Fall Break For Cram & Ballwell...

Billy Cram and I are taking the weekend off.  We'll be in Asheville, NC this weekend comparing facial hair and belly size while we leave flaming bags of poop on Billy Graham's doorstep.  If you're going to the "March to Restore Sanity" this weekend, you should swing by the Lauriol Plaza Restaurant to hang out with some atheists like Hemant Mehta.

Preacher in the Closet, Open Bigot...

This article on CNN stuck out to me today.  It is a known fact that Bishop Long, the Atlanta super-church preacher who's been accused of coercing four young men into having sexual relationships with him, has often been a vocal opponent of homosexuality.  But his own words have him sounding rather semen happy himself.

In one of his sermons, Long actually said "The word of god is his sperm...The job of the preacher is to bring fresh sperm and when he speaks it, the womb -- the church -- is to take it in and say, 'Sho' you're right.'"  Guzzle down some god, all ye faithful.  There are many more memorable quotes like this in the article. 

This reminds me of a guy in my church growing up who once spoke to the congregation and told us that he often enjoyed "making love to god."  He said something about wrapping his arms around himself and rocking himself, and just knowing that god was there loving him.  And that's just what I could figure out he said, being all of 10 years old myself.  What he said was so shocking and nasty that there was an outrage about how this guy was in charge of the Boys Brigade (the Christian version of Boy Scouts).  What baffles me is how the leader of a massive church can talk about god cum and not get called out for being pervy.   

Militant Muslims Execute Teens in Somalia

From CNN:

A Somali militant group publicly executed two teenage girls Wednesday after accusing them of being spies for the Somali government, according to the group, eyewitnesses and a relative of one of the girls.
"Those two girls were evil and they were spies for the enemy (the Somali government), but the mujahedeen caught them and after investigation, they admitted their crime, so they have been executed," said Sheikh Yusuf Ali Ugas, commander of Al-Shabaab in Beledweyne, a town in central Somalia.
The teens were blindfolded with their hands behind their backs against a tree, and shot, according to a local journalist.
A resident of Beledweyne told CNN that Al-Shabaab called on the town's residents to come out and watch the execution.
"Hundreds of people came out to watch the execution," he said. "It was very bad ... the girls looked shocked and were crying but [no one] could help."

Can you believe these cowards?  Not only are they cowards, but they're idiots.  They determined that two teenage girls who have never owned cellphones were spying on them for the government.     
 

Jimmy Carter On Obama, Bipartisan Deteriation, Religion

Check out this clip of Jimmy Carter on the Joy Behar show.  He makes some great comments about complete separation of church and state, remarking on how he never allowed Billy Graham to lead a religious service in the whitehouse, and how he believes an atheist could one day serve as president.   
Carter also talks about how Obama's reelection propects could improve with republican wins in the November elections.  The logic is that if the Republicans become the majority, they'll want to look good for reelection by cooperating with Democrats to make change.  In other words, they'll stop sabotaging legislature that they would have previously been happy to cooperate with because they won't need to make Democrats look as bad anymore.  He also argues that Obama will finally have a figure with which to debate, should the Republicans hold the majority. 

To further support Carter's claim that Republicans are being irresponsible and selfish with their saboteur attitude, Mitch McConnell (above, looking like a flaccid and asexual version of Benjamen Franklin) has recently admitted that the GOP's major priority will continue to be to get Obama out of office, at any cost.  Wow!  How can people read this and not translate it as "we're willing to sacrifice the well-being of our country today, for the well-being of our party tomorrow"?  This is horribly anti-America.

"Hummingbird" Electric Battery Powers Audi For 375 Miles

Averaging 55mph, the German-made KOLIBRI AlphaPolymer Technology Battery powered a converted Audi A2 for 375 miles on a single charge.  An interesting point to note is that the A2 was able to keep it's back seat intact, and did not require the sacrifice of the trunk space, making it a world record run for a production level vehicle.  Engadget reports that the battery is capable of being charged from virtually any socket, needing only 6 minutes to complete a charge using a high voltage DC source.

