler doing Hillary (stop that) says that she doesn’t like being referred to as a “flirj”. Yeah, I had no clue, so I “Gergled” it like Hillary did.  Who would have known that there’s something Google doesn’t know?!  At any rate, the best I came up with was FLIRG = First Lady… I’d Rather Jack-Off.  Supposedly IRJ is a common suffix, so it follows that we would end up with flirg (vs. flerg, flerge, flerj, flerje, flirg, flirge, flirj, flirje, flurg, flurge, flurje, flurj, or flurdge which are clearly ridiculous and just plain wrong).

Actually, what made me laugh was later in the show when Alaska Pete (which harkins back to Produce Pete — not this douche, this douche) pointed out that Sarah Palin is not just a MILF, but is soon to officially be a GILF.  Kinda funny, and had not occurred to me… although I had already heard VPILF elsewhere.

Anyway, as you may or may not know based on the general ideology of this blog, I do not share Gov. Palin’s view of the world having been created in six days because God thought it was a good idea.  Nor, do I think that her youngest son was born with Down’s Syndrome because God thought that would be swell too.  In fact, I think it’s sad that McCain felt he needed to add that particular contrast to his ticket. On the other hand, she has shaken up this campaign in a way that was badly needed.

I still think McCain is to be the next president, and it scares me less than Obama.  I will reluctantly cast my vote for the screwed up, broken, Republican party once again.  If the Democrats can ever get their shit together and start to act like they will be responsible with our money, they’ll have my vote in a heartbeat (I am not implying that I think the Republicans have been responsible with our money, but they don’t overtly want to take as much of it away).  Until then, I feel like I have no choice but to deal with crazy Christians and the rest of the right outside of the political forum.  At the end of the day, I guess I worry more about my checkbook than I do my kid’s textbook.

Atheism, Google, Politics, Religion abortion, election, faith, insanity, Politics, stupidity, video

I have been wanting to post on Dr. Pausch’s death by pancreatic cancer and his religion, but really couldn’t find much to say beyond the other extensive reporting, and thought I was getting out of control with the obituaries (Snow and Carlin). 

Richard J. Radcliffe on the Law Religion Culture Review has an excellent post on Pausch and his religion (or lack thereof). I will point out that Pausch comes very close to embracing atheism when he says:

I was raised Presbyterian and attended church regularly until I was about 17. I like the fact that [Unitarian Universalism] appeals to reason and thought more than dogma.

I think this was a man who had sworn off religion much the same way I have.  If I found myself in his situation, I would conduct myself in the EXACT same way (well, I don’t teach, so it would be unlikely for me to give a last lecture).  My children do not know that I am a non-believer.  Many of the things I tell them have a universal non-religious wisdom just as the things Randy left for his children.  It’s possible he folded in more religion privately, but the philosophy he shared publicly is what will endure and be repeated thus defining who Randy Pausch was.  This will be what everyone, including his kids, will remember.

The best things I have seen come from him in his last few months of life are:

Never lose the child-like wonder. It’s just too important. It’s what drives us.

Wait long enough and people will surprise and impress you.

Do not tell people how to live their lives. Just tell them stories. And they will figure out how those stories apply to them.

We’re not going to talk about spirituality and religion. Although I will tell you that I have experienced a deathbed conversion. I just bought a Macintosh.

I’ve heard this said before and strongly subscribe to the notion:

The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people!

He was an impressive man and it gratifies me a great deal to see what an effect he has had on others. 

Kudos, Randy, and thanks for speaking out publicly for your kids.  It made us all better people.

Atheism, Religion, Science cancer, death, obit, pauch, paucsh, pausch, paush, Religion

In light of Tony Snow’s untimely death today, I think this piece he wrote not quite a year ago for Christianity Today is pretty sad:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/july/25.30.html

To believe in something so fervently just to bring comfort to yourself and your loved ones about the pain, suffering, worry, and randomness of such events makes no sense. Even some of the passages seem written to convince the reader (and maybe even the writer) that his beliefs are not just fantasy.

Blessings arrive in unexpected packages—in my case, cancer.

Seriously?

Those of us with potentially fatal diseases—and there are millions in America today—find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God’s will.

Uh, yeah… it’s certainly a challenge to discern “God’s Will” in a plan that includes as much death, disease, and destruction as His apparently does.  Just because people find strength through adversity does not mean there is a grand design or a designer.  In fact, I would suggest that this is direct evidence that there is NOT.

Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence What It All Means, Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.

OK, this is a problem.  Hints?  Consolations?  If I were all powerful and had left behind a book that was to give My most intelligent creatures some indication of my design, I might do better than vague hints and worthless consolations.  The bible is such a inconsistent mess, it’s hard to believe anything sensible can be gleaned from it. 

I don’t know why I have cancer, and I don’t much care. It is what it is—a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.

Here’s where a believer’s logic completely breaks down.  If it is “The Will of God” that you have cancer, why are you seeking a cure?! It’s God’s Will! Quit trying to alter God’s blessing for you. Even worse, these great and stunning truths were already there before you had cancer.  You were mortal before you had cancer. Why is it after these awakenings that people decide to live their life differently or more purposefully?

Love is free, and if you aren’t getting plenty of it, then you are not living right. Experiencing love without God getting the credit is wonderful. It focuses the energy and directs the action… it’s all you.  There is no other force behind your life.  Whatever you do with and for others is entirely your free will.  That’s what makes it so amazing.

Now get off the Internet, and go hug your kids, or kiss your wife, or walk your dog… Go tell someone that you love that you love them, especially if that’s not something you say frequently.

Atheism, Love, Politics, Religion cancer, death, faith, god, obit, tragedy