This was far too funny for me not to post. It made me giggle like crazy when I found it at about 4am this morning. LoL
Recently in Religion Category
This was far too funny for me not to post. It made me giggle like crazy when I found it at about 4am this morning. LoL
This list comes to us from I Am An Atheist, from their page entitled 'Atheist Rights and Responsibilities'.
That's a pretty damn good list, that's how I live my life, and I didn't even know about the list until today when I saw it up on Friendly Atheist.
They aren't commandments, they are our rights and responsibilities.
That's how we as atheists should live, how we should treat our fellow human beings, just live and treat others as you want to be treated.
- Have no gods.
- Don't worship stuff.
- Be polite.
- Take a day off once in a while.
- Be nice to folks.
- Don't kill people.
- Don't cheat on your significant other.
- Don't steal stuff.
- Don't lie about stuff.
- Don't be greedy.
That's a pretty damn good list, that's how I live my life, and I didn't even know about the list until today when I saw it up on Friendly Atheist.
They aren't commandments, they are our rights and responsibilities.
That's how we as atheists should live, how we should treat our fellow human beings, just live and treat others as you want to be treated.
I was reading updates on Twitter a bit ago, and came across a tweet from a Think Atheist member, Jin-Oh Choi, who posted a video on the site titled "Creationists threatens youth with eternal damnation". (links to the video on youtube)
This video was put out by a group called Revolution in Christ, and I went to their site to check them out.
They are a group who wants all churches to get back to the real biblical teachings, no more of this "come as you are, stay as you are, we love you just the way you are", and accepting of other lifestyles, and abortions, divorces etc.
They want the full on biblical experience to be taught and preached, which personally, I don't think will go over very well because whenever I've had a conversation with a self-professed Christian, they do not like the old testament, they think that it's when God was speaking in metaphors, that the new testament completely wipes out the old, and this group, Revolution in Christ, is all hell no folks, the bible is a book, 1 book, and the whole book is the unerring and completely infallible word of God, it's all his word, nothing in it wipes out anything else in it, God will punish you severely for not believing in him and sinning your asses off.
I looked around the site a bit and found a page called Munitions, where I found many links to all kinds of things like a 12 year old girl speaking out against abortion, and an article on megachurch pastor, Joel Osteen.
I see Joel Osteen on the tv every week, several times a week probably, as I'm surfing through the channels, and sometimes if there's nothing else on, I watch Joel preach to the thousands in attendance at his megachurch.
Personally, I don't like him, I think he's another fraud who likes raking in millions from innocent people who just want to believe so much in God and Jesus, and that when they die, all of their pain and suffering will be taken from them and they will live in the loving embrace of their savior for all eternity.
These people, in my opinion, are simply afraid of death, they cannot bear the idea that when they die, that's it, nothing.
And I also just don't trust Osteen.
He has super squinty eyes, he blinks like a gazillion times in 1 minute, and his smile is faker than the painted one on a Barbie doll.
I read something once somewhere, can't recall where or when now, that said something about small, beady-eyed people and those who blink a lot, like extreme blinking, and how 9 times out of 10, they are proven to be liars and more untrustworthy than other people.
Anyway, I was curious what this article had to say because the title of it is "Author sends out press release in defense of Osteen."
The article is basically 1 Christian, article author Ingrid, slamming another Christian author, Richard Young, who came to the defense of another Christian's (Osteen) latest book.
The article writer, Ingrid, goes after the Christian author for defending Osteen, and then goes after Osteen.
Ingrid wants "Joel Osteen to repent of his false teaching and his man-centered gospel and stop misleading the millions of people who follow his ministry. He is a false teacher and the consequences are eternal."
What I found interesting in the article though, was the criticism of Osteen's use of scriptures in his latest book, and Ingrid feels that Osteen uses scriptures to make himself appear to be a follower of Christ, yet he's really not, and then Ingrid said this;
"He has people raise a Bible over their heads at the start of his messages to assure everyone that he believes the Word of God. Then he proceeds to completely contradict the very Word he claims to follow. We are here on this planet for God's glory, not our own. God does not want us on a journey of deeper "self-discovery" as Osteen claims in his new book. He wants us to go deeper and deeper into the knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are to decrease and Christ must increase in our lives."
The part I find really funny and have been thinking it myself for many years now is this, God does not want us on a journey of deeper "self-discovery",... and he wants us to go deeper and deeper into the knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are to decrease and Christ must increase in our lives."
I''ve been saying it for quite a few years, Christianity wants to keep you dumb.
The dumber you are, the easier it is to convince you that you're a sinner who must repent to a God that many men created about 6,000 years ago in a book. (It's also a whole lot easier to get you to part with your money)
There's a couple of great quotes from the late musician Frank Zappa, that I think fit perfectly with what Ingrid said about believers gaining more knowledge of Christ rather than of themselves or any other knowledge.
I'm going to quote a few of them here for you, they explain his thoughts on this subject the best, and I happen to agree with it completely.
The whole foundation of Christianity is based on the idea that intellectualism is the work of the Devil. Remember the apple on the tree? Okay, it was the Tree of Knowledge. "You eat this apple, you're going to be as smart as God. We can't have that."
Nope! God cannot have you anywhere near as smart as he is, because then you'd know he was pulling your leg on a whole lot of stuff! LoL
The essence of Christianity is told to us in the Garden of Eden story. The fruit that was forbidden was on the Tree of Knowledge. The subtext is, All the suffering you have is because you wanted to find out what was going on. You could be in the Garden of Eden if you had just kept your fucking mouth shut and hadn't asked any questions.
Bwahahahahahahaha!
And; So, when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, if you go for all these fairy tales, that "evil" woman convinced the man to eat the apple, but the apple came from the Tree of Knowledge. And the punishment that was then handed down, the woman gets to bleed and the guy's got to go to work, is the result of a man desiring, because his woman suggested that it would be a good idea, that he get all the knowledge that was supposedly the property and domain of God. So, that right away sets up Christianity as an anti-intellectual religion. You never want to be that smart. If you're a woman, it's going to be running down your leg, and if you're a guy, you're going to be in the salt mines for the rest of your life. So, just be a dumb fuck and you'll all go to heaven. That's the subtext of Christianity.
But it's true, (the story) look it up in the bible, it was the 1 thing in the entire garden that he forbade them to touch, forbade them to eat the fruit from it, and he stuck it smack dab in the middle!
It was the biggest of all of the trees, it's apples were huge, red, and shiny, practically beckoning them to come eat them.
And he told Adam what it was, and then he lied to him.
Genesis Chapter 2: 16 And he commanded him, saying: Of every tree of paradise thou shalt eat: 17 But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat. For in what day soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death.
He told Adam that the tree of knowledge contained all of the good and all of the evil and all of his knowledge, and if he ate even 1 bite, on the very day and moment he took that bite, he would surely die.
They both took bites and did not die, and they did gain all of the knowledge, they knew both good and evil.
And when they took that bite and gained the knowledge, they knew he had lied to them, they became fully aware and intelligent, the 1 thing he didn't want of his creations.
He wanted them to remain blissfully stupid for all of eternity.
And then later on as his son Jesus (God impregnated a virgin with himself so that he could live as a man, die, and then become God again and have a ghost of himself) is dying on the cross, Jesus tells everybody that he's dying to save us from our sins, that he's taking the punishment for all of us because the first 2 people God created disobeyed and sinned, and now we're all sinners for all eternity unless we believe Jesus, repent, and beg for his forgiveness.
Not once in all of that, does God take any of the blame on himself, he's a liar, he lied to them.
He had Adam and Eve living in fear of that tree, that if they took a single bite, they'd die a most painful and wretched death, and it was all a lie, but nope, no siree bob, he allows his own son, his reincarnated self, to die to save us all from our sins, but he's the real and ultimate sinner here.
Heck, 1 of his own 10 commandments, is thou shalt not lie.
#8 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, which simply means, you shall not lie, when in fact, it's God who lied in hopes of keeping us stupid for all eternity.
