It is not the job of the State Department, or our secular government generally, to backstop Christianity. History is chock full of wars fought in the name of religion, and Christians acting in the name of Christianity have inflicted every imaginable horror on their fellow man. Atheism isn't the problem. Nothing divides people more effectively and unnecessarily than religious belief. What this is really about is Christians seeing their privileged place in our culture eroding away, and their wanting to use the force of law to halt it.
It's a fact: there are Christians out there who are paranoid about 1) having to compete with other religions, 2) having to compete with ATHEISTS (ohmygoodness!), and 3) any hint that the government supports any other belief system than Christianity. The position and attendant privilege which they've enjoyed very nearly since this country was established is being whittled away by the advent of the nones and a slowly growing recognition that religious freedom means freedom for EVERYONE, and NOT JUST CHRISTIANS.
Indeed, radical Christians are so frightened of losing their edge that some clearly are trying to subvert our democracy in favor of what amounts to a Christian autocracy. Sadly, this is nothing new and in fact has been going on since Ronald Reagan all but invited the Moral Majority to join the Republican party. As a result secularism in the United States has suffered, and organizations such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation, American Atheists, and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State have tasked themselves with reminding Washington of its obligations under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
This whole business amounts to a massive game of Whack-a-Mole. Not that long ago, I cited Tim Gill and his assertion that this is a never-ending battle, because it is. It's a battle we MUST fight. Otherwise, we could lose this country to a bunch of children masquerading as adults, who are terrified of losing their political mojo.
The same Christians that demand to be supported by the government in a clear violation of the Constitution screech when they perceive that people other than themselves might be getting a slice of the pie. Their monumental greed, envy and hypocrisy are epic, as is their failure to obey the words of their savior and hole-y book (a book they have no interest in reading. Parts of it would get in the way of what they want).
I've even had upvotes I've given people while I was on a computer that would let me give them deleted. Now I have to wait until the library opens so I can reaffix the deleted ones and catch up on this and the previous article.
See the little blank heart that has LIKE next to it? To upvote, click on the little heart or click on LIKE. The heart will turn red when you do and LIKE will become LIKED.
"“The House Republican majority will not tolerate the unconstitutional and harmful funding of atheism abroad,” he continued."
What is harmful about atheism? No one ever says. They claim that atheism is the same as communism, or Marxism, or socialism, or Nazis are atheists, all despite evidence to the contrary, all those were tied very closely with religious views and organizations, most often Christianity. But they never really say anything that atheism does that is directly tied to atheism, the disbelief in god or gods.
The only way that atheism is harmful is to folks whose belief in god is weak. Either they double down on their belief or they let it go, all on their own volition. No one ever makes them stop believing. No one can, and atheists have no power in all the world to force anyone to deny their religion. This is pure projection on these assholes part.
"Atheism" is a buzz word to them, like "socialism." They can associate it with the Red Scare of the mid-20th century and figure they can get mileage out of that with people who no more know what either word means than they do.
Actual dictators imitating gods claiming total control over every deed. As compared to actual gods demanding total control over every thought word and dream also, for ALL ETERNITY
There are still people who believe that freedom of religion is only valid for those who want to practice The One True Religion™ and that it gives you the right to eradicate all false religions.
They never seem to realise that there are multiple “one true religions”. Their flavour of Christianity may now be on top; soon it may be another flavour and they’ll be out of favour.
I suppose this policy is advocating atheism to the extent that it is attempting to prevent theists from victimizing or punishing atheists for being atheists.
Theists being able to freely do that has always been one of the primary tools in suppressing atheism.
I mean, heck, if you average Joe somehow becomes convinced it's not right and proper for him to be painfully killed if he doesn't bow and scrape to god, he might get it into his head that god isn't the best thing ever!
A worrisome number of people apparently stop loving god when they stop being terrified of him.
The grant is certainly written with a focus on atheism.
Having said that, safety for apostates /= advocating religion, or atheism, or really anything beyond religious freedom.
Criminalizing apostasy hurts religious people just as much (see: history of England. See: Reformation), and can be carried out by nonreligious authoritarians who see a rejection of the state's preferred ideology as a threat to their power (see: Stalin. See: modern Saudi Arabia and Iran).
