As I drove in to work I very nearly pulled out in front of another car while preparing to turn a corner. I didn't make it more than a few inches into the intersection, but the oncoming driver was justifiably startled by my movement and reacted visibly by raising both arms over his head as though he were being robbed at gunpoint. Faced with a situation in which his response might be the difference between a collision and a near miss... he took his hands off the wheel. Suddenly a number of internal debates came into focus and I relaxed a bit for the first time in days.
Anti-vaccine Crusaders, Godbots*, Homophobes, Creationists, Birthers, 9/11 Truthers, "Alternative" Medicine Clients, Holocaust Deniers, "Monster" Hunters, Alien Abductees, the Haunted, supporters of Woo in all it's manifest horror... Confronted with the inherent threat of uncertainty and/or lack of sufficient fantasy a number of individuals seem to lose their grip on the wheel. Some gave up the wheel only when conditions made them doubt their ability, and some gave up the wheel before they even climbed in the car.
The good news is, as social animals, there's always someone in the passenger seat capable of taking over those unguided steering wheels. The bad news is that the individuals most eager to so are often misinformed, guided by less-than-altruistic intentions, or Just. Plain. Nutters.
For once I'm not here to focus attention on the wheel grabbers. I'm here to ask a somber question:
How do we get people to put their fucking hands back on their own fucking wheel and fucking DRIVE?
How do we get them to stop regurgitating creationist lies all over the PTA podium and learn enough science to evaluate the evidence on their own?** How do we get them to understand the proven properties of water so they'll instinctively dismiss the ridiculous claim that if you shake it hard and long enough it'll "remember" other substances? How do we get them to channel the grief of an Autism diagnosis into proven therapies instead of into campaigns that seek to stop routine vaccinations that protect precious lives? How do we get people to value the power of rational thought? Of serious study? Of mutual respect? Of personal conviction and communal responsibility?
Rationalists, Humanists, Scientists... can we be taught to take the wheel from those who have abandoned it, just for a moment, just long enough to help them learn how to drive?
I value the loud mouth.*** I value the PZ Myers' and the Richard Dawkins'; the Orac's and the Skepchicks. I value them because they can be loud, insulting, and brash; because they're irreverent and unapologetic. Those traits have put a spotlight on the tide of nonsense that's crept up over our knees while we weren't looking. (Or, for those in Alabama, up over your trouser tops.) Simply by being who they are and speaking their minds, they've snapped a few thousand drivers back to ten-and-two. I'm willing to bet they've also helped a few thousand to see the wheel in front of them for the very first time.
We can't just leave it to them though, because there are would-be drivers they'll never be able to reach. We need to start thinking about how we can get our communities to start thinking; how we can show people that knowledge IS power, and that power conquers fear; how we can show them that reality is a million times more wondrous than fantasy ever could be. Perhaps we can best do this by taking a good long look at the woo-meisters and see why they're as effective as they are... I don't have the answers, but I have a few notes:
Woo-meisters have community
Yes, I know, we have community too - but for many of us our community ceases to exist the moment we shut down our computers. We need to remember that meat-space is as important as cyber-space. Get involved with your local skeptic community, and if you don't have one, start one. Grassroots Skeptics is a great place to start looking.
Woo-meisters KISS
Keep It Simple, Stupid. Kirk Cameron doesn't lay down a detailed refutation of evolutionary theory, he shows a picture of a Crockoduck. There's a time and place for multifaceted dissection of the latest in biophysics, and the local school board meeting probably isn't it. We need to be able to address our audience at their level, and realize that sometimes their level is a lot lower than we assume.
Woo-meisters divide
This isn't likely to be a very popular point with many of you, but that doesn't mean it's not accurate. Woo-meisters use an Us vs. Them mentality when it suits them - The Godly vs. The Damned, The Enlightened vs. The Deceived, The Naturalist vs. Big Pharma... they name us, then they denigrate us. They're not above condescension, and they're not above ridicule. Where appropriate, I don't think we ought to be either. There is a positive aspect to division, it helps to strengthen the community. A little 1984, yes, but it works.
Woo-meisters proselytize
The pet psychic down the street doesn't hesitate to plaster the town with posters offering a free demonstration, and the godbot* next door has no problem inviting everyone within walking distance to the upcoming revival meeting. They don't do it because it pisses people off, they do it because it works.
Woo-meisters permeate
They're everywhere. But guess what? So are we.
I don't have a pretty bow to wrap this package in. It's just a mass of jumbled thoughts and observations, a stream of consciousness I truly hope coalesces into something workable... something great. Help me out, folks. Talk about it, add your ideas, toss your criticisms - whatever you do, get involved. There are a lot of people out there that deserve to know that they have what it takes to drive.
* Before the faithful among you take offence to my use of the word "Godbot", please know that I use that term only in referring to Fundamentalists. I have no issue with people of faith in general, regardless of the particular religion they might subscribe to.
Of course, if you are a Fundamentalist, you might as well go ahead and take offense. I think you're fucking crazy.
** Anyone, and yes - I mean ANYONE, who's studied the facts that make up evolutionary theory and actually understood them is an evolutionist. Period.
If you've studied the facts and you're still a creationist you either haven't understood them or YOU'RE LYING.
Evolutionary facts, by the way, are found in the writings of Evolutionary Biologists and other scientific professionals not the Discovery Institute and Answers in Genesis. I don't go to biologists for information on apologetics, don't go to apologists for information on biology.
*** As a fellow loud mouth, I'm well aware of my possible bias.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Love Notes
While I routinely harass my representatives with volleys of email describing my concerns, hopes, and criticisms, I generally restrain myself when it comes to contacting representatives beyond my domain.
Today, that changed.
It changed because New York State Senator Diane Savino's speech on the Senate floor regarding same-sex marriage was simply brilliant. Eloquent, passionate, logical, and even-handed I agree with her every word.
New York State committed a crime against the principal of equality on Wednesday, but Senator Savino was correct in stating that equality advocates did not go home unbowed and the struggle will continue. Thank you, Senator, for standing on the side of equality.
If you'd like to send your own message to Senator Savino, her email address is savino@senate.state.ny.us or, if you'd prefer, you can use this automated form.
Today, that changed.
It changed because New York State Senator Diane Savino's speech on the Senate floor regarding same-sex marriage was simply brilliant. Eloquent, passionate, logical, and even-handed I agree with her every word.
New York State committed a crime against the principal of equality on Wednesday, but Senator Savino was correct in stating that equality advocates did not go home unbowed and the struggle will continue. Thank you, Senator, for standing on the side of equality.
If you'd like to send your own message to Senator Savino, her email address is savino@senate.state.ny.us or, if you'd prefer, you can use this automated form.
Monday, November 30, 2009
AFA CounterAction Alert - Gap Update
Looks like the AFA isn't done with Gap quite yet.
It seems that Bill Chandler, vice president of Gap corporate communications, told AFA that Gap will be running a new television commercial which has a "very strong Christmas theme."
This communication was apparently received in response to an online poll that showed 90% of AFA drones supported a continued boycott of the company as a result of Gap's first holiday ad that "mingled Christmas with the pagan 'Winter Solstice' holiday." You know, the holiday celebrated by witches. You know, those people the bible says you should kill. Totally uncool. The mingling, not the killing.
The AFA Alert goes on to state that "Gap says the new ad will include the popular Supermodelquins proudly cheering “Merry Christmas", and features Christmas trees, lights and ornaments as well."
Since the new ad cheers on Christmas without mentioning any other holiday, and displays traditional Christmas symbols, AFA has stated that they will suspend their boycott of the company until everyone has had a chance to view the ad. Presumably to make sure Gap hasn't snuck in any subliminal pagan bits... you know... except for the Christmas trees, lights, and ornaments.
I suppose it's possible the AFA has somehow remained blissfully ignorant to the fact that Christmas trees, lights, and ornaments originated with the Winter Solstice holiday. Or perhaps they view those Christmas traditions as having been stolen from the witches to be re-branded and used to honor Jesus. Kind of like melting all your gold down to make a golden calf just like those nasty pagans, but then using it to celebrate YAHWEH:
"And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw [it], he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow [is] a feast to YAHWEH." (Exodus 32:4-5)
Oh... wait... YAHWEH didn't seem to like that very much:
"And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, put every man his sword by his side, [and] go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men." (Exodus 32:27-28)
Three thousand dead for the golden calf, regardless of YAHWEH feasts. Oh wait... that wasn't harsh enough:
"And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made." (Exodus 32:35)
I'm sure, however, that Christmas trees, lights, and ornaments are totally different than golden calves, right? I mean, it's not like those things were symbolic of "pagan" gods or anything. Well, okay... Saturn, Ops, Sol Invicta, Consus, Juventas, Janus, Bacchus, Osiris, Isis, Horus, and maybe a few others... but I hear YAWEH has calmed down a bit since he had a kid, so I'm sure it's okay.
The Alert closes with this gem: "As a result of your dedicated actions, we believe Gap is beginning to realize that Christmas is not just another 'holiday' and will begin to advertise in a way that is respectful to Christians and Christmas shoppers."
Got that Gap? Mentioning Christmas along with other holidays celebrated at the same time of year - offensive and disrespectful. Celebrating Christmas with a melange of pagan traditions and then pitching a fit when the slightest nod is given to any holiday other than yours - justified and righteous.
What maroons.
*UPDATE of the... um... update...*
The AFA announced this morning that the Gap boycott has officially ended. My only hope is that Gap had the damn commercial planned before the AFA started their whining and only retroactively used it to pacify them. New commercial is below, but it's not nearly as amusing to me as the other one.
It seems that Bill Chandler, vice president of Gap corporate communications, told AFA that Gap will be running a new television commercial which has a "very strong Christmas theme."
This communication was apparently received in response to an online poll that showed 90% of AFA drones supported a continued boycott of the company as a result of Gap's first holiday ad that "mingled Christmas with the pagan 'Winter Solstice' holiday." You know, the holiday celebrated by witches. You know, those people the bible says you should kill. Totally uncool. The mingling, not the killing.
