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Obama Administration Responds to “Religion in the Public Square” Petitions

TPO — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 04:39:00 +0000

I’m sorry Mr. DuBois but you are not guaranteeing my right as a citizen to practice “no religion at all” when you require me to use currency that says “In God We Trust” on it in order to keep a roof over my head and to feed my family.

Also, to President Obama, although “not every mention of God in the public is a breach to the wall of separation,” including the word “under God” in the United States Pledge of Allegiance surely does by requiring them to pledge allegiance to a deity in witch they do not believe in if they wish to pledge allegiance to a country in which they do believe in.

Public Land Transfer to Religious School Struck Sown by Federal Court

TPO — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:10:00 +0000

Groups Drop Lawsuit After Shelter Agrees to Change Operations and D.C. Government Abandons Plan to Pay Shelter Public Funds

October 19, 2011

A federal court today struck down a new plan by officials in South Bend, Ind., to transfer public land to a religious school, a development welcomed by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
U.S. District Judge Robert L. Miller Jr. said the city’s plan to sell the Family Dollar property for $345,000 violates the constitutional separation of church and state. The city paid $1.2 million for the property.

Said Americans United Legal Director Ayesha N. Khan, “The judge clearly saw that the city was attempting an end run around the court’s earlier decision. The decision makes clear that the city cannot give preferential treatment to St. Joseph’s over other potential bidders.

“This is an important victory for the taxpayers of South Bend. Public funds should never be spent to support churches or church schools,” she continued. “I hope this makes the council realize that it’s time to respect the separation of church and state.”

Read the rest of this press release at au.org »

Reawakening American Virtue and Prosperity

TPO — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:01:00 +0000

Reawakening American Virtue and Prosperity

The Occupy Wall Street movement has been criticized for lacking focus — but its main slogan seems to be resonating. That slogan, “We are the 99 percent,” highlights the issue of income disparity. It’s something economist Jeffrey Sachs has been tracking for a long time.

The top 1 percent of U.S. households now take about a quarter of all income, according to Sachs. And wages for the average American male peaked in 1973, he says.
“It means that for the typical young person right now who is a high school graduate — but on average will not get a bachelor’s degree — life is extremely challenging to find a foothold,” Sachs tells NPR’s Steve Inskeep, “with a stable job, with an opportunity to have a reliable income, health and other benefits and a chance to have the kind of middle-class life that we once took for granted.

Sachs explores the result of the widening income gap in his new book, The Price of Civilization: Reawakening American Virtue and Prosperity. The book’s title was inspired by Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, who once said, “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society.”

I haven’t read this book yet but it’s on my list. Learn more about it by listening to the NPR interview with the author linked above.

Eddie Vedder’s Epic Stage Dives

TPO — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:52:00 +0000

Damn! Eddie took the stage diving phenomenon to a whole new level.

In this excerpt from Cameron Crowe’s Pearl Jam Twenty, the band reflects on Eddie Vedder’s penchant for taking stage diving to new heights, plus a montage of some his greatest and highest concert dives, including the 1992 Pinkpop Festival, Landgraaf, Netherlands. American Masters Pearl Jam Twenty premieres nationwide Friday, October 21, 2011 as part of the first PBS Arts Fall Festival.

The Hypocrisy of United States Marijuana Laws

TPO — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Lawrence O’Donnel breaks down the government’s position on getting high:

Senators, Members of Congress, Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Supreme Court Justices are going to continue to get high (many of them every day and every night). Many of them will do it publicly, and loudly, and legally at restaurants and campaign fundraisers and at state dinners. They will raise their glasses and get high, and they will continue to put people in jail for using a harmless, non-liquid way of getting high like Marijuana.

…Such hypocrisy carries and even stronger stench than the alcohol drenched breath of those politicians and judges and prosecutors and DEA officials. I really don’t know how they can sleep at night….without the booze.

Well said Mr. O'Donnell!

Study the Promotional Posters of Pearl Jam

TPO — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:50:00 +0000

No Code Summer Tour. 1995

For the past twenty years of Pearl Jam’s tours, a collection of artists including The Ames Bros and Brad Klausen have designed highly stylized posters that celebrated their tours in around the world. Throughout this body of work one thing remains consistent – the constant merging of ideas and personalities between the designers and the band to create an image. This exhibit presents twelve designs and discusses the motivations and inspirations that created the imagery to accompany Pearl Jam’s music.

Also, American Masters will be broadcasting Pearl Jam Twenty on Friday, October 21.

The Sacred Orgasm Nerve

TPO — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:34:00 +0000

While visiting the website of one of my favorite modern authors, I ran across this video. Isn’t Mary awesome!!!

What if you woke up one morning five times more intelligent than you are now?

TPO — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:13:00 +0000

Even more, what if you woke up one morning and all intelligent animals were five times smarter than they are now?

I recently finished listing to an engaging narration of one of Poul Anderson’s early novels, Brain Wave from audible.com, which speculates about the outcome of such an event.

If you’re not a member of audible yet and decide to become one, please mention my user name (docholywood) if asked how you heard about their service.

If you want to know more about the this great SF classic before purchasing, listen to this short audio review by the Science Fiction Afterlife Podcast.

No Dinosaurs in Heaven

TPO — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:20:00 +0000

I just ran across this new film essay in the Washington Post that examines the hijacking of science education by religious fundamentalists, threatening the separation of church and state and dangerously undermining scientific literacy. It sounds like a great project. I hope it gets widely disseminated and is watched by those who need to watch it the most.

The documentary weaves together two strands: an examination of the problem posed by creationists who earn science education degrees only to advocate anti-scientific beliefs in the classroom; and a visually stunning raft trip down the Grand Canyon, led by Dr. Eugenie Scott, that debunks creationist explanations for its formation. These two strands expose the fallacies in the “debate,” manufactured by anti-science forces, that creationism is a valid scientific alternative to evolution.

Emmy Award-winning director (Before Stonewall, Paris Was a Woman) and science educator Greta Schiller uses her own experience — with a graduate school biology professor who refused to teach evolution — to expose the insidious effect that so-called “creationist science” has had on science education. No Dinosaurs in Heaven intelligently argues that public education must steadfastly resist the encroachment of religion in the form of anti-evolution creationism, and that science literacy is crucial to a healthy democracy.

Trailer

Also posted on Tumblr.

Francis Farmer and God’s Mundane Demise

TPO — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:11:00 +0000

Frances Farmer, a Seattle, Washington native who won a creative writing contest with her essay, "God Dies,” as a high school junior at age 16, is truly one of the unsung heroines of American freethought in the Twentieth Century. This essay, reproduced below, earned her $100 ($1,400 in today’s money) and resulted in a national wire story: "Seattle girl denies God and wins prize." In the conclusion of this brief essay about becoming an atheist, Frances wrote: "I felt rather proud to think that I had found the truth myself, without help from anyone. It puzzled me that other people hadn't found out, too."

Here is her essay, as published in The Scholastic on May 2, 1931.

"God Dies"

No one ever came to me and said, "You're a fool. There isn't such a thing as God. Somebody's been stuffing you." It wasn't a murder. I think God just died of old age. And when I realized that he wasn't any more, it didn't shock me. It seemed natural and right.

Maybe it was because I was never properly impressed with a religion. I went to Sunday school and liked the stories about Christ and the Christmas star. They were beautiful. They made you warm and happy to think about. But I didn't believe them. The Sunday School teacher talked too much in the way our grade school teacher used to when she told us about George Washington. Pleasant, pretty stories, but not true.

Religion was too vague. God was different. He was something real, something I could feel. But there were only certain times when I could feel it. I used to lie between cool, clean sheets at night after I'd had a bath, after I had washed my hair and scrubbed my knuckles and finger nails and teeth. Then I could lie quite still in the dark with my face to the window with the trees in it, and talk to God. "I am clean, now. I've never been as clean. I'll never be cleaner." And somehow, it was God. I wasn't sure that it was … just something cool and dark and clean.

That wasn't religion, though. There was too much of the physical about it. I couldn't get that same feeling during the day, with my hands in dirty dish water and the hard sun showing up the dirtiness on the roof-tops. And after a time, even at night, the feeling of God didn't last. I began to wonder what the minister meant when he said, "God, the father, sees even the smallest sparrow fall. He watches over all his children." That jumbled it all up for me. But I was sure of one thing. If God were a father, with children, that cleanliness I had been feeling wasn't God. So at night, when I went to bed, I would think, "I am clean. I am sleepy." And then I went to sleep. It didn't keep me from enjoying the cleanness any less. I just knew that God wasn't there. He was a man on a throne in Heaven, so he was easy to forget.

Sometimes I found he was useful to remember; especially when I lost things that were important. After slamming through the house, panicky and breathless from searching, I could stop in the middle of a room and shut my eyes. "Please God, let me find my red hat with the blue trimmings." It usually worked. God became a super-father that couldn't spank me. But if I wanted a thing badly enough, he arranged it.

That satisfied me until I began to figure that if God loved all his children equally, why did he bother about my red hat and let other people lose their fathers and mothers for always? I began to see that he didn't have much to do about hats, people dying or anything. They happened whether he wanted them to or not, and he stayed in heaven and pretended not to notice. I wondered a little why God was such a useless thing. It seemed a waste of time to have him. After that he became less and less, until he was…nothingness.

I felt rather proud to think that I had found the truth myself, without help from any one. It puzzled me that other people hadn't found out, too. God was gone. We were younger. We had reached past him. Why couldn’t they see it? It still puzzles me.

Farmer later became a Hollywood starlet after spending four years as drama student at the University of Washington. She appeared in over a dozen movies and several Broadway plays before her career was ruined by a sequence of unjust commitments to mental institutions.

In spite of her undeserved ignominy, Frances’ life story has inspired many young feminists over the years as well as musicians, authors, actresses and filmmakers.

I encourage you to visit the links below to learn much more about this freethought heroine.

If Atheists And Liberals Are For It then I’m Against It

TPO — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:32:00 +0000

A fellow Wiregrass citizen wrote the letter above in today’s Dothan Eagle railing against atheists and liberals for opposing Alabama’s new immigration laws. This is my response.

Although I am an atheist and a liberal, one doesn’t have to be an atheist or a liberal to oppose the Governors legislation. In fact many Christian organizations and individuals are against these laws. Also, one does not have to be for illegal immigration to oppose this legislation.

This law obliges police to arrest anyone that looks like an illegal immigrant if they’re stopped for any other reason, requires public schools to determine students’ immigration status and also makes it a crime to transport an illegal immigrant for any reason.

This is why several secular human rights and civil rights organizations have joined forces with religious groups to strike down this legislation.

Since you appear to consider yourself a Christian Mr. DeJournett, I put forth the following question you.

Under this legislation, what would happen to Jesus if he were caught feeding, sheltering or helping an illegal in Alabama, in any way?

The parable told by the character Jesus in the Gospel of Luke 10-:25-37, which tells the story of the Good Samaritan, is probably one of the most admirable stories in the Christian Bible and is very agreeable to atheists, agnostics and humanists. In fact, it is a key tenet of secular humanism which is why I am so fond of it.

It is a story that champions love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness and tolerance over intolerance.

Of course the ethics of this parable do not originate with the tales of Jesus or exemplify the overall moral principles taught by the Gospels but it does appeal to the more caring sensibilities of liberal believers.

As for many who call themselves Christian, right wing Christians like Governor Robert Bentley, the Gospel teachings of Matthew 5:17-19, 10:21, 10:34, 11:20, 15:4-7, 19:29, Mark 7:9 and Luke 12:47 may be more appealing.

Which Jesus do you prefer Mr. DeJournett?

Note: In recent months, many of my fellow SEAFA members and I have been expressing our opinions in the area’s top news paper. Sometimes we get rants like this directed at us as a response but we’ve also gotten some positive feedback and gained a few new members as a result. If you have a fledgling freethought group in your area, encourage your members to do the same. The theists, right wingers and haters only maintain their social power and sense of superiority by our silence.

An Illustrious Collection of Irreverent Thoughts: Part 9

TPO — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 01:02:00 +0000

This edition of An Illustrious Collection of Irreverent Thoughts is in honor of Robert G. Ingersoll who was born on August 11th 1833. Happy (belated) birthday Col. Ingersoll, yours was a life worth celebrating!

If a man would follow, today, the teachings of the Old Testament he would be a criminal. If he would strictly follow the teachings of the New, he would be insane.
With soap, baptism is a good thing.
In Nature there are neither rewards nor punishments—there are consequences.
Yes; if a man really believes that God once upheld slavery; that he commanded soldiers to kill women and babes; that he believed in polygamy; that he persecuted for opinion’s sake; that he will punish forever, and that he hates an unbeliever, the effect in my judgment will be bad. It always has been bad. This belief built the dungeons of the Inquisition. This belief made the Puritan murder the Quaker.
If the founder of Christianity had plainly said: “It is not necessary to believe in order to be saved; it is only necessary to do, and he who really loves his fellow-men, who is kind, honest, just and charitable, is to be forever blest”—if he had only said that, there would probably have been but little persecution.
The old doctrine that God . . . rewarded the virtuous and punished the wicked is gradually fading from the mind. We know that some of the worst men have what the world calls success. We know that some of the best men lie upon the straw of failure. We know that honesty goes hungry, while larceny sits at the banquet. We know that the vicious have every physical comfort, while the virtuous are often clad in rags.
Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon, than the Word of God. It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and, for my own part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel.
Fear believes—courage doubts. Fear falls upon the earth and prays—courage stands erect and thinks. Fear retreats—courage advances. Fear is barbarism—courage is civilization. Fear believes in witchcraft, in devils and in ghosts. Fear is religion, courage is science.
The hands that help are better far than the lips that pray.
The notion that faith in Christ is to be rewarded by an eternity of bliss, while a dependence upon reason, observation, and experience merits everlasting pain, is too absurd for refutation, and can be relieved only by
that unhappy mixture of insanity and ignorance, called “faith.”
Labor is the only prayer that Nature answers; it is the only prayer that deserves an answer—good, honest, noble work.
Christianity has such a contemptible opinion of human nature that it does not believe a man can tell the truth unless frightened by a belief in God. No lower opinion of the human race has ever been expressed.
I cannot see why we should expect an infinite God to do better in another world than he does in this.
I have little confidence in any enterprise or business or investment that promises dividends only after the death of the stockholders.