Now we have a new group of Christians, Revolution in Christ, who wants all churches and all Christians, to get back to the bible, the real bible, what it really says, not all of this comfy and cute we love all of you exactly the way you are so that we can fill up the pews every Sunday and take some more of your money, so that we can decrease ourselves and increase our knowledge of Christ.
They want Christians to become dumber, stop gaining general knowledge, stop improving themselves so that they can serve God better.
He is not happy with his creations, we are sinning every day of our lives, we are getting more and more intelligent every single day, but that's not what the bible tells us, that's not what God wants.
God wants you to be dumb.
He created us, created paradise, planted a huge tree full of his knowledge smack in the middle of it all, told us what it was, lied to us, and then punished us when we learned the truth.
That IS the subtext of Christianity, and every time some group makes a new video trying to convince us that evolution is a lie, that it's evil, it is their way of trying to make us more stupid, to make us stop searching for the answers, to stop digging up fossils, to just stop all of our pursuits for knowledge and information, so that we can stay dumb and be idiotic servants that he can control easily.
This video was put out by a group called Revolution in Christ, and I went to their site to check them out.
They are a group who wants all churches to get back to the real biblical teachings, no more of this "come as you are, stay as you are, we love you just the way you are", and accepting of other lifestyles, and abortions, divorces etc.
They want the full on biblical experience to be taught and preached, which personally, I don't think will go over very well because whenever I've had a conversation with a self-professed Christian, they do not like the old testament, they think that it's when God was speaking in metaphors, that the new testament completely wipes out the old, and this group, Revolution in Christ, is all hell no folks, the bible is a book, 1 book, and the whole book is the unerring and completely infallible word of God, it's all his word, nothing in it wipes out anything else in it, God will punish you severely for not believing in him and sinning your asses off.
I looked around the site a bit and found a page called Munitions, where I found many links to all kinds of things like a 12 year old girl speaking out against abortion, and an article on megachurch pastor, Joel Osteen.
I see Joel Osteen on the tv every week, several times a week probably, as I'm surfing through the channels, and sometimes if there's nothing else on, I watch Joel preach to the thousands in attendance at his megachurch.
Personally, I don't like him, I think he's another fraud who likes raking in millions from innocent people who just want to believe so much in God and Jesus, and that when they die, all of their pain and suffering will be taken from them and they will live in the loving embrace of their savior for all eternity.
These people, in my opinion, are simply afraid of death, they cannot bear the idea that when they die, that's it, nothing.
And I also just don't trust Osteen.
He has super squinty eyes, he blinks like a gazillion times in 1 minute, and his smile is faker than the painted one on a Barbie doll.
I read something once somewhere, can't recall where or when now, that said something about small, beady-eyed people and those who blink a lot, like extreme blinking, and how 9 times out of 10, they are proven to be liars and more untrustworthy than other people.
Anyway, I was curious what this article had to say because the title of it is "Author sends out press release in defense of Osteen."
The article is basically 1 Christian, article author Ingrid, slamming another Christian author, Richard Young, who came to the defense of another Christian's (Osteen) latest book.
The article writer, Ingrid, goes after the Christian author for defending Osteen, and then goes after Osteen.
Ingrid wants "Joel Osteen to repent of his false teaching and his man-centered gospel and stop misleading the millions of people who follow his ministry. He is a false teacher and the consequences are eternal."
What I found interesting in the article though, was the criticism of Osteen's use of scriptures in his latest book, and Ingrid feels that Osteen uses scriptures to make himself appear to be a follower of Christ, yet he's really not, and then Ingrid said this;
"He has people raise a Bible over their heads at the start of his messages to assure everyone that he believes the Word of God. Then he proceeds to completely contradict the very Word he claims to follow. We are here on this planet for God's glory, not our own. God does not want us on a journey of deeper "self-discovery" as Osteen claims in his new book. He wants us to go deeper and deeper into the knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are to decrease and Christ must increase in our lives."
The part I find really funny and have been thinking it myself for many years now is this, God does not want us on a journey of deeper "self-discovery",... and he wants us to go deeper and deeper into the knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are to decrease and Christ must increase in our lives."
I''ve been saying it for quite a few years, Christianity wants to keep you dumb.
The dumber you are, the easier it is to convince you that you're a sinner who must repent to a God that many men created about 6,000 years ago in a book. (It's also a whole lot easier to get you to part with your money)
There's a couple of great quotes from the late musician Frank Zappa, that I think fit perfectly with what Ingrid said about believers gaining more knowledge of Christ rather than of themselves or any other knowledge.
I'm going to quote a few of them here for you, they explain his thoughts on this subject the best, and I happen to agree with it completely.
The whole foundation of Christianity is based on the idea that intellectualism is the work of the Devil. Remember the apple on the tree? Okay, it was the Tree of Knowledge. "You eat this apple, you're going to be as smart as God. We can't have that."
Nope! God cannot have you anywhere near as smart as he is, because then you'd know he was pulling your leg on a whole lot of stuff! LoL
The essence of Christianity is told to us in the Garden of Eden story. The fruit that was forbidden was on the Tree of Knowledge. The subtext is, All the suffering you have is because you wanted to find out what was going on. You could be in the Garden of Eden if you had just kept your fucking mouth shut and hadn't asked any questions.
Bwahahahahahahaha!
And; So, when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, if you go for all these fairy tales, that "evil" woman convinced the man to eat the apple, but the apple came from the Tree of Knowledge. And the punishment that was then handed down, the woman gets to bleed and the guy's got to go to work, is the result of a man desiring, because his woman suggested that it would be a good idea, that he get all the knowledge that was supposedly the property and domain of God. So, that right away sets up Christianity as an anti-intellectual religion. You never want to be that smart. If you're a woman, it's going to be running down your leg, and if you're a guy, you're going to be in the salt mines for the rest of your life. So, just be a dumb fuck and you'll all go to heaven. That's the subtext of Christianity.
But it's true, (the story) look it up in the bible, it was the 1 thing in the entire garden that he forbade them to touch, forbade them to eat the fruit from it, and he stuck it smack dab in the middle!
It was the biggest of all of the trees, it's apples were huge, red, and shiny, practically beckoning them to come eat them.
And he told Adam what it was, and then he lied to him.
Genesis Chapter 2: 16 And he commanded him, saying: Of every tree of paradise thou shalt eat: 17 But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat. For in what day soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death.
He told Adam that the tree of knowledge contained all of the good and all of the evil and all of his knowledge, and if he ate even 1 bite, on the very day and moment he took that bite, he would surely die.
They both took bites and did not die, and they did gain all of the knowledge, they knew both good and evil.
And when they took that bite and gained the knowledge, they knew he had lied to them, they became fully aware and intelligent, the 1 thing he didn't want of his creations.
He wanted them to remain blissfully stupid for all of eternity.
And then later on as his son Jesus (God impregnated a virgin with himself so that he could live as a man, die, and then become God again and have a ghost of himself) is dying on the cross, Jesus tells everybody that he's dying to save us from our sins, that he's taking the punishment for all of us because the first 2 people God created disobeyed and sinned, and now we're all sinners for all eternity unless we believe Jesus, repent, and beg for his forgiveness.
Not once in all of that, does God take any of the blame on himself, he's a liar, he lied to them.
He had Adam and Eve living in fear of that tree, that if they took a single bite, they'd die a most painful and wretched death, and it was all a lie, but nope, no siree bob, he allows his own son, his reincarnated self, to die to save us all from our sins, but he's the real and ultimate sinner here.
Heck, 1 of his own 10 commandments, is thou shalt not lie.
#8 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, which simply means, you shall not lie, when in fact, it's God who lied in hopes of keeping us stupid for all eternity.
Now we have a new group of Christians, Revolution in Christ, who wants all churches and all Christians, to get back to the bible, the real bible, what it really says, not all of this comfy and cute we love all of you exactly the way you are so that we can fill up the pews every Sunday and take some more of your money, so that we can decrease ourselves and increase our knowledge of Christ.
