Some Christians, in light of the overwhelming evidence for evolution and an old earth, have attempted to reconcile Christianity and evolution with theistic evolution, or the belief that Genesis is actually symbolic and evolution is correct. Some justify this syncretism by saying that one day to God could mean thousands or millions of years to us. After all, He is God, isn't He? Some have attempted to say that since the big bang, time has been expanding, and when seven days is applied to this time expansion, seven days totals to around fifteen billion years, around what scientists have determined the age of the universe to be.
Atheists and creationists alike have leveled numerous attacks at this view. Unfortunately for theistic evolutionists, this view runs into several problems with Genesis and in fact undermines the entire theology behind Christianity. It directly contradicts some aspects of Genesis and some things elsewhere in the Bible.
Discrepancies with Genesis
If Genesis is just a poetic description of the beginnings of the universe and life on Earth, then it seems to have the order of events wrong. According to secular theories, stars and galaxies were formed first, followed by planets and solar systems, then DNA (and thus life) emerged on earth. Genesis, however, has the earth forming first, then the plants, then the sun (how the plants survived before the sun was formed is beyond me), followed by the surrounding cosmos.
Genesis describes the sun rising and setting between the days. This indicates a literal day, which runs into direct contradiction with the "day=era" theory. I don't know enough about modern cosmology to discuss the time expansion theory, but it runs into the problem of having the events in a different order, described earlier.
According to theistic evolution, God did not create the planet ex nihilo, or from nothing, a very important doctrine in Christianity. Genesis never states, not even in some metaphoric or symbolic way, that God created some sort of organic material to set off life's formation. It does not have earth forming from cosmic dust. It does not even state this symbolically (e.g. "God created dust to form the earth" or "God made the earth from dust"). This is very difficult for a Christian to explain away or interpret his way around (although I'm sure it can be done).
The Sabbath day Moses commanded the Jews to follow is meaningless by theistic evolution. In Exodus, the Jews are clearly instructed to work for six days and then do no work on the seventh, "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day [...]" (Ex. 20.11 KJV). The Jews weren't told to work for four and a half billion years and rest for a few hundred million. They were told to work for six days and to not work on the seventh. This is explicit!
Issues with Christian Theology
As described in this video, theistic evolution runs into the problem of evil. Evolution is rampant with suffering and death. It is why the weaker members of a species die off and give way to the stronger species for reproduction. It is why child birth is so painful. If God intentionally used evolution to create life, then the blame for death and suffering can no longer be placed on man's fall.
Theistic evolution undermines the entire doctrine of salvation by Christ's death on the cross. If suffering existed before man's creation and His actions, then there really is no need for salvation since it really isn't man's fault to begin with. Think about it. Because of disease and resource scarcity (a result of evolution), people have to kill members of other species to research cures for diseases and have to kill each other in war for resources. Theistic evolution really doesn't account for this.
If man's fall is just some sort of allegorical myth, then the integrity of Christian doctrine is undermined, since salvation through Christ reduces to symbolic allegory. Salvation through Christ is the central doctrine of Christianity. You cannot call yourself a Christian if you don't believe in this doctrine!
Clearly, theistic evolution raises some grave questions about Scripture and the entire theology of Christianity.
Conclusion
I am not attempting to disprove God or Christianity here. I am merely pointing out that theistic evolution seems to create a lot of problems for Christians who hold to the view. I am not saying that evolution somehow disproves God (although it certainly doesn't help Him out), but I am saying that for the theistic evolutionist, these issues have to be addressed.
From my personal standpoint, theistic evolution is a way of bridging the (very large) gap between modern science and Christianity. All it seems to do is just throw God into the mix. In short, it's a cop out. When Genesis is conflicted with scientific evidence, theistic evolution creates an excuse that clearly generates more problems than it solves (something not uncommon in Christian apologetics).
Further Reading:
"10 Dangers of Theistic Evolution"
"Is the 'Gap Theory' an acceptable way to harmonize the Bible and the geologic record?"
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Contemptible, Remorseless Cunt
In the area in which I live, I am frequently reminded of the utter moral reprehensibility of Christian fundamentalists. They're almost like professional football players. Society holds them up as role models and beacons for morality, when they are both (mostly) despicable individuals. I'd even go as far as saying that theologians are worse than professional football players with respect to immorality. Even I was surprised at the Jerry Falwell-worthy comments one of my instructors (who is a pastor spewing his hate to church goers when not in a classroom) made about a rape victim.
Before I get to his vile comments about the unfortunate victim, I would like to provide some background information on this pitiful, hateful man.
This person had his upbringings in a not-so-religious home, and one day in college, he found Jesus (I still can't find that sneaky fucker - I've checked everywhere). The man became a pastor, and the rest is history.
One day, he was discussing human mortality, and his thoughts on whether or not people survive death. Nothing out of the ordinary for the snake oil merchant. Then, he told us about his father, who is long dead and gone. Apparently, his father saw no reason to believe in surviving death, frequently claiming in the nursing home, "When you die, you die, and that's it!" According to the pastor, there were some other adjectives in there, as well.
Then, with a smile on his face, he said, "I think he found out how wrong he was after he died."
Just think about that. It's one thing if you're happy about abortion doctors and homosexuals burning in hell, but this man is content at the idea of his own father spending eternity in hell!
Despicable, heartless twat.
Commenting on recent protests by so-called "pro lifers", the shameless asshole got into a diatribe about how we're "ending human lives" and all that other jazz. Well that's something I'd expect, so his little soap box speech against abortion just went in one ear and out the other with me. But this individual dug himself a deeper grave.
He informed us of a rape in the area that led to a pregnancy. The woman was a hardcore Christian, evidently. She decided to keep the tumor. The bastard stated, with a typical preacher tone, "She decided not to throw away that human life." Now, I'm actually glad that he took a stance of opposing abortion even in the case of rape, because I feel that opposing abortion but supporting exceptions for rape is a double standard. Why does that fetus, which you claim is precious, suddenly have less value if it resulted from a rape? Saying you support abortion for rape victims is a double standard. I was at least happy he had a consistent view on the issue.
But this is where this twisted man's message got toxic. Mocking women's choice rights, he said, "The only choice she was capable of making was not going to that party with a bunch of people she didn't know from Adam."
Do you see what he has done? He has put the blame of a rape on the victim! He's basically said, "Well, she went out, got raped, knocked up, and it's her own damn fault for going to that party with those strange people."
Contemptible, bitter, remorseless cunt. Pitiful, asinine, self-righteous prick.
If there is a god, this asshole is not his prophet. I cannot accept that a god as evil and maniacal as this man is behind all time, energy, and matter in the universe. I'm sorry, but Christian fundamentalism is the last place I'll derive my morality from. If anything, it shows me exactly how not to behave.
Before I get to his vile comments about the unfortunate victim, I would like to provide some background information on this pitiful, hateful man.
This person had his upbringings in a not-so-religious home, and one day in college, he found Jesus (I still can't find that sneaky fucker - I've checked everywhere). The man became a pastor, and the rest is history.
One day, he was discussing human mortality, and his thoughts on whether or not people survive death. Nothing out of the ordinary for the snake oil merchant. Then, he told us about his father, who is long dead and gone. Apparently, his father saw no reason to believe in surviving death, frequently claiming in the nursing home, "When you die, you die, and that's it!" According to the pastor, there were some other adjectives in there, as well.
Then, with a smile on his face, he said, "I think he found out how wrong he was after he died."
Just think about that. It's one thing if you're happy about abortion doctors and homosexuals burning in hell, but this man is content at the idea of his own father spending eternity in hell!
Despicable, heartless twat.
Commenting on recent protests by so-called "pro lifers", the shameless asshole got into a diatribe about how we're "ending human lives" and all that other jazz. Well that's something I'd expect, so his little soap box speech against abortion just went in one ear and out the other with me. But this individual dug himself a deeper grave.
He informed us of a rape in the area that led to a pregnancy. The woman was a hardcore Christian, evidently. She decided to keep the tumor. The bastard stated, with a typical preacher tone, "She decided not to throw away that human life." Now, I'm actually glad that he took a stance of opposing abortion even in the case of rape, because I feel that opposing abortion but supporting exceptions for rape is a double standard. Why does that fetus, which you claim is precious, suddenly have less value if it resulted from a rape? Saying you support abortion for rape victims is a double standard. I was at least happy he had a consistent view on the issue.
But this is where this twisted man's message got toxic. Mocking women's choice rights, he said, "The only choice she was capable of making was not going to that party with a bunch of people she didn't know from Adam."
Do you see what he has done? He has put the blame of a rape on the victim! He's basically said, "Well, she went out, got raped, knocked up, and it's her own damn fault for going to that party with those strange people."
Contemptible, bitter, remorseless cunt. Pitiful, asinine, self-righteous prick.
If there is a god, this asshole is not his prophet. I cannot accept that a god as evil and maniacal as this man is behind all time, energy, and matter in the universe. I'm sorry, but Christian fundamentalism is the last place I'll derive my morality from. If anything, it shows me exactly how not to behave.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Went for a short walk this morning
On this lovely fall-ish morning, I went for a walk to my favorite spot on campus, the airport. It is in a fairly secluded location in the woods, and hardly anyone ever goes there. I really like hiking there on clear, cold winter nights to see if any planes come in or leave, something I, for some reason, love watching.
Of course, the best season of the year (winter) hasn't started yet, but a recent cold front has helped dry the hot, humid August air and has made for some very cool mornings, which will probably not return until late September. I decided to take advantage of this momentary lovely weather and hike to my favorite spot on campus, the first time I'd done so since I returned here from being home for the summer.
The walk itself is quite a joy. It's a very secluded walk, and it was made better by the unusually cool weather. I could see my breath in the rising sun, my ears were actually starting to get cold, and I even saw a flock of geese that appeared to be migrating. It stirred up some winter nostalgia and exhilaration in me, emotions I hadn't felt since last winter. It put me in a very good mood, to say the least. It was like a dramatic western movie scene where the cowboy rides away in front of some dramatic vista with exciting music playing. It was just THAT epic.
I was reminded of how lazy I was during the summer, because some of the inclines on that road made me a little out of breath. The walk hadn't killed me like that before! I figured by the end of the semester I'd be in decent shape again, though. It was well worth it, though, because when I reached the end of the walk, I got to take in deep breaths of the cool morning air and enjoy the sight of the long runway, the old aircraft hangar, the seclusion, and some of the planes parked outside the hangar. Before leaving, I even got to watch a small plane come in.
Night landings are the best, really. I love those awesome blue runway lights coming on, because they let you know a plane is coming in. Just look off to either end of the runway for a faint light, just brighter than one of the stars, slowly approaching the airport. You can hear its engines idling as it makes its descent. Very awesome.
I don't know what it is about airports and aviation and things like that, but I just really like being around that stuff. I could never fly a plane myself, given my shitty perceptual ability and godawful motor skills, but I do enjoy being around them.
I suppose being an aviation mechanic would probably be my dream job, since I do enjoy working on things like that. I don't know a damn thing about aircraft engines, aside from the different kinds there are, but it would be very interesting to learn about them.
This airport I go to is geographically secluded, but the people that work there are also considered the "black sheep" of the campus. The airport used to be a workstation choice for the college before an incident happened that led to the school ending its aviation program. I heard that it was a great workstation, and the supervisors were nothing like much of the other faculty (they weren't as uptight and cussed frequently, my kind of folks). It's a shame.
But the airport still runs, and I hike there to watch the planes or simply just for the isolation. It is quite possibly one of the few things that keeps me going strong in this cruddy location in the American Bible Belt.
Of course, the best season of the year (winter) hasn't started yet, but a recent cold front has helped dry the hot, humid August air and has made for some very cool mornings, which will probably not return until late September. I decided to take advantage of this momentary lovely weather and hike to my favorite spot on campus, the first time I'd done so since I returned here from being home for the summer.
The walk itself is quite a joy. It's a very secluded walk, and it was made better by the unusually cool weather. I could see my breath in the rising sun, my ears were actually starting to get cold, and I even saw a flock of geese that appeared to be migrating. It stirred up some winter nostalgia and exhilaration in me, emotions I hadn't felt since last winter. It put me in a very good mood, to say the least. It was like a dramatic western movie scene where the cowboy rides away in front of some dramatic vista with exciting music playing. It was just THAT epic.
I was reminded of how lazy I was during the summer, because some of the inclines on that road made me a little out of breath. The walk hadn't killed me like that before! I figured by the end of the semester I'd be in decent shape again, though. It was well worth it, though, because when I reached the end of the walk, I got to take in deep breaths of the cool morning air and enjoy the sight of the long runway, the old aircraft hangar, the seclusion, and some of the planes parked outside the hangar. Before leaving, I even got to watch a small plane come in.
Night landings are the best, really. I love those awesome blue runway lights coming on, because they let you know a plane is coming in. Just look off to either end of the runway for a faint light, just brighter than one of the stars, slowly approaching the airport. You can hear its engines idling as it makes its descent. Very awesome.
I don't know what it is about airports and aviation and things like that, but I just really like being around that stuff. I could never fly a plane myself, given my shitty perceptual ability and godawful motor skills, but I do enjoy being around them.
I suppose being an aviation mechanic would probably be my dream job, since I do enjoy working on things like that. I don't know a damn thing about aircraft engines, aside from the different kinds there are, but it would be very interesting to learn about them.
This airport I go to is geographically secluded, but the people that work there are also considered the "black sheep" of the campus. The airport used to be a workstation choice for the college before an incident happened that led to the school ending its aviation program. I heard that it was a great workstation, and the supervisors were nothing like much of the other faculty (they weren't as uptight and cussed frequently, my kind of folks). It's a shame.
But the airport still runs, and I hike there to watch the planes or simply just for the isolation. It is quite possibly one of the few things that keeps me going strong in this cruddy location in the American Bible Belt.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Attacks on Health Care Reform
These conservatives making a fuss at town hall meetings are only making asses of themselves and proving how stupid they are to the country and the world. Unfortunately, they are another black eye for liberal Americans, since they continue to demonstrate how ignorant some people in this country are, and they are promoting a broken health care system that other countries have known for some time to be a cruel violation of human rights.
Seriously, where will it end?
The most recent lie propagated by these insurance company drones is that there will be "death panels" to kill off senior citizens, and this has been a recurring theme of these feeble minded people at town hall meetings.
And the Republican propaganda machine is loving every minute of it, and exploiting these underinformed Americans. Some have hinted at having Democratic Congressmen assassinated!
