Are You a Human?

Remember, before you were a Christian or whatever you were a human. So, when you think about being being a jerk like Christian you would, what would the human you do in this same instance?

Dogs

It' a circle of back patting. "I like dogs, do you like dogs?" "Oh yes, I love dogs! Dogs are the best!" "That old guy has loved dogs his whole life, loving dogs must be the best thing to do!" "Dogs!"

I understand why it works. Finding an authority or majority that claims it can reassure a person or their belief.

What I'm saying is, I really don't care for dogs and would prefer you stopped letting your dog crap on my lawn.

The Nature of God, Part 1

The common Christian god is impossible. God can't be all knowing, all powerful and good. For there to be evil in the world, God must be lacking at least one of those three traits.

Assuming the world is 6000 years old, god must be lacking the good. He purposely fills the world with lies that contradict his existence such as: 1) stars that are more than 6000 light year away, thus making their light having to be created in transit to Earth when he created the universe, 2) Dinosaur bones, 3) Large geological formation, 4) DNA which supports the theory of evolution. etc

Also, freewill and prayer can't exist in the same world. If prayer works, when a football team that prays to win, if god helps them to win he is limiting the freewill of the opposing team. The other team could win, but not if god influences the game in the favor of the first team.

Continuing along the path of freewill, a god who punishes you for using the freewill he gave you is illogical unless, like I earlier proposed, he isn't good. Purposely leaving scissors on the floor and than being surprised your 5 year old tried to cut their own hair is absurd.

Back to the fact that he isn't good, if he were the moral authority, it is illogical to think that his moral message would change at all. Yet, slavery which was once moral in god's eye is now immoral according to most religious people. Mormon's most common answer to it is that 'the world wasn't ready for it' such as when they started allowing blacks to hold positions in the church.

If this concept were true, the great flood would have never happened. The great flood was God forcing his morals on the world, even though "the world wasn't ready for it". In the same, why wouldn't god take action on creating equality between the races even if "the world wasn't ready for it"?

You can't have a moral authority that's always changing to, surprise, suit the morals of the world. Black people were suddenly allowed in the priesthood of the Mormon church because the rest of the United States had already gone through the Civil Rights and the crusty old white men in the hierarchy of the Mormon church were smart enough to know they had no choice but to stop waving around their racism.

"There is no doubt that the so-called Civil Rights movement as it exists today is used as a communist program for revolution in America." - Ezra Taft Benson, 1967 talking about Black Civil Rights.

Anyways, as the title implies, this is only part 1. I'm sure in the future I will have need and reason to return to this topic and I will.

Until another day.

Breasts are Offensive

So, to combat this offensive item, the breasts of mannequins were hacked off in a shop window in Iran. See for yourself:





















What an awkward world we live in which representations of women aren't allowed to look like women.

Until another day.

Arguing the Case

I had a little foray into a Christian chat room this evening. It went surprisingly good. Argued the fact that humans are more moral than God, the improbable nature of the speciation of dogs after the flood, and Abiogenesis with references to the Miller-Urey experiment.

It was fun and, because he was trying to refute me, the guy actually listened. I'm not sure how much he actually took home with him but, you know, not much is to be expected. Really, I was just having some fun.

Until another day.

Torture Facts

Anyone who's read my older posts knows I'm not a fan of torture.

On that thread, here's some facts about it:







































































































































Until another day.

Giant Jesus Destroyed by Lightning

Yes, you've read that title right. A giant statue of Jesus, which used to look like this:




















Now looks like this:


















It was struck by lightning and burst into flames. Not horribly surprising being that this $250,000, 62-foot tall monster is made of styrofoam, wood and fiberglass resin.

Of course, from a religious standpoint, one could see the destruction of this statue by natural forces as a sign that God didn't care for this false idol being there.

These Christians don't see it that way. Of course not. They're going to rebuild!

PZ Myers' commenter, Jerthebarbarian, puts it best:

Look, it's really simple. When a mosque or a Hindu temple or a Jewish synagogue is destroyed by lightning, that's an angry God insisting that they convert to proper Christian worship.

