Shadow Casting

Great article on why you should act atheist in public.

Why Do Atheists Have to Talk About Atheism?

And a great article on why Iran needs a secular government.

Wanted: Freedom from religion

Plus, some religious people doing silly things.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews riot over a parking lot that stays open on the sabbath.

Israel: Ultra-Orthodox Jews protest for 2nd day

People hold a “pray-in” for comprehensive health care reform where they pray for cheep insurance to the same god who lets them get sick.

The Universal, Single-Payer God

A few people on twitter have posted an article from USA today, Survey: 60% of gays say faith is important to them, which contains quotes like the following:

A significant majority of gays and lesbians — six in 10 — say faith is important in their lives

.

The article also mentioned that the survey was conducted by a christian research firm known as the Barna Group, and it describes the study as showing that a belief in christianity is a central facet of the lives of a majority of gay and lesbian people. Uh-huh. Something about this article just did not seem right. The whole tone of the article just did not seem like something that a christian group would produce, so I just had to read the actual study.

Spiritual Profile of Homosexual Adults Provides Surprising Insights

I am glad that I don’t rely on USA Today to get the news. Talk about selective quotation. You really should read the article and the actual report together. I am surprised they can both exist simultaneously in the same universe.

Now, I won’t be quoting from the Barna group’s report because they have a very serious copyright disclaimer that seems to exclude fair use. Sure fair use is legal, but defending yourself against a lawsuit can be expensive even if you win. Of course, lawsuits may not seem all that christian, but there is a precedent. Some apocryphal stories insist that, after his resurrection, Jesus sued the Romans for violating his civil rights.

The first thing I noticed in the report was the statement that homosexuals make up three percent of the population which is a typical claim among conservative christians. Christian groups tend to put forward a much smaller percentage than gay rights groups, so this is not surprising. The stranger statistic comes later when they mention that gay people are younger than straight people. I assume they meant to imply that this was true for the people surveyed, but it is not stated that way. In the same paragraph, they also mention that gays are less likely to be “white“, and they make less money.

So, are gay people younger because they leave the “gay lifestyle” as they become more mature and responsible, or because they all die from aids? The study doesn’t say.

Unlike, the USA Today article which seems to be emphasizing that gay people are just like everyone else when it comes to religion, the actual study seems to emphasize the religious differences between gay and straight people. Differences in how seriously they believe in christianity, how often they attend church, how literally they interpret the bible, how orthodox their opinions are, and how conservative they are overall.

Most surprising of all is that fewer gay people are married. Who would have thought.

Of course, the entire survey was given to roughly 9000 people of which less than 300 identified themselves as being gay or lesbian. Three hundred people is not much of a sample. I’ve been in bars that had more than three hundred gay people in them. Still, of the roughly 300 people who said they were gay, around 120 people declared that they were strongly committed to christianity. I guess this would not really surprise me. Mostly, it would just be depressing.

I just do not understand why anyone would join an organization that hates them. Certainly, growing up in a homophobic society can create a mountain of shame, and joining a dominant religion may provide a way to feel normal or accepted. My own shame issues probably prevented me from leaving religion for a long time. The difference though is that I was not out at the time. All of these people identified themselves as gay or lesbian, so this is not the case with them.

The survey also mentions that gay people are less orthodox and more liberal than straight people, but it does not say how many of the gay and lesbians who identified as christian belong to a liberal community like the Metropolitan Community Church instead of being catholic, baptist, or some other asshole denomination. Certainly, that would make things a little better. The problem with the liberal christian churches like MCC is that christianity is pretty much rotten to the core. Say you throw out the passages that declare homosexuality to be an abomination. Do you also ignore the passages about hell? How about the miracles, demon possession, the misogyny, the hatred of sexuality, the entire ideology of sin, the psychologically damaging doctrine that equates thoughts with actions? What is left? Why not just stop calling yourself a christian and be done with it?

The other problem with liberal christians is that they provide cover for the conservative fascists. It would be great if the word christian became exclusively associated with people like the Westboro Baptist Church. It seems only fair since these are the people who take the religion seriously. Instead of ignoring all of the parts in the bible that they don’t like, they actually do what it says. Sure, they’re assholes because that is what happens when someone chooses to follow all of the asshole commandments in the bible. If these people were the only ones calling themselves a christian, christianity would be easy to dismiss.

Of course, if you really care about the truth, the major problem with christianity is that the whole thing is based on a lie. Unless, you have actually managed to find some hard evidence that some guy rose from the dead 2000 years ago.

No? Didn’t think so.

