Picture An Atheist

    I met a gentleman named Daniel while at the American Atheist convention. He asked to take a picture of my shirt. I gave him permission to do so and we struck up a bit of conversation about his project. Daniel told me about the many interesting shirts people had been wearing and how he had been collecting pictures of them. i suggested he post them on-line so others could enjoy his efforts. It turns out Daniel has a real life and it keeps him pretty busy. I could relate to his situation, real life is always screwing up my internet endeavors too.
    Since Daniel didn't really have time or a place to post his work I made another suggestion. I could post them for him. He agreed and told me he didn't need to be given credit for his work.
    To give credit where it is due the following examples of expression recorded from the Reason Rally and the American Atheist convention were taken by Daniel and sent to me. If anyone is pictured here and wishes it be removed simply contact me. I doubt that will be an issue because, like I said, the photographer made a habit of asking permission to take these photographs.
  Anyone who couldn't make it to either of the above mentioned events can now get an idea of what was in style.
   If a picture is worth a thousand words this is probably the longest blog you will ever see me post....
 Thanks for your efforts Daniel and it was nice to meet you....

 

That's me

                                              

Atheist X

Something changed on March 24th 2012.

 You probably didn't feel the earth move but the world changed much like the moving of a mountain. There was a rally in DC. 20,000+ people came together in the rain to validate disbelief. Please do not assume the lack of belief to be negative and English scholars please STFU about my use of the word disbelief.
 Disbelief brought people together, lots of people. The importance of this event has not yet been recognized. In a sense I am playing prophet while I write this but my inspiration does not come from divine sources, it comes from observation and intelligence.
 We sent a message to the government, to the news outlets, and to our fellow Americans. Atheist was a common word that day and no one suffered by hearing it unless they deserved it. David Silverman showed he is an able leader of the American Atheists and the numerous other groups who looked past the past to join in the rally showed free-thinkers truly can lead by example.
  It rained on the crowd, they did not care. Americans who came for no other reason than to see the nations capitol suddenly found themselves surrounded by people who had no god...and nothing happened. If there was ever an example of how much nothing can change something, this was it.
 As I walked among the crowd and talked to the people who had gathered a few things struck me. The event was like a rock concert without the drama and foolishness.Whole families sat in the rain listening to the speakers or talking amongst themselves oblivious to nature's effect.
  The nonbelievers came in all ages, sizes, and ethnicity be damned there were no differences here to create imagined barriers and keep like-minded people apart.
    Even though we have seen a tremendous growth in people who call themselves atheist, it has only just begun.
  While the  Four Horseman of Atheism"-Richard Dawkins, Daniel C. Dennett, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens should be given credit for what they have done to bring atheism into the light, the torch has now passed. With the torch passed it was the 'little people' who fanned the flame into a bonfire in Washington DC.
  Bloggers, vloggers, podcasters and activists have become the atheist X factor, the force that has encouraged the nonbeliever to stand up and say so in public. The Four Horsemen slammed the word atheist on the table and atheist X, comprised of bloggers, vloggers, activists, and podcasters took it and ran into the streets. "You are not alone!" they have cried over and over. The atheist who felt isolated and alone was alone no longer.
   It is one thing to become an atheist, it is quite another to be able to talk about it freely amongst others.I don't think those who are trying to use religion to control others and implement laws based on belief in fictional people and stories counted on the X factor. They didn't count on those who had no fear to rally for atheism. Now the boulder has been pushed over the cliff, the genie has been let out of the bottle and the bottle has been broken, it can not be replaced even if someone dared to try. Atheism is the elephant in the room no one can walk around.
   The Reason Rally was an historic event. I believe as time passes it will be remembered as the beginning of serious change in our country.
 I'd like to give credit to the X factor atheist, those who do not care about numbers, shirt sales, or profit for what they have done. A value can not be put upon their work, you can not buy change it is earned by those who want it.
  
   In closing Id like to say I believe there is an effect that will  most likely help atheism more than any other. The effect is called the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon. The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon occurs when a person, after having learned some (usually obscure) fact, word, phrase, or other item for the first time, encounters that item again, perhaps several times, shortly after having learned it.
  As a result of this effect the words atheist and atheism are going to be given more attention. This means the work has just begun we must keep encouraging people to come out and claim their (dis)beliefs and we must keep important terms in the public eye and ears. There is still much change to be earned.