When a Christian church is struck by lighting, that's just Satan testing the faithful. If they didn't rebuild the statue they'd be giving into Satan, and God doesn't like that. Haven't you read the Book of Job?

Ah, now it makes sense. God's such a tricky fellow.

As opposed to spending $250,000 to rebuild the stupid thing, I wonder how many meals they could buy with that much money? What charities could benefit from that sort of money? Which of the people of their congregation could be helped with it?

Nah, forget all that. That sort of money would be better spent on building another statue.

What Would Jesus Do? Build another statue.

Link to the News story.

For the Degradation of Life

I value life. A person's life is worth more than anything else in this world. This life we have is all there is and, in this acceptance of a very finite existence, that makes life insanely precious.

I assert that many religious people degrade the value of life with a claim of an afterlife, one which is better than real life. This life is it and to waste your time on it, preparing for another is absurd. Some even claim this is just a test often saying their cause is 'worth dying for'. They trick young people to strap bombs to their chest to end their life early (as well as the lives of others).

If you're not enjoying this life, don't just bear it. Life isn't a test of perseverance as a lead up to the afterlife. I'll repeat, this is it. When life isn't working right, change it. This isn't something to suffer. Life is to be enjoyed.

Enjoy it.

As well, there isn't a God deciding what happens to you so he can't 'test you' with hard times. Hard times will happen but only you can change them. Don't wait for him to because he can't. Nonexistent beings have this sort of limitation.

Until another day.

Pump it, Pump it, Pump it

Drive you're fancy, over-sized SUV. Make sure it's just you riding in that big 8-seated vehicle you own. That's that American way.

Drive that massive truck of your's. You know, the one with the empty, large bed and the cab with the back seat that you'll ride in alone. That's the American way.

Need to go to the convenience store two blocks away? Don't walk. The weather's too nice for that. Jump in your SUV with the A/C cranked. Leave your car running during the 10 minutes you'll be in the store. That's the American way.

For God's sake, use as much fuel as you can. Pump that stuff. Throw some on the ground, as a sacrifice to the American Gods, Haliburton, BP, Chevron and Shell. That's the American way.

Enjoy your lazy worthless life, no matter the consequences for other creatures on this planet. The less of them alive, the more resources for us, right?



















This is human oil dependence at work. That's the American way.

Cheers.

(More hideous images here.)

Religion Does Contradict Science

Ever heard someone say "Religion doesn't contradict science"? Yeah, me too.

Here's a few examples of how it does, all directed toward Christianity (since it is the one I experienced as a child and because it is by far the most common one in the United States):

1. Without sperm from a male, conception is basically impossible. I did read once (but now can't find it) that supposedly, in very rare cases, a woman can have a 'clone' like child without a male's input but it can only been a female baby since there is no male input for the y-chromosome.

In other words, Jesus being born of the virgin Mary is contrary to science.

2. The whole Earth's surface can't be covered by water, including the mountains, with the current water on the Earth. The water then couldn't have disappeared in a similarly mysterious way.

3. Water can't be 'magically' split to allow people to walk across the floor of a sea. That isn't how water works.

4. The 'soul' (I interpret that to be your personality, or your mind) is a product of the brain. When the electrical function of the brain ends, the mind ceases to exist. It doesn't 'leave the body' to continue existing as a mind elsewhere.

5. Donkey's can't speak.

6. Water can't turn into wine without the addition of fermented fruit nor can it turn into blood.

7. The Earth and Sun have been moving in the same way for billions of years. In other words, as Joshua 10:13 says: "And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day." is an idiot's concept. These massive rocks in the sky can't just stop and then go again. That's absurd.

I could go on, but I've made my point. If you're thinking "You must have 'faith'" or some crap like that, you're missing my point. In this context, 'faith' means believing things that contradict science.

Water vs Coke

Found this interesting article, today.

It includes:

#8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of
colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast
cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop
bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water
you should drink every day?