It's kinda just promoting the 1a's religious clauses. The US wants people to be free to switch religions - including switching between "none" and "yes" - without punishment. Officially, we don't really care what you are switching *from* or *to*, that's all the same to the Constitution, so long as you are free to do the switch. This grant is to help - and the grant should have been written to make this clear - make switching in other countries a non-criminal, non-punished act.
Are there any examples, in recent memory, of any claim made by a Republican 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 evidence?
These being the same fuckwits who tried to prove that 𝘑𝘰𝘦 Biden was corrupt by presenting 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 Biden's dick pics- which weren't even evidence of any of the claims they were making about Hunter, let alone his father- I'm pretty well convinced that the entire 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 of evidence has escaped their understanding.
As someone else already said, the republican party is becoming more and more a cult. Any mention of not privileging their version christianity = promoting godlessness. Their mention of Islam with Christianity in their last letter is just for PR purpose.
It's the same party who tramp on minorities religious rights when they want to ban abortion snd contraception.
"There were also questions designed specifically for the MAGA crowd, asking why the State Department wanted to “promote radical work organizations abroad” and why they would be “promoting a belief system” that represented a minority in the U.S."
Religious freedom, freedom of speech, any freedom at all really only needs to protect the minority viewpoints. The Christians have things backwards. They're all gung-ho for protecting their rights from folks who, not only don't want to infringe, but have no power to do so. But the second someone has a viewpoint that is not the norm/majority they're all for tearing them apart. The majority has inherent protections that the minorities do not have, and the majority are also the ones the minorities need protecting from. Therein lies the rub. The majority wants to use their privileges to infringe on the minorities and if we protect the minorities' rights, then the majority ends up big sad they aren't able to bully.
This is evident with the sportsball men talking outside of the sportsball bubble. Butker recites majority thinking (yes it is the majority, it is just expressed as an extreme version, but women are still considered less than and good for not much other than cleaning house and popping out kids. It's changing, but it is not as far along as some think it is). The NFL hasn't dropped him, they are displeased he's brought some negative attention to the league, but the NFL isn't really going to do anything other than provide lip service to the folks criticizing the speech. Kaepernick made a statement about justice reform and racial disparities, and he was dropped like a hot potato, fucked around with the league pretending to want him back and then not, and he is a pariah.
So, like I said. The minority views are the ones that need protecting, not the majority. Christianity is a majority in the USA, and atheism should be the focus for the protections of religious freedom.
Pretty sure that the 'minority belief system' the GOP doesn't want promoted isn't atheism, it's 'religious freedom.' ;)
Mahomes just came out in support of Butker. He did a Trump - he did the "very fine person" defense while not agreeing with any specific odious view. What frustrates me about crap like (Mahomes - Trump is just hiding his own bigotry) this is that it would be so easy to get right, it's almost like he went out of the way to get it wrong. "My teammate is an excellent kicker who pulls more than his weight when it comes to helping us win games. I absolutely disagree with the notion that women must be housefraus to have fulfilling lives." Done.
If you need to defend a person for something they say that you cannot defend, then they truly are not a 'very fine person'. They only hide their deplorability in most instances. So what if he helps win games, it's how he treats others that makes him a good person or not. And it looks like he dehumanizes half the population, and minority groups (LGBTQ and Jewish people), so there's nothing fine about him.
I have no problem with a football player defending the team having good football players who are a-holes. You don't even have to publicly admit they are an a-hole...just don't lie about them. People should not have to pass good-person tests to be employed.
I am not advocating he lose his job, I am only saying he is not even close to being a fine person. He is a good football kicker, but his overall person is not good.
Perhaps people do not have to pass a good person test to be employed, unless they're the ones committing crimes that the organization does its very best to shield from accountability. Like football players that are beating their wives/girlfriends, or the ones that have been accused of rape, dog fighting, and myriad other despicable acts. Butker does not fit into that category, true, but the ideas presented in his speech can lead to spousal abuse. And I am not saying he promotes that, he may be walking right up to that line but not crossing it.
I work with some evil bastards that you can't turn your back on. If the leverage I have against them ever goes away, then I'll be out on my ass about 30 seconds later. Life would be more pleasant if they had to pass good-person tests to be employed.
The problem is conservative leaning organizations have a completely different definition of good-person test. Butker is a very good person by their morality.