 

Republicans,Reflublicans

    I have often wondered why we Americans are basically limited to a two-party system. Our country is so diverse, so unique, why do we limit our choices for who will represent or lead us? I never knew what I could do to help widen our choices.  The Democrats and Republicans seem to have control over who we choose from.
 Well it looks like one of the parties also wonders why the people are forced to pick from such a narrow pool of people. This party is doing everything it can to assure our children will have more choices in the future. We should all be saying "Thank You" to the Republican party for making change happen and sacrificing itself for that change. The numbers of independent voters has skyrocketed. And we owe it to people like Rick Santorum who is about as intelligent as a blade of grass. He even likes to pretend he is one sometimes (usually during a political debate) Rick considers how the world would seem to look if he was a blade of grass and then applies it to his human life because we know there is very little difference in Rick's case. What ingenious ideas have come from Rick's imaginary travels as a blade of grass? Things like this-

  “The dangers of carbon dioxide? Tell that to a plant, how dangerous carbon dioxide is,”~ Rick Santorum Gulf Coast Energy Summit in Biloxi, Miss.

 Unfortunately there aren't a lot of lawns that have an IQ above 4, that makes science a little tough for them to understand, Rick Santorum can be included in that group since The National Academy of Sciences has  found that 97 percent to 98 percent of climate researchers “most actively publishing in the field” agree that climate change is occurring. Let's not forget plants absorb C02 for photosynthesis. People can absorb C02 but it  can cause “headaches, dizziness, restlessness, a tingling or pins or needles feeling, difficulty breathing, sweating, tiredness, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure...and death. Even though Rick can relate better to the intellect of a nicely kept front lawn there just isn't much it has in common with most people.

*admittedly not a real study, but damn close

 Rick has done an incredible job of making sure no one on the planet would admit to ever even hearing the word republican much less being one.
 Don't let me give the impression Rick is the only one undermining the republican party in an effort to turn every living American into an independent voter. Good 'ol down to earth Mitt Romney, the man who can relate to the average guy ,cause he is one, right? Well Mitt sure sounds like he understands the average Joe. Like when he said
      "I should tell my story. I'm also unemployed." —Mitt Romney, speaking in 2011 to unemployed people in Florida. Romney's net worth is over $200 million.
or
"There were a couple of times I wondered whether I was going to get a pink slip" –Mitt Romney, attempting to identify with the problems of average folk (January 2012)
or
     "I get speaker's fees from time to time, but not very much." —Mitt Romney, who earned $374,000 in speaking fees in one year according to according to his personal financial disclosure (January 2012)
  In case that leaves you a little confused about Mitt and his ability to relate to the average American I'll provide another of his quotes. This should clear things up completely.
    "I believe in an America where millions of Americans believe in an America that's the America millions of Americans believe in. That's the America I love." –Mitt Romney (January 2012)

   Up next on the Reflublican clown parade?  Rush "fat mouth" Limbaugh. He calls a woman who speaks out on behalf of birth control based on it's use besides contraception a whore because she is having so much sex she can't afford it and wants Rush to pay the tab. Not only does this moron have no idea what the woman was actually talking about but he stands behind his comment until his sponsors start abandoning him. As is often the case with Republicans , money equals morality. Here's the actual quote-

''A Georgetown coed told Nancy Pelosi's hearing that the women in her law school program are having so much sex they're going broke, so you and I should have to pay for their birth control. So what would you call that? I called it what it is. So, I'm offering a compromise today: I will buy all of the women at Georgetown University as much aspirin to put between their knees as they want. ... So Miss Fluke and the rest of you feminazis, here's the deal. If we are going to pay for your contraceptives and thus pay for you to have sex, we want something. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch.''

—Rush Limbaugh, March 1, 2012

    No one knows for sure how many times Limbaugh has ended up with all his toes in his mouth. It has been said Rush Limbaugh has some talent for doing talk radio. If talent equals the ability to trick stupid people into believing made up quotes and data or managing to stay on the air no matter what kind of racist, selfish, backwards ass shit you say then Rush has talent. I don't find myself impressed in the least. Anyone can make shit up to back up lies and intolerance.

 The republicans seem obsessed with controlling people, especially women. This indicates the level of respect they have for others. Newt Gingrich provides some evidence of this.

