Well, three Iowa Supreme Court justices have been voted out in this last election. I'd be willing to bet their stance for equal rights back when they overturned the state's gay marriage ban had a lot to do with it. I doubt they'll ever see this, but I congratulate them on making a stand for equality at the cost of their positions. I'm confident that public opinion on this issue is going to shift very soon and more Americans will support equality, just as more Americans today support the rights of women and minorities today (even though they did not 100 years ago).
Soon, Proposition 8 will go to the Supreme Court, and I'm fairly certain that they will follow Vaughn Walker's ruling and overturn the ban as well (Walker explained very clearly why the act is unconstitutional in the 136-page ruling - it's excellent reading if you're interested).
In the grand scheme of things, the bigots really shot themselves in the foot with that Prop 8 bullshit. Once the Supreme Court gets ahold of it, and it is righteously struck down, all gay marriage bans nationwide are void. So, go fuck yourselves, you dumb assholes.
Iowa SC judges voted out
Why Prop 8 will probably go down in the Supreme Court
Watch the first part of the series, too, if you have time. It's a very interesting couple of videos
Apologies for any typos. I'll fix them later.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Cold weather doesn't disprove climate change
This post is probably a bit late in the making, since winter is sadly long past, but one thing I remember a lot of my conservative Christian friends doing is making sarcastic remarks about global warming during heavy snow and cold temperatures we experienced this previous winter. I think this video here does a great job debunking their bullshit, even though many of them would likely just plug their ears, shut their eyes and go "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA! NOT LISTENING! LA LA LA!"
Saturday, May 29, 2010
So I got rid of Facebook
Well, I found out how to permanently delete a Facebook account (as opposed to merely deactivating it), and at one o'clock today, I did it. If you're interested on how to do it, log in and go here. The rest is self explanatory. DO NOT log in for two weeks after you've done this, otherwise it will undo the process. Your entire account should be gone after two weeks and your days as a slave to Facebook will finally be over.
What pushed me to do it? Well, it was simply a drain on my life. Now, I didn't use Farmville or any of that shit. I only used it for photo sharing and talking to people, but I still wasted a good chunk of time on there. I would always find myself going online to see who else was online and available to chat. Even after leaving the site, I would find myself back on Facebook. It got to where I would go to a couple of other sites, type in the address for Facebook, see the page, and think to myself, "What the fuck am I doing back here?"
It was much like my feeble attempts at online dating (yes, feel free to chuck rotten vegetables at me, I know). It would consume so much of my life, and ultimately, it was useless. Just false hope and a brief sense of satisfaction that eventually just turned into something I did simply to dull the impulse (much like an addiction to nicotine).
In the words of the great Stan Marsh from South Park, "Dude, fuck Facebook, seriously."
If you want to keep in touch with others, I recommend Skype, instant messengers, email, or the good old telephone. For sharing photos, use Flickr or some similar service. (I personally use Flickr.) Go raise crops in real life if you want to manage a farm, for Christ's sake! It would take the same amount of time you spend managing a virtual one of Facebook.
Unfortunately, I have used the site before, so I am not a Facebook virgin, but I can start my secondary Facebook virginity in stride.
Proudly free of Facebook as of the twenty-ninth of May, two thousand nine,
Matt
What pushed me to do it? Well, it was simply a drain on my life. Now, I didn't use Farmville or any of that shit. I only used it for photo sharing and talking to people, but I still wasted a good chunk of time on there. I would always find myself going online to see who else was online and available to chat. Even after leaving the site, I would find myself back on Facebook. It got to where I would go to a couple of other sites, type in the address for Facebook, see the page, and think to myself, "What the fuck am I doing back here?"
It was much like my feeble attempts at online dating (yes, feel free to chuck rotten vegetables at me, I know). It would consume so much of my life, and ultimately, it was useless. Just false hope and a brief sense of satisfaction that eventually just turned into something I did simply to dull the impulse (much like an addiction to nicotine).
In the words of the great Stan Marsh from South Park, "Dude, fuck Facebook, seriously."
