No, Bill O'Reilly, they're laughing at you
By David Neiwert Tuesday Dec 16, 2008 6:45amMy home state has been getting an inordinate amount of attention from Bill O'Reilly lately over that awful display by atheists located next to the Nativity scene in the state Capitol.
You can tell it's really been a slow couple of weeks because O'Reilly is still flogging this worthless story. The only thing O'Reilly has to show for it is a group of state workers who've been inundated with out-of-state callers wasting their time.
Oh, that and all the additions to the Capitol display, which now includes a sign honoring the Flying Spaghetti monster and a Festivus display.
It came up in yesterday's O'Reilly Factor show on Fox, while he was discussing the issue with Megyn Kelly. O'Reilly said this:
The Flying Spaghetti Monster holiday display. All these people are doing is mocking her. That's why they're doing it.
No, Bill. They're mocking YOU. That's why they're doing it.
The FSM and Festivus displays were intended to drive O'Reilly and his supporters even further nuts. After all, the core of O'Reilly's original complaint was that the atheists were taking advantage of their free-speech rights; the displays that piled on specifically were intended to make the same point even further. (This is particularly so for the FSM folks, whose whole point is to make as much fun of organized religion as possible.)
Of course, Gov. Gregoire has called a halt to this nonsense, so O'Reilly's story is going away. With a whimper from Papa Bear himself.
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Delusion: a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary.
Gee, if the right aren't slamming athiests or Muslims, then the left are slamming all religion.
Right wing Christians slam gays, Muslims, and anyone who doesn't accept Jesus.
Left wing athiests openly ridicule anyone with faith, by questioning their sanity, or dismissing their beleifs as superstition. Sorry, but that is as bigoted and intollerant as what the right wing preaches.
Religious bigotry is the one thing the right and left have in common.
I'm a liberal, but do believe in God, and find it predictable and tiresome when right wingers try to force Jesus on everyone, and left wingers try and force atheism on everyone.
I really wish the bigots on both sides would just shut the f*ck up , and practice what they beleive without forcing their beleifs, or lack therof, on others.
Billo is vermin on the radical right, but he has his counterparts on the radical left.
I strongly beleive in seperation of church and state, but will defend a person's decison to worship ANY god(s), or no god, if they so choose.
Religious bigotry on right and left? Sounds like a right wing talking point to me. I don't think this is a case of what came first the chicken or the egg. For 5,000 years religion and other superstitions has been used to justify hatred, intolerance, bigotry and even murder on mass scales. Have atheists ever done that? what you are witnessing now is a push back after all these years from enlightened society who ain't going to take it anymore. No one is trying to force atheism on you. Want to believe in God or a flying spaghetti monster? Keep it in your church of choice.
Name one counterpart of Bill'O on the left. Who on the left is trying force the spaghetti monster in your church? But we have seen very recently the Mormon Church forcing bigotry on us. Prop 8, hello?
As I said, there is hatred being spewed by both sides.
I'm gay my friend, and I have been on the recieving end of right wing venom from people who claim to have faith in God.
AND I have been on the recieving end of scorn from left wingers who feel that I must be an athiest to be a 'real' liberal.
So because I'm liberal, I must be an athiest? Bullsh*t. I know many liberals who have faith in God- Just I interpret God very differently than the radical right- They have reduced God to a philosphy of hate.
I beleive in God, but see faith as something that SHOULD be constructive and positive- People who profess a love for Jesus should be in the comminity and strive to help others, advocate peace, march for gay rights, and engage in charity.
No doubt there are Christian, Jewish and Muslim psychopaths out there- but there are also pratitioners who are good people, who do good things.
I'm in the UU church, and we are involved with programs to feed the hungry, ESL and help the homeless. We are very pagan friendly- are Pagans insane for their relgious beleifs? Not at all.
By 'forcing athiesm'- what I should have chosen my words differently-I actually meant was the tendency of athiests to openly ridicule all relgion and thus religious people for what they beleive.
Shocking as it may seem to you, liberals can indeed be bigots.
And a counterpart for Billo? On relgious issues, how about Mike Malloy? He openly ridicules all people who believe in a higher power, despite his dead on accurate critique of Bush and his corrupt policies.
Faith in God, when channeled in a constructive way, is a good thing- Remember, faith in God is what drove Dr. Martin Luther King.
But if God is not for you, i respect that- just please refrain from insulting all people who do believe. But of course, bigoted right wing Christians who come after gays, or anyone else they don't like deserve to be called assh*les.
So because I'm liberal, I must be an athiest? Bullsh*t.