  “She isn’t young enough or pretty enough to be the President’s wife.”
~Newt Gingrich, talking about his first wife after divorcing her.

  How Newt ever found a woman willing to marry him is another one of those mysteries we may never solve.

  Republicans also tend to have a problem with gays. Newt gave us a good example of this last December. In Iowa a homosexual man asked Gingrich  if he’s elected, how does he plan to engage gay Americans. Gingrich replied telling the man to "Support Obama" That's nice, a man who is ready to lead the American people.
  In case you still have doubts about the Newt allow me to share his wonderful suggestion for the moon.
  “By the end of my second term, we will have the first permanent base on the moon and it will be American." ~Newt Gingrich
Nevermind  that we can't even take care of the people who are living on earth, let's spend money making sure Americans are struggling to live on the moon too. I don't have anything against NASA or space exploration but building a moon base? Gingrich should be trying to colonize the wasteland he calls his head. There is no sign of intelligent life there thus far.
   In my opinion the fact that Gingrich is even being considered as a possible candidate shows us the Reflublicans are scraping the bottom of the barrel.

 Eliminating funding for planned parenthood, disgust for the idea of separation between church and state, ignorance of widely accepted scientific theories (evolution, global warming), disapproval of providing contraception for women, an inability to show even one of the Reflublican choices can gain a majority of support from their own party members. All these things are causing people to turn into independent voters. It seems to be the one thing Reflublicans can get done. I, for one, wish them continued success.   

Atheist Marketing

   I have long considered Jesus, his travels, and teachings to be one of the biggest marketing scams the world has ever known. The product after all has incredible worth to people and is one of  those things that never go out of style. Eternal bliss. People are killing and deceiving each other as I type this all in support of  their 'product'.
 Much like Ronald McDonald helped to make McDonalds  the leader in selling hamburgers Jesus is working as the Christian version of the McDonalds clown to sell product.