Last quote found on page 145.

Related Links:

Letter: Response to "Founders and Christianity"

TPO — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:10:00 +0000

A couple of days ago I posted a scan of a letter that was published in the Dothan Eagle in response to our local freethought group’s piece titled Non-religious ‘real’ Americans? That letter is now available for comment online at the Dothan Eagle's website.

Below is a response that will be submitted to the paper.

Keep in mind that we are limited to 300 words in providing a response so not all the errors, false conclusions and misrepresentations directed at us could be addressed.

Note: Revision suggestions and copy editing assistance on the spelling and grammar are still welcome but providing there are no objections from the SEAFA board, the following response will be submitted by the end of the day.

With all due respect to the author of the letter titled “Founders and Christianity,” anyone who claims that the United States is a Christian nation is gravely mistaken. As the President has affirmed, America is not a Christian nation but a nation of Non-believers, Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus among other faiths.

The laws of this country are based on the U.S. Constitution which makes no mention of ‘God’ and clearly states that our rights come from no power higher than “We the People.” Moreover, the often repeated reference to Jefferson’s use of “Creator” in the Declaration to support the myth that this nation was founded on the Judeo-Christian principles of the Bible is dubious since the principle author of this document was a Deist who did not believe in the personal deity of the Bible.

In addition, the George Washington quote mentioned in said letter is a spurious and utterly discredited fabrication created to bolster the claims of those who wish to undermine the Constitutional principle of Separation of Church and State.

It should also be noted that the Treaty of Tripoli—which was signed by both Secretary of State Timothy Pickering and President John Adams, as well as passing unanimously in the Senate—states that “the Government of the United States…is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion,” thus reaffirming what the founders intended. President Adams went on to proclaim that “all persons bearing office civil or military within the United States, and all other citizens…[must] observe and fulfill the said Treaty and every clause and article thereof.”

In conclusion, we here at SEAFA reject the claim that United States is a Christian nation in light of its inaccuracy and discriminatory nature towards approximately 30 percent of the U.S. population.

For more information about the SEAFA visit www.theSEAFA.org.

Is it Dishonest to say that the United States is not Christian Nation?

TPO — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 17:05:00 +0000

Alright folks, how many errors, false conclusions or misrepresentations can you find in the following letter that was published in the Dothan Eagle today in response to our local freethought group's piece titled Non-religious 'real' Americans?

We will be putting together a response as a group and or individually in the next day or two so if you have any suggestions, please feel share them here.

Carl Sagan Archives: Parts 1-3

TPO — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:58:00 +0000

Interview with ABC News as Voyager II Reaches Saturn [Carl Sagan Archives, Part 1]

This is the first in a series of rare or obscure Carl Sagan videos, including interviews, biographies, and presentations; augmented with related facts and new information discovered since the segment aired.

In this video, originally aired August 25, 1981, Carl Sagan guides ABC News viewers through the discoveries made by Voyager II in its recent encounter with Saturn.

Interview with CBC on the importance of SETI [Carl Sagan Archives, Part 2]

In this second video, originally aired in the fall of 1988, Carl Sagan explains the importance of SETI in an interview on CBC.

Reflecting on the Life of Carl Sagan [Carl Sagan Archives, Part 3]

In this third video Michael Shermer, Executive Director of the Skeptics Society, and Carl Sagan’s Biographers, William Poundstone and Keay Davidson, discuss the life and death of Carl Sagan. Included is a very interesting account of Sagan’s marijuana use. This video is a must-see for all Sagan fans!

Videos compliments of Milky Way Musings.

Atheists Aren’t Trying To Take Away Your Freedoms

TPO — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:35:00 +0000

Recently a letter titled God bless America was published in lower Alabama's most prominent news paper, the Dothan Eagle. This letter, just one of the weekly letters from local citizens and columnists like Ann Varnum, which regularly expresses discriminatory viewpoints against non-Christians, spurred the following response from the area's local freethought group.

If you have a facebook account, please visit the letter piced above at the Dothan Eagle's site and share you thoughts.

Getting Toasted With Jesus

TPO — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:36:00 +0000

For those of you who were disappointed by the most recent failure of Jesus to show up for yet another rapture party scheduled in his honor, I would like to introduce you to the new Jesus Toaster. That's right folks, for just $39.95, you can now have Jesus rise for you every morning.

Now this product is not just for you believers out there; after all, "laughter is a spontaneous reflex that some times brings people together without their knowledge and even without their consent and both atheists and theists seem to enjoy these just as much."

So get yours now and get Toasted with Jesus.

Note: This is not a joke. Click on the linked video below for the complete story of an entrepreneur from Vermont who definitely marches to his own beat:-)

Love In An Elevator With Richard Dawkins

TPO — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:40:00 +0000

Although I consider myself to be a strong advocate for most feminist causes, I think Dawkins recent comment on Pharyngula’s blog was satirical genius and very on point. Stewart and Colbert would be proud. I like Rebecca and approve of her positive contributions to the skeptical movement but she totally lost all sense of reasonableness when she proposed this boycott Dawkins movement and labeled him a misogynist.

To say she was a bit melodramatic about the elevator incident would be polite but accurate. To say she overreacted to Dawkins comment would be a calamitous understatement. Truly, Miss Watson is "no Sherlock Holmes" and her defenders–PZ Myers, Jen McCreight, Phil Plait, Amanda Marcotte, Greg Laden, and Melissa McEwan seem to have temporarily misplaced their ability to reason as well. For full details on this crazy "controversy," see Brandon Thorp’s Richard Dawkins Torn Limb From Limb—By Atheists.

That being said, I think The Amazing Atheist made some good points in the following video.

I especially agree with this observation.

“What is the point of being an atheist if you’re going to cling to the dogma of religion? Part of abandoning God means abandoning the dogma, means abandoning the idea that there is this rigid set of rules that we must follow even though they're completely fucking arbitrary.”

We Can’t Let Atheists Take Away Our Freedoms!

TPO — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 02:50:00 +0000

Recently the following letter was published in lower Alabama's most prominent news paper, the Dothan Eagle.

God bless America

I just have to share my feelings about our country. We are a nation of Christians and God-fearing people. Some wrong-minded people are telling us that we no longer are.

We cannot let a few atheists, etc., ruin what we as a nation have worked so hard for. Freedom was the reason for the Revolutionary War.

Are we losing our freedom? Let’s hope not! When we turn our backs to God, he can do the same to us. He has to be so disappointed in how we are living. So please, let’s stand united. We are a Christian nation. I love my country; it's the best in the world, so why would we want to be anything less?

Marguerite McKlemurry
Abbeville

In response to this stupendously ignorant take on the history of America—which seems to be the prevalent view in the Wiregrass area—our local freethought group felt obliged to submit the following rejoinder which was penned by fellow member Robert Hands. Hopefully it will be published in the next few days.

We Are All Americans

The Southeast Alabama Freethought Association (SEAFA) is a group of atheists, agnostics, and freethinkers from the Dothan and surrounding areas. We are your fellow Alabamians. We are your fellow Americans. The SEAFA would like to address the idea held by many in the religious community that one must be religious to be a “real American”.

You’ll find that many members of the various United States military branches are among the non-religious. Many of us dedicate our time and resources to charitable causes, not for recognition, but for compassion. We care heavily for our fellow human beings. We do not discriminate. We feel that people of all faiths, as well as people without faith, need not be labeled as un-American because of a difference in belief with the majority.

To say that the United States of America is a Christian nation is not only dishonest, it is discriminatory. In fact, recent studies show that nearly 30% of U.S. citizens are non-Christian. Approximately 15% of Americans identify as non-religious. The SEAFA itself currently boasts over one hundred members, and still counting, and that’s just in the Dothan area. We hope people consider this the next time they feel like alienating a huge portion of the population.

For more information about the SEAFA visit: www.theSEAFA.org

Letter has been published.

Hateful Christians Irate Over Atheists Independence Day Message

TPO — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:18:00 +0000

Christian comment: "I think they're burning an awful lot of gas for a lost cause." —Norm Ward
My response: At least 15% of Americans are non-religious so it's only a lost cause in the intolerant minds of people like Norm.

Christian comment: "If he had an F-18 bearing down on him, he might not be flying around advertising that." —Steve Ward
My response: More 'Christian' love on display! Steve failed to factor in one thing during his wishful musings, that F-18 may very well have an atheist sitting in the cockpit.

Christian comment: "You've got guys dieing left and right for our country that believe in God but you've got yahoos like that flying atheism. I don't believe that's right." —Chris Snider
My response: Well big boy, many of those guys and gals dieing for OUR country are atheists and don't believe in the god of all you loud mouth Christian yahoos trying to force your religious beliefs down their throats. I don't believe that's right!

Also posted at tumblr.

Haters Attack Atheists Intendance Day Message

TPO — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 23:03:00 +0000

Theist argument: I think they're burning an awful lot of gas for a lost cause.
Secular response: 15% of Americans are non-religious, not to mention the percentage that are non-Christian.

Theist argument: If he had an F-18 bearing down on him, he might not be flying around advertising that.
Secular response: What about the fact that a certain percentage of F-18 pilots are also atheists?

Theist argument: You've got guys dieing left and right for our country that believe in God but you've got yahoos like that flying atheism, I don't believe that's right.
Secular response: Well, many of those guys and gals dieing for our country are atheists and don't believe in the god of all these loud mouth yahoos trying to force their religious beliefs on their fellow patriots.

SEAFA’s First Annual "One Nation, Indivisible" Celebration

TPO — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:15:00 +0000

To celebrate the 235th anniversary of America declaring its independence from the monarchical and theocratic rule of 18th Century Great Britain, the Southeast Alabama Freethought Association held its first annual “One Nation, Indivisible” celebration at Lake Tholocco this weekend.

Since Independence Day is one of the few completely secular national holidays in the United States, it was only proper that we celebrate it "God-Free" as it was meant to be.

It was a beautiful day at Lake Tholocco as we set-up for the cookout a little after lunch.

As you can see in this next pic, we had a very enthusiastic cook who did a great job, especially on those phenomenal salmon burgers.

Derek, our meetup co-organizer provided the below "Sangria of Christ," a masterful concoction that did not give me the ability to walk on water as professed in scripture but did live up to Derek's promise of temporarily taking away all minor aches and pains.

This next pic is of a few of us lounging around after the meal. That's me on the left.

Next up is a great pic of your average American atheist family. Both parents of this well dressed baby boy are soldiers currently stationed at Ft. Rucker.

And here are a couple of pics showing several of SEAFA's members and I sporting our “One Nation, Indivisible” t-shirts.

After the cookout, a few of us went to the Freedom fest to see Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band perform and to watch the fireworks show afterwards.

The wife and I arrived at Freedom Fest a few minutes late to find thousands of people staked-out to see the show. I looked for the rest of our heathen crew but the concert had already started and the crowd was too huge to search thoroughly so we found decent spot and set-up our chairs.

There were several folks giving me nasty looks throughout the show after apparently reading my "One Nation, Indivisible" shirt but I responded with a gracious smile and a friendly nod. Thankfully no one became blatantly uncivil towards me.

It turned out to be a great show but I could have done without the bands rendition of “God Bless the USA” as an encore and Gary's politician like “God Bless You, God Bless our Troops and God Bless America!” in wrapping up.

That being said, even though I'm not a big fireworks fan and usually consider them to be wasteful, the fireworks display afterwards was more impressive than the concert.

Here is a short video of the fireworks finale followed by some pics wife wife took throughout the event.

For more Freedom Fest photos, click here.

Kudzu Jesus Appears On Utility Pole

TPO — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:30:00 +0000

According to the Kinston Free Press, “Jesus Christ” recently materialized in the guise of a Kudzu vine on a utility pole in Lenoir County, North Carolina.
Truly folks, I can’t make stuff like this up.

The pole, about a mile south of Kinston, has attracted attention of some area residents. Some say the kudzu-covered post bears a striking resemblance to Jesus’ crucifixion.

Kent Hardison, who runs Ma’s Hotdog House less than a half mile from the pareidolia, rides by the Christ-resembling post each day. He said when he first saw the kudzu growing he almost sprayed it with herbicide.

“I glanced at it, and it looks like Jesus,” Hardison said. “I thought, ‘You can’t spray Jesus with Roundup.’ ”

Kudzu, an invasive species from Japan, causes 1.5 million dollars of damage a year to power lines not to mention all the damage it does to other plant life and animal habitats in the U.S.; yet, these fine industrious citizens have decided to spare this particular vine because they think it’s “looking out” for them.

I find the fact that so many otherwise intelligent human beings in the world renounce their reason when it comes to matters of religion to be a constant source of perplexity.

Also posted at tumblr.

Much thanks to Robyn West.

Republican Hypocrisy on Islamic Radicals VS ‘Christian Militants’ in U.S.

TPO — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 21:04:00 +0000

In the video below, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D.-Texas) likened “Christian militants” to Islamic radicals in a hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, suggesting they posed a comparable threat to the rule of law in the United States.

“Are you familiar with the Christian militants?” Jackson asked former New York Dept. of Correctional Services official Patrick Dunleavy.

“Can one might say that they might possibly want to undermine this country because right now the right for women to choose is a Constitutional right but people disagree with it but here is an individual trying to undermine the protections that are given to women? Would you suggest that might be compared to trying to undermine this country? That’s a possibility, is it not?”

Rep. Jackson Lee: “As we look to be informational, we should include an analysis of how Christian militants or others might bring down the country. We have to look broadly, do we not?”

Dunleavy: “I don’t know that Christian militants have foreign country backing or foreign country financing.”

Rep. Lee: “I don’t think that’s the issue. The issue is whether or not their intent is to undermine the laws of this nation. And I think it is clear that that is the case. So it’s not — your distinction is not answering the question.”

Although I agree with Rep. Lee for the most part, I actually think Christian radicals in the U.S. are a bigger threat to the rule of law and our Constitutional rights than Islamic militants.

So why doesn’t the rising Christian extremism in the United States get the kind of attention in Congress from the GOP that is currently being focused on homegrown Islamic extremism?