In another interesting story today, the estimated amount of oil in Alaska's oil reserve has been lowered 90%. 

Considering today's news, and considering our post last week regarding a new thermoelectric energy converter that could potentially make solar energy competitive with coal, I'd say it's a slam dunk that it benefits the developed world to put money into researching electric cars and solar energy.  Can you imagine driving your car home, plugging it in and charging it in your garage which receives it's electricity from a solar powered source?  That's even cooler than flying cars!      

Wolves In Wolves Clothing

Fat, old, white people with fanny packs bitching about a black president.  Sore losers in American flag clad sweatshirts made in China, yelping about "excessive spending" after years of supporting a president who helped make the mess.  Medicare and Social Security collectors worried about a "socialist agenda" while supporting the very people who wish to take back their free scooters.  Fearful racists who blame our problems on immigration.  Fundamentalist Christians and heterosexists who call gays sinners.  That's how I view these Tea Party people.  Wolves in sheep's clothing?  Maybe a tiny wool scarf, if anything.  Surely their brand of poorly veiled bigotry and intolerance can only fool the like-minded, or mindless.
 But these "new" kids on the block have their hands in the cookie jar with their heels firmly planted on the airways of social freedom, ready to stomp out its voice on "go".  And some of them could be elected.  Can you imagine the "free" world if governed by Tea Baggers?  Let me help you...

Dan Merchant vs. Jury Of Your Fears: Exhibit B

In Exhibit A, Dan told the Jury about the response to his film, agreed about the common misinterpretation of "sanctity," agreed that people can be "good without god," and commented on the importance of the "conversation" vs. the "bumper sticker" mentality.  Today we give you Exhibit B of our interview with filmmaker Dan Merchant.  Exhibit A can be found here. 

JOYF - Is it possible to be a Christian and support gay marriage, abortion, social health care, Palestine (like Mubarak Awad), etc?  

DAN – Yes...(pause)...Okay, I’m not really trying to duck (this), but you did throw the whole kitchen sink in.  I believe being a Christian means following Jesus.  And by that I mean, the things that are important to Jesus are things that ought to be important to you.  Jesus is pretty clear in Scripture, if these guys got anything written down correctly, about how we are to treat one another.  This standard, “love others as I have loved you” can be applied across the board, but it’s a bit more challenging and nuanced than saying, “Jesus is against abortion or against Palestine.”  Don’t think it works that way.  Jesus is with the hurting and the disenfranchised and that’s where we need to be.  As an American who is attempting to follow Jesus, I have the luxury of voting however I choose.  But, regardless of public policy, I am still commanded to love my neighbor – even if she chooses to have an abortion or if a dude wants to marry another dude.  I still have to be there, regardless.  We must be personally invested in others.  Our success and happiness must be linked to that of my neighbor.  Just getting mine and wishing you “good luck suckers” isn’t going to measure up to the high standard Christ has set for me.  So I’d argue it’s a mistake to try and reduce self-sacrificial love for others into a political platform.  I guess I’m also tired of believers who claim they “know” the mind of God and understand how He’d vote – but can’t be bothered to love anyone who disagrees with them.

Stomp the vote!

Watch two dickless human beings assault a woman and stomp on her head and neck. No, this isn't COPS, this is a Rand Paul rally. Read about the incident here.

There are a number of stupid people in this country who will follow whatever you say, if you dumb it down enough and attack the things they don't understand (other races, healthcare, the way revenue is generated). This is the base of the Tea Party. It is being funded by people who are unbelievably rich so that they may stay unbelievable rich and get even richer and completely alienate the poor dumb sons of bitches who helped them, no matter the number of early-20s Liberal Arts graduates they beat up along the way or black politicians they call nigger. Seriously: What is going to get better for Toejam and Earl here if the Tea Party rises to power? What hope do they have?

