Life In The Bible Belt From A Tourist Perspective

Having to constantly have Jesus thrown in your face is a common theme I see from people all over the United States, but this is especially so in the Bible Belt.  As if to illustrate my point, just as I started writing this, my family in the other room started talking about a Bible study one has been attending.

I was in the same house as that much of my family because we were on a trip to Branson, Missouri.  On the day we visited the part of town with all the touristy, gift shops, I encountered something I was not surprised to see, but it was still interesting to see it in that volume.

Jesus merchandise was everywhere I went.

This was just over a few hours, and it's not even close to all I saw.  It's not even all the pictures I took.  For several of the places, it's just about all they had.  These were all found in private businesses, so there are no Church-State issues involved.  I'm not writing this to say they should not be allowed to sell this much religious merchandise or even that they're wrong to do so.  In fact, considering the fact that these are for-profit businesses in this place, they're right to do so.

This is merely a visual representation of what many atheists have to put up with.  All the time.  Around here, Jesus sells.  It sells this way because Christianity is ingrained into every part of the culture in these places.  It's even in their newspapers.

Just something to think about before you go all rageface at someone who comes from this environment and believes things that seem absurd to those who've been lucky enough to escape it.  Something to think about before you call all Christians stupid or call closeted atheists in these places cowards.

Just because you were lucky enough to overcome something does not mean it comes easily to everyone.  It couldn't hurt to keep that in mind.

People Worth Your Attention - Count Dolby von Luckner

I first encountered Count Dolby von Luckner (Dale DeBakcsy) at the 2013 American Atheists convention a year ago in Austin.  He had a table there, where he would draw pretty much anything requested.  His notebook of sketches was packed with awesome.  The clear standout was the Taftaroo (Howard Taft plus kangaroo), which was later paired with Tesla riding a velociraptor.

That year, JT Eberhard got Iron Man punching Jesus.  I had no good ideas until after I got back home.  But this year, I had one that I'm pretty happy with.

The inspiration for this request was one of my favorite criticisms of religion, Mark Twain's "The Fly".

To see Dale's other work:

The Vocate

Frederick the Great: A Most Lamentable Comedy Breaching Time and Space

He's also a contributors for a few publications:

The Freethinker
Philosophy Now
American Atheists Magazine
Secular World
New Humanist
Free Inquiry

He Swears It's Not Photoshopped

The person who posted this to Reddit^[1], says it's not photoshopped.

What do you think?  We see these things all the time, and it's nearly always a question.  I usually assume they are photoshopped.  But that's the thing about this kind of stuff.  Either explanation is as believable as the other^[2].

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1.  http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/1d7067/i_swear_to_jesus_this_isnt_photoshoped_welcome_to/
2.  http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Poe's_Law

Happy Easter / What Is Jesus?

Today's the day atheists will be calling Jesus a zombie^[1].  But I'm going with PZ Myers^[2] on this one.  Jesus not a zombie.  He's a lich.

Although, I do really like the Cyanide & Happiness take on it^[3].

What do you think?  Zombie, lich, or marionette?

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1.  https://twitter.com/search?q=zombie%20jesus&src=typd
2.  http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/04/08/an-easter-message/
3.  http://www.explosm.net/comics/3125/

Please Tell Me This Is A Joke - Jesus Take The Wheel Edition

I've heard of the concept of letting "Jesus take the wheel", but I've never heard of it being taken seriously, even by Christians.  But then there's this event^[1][2].

On March 31, 2013, Christians all over the world will take to the streets in their automobiles. Relying only on the divine protection of Jesus Christ, they will prove that the Savior of Man will not abandon them when they remove their hands from the steering wheels of their cars for a total of 5 minutes. They will not be at a red light, or a stop sign, they will be on the highways. This is TRUE FAITH. Jesus Christ does not abandon his children, and with the current state of the world, it's time to show Jesus that we have not abandoned him. Do not come to this page telling us that we are crazy and that we are going to die. Jesus is our Shepherd, and he will tend to his flock. Please join us and show that you are NOT AFRAID to place your life in the hands of Jesus Christ.

This cannot be serious.  Can it?  I sure as hell hope not.  I know religious beliefs are stupid, but come on people.

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1.  https://twitter.com/hemantmehta/status/318153723840958464
2.  https://www.facebook.com/events/102311426566161/

The Twelve Apostates

Christians have the Twelve Days of Christmas and their Jesus has the Twelve Apostles. I, obviously, do not buy into the Twelve Apostles myth. And, while Secular Christmas is celebrated by many atheists, I do not (except for the obligations I've held onto that come from having family who does celebrate).

I was recently planning for a list of the atheists I respect and sometimes get inspiration from. While thinking of who to include, and what size to make the list, I thought of the Twelve Days of Christmas and the Twelve Apostles.  So I decided to call my list "The Twelve Apostates" and publish it as a series with a new one each day leading up to Christmas Day.  I have just enough to say for most of them, that making it all one post would make it much too long for a single post.

Some will be specific people, while others will be groups of people.  It more appropriately be called "Twelve  Days of Apostates", but I like "Twelve Apostates" better.  Yes, I'm neurotic enough that I put that much thought into it.  Some will be from my childhood, while others will be much more recent.  They will be in no particular order, with one exception on the first.

You may not agree with any or all of them, but it's not meant to be a universal list. It's meant to be personal to me.  I would love to see your lists as well.  I hope to use those as part of another list, that will be meant to be more universal.  A friend already beat me to it, quite a while ago.

The title of this post and the date it was published is a coincidence.