As a fellow blogger pointed out, it might have something to do with the fact that “The Republican Party wants us to fear Muslim extremists while ignoring their embrace of Christian extremism. Even as some of their presidential candidates represent undiluted Christian dominionism, they want us to be so terrified of Muslims (not to mention immigrants, gays, and atheists) that we ignore their hypocrisy.”

More and more intolerant and discriminatory laws are being passed by these Christian radicals through the Republican Party every day and we should all take this very seriously. As Hrafnkell Haraldsson said at Politicususa, it’s not gonna go away if we ignore it.

I hope a growing number of liberal minded Christians in this country realize this and join their secular counterparts in vocal opposition before the liberal ideas of racial diversity, tolerance, equality, religious freedom and the separation of church and state are ripped from the fabric of the United States.

As for us secular humanists, atheists and agnostics, whether we be liberals, conservatives, libertarians, etc., surely we can find our collective moral courage as human beings to beat back this rising tide of hate, bigotry and misinformation that continues to sweep America.

Related Posts:

Hat tip to Atheist Revolution.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN AND THE ALABAMA GOVERNOR

TPO — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:58:00 +0000

What would Jesus Do? If he were caught helping an illegal in Alabama, he’d get Arrested.

The parable told by the character Jesus in the Gospel of Luke 10-:25-37, which tells the story of the Good Samaritan, is probably one of the most admirable stories in the Christian Bible and is very agreeable to atheists, agnostics and humanists. In fact, it is a key tenet of secular humanism which is why I am so fond of it.

It is a story that champions love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness and tolerance over intolerance.

Of course the ethics of this parable do not originate with the tales of Jesus or exemplify the overall moral principles taught by the Gospels but it does appeal to the more caring sensibilities of liberal believers.

As for your average conservative, right wing Christian like Governor Robert Bentley, the Gospel teachings of Matthew 5:17-19, 10:21, 10:34, 11:20, 15:4-7, 19:29, Mark 7:9 and Luke 12:47 may be more appealing.

Also posted at tumblr.

Related Posts:

THE GOOD SAMARITAN AND THE ALABAMA GOVERNOR

TPO — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:58:00 +0000

Alright, I’m not really a Cowboy: Rev. Barry Lynn’s Message to Texas Governor Rick Perry

TPO — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:55:00 +0000

Americans United’s Barry W. Lynn reminds Texas Gov. Rick Perry that he wasn’t hired to be a preacher. Support AU to help us fight this and other attacks on church-state separation.
Support this and our other efforts. Donate today!

Haw! Haw! I need me one of those Flying Spaghetti Monster hats too.
(Source: au.org)

Also posted at tumblr.

Alright, I’m not really a Cowboy: Rev. Barry Lynn’s Message to Texas Governor Rick Perry

TPO — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:55:00 +0000

Americans United’s Barry W. Lynn reminds Texas Gov. Rick Perry that he wasn’t hired to be a preacher. Support AU to help us fight this and other attacks on church-state separation.
Support this and our other efforts. Donate today!

Haw! Haw! I need me one of those Flying Spaghetti Monster hats too.
(Source: au.org)

Also posted at tumblr.

Interfaith March Planned Against Alabama Immigration Law In Birmingham

TPO — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:10:00 +0000

BIRMINGHAM, AL (APR - Alabama Public Radio ) - Opponents of Alabama’s tough new law against illegal immigration are planning an interfaith protest march in downtown Birmingham.

Faith-based groups said Tuesday they’re organizing the demonstration for Saturday to protest the law, which they call unjust.

Some church leaders say the law violates Christian principles, and many are worried about whether the law’s provisions against knowingly assisting illegal immigrants will prevent churches from reaching out to people who could be in the country illegally.

The march will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Birmingham’s Linn Park. Sponsors include church and social justice groups.

As a secular humanist and an Alabamian, I agree wholeheartedly with the faith-based groups in that this new law is unjust. Although the motives of these groups may not be entirely selfless, It’s good to see them banding together on the liberal side of the ideological fence for a change.

As NPR just reported last week, Governor Robert Bentley—the same evangelical Governor who alienated non-Christians during his inauguration and later slapped non-religious Alabama citizens up side the head with a feeble apology—recently singed into law the Nation’s harshest anti-immigrant law.

This new law, known as the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, obliges police to arrest anyone that looks like an illegal immigrant if they’re stopped for any other reason, requires public schools to determine students’ immigration status and also makes it a crime to transport an illegal immigrant for any reason.

Several secular human rights and civil rights organizations are already scheduled to participate in this protest and hopefully the atheist, agnostic and humanist community in the area will also be invited to participate as a group.

If you live in the area and oppose the new law, please try to attend.

Also posted at tumblr.

Interfaith March Planned Against Alabama Immigration Law In Birmingham

TPO — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:10:00 +0000

BIRMINGHAM, AL (APR - Alabama Public Radio ) - Opponents of Alabama’s tough new law against illegal immigration are planning an interfaith protest march in downtown Birmingham.

Faith-based groups said Tuesday they’re organizing the demonstration for Saturday to protest the law, which they call unjust.

Some church leaders say the law violates Christian principles, and many are worried about whether the law’s provisions against knowingly assisting illegal immigrants will prevent churches from reaching out to people who could be in the country illegally.

The march will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Birmingham’s Linn Park. Sponsors include church and social justice groups.

‘SlutWalk’ 2011: Hundreds Protest Blame the Victim Culture

TPO — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:36:00 +0000

Hundreds March Against Sexual Assault In ‘SlutWalk’

This spring and summer, scantily-clad women, and some men, are taking to the streets in what are called “SlutWalks.” They say they’re protesting a culture in which the victim of a sexual assault is blamed, rather than the perpetrator.

Hundreds of women in skimpy outfits — plunging necklines and the shortest of shorts — disregarded the overcast 60-degree weather and marched down the streets of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood last weekend.

Protester Monica Thomas explained why she came out for the walk.

“I don’t believe that how a woman dresses dictates whether or not a woman wants to be raped. No one wants to be raped. And no one deserves to be treated like that,” she said.

READ MORE

You know, I’ve even heard other women say stuff like “she was asking for it” in reference rape victims who dressed in a non-Victorian manner. I don’t understand the mental process that leads someone to have this attitude.

Also posted at tumblr.

‘SlutWalk’ 2011: Hundreds Protest Blame the Victim Culture

TPO — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:36:00 +0000

Hundreds March Against Sexual Assault In ‘SlutWalk’

This spring and summer, scantily-clad women, and some men, are taking to the streets in what are called “SlutWalks.” They say they’re protesting a culture in which the victim of a sexual assault is blamed, rather than the perpetrator.

Hundreds of women in skimpy outfits — plunging necklines and the shortest of shorts — disregarded the overcast 60-degree weather and marched down the streets of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood last weekend.

Protester Monica Thomas explained why she came out for the walk.

“I don’t believe that how a woman dresses dictates whether or not a woman wants to be raped. No one wants to be raped. And no one deserves to be treated like that,” she said.

READ MORE

New Graphic Cigarette Warnings Unveiled by FDA

TPO — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:44:00 +0000

Be Warned: FDA Unveils Graphic Cigarette Labels

Everybody knew the graphic new cigarette labels the Food and Drug Administration would be disturbing. But the nine selected by the agency may still startle you.

The whole idea is that the labels will grab people by the lapels and be the visual equivalent of someone yelling: “Stop smoking!”

And, for the most part, the labels unveiled by the agency today live up to the advanced billing. Check out the ravaged teeth and damaged lip in the label on the left for starters.

Beginning in Sept. 2012, cigarette makers will have to give up the top half on their packages to display the nine images in rotation. In ads, 20 percent of the real estate at the top of the ads will have to be devoted to a graphic warning.

READ MORE

I had a brief love affair with tobacco back in my early 20’s. I smoked for two years and was up to a pack and a half a day before I quit.

I consider this to be one of the most valuable accomplishments of my life so far.

Having said that, I often wonder how the government can justify allowing alcohol products to be advertised on television while banning tobacco advertisements.

And why doesn’t the FDA put similar label on alcohol products?

Disease and death are also a byproducts of consuming alcohol, not to mention the societal problems it causes and the deaths that result from drunk driving and alcohol induced violence.

I don’t think these drugs should be prohibited nor any others for that matter but do believe in truth in advertising and in the value of educating the consumer on the effects of drugs.

Consider this, back in the day, smoking was cool. It was so cool that they removed the advertising, so people would be less inclined to smoke. It is the same with alcohol. The cool parties have alcohol. The cool people drink. Society and advertising has made it cool drink. So why aren’t advertisements for alcohol products pulled?

As a non-smoker and a consumer of alcohol, I find this hypocrisy and the inconsistency in how these two different harmful substances are treated to be both grotesque and disgraceful.

Also posted at tumblr.

New Graphic Cigarette Warnings Unveiled by FDA

TPO — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:44:00 +0000

Be Warned: FDA Unveils Graphic Cigarette Labels

Everybody knew the graphic new cigarette labels the Food and Drug Administration would be disturbing. But the nine selected by the agency may still startle you.

The whole idea is that the labels will grab people by the lapels and be the visual equivalent of someone yelling: “Stop smoking!”

And, for the most part, the labels unveiled by the agency today live up to the advanced billing. Check out the ravaged teeth and damaged lip in the label on the left for starters.

Beginning in Sept. 2012, cigarette makers will have to give up the top half on their packages to display the nine images in rotation. In ads, 20 percent of the real estate at the top of the ads will have to be devoted to a graphic warning.

READ MORE

Friends don’t let jackasses drink and drive

TPO — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 21:59:00 +0000

“Friends don’t let jackasses drink and drive”

Are you offended by this tweet from Roger Ebert in reference to Jackass star Ryan Dunn’s fatal car accident?

I’m not. However ‘insensitive’ it may be, I think it is very good advice.

I’ve been that jackass who got behind the wheel after drinking alcohol and I’ve been that jackass who drove 100 m.p.h. in a 55 m.p.h.speed zone.

Both acts irresponsibly and selfishly endangered not only my life but the lives of others and deserve to be sneered at.

Thankfully I never killed myself or anyone else while drinking and driving but I still deserve to be called a jackass for taking that risk.

I’m sure Ryan would agree if he had survived this accident.

Also posted at tumblr.

Friends don’t let jackasses drink and drive

TPO — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 21:59:00 +0000

I guess the ‘Lord’ really does work in mysterious ways.

TPO — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 16:14:00 +0000

This is a photo of a ruined home taken after a monster tornado that ripped through Joplin Missouri. I guess the former occupants of this residence think “God is Good” because their lives were spared.

Of course, this message reflects the sentiments and proclamations of the majority of Joplin’s religious citizens in the aftermath of this tragedy, even those who lost loved ones.

Maybe their right, after all, only about 2,000 homes and buildings were destroyed, just a few hundred people were injured and merely 142 people were killed.

I guess the ‘Lord’ really does work in mysterious ways.

Very sad!

(Source)

I guess the ‘Lord’ really does work in mysterious ways.

TPO — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 16:14:00 +0000

New Rule: Note To Texas Governor Rick Perry

TPO — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:07:00 +0000

“Here on planet reality, may I point out that there is no such thing as spiritual solutions to national problems. If that’s where we are as a country, if our official government policy is “yee haw… Jesus take the wheel!” then we’re dead already.” ~Bill Maher

Full Transcript To Governor Perry New Rule

Alternate Video Sources can be found at Crooks And Liars and Bill Maher's Facebook.

New Rule: Note To Texas Governor Rick Perry

TPO — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:07:00 +0000

Is Richard Dawkins an Intolerant Bigot?

TPO — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:16:00 +0000

For obvious reasons, I always think of this Don Addis cartoon when I hear Richard Dawkins referred to as intolerant.

Kevin Myers speaks truth to this bullshit in his recent article Myth of Dawkins as an intolerant, atheist crusader is just that -- myth in which he correctly notes that "The popular meme of Dawkins The Bigot is the creation of the Christian Creationist Right, who loathe him for the power of his advocacy of the idea that Darwinian natural selection is the sole creator of our living world."

Crossposted at tumblr.

Hat tip to toomanytribbles for the link.

Is Richard Dawkins an Intolerant Bigot?

TPO — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:16:00 +0000

Paul the Atheist Alien FTW: It’s Evolution Baby!

TPO — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:23:00 +0000

I finally got to see the new sci-fi comedy ‘Paul’ over the weekend. Unfortunately, I missed it during its brief sojourn in the theaters.

The film stars the comedy duo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost of Shaun of the Dead fame as well as Seth Rogen as the voice of Paul. It also includes Jason Bateman, Sigourney Weaver and Saturday Night Live’s Kristin Wiig.

Although the movie lampoons the alien encounter conspiracy culture in America, its premise regrettably seems to give these same conspiracy theories undue credence. Of course, the film more than makes up for its Area 51 nonsense with its mocking criticism of religious fundamentalism and creationist ideology.

That’s about all I’m going to say about the film here because I don’t want to spoil it for those who plan on watching but I will share one of my favorite clips in which Paul and his two English cohorts debate Evolution vs Intelligent Design with a young earth creationist.

Hat tip to Atheist Movies for the clip.

Graeme: That's a nice t-shirt.

Ruth: Oh thanks, I got it at my church. It's Jesus shooting Charles Darwin.

Graeme: Why would Jesus want to shoot Charles Darwin.

Ruth: Because of his blasphemous theories. Are you men of God?

Clive: We're men of science. You know, we believe in the establishment of biological order through the maelstrom of physical and chemical chaos.

Ruth: The world is 4000 years old and can only be the product of intelligent design.

Paul (Speaking from the bathroom): That's horseshit!

Ruth: Alright then, please explain how something as complex as the human eye simply just comes into being?

Paul: It didn't just come into being, it's a combination of millions of years of development across countless species.

Ruth: What are you talking about?!

Paul: EVOLUTION BABY!

I'm really looking forward to watching all the special features on the double DVD release.

Paul the Atheist Alien FTW: It’s Evolution Baby!