Conservatives are demonstrating their desperation. They're running out of lies.
Birther conspiracy theories
Socialist takeover!
Rationed health care!
Death panels
Kieth Olbermann exposes forged town hall protests
Media Matters shows who is behind the lies
Glenn Beck again shows how much of an ass he is
Get Lou Dobbs fired!
More proof that town hall meetings are intentionally sabotaged
Seriously, where will it end?
The most recent lie propagated by these insurance company drones is that there will be "death panels" to kill off senior citizens, and this has been a recurring theme of these feeble minded people at town hall meetings.
And the Republican propaganda machine is loving every minute of it, and exploiting these underinformed Americans. Some have hinted at having Democratic Congressmen assassinated!
Conservatives are demonstrating their desperation. They're running out of lies.
Death panels
Kieth Olbermann exposes forged town hall protests
Media Matters shows who is behind the lies
Glenn Beck again shows how much of an ass he is
Get Lou Dobbs fired!
More proof that town hall meetings are intentionally sabotaged
Friday, July 31, 2009
Whiny ass communist liberals
This is a list of things all of those whiny commie liberals are making us THINK they've done for America with their MIND TRICKS! See, these LIBERALS are trying to make it LOOK like they're helping America, which is untrue. Everyone (by everyone I mean the good, decent people at Focus on the Family) knows it's us good Christian conservatives that help America. Don't fall for these liberal tricks!
- No funding for abstinence-only sex education - Barack Obama
- 127 billion dollar budget surplus - Bill Clinton
- Sex education that has prevented unplanned pregnancies and abortions - Planned Parenthood, ACLU, etc.
- Clean drinking water - EPA
- Safe food and drugs - FDA
- End of McCarthy raids - ACLU
- Protection of women's health - Roe v. Wade
- Civil rights - Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, NAACP
- Retirement - Social Security
- Women's suffrage - loudmouth feminists who should make their husbands a sandwich
- End of the Depression - FDR
- 40 hour work week, child labor laws, overtime, benefits - AFL-CIO, other labor unions
- Liberation of slaves - Abraham Lincoln, abolitionists, northern (blue) states
- First woman to practice law - Iowa, 1860s (Iowa's turning into a shitty blue state)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
What do I believe in?
I've reached an interesting conclusion recently. It's that atheism is a word that should not even be used. We do not define people by what they don't believe. You wouldn't call a Christian a non-Jew. Calling them a non-Jew is logically accurate, but it's senseless to call them that. That really doesn't tell us what they DO believe. Similarly, calling someone an atheist really doesn't give us an idea of what they do believe. Sure, it tells us they don't believe in any sort of deity, but it doesn't give us any idea what they do believe.
So what sort of things do I believe in? I believe in several things. I don't blindly worship a deity, but I have beliefs. What are these beliefs?
I believe in scientific progress. This means teaching science in science classes, not fantasy like creationism. Creationism will never make it to any peer-reviewed journal because there is no evidence for it. I believe in using physical evidence to explain things. A "feeling" is not physical evidence. The fact that you believe it does not make it true.
I believe in social progress and change. I believe in the benefit of society, the collective good. This does not mean the good of a few fat cats at AIG. I believe in the good of everyone, and that everyone has rights, even criminals, even the poor, even the disabled.
I believe in families, any families. Families by blood, families by adoption, or even a network of close friends. I believe that everyone has a right to have a family, not just heterosexual couples with their kids and their dog Spot. Everyone should be able to turn to the comfort of a family, gay or straight, by blood or adoption, with relatives or close friends.
I am a believer in morality. This means understanding that values are subjective. An understanding for one another's values is morally right. I believe that morality is measured not by tradition or dogmas, but by how well we treat our fellow man. A crusty, old alcoholic with a potty mouth who shows compassion and kindness for others is more moral than a virgin teetotaler priest who hates homosexuals and non-Christians. He may adhere to stronger traditions than the alcoholic, but he is still morally bankrupt because of his irrational resentment for people who like others with similar body parts.
I don't know what sort of word would summarize those beliefs. Maybe people could consider me a "secular humanist" or something like that. Calling me a liberal is certainly accurate. I simply believe in rational logic, and goodwill to others. I reject deities, but very strongly believe in progress and morality.
So what sort of things do I believe in? I believe in several things. I don't blindly worship a deity, but I have beliefs. What are these beliefs?
I believe in scientific progress. This means teaching science in science classes, not fantasy like creationism. Creationism will never make it to any peer-reviewed journal because there is no evidence for it. I believe in using physical evidence to explain things. A "feeling" is not physical evidence. The fact that you believe it does not make it true.
I believe in social progress and change. I believe in the benefit of society, the collective good. This does not mean the good of a few fat cats at AIG. I believe in the good of everyone, and that everyone has rights, even criminals, even the poor, even the disabled.
I believe in families, any families. Families by blood, families by adoption, or even a network of close friends. I believe that everyone has a right to have a family, not just heterosexual couples with their kids and their dog Spot. Everyone should be able to turn to the comfort of a family, gay or straight, by blood or adoption, with relatives or close friends.
I am a believer in morality. This means understanding that values are subjective. An understanding for one another's values is morally right. I believe that morality is measured not by tradition or dogmas, but by how well we treat our fellow man. A crusty, old alcoholic with a potty mouth who shows compassion and kindness for others is more moral than a virgin teetotaler priest who hates homosexuals and non-Christians. He may adhere to stronger traditions than the alcoholic, but he is still morally bankrupt because of his irrational resentment for people who like others with similar body parts.
I don't know what sort of word would summarize those beliefs. Maybe people could consider me a "secular humanist" or something like that. Calling me a liberal is certainly accurate. I simply believe in rational logic, and goodwill to others. I reject deities, but very strongly believe in progress and morality.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
VICTORY - Democrats now filibuster proof
Minn. court rules for Franken in Senate fight
The Democrats now have a filibuster proof majority!
However, it's not quite time to crack open the champagne. Hopefully, now that Democrats have an overwhelming majority, they will now have the courage to lead (instead of pussyfooting around like they've been doing). They need to get the ball rolling, or they might lose Congress next year, and this could be a hollow victory.
Regardless, this is some of the best news I've heard in a while.
Now, Democrats, the time has come to put these Republican bastards in their place. You are unstoppable. They cannot filibuster you. You have the majority. Bring change to America, and topple our corporate overlords. You can do it. Enough pussyfooting and worrying about "bipartisanship". Get to work!
The Democrats now have a filibuster proof majority!
However, it's not quite time to crack open the champagne. Hopefully, now that Democrats have an overwhelming majority, they will now have the courage to lead (instead of pussyfooting around like they've been doing). They need to get the ball rolling, or they might lose Congress next year, and this could be a hollow victory.
Regardless, this is some of the best news I've heard in a while.
Now, Democrats, the time has come to put these Republican bastards in their place. You are unstoppable. They cannot filibuster you. You have the majority. Bring change to America, and topple our corporate overlords. You can do it. Enough pussyfooting and worrying about "bipartisanship". Get to work!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Choose your poison: Television and the mainstream media
Jon and Kate Plus 8 and 18 Kids and Counting are two of the DUMBEST FUCKING TELEVISION SHOWS to ever plague cable. The mainstream media has betrayed the public, much like how Democrats have betrayed liberals. TV is full of misinformation about the issues and nothing more than cultural conditioning to worship the corporations (not to mention keep us from thinking critically). I have lost faith in television and feel dirty on the rare occasion I do watch it.
So, what sort of cultural conditioning is our general public being subjected to? What are some of the lies being told to the public on a daily basis over network news? One only needs to pick a channel. Choose your poison. Pick a venue to rot your mind.
ABC Family
Category: Cultural conditioning
Mind numbing index (0-10, 10 being fucking stupid): 6
Poison: The most prominent poisoning that this network injects into the public is probably the mindless show The Secret Life of the American Teenager, a program about a teenage girl getting knocked up. With teen pregnancy experiencing an increase, that sort of mistake is not something that should be glorified on television, but lo and behold, it is. Increased breeding is something the corporations love to no end. It means more consumers. On top of that, teenage parents usually don't get a higher education, so that means less people learning the critical thinking skills they need to see how much the general population is getting raped by corporations. Teenage pregnancy opens a whole can of worms of sociological problems, and the bourgeois benefits from the decline of the poor. So, it should come as no surprise that corporate media is glorifying teenage pregnancy, making it look like something that is obviously challenging, but exciting. Of course, this is seen in films, too. Movies like Juno are into the pregnancy craze, meaning more cultural conditioning to make people think pregnancy is "cool". The teenage girl getting the abortion she needs and preventing many problems with her life would be a good ending, but it doesn't infect our minds with propaganda.
Fox News
Category: Misinformation
MNI: 10
Poison: At least there's one network out there that makes its worship of corporations nakedly apparent. I could nitpick at several of the commentators on that network that tell half-truths or just bold-faced lies to the public, but let's look at Bill O'Reilly. This man's debate style, when he debates people that disagree with him, is to usually get his ass kicked in the debate, and then claim victory when it is over. Victory is not achieved by simply claiming it, but evidently this is something that hasn't occurred to old Bill. If all they did was support dipshit commentators, I wouldn't have too much of an issue with them, but they have also shown their bias in news that is supposed to be unbiased. Fair and balanced my ass. Before the war in Iraq, the show did a great job of brainwashing the public into approving of the war, using emotional appeal from 9/11 as well as graphics and dramatic music to drum up support for the war for oil. Sadly, other networks followed suit (FoxAttacks.com for more information). Fox also did a good job of prematurely declaring a Bush victory in the rigged 2000 election, when they said Florida was for Bush even though other networks were projecting a victory for Gore. The eight year nightmare caused by Bush may not have ever happened if Fox News wasn't around.
CNN
Category: Misinformation
MNI: 7
Poison: The event that made CNN a member of this list was probably their bastardization of the excellent Michael Moore film SiCKO. Dr. Sanjay Gupta misrepresented the film in numerous ways, using outdated statistics to refute Moore's movie. He should have been fired from the network for this, even though he was not. CNN is just as worthy of the spanking I just gave Fox as it played up the drama for support of the oil war after Fox did, showing it lacks morality and integrity.
MSNBC
Category: Misinformation
MNI: 3.5
Poison: MSNBC is not safe from this list. It is not near as bad as Faux Noise, and it does in fact show some accurate information. But like all other networks, it has abandoned good journalism. It is a far cry from Walter Cronkite, who traveled to Vietnam and did a report on how much the war effort was failing. Cronkite did what was right, and drummed up anti-war sentiment nationwide. Even though liars like LBJ and Nixon continued the war, they did it with very little popular support. The public was ignored, but at least aware. MSNBC, indeed all news networks, have gotten into the craze of doing reports on fingers in chili and Michael Jackson rather than exposing our government for how truly evil and corrupt it is. MSNBC has decided not to be different, demonstrating its lack of integrity. It also continues to glorify the Democrats, in spite of how much they have caved in to lobbyists and betrayed liberals.
TLC
Category: Cultural conditioning
MNI: 9
Poison: This is a perfect example of an "educational" network that has abandoned education. The programs Jon and Kate Plus 8 and 18 Kids and Counting glorify mindless breeding to an extent that even surprises me. Now, a truly educational network would try to educate the public on how environmentally irresponsible this behavior is and how it is blatantly immoral to breed to get a television show. They could do a special on the racist cult the Quiverfull Movement that Jim Bob Duggar (the Duggar patriarch) is a part of. It could discuss how Mr. Duggar indoctrinates his children with his mindless, religious ideology through compulsory homeschooling he provides them. It blows my mind as to why Mr. Duggar doesn't let his children watch television. It contains the same shit he's brainwashing his children with. Of course, this channel doesn't stop at glorifying breeding. It contains several reality television shows with the sole purpose of turning viewers' brains into soup.
The History Channel
Category: Cultural conditioning
MNI: 7
Poison: When this channel isn't glorifying religion, it is glorifying war. Many of the documentaries it has aired about war are highly dramatized and don't show any of the lies and evil behind war, or give a perspective of American history through the eyes of the general public. This channel could alone rescue the general public from the brainwashing it has been subjected to over the past century, maybe doing a special on the reasons behind the decline in public education. One show that really disillusioned me with this channel was a special it did about the apocalypse as described in the Bible, crying wolf about how the signs are everywhere that the end draws nigh. The details in the book of Revelation are so vague, though, that any moron could make any circumstance look like the "end is coming". The fact that the History channel played a role in this chicken little nonsense is sickening. People have been crying that the end was near since the Bible was written. How much longer will they cry wolf?
Cartoon Network
Category: Cultural conditioning
MNI: 9.5
Poison: Children are not safe from mind rotting television culture, as this channel does an excellent job of demonstrating. The shows on this channel today are so mind numbing, I don't see how children get a laugh from them. It is no wonder the average IQ of our children is dropping. Channels like this, and Nickelodeon (another channel meant to brainwash children) are owned by companies like Viacom, whose greed is nakedly apparent. Viacom is one of the largest copyright bullies around, and has gone as far as stealing the work of others and then slapping their copyright on it.
Who owns the media? Companies. Companies, by design, are without morality. The one rule of capitalism is that profit is good. Concerns about the public's capacity for critical thinking as well as knowledge of issues are irrelevant, and in fact are harmful to the bourgeois elite. If the general public was capable of critical thinking, they could not maintain their grip on the working and lower classes. This is why our culture is up its ass in mindless television and pop culture. It keeps the average person naive and unaware, and therefore a perfect drone for the bourgeois. If the public were to awaken, and abandon the "drugs" that are forced on it by religion, sex, alcohol, and television, our corporate rulers would fall, and America would go back to being a democracy, NOT an oligarchy.
So, what sort of cultural conditioning is our general public being subjected to? What are some of the lies being told to the public on a daily basis over network news? One only needs to pick a channel. Choose your poison. Pick a venue to rot your mind.
ABC Family
Category: Cultural conditioning
Mind numbing index (0-10, 10 being fucking stupid): 6
Poison: The most prominent poisoning that this network injects into the public is probably the mindless show The Secret Life of the American Teenager, a program about a teenage girl getting knocked up. With teen pregnancy experiencing an increase, that sort of mistake is not something that should be glorified on television, but lo and behold, it is. Increased breeding is something the corporations love to no end. It means more consumers. On top of that, teenage parents usually don't get a higher education, so that means less people learning the critical thinking skills they need to see how much the general population is getting raped by corporations. Teenage pregnancy opens a whole can of worms of sociological problems, and the bourgeois benefits from the decline of the poor. So, it should come as no surprise that corporate media is glorifying teenage pregnancy, making it look like something that is obviously challenging, but exciting. Of course, this is seen in films, too. Movies like Juno are into the pregnancy craze, meaning more cultural conditioning to make people think pregnancy is "cool". The teenage girl getting the abortion she needs and preventing many problems with her life would be a good ending, but it doesn't infect our minds with propaganda.