And,

#1. the active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid.
It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric
acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major
contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.

Not to get on a high horse, but I limit my soda intake. I have been doing so for about 5 years now. Sadly, I am addicted to the taste of Pepsi. During my weak moments, I've been known to drink 4 or 5 a month. I hope to some day not drink any.

It isn't worth it. The article I linked to didn't mention it, but, basically put, I've never heard of a good reason to attack your body like that with a sugar rush. That seems like a bad idea to me.

Just so I don't seem to be on too high of a horse, I enjoy drinking alcohol. I usually have 2 or so beers (or similar drinks) a week. I'm reaching rambling levels here but, I don't get drunk. Not a fan of that.

The Death of All Borders

I'm sure few will agree with this concept but, I believe the healthiest future for the Earth doesn't include countries and nations. Yeah, you guessed it, I'm a big supporter or the United Nations.

The death of all countries and the combined world society and economy wouldn't solve all of our problems, I know this.

National pride, also known as ignorance about anything outside your own country, would be less prominent. Cultural pockets would continue to exist, I know, but if the all out reason to work hard was for Earth instead of America or some other pathetic country, I think there would be less breeding of idiots.

This isn't a soon to be seen existence. The European Union is one of the starting points. Countries working together for mutual success.

Darwinist and Faith

Darwinist is a term that needs to die. Darwin died 70 years before we even began to understand DNA which, understandably, is a very important part of our understanding of evolution. To call someone a 'Darwinist' for accepting evolution would be similar to calling someone who studies present day physics a 'Newtonist'. Absurd, at the simplest level.

Whenever anyone, most commonly Christians, mention the term 'Darwinist' in reference to me I usually reply with a snide comment such as, "I know your belief system hasn't productively changed in 2000 years and that is why you call yourself a 'Christian' but, for science progress is natural. Darwin died 130 years ago. We know much more about who we are and where we came from."

While we're on the subject of misused terms, don't let them tell you you have as much faith as they do. You have acceptance, not faith. For instance, I don't need faith that the sun will come up tomorrow. I accept that all evidence points to it coming up. It's silly to assert that faith is needed to believe that the world will work as the world works.

That really is the main difference between theism and atheism. Atheism follows that the world works as the world works. Theism asserts that the world doesn't currently, or didn't in the past, work as it does.

As an example, people die. They don't revive three days after dying. Christian teachings oppose this reality. Another, enough water to flood the whole Earth doesn't rain from the sky and later vanish away.

Until another day.

Circular reasoning works because...

I met a robot named Robotron 3000. He came from the future.

The above quote, as you can see, was written by someone who met Robotron 3000. Of course it was. See, if Robotron 3000 didn't exist, those two sentences above wouldn't have been written. No one would write anything that wasn't true, right?

This is the basic premise I was recently offered as proof that the Bible is more than a book. God exists and inspired Moses and many others to write the Bible. As you know, right there in the Bible it shows that God exists. Obviously, in that logic, the Bible proves God exists.

Welcome to circular reasoning. In case you don't know what circular reasoning is, let me demonstrate it below:





















As you can see, it makes perfect sense. It's a controlled system of logic that proves itself true.

I like chocolate thus chocolate must exist and, since chocolate exists, I like it. Sure, chocolate does exist, but the fact that I like it isn't the reason it exists and just because it exists doesn't mean I like it either. Throw in 'unicorn' or, for instance, 'god' in the place of chocolate and you will see the silly line of thought.

Until another day.

My Post have been sparse

And now they're short:

Only a self-righteous idealist think justice and revenge aren't the same thing.

The Broken Texas Education

Thomas Jefferson is one of the greatest Americans to ever live. Only an idiot would think he wasn't important.

Nuclear weapons

Seeing things such as this website remind me of how scary and amazing atomic weapons are.




















The above image is a shadow made by someone who was sitting on the step there when the bomb exploded.

















This is an image of a man dying of radiation poisoning.