TPO — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:23:00 +0000

School Suspends Student for Profanity because he used ‘Jesus Christ’ as an Exclamation

TPO — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:10:00 +0000

A Facebook acquaintance recently posted the note picked above. Violations like this happen every day and most of the time they go unchallenged. When they are challenged, they are often ignored as in this case. There is power in numbers so if enforcing the Constitutional principle of the Separation of Church and State is important you, please support this courageous mother by writing her sons public school.

Bellwood-Antis School District
attn: Dr. G. Brian Toth (SI of Schools)
RE: Separation of Church and State
400 Martin Street
Bellwood, PA 16617
gbt@blwd.k12.pa.us

School Suspends Student for Profanity because he used ‘Jesus Christ’ as an Exclamation

TPO — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Secular Alabamians urge Governor Robert Bentley to reject Texas Governors Call to Prayer

TPO — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:14:00 +0000

Shout out to the Secular Coalition for Alabama on their excellent letter to our Governor. I hope he listens. If not, he’ll be hearing a lot more from me and many other non-Christian citizens living in Alabama.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
June 8, 2011

The Secular Coalition for Alabama Urges Governor Robert Bentley Not to Give Up

Secular Alabamians Not Ready to Throw in the Towel Just Yet

Huntsville, AL - The Secular Coalition for Alabama urges Governor Robert Bentley to reject Governor Perry’s call to prayer. Declaring that “some problems are beyond our power to solve,” Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) is asking his 49 fellow governors to join him at an evangelical Christian prayer meeting in Houston to “call upon Jesus to guide us” and ask for “God’s forgiveness, wisdom and provision.”

“We respectfully disagree” said Charles Miller, Executive Director of the Secular Coalition for Alabama who went on to say “Governor Perry appears to be giving up on Americans. We know that our fellow citizens are, by and large, ready to work and make sacrifices to solve our problems but they want to see real leadership from our elected officials. Instead, by calling for prayers to Jesus Christ Governor Perry insults all non-Christians and causes division that creates more problems for our nation.”

The statement of faith for the event, taken from the American Family Association, says, in part, “We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential” and that non-Christians “are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.” Mr. Miller responded, “The American Family Association insults all who disagree with their religious position with their narrow judgment. We do not agree, and call on all people of good will to use reason and critical thinking to implement real world solutions.”

It’s the Coalition’s intention to remind Governor Bentley that he pledged to be the ‘Governor of all of Alabama’ and that to do that he should reject Governor Perry’s invitation and instead encourage everyone in our state to come together and work to solve our problems. In a letter to Governor Bentley the Coalition wrote, “Regardless of the beliefs of the American Family Association, which they are entitled to, we respectfully disagree with their conclusion. Our nation was founded on laws laid down by men of a wide spectrum of beliefs. We know that we can continue to accomplish great things if we work and sacrifice as they did. That can best be accomplished if we all work together.

As people who trust the better motives and goodness of most of our fellow citizens we are not ready to throw up or hands and give up. Neither should you or any of our elected officials.”

Contact: Steven Moore
Communications Director
Secular Coalition for Alabamasmoore@secularal.org

http://www.secularal.org/pr/2011/06/08/perrycallforprayer#comment-47

Crossposted at Tumblr

Secular Alabamians urge Governor Robert Bentley to reject Texas Governors Call to Prayer

TPO — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:14:00 +0000

Crossposted at Tumblr

Beauty and the Bears: Cades Cove 05/27/2011

TPO — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 01:40:00 +0000

Friday morning on our second day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it was still raining off and on so the wife and I decided it would be a good day to travel up to Cades Cove and drive the 11-mile loop through its lush valley which is known for it's white tale deer and black bears.

In all we ended up seeing seven bears and a couple of deer and managed to get a few photos along the way.

We spotted the first bear early on after coming across a crowd of people pointing out into a distant field.

On down the road we came upon this big fellow who was foraging very close to the road and thankfully didn't pay us any attention.

Next up was this Whitetail deer doe. This beauty was so close I could almost reach out the car window and touch her.

I took a few snapshots of this little bear here out the drivers side window as we slowly eased along the road. Although much smaller than the last one, it was just as focused on the days sustenance.

The grand finale and the last sighting we had was this big mama bear.

And what a beauty she was!

She had three cubs but they were hiding in a nearby tree we could not see them with the naked eye but if you look real close in the pic below you can barely see part of one on the lift between the tree limbs. There was a park ranger that had a camera with a telescopic lens set up on the side of the road and she let us view the cubs through it.

As we started out back on the loop mama bear got a little bit closer and the wife got this amazing shot.

As we drew near the exit of Cades Cove I parked the car one last time so the wife could get the majestic photo of which vividly illustrate why they call these mountains the Smokies.

Nest up: Hiking the Chimney Tops.

Related Posts:

Beauty and the Bears: Cades Cove 05/27/2011

TPO — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 01:40:00 +0000

Where would we be without soldiers and Jesus?

TPO — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:10:00 +0000

In honor of Memorial Day, Alabama state Senator Harrie Anne Smith posted this video on facebook.

To give a simplistic answer to the question posed, I think the world would be at peace without religion and war would not exist if there were no soldiers. Now before any one blows a fuse, note that this is a naive answer to a crude question. I’m am well aware that religion is not the only reason groups of humans war against each one another but if religion didn't exist, the nations of the world might be more inclined to settle their differences diplomatically and the need for soldiers might be vastly reduced.

As far as honoring the service members who have who have been sacrificed in the name of "protecting our freedom", I think she has done the loved ones of those who lived as atheists and non-Christians a tremendous disservice.

What do you think?

Hat tip to Dana H. and Robyn W. for the video.

Crossposted on tumblr.

Where would we be without soldiers and Jesus?

TPO — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:10:00 +0000

The Truth

TPO — Mon, 30 May 2011 22:48:00 +0000

If you would like to listen to an audio performance of this lecture, please use the following link. Right click on the link and select Save Link As.

Download (28MB audio/mpeg)

The Truth

Through millions of ages, by countless efforts to satisfy his wants, to gratify his passions, his appetites, man slowly developed his brain, changed two of his feet into hands and forced into the darkness of his brain a few gleams and glimmerings of reason. He was hindered by ignorance, by fear, by mistakes, and he advanced only as he found the truth -- the absolute facts. Through countless years he has groped and crawled and struggled and climbed and stumbled toward the light. He has been hindered and delayed and deceived by augurs and prophets -- by popes and priests. He has been betrayed by saints, misled by apostles and Christs, frightened by devils and ghosts -- enslaved by chiefs and kings -- robbed by altars and thrones. In the name of education his mind has been filled with mistakes, with miracles, and lies, with the impossible, the absurd and infamous. In the name of religion he has been taught humility and arrogance, love and hatred, forgiveness and revenge.

But the world is changing. We are tired of barbarian bibles and savage creeds.

Nothing is greater, nothing is of more importance, than to find amid the errors and darkness of this life, a shining truth.

Truth is the intellectual wealth of the world.

The noblest of occupations is to search for truth.

Truth is the foundation, the superstructure, and the glittering dome of progress.

Truth is the mother of joy. Truth civilizes, ennobles, and purifies. The grandest ambition that can enter the soul is to know the truth.

Truth gives man the greatest power for good. Truth is sword and shield. It is the sacred light of the soul.

The man who finds a truth lights a torch.

How is Truth to be Found?

By investigation, experiment and reason.

Every human being should be allowed to investigate to the extent of his desire -- his ability. The literature of the world should be open to him -- nothing prohibited, sealed or hidden. No subject can be too sacred to be understood. Each person should be allowed to reach his own conclusions and to speak his honest thought.

He who threatens the investigator with punishment here, or hereafter, is an enemy of the human race. And he who tries to bribe the investigator with the promise of eternal joy is a traitor to his fellow-men.

There is no real investigation without freedom -- freedom from the fear of gods and men.

So, all investigation -- all experiment -- should be pursued in the light of reason.

Every man should be true to himself -- true to the inward light. Each man, in the laboratory of his own mind, and for himself alone, should test the so-called facts -- the theories of all the world. Truth, in accordance with his reason, should be his guide and master.

To love the truth, thus perceived, is mental virtue -- intellectual purity. This is true manhood. This is freedom.

To throw away your reason at the command of churches, popes, parties, kings or gods, is to be a serf, a slave.

It is not simply the right, but it is the duty of every man to think -- to investigate for himself -- and every man who tries to prevent this by force or fear, is doing all he can to degrade and enslave his fellow-men.

Every man should be Mentally honest.

He should preserve as his most precious jewel the perfect veracity of his soul.

He should examine all questions presented to his mind, without prejudice, -- unbiased by hatred or love -- by desire or fear. His object and his only object should be to find the truth. He knows, if he listens to reason, that truth is not dangerous and that error is. He should weigh the evidence, the arguments, in honest scales -- scales that passion or interest cannot change. He should care nothing for authority -- nothing for names, customs or creeds -- nothing for anything that his reason does not say is true.

Of his world he should be the sovereign, and his soul should wear the purple. From his dominions should be banished the hosts of force and fear.

He should be Intellectually Hospitable.

Prejudice, egotism, hatred, contempt, disdain, are the enemies of truth and progress.

The real searcher after truth will not receive the old because it is old, or reject the new because it is new. He will not believe men because they are dead, or contradict them because they are alive. With him an utterance is worth the truth, the reason it contains, without the slightest regard to the author. He may have been a king or serf -- a philosopher or servant, -- but the utterance neither gains nor loses in truth or reason. Its value is absolutely independent of the fame or station of the man who gave it to the world.

Nothing but falsehood needs the assistance of fame and place, of robes and maitres, of tiaras and crowns.

The wise, the really honest and intelligent, are not swayed or governed by numbers -- by majorities.

They accept what they really believe to be true. They care nothing for the opinions of ancestors, nothing for creeds, assertions and theories, unless they satisfy the reason.

In all directions they seek for truth, and when found, accept it with joy -- accept it in spite of preconceived opinions -- in spite of prejudice and hatred.

This is the course pursued by wise and honest men, and no other course is possible for them.

In every department of human endeavor men are seeking for the truth -- for the facts. The statesman reads the history of the world, gathers the statistics of all nations to the end that his country may avoid the mistakes of the past. The geologist penetrates the rocks in search of facts -- climbs mountains, visits the extinct craters, traverses islands and continents that he may know something of the history of the world. He wants the truth.

The chemist, with crucible and retort, with countless experiments, is trying to find the qualities of substances -- to ravel what nature has woven.

The great mechanics dwell in the realm of the real. They seek by natural means to conquer and use the forces of nature. They want the truth -- the actual facts.

The physicians, the surgeons, rely on observation, experiment and reason. They become acquainted with the human body -- with muscle, blood and nerve -- with the wonders of the brain. They want nothing but the truth.

And so it is with the students of every science. On every hand they look for facts, and it is of the utmost importance that they give to the world the facts they find.

Their courage should equal their intelligence. No matter what the dead have said, or the living believe, they should tell what they know. They should have intellectual courage.

If it be good for man to find the truth -- good for him to be intellectually honest and hospitable, then it is good for others to know the truths thus found.

Every man should have the courage to give his honest thought. This makes the finder and publisher of truth a public benefactor.

Those who prevent, or try to prevent, the expression of honest thought, are the foes of civilization -- the enemies of truth. Nothing can exceed the egotism and impudence of the man who claims the right to express his thought and denies the same right to others.

It will not do to say that certain ideas are sacred, and that man has not the right to investigate and test these ideas for himself.

Who knows that they are sacred? Can anything be sacred to us that we do not know to be true?

For many centuries free speech has been an insult to God. Nothing has been more blasphemous than the expression of honest thought. For many ages the lips of the wise were sealed. The torches that truth had lighted, that courage carried and held aloft, were extinguished with blood.

Truth has always been in favor of free speech -- has always asked to be investigated -- has always longed to be known and understood. Freedom, discussion, honesty, investigation and courage are the friends and allies of truth. Truth loves the light and the open field. It appeals to the senses -- to the judgment, the reason, to all the higher and nobler faculties and powers of the mind. It seeks to calm the passions, to destroy prejudice and to increase the volume and intensity of reason's flame.

It does not ask man to cringe or crawl. It does not desire the worship of the ignorant or the prayers and praises of the frightened. It says to every human being, "Think for yourself. Enjoy the freedom of a god, and have the goodness and the courage to express your honest thought."

Why should we pursue the truth? and why should we investigate and reason? and why should we be mentally honest and hospitable? and why should we express our honest thoughts? To this there is but one answer: for the benefit of mankind.

The brain must be developed. The world must think. Speech must be free. The world must learn that credulity is not a virtue and that no question is settled until reason is fully satisfied.

By these means man will overcome many of the obstructions of nature. He will cure or avoid many diseases. He will lessen pain. He will lengthen, ennoble and enrich life. In every direction he will increase his power. He will satisfy his wants, gratify his tastes. He will put roof and raiment, food and fuel, home and happiness within the reach of all.

He will drive want and crime from the world. He will destroy the serpents of fear, the monsters of superstition. He will become intelligent and free, honest and serene.

The monarch of the skies will be dethroned -- the flames of hell will be extinguished. Pious beggars will become honest and useful men. Hypocrisy will collect no tolls from fear, lies will not be regarded as sacred, this life will not be sacrificed for another, human beings will love each other instead of gods, men will do right, not for the sake of reward in some other world, but for the sake of happiness here. Man will find that Nature is the only revelation, and that he, by his own efforts, must learn to read the stories told by star and cloud, by rock and soil, by sea and stream, by rain and fire, by plant and flower, by life in all its curious forms, and all the things and forces of the world.

When he reads these stories, these records, he will know that man must rely on himself -- that the supernatural does not exist, and that man must be the providence of man.

It is impossible to conceive of an argument against the freedom of thought -- against maintaining your self-respect and preserving the spotless and stainless veracity of the soul.

II.

All that I have said seems to be true -- almost self-evident, -- and you may ask who it is that says slavery is better than liberty. Let me tell you.

All the popes and priests, all the orthodox churches and clergymen, say that they have a revelation from God.

The Protestants say that it is the duty of every person to read, to understand, and to believe this revelation -- that a man should use his reason; but if he honestly concludes that the Bible is not a revelation from God, and dies with that conclusion in his mind, he will be tormented forever. They say: -- "Read," and then add: "Believe, or be damned."