The Last McSupper

   Marketing is important and it doesn't always have to be used to victimize people. McDonalds actually gives you something for your money Jesus and Christianity gives you faith or maybe you give them faith and they give you hope...or maybe you... Oh never-mind you get my point. McDonalds food may not be great for your health but it isn't asking for you to make sure everyone else eats it. McDonalds hasn't asked  customers to kill anyone who eats at Burger King or Taco Bell. They aren't demanding a statue of Ronald McDonald be erected at the entrance of the local courthouse. And there will be no Ronald McDonald 9/11 memorial as a tribute to the victims who ate at McDonalds. Considering those points the burger chain has actually done a better job of targeting a specific audience and keeping the focus on their specific product. 
    Sure you will see a questionable commercial every so often but it is quickly dealt with by the company because they have planned ahead. Any critics are usually diffused by a intelligently worded press release. This doesn't always succeed because you never know which way an issue will run when you get the public involved. Thinking ahead does no harm and sometimes proves invaluable. It can make the difference between people relating a product with a good/positive feeling or a bad/negative one. Sometimes just the person who sends the statement makes all the difference. Human nature makes us more responsive to people who are like us. We will tend to believe someone who is a peer more than someone who is not.
  It's all about marketing. Good marketing brings attention to your product in a positive light. Good marketing can also be stirring up controversy and gaining attention through the anger and outrage of the public. The second type is risky and can result in your products decline. Sometimes the controversy over bad marketing has been so bad it takes years for the brand to come back, if it manages to at all.
 Atheism is also a product. It should be an easy sell, right? I mean, it is based on reality, we all live in a real world where we make choices based on things we can see or feelings that are supported by actual experience. There are a few problems we face when marketing atheism. One is our product doesn't promise eternal bliss. In fact it promises, nothing. Nothing happens when you die, no angel trumpets, no harps, you don't get to go up to heaven where a new car full of horny virgins awaits in front of your incredible mansion where you will reside in harmony and bliss for the rest of eternity. Sorry. All atheism offers is the real world, the one you've been living in all this time except without allowing your imagination to control some of your life. If you can admit imaginary figures are not best used to make laws, or make life choice choices then you have just bought yourself a nice new set of atheism. It  comes with a free unlimited lifetime warranty. Congratulations!
 Notice I said "a few" problems. Another one of those problems is our competition....religion. Religion (see jesus above) does make incredible promises to people. If you pray and god thinks you are worthy your prayer gets answered, if not then keep trying we never know when god may change his mind and decide it is important .You want that girl at the Quick Stop to give you her number, or you want to loose 10 lbs of fat off your ankles? Do you really need god to intervene and get your kid on the honor roll cause that dummy just isn't ever going to manage it on their own? Maybe you want to see your wife and the girl at the supermarket checkout , makeout... With god you never know it's like playing the lottery for free, all you have to do is believe. By the way if we don't believe, we are going to burn in hell forever! That's what  the marketing people tell us anyway. But if you do buy into Jesus, miracles, self affirming books, and verses taken out of context, there is a grand reward when this life ends (see car full of virgins above)
  Another competitor is often overlooked, it is the people who don't really believe but religion provides them power and wealth.The people who represent this segment of the market are probably our biggest challenge yet we often do not take their actions into consideration probably because we tend to assume the people opposed to us will do so in an obvious fashion.
 This last group waits for atheists to give them an 'in' then they capitalize on it.Anything that can be used to make atheist look bad will be used just for that. It has been done through history, it will be continue to be done in this case.
  Recently a billboard was put up that read "Slaves obey your masters" there was a picture of a black slave next to the text and below there was a reference to a biblical verse and the "year of the bible" being touted by the Pennsylvania government. It was a protest to the government supporting a book that condoned slavery and the fact it violated the separation of church and state. That was the message.
 It was quickly declared racist and less than 24 hours after being put up it was removed by vandals.
 At first this angered me. I though about the stupid people who couldn't understand the message, those morons. Then I heard some of the rational behind the racism argument.
  Blacks were upset because they are sensitive to the subject of slavery, it still bothers a lot of people. The people telling blacks they shouldn't be bothered and that the truth is sometimes hurtful, were white. I think it's pretty safe to say African Americans are not going to appreciate white people telling them when they should or shouldn't be offended about racism or slavery. It also happens that the billboards were put up in a mostly black neighborhood because the rates were cheaper. So that means a billboard was put up that blacks considered racist, white people told the black people they shouldn't be offended because it wasn't about race yet the billboard ended up  there because the, black neighborhood was the cheapest place?  Is anyone else seeing the problem with this scenario? Yea blacks might be a little sensitive to the subject of slavery because they still feel the effects of it today. Poor neighborhoods, profiling, crime and various forms of racism. Despite the fact racism has been dealt a serious blow by education, common sense and compassion, it is still around.   I know that as a white male there are many injustices done to other groups I will never be able to fully understand. Slavery is one of those. But I realize that and that helps me to 'get it'... I think.
   So we have the billboard , the deed has been done. The message was never intended to be racist.Some people are pissed, what do you do next? Shouldn't you find someone to convey your thoughts on the issue?  I would look for an African American who could see, understand, and explain my point. If people could hear a person who had just as much right as anyone else to be offended explain things they would be less likely to see it as just some white guy saying he never meant to send that message.
    The bible is really repulsive in parts, the actions that were acceptable behavior in those days make people uncomfortable when they are forced to think about them. Believers can claim verses are "taken out of context" but there was a time when those verses were not taken out of context, they were the law of the land. At what point did parts of the bible suddenly become a matter of context instead of 'gods will'? Who made the decision that the parts about slavery were taken out of context?  If you tried to say people were taking parts of the bible out of context 500 years ago you would have some serious explaining to do and I doubt you would be the next pope. There has been no directive from god informing us of the context guidelines. The reason for that is because we make religion what it is. Religion and god are man-made and continue to change according to what we accept as a society. You can see how every religion has evolved as time goes by. How would a typical christian today look to a typical christian 200 years ago? Did jesus come to earth and hand over a revision to the bible? Nope. The Christians evolved because attitudes changed. This shows me that religion is probably going to evolve itself into extinction eventually , the problem is, it is going to take a very long time.