The AFA Alert goes on to state that "Gap says the new ad will include the popular Supermodelquins proudly cheering “Merry Christmas", and features Christmas trees, lights and ornaments as well."
Since the new ad cheers on Christmas without mentioning any other holiday, and displays traditional Christmas symbols, AFA has stated that they will suspend their boycott of the company until everyone has had a chance to view the ad. Presumably to make sure Gap hasn't snuck in any subliminal pagan bits... you know... except for the Christmas trees, lights, and ornaments.
I suppose it's possible the AFA has somehow remained blissfully ignorant to the fact that Christmas trees, lights, and ornaments originated with the Winter Solstice holiday. Or perhaps they view those Christmas traditions as having been stolen from the witches to be re-branded and used to honor Jesus. Kind of like melting all your gold down to make a golden calf just like those nasty pagans, but then using it to celebrate YAHWEH:
"And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw [it], he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow [is] a feast to YAHWEH." (Exodus 32:4-5)
Oh... wait... YAHWEH didn't seem to like that very much:
"And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, put every man his sword by his side, [and] go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men." (Exodus 32:27-28)
Three thousand dead for the golden calf, regardless of YAHWEH feasts. Oh wait... that wasn't harsh enough:
"And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made." (Exodus 32:35)
I'm sure, however, that Christmas trees, lights, and ornaments are totally different than golden calves, right? I mean, it's not like those things were symbolic of "pagan" gods or anything. Well, okay... Saturn, Ops, Sol Invicta, Consus, Juventas, Janus, Bacchus, Osiris, Isis, Horus, and maybe a few others... but I hear YAWEH has calmed down a bit since he had a kid, so I'm sure it's okay.
The Alert closes with this gem: "As a result of your dedicated actions, we believe Gap is beginning to realize that Christmas is not just another 'holiday' and will begin to advertise in a way that is respectful to Christians and Christmas shoppers."
Got that Gap? Mentioning Christmas along with other holidays celebrated at the same time of year - offensive and disrespectful. Celebrating Christmas with a melange of pagan traditions and then pitching a fit when the slightest nod is given to any holiday other than yours - justified and righteous.
What maroons.
*UPDATE of the... um... update...*
The AFA announced this morning that the Gap boycott has officially ended. My only hope is that Gap had the damn commercial planned before the AFA started their whining and only retroactively used it to pacify them. New commercial is below, but it's not nearly as amusing to me as the other one.
BetaPwned/Daisies and Shit
Just a quick note to let everyone know that the BetaPwned archives, minus the Dear Diary comics, are up on DaisiesAndShit.com.
Head over and take a quick look. If you hate the overall site design, now's a good time to tell me. Bitch about it three months from now and you'll get nothing but a long distance raspberry. Before you submit your critique, however, keep in mind the following aspects are still missing:
Comic Title Header
About Page
Cast Page
Extras Page
Store Link
Contact/Social Media Links
Because the contact link isn't up on the site yet you can add your comment to the Daisies and Shit home page, this blog post, or email me at creator@betapwned.com
Head over and take a quick look. If you hate the overall site design, now's a good time to tell me. Bitch about it three months from now and you'll get nothing but a long distance raspberry. Before you submit your critique, however, keep in mind the following aspects are still missing:
Comic Title Header
About Page
Cast Page
Extras Page
Store Link
Contact/Social Media Links
Because the contact link isn't up on the site yet you can add your comment to the Daisies and Shit home page, this blog post, or email me at creator@betapwned.com
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
AFA CounterAction Alert - The Gap
It's that time of year again - the leaves are being homicidally pushed from the trees, there's a chill in the air, and Fundamentalist Christian groups are beginning to falsely equate inclusion with bigotry.
Yes, it's time for the annual "War on Christmas" and the AFA is starting the season by targeting Gap Incorporated. It seems Gap has shunned the "Merry Christmas" message, even going so far as to release the following statement:
"Gap recognizes that many traditions are celebrated throughout this season and we feel it is important to display holiday signage that is inclusive to everyone."
The outrage! Why, it's almost as if Gap executives looked at one of those good old American calendars and noticed that Chanukkah, Christmas, Winter Solstice, and Kwanzaa were all celebrated within the same two-week span and then callously decided that they should wish ALL of their customers happiness instead of righteously focusing on the ones that worship Jesus!
While such reasoning sounds completely ridiculous when I word it, I'm sure the AFA's wording sounds much more logical:
"Christmas is special because of Jesus. It's not just a 'winter holiday.' For millions of Americans the giving and receiving of gifts is in honor of the One who gave Himself. For the Gap to pretend that isn't the foundation of the Christmas season is political correctness at best and religious bigotry at worst."
Hrm... actually, that doesn't sound much more logical at all. I don't think Gap is pretending that the giving and receiving of gifts in honor of Jesus (aka - "the One who gave Himself") isn't the foundation of the Christmas season. It does seem, however, that the AFA is pretending that Christmas is the foundation of the holiday season. I simply don't know how they manage to get any work done over there while covering their eyes, pluging their ears, and belting out holy renditions of Silent Night in order to ward off any nasty facts that might challenge their world view. You know, like the fact that Chunakkah pre-dates Christmas by... oh... a couple thousand years. Or that the "Christmas" tradition of giving and receiving gifts began with the Pagan celebration of Solstice, just like the tradition of decorating an evergreen tree, or burning a yule log, or keeping a candle lit through the night, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
Regardless, AFA is asking people to call up Gap and "in a firm but polite manner" ask them to reconsider its policy of "censoring Christmas in promotional material" and to boycott stores owned by the company until the word Christmas is seen in their advertising. I, of course, am asking that you give them a call to let them know that you appreciate their efforts to spread holiday cheer to all people, regardless of their religion or lack thereof.
The toll-free number is: 1-800-427-7895. The company number is: 650-952-4400.
Yes, it's time for the annual "War on Christmas" and the AFA is starting the season by targeting Gap Incorporated. It seems Gap has shunned the "Merry Christmas" message, even going so far as to release the following statement:
"Gap recognizes that many traditions are celebrated throughout this season and we feel it is important to display holiday signage that is inclusive to everyone."
The outrage! Why, it's almost as if Gap executives looked at one of those good old American calendars and noticed that Chanukkah, Christmas, Winter Solstice, and Kwanzaa were all celebrated within the same two-week span and then callously decided that they should wish ALL of their customers happiness instead of righteously focusing on the ones that worship Jesus!
While such reasoning sounds completely ridiculous when I word it, I'm sure the AFA's wording sounds much more logical:
"Christmas is special because of Jesus. It's not just a 'winter holiday.' For millions of Americans the giving and receiving of gifts is in honor of the One who gave Himself. For the Gap to pretend that isn't the foundation of the Christmas season is political correctness at best and religious bigotry at worst."
Hrm... actually, that doesn't sound much more logical at all. I don't think Gap is pretending that the giving and receiving of gifts in honor of Jesus (aka - "the One who gave Himself") isn't the foundation of the Christmas season. It does seem, however, that the AFA is pretending that Christmas is the foundation of the holiday season. I simply don't know how they manage to get any work done over there while covering their eyes, pluging their ears, and belting out holy renditions of Silent Night in order to ward off any nasty facts that might challenge their world view. You know, like the fact that Chunakkah pre-dates Christmas by... oh... a couple thousand years. Or that the "Christmas" tradition of giving and receiving gifts began with the Pagan celebration of Solstice, just like the tradition of decorating an evergreen tree, or burning a yule log, or keeping a candle lit through the night, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
Regardless, AFA is asking people to call up Gap and "in a firm but polite manner" ask them to reconsider its policy of "censoring Christmas in promotional material" and to boycott stores owned by the company until the word Christmas is seen in their advertising. I, of course, am asking that you give them a call to let them know that you appreciate their efforts to spread holiday cheer to all people, regardless of their religion or lack thereof.
The toll-free number is: 1-800-427-7895. The company number is: 650-952-4400.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Dilute This
Ordinarily I would hesitate to post a video that oozes such a profoundly dizzying misunderstanding of basic physics, but it seems that "Dr." Werner (or possibly an unknown woo-lover) doesn't want her baffling butchery of simplistic scientific concepts displayed to anyone with enough brain to understand just how bat-shit-nutters she really is. XanSimpson, who originally posted the video on YouTube, received the following letter:
Now, XanSimpson is understandably a bit nervous about this. Luckily, PZ Myers knows exactly what to do under these circumstances:
I wholeheartedly agree. So, in the interest of Woo extermination by way of exposure, I present to you
I do warn you, however, that I was reduced to a stuttering mass of endless repetition for several minutes after viewing. "But... but... equations don't work like that! But... but... those particles have MASS! But... but... energy isn't fucking emotional! But... but..." This stuttering was followed by a good two hours of impassioned ranting.
The stupid... it really does burn. Though, by her logic, stupid this concentrated shouldn't burn as much as stupid that was shaken really hard and then diluted a million times...
Want your own copy? Fetch. *smiles*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0c5yClip4o
UPDATE:
Holy shite. In trying to hunt down the University that gave this quack a degree I found a couple other gems of ignorance that have erupted forth from this nutter:
(From the Austin Integrative Medicine site, captured by Google on November 1st, 2009: http://tinyurl.com/yezrlw3 Current page comes up 404 and her name has been removed from the header: http://tinyurl.com/yj88quo One wonders what kind of offense one has to commit to be removed from a site dedicated to quacks.)
For more video quacktastery, Dr. Werner explains how she "treats" disorders like ADHD and Dyslexia while providing another fascinating insight into Homeopathy - her shaken-not-stirred magic water apparently gives her access into "stubborn cells".
Continued searches for the origin of her degree have come up empty, though I was able to find information regarding her active status with the Texas Optometry board. Her license apparently expires in December of this year... that gives me hope.
I thought you would like to know that you will be contacted by Dr Werner's Attorney shortly regarding her video. The posting of this video is in violation of copyright laws. We are aware that you have had this video up since March of '08 however I suggest you delete it immediately.