"No matter how unreasonable the Bible may appear to you, you must believe. No matter how impossible the miracles may seem, you must believe. No matter how cruel the laws, your heart must approve them all!"

This is what the church calls the liberty of thought.

We read the Bible under the scowl and threat of God. We read by the glare of hell. On one side is the devil, with the instruments of torture in his hands. On the other, God, ready to launch the infinite curse. And the church says to the readers: "You are free to decide. God is good, and he gives you the liberty to choose."

The popes and the priests say to the poor people: "You need not read the Bible. You cannot understand it. That is the reason it is called a revelation. We will read it for you, and you must believe what we say. We carry the key of hell. Contradict us and you will become eternal convicts in the prison of God."

This is the freedom of the Catholic Church.

And all these priests and clergymen insist that the Bible is superior to human reason -- that it is the duty of man to accept it -- to believe it, whether he really thinks it is true or not, and without the slightest regard to evidence or reason.

It is his duty to cast out from the temple of his soul the goddess Reason, and bow before the coiled serpent of Fear.

This is what the church calls virtue.

Under these conditions what can thought be worth? The brain, swept by the sirocco of God's curse, becomes a desert.

But this is not all. To compel man to desert the standard of Reason, the church does not entirely rely on the threat of eternal pain to be endured in another world, but holds out the reward of everlasting joy.

To those who believe, it promises the endless ecstasies of heaven. If it cannot frighten, it will bribe. It relies on fear and hope.

A religion, to command the respect of intelligent men, should rest on a foundation of established facts. It should appeal, not to passion, not to hope and fear, but to the judgment. It should ask that all the faculties of the mind, all the senses, should assemble and take counsel together, and that its claims be passed upon and tested without prejudice, without fear, in the calm of perfect candor.

But the church cries: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Without this belief there is no salvation. Salvation is the reward for belief.

Belief is, and forever must be, the result of evidence. A promised reward is not evidence. It sheds no intellectual light. It establishes no fact, answers no objection, and dissipates no doubt.

Is it honest to offer a reward for belief?

The man who gives money to a judge or juror for a decision or verdict is guilty of a crime. Why? Because he induces the judge, the juror, to decide, not according to the law, to the facts, the right, but according to the bribe.

The bribe is not evidence.

So, the promise of Christ to reward those who will believe is a bribe. It is an attempt to make a promise take the place of evidence. He who says that he believes, and does this for the sake of the reward, corrupts his soul.

Suppose I should say that at the center of the earth there is a diamond one hundred miles in diameter, and that I would give ten thousand dollars to any man who would believe my statement. Could such a promise be regarded as evidence?

Intelligent people would ask not for rewards, but reasons. Only hypocrites would ask for the money.

Yet, according to the New Testament, Christ offered a reward to those who would believe, and this promised reward was to take the place of evidence. When Christ made this promise he forgot, ignored, or held in contempt the rectitude of a brave, free and natural soul.

The declaration that salvation is the reward for belief is inconsistent with mental freedom, and could have been made by no man who thought that evidence sustained the slightest relation to belief.

Every sermon in which men have been told that they could save their souls by believing, has been an injury. Such sermons dull the moral sense and subvert the true conception of virtue and duty.

The true man, when asked to believe, asks for evidence. The true man, who asks another to believe, offers evidence.

But this is not all.

In spite of the threat of eternal pain -- of the promise of everlasting joy, unbelievers increased, and the churches took another step.

The churches said to the unbelievers, the heretics: "Although our God will punish you forever in another world -- in his prison -- the doors of which open only to receive, we, unless you believe, will torment you now."

And then the members of these churches, led by priests, popes, and clergymen, sought out their unbelieving neighbors -- chained them in dungeons, stretched them on racks, crushed their bones, cut out their tongues, extinguished their eyes, flayed them alive and consumed their poor bodies in flames.

All this was done because these Christian savages believed in the dogma of eternal pain. Because they believed that heaven was the reward for belief. So believing, they were the enemies of free thought and speech -- they cared nothing for conscience, nothing for the veracity of a soul, -- nothing for the manhood of a man. In all ages most priests have been heartless and relentless. They have calumniated and tortured. In defeat they have crawled and whined. In victory they have killed. The flower of pity never blossomed in their hearts and in their brain. Justice never held aloft the scales. Now they are not as cruel. They have lost their power, but they are still trying to accomplish the impossible. They fill their pockets with "fool's gold" and think they are rich. They stuff their minds with mistakes and think they are wise. They console themselves with legends and myths, have faith in fiction and forgery -- give their hearts to ghosts and phantoms and seek the aid of the non-existent.

They put a monster -- a master -- a tyrant in the sky, and seek to enslave their fellow-men. They teach the cringing virtues of serfs. They abhor the courage of manly men. They hate the man who thinks. They long for revenge.

They warm their hands at the imaginary fires of hell.

I show them that hell does not exist and they denounce me for destroying their consolation.

Horace Greeley, as the story goes, one cold day went into a country store, took a seat by the stove, unbuttoned his coat and spread out his hands.

In a few minutes, a little boy who clerked in the store said: "Mr. Greeley, there ain't no fire in that stove."

"You d----d little rascal," said Greeley, "What did you tell me for, I was getting real warm."

III.
"The Science of Theology."

All the sciences -- except Theology -- are eager for facts -- hungry for the truth. On the brow of a finder of a fact the laurel is placed.

In a theological seminary, if a professor finds a fact inconsistent with the creed, he must keep it secret or deny it, or lose his place. Mental veracity is a crime, cowardice and hypocrisy are virtues.

A fact, inconsistent with the creed, is denounced as a lie, and the man who declares or announces the fact is a blasphemer. Every professor breathes the air of insincerity. Every one is mentally dishonest. Every one is a pious fraud. Theology is the only dishonest science -- the only one that is based on belief -- on credulity, -- the only one that abhors investigation, that despises thought and denounces reason.

All the great theologians in the Catholic Church have denounced reason as the light furnished by the enemy of mankind -- as the road that leads to perdition. All the great Protestant theologians, from Luther to the orthodox clergy of our time, have been the enemies of reason. All orthodox churches of all ages have been the enemies of science. They attacked the astronomers as though they were criminals -- the geologists as though they were assassins. They regarded physicians as the enemies of God -- as men who were trying to defeat the decrees of Providence. The biologists, the anthropologists, the archaeologists, the readers of ancient inscriptions, the delvers in buried cities, were all hated by the theologians. They were afraid that these men might find something inconsistent with the Bible.

The theologians attacked those who studied other religions. They insisted that Christianity was not a growth -- not an evolution -- but a revelation. They denied that it was in any way connected with any natural religion.

The facts now show beyond all doubt that all religions came from substantially the same source -- but there is not an orthodox Christian theologian who will admit the facts. He must defend his creed -- his revelation. He cannot afford to be honest. He was not educated in an honest school. He was not taught to be honest. He was taught to believe and to defend his belief, not only against argument but against facts.

There is not a theologian in the whole world who can produce the slightest, the least particle of evidence tending to show that the Bible is the inspired word of God.

Where is the evidence that the book of Ruth was written by an inspired man? Where is the evidence that God is the author of the Song of Solomon? Where is the evidence that any human being has been inspired? Where is the evidence that Christ was and is God? Where is the evidence that the places called heaven and hell exist? Where is the evidence that a miracle was ever wrought?

There is none.

Theology is entirely independent of evidence.

Where is the evidence that angels and ghosts -- that devils and gods exist? Have these beings been seen or touched? Does one of our senses certify to their existence?

The theologians depend on assertions. They have no evidence. They claim that their inspired book is superior to reason and independent of evidence.

They talk about probability -- analogy -- inferences -- but they present no evidence. They say that they know that Christ lived, in the same way that they know that Caesar lived. They might add that they know Moses talked with Jehovah on Sinai the same way they know that Brigham Young talked with God in Utah. The evidence in both cases is the same, -- none in either.

How do they prove that Christ rose from the dead? They find the account in a book. Who wrote the book? They do not know. What evidence is this? None, unless all things found in books are true.

It is impossible to establish one miracle except by another -- and that would have to be established by another still, and so on without end. Human testimony is not sufficient to establish a miracle. Each human being, to be really convinced, must witness the miracle for himself.

They say that Christianity was established, proven to be true, by miracles wrought nearly two thousand years ago. Not one of these miracles can be established except by impudent and ignorant assertion -- except by poisoning and deforming the minds of the ignorant and the young. To succeed, the theologians invade the cradle, the nursery. In the brain of innocence they plant the seeds of superstition. They pollute the minds and imaginations of children. They frighten the happy with threats of pain -- they soothe the wretched with gilded lies.

This perpetual insincerity stamps itself on the face -- affects every feature. We all know the theological countenance, -- cold, unsympathetic, cruel, lighted with a pious smirk, -- no line of laughter -- no dimpled mirth -- no touch of humor -- nothing human.

This face is a rebuke, a reprimand to natural joy. It says to the happy: "Beware of the dog" -- "Prepare for death." This face, like the fabled Gorgon, turns cheerfulness to stone. It is a protest against pleasure -- a warning and a threat.

You see every soul is a sculptor that fashions the features, and in this way reveals itself.

Every thought leaves its impress.

The student of this science of theology must be taught in youth, -- in his mother's arms. These lies must be sown and planted in his brain the first of all. He must be taught to believe, to accept without question. He must be told that it is wicked to doubt, that it is sinful to inquire -- that Faith is a virtue and unbelief a crime.

In this way his mind is poisoned, paralyzed. On all other subjects he has liberty -- and in all other directions he is urged to study and think. From his mother's arms he goes to the Sunday school. His poor little mind is filled with miracles and wonders. He is told about a God who made the world and who rewards and punishes. He is told that this God is the author of the Bible -- that Christ is his son. He is told about original sin and the atonement, and he believes what he hears. No reasons are given -- no facts -- no evidence is presented -- nothing but assertion. If he asks questions, he is silenced by more solemn assertions and warned against the devices of the evil one. Every Sunday school is a kind of inquisition where they torture and deform the minds of children -- where they force their souls into Catholic or Protestant molds -- and do all they can to destroy the originality, the individuality, and the veracity of the soul. In the theological seminary the destruction is complete.

When the minister leaves the seminary, he is not seeking the truth. He has it. He has a revelation from God, and he has a creed in exact accordance with that revelation. His business is to stand by that revelation and to defend that creed. Arguments against the revelation and the creed he will not read, he will not hear. All facts that are against his religion he will deny. It is impossible for him to be candid. The tremendous "verities" of eternal joy, of everlasting pain are in his creed, and they result from believing the false and denying the true.

Investigation is an infinite danger, unbelief is an infinite offence and deserves and will receive infinite punishment. In the shadow of this tremendous "fact" his courage dies, his manhood is lost, and in his fear he cries out that he believes, whether he does or not.

He says and teaches that credulity is safe and thought dangerous. Yet he pretends to be a teacher -- a leader, one selected by God to educate his fellow-men.

These orthodox ministers have been the slanderers of the really great men of our century. They denounced Lyell, the great geologist, for giving facts to the world. They hated and belittled Humboldt, one of the greatest and most intellectual of the race. They ridiculed and derided Darwin, the greatest naturalist, the keenest observer, the best judge of the value of a fact, the most wonderful discoverer of truth that the world has produced.

In every orthodox pulpit stood a traducer of the greatest of scientists -- of one who filled the world with intellectual light.

The church has been the enemy of every science, of every real thinker, and for many centuries has used her power to prevent intellectual progress.

Ministers ought to be free. They should be the heralds of the ever coming day, but they are the bats, the owls that inhabit ruins, that hate the light. They denounce honest men who express their thoughts, as blasphemers, and do what they can to close their mouths. For their Bible they ask the protection of law. They wish to be shielded from laughter by the Legislature. They ask that the arguments of their opponents be answered by the courts. This is the result of a due admixture of cowardice, hypocrisy and malice.

What valuable fact has been proclaimed from an orthodox pulpit? What ecclesiastical council has added to the intellectual wealth of the world?

Many centuries ago the church gave to Christendom a code of laws, stupid, unphilosophic and brutal to the last degree.

The church insists that it has made man merciful and just. Did it do this by torturing heretics -- by extinguishing their eyes -- by flaying them alive? Did it accomplish this result through the Inquisition -- by the use of the thumb-screw, the rack and the fagot? Of what science has the church been the friend and champion? What orthodox church has opened its doors to a persecuted truth? Of what use has Christianity been to man?

They tell us that the church has been and is the friend of education. I deny it. The church founded colleges not to educate men, but to make proselytes, converts, defenders. This was in accordance with the instinct of self-preservation. No orthodox church ever was, or ever will be in favor of real education. A Catholic is in favor of enough education to make a Catholic out of a savage, and the Protestant is in favor of enough education to make a Protestant out of a Catholic, but both are opposed to the education that makes free and manly men.

So, ministers say that they teach charity. This is natural. They live on alms. All beggars teach that others should give.

So, they tell us that the church has built hospitals. This is not true. Men have not built hospitals because they were Christians, but because they were men. They have not built them for charity -- but in self-defence.

If a man comes to your door with the smallpox, you cannot let him in, you cannot kill him. As a necessity, you provide a place for him. And you do this to protect yourself. With this Christianity has had nothing to do.

The church cannot give, because it does not produce. It is claimed that the church has made men and women forgiving. I admit that the church has preached forgiveness, but it has never forgiven an enemy -- never. Against the great and brave thinkers it has coined and circulated countless lies. Never has the church told, or tried to tell, the truth about an honest foe.

The church teaches the existence of the supernatural. It believes in the divine sleight-of-hand -- in the "presto" and "open sesame" of the Infinite; in some invisible Being who produces effects without causes and causes without effects; whose caprice governs the world and who can be persuaded by prayer, softened by ceremony, and who will, as a reward for faith, save men from the natural consequences of their actions.

The church denies the eternal, inexorable sequence of events.

What Good has the Church Accomplished?

It claims to have preached peace because its founder said, "I came not to bring peace but a sword."

It claims to have preserved the family because its founder offered a hundred-fold here and life everlasting to those who would desert wife and children.

