Solar Power Brings Audio Bibles to Haiti

Haiti succumbs to a second earthquake, but help is near. Yes, I did say "second" earthquake, this one with a bit less force that the last. I can hear Pat Robinson warming up his soapbox.

Now let's look at the positive... solar power! Nice gesture. Among the solar items being donated are cookers, cell phones, street lights, and audio Bibles. What?!?!?!

This magical little gadget called a "Proclaimer", will bleed into the ears of the less fortunate. I hope that the organization Faith Comes By Hearing is sending something beside just solar-powered indoctrination. Just think of how full their stomachs will be after swallowing 15 minutes of pseudo-food and water.

ABC on Holy Rifle Sights

Religious favoritism in the military. Hmmm, that's probably never happened before.
Now why did Trijicon put these Christian "holy codes" on a weapon? Isn't religion supposed to be about peace? Yeah, I know. Jesus is light, etc.
I was active. They did pass out cards and those little Gideon Bibles that you could stuff in your pro-mask carrier.

This crap continues on page 2 where ABC pulls a quote from Trijicon's website.

"We believe that America is great when its people are good," says the Web site. "This goodness has been based on Biblical standards throughout our history, and we will strive to follow those morals."

Oh, I get it. We sort of need this type of thing to be good. Goodness is based on Biblical standards. What a bunch of BS. Have these people even cracked a Bible in a while? I'm getting a mental image of the general shape of this rifle sight and a Trijiconian location where the light of Jesus doesn't shine.

Aside from this, the founder of the company and the man originally responsible for the holy codes is deceased. He won't care. You can take them off now.

The Wacky FFRF

I tell you what. It sure is difficult to maintain a positive attitude. Listen to this from Tom Jackson in Tampa...

Gaylor argues, nonsensically, that people attending government functions should not be forced to pray. Standing (or, as likely, slouching) in silence while someone else delivers a prayer constitutes neither participation nor endorsement but merely respectfulness, a diminishing quality in modern life.

Standing up for your country or a dignitary is respectful. Standing up for deities is sometimes awkward, especially if the deity is not your own. And standing up for leprechauns is just silly. Standing up for silly stuff that you don't believe in is dishonest, not respectful. Religion needs to be private in a government forum. People vote for politicians, not pastors.

He continues...

It would not be caving to the nutty absolutism of the Freedom From Religion crowd to suggest that in such settings - including but not limited to government meetings, civic club luncheons, chamber of commerce do's and political party dinners - invocators should avoid being brand-specific.

Not because they have to be, but because it is the respectful thing to do.

Ok, Tom. Nice slippery-slope. There's two sides to a slope; it can also go the other way if we non-believers are silent. You know darn well that when they say "God" they mean the Christian God.

That's fine. I stand and put my hand over my heart for the pledge and then when the prayer starts, I pull out my smart phone and do something measurably constructive.

Religion Is A Must For Morality

What a horrible way to start a fresh blog. I've decided to become active and educate others on what is out there. It didn't take me long.

According to Jeff Ruzicka

No free society has survived without a public religion of morals or virtues as a capstone of its liberty. For free people to govern themselves, they cannot be a group of murderers or rapists.

Now come on Jeff. As if religion is totally pro-survival. Do you call the denial of blood transfusions for children survival? How about an exorcism in lieu of treatment for manic depression? How about religious extremism, wars, crusades, bombings, trade centers? Survival?

I don't need a sky daddy (pick one) to tell me how to survive. I have morals. They come from empathy of others. The worst answers for not doing wrong are "because I'll go to jail" and "because my god says so".

I'd like to see the human species rise above the fiction that has been written thousands of years ago that is used as a psychological weapon to threaten people into being "good". If the only reason that you are doing good is because you will be punished, is that really moral?

The Atheist Experience

What a nice show from Austin, TX! The very positive Atheist Community of Austin has been hosting their show for more than a handful of years. I believe they've just finished their 638th weekly broadcast. They welcome callers, both theist and atheist, and discuss the issues live. I've learned a host of things from watching their show. Great debates too (some fiery). Check them out on Sundays if you're not headed to church.

New Year's Resolution

My New Year's resolution is to keep a positive attitude when dealing with the challenges of theology. I've started by deleting my old blog which was created last year when I was in the angry stage of disbelief. Though the transition from belief to non-belief is different for many, for me it was something akin to the Kubler-Ross stages of grief. So here's to the new year (and further) of positive non-belief.