I'm waiting for Rick Warren's gay prostitute/affair scandal. I'll go for a straight affair too, but my guess is straight up gay.
Some comically inclined artist should draw Warren while incorporating a closet in some strategic fashion.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
A Bit of Perspective
I came across this article:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/02/slaves.white.house/index.html?eref=rss_latest
While the article simply reminds us of information we were already well aware of, it reiterates the significance of Obama's election as our next president. Although, note the factual contradiction in the statements:
"Twelve American presidents owned slaves and eight of them, starting with Washington, owned slaves while they lived in the White House."
and
"In 1800, John Adams was the first president to live in the White House, moving in before it was finished."
Thus, the article provides a great lesson in editing and statement clarity also, which seemed to momentarily evade the writers. Washington never lived in the White House, which they obviously know like everybody else. Maybe they'll catch the mistake eventually.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/
While the article simply reminds us of information we were already well aware of, it reiterates the significance of Obama's election as our next president. Although, note the factual contradiction in the statements:
"Twelve American presidents owned slaves and eight of them, starting with Washington, owned slaves while they lived in the White House."
and
"In 1800, John Adams was the first president to live in the White House, moving in before it was finished."
Thus, the article provides a great lesson in editing and statement clarity also, which seemed to momentarily evade the writers. Washington never lived in the White House, which they obviously know like everybody else. Maybe they'll catch the mistake eventually.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Dork in a Poncho
The above images were taken at the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru, where Bush joined representatives from numerous other nations.
Yes, I picked the photos that made him look most idiotic. At least Bush is good for a nice therapeutic laugh every now and then; he owes us that much for goodness sake!
'Tis the Season to be Oblivious
The holiday season for many is a time for charity. For freethinking members of society who don't wish to contribute to the painfully out of touch agenda of many religious charities, it can be difficult to find charitable organizations with a secular viewpoint. In the past, prior to my recovery from religious manipulation, I've personally donated to The Salvation Army, perhaps the most high profile charity during the holidays. As with too many Christian establishments, The Salvation Army maintains many views that exemplify just how detrimentally unaware many Christian institutions and those of other religious convictions are. To prove this point, I visited SA's website and reviewed their "position statements" regarding various topics, with special attention to the areas dealing with sexuality. Here are some "positions" that I found most disturbing:
"...sexual intimacy is not essential to a healthy, full, and rich life."
"...Christians whose sexual orientation is primarily or exclusively same-sex are called upon to embrace celibacy as a way of life."
"Men and women need each other, not only in the bonds of marriage, but in nearly every aspect of our lives."
"Marriage is the only proper context for sexual intimacy."
There is a plethora of other statements made on the site consistent with the insensible postulations of many religious assertions, including those related to abortion, assisted reproduction, birth control, even social drinking. They can be found here:
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf/vw-text-dynamic-arrays/B6F3F4DF3150F5B585257434004C177D?openDocument
Even with unrealistic stances, there can be no doubt The Salvation Army, along with other charities, religious-based or not, do make real, positive impacts in people's lives. I can't imagine any responsible, compassionate member of society being opposed to helping our fellow world inhabitants, human or otherwise. However, what I personally cannot condone is the proliferation of ideas that contradict the very reality that we are immersed in and instead promote beliefs that devalue the human experience of others.
Would I accept the charity of a religious person or organization should I fall upon hard times in the future? I certainly would; just as I would not withhold my charitable contributions to other individuals based on religious beliefs. I would absolutely never deny much needed assistance to someone based on any of their beliefs; that is certainly not what I am promoting in the least. However, we do have the option of providing donations to organizations with secular ambitions, or those religious organizations more in tune with true understanding and humanism.
Here is a list of some secular charities:
http://www.freethoughtpedia.com/wiki/Charities
Faith based organizations I like to refer people to, which accept direct contributions, and which can likely cite other sensible venues for donations include:
http://www.uua.org/
http://www.calchurches.org/
Many, many other nonreligious groups, associations, businesses, ect., can be found at the following link. I'm sure many of these accept donations as well, and can be found either by nation or state wide:
http://www.atheistalliance.org/directory/list.php
Please feel free to add to this list by commenting or sending links for me to post. Thank you!