That's correct. Separation of church and state was instituted to protect minority denominations from the majority Presbyterian denomination--at the request of those who feared being steamrolled. That principle is still valid.
"GOP still claims, without evidence, the State Department is "promoting atheism"
"Ebidence? We don' need no steenking ebidence! Ya ha ha ha ha!"
As I've been saying, as religious people continue to lose members, relevance, influence, and power, those who remain will become increasingly extremist and dangerous. Meanwhile as atheists continue to gain members, relevance, influence, and power, they will attract more attention from the religious extremists, who will react to atheists oppressively, then criminally, and then violently.
Stay fit, strong, vigilant, diligent, and somehow also stay rational and calm.
OT – but an interesting take on evangelicals and Trump.
Just got the latest Covid vaccine update. In spite of people on my abandoned political blog saying that – you know – it's a killer blah blah blah. I'll take any fucking vaccine going.
Cost per dose of Moderna COVID vaccine booster in the US: $128.
Cost of one week in the ICU on a ventilator in the US, according to the interwebs: $30,000-$40,000 (assuming no other complications or medical industry fuckery, which... yeah, 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. That shit's gonna be $100k or more if you're 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺).
Here's the shoulder, bring on the needle! Easiest decision since not voting for an insane fascist con man.
Cost for marginally-employed schmuck-with-a-keyboard with no insurance: 100% list. Is what it is. Healthcare in this shithole country is fucked sideways; I'm just glad 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 gets anything approaching comprehensive coverage, and I'm happy to pay the taxes for it. It's a basic social service- or, at least, it should be.
If only our 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬-𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘰-𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘮-𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 class thought that way.
While I was at the VA last week, I got the new COVID booster that combats the 1-2 punch of the latest two variants (FLiRT).
I take no chances. So many people walking around thinking the pandemic is over. There have been as many hospital admissions for COVID this year as there was last year. It's not growing milder and it's not fading away.
I had it early from my "BATHED IN THE BLOOD OF JEEZY" neighbors. I was diagnosed at Jesse Brown VA. I was over it in 36 hours. I prolly don't need the vaccine but get it anyway.
HUMANIST CREED: Reason not Superstition, Ethics not Dogma, Respect not Worship, Courage not Fear, Fact not Myth, Morality not Doctrine, Clarity not Delusion, Skeptic not Cynic, Rationality not Ideology, Good, not God.
Even with the last part of the creed there are many religious that have joined many of us non-theist as Humanist. One can see when reading the Creed, why these fanatical Christian politicians, would never understand, let alone embrace Humanism.
This is more about them pontificating about THEIR Christian faith and their orange messiah; let's be clear if this money was given to some Christian Ministry to convert folks to Christianity, they would be praising our efforts. But that is not the Republican way; their way is to believe in promoting Superstition not Reason, they haven't any Ethics only Dogma, they Respect nothing and no one, they live in Fear and have no Courage, they have no Morality only Christian Pulpit Doctrine, they are Cynical, they are not Rational they embrace Conspiracy Theories and yes, they believe in THEIR God, but it seems they do not know how to be or do Good.
It really is their gods with an s, because it seems to be the case that many people have their own version of what god wants and does or does not do, all depending on their individual preferences. How man times have we heard someone say about something, "not my god, he would never do that."
I can’t just claim these idiots are incompetent (though they are), but I think they know exactly what they are doing: continuing to try to tarnish the Biden admin with any fecal matter they can find in the litter box. Freak out the fundie bunch that the scary atheists are trying to take over the world (we should be so lucky). Instead these fuckwits are going to get people killed. However that’s ok because the “others” are either godless atheists, Buddhists, Muslim or any other not the One True Christian Religion ™ who deserve it. That’s what you get when Jesus ain’t your main squeeze. 🤬
Republicans have no policies and no real plans, so they rely on cultural divisions to secure their voter base. I don't believe that most Republicans believe their own propaganda. If they do, these politicians are too stupid to serve their constituents properly. Christianity in this country doesn't need protection, but throughout the world religions of all stripes need it where they are in a minority. The world would be a better place without religion, and America would be a better place if these Christian Nationalists would crawl back under their pews and disappear.
I have this debate with myself over and over. Are they really that stupid or are they really that dishonest? Yes, it might be both but at some point stupidity interferes with successful dishonesty.
