How the Mormon Church makes money. My question is, why don't they pay taxes on this loot? (They pay some taxes but not enough!) ... No, wait, my question is what they wear at their Polynesian theme park. Do they have special Polynesian magic underwear? Mormon defenders are out in force in the comments section. If this money from for-profit companies is really being used for charitable purposes why is the LDS so secretive about it?
America for Jesus event in Philadelphia - will it become a dominionist election-year screed? How can they energize their base to vote for a Mormon? Could be interesting.
Tragic but also ironic, Chik Fil-A PR chief dies suddenly. It's too bad he was on the side of people who believe God smites people who are in the wrong. Having to run damage control on his boss's bigoted statement would stress anybody's heart, but it sure seems like a smiting.
Methodist minister used to be a "she." Gotta admit, except for that believing in God business, the Methodists can be cool sometimes: "Weekley, 60, was invited to preach at Morningside as part of the church’s 17th anniversary as a Reconciling Ministry, a movement within the United Methodists Church to welcome LGBT parishioners."
As if to prove themselves as backwards as ever, a Catholic priest blames Satan for Holmes' attack in Colorado. Uhhhh yes, the guy was demon-possessed in the same sense that the 'demon-possessed' characters in the Bible were demon-possessed, i.e., mentally ill.
Meanwhile, in Australia, the identity of a pedophile priest is kept secret and his victim commits suicide. The victim's name appears prominently in this article. What is wrong with the world?
Nuns on the Bus tour ends in Washington, D.C. One of my friends from Wisconsin met them and she thought they were awesome. I used to think nuns were just mean old hags who swatted boys on the hand (h/t George Carlin)
Another nun gets into trouble with the Vatican for saying things like "Any policy that is more pro-fetus than actually pro-life, if the rights of the unborn trump all the rights of those that were already born, that is a distortion." Ahhh those modern-day Eves, trying to drag down the good ole boys... Sister Pat wants to feed the poor and clothe the homeless... *sigh* Silly woman.
The Southern Baptists are having trouble keeping up the bigotry.
Zombies counter-protest the Westboro Baptist Church. Sadly, they found no brains to snack on.
A Baptist Church in Mississippi manages to make WBC look progressive. The pastor, supposed to be a spiritual leader who does what's right, is too much of a coward to stand up to the bigots who don't want him to conduct a marriage ceremony between two black people who attend the church because they are black.
First female Episcopal bishop. I still heart the Episcopal Church except for the part where you have to believe in a supernatural deity, take part in a cannibalistic ceremony, and listen to people read from a collection of fairy tales.
Louisiana's voucher system could pay for kids to go to evolution-denying schools. Supposedly, the schools kids can use state cash for have to meet the same standards as public schools... in everything but biology. *sigh*
Another reason not to fund creationism-based public education: Kids can go to creationism-based Vacation Bible School to learn that drivel.
One of Chik Fil-A's evangelical supporters admits he's gay (or gay-ish?)
Apparently female televangelists can be homosexual hypocrites, too.
With so many of their leaders turning out to be homosexual, why are evangelicals promoting homophobia in Africa? Mormons are in on this, too.
Atheism and secular living from a woman's point of view.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Colorado shooter was seeing whom????
News reports say he was seeing a psychiatrist but when you look her up at Healthgrade, it says she's physiatrist, a physical therapist! But.... UCompare says she's a psychiatrist. Maybe she's both! On the hospital's site it says she is.
Not to be a snob... okay I'll be a snob... but if I'm having paranoid delusions and hearing voices, I would not go to someone who can't make up her mind whether to specialize in the mind or the body. Sure, the mind lives in the body, but seriously....
And checking pubmed, she hasn't published anything in five years. In academia, for someone on a tenure track this is really really weak.
CNN is having trouble verifying her credentials, too. If she's been getting grant money to study schizophrenia, the granting agencies should demand a refund. She hasn't published anything on schizophrenia so where's the evidence she was really qualified to help this guy?
The sadder thing is that after he was no longer a student she probably could no longer see him. That should be the one big exception to insurance company plans. My brother had this problem too. He got fired due to his schizophrenia and then couldn't see his doctor any more. Of course he could have paid cash but... *sigh* When someone leaves work due to a broken leg they can see their doctor and come back when their leg is healed. When they get sick with a mental illness their entire support system goes *poof* due to the very thing they need support for.