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Nowhere in the post you are replying to said anything of the sort.
And a counterpart for Billo? On relgious issues, how about Mike Malloy?
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Remind me, which major TV network is he on?
Malloy uses anger and passion to express indiscriminate outrage whenever injustice occurs Democrat, Republican, Independent, etc. He yells...yes, but he's not a liar or a wretched, nasty phony like Billy.
But he imploded and then was killed.
Which one of these words is in the bible?
1. Trinity.
2. Liberal.
3. Christmas.
4. Rapture.
1. Trinity. <--Wrong answer. --Although the word "trinity" is used by most Christian groups, it appears nowhere in the bible, and the concept is difficult to support biblically. It was first used by Christians more than a century after the birth of Christianity, probably by Tertullian (145-220). The current doctrine of "one God in three persons" is not found in the bible, although some think they find it in verses where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are mentioned together. (See II Corinthians 13:14).
2. Liberal. --In the King James version of the bible, "liberal" is a good word. The word "conservative" appears nowhere in the bible.
"The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." (Proverbs 11:25) "The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful." (Isaiah 32:5) "But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand." (Isaiah 32:8) "Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men . . . Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift." (II Corinthians 9:13-15)
3. Christmas.
4. Rapture. --"Rapture" is a term used by some Christians to refer to what will happen to believers when they are "caught up" to heaven: "The dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (I Thessalonians 4:16-17. See also I Corinthians 15:52.) The word "rapture" does not appear in bible. Notice also the primitive flat-earth cosmology: heaven is "up in the clouds."
what about the all important antichrist? that one figure that will dominate the endtimes (if you happen to be a premillenial dispensationalist) is mentioned exactly nowhere. antichrists in the plural occur four times in the bible, to describe people who claim to be like jesus, talk like jesus, but don't act like jesus. surprisingly similar to most xtians i know.
*
so you need "God" and organized religion to do good? I don't. And my belief system doesn't seek to pass laws limiting the rights of others. When the "left wing religious bigots" start trying to pass laws to limit your right to marry as a gay man then you might have a case that both sides are "equal" in their extremism.
It is sad that just as there are many relgious people who see the worst in athiests, there are athiests who see only the worst in relgious people.
Hatred is hatred, no matter which side it comes from.
My UU church is a VERY liberal church- we've had many gay couples married here, and many members are proactive in the community- they are liberal, and many do beleive in a diety.
if one is a bigot, one is not 'liberal'. Mutually exclusive terms.
"people who claim to be liberal can indeed be bigots." There. I fixed it for you.
Don't care if everything else on the plate says liberal liberal progressive. Bigotry kicks you out of the progressive/liberal club.
so does gettin caught screwin goats...NO sense of humor at the progressive/liberal club...sheeesh!
They totally did not get it.
No one is "trying to force atheism" on you. The Constitution grants everyone the right to freely to practice, or not practice the religion of their choice provided that they don't infringe on the rights of anyone else. It is the xian fundamentalists who picked this fight and I will not sit quietly by while they try to dictate that this is a "christian nation" and everyone who fails to fit their narrow definition of such should shut up.
Happy Holidays and may you be touched by his Noodly Appendage.
darn right, big boppa. as much as i'd like to convert everyone to his noodliness, i leave the christians alone. they don't leave me alone!
I agree.
If the religious zombies were satisfied with living their lives is ignorance and superstition I would have no problem with them whatsoever. But the aren't satisfied unless they can prosthelize to others and damn them to hell if they don't believe the way they do. As if that weren't enough, they then try to pass laws against others based on the religious ignorance and bigotry.
The religious nuts started this war on the forward thinkers. It's past time we ended it. Get religion out of all government and public squares. Period.
And if you're gay and Christian I really feel sorry for you having to go though your life embracing a religious belief system that damns you to hell for who you are. Want to be a self-loathing homo-Christian? You can keep that one to yourself too.
i am confronted the christian bigotry every day, and frankly, i'm really get sick of total strangers telling me i am going to hell. i'm sick of being harrassed by coworkers and neighbors, and i'm really sick of being told that by asserting my right to use the public property i helped pay for, that i'm being a bigot.
get over it!
The fire and brimstone Christians are sadly victims of their church's own propaganda- Hellfire was just a way of using fear as a means to force people to convert and be obediant.
Even though I beleive in a higher being, I think all relgion is purely manmade, and most are structured in such a way to control the masses through the use of fear tactics.
I know just what you mean.
I found it tiresome last month when a group of atheists set up a PA system outside a NIN concert and called us all sinners and told us we were all going to hell.