Here is a perspective on the Iranian situation you may not have heard before. This really is a must read

No Matter Who Is President of Iran, They Would Stone Me

And, just in case you haven’t been keeping up with those laugh a minute baptists,

Broadway Baptist, The Southern Baptist Convention, Racism, and Praying For Barack Obama To Die

Plus, the phrase of the day is Gender Queer.

If you don’t know what it means, just watch

When Prop 8 passed in California outlawing gay marriage, it was reported in various news sources that a majority of African American and Hispanic voters supported the amendment.  The Racial Divide on gay marriage was featured in a number of headlines discussing the racial tension that now exists within the queer community.  Some even reported that members of the queer community have responded with racial slurs and verbal harassment.

Lambda Legal even issued a statement against racial scapegoating, saying

A bare majority of voters approved Prop 8, including voters from every racial and socioeconomic group and in every region of the state. Blaming black voters or any other people of color is foolish.”

Once again, our society and the news media are identifying a problem as a racial issue while completely ignoring the actual cause: the giant rampaging elephant in the living room known as religion.  The overriding factor among all of the voters that supported Prop 8 is religion.

Religion is the enemy.  Not race, or socio-economic status, or class.  Religion, christianity in this case, has been the bane of homosexuals for two thousand years, so the Prop 8 fiasco should come as no surprise.  The success of Prop 8 was due to the unholy triumvirate of the mormons, catholics, and conservative protestants who contributed large amounts money to see it passed.   Normally, these groups spend most of their time arguing with one another, but they always manage to come together whenever gay rights or abortion is involved.  Find out how strongly someone believes in christianity, and you will know exactly how they feel about queers.

Of course, queers are not the only people christians have abused over the years. Just look at the last two hundred years in America, and you will find plenty of examples. A historical point of view may help to put things in perspective a bit which is why we now present,

An American Tragedy

Let us start the program with some good old religious persecution.

Long before the constitution was signed, christians in America were busy hating one another.  Although many religious groups came to America seeking religious freedom, they only wanted such freedom for themselves.  As soon as they gained some political power, they often became even more intolerant than the people they fled.  Puritans expelled dissenters from New England, and executed any who returned.  Massachusetts banished quakers, and Virginia enacted anti-Quaker laws that could include the death penalty.

Of course, Virginia as always  deserves special mention.  In Virginia, the persecution was directed at baptists and presbyterians which often included physical violence along with laws directed against the practice of these religions.  In fact the savagery and discrimination directed toward these denominations directly influenced many founding fathers to support a separation of church and state within the Virginia Declaration of Rights and later within the Constitution itself. I find this history particularly interesting since many baptists are now arguing that America is a christian nation which should be ruled by (their) christian principles.

So, after much pain and suffering caused by religion, Americans actually learned something, and chose to keep religion separate from the government. A separation that many religious people would now like to overturn. The good old days may be back faster than you can say lynch mob.

Next, how about we move on to slavery.

You would think that a book written by a super holy, all-loving deity would have some strong words to say against slavery, and you would be wrong.

Nowhere does the bible condemn slavery.  In many places, it is even an advocate for slavery.  Here are some classic examples

When you march up to attack a city, first offer it terms of peace. If it agrees to your terms of peace and opens its gates to you, all the people to be found in it shall serve you in forced labor. But if it refuses to make peace with you and instead offers you battle, lay siege to it, and when the LORD, your God, delivers it into your hand, put every male in it to the sword; but the women and children and livestock and all else in it that is worth plundering you may take as your booty, and you may use this plunder of your enemies which the LORD, your God, has given you.  Deuteronomy 20:10-14

Slaves, male and female, you may indeed possess, provided you buy them from among the neighboring nations. You may also buy them from among the aliens who reside with you and from their children who are born and reared in your land. Such slaves you may own as chattels, and leave to your sons as their hereditary property, making them perpetual slaves.  Leviticus 25:44-46

Many prominent biblical characters owned slaves including Abraham, Isaac, and King Solomon.  Of course, christians only use the old testament when it suits their needs, so how about we bring in a new testament verse as well.

Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, willingly serving the Lord and not human beings, knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. Masters, act in the same way toward them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality. Ephesians 6:5-9

Compared to the old testament, this verse is downright bubbly.  Masters just need to be nice to their slaves.  Of course, the problem with this verse is that it nowhere condemns slavery as an institution.  For those of us who consider slavery to be inherently morally evil no matter how well the slaves are treated, this verse seems rather incomplete. Maybe the all-loving god was a bit under the weather when he came up with that.

Of course, the passages above also raise another issue. Many of the slaves were woman and children.  That’s okay though, because women in the bible were just property anyway.  Which brings us to the next topic.