So, it claims to have taught the brotherhood of man and that the gospel is for all the world, because Christ said to the woman of Samaria that he came only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and declared that it was not meet to take the bread of the children and cast it unto dogs.

In the name of Christ, who threatened eternal revenge. it has preached forgiveness.

Of what use are the Orthodox Ministers?

They are the enemies of pleasure. They denounce dancing as one of the deadly sins. They are shocked at the wickedness of the waltz -- the pollution of the polka. They are the enemies of the theater. They slander actors and actresses. They hate them because they are rivals. They are trying to preserve the sacredness of the Sabbath. It fills them with malice to see the people happy on that day. They preach against excursions and picnics -- against those who seek the woods and the sea, the shadows and the waves. They are filled with holy wrath against bicycles and bloomers. They are opposed to divorces. They insist that for the glory of God, husbands and wives who loathe each other should be compelled to live together. They abhor all works of fiction, and love the Bible. They declare that the literary master-pieces of the world are unfit to be read. They think that the people should be satisfied with sermons and poems about death and hell. They hate art -- abhor the marbles of the Greeks, and all representations of the human form. They want nothing painted or sculptured but hands, faces and clothes. Most of the priests are prudes, and publicly denounce what they secretly admire and enjoy. In the presence of the nude they cover their faces with their holy hands, but keep their fingers apart. They pretend to believe in moral suasion, and want everything regulated by law. If they had the power, they would prohibit everything that men and women really enjoy. They want libraries, museums and art galleries closed on the Sabbath. They would abolish the Sunday paper -- stop the running of cars and all public conveyances on the holy day, and compel all the people to enjoy sermons, prayers and psalms.

These dear ministers, when they have poor congregations, thunder against trusts, syndicates, and corporations -- against wealth, fashion and luxury. They tell about Dives and Lazarus, paint rich men in hell and beggars in heaven. If their congregations are rich they turn their guns in the other direction.

They have no confidence in education -- in the development of the brain. They appeal to hopes and fears. They ask no one to think -- to investigate. They insist that all shall believe. Credulity is the greatest of virtues, and doubt the deadliest of sins.

These men are the enemies of science -- of intellectual progress. They ridicule and calumniate the great thinkers. They deny everything that conflicts with the "sacred Scriptures." They still believe in the astronomy of Joshua and the geology of Moses. They believe in the miracles of the past, and deny the demonstrations of the present. They are the foes of facts -- the enemies of knowledge. A desire to be happy here, they regard as wicked and worldly -- but a desire to be happy in another world, as virtuous and spiritual.

Every orthodox church is founded on mistake and falsehood. Every good orthodox minister asserts what he does not know, and denies what he does know.

What are the Orthodox Clergy Doing for the good of Mankind?

Absolutely nothing.

What harm are they doing?

On every hand they sow the seeds of superstition. They paralyze the minds, and pollute the imaginations of children. They fill their hearts with fear. By their teachings, thousands become insane. With them, hypocrisy is respectable and candor infamous. They enslave the minds of men. Under their teachings men waste and misdirect their energies, abandon the ends that can be accomplished, dedicate their lives to the impossible, worship the unknown, pray to the inconceivable, and become the trembling slaves of a monstrous myth born of ignorance and fashioned by the trembling hands of fear.

Superstition is the serpent that crawls and hisses in every Eden and fastens its poisonous fangs in the hearts of men.

It is the deadliest foe of the human race.

Superstition is a beggar -- a robber, a tyrant.

Science is a benefactor.

Superstition sheds blood.

Science sheds light.

The dear preachers must give up the account of creation -- the Garden of Eden, the mud-man, the rib-woman, and the walking, talking, snake. They must throw away the apple, the fall of man, the expulsion, and the gate guarded by angels armed with swords. They must give up the flood and the tower of Babel and the confusion of tongues. They must give up Abraham and the wrestling match between Jacob and the Lord. So, the story of Joseph, the enslavement of the Hebrews by the Egyptians, the story of Moses in the bulrushes, the burning bush, the turning of sticks into serpents, of water into blood, the miraculous creation of frogs, the killing of cattle with hail and changing dust into lice, all must be given up. The sojourn of forty years in the desert, the opening of the Red Sea, the clothes and shoes that refused to wear out, the manna, the quails and the serpents, the water that ran up hill, the talking of Jehovah with Moses face to face, the giving of the Ten Commandments, the opening of the earth to swallow the enemies of Moses -- all must be thrown away.

These good preachers must admit that blowing horns could not throw down the walls of a city, that it was horrible for Jephthah to sacrifice his daughter, that the day was not lengthened and the moon stopped for the sake of Joshua, that the dead Samuel was not raised by a witch, that a man was not carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, that the river Jordan was not divided by the stroke of a cloak, that the bears did not destroy children for laughing at a prophet, that a wandering soothsayer did not collect lightnings from heaven to destroy the lives of innocent men, that he did not cause rain and make iron float, that ravens did not keep a hotel where preachers got board and lodging free, that the shadow on a dial was not turned back ten degrees to show that a king was going to recover from a boil, that Ezekiel was not told by God how to prepare a dinner, that Jonah did not take cabin passage in a fish -- and that all the miracles in the old Testament are not allegories, or poems, but just old-fashioned lies. And the dear preachers will be compelled to admit that there never was a miraculous babe without a natural father, that Christ, if he lived, was a man and nothing more. That he did not cast devils out of folks -- that he did not cure blindness with spittle and clay, nor turn water into wine, nor make fishes and loaves of bread out of nothing -- that he did not know where to catch fishes with money in their mouths -- that he did not take a walk on the water -- that he did not at will become invisible -- that he did not pass through closed doors -- that he did not raise the dead -- that angels never rolled stones from a sepulchre -- that Christ did not rise from the dead and did not ascend to heaven.

All these mistakes and illusions and delusions -- all these miracles and myths must fade from the minds of intelligent men.

My dear preachers, I beg you to tell the truth. Tell your congregations that Moses was not the author of the Pentateuch. Tell them that nobody knows who wrote the five books. Tell them that Deuteronomy was not written until about six hundred years before Christ. Tell them that nobody knows who wrote Joshua, or Judges, or Ruth, Samuel, Kings, or Chronicles, Job, or the Psalms, or the Song of Solomon. Be honest, tell the truth. Tell them that nobody knows who wrote Esther -- that Ecclesiastes was written long after Christ -- that many of the prophecies were written after the events pretended to be foretold had happened. Tell them that Ezekiel and Daniel were insane. Tell them that nobody knows who wrote the gospels, and tell them that no line about Christ written by a contemporary has been found. Tell them it is all guess -- and may be, and perhaps. Be honest. Tell the truth, develop your brains, use all your senses and hold high the torch of Reason.

In a few years the pulpits will be filled with teachers instead of preachers -- with thoughtful brave, and honest men. The congregations will be civilized -- intellectually honest and hospitable.

Now, most of the ministers insist that the old falsehoods shall be treated with reverence -- that ancient lies with long white beards -- wrinkled and bald-headed frauds -- round-shouldered and toothless miracles, and palsied mistakes on crutches, shall be called allegories, parables, oriental imagery, inspired poems. In their presence the ungodly should remove their hats. They should respect the mould and moss of antiquity. They should remember that these lies, these frauds, the miracles and mistakes, have for thousands of years ruled, enslaved, and corrupted the human race.

These ministers ought to know that their creeds are based on imagined facts and demonstrated by assertion.

They ought to know that they have no evidence, -- nothing but promises and threats. They ought to know that it is impossible to conceive of force existing without and before matter -- that it is equally impossible to conceive of matter without force -- that it is impossible to conceive of the creation or destruction of matter or force, -- that it is impossible to conceive of infinite intelligence dwelling from eternity in infinite space, and that it is impossible to conceive of the creator, or creation, of substance.

The God of the Christian is an enthroned guess -- a perhaps -- an inference.

No man, and no body of men, can answer the questions of the Whence and Whither. The mystery of existence cannot be explained by the intellect of man.

Back of life, of existence, we cannot go -- beyond death we cannot see. All duties, all obligations, all knowledge, all experience, are for this life, for this world.

We know that men and women and children exist. We know that happiness, for the most part, depends on conduct.

We are satisfied that all the gods are phantoms and that the supernatural does not exist.

We know the difference between hope and knowledge, we hope for happiness here and we dream of joy hereafter, but we do not know. We cannot assert, we can only hope. We can have our dream. In the wide night our star can shine and shed its radiance on the graves of those we love. We can bend above our pallid dead and say that beyond this life there are no sighs -- no tears -- no breaking hearts.

Conclusion.

Let us be honest. Let us preserve the veracity of our souls. Let education commence in the cradle -- in the lap of the loving mother. This is the first school. The teacher, the mother, should be absolutely honest.

The nursery should not be an asylum for lies.

Parents should be modest enough to be truthful -- honest enough to admit their ignorance. Nothing should be taught as true that cannot be demonstrated.

Every child should be taught to doubt, to inquire, to demand reasons. Every soul should defend itself -- should be on its guard against falsehood, deceit, and mistake, and should beware of all kinds of confidence men, including those in the pulpit.

Children should be taught to express their doubts -- to demand reasons. The object of education should be to develop the brain, to quicken the senses. Every school should be a mental gymnasium. The child should be equipped for the battle of life. Credulity, implicit obedience, are the virtues of slaves and the enslaves of the free. All should be taught that there is nothing too sacred to be investigated -- too holy to be understood.

Each mind has the right to lift all curtains, withdraw all veils, scale all walls, explore all recesses, all heights, all depths for itself, in spite of church or priest, or creed or book.

The great volume of Nature should be open to all. None but the intelligent and honest can really read this book. Prejudice clouds and darkens every page. Hypocrisy reads and misquotes, and credulity accepts the quotation. Superstition cannot read a line or spell the shortest word. And yet this volume holds all knowledge, all truth, and is the only source of thought. Mental liberty means the right of all to read this book. Here the Pope and Peasant are equal. Each must read for himself -- and each ought honestly and fearlessly to give to his fellow-men what he learns.

There is no authority in churches or priests -- no authority in numbers or majorities. The only authority is Nature -- the facts we know. Facts are the masters, the enemies of the ignorant, the servants and friends of the intelligent.

Ignorance is the mother of mystery and misery, of superstition and sorrow, of waste and want.

Intelligence is the only light. It enables us to keep to the highway, to avoid the obstructions, and to take advantage of the forces of nature. It is the only lever capable of raising mankind. To develop the brain is to civilize the world. Intelligence reeves the heavens of winged and frightful monsters -- drives ghosts and leering fiends from the darkness, and floods with light the dungeons of fear.

All should be taught that there is no evidence of the existence of the supernatural -- that the man who bows before an idol of wood or stone is just as foolish as the one who prays to an imagined God, -- that all worship has for its foundation the same mistake -- the same ignorance, the same fear -- that it is just as foolish to believe in a personal god as in a personal devil -- just as foolish to believe in great ghosts as little ones.

So, all should be taught that the forces, the facts in Nature, cannot be controlled or changed by prayer or praise, by supplication, ceremony, or sacrifice; that there is no magic, no miracle; that force can be overcome only by force, and that the whole world is natural.

All should be taught that man must protect himself -- that there is no power superior to Nature that cares for man -- that Nature has neither pity nor hatred -- that her forces act without the slightest regard for man -- that she produces without intention and destroys without regret.

All should be taught that usefulness is the bud and flower and fruit of real religion. The popes and cardinals, the bishops, priests and parsons are all useless. They produce nothing. They live on the labor of others. They are parasites that feed on the frightened. They are vampires that suck the blood of honest toil. Every church is an organized beggar. Every one lives on alms -- on alms collected by force and fear. Every orthodox church promises heaven and threatens hell, and these promises and threats are made for the sake of alms, for revenue. Every church cries: "Believe and give."

A new era is dawning on the world. We are beginning to believe in the religion of usefulness.

The men who felled the forests, cultivated the earth, spanned the rivers with bridges of steel, built the railways and canals, the great ships, invented the locomotives and engines, supplying the countless wants of man: the men who invented the telegraphs and cables, and freighted the electric spark with thought and love; the men who invented the looms and spindles that clothe the world, the inventors of printing and the great presses that fill the earth with poetry, fiction and fact, that save and keep all knowledge for the children yet to be; the inventors of all the wonderful machines that deftly mold from wood and steel the things we use; the men who have explored the heavens and traced the orbits of the stars -- who have read the story of the world in mountain range and billowed sea; the men who have lengthened life and conquered pain; the great philosophers and naturalists who have filled the world with light; the great poets whose thoughts have charmed the souls, the great painters and sculptors who have made the canvas speak, the marble live; the great orators who have swayed the world, the composers who have given their souls to sound, the captains of industry, the producers, the soldiers who have battled for the right, the vast host of useful men -- these are our Christs, our apostles and our saints. The triumphs of science are our miracles. The books filled with the facts of Nature are our sacred scriptures, and the force that is in every atom and in every star -- in everything that lives and grows and thinks, that hopes and suffers, is the only possible god.

The absolute we cannot know -- beyond the horizon of the Natural we cannot go. All our duties are within our reach -- all our obligations must be discharged here, in this world. Let us love and labor. Let us wait and work. Let us cultivate courage and cheerfulness -- open our hearts to the good -- our minds to the true. Let us live free lives. Let us hope that the future will bring peace and joy to all the children of men, and above all, let us preserve the veracity of our souls.

~Robert Green Ingersoll (1897)

I Love Cooter

TPO — Mon, 30 May 2011 16:22:00 +0000

Yes, it's true, I do love Cooter and I really wanted to buy this shirt but the wife convinced me that most folks might misinterpret the reference:-)

Early Thursday morning the wife and I set out on what would be about an eight hour drive from lower Alabama to Gatlinburg Tennessee, hoping to hike several trials in the Smoky Mountains over the Memorial day weekend. We arrived about 4 PM Tennessee time and barely got everything unloaded from the car into the hotel before a big storm moved in. Later in the evening, after the heavy rain eased to a drizzle, we decided to take a walk downtown and brave a few of the tourists traps.

As a southern boy who grew up watching The Dukes of Hazzard, one of the first place's to catch my eye was Cooter's Place.