And I really hate it when the Pastafarians go door to door through my neighborhood forcing Flying Spaghetti Monster propaganda on my family.
/sarcasm off
Wouldn't the atheists just tell everyone that they were going nowhere?
Most likely. I was trying to be clever but ended up sounding a little twisted.
A Christian reformed church actually did this last month outside an arena in our downtown. I have no information whether or not atheists set up a PA system in their church parking lot the next morning.
but handing out blank sheets of paper just doesn't have the same impact!
That's fuckin funny as hell!
I once told a person that I am an atheist. she replied, "but what do you believe?" there was the really awkward pause before i said "nothing."
I don't see athiests as believing in nothing..
i assume they beliwve we live in the here and now, and should strive to make the world as better place by living positive, constructive lives- and focus on living life to the fullest, rather than fearing life.
than a belief.
i go to the future, arms outstretched, determined to live every moment to the fullest. i will live my life in color, with surround sound and i will leave you to live yours as you please. i feed the hungry and clothe the naked and comfort the suffering and expect nothing in return, but tonight i am playing gears.
it's not so much a creed as an itinerary.
I hope there is a happy afterlife. I hope there is a nice loving FSM.
I don't believe it though, I have no proof to base it on.
But it's nice to hope.
The leader of FSM is a girl named Gail. I loved her dearly, but if I came home late for dinner she became enraged and met me at the door with a face full of cold pasta. Some how this has morphed into a religion in which members who become angry at their spouse learn to throw spaghetti like some throw shoes. God bless them, but it seems like such a waste of good food, plus I would smell like garlic for days.
Symon, you miss my point.
Of course there are radical Christians who do nothing but spew hate- but when athiests spew hate, how is that any different?
Bigotry is bigotry, no matter wher eit comes from.
I wonder if you'd make the tiresome 'flying spagetti monster' diety parody reference to the left leaning spiritual groups, like Pagans?
Of course there are radical Christians who do nothing but spew hate- but when athiests spew hate, how is that any different?
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It's just amusing how Christians get very whiny when their own ignorance and hate is turned around on them. Do unto others, and all that junk.
When you deal with abuse and hate for for your beliefs, why are you surprised when the people responsible get hate and abuse? hate begets hate, funny that.
Tom, and you missed my point.
My point was that atheists are far less likely to force there viewpoints onto others as some believers do.
Refer to my last post. Atheists do not typically take their fight to the church steps. Atheists will usually leave Christians alone to believe whatever they want and "spew hate" only in response to persecution and disrespect.
You followed on another post that you stated "forcing atheism" incorrectly so I will not continue to beat that dead horse.
As a liberal and an agnostic, I believe you are free to wonder about anything you like.
...and I'll be sure to ask the next Pagan that knocks on my door about the FSM. If it ever happens, they will probably have a sense of humor about it.
My 'forcing atheism' was a bad choise of words- I guess my point was just a distaste of any group that is intollerant- But hands down, the radical christians spew a lot more intollerance than the athiests on the left. I guess the athiests are just fed up, and want the religious crazies to mind their own buisness and get lost.
Thank you, Tom. I think we found our common ground on this subject.
i don't think i've ever seen a comment flame war end in understanding.
that is how we feel. sometimes we probably do come across as arrogant or intolerant, but that's the frustration boiling over.
thanks.
And never really one to start flame wars as far as I know. He's always been pretty cool.
And remember that Christmas is about candy...and ham...lots and lots of ham. ;)
it's nice to see things end peacefully. everyone has a bad day!
Clearly, this outcome of understanding and mutual respect is not at all what Bill Orally had in mind with his annual war on X-mas. Congrats everyone!
Left wing.....allows worship or whatever you choose to believe in on not to believe as long as you keep it out of government.
Right wing......allows nothing but believe in Baby Jebus with no deviation, and wants (Xtian) Bible based government.
Me thinks you fail in your logic there.
I understand your views, but stop playing the victim here. No one is trying to take your precious belief system away. Unless it's the Repubes.
cut the f*cking bullshit.
Please, lighten us... tell us when was the last time an atheist tried to "force" atheism on you.
You can believe in whatever the heck you want, and that is your right. Guess what, I also have the right to think whatever I want, including disagreeing with your beliefs. That is not the same thing, by a long shot, than me as an atheist trying to impose my beliefs on you.
It gets damn annoying to have to deal with religious people trying to get away with equating disagreement with persecution.
I only wish Christians did not feel the need to pretend they are "prosecuted" in order to justify their bs.