Fox News
Category: Misinformation
MNI: 10
Poison: At least there's one network out there that makes its worship of corporations nakedly apparent. I could nitpick at several of the commentators on that network that tell half-truths or just bold-faced lies to the public, but let's look at Bill O'Reilly. This man's debate style, when he debates people that disagree with him, is to usually get his ass kicked in the debate, and then claim victory when it is over. Victory is not achieved by simply claiming it, but evidently this is something that hasn't occurred to old Bill. If all they did was support dipshit commentators, I wouldn't have too much of an issue with them, but they have also shown their bias in news that is supposed to be unbiased. Fair and balanced my ass. Before the war in Iraq, the show did a great job of brainwashing the public into approving of the war, using emotional appeal from 9/11 as well as graphics and dramatic music to drum up support for the war for oil. Sadly, other networks followed suit (FoxAttacks.com for more information). Fox also did a good job of prematurely declaring a Bush victory in the rigged 2000 election, when they said Florida was for Bush even though other networks were projecting a victory for Gore. The eight year nightmare caused by Bush may not have ever happened if Fox News wasn't around.
CNN
Category: Misinformation
MNI: 7
Poison: The event that made CNN a member of this list was probably their bastardization of the excellent Michael Moore film SiCKO. Dr. Sanjay Gupta misrepresented the film in numerous ways, using outdated statistics to refute Moore's movie. He should have been fired from the network for this, even though he was not. CNN is just as worthy of the spanking I just gave Fox as it played up the drama for support of the oil war after Fox did, showing it lacks morality and integrity.
MSNBC
Category: Misinformation
MNI: 3.5
Poison: MSNBC is not safe from this list. It is not near as bad as Faux Noise, and it does in fact show some accurate information. But like all other networks, it has abandoned good journalism. It is a far cry from Walter Cronkite, who traveled to Vietnam and did a report on how much the war effort was failing. Cronkite did what was right, and drummed up anti-war sentiment nationwide. Even though liars like LBJ and Nixon continued the war, they did it with very little popular support. The public was ignored, but at least aware. MSNBC, indeed all news networks, have gotten into the craze of doing reports on fingers in chili and Michael Jackson rather than exposing our government for how truly evil and corrupt it is. MSNBC has decided not to be different, demonstrating its lack of integrity. It also continues to glorify the Democrats, in spite of how much they have caved in to lobbyists and betrayed liberals.
TLC
Category: Cultural conditioning
MNI: 9
Poison: This is a perfect example of an "educational" network that has abandoned education. The programs Jon and Kate Plus 8 and 18 Kids and Counting glorify mindless breeding to an extent that even surprises me. Now, a truly educational network would try to educate the public on how environmentally irresponsible this behavior is and how it is blatantly immoral to breed to get a television show. They could do a special on the racist cult the Quiverfull Movement that Jim Bob Duggar (the Duggar patriarch) is a part of. It could discuss how Mr. Duggar indoctrinates his children with his mindless, religious ideology through compulsory homeschooling he provides them. It blows my mind as to why Mr. Duggar doesn't let his children watch television. It contains the same shit he's brainwashing his children with. Of course, this channel doesn't stop at glorifying breeding. It contains several reality television shows with the sole purpose of turning viewers' brains into soup.
The History Channel
Category: Cultural conditioning
MNI: 7
Poison: When this channel isn't glorifying religion, it is glorifying war. Many of the documentaries it has aired about war are highly dramatized and don't show any of the lies and evil behind war, or give a perspective of American history through the eyes of the general public. This channel could alone rescue the general public from the brainwashing it has been subjected to over the past century, maybe doing a special on the reasons behind the decline in public education. One show that really disillusioned me with this channel was a special it did about the apocalypse as described in the Bible, crying wolf about how the signs are everywhere that the end draws nigh. The details in the book of Revelation are so vague, though, that any moron could make any circumstance look like the "end is coming". The fact that the History channel played a role in this chicken little nonsense is sickening. People have been crying that the end was near since the Bible was written. How much longer will they cry wolf?
Cartoon Network
Category: Cultural conditioning
MNI: 9.5
Poison: Children are not safe from mind rotting television culture, as this channel does an excellent job of demonstrating. The shows on this channel today are so mind numbing, I don't see how children get a laugh from them. It is no wonder the average IQ of our children is dropping. Channels like this, and Nickelodeon (another channel meant to brainwash children) are owned by companies like Viacom, whose greed is nakedly apparent. Viacom is one of the largest copyright bullies around, and has gone as far as stealing the work of others and then slapping their copyright on it.
Who owns the media? Companies. Companies, by design, are without morality. The one rule of capitalism is that profit is good. Concerns about the public's capacity for critical thinking as well as knowledge of issues are irrelevant, and in fact are harmful to the bourgeois elite. If the general public was capable of critical thinking, they could not maintain their grip on the working and lower classes. This is why our culture is up its ass in mindless television and pop culture. It keeps the average person naive and unaware, and therefore a perfect drone for the bourgeois. If the public were to awaken, and abandon the "drugs" that are forced on it by religion, sex, alcohol, and television, our corporate rulers would fall, and America would go back to being a democracy, NOT an oligarchy.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Democrats Suck
I'm sorry to say it, but this group of Democrats has got to be the sorriest I've ever seen. These pussies are letting themselves get trampled all over in the name of "bipartisanship." The concerns of the people are irrelevant. It's all about the concerns of the Senate. They are letting progressive measures get watered down by the Republican minority, often to a severe degree (like removing the public option from Obama's plan for health care reform). Their chief concern isn't fixing this country, it's making sure the Republicans don't get too pissy.
If anyone desires real change, they are labeled a "radical leftist" or a "socialist" and are told to shut up. The Republican propaganda machine is doing a fantastic job of inhibiting progress, with the aid of their poster boys like Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich. If change is making it's way through Congress, they only have to get behind their AM studio microphone or get up on Fox News and yell about "socialist takeover" or some other nonsense like that and it'll be watered down, in spite of popular support for real progressive measures.
And what are the Democrats doing? They are bending over and taking it! Even Democrats themselves are opposing real progress and change, just to appease this bat shit insane minority called the Republican party. The general public's pleas for change fall to deaf ears among the Senate Democrats.
Obama's health care "reform" will be successfully diluted, with no public option available (if it passes at all). The worst enemy of liberals is, ironically, the Democrats. The insurance companies will get to keep their stranglehold on health care, the rich will get richer and the poor poorer thanks to bankruptcies caused by medical bills.
Republican resentment for the poor is almost naked at this stage in the game, and thanks to a shitty educational system, no one is noticing it. What's even more frightening is how Democrats seem to be oblivious to the right wing dick being shoved up their assholes.
Bipartisanship is now at higher priority than fixing America.
The rest of the world continues to laugh at us. Laughing at how far behind we are on health care. Laughing at how we are letting ourselves get controlled by this insane minority. Europeans are well aware of what happens when a religious minority takes control (the Dark Ages), and they are watching it happen to us from their homes across the Atlantic.
I feel there probably won't be any real change in this country without some sort of revolution, or on the very slim chance the Democrats wake up and use that majority power and public support they've worked so hard to achieve.
It is likely that, because they've done virtually nothing to help this country, they will lose control of Congress next year. The election in 2012 could be like that of 1994, when there was record low voter turnout due to public disillusionment with politicians in general, especially castrated Democrats who didn't do a goddamn thing to help, as much as they originally wanted to. Obama could be voted out of the White House due to his inability to bring change. Unless these Democrats get their act together, Republicans could have the government back in 2012.
After that, hold onto your hats. Another eight years of Republican control awaits.
Oh boy.
If anyone desires real change, they are labeled a "radical leftist" or a "socialist" and are told to shut up. The Republican propaganda machine is doing a fantastic job of inhibiting progress, with the aid of their poster boys like Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich. If change is making it's way through Congress, they only have to get behind their AM studio microphone or get up on Fox News and yell about "socialist takeover" or some other nonsense like that and it'll be watered down, in spite of popular support for real progressive measures.
And what are the Democrats doing? They are bending over and taking it! Even Democrats themselves are opposing real progress and change, just to appease this bat shit insane minority called the Republican party. The general public's pleas for change fall to deaf ears among the Senate Democrats.
Obama's health care "reform" will be successfully diluted, with no public option available (if it passes at all). The worst enemy of liberals is, ironically, the Democrats. The insurance companies will get to keep their stranglehold on health care, the rich will get richer and the poor poorer thanks to bankruptcies caused by medical bills.
Republican resentment for the poor is almost naked at this stage in the game, and thanks to a shitty educational system, no one is noticing it. What's even more frightening is how Democrats seem to be oblivious to the right wing dick being shoved up their assholes.
Bipartisanship is now at higher priority than fixing America.
The rest of the world continues to laugh at us. Laughing at how far behind we are on health care. Laughing at how we are letting ourselves get controlled by this insane minority. Europeans are well aware of what happens when a religious minority takes control (the Dark Ages), and they are watching it happen to us from their homes across the Atlantic.
I feel there probably won't be any real change in this country without some sort of revolution, or on the very slim chance the Democrats wake up and use that majority power and public support they've worked so hard to achieve.
It is likely that, because they've done virtually nothing to help this country, they will lose control of Congress next year. The election in 2012 could be like that of 1994, when there was record low voter turnout due to public disillusionment with politicians in general, especially castrated Democrats who didn't do a goddamn thing to help, as much as they originally wanted to. Obama could be voted out of the White House due to his inability to bring change. Unless these Democrats get their act together, Republicans could have the government back in 2012.
After that, hold onto your hats. Another eight years of Republican control awaits.
Oh boy.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Some recommended sites
Okay, it's not normally like me to spam my readers with other websites, but these are some websites that I would recommend to any free-thinking, rational person, one that despises the fascist takeover of America that's been happening for at the very least a century.
Skeptics Annotated Bible - an entire Internet Bible that won't gloss over those embarrassing verses like a preacher would (unless that preacher is Fred Phelps, of course).
Scott Bidstrup - if you would like to learn more about how evil this nation is, and the extent to which it is doomed to fascism, pay this place a visit. Under the "Patriot" Act, this man had his home illegally searched, his computer illegally stolen, and received death threats that he has traced to government IP addresses. He now lives in exile in Costa Rica.
Evil Bible - showcases just how evil the Bible is. And for those of you out there saying, "Well Jesus saved us from the stuff in the Old Testament", there is a page on there for you. The Old Testament is valid!
Bible Blunders - debunks many of the myths Christians like to spread about the Bible (such as the supposedly "fulfilled" Old Testament "prophecies").
League of Reason - a forum originally set up to combat censorship on YouTube, it is now an oasis for free thinking and reason. Share your ideas on this growing community.
Skeptical Science - takes each global warming denialist argument (noticed I didn't say "skeptic") and thoroughly destroys them. Sorry, but the science just isn't on your side, denialists.
"Lighthouses are more useful than churches."
-Benjamin Franklin (turns out it wasn't Jefferson who said that - my apologies)
Skeptics Annotated Bible - an entire Internet Bible that won't gloss over those embarrassing verses like a preacher would (unless that preacher is Fred Phelps, of course).
Scott Bidstrup - if you would like to learn more about how evil this nation is, and the extent to which it is doomed to fascism, pay this place a visit. Under the "Patriot" Act, this man had his home illegally searched, his computer illegally stolen, and received death threats that he has traced to government IP addresses. He now lives in exile in Costa Rica.
Evil Bible - showcases just how evil the Bible is. And for those of you out there saying, "Well Jesus saved us from the stuff in the Old Testament", there is a page on there for you. The Old Testament is valid!
Bible Blunders - debunks many of the myths Christians like to spread about the Bible (such as the supposedly "fulfilled" Old Testament "prophecies").
League of Reason - a forum originally set up to combat censorship on YouTube, it is now an oasis for free thinking and reason. Share your ideas on this growing community.
Skeptical Science - takes each global warming denialist argument (noticed I didn't say "skeptic") and thoroughly destroys them. Sorry, but the science just isn't on your side, denialists.
"Lighthouses are more useful than churches."
-Benjamin Franklin (turns out it wasn't Jefferson who said that - my apologies)
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
It's official...
...Iowa > California
California Supreme Court Upholds Ban on Gay Marriage
It is indeed an embarrassing day for Californians. This just has to be humiliating for them, knowing that some podunk state in the Midwest is more progressive than their state. Bill Maher even said, in his New Rules segment, "The California Supreme Court better get hip before Hollywood moves out to Des Moines."
I actually spent all last weekend in Iowa. I loved every minute of it. Of course, I wasn't in total bliss since it wasn't winter, but it was still awesome. Never saw a single Arkansas license plate. Mostly Obama bumper stickers (as well as other liberal bumper stickers). It was a real paradise, "my friends" (in the words of the illustrious John McCain).
I've always thought Iowa, indeed the Midwest, was better than California. I like the weather a lot more, I even like the people a little better. Real estate is certainly more affordable (although that may change with Californians abandoning the expensive real estate out there and heading back to the heartland). But now, it's official. California flat out sucks. The weather sucks, the politics suck, their Lexus-driving Bourgeois snobs suck, it's just a shitty state altogether.
Oh well. Sucks for them.
-Matt
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Pat Robertson: Shameless asshole, douchebag, prick, etc.
I make no apology in calling Pat Robertson a shameless old dickhead. Robertson would be a field man in Satan's army, if Satan was real. Pat Robertson, and others like him, are people that bring nations down. Sinclair Lewis once said that when fascism arrives in America, it will be wrapped in a flag and holding a cross.
These dangerous individuals need to be called out on their obnoxious, anti-progressive behavior. They are a greater threat to our country than radical Islam. Indeed, Christian conservatives are the radical Muslims of the west.
I have many reasons for labeling Pat Robertson a shameless asshole, douchebag, prick, etc.
For one, he is insensitive. This old, bigoted buffoon remorselessly stated that Americans deserved what they got on 9/11, and even said that we should expect worse. Here is the video. Watch that video carefully. You can almost detect the anticipation in Falwell's (the fat dickhead) voice when he says that 9/11 could be small compared to "what's to come". These idiots want terrorist attacks in our country, and are glad 9/11 happened. Make no mistake. They want terrorist attacks on our country. They never explicitly state it, but you can tell by Falwell's comments on more "punishment" that awaits us, because it would serve this country full of filthy fags and abortion doctors right!