Now for those of you unfamiliar with The Dukes of Hazzard, Cooter was the nick name of the "good ole boys" favorite fun-loving mechanic and Cooter's Place is a museum dedicated to the show.

Now before any of you, who don't know me or who have never watched the show, jump to any false conclusions, let me make it clear that the fact that I liked a show that featured two "good ole boys" who drove a hot rod car name the General Lee which sported a rebel flag on it's roof does not make me a raciest so don't make an ass of yourself by going there.

In fact, before I learned of the historic nature of the symbol and the racism it symbolized to many people, I thought of it as simply a symbol of rebellion from the norm and only associated it with the Dukes and Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell."

Stay tuned, more posts coming from the trip soon with lots of great wildlife and geologic pics.

Crossposted at tumblr

Happy Towel Day 2011 Everyone!

TPO — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:00:00 +0000

What is Towel Day?

Towel Day is celebration of the life and work of Douglas Adams. Every May 25 as a tribute, fans of the late author carry a towel with them to demonstrate their love for the books and the author, as referenced in Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The commemoration was first held in 2001, two weeks after Adams's death on May 11 2001.

If you forgot your towel, Don't Panic, there's always next year and there are other ways you can celebrate. Visit towelday.org to learn more.

The Process of Indoctrination

TPO — Mon, 23 May 2011 18:53:00 +0000

"It is an interesting and demonstrable fact, that all children are atheists and were religion not inculcated into their minds they would remain so." - Ernestine Rose

"Get them while they're young." This is the unspoken (and not so unspoken) mission of churches everywhere.

They understand how critical it is to gain converts before they become adults...before they're exposed to science, history, other religions and other points of view. They aggressively target children and youth with marketing campaigns that rival many advertising companies. They sponsor events, activities, games and lots of free food for the opportunity to influence impressionable minds.

Chris, Andrea, Matt and Dell share their own experiences as children and adults from inside these programs.

Via The Thinking Atheist

The Big Bang Theory – Evolution is a Fact not an Opinion

TPO — Sun, 22 May 2011 11:33:00 +0000

I love this clip!

The Big Bang Theory, Season 3, Episode 1

Hat tip to Atheist Movies

MRS. VAN COTT, THE REVIVALIST

TPO — Thu, 19 May 2011 22:45:00 +0000

Buffalo, Feb. 24th, 1878. Mrs. VAN COTT:

My dear Madam:

—Were you constrained by the love of Christ to call a man who has never injured you " a poor barking dog " ? Did you make this remark as a Christian, or as a lady? Did you say these words to illustrate in some faint degree the refining influence upon woman of the religion you preach?

What would you think of me if I should retort, using your language, changing only the sex of the last word ? I have the honor to remain,

Yours truly,

R. G. INGERSOLL.

Question: Well, what do you think of the religious re vival system generally?

Answer: The fire that has to be blown all the time is a poor thing to get warm by. I regard these revivals as essentially barbaric. I think they do no good, but much harm, they make innocent people think they are guilty, and very mean people think they are good.

Question: What is your opinion concerning women as conductors of these revivals ?

Answer: I suppose those engaged in them think they are doing good. They are probably honest. I think, how ever, that neither men nor women should be engaged in frightening people into heaven. That is all I wish to say on the subject, as I do not think it worth talking about.

— The Express,
Buffalo, New York, Feb., 1878.

Brad Pitt Calls Christian Upbringing Stifling

TPO — Wed, 18 May 2011 23:35:00 +0000

Brad Pitt is making headlines again for being open about his atheism during an interview with reporters at his new film's premier at the Cannes Film Festival.

Brad Pitt in the 'Tree of Life.'

“I got brought up being told things were God's way, and when things didn't work out, it was called God's plan," Pitt told reporters. "I've got my issues with it. Don't get me started. I found it very stifling."

Of course this is not the first time the American film star and humanitarian has spoken out against his Christian upbringing. Back in 2007 he told Parade Magazine that “A big question to me was fairness. If I'd grown up in some other religion, would I get the same shot at heaven as a Christian has?"

He went on to explain that he didn't find solace in life until he abandoned the religious teachings he was raised to believe. "When I got untethered from the comfort of religion, it wasn't a loss of faith for me, it was a discovery of self ... I had faith that I'm capable enough to handle any situation," said Pitt. "There's peace in understanding that I have only one life, here and now, and I'm responsible."

He also raised eyebrows on Bill Maher's "Real Time" back in 2009 when he advocated for no religion, marijuana legalization, and gay marriage.

I've only glazed the Christian blogosphere since this was reported on FOX "News" but from what I've seen so far, he is either being condescendingly pitied or maliciously demonized.

No surprises there. Cheers to Brad for speaking out once again.

Why am I an atheist? Andy Rooney – American Journalist for the CBS News Program 60 Minutes Since 1979

TPO — Mon, 16 May 2011 23:24:00 +0000

Remember that Andy Rooney "In Defense of Prayer" chain mail that that went viral a year or so ago that all your religious relatives insisted on propagating to everyone in their e-mail address book?

I know I do. In fact, it still arrives in my inbox on occasion.

At first I tried to be polite and point said relatives and acquaintances to snopes yet many continued to claim that their beloved Andy Rooney—whom they had admired for decades as a humorist and commentator with his weekly broadcast A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney and for his part on the CBS news program 60 Minutes—actually held these views. Now, I send them a list of quotes and links to Andy Rooney's real views on religion.

If you are one of those religious people propagating this lie, please read the statements by Rooney below, which are just a few of his many well documented views on religion and the lack their of.

If you, like me, are the unappreciative recipient of the propaganda mentioned, please feel free to share this as often as possible.

"Why am I an atheist? I ask you: Why is anybody not an atheist? Everyone starts out being an atheist. No one is born with belief in anything. Infants are atheists until they are indoctrinated. I resent anyone pushing their religion on me. I don’t push my atheism on anybody else. Live and let live. Not many people practice that when it comes to religion.” Marian Christy, “Conversations: We make our own destiny”, Boston Globe, 30 May 1982

“I am an atheist… I don’t understand religion at all. I’m sure I’ll offend a lot of people by saying this, but I think it’s all nonsense.” From a speech at Tufts University, Nov. 18, 2004.

“I don’t differentiate much, except in degree, between people who believe in religion from those who believe in astrology, magic or the supernatural.”

“We all ought to understand we’re on our own. Believing in Santa Claus doesn’t do kids any harm for a few years but it isn’t smart for them to continue waiting all their lives for him to come down the chimney with something wonderful. Santa Claus and God are cousins.”

“I just wish this social institution [religion] wasn’t based on what appears to me to be a monumental hoax built on an accumulation of customs and myths directed toward proving something that isn’t true.”

“Christians talk as though goodness was their idea but good behavior doesn’t have any religious origin. Our prisons are filled with the devout.”

“I’d be more willing to accept religion, even if I didn’t believe it, if I thought it made people nicer to each other but I don’t think it does.”

Hat tip to Incoherent Rambling for reminding me to make this long overdue post.

Cross posted at tumblr.

THE BIBLE AND A FUTURE LIFE

TPO — Sun, 15 May 2011 17:19:00 +0000

I'm am currently reading through Voulume 8 of The works of Robert G. Ingersoll which consists of various interviews with news papers, individuals and other media outlets of his time. I find these interviews to be absolutely fascinating and I'm sure many of you will too so I'm going to be posting individual interviews here both to make them more accessible for myself and for others.

THE BIBLE AND A FUTURE LIFE

Question: Colonel, are your views of religion based upon the Bible?

Answer: I regard the Bible, especially the Old Testament, the same as I do most other ancient books, in which there is some truth, a great deal of error, considerable barbarism and a most plentiful lack of good sense.

Question: Have you found any other work, sacred or profane, which you regard as more reliable?

Answer: I know of no book less so, in my judgment.

Question: You have studied the Bible attentively, have you not?

Answer: I have read the Bible. I have heard it talked about a good deal, and am sufficiently well acquainted with it to justify my own mind in utterly rejecting all claims made for its divine origin.

Question: What do you base your views upon?

Answer: On reason, observation, experience, upon the discoveries in science, upon observed facts and the analogies properly growing out of such facts. I have no confidence in anything pretending to be outside, or independent of, or in any manner above nature.

Question: According to your views, what disposition is made of man after death ?

Answer: Upon that subject I know nothing. It is no more wonderful that man should live again than that he now lives; upon that question I know of no evidence. The doctrine of immortality rests upon human affection. We love, therefore we wish to live.

Question: Then you would not undertake to say what be comes of man after death?

Answer: If I told or pretended to know what becomes of man after death, I would be as dogmatic as are theologians upon this question. The difference between them and me is, I am honest. I admit that I do not know.

Question: Judging by your criticism of mankind, Colonel, in your recent lecture, you have not found his condition very satisfactory?

Answer: Nature, outside of man, so far as I know, is neither cruel nor merciful. I am not satisfied with the present condition of the human race, nor with the condition of man during any period of which we have any knowledge. I believe, however, the condition of man is improved, and this improvement is due to his own exertions. I do not make nature a being. I do not ascribe to nature intention.

Question: Is your theory, Colonel, the result of investiga tion of the subject?

Answer: No one can control his own opinion or his own belief. My belief was forced upon me by my surroundings. I am the product of all circumstances that have in any way touched me. I believe in this world. I have no confidence in any religion promising joys in another world at the expense of liberty and happiness in this. At the same time, I wish to give others all the rights I claim for myself.

Question: If I asked for proofs for your theory, what would you furnish?

Answer. The experience of every man who is honest with himself, every fact that has been discovered in nature. In addition to these, the utter and total failure of all religionists in all countries to produce one particle of evidence showing the existence of any supernatural power whatever, and the further fact that the people are not satisfied with their religion. They are continually asking for evidence. They are asking it in every imaginable way. The sects are continually dividing. There is no real religious serenity in the world. All religions are opponents of intellectual liberty. I believe in absolute mental freedom. Real religion with me is a thing not of the head, but of the heart; not a theory, not a creed, but a life.

Question: What punishment, then, is inflicted upon man for crimes and wrongs committed in this life?

Answer: There is no such thing as intellectual crime. No man can commit a mental crime. To become a crime it must go beyond thought.

Question: What punishment is there for physical crime?

Answer: Such punishment as is necessary to protect society and for the reformation of the criminal.

Question: If there is only punishment in this world, will not some escape punishment?

Answer: I admit that all do not seem to be punished a* they deserve. I also admit that all do not seem to be re warded as they deserve; and there is in this world, apparently, as great failures in matter of reward as in matter of punishment. If there is another life, a man will be happier there for acting according to his highest ideal in this. But I do not discern in nature any effort to do justice.

— The Post,
Washington, D. C., 1878

Is the Debate Over Male Circumcision a Valid Topic for the Atheist Community?

TPO — Tue, 10 May 2011 20:42:00 +0000

Their was recently a rather lively debate on my local freethought groups facebook page on the issue of male circumcision and why it's such a hot topic in the atheist community right now.

I think this video is relevant to the matter:-)

Video via A is for Atheist .

Seriously though, being circumcised as an infant, I really don’t know what I’m missing so I do not have any hard feelings towards my parents for following the cultural norm of the time as well as the medical advice of their doctor.

If I become the father of a male child, will I have him circumcised? I don’t know. My wife works in the medical field and seems to think it would be the “healthy” thing to do but we haven’t discussed the issue in length or really looked at the research on the subject.

The fact is, the practice originated as a religious ritual and the majority of the worlds male population are not circumcised; however, it is still commonly considered to be a beneficial medical procedure here in the U.S. and in other western countries.

Is acceptance and preference of male circumcision in western societies due to longstanding cultural influences or is it based on sound medical science?

I'm not sure but I do think the subject is worthy of debate seeing that male circumcision may be completely unnecessary. Also, in my opinion,the fact that the practice was spread via religious doctrine does make it a valid topic for the atheist community to consider.

In the video below, Christopher Hitchens expresses a very poignant case against it.

Note, I know other atheists who are just as passionate in their approval of the procedure based on their understanding of the it's supposed health benefits.

Personally, I'm not sure but since my wife and I are currently working towards having a child, I will be following the debate and researching the science as time permits.

Which Way To Go?

TPO — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:29:00 +0000

This reminds me of a the closing line from Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.”

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

I’m glad I chose the road less traveled by because choosing freethought really has made all the difference.

Via ...of mess and lore..

Cross posted at my tumbler blog.

An Illustrious Collection of Irreverent Thoughts: Part 8

TPO — Sat, 07 May 2011 16:30:00 +0000

This edition of An Illustrious Collection of Irreverent Thoughts is devoted entirely to Thomas Paine. So without further ado, I give you my favorite quotes from the BOOK OF THOMAS (PAINE).

I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.
One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests.
To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.
No falsehood is so fatal as that which is made an article of faith.
Accustom a people to believe that priests, or any other class of men, can forgive sins, and you will have sins in abundance.
The declaration which says that God visits the sins of the fathers upon the children . . . is contrary to every principle of moral justice.
Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon, than the Word of God. It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and, for my own part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel.
What is it the Bible teaches us?—rapine, cruelty, and murder. What is it the Testament teaches us?—to believe that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman engaged to be married, and the belief of this debauchery is called faith.
All the tales of miracles with which the Old and New Testament are fi lled, are fit only for impostors to preach and fools to believe.
Of all the tyrannies that afflict mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst: every other species of tyranny is limited to the world we live in; but this attempts a stride beyond the grave, and seeks to pursue us into eternity.
The story of Jesus Christ appearing after he was dead is the story of an apparition, such as timid imaginations can always create in vision, and credulity believe.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Chris tian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.

Last quote found on page 139.

Related Links:

How George W. Bush Will Be Perceived By Various Americans

TPO — Sat, 07 May 2011 13:56:00 +0000

I know G.W. Bush is old news these days, except on the FOX "News" Network of course, but I just had to share this anyway. I discovered this gem while skimming through an old Mad magazine that was published near the end of his presidency. I think it's very apt providing the right wings historical revisionists do not succeed in turning him into a national icon like they did Ronald Reagan.

Cross posted on my tumblr site.