Cheers!
"holier than thou" and condescending as anyone else about the claimed superiority of their beliefs (see some of the posts above). Respect must be earned - it cannot be demanded. On this site, the most vociferous attacks against another's spiritual or religious views tend to come from self-proclaimed athiests.
Also, as someone else observed a few days ago, wars are not fought for religious reasons but for economic. Justifications for war include not only religion, but ideology, nationalism, racism, imperialism, etc.
Finally, as an example, Stalin's policies killed more people than Hitler's and Stalin was an atheist. Remember that the next time someone is busy attributing war to religious motivations.
nice of you using pre-made talking points to answer questions that were never raised in my previous post.
Alas, if you think that saying how "you hear somewhere that..." somewhat constitutes an authoritative reference, you must be more gullible than I thought.
Even though all your points were tangential at best, the fact that the best you guys can do is to say basically "everyone is doing it" regarding death tolls... sort of points out at how morally bankrupt most religions are.
If you look at my post again, I was responding to a whole host of insufferable, antagonistic, condescending atheists. You are just one of them.
As for your next point, I was not citing an authoritative reference, merely giving credit to another poster for a comment I was not going to claim that I originated.
As for the reference to "you guys", I am an atheist myself. I just don't pretend that I've found the TRUTH and dump on others with a different religious belief.
Finally, FYI, my reference to Stalin was in response to Guns and Bigots' (or whatever he calls himself) attack on religion as the justification for mass murder. I know it's difficult to respond to all of you at once but given how wrong many of you are, I try to educate you in one global post.
although you are right about respect... HOWEVER,it seems that most pseudo-xtains believe that since they've accepted a deity as their own personal lord and saviour, that they do not need to earn anyone's respect. And yet they constantly DEMAND that everyone respect them, religious or not, must, if not convert outright, then "recognize" their beliefs as superior.
Which strikes me as something Jesus would NOT do.
Happy holidays! };D>
Didja ever think that maybe...juuuuust maybe, the reason behind these "vociferous" attacks on religion in general and the GOP version of "christianity" in particular, are because those who don't believe as they do are tired of being pummeled with the false morality of these craven hypocritical xtians, who prove their UNchristianity by their very actions?
Why is it that most people who call themselves christian, act nothing like christ did?
Why is that Bob?
my primary point was that I see a lot of condescending, antagonistic and ignorant posts from atheists on this site.
Thanks for your support of my argument.
Stalin's policies are to be blamed on atheism?
First of all this correlation and not causation.
Second of all, there ARE no ethical or unethical philosophical values attached to Atheism. Atheism is one singular belief - THERE IS NO GOD. All other philosophical values must be imported from other philosophies and validated by the atheist without the use of "my god told me so". This doesn't mean the atheist will be ethical or abusive in their philosophies, but it does mean that they wont be using something as inherently irrational as spiritual conjecture to validate their beliefs.
Trying to blame the whole of atheism for the action of one Atheist is just ignorant of reality and plain anti-intellectual.
The only reason Atheists act "holier than thou" is because we can actually validate our beliefs. You clowns are still working on "God exists" or "My soul exists".
Why don't you show where the human soul shows up on a CAT scan before you come here and pretend you deserve respect for any theistic thoughts?
was an atheist. Rather than attacking the messenger, why not simply admit that being an atheist does not endow you with moral superiority?
Or are you too busy being defensive because I used an EXAMPLE of an atheist guilty of mass murder. (Take a deep breath...follow along with me here ... Stalin was an example rather than an attempt to blame "the whole of atheism for the actions of one Atheist").
It's called logical analysis and textual interpretation. Look into it....
I've been following this.
And all I have to say is, Why do christians(GOP type) feel they are the only ones who are right and the rest of us are wrong? This includes all other religions.
GOP religious types fall under the category of WASP's.
White Anglo Saxon Protestants.
Their an exclusive group. They hate everyone who either doesn't look like them or questions their system of belief.
Thanks but no Thanks. I'll pass. On the whole shibang.
Speaking of insufferable, antagonistic and condescending...
I think you know quite a bit about all three.
Please...
Ya wanna go there? Really?
Stalin was an atheist, sure...so fuckin what?
Hitler was a fuckin CHRISTIAN was he not? Example
Seems to me he did his best to match Stalins kills.
And I don't think anyone here is claiming moral superiority here except you pal...
Atheism doesn't give moral superiority, and xtianity sure as fuck don't either.
Seems to me that some xtains are to busy stickin their nose into everyones business, and shoving their beliefs down everyones throats, rather than living the whole "WWJD" thing. So spare us your crude comparisons.