He is simply out of touch with reality, as are many so-called "pro-lifers". A family that is barely able to feed itself means nothing to this old windbag, but fetuses are absolutely sacred! I'd love to see this guy raise a family on minimum wage, and then discover his wife is pregnant with another one. I wouldn't be surprised if he intimidated the woman into getting the pregnancy terminated, for reasons I will explain later. Doctors that would perform this procedure, to him, deserve some of the blame for 9/11.
He is clearly homophobic. You can hear the animosity in his voice when he mentions gays in that video to which I've linked. He says "gays", but the tone of his voice says, "filthy, degenerate beasts".
He is a shameless asshole, douchebag, prick, and many other things!
Robertson is bigoted, without question. He is a homophobic bigot, but also a sexist bigot. Pro-life men want to control women. It's that simple. They're not "protecting sacred life" or anything like that. Don't buy that line of bullshit for even a second. This man's greed, combined with his clear sentiment against women, is why I believe he would intimidate his wife (with no regard for her feelings) into having an abortion if he was raising a family on minimum wage. Many sexist pro-lifers are like this. Many of them would simply not care about their wives' feelings on their pregnancy if they themselves were trying to support a family with little income. They would probably want her aborted as soon as possible!
If men could get pregnant, abortion probably would not even be a legal issue.
This shameless old asshole, douchebag, and prick has animosity toward gays, women, and nonbelievers as well. This video demonstrates very well how fundamentalism destroys relationships. Listen to this dick when he tells a caller that she should break the engagement with her fiance, because he doesn't worship the ancient bronze age god of the desert. Again, you can detect the contempt in his voice when he discusses this slimy, nonbelieving animal.
This kind of backwards thinking is very dangerous for a country. It slows scientific and social progress. Much like radical Islam, which has served as an inhibitor of progress in the Middle East, it can serve as a progress inhibitor in the States. Yes, this is a serious issue. It has inhibited progress in America, and in some ways, still does. Look at the various state abortion laws, which endanger women's health (e.g. laws requiring parental consent for out of state abortions). Look at the legislation against gays in several states (*coughs* Prop 8). I spend much of the year in an area that is ill with this kind of counterproductive thought. Spend some time in the American Jesusland and you will see firsthand how dangerous this line of thought is. Some states allow pharmacists to patronize teenage girls requesting birth control (because letting them get pregnant with a child they can't care for is so much better). Have you ever seen something so demonstrably stupid in America that it makes you facepalm and say, "How can this happen? It's the 21st century!"? That is the work of people like Pat Robertson!
We have to ensure, through any means possible, to call people like Pat Robertson out on their bullshit. This will ensure their toxic rhetoric doesn't poison American policy (at least not to a severe degree). If we sit and let these snakes slither into the political system without resistance, we can suffer the same fate as countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia, with little regard for scientific achievement and no concern for social progress.
Robertson's naked homophobia:
Pat Robertson being himself
This dipshit can't keep his foot out of his mouth!
Pat Robertson Controversies
These dangerous individuals need to be called out on their obnoxious, anti-progressive behavior. They are a greater threat to our country than radical Islam. Indeed, Christian conservatives are the radical Muslims of the west.
I have many reasons for labeling Pat Robertson a shameless asshole, douchebag, prick, etc.
For one, he is insensitive. This old, bigoted buffoon remorselessly stated that Americans deserved what they got on 9/11, and even said that we should expect worse. Here is the video. Watch that video carefully. You can almost detect the anticipation in Falwell's (the fat dickhead) voice when he says that 9/11 could be small compared to "what's to come". These idiots want terrorist attacks in our country, and are glad 9/11 happened. Make no mistake. They want terrorist attacks on our country. They never explicitly state it, but you can tell by Falwell's comments on more "punishment" that awaits us, because it would serve this country full of filthy fags and abortion doctors right!
He is simply out of touch with reality, as are many so-called "pro-lifers". A family that is barely able to feed itself means nothing to this old windbag, but fetuses are absolutely sacred! I'd love to see this guy raise a family on minimum wage, and then discover his wife is pregnant with another one. I wouldn't be surprised if he intimidated the woman into getting the pregnancy terminated, for reasons I will explain later. Doctors that would perform this procedure, to him, deserve some of the blame for 9/11.
He is clearly homophobic. You can hear the animosity in his voice when he mentions gays in that video to which I've linked. He says "gays", but the tone of his voice says, "filthy, degenerate beasts".
He is a shameless asshole, douchebag, prick, and many other things!
Robertson is bigoted, without question. He is a homophobic bigot, but also a sexist bigot. Pro-life men want to control women. It's that simple. They're not "protecting sacred life" or anything like that. Don't buy that line of bullshit for even a second. This man's greed, combined with his clear sentiment against women, is why I believe he would intimidate his wife (with no regard for her feelings) into having an abortion if he was raising a family on minimum wage. Many sexist pro-lifers are like this. Many of them would simply not care about their wives' feelings on their pregnancy if they themselves were trying to support a family with little income. They would probably want her aborted as soon as possible!
If men could get pregnant, abortion probably would not even be a legal issue.
This shameless old asshole, douchebag, and prick has animosity toward gays, women, and nonbelievers as well. This video demonstrates very well how fundamentalism destroys relationships. Listen to this dick when he tells a caller that she should break the engagement with her fiance, because he doesn't worship the ancient bronze age god of the desert. Again, you can detect the contempt in his voice when he discusses this slimy, nonbelieving animal.
This kind of backwards thinking is very dangerous for a country. It slows scientific and social progress. Much like radical Islam, which has served as an inhibitor of progress in the Middle East, it can serve as a progress inhibitor in the States. Yes, this is a serious issue. It has inhibited progress in America, and in some ways, still does. Look at the various state abortion laws, which endanger women's health (e.g. laws requiring parental consent for out of state abortions). Look at the legislation against gays in several states (*coughs* Prop 8). I spend much of the year in an area that is ill with this kind of counterproductive thought. Spend some time in the American Jesusland and you will see firsthand how dangerous this line of thought is. Some states allow pharmacists to patronize teenage girls requesting birth control (because letting them get pregnant with a child they can't care for is so much better). Have you ever seen something so demonstrably stupid in America that it makes you facepalm and say, "How can this happen? It's the 21st century!"? That is the work of people like Pat Robertson!
We have to ensure, through any means possible, to call people like Pat Robertson out on their bullshit. This will ensure their toxic rhetoric doesn't poison American policy (at least not to a severe degree). If we sit and let these snakes slither into the political system without resistance, we can suffer the same fate as countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia, with little regard for scientific achievement and no concern for social progress.
Robertson's naked homophobia:
Pat Robertson being himself
This dipshit can't keep his foot out of his mouth!
Pat Robertson Controversies
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Debunking Pascal's Wager
One thing that made me hold my beliefs for as long as I did was Pascal's Wager. This is the idea that one should believe in god just to "be safe". If you believe and it turns out there isn't a god, then the worst that happens is you simply die. But if you don't believe and there is, the result is pretty severe. Therefore, it's better to believe and be wrong than it is to not believe and be wrong.
Well, there are numerous reasons this argument fails.
It ignores other heavens and hells, for one thing. What if you kick the bucket and Muhammad is standing at the pearly gates (and you're a Christian). Then you and atheists are both going to hell, but at least the atheists got to sleep in on Sundays.
Besides, there are over 30,000 denominations of Christianity, each claiming to be the "correct" one. What if you have the wrong denomination? What if it turns out the Mormons are the ones that got it right, and you're a reformed Calvinist or something like that? Even as a Christian, you've only got one chance in about 30,000 of entering heaven.
Hell's got quite the history behind it, actually. What if I told you that it is never mentioned in the Old Testament? In an accurate Bible translation, it never appears in the Old Testament. Ever. The King James Version of the Bible actually mistranslates the word "Sheol" into hell. Sheol, in Hebrew, is simply "the grave". This essentially means you die, you stay dead, that's it. Sheol is simply the resting place of the dead, righteous or otherwise.
The ancient Hebrews had no concept of hell. Hell is never mentioned, in its current understanding, until the New Testament, and it is believed that it only appears in the NT because of Sheol's mistranslation in the OT.
Hell is never mentioned, in any translation of the Bible, in Mosaic Law (that is - the first five books of the OT). Mosaic Law only deals with curses and blessings in this lifetime, not in the life to come. Now, you'd think God would have told his covenant people about a place like Hell. You'd think it would have been mentioned to Adam and Eve, or at least to folks like Abraham and Moses, but in is never mentioned to them.
So, the question is, where did Hell come from?
Well, like many other things in Christianity, the concept of Hell is plagiarized from paganism. The Greeks, for instance, believed in the underworld, where all the dead went, righteous or otherwise, to simply rest. No eternal torture. Around Jerusalem, many pagans did child sacrifices in a trash dump called Gehenna, where these children were burned alive in a sacrifice to Baal. It was the valley where the dead burned. Sounds familiar, huh?
Hell is merely an appeal to fear. In the early Catholic church, many people were not allowed into the church unless they believed that some would be in torment forever in Hell. Hell was used, originally, as a tactic for people to give the church money. Money to be kept from Hell. Hell is a scam.
There are actually Christians that don't believe in the existence of hell, and for good reason.
I would like to address the fence sitters at this point. Those of you who are beginning to think of throwing off those chains of religion forever. I implore you, all of you, to throw those shackles down. The natural world isn't so bad, guys. You get to go to bed without having to talk to the air, you can sleep in on Sundays, you can have all the sex you want (safely, of course), the list goes on. You are good people. There are many good people out there who could be at their full potential if they didn't have the religion monkey on their backs. Let's remove ourselves from the stocks of religion and become a healthy species!
-Matt
Well, there are numerous reasons this argument fails.
It ignores other heavens and hells, for one thing. What if you kick the bucket and Muhammad is standing at the pearly gates (and you're a Christian). Then you and atheists are both going to hell, but at least the atheists got to sleep in on Sundays.
Besides, there are over 30,000 denominations of Christianity, each claiming to be the "correct" one. What if you have the wrong denomination? What if it turns out the Mormons are the ones that got it right, and you're a reformed Calvinist or something like that? Even as a Christian, you've only got one chance in about 30,000 of entering heaven.
Hell's got quite the history behind it, actually. What if I told you that it is never mentioned in the Old Testament? In an accurate Bible translation, it never appears in the Old Testament. Ever. The King James Version of the Bible actually mistranslates the word "Sheol" into hell. Sheol, in Hebrew, is simply "the grave". This essentially means you die, you stay dead, that's it. Sheol is simply the resting place of the dead, righteous or otherwise.
The ancient Hebrews had no concept of hell. Hell is never mentioned, in its current understanding, until the New Testament, and it is believed that it only appears in the NT because of Sheol's mistranslation in the OT.
Hell is never mentioned, in any translation of the Bible, in Mosaic Law (that is - the first five books of the OT). Mosaic Law only deals with curses and blessings in this lifetime, not in the life to come. Now, you'd think God would have told his covenant people about a place like Hell. You'd think it would have been mentioned to Adam and Eve, or at least to folks like Abraham and Moses, but in is never mentioned to them.
So, the question is, where did Hell come from?
Well, like many other things in Christianity, the concept of Hell is plagiarized from paganism. The Greeks, for instance, believed in the underworld, where all the dead went, righteous or otherwise, to simply rest. No eternal torture. Around Jerusalem, many pagans did child sacrifices in a trash dump called Gehenna, where these children were burned alive in a sacrifice to Baal. It was the valley where the dead burned. Sounds familiar, huh?
Hell is merely an appeal to fear. In the early Catholic church, many people were not allowed into the church unless they believed that some would be in torment forever in Hell. Hell was used, originally, as a tactic for people to give the church money. Money to be kept from Hell. Hell is a scam.
There are actually Christians that don't believe in the existence of hell, and for good reason.
I would like to address the fence sitters at this point. Those of you who are beginning to think of throwing off those chains of religion forever. I implore you, all of you, to throw those shackles down. The natural world isn't so bad, guys. You get to go to bed without having to talk to the air, you can sleep in on Sundays, you can have all the sex you want (safely, of course), the list goes on. You are good people. There are many good people out there who could be at their full potential if they didn't have the religion monkey on their backs. Let's remove ourselves from the stocks of religion and become a healthy species!
-Matt
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Climate change fucks over California
The Santa Barbara wildfire in California that has already led to more than thirty thousand being evacuated can be easily linked to climate change.
California has been experiencing a drought for three years as of 2009. LLNL scientists have stated that this drought has the fingerprints of climate change all over it. Climate change has our fingerprints all over it. To say it does not, at this point, is a denial of reality.
I've been following the issue of climate change fairly closely for about two or three years. I am very passionate about this issue, because it really hits home for me. Read my profile to understand why.
I am not really a scientist. I am merely a sophomore chemistry major. I haven't really done any sort of independent research, and I haven't written a dissertation on climate change. But I have researched this issue very heavily. I used to be a climate change denier, and I researched the hell out of it so I could prove that it wasn't happening, or if it was, that we weren't causing it. In doing so, I converted to a global warming activist.
The folks on the hill have done everything they can to put a media smokescreen over the research that has been done by scientists supporting climate change. These Bourgeois bastards will not willingly pay up for the damage they've been doing, or have duped us all with these "carbon trade" schemes to alleviate guilt.
In capitalist society, this issue cannot be solved. Period. The free market system only cares about what is profitable, not what is best for the environment or for the people. It doesn't matter how many species go extinct or how many people lose their homes, what makes money is what's best.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
A spectre is haunting midwest conservatives
Weep and wail, you back asswards ignoramuses that are tarnishing the Midwest's image! Weep and wail! Your destruction is imminent!
Homophobic conservatives just received a political BITCH SLAP recently as Iowa, yes, Iowa recently legislated protection of gay marriage (I realize this is old news). Yes, IOWA! Easily one of my favorite states. It's cold, it's rural, and I love that. But it was a blue state in the last election and it has allowed tolerance within its borders! Tolerant and progressive Iowa! Yes! I have yet another reason to be proud of one of my favorite states. Hats off to you, Iowa courts!
There seems to be a wave of blue washing across this red heartland. Non violent political revolution is in the air. I can smell it. Oh, how sweet it is.
