Fox Patriots, a Look Inside the Mentality

I would like to introduce you to some of the fine folks who left death threats on the Fox News Facebook page. These menacing, impulsive blurbs were in response to a recent Fox News interview with Blair Scott of American Atheists who explained the reason for the organization's objection to the cross at Ground Zero. You remember the comments, right? I blogged about this just yesterday. Here are a few of them. Refresh your memory.

See, since these brave, upstanding patriots took the liberty to make blatant, senseless death threats in a public forum, I took the liberty to look them up on Facebook and peer deeper into the primordial pools of their quivering, mushy, bigoted brains. This is what I found.*

*Disclaimer: I spelled nothing wrong. These are direct quotes. Copied and pasted. These snippets are from the actual profiles of the people who made the outrageous threats on the Fox News page. This is a conglomerate of the info from the profiles that had no privacy settings in place. Others had privacy restrictions. You can see them for yourself with a simple search.

Read with caution.

Profile Picture: 










Religious Views: "Christian. Live one day at a time because you never what God has in store for you ,something from your past or something in your future could change your life in an instant! HERE TODAY & GONE TOMMAROW.Trust in God,live in God,honer and praise him..BELIEVE!"

Political Views: "Conservative God Fearing,Gun Toating,Constitution​ Carring,Flag Waiving,AMERICAN! TEA PARTY!!!"

Pages: "Women who make men sandwiches, Laughing at stupidity, USA Truck,  Family Feud, why do Dora's parents just let her travel all over the place by herself..?, The Bible, And then God created Saturn... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it..., Chuck Swindoll, I support the Defense of Marriage Act, Conservative, George W. Bush, Remember November, Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh and the EIB Network, "Miss me yet?"- George W. Bush (www.bushfans.com), The Townhall.com Presidential Straw Poll, Herman Cain, I hate it when I wake up in the morning and Barack Obama is President., Truth Game, Laughing at Stupid Things Liberals Say, Abortion doesn't make you un-pregnant, it makes you the mom of a dead baby., National Rifle Association, ESPN, Megadeth is better than Metallica, USA Truck Recruiting, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bob and Tom Show, Rush Limbaugh"

Groups: "Let's see if there are 5 million people on FB who believe in God! Press Like if you do!"

Inspirational People: "Ronald Reagen, Glenn Beck, Sam Kinison, Sean Hannity, Richard Pryor, John Lennon" 

Favorite Quotes: "The difference between GENIUS & STUPID is that GENIUS has its limits". ..Albert Einstein-------.....

​.......BUT ABOVE ALL ELSE;...............​.Jesus said' I am the way, the truth, and the life:No man comes to the father,but through ME".

Music: "Megadeth, Poison, Jerry Clower " 

Books: "I'm Not Much of a Reader to be Honest, Maxim, That's about it"

Favorite Athletes: "Angela Leong IFBB Pro Bikini Athlete"

(And...of course...)

Television: "Fox News"

Aw, shucks. I love you too!

Hey, have you heard about the new American Atheists lawsuit against a cross-shaped memorial being installed at the 9/11 site at the exclusion of any other religious symbols? Yes? So, a spokesman from American Atheists, Blair Scott, was recently interviewed on Fox News about this.

Here are some adorable heart-warming responses to that interview from the Fox News Facebook page. These were captured in a screenshot by Robert Posey, a member of American Atheists, before a moderator for the Fox page took them down. Grab a box of tissues, these are going to pull some serious heartstrings. 

 

Can't you just feel the love? Oh, now you made me blush! Stop it! You are just too sweet!

Oooh! A teddy bear! For l'il old me? Aw, shucks. If you aren't the best Fox viewers ever. C'mere, you big lugs. Mu-wah! I love ya!

“I can always tell when someone from American Atheists is on FOX news, because my Inbox explodes with hate email." - Blair Scott, American Atheists

The Militant Atheist

In response to the hella bunch of times I hear that atheism is a religion unto itself, that atheists are out to convert others, that atheists are dogmatic, and that atheists are just as militant and fundamental as any other religious fanatic (okay, my brain exploded just typing that sentence)...