They want Christians to become dumber, stop gaining general knowledge, stop improving themselves so that they can serve God better.
He is not happy with his creations, we are sinning every day of our lives, we are getting more and more intelligent every single day, but that's not what the bible tells us, that's not what God wants.
God wants you to be dumb.
He created us, created paradise, planted a huge tree full of his knowledge smack in the middle of it all, told us what it was, lied to us, and then punished us when we learned the truth.
That IS the subtext of Christianity, and every time some group makes a new video trying to convince us that evolution is a lie, that it's evil, it is their way of trying to make us more stupid, to make us stop searching for the answers, to stop digging up fossils, to just stop all of our pursuits for knowledge and information, so that we can stay dumb and be idiotic servants that he can control easily.
Click for biggie
I was reading along on Twitter tonight, saw I had a new follower, so I went and checked them out and immediately started laughing.
Endofworshipping had posted this:
Creationist: Bananas have the perfect shape for the human hands and mouth. Me: So do penises.
I laughed out loud really hard, probably shouldn't have given the hour of night, er, morning that it is, but it just made me giggle, much like the inspiration for what they said.
Where did they get the idea to say something like that?
From my favorite creationist of course! (no really, he is my fave)
Ray Comfort!
I've posted this video before on MSML when I used to post my weekly Sunday Sermons, (atheist quotes or other religious themed posts) but it's always worth re-posting just for the absolute laughs I get from watching it again and again.
Be-hold!
The atheist's nightmare! (said with a nasally New Zealand twang)
Oh man, you gotta love Ray, even if only because he makes you laugh, he really truly believes what he's telling you in that video (and always), but had he done his research, (which he never, ever does) he would have learned that the banana he holds in his hand is only like that because man (the people of Papua New Guinea) cultivated and farmed it for a long time (5,000-8,000 years ago) for the banana to become what it is today, a soft, peel-able, easy to eat fruit.
The original banana was a small, hard fruit with seeds in it, and man, not a god, cultivated it and made it the fruit it is today.
But the video and the idiot in it are the inspiration for the above funny about penises, or is the plural for penises penii?
I'm pretty sure it's penii if it's more than 1 penis. (do correct me if I'm wrong)
Plural penis.
Heh.
There's that fun game where you take a movie, book, and song titles, and you change the last word of the title to penis or penii if it's plural, funny, hahaha.
Penis.
The Fellowship of theRing Penis
The GreenMile Penis
SixteenCandles Penii
How about some of the billboard top 10?
Lady Gaga- PokerFace Penis
The All American Rejects-Gives YouHell Penis
Miley Cyrus-TheClimb Penis
Lady Gaga- JustDance Penis
Kelly Clarkson- My Life Would Suck WithoutYou Penis
Jamie Foxx- BlameIt Penis
You get the idea...LoL
Now for the people like me part of this post.
I've added and been added to the atheists blogroll run by Mojoey.
I have this blogroll on MSML , but I wanted to add this blog, and Joe was kind enough to go ahead and add this blog to the roll too.
Since being added to it and adding the roll's code to my blog, I've found so many amazing blogs to read, other people like me, more atheists.
I live in the bible belt and for a long time, I felt really alone, even on the internet for a few years, I didn't find many other free-thinking humanists, but we are starting to come out, speak out, and it's a really cool feeling to know that there are a lot more people who think and believe like me, (no belief in any god or gods) out there.
There's a lot of us, and many more are starting to speak up too.
NBC Nightly News did a poll a few weeks back, more people now say that they have no belief in any god or gods, have no association with any religious group or church, and consider themselves to be atheist. (16.1% of Americans are not affiliated to any faith, that is approximately 48 million people)
That's way cool if you ask me, which you didn't, but I felt like sharing anyway.
Maybe I'll start my Sunday Sermons back up, do them on this blog, stick to parenting, the teens, school, home/family type stuff on MSML, and start doing my Sunday posts again.
I really enjoyed doing those.
Yeah, I did, I will.
Consider this my first Sunday Sermon on KatScan.
Endofworshipping had posted this:
Creationist: Bananas have the perfect shape for the human hands and mouth. Me: So do penises.
I laughed out loud really hard, probably shouldn't have given the hour of night, er, morning that it is, but it just made me giggle, much like the inspiration for what they said.
Where did they get the idea to say something like that?
From my favorite creationist of course! (no really, he is my fave)
Ray Comfort!
I've posted this video before on MSML when I used to post my weekly Sunday Sermons, (atheist quotes or other religious themed posts) but it's always worth re-posting just for the absolute laughs I get from watching it again and again.
Be-hold!
The atheist's nightmare! (said with a nasally New Zealand twang)
Oh man, you gotta love Ray, even if only because he makes you laugh, he really truly believes what he's telling you in that video (and always), but had he done his research, (which he never, ever does) he would have learned that the banana he holds in his hand is only like that because man (the people of Papua New Guinea) cultivated and farmed it for a long time (5,000-8,000 years ago) for the banana to become what it is today, a soft, peel-able, easy to eat fruit.
The original banana was a small, hard fruit with seeds in it, and man, not a god, cultivated it and made it the fruit it is today.
But the video and the idiot in it are the inspiration for the above funny about penises, or is the plural for penises penii?
I'm pretty sure it's penii if it's more than 1 penis. (do correct me if I'm wrong)
Plural penis.
Heh.
There's that fun game where you take a movie, book, and song titles, and you change the last word of the title to penis or penii if it's plural, funny, hahaha.
Penis.
The Fellowship of the
The Green
Sixteen
How about some of the billboard top 10?
Lady Gaga- Poker
The All American Rejects-Gives You
Miley Cyrus-The
Lady Gaga- Just
Kelly Clarkson- My Life Would Suck Without
Jamie Foxx- Blame
You get the idea...LoL
Now for the people like me part of this post.
I've added and been added to the atheists blogroll run by Mojoey.
I have this blogroll on MSML , but I wanted to add this blog, and Joe was kind enough to go ahead and add this blog to the roll too.
Since being added to it and adding the roll's code to my blog, I've found so many amazing blogs to read, other people like me, more atheists.
I live in the bible belt and for a long time, I felt really alone, even on the internet for a few years, I didn't find many other free-thinking humanists, but we are starting to come out, speak out, and it's a really cool feeling to know that there are a lot more people who think and believe like me, (no belief in any god or gods) out there.
There's a lot of us, and many more are starting to speak up too.
NBC Nightly News did a poll a few weeks back, more people now say that they have no belief in any god or gods, have no association with any religious group or church, and consider themselves to be atheist. (16.1% of Americans are not affiliated to any faith, that is approximately 48 million people)
That's way cool if you ask me, which you didn't, but I felt like sharing anyway.
Maybe I'll start my Sunday Sermons back up, do them on this blog, stick to parenting, the teens, school, home/family type stuff on MSML, and start doing my Sunday posts again.
I really enjoyed doing those.
Yeah, I did, I will.
Consider this my first Sunday Sermon on KatScan.
Click for supersize.
The last 15 hours have been rather stressful for me, drama, drama, drama.
Here I am trying to get my life in order, get organized, and I've got the stress coming out my ears.
I need a serious vacation.
I swear, one of these years I'm just gonna pack up my stuff, just my stuff, and I'm going to take off for a week, some isolated place all by myself.
Go rent myself a cabin in someplace nice like maybe one of those Outer Banks rentals that people are always talking about.
I'd wanna go in like the mid-fall though, when most of the tourists have gone home yet the weather is still a bit warm.
That way I could take long walks on the beach by myself with no shoes, dip my feet in the water, do some sight-seeing by myself, eat, sleep, be completely alone for just one whole week someplace beautiful.
I have so much faith in people, faith in them to do the right thing, to tell the truth, and it upsets me so much when they don't.
I know, I'm holding people up to standards they can't possibly live by, everybody is always looking out for themselves, trying to be bigger, trying to be in the center of it all, and so they do things, they say things, that are not truthful and hurt other people.
I am part of it, I'm not going to lie about that, I've become a trusted person who gets spoken to about a lot of things, so that puts me in the middle of it all.