Athiests as a rule, aren't hypocrites...can't say that about most xtians now can ya there sparky?
Left wing athiests openly ridicule anyone with faith, by questioning their sanity, or dismissing their beleifs as superstition.
That's because such faith is ridiculous, and insane by any fair marker that would be applied to someone professing equally ridiculous beliefs. How is praying to the "Holy Ghost" any different from wrapping your head in tinfoil to receive interstellar radio traffic? Belief in miracles, bodily assumption into heaven, the 'after-life': It's ALL an elaborate web of self-reinforcing superstition, of course.
But that does not stop 'religious folks--"Christians" mainly--from claiming exclusive franchise for the celebration. "The reason for the season?" Yeah, it's the solstice, the end of winter, the return of the son. There's no superior or inferior way to dance to the music of the spheres. All may dance their own way.
Except that in the US, folks like Brillo (mainly for the press it afords him) and those who harken to his call, dominate the season, an do not--for reasons that have nothing to do with faith or seasonal expression--wish to relinquish any control or power.
People, like me, I admit, who have renounced the artificialities of "faith" for the mere expression of wonder, resent the piss out folks like you "believers" imposing your own, fearsome fable on us. You're not entitled by any rules of civility to that, and I don't have to stand politely by and accept it.
And I don't!
Word!
Holding all ideas, conjectures, hypotheses, theories, and philosophies to the same level of scrutiny is NOT BIGOTRY.
If you want respect for your religious beliefs, then it is your job to earn it. It is not the responsibility of the atheists to respect you for your crackpot notions by default. You may have the right to belief whatever you want, but NOTHING in the constitution suggests that you have any business claiming instant merit for your conjectures.
Want evidence against the existence of god. I can provide two examples.
1. There is nothing in that which is known about how the universe came to be that suggests there was a conscious decision governing it. By ignoring this reality and assuming there is some specific entity responsible for it, you are only succeeding in lying to yourself.
2. The complete lack of evidence for the existence of any G/god (let alone yours) acts as exclusionary evidence and eliminates the possibility that your G/god even exists.
Infinity kinda puts the cap on any type of creator god.
xtians don't believe in the scientific method, and these "facts" that scienticians are so fond of using.
Totally buggers up the whole thing.
demonstrable results that can be recreated again and again, proving or disproving theories? who needs those? I've got miracles!
seriously, i tried to explain evolution to an xtidiot once, and he said, "science can't be true, because scientists keep changing their minds about things." yeah, updating theories to keep them in line with the latest research makes it all a lie!
Wow...some can be willfully ignorant...combatitively ignorant...some(very few actually) are however quite open-minded...
I can hang out with those kinda xtians, but the other kind....not so much.
i like the slacktivist, fred clark. he's an open-minded xtian. his proselytizing amounts to "i've got a nice belief system . . . and cookies!"
Throw in some milk with them cookies, and I'll convert...at least as long as the milk and cookies hold out...
is a quality distinct from personal beliefs about God. Many Christians are open minded. Many atheists are not.
Consider many of the comments on this thread, for example. Strutting the supposed superiority of your beliefs and mocking those with different beliefs is bigotry ... and it's as much a part of many atheists' belief structures as it is of many Christians'.
We can always pray that his noodley goodness cures him of his dementia.
I love it. Religion has gotten by with forcing their superstitions, hate and religious based bigotry down our throats (prop 8, hello?) and now they are experiencing a push back like never before. Karma anyone?
Love it, love it, love it.
Btw, the error is letting the nativity scene be next to the secular atheist sign in a public government building, not the other way round. We are a long way from getting "in god we trust" and "under god" off the pledge of allegiance since the christo-fascist added them back in the 50's but this is a start.
always says "in gay we trust" on the back. i keep hoping xtians who get that as change will practice what they preach and throw it away! fat chance.
BillO's insane ideas are just like bad fruitcakes, you can always depend on at least one to show up at Christmas.
I am so sorry to hear that the Gov has pulled the plug. After all, no holiday is complete without a display honoring Cthulhu. It is obviously so much fun to poke sticks at O'Reilly, since he is so utterly predictable and easy to get a rise out of.
Thank god for O'Really and politicians (on both sides of the aisle) to remind me that 'tis the season for war!
If it weren't for asshats like O'Loofa I'd never know who Jesus wants me to hate.
there always will be klown(s). this is the same klown that said people on the left(probably had an descriptive adjective) that said the country was in a recession earlier this year were lying/fabricating
for political purposes.
