Pat Condell: Wake up, America

Bravo.

De theocracy natura

The blogs that keep tabs on the religious nut jobs have plenty of quotes from their mouthings off that make it clear, though not always explicit, that these bozos would like nothing more than to live in an American theocracy. I have some thoughts on that.

There are few true theocracies in the world because they require one hundred percent commitment from the populace. Most of them, to obtain that amazing support, require such control and capitulation of the will and individuality of the populace that the very thought of it gives a rational, free individual a WTF moment.

Perhaps these evangelical lunatics should consider this: evangelicalism exists because it does not like the way the mainstream version of the cult works. Their crap is derived from Protestantism, which exists because they did not like the rules of Catholicism. Even evangelicalism has splinter groups who interpret things different from the other dangerous cults. So here is the question: whose rules are law? What about people who do not agree? Do they form a subcult? Are they afforded the same privileges? Of course not. One thing that religions is completely against is options. So that should tell them, if their rules are so awesome, why is it that some people do not like them?

It happened before and it will happen again: one person will be to differ with the ideals of the mainline faith and cause it to splinter. Will that be treated as a civil war? Considering how rabid some people in this country are about their faith, armed conflict is inevitable.

To offset this, they ruling cult will probably opt for a least-common-demoninator for of the rules. Keep it simple enough that everyone is happy. The problem with that, is that no religion works that way.

For a contemporary perspective, look at the goings-on in Iran. That is an example of an extreme cult running a theocracy and what happens when some people don't have their head up their ass. Eventually it will happen. There is no way that a system can maintain that kind of tension. Humans adapt and change. Humans that do not are dead anyway.

Bishop Dolan: Scaremonger for idots

Link: http://www.nypost.com/seven/04232009/news/regionalnews/tamper_with_marriage__were_in_big_troubl_165728.htm

Enough about marriage, already. It is a contrived burden, just like religion. A tiny percentage, depending on whom you ask, of animal species are monogamous - about 3 - 5% by some estimates. If marriage is so awesome, why do so few animals do it? Gawhd obviously likes animals more than humans since they were made first - not as an afterthought - so why do they not practice it more? Because they are dumb animals?

Maybe it is a punishment. After all, adam and eve were companions until they decided to try knowledge. Then they were shackled together. That is not real marriage. It is an arranged marriage, maybe even a shotgun wedding. We all know how revolting those are.

Oh, wait, I answered my own question there.

Hmm. Why was woman made? Because man was lonely or because gawhd was tired of adam humping his leg?

As I've said before, if you care enough for someone and can tolerate them being around, you can coexist without some mumbo-jumbo magical contract.

At one point, the bishop rattles off some crap about morality and marriage being programmed in our DNA. I am not sure what he means by morality, and it does not matter because morality is subjective. Marriage, however, is more determinable. The concept of marriage is not in our DNA, pair bonding is. The two are not the same.

Something else in our DNA - fear, the real cause of religion.

Thoughts: Art, taxes

Fair warning: this is a conversation that popped into my head this morning. It this one is going to be rough.

At first I thought of the New Yorker cover with Obama and his wife that caused a stir a few months ago.

Then I thought of another cover: McCain giving Jesus a rusty trombone. What might xians think?

- that's revolting.
- it's art, like a crucifix in a jar of urine.
- i'm not paying my taxes for that.
- and i'm not paying my taxes for schools because i have no kids, nor do I support a level of taxation that is sufficient to provide tax breaks for religious organization.
- that's different, they do good for the community.
- and art is for culture and society, a concept lost of ignorant bastards such as yourself. I'll take a real jar of urine over your make-believe piss any day.

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