And I don't mind it, not at all, I try to be helpful and listen, and come up with ideas, and help implement others, so this makes me privy to information that other people don't know.
And because of that, I'm a trusted person, it's not my place to share anything that is said to me with anyone else, but when I'm left with no choice because of other people's lies, what am I supposed to do about that?
I'm left with no choice but to say what was shared in confidence with other people to try and clear up the mess and drama that someone else started, and frankly, that's not fair.
But what was said really hurt someone, and I can't just stand by and allow a friend to be hurt when I know the truth.
I know how difficult it was, I know that other ideas were bounced around for several days before doing the only possible option, but still, it wasn't my place to say any of it but I had to.
Oh and the lies that just kept coming, and I ask myself why people lie, and I keep coming back to wanting to be the center of it all and self esteem issues, and so I looked it up, and so yeah, that link is pretty interesting, you should read it.
"We're trying not so much to impress other people but to maintain a view of ourselves that is consistent with the way they would like us to be," Feldman said. We want to be agreeable, to make the social situation smoother or easier, and to avoid insulting others through disagreement or discord."
I think some people do lie to create disagreement and discord though, to hurt others, to start some drama, and that is what happened that caused me so much stress and left me having to try and explain.
I am greatly upset that lies were told that hurt someone that I consider a friend, and it's causing me a great deal of stress.
Here it is almost morning again, and I have yet to even try to sleep, all I can do is think about how badly a friend is hurting, that it should have never happened, and that no matter what I say, it won't be believed because there is a a he said/she said thing happening and a lot of hurt feelings.
But I know the truth, and the truth is that it was a lie said and it hurt someone.
I am so so tired, but I can't sleep because of all of this, it's not right.
Here I am trying to get my life in order, get organized, and I've got the stress coming out my ears.
I need a serious vacation.
I swear, one of these years I'm just gonna pack up my stuff, just my stuff, and I'm going to take off for a week, some isolated place all by myself.
Go rent myself a cabin in someplace nice like maybe one of those Outer Banks rentals that people are always talking about.
I'd wanna go in like the mid-fall though, when most of the tourists have gone home yet the weather is still a bit warm.
That way I could take long walks on the beach by myself with no shoes, dip my feet in the water, do some sight-seeing by myself, eat, sleep, be completely alone for just one whole week someplace beautiful.
I have so much faith in people, faith in them to do the right thing, to tell the truth, and it upsets me so much when they don't.
I know, I'm holding people up to standards they can't possibly live by, everybody is always looking out for themselves, trying to be bigger, trying to be in the center of it all, and so they do things, they say things, that are not truthful and hurt other people.
I am part of it, I'm not going to lie about that, I've become a trusted person who gets spoken to about a lot of things, so that puts me in the middle of it all.
And I don't mind it, not at all, I try to be helpful and listen, and come up with ideas, and help implement others, so this makes me privy to information that other people don't know.
And because of that, I'm a trusted person, it's not my place to share anything that is said to me with anyone else, but when I'm left with no choice because of other people's lies, what am I supposed to do about that?
I'm left with no choice but to say what was shared in confidence with other people to try and clear up the mess and drama that someone else started, and frankly, that's not fair.
But what was said really hurt someone, and I can't just stand by and allow a friend to be hurt when I know the truth.
I know how difficult it was, I know that other ideas were bounced around for several days before doing the only possible option, but still, it wasn't my place to say any of it but I had to.
Oh and the lies that just kept coming, and I ask myself why people lie, and I keep coming back to wanting to be the center of it all and self esteem issues, and so I looked it up, and so yeah, that link is pretty interesting, you should read it.
"We're trying not so much to impress other people but to maintain a view of ourselves that is consistent with the way they would like us to be," Feldman said. We want to be agreeable, to make the social situation smoother or easier, and to avoid insulting others through disagreement or discord."
I think some people do lie to create disagreement and discord though, to hurt others, to start some drama, and that is what happened that caused me so much stress and left me having to try and explain.
I am greatly upset that lies were told that hurt someone that I consider a friend, and it's causing me a great deal of stress.
Here it is almost morning again, and I have yet to even try to sleep, all I can do is think about how badly a friend is hurting, that it should have never happened, and that no matter what I say, it won't be believed because there is a a he said/she said thing happening and a lot of hurt feelings.
But I know the truth, and the truth is that it was a lie said and it hurt someone.
I am so so tired, but I can't sleep because of all of this, it's not right.
I am well prepared to be called closed-minded, hateful toward Christians, and it might even be said that by writing this, that I am attacking Christians, but I am actually physically sick to my stomach after watching this movie.
I just finished watching Horton Hears a Who
with Sebastian, and I went into it thinking it would be like the 72-page book, that the story would be the same.
Dr. Seuss gave us several themes or messages in Horton Hears a Who.
One was that we are all the same, all people, and we must take care of those of us who need to be cared for, more vulnerable than ourselves, to protect them from prejudice and harm.
That if we make a promise, we must keep it, that no matter how small each of us is, that we are important, that there comes a time one must do something to help oneself, and finally, every citizen in a community is important for the town's well-being.
And this story also touched on how big our universe really is, that we may not be the only planet with life, that we are just a speck in the universe, we are so so small, when we look out there in the deep space field, there are millions of universes, we might not be the only ones with life.
The speck on Horton's clover represents that.
The film follows the original story very closely, but it's how they fleshed out the story to fit a full length movie that is truly disturbing.
It was a 72-page book, it could maybe have been done as an animated short like some of Pixar's other animated shorts, but they wanted to make it a full lentgh film, so they fleshed out a whole bunch of new stuff that was just downright scary.
The movie tells us that the kangaroo is the leader, what she says goes, and in the original story, she does not come anywhere near saying all of the things she does in the movie.
Almost as soon as Kangaroo started ranting about it just being a speck with no life on it, can't hear it, see it, feel it, destroy it, I felt sick.
Kangaroo is a very unpleasant characterization of atheists, she rages on in the movie, something else she does not do at all in the book.
Kangaroo believes that Horton is a menace, a sick influence on the children, that he must be stopped for his belief that life exists in a speck on the clover.
Horton is not telling anyone that they have to believe, he isn't teaching the children anything, he is simply trying to keep his promise to the Mayor to take them to a safe place.
They turned this loving and warm story about taking care of each other and doing our part, being a part of our huge universe full of all kinds of life, into a right-wing anti-atheist attack with some heavy religious tones.
The dimwitted Mayor was the only one who could hear Horton, he tried to explain that Horton was the giant elephant in the sky, he's so big, that none of the Whos could see him or hear him, but he's there!
The mayor swears it to all of the Whos of Who-ville!
Trust him, trust in Horton!
And not only is he there, but he's the only one who can save them!!
No one will listen to him though, they don't believe him when he says that Horton can and will save them, only the Mayor knows of their impending doom or safety, and he's repeatedly called a "boob" for his beliefs.
In Who-ville, the city council refuses to listen to the Mayor and his warnings that their world is in serious trouble, that they could all die.
They scoff at him, tell him he's finished, that no one believes him and no one will support him.
None of that is even hinted at in the original story!
The city council doesn't believe in the voice in the sky, and they also want to punish the Mayor for his beliefs.
The annual event will go on as planned, and they literally kick him out of the council meeting.
No one at all in Who-ville believes in a single word the Mayor has said about Horton, the big voice in the sky, everything will go on as planned, everything is just fine.
Even as Horton shows the Mayor that he is really there by sticking the clover in and out of the shade, the Mayor is the only one who notices it, everyone else just goes on as if nothing is happening.
Horton is the only one who believes in the Whos, he's the only one who can hear them, and everyone else in the jungle thinks he's crazy, so they, under the leadership of the very angry atheist kangaroo, set out to hunt him down, tie him up, and persecute him for his beliefs.
The kangaroo is portrayed as an evil atheist, wanting to destroy the clover and it's possible inhabitants because she can't see them, hear them, feel them, because she has no proof that they exist, it's just a speck, and therefore it must be destroyed and Horton must be punished for his beliefs.
