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Hello, Clarice.

I realized some years back that the reason we have heroes in movies is really that there are so few of them. We truly do want unbending honesty, and heroic defenders, and powerful people who fight for truth and justice.

But they’re next to impossible to get in real life. Instead we get … George W. Bush. Jesse Jackson. Britney Spears. People who can’t even aspire to be flawed heroes, because though they possess flaws in abundance, they don’t have the required heroism. They’re just people — famous ones, but not very good ones. Continue reading “Hello, Clarice.”

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Your Voice, Their Ears — A Thousand Years From Now

Something I think we forget occasionally is that those of us reading here at FTB (and here amidst this fantastic array of writers and thinkers, I’m just as much part of the audience as you) are a community.

Yeah, we sit in our separate offices or computer dens, generally in solitude, and some of us are perpetual lurkers (and nothing wrong with that) whereas others gush with  comments. But there’s something real here, something very much “us,” in that we’re gathered for the sharing of ideas and experiences. The outpourings of love for PZ Myers (stop blushing, PZ, you know it’s true) or Christopher Hitchens, the audiences that gather for the freethinker events across the country and around the world – and also, I hope, a rising political consciousness (see the National Atheist Party, for instance) – are evidence of this community.

Bearing that in mind, I’d like to try something — an appeal to our community to participate in a little project. Continue reading “Your Voice, Their Ears — A Thousand Years From Now”

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Patriotism, As Understood by Christians

I guess I missed this when it came out in 2005.

The Statue of Liberation Through Christ “combines Christianity with patriotism to showcase the origins of God’s design for America.”

Taking 5 years to build, at a cost of $260,000, and 72 feet tall, this little beauty stands out front of “World Overcomers” church on the corner of Winchester and Kirby Roads in Memphis, TN, cheek-by-jowl with a dry cleaner, jeweler, convenience store, auto service center and auto glass shop.

“Lady Liberation” rather than Lady Liberty … Continue reading “Patriotism, As Understood by Christians”

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Short Stack #2

Do you think Jesus’ healing hands work only when he exerts his holy will? Or just anytime he touches something?

Because, man, if it’s the second one, that would suck. Say you invite Jesus over for a barbecue, and serve him up a nice juicy breast or leg off the grill — the instant he touches it, bam! You’ve got a live chicken at the party. And then what?   Continue reading “Short Stack #2”

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It’s Long Past Time For A NAP

Those of you in the U.S., you’ve probably heard about this  by now. But in case you haven’t, there is now a political party for unbelievers.

The National Atheist Party is forming RIGHT NOW, and is probably going to sweep like wildfire across American society.

Whether it does or not, though, we’re going to see some very serious shit come down in the near future in the U.S., and it’s time WE had some say in how things go.

We’ve left all the big decisions to the godders for the past several thousand years, and look at how THAT turned out.

We are an American political party, uniquely formed as a true, constitutional movement, reaching out to all who seek a secular government as outlined in the First Amendment to our United States Constitution. Our mission: To politically represent U.S. atheists and all who are drawn to our mandate, in a political process that has thus far marginalized and ignored one of the largest and growing segments of the U.S. population.

The National Atheist Party is a diverse, all inclusive, progressive, secular political movement and a response to the lack of representation for all free thinking people who are legal, law abiding citizens of the United States. We demand emancipation from the religious dogma that has infiltrated our government and has unfairly influenced political decisions and policy making. We are for the people, by the people, and therefore incorporate the right to use the power of the people to restore equality to our Democracy using reasonable, rational and non-violent means.

If you’ve got some extra time, lots of energy, and a desire for a very different future from the one we seem to be sliding towards, get involved.

Oh, and if you have that “we atheists don’t get involved” thing in your head …

First of all, I think that’s shit. It’s not a carefully reasoned and necessary part of atheism, it’s a remnant of all those years when godders would kill us just for speaking up, much less trying to convince others to abandon religion.

Second, this is not about converting people, it’s about demanding the political power that our segment of society deserves. We’ve been ignored, mistrusted, hated, feared and laughed at …

… but now it’s time we were RESPECTED. Given some say. Allowed to enjoy equal rights to express ourselves, be represented, and given our just portion of time at the podium when decisions are made.

This is it, kids. The next step.

Time to make a difference.

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Short Stack

I just hope that after the fundamentalist Christians defeat evolution, they go after entomology next. I’m tired of all these bugs.

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To a fundamentalist, every adventure looks like a sin.

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Christians say they can’t explain the mysteries of God. Then they say scientists have to be wrong because they can’t explain every mystery of the universe. Huh? I missed something. Continue reading “Short Stack”

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27 Secret Gays in Congress

Read this and see how it makes you feel:

The president of a gay rights group says that there are 28 members of Congress who are gay or lesbian, but only one of them feels comfortable revealing that fact.

Gay Coalition of America (GCA) president Bob Silverman told The Guardian that his group was aware of many members of Congress who weren’t ready to make their orientation known.

“Privately, we know that there are 27 other members of Congress who have same-sex attractions and relationships,” Silverman claimed. “But we don’t ‘out’ people.” Continue reading “27 Secret Gays in Congress”