Endangering the life of atheists in countries where they risk to be arrested for not-believing is not a bug, it's a feature.
Endangering the lives of everyone who isn’t specifically them is the core principle.
As they wish to be treated, they treat others. Shoot on sight.
100% yes. If they could wipe out all of us from this planet and ONLY be left with the christian evangelicals that is exactly what they would do.
At a recent event in my town I saw a dude with the t-shirt that said " Family, Faith, Firearms".
They have completely hijacked their jesus and their religion into some type of militia.
It is not the job of the State Department, or our secular government generally, to backstop Christianity. History is chock full of wars fought in the name of religion, and Christians acting in the name of Christianity have inflicted every imaginable horror on their fellow man. Atheism isn't the problem. Nothing divides people more effectively and unnecessarily than religious belief. What this is really about is Christians seeing their privileged place in our culture eroding away, and their wanting to use the force of law to halt it.
As it comes to that, an old favorite:
𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑, 𝐼 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑖𝑡𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓; 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑖𝑡𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐺𝑜𝑑 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑖𝑡, 𝑠𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟, '𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛, 𝐼 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑒ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑑, 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑏𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑒.
-- Benjamin Franklin
Indeed
It's a fact: there are Christians out there who are paranoid about 1) having to compete with other religions, 2) having to compete with ATHEISTS (ohmygoodness!), and 3) any hint that the government supports any other belief system than Christianity. The position and attendant privilege which they've enjoyed very nearly since this country was established is being whittled away by the advent of the nones and a slowly growing recognition that religious freedom means freedom for EVERYONE, and NOT JUST CHRISTIANS.
Indeed, radical Christians are so frightened of losing their edge that some clearly are trying to subvert our democracy in favor of what amounts to a Christian autocracy. Sadly, this is nothing new and in fact has been going on since Ronald Reagan all but invited the Moral Majority to join the Republican party. As a result secularism in the United States has suffered, and organizations such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation, American Atheists, and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State have tasked themselves with reminding Washington of its obligations under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
This whole business amounts to a massive game of Whack-a-Mole. Not that long ago, I cited Tim Gill and his assertion that this is a never-ending battle, because it is. It's a battle we MUST fight. Otherwise, we could lose this country to a bunch of children masquerading as adults, who are terrified of losing their political mojo.
Bravo! You said everything I wanted to say.
The same Christians that demand to be supported by the government in a clear violation of the Constitution screech when they perceive that people other than themselves might be getting a slice of the pie. Their monumental greed, envy and hypocrisy are epic, as is their failure to obey the words of their savior and hole-y book (a book they have no interest in reading. Parts of it would get in the way of what they want).
Many thanks, bro!
I would give you an upvote, but it won't let me.
Me either. At least not until I can log on at the library.
Thanks! Oddly, I'm not having a problem with that. Once again, go figure!
I've even had upvotes I've given people while I was on a computer that would let me give them deleted. Now I have to wait until the library opens so I can reaffix the deleted ones and catch up on this and the previous article.
Educate me please, what is an upvote and how does one do it. Thanks
See the little blank heart that has LIKE next to it? To upvote, click on the little heart or click on LIKE. The heart will turn red when you do and LIKE will become LIKED.
I knew that one, I thought the "upvote" was something special. Thank you.
You're welcome. 🙂
Spot on.
Well said.
"“The House Republican majority will not tolerate the unconstitutional and harmful funding of atheism abroad,” he continued."
What is harmful about atheism? No one ever says. They claim that atheism is the same as communism, or Marxism, or socialism, or Nazis are atheists, all despite evidence to the contrary, all those were tied very closely with religious views and organizations, most often Christianity. But they never really say anything that atheism does that is directly tied to atheism, the disbelief in god or gods.
The only way that atheism is harmful is to folks whose belief in god is weak. Either they double down on their belief or they let it go, all on their own volition. No one ever makes them stop believing. No one can, and atheists have no power in all the world to force anyone to deny their religion. This is pure projection on these assholes part.
"Atheism" is a buzz word to them, like "socialism." They can associate it with the Red Scare of the mid-20th century and figure they can get mileage out of that with people who no more know what either word means than they do.
And Dunning-Kruger strikes again!
Right. They cannot point to any actual harm from atheism specifically, only made up connections to dictators.
99% of the time, the harm there is actually caused by religion.