You'd think grad schools would have wised up after the University of Iowa shooting. They need good mental health providers and support for people who are disappointed. Instead of having a psychiatrist on their staff who has many duties, they should pay for sick students to go to the best shrink in town. It's not just enlightened self-interest, it's the right thing to do.
Not to be a snob... okay I'll be a snob... but if I'm having paranoid delusions and hearing voices, I would not go to someone who can't make up her mind whether to specialize in the mind or the body. Sure, the mind lives in the body, but seriously....
And checking pubmed, she hasn't published anything in five years. In academia, for someone on a tenure track this is really really weak.
CNN is having trouble verifying her credentials, too. If she's been getting grant money to study schizophrenia, the granting agencies should demand a refund. She hasn't published anything on schizophrenia so where's the evidence she was really qualified to help this guy?
The sadder thing is that after he was no longer a student she probably could no longer see him. That should be the one big exception to insurance company plans. My brother had this problem too. He got fired due to his schizophrenia and then couldn't see his doctor any more. Of course he could have paid cash but... *sigh* When someone leaves work due to a broken leg they can see their doctor and come back when their leg is healed. When they get sick with a mental illness their entire support system goes *poof* due to the very thing they need support for.
You'd think grad schools would have wised up after the University of Iowa shooting. They need good mental health providers and support for people who are disappointed. Instead of having a psychiatrist on their staff who has many duties, they should pay for sick students to go to the best shrink in town. It's not just enlightened self-interest, it's the right thing to do.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Debate Video with TWO unbelievers!
Sam Harris and Michael Shermer take on Deepak Chopra and a woman who can't get in a word edgwise. Listen for a priceless line by Deepak Chopra at 23:39 and at 28:40 one by Sam Harris.
This is one of the rare times when a "debate" included equal numbers on both sides. Usually a lone skeptic/atheist is up against half a dozen believers.
This is one of the rare times when a "debate" included equal numbers on both sides. Usually a lone skeptic/atheist is up against half a dozen believers.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
The week in links
Tom Vilsack is an individual who works for the government and says prayers that appear to be answered but not for the people he prayed for. This is not unconstitutional! (but it is a waste of taxpayer money if he does it on the clock) It pains me when atheists make a fuss oversomething that's not illegal. If anything, he should be taken to task for not explaining to the farmers who voted Republican that they are being punished by God.
Missouri will vote on the stupidest law ever. Someone has told these cretins that the First Amendment can prevent them from praying in public. Someone needs to explain to Missourians the difference between praying in public as a citizen and praying in public as a public official.
Got Prayer? 2700 students gather for "Prayer Fest." Because just praying in your church isn't good enough to get God's attention.
Katie Holmes returns to the Catholic church, which she was brought up in, and enrolls Suri in a posh Catholic school (@ almost $40k/year). I didn't even know there were any posh Catholic schools! If going to the school that produced Lady Gaga is an improvement over a Scientology education, I really wonder about that Scientology "education."
Why Scientologists buy the Xenu story. "OK, so there's a galactic overlord named Xenu. Big deal. That's not the craziest thing you're going to hear on your way to spending three hundred thousand dollars."
An evangelical Christian has written a book called The Mormonization of America. Oh horrors! The other side is prosletyzing too! You can't make this stuff up.
An evangelical blogger takes other evangelicals to task for a lack of intellectual and scholarly integrity. He ends his blog post by saying he's open to criticism.
Referenced in the above blog post: The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, a 1995 book that apparently still holds true. The first sentence: "The scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is no evangelical mind."
Westboro Baptist Church plans to "super-picket" funerals in Aurora, Colorado. Oh goody. Just what the situation calls for: more theatre.
The Episcopal Church approves same-sex marriage ceremony officially, but they're not calling the ceremony a marriage ceremony. Uhhh okaaaaay
In Australia, priests may be required to report crimes they hear about in confession.
