While looking for a netiquette guide with which to reprimand an ALL CAPS comment poster I ran across this guide for children. It’s a pretty good guide for adults as well. It also points out a great technique that I haven’t had to think about yet because my children are too young. It suggests making your kids use fabricated profiles while online to thwart predators. I’m going to have to remember that for when they’re older. Maybe we can have some fun making up their profiles together.
Disparate Doctrines: Two Faiths in Conflict
I just ran across this Newsweek article from back in December. I’m not sure why it was published in December. I mean, it could have been relevant and interesting back during the Republican primaries with Mitt Romney in the race. It points out some of the primary differences between Evangelical Christianity and the Church of Latter-Day Saints. The article is short but there are a ton of comments. I was amused to see all the various xtian sects chiming in pointing fingers at the others for not believing the “right” unsubstantiated bullshit. It’s quite humorous. I had to post an atheist perspective since no one else had before me. What a bunch of bafoons! It’s simply incredible how much effort they put into their beliefs, given the complete lack of evidence for it. Either one accepts the bible as a reliable source, or one doesn’t. I guess I’ve just read too many books to see the bible as anything special.
Why I Vote Anti-Republican
Although I sometimes think the reasons number in the thousands it really boils down to this for me (in no particular order): Continue reading
Posted in Angry Voter, Stake Fodder
Tagged election, McCain, Palin, secular government, voters
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Chirstian Medical Objectors
Should medical practitioners be allowed to withhold information and treatment from patients that they find morally objectionable based on their religious beliefs? Continue reading
Posted in Angry Voter, Stake Fodder, Technophile
Tagged Bush, christian, medicine, mores, secular government
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Comment to the ACLU
I added this comment to the end of a survey I did for the ACLU:
I believe that a primary focus of your organization should be the separation of church and state. Many of the other issues that you address are really just sidelines of that central battle. For example, reproductive rights are only threatened by those who believe that their religion forbids it and furthermore that they have a right to force their views on the rest of us through legislation. Demand to be shown a soul before allowing any laws based on souls to be enacted. Another example, LBGT rights, are only endangered by those acting on their religious beliefs. If those beliefs were kept out of our laws LBGT rights would be a foregone conclusion. I understand that you can’t afford to take an anti-religion stand for fear of endangering progress and alienating supporters but I think that the blame for things like Prop. 8′s passage in California belongs solely to the religious organizations (Saddleback Church, Latter Day Saints, etc.) who financed the lobby for it. When people are preaching hate from the pulpit don’t hold back. Call them out on it. If we, as a society, continue to refrain from criticizing particular religious institutions, even when they are advocating hate, we will soon find ourselves as oppressed by them as the citizens of Afghanistan were/are by the Taliban.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that religion is the root of all evil. Just the most unnecessary and inane kind of evil. The rest of it can be attributed to normal human failings (greed, lust, etc.). On second thought I’m not sure lust should be considered a failing, as long as it doesn’t lead one to disrespecting others.
Teething Can’t be Fun
My 10 month old son has really impressed me with his calm easy going nature…until now. He’s been getting his first teeth in for the last couple of weeks and it has really changed his personality. All of a sudden he’s a whole lot more fragile. If we can get him distracted with something else for a while he goes back to his normal self but most of the time he’s clearly very uncomfortable. It’s funny to think that getting one’s first teeth is a traumatic experience shared by all humanity (all mammalia for that matter) but there’s absolutely no bonding or commiseration about it because it happens before we develop long-term memory or the ability to speak. Hmmmmm. Well I hope it’s over soon; he’s just miserable.
Fun Videos for Skeptics
If you haven’t already found these videos I highly recommend them. Everything QualiaSoup has produced is very well done. He presents the arguments clearly and concisely with excellent supporting visuals. I also appreciate the tone of calm reason that pervades his works. Not sarcastic or demeaning, just the facts. Here’s the latest as a sample… enjoy:
Great job QualiaSoup! Keep up the good work!
Much Ado About Nothing
In the wake of the U.S. presidential election much fuss has been made about the decline in political power of the religious right, such as in this article by Jon Meacham of Newsweek. As much as I’d like to believe it, I don’t, and here’s why: Continue reading
Posted in Angry Voter, Stake Fodder
Tagged christian, election, McCain, Obama, Palin, voters
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Welcome Back Mr. Woods
I for one am extremely gratified by the return of Tiger Woods to competition. I don’t usually follow the PGA Tour every week, but while he was gone I didn’t follow it at all. While I think he certainly sets the standard for excellence in golf he is by no means the only golfer I like to watch play. I think the reason that I didn’t follow golf in his absense is that wins by other players, without Tiger in the field, mean less. In any case, with Tiger now back, and in winning form, I can get back to enjoying his masterful performances, and the masterful performances of the players that occasionally rise to the challenge and beat him.
Hot Running Water, Cornerstone of Civilization
You don’t know how important something is until you suddenly have to do without it. After two weeks without hot running water in the house I have come to a whole new level of appreciation of that most divine of modern amenities. Indeed I feel I could suffer any other depredation with equanimity, if I could just take a hot shower. Continue reading