What if others start believing it too?
What if others start hearing the voices too?!
The clover must be destroyed to stop that!
Atheists are often accused of wanting to destroy religion, of persecuting Christianity and Christians.
What's funny is that atheists are the most hated and mistrusted group in the entire world.
Atheists are more despised than gays and Muslims.
I feel like that by me saying any of this makes me sound just like the kangaroo, that I'm an evil atheist making an absurd claim about this movie, but I have always loved the writings of Dr. Seuss, I read all of his wonderful and ambiguous stories to my kids hundreds of times when they were young.
The books were well loved by millions of people around the world and interpreted by those same millions to fit what they want to see, (Antiabortionists, for instance, love that "a person is a person, no matter how small" line.) but this adaptation really does flesh out a whole lot more than what Seuss could ever have possibly imagined it would.
It clearly shows that believers are persecuted by evil atheists all of the time, that atheists are out to destroy religion, and punish those that believe in it.
Atheists are not out to persecute anyone, we don't want to destroy religion, and we certainly do not want to imprison and punish believers in any way.
I personally do not want to see any religion destroyed, but I would like to see more peace, the very thing most religions are based upon.
The god(s) taught love, peace, and understanding, and my wish is that more believers would practice what they preach instead of being so intolerant to anyone who does not believe and live their lives exactly as they do.
That goes for all of the various religions, each one claims that their god is the right god, that their rules are the right rules, and most religions teach peace, love, understanding, and to love your fellow man, yet it so very rarely happens.
Instead we fight, we yell, we call each other names, we choose to punish those who do not live exactly as we do.
I feel that religion has it's place in our world, it always has, and it often does so much good for so many, but it also has caused more wars and deaths than for any other reason.
People can say it's a war for oil and for freedom and democracy, but we wouldn't be in it if one group didn't feel that we are infidels, and if we didn't feel that our god looks over us and blesses only our nation.
It is a shame that the director and producers chose to go this route with Horton, the film itself is gorgeous to look at, the animation is simply beautiful, but the very deep hatred and attack on atheists is glaring and ugly.
The Friendly Atheist posted this meme, and as I was reading through it, I was laughing and nodding, and saying yup, so here we go.
I've not only boldfaced the items that I've done/had happened to me, but added a few notes where applicable.
Copy and paste the list below on your own site, boldfacing the things you've done. (Feel free to add your own elaboration and commentary to each item!)
1. Participated in the Blasphemy Challenge.
2. Met at least one of the "Four Horsemen" (Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris) in person.
3. Created an atheist blog.
4. Used the Flying Spaghetti Monster in a religious debate with someone.
5. Gotten offended when someone called you an agnostic.
6. Been unable to watch Growing Pains reruns because of Kirk Cameron. And I used to think he was so cute back then too. *sigh*
7. Own more Bibles than most Christians you know.
8. Have at least one Bible with your personal annotations regarding contradictions, disturbing parts, etc. I actually own 7 bibles, 1 with some serious notes and underlines and highlighter marks going on.
9. Have come out as an atheist to your family. I don't think Mom and Dad were happy, but they still love me so it's all good. My brother still considers me a heathen, but eh, can't win 'em all.
10. Attended a campus or off-campus atheist gathering. There's not many here in Sarasota, but I've attended the ones I knew about.
11. Are a member of an organized atheist/Humanist/etc. organization. Proudly.
12. Had a Humanist wedding ceremony.
13. Donated money to an atheist organization. Whenever I can.
14. Have a bookshelf dedicated solely to Richard Dawkins.
15. Lost the friendship of someone you know because of your non-theism. It's painful to lose a friend for any reason, but this one stinks.
16. Tried to argue or have a discussion with someone who stopped you on the street to proselytize. The local Jehovah come in large scary groups to get me!
17. Hid your atheist beliefs on a first date because you didn't want to scare him/her away. After losing a few friends, I hold off on saying anything until I know the relationship might have a chance. If it turns them away after I say it, so be it.
18. Own a stockpile of atheist paraphernalia (bumper stickers, buttons, shirts, etc). The Normal Bob Smith tracts are my fave to leave places...LOL
19. Attended a protest that involved religion.
20. Attended an atheist conference. Only 1, but would love to go to more.
21. Subscribe to Pat Condell's YouTube channel. That man is seriously intelligent. I love to watch him speak.
22. Started an atheist group in your area or school.
23. Successfully "de-converted" someone to atheism.
24. Have already made plans to donate your body to science after you die. Oh heck ya! My body is going to be written about in science texts! hahahaha
25. Told someone you're an atheist only because you wanted to see the person's reaction. Especially after they have gone on and on about Christ's blessings in their life. It shuts them the fuck up.
26. Had to think twice before screaming "Oh God!" during sex. Or you said something else in its place. Atheists actually say your name. (I read that somewhere LOL)
27. Lost a job because of your atheism. Old Navy to be exact. The main reason was the complaints from my co-workers who said they didn't feel they could trust a person who did not believe in god, that I might steal something or take god's name in vain in front of them. I was shocked.
28. Formed a bond with someone specifically because of your mutual atheism (meeting this person at a local gathering or conference doesn't count). I've made many friendships with fellow atheists. It's very nice.
29. Have crossed "In God We Trust" off of -- or put a pro-church-state-separation stamp on -- dollar bills. I hear that this is like a crime, but I do it anyway.
30. Refused to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I state the original pledge of allegiance.
31. Said "Gesundheit!" (or nothing at all) after someone sneezed because you didn't want to say "Bless you!" I don't say anything at all.
32. Have ever chosen not to clasp your hands together out of fear someone might think you're praying. Yup. I don't want anyone to mistake me for being a believer.
33. Have turned on Christian TV because you need something entertaining to watch. Man, the late night movies are so freaking entertaining!
34. Are a 2nd or 3rd (or more) generation atheist.
35. Have "atheism" listed on your Facebook or dating profile -- and not a euphemistic variant. Of course.
36. Attended an atheist's funeral (i.e. a non-religious service).
37. Subscribe to an freethought magazine (e.g. Free Inquiry, Skeptic) I had to cancel it this past year due to finances, but when I get back to being ok, I will start them up again.
38. Have been interviewed by a reporter because of your atheism.
39. Written a letter-to-the-editor about an issue related to your non-belief in God. Yes!
40. Gave a friend or acquaintance a New Atheist book as a gift. Fellow atheists only. Other people are not quite as accepting.
41. Wear pro-atheist clothing in public. I have buttons and a few t-shirts.
42. Have invited Mormons/Jehovah's Witnesses into your house specifically because you wanted to argue with them. Yes. It's what I do for fun on Saturday mornings when they are "in season".
43. Have been physically threatened (or beaten up) because you didn't believe in God. Not beaten up, but I have been threatened with physical violence on more than 1 occasion.
44. Receive Google Alerts on "atheism" (or variants).
45. Received fewer Christmas presents than expected because people assumed you didn't celebrate it. Yup. That whole christ is the reason for the season, people assume I don't celebrate. We celebrate the real Christmas, and it has nothing to do with christ. People need to do some research on the whole thing. Researchers are now saying Jesus may have been born in June. That might put a damper on the whole reason for the season thing eh?
46. Visited The Creation Museum or saw Ben Stein's Expelled just so you could keep tabs on the "enemy." I haven't been to the museum yet, but I have watched Expelled on Netflix, Jesus Camp, and quite a few other documentary type films.
47. Refuse to tell anyone what your "sign" is... because it doesn't matter at all. True, too true.
48. Are on a mailing list for a Christian organization just so you can see what they're up to...
49. Have kept your eyes open while you watched others around you pray. I like to see how many of them open their eyes, unfold their hands, pick their noses etc etc.
50. Avoid even Unitarian churches because they're too close to religion for you. A church is a church is a church.
I've not only boldfaced the items that I've done/had happened to me, but added a few notes where applicable.