The subjugation of women

A woman, of course, was responsible for humanity’s fallen state because men know better than to talk to snakes.  Adam would never have eaten the evil fruit from the magic tree if Eve had not shoved it in his face which is why the bible makes it perfectly clear that women deserve a subordinate state.

To the woman he said: “I will intensify the pangs of your childbearing; in pain shall you bring forth children. Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall be your master.“  Genesis 3:16

The so called ten commandments lists your neighbor’s wife as a piece of property that you should not covet along with his house, his slaves (again with the slavery), his ox, his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Of course the new testament is much more enlightened.

As in all the churches of the holy ones, women should keep silent in the churches, for they are not allowed to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. But if they want to learn anything, they should ask their husbands at home. For it is improper for a woman to speak in the church.  1 Corinthians 14:33-36

A woman must receive instruction silently and under complete control. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. She must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. Further, Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.  1 Timothy 2:11-14

See, I told you it was all Eve’s fault.

When American women were seeking the right of full citizenship that would allow them to vote and seek public office, these verses and others like them were often used by christians to denigrate the suffrage movement. How can a woman hold public office when the bible commands her to be subordinate in all things?

Christians continue to denigrate feminist causes right up to the present day.

Behold,

Feminism is a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians. Pat Robertson

Of course, this article started out by talking about Prop 8 and the whole gay marriage thing, so how about we bring the topic back to marriage now.

Miscegenation: Another sign of god’s love

Miscegenation is the fancy term for interracial marriage.  Hey, it comes from latin, so it sounds smarter.  Specifically, it refers to various laws that have been passed to outlaw interracial marriages or sexual relations.  In the US, miscegenation laws existed from colonial times until 1967 when the supreme court delared them to be unconstitutional.  Although it is easy to look upon such laws as another instance of the racial inequality that has existed in America since it’s inception, once again religion raises it’s ugly head.

But first, some background:

In June of 1958, Richard and Mildred Loving were married in the District of Columbia.  When they returned to their home in Caroline County, Virginia, they were arrested for violating Virginia’s miscegenation laws.  They were charged and convicted of a felony crime that carried a sentence of 1 to 5 years in prison.  Their sentence was suspended for 25 years on the condition that they leave the state of Virginia (a good idea at any time).  This case eventually found it’s way to the supreme court where it was overturned in 1967.

If you are wondering how the state of Virginia could justify such a horrible invasion of someone’s private life, let us turn to the Virginia judge who heard this case and provided the following statement

Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix.  FindLaw

Now, you may be thinking that this guy was a judge, not a minister. Maybe he had his christian theology all wrong. Let us therefore listen to the words of another prominent Virginia citizen well known for being close to the lord: Mr. Jerry Falwell himself.

“The true Negro does not want integration…. He realizes his potential is far better among his own race.” Falwell went on to announce that integration “will destroy our race eventually. In one northern city,” he warned, “a pastor friend of mine tells me that a couple of opposite race live next door to his church as man and wife.”  Agent of Intolerance

You see, gay people may be out to destroy marriage, but people who intermarry are out to destroy America and the white race.

How can you disagree with Jerry Falwell? It’s Jerry Falwell for christ’s sake. He is probably up in heaven right now telling god to hate you for disagreeing with him.

Although, speaking of gay people.

Faggots need not apply

May as well throw in some bible verses for the gay folks too. At least the bible doesn’t discriminate when it comes to the hate.

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22

If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives. Leviticus 20:13

So, the whole gay sex thing is out. Not to mention the Adam and Eve. Not Adam and Steve thing. Nowhere does the bible refer to a marriage that is not between a man and a slave, uh, woman.  If you are the kind of person who has no problem using a book about talking snakes and donkeys as a basis for civil society, there is simply no place in your world for gay people. They have forfeited their lives after all.

And with that, we have come full circle. We hope you enjoyed our whirlwind tour of the wonders of christianity, but wait. What’s that you say?

Not all christians are evil

That’s true. Not all christians are evil, but christianity is.

And that, my friend, is the whole point of this article. Although, I may mention various people throughout, it is really the religion that I am discussing here. The bible is a horrible book which should never be used as a guide to moral behavior. Christians have committed heinous acts in the name of their religion over the years because they were doing what the bible says. And other religions are no different.

However, the following quote from Hillary Clinton in the May/June 2009 issue of The Humanist Magazine reflects a very common opinion.

Every religion has people who misuse that religion. I’m a Christian, and through the centuries we’ve had many people who have done terrible things in the name of Christianity. They have perverted the religion.

I have heard this argument from so many people over the years, and I always have one simple question. How can they pervert a religion by doing exactly what that religion tells them to do?