(not an actual cafe menu)

 Another force to contend with is ourselves.
   As atheists find themselves in the public eye, it is going to be harder not to appear as something we are not due to the subject matter.
People already make incorrect assumptions about us as it is. Atheists are baby-eaters, worship Satan, angry at god, lost those are just a few and they stem from what people have come up with on their own. Now that atheists are coming out there are going to be plenty of opportunities to mislabel us and accuse us of being some of the things most hated in society. We can not let this stop us. I know for a fact most atheists are tolerant, peace-loving people. We have differing points of view on many subjects, so what? Not having  religion as part of your life is going to result in that because there are no constraints on our thinking. We can think out of the box without worry our ideas may get us thrown into a lake of fire. I hear constantly about people complaining because what some atheist is doing makes them look bad. There are times when this can be true such as in cases where a leader was speaking on behalf of a group. And then the actions and ideas can only be attributed to that group. Hopefully people who find themselves on the public stage or speaking on behalf of others will realize the strength and effect of their actions.
   If you feel the actions of individuals are making you look bad then you have self esteem issues, it is that simple so please shut up about it. If a person who's favorite color is green goes on a killing spree and when caught says "I did it for the color green, it told me to kill!" Is that going to mean anyone can assume people who like green are at any moment going to start hacking people up? I don't think so, but I've been wrong before. I like blue by the way, people who like blue are cool. it's the only exception to the rule.
  To wrap it up, I think it's time we started looking at the way atheism is presented. Mainly to limit the opportunities others have to make it into a monster they created with rhetoric and propaganda. We can't avoid some sensitive issues but we should act in ways that show an awareness of people's feelings.
 There is hope for us yet, after all McDonalds removed Ronald from all their marketing (except the Ronald McDonald House)  because the public had outgrown it. Why shouldn't jesus go for the same reason?

Pennsylvania- WTF?!

This means YOU!

  
     I don't know what is going on in the state of Pennsylvania lately but I sure wish the people there would get with the times. Some of the shit that's happening there is what  you would expect during the 50's. Boys being molested and no one saying anything about it cause you don't want to get a good'ol boy in trouble. Pennsylvania State University football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was caught in 2002 having sex with a 10 year old boy. In Pennsylvania, where the clocks don't run, it takes 9 years for something like that to be reported to someone who knows that behavior is wrong.

    When it is all said and done the grand jury finds 42 counts of child molestation dating from 1994 to 2009, though the alleged abuse may date as far back as the 1970s. All the victims may never be known. Countless lives destroyed because of the type of thinking that should have been done away with long ago. When you don't progress intellectually and socially the Penn State molestation tragedy is what can happen. You can't blame the Catholic Church directly for what happened at Penn State but it sure hasn't been a good example of how Catholics should react to children being molested. In fact the reactions of the Catholic Church and Penn State are eerily alike in many ways.

The Pope-What a great role model

     Then in November of 2011 we have Pennsylvania PA Senator Anthony Williams caught on tape saying "This is our school system, not yours" to Atheists who oppose a school voucher system. I wonder what would happen if someone had said the same thing but replaced the word 'atheist' with 'African-Americans' or perhaps a more colorful slang word.Can you imagine what that would have been like? It would have felt like you were back in the days of separate water fountains wouldn't it? You know, like back in the 50's....
    In 1998, Williams' father, Pennsylvania State Senator Hardy Williams, retired hours before the deadline to file nominating petitions, allowing Anthony the opportunity to run unopposed for his father's 8th senatorial district seat. The younger Williams had already filed his nominating petitions to run for his House seat, so he remained on both ballots. He declined to take his House seat when he won both elections simultaneously.   Nothing like a bit of information from the good 'ol boy network to help win that senate seat huh? It doesn't hurt to have a daddy who is so sure you can win an election he has to play the system just to make sure. I'm thinking when you use such tactics to win a senate seat it should speak to your character and credibility. It's not like his behavior is something unrelated to his ability to serve in the senate. In Pennsylvania I guess it is looked upon favorably to cheat in order to win.

Senator Anthony Williams- Big Mouth, big head, short-sight.