Strange faith healing technique: kicking people in the face. The article says the guy is all over youtube so of course I had to check. Many of the videos label him a "false" healer (as if there are true ones) or "false teacher." The Holy Spirit said "Kick her in the Face." Yes, he said it! Then, at other times he sounds like a bad Bill Clinton imitator. (Go to 4:30 to see his imitation of Clinton masturbating)
Missouri will vote on the stupidest law ever. Someone has told these cretins that the First Amendment can prevent them from praying in public. Someone needs to explain to Missourians the difference between praying in public as a citizen and praying in public as a public official.
Got Prayer? 2700 students gather for "Prayer Fest." Because just praying in your church isn't good enough to get God's attention.
Katie Holmes returns to the Catholic church, which she was brought up in, and enrolls Suri in a posh Catholic school (@ almost $40k/year). I didn't even know there were any posh Catholic schools! If going to the school that produced Lady Gaga is an improvement over a Scientology education, I really wonder about that Scientology "education."
Why Scientologists buy the Xenu story. "OK, so there's a galactic overlord named Xenu. Big deal. That's not the craziest thing you're going to hear on your way to spending three hundred thousand dollars."
An evangelical Christian has written a book called The Mormonization of America. Oh horrors! The other side is prosletyzing too! You can't make this stuff up.
An evangelical blogger takes other evangelicals to task for a lack of intellectual and scholarly integrity. He ends his blog post by saying he's open to criticism.
Referenced in the above blog post: The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, a 1995 book that apparently still holds true. The first sentence: "The scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is no evangelical mind."
Westboro Baptist Church plans to "super-picket" funerals in Aurora, Colorado. Oh goody. Just what the situation calls for: more theatre.
The Episcopal Church approves same-sex marriage ceremony officially, but they're not calling the ceremony a marriage ceremony. Uhhh okaaaaay
In Australia, priests may be required to report crimes they hear about in confession.
Strange faith healing technique: kicking people in the face. The article says the guy is all over youtube so of course I had to check. Many of the videos label him a "false" healer (as if there are true ones) or "false teacher." The Holy Spirit said "Kick her in the Face." Yes, he said it! Then, at other times he sounds like a bad Bill Clinton imitator. (Go to 4:30 to see his imitation of Clinton masturbating)
Friday, July 20, 2012
Relax, America. "Batman" isn't a Religion
Like a dummy, I've been watching the news about the Batman shooting, and just shaking my head. Sure, this is tragic, and the guy who did it is something of a mystery at the moment, but you don't have to be afraid to go to the movies because...
BATMAN IS NOT A RELIGION!!!
Only a religion can spur copycats or fund groups of sleeper cells to attack people because for an idea. When a lone individual becomes obsessed with Batman and wants to make a violent splash, that does not in any way indicate that other people will take the same violent actions. It just indicates that one psychotic individual came up with a plan to kill lots of people at one time for his own reasons. It doesn't mean that movie theatres can't open tonight. It doesn't mean you have to wear bullet proof vests to get your popcorn. It will be okay. Really.
4chan is not promising an afterlife peopled with big-busted cartoon whores to mass killers. Comic Con will not give out free tickets to autograph signings to terrorists. Stan Lee isn't pulling strings behind the scenes preparing a cabal of cult followers to do his evil bidding. (that we know of)
It takes a religion to create an army of like-minded murderous terrorists. When the tear gas settles, it will turn out that the shooter is a paranoid schizophrenic who had been unhinged for awhile before concocting his plot. There will not be a spate of movie theatre killings, just as there has not been a spate of shopping mall killings after the few rare shopping mall shootings.
It is safe to eat at Luby's. Or McDonald's. Or at the food court at the local mall.
Crazy people are everywhere and only some of them have a gun and a chip on their shoulder. They are like lightning or tornadoes. They are not organized terrorists looking for "soft targets" just so they can kill YOU.
Now that the cat is out of the bag, there may indeed be another movie theatre shooting. Or maybe someone will decide he can get a bigger body count at a high school football game. Maybe a college graduation ceremony. Anywhere you can find "targets," some nut case with too many bullets may decided to wipe you out. But what are the odds?
So American Media, settle the fuck down.
BATMAN IS NOT A RELIGION!!!