If you want to keep in touch with others, I recommend Skype, instant messengers, email, or the good old telephone. For sharing photos, use Flickr or some similar service. (I personally use Flickr.) Go raise crops in real life if you want to manage a farm, for Christ's sake! It would take the same amount of time you spend managing a virtual one of Facebook.
Unfortunately, I have used the site before, so I am not a Facebook virgin, but I can start my secondary Facebook virginity in stride.
Proudly free of Facebook as of the twenty-ninth of May, two thousand nine,
Matt
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Are you a MAN OF GOD or a SATAN WORSHIPER???
This Godly test will determine how much of a TRUE Christian you are. Does not contain evolution.
Jot down the number with the answer you select for each question. You will need those at the end.
Health care is...
A human right (1)
Something only those who can afford it should have (3)
Something the elderly or children should have (2)
Abortion is...
Murder (3)
A right (1)
Sometimes necessary (2)
Homosexuality
An ABOMINATION to GOD (3)
A harmless alternative lifestyle that should be tolerated (1)
Not something I associate with (2)
How often do you display the flag?
On holidays (1)
All over my home, and I salute it and wrap myself in it daily (3)
I have one up all year around (2)
Would you like to get married?
Someday (2)
Probably not (1)
ASAP (3)
How many kids do you want?
0-1 (1)
2-4 (2)
5+ (3)
How often do you post Godly Facebook statuses?
Several times a day (3)
Never (1)
Occasionally (2)
Political party
Republican (3)
Democrat (Satan's party) (1)
Independent (2)
Denomination
Calvinist Baptist (3)
Catholic (1)
Methodist (2)
How often do you listen to Christian music?
Never (1)
Sometimes (2)
It's all I listen to (3)
Now add up the numbers you selected.
30 – You are genuine WORSHIPER OF THE LORD! Only people like you understand life and morality and AMERICA.
20-29 – You're probably not quite an enemy of God, but you DO love Satan a little bit. Try to get brainwashed a bit more. There's a chance you may not enter Heaven (even though salvation is supposedly by faith alone, but paying attention to contradictions is SATANIC)
10-19 – YOU HATE GOD AND ARE OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL! You will BURN IN HELL FOREVER AND YOU FUCKING DESERVE IT!
Jot down the number with the answer you select for each question. You will need those at the end.
Health care is...
A human right (1)
Something only those who can afford it should have (3)
Something the elderly or children should have (2)
Abortion is...
Murder (3)
A right (1)
Sometimes necessary (2)
Homosexuality
An ABOMINATION to GOD (3)
A harmless alternative lifestyle that should be tolerated (1)
Not something I associate with (2)
How often do you display the flag?
On holidays (1)
All over my home, and I salute it and wrap myself in it daily (3)
I have one up all year around (2)
Would you like to get married?
Someday (2)
Probably not (1)
ASAP (3)
How many kids do you want?
0-1 (1)
2-4 (2)
5+ (3)
How often do you post Godly Facebook statuses?
Several times a day (3)
Never (1)
Occasionally (2)
Political party
Republican (3)
Democrat (Satan's party) (1)
Independent (2)
Denomination
Calvinist Baptist (3)
Catholic (1)
Methodist (2)
How often do you listen to Christian music?
Never (1)
Sometimes (2)
It's all I listen to (3)
Now add up the numbers you selected.
30 – You are genuine WORSHIPER OF THE LORD! Only people like you understand life and morality and AMERICA.
20-29 – You're probably not quite an enemy of God, but you DO love Satan a little bit. Try to get brainwashed a bit more. There's a chance you may not enter Heaven (even though salvation is supposedly by faith alone, but paying attention to contradictions is SATANIC)
10-19 – YOU HATE GOD AND ARE OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL! You will BURN IN HELL FOREVER AND YOU FUCKING DESERVE IT!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
"Why don't scientists fear hell?" by Philhellenes
An excellent video by YouTube user Philhellenes that was falsely flagged and removed from his channel. As a result, it went viral and can now be found all over YouTube. It has since been reinstated to his channel.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
On Theistic Evolution
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?"
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, 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.
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