Don't believe that it's happening in the Midwest so far? Well here's some more information. As of 2008, Rock Port, Missouri was the first town in the nation to run entirely on wind energy. Wind farms are popping up all over Iowa and Kansas, too.
Again I say, weep you Midwest conservatives. Your tears are sweet. The sound of your crying is music.
Iowa's history of awesomeness
Homophobic conservatives just received a political BITCH SLAP recently as Iowa, yes, Iowa recently legislated protection of gay marriage (I realize this is old news). Yes, IOWA! Easily one of my favorite states. It's cold, it's rural, and I love that. But it was a blue state in the last election and it has allowed tolerance within its borders! Tolerant and progressive Iowa! Yes! I have yet another reason to be proud of one of my favorite states. Hats off to you, Iowa courts!
There seems to be a wave of blue washing across this red heartland. Non violent political revolution is in the air. I can smell it. Oh, how sweet it is.
Don't believe that it's happening in the Midwest so far? Well here's some more information. As of 2008, Rock Port, Missouri was the first town in the nation to run entirely on wind energy. Wind farms are popping up all over Iowa and Kansas, too.
Again I say, weep you Midwest conservatives. Your tears are sweet. The sound of your crying is music.
Iowa's history of awesomeness
Monday, May 4, 2009
A Little Information on Communism
There is one thing that needs to be made clear in today's world about communism. There is a misconception in our modern American society that the Soviet Union under Stalin was a communist government. The truth is: IT WAS NOT. This nation was under the oppressive thumb of a totalitarian bureaucracy, NOT a communist government! In fact, Joseph Stalin had Marxists and other advocates of true communism in his country exterminated. Joseph Stalin was an oppressive dictator, not a communist leader.Capitalists love this misconception, and it's one that keeps many in this country terrified of the word communism to this day. Communism's negative connotation is rooted at this mistake.
The world has never seen a real communism, and it won't until these oppressive control instruments keeping our species divided (e.g. patriotism, religion) collapse. It doesn't help that the United States government has been doing a fantastic job of assassinating and overthrowing democratically elected rulers in Latin America who were communists. This has caused turmoil and rough relations in Latin America to this day: drug lords, illegal immigration, etc... we are reaping what we have sewn!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Specter and Franken, Perry and Palin
Trickle-down economics work perfectly
(if you've been in a coma for the past 30 years)
Arlen Specter has made the wise decision of joining the Democrats. I had wondered why he had stayed with the Republicans for such a long time. He was one of the few pro-choice Republicans, and sided with the Democrats on many other issues. The GOP is a sinking ship, and Specter has wisely abandoned the pedophiles, warmongers, and all out fascists on that doomed vessel. He, like many former Republicans (and other conservatives), has hopped aboard the life boat of science, progress, and the abandonment of failed "Reaganomics".
This switch is very critical, as it puts the Democrats one seat away from having the entire legislative branch under their thumb. If Al Franken gets the Senate seat he's after, the Democrats will be completely immune to Republican filibusters.
I've also recently learned that Obama has a Supreme Court vacancy on his hands. This could potentially give progressives control of the Judicial Branch as well (which is crucial if some capitalist pig decides to litigate against a policy he doesn't like).
Progressive America is extremely close to having all three branches of government.
Oh their God... just imagine a progressive America. An America that is finally caught up with other civilized nations. Just sit and think about the diseases that can be cured, the environmental problems that can be solved (climate change), workers rights, the eventual destruction of the Bourgeois. We can finally become an atheist state like we were meant to be.
Final thoughts.
Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, and Sarah Palin, the bitch governing Alaska, have hinted at secession in response to Obama's so-called "big government" administration. Big fucking deal, I say. Please, secede! Good riddance to them!
If the red states left the union, they would remove science and reason from their government agenda. They would become a third world country in a matter of decades. A real third world nation. (I see America as a civilized third world nation right now, since we have a third world economy and health care system).
Good riddance to Texas, Alaska, and whatever other Jesusland states that decide to leave. Good fucking riddance.
Matt
(if you've been in a coma for the past 30 years)
Arlen Specter has made the wise decision of joining the Democrats. I had wondered why he had stayed with the Republicans for such a long time. He was one of the few pro-choice Republicans, and sided with the Democrats on many other issues. The GOP is a sinking ship, and Specter has wisely abandoned the pedophiles, warmongers, and all out fascists on that doomed vessel. He, like many former Republicans (and other conservatives), has hopped aboard the life boat of science, progress, and the abandonment of failed "Reaganomics".
This switch is very critical, as it puts the Democrats one seat away from having the entire legislative branch under their thumb. If Al Franken gets the Senate seat he's after, the Democrats will be completely immune to Republican filibusters.
I've also recently learned that Obama has a Supreme Court vacancy on his hands. This could potentially give progressives control of the Judicial Branch as well (which is crucial if some capitalist pig decides to litigate against a policy he doesn't like).
Progressive America is extremely close to having all three branches of government.
Oh their God... just imagine a progressive America. An America that is finally caught up with other civilized nations. Just sit and think about the diseases that can be cured, the environmental problems that can be solved (climate change), workers rights, the eventual destruction of the Bourgeois. We can finally become an atheist state like we were meant to be.
Final thoughts.
Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, and Sarah Palin, the bitch governing Alaska, have hinted at secession in response to Obama's so-called "big government" administration. Big fucking deal, I say. Please, secede! Good riddance to them!
If the red states left the union, they would remove science and reason from their government agenda. They would become a third world country in a matter of decades. A real third world nation. (I see America as a civilized third world nation right now, since we have a third world economy and health care system).
Good riddance to Texas, Alaska, and whatever other Jesusland states that decide to leave. Good fucking riddance.
Matt
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Concluding remarks
Well I just finished Revelation, the last book of the horrendous christian scripture. I must say, it does a nice job of concluding a book where it seems like every other word is DEATH or KILL or DIE or ANGER or WRATH or something similar. Seriously, I wonder what kind of anger issues these bronze age men had.
I really loved chapter 14, where it talks about how unbelievers will be tormented in burning sulfur in the face of this loving god, who will smell the sweet aroma of the smoke off their burning flesh, that will rise forever and ever (it's in there, see for yourself).
Seriously, how the FUCK do people buy into this shit? Who is the sick motherfucker that made this crap up??
I am regretful that my first nineteen years of life were spent with this crucifix-shaped dick up my ass. My pity goes out to the people who believe the shit in this book.
-Matt
I really loved chapter 14, where it talks about how unbelievers will be tormented in burning sulfur in the face of this loving god, who will smell the sweet aroma of the smoke off their burning flesh, that will rise forever and ever (it's in there, see for yourself).
Seriously, how the FUCK do people buy into this shit? Who is the sick motherfucker that made this crap up??
I am regretful that my first nineteen years of life were spent with this crucifix-shaped dick up my ass. My pity goes out to the people who believe the shit in this book.
-Matt
Time to rip a new asshole
I was on Facebook the other day looking through peoples' profiles at my college, and I saw something on a fellow student's profile that made me so mad I was tempted to send him a private message telling him how much of an ignorant, bigoted asshole he is.
Under his favorite quotations he had some misrepresented Stephen Colbert quote: "Atheism is a religion for people full of themselves" or some stupid shit like that.
Okay, even if Stephen Colbert really did say that, he was making fun of the religious bigots that make up the christian right. He acts like an egotistical conservative because he's making fun of them, jackass! He was making fun of people like the dumbass who put his quote on his Facebook page to make it look like something Colbert was being serious about.
Conservatives are so goddamn stupid. They don't even recognize when they're being made fun of. Someone could mock them and they would laugh about it because they'd think the person mocking them was being serious.
By the way, this dumbass fully intended the quote to represent his narrow, bigoted worldview. He boasts about being very conservative on his profile and has a bunch of shit on there where he basically sucks his god's dick like a good little ignorant, religious drone.
He fully meant to misrepresent Colbert's quote. If he seriously thought that Colbert was being serious when (and IF) he made that statement, then it shows how much this particular cocksucker doesn't understand satire and also shows that he idolizes people that sound as stupid as Colbert pretends to be. If he was fully aware that Colbert was being satirical, then he knew he was misrepresenting Colbert's quote in an attempt to quote mine for his ignorant, dogmatic cause.
It's not only crap because he misrepresented one of the funniest people in television, but also because he labels atheism as a religion (which is a complete mislabeling of a philosophy) and also because he labels all atheists as self-absorbed people.
Atheism is about as much of a religion as not collecting stamps is a hobby. Calling it a religion is an insult. Religions are superstitions and beliefs which have no evidence to support them.
He's also being repulsive in doing this because it is just plain hate. Religious bigotry. It's like getting on Facebook and saying something like, "All Jews have big noses" or something dumb like that. Sure, there are self-absorbed atheists. Just like there are self-absorbed christians and jews and whatever else. Atheism is NOT a necessary condition of self absorption. The converse is not true either. Making such a claim is full-blown irrational hatred. There's no other way to put it. It's religious bigotry.
So, this is just my "suck my balls" to dumbasses like this person who, because they can't convince intelligent people to follow their dogmatic views, quote mine and misrepresent for their cause. May the imaginary god help us if these people ever gain control of our government.
-Matt
Under his favorite quotations he had some misrepresented Stephen Colbert quote: "Atheism is a religion for people full of themselves" or some stupid shit like that.
Okay, even if Stephen Colbert really did say that, he was making fun of the religious bigots that make up the christian right. He acts like an egotistical conservative because he's making fun of them, jackass! He was making fun of people like the dumbass who put his quote on his Facebook page to make it look like something Colbert was being serious about.
Conservatives are so goddamn stupid. They don't even recognize when they're being made fun of. Someone could mock them and they would laugh about it because they'd think the person mocking them was being serious.
By the way, this dumbass fully intended the quote to represent his narrow, bigoted worldview. He boasts about being very conservative on his profile and has a bunch of shit on there where he basically sucks his god's dick like a good little ignorant, religious drone.
He fully meant to misrepresent Colbert's quote. If he seriously thought that Colbert was being serious when (and IF) he made that statement, then it shows how much this particular cocksucker doesn't understand satire and also shows that he idolizes people that sound as stupid as Colbert pretends to be. If he was fully aware that Colbert was being satirical, then he knew he was misrepresenting Colbert's quote in an attempt to quote mine for his ignorant, dogmatic cause.
It's not only crap because he misrepresented one of the funniest people in television, but also because he labels atheism as a religion (which is a complete mislabeling of a philosophy) and also because he labels all atheists as self-absorbed people.
Atheism is about as much of a religion as not collecting stamps is a hobby. Calling it a religion is an insult. Religions are superstitions and beliefs which have no evidence to support them.
He's also being repulsive in doing this because it is just plain hate. Religious bigotry. It's like getting on Facebook and saying something like, "All Jews have big noses" or something dumb like that. Sure, there are self-absorbed atheists. Just like there are self-absorbed christians and jews and whatever else. Atheism is NOT a necessary condition of self absorption. The converse is not true either. Making such a claim is full-blown irrational hatred. There's no other way to put it. It's religious bigotry.
So, this is just my "suck my balls" to dumbasses like this person who, because they can't convince intelligent people to follow their dogmatic views, quote mine and misrepresent for their cause. May the imaginary god help us if these people ever gain control of our government.
-Matt
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Why am I here?
If I end up hating my college years, it will be a debt I pay for the rest of my life.
There is a building on this campus. In that building is an auditorium, with some wood text above the stage that reads, "Why come ye here?"
Fuck if I know.
It is certainly worth asking. What is a communist atheist doing at a conservative christian institution? Especially one in the south, when this particular communist HATES warm weather. What the fuck is he doing there?
The answer isn't very simple. There are a number of things that contributed to me sentencing myself to this hell. You will read later that it really wasn't a self-imposed sentence. At least not entirely. I can humbly admit that I made a very foolish mistake in choosing this institution. I encourage all of the college-bound high schoolers out there to not come within one hundred yards of the campus. Ever. I don't care if you're the poorest student on earth. There is federal and state aid out there for you. Obama plans to make FAFSAs easier to fill out. THERE ARE BETTER WAYS, people!
So, here are the reasons why I am trapped in this hell hole:
I had something lined up at this place up north. There were scholarships available. I had the government aid to do it, and I turned it down like a fool. I can't believe it. I now make it a point to tell as many college-bound students as I can to STAY AWAY. I don't want to see people making this mistake.
There is a chance I can escape after next year. I know a place up north I'd go to. WAY up north, close to Iowa. My ideal weather (well, Maine or Minnesota is more ideal for me, but it's certainly better than shitty south Missouri). If I can get the financial aid again, and maybe some private scholarships, I might be able to pull it off. I hope so. I've got one life. It's got VALUE. If something in it sucks, I need to fucking change it! That's part of being a human.
-Matt
There is a building on this campus. In that building is an auditorium, with some wood text above the stage that reads, "Why come ye here?"
Fuck if I know.
It is certainly worth asking. What is a communist atheist doing at a conservative christian institution? Especially one in the south, when this particular communist HATES warm weather. What the fuck is he doing there?
The answer isn't very simple. There are a number of things that contributed to me sentencing myself to this hell. You will read later that it really wasn't a self-imposed sentence. At least not entirely. I can humbly admit that I made a very foolish mistake in choosing this institution. I encourage all of the college-bound high schoolers out there to not come within one hundred yards of the campus. Ever. I don't care if you're the poorest student on earth. There is federal and state aid out there for you. Obama plans to make FAFSAs easier to fill out. THERE ARE BETTER WAYS, people!
So, here are the reasons why I am trapped in this hell hole:
- I was duped by the road show. The college put on a very good show for me when I was still looking around, as a naive high school student, at different campuses. It is worth noting that I made the extremely foolish mistake of not checking out other campuses. I had a few colleges in mind, but this one was the only one I actually toured. There were some external factors contributing to this, and I will explain those later.
- At the time, I was a fairly devout christian. I was a liberal, but a christian. I liked the idea of being surrounded by other christians (little did I know that such a thing is a living nightmare).
- Pressure. This was perhaps the greatest influence of me attending this institution. Nearly all of my relatives want me to be here. They don't want me to have to pay off student loans after I graduate, which is understandable. However, if I end up hating my college years, it will be a debt I pay for the rest of my life. I will have to live my life knowing my college years were four years of hell. I would rather pay off student loans. I could actually have most of my tuition paid off at any state university with federal and state aid, according to my SAR.