Jayson Patrick
Now, XanSimpson is understandably a bit nervous about this. Luckily, PZ Myers knows exactly what to do under these circumstances:
"As is common practice in these cases, the answer is obvious: everyone who can should make a copy of the video. More people should link to it. Spread the word and share the information - let her threat of a takedown lead to greater dissemination of her words.
Welcome to the internet, Charlene."
I wholeheartedly agree. So, in the interest of Woo extermination by way of exposure, I present to you
I do warn you, however, that I was reduced to a stuttering mass of endless repetition for several minutes after viewing. "But... but... equations don't work like that! But... but... those particles have MASS! But... but... energy isn't fucking emotional! But... but..." This stuttering was followed by a good two hours of impassioned ranting.
The stupid... it really does burn. Though, by her logic, stupid this concentrated shouldn't burn as much as stupid that was shaken really hard and then diluted a million times...
Want your own copy? Fetch. *smiles*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0c5yClip4o
UPDATE:
Holy shite. In trying to hunt down the University that gave this quack a degree I found a couple other gems of ignorance that have erupted forth from this nutter:
"Our cornea acts like a double-ended prism and when light passes through it, the light divides into spectral light, and our photoreceptors (red, blue and green cones picking up that specific frequency of light, and the rods picking up all the rest) absorb the light energy, which is then transmitted to the brain. It is the red and blue cones that actually have a stimulating effect on the autonomic nervous system...
What can drive the autonomic nervous system are the red and blue cones. When you think of red, you think of fast and hot, or the sympathetic nervous system - that's the red cone system working. When you think of blue, you think of slow and cool, or the parasympathetic nervous system - that's the blue cone system working. So, light stimulation can change physiological function through photoreceptor transmission.
What diseases are you more likely to suffer with when the red cone system is overworking? That's right: fast diseases like high blood pressure, anxiety, hyperthyroidism, arteriosclerosis, and cancer (make more cells) - a speeding up of the processes. What diseases are you more likely to suffer with when the blue cone system is overworking? That's right: slow system disorders like low blood pressure, depression, and low thyroid function.
Almost every disease process can be explained this way. So, light therapy essentially stimulates and enhances the ability of our photoreceptors to pick up light in a different way toward changing function in the body. It can create balance in the system and with balance comes better function."
(From the Austin Integrative Medicine site, captured by Google on November 1st, 2009: http://tinyurl.com/yezrlw3 Current page comes up 404 and her name has been removed from the header: http://tinyurl.com/yj88quo One wonders what kind of offense one has to commit to be removed from a site dedicated to quacks.)
For more video quacktastery, Dr. Werner explains how she "treats" disorders like ADHD and Dyslexia while providing another fascinating insight into Homeopathy - her shaken-not-stirred magic water apparently gives her access into "stubborn cells".
Continued searches for the origin of her degree have come up empty, though I was able to find information regarding her active status with the Texas Optometry board. Her license apparently expires in December of this year... that gives me hope.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
No God Twitter Rage - Responses to Twits
Let's start at the top - the Twitter that inspired the entire trend:
@revrunwisdom: "Know God... Know Peace. No God.. No Peace!"
I'll admit it makes for a pithy bumper sticker, but as a logical statement... well... not so much.
The number of criminals in the prison system that proclaimed belief in some type of deity before they were incarcerated at the very least suggests that knowing God isn't synonymous with knowing peace. While believers may protest that those criminals didn't REALLY know God, the existence of peaceful and largely Atheistic countries and communities also suggests that peace is quite obtainable without belief in God.
I'm an Atheist. I've no god. I also have plenty of peace. Internal peace, peace of mind, peace in attitude, and peace in life.
@ayomac Ya'll sayin there's no god,hope u tell ur kids that chrismas & easter are cancelled.good luck w/ that.
Interestingly enough, it is possible to celebrate both Easter and Christmas in secular ways.
In fact, both holidays have "pagan" roots and were celebrated long before Christianity took hold. Easter was originally a fertility festival held in the spring, which explains all those eggs and bunnies - eggs, appearing "dead" but containing life, were symbolic of the earth being "reborn" in the Spring and nothing says fertility quite like rabbits. Christmas got it's start as the winter solstice during which evergreen trees, symbolic of survival through the harsh winter, were decorated with gold and silver balls which represented the gods of the sun and moon.
Regardless of it's religious orientation, whether modern day or ancient, a decent argument could also be made that the American celebrations of Easter and Christmas are largely secular these days anyway. Ask 10 random children what comes to mind when they think of Easter and Christmas and the vast majority will reply with some version of "Candy and Presents", not Jesus.
Personally, as both Easter and Christmas belonged to others long before they belonged to Christianity, I have no more problem celebrating them than I do celebrating Fridays. (A multi-translational form of the Latin "dies Veneris" or "Day of Venus".)
@adrianafasano TO EVERYONE FUK FACE THAT IS TWEETING ABOUT "NO GOD" ENJOY YOUR TIME IN HELL YOU PIECES OF SHITS!
Well, now. Someone forgot to put on their "WWJD" bracelet this morning.
I chose this Tweet not because it represents the majority of believers, I don't believe it does, but because it's so harshly symbolic of a common tactic used in conversion attempts against Atheists - if the expressed joy of belief doesn't sway us, perhaps the fear of hell will.
Let's be clear - not only do Atheists lack belief in gods, we also lack belief in the domains of gods. We don't believe in heaven, nor do we believe in hell. Threatening me with eternal damnation is, aside from Not Nice, as unlikely to turn me toward belief in Jesus as my threatening you with Hades is to turn you toward belief in Thor. The threat only works if you believe to begin with... which makes the threat unnecessary.
@marbev007 No one can ever convince me there is no God. He is so evident in all of creation! :)
While this may seem like a prime invitation for me to rehash all of the reasons I don't find God evident in all creation, I chose this tweet for another reason entirely:
I've never personally encountered an Atheist missionary. To my knowledge, there isn't an organized Atheist push to convince people that their gods don't exist. We really don't care if you believe. Really. We do, of course, care when specific laws are passed to bring society in line with a particular religious belief or when ostracizing non-believers is legitimized by authority or innocent children are denied medical attention, etc... but beyond that, your faith is of no concern to us. Worship it up.
@BobBurneyLive The top trend today is No God. Help people KNOW God by donating to the Bible League http://bit.ly/1DWKU1
In this tweet, it's a Christian that advances the notion that knowledge of the Bible cures Atheism, but Christianity isn't the only faith system that falls victim to the assumption that Atheists haven't been exposed to their Holy Book.
Donating to the Bible League won't help me know the Christian God - I already own five of the things, one of which is written in Masoretic Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. I've read it, in English, cover to cover three times, and in sections undoubtedly many more times over. I struggled through the Hebrew once, though I'll readily admit I dropped the notion of ever pushing through the Greek and Aramaic before I'd even finished the Tanakh. I've also read the Book of Mormon, and bits of both the Bhava Ghita and the Koran. While the extent of my experience with religious texts may be a tad unique, most Atheists I've encountered have more than a passing knowledge of the Holy Book most prominent in their culture.
@imjustNasha The concept of NO GOD would make life not worth living.
For those that feel a life without belief in god would not be worth living, I sincerely hope your faith is strong and that you'll never lose it. I mean that, there's no punch line coming.
I would like to state, however, that the vast majority of Atheists find their lives quite worth living. Some have even stated that their lives became even more precious, more worth living, when they lost their faith. Personally, I love my life. Every moment of it, even the painful ones, are worthy of living. Every single one.
@MrsBunnieW No God? Then what are u living 4?!?!?.....honestly worst trending topic ever!!!
In the same vein as the last one, but different enough that I think it deserves its own response.
What am I living for? For the excitement of learning, for the love of my family, for the people I've met and will meet in the future, for the difference I make, for the joy of discovery, for the pleasure of laughter, for the challenge of creation, for the thrill of expectation... for a million things I've already known, and a million more yet to come.
What are you living for? The day that you die? I sincerely hope that's not the case.
@cmagrum001 TT today is "No God." Takes more faith to believe everything around us is the product of mere chance, then to believe IN God.
No one, not even Atheists, believe that "everything around us is the product of mere chance". The laws of physics may be difficult to comprehend, but difficulty in understanding does not equate to "chance".
@benjsigmon I'm a Christian because it takes less faith than being an atheist. #thereisagod #No God
Same vein as the last one, but without the distracting "mere chance". It takes no faith to be an Atheist. None.
No, really. Not even a little bit. You're not required to understand evolution, or the Big Bang, or string theory, or really anything at all. You can answer "I have no flipping idea" to every question about existence as a whole and still be an Atheist. The only requirement to Atheism, the only one is that you lack faith in gods.
No faith required. In fact, it's a bit of a deterrent.
@*a bazillion different tweeps* Psalm 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God" They are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none who does good.
This one was tweeted by so many people, either in part or as a whole, that I didn't feel right ascribing it to anyone in particular - especially as it's simply a quote. There are two points I'd like to make regarding this verse:
1 - Quoting a verse from the Bible to an Atheist, is like quoting a verse from the Koran to a Christian. Intrinsically, it's meaningless and the intent behind quoting this particular verse is petty. You ought to be able to feel good about your faith without pointing out how insultingly your faith defines me.
2 - For "They are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none who does good." to be a true statement, one either has to ignore the vast number of beneficial acts done by Atheists, or one has to redefine "good" to mean "a beneficial act done by a theist". We give blood, we feed and clothe the homeless, we helped rebuild after Katrina, we were even the first group to reach the $1 million dollar mark on the Kiva charity grant site. Should you choose to ignore those acts, or redefine what constitutes a good work, so be it. We'll keep it up anyway, and the world will be better for it.
@ThebookONE If there is no God, why do people talk about him so much?
Ah... another variation of "If there were no God, there would be no Atheists". I can't speak for others, of course, by I talk about God so much because believers exist and they're often not content to let me live my life without paying respect to their deity. Most often this manifests in mundane ways, like when missionaries wake me up in an attempt to save the soul I don't believe I have, but occasionally this manifests in horrible ways... like when ardent believers kill thousands by ramming planes into buildings.