'Tis the season to give intelligently!
"...sexual intimacy is not essential to a healthy, full, and rich life."
"...Christians whose sexual orientation is primarily or exclusively same-sex are called upon to embrace celibacy as a way of life."
"Men and women need each other, not only in the bonds of marriage, but in nearly every aspect of our lives."
"Marriage is the only proper context for sexual intimacy."
There is a plethora of other statements made on the site consistent with the insensible postulations of many religious assertions, including those related to abortion, assisted reproduction, birth control, even social drinking. They can be found here:
http://www.salvationarmyusa.
Even with unrealistic stances, there can be no doubt The Salvation Army, along with other charities, religious-based or not, do make real, positive impacts in people's lives. I can't imagine any responsible, compassionate member of society being opposed to helping our fellow world inhabitants, human or otherwise. However, what I personally cannot condone is the proliferation of ideas that contradict the very reality that we are immersed in and instead promote beliefs that devalue the human experience of others.
Would I accept the charity of a religious person or organization should I fall upon hard times in the future? I certainly would; just as I would not withhold my charitable contributions to other individuals based on religious beliefs. I would absolutely never deny much needed assistance to someone based on any of their beliefs; that is certainly not what I am promoting in the least. However, we do have the option of providing donations to organizations with secular ambitions, or those religious organizations more in tune with true understanding and humanism.
Here is a list of some secular charities:
http://www.freethoughtpedia.
Faith based organizations I like to refer people to, which accept direct contributions, and which can likely cite other sensible venues for donations include:
http://www.uua.org/
http://www.calchurches.org/
Many, many other nonreligious groups, associations, businesses, ect., can be found at the following link. I'm sure many of these accept donations as well, and can be found either by nation or state wide:
http://www.atheistalliance.
Please feel free to add to this list by commenting or sending links for me to post. Thank you!
'Tis the season to give intelligently!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
"Insecure Religious Egos"
I found the following article here:
http://www.ffrf.org/news/2008/
I love Gaylor's comments! I recommend looking at the original article because at the bottom it gives additional news links and contact information for complaints.
Send a message to the city of Rancho Cucamonga with this automatic message generator: http://atheistsunited.org/
________
"Imagine No Religion" Billboard Comes Down in Cucamonga
The Freedom From Religion Foundation's "Imagine No Religion" billboard, which only went up late last week in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., for a two-month run, has been censored by General Outdoor Co., which took down the Foundation's vinyl message today. While the Foundation has encountered billboard companies unwilling to lease boards in several locations (Rapid City, Mich., Peoria, Ill., rural Nebraska and Salt Lake City), this is the first time one of its billboards has been censored after going up.
The colorful billboard carries the Freedom From Religion Foundation's name and website, and boasts a John Lennon-esque statement, "Imagine No Religion," against a stained-glass window background.
The billboard had already engendered a story in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, (Ontario, Calif.), which went out over the Associated Press wire, as well as major TV coverage in the valley on ABC and CBS TV stations last night.
Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor called such censorship "unprofessional and cavalier."
"Are religionists so thin-skinned they must squelch free debate? One small freethought billboard in the immense state of California is such a threat to insecure religious egos that it must be censored?"
Gaylor said: "With local freethinkers' help, the Freedom From Religion Foundation would love to plaster the valley with our message. Let's fight back!"
"There is nothing insulting in our message. We simply invite the public to think, to imagine a world free from religion. Think of the history of believers warring over their imaginary gods, the fact that more people have been killed in the name of religion than for any other reason! The human race needs to grow up. We should concentrate on improving this world, and stop worrying about the next," Gaylor added.
A Foundation billboard, using the stained-glass motif with a little holly added and the seasonal message, "Reason's Greetings," will be going up next month in Olympia, Wash., and in Madison, Wis., among other sites.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