"If there is one truth that history teaches us beyond doubt, it is that religion embraces a smaller and smaller portion of social life. Originally it pervades everything; everything social is religous.
As traditional societes move to modernity, religous influence wanes and fragments."
Emile Durkeim
...how quickly the current worldly mythologies would die out if not for the lifelong indoctrination now required by them?
How about leaving people alone until they reach the age of majority and then expose them to the myths. I wonder how quickly they would die?
"How about leaving people alone until they reach the age of majority and then expose them to the myths."
Religion as we know it will die off eventually.
Modern societies are still very much in a transitional stage in so far as we certainly have not figured out how to live peacefully in a collective sense. It may never happen, it may be that our species simply cannot do that.
Try and model the earth in about 500 years or so. That exercise can create quite a few valid scenarios.
Individual freedom will trump ideology every time. Well, almost.
15.5% of USians think that the bible is literally true and innerrant. Fossils? Lies. Carbon Dating? Lies. Historical documents? Lies. I don't know if that's going to die off any time soon.
...a measurement created by the human animal to help organize it's activities. Think about that for a second.
No other animal does this. A colleauge of mine once said to me whilst we were in the field: "the human brain is an evolutionary mistake, it will select itself out eventually"
There may be some truth in his theory, and we can all see what an odd animal the human is, but the hide of the human is tough and I think unless we do ourselves in we'll be around for a while.
So back to time and religion - no, we won't see it die out in our lifetime. Societal changes take time.
Let's see how long it takes before society accepts gay and lesbians as people.
ugh! that could take forever. after all, the xtians only recently made The Gay the greatest of the Teh Evil.
And it's all downhill from there.
I think the last twelve to fifteen years of the political scene created a collective need and want for less confrontation and more 'let's get along'. Our survival depends on it.
I think what we will see in the next decade are 'pockets of ideological resistance'.
i think i need to rename my blog. or start a band.
Forever in Hell ain't bad!
i am now listening to two coworkers laugh about how they abused some poor clerk because she said "happy holidays" instead of "merry christmas". *sigh* i am in hell. and so is that poor clerk!
I use Eddie Murphy's line this time of year for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve:
Merrrrrry New Year!! Beef jerky?
if somebody did that to me, while i was working as a retail clerk during the most hellish time of the year for retail clerks, i would start screaming, "I'm Jewish, you antisemitic jerk!"
Nobody put up a Satanist display? That's very sad. You made baby Lucifer cry.
I was hoping to visit the Rastafarian display. I hear the manger is lined with Ganja.
It kept setting off the smoke alarms.
he won't bogart...
puff puff give ya heathens!
This one's for you Bill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D5oKEVqQJg&NR=1
If christians want to push their mythology on the public by using public property, they should expect that free thinkers will want (and deserve) the same right. The solution is to keep religious displays off public property, period.
You go to church to appease your mythology, not the public square.
with some exceptions of course...
but the whiny ones are heard...the ones who actually behave themselves in a manner that more reflects what Christ was about, you don't hear much from them...it's Christian Supremacists that are makin everyone else that ain't like them miserable.
I thought this was a progressive blog. Who approved the anti-atheist post...
Can't those atheists and their non-existent deity, go force their non-beliefs somewhere else!?
And what about the agnostics? Haven't heard a peep out those fence sittin bastards today! };)>
Goes to show just how Christian-dominated this country is. Even so called "progressives" are so brainwashed by this judeo-christian dominated society. It's sad.
But the xtains need to recognize, that not everyone is an xtian.
And not everyone wants to be either.
I revel in my godlessness...
you oppress the xtian majority! stop it!
Was my agnosticism danglin again...silly thing...always floppin about.
i just spewed tea all over my keyboard!
My job is done here! LOL!
They make it up as they go along, hell what happened to the man that told Dick Chaney he did not agree with his policy? He was arrested immediately, fuck the first amendment it does not exist.
A sign that reasonably states its position from a group that never asks for money,
or a diorama of symbols that represent a religion that can't ask for enough money to keep up with its molestation trials and that legislated its age of consent at 12 years old,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_...
This guy and his breed are quickly becoming dinosaurs!
Good riddance!
Let's keep pushing people until we get true EQUALITY FOR ALL!
Here's a great film about a group doing their (controversial) share for Beastiality-Rights: http://www.comingsoon.cz. (You can also watch it on Google: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1524...)
You can do your share in other areas.
As long as we destroy any shred of persecution, censorship, and divisiveness!