If I lived in a world, or at least in a country, where my children weren't being handed leaflets at town fairs threatening them with eternal torture, where I wasn't looked down upon for not bowing my head in prayer, where laws were based in logic rather than in dogma, where churches were the domain of faith and schools were the domain of fact, etc... I wouldn't talk about Jesus and Allah any more than I talk about Thor and Odin.
@JaymEsch Those who feel there's No God, thus no Afterlife, what stops you from doing your dark desires? Rape, murder, etc.? You die, nothing exists.
Wow. Um... first of all, the rape and murder thing? I don't have those "dark desires". Really. Never in my life have I seriously desired to rape or murder anyone - not even when my own life was being threatened. It's been said before but it bares repeating - if you do have those kind of desires and your belief in God is the only thing keeping you from entertaining them, by all means believe. Believe with every ounce of effort contained in your seriously disturbed mind.
For the rest of us, we behave in a civil manner because we're social creatures - we've depended on society for our survival for millenia. Rapists and murderers aren't welcomed in most societies because they can't be trusted and no one wants to live in close quarters with someone that can't be trusted. Ask any inmate in a high-security prison.
@Mandisam No God? Seriously twitter. take that down.
Several people tweeted some version of this as well, some even suggesting a Twitter boycott until No God disappeared off the Trending Topics list.
To this I offer no refutation, only an honest question - why? Why does this expression of opinion bother you so much? I've seen various proclamations of faith in the Trending Topics list and yet found no indication of Atheists organizing a boycott. I don't protest the ridiculously insulting signs our local church posts on their marquee. I don't take my ball and go home when they sing "God Bless America" at the stadium.
Is your faith so fragile, your God so fragile, that the very notion of unbelief is challenging?
@Mugunga Just because God doesn't intervene every little bad thing that happens to you doesn't mean there is no god.
Excellent point, Mugunga. (As well as evidence against the notion that Atheists are immune to fallacies of their own.)
That life isn't one big pony-ride in no way invalidates the possible existence of a god. Perhaps an eternal god, offering its followers eternal life, wouldn't be terribly concerned with the flickering of an instant our life represents within the span of eternal time. Or maybe experiencing hardship during life has some unknown benefit to believers.
Offering evidence against existence is a loosing game; we've said it a billion times - you can't prove a negative. Suffering stands only as evidence to the existence of suffering - just as trees stand only as evidence to the existence of trees. Furthermore, individuals who are mad at gods for the bad things that happen in life aren't Atheists, they're disgruntled Theists - you simply can't be mad at something unless you believe it exists.
@LisaAntoniaa No God is a trending topic? FYI There is a God, Their is a heaven & Their is a hell. Jesus Christ is real no matter what you say.
I chose this tweet for three reasons:
1 - Because I hear variations of it so often, all of them mystifying. For anyone that considers "because I say so" a measure of proof, please consider the following "FYI There is a God. There is a Hades, and there is a Valhalla. Odin is real no matter what you say." Swayed? Neither am I.
2 - The Trending Topic "No God" didn't specify a deity yet somehow it became a flame war between Atheists and Christians. Your god isn't the only god, and Atheists lack belief in ALL of them... yet 99% of the angry responses came from offended Christians. I was instantly reminded of an only child suddenly confronted with a new sibling. Thank you for reminding me why Atheists should be upfront about their lack of belief.
3 - There: a location or position - "I agree with you there." or "I don't enjoy eating there." Their: a possessive case of they - "Their house is the blue one." or "That is their basket." They're: a contraction of 'they are' - "They're both so happy." or "They're really annoyed by grammatical errors."
(In all seriousness, the errors in this Trending Topic made my head spin. If you're going to attempt a rational debate, pay attention to your spelling and grammar - ESPECIALLY if you're busy insinuating that other people are idiots.)
@MattWBP The aggressive statement of opinion as the factual answer to an unknowable equation is not an intellectual way of thinking. (No God)
Wow! Excellent statement! I've no refutation - I just wanted to highlight this tweet for the clarity it brings to both sides of the argument. Neither "God is real!" nor "There is no God!" can be shown as factual statements - both are expressions of opinion and ought logically to be stated as such.
I have no belief in gods. My lack of belief in gods stems from the complete lack of objective evidence for their existence. While I cannot state with certainty that no gods exist, I can state that I've no rational reason to believe they do.
@turntoo ...Actually, atheism is a theism, as it requires a belief that there is no God.
This is a common misconception. Atheism simply means "without Theism". To be considered an Atheist one must simply lack belief in gods, not espouse a belief that gods absolutely do not exist. Most Atheists, even those loudly denounced as "new Atheists", are more than happy to explain that they would believe in gods if given sufficient evidence of their existence.
@aaronjpalmer We r like an ant trying 2 understand the internet n our effort 2 understand God. So is there No God just cause we cant understand him?
Do you lack belief in Odin because you don't understand him, or because you have no objective evidence for his existence? No one lacks faith in gods because they don't understand them. Beside which, the Christian god really isn't any more difficult to understand than any other god.
@soulrebelJ I'm glad No God is a TT. After the dust settles, we can reflect on how we dealt with each other during the debate. #peace
Indeed, soulrebelJ. Indeed. *smiles*
@revrunwisdom: "Know God... Know Peace. No God.. No Peace!"
I'll admit it makes for a pithy bumper sticker, but as a logical statement... well... not so much.
The number of criminals in the prison system that proclaimed belief in some type of deity before they were incarcerated at the very least suggests that knowing God isn't synonymous with knowing peace. While believers may protest that those criminals didn't REALLY know God, the existence of peaceful and largely Atheistic countries and communities also suggests that peace is quite obtainable without belief in God.
I'm an Atheist. I've no god. I also have plenty of peace. Internal peace, peace of mind, peace in attitude, and peace in life.
@ayomac Ya'll sayin there's no god,hope u tell ur kids that chrismas & easter are cancelled.good luck w/ that.
Interestingly enough, it is possible to celebrate both Easter and Christmas in secular ways.
In fact, both holidays have "pagan" roots and were celebrated long before Christianity took hold. Easter was originally a fertility festival held in the spring, which explains all those eggs and bunnies - eggs, appearing "dead" but containing life, were symbolic of the earth being "reborn" in the Spring and nothing says fertility quite like rabbits. Christmas got it's start as the winter solstice during which evergreen trees, symbolic of survival through the harsh winter, were decorated with gold and silver balls which represented the gods of the sun and moon.
Regardless of it's religious orientation, whether modern day or ancient, a decent argument could also be made that the American celebrations of Easter and Christmas are largely secular these days anyway. Ask 10 random children what comes to mind when they think of Easter and Christmas and the vast majority will reply with some version of "Candy and Presents", not Jesus.
Personally, as both Easter and Christmas belonged to others long before they belonged to Christianity, I have no more problem celebrating them than I do celebrating Fridays. (A multi-translational form of the Latin "dies Veneris" or "Day of Venus".)
@adrianafasano TO EVERYONE FUK FACE THAT IS TWEETING ABOUT "NO GOD" ENJOY YOUR TIME IN HELL YOU PIECES OF SHITS!
Well, now. Someone forgot to put on their "WWJD" bracelet this morning.
I chose this Tweet not because it represents the majority of believers, I don't believe it does, but because it's so harshly symbolic of a common tactic used in conversion attempts against Atheists - if the expressed joy of belief doesn't sway us, perhaps the fear of hell will.
Let's be clear - not only do Atheists lack belief in gods, we also lack belief in the domains of gods. We don't believe in heaven, nor do we believe in hell. Threatening me with eternal damnation is, aside from Not Nice, as unlikely to turn me toward belief in Jesus as my threatening you with Hades is to turn you toward belief in Thor. The threat only works if you believe to begin with... which makes the threat unnecessary.
@marbev007 No one can ever convince me there is no God. He is so evident in all of creation! :)
While this may seem like a prime invitation for me to rehash all of the reasons I don't find God evident in all creation, I chose this tweet for another reason entirely:
I've never personally encountered an Atheist missionary. To my knowledge, there isn't an organized Atheist push to convince people that their gods don't exist. We really don't care if you believe. Really. We do, of course, care when specific laws are passed to bring society in line with a particular religious belief or when ostracizing non-believers is legitimized by authority or innocent children are denied medical attention, etc... but beyond that, your faith is of no concern to us. Worship it up.
@BobBurneyLive The top trend today is No God. Help people KNOW God by donating to the Bible League http://bit.ly/1DWKU1
In this tweet, it's a Christian that advances the notion that knowledge of the Bible cures Atheism, but Christianity isn't the only faith system that falls victim to the assumption that Atheists haven't been exposed to their Holy Book.
Donating to the Bible League won't help me know the Christian God - I already own five of the things, one of which is written in Masoretic Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. I've read it, in English, cover to cover three times, and in sections undoubtedly many more times over. I struggled through the Hebrew once, though I'll readily admit I dropped the notion of ever pushing through the Greek and Aramaic before I'd even finished the Tanakh. I've also read the Book of Mormon, and bits of both the Bhava Ghita and the Koran. While the extent of my experience with religious texts may be a tad unique, most Atheists I've encountered have more than a passing knowledge of the Holy Book most prominent in their culture.
@imjustNasha The concept of NO GOD would make life not worth living.
For those that feel a life without belief in god would not be worth living, I sincerely hope your faith is strong and that you'll never lose it. I mean that, there's no punch line coming.
I would like to state, however, that the vast majority of Atheists find their lives quite worth living. Some have even stated that their lives became even more precious, more worth living, when they lost their faith. Personally, I love my life. Every moment of it, even the painful ones, are worthy of living. Every single one.
@MrsBunnieW No God? Then what are u living 4?!?!?.....honestly worst trending topic ever!!!
In the same vein as the last one, but different enough that I think it deserves its own response.
What am I living for? For the excitement of learning, for the love of my family, for the people I've met and will meet in the future, for the difference I make, for the joy of discovery, for the pleasure of laughter, for the challenge of creation, for the thrill of expectation... for a million things I've already known, and a million more yet to come.