My mom and my grandmother have been harping at me to stay at this hell since I started to really hate it last semester. I swear, this college could instate a rule that says all male students have to have their balls chopped off, and my grandmother would say, "Well... you don't need your testicles that bad, do you?" I wouldn't be surprised at all. Any time I've mentioned transferring to another school they get very defensive. I told my mom that if I win the lottery my ass is going somewhere else, and she just asks "Why?" in spite of me having told her that I think this place is a shithole who knows how many times. She just tells me, "Oh, it's a good school" and all that nonsense. The truth is, most businesses outside the Midwest don't even know this place exists.
My grandparents took me to this campus when I was a high school senior (with the obvious motive of convincing me to go here). They spent most of the tour pointing out all the "nice things" about the campus. It was a regular festival of bullshit.
I do have one supportive relative though, and that is my aunt. She is currently the only relative I have who knows I'm not a christian, and is in college herself. She has told me that, from the accounts of this hell I've given her, that she could not survive in a place like this. She would not blame me for transferring.
I had something lined up at this place up north. There were scholarships available. I had the government aid to do it, and I turned it down like a fool. I can't believe it. I now make it a point to tell as many college-bound students as I can to STAY AWAY. I don't want to see people making this mistake.
There is a chance I can escape after next year. I know a place up north I'd go to. WAY up north, close to Iowa. My ideal weather (well, Maine or Minnesota is more ideal for me, but it's certainly better than shitty south Missouri). If I can get the financial aid again, and maybe some private scholarships, I might be able to pull it off. I hope so. I've got one life. It's got VALUE. If something in it sucks, I need to fucking change it! That's part of being a human.
-Matt
Saturday, April 25, 2009
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Find this and more ASCII art at ASCII-Art.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Just some updates, then a little on the economy
I'll just do a quick update on things in my own life then move on. I've developed a taste for movie soundtracks recently. Thomas Newman has some good shit, for example. It's terrific music, both for working and relaxation. I'm not too fond of "weird" film soundtracks, like what you see in cheesy seventies horror movies. I really like the dramatic/epic stuff though.
We've been doing persuasive speeches in my public speaking class. One of my friends in there, who has close to the same political views as me, and I joked that we were going to play a game in there: we would bring some hard liquor to the room, and every time someone did a speech about Obama, we'd do a shot. Of course we were joking. I'm a teetotaler myself, and I think he is, too. I figured if we did play this game, we would die of alcohol overdose.
Much to my surprise, though, they actually gave speeches which showed some sort of... rational thought. It was the strangest damn thing. This one girl in there who I know is fairly far right actually gave hers on why she disagrees with creationism, AND on how she agrees with the conclusions Charles Darwin made (GASP!). After I picked my jaw up off the floor, this other person gave a speech supporting vegetarianism, and explained how corporate meat packing is contributing to environmental destruction and climate change.
Holy shit.
I've done some studying of the former Soviet Union. I find it quite fascinating. Now, I don't really believe the USSR had it right all the way. I don't think their coercive tactics were justified. However they knew what to do with religion, I think. Contrary to popular belief, they did not force their citizens to be atheists. Their government merely discouraged religion, and kept society secular. This concept is something that I believe the U.S. should adopt. A secular government will be compassionate for its citizens, and its society will be advanced and prosperous.
It's fascinating to know that there was once a country in this world that was an atheist state, I think. Like I said, I disagree with their tactics of coercion. Stalin wasn't right to murder his own citizens like he did. There has NEVER been a perfect communism in this world, and there never will be. I despise capitalism, but human nature will not allow communism. I believe a strictly regulated capitalist government may be key. Maybe a tame socialism. The free market capitalism we have does not work, though.
We're seeing this system fail because of its own shortcomings right now. The remedy to this problem is only things such as government takeovers of corporations and collective advancement of our society (socialist concepts). It's just like World War II. FDR told the automotive companies that they were no longer building cars, but now airplanes and other war machinery. That is ultimately what saved us from the depression. Using a crisis to stimulate industry. This solved the crisis (the war) and pulled America out of the hole it found itself in.
But what sort of crisis do we face today, that industry could be used to help solve with government intervention? Some sort of crisis... maybe a global crisis... that industry could solve if the government told it what it was going to do.
Oh, yeah, climate change!
Perhaps if Obama told GM it was now going to innovate and build vehicles that run on little or no fuel, or if he told agrarian industry they were going to return to natural, organic farming methods (not this genetically modified shit), or if he told Exxon they were now going to invest in hydrogen fuel cell technology, or if he told energy companies they were now going to pour some funding into wind turbine and solar energy, or if he told engineering firms they were going to invest in carbon dioxide scrubbing technology... maybe then we could solve this global crisis and get our economy back on its feet.
But that would be SOCIALISM (ominous music)! Can't have that! Fuck no! Just listen to those (blatantly astroturfed) "tea parties". Capitalist ideals are what will save us (nevermind the fact that they're what got us here).
After doing some studying of the USSR, I've learned that communism probably isn't the key to saving our economy, but after looking at our own history, continuing recklessly down the road of capitalism isn't going to pull us out of the fire, either.
We've been doing persuasive speeches in my public speaking class. One of my friends in there, who has close to the same political views as me, and I joked that we were going to play a game in there: we would bring some hard liquor to the room, and every time someone did a speech about Obama, we'd do a shot. Of course we were joking. I'm a teetotaler myself, and I think he is, too. I figured if we did play this game, we would die of alcohol overdose.
Much to my surprise, though, they actually gave speeches which showed some sort of... rational thought. It was the strangest damn thing. This one girl in there who I know is fairly far right actually gave hers on why she disagrees with creationism, AND on how she agrees with the conclusions Charles Darwin made (GASP!). After I picked my jaw up off the floor, this other person gave a speech supporting vegetarianism, and explained how corporate meat packing is contributing to environmental destruction and climate change.
Holy shit.
I've done some studying of the former Soviet Union. I find it quite fascinating. Now, I don't really believe the USSR had it right all the way. I don't think their coercive tactics were justified. However they knew what to do with religion, I think. Contrary to popular belief, they did not force their citizens to be atheists. Their government merely discouraged religion, and kept society secular. This concept is something that I believe the U.S. should adopt. A secular government will be compassionate for its citizens, and its society will be advanced and prosperous.
It's fascinating to know that there was once a country in this world that was an atheist state, I think. Like I said, I disagree with their tactics of coercion. Stalin wasn't right to murder his own citizens like he did. There has NEVER been a perfect communism in this world, and there never will be. I despise capitalism, but human nature will not allow communism. I believe a strictly regulated capitalist government may be key. Maybe a tame socialism. The free market capitalism we have does not work, though.
We're seeing this system fail because of its own shortcomings right now. The remedy to this problem is only things such as government takeovers of corporations and collective advancement of our society (socialist concepts). It's just like World War II. FDR told the automotive companies that they were no longer building cars, but now airplanes and other war machinery. That is ultimately what saved us from the depression. Using a crisis to stimulate industry. This solved the crisis (the war) and pulled America out of the hole it found itself in.
But what sort of crisis do we face today, that industry could be used to help solve with government intervention? Some sort of crisis... maybe a global crisis... that industry could solve if the government told it what it was going to do.
Oh, yeah, climate change!
Perhaps if Obama told GM it was now going to innovate and build vehicles that run on little or no fuel, or if he told agrarian industry they were going to return to natural, organic farming methods (not this genetically modified shit), or if he told Exxon they were now going to invest in hydrogen fuel cell technology, or if he told energy companies they were now going to pour some funding into wind turbine and solar energy, or if he told engineering firms they were going to invest in carbon dioxide scrubbing technology... maybe then we could solve this global crisis and get our economy back on its feet.
But that would be SOCIALISM (ominous music)! Can't have that! Fuck no! Just listen to those (blatantly astroturfed) "tea parties". Capitalist ideals are what will save us (nevermind the fact that they're what got us here).
After doing some studying of the USSR, I've learned that communism probably isn't the key to saving our economy, but after looking at our own history, continuing recklessly down the road of capitalism isn't going to pull us out of the fire, either.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Capitalists continue to exploit, glorify breeding
I live in America. Here, I witness things that make the rest of the world laugh at us almost daily. You see that quite frequently in the American Bible belt, which to me is the representation of this nation's ills. It is where the slave trade began. It took almost a quarter of a millennium for that area to shake off segregation. People there seem to think that church and government are somehow hand in hand. How they see this, I don't know.
A family in Arkansas (big surprise) has given birth to eighteen children. You might have heard of them. The Duggar family. These people are members of a racist cult (The Quiverful Movement), an arm of the far religious right that indoctrinates its members to have a double-digit number of children to keep whites from being out-bred by Mexicans. Research it.
Now, you wouldn't expect a racist group of people (one that is breeding like rabbits with no regard for the environment) such as these individuals to be glorified by the media. You wouldn't expect the Ku Klux Klan to get their own reality show on the Discovery Channel would you? Well, in this country, which is run by companies, they are held to a high position on their very own reality Discovery Health series.
Of course, one should expect this in a country run by ruthless companies. Breeding feeds the capitalist machine. It creates more consumers and wage slaves. There is no regard for the environment, and there is no regard for the general welfare. This is the one commandment of capitalism: profit is good.
This Duggar brood pays no property taxes, since they live on church property. Money that they could be paying in taxes to help promote the general welfare (a really crazy concept in the U.S. Constitution) is pocketed so they can raise their brood.
The companies have the media firmly in their grip, so it should really come as no surprise to anyone that the media would glorify this sort of behavior.
Shit, have you noticed all of the new movies that have been coming out glorifying pregnancy (e.g. Juno, Knocked Up)? The media is attempting to saturate our culture in this propaganda that breeding is good. Breeding creates more consumption. Like George Carlin once said, "Consumption! That's the new national pastime. Fuck baseball! It's consumption!"
While I'm on the topic of reproductive and environmental irresponsibility, let's discuss Octo-Mom. This clearly incompetent, baby cannon bitch has successfully made her mother a nervous wreck with her fourteen children. Her dumbass fertility doctor could face probing from an ethics committee. (I hope they strip him of his license!) Guess what, there's a possibility there could be a reality show about her! Only in America, friends. Only in America.
The shitty thing is that she's complaining about not having enough money. Well, those fourteen children may have something to do with it! Put those kids up for adoption, you stupid bitch. Those tax dollars going to support your breeding lifestyle could prevent teen pregnancies with birth control!
I am embarrassed for my country today.
Duggars celebrate the birth of their grandchild:
Duggars announce pregnancy of one of their children
Behold the glorification of mindless, irresponsible breeding by corporate-controlled media:
18 Kids and Counting! stupidfest on Discovery Health
Octo-Mom could have her own reality show:
Lawyer says by the end of the week
-Matt
A family in Arkansas (big surprise) has given birth to eighteen children. You might have heard of them. The Duggar family. These people are members of a racist cult (The Quiverful Movement), an arm of the far religious right that indoctrinates its members to have a double-digit number of children to keep whites from being out-bred by Mexicans. Research it.
Now, you wouldn't expect a racist group of people (one that is breeding like rabbits with no regard for the environment) such as these individuals to be glorified by the media. You wouldn't expect the Ku Klux Klan to get their own reality show on the Discovery Channel would you? Well, in this country, which is run by companies, they are held to a high position on their very own reality Discovery Health series.
Of course, one should expect this in a country run by ruthless companies. Breeding feeds the capitalist machine. It creates more consumers and wage slaves. There is no regard for the environment, and there is no regard for the general welfare. This is the one commandment of capitalism: profit is good.
This Duggar brood pays no property taxes, since they live on church property. Money that they could be paying in taxes to help promote the general welfare (a really crazy concept in the U.S. Constitution) is pocketed so they can raise their brood.
The companies have the media firmly in their grip, so it should really come as no surprise to anyone that the media would glorify this sort of behavior.
Shit, have you noticed all of the new movies that have been coming out glorifying pregnancy (e.g. Juno, Knocked Up)? The media is attempting to saturate our culture in this propaganda that breeding is good. Breeding creates more consumption. Like George Carlin once said, "Consumption! That's the new national pastime. Fuck baseball! It's consumption!"
While I'm on the topic of reproductive and environmental irresponsibility, let's discuss Octo-Mom. This clearly incompetent, baby cannon bitch has successfully made her mother a nervous wreck with her fourteen children. Her dumbass fertility doctor could face probing from an ethics committee. (I hope they strip him of his license!) Guess what, there's a possibility there could be a reality show about her! Only in America, friends. Only in America.
The shitty thing is that she's complaining about not having enough money. Well, those fourteen children may have something to do with it! Put those kids up for adoption, you stupid bitch. Those tax dollars going to support your breeding lifestyle could prevent teen pregnancies with birth control!
I am embarrassed for my country today.
Duggars celebrate the birth of their grandchild:
Duggars announce pregnancy of one of their children
Behold the glorification of mindless, irresponsible breeding by corporate-controlled media:
18 Kids and Counting! stupidfest on Discovery Health
Octo-Mom could have her own reality show:
Lawyer says by the end of the week
-Matt
Thursday, April 9, 2009
De-Converting Hardcore Theists is Impossible
Do I try to de-convert Christians, Jews, and other theists? No. I do not. That is impossible. I used to be that way, and no one could de-convert me. People have to do it on their own. That's how it works. While I do not try to de-convert theists, I do try to influence the "fence-sitters" or the people who are exploring life outside of religious dogma, but aren't quite "there". That is where I had been for months before I broke the chains of faith. Many de-converts lie in the gray phase for some time before fully awakening to the scam.
Ever debated a conspiracy theorist? You know, the folks who think that 9/11 was carried out with bombs, or the people who think the Federal Reserve was conceived by a handful of wealthy bankers, or the people who argue that climate change is a scam by highly educated and intelligent scientists? It's pretty much impossible, isn't it? Why is that? Because if you disagree with them, you're "in on it". That's the only reason you'd disagree with them, because you are IN on it. That, or you are under a hopeless influence by the people responsible.
It's the same way with theists. Any sort of logic or reason is "temptation from Satan" or something similar. It is therefore impossible to convince a theist that their beliefs are bullshit, because you are just under the influence of Satan, or demons, or whatever. How delightfully convenient that any sort of dissent is the work of some sort of evil being.
Of course this is logically unsound on their part, but in their minds, any dissent to their beliefs is "evil". With their own flawed logic, their beliefs are easily destroyed.
For example, there is a way to prove that you are God. That's right, you can prove that you are God, using their logic. Here is thunderf00t's method of proving that you are indeed God.
1) Telling a lie makes you a liar and stealing makes you a thief. That is said in the Bible.
