News & Views from an Embedded Systems Designer
I watched some of “The Stand” on the SciFi channel recently so I can’t resist saying, M-O-O-N that spells theocracy. 😉
Ed Brayton has posted two more articles in his series “Bad Moon Rising” over at Michigan Messenger. Two more excellent posts in this so far excellent series, read part 4 here and part 5 here.
Ed Brayton has been writing a series of articles for the Michigan Messenger on the Rev. Moon and his church entitled “Bad Moon Rising”. I remember when the Moonies first appeared in the US I was around 15. I thought they were just another silly cult that wouldn’t go far and would hopefully disappear. My Dad, an American Baptist minister at the time, told me he thought they’d be around a long time and he was concerned about their potential to cause problems here in the US. Well after reading Ed’s three articles I have to say, Dad, you were right.
While reading some comments on other blogs today I saw a link to Fundies Say the Darndest Things! I read through the Top 100 Quotes page over there and laughed at some of the quotes like these:
FSTDT! Post of the Year for 2006
“No, everyone is born Christian. Only later in life do people choose to stray from Jesus and worship satan instead. Atheists have the greatest “cover” of all, they insist they believe in no god yet most polls done and the latest research indicates that they are actually a different sect of Muslims.”Fundamentalism In A Nutshell Award
“There are a lot of things I have concluded to be wrong, without studying them in-depth. Evolution is one of them. The fact that I don’t know that much about it does not bother me in the least.”“Occam’s Razor Disagrees” Award
“I am a bit troubled. I believe my son has a girlfriend, because she left a dirty magazine with men in it under his bed. My son is only 16 and I really don’t think he’s ready to date yet. What’s worse is that he’s sneaking some girl to his room behind my back. I need help, God! I want my son to stop being so secretive!”Post of the Month
“I appreciate your recommendation, and it is intriguing, but as a pro-lifer, I cannot support an organization that is opposed to the death penalty.”Fundie Debate Tactics Award
“Make sure your answer uses Scripture, not logic.”No award just in the Top 100
“I don’t care about logic or science, the Bible says the moon and sun move.”Best Christian Debater
“Evidence that the Bible is God’s Word
1. It claims to be.”No award just in the Top 100
“What part of I know that the bible is true because the bible tells me that it is true do you have trouble understanding?
Don’t you feel silly disagreeing with such a logical argument?
Love and blessings Don”
Sadly there are too many other quotes that aren’t funny, they are sad and/or dangerous.
Saddest Post of the Year
“Just recently my son Bobby came out to me. I had been worried for awhile. His teachers said most of his grades were slipping and he seemed depressed and withdrawn.Bobby said he’d been hiding it for awhile because he was afraid I would reject him. I sat him down and told him that I loved him and that God loved him, but that his salvation was in danger if he did not resist his unnatural tempations. I told him how being gay would mean he would live a shorter life, and that if he couldnt change his orientation he could be celibate like most the ex-gays are. He started crying saying something along the lines of “I knew you wouldnt understand! You’re just like everyone else!” before running to his room and slamming the door.
What did I do wrong? I dont want to lose my son, but I fear I already have. I talked it over with his therapist, who had the ludicrous idea that homosexuality was unchangable and that trying to repress could lead to lots of psychological damage (I’ve dropped him and will try to be finding another therapist with more moral beliefs). I wouldnt be surprised if he’s the one who’s feeding my son all the homosexual propaganda about how its ‘ok’ to be gay. That, or how homosexuality has engulfed the media, making it seem ‘cool’ and ‘hip’ and how they were just another oppressed minority. You didnt have to worry about seeing two men making out on tv at my age! I dont want to sound like a fanatic, but Im worried what other effects will come out of this increasingly secular, immoral society obsessed with filth.