What are you living for? The day that you die? I sincerely hope that's not the case.
@cmagrum001 TT today is "No God." Takes more faith to believe everything around us is the product of mere chance, then to believe IN God.
No one, not even Atheists, believe that "everything around us is the product of mere chance". The laws of physics may be difficult to comprehend, but difficulty in understanding does not equate to "chance".
@benjsigmon I'm a Christian because it takes less faith than being an atheist. #thereisagod #No God
Same vein as the last one, but without the distracting "mere chance". It takes no faith to be an Atheist. None.
No, really. Not even a little bit. You're not required to understand evolution, or the Big Bang, or string theory, or really anything at all. You can answer "I have no flipping idea" to every question about existence as a whole and still be an Atheist. The only requirement to Atheism, the only one is that you lack faith in gods.
No faith required. In fact, it's a bit of a deterrent.
@*a bazillion different tweeps* Psalm 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God" They are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none who does good.
This one was tweeted by so many people, either in part or as a whole, that I didn't feel right ascribing it to anyone in particular - especially as it's simply a quote. There are two points I'd like to make regarding this verse:
1 - Quoting a verse from the Bible to an Atheist, is like quoting a verse from the Koran to a Christian. Intrinsically, it's meaningless and the intent behind quoting this particular verse is petty. You ought to be able to feel good about your faith without pointing out how insultingly your faith defines me.
2 - For "They are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none who does good." to be a true statement, one either has to ignore the vast number of beneficial acts done by Atheists, or one has to redefine "good" to mean "a beneficial act done by a theist". We give blood, we feed and clothe the homeless, we helped rebuild after Katrina, we were even the first group to reach the $1 million dollar mark on the Kiva charity grant site. Should you choose to ignore those acts, or redefine what constitutes a good work, so be it. We'll keep it up anyway, and the world will be better for it.
@ThebookONE If there is no God, why do people talk about him so much?
Ah... another variation of "If there were no God, there would be no Atheists". I can't speak for others, of course, by I talk about God so much because believers exist and they're often not content to let me live my life without paying respect to their deity. Most often this manifests in mundane ways, like when missionaries wake me up in an attempt to save the soul I don't believe I have, but occasionally this manifests in horrible ways... like when ardent believers kill thousands by ramming planes into buildings.
If I lived in a world, or at least in a country, where my children weren't being handed leaflets at town fairs threatening them with eternal torture, where I wasn't looked down upon for not bowing my head in prayer, where laws were based in logic rather than in dogma, where churches were the domain of faith and schools were the domain of fact, etc... I wouldn't talk about Jesus and Allah any more than I talk about Thor and Odin.
@JaymEsch Those who feel there's No God, thus no Afterlife, what stops you from doing your dark desires? Rape, murder, etc.? You die, nothing exists.
Wow. Um... first of all, the rape and murder thing? I don't have those "dark desires". Really. Never in my life have I seriously desired to rape or murder anyone - not even when my own life was being threatened. It's been said before but it bares repeating - if you do have those kind of desires and your belief in God is the only thing keeping you from entertaining them, by all means believe. Believe with every ounce of effort contained in your seriously disturbed mind.
For the rest of us, we behave in a civil manner because we're social creatures - we've depended on society for our survival for millenia. Rapists and murderers aren't welcomed in most societies because they can't be trusted and no one wants to live in close quarters with someone that can't be trusted. Ask any inmate in a high-security prison.
@Mandisam No God? Seriously twitter. take that down.
Several people tweeted some version of this as well, some even suggesting a Twitter boycott until No God disappeared off the Trending Topics list.
To this I offer no refutation, only an honest question - why? Why does this expression of opinion bother you so much? I've seen various proclamations of faith in the Trending Topics list and yet found no indication of Atheists organizing a boycott. I don't protest the ridiculously insulting signs our local church posts on their marquee. I don't take my ball and go home when they sing "God Bless America" at the stadium.
Is your faith so fragile, your God so fragile, that the very notion of unbelief is challenging?
@Mugunga Just because God doesn't intervene every little bad thing that happens to you doesn't mean there is no god.
Excellent point, Mugunga. (As well as evidence against the notion that Atheists are immune to fallacies of their own.)
That life isn't one big pony-ride in no way invalidates the possible existence of a god. Perhaps an eternal god, offering its followers eternal life, wouldn't be terribly concerned with the flickering of an instant our life represents within the span of eternal time. Or maybe experiencing hardship during life has some unknown benefit to believers.
Offering evidence against existence is a loosing game; we've said it a billion times - you can't prove a negative. Suffering stands only as evidence to the existence of suffering - just as trees stand only as evidence to the existence of trees. Furthermore, individuals who are mad at gods for the bad things that happen in life aren't Atheists, they're disgruntled Theists - you simply can't be mad at something unless you believe it exists.
@LisaAntoniaa No God is a trending topic? FYI There is a God, Their is a heaven & Their is a hell. Jesus Christ is real no matter what you say.
I chose this tweet for three reasons:
1 - Because I hear variations of it so often, all of them mystifying. For anyone that considers "because I say so" a measure of proof, please consider the following "FYI There is a God. There is a Hades, and there is a Valhalla. Odin is real no matter what you say." Swayed? Neither am I.
2 - The Trending Topic "No God" didn't specify a deity yet somehow it became a flame war between Atheists and Christians. Your god isn't the only god, and Atheists lack belief in ALL of them... yet 99% of the angry responses came from offended Christians. I was instantly reminded of an only child suddenly confronted with a new sibling. Thank you for reminding me why Atheists should be upfront about their lack of belief.
3 - There: a location or position - "I agree with you there." or "I don't enjoy eating there." Their: a possessive case of they - "Their house is the blue one." or "That is their basket." They're: a contraction of 'they are' - "They're both so happy." or "They're really annoyed by grammatical errors."
(In all seriousness, the errors in this Trending Topic made my head spin. If you're going to attempt a rational debate, pay attention to your spelling and grammar - ESPECIALLY if you're busy insinuating that other people are idiots.)
@MattWBP The aggressive statement of opinion as the factual answer to an unknowable equation is not an intellectual way of thinking. (No God)
Wow! Excellent statement! I've no refutation - I just wanted to highlight this tweet for the clarity it brings to both sides of the argument. Neither "God is real!" nor "There is no God!" can be shown as factual statements - both are expressions of opinion and ought logically to be stated as such.
I have no belief in gods. My lack of belief in gods stems from the complete lack of objective evidence for their existence. While I cannot state with certainty that no gods exist, I can state that I've no rational reason to believe they do.
@turntoo ...Actually, atheism is a theism, as it requires a belief that there is no God.
This is a common misconception. Atheism simply means "without Theism". To be considered an Atheist one must simply lack belief in gods, not espouse a belief that gods absolutely do not exist. Most Atheists, even those loudly denounced as "new Atheists", are more than happy to explain that they would believe in gods if given sufficient evidence of their existence.
@aaronjpalmer We r like an ant trying 2 understand the internet n our effort 2 understand God. So is there No God just cause we cant understand him?
Do you lack belief in Odin because you don't understand him, or because you have no objective evidence for his existence? No one lacks faith in gods because they don't understand them. Beside which, the Christian god really isn't any more difficult to understand than any other god.
@soulrebelJ I'm glad No God is a TT. After the dust settles, we can reflect on how we dealt with each other during the debate. #peace
Indeed, soulrebelJ. Indeed. *smiles*
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
BetaPwned?
A couple of years ago Mark Poutenis of The Thinking Ape Blues rather boisterously suggested that BetaPwned was a stupid name for my comic and that it would be more appropriately titled Daisies and Shit. While it may seem an insult, I can assure you that Mark has always been rather complimentary in regards to the comic as a whole, just not the name - which he said reminded him of, if I remember correctly, "a bullshit gamer comic".
I did concede that BetaPwned had a pretty concrete "gamer" ring to it and that the original premise for the title, that life is just a test and sometimes it kicks your ass, no longer fit the feel of the comic. When I first began BetaPwned I was going through a very nasty divorce and constantly felt as though I was being knocked around by life itself with very little recourse. By the time I began posting comics, however, much of that turmoil had died down and I had regained the measured optimism I'm known for. Still, I protested that I didn't want to confuse my readers, that I had already spent a good deal of time and effort marketing the comic as BetaPwned, and that I thought the name was clever... all of which were very good reasons for leaving things as they were.
I did, however, love the name Daisies and Shit. It did a remarkable job at humorously exemplifying my personal outlook when it wasn't being poisoned by stressful circumstances. Life is, in my opinion, literally brimming with both daisies and shit - those things we enjoy, and those things we endure. I also feel that how an individual deals with both aspects reveals their inherent nature, and that an individual's inherent nature is the most valid measure by which to judge their potential compatibility. For a time I considered maintaining a second, single panel, comic under the title. Eventually I used it to herald this blog. In one form or another, Daisies and Shit has been on my mind from the moment Mark suggested it.
So, here we are... rapidly approaching the three year anniversary of BetaPwned. This last year hasn't been a great one for the comic for various reasons, the last six months especially. My updates have been sporadic at best. I've canceled all but one convention appearance for 2010, and I'm attending that one more for social than promotional reasons. My readership, while greater than I feel I rightly deserve, has decreased markedly. The comic aspect of my life as of late has been, in a word, shit.
It's enough to make a girl depressed.
The good news is that I can see a change just on the horizon. I've been working on a new site for the comic that's more streamlined and therefore less overwhelming. Having learned that inking with a brush doesn't cause me the pain that inking with a pen did, I've ditched the tablet and have gone back to working on paper; which I ultimately find more enjoyable and relaxing. I've also contracted with a brilliant colourist whom I adore, and who gives my work a personality I've never been able to accomplish on my own. I've had to step away from a number of projects due to my health, which sucks, but my to do list is finally a reasonable length. I'm learning to better manage my time, and am finally getting back to some semblance of life worth writing about.