I present to you, The Militant Atheist.

Tee hee hee...

Guest Blogger: A Military Wife

In light of this latest news about another Muslim-American soldier in trouble at Fort Hood, this post seemed particularly relevant today. I've been holding onto this entry, but this needs to be shared.
 
I have a friend from college who, along with her husband, has been immersed in American military life for the past ten years. This is her response to a few of my questions about religion in the U. S. Army and her opinion on some of the many challenges faced by those enlisted in the American Armed Forces.

Why does it appear that the United States military is becoming increasingly "Christianized?" I think fear is a part of it, but I don't think it's the main reason. I don't believe it's because soldiers are afraid of dying (the "no atheists in foxholes" argument). It's more complicated than that. 

When a person enlists, they do so out of a sense of patriotic duty, and certainly there were a lot of men and women who wanted to go "kick some ass" and get revenge after 9/11. Those feelings aren't enough to get you through combat and certainly not enough to propel you into the next conflict. After that, you aren't fighting for some nebulous ideal, you're fighting for the guy next to you, and you know that he is fighting for you. Men lose arms and legs in combat, and as soon as they have healed from their injuries, they want to go back. They want to be there to share the burden with their fellow soldiers. They are not standing against a cause and an enemy because of hate, they fight because they love the guy next to them. That's a distinction that I think few civilians are aware of. 

Nonetheless, the job of being a soldier means you might have to take a life. And that's hard to do. I believe this is what's behind the Christian movement in the Army. Not really fear, but a need to do everything possible to make your enemy "the other." If you allow yourself to identify with the enemy, to consider his point of view, to see him as human, it might make it that much harder to pull the trigger when you need to. You can't afford to weaken yourself that way, and you can't allow the guy next to you to weaken either. That's probably why you hear soldiers use these derogatory, dehumanizing terms for the enemy: towelheads, commies, gooks. You lump the enemy all into one category, and you distance yourself from them in every way. So, if your enemy is a Muslim, you might find your Christian faith growing stronger. You might find yourself "born again." "See? Look at me, I'm different! I would never fly a plane into a building like those savages. I'm better than they are, and they deserve what they get." It's a way to sleep easier at night, when you know you killed a man that afternoon. After all, he wasn't like you. The army chaplains exploit this natural tendency by using phrases like "doing god's work." Imagine you're eighteen years old and you just killed a man. Wouldn't you rest easier if you were praised, "Good work, son. God is proud of you?" Many of the new soldiers are young, impressionable, under immense physical and psychological stress-and they are ripe for conversion. 

Do Christian soldiers see that Christianity and Islam are basically mirror images of each other? Can they understand how similar the two faiths are? The answer is, I believe, for the most part, no. Mostly because these kids are largely ignorant about the Islamic faith, and they want to stay that way. To them, the two faiths are opposites-good vs. evil, literally. We have many Muslims in the Armed Forces and this war has been psychologically devastating for them. Muslim-American soldiers are often ostracized or bullied by the Christians in their company who don't trust them or understand them. No wonder some of these guys snap and shoot people, like the guy in Texas. They are being torn in two.

The soldier who empathizes with his enemy is the soldier who will have lifelong nightmares from his tour(s). The soldier who demonizes the 'towelheads' and is sure God wanted him to kill them, is the soldier who can move on after his service. Ignorance of your enemy and self-righteousness in your cause are bliss, on both sides of the fight. My husband has several good Muslim friends from his tour in Germany, so he has respect for and an understanding of the Islamic faith and culture, and his two tours in Iraq were very difficult for him because of this. He continues to struggle with it.  

So, while I detest this militant strain of Christianity that has been spawned by 9/11, I can understand where it comes from. I can see it for what it is: a survival mechanism. And having never ridden in a convoy, knowing people on the street want to kill me, having never kicked down a door to a house that could be occupied by a suicide bomber, I can't say I blame them for doing what they need to do to get through the deployment. 

