November 2011
5 posts
October 2011
18 posts
Some may disagree, but...
there’s something really satisfying about the brown rice, baked tofu, purple cabbage, carrot and peanut-ginger sauce bowl I’m eating right now :-)
Is Atheist Money Too Controversial for the American Cancer Society? | AlterNet →
alternet.org
Nobody at the ACS has ever said, in words, “We don’t want our organization to be associated with atheists. It’s too controversial. We don’t want atheist money.” And when asked if this was the case, they have denied it.
It’s just difficult to reach any other conclusion. In the place of clear explanations, there has been an ongoing series of evasions, imprecisions, conflicting answers, moved goalposts, apathy, and even hostility.
“Look, I’m almost willing to overlook the fact that Bible actually defines marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman, a man and a woman and dozens of concubines, a man and several wives, a rapist and a woman, a man’s brother and a woman, a man and his aunt, etc. etc., because I realize that you said “the Bible tells [you]“, and who am I to interpret what an inanimate object is whispering to you late at night when no one else is around? If you believe that that’s what marriage is or should be, then fine! That’s what you think marriage is. Great for you.
But if you also think that the Bible tells you that you can’t stamp a piece of paper because you’ll be complicit in some evil deed, then you should not have a job that requires you to stamp a piece of paper. You should get a new job. Have you tried cooking meth? The Bible says literally nothing about meth. Nothing.” —Rebecca Watson, “Dear Theist: Do Your Job or Find Another”
But if you also think that the Bible tells you that you can’t stamp a piece of paper because you’ll be complicit in some evil deed, then you should not have a job that requires you to stamp a piece of paper. You should get a new job. Have you tried cooking meth? The Bible says literally nothing about meth. Nothing.” —Rebecca Watson, “Dear Theist: Do Your Job or Find Another”
“Yes, the Jesus character in the Gospels spoke of love and respect and humility, healing the sick and taking care of the poor. But he also spoke of the wickedness of thought crimes, and the sinfulness of divorce; of the value of surrendering rational thought, and the nobility of abandoning family and responsibility to pursue a religious practice. He spoke with approval of the calm acceptance of evil and oppression in this world. And he spoke — over and over like a broken record — about the all-importance of believing that he was God, and obeying his commands. He spoke again and again about how there was just one right way to practice religion, and how doing this was a far greater priority than being a good person in the world.
If you believe that it’s normal and healthy to think about things that you would never actually do; that expressing anger is often useful and healthy; that good people should resist evil and oppression; that people’s sexual and marital lives are nobody’s business but their own; that people of different faiths, perhaps even of no faith at all, can still be good people; that you shouldn’t just believe what you’re told; that women and men should have equal marital rights; that actions speak louder than words and beliefs; that religion shouldn’t divide people; that fact-checking is a valuable skill; and that it’s more important to treat each other well than to have the exact right religious doctrine… then good for you. I think so, too. But if you believe that the Gospels reflect the reality of his life and teachings, then apparently Jesus didn’t.” —Greta Christina, The Messed Up Teachings of Jesus
If you believe that it’s normal and healthy to think about things that you would never actually do; that expressing anger is often useful and healthy; that good people should resist evil and oppression; that people’s sexual and marital lives are nobody’s business but their own; that people of different faiths, perhaps even of no faith at all, can still be good people; that you shouldn’t just believe what you’re told; that women and men should have equal marital rights; that actions speak louder than words and beliefs; that religion shouldn’t divide people; that fact-checking is a valuable skill; and that it’s more important to treat each other well than to have the exact right religious doctrine… then good for you. I think so, too. But if you believe that the Gospels reflect the reality of his life and teachings, then apparently Jesus didn’t.” —Greta Christina, The Messed Up Teachings of Jesus
I stupidly burned my hand while baking cookies for work tomorrow. The good news is that they turned out perfectly. The bad news is that I have to keep my hand in cold water or the pain is unbearable :-(
They better like these damn cookies.
By the way, Josephine, tomorrow finally Luís Fabiano will make his debut. He went through two surgeries and only now he is ready.
Excellent! That was a long wait. I hope he does really well for your club :-)
Merseyside Derby
Woke up this morning from a dream in which Liverpool won 2-0 over Everton and that was what the score ended up being today. If I was an unskeptical person I’m sure I’d be quite pleased with myself, but as it is, I’m just happy with the win :-)