Copy and paste the list below on your own site, boldfacing the things you've done. (Feel free to add your own elaboration and commentary to each item!)
1. Participated in the Blasphemy Challenge.
2. Met at least one of the "Four Horsemen" (Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris) in person.
3. Created an atheist blog.
4. Used the Flying Spaghetti Monster in a religious debate with someone.
5. Gotten offended when someone called you an agnostic.
6. Been unable to watch Growing Pains reruns because of Kirk Cameron. And I used to think he was so cute back then too. *sigh*
7. Own more Bibles than most Christians you know.
8. Have at least one Bible with your personal annotations regarding contradictions, disturbing parts, etc. I actually own 7 bibles, 1 with some serious notes and underlines and highlighter marks going on.
9. Have come out as an atheist to your family. I don't think Mom and Dad were happy, but they still love me so it's all good. My brother still considers me a heathen, but eh, can't win 'em all.
10. Attended a campus or off-campus atheist gathering. There's not many here in Sarasota, but I've attended the ones I knew about.
11. Are a member of an organized atheist/Humanist/etc. organization. Proudly.
12. Had a Humanist wedding ceremony.
13. Donated money to an atheist organization. Whenever I can.
14. Have a bookshelf dedicated solely to Richard Dawkins.
15. Lost the friendship of someone you know because of your non-theism. It's painful to lose a friend for any reason, but this one stinks.
16. Tried to argue or have a discussion with someone who stopped you on the street to proselytize. The local Jehovah come in large scary groups to get me!
17. Hid your atheist beliefs on a first date because you didn't want to scare him/her away. After losing a few friends, I hold off on saying anything until I know the relationship might have a chance. If it turns them away after I say it, so be it.
18. Own a stockpile of atheist paraphernalia (bumper stickers, buttons, shirts, etc). The Normal Bob Smith tracts are my fave to leave places...LOL
19. Attended a protest that involved religion.
20. Attended an atheist conference. Only 1, but would love to go to more.
21. Subscribe to Pat Condell's YouTube channel. That man is seriously intelligent. I love to watch him speak.
22. Started an atheist group in your area or school.
23. Successfully "de-converted" someone to atheism.
24. Have already made plans to donate your body to science after you die. Oh heck ya! My body is going to be written about in science texts! hahahaha
25. Told someone you're an atheist only because you wanted to see the person's reaction. Especially after they have gone on and on about Christ's blessings in their life. It shuts them the fuck up.
26. Had to think twice before screaming "Oh God!" during sex. Or you said something else in its place. Atheists actually say your name. (I read that somewhere LOL)
27. Lost a job because of your atheism. Old Navy to be exact. The main reason was the complaints from my co-workers who said they didn't feel they could trust a person who did not believe in god, that I might steal something or take god's name in vain in front of them. I was shocked.
28. Formed a bond with someone specifically because of your mutual atheism (meeting this person at a local gathering or conference doesn't count). I've made many friendships with fellow atheists. It's very nice.
29. Have crossed "In God We Trust" off of -- or put a pro-church-state-separation stamp on -- dollar bills. I hear that this is like a crime, but I do it anyway.
30. Refused to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I state the original pledge of allegiance.
31. Said "Gesundheit!" (or nothing at all) after someone sneezed because you didn't want to say "Bless you!" I don't say anything at all.
32. Have ever chosen not to clasp your hands together out of fear someone might think you're praying. Yup. I don't want anyone to mistake me for being a believer.
33. Have turned on Christian TV because you need something entertaining to watch. Man, the late night movies are so freaking entertaining!
34. Are a 2nd or 3rd (or more) generation atheist.
35. Have "atheism" listed on your Facebook or dating profile -- and not a euphemistic variant. Of course.
36. Attended an atheist's funeral (i.e. a non-religious service).
37. Subscribe to an freethought magazine (e.g. Free Inquiry, Skeptic) I had to cancel it this past year due to finances, but when I get back to being ok, I will start them up again.
38. Have been interviewed by a reporter because of your atheism.
39. Written a letter-to-the-editor about an issue related to your non-belief in God. Yes!
40. Gave a friend or acquaintance a New Atheist book as a gift. Fellow atheists only. Other people are not quite as accepting.
41. Wear pro-atheist clothing in public. I have buttons and a few t-shirts.
42. Have invited Mormons/Jehovah's Witnesses into your house specifically because you wanted to argue with them. Yes. It's what I do for fun on Saturday mornings when they are "in season".
43. Have been physically threatened (or beaten up) because you didn't believe in God. Not beaten up, but I have been threatened with physical violence on more than 1 occasion.
44. Receive Google Alerts on "atheism" (or variants).
45. Received fewer Christmas presents than expected because people assumed you didn't celebrate it. Yup. That whole christ is the reason for the season, people assume I don't celebrate. We celebrate the real Christmas, and it has nothing to do with christ. People need to do some research on the whole thing. Researchers are now saying Jesus may have been born in June. That might put a damper on the whole reason for the season thing eh?
46. Visited The Creation Museum or saw Ben Stein's Expelled just so you could keep tabs on the "enemy." I haven't been to the museum yet, but I have watched Expelled on Netflix, Jesus Camp, and quite a few other documentary type films.
47. Refuse to tell anyone what your "sign" is... because it doesn't matter at all. True, too true.
48. Are on a mailing list for a Christian organization just so you can see what they're up to...
49. Have kept your eyes open while you watched others around you pray. I like to see how many of them open their eyes, unfold their hands, pick their noses etc etc.
50. Avoid even Unitarian churches because they're too close to religion for you. A church is a church is a church.
On November 4th, I will be voting No on question 2, the Florida marriage amendment to our states constitution.
What does this amendment say?
"Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."
In Florida, gay marriage is already illegal, we do not need an amendment to our state constitution to say it again.
Let me say that again,
Gay Marriage is already illegal in the state of Florida.
It's already against the law 4 times, so why do we need an amendment to say it again?
Read about the consequences that have happened in other states because of the same type of amendments.
"Every unmarried Floridian will be impacted by this amendment - especially divorced or widowed seniors and public employees who, under existing programs, can share some benefits such as hospital visitation privileges and health care coverage without being married."
This amendment would effect domestic partnership agreements, not just homosexual couples.
This amendment would take away domestic partnership couples rights to be covered on their insurance, to visit each other in the hospital ICU department because they are not married.
It would take away existing couples benefits, it would force senior couples to choose between health care and government benefits.
The government has no right to be involved in Floridians relationships, and it would force current domestic partners to have expensive legal papers drawn up to protect the rights they already have, and have been protected by for years.
Domestic partners are not just gays, they are couples who have either lived together for years, or senior couples who have chosen not to marry at their age, young couples who chose not to marry but have lived together, had children together etc etc.
These couples need to be protected, the rights they already have are going to be changed if amendment 2 passes.
There are only 13 days left until we go to the polls to choose our next president, our local reps, and vote on other important local and state issues, and this is one of them that every Floridian needs to read up on and choose the right thing for all unmarried people in our state.
I urge all Floridians to read up on this issue and vote No on 2.
What does this amendment say?
"Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."
In Florida, gay marriage is already illegal, we do not need an amendment to our state constitution to say it again.
Let me say that again,
Gay Marriage is already illegal in the state of Florida.
It's already against the law 4 times, so why do we need an amendment to say it again?
Read about the consequences that have happened in other states because of the same type of amendments.
"Every unmarried Floridian will be impacted by this amendment - especially divorced or widowed seniors and public employees who, under existing programs, can share some benefits such as hospital visitation privileges and health care coverage without being married."
This amendment would effect domestic partnership agreements, not just homosexual couples.
This amendment would take away domestic partnership couples rights to be covered on their insurance, to visit each other in the hospital ICU department because they are not married.
It would take away existing couples benefits, it would force senior couples to choose between health care and government benefits.
The government has no right to be involved in Floridians relationships, and it would force current domestic partners to have expensive legal papers drawn up to protect the rights they already have, and have been protected by for years.