2) Everything in the Bible is true.
3) The Bible says there are none good except God.
4) With the logic of assumption 1, a single act of good makes you good. If a single lie makes you a liar, why can't a single act of good make you good?
5) According to assumption 3, being good makes you God.
6) With a single act of good, you are God.
Ever debated a conspiracy theorist? You know, the folks who think that 9/11 was carried out with bombs, or the people who think the Federal Reserve was conceived by a handful of wealthy bankers, or the people who argue that climate change is a scam by highly educated and intelligent scientists? It's pretty much impossible, isn't it? Why is that? Because if you disagree with them, you're "in on it". That's the only reason you'd disagree with them, because you are IN on it. That, or you are under a hopeless influence by the people responsible.
It's the same way with theists. Any sort of logic or reason is "temptation from Satan" or something similar. It is therefore impossible to convince a theist that their beliefs are bullshit, because you are just under the influence of Satan, or demons, or whatever. How delightfully convenient that any sort of dissent is the work of some sort of evil being.
Of course this is logically unsound on their part, but in their minds, any dissent to their beliefs is "evil". With their own flawed logic, their beliefs are easily destroyed.
For example, there is a way to prove that you are God. That's right, you can prove that you are God, using their logic. Here is thunderf00t's method of proving that you are indeed God.
1) Telling a lie makes you a liar and stealing makes you a thief. That is said in the Bible.
2) Everything in the Bible is true.
3) The Bible says there are none good except God.
4) With the logic of assumption 1, a single act of good makes you good. If a single lie makes you a liar, why can't a single act of good make you good?
5) According to assumption 3, being good makes you God.
6) With a single act of good, you are God.
Sharia law in Saudi Britain
Sadly, I have to facepalm for my liberal allies across the Atlantic.
Britain, in its appeasement to Pisslam, is attempting to allow Sharia courts, which threaten women's and human rights. The Islam-run courts are a threat to secular, sane government in Britain, a concept being threatened by leftist Parliament members with little regard for basic human rights.
It would be the equivalent of establishing courts run by the Catholic church or any other church here in the United States. It goes against everything this nation stands for, one such thing is the concept of secular government. A secular government is a sane government.
Women would easily be intimidated to go to these pig den courts. Pisslamic society doesn't give a shit about women, much like how that tissue of lies called the Bible doesn't give a shit about them (the Bible reeks with the stench of sexism right from Genesis).
The comedic genius of Pat Condell.
BBC Article on this atrocity against human rights.
Britain, in its appeasement to Pisslam, is attempting to allow Sharia courts, which threaten women's and human rights. The Islam-run courts are a threat to secular, sane government in Britain, a concept being threatened by leftist Parliament members with little regard for basic human rights.
It would be the equivalent of establishing courts run by the Catholic church or any other church here in the United States. It goes against everything this nation stands for, one such thing is the concept of secular government. A secular government is a sane government.
Women would easily be intimidated to go to these pig den courts. Pisslamic society doesn't give a shit about women, much like how that tissue of lies called the Bible doesn't give a shit about them (the Bible reeks with the stench of sexism right from Genesis).
The comedic genius of Pat Condell.
BBC Article on this atrocity against human rights.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The silver lining
Abortions, Vasectomies Increase as Economic Woes Continue
It may seem like an insensitive thing to say, but maybe there's a silver lining to this whole economic crisis after all. This is much like the protests that have erupted at the lavish homes of greedy AIG execs. For years the bastards have lived like fat cats, and now the public is raising a fist against them. Now, I'm not thrilled that capitalism has been dragging our nation down the economic shitter, and I do feel sorry for those parents who desired to have a child, but simply couldn't afford it (and kudos to them for making a decision to not bring a life into a poverty-struck home).
However, I think it's a good thing that the middle and working classes are rising up against the greedy fat cats and that people aren't bringing more into this overpopulated world.
We will emerge from this crisis a better nation, I think. I feel that the environment could benefit, as our (now competent) government turns to things like green energy and tougher economic policies. We could also see increased funding for contraception, which I feel is just as important in saving the environment as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and solar panels. Such funding has been relatively stagnant over the past few years. It has not kept up with inflation at all.
Michael Moore once commented on the financial catastrophe, "What we're seeing is the end of capitalism, and good riddance to it! It hasn't helped the people and it hasn't helped the planet!"
Couldn't have said it better myself.
It may seem like an insensitive thing to say, but maybe there's a silver lining to this whole economic crisis after all. This is much like the protests that have erupted at the lavish homes of greedy AIG execs. For years the bastards have lived like fat cats, and now the public is raising a fist against them. Now, I'm not thrilled that capitalism has been dragging our nation down the economic shitter, and I do feel sorry for those parents who desired to have a child, but simply couldn't afford it (and kudos to them for making a decision to not bring a life into a poverty-struck home).
However, I think it's a good thing that the middle and working classes are rising up against the greedy fat cats and that people aren't bringing more into this overpopulated world.
We will emerge from this crisis a better nation, I think. I feel that the environment could benefit, as our (now competent) government turns to things like green energy and tougher economic policies. We could also see increased funding for contraception, which I feel is just as important in saving the environment as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and solar panels. Such funding has been relatively stagnant over the past few years. It has not kept up with inflation at all.
Michael Moore once commented on the financial catastrophe, "What we're seeing is the end of capitalism, and good riddance to it! It hasn't helped the people and it hasn't helped the planet!"
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The founders of religion must have been intelligent
It is my belief that some of the founders of religion, like various rulers, were highly intelligent people. Especially the founders of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Think about it. These people created a mechanism that could control massive populations for millennia.
Furthermore, they devised an instrument that could silence anyone intelligent enough to figure this scam out. The increasingly loud voice of atheism is making more people abandon their faith than gain it. If this had happened in the early times, the scheme would topple and the people behind the scam would lose all control.
It was necessary, then, to convince the population that those who rejected the beliefs of the fabrication were somehow immoral or problematic to society, and that following in their footsteps would lead to an eternal punishment.
Why would such an instrument be used? I suppose there are two possibilities.
Perhaps it was the only way a government could work. Maybe populations rejected government unless they were convinced that there was a divine influence over them to submit to a government. The deceivers might have had good intentions, merely desiring peace and order in a population, and the scam just got out of control.
Another possibility is that they were simply bloodthirsty, murderous, thoughtless maniacs. Intelligent, but obviously not using it for the well-being of the human race. Given early human civilization, I would not be surprised if this was the case.
This is a scam that dupes people to this day, and it dupes them in large numbers. It's doing a damn good job of psychologically enslaving society. This is a scam by intelligent people - possibly without any moral compass - that has grown out of control.
The cost to humanity has been devastating.
It forces people to believe in objective morality (such belief is deadly) and to believe in imaginary things, which is delusional by definition.
Monday, March 23, 2009
God's "love"
"Why would a god create a person knowing he's going to Hell? Isn't that sadistic?" -FightingAtheist
VenomFangX, the most popular creationist on YouTube, has said "Forced love is basically rape, and God loves us too much to force us to love Him."
But I guess He just doesn't love us enough to not send us to Hell. Loves us too much to force us to love Him, but sorry, just not quite enough to not send us to His special place full of fire, smoke, torment, etc.
One of my biggest questions for theists, particularly Christians, is why did God knowingly create flawed (not sinless) human beings? He did this knowingly. The Bible says that God knows past, present, and future. Thus, when creating humans, He must have known that Adam and Eve would fuck up and eat from that tree. (And why the hell was that tree there to start with?). So, after knowingly creating humans that would slip up, He sends them to Hell and even regrets creating them. First of all, how does a perfect being like God create imperfect things like humans? And when he does this intentionally, why does it piss him off so much when people screw up, when he fucking knows they were going to?
It's like making a bomb and then getting pissed when it blows up after you light the fuse. Why the hell did you create the bomb and light the fuse, knowing it would blow up? If you knew it was going to detonate, even while you were creating it, why are you so pissed it detonated?
One student in this Bible class I'm forced to take even asked the professor why the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was planted in the Garden of Eden when God knew that Adam and Eve would eat from it. I was impressed that one of these brainwashed people even asked such a question. Well, this other student chimes in and says "Without choice there's no love." I assume he's referring to the love by humans for God. VenomFangX tells us that God "loves" us too much to force us to love Him, so that's why they had that choice.
So, let's recap. God creates humans and a tree they shouldn't eat from knowing they'll choose to eat from it. God "loves" them too much to not put the tree there and thus prevent the fall of man altogether. So, people are sent to Hell for their sin, which resulted from the original two humans created by a being that knew they were going to fuck over the human race while He was creating them. Remember, God loved us too much to just create us without flaws, but sends us to a place full of torture and anguish to suffer forever for these flaws that HE engineered into us.
If you're a sane person, there is a question coming to your mind right now:
What... the... fuck?
Can you see why this whole story just fails so hard? I mean, it's such bullshit. People who are brainwashed by this dogma really need to look into this shit. Many of them don't because it makes them feel like they're disobeying their (G)god in doing so. That fear has been psychologically indoctrinated into them in their childhood. How delightfully convenient for religions that any sort of logical thought is "temptation from the devil" and so forth. Well, what if it turns out the ancient Greeks were right and Zeus is who you should have been worshiping all along? Then you've completely disobeyed him already. People brought up in classical Greece would have been too frightened to think critically about Zeus because it created a fear of disobedience to do so. It's the same thing today with Yahweh (the Judeo-Christian God). You're too scared to think critically about this being because of your indoctrination. You need to start doing so. Once you stray from this indoctrination, you can recover from this delusion you've been forced to live in from childhood, and thus cease being a slave to religion.
VenomFangX, the most popular creationist on YouTube, has said "Forced love is basically rape, and God loves us too much to force us to love Him."
But I guess He just doesn't love us enough to not send us to Hell. Loves us too much to force us to love Him, but sorry, just not quite enough to not send us to His special place full of fire, smoke, torment, etc.
One of my biggest questions for theists, particularly Christians, is why did God knowingly create flawed (not sinless) human beings? He did this knowingly. The Bible says that God knows past, present, and future. Thus, when creating humans, He must have known that Adam and Eve would fuck up and eat from that tree. (And why the hell was that tree there to start with?). So, after knowingly creating humans that would slip up, He sends them to Hell and even regrets creating them. First of all, how does a perfect being like God create imperfect things like humans? And when he does this intentionally, why does it piss him off so much when people screw up, when he fucking knows they were going to?
It's like making a bomb and then getting pissed when it blows up after you light the fuse. Why the hell did you create the bomb and light the fuse, knowing it would blow up? If you knew it was going to detonate, even while you were creating it, why are you so pissed it detonated?
One student in this Bible class I'm forced to take even asked the professor why the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was planted in the Garden of Eden when God knew that Adam and Eve would eat from it. I was impressed that one of these brainwashed people even asked such a question. Well, this other student chimes in and says "Without choice there's no love." I assume he's referring to the love by humans for God. VenomFangX tells us that God "loves" us too much to force us to love Him, so that's why they had that choice.
So, let's recap. God creates humans and a tree they shouldn't eat from knowing they'll choose to eat from it. God "loves" them too much to not put the tree there and thus prevent the fall of man altogether. So, people are sent to Hell for their sin, which resulted from the original two humans created by a being that knew they were going to fuck over the human race while He was creating them. Remember, God loved us too much to just create us without flaws, but sends us to a place full of torture and anguish to suffer forever for these flaws that HE engineered into us.
If you're a sane person, there is a question coming to your mind right now:
What... the... fuck?
Can you see why this whole story just fails so hard? I mean, it's such bullshit. People who are brainwashed by this dogma really need to look into this shit. Many of them don't because it makes them feel like they're disobeying their (G)god in doing so. That fear has been psychologically indoctrinated into them in their childhood. How delightfully convenient for religions that any sort of logical thought is "temptation from the devil" and so forth. Well, what if it turns out the ancient Greeks were right and Zeus is who you should have been worshiping all along? Then you've completely disobeyed him already. People brought up in classical Greece would have been too frightened to think critically about Zeus because it created a fear of disobedience to do so. It's the same thing today with Yahweh (the Judeo-Christian God). You're too scared to think critically about this being because of your indoctrination. You need to start doing so. Once you stray from this indoctrination, you can recover from this delusion you've been forced to live in from childhood, and thus cease being a slave to religion.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Spring Break
Well I'm on break and, as promised, I am posting. My first spring break post is cheaply ripped from my MySpace blog...
Well I had to read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald for my American Literature class. I just finished the book tonight. It's not a bad book. I still think that A Farewell to Arms by Hemingway kicks the shit out of all the other ones we've read, but this is possibly my second favorite. There is a passage near the end of the last chapter of the book that deals with the protagonist, living in an area he is not pleased with (New York), recalling what it was like to go home to Minnesota as a college kid on the train from Chicago.
When we pulled out into the winter night and the
real snow, our snow, began to stretch out beside us and twinkle against
the windows, and the dim lights of small Wisconsin stations moved by, a
sharp wild brace came suddenly into the air. We drew in deep breaths of
it as we walked back from dinner through the cold vestibules... That's
my Middle West - not the wheat or the prairies of lost Swede towns, but
the thrilling returning trains of my youth, and the street lamps and
sleigh bells in the frosty dark and the shadows of holly wreaths thrown
by lighted windows in the snow.
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
Great Gatsby, The
Chapter 9
Fitzgerald put this feeling of winter and going home in a way I never could. This is my favorite part of the entire book. That passage. I seriously was nearly bored with the reading until I got to that passage. My eyes widened and I was lost in it. It was truly moving. That, in my opinion, is great literature.
I am happy to be on spring break, free from the clutches of the south. Back in my nice, northern, somewhat progressive town (they voted for Obama, have to give them some props). I am anticipating winter (something I do a lot in warm weather), when I can layer up and play in the snow while freezing my ass off. Nothing like it. I should be a little more grateful for spring, I suppose. It gets me away from the south for a week and before long will let me get outside with a weed eater and have some fun (weed eating is a hobby for me).
Well I had to read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald for my American Literature class. I just finished the book tonight. It's not a bad book. I still think that A Farewell to Arms by Hemingway kicks the shit out of all the other ones we've read, but this is possibly my second favorite. There is a passage near the end of the last chapter of the book that deals with the protagonist, living in an area he is not pleased with (New York), recalling what it was like to go home to Minnesota as a college kid on the train from Chicago.
