Right Wing Group Priaises Ellen DeGeneres's Oscars Hosting, Ignores Her Sexuality

As far as I can tell, the Parents Television Council does not advertise themselves as religious, unlike the Family Research Council.  But they are definitely right wing, founded by Brent Bozell who also founded the Media Research Center, a group dedicated to bitching about the "liberal media".

So, I was surprised when I found that the Parents Television Council had such high praise for Ellen Degeneres' hosting of the Oscars.  It wasn't that long ago that Bozell himself was spreading some anti-gay hate or were including DeGeneres in their rants against Hollywood's "Homosexual Agenda".

This time, they didn't mention her sexuality at all.  They were just glad she wasn't Seth MacFarlane.  It's just one instance, and I'm sure they'll get back to hating on homosexuals, but I see this as a big step forward.  Slowly, but surely, they're realizing that they're losing their fight against homosexuality.  They're starting to figure out that it's not a fight they can win.

As Seth MacFarlane said about a different movement, "It's about fuckin' time."

Because, as MacFarlane says in the same clip, while the bigots are trying to decide if they're okay with gay people having the same rights as everyone else, they're waiting to get on with their fucking lives.

The Problem Is Not Phil Robertson

When news of A&E's suspension of Phil Robertson started coming out, I was annoyed by the surprise that he said something bigoted.  The guy is pretty open about his Christian beliefs.  Surely, A&E knew he held those beliefs.  Especially since those beliefs are not even that uncommon among Christians.

Since the suspension, the Christian Right have been falling all over themselves to defend Robertson and attack A&E.  I think Beth Presswood put it best.

I can't stand these dudes.. but I also can't stand people who act like this is shocking and not standard Christian doctrine.

Well, Presswood got it second best.  No one has yet topped God.

The Duck Dynasty guy who likened homosexuality to bestiality makes a living helping people trick ducks into thinking they want to fuck them.
— God (@TheTweetOfGod) December 19, 2013

Of course it's not all Christians.  But it is part of their doctrine, and it's the majority of the Christian Right and their voices in media.  Sarah Palin wasted no time defending him.  And the comments from her fans back up my point.

These are from just a bit of what was in a small section of that one post by one right wing icon.  From the comments in a post from a right wing acquaintance, was something special.

The scary part is that I've interacted with extreme right wingers to know that isn't just this guy.  That craziness is quite common.  As is the cluelessness that led the guy to follow that comment by linking to Rage Against the Machine.

This shit is not rare.  Hate from Christians is commonplace.  Phil Robertson is not the problem.  He's merely a symptom of a much larger problem.  But he's also a great, public example of the problem.  This is good opportunity to put a spotlight on the fact that Phil Robertson's views on homosexuality are both common and wrong (even if his departure has been planned for months).  As Steven Olson (blogger at Carl Sagan's Dance Party & co-author of Unbelievable History) put it,

A lot of people are reacting with a lack of surprise on Duck Dynasty's bigotry. The thing is, it's still important to talk about it. When we shine a light on the examples of bad behavior in the public sphere, it gives us a chance to convince more people to begin treating others with respect.

And these aren't fringe views. This is mainstream conservatism. Politicians who were nearly president have been defending this or saying the same exact things.

We have work to do, and calling out a famous beard guy is an effective way to do it.

Christian Bigot, Kevin Swanson Wants You To Buy Girl Scout Cookies

Right Wing Watch has posted clips of Christian Radio hosts Kevin Swanson & Dave Buehner saying some stupid shit^[1] about the Girl Scouts, "lesbianism" [sic], and singer Sara Bareilles^[2].  In the clips, Kevin Swanson begs their listeners to not buy Girl Scout cookies.

The individualism of feminism has been devastating to this country. I’d say you ought to say no the Girl Scout cookies too. I don’t want to support lesbianism, I don’t want to support Planned Parenthood and I don’t want to support abortion, and if that be the case I’m not buying Girl Scout cookies.

He hates women being equal to men (feminism), lesbians, Planned Parenthood, and women having control over their own bodies (abortion).  So he's not buying the cookies.  But I love all those things.  So I'll be buying plenty of them this year.

He's also got a problem with the Girl Scout's stated vision:

It does and I don’t want to promote a wicked organization that according to its own website doesn’t promote godly womanhood, it just doesn’t, I don’t see anything that promotes godly womanhood. The vision of the Girl Scouts of America is antithetical to a biblical vision for womanhood, it’s antithetical to it.

Let's take a look at their website to see what it says.  From their Advocacy page^[3]:

Girl Scouts of the USA's advocacy efforts help demonstrate to lawmakers that Girl Scouts is a resource and an authority on issues affecting girls. Based on almost 100 years of experience and developed from extensive research, the Girl Scout Public Policy and Advocacy Office:

• Encourages girls' healthy living through combating Relational Aggression and promoting girl-positive media images;
• Ensures girls feel emotionally and physically safe;
• Promotes girls' involvement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM);
• Develops financial literacy skills; and
• Gives a voice to girls in underserved communities.

I wonder if it's anything from in that getting Swanson all upset.

Or maybe it's something from their page on Diversity^[4]:

Diversity has been a core value of Girl Scouts since its founding in 1912. At a time of segregation and before laws promoting civil rights were passed, our founder, Juliette Gordon Low, ensured that African-American, American Indian and Hispanic girls were able to become Girl Scouts. She led efforts to make Girl Scouting available to girls who lived in rural and urban areas, to girls who were rich, middle class and poor, and to girls who were born in this country as well as immigrants.