Am I too late? Or is it possible to save my son
[Note: the boy eventually took his own life.]”No award just in the Top 100
“[about a girl being born with mental disabilities]This girl is like a leper so what she needs to do is try and find god
if she really believes she can be healed from this state, she will be healed from this state
Most afflictions like this are caused by sins committed while still inside the womb. If she can repent for what she does god will embrace her and make her as human as you or me but if she chooses not to she’ll always be like this
god tests every one of us [emphasis added]”
Proudly Marching Into the 16th Century Award
“AIDS is caused by immoral behavior, not by a virus.”No award just in the Top 100
“I AM here to be my husband’s “personal maid” and to be “stuck in the house.” I showed plenty of verses that showed that – the 31st chapter of Proverbs! Wives are to be a help meet for their husbands. I consider it a privilege to cook the meals, do the laundry, clean the house, rear the children, pick up clothes he may leave lying around, clean the kitchen counters after he makes a sandwich…… […]Yes, women have rights – the right to obey God’s Word…….”
Fundamentalism in a Nutshell
“[Am I in discussion with a human who has a functioning brain?]
What does a functioning brain have to do with the Bible?”No award just in the Top 100
“Interestingly, and sadly, all we see on the internet and in society today is talk about domestic violence; but NEVER do we hear anything about statistics on wives who refuse to obey their husbands. It is evil. It is just as sinful for a wife to frustrate her husband through insubordination and disobedience as it is for a man to commit domestic violence. I am not lessening the sin of domestic violence, I am emphasizing the sin of wives who rebel against their husbands by not being obedient. I realize this is ancient mentality to feminists today; but it is 100% Biblical doctrine. A wife is expected by God to obey her husband. Feminists are eagerly willing to crucify abusive husbands; BUT they won’t even address the issue of wives who disobey, mistreat, and frustrate their husbands. It takes two to tango.Please understand that I believe a wife who is being physically abused should leave if she feels threatened; but not divorce. Such a wife needs to sincerely ask herself “why” her husband is being abusive–there’s ALWAYS a reason. …”
Post of the Week (1)
“If u have sex before marriage then in Gods eyes u are married to that person if a man rapes a woman in Gods eyes they are married it sucks for the girl but what can we do lol”No award just in the Top 100
“[Commenting on a study which suggests that women who exercise by doing the housework can reduce their risk of breast cancer]Missing the point. It’s not the exercise. Joggers and Pilates people – and the sun-worshippers – are the ones getting breast cancer. The explanation is this. It is God Who gives you cancer. A woman who keeps house, and bears the children God gives her as a gift, and prays the Rosary – no abortions and no pills – will be cancer-free, all other things being equal. “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; refuse not therefore the chastising of the Lord, for He wounds and cures, He strikes and His hands shall heal” – Job.”
Media Czech of the BlueGrassRoots blog had Fun at the Creation Museum!!!!
It sure seems like Ham’s Museum has it all, bigotry, incest and a “Jesus Horse”. I wonder if many Christians think this is a good place to bring kids, I hope not.
Thanks to PZ for pointing this out. For further reading about this madness check out PZ’s Creation Museum Carnival.
I’ve encountered a number of very weird web sites this week, not the good kind of weird either. Be careful if you visit them your IQ might plummet. 🙂 I’ve intentionally not linked the [crazy sites] because I don’t want to improve their search rankings. If any of the owners or supporters of the crazy sites wants my opinion, here it is, seek professional psychiatric help, sooner rather than later.
Barcodes are evil, as in Satan (echoing like the Church Ladies voice) – Warning: 666 Is Coming – [www.av1611.org/666.html] and [www.av1611.org/666/barcode.html].
These people think theocracy is good – Society for the Practical Establishment and Perpetuation of the TEN COMMANDMENTS – [www.tencommandments.org].
Too crazy to describe – 11:11 O’Clock Explained – [www.1111spiritguardians.com].
Wow they have an professional organization – the American Society of Dowsers – [www.dowsers.org], and a local chapter in my area – Greater Boston Chapter of ASD – [susantom.com].