When we pulled out into the winter night and the
real snow, our snow, began to stretch out beside us and twinkle against
the windows, and the dim lights of small Wisconsin stations moved by, a
sharp wild brace came suddenly into the air. We drew in deep breaths of
it as we walked back from dinner through the cold vestibules... That's
my Middle West - not the wheat or the prairies of lost Swede towns, but
the thrilling returning trains of my youth, and the street lamps and
sleigh bells in the frosty dark and the shadows of holly wreaths thrown
by lighted windows in the snow.
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
Great Gatsby, The
Chapter 9
Fitzgerald put this feeling of winter and going home in a way I never could. This is my favorite part of the entire book. That passage. I seriously was nearly bored with the reading until I got to that passage. My eyes widened and I was lost in it. It was truly moving. That, in my opinion, is great literature.
I am happy to be on spring break, free from the clutches of the south. Back in my nice, northern, somewhat progressive town (they voted for Obama, have to give them some props). I am anticipating winter (something I do a lot in warm weather), when I can layer up and play in the snow while freezing my ass off. Nothing like it. I should be a little more grateful for spring, I suppose. It gets me away from the south for a week and before long will let me get outside with a weed eater and have some fun (weed eating is a hobby for me).
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Manifestation of a Dangerous Institution
To avoid getting my balls sued off or getting kicked out, I will not disclose which college I'm attending. I will, however, discuss the events that take place here as well as some of my academic information (under FERPA, I can do that).
I do generally well here, though these gen eds I'm forced to take may change that, with me being forced to have conservative propaganda as well as religious dogma shoved down my throat in some classes. I was told I was supposed to have children at one point. It's essentially a big kid's bible camp. People look at me like I'm some kind of blasphemer (which is accurate) or as some kind of freak when I mention not desiring to put more polluting shit machines into the world. These southerners are conditioned from birth to reproduce and have families and all that rubbish, as if life depends on it almost. Any variation from that destroys their narrow paradigm (which scares the living shit out of them).
I honestly don't see why people got so pissy about Obama's mention of people clinging to guns and religion. I think he was absolutely correct. And I think his preacher had some wise words, too. This country WAS built on the backs of slaves. Sorry if you don't like that. It's true. I couldn't give a flying fuck about him or his preacher's "controversial" comments. They're probably what needs to be said in this country, anyway.
I'm getting sidetracked, though.
This place I'm forced to attend (pressured by parents, I'm also dirt poor and need the scholarship) claims to be all about morals, when it is in fact morally bankrupt. They're almost as morally bankrupt as the bible (if you read that carefully, you'll find it is VERY morally bankrupt).
I think one of it's greatest immoralities is in its students. These godly little Christian fundies are some of the biggest partiers I've seen in my life. I know of cases where they smuggle alcohol into their rooms. They treat women like they're lower in society, believing that they are merely for kitchen duty and making even more little conservative christian robots.
"You see they didn't always let girls in (workstation censored for privacy)... which is how I think it should be today..."
"This workstation's gone downhill because they've let girls work here."
--anonymous co-worker and schoolmate
"I want someone to keep my name."
"I wanna find me a tall girl so my kids will have a chance."
--anonymous schoolmate
Clearly, we don't see a whole hell of a lot of critical thinking on their part.
They even go as far as harassing and judging students who are "different" from others. There were a couple of outcast girls at my workstation one time. They were ridiculed behind their backs by some of the other workers for no reason - other than perhaps their appearance or simple unwillingness to socialize with others. These girls had not said two words to these people, yet they were ridiculed and scorned by them for mere insociability. There's some real christian love and acceptance for you.
Then there's immorality from the administration and school. The administration is corrupt as all hell. I have first hand experience of some students treated better than others merely because they had connections. This place claims to be a college for the poor, yet they accept students who drive new Mustangs and similar vehicles around campus. Student athletes here often get the nicer dorms. I don't think such corruption is a great way to get into heaven.
Unless of course you're a catholic priest. Then corruption is the only way to get into heaven. That and raping children.
Lest we forget the way they impose on students' private lives. This ranges from censorship all the way to fascist policies restricting personal freedoms. If you try to go to a website containing information they may not want you to see on your own computer in your own dorm room, they Websense it. That's right. You are censored on your very own computer. They are trying to create a generation of more little conservative religious consumers, and they're doing it by censoring what these students see. Utter moral bankruptcy.
We have curfews, and have to be in our residence hall four nights of the week. It is a must. It's almost like we're in the seventh grade again.
We are forced to attend classes that shove conservative propaganda down our throats, and are required to watch conservative gasbags cum themselves in an auditorium listening to their own voices.
It's mind control and it's restriction of freedom.
This does not even begin to show their extreme immoral and ultimately inhumane treatment of human beings. Nothing shows it more than the oppression that, several years ago, led a student to committing suicide in the garage of one of the administrators' homes by way of intentional carbon monoxide poisoning. After (probably) being pressured by his parents to attend this highly homophobic school, this gay student could not find reconciliation anywhere. He was told by one of the pastor "counselors" that since he had not had sex with another man, the gay community would not accept him. In his mind, the gays didn't like him, and these homophobic classmates of his did not like him either.
The homophobic administration and student body killed him. They did it indirectly, but they killed him, for nothing other than the fact that he was gay.
Even more sickening was the fact that none of the professors or students was to find out about it. They tried their best to keep this tragedy quiet. Why did they want to keep it quiet so desperately? It's almost as if they may have had something to do with his death. It may have had something to do with the fact that the homophobic attitudes they promote amongst themselves and students led this man to take his own life.
I guess someone's life has lesser value if they happen to be gay.
Somewhere with such little regard for human life and personal freedom is morally bankrupt in my book. Especially homophobic, fascist, oppressive institutes like this one. Religion is the root cause. Religion places higher value on some people than on others. Killing is okay sometimes (especially if the person in question believes in a different invisible man or no invisible man, or if the person is gay). Religion is manifested through oppressive churches, schools, organizations, and other bodies and perpetuates lies, dogma, and hatred through these manifestations. It is not as moral as it claims to be.
Religion is a dangerous institution. It destroys lives and it kills.
I do generally well here, though these gen eds I'm forced to take may change that, with me being forced to have conservative propaganda as well as religious dogma shoved down my throat in some classes. I was told I was supposed to have children at one point. It's essentially a big kid's bible camp. People look at me like I'm some kind of blasphemer (which is accurate) or as some kind of freak when I mention not desiring to put more polluting shit machines into the world. These southerners are conditioned from birth to reproduce and have families and all that rubbish, as if life depends on it almost. Any variation from that destroys their narrow paradigm (which scares the living shit out of them).
I honestly don't see why people got so pissy about Obama's mention of people clinging to guns and religion. I think he was absolutely correct. And I think his preacher had some wise words, too. This country WAS built on the backs of slaves. Sorry if you don't like that. It's true. I couldn't give a flying fuck about him or his preacher's "controversial" comments. They're probably what needs to be said in this country, anyway.
I'm getting sidetracked, though.
This place I'm forced to attend (pressured by parents, I'm also dirt poor and need the scholarship) claims to be all about morals, when it is in fact morally bankrupt. They're almost as morally bankrupt as the bible (if you read that carefully, you'll find it is VERY morally bankrupt).
I think one of it's greatest immoralities is in its students. These godly little Christian fundies are some of the biggest partiers I've seen in my life. I know of cases where they smuggle alcohol into their rooms. They treat women like they're lower in society, believing that they are merely for kitchen duty and making even more little conservative christian robots.
"You see they didn't always let girls in (workstation censored for privacy)... which is how I think it should be today..."
"This workstation's gone downhill because they've let girls work here."
--anonymous co-worker and schoolmate
"I want someone to keep my name."
"I wanna find me a tall girl so my kids will have a chance."
--anonymous schoolmate
Clearly, we don't see a whole hell of a lot of critical thinking on their part.
They even go as far as harassing and judging students who are "different" from others. There were a couple of outcast girls at my workstation one time. They were ridiculed behind their backs by some of the other workers for no reason - other than perhaps their appearance or simple unwillingness to socialize with others. These girls had not said two words to these people, yet they were ridiculed and scorned by them for mere insociability. There's some real christian love and acceptance for you.
Then there's immorality from the administration and school. The administration is corrupt as all hell. I have first hand experience of some students treated better than others merely because they had connections. This place claims to be a college for the poor, yet they accept students who drive new Mustangs and similar vehicles around campus. Student athletes here often get the nicer dorms. I don't think such corruption is a great way to get into heaven.
Unless of course you're a catholic priest. Then corruption is the only way to get into heaven. That and raping children.
Lest we forget the way they impose on students' private lives. This ranges from censorship all the way to fascist policies restricting personal freedoms. If you try to go to a website containing information they may not want you to see on your own computer in your own dorm room, they Websense it. That's right. You are censored on your very own computer. They are trying to create a generation of more little conservative religious consumers, and they're doing it by censoring what these students see. Utter moral bankruptcy.
We have curfews, and have to be in our residence hall four nights of the week. It is a must. It's almost like we're in the seventh grade again.
We are forced to attend classes that shove conservative propaganda down our throats, and are required to watch conservative gasbags cum themselves in an auditorium listening to their own voices.
It's mind control and it's restriction of freedom.
This does not even begin to show their extreme immoral and ultimately inhumane treatment of human beings. Nothing shows it more than the oppression that, several years ago, led a student to committing suicide in the garage of one of the administrators' homes by way of intentional carbon monoxide poisoning. After (probably) being pressured by his parents to attend this highly homophobic school, this gay student could not find reconciliation anywhere. He was told by one of the pastor "counselors" that since he had not had sex with another man, the gay community would not accept him. In his mind, the gays didn't like him, and these homophobic classmates of his did not like him either.
The homophobic administration and student body killed him. They did it indirectly, but they killed him, for nothing other than the fact that he was gay.
Even more sickening was the fact that none of the professors or students was to find out about it. They tried their best to keep this tragedy quiet. Why did they want to keep it quiet so desperately? It's almost as if they may have had something to do with his death. It may have had something to do with the fact that the homophobic attitudes they promote amongst themselves and students led this man to take his own life.
I guess someone's life has lesser value if they happen to be gay.
Somewhere with such little regard for human life and personal freedom is morally bankrupt in my book. Especially homophobic, fascist, oppressive institutes like this one. Religion is the root cause. Religion places higher value on some people than on others. Killing is okay sometimes (especially if the person in question believes in a different invisible man or no invisible man, or if the person is gay). Religion is manifested through oppressive churches, schools, organizations, and other bodies and perpetuates lies, dogma, and hatred through these manifestations. It is not as moral as it claims to be.
Religion is a dangerous institution. It destroys lives and it kills.
Life sucks and then you die
Some of the greatest questions us nonbelievers are faced with is "What happens to you when you die?" and "What is life for?"
These are tough questions, indeed. I'm something of a nihilist at times. I've often thought that life has no value. If there is no afterlife, it's not like we'll be punished, or on the flip side, rewarded, for what we've done in life, so what is the point in living? This question is almost impossible to answer without answering the other question "What happens to you when you die?"
I don't claim to be one hundred percent sure of anything. I would say I'm probably about 70-80 percent sure there isn't any sort of god or other supernatural being (I am what is called an "agnostic atheist"). Saying you're absolutely sure is bad science. I am, however, pretty sure, that once we die, that's it. We're dead. We're just gone. Our conscious ceases to exist and that's all. Oblivion. Nothing.
It's much like global warming. You have no clue how much I'd LOVE for global warming to just be a conspiracy by quack scientists. I WISH it was all bullshit, that it was a myth, and that my beloved winters were safe from extinction. I really wish I was wrong. The sad thing is, I (along with most scientific institutions) am not wrong.
I'd love to believe that after I die I get to live in paradise for all eternity. I really wish that was the case, but it's (most likely) not.
I suppose if you share some Buddhist beliefs you may think that perhaps we're reborn as someone else. If you share even more of these beliefs, what you are born as depends on how you lived your previous life. If you lived well, you may be born to live a happier life. If not, you may be born into a less fortunate life. This raises the question, though, of who determines how well you lived your life. If you don't believe in something to determine this, then it seems like it may be a groundless belief.
Many claim to have had what's called out of body experiences, in which their mind literally leaves their body and travels about. Perhaps this is what happens. Your conscious self is just left behind. There is no scientific evidence, though, for or against this.
Epicurus, one of the earliest skeptic thinkers, believed that death is something not to be feared, as it is the end of body and soul. I look at it like this: How can you suffer from nonexistence if you don't exist to suffer to begin with?
If you believe in an afterlife that is determined by how full your life was, or reincarnation, or simply fading into nonexistence, or whatever, one thing is certain: you have to live your life as best as you can.
These are tough questions, indeed. I'm something of a nihilist at times. I've often thought that life has no value. If there is no afterlife, it's not like we'll be punished, or on the flip side, rewarded, for what we've done in life, so what is the point in living? This question is almost impossible to answer without answering the other question "What happens to you when you die?"
I don't claim to be one hundred percent sure of anything. I would say I'm probably about 70-80 percent sure there isn't any sort of god or other supernatural being (I am what is called an "agnostic atheist"). Saying you're absolutely sure is bad science. I am, however, pretty sure, that once we die, that's it. We're dead. We're just gone. Our conscious ceases to exist and that's all. Oblivion. Nothing.
It's much like global warming. You have no clue how much I'd LOVE for global warming to just be a conspiracy by quack scientists. I WISH it was all bullshit, that it was a myth, and that my beloved winters were safe from extinction. I really wish I was wrong. The sad thing is, I (along with most scientific institutions) am not wrong.
I'd love to believe that after I die I get to live in paradise for all eternity. I really wish that was the case, but it's (most likely) not.
I suppose if you share some Buddhist beliefs you may think that perhaps we're reborn as someone else. If you share even more of these beliefs, what you are born as depends on how you lived your previous life. If you lived well, you may be born to live a happier life. If not, you may be born into a less fortunate life. This raises the question, though, of who determines how well you lived your life. If you don't believe in something to determine this, then it seems like it may be a groundless belief.
Many claim to have had what's called out of body experiences, in which their mind literally leaves their body and travels about. Perhaps this is what happens. Your conscious self is just left behind. There is no scientific evidence, though, for or against this.
Epicurus, one of the earliest skeptic thinkers, believed that death is something not to be feared, as it is the end of body and soul. I look at it like this: How can you suffer from nonexistence if you don't exist to suffer to begin with?
If you believe in an afterlife that is determined by how full your life was, or reincarnation, or simply fading into nonexistence, or whatever, one thing is certain: you have to live your life as best as you can.
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