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I Saw Angels! Hovering! Over Flight 93! Crash Site! Angels!

Yes, former FBI agent employee, you saw ANGELS.

A former police officer who retired from the FBI due to post-traumatic stress disorder linked to her role in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terror attacks has written a book about seeing legions of angels guarding the Pennsylvania site where a hijacked airliner crashed.

Officer Lillie Leonardi, who arrived at the Flight 93 scene about 3 hours after the crash — and this is the plane that didn’t crash into a building on Sept. 11, 2001, but into a field in Pennsylvania, likely because passengers rose up against the terrorists and stopped them, at the cost of their own lives — Continue reading “I Saw Angels! Hovering! Over Flight 93! Crash Site! Angels!”

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Fanboy Says Yes to The Amazing Spider-Man

Got to see the new Spider-Man movie, and I have to say I liked it a lot. Warning: Possible spoilers.

Warning 2: It’s after 3 a.m. as I write this, so I don’t promise perfection.

Holding this movie up against The Avengers, Spider-Man 2, or Iron Man, I’d say it ranks slightly below them, but only slightly.  If those are 10-star movies, I’d give this one an 8 or 9. It won’t make you want to leap out of your chair and cheer, but I liked it and will want to see it again.  Continue reading “Fanboy Says Yes to The Amazing Spider-Man”

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Talking to John Loftus

Former FtBer John Loftus of Debunking Christianity has a post up today titled Ed Brayton, PZ Myers, and Freethought Bloggers, Listen to Me.

John is absolutely welcome to his opinions, but as some large part of what he said is a whack at FtB, and as I disagree with it, I answered him in the comments, and I echo it here.

___________________

Freethought Blogs blogger here, specifically the Blue Collar Atheist.

Quoting you: “I know you have a herd mentality and have a strong tendency not to listen to outsiders …” Continue reading “Talking to John Loftus”

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Sociopaths in Paradise — Part 1

Back when I was in politics, one of the side effects of running for office was that I had a lot more people in my face.

If you’re used to your small private life, especially if you’re an introvert like me, you have no idea how much you treasure your time in your own home pursuits, until that time is threatened, or vanishes.

Give you an example: It’s years and years back, and I’m running for town council. This necessitates talking to a lot of people. Not in speeches or TV appearances, but just in everyday life. You’re rolling a grocery cart down the aisle of the supermarket, and people stop you to talk about politics. You’re standing in line at the pharmacy to pick up a prescription, same thing. You’re out on a job site, ditto. You’re riding a horse for recreation along a mountain trail, another rider approaches — bang, politics. Continue reading “Sociopaths in Paradise — Part 1”

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German Court Grabs Parents by the Foreskin

Oooh. A German court has ruled that not even deeply religious parents have the right to circumcise young boys on religious grounds, calling it “grievous bodily harm.”

The regional court in Cologne, western Germany, ruled that the ‘fundamental right of the child to bodily integrity outweighed the fundamental rights of the parents.’

‘The religious freedom of the parents and their right to educate their child would not be unacceptably compromised, if they were obliged to wait until the child could himself decide to be circumcised,’ the court added. Continue reading “German Court Grabs Parents by the Foreskin”

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Because I Am An Atheist

Ian Cromwell, brilliant fellow FtBer who writes a profound and witty blog under the Crommunist Manifesto banner, asked me to contribute to his “Because I am an atheist” series. He printed my piece a bit less than a week ago, with an intro that referred to me as “the incomparable Hank Fox.” (How can you not like a guy who calls you THAT?)

I’m echoing the piece here. If you’d like to contribute your own take on the subject, Crommunist is actively soliciting submissions.  Click the title link below to go to his original post, and contact him via his email address from the About the Author box in the right column.  (Also, take the time to read the wonderful comments to Ian’s original piece.) Continue reading “Because I Am An Atheist”

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Bow, Yield, Kneel — Everywhere A Sign

Came across this church reader board yesterday while I was driving. It’s in front of the Calvary Assembly of God castle in Amsterdam, New York.

I know you can’t read it. The pic was taken with my cellphone camera, through a dirty windshield, and while I was stopped at a red light.

It says “TO YIELD TO GOD’S WILL MEANS TO SURRENDER YOUR OWN WILL.”

The message was instantly repulsive. Surrender your will?

I mean … surrender your will? Who teaches that?? Continue reading “Bow, Yield, Kneel — Everywhere A Sign”