Dan Merchant vs. Jury Of Your Fears: Exhibit A

As you probably know by now, our blog focuses on “religious people behaving badly.”  It’s pretty much a lay-up finding stuff to post that points out the hypocrisy of the religious right.  It’s everywhere.  It’s funny, it’s sad, and it’s often dangerous.  So why is our first “Jury Of Your Fears” interview with a Christian writer, producer, and creator of a popular Christian film?  Well, we respect his message.  Dan was good enough to grant us our first interview, and his answers were so thorough that we’re splitting it into two parts:  Exhibit A, and tomorrow, Exhibit B.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the defendant before you has been accused of being a Christian without intent to proselytize.  His film and book, “Lord, Save Us From Your Followers” has criticized the hyper-political American Christian attitude.  He’s spoken out against the “bumper sticker culture” of angry declaration, instead opting for civil, reasonable, and genuinely friendly conversation.  Good citizens, the decision is yours.  Do we actually have before us an example of a decent, rational, practicing Christian?  Or does the hype simply prove too good to be true?  Examine the evidence for yourselves.  Behold, the interview:

Dan Merchant vs. Jury Of Your Fears: Exhibit A

As you probably know by now, our blog focuses on "religious people behaving badly." It's pretty much a lay-up finding stuff to post that points out the hypocrisy of the religious right. It's everywhere. It's funny, it's sad, and it's often dangerous. So why is our first "Jury Of Your Fears" interview with a Christian writer, producer, and creator of a popular Christian film? Well, we respect his message. Dan was good enough to grant us our first interview, and his answers were so thorough that we're splitting it into two parts: Exhibit A, and tomorrow, Exhibit B. 

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the defendant before you has been accused of being a Christian without intent to proselytize. His film and book "Lord, Save Us From Your Followers" has criticized the hyper-political American Christian attitude. He's spoken out against the "bumper sticker culture" of angry declaration, instead opting for civil, reasonable, and genuinely friendly conversation. Good citizens, the decision is yours. Do we actually have before us an example of a decent, rational, practicing Christian? Or does the hype simply prove too good to be true? Examine the evidence for yourselves. Behold, the interview:

Volunteer spirit alive in Tennessee! Muslims need not apply.

Some guy named Bob Smietana is a pretty good journalist, and thankfully his bosses gave him the time and resources to dive into this story about the big money that comes along with convincing Americans that Muslims are certainly going to kill them if allowed to build mosques. The money in fearmongering is fucking good. Steven Emerson, a self-proclaimed expert in the subject, earned about $3.4 million at it last year. Read about it in the link above. Meanwhile, Muslims are getting less and less welcome in the Volunteer State. There are no politicians jumping to their defense, either. Some refuse to accept Islam as a religion.

"Hell House" Tradition Continues...

Trinity Church (Cedar Hill, TX) will celebrate their 20th year of "Hell House" this Halloween season.  I watched the 2001 documentary about their event a couple years ago, and it was CRAZY (the documentary is excellent; the Hell House is ridiculous).  Basically, the church puts on a "haunted house" of biblical proportions, focusing on the eternal consequences for abortion, drug use, gay sex, satanic sacrifice and other "ungodly" activities.  Customers are escorted from scene to horrifyingly stupid scene, until the hell climax at the end, where you see the aborted mother, the gay teen who died of aids, and every other victim who "drank Satan's poison" suffering eternal torment.  

If you really want to laugh your heathen ass off, watch this guy talk about his "history" as a "raver" as he shows the future placement of his "rave - slash - suicide scene" (start at the 2:26 mark, so you can see the Star of David that's supposed to be a pentagram).  No rave scene can be authentic unless you use an "official date rape drug." 