This need to demonize "the other" bleeds over into the civilian world, too. The military at any given time represents just 1-2% of the American population; that's a lot of people who aren't fighting. But everyone wants to feel like a patriot during wartime, so I think many people feel that by embracing Christianity, they are doing their part to say, "Fuck you" to the Muslim extremists. On September 10th, most Americans didn't know jack-shit about Islam, so for them 9/11 was their first impression of the faith. The men who flew the planes into the towers were not extremists, but simply Muslims, in that view. They aren't interested in the distinction between the two, and they just don't care. It's not patriotic to learn more about your enemy. "I learned all I need to know about Islam on 9/11"-you've seen that bumper sticker, I assume? That sums up the mentality perfectly. If your enemy is a religious extremist, you combat that by going to the other end of the extreme. You and I, as atheists without a dog in the fight, so to speak, can see the absurdity of the situation, the tragic self-defeating loop of it, but they can't. They don't want to, I imagine. It's much more comfortable to be sure you are right and God is on your side. 

I feel that there is a ray of hope in all this: It will pass. It will burn itself out, and we'll lapse back into our customary laziness. There was a tide of Christian fervor in response to the "Godless commies" during the Cold War (resulting in the addition of "under God' to about 50 gazillion things), and it faded after the threat passed. And this will too, eventually. Americans are wonderfully complacent; whenever we feel the immediate crisis has passed, we drop the cause and go back to our TV dinners. Frankly, I think the religious right will soon reach a level of nastiness that will cause a backlash. The religious right and the liberal left are both very vocal. They largely dominate public discourse, but many Americans are really moderate and reasonable and are put off by the aggressiveness of both sides. I think soon the religious right may go too far, and the tide will turn. The war will eventually end, and with the Muslim middle east no longer an active threat, the pews will empty because the urgency will be gone.  

At least, that's what I hope. In the meantime, I think the atheist community needs to do more to reach out to the military. Yes, the military is dominated by Christians, but that's exactly why atheist groups should reach out to the soldiers and support them, to encourage the nonbelievers in the military to come out of the faith closet. I guarantee there are more nonbelievers in the Armed Forces than you'd think, but these people have almost no one to turn to right now. Thus, they're laying low and keeping their mouths shut. So, if I can raise awareness of the unique issues in the American military within the civilian atheist community, then all the better!

Thank you, old friend.

Guest Blogger: An Ex-Mormon

I received a nice email from a reader who agreed to allow me to post this message to other Mormons who may be struggling with questioning their faith. Enjoy! 

I am twenty-five years old and was raised in a very staunch Mormon family. While my religious background has been a huge source of contention and trouble in my life, I can't say that I completely regret it. After all, my parents are amazing, and they did a very good job of bringing me up with a great set of values and sense of how to be a decent human. I don't think the church is evil, as do many of my fellow apostates. I just find it to be as silly and full of lies as any of the rest of the world's religious faiths. I am just glad that I have finally been able to shrug off the huge amount of guilt and fear that was entrenched in my religion and instilled by its teachings in me from a very young age. As with a lot of Christian faiths, Mormonism is judgmental and against many of the most basic human functions: masturbation, premarital sex, altering the mind, and any kind of free questioning/thinking. Anyway, I could go on and on. 

Living in Utah as an atheist has been one hell of a ride. As for living near all these Mormons, let alone now having to live back in my parents' basement.....It's actually not that bad. I just don't bring religion or spirituality up in conversation, and if the subject is raised, I generally will not engage in any kind of argument or debate. It is just not worth the waste of breath to me. I'd rather switch the subject to something useful like which resort has the most snow or which river is fishing the best this time of year!

If there are any Mormons that stumble upon this, and are looking for some authentic material to read about the real truth about the church (not "anti-Mormon" as your bishop would call it), please visit postmormon.org, exmormon.org, mormonhandbook.com. These sites contain things that are absolutely true and factual about the Mormon church and its origins, but that members of the church DO NOT want you to know. To them, questioning is the biggest sin there is. Does this not bother you? QUESTION! LIVE WITHOUT GUILT AND FEAR!!! I did, and I finally feel like I belong on this crazy planet!