Actual dictators imitating gods claiming total control over every deed. As compared to actual gods demanding total control over every thought word and dream also, for ALL ETERNITY
There is real harm to religion from atheism: More atheists means less believers, which means less money coming in.
It’s all about money (and the power that it brings).
There are still people who believe that freedom of religion is only valid for those who want to practice The One True Religion™ and that it gives you the right to eradicate all false religions.
They never seem to realise that there are multiple “one true religions”. Their flavour of Christianity may now be on top; soon it may be another flavour and they’ll be out of favour.
I suppose this policy is advocating atheism to the extent that it is attempting to prevent theists from victimizing or punishing atheists for being atheists.
Theists being able to freely do that has always been one of the primary tools in suppressing atheism.
I mean, heck, if you average Joe somehow becomes convinced it's not right and proper for him to be painfully killed if he doesn't bow and scrape to god, he might get it into his head that god isn't the best thing ever!
A worrisome number of people apparently stop loving god when they stop being terrified of him.
Is fear justified?
https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/441515059_1680246599428362_2839993658507560921_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=td2Xm0_zyvsQ7kNvgGLmeHb&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.xx&oh=00_AYBVB-R7joy3LWYEs2bzt2pnUkXyJL9pAF40oH9QV2trjw&oe=66556518
Leaving open the question "Is love justified?"
The grant is certainly written with a focus on atheism.
Having said that, safety for apostates /= advocating religion, or atheism, or really anything beyond religious freedom.
Criminalizing apostasy hurts religious people just as much (see: history of England. See: Reformation), and can be carried out by nonreligious authoritarians who see a rejection of the state's preferred ideology as a threat to their power (see: Stalin. See: modern Saudi Arabia and Iran).
It's kinda just promoting the 1a's religious clauses. The US wants people to be free to switch religions - including switching between "none" and "yes" - without punishment. Officially, we don't really care what you are switching *from* or *to*, that's all the same to the Constitution, so long as you are free to do the switch. This grant is to help - and the grant should have been written to make this clear - make switching in other countries a non-criminal, non-punished act.
Are there any examples, in recent memory, of any claim made by a Republican 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 evidence?
These being the same fuckwits who tried to prove that 𝘑𝘰𝘦 Biden was corrupt by presenting 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 Biden's dick pics- which weren't even evidence of any of the claims they were making about Hunter, let alone his father- I'm pretty well convinced that the entire 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 of evidence has escaped their understanding.
GQP: "Facts? We ain't got no facts. We don't need no facts. We don't have to show you any stinking facts!"
Our minds are made up!!! Don't go trying to confuse us with facts!
They have faith. Ignoring reality proves you love Jesus.
As they saying goes: "You have faith because you have no facts."
Gimme reality any day of the week.
As someone else already said, the republican party is becoming more and more a cult. Any mention of not privileging their version christianity = promoting godlessness. Their mention of Islam with Christianity in their last letter is just for PR purpose.
It's the same party who tramp on minorities religious rights when they want to ban abortion snd contraception.
Women are actually the majority being 50.49% f the US population. In 2013 women were 51.1% WIKI says numbers vary by age. For a deep dive:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sex_ratio
Yes and the point with RELIGIOUS MINORITIES rights ? Are all American women anti abortion christian bigots ? You are flirting with mansplaining here.
Don't give Republicans the benefit of the doubt. They never deserve it and they never argue in good faith.
I now refer to republicans as Reichpublicans. It’s more fitting as they’ve let their flags fly.
Traitor Party
"There were also questions designed specifically for the MAGA crowd, asking why the State Department wanted to “promote radical work organizations abroad” and why they would be “promoting a belief system” that represented a minority in the U.S."
Religious freedom, freedom of speech, any freedom at all really only needs to protect the minority viewpoints. The Christians have things backwards. They're all gung-ho for protecting their rights from folks who, not only don't want to infringe, but have no power to do so. But the second someone has a viewpoint that is not the norm/majority they're all for tearing them apart. The majority has inherent protections that the minorities do not have, and the majority are also the ones the minorities need protecting from. Therein lies the rub. The majority wants to use their privileges to infringe on the minorities and if we protect the minorities' rights, then the majority ends up big sad they aren't able to bully.