On the way home from the office today I listened to this weeks The Infidel Guy Show a totally NOT crazy site and one of the fine “The Triad of Reason” podcasts. I’ve only been listening for a little while but so far I’ve liked the podcasts, in particular the Massimo Pigliucci interviews are excellent.
This weeks show is an interview with Glenn Borchardt [www.glennborchardt.com], Director (and possibly only member of) the Progressive Science Institute [www.scientificphilosophy.com]. Glenn has written a book, “THE SCIENTIFIC WORLDVIEW, Beyond Newton and Einstein: Understanding the Universal Mechanism of Evolution”, that he talks about on this weeks The Infidel Guy Show.
I can’t find words to describe the craziness but, I did find another blogger, Damian Guerra, who found the words: Glenn Borchardt and the Scientific Worldview and, The Scientific Worldview .
Shalini’s blog has pointed me to what is surely the worst case of pareidolia ever. It’s a bird poop Jesus, see the original article here. My favorite case of pareidolia has to be Lenin on a shower curtain from Phil Plait (The Bad Astronomer).
On this weeks Bill Moyers Journal there was an interview with Reason Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Nick Gillespie.
BILL MOYERS: You know, there’s an anomaly. I have to come back to this. You you– have strong opinions about politics, parties, elections. You’re registered to vote but you don’t vote. You feel stateless? You feel lost in America?
NICK GILLESPIE: You know, it’s been so long since I’ve had political heroes that I don’t worry. I was thinking about watching the piece about Regent University and the discussion about the role of religion and the state. One of my great heroes is Roger Williams, who is, like Pat Robertson, was a Baptist.
This was– the guy who– he was kicked– he was a– trained at Cambridge during the great Puritan years in the 17th century. He was a classmate of John Milton. He came to America to preach. Got kicked out of Massachusetts Bay Colony because he said, “You guys are mixing– the Lord’s work with secular government.”
And he ended up founding– he got kicked out, founded Providence, bought land from the Indians– you know, which is almost unheard of then. Created the– — colony of Rhode Island. Got a royal charter for that as a place for religious tolerance.
He came up– and this is a Baptist, who, like Pat Robertson, in his heart of hearts, thought that the pope was the antichrist– or a werewolf. You know, in the popular prejudices of the days. But articulated the absolute need to have a secular government where your religious faith was a private concern that the state could not control but it also couldn’t compel any individual to worship in a particular way. And it seems to me, you know, Roger Williams may be my last political hero.
I’m so pleased to see this on a nationally distributed TV show. Since my posts for the Blog Against Theocracy blogswarm, here and here , I’ve wondered why there isn’t more mention of Roger Williams‘s influence in the anti-theocracy movement. Williams used the Bible to show that government with absolute freedom of religion, including non-belief, is the the only just form of government.
From an article in the Hampstead and Highgate Express:
In the question and answer session that followed, Rabbi Sacks was asked how he would convince someone like scientist and atheist, Richard Dawkins of the benefits of religious identity.
Mr Sacks responded: “We need atheists to remind us things are not God’s will, God does not want hunger, injustice or violence. I am quite happy Richard Dawkins stops us having too much faith. There’s a lot more religion in the world than there was 25 years ago and there’s a lot more violence in the world than there was 25 years ago.”
A comment over at Greg Laden’s blog pointed me to this article by Neil deGrasse Tyson, The Perimeter of Ignorance. I haven’t read anything from him before today but, I have enjoyed seeing him on the PBS show, Nova Science Now. I also read another older article of his, Holy Wars and found it to be excellent. In this article he mentions, A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom By Andrew Dickson White, which I located in Google books.
Here’s a bunch of liberty haters – Stop the ACLU Coalition groups like this make the founding fathers spin in their graves. Judging from their logo and surfing around their site I’d say they want to replace our Democracy with their Theocracy.
Paul Hutchinson's Blog 