Thanks, pal. I started this blog with the goal to help just one person realize it is okay to be open, honest, and yes, snarky about his or her beliefs, and that humor and wonder can be found in the journey of self-discovery as an atheist.

I have noticed that several of the search terms that come up in my blog stats have contained queries such as, "Why am I Mormon?" and "Questioning my Mormonism." Perhaps this advice may comfort someone or assist in their quest for information. Remember, we are more alike than we are different. After all, we are made of the same stuff!

"The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of star stuff." - Carl Sagan

 Thank you for writing in.

Boogity Boogity Boogity Amen!

Nothing says America more than this. I love this pastor. The upcoming video is 100% comprised of Awesome!

 I give you...

The Opening Prayer of NASCAR, by Pastor Joe Nelms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J74y88YuSJ8

 

Craigslist Prayer Warriors

Don’t you hate when you catch a summer cold? A year ago, I was a puddle of crap and mucus, rolling around in bed with a really bad one. It was shortly after I moved to the coast, and I had recently placed an ad on the local Craigslist to sell some furniture. I ended up buying a little beach condo, so I traded living space for a Gulf view. I was forced to bid farewell to my gorgeous maple desk set and the antique dining room table upon which I had blown out childhood birthday candles and toasted champagne before family dinners. Oh well, onward and upward.

One day, while wallowing in snotty misery, I received a call from an interested party. The older gentleman explained that he was the minister of a small local church and he was interested in the desk and filing cabinets for the church office. He totally low-balled my price, unfortunately. But, what the hell, he was an old man who probably grew up paying half of a shirt button for a Coca-cola that had real cocaine in it.

My stars, that's a zippy formula!

So I was “Christ-like,” and graciously let him rip me off. We made an appointment for him and his goode wyfe to retrieve the furniture at my storage unit.

After two days, when it came time for me to haul my pale, clammy ass out of bed, I realized I was running a pretty good fever. I called Pastor Charlie Church to cancel our meeting and request that he wait until I was feeling better. He kindly agreed, and then the craziness began.

Churchy asked, “Oh dear, you sound very sick. May my wife and I pray for you?”

 

Dead silence on my end of the telephone.

“Whut nid noo say?” I heard my congested voice croak. Did I just hear that? Maybe my ears were clogged.

“My wife and I are holding hands, and we would like to pray for you to overcome your illness through the grace of Jesus Christ.”

More silence. Inner dialogue says, “It’s harmless. He wants to do it. It’ll make him feel better. Don’t be a bitch and tell him you don’t believe in god; you might lose the sale! Think of the money. You need to get rid of this furniture, just go along with it!”

“Un-kay,” I agreed.

The goode wyfe then got on the phone and it began. “Holy father,” she said, (I heard Charlie C. hmmming and amenning in the background) “please be with this good woman today as she continues to battle her illness. Please lift this sickness from her body and heal her pain. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

By this time, I had realized the sweaty hilarity of the scenario unfolding before me. Two sweet, Craigslist renegade missionaries were praying over the phone for a complete stranger, an outspoken, yet unknown to them, atheist, who was stifling snotty laughter and covering the phone with her hand to remain unheard lest a tickled snort escape from her swollen nose.

When we finally met to make the exchange, my gorgeous, expensive, solid maple desk for their gross underpayment of what it was worth, they noted how I was feeling better and seemed to be recovering from my summer cold.

They nodded knowingly to each other with serene smiles. I thanked them for their prayer, and they said, “Thanks be to God.”

As I suppressed a far-too-wide smile and said goodbye, I realized that they had just indirectly taken responsibility for curing my rhinovirus. I continue to wonder if they would have backed out of the purchase had they known they were about to buy an Atheist desk that was crafted from a solid plank of pure evil, hand-carved by demons, and varnished to a lustrous shine with Satan’s sweat.

"My name is Satan...

but you can call me Beelz!"