This is evident with the sportsball men talking outside of the sportsball bubble. Butker recites majority thinking (yes it is the majority, it is just expressed as an extreme version, but women are still considered less than and good for not much other than cleaning house and popping out kids. It's changing, but it is not as far along as some think it is). The NFL hasn't dropped him, they are displeased he's brought some negative attention to the league, but the NFL isn't really going to do anything other than provide lip service to the folks criticizing the speech. Kaepernick made a statement about justice reform and racial disparities, and he was dropped like a hot potato, fucked around with the league pretending to want him back and then not, and he is a pariah.
So, like I said. The minority views are the ones that need protecting, not the majority. Christianity is a majority in the USA, and atheism should be the focus for the protections of religious freedom.
https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/441500740_1680234679429554_1496794527146132015_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=e34WuKb5fLUQ7kNvgHCckfl&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.xx&oh=00_AYCx7QQl-3BZ4yabw3c8o6b5Dm_FV82K4AGUTv1Ez5pGug&oe=66556A27
Pretty sure that the 'minority belief system' the GOP doesn't want promoted isn't atheism, it's 'religious freedom.' ;)
Mahomes just came out in support of Butker. He did a Trump - he did the "very fine person" defense while not agreeing with any specific odious view. What frustrates me about crap like (Mahomes - Trump is just hiding his own bigotry) this is that it would be so easy to get right, it's almost like he went out of the way to get it wrong. "My teammate is an excellent kicker who pulls more than his weight when it comes to helping us win games. I absolutely disagree with the notion that women must be housefraus to have fulfilling lives." Done.
If you need to defend a person for something they say that you cannot defend, then they truly are not a 'very fine person'. They only hide their deplorability in most instances. So what if he helps win games, it's how he treats others that makes him a good person or not. And it looks like he dehumanizes half the population, and minority groups (LGBTQ and Jewish people), so there's nothing fine about him.
I have no problem with a football player defending the team having good football players who are a-holes. You don't even have to publicly admit they are an a-hole...just don't lie about them. People should not have to pass good-person tests to be employed.
I am not advocating he lose his job, I am only saying he is not even close to being a fine person. He is a good football kicker, but his overall person is not good.
Perhaps people do not have to pass a good person test to be employed, unless they're the ones committing crimes that the organization does its very best to shield from accountability. Like football players that are beating their wives/girlfriends, or the ones that have been accused of rape, dog fighting, and myriad other despicable acts. Butker does not fit into that category, true, but the ideas presented in his speech can lead to spousal abuse. And I am not saying he promotes that, he may be walking right up to that line but not crossing it.
I work with some evil bastards that you can't turn your back on. If the leverage I have against them ever goes away, then I'll be out on my ass about 30 seconds later. Life would be more pleasant if they had to pass good-person tests to be employed.
The problem is conservative leaning organizations have a completely different definition of good-person test. Butker is a very good person by their morality.
That's correct. Separation of church and state was instituted to protect minority denominations from the majority Presbyterian denomination--at the request of those who feared being steamrolled. That principle is still valid.
"GOP still claims, without evidence, the State Department is "promoting atheism"
"Ebidence? We don' need no steenking ebidence! Ya ha ha ha ha!"
As I've been saying, as religious people continue to lose members, relevance, influence, and power, those who remain will become increasingly extremist and dangerous. Meanwhile as atheists continue to gain members, relevance, influence, and power, they will attract more attention from the religious extremists, who will react to atheists oppressively, then criminally, and then violently.
Stay fit, strong, vigilant, diligent, and somehow also stay rational and calm.
https://www.alternet.org/wehner-trump-evangelicals/
OT – but an interesting take on evangelicals and Trump.
Just got the latest Covid vaccine update. In spite of people on my abandoned political blog saying that – you know – it's a killer blah blah blah. I'll take any fucking vaccine going.
Cost per dose of Moderna COVID vaccine booster in the US: $128.
Cost of one week in the ICU on a ventilator in the US, according to the interwebs: $30,000-$40,000 (assuming no other complications or medical industry fuckery, which... yeah, 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. That shit's gonna be $100k or more if you're 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺).
Here's the shoulder, bring on the needle! Easiest decision since not voting for an insane fascist con man.
Costs me nothing because I'm over 65. I think it cost my son about $30. If I need emergency care on a ventilator or anything like that it's free.