Friendly Atheist has a really cool post about a satirical want-ad for a fictitious "Hell House" that asks for dozens of aborted baby fetuses.  Also, ReligiousTolerance has a write-up all about how Hell Houses are often disguised as conventional secular haunted houses.  I'm so happy I finally have a rational excuse to avoid haunted houses.  Instead of admitting that I'll possibly pee my pants, or potentially punch some clown with a chainsaw, I can finally say "it may be a fundamentalist trap!"  

Yankees Ban Anti-Gay Song...

This is a couple weeks old, but it's worth mentioning.  It seems that it's become a tradition in Yankee Stadium for rowdy Yanks fans to single out fans of opposing teams and sing a bastardized version of the Village People's "YMCA" to them during the playing of the song.  I don't know how long they've done this, but based on this video clip, it seems that every Yankee Fan in the section knows the words to this spoof.  "Why are you gay?  I saw you sucking some D-I-C-K" are among the classy, inventive lyrics (just watch):  



Well, the Yankee organization got something right this season.  Thanks to complaints from offended fans, and to awareness brought by sites like Change.com, the Yankees have banned people from singing of this hateful song in their stadium.   

Seperation of Church and State thwarted by group-think

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Shortly after Hamilton County Schools administrators banned pre-game prayer over the loudspeaker at high school football games in response to some student complaints, a massive pre-game prayer was held on the field. This is, technically, in accordance with school rules, but far more egregious. Whereas before any non-Christians could anonymously watch everyone else with their heads were bowed, muttering some standard cookie-cutter prayer about safety, etc., now the non-believers have totally been singled out, literally left on the sidelines. An excerpt from the Chattanooga Times Free Press article above:

Bimbo McCawley, a Rhea County School Board member, said the prayer was a way to show (Superintendent) Scales they understood his between-a-rock-and-hard-place position.

"We live in the buckle of the Bible belt," McCawley said. "People in the community adhere to the beliefs. We did this out of respect for Dr. Scales because we realize he had no choice."

How is this in any way accepting of all faiths?

Bullying, Discrimination, Christian Hypocrisy...

It's tough to view a news site, or even Facebook these days without being reminded of how far we still have to go in the struggle against discrimination.  This week, we were reminded of what can happen in a country that's completely devoid of a progressive attitude, preferring instead to cling to their socially conservative "values" that have comfortably kept them in a place of hatred.

Thankfully, half of our country has it's head on straight.  Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" campaign is gaining steam very rapidly, thanks to some help from President Obama.  I do wish the president would put his money where his mouth is already and put "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" out of it's misery, but at least he's made a statement against bullying.  This is the kind of good news I can get behind:  the gospel of "let's treat everyone decent."

Speaking of gospel, I had a couple of conversations with christians this week.  One guy blew my mind when he told me that the USA is a country that's about freedom, and therefore everyone should have the same rights.  He acknowledged that if everyone were to have the same rights, it makes sense that gays should have the right to get married.  Genuinely hoping I had discovered a logical, enlightened christian, I assumed out loud:  "Well then, you're not one of those christians who would vote against gay marriage, right?"  I was foolish enough to expect a quick agreement.  What I got was a double-take inducing contradiction.  Dude actually said "NO!  I couldn't bring myself to vote contrary to what I feel in my heart."  How can somebody admit that our secular nation should rightfully extend a certain freedom, and then proudly proclaim that he'd vote against it?

Real Christians don't do yoga!

I realize this news is a little bit old, but it's personally topical because I had my first-ever yoga class yesterday. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler wrote earlier this month that the way the U.S. has embraced yoga means that Christianity is taking a back seat. Here's an excerpt:

"When Christians practice yoga, they must either deny the reality of what yoga represents or fail to see the contradictions between their Christian commitments and their embrace of yoga. The contradictions are not few, nor are they peripheral. The bare fact is that yoga is a spiritual discipline by which the adherent is trained to use the body as a vehicle for achieving consciousness of the divine. Christians are called to look to Christ for all that we need and to obey Christ through obeying his Word. We are not called to escape the consciousness of this world by achieving an elevated state of consciousness, but to follow Christ in the way of faithfulness."