      In October of 2011 an atheist named Ernest Peirce walks in the Halloween parade dressed as a Zombie Mohammed. His costume is noticed by a Muslim and his family who are also attending the parade. The Muslim man, at the very least, confronts the Zombie Mohammed in an attempt to "protect' his prophet. A judge named Mark Martin can not see any reason to allow a video of the incident, the testimony of a witness, or the testimony of a police officer who took statements from the parties at the time of the incident as evidence related to the crime. He then proceeds to lecture the victim on Islam and also informs the victim it is not his right to "offend people" While never giving any clear examples of what "offending other people and cultures" is, it would be safe to assume a list of approved costumes is going to be needed at the next parade in Mechanicsburg, Pa.  Never mind the fact it is Halloween and the possibility of being offended by a Halloween costume is very high depending on your sensitivity.
   Judge Mark Martin has said that he finds the Zombie Mohammed costume equal to dressing up as a KKK member. Does that mean if someone dressed as a zombie KKK member it would be frowned upon by Judge martin because it could be considered offensive to a clansman? He can't use the comparison and then pick and choose based on what he personally finds offensive. Judge Mark Martin seems to think he makes the laws instead of applying them. He also does not come off as the most intelligent fellow I've ever come across. His statements and behavior after his ruling have shown his inability to demonstrate good judgement. Instead of admitting there could be a problem with his decision he continues to make up lame comparisons and tell people about his time served in the military as a smokescreen to mask his stupidity.
   Mark Martin I thank you for your military service honestly I do. You have my respect for that, but military service does not equal ability to be a judge. Please stop tarnishing your own dignity by trying to justify injustice.
 The whole thing stinks and reminds me of stories about blacks who were accused of crimes back in the 50's and the good 'ol boy bullshit comparison fits pretty closely again.

Not-too-bright Judge Mark Martin

   The American Atheists and Justin Vacula from The NEPA Freethought Society had an idea for ads on buses. The ad was about as simple as one could get, it said 'Atheists.' in a normal white font on a deep blue background. The sponsors of the ad were also listed on the right side of the ad in a much smaller font, no different than any other you would expect from any group who had paid for a billboard.It would be hard for anyone to argue the bus billboard was anything more than basic. The Lackawanna County transit buses, called COLTS turned down the ad, saying it doesn't want the bus to be the subject of anything controversial. The spokesman for the COLTS gave ads for tobacco, and guns as examples of the types of advertising they will not allow. How atheism which is not used to kill other people and does not cause cancer fits in with these I don't know. Those are legal in this country and they may spark some debate but where do we draw the line when it has come to the point where anything is a potential point of debate with one person or another.

The ad that started the debate about the debate about ads on buses debate

     It seems that in Pennsylvania just the word 'atheists' is a point of debate.Wouldn't that also mean that reality is a debatable point to those who ride The COLT bus line according to the spokesman for the buses?
 As if the stories I've already told you are not enough, there is another twist on this one. There was a message being displayed on the COLT bus scrolling public message boards it said "god bless America"
    Let me explain to some of you who may not get it. No one is upset about the message because they can't stand to even look at the word 'god' it doesn't cause us to melt. The message indicates that god is going to act on our behalf so to ensure we are in good fortune or "blessed". Not everyone believes this to be true and it is a public display of religious beliefs. It's not about anyone's personal beliefs because it is being displayed publicly on a government owned transit vehicle. If people are going to be allowed to display their personal beliefs and opinions in that fashion then I should be able to post "SLAYER IS GOD" on the display as a driver of the bus. I seriously doubt that would happen and if it did the problems which would arise as each driver started posting their own personal messages would not be pretty.
     One guy named Daniel Wittenbreder was so pissed that 'god bless america' could no longer be displayed on the bus he drives (it's not 'his bus') He went to Justin's facebook wall and started talking smack.

Daniel Wittenbreder- "Seeds of the Antichrist" aka Atheists are not welcome on his bus. Just you try it! For more on Daniel's driving ability follow this link http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/colts-bus-slams-into-supermarket-1.55545#axzz1oIUEwsj3

Daniel insinuated that Justin would be effected negatively if he dared to ride on Daniel Wittenbreder's bus. Justin routinely takes public transit in order to get around. Daniel also called atheists "seeds of the antichrist"

Can't you feel the christian love??

   Now in this case Daniel is clearly not dealing with reality, seeds of Satan? Give me a break. The fact this nut is allowed to drive people around in a bus all day is scary. Maybe the transit people need to administer a "I'm not a lunatic" test before hiring it's drivers. I don't think that is an unreasonable request.
 While reading the news stories about my topics in this blog post I came across some comments that made me say "What the hell?! Are these people crazy??"  This one I think sums them up quite nicely....

Peaceman at 5:35 PM March 02, 2012 The mere existice of unbelievers is offensive. This sick advertisement should of course not have been allowed. Why should Christians put up with this? This is our country. If you don't like it, leave. Go to Iran or some place where you will be treated as you should. You will burn in hell for your sins of disbelief. Turn to God now before its to late.