Two ladies in their 80's that call it the way they see it:
Margret and Helen ~ 'The Reason for the Season'
I guarantee you'll go back for more.
That's good stuff. I'm sending that link to all my friends and family, best 'Reason for the Season' I've read in some time.
...go back and read the recent posts and don't forget the comments. They're getting quite a following at Margaret & Helen's.
Deservedly so.
(Note to Mods: No more pimping, I promise. But Mike might wanna include them in his round-up.)
That was sharing.
The "28% of Americans don't think Palin is an idiot" is good too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNX_I-sxFYI
That is GREAT! I'm really glad I watched the whole clip. At first I was really disappointed in Willie, but he came through as usual!
...if you haven't, be forewarned there are some intense, graphically violent scenes in it. Only the first 1/3 deals with religion, but it should certainly make anyone think. That seems to be something that the religious die hards have difficulty with.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5946...
The Festivus, Flying Spaghetti Monster, and Westboro Baptist Church displays were never installed in the rotunda (and will not be after the moratorium went into effect.) The only display that *will* be added is a Menorah, when Chanukkah begins later this week--the Menorah display went through normal channels and was approved long before this kerfuffle occurred.
Also, the decision for a moratorium on new displays was not made by Gov. Gregoire, but was made independently by General Administration.
Every home should have a Festivus pole.
We have six. Two in the bathroom.
" taking advantage of their free-speech rights" ?????????????
Do you know how many awful and despicable displays of Christianity a non-Christian has to put up with in this country? Do you have any idea David? Before you make such smug, and I must say biased and inappropriate comments, you should have to make a stupid comments on a post for every gratuitous display of Christianity this year. You'd be making stupid comments till next Xmass.
As a WA state resident, I'm proud that I live in a state where an atheist creed is able to be displayed in the capitol.
i can't go anywhere without xtianity being shoved in my face. and god forbid i tell anyone i am an atheist.
and, anyway, as a patriotic USian, shouldn't I take advantage of my free speech rights as much as possible?
Dude, I didn't say they were taking unfair advantage of those rights. I simply said they were availing themselves of them.
i believe in god. i happen to believe as well that i can interpret his teachings without the help of a thousand guides, though The Hitchhikers Guide has been helpful. i try to have tolerance for those who go to church--- and happily remember the day when they kept this secret to themselves and glowed in their own opinion that god loved them.
Just remember to keep your towel with you!
their genitals, and kept it private...
But mebbe there's an explanation therein, as to why there seems to be so much "faith" displayed.
The rabid proclaimers of faith are, in fact, exhibitionists, though constrained from displaying their sexual parts, compensate by by the florid, lurid displays of their sanctity?
now the next time someone tries to evangelize at me, i'll be nervously looking at their crotch!
With Jehovah's Witnesses...doesn't phaze them one bit.
Those bastards are thick skinned!
answer the door naked? they're not thick pantsed!
Doesn't everyone answer the door bare-ass nekkid?
I mean, really? How do you think I get free pizza all the time? I'm starting to wonder about the delivery guy though...he stands there for along time after I take the pizza...weird.
It was on accident. I was expecting someone else. My advice is, if you're going to surprise someone with homecoming nekkidness, look through the peephole before you open the door!
But if ya do that, then only one of ya's gonna be surprised, lol!
to proclaim itself on the People's property, there exists an obligation, under any understanding of equal treatment under law, to permit rival, or conflicting, or competing views, if such are also held by citizens of the State.
Christians have long presumed their interpretation of the festival of the Solstice was the default permissible expression. Like all privileged majorities, they are affronted when their privilege is rebuked and curtailed. White voters felt it about blacks, and married fundies feel it about gays. It's the same instinct, and mostly the same people, if you look at it: "Palin-pods," mostly...
was demonstrate his definition of a pinhead. Yes, Billo, just because you shout out your opinion doesn't make you right or smart. It makes you look like the pinheaded blowhard that you are. Now STFU!
Photo's of the FSM display PLEASE!!! And we true believers of the FSM take offense at C&Ls suggestion that we only live to make fun of the damned. Maybe we can get billo to take a stand for your attack on our believes? ;-)
Wait. He is mad at the governor for saying certain displays cannot be displayed, and then he wants to take down the atheist display? Oh, Bill ;-).
all I hear with Bill O'Reilly is bawwwwwwwwwww.
Christianity is inextricably linked to the State. It is a hodge-podge religion which has been constructed via religious syncretism from disparate parts of lands surrounding the former Roman empire. The original Jesus at the center of Christianity was Jesus ben Pandira, and many of the stories attributed to this Jesus were in fact elements of other Christ-worshiping groups (Mithras, Buddha, etc.)