I'm so grateful to have the VA. Cost of said COVID booster, as well as every doctor visit, treatment, medication, etc.: $0.00.
Cost for marginally-employed schmuck-with-a-keyboard with no insurance: 100% list. Is what it is. Healthcare in this shithole country is fucked sideways; I'm just glad 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 gets anything approaching comprehensive coverage, and I'm happy to pay the taxes for it. It's a basic social service- or, at least, it should be.
If only our 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬-𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘰-𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘮-𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 class thought that way.
Same with my MC Advantage plan.
It's insane. My government pay 19.50 € for the Pfizer and 21.50 for the Moderna.
While I was at the VA last week, I got the new COVID booster that combats the 1-2 punch of the latest two variants (FLiRT).
I take no chances. So many people walking around thinking the pandemic is over. There have been as many hospital admissions for COVID this year as there was last year. It's not growing milder and it's not fading away.
You're not wrong. I'm seeing it as an annual or six monthly event now.
I’ll admit it, I’m a covid vaccine junkie. I’ve had them all and never had that nasty cootie virus (to my knowledge)
Well, I played doctor when I was a kid and I saw patients of more than one gender. I must have had a natural immunity to cooties. ;)
I had it early from my "BATHED IN THE BLOOD OF JEEZY" neighbors. I was diagnosed at Jesse Brown VA. I was over it in 36 hours. I prolly don't need the vaccine but get it anyway.
My daughter got it just as we started hearing rumblings about it. Textbook case knowing what we know now.
He mocks Christians and calls them "con men" and "hustlers" who are "full of shit." They support him anyway.
Religion truly damages the intellect.
HUMANIST CREED: Reason not Superstition, Ethics not Dogma, Respect not Worship, Courage not Fear, Fact not Myth, Morality not Doctrine, Clarity not Delusion, Skeptic not Cynic, Rationality not Ideology, Good, not God.
Even with the last part of the creed there are many religious that have joined many of us non-theist as Humanist. One can see when reading the Creed, why these fanatical Christian politicians, would never understand, let alone embrace Humanism.
This is more about them pontificating about THEIR Christian faith and their orange messiah; let's be clear if this money was given to some Christian Ministry to convert folks to Christianity, they would be praising our efforts. But that is not the Republican way; their way is to believe in promoting Superstition not Reason, they haven't any Ethics only Dogma, they Respect nothing and no one, they live in Fear and have no Courage, they have no Morality only Christian Pulpit Doctrine, they are Cynical, they are not Rational they embrace Conspiracy Theories and yes, they believe in THEIR God, but it seems they do not know how to be or do Good.
It really is their gods with an s, because it seems to be the case that many people have their own version of what god wants and does or does not do, all depending on their individual preferences. How man times have we heard someone say about something, "not my god, he would never do that."
And their god can only be found in their mirror.
Substance, not vagary.
I can’t just claim these idiots are incompetent (though they are), but I think they know exactly what they are doing: continuing to try to tarnish the Biden admin with any fecal matter they can find in the litter box. Freak out the fundie bunch that the scary atheists are trying to take over the world (we should be so lucky). Instead these fuckwits are going to get people killed. However that’s ok because the “others” are either godless atheists, Buddhists, Muslim or any other not the One True Christian Religion ™ who deserve it. That’s what you get when Jesus ain’t your main squeeze. 🤬
And they're not Murkins, either.
Many thanks for the update from Nick Fish and American Atheists, Hemant.
Good to know they're not going to take this lying down.
Thanks for noting the update. Nick Fish is clearly on the ball here!
Republicans have no policies and no real plans, so they rely on cultural divisions to secure their voter base. I don't believe that most Republicans believe their own propaganda. If they do, these politicians are too stupid to serve their constituents properly. Christianity in this country doesn't need protection, but throughout the world religions of all stripes need it where they are in a minority. The world would be a better place without religion, and America would be a better place if these Christian Nationalists would crawl back under their pews and disappear.
No, they really are that stupid.
I have this debate with myself over and over. Are they really that stupid or are they really that dishonest? Yes, it might be both but at some point stupidity interferes with successful dishonesty.
The Boberts, MTGs, et al. probably do believe the bullshit, while Gaetz and others know it and use it because the Base™ is stupid.
The only good NatC is a dead NatC