*some restrictions apply

  So all you atheists or anyone else who isn't happy with a country ruled by christians let's get packed up. We all have to move to Iran now, the christians have spoken, and after all, it is their country.  They aren't interested in listening to anyone else, screw that, they own the place. I wonder if it wouldn't be easier to just stuff all the christians with this type of mindset into Pennsylvania and let them create the wonderful society they long for while the rest of us move forward.
 It's been 2000 years, it's time to grow past this adult version of the santa claus story called religion.

I'm Feeling Gay About Gay Marriage In California

   

 In California tide has finally shifted. A recent poll shows that support of gay marriage has surged.  The poll showed increases in support virtually across the board. We seem to finally get it.
 After what I believe to be a trick election a few years ago on Prop 8 where no meant yes and yes meant no, Californians have regained their bearings. It's been three and a half years since voters approved Prop 8, which banned gay marriage, 52.3 percent to 47.7 percent. Looks like we won't be fooled again, at least most of us won't. Voters now favor same sex unions by 59 percent to 34 percent. Who are the 34 percent that just can't allow everyone to be treated equal? Republicans and Conservatives the constant foes of equal treatment fighting at almost every turn to keep some group from making their own choices or being treated the same  as they are. To be fair even these groups have showed a rise in acceptance of civil unions. The day when everyone will be able to say their vows and be recognized as a couple by society is on the way. No one can stop it so anyone who reads this and still insists on fighting against it- You are a dick. Yep, if the description fits, you are a dick. I was curious how the non-believers looked on this issue so I checked out the results and found that support was 80 percent and 16 percent opposed. I'm pretty sure those 16 percent were lying about their religious preference just  to try and make us atheists and agnostics look bad.  If you belong in that group I would love to talk to you and find out why. The 80 percent number was up 3 percent from 2010. And the 16 percent against was unchanged from 2010, I guess those people are set in their ways.  Still it shows non religious people are more tolerant of different lifestyles, probably because we know sexual preference is a result of nature. It's  not a choice made by someone  in order to make every other heterosexual uncomfortable or as an attempt to destroy religion to prepare the planet for Lord Satan's arrival. Intelligent people realize this, ignorant and stupid people do not.
  We should still be ashamed we allowed New York to show itself as more progressive than the great state of California.Then Washington and Maryland came along and made us look like uptight morons too. We have the city of Berkley! There shouldn't be a place on the planet that can beat us at being an example of how to behave like crazy yet tolerant people.
   Still, Prop 8 haunts us, and the state continues to waste money because some people feel the need to protect a word. Religious believers are convinced gay marriage will make heterosexual marriages less meaningful and sacred. If that is the case you have already made your marriage look weak as well as your ability to show respect towards people who are different from you.
 I often wonder-Why do gays want to get married  anyway?  Marriage is a religious ritual, we know how most religions view gays who want to be a part of that group?I know I have no interest in marriage because it is a religious ritual. Religious rituals tend to have some type of ulterior motive.
  I think civil unions should be the ONLY form of partnership recognized by the government. You want to get married? Do it in your church and have fun but don't expect anything to change as far as the government is concerned. Another example of how the separation of church and state would make life a little more easy and fair for all people and attack the religious act of marriage at the same time. The best of both worlds, Lord Satan would be pleased.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/29/4299164/support-for-gay-marriage-takes.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/29/4299164/support-for-gay-marriage-takes.html#storylink=cpy

 

If you would like to see the results for yourself click here

Mark Martin- The Judge Who Couldn't (keep his mouth shut)

         I had previously posted a blog about a guy who was attacked while marching dressed as a zombie Mohammed in a PA Halloween parade titled A Judge, A Muslim And An Atheist At that time there was no interest in releasing the audio because there was hope it would be resolved by the parties involved, that did not happen. Instead the victim of the crime is now being threatened with jail time by  Mark Martin, the judge who gave him permission to record in the first place.  Judge Martin refuses to admit that his words may have, at the least, been out of bounds and inappropriate for the situation. His actions in this case were not up to par with the wisdom you would expect to see displayed by a man responsible for making sure equal justice is served for every person who stands in front of him. This is the unedited recording of his decision. After you listen please share your thoughts on his wording. I'm not interested in debate whether or not it's okay to wear a certain type of Halloween costume, I've made my opinion on that clear previously.