Even the word itself -- Christ-ianity -- implies only that it is a religion which worships a Christ. And in the case of the state-sponsored Jesus version, an uber-Christ. A Christ all can worship, because it has elements of all other Christ figures.
It was an interesting idea -- a sort of Super-Christ that would unify all the various followers of differing Christ figures. But it has run its course.
Seriously though...I choose to believe that christianity is NOT inextricably linked to the State...as much as the xtians would like to believe that...sure, it's very deeply entrenched, but can be rooted out eventually.
It has always been linked to the State. That's the nature of Christianity, and has been since its inception. I doubt that we could ever go back to the point where some of us are worshiping Mithras, others worshiping Buddha, Attis, Herecles, etc. But if we could, would that actually make us stronger? Or would it make us more likely to splinter into various factions -- where whatever religious flavor is in vogue at the moment decides to dish out vengeance to those of the other groups?
That's why I say it was an interesting idea. A sort of frankenstein figure all the various factions could follow -- in a unifying sort of way.
Remove the State from the picture, and the syncretic product has absolutely no purpose whatsoever.
I bow to your wisdom...you've obviously studied the history of christianity more than I have...
But hasn't the Christ figure already become more of a homogenized
composite of many deities and religious traditions?
And it seems to me that we're already splintering quite well with the few measly religions we already have, thank you very much.
And your last sentence, I get the jist of it, but I have no idea what syncretic means...gonna google it!
Well despite myself...or perhaps, in spite of, or to spite meself...I done went and larnt me one of them fitty cent college type words!
Syn*cret"ic\, a. Uniting and blending together different systems, as of philosophy, morals, or religion
Religious Syncretism is the process whereby elements of disparate religious ideologies are combined/merged into one. That is what Christianity is -- the worship of Christ figureS. Or, if your mind prefers -- the worship of a single hodge-podge homogenized frankenstein figure that all can worship.
And yes, even if we were all Jesusians, we'd still splinter. We'd have Protestants vs. Catholics again and again. That's why I said it has run its course.
I dig yer meanin now...
Purty damn smart.
I picture him wearing a red spandex suit with his blue jockey shorts on the outside and a long, flowing cape.
Oh, and he must have a meek, unassuming secret identity with an alliterative name. Something like Mark Mason or Larry Langford.
"jesus jew" perhaps?
Occam's razor (sometimes spelled Ockham's razor) is a principle attributed to the 14th-century English logician and Franciscan friar, William of Ockham. The principle states that the explanation of any phenomenon should make as few assumptions as possible, eliminating those that make no difference in the observable predictions of the explanatory hypothesis or theory.
Since the First Amendment deals with "Congress," states are free to advance religion if they wish. False. The 14th Amendment makes the entire Bill of Rights applicable to the states. The first Supreme Court case to declare a state's religious practices illegal under the 14th Amendment was the McCollum case (1948) which removed religious instruction from the public schools.
Should Christians allow nonbelievers into their homes? No. --Acting inhospitably is the Christian thing to do. Notice how this verse unfairly equates unbelief and diversity with evil: "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." (II John 10-11)
In the modern society it has to do with markets.
Religion is a marketable product.
Modern society emphasizes autonomous individualism.
The market caters to the individual.
Thus, in a market driven economy/society, you are free to choose the religion that suites your spiritual and economic means.
collection plate...
.
Megyn Kelly's shown herself to be a bit of a doctrinaire conservative elsewhere, but here, unlike O'Reilly, she actually knows what she's talking about. O'Reilly only really knows that he likes or doesn't like something, and would be happiest if he were king.
Wait a minute...Pagans are a motorcycle club.
So are the Hell's Satans.
"awful display by atheists "
What's awful IMO is when the government favors one religion over another or religion over non-religion.
I don't understand the negativity towards the atheist display. Even in the blog commentary the poster seems to understand that the point of these displays is to show why the government should not being putting up displays in the first place...the atheist display included.
Anyway religion is a myth that hardens hearts and enslaves minds. Religion holds humanity back.
Jaysus, people. I was being sarcastic in calling it "awful." It was intended to suggest pearl-clutching, etc.
Text plays hell with sarcasm....
fair enough but you gotta realize that in the media when they talk of atheists "awful" is just one of the negative spins they put on it. The media's favorite phrase rearding atheists is "militant"...go figure.
maybe "militant" is the code word for homosexual, because gays are called militant a lot, too. i bet the gay militia has nicer uniforms!
better drugs too!
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