The Green Bay Press Gazette offers its take here (yet does not give the author a byline! What a joke).

My take on yoga is this: It's stretching. Really, really difficult stretching that feels excellent and is very good for your health. My teacher muttered something about "Namaste" and energy and soul throughout the lesson but really it was about becoming physically stronger and healthier. He's clearly done a lot of research about the history of spirituality of yoga but I think he should actually give it a shot before he passes judgment. Oh wait, this is a Christian leader we're talking about here - reserving judgment is not on the agenda.


This is Albert Mohler. Doesn't it look like he could use some yoga? Or something?

Glenn Beck Peddles "Food Insurance"...

We all know about how Glenn Beck loves to spread the fear that we're heading for apocalyptic-like economic collapse.  As long as he isn't calling the shots, and as long as god isn't running the show, we've got everything to fear.  

In step with his mormon beliefs, Beck is urging his followers to stock up and be prepared.  And he suggests that you allow "Food Insurance" to prepare you.  Seems pretty obvious, but I wanted to be sure, so I googled "Food Insurance," and "Utah," and wham!  There it is!  Here's what you'll find about the company on Manta:

"Food Insurance Com, L L C is a private company categorized under Frozen Food and Freezer Plans, Except Meat and located in Kaysville, UT. Our records show it was established in 2009 and incorporated in Utah. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of 390,000 and employs a staff of approximately 6."

A company founded a year ago with a staff of 6, and a revenue of $390,000 advertising through Glenn Beck already?  Looks like business will be booming for them very shortly, since they've found a way to branch out beyond their limited mormon customer base.  Their packages range from $199 for the two week single person backpack, to $9,995 for the family of five survival kit.  If they really want to attract Tea Party money, they'd be smart to design an "end times fanny pack." 

While it's never a bad idea to be prepared for the worst, there are cheaper ways to do it.  You can start with being realistic.


...and by the way, Sean Hannity has been promoting "Food Insurance" since June.   


Thanks to Newsy for the video    

Teen Pregnancy Thriving In South

In what should come as no surprise to most of us, the south is pumping out teen mothers at a higher rate than other regions these days.  The CDC reports "Despite nearly two decades of declining teenage birth rates, significant disparities in state-specific rates persist."

Common sense, supported by a statement from planned parenthood, suggests that sex education plays a major role:  This new CDC report makes it crystal clear that the teen birthrate is lower in states that provide students with comprehensive, evidence-based sex education.  The report demonstrates that the surest way to reduce teenage pregnancy is to provide young people with comprehensive, medically accurate sex education, and doing so is especially urgent for African-American and Latino teens, who are getting pregnant more frequently than other young people.

The rates are determine based on births per 1,000.  New Hampshire boasted the lowest teenage birthing rate (19.8), followed by Massachusetts (20.1), while Mississippi (65.7), new Mexico (64.1) Arkansas (61.8)and Oklahoma (61.6) round out the states with rates over 60.  The Guttmacher Institute recently released a report that reveals that all 5 of the states with the highest teen birthing rates stress abstinence only education.

The bible belt needs to get smart.  "Give me that old-time-sex-education lord, it's good enough for me!"         

More on Uganda's persecution of homosexuals

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Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Video by the organization Newsy on Uganda's assault on its gay citizens.

The "Liberal Bias"

All of these teabaggers complaining about the liberal bias in the media sound like a bunch of whiny little brats. To allege that there is some sort of massive liberal conspiracy by ALL media with the exception of Fox News is like saying that a pitcher is only good when a certain umpire is calling the game; one whose strike zone is about twice as big as normal when the Tea Party is on the hill, and miniscule when the other team (the "liberals") is hurling. I guess willfully stupid people need political representation too. The Financial Times examines the relationship between the Tea Party and the media.