So, as I said, here we are... If ever there was a time for me to change the name of the comic this is it. I've less readers to confuse, good reason to launch a new add campaign in the near future, and no real emotional attachment to the title "BetaPwned" beyond nostalgia. I started this post with the intention of laying out the pros and cons of a possible change... but I suddenly realize my decision has really already been made.
Coming soon - Daisies and Shit. Thanks, Mark. *snugs*
I did concede that BetaPwned had a pretty concrete "gamer" ring to it and that the original premise for the title, that life is just a test and sometimes it kicks your ass, no longer fit the feel of the comic. When I first began BetaPwned I was going through a very nasty divorce and constantly felt as though I was being knocked around by life itself with very little recourse. By the time I began posting comics, however, much of that turmoil had died down and I had regained the measured optimism I'm known for. Still, I protested that I didn't want to confuse my readers, that I had already spent a good deal of time and effort marketing the comic as BetaPwned, and that I thought the name was clever... all of which were very good reasons for leaving things as they were.
I did, however, love the name Daisies and Shit. It did a remarkable job at humorously exemplifying my personal outlook when it wasn't being poisoned by stressful circumstances. Life is, in my opinion, literally brimming with both daisies and shit - those things we enjoy, and those things we endure. I also feel that how an individual deals with both aspects reveals their inherent nature, and that an individual's inherent nature is the most valid measure by which to judge their potential compatibility. For a time I considered maintaining a second, single panel, comic under the title. Eventually I used it to herald this blog. In one form or another, Daisies and Shit has been on my mind from the moment Mark suggested it.
So, here we are... rapidly approaching the three year anniversary of BetaPwned. This last year hasn't been a great one for the comic for various reasons, the last six months especially. My updates have been sporadic at best. I've canceled all but one convention appearance for 2010, and I'm attending that one more for social than promotional reasons. My readership, while greater than I feel I rightly deserve, has decreased markedly. The comic aspect of my life as of late has been, in a word, shit.
It's enough to make a girl depressed.
The good news is that I can see a change just on the horizon. I've been working on a new site for the comic that's more streamlined and therefore less overwhelming. Having learned that inking with a brush doesn't cause me the pain that inking with a pen did, I've ditched the tablet and have gone back to working on paper; which I ultimately find more enjoyable and relaxing. I've also contracted with a brilliant colourist whom I adore, and who gives my work a personality I've never been able to accomplish on my own. I've had to step away from a number of projects due to my health, which sucks, but my to do list is finally a reasonable length. I'm learning to better manage my time, and am finally getting back to some semblance of life worth writing about.
So, as I said, here we are... If ever there was a time for me to change the name of the comic this is it. I've less readers to confuse, good reason to launch a new add campaign in the near future, and no real emotional attachment to the title "BetaPwned" beyond nostalgia. I started this post with the intention of laying out the pros and cons of a possible change... but I suddenly realize my decision has really already been made.
Coming soon - Daisies and Shit. Thanks, Mark. *snugs*
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
American Family Association - Time Out
While you're all used to seeing me bash the American Family Association in this blog, and really anywhere I'm given more than 2 seconds to state my opinions on fundamentalism, I'd like to take a quick time out to report that their founder and Chairman, Reverend Don Wildmon, has been hospitalized for meningitis and is currently listed in critical condition.
Despite my unrelenting criticism of the organization he founded and what they stand for, I wish him and his family well durring this difficult time.
Despite my unrelenting criticism of the organization he founded and what they stand for, I wish him and his family well durring this difficult time.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Counteraction Alert - the AFA vs. the AAA
Yes, dear friends, it's yet another Daisies and Shit Counteraction Alert. This time the American Family Association has asked us to call the American Automobile Association, more commonly known as the "Triple A", and urge them to "reverse their policy recognizing homosexual couples as if they were 'married' for purposes of AAA Family Memberships." The email references this article written by Equality Florida which offers the following quote by President and Chief Executive Officer of AAA Auto Club South, Tom O’Brien: “Our policy does include gay and lesbian spouses, wherever they were married. Whether in other states or countries, they qualify." The article further states that "Same-sex couples applying for a membership need only state that they are married to receive the family benefit. Management also left the door open to expand the policy to include domestic partners - gay and straight."
The AFA's panties are in a twist because "Thirty states have overwhelmingly voted to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. Yet AAA is treating homosexual couples as if they are married.
The homosexual couples need only state that they are married to receive the family benefit. In the eyes of AAA two homosexuals living together constitute 'marriage' and make a 'family.' All they have to do to get the 'family membership' benefits is to say 'we are gay and married.'"
Their obsessive use of "scare quotes" amuses me. But I digress...
AAA South executives have been pointing out to those protesting the same-sex inclusion policy that proof of marriage isn't required for opposite-sex couples either, so no preferential treatment is being shown.
Curious to see if the same-sex inclusion policy extends beyond AAA South I checked the AAA Colorado site where the policy regarding family memberships reads "Associate members may be a spouse or one other resident adult..." which leaves the definition of marriage out of the issue all together. The AAA South policy does not contain the "or one other resident adult" language which is all that was apparently behind the initial refusal by agents to accept same-sex partners as associate members.
Regardless of the specifics, the American Family Association would like it very much if we all contacted the American Automobile Association and requested they reverse their same-sex inclusion policy while lecturing them on the current federal definition of marriage. They've even privided us with a nice little web form directed to the AAA that states how "deeply shocked and saddened" we are that they would extend family memberships even to families the AFA's tiny little god finds offensive.
In order to counter this ridiculous, religion fueled hissy-fit I'm asking that we also send a few emails and phone calls to the AAA thanking them for assisting same-sex couples in protecting and supporting their families in the same way they assist heterosexual families.
AAA CEO Robert Darbelnet can be contacted by mail at:
AAA
1000 AAA Dr.
Heathrow, FL 32746
by phone at: 813-289-5000
and by email at: RDarbelnet@national.aaa.com
AAA South also has a handy little comment form available online, and Equality Florida has a web form of their own thanking AAA South for the policy change.
The AFA's panties are in a twist because "Thirty states have overwhelmingly voted to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. Yet AAA is treating homosexual couples as if they are married.
The homosexual couples need only state that they are married to receive the family benefit. In the eyes of AAA two homosexuals living together constitute 'marriage' and make a 'family.' All they have to do to get the 'family membership' benefits is to say 'we are gay and married.'"
Their obsessive use of "scare quotes" amuses me. But I digress...
AAA South executives have been pointing out to those protesting the same-sex inclusion policy that proof of marriage isn't required for opposite-sex couples either, so no preferential treatment is being shown.
Curious to see if the same-sex inclusion policy extends beyond AAA South I checked the AAA Colorado site where the policy regarding family memberships reads "Associate members may be a spouse or one other resident adult..." which leaves the definition of marriage out of the issue all together. The AAA South policy does not contain the "or one other resident adult" language which is all that was apparently behind the initial refusal by agents to accept same-sex partners as associate members.
Regardless of the specifics, the American Family Association would like it very much if we all contacted the American Automobile Association and requested they reverse their same-sex inclusion policy while lecturing them on the current federal definition of marriage. They've even privided us with a nice little web form directed to the AAA that states how "deeply shocked and saddened" we are that they would extend family memberships even to families the AFA's tiny little god finds offensive.
In order to counter this ridiculous, religion fueled hissy-fit I'm asking that we also send a few emails and phone calls to the AAA thanking them for assisting same-sex couples in protecting and supporting their families in the same way they assist heterosexual families.
AAA CEO Robert Darbelnet can be contacted by mail at:
AAA
1000 AAA Dr.
Heathrow, FL 32746
by phone at: 813-289-5000
and by email at: RDarbelnet@national.aaa.com
AAA South also has a handy little comment form available online, and Equality Florida has a web form of their own thanking AAA South for the policy change.
Monday, July 27, 2009
AFA CounterAction Alert
Another day, another American Family Association Action Alert. Today's fear tactic - Obama wants to kill old people.
The subject line of the AFA email actually gave me a little hope at first: "Healthcare reform moving toward euthanasia". If only that were true. Something in me, however, (probably my sense of logic and grasp of the current political climate) led me to believe this was just another gross misrepresentation.
Weird. I was right.
The AFA's fear fest starts off with their concern that "a government takeover of healthcare will allow Washington bureaucrats to use 'comparative effectiveness research' to dictate to doctors which treatments they should prescribe and how much those treatments should cost." Someone should let them know that the goverment already does that. (As a quick aside - someone once asked me why the hospital charged $120 for acetomeniphin. I responded "because the government won't let them charge more.")
The meat of the AFA article concerns a couple of technical papers. The first is a paper co-authored by Health Policy Advisor Ezekiel Emanuel (PDF) which they claim states that if healthcare is to be rationed, young adults should be given priority over the elderly.
Oddly enough, the AFA's assertation is a complete stawman. First of all, the article in question isn't a broad discussion on healthcare - but rather a very specific discussion on the allocation of "very scarce medical interventions such as organ transplants". As most of us know, these services are already rationed due to the simple fact that one rarely finds organs suitable for transplant just lying about in the street. Anyone in need of an organ transplant is evaluated using criteria specific to the organ needed. These criteria result in a score - the higher the score, the more likely you are to get a transplant. (Criteria for liver transplants, and lung transplants.) Secondly, the article is simply a synopsis of the general principals and underlying core values that societies might use in determining the allocation of scarce medical interventions.
The AFA article pulls another shifty tactic by taking two quotes from separate portions of the technical paper and combining them in such a way that the average reader will believe it to be a single quote - the AFA article states "Ezekiel Emanuel wrote that if healthcare has to be rationed, he prefers the 'complete lives system,' which 'discriminates against older people.'" Within the context of the technical paper, however, we find that the complete lives system is preferred only because it "combines four morally relevant principles: youngest-first, prognosis,
lottery, and saving the most lives." and that "To achieve a just allocation of scarce medical interventions, society must embrace the challenge of implementing a coherent multiprinciple
framework rather than relying on simple principles or retreating to the status quo." The second quotation used by the AFA was actually taken from a paragraph titled "Objections" and sites two papers written in 1989 and 1995. (Jecker NS, Pearlman RA and Rivlin MM respectively.)