• When christians persecute non-believers or members of other sects, is it a perversion of the many passages in the bible that encourage just such behavior?
• When christians owned slaves, was it a perversion of the passages in the bible that condone or even advocate slavery?
• When men treat women as inferiors, is it a perversion of the many passages in the bible that portray women as property, or the passages which declare that women should be submissive, silent, and never be allowed to rule over a man?
• When christians mis-treat gay people, is it a perversion of the passage in the bible which openly declares that men who have had anal sex should be killed?

But, you left out all of the good parts

What about all of the passages which talk about love: Love thy neighbor as thyself, the greatest of these is love, etc? Did I forget about those?

The bible talks a great deal about love you might say. To which I would respond that talking “about” love is precisely the problem. The new testament talks about love all over the place: how great it is, how much of it god has, etc., but it gives very few practical examples or guidelines for how to go about it.

Christians have been left to fend for themselves when deciding how to be a loving person, and this brings us to the crux of the matter.

Whenever the bible talks about love it does so in vague, often meaningless terms, but when it talks about who you should hate, kill, or punish, it is very detailed and specific.

This dichotomy is what allowed people in the middle ages to rationalize burning a heretic at the stake as a loving act because it pushed them to repent. It is the same dichotomy that allows christian parents to send their gay children to facilities run by quacks to overcome their evil tendencies. It is done out of love.

Legalizing gay marriage would legitimize homosexuality which is a sin. Making gay people feel evil and inferior may lead them to repentance. If gay people feel like shit all of the time, maybe they will leave the homosexual lifestyle for a happy life with jesus for all eternity.

See what I mean?

The problem is that when people try to mix the fluffy, meaningless passages about love in the bible with the intolerant, hate filled, and downright evil passages, this is the kind of behavior you get.

Remember the people in California who worked so hard to pass Prop 8? They don’t hate gay people at all. They really, really love them. Just like the bible says.

Still don’t believe me?

Try this one out.

Compassionate Society Should Discourage Deadly Homosexual Behavior

Feel the Love.

After spending your days combating all of the evil things that christians do, it is good to be reminded of just how much worse things could actually be. Fortunately, you do not have to look any further than islam. Islam is what christianity would still be if the enlightenment had never occurred.

So here you go.

In case you were wondering, islam allows a man to beat his wife. There are rules, of course, I mean hey they’re not monsters. Don’t get carried away, or you may miss out on the 70 virgins in the afterlife.

And another one.

Apparently, we westerners are just too ignorant to understand.

just in case the wife beating was not enough to freak you out, how about the statement the first guy makes, saying “he should not beat her like he would beat an animal, or a child, slapping them right and left. The catholic church may not be sorry about all of the child abuse it has caused, but at least they’re embarrassed about it. These guys are just psychopaths.

islam: making christianity look downright civilized for the past few hundred years.

A person who experienced abuse as a child in a catholic church run institution expresses his outrage. The recently released Ryan Report declared that physical and sexual abuse was endemic in catholic run schools and orphanages throughout Ireland. Although the report provided vindication for the survivors, it is unlikely to provide justice. The catholic church did everything in it’s power to prevent this report from seeing the light of day, and it appears that any abusers who are still alive will never be charged with a crime.

In an amazing statement, the Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Fuckwad Vincent Nichols, actually makes the abusers out to be heroes for having the courage to face these allegations, saying

I think of those in religious orders and some of the clergy in Dublin who have to face these facts from their past which instinctively and quite naturally they’d rather not look at. That takes courage, and also we shouldn’t forget that this account today will also overshadow all of the good that they also did.” guardian.co.uk

No wonder this guy is so angry.

Really great article on the stress of coming out, and of being yourself to various uptight family members.

http://tastytrixie.com/blog/2009/06/coming-out-over-and-over-again.html

Warning: The website contains links to porn sites and some pornographic images (Oh my).  It is definitely not safe for work or the easily offended.

She has way more patience than I when dealing with the intentionally ignorant and narrow minded. I am usually just amazed that people can manage to reach adulthood with such limited knowledge of our vast, wonderful world.  More amazing is how everyone feels the need to protect them from the horrible discovery that other people are not just like them.

I always thought education was a good thing.  When you come across some poor ignorant moron who managed to make it to retirement age without ever hearing the word transgender, giving them an education may just be the best gift you can give.

Trixie, we wish you and your girlfriend the best of luck.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia,

“Blasphemy signifies etymologically gross irreverence towards any person or thing worthy of exalted esteem.”

Does this mean that it is impossible to blaspheme against the catholic church?  A pile of dirt is worthy of more exalted esteem than it is.

I guess I need to find a new hobby.