Only a religion can spur copycats or fund groups of sleeper cells to attack people because for an idea. When a lone individual becomes obsessed with Batman and wants to make a violent splash, that does not in any way indicate that other people will take the same violent actions. It just indicates that one psychotic individual came up with a plan to kill lots of people at one time for his own reasons. It doesn't mean that movie theatres can't open tonight. It doesn't mean you have to wear bullet proof vests to get your popcorn. It will be okay. Really.
4chan is not promising an afterlife peopled with big-busted cartoon whores to mass killers. Comic Con will not give out free tickets to autograph signings to terrorists. Stan Lee isn't pulling strings behind the scenes preparing a cabal of cult followers to do his evil bidding. (that we know of)
It takes a religion to create an army of like-minded murderous terrorists. When the tear gas settles, it will turn out that the shooter is a paranoid schizophrenic who had been unhinged for awhile before concocting his plot. There will not be a spate of movie theatre killings, just as there has not been a spate of shopping mall killings after the few rare shopping mall shootings.
It is safe to eat at Luby's. Or McDonald's. Or at the food court at the local mall.
Crazy people are everywhere and only some of them have a gun and a chip on their shoulder. They are like lightning or tornadoes. They are not organized terrorists looking for "soft targets" just so they can kill YOU.
Now that the cat is out of the bag, there may indeed be another movie theatre shooting. Or maybe someone will decide he can get a bigger body count at a high school football game. Maybe a college graduation ceremony. Anywhere you can find "targets," some nut case with too many bullets may decided to wipe you out. But what are the odds?
So American Media, settle the fuck down.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
The Week in Links
R.I.P. Judith Hayes, a.k.a. The Happy Heretic, 1945-2012. I just discovered her blog today and I'm so sad that I never got to know her work before this. She started blogging before it was called "blogging." Her book is still for sale at amazon.com. They call her the "Erma Bombeck of the secular humanist community.
New Zealand priests have to stop using ipads in the pulpit. I wonder if they use them in the confessional. That has to be the most boring part of their day.
A former nun in India has written a book that I hope gets translated to English. Her advice to young girls: do not go to a priest for counseling or confession. Sounds like she has some tales to tell.
But then what fake priests do in India is also shocking. Child sacrifice to find hidden treasure? Crazy.
Mr. Cranky reviews a film that proves that Christians shouldn't produce films.
A Christian & a Muslim ask hotels to stop selling pay-per-view porn. Apparently they know that religious people are buying this stuff, because they certainly wouldn't care if atheists watched bad porn.
The Washington Post on Elevatorgate Part Deux. My first thought was 'wow we look so bad now,' but then I remembered that some of my friends have been harrassed at professional conferences. Maybe some people just need to be reminded that you should behave at a conference the way you would at home, or better.
As yet another storm passes by my parched Indiana city, I realize we should try performing a frog wedding.
Lutheran church needs a liquor license to serve liquor at weddings (but not for communion?) ... but the law states a license can't be granted within 100 feet of a church. Well, they are the church and no other church happens to be next door, so they get licensed!
New Zealand priests have to stop using ipads in the pulpit. I wonder if they use them in the confessional. That has to be the most boring part of their day.
A former nun in India has written a book that I hope gets translated to English. Her advice to young girls: do not go to a priest for counseling or confession. Sounds like she has some tales to tell.
But then what fake priests do in India is also shocking. Child sacrifice to find hidden treasure? Crazy.
Mr. Cranky reviews a film that proves that Christians shouldn't produce films.
A Christian & a Muslim ask hotels to stop selling pay-per-view porn. Apparently they know that religious people are buying this stuff, because they certainly wouldn't care if atheists watched bad porn.
The Washington Post on Elevatorgate Part Deux. My first thought was 'wow we look so bad now,' but then I remembered that some of my friends have been harrassed at professional conferences. Maybe some people just need to be reminded that you should behave at a conference the way you would at home, or better.
As yet another storm passes by my parched Indiana city, I realize we should try performing a frog wedding.
Lutheran church needs a liquor license to serve liquor at weddings (but not for communion?) ... but the law states a license can't be granted within 100 feet of a church. Well, they are the church and no other church happens to be next door, so they get licensed!
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