Split Personality Christian Song

Please watch this video. When you initially view it, you will likely ask me, "What's the big deal? It's just another cheesy yellow sweater-wearing chubby Christian singing a pop-rock Jesus anthem." But your mind will be that much closer to being blown. You must wait for it. Prepare to have this look on your face when you see it.

Remember. Wait for it. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qszVH0JCAYk&feature=related

July 24, 2011 Update: Upon further investigation, this man is not simply goofy or insane. He's just plain evil.  The crazy voice he uses during the song is, if you catch it, someone he names as "Li'l Markie." With a Google search, you find something even more disturbing than his yellow sweater. Yes, my friends, his squeaky-voiced character is supposed to be an unborn fetus. If you have the desire, you may see his manipulative and sad attempt to induce guilt in women by speaking as an unborn microscopic embryo, complete with its own Chucky voice, to demonstrate his pro-life stance. I warned you. The link to the Diary of an Unborn Child is here. Additionally, someone decided to further horrify us all by putting the song to animation.

I'm sorry for ruining a little bit more of you that was once wholesome and pure. 

Everything is Bigger in Texas! Even Teen Pregnancy!

Texas Governor, Rick Perry, who you all know has called for a Day of Fasting and Prayer for our ailing country, and who may also be running for President of the United States of Jesus America, was recently questioned about the continuation of abstinence-only programs in Texas public schools. It appears that since his appointed Creationist school board members voted to remove two six-month sex education courses and replace them with one class of abstinence head in the sand education several years ago, teen pregnancy rates have sky-rocketed and Texas has taken the lead! That's what I'm talkin' about! We do everything bigger and better in Texas, yee haw!!!

Baby ponders his future lot in life. 

See, the abstinence programs teach us that, of course, using protection simply doesn't work. Instead, horny kids are told, "Just don't do it." The clear choice is to staunchly deny the surging hormones and constant, urgent erections, and buckle down for God. So, Texas kids listened, and are just not using the pointless, silly methods of guarding against disease and unwanted pregnancy. Even kids in college must have parental consent to get protection.

Why not just bring back the barbed chastity belt and spiked cock ring?

Here's a peek inside this abstinence-only What Would Jesus Do mentality that has hopelessly failed our children in Texas.

One Texas public school district's sex ed handout is entitled "Things to Look for in a Mate:"

I. How they relate to God
A. Is Jesus their first love?
B. Trying to impress people or serve God?

Another public school district uses this:

Question: "What does the Bible say about sex before marriage/premarital sex?"

Answer: Along with all other kinds of sexual immorality, sex before marriage/premarital sex is repeatedly condemned in Scripture (Acts 15:20; Romans 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:13,1

These are from public school programs, need I remind you.

Caution: Slow Learning Zone.

The face-palm? In just a few, short years, the teen pregnancy rate increased dramatically, and is now fifty percent higher than the national average. What's worse is that the rate of repeat teen pregnancies also rose, and leads the nation.

Rick Perry's response to this crisis has been as you'd expect. Abstinence works. The man who brought you this solution to the ills of America...

"I sincerely hope you’ll join me in Houston on August 6th and take your place in Reliant Stadium with praying people asking God’s forgiveness, wisdom and provision for our state and nation. There is hope for America. It lies in heaven, and we will find it on our knees."

...is sticking by his irrational dogma.

Welcome to America. Please pass the fried butter. 

Read the article about this here.

I Have a Vomit Phobia

I could never be a member of this congregation. Too many fluids and bad smells. Too much writhing and spitting and screaming. I need a Xanax just watching this video.

I mean, I'm even sometimes afraid to take an airline flight, because WHAT IF someone barfs in a bag right next to me!?

Definitely not my church.

This is in New York. How can it be so terrible? It's not like it's some backward little hole-in-the-wall church in Florida, right? Well, I encourage you to watch this video. And please don't sue me for the emotional trauma that may result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zai8

I don't feel so good.

Yuk.

Cat Herding

I had to share this. It is from The Far Left Side. 

This reminds me of something I read once about attempting to organize the atheist block vote for the 2012 presidential election in America. Someone commented that trying to get the skeptical vote for a single candidate would be tantamount to herding cats.