As Albert Einstein said, "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

What has man wrought?

Baby killed for not saying 'Amen'

I'm surprised I haven't yet made a post on the cult who starved a one year old boy to death for not saying 'Amen'.

The leader of a US religious cult was "outraged" when a one-year-old boy did not say "Amen" before a meal and ordered her followers to deprive him of food and water until he died, a prosecutor told jurors on Monday.

Three members of the now-defunct cult known as 1 Mind Ministries are on trial for murder in the death of Javon Thompson, who was around 16-months-old when he died of starvation and dehydration in either December 2006 or January 2007, according to authorities.

After the boy died, the cult members prayed for his resurrection, then destroyed all evidence of his death and stuffed his body in a suitcase, which they hid in a shed behind a home in Philadelphia, Assistant State's Attorney Julie Drake told jurors.

I'll keep this short. The cult leaders deserve to go to a dog pound, not prison. We don't send brainless monsters to prison and humans don't kill babies for...I don't have to put a limit on this. Humans don't kill babies. That's not something you do.

Death

One of the most offensive things a theist can say about us atheists come with death. When people die, it hits much more than it did back when I was still a Christian. As a Christian, I believed the dead person was going to a better place. Without that comfort of heaven, it's horrible.

I will never see them again. They are gone. There is no heaven you'll meet up with them at, where you can say all the things you should of said. You can't apologize for the stupid things you did wrong. You have to suffer with your regrets. There is no redemption.

It makes 'Should have' much more painful. I wish I could believe in heaven and god. It would make death much less horrible.

If you wonder where this all came from: O at Commissionedcomic.com made a comic for his cat who died. If you don't mind crying like crazy like I did, go read it here.

To everyone I've ever wronged: I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. We're all stupid sometimes. I love you all.

Solar-powered bibles sent to Haiti

As international aid agencies rush food, water and medicine to Haiti's earthquake victims, a United States group is sending Bibles.

But these aren't just any Bibles; they're solar-powered audible Bibles that can broadcast the holy scriptures in Haitian Creole to 300 people at a time.

The Faith Comes By Hearing organisation says its Bible, called the Proclaimer, delivers "digital quality" and is designed for "poor and illiterate people".

It says 600 of the devices are already on their way to Haiti.

The Albuquerque-based organisation says it is responding to the Haitian crisis by "providing faith, hope and love through God's word in audio".

The audio Bible can bring the "hope and comfort that comes from knowing God has not forgotten them through this tragedy," a statement on its website says.

"The Proclaimer is self-powered and can play the Bible in the jungle, desert or ... even on the moon!"

Tens of thousands of Port-au-Prince residents are living outdoors because their homes have collapsed or they fear aftershocks following Wednesday's quake.

While people suffer and die, they still push their hate-filled lies, their religion, over fool, water, or shelter. No real human would do such a thing. The people in 'Faith Comes By Hearing' aren't humans. They're soulless monsters. If they had any hearts they'd send food, not electronic bibles. Fucking barbarians.

Destroy Religion.

I do want to destroy religion. All belief systems that have no basis in reality, I would like to see fall. Of course, like someone, living in the 1700s, fighting against slavery, it isn't a possible goal. Not in my life time.

The more obvious and possible goal is to protect those that don't need or want religion, from religion. There are victims of religion, such as those that threw away $2.4 million to the douche, Rick Warren.

I just don't understand how people can be so stupid. This asshole shouldn't need your money. If God can't help him earn money through sales of his books or other crap he's doing, God is stealing from everyone who donated. God shouldn't need money, but for him to make Rick need money is to steal.

Or Rick is a total fraud and God doesn't exist. It's funny how many stories and events leave that sort of Dichotomy. Either God is an asshole or he doesn't exist. Abraham nearly killed his son, Isaac, because God told him to but God stops him at the last moment. Either God's an asshole and totally Punk'd them or he doesn't exist and either the story is complete fiction or Abraham was fucking nuts.

Anywho, it's 2010. Happy New Year, folks.