South Park Death Threats = 20+ years behind bars...

Now this is exactly what's supposed to happen when you threaten some body's life because they drew a cartoon that offended you.    

Last April, Comedy Central censored a South Park episode, due to death threats regarding their depiction of Muhammad.  In the episode, the South Park gang are trying to conceal Mohammad as they deliver him to a terrorist gang of "gingers" who want to steal Mohammed's ability to never be made fun of.  They hide Mohammad in a bear costume, fearful that the town will be bombed if Mohammad is seen.  The bear costume (above) is a hilarious touch!  

Zachary Chesser, a 20 year old American-born islamic convert who goes by Abu Talhah al Amrikee (which translates to "mindless coward, empty scrotum"), has recently entered a plea bargain with a federal court.  Chesser pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists, communicating threats, and soliciting crimes of violence.  Do to the terroristic nature of the crimes, the plea bargain comes with a sentence of at least 20 years.  Chesser will be sentenced in February.  

Wouldn't it be great if South Park aired the episode unedited in celebration of the ruling?            

  

Uganda Paper Urges Hanging Of Gays...

The Uganda newspaper Rolling Stone published photos of the nations "top" gays, calling for their hanging.  Not only did they publish their photos and names, but also listed their addresses.

According to this CNN article, in Uganda it is a considered a serious crime to engage in homosexual activities, punishable by 14 years to life in prison.  A year ago, a Uganda lawmaker proposed legislation that would make homosexuality punishable by death.  Thankfully, there was enough outcry by the rest of the world to stifle the measure.

The article contributes outdated "Victorian morality and colonial laws," as well as a constitution based on religion to the attitude towards homosexuality.  Another fine example of religious fueled hatred.

Finally, a preacher who isn't blaming the victim.

Bishop Gene Robinson seems to get it, as explained in a column in the Huffington Post. He understands religion's systemic role in the numerous recent suicides of young gays. Excerpt:
The case of Tyler Clementi is especially instructive about how far we have to go in accepting our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children. Clementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate secretly filmed a sexual encounter he had with another male student and then posted it on the internet.
Think about it. If Tyler had been heterosexual and instead filmed having sex with his girlfriend, it would still be an inappropriate invasion of his privacy and tasteless to post the video online. And it certainly would have been embarrassing for Tyler and the girl. But chances are he would have been the recipient of some congratulatory remarks from friends about what a stud he was. And if he was straight
We need to start hearing more religious voices like this one and stop giving any hate-filled "preacher" all the press he desires simply because he is yelling the loudest.

Super Solar !

This is the most optimistic news I've heard in some time.  The man who brought us the Super Soaker may have created the most efficient way ever to harness solar energy.  According to this Gizmodo article, the Johnson Thermoelectric Energy Converter may be able to convert 60% of the solar energy it gathers to electricity, "making it competitive with coal."

Amanda Hess: Sexist Attacks on Male Candidates Hurt Women

Very interesting post by Amanda Hess on the social implications of sexist insults aimed at male candidates.  We all should know that it's wrong and harmful to claim that a woman is unfit for office based on a perceived lack of stereotypical male qualities, but is it any better for female candidates to attempt to emasculate their male opponents?  Hess says that this sort of talk hurts women in the long run by reinforcing phony gender roles and negative sexist attitudes.  We agree.    

When will this sort of thing come to an end?  I wonder what Christine O'Donnell would do if she was facing a homosexual male opponent?       

The "god" Card: Ticket To Election?

Robert Putnam from the Los Angeles Times writes on a trend in American religion and politics.  The article claims that the youngest generation is associating themselves as "non-religious" much more than any previous generation.  The primary reason these youngsters site for non-affiliation is "politics."  The old-time religion of our parents and grand parents has lost its appeal.  It was a short ride, and let's hope it's really over.  It seems like the anti-science, anti-gay, anti-love message of yesterday's "Christians" has finally gone the way of the dodo bird...