A little hidden gem can be found on the original cartoon here. When you hover your mouse over the comic, you get this pop-up:

"Thy rod and thy staff with the little feathers on the end, they comfort me."

Rough Outline for All Theist/Atheist Discussions

Have you noticed the repetition and predictability that occurs when you discuss your atheism with a religious friend? Are you starting to feel a sense of deja vu? I am. After yet another back-and-forth with a passionate theist, I have concluded that there is a pattern here. Does this sound familiar? 

Atheist hints at nonbelief during some random conversation. Theist picks up on it, smells an opportunity, and bites. Theist, with a kind, approachable smile, gently inquires about Atheist's beliefs. Atheist either dodges and says something bland like, "I don't go to church anymore, but I'm still spiritual," or blatantly asks, "I'm an atheist, you got a problem with that?" Theist uncontrollably envisions Satan standing before him. 

Theist proposes that Atheist is, in fact, really Agnostic. Asserts that Atheists believe just as dogmatically that there is no god as the fundamentally religious, and that perhaps Atheist is more open and suggestible to Theist's religious teachings than that. Atheist explains the difference in terms, and directs Theist to the nearest Wiki entry on the words. 

Theist composes himself. Nods and shows pitying expression, then offers, "But you realize you cannot disprove god." Atheist cites burden of proof, and that to have fantastical claims is to assume the responsibility to prove them.

Theist chuckles and misses the point, then describes strong internal conviction. Confuses "knowing" with verifiable knowledge, when instead Theist's sense of "knowing" is actually a subjective feeling and internal conversation. Confuses faith with evidence. 

Atheist points this out. Theist asks, "How does anyone know anything, then?" Theist veers off into existential discussion and asks how Atheist even knows that they are "real." Makes up bizarro-world scenario to show life may all just be an illusion or a test!

Atheist focuses conversation back to the here and now, and redefines evidence and knowledge versus faith and dogma. References how it is very likely that said Theist is probably an adherent to the same religion he was born into.

Theist discounts this. Atheist quizzes Theist on world religions, past and present. Theist fails, but continues to claim that he has the one, true answer to all of life's mysteries and the trials of existence for all humanity through the religion he adopted when he was seven years old.

Atheist becomes irritated because Theist seems to be talking past Atheist, rather than respecting his right to believe any way he sees fit. Asks for mutual respect and awareness that there are many "answers" in life. Theist then, either directly or indirectly, labels Atheist angry, militant, smug, and/or belligerent. 

Theist calls on Pascal's Wager in desperation. Atheist busts this argument as flimsy, and posits that if this is the true reason Theist worships god, an omnipotent, omniscient diety would surely be able to see through this false allegiance. States that the admirable reason to worship a god is not for an eternal payoff or a promise, or even the fear of damnation.  


Theist introduces the morality compass. Says without said holy book, there are no rules or reasons for morality. References holy condemnation of current controversial social issues like abortion or homosexuality. Atheist notes the shitty things like murder and infanticide that occur in holy texts without condemnation, and scoffs that these books are not exactly morality tales or ideal examples of a divine, inspired, perfect message. Suggests that morality must come from within, not from threat of a great overseer. Atheist then further refers to scientific studies about morality and childhood development of empathy and consideration of others. 

Theist misses point again, and unconsciously discloses his fear of death by pleading that there "must be something more." Atheist agrees, there is something more, it is just found in the beauty of the natural world and universe, and in the amazing strength of human virtues. It does not have to be magic.

Theist sighs and rolls eyes, and admits that he feels sorry for how "closed minded" the Atheist must be. Theist then refers to the holy text because the holy text is true because the holy text says it is true. 

Atheist calls circular reasoning. Theist sighs sanctimoniously and finally says, "I will pray for you to find the Truth." Grits teeth, crosses arms, and steps back in judgment.

Atheist changes subject, having no more tolerance for this same conversation that occurs over and over again. Wishes, "Please give me something new. Anything?"