A.C. Grayling on the Humanist Bible and Militant Atheism

TPO — Tue, 03 May 2011 17:03:00 +0000

I just ordered A.C. Grayling's The Good Book: A Humanist Bible with the Amazon card I received for my birthday. Should be a great read!

I love this quote! "How can you be a militant atheist? It's like sleeping furiously."

Entertaining interview with Stephen Colbert below:-)

The Colbert Report
Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Colbert: "Without our a moral absolute [God], all bets are off, it's all hookers and blow."

LMAO!

My God Is Bigger Than Your God

TPO — Tue, 03 May 2011 01:22:00 +0000

Satire will never die. Classic!

http://youtu.be/bRwXrcz-F9M

Hat tip to Cheryl T.

It’s time to step back and ask, what do I want from my life?

TPO — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:49:00 +0000

During Rationally Speakings most recent podcast, which was recorded live at the 2011 Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism, Jennifer Michael Hecht, author of two of my favorite books, The Happiness Myth and Doubt: A History, made what I consider to be some very deep points about life which I have paraphrased below. If you want to hear the actual quotes in context, you will have to listen to the podcast.

Our culture right now is so obsessed with productivity that as a society we embrace many harmful drugs like alcohol because they keep us at our desks, seemingly clear our heads and help us sleep at night, yet we outlaw substances that do far less damage like long lasting hallucinogens that don’t fit into the average work schedule or less long lasting psychoactive drugs like marijuana which are outlawed for completely unjustified reasons.

We really think in terms of productivity and we also think in terms on longevity in ways that don’t always make sense so instead we should be having a conversation that is just a little bit more about how to enjoy the life we are living than basing our happiness on what might be.

Life isn't a play, you're not gonna miss the end.

No one has ever lived as long as we do and we just talk about wanting more and so many of us are doing so because we are not living the way we want to now.

We are exchanging the time of our lives now for money and in the end it seems like we need more.

It really seems like it’s time to step back and ask, what do I want from my life now so that at the end of the day I feel like this day really happened. I was awake for it.

Great insights Jennifer!

Is Sodomy Illegal In the United States?

TPO — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:15:00 +0000

It is here in Alabama and thirteen other states as well. As the map below shows, four of these states specifically outlaw “gay sex” and the other ten have laws on the books outlawing anal sex between two consenting adults regardless of their sexuality.

Now I’m not gay and I’ve never been invited to, or had a hankering to, enter through a ladies back door so sodomy laws have no personal relevance for me but it still pisses me off that conservative lawmakers are constantly trying to legislate people’s bedroom activity.

Laws of this nature are both archaic and discriminatory yet many Republican led legislatures refuse to remove them from state law books even though it’s been eight years since the Supreme Court ruled that anti-sodomy laws are unconstitutional in Lawrence v. Texas.

I always find it infuriating, yet somewhat comical, when conservative politicians condemn big government social programs and economic regulations while at the same time passing and supporting laws that aim to control the most intimate and private aspect of every individuals life.

Here in my beautiful state of Alabama, we even have a law called the Anti-Obscenity Enforcement Act which bans the sale of sex toys and most recently Alabama was honored with the Jefferson Muzzle Award for banning the sale of a wine because the labels on the wine bottles showed a 19th century depiction of a nude nymph.

As luck would have it, sales of vibrators and "nude nymph" wine have went through the roof here in Alabama as a result:-)

Hat tip to The Liberal Life

Update: A facebook friend just turned me on to the below Family Guy clip which is somewhat relevant to this post:-)

http://youtu.be/ghxn38bX7w0

Update:

When I wrote this post I had not read the actual sodomy law in Alabama. After looking it up later, I posted it in the comment section so people could see why "Lawrence v. Texas" didn't actually invalidate this law because of its broad definition of sodomy. I think calling these crimes sodomy is confusing to your average citizen who understands sodomy to be simply the act of consensual anal penetration.

The Alabama law basically defines rape so why not call it rape instead of sodomy?

As far as the other states go, I have not read their laws in detail but according to the news article linked with the map above, four of them are aimed strictly at "homosexual sex."

Now that I've looked intoAlabama's law in more detail, I understand why I still see people being arrested on sodomy charges all over the state but I think the law should be rape in the first degree, not sodomy.

Of course, it still pisses me off that my state government defines "any act of sexual gratification between persons not married to each other involving the sex organs of one person and the mouth or anus of another" as DEVIATE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE.

Eternal Vigilance Is Not Just the Price of Freedom

TPO — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:41:00 +0000

It's also the price of protecting your personal information.

An IT associate of mine in the Air Force recently sent out information about a data-mining website called spokeo.com and provided instructions on how to remove yourself from the system. Although no fee is required to remove yourself, said associate paid to find out exactly how much personal information was available to subscribers.

Apparently the amount of personal information it contains could be very damaging to military members and civilians since your phone number, how much money you make, your family members, where you live, how much your house is worth, a picture of your house from the street and much more is available to paying customers.

Although, I didn't use the pay service, there was enough info available on myself and my wife to convince me to take the appropriate action recommended by my associate.

All that being said, you should have no illusions that taking this action will completely secure your identity in this "information age" and be aware that this is not the only service of this nature available for snooping on people but at least it will be one less venue that can be exploited.

Message:

All,

I went to the website listed below, using myself I looked up my personal information, there is a lot of personal information available on there.

The site is called spokeo.com that's a fairly new online site that is specifically designed to obtain personal information. Spokeo aggregates publicly available information from phone books, social networks, marketing surveys, real estate listings, business websites, and other public sources, all within the bounds of the law.

Everything from pictures you have posted on Facebook or the web, your approximate credit score, address and home value, income and age. Spokeo does not originate data or publish user-generated content. Rather, Spokeo indexes third-party data in ways similar to Google or Bing.

There is a fee associated with it, which I paid to see if indeed you get what you pay for, you do.

Bottom line is: If someone is willing to pay the fee, that individual can get a lot of personal information about you, so I would highly recommend that you take a few minutes and remove yourself from this site by following the directions below.

I removed myself from the site and then went back about 4 days later to ensure that I was removed from the site, I was, the site advertises that you will be removed in approx 48-72 hrs after request, it appears that request is/will be honored.

Remove yourself by doing the following:

1. Locate the listing to remove (for name listings, please select the state, city, then exact profile match)

2. Copy the URL (the URL can be found on the top of your browser and should look something like “http://www.spokeo.com/search?q=Smith%20Sample#Sample:1219812367″)

3. Go to www.spokeo.com/privacy

4. Paste the URL

5. Provide your email address (this acts as a verification process for the confirmation to be sent to your Inbox) and Captcha Code (Image Verification Code)

6. Check your Inbox for the confirmation email, and click on the link on the bottom to complete the removal process.

7. The directory listing will become flagged and will be removed within 1 business day.

Note: According to Snopes, even though Spokeo allows you to remove your listing from its site, "it's important to understand that even if you block your Spokeo listing, your personal information will still be available through the underlying sources used by Spokeo. Those third-party records will still exist and will still be publicly accessible, so the same information provided by Spokeo will still be available to others, either working on their own or using information aggregators similar to Spokeo."

Oh well, like I said before, at least this will be one less venue to be exploited even if keeping your personal information from displaying on internet aggregators turns out to be "a never-ending game of Whack-a-Mole."

Respect! It Doesn’t Exist in a Vacuum

TPO — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:26:00 +0000

Although this video is intended to be "an open letter to the mothers, fathers, siblings and friends who attempt to rescue the atheist by sheer, constant, suffocating volume," I'm fortunate enough to say that this video is not about my immediate family or the majority of my friends; however, there are a few less gracious relatives and acquaintances who might find it in their inbox before the day is over:-)

Video description: Many religious family members pray for their atheist and agnostic loved ones graciously, honoring personal boundaries and showing respect for the skeptic's right to form his/her own worldview. This video is not about them. This video is an open letter to the mothers, fathers, siblings and friends who attempt to rescue the atheist by sheer, constant, suffocating volume. If you're a skeptic fending off the constant barrage of attempts to convince, cajole and convert you to Christianity, perhaps this video will help you articulate your reasons for rejecting superstition and choosing the path of reason, science and common sense.

http://youtu.be/_J4ZuHEYXkk

So remember folks, if you want people to respect your beliefs you should respect their beliefs in return. That is, you should respect their RIGHT to believe, not necessarily the belief itself. Without this mutual respect, it becomes obvious that you want special rights, not equal rights. We can agree to disagree without constantly shoving our disagreements down each others throats.

Hat tip to Derek Johnson

Does Christopher Hitchens Think That Cats Are Gods?

TPO — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:05:00 +0000

No, but recently, while reading Christopher Hitchens' exquisite introduction of the Portable Atheist, I was awestruck by the depth of his perception in the following passage.

"Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods."

As both a lifelong dog and a cat person, so to speak, my experience with both species concurs with the description put forward by Hitchens.

That being said, I love all my animals equally. My current buddies include my dog Bandit who has been with me for over a decade and still has the energy of a puppy and my feline companion Cosmos who has been with me as an outdoor cat for almost a decade and who definitely fits the bill of a creature who thinks she is the center of the universe.

Bandit

Cosmos

Do Senior Moments Signify Impending Alzheimer’s?

TPO — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:58:00 +0000

Having seen what Alzheimer’s does to a loved one up-close for over a decade now, any news story I hear or see about this disease tends to demand my full attention. Most recently, NPR aired a story titled “Senior Moment: A Sign Of Worse To Come?,” which immediately aroused my interest.

In response, as a soon to be forty-year-old, do I get worried that my “senior moments” might be a sign of worse things to come like Alzheimer’s disease? Absolutely! On the other hand, I’ve been having these types of moments since my late teens so are these familiar “senior moments” just instances of me not paying attention or are they actually a result of faulty memory?

According to this report, my absent mindedness could very well just be a case of not paying attention but it goes on to imply that it might be due to the abuse I’ve put my brain through over the years via the consumption of alcohol. Of course there are other factors like high blood pressure, sleeping problems and certain prescription drugs that could be contributing factors to what Dr. Kirk Daffner, director of the Mind-Brain Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, calls my “sluggish brain.”

Still, should I be worried about getting Alzheimer’s? Well, apparently the life I’ve lived has made my brain more susceptible to this disease so it does worry me but being a rational optimist, I choose to embrace the idea that these things can be changed.

According to the findings of Dr. David Bennett, who directs the Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, many people have the ability to tolerate "a little bit of Alzheimer's" by using what scientists call "cognitive reserve” which is basically extra brain capacity that compensates for whatever damage is accumulating.

Regardless of whether one is genetically predisposed to have a lot of “cognitive reserve,” Bennett says that people’s toleration of Alzheimer's-like brain damage appears to be increased by being conscientious, being involved in social networks and by other stimulating activities like physical exercise.

As much time as I spend on Blogger, Facbook, Twitter and other networking sites, I think it’s safe to say I’m on top of this social networking thing; however, I do need to rev-up my exercise regime and adjust my eating and drinking habits.

Now having acknowledged all this, I’m just a little bit jealous when I read about exceptions to the rule like 109-year-old Helen Reichert who lives off of chocolate truffles and Budweiser in her own home, yet still has “all her marbles” and continues to be “profoundly engaged in the world around her."

In all seriousness though, Alzheimer’s is not a laughing matter and what worries me the most about falling victim to this disease is my family and friends having to watch me slowly return to a state of infancy. It’s really unnerving how long one can live in this complete state of helplessness if one is taken care of by a loving spouse, child or sibling who cannot bear to let you go.

I do hold out hope that science will eventually find a cure for all the different varieties of Alzheimer’s disease though and recent discoveries like this only reinforce my optimism.

Wake Up World. The Time Is Now.

TPO — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 20:09:00 +0000

The below video is an animation created as a final thesis project by an Illustration student at Sheridan College. This animation imaginatively illustrates Carl Sagan's reading of one of the most profound passages from his book Pale Blue Dot. As the artist says in the description, these words now "resonate more than ever, and will continue with each generation until the human species "wakes up".

http://youtu.be/XEwdRE8MKQg

Hat tip to The Liberal Life

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Urgent Need to Build New Movement for Women’s Reproductive Freedom

TPO — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 15:07:00 +0000

Yesterday I reported on several anti-women bills being pushed through the Alabama legislature by the new Republican majority, one of which would "require a physician to perform an ultrasound on a woman seeking an abortion, display the images to her and explain them before performing the abortion."

The sponsor of this particular bill, republican state senator Clay Scofield of Albertville, callously dismissed concerns about this requirements breach of women’s Fifth Amendment rights in Alabama saying that women could simply avert their eyes when shown an ultrasound image.

Now as much as I would like to lash out at Senator Scofields' actions with reason and erudite criticism I think humor and ridicule might be more effective in establishing the ridiculosness of his argument.

First, let's take a look at Bill Maher’s "New Rule" on the subject of this bill and others like it in many states across the country.

For those of you who can't view the video...

New Rule: If you can force a woman to look at a sonogram to see what will happen if she has an abortion, you also have to let her see a crying baby, a bratty five year old and a surly teenager to see what will happen if she doesn’t. And you have to tell her that it costs $204, 000 to raise it until it turns eighteen in 2028 where it will be a slave to the Chinese in a radioactive world with no animals, fish or plants.

Yeah, yeah…I know he gets overly pessimistic towards the end there but it doesn’t take away from his point he’s making.

The Onion also has an interesting take of the subject below.

New Law Requires Women To Name Baby, Paint Nursery Before Getting Abortion

All jokes aside though folks, Alabama is not the only state under attack by this anti-women's rights onslaught. In fact, there are a staggering 351 abortion-related bills moving through state legislatures this year and more than half of states have at least one pending.

And let's not forget about the efforts of the Republican led congress to defund Planned Parenthood on the basis that they provide abortions for women in need of this service.

Of course, they Republican lead House ignore the facts about all the other much needed services Planned Parenthood provides women in America, which is well illustrated in the following provide by the Washington Post.

As the right wing amplifies its assault on women’s rights, the need to build a new movement for women’s reproductive freedom is more urgent than ever. Hopefully a re-energized women's rights movement will be able to encourage people to get to the polls during the next election and remove this army of social conservatives from office.