They then move on to a paper authored entirely by Advisor Emanuel (PDF) through which the AFA claims he suggests that health care services should not be guaranteed to individuals who are not capable of participating as citizens, including dementia patients. In reality, the article is simply a discussion of the ethical issues raised by the possibility of universal health coverage including the definition and allocation of "basic" services and a call to begin discussing the "goods and goals of medicine". Basic services are not defined in the article, so the presumption made by the AFA is both completely meaningless and misleading. It seems they very much want us to believe that Advisor Emanuel would forcibly deny readily available services, such as pain management or diagnostics, right along with those services currently considered discretionary, like organ transplants or invasive surgeries that neither extend life expectancy nor improve quality of life.
Pity for the AFA that I'm a reader, eh?
They then string together a couple of Obama quotes, completely stripped of context, relating to the money sucking nature of the current Medicare and Medicaid programs and his desire to cut funding and subsidies from the Medicare Advantage program which has now been shown to provide no additional benefits over Medicare alone. I tried to understand how Medicare and Medicaid reform kills the elderly... I really did... but I just can't seem to figure it out.
All-in-all the email and linked article amount to nothing more than hyperbole wrapped in panic and based on a completely errant definition of euthanasia - nothing in their ridiculous argument bore even a vague resemblance to the act of granting someone a painless death.
The subject line of the AFA email actually gave me a little hope at first: "Healthcare reform moving toward euthanasia". If only that were true. Something in me, however, (probably my sense of logic and grasp of the current political climate) led me to believe this was just another gross misrepresentation.
Weird. I was right.
The AFA's fear fest starts off with their concern that "a government takeover of healthcare will allow Washington bureaucrats to use 'comparative effectiveness research' to dictate to doctors which treatments they should prescribe and how much those treatments should cost." Someone should let them know that the goverment already does that. (As a quick aside - someone once asked me why the hospital charged $120 for acetomeniphin. I responded "because the government won't let them charge more.")
The meat of the AFA article concerns a couple of technical papers. The first is a paper co-authored by Health Policy Advisor Ezekiel Emanuel (PDF) which they claim states that if healthcare is to be rationed, young adults should be given priority over the elderly.
Oddly enough, the AFA's assertation is a complete stawman. First of all, the article in question isn't a broad discussion on healthcare - but rather a very specific discussion on the allocation of "very scarce medical interventions such as organ transplants". As most of us know, these services are already rationed due to the simple fact that one rarely finds organs suitable for transplant just lying about in the street. Anyone in need of an organ transplant is evaluated using criteria specific to the organ needed. These criteria result in a score - the higher the score, the more likely you are to get a transplant. (Criteria for liver transplants, and lung transplants.) Secondly, the article is simply a synopsis of the general principals and underlying core values that societies might use in determining the allocation of scarce medical interventions.
The AFA article pulls another shifty tactic by taking two quotes from separate portions of the technical paper and combining them in such a way that the average reader will believe it to be a single quote - the AFA article states "Ezekiel Emanuel wrote that if healthcare has to be rationed, he prefers the 'complete lives system,' which 'discriminates against older people.'" Within the context of the technical paper, however, we find that the complete lives system is preferred only because it "combines four morally relevant principles: youngest-first, prognosis,
lottery, and saving the most lives." and that "To achieve a just allocation of scarce medical interventions, society must embrace the challenge of implementing a coherent multiprinciple
framework rather than relying on simple principles or retreating to the status quo." The second quotation used by the AFA was actually taken from a paragraph titled "Objections" and sites two papers written in 1989 and 1995. (Jecker NS, Pearlman RA and Rivlin MM respectively.)
They then move on to a paper authored entirely by Advisor Emanuel (PDF) through which the AFA claims he suggests that health care services should not be guaranteed to individuals who are not capable of participating as citizens, including dementia patients. In reality, the article is simply a discussion of the ethical issues raised by the possibility of universal health coverage including the definition and allocation of "basic" services and a call to begin discussing the "goods and goals of medicine". Basic services are not defined in the article, so the presumption made by the AFA is both completely meaningless and misleading. It seems they very much want us to believe that Advisor Emanuel would forcibly deny readily available services, such as pain management or diagnostics, right along with those services currently considered discretionary, like organ transplants or invasive surgeries that neither extend life expectancy nor improve quality of life.
Pity for the AFA that I'm a reader, eh?
They then string together a couple of Obama quotes, completely stripped of context, relating to the money sucking nature of the current Medicare and Medicaid programs and his desire to cut funding and subsidies from the Medicare Advantage program which has now been shown to provide no additional benefits over Medicare alone. I tried to understand how Medicare and Medicaid reform kills the elderly... I really did... but I just can't seem to figure it out.
All-in-all the email and linked article amount to nothing more than hyperbole wrapped in panic and based on a completely errant definition of euthanasia - nothing in their ridiculous argument bore even a vague resemblance to the act of granting someone a painless death.
The goal of the email was to rally the hordes of true believers into writing and calling their representatives and asking them to oppose the healthcare bill. Because I believe you all to be rational individuals, I'll leave it up to you as to whether or not you choose to support the healthcare bill rather than asking you to counter the AFA's call to action with your own calls and emails.
Should you be interested in learning more about the proposed healthcare reform, TrueMajority.org and Howard Dean will be hosting a live chat at 8:00pm Eastern, Monday, August 3rd.
Monday, July 20, 2009
To whom it may concern,
I don't know who you are and, while I have my suspicions, I can't say why you did it - but I have a little message for whomever it was that signed me up for the American Family Association's email Action Alerts:
Thank you.
I'll admit that I was annoyed at first. After all, until the AFA emails began appearing my in box was almost entirely devoid of homophobia and bigotry. It lacked the tinge of fear and cultural possessiveness that now peppers it's rows. While always rife with protest and petition requests, they had never before carried such pious ridicule and ignorance.
Luckily, this annoyance didn't last long; it vaporized with the realization that the AFA Action Alerts stand as a beacon to a dying sub-culture. Their activist howling nothing more than organized death throws. The change they so fear is coming, inching closer every day, and by all indications there is nothing they can do to stop it. I, for one, am thrilled.
Their howling also keeps me abreast of their activities, allowing me to advance the pace of their cultural death by using their own Action Alerts against them... and so begins the Daisies and Shit AFA Counteraction Alert. Whenever the AFA is kind enough to send me some bit of shite wrapped piousness requesting action, I will let you know.
Today they're requesting that we all contact PepsiCo in response to the company's financial support of the Out and Equal Workplace Summit. The AFA maintains that this summit is "designed to show corporate leaders how they can promote the homosexual agenda in their corporation" and that in "becoming a sponsor of the Out & Equal conference PepsiCo has once again refused to give any support to those who are hurting and want to come out of this destructive and aberrant lifestyle." They ask that we "call Pepsi and tell the company you will boycott its products until it stops promoting the homosexual agenda" and then "call the PepsiCo bottler nearest you and ask it to use its influence in stopping the company's support for the homosexual agenda."
For those of us that understand the "homosexual agenda" is almost, though not quite, as threatening as your average kitten and that the Out and Equal Workplace Summit is actually designed to "educate and empower organizations... [resulting] in equal policies, opportunities, practices, and benefits in the workplace regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, or characteristics" I ask that we also contact PepsiCo and let them know just how pleased we are that they choose to support equality and that we appreciate their dedication to civil rights.
Contact information for PepsiCo can be found on their website: http://www.pepsico.com/Contacts.aspx
Messages can also be sent by web form to the various PepsiCo brand sites:
Pepsi - http://cr.pepsi.com/usen/pepsiusen.cfm?date=20090720
Frito-Lay - http://www.fritolay.com/about-us/contact-us.html
Quaker - http://www.quakeroats.com/contact-us.aspx
Gatorade - http://cr.gatorade.com/usen/gatusen.cfm?date=20090720
Tropicana - http://cr.tropicana.com/usen/tropusen.cfm?date=20090720
Also, for more of the wonderful things PepsiCo has done to support equal rights you can visit the AFA's very own PepsiCo Boycott site - http://www.boycottpepsico.com/pepsidistributors.aspx
Thank you.
I'll admit that I was annoyed at first. After all, until the AFA emails began appearing my in box was almost entirely devoid of homophobia and bigotry. It lacked the tinge of fear and cultural possessiveness that now peppers it's rows. While always rife with protest and petition requests, they had never before carried such pious ridicule and ignorance.
Luckily, this annoyance didn't last long; it vaporized with the realization that the AFA Action Alerts stand as a beacon to a dying sub-culture. Their activist howling nothing more than organized death throws. The change they so fear is coming, inching closer every day, and by all indications there is nothing they can do to stop it. I, for one, am thrilled.
Their howling also keeps me abreast of their activities, allowing me to advance the pace of their cultural death by using their own Action Alerts against them... and so begins the Daisies and Shit AFA Counteraction Alert. Whenever the AFA is kind enough to send me some bit of shite wrapped piousness requesting action, I will let you know.
Today they're requesting that we all contact PepsiCo in response to the company's financial support of the Out and Equal Workplace Summit. The AFA maintains that this summit is "designed to show corporate leaders how they can promote the homosexual agenda in their corporation" and that in "becoming a sponsor of the Out & Equal conference PepsiCo has once again refused to give any support to those who are hurting and want to come out of this destructive and aberrant lifestyle." They ask that we "call Pepsi and tell the company you will boycott its products until it stops promoting the homosexual agenda" and then "call the PepsiCo bottler nearest you and ask it to use its influence in stopping the company's support for the homosexual agenda."
For those of us that understand the "homosexual agenda" is almost, though not quite, as threatening as your average kitten and that the Out and Equal Workplace Summit is actually designed to "educate and empower organizations... [resulting] in equal policies, opportunities, practices, and benefits in the workplace regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, or characteristics" I ask that we also contact PepsiCo and let them know just how pleased we are that they choose to support equality and that we appreciate their dedication to civil rights.