Spoke too soon.  Looks like they never got the memo in Kentucky (no real surprise).  In a recent debate between senatorial hopefuls, Demo-crap Jack Conway was chastised by opponent Rand Paul (Republi-can't) for his ruthless smear campaign against Paul's alleged religious beliefs.  Conway's campaign ads claim that Paul belonged to a secret society during college that is rumored to have called the holy bible a "hoax," and required members and tied up women to bow before false idols and claim that their god is "Aqua Buddha."  I love how it's not OK to call the bible a hoax, yet this "Aqua Buddha" can be singled out as a FALSE idol.  This is such bullshit.  

Miners' Faith Faces Challenges...

An article on CNN.com talks about "crisis conversions," similar to those experienced by the Chilean miners.  According to the article, not many of these such religious conversions endure.  Maybe faith provided them with a false sense of security and a distraction as hundreds of real people worked hard on the earth's surface to secure their safe rescue.  The miners will likely return to their old ways, and their religious feelings will probably fall by the wayside.

Authors: Hysteria of Evangelicals is ineffective, overall

Read this great column in the Huffington Post by Michael Gerson and Peter Wehner. It's sort of a scorecard of the religious right and its goals. Excerpt: "In combination, the various failings of the religious right -- of tone, strategy, theology, and simply human sympathy -- abetted a social backlash that goes beyond politics. By the 1990s, argues Robert Putnam, the politicization of religion by the religious right was causing many young people to turn against religion itself. The religious right, it turns out, was not good for religion."

Smithsonian: The Real Religious History of the USA...

This is a really interesting article on the Smithsonian site.  Turns out some things never really change, especially when it comes to glossing over the truth about religion-fueled hatred.  

an  excerpt: 
The much-ballyhooed arrival of the Pilgrims and Puritans in New England in the early 1600s was indeed a response to persecution that these religious dissenters had experienced in England. But the Puritan fathers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony did not countenance tolerance of opposing religious views. Their “city upon a hill” was a theocracy that brooked no dissent, religious or political.

Onward Christian Clown Posse!

Insane Clown Posse are EVANGELISTS!!!

The joke's on you, Juggalo! The stupidest band of all time just turned G. They had you going the whole time. And it's definitely for real: They certainly possess the requisite amount of willful dumbness required to be on Team Evangelical: Just check out their wonderment at the Miracles of God in this excerpt from the above-linked Guardian article:

... and the internet is filled with amused and sometimes outraged science bloggers dissecting the lyrics. Violent J and Shaggy have been watching them, they tell me, feeling increasingly saddened and irate.
"A college professor took two days out of her fucking life to specifically attack us," says Violent J. "Oh yeah, she had it all figured out."
One of the ICP road crew locates the video on his iPhone, and it is indeed withering: "The [Miracles] video is not only dumb, but enthusiastically dumb, endorsing a ferocious breed of ignorance that can only be described as militant. The entire song is practically a tribute to not knowing things."

How To Proselytize: Lesson 1

1.  Focus only on the important sins.  Especially the really bad ones,  like being gay.  Make sure to print those sins bigger on your "Champion sweatshirt of condemnation."  Other sins can actually be useful to a proselytizer, so you must take care before willy-nilly condemning just anybody.  For example, let's look at our good friend  Lou Lasagna III (pictured above).  Lou regularly gorges himself with Entenmann's loaf cakes sprinkled with Kraft powdered cheese dust.  But Lou is no fool.  He understands that his giant belly is really just a canvas on which he can list more things he and god can hate together.  Lou allows his gluttony to serve god!

Military Ordered to Stop "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

U.S. District Judge Virginia Phelps has ordered the military to stop enforcing the 17 year old "don't ask, don't tell" policy.  Now proponents of the policy can begin to live with themselves and the legacy they've left behind.  Let's hope some day that it's the massive scar on their records that it deserves to be. 