Domestic partners are not just gays, they are couples who have either lived together for years, or senior couples who have chosen not to marry at their age, young couples who chose not to marry but have lived together, had children together etc etc.
These couples need to be protected, the rights they already have are going to be changed if amendment 2 passes.
There are only 13 days left until we go to the polls to choose our next president, our local reps, and vote on other important local and state issues, and this is one of them that every Floridian needs to read up on and choose the right thing for all unmarried people in our state.
I urge all Floridians to read up on this issue and vote No on 2.
It's hard to believe how ignorant some people are.
Uneducated and ignorant on the real facts.
Hate, anger, racism, it's disgusting, and it's still happening here in the US.
Just disgusting.
Uneducated and ignorant on the real facts.
Hate, anger, racism, it's disgusting, and it's still happening here in the US.
Just disgusting.
Living here in the south, I know that I am outnumbered being an atheist, that's ok with me.
I try to make light of the situation as best I can, but sometimes it can get to be a bit much. People are always blessing me, saying they'll pray for me and stuff like that.
So there are times that I enjoy wearing one of my funny t-shirts out when I go shopping.
I would love to get this one and wear it out, plus it would make a nice addition to my small but growing collection of funny religious shirts.
When you're wearing a shirt like this, all those people who want to bless you or pray for you, just look at you instead.
They have a look of horror on their faces, but at least they aren't saying anything to me.
I try to make light of the situation as best I can, but sometimes it can get to be a bit much. People are always blessing me, saying they'll pray for me and stuff like that.
So there are times that I enjoy wearing one of my funny t-shirts out when I go shopping.
I would love to get this one and wear it out, plus it would make a nice addition to my small but growing collection of funny religious shirts.
When you're wearing a shirt like this, all those people who want to bless you or pray for you, just look at you instead.
They have a look of horror on their faces, but at least they aren't saying anything to me.
I need to get my butt in gear, I am leaving at 11am to go get my stitches out.
All the way to Safety Harbor.
Ugh.
Such a long, long drive.
Mindy is taking me, my sis is sick with some nasty cold thing and strep throat.
And both my boys are home from school sick too.
They both have stuffy heads, headaches, just feeling miserable.
I really hope that they don't have what she has, I can't even imagine having strep with my neck like this.
Yuck.
I've been so overwhelmed with the outpouring of support from the boobiethon donors.
It's been absolutely incredible, I am just so so greatful, thank you all so much!
I was surprised and greatful to just get the first $359, but it's now over $1,000.
Absolutely amazing and so needed.
I still don't have the ok to be working again, I'm hoping to get that today at my appointment, but if not, I know that I will be able to pay all of my bills thanks to all of the people who have donated to me in support of the boobiethon.
I can't wait to be able to volunteer again next year, it's such a good cause and it's something that I just love doing.
In some of my bored downtime, I have been playing on Twittermoms.
I started a new group, I was feeling "alone", so if you're on Twitter, and on Twittermoms, and an atheist, agnostic, or just not sure, come join my small group for Atheist Moms.
It's small but growing.
Ok, time to go get dressed so I can get these itchy stitches out.
Later days!
All the way to Safety Harbor.
Ugh.
Such a long, long drive.
Mindy is taking me, my sis is sick with some nasty cold thing and strep throat.
And both my boys are home from school sick too.
They both have stuffy heads, headaches, just feeling miserable.
I really hope that they don't have what she has, I can't even imagine having strep with my neck like this.
Yuck.
I've been so overwhelmed with the outpouring of support from the boobiethon donors.
It's been absolutely incredible, I am just so so greatful, thank you all so much!
I was surprised and greatful to just get the first $359, but it's now over $1,000.
Absolutely amazing and so needed.
I still don't have the ok to be working again, I'm hoping to get that today at my appointment, but if not, I know that I will be able to pay all of my bills thanks to all of the people who have donated to me in support of the boobiethon.
I can't wait to be able to volunteer again next year, it's such a good cause and it's something that I just love doing.
In some of my bored downtime, I have been playing on Twittermoms.
I started a new group, I was feeling "alone", so if you're on Twitter, and on Twittermoms, and an atheist, agnostic, or just not sure, come join my small group for Atheist Moms.
It's small but growing.
Ok, time to go get dressed so I can get these itchy stitches out.
Later days!
As most of my readers know, I am an atheist.
If you're new here, now you know.
Today there was a discussion on the local forums about religion in a group specifically devoted to the topic, of which I am a moderator along with a girl who is a Christian.
We set it up that way so that both sides would be represented, and so that as mods, both views would have a mod to defend them.
But anyway, as an atheist, I often get attacked for my lack of belief in god, and today was no exception, except that some things were said that made me want to pack up and get the hell out of Florida mover NYC style.
Fast and with no way to find me.
Some links to some articles were posted about how most Americans view atheists, and as suspected, the very types of people these articles and polls were talking about, piped up.
"As far as the article is concerned... I think this thread speaks for itself as to why atheist are viewed the way they are."
Someone spoke up in my defense, that in this particular group, I have just as much right to state why I am an atheist, and what I believe in, as the Christian members of the board do.
Try to remember, that I am the moderator of this group, it is my job to not only edit and lock threads, but to keep the conversations going, to post subjects for people to discuss, and I happen to be very well informed on the subject of religion. I know a lot about it, I have studied it, continue to, I know the bible back and forth, old and new testament, and know all the varying versions of the bible, the reasons that there is so much confusion between even believers on just what the bible says.
I'm educated on the subject even though I lack faith in god(s).
Today, being intelligent and well educated on the subject, was thrown at me like being smart is the epitome of evil.
"Unlike some, I don't post in every single religious thread, speak negatively, preach, put people down about their beliefs and call them ignorant, try to make people feel stupid, write an entire book in posts in attempts to get my point across, quote "facts"... etc. No matter what anyone says in any religious thread, "You're the almighty one that knows it all." I find that really amusing."
Not once in all of my time on any part of the local forums, have I called anyone any names, told them they are ignorant, I don't preach, I don't speak negatively, and I don't set out to make anyone feel stupid.
If people feel stupid, that is on them, I have no control over how anyone else feels, I cannot control their emotions.
Eleanor Roosevelt said it best, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
Do I write a lot?
Yeah, sure I do, because it is a subject I know a lot about, I type very, very fast, and it is a subject I am extremely interested in.
Am I the "almighty one who knows it all"?
No, but what I think upsets them is that I know more about the bible than they do, and that is not allowed apparently.
Atheists, according to that article, are supposed to be stupid, drug abusers and dealers, criminals, prostitutes, the dregs of society, we are not supposed to be smart.
Atheists are not supposed to know more about god and the bible than believers, it's against the rules or something, and from then on out, in other threads, I was accused by other Christians, no matter what I said, of making personal attacks on people, of calling them names, even if I didn't even come remotely close to anything of the sort.
Christians often say they are persecuted for their beliefs.
I have to doubt that very much.
I would love to have any one of those people who say they are persecuted, spend a single day living as an "out" Atheist.
Wear the shirts and when asked what it means, answer, and then they'll feel what real persecution is.
Try looking at the world from an atheists view.
There are signs on telephone poles telling people to repent, teachers openly talk in your child's public school classroom, that we live in a Christian nation.
The president declared a national day of Christian prayer, and every year on that day, television stations nationwide tune in to pray, as a nation.
We are told that this country was founded by our Christian forefathers, it's on all of our monies, it's in the freaking deli department at our local grocery stores, take a number from atop the book rack full of Christian book titles.
Wanna feel persecuted for what you believe?
Look at it through the eyes of someone who believes differently from 98% of the rest of the country.
I am proud to be a freethinker, I am proud to be an atheist, no one needs to feel sorry for me because I lack faith, "I feel sorry for people that have no faith but I'd rather spend my time more productively elsewhere." just try to accept me as your fellow human being who treats you the exact same way I treat everyone else in my life, and want to be treated.
With respect.
If you're new here, now you know.
Today there was a discussion on the local forums about religion in a group specifically devoted to the topic, of which I am a moderator along with a girl who is a Christian.