Contact information for PepsiCo can be found on their website: http://www.pepsico.com/Contacts.aspx
Messages can also be sent by web form to the various PepsiCo brand sites:
Pepsi - http://cr.pepsi.com/usen/pepsiusen.cfm?date=20090720
Frito-Lay - http://www.fritolay.com/about-us/contact-us.html
Quaker - http://www.quakeroats.com/contact-us.aspx
Gatorade - http://cr.gatorade.com/usen/gatusen.cfm?date=20090720
Tropicana - http://cr.tropicana.com/usen/tropusen.cfm?date=20090720
Also, for more of the wonderful things PepsiCo has done to support equal rights you can visit the AFA's very own PepsiCo Boycott site - http://www.boycottpepsico.com/pepsidistributors.aspx
Friday, July 17, 2009
Autism and Health Care Reform
With national health care reform in the limelight, many of us in the "Autism loop" have been receiving emails from organizations asking us to sign petitions, send messages, and phone representatives to insure that proven autism therapies are part of the discussion. Currently, only 14 states require insurance companies to cover ABA therapy for those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and I firmly believe that requirement should be part of any Federal program.
As you sign those petitions, send those messages, phone your representatives, and forward those emails I would like you to consider adding some version of the following:
"Guaranteed insurance coverage of proven therapies, most notably ABA therapy, may additionally help discourage individuals from seeking cheaper "alternative" therapies. Not only do these sham therapies offer no documented benefit, many are dangerous and clearly unethical. Two increasingly popular "therapies" are of particular concern - chemical castration, which is not only a direct assault on human rights and dignity but also carries a range of serious side effects and chelation therapy, which is both scientifically inappropriate for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders and potentially fatal.
Please insure that all individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders have access to proven therapies by helping to relieve the financial burden they carry, and in doing so, marginalize the spread of dangerous "alternative" therapies which threaten lives and provide nothing but false hope to desperate families."
Perhaps highlighting the dangers of excluding coverage will be the kick in the ass they need. Beside - it never hurts to plant a seed of knowledge in this woo-filled world.
As you sign those petitions, send those messages, phone your representatives, and forward those emails I would like you to consider adding some version of the following:
"Guaranteed insurance coverage of proven therapies, most notably ABA therapy, may additionally help discourage individuals from seeking cheaper "alternative" therapies. Not only do these sham therapies offer no documented benefit, many are dangerous and clearly unethical. Two increasingly popular "therapies" are of particular concern - chemical castration, which is not only a direct assault on human rights and dignity but also carries a range of serious side effects and chelation therapy, which is both scientifically inappropriate for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders and potentially fatal.
Please insure that all individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders have access to proven therapies by helping to relieve the financial burden they carry, and in doing so, marginalize the spread of dangerous "alternative" therapies which threaten lives and provide nothing but false hope to desperate families."
Perhaps highlighting the dangers of excluding coverage will be the kick in the ass they need. Beside - it never hurts to plant a seed of knowledge in this woo-filled world.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
I Complain A Lot
Specifically, I complain a lot about the topics my coworkers choose each morning. Jesus is apparently a very good friend of theirs and has a lot to do with their daily decision making and such. Last week the topic was the nature of sin. This week's topic is apparently spiritual motivation in regard to church donations. I've also complained about my co-worker's choice in music, which typically consists of more-or-less musical numbers proclaiming her eternal love for The Savior. Sometimes it's about being unworthy and such, but most of the time it equates to a god-bound love letter.
I do not complain about these topics because they offend my Atheist sensibilities in any way. Okay... I'll admit that I do wish they'd shut the hell up about their sky fairy - but not out of some desire to keep people from talking about things I don't believe in. Rather, it's because the topic is becoming rather repetitive and damn it... I want them to talk about something I can openly participate in! I feel like a Stepford wife sitting here nodding and smiling and swallowing my tongue. A black sheep in stylish boots.
So why don't I pipe up and join in?
It has been my experience that simply identifying myself as an Atheist is enough for some Christians to feel as though their very faith is being attacked. Not all of them, of course - not by a long shot... but enough of them that I'm hesitant to say anything at all, especially as it's a psychology that confuses me. I'm not a confrontational person. Not. At. All. I'm not looking to get into a religious debate with anyone. I'm not looking to challenge anyone's notions of right and wrong. I wouldn't even refer to their gods as sky fairies. (I may be an Atheist, but I'm not rude.) Some Christians, however, have actually responded to the statement "I'm an Atheist" with something akin to fear - not to me as a person, but to the ridiculously described Atheist Agenda. The imaginary Borg-like entity they've been told is determined to set their children on a path to hell, outlaw their holy book, and see that the mere mentioning of Jesus is a crime punishable by hate speech laws.
I know it's all ridiculous... but they don't.
What bothers me is that I don't seem to be free to tell them there's nothing to be afraid of. They get to know me, and they know I'm an Atheist, but they don't get to know me as and Atheist in the same way I get to know them as Christians. That I'm an Atheist is sort of tacked on - like a wart no one wants to bring up. It's not allowed to be part of my daily identity because it's somehow Scary and Wrong and Possibly Dangerous.
I don't care if they talk about Jesus all day long. Though it makes me a rare case, I don't even care if they spend precious time and resources trying to convert my heathen soul. I just want them to give me the same freedom to talk about my views that I've given them. I want to be able to say "You know, it's really interesting to me that you feel the Holy Spirit wanted you to give that specific sum. What did the church do with the money?" without them adding in any unspoken intentions and becoming defensive. I want to be able to say "I took my kids to that church once - my daughter was curious about what Christians do on Sundays" without it being seen as either an insult or a conversion opportunity. I want to be able to say "Actually, I don't believe in the concept of sin" without being looked at like I might get pregnant five or six times a year just so my lovers and I can dine on roast fetus after our community orgy. I want to be able to say "I don't believe in god" without killing the conversation like a bee on a baby.
As for the music... it doesn't offend me either. I just think it sucks.
Summing up - I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated because my views will always be considered offensive by some. I'm frustrated because there's no way for me to know who will be offended and who won't be offended before I open my mouth. I'm frustrated because I care and I feel like I shouldn't. I feel like I should stand up for my right to express my own views in non-combative ways. I feel like I should let those around me know that Christian is not a default label and that Atheist probably doesn't mean what they've been led to believe it means. I feel like I should be as bold about simple reason as they are about faith.
I'm frustrated because there are believers out there that are frustrated for the same damn reasons and the notion of political correctness will keep us from knowing one another and seeking common ground.
In the end I sit back like a good Stepford Wife and resign myself to leaking it only when directly addressed:
"You just have to trust in Jesus, you know?"
"Actually, I'm an Atheist... but thanks."
"Oh... um... I... uh... I'll see you tomorrow..."
*sighs*
I do not complain about these topics because they offend my Atheist sensibilities in any way. Okay... I'll admit that I do wish they'd shut the hell up about their sky fairy - but not out of some desire to keep people from talking about things I don't believe in. Rather, it's because the topic is becoming rather repetitive and damn it... I want them to talk about something I can openly participate in! I feel like a Stepford wife sitting here nodding and smiling and swallowing my tongue. A black sheep in stylish boots.
So why don't I pipe up and join in?
It has been my experience that simply identifying myself as an Atheist is enough for some Christians to feel as though their very faith is being attacked. Not all of them, of course - not by a long shot... but enough of them that I'm hesitant to say anything at all, especially as it's a psychology that confuses me. I'm not a confrontational person. Not. At. All. I'm not looking to get into a religious debate with anyone. I'm not looking to challenge anyone's notions of right and wrong. I wouldn't even refer to their gods as sky fairies. (I may be an Atheist, but I'm not rude.) Some Christians, however, have actually responded to the statement "I'm an Atheist" with something akin to fear - not to me as a person, but to the ridiculously described Atheist Agenda. The imaginary Borg-like entity they've been told is determined to set their children on a path to hell, outlaw their holy book, and see that the mere mentioning of Jesus is a crime punishable by hate speech laws.
I know it's all ridiculous... but they don't.
What bothers me is that I don't seem to be free to tell them there's nothing to be afraid of. They get to know me, and they know I'm an Atheist, but they don't get to know me as and Atheist in the same way I get to know them as Christians. That I'm an Atheist is sort of tacked on - like a wart no one wants to bring up. It's not allowed to be part of my daily identity because it's somehow Scary and Wrong and Possibly Dangerous.
I don't care if they talk about Jesus all day long. Though it makes me a rare case, I don't even care if they spend precious time and resources trying to convert my heathen soul. I just want them to give me the same freedom to talk about my views that I've given them. I want to be able to say "You know, it's really interesting to me that you feel the Holy Spirit wanted you to give that specific sum. What did the church do with the money?" without them adding in any unspoken intentions and becoming defensive. I want to be able to say "I took my kids to that church once - my daughter was curious about what Christians do on Sundays" without it being seen as either an insult or a conversion opportunity. I want to be able to say "Actually, I don't believe in the concept of sin" without being looked at like I might get pregnant five or six times a year just so my lovers and I can dine on roast fetus after our community orgy. I want to be able to say "I don't believe in god" without killing the conversation like a bee on a baby.
As for the music... it doesn't offend me either. I just think it sucks.
Summing up - I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated because my views will always be considered offensive by some. I'm frustrated because there's no way for me to know who will be offended and who won't be offended before I open my mouth. I'm frustrated because I care and I feel like I shouldn't. I feel like I should stand up for my right to express my own views in non-combative ways. I feel like I should let those around me know that Christian is not a default label and that Atheist probably doesn't mean what they've been led to believe it means. I feel like I should be as bold about simple reason as they are about faith.
I'm frustrated because there are believers out there that are frustrated for the same damn reasons and the notion of political correctness will keep us from knowing one another and seeking common ground.
In the end I sit back like a good Stepford Wife and resign myself to leaking it only when directly addressed:
"You just have to trust in Jesus, you know?"
"Actually, I'm an Atheist... but thanks."
"Oh... um... I... uh... I'll see you tomorrow..."
*sighs*