The article quotes an official as saying "It's important to point out that today's federal court order comes less than two months (Dec. 1) before the Pentagon is to provide Secretary of Defense Robert Gates with a plan on how, not if, but how to implement the repeal of 'Dont Ask Dont Tell' in the military."  This is funny to me, because it seems like terminating a policy would not require much "implementing."  Simply STOP kicking people out of the military for being gay!

Great shot from the AP a few days ago of an Israeli driver mowing down some Palestinan kids who were pelting his car with rocks. Just another day in the holiest city in the world.

Another Suicide Contributed to Intolerance

Another gay teen has committed suicide.  Zach Harrington, a 19 year old from Norman, OK (where things are not ok) killed himself a week after attending a City Council meeting where the council voted 7-1 in favor of recognizing October as LGBT History Month in the city.  However, during the meeting several different residents spoke out against the proclamation, citing tons of senseless reasons why this lifestyle shouldn't be "exalted."  Zach's parents say this meeting certainly contributed to his suicide.  Queerty has an actual clip of some of these poor, misled idiots proudly displaying their bigotry.  There's a lady on the clip who brags about her education, yet uses "prejudicy" several times as if it's really a word.  Pay attention to the end of the clip, when a female Methodist minister actually says she supports the proclamation, referring to a lesbian couple with children that attends her church.  It's the only good thing about the whole clip.  The Queerty post will fill you in on the details.

This seems to be a serious epidemic that needs attention.  Instead, I fear the religious right is going to get even more entrenched in their anti-gay position.  I won't be surprised if they claim these suicides are a symptom of godlessness.  In fact, I'll be surprised if they don't.

Lawyer Jailed for Not Saying Pledge...

I've generally never liked judges, though my exposure to them has been thankfully limited to courtroom shows on television, and maybe a couple traffic tickets.  I'm sure there are good ones out there who don't think they are the right arm of god, but Chancellor Talmadge (WTF?) Littlejohn of Mississippi isn't one of the good guys.  Here's a little picture of Littlejohn:

On October 6, Littlejohn jailed lawyer Danny Lampley for "failure to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance as ordered."  Sounds like the angry old scrotum just likes bullying people around.  In 1943, the US Supreme Court ruled that school children could not be forced to say the pledge.  I guess those freedoms end when you hit the real world.

What a disgusting display of ignorance and abuse of power.  

This is one of those times where it's OK to feel bad for a lawyer.  Their paths will likely cross in court again, and when they do I wonder what Lampley will do.  Will he fight this affront to personal, constitutionally protected freedom and respectfully decline to pledge?  Or should he give in to the judge's request in order to better serve his client?




   

"How Can You Desecrate My Lord?"

That's the question posed by Kathleen Folden in Loveland, Colorado.  Folden took offense to some artwork at the Loveland Gallery, and decided to avenge the lord Jesus (since he apparently needs her help) by using a crowbar to break through the Plexiglas display containing the offending artwork, before she tore the print to pieces.  The piece apparently depicts Jesus in a "sexual act," or what can be perceived as such.  It also kind of looks like Jesus has boobies.  The title of the piece by Enrique Chagoya  is "The Misadventures of Romantic Cannibals," and it's categorized as a collage.  The good news is that there are 29 other identical prints in the edition.  Wouldn't it be an awesome display of free speech if a church, or a christian person/leader were to purchase one of these prints and then destroy it?  It'd be a perfectly legal and constitutional way to protest the content.     

What is REALLY mind blowing is that the artwork WON'T RETURN to the museum due to "safety concerns."  So the fat, angry trucker woman wins after all.  This is a slippery slope, first with muslim outrage over drawings of Mohammed, and spread now to christian vigilantism over depictions of Jesus as a bearded lady possibly getting a BJ.  Must we propose a "go-down-on-Jesus drawing day"?