We set it up that way so that both sides would be represented, and so that as mods, both views would have a mod to defend them.
But anyway, as an atheist, I often get attacked for my lack of belief in god, and today was no exception, except that some things were said that made me want to pack up and get the hell out of Florida mover NYC style.
Fast and with no way to find me.
Some links to some articles were posted about how most Americans view atheists, and as suspected, the very types of people these articles and polls were talking about, piped up.
"As far as the article is concerned... I think this thread speaks for itself as to why atheist are viewed the way they are."
Someone spoke up in my defense, that in this particular group, I have just as much right to state why I am an atheist, and what I believe in, as the Christian members of the board do.
Try to remember, that I am the moderator of this group, it is my job to not only edit and lock threads, but to keep the conversations going, to post subjects for people to discuss, and I happen to be very well informed on the subject of religion. I know a lot about it, I have studied it, continue to, I know the bible back and forth, old and new testament, and know all the varying versions of the bible, the reasons that there is so much confusion between even believers on just what the bible says.
I'm educated on the subject even though I lack faith in god(s).
Today, being intelligent and well educated on the subject, was thrown at me like being smart is the epitome of evil.
"Unlike some, I don't post in every single religious thread, speak negatively, preach, put people down about their beliefs and call them ignorant, try to make people feel stupid, write an entire book in posts in attempts to get my point across, quote "facts"... etc. No matter what anyone says in any religious thread, "You're the almighty one that knows it all." I find that really amusing."
Not once in all of my time on any part of the local forums, have I called anyone any names, told them they are ignorant, I don't preach, I don't speak negatively, and I don't set out to make anyone feel stupid.
If people feel stupid, that is on them, I have no control over how anyone else feels, I cannot control their emotions.
Eleanor Roosevelt said it best, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
Do I write a lot?
Yeah, sure I do, because it is a subject I know a lot about, I type very, very fast, and it is a subject I am extremely interested in.
Am I the "almighty one who knows it all"?
No, but what I think upsets them is that I know more about the bible than they do, and that is not allowed apparently.
Atheists, according to that article, are supposed to be stupid, drug abusers and dealers, criminals, prostitutes, the dregs of society, we are not supposed to be smart.
Atheists are not supposed to know more about god and the bible than believers, it's against the rules or something, and from then on out, in other threads, I was accused by other Christians, no matter what I said, of making personal attacks on people, of calling them names, even if I didn't even come remotely close to anything of the sort.
Christians often say they are persecuted for their beliefs.
I have to doubt that very much.
I would love to have any one of those people who say they are persecuted, spend a single day living as an "out" Atheist.
Wear the shirts and when asked what it means, answer, and then they'll feel what real persecution is.
Try looking at the world from an atheists view.
There are signs on telephone poles telling people to repent, teachers openly talk in your child's public school classroom, that we live in a Christian nation.
The president declared a national day of Christian prayer, and every year on that day, television stations nationwide tune in to pray, as a nation.
We are told that this country was founded by our Christian forefathers, it's on all of our monies, it's in the freaking deli department at our local grocery stores, take a number from atop the book rack full of Christian book titles.
Wanna feel persecuted for what you believe?
Look at it through the eyes of someone who believes differently from 98% of the rest of the country.
I am proud to be a freethinker, I am proud to be an atheist, no one needs to feel sorry for me because I lack faith, "I feel sorry for people that have no faith but I'd rather spend my time more productively elsewhere." just try to accept me as your fellow human being who treats you the exact same way I treat everyone else in my life, and want to be treated.
With respect.
I woke up feeling like I got hit by a truck.
I slept weird too.
Like all twisted up and stuff, so now my lower back and right hip are just killing me, and I can't get in to see my pain doc until Monday, before 11:45am.
Because at noon he's going back out of town.
But at 10am, I have an appointment with the new primary care doc for the pre-surgery physical, which I have no idea how long it's going to take.
So this means I'm going to have to call my surgeon to cover the refill on my pain meds again.
For the 3rd time, because my pain doc keeps going out of town.
My surgeon is going to start thinking something funny is going on.
Yeah, not quite so fucking funny when every time I need to make an appointment, he's going out of town.
And so I'm stressed out and in pain, and I can't see my pain doc because I have to go to that physical, I don't have a choice.
I have no idea how long the physical is going to take because duh, it's my new doctor.
The appointment could end up being 2 hours long, or like most doctor's, you sit and wait for a full hour or 2 before you even see the doctor.
And it's a full physical which means full naked, gyno, swabby, poke, prod, touch and pee in this cup appointment.
Seriously.
I'm way stressed out about all of this stuff right now.
In 18 days, I get my neck sliced open, have a couple vertebrae and discs removed, new rods installed, and I never turn my head left or right again.
18 days.
It may seem like that's a long time, but it's not, and it's creeping up on me faster than I know how to handle.
And I swear, if one more person says they'll pray for me, or let go and let god, trust in god, god will take care of you, I'm going to fucking explode!
This bill collector called me at 8am this morning, wanted to talk about an old hospital bill I owe, and when I said sorry, I can't pay that right now, they asked why, I explained why, I let it all out on the girl, and she says to me, and I quote, "I can stave off the collection phone calls for about a week, and I'll pray for you. Wow, I don't even know how you're feeling, but I imagine. I promise, I'll pray for you."
You'll pray for me?!
These calls are recorded for customer quality results, and man, I hope they recorded that one.
You are never to get personal with the customer, never ever, get personal with the customer when you are calling them to collect a debt. I know the rules, I used to work for Georgia Power and Gas, that was one of the major big time rules, never, ever, get personal with the customer, stick to the facts.
Fucking twit.
I hope they recorded that call and heard me tell her to shove her prayers up her ass.
I slept weird too.
Like all twisted up and stuff, so now my lower back and right hip are just killing me, and I can't get in to see my pain doc until Monday, before 11:45am.
Because at noon he's going back out of town.
But at 10am, I have an appointment with the new primary care doc for the pre-surgery physical, which I have no idea how long it's going to take.
So this means I'm going to have to call my surgeon to cover the refill on my pain meds again.
For the 3rd time, because my pain doc keeps going out of town.
My surgeon is going to start thinking something funny is going on.
Yeah, not quite so fucking funny when every time I need to make an appointment, he's going out of town.
And so I'm stressed out and in pain, and I can't see my pain doc because I have to go to that physical, I don't have a choice.
I have no idea how long the physical is going to take because duh, it's my new doctor.
The appointment could end up being 2 hours long, or like most doctor's, you sit and wait for a full hour or 2 before you even see the doctor.
And it's a full physical which means full naked, gyno, swabby, poke, prod, touch and pee in this cup appointment.
Seriously.
I'm way stressed out about all of this stuff right now.
In 18 days, I get my neck sliced open, have a couple vertebrae and discs removed, new rods installed, and I never turn my head left or right again.
18 days.
It may seem like that's a long time, but it's not, and it's creeping up on me faster than I know how to handle.
And I swear, if one more person says they'll pray for me, or let go and let god, trust in god, god will take care of you, I'm going to fucking explode!
This bill collector called me at 8am this morning, wanted to talk about an old hospital bill I owe, and when I said sorry, I can't pay that right now, they asked why, I explained why, I let it all out on the girl, and she says to me, and I quote, "I can stave off the collection phone calls for about a week, and I'll pray for you. Wow, I don't even know how you're feeling, but I imagine. I promise, I'll pray for you."
You'll pray for me?!
These calls are recorded for customer quality results, and man, I hope they recorded that one.
You are never to get personal with the customer, never ever, get personal with the customer when you are calling them to collect a debt. I know the rules, I used to work for Georgia Power and Gas, that was one of the major big time rules, never, ever, get personal with the customer, stick to the facts.
Fucking twit.
I hope they recorded that call and heard me tell her to shove her prayers up her ass.
-
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Believing there's no God means I can't really be forgiven except by kindness and faulty memories. That's good; it makes me want to be more thoughtful. I have to try to treat people right the first time around.- Penn Jillette
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