Since his complaint is a lack of Biblical womanhood, let's take a look at womanhood in the Bible.

1 Timothy 2:11-12^[5]

11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.

There's also Ephesians 5^[6], which I recently wrote about in more detail^[7].

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Kevin Swanson is a sexist who has a problem with women being independent, without a man in charge of them.  What else could he mean by "Biblical Womanhood"?^[8]  He's an asshole for that and probably many more reasons.

I hope you'll join me in buying Girl Scout Cookies this year, and then tweeting pictures of the purchase to Kevin Swanson^[9].  I want him to know just how much his hate has backfired.  I want this asshole to know he's helped the Girl Scouts, not hurt.

Personally, I'll be sending him pictures^[10] of my future Sara Bareilles purchases as well.

If you can't support any of them financially, following them on social media supports them in its way.

Girl Scouts^[11]: Twitter^[12] & Facebook^[13].

Sara Bareilles^[14]:  Twitter^[15] & Facebook^[16].

National Planned Parenthood^[17]: Twitter^[18] & Facebook^[19]

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland^[20], where I send donations directly:  Twitter^[21] & Facebook^[22]

However you choose to support any of these, please let Kevin Swanson know you've done so.  Maybe even thank him pointing you toward them to let him know how much he's helped them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/kevin-swanson-begs-you-not-buy-communist-lesbian-girl-scout-cookies
2.  href="http://www.amazon.com/Sara-Bareilles/e/B0017PAUAM/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&qid=1382410558&sr=8-1&tag=omahathe-20
3.  http://www.girlscouts.org/who_we_are/advocacy/
4.  http://www.girlscouts.org/who_we_are/diversity/
5.  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+2%3A11-12&version=NIV
6.  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5&version=NIV
7.  http://aparticularblogbyaparticularatheist.blogspot.com/2013/09/gender-equality-in-bible.html
8.  http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/eccl/women.htm
9.  https://twitter.com/kevinpswanson
10.  https://twitter.com/aparticularA/status/392495018772271104
11.  http://www.girlscouts.org/
12.  https://twitter.com/girlscouts
13.  http://www.facebook.com/GirlScoutsUSA
14.  http://www.sarabmusic.com/
15.  https://twitter.com/SaraBareilles
16.  https://www.facebook.com/sarabareilles
17.  http://www.plannedparenthood.org/
18.  https://twitter.com/PPact
19.  https://www.facebook.com/PlannedParenthood
20.  http://www.plannedparenthood.org/heartland/
21.  https://twitter.com/PPHeartland
22.  https://www.facebook.com/PPHeartland

Omaha Has A Few Crazy Ass Religious People

I'm a weird atheist.  I listen to Christian radio.  I go to church^[1].  Not only that, but I'm an atheist who feels bad when he goes too long without going to church.  But it's not so much guilt as it is regret in missing a show that seems like it would be fun.  Plus, it's guilt for not working on a project I care about continuing.

Recently, I've had an abundance of places I'm interested in visiting.  A local church's banner recently got the attention of Reddit.  I made it to that place and wrote about it^[2].  But there's a few other, less open minded churches, I'm still eager to investigate.  I still need to make it to Candlewood Church, the people behind the creepy^[3] UNO student group The Rock^[4].

I was mildly curious about Wellspring Lutheran Church before Hemant first wrote about their crazy ass pastor^[5].  That made me quite interested in seeing them up close.  My interest grew when their pastor caught Hemant's attention again^[6] by thinking magic is real.

Now another church in Omaha that I was mildly interested in has been moved up to the top of the list, Westside Church, in Omaha.  One of their members, Amber Dee Parker, has written a book for kids to teach them to hate^[7].

Endorsed by the American Family Association^[8]?  If that was all you knew about this book, that would be enough to know it's anti-gay.  The fact that this woman used an interracial couple^[9] for this hate-pushing book is deliciously hilarious.

I'm eager to see what her church is like.  I've got a feeling she's far from the only hateful person in there, which makes me sad because it's a massive building.

Her promotional video^[10] for this piece of shit has garnered  a couple of responses on YouTube.

[11]


[12]

Thanks to that video, I now know what she looks like.  If she's there when I am, I might get to call her a hate monger to her face.  That should be fun.

And if church members see this before I get there and kick me out, then it'll simply be a different kind of fun.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  http://allthesepiouspeople.blogspot.com/
2.  http://allthesepiouspeople.blogspot.com/2013/04/moderate-christians-cognitive-dissonance.html
3.  I've heard some very disturbing stories from students describing them as very cult-like.
4.  http://youtu.be/ab2WyM6osZI
5.  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/05/30/christian-pastor-claims-to-have-irrefutable-mathematical-proof-for-christianity/
6.  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/07/12/christian-columnist-really-believes-magicians-can-levitate-because-of-satan/
7.  http://journalstar.com/news/local/same-sex-marriage-debate-comes-to-children-s-book/article_6e1e675a-192b-5c90-9f50-06dc201cbe96.html
8.  http://aparticularblogbyaparticularatheist.blogspot.com/search/label/American%20Family%20Association
9.  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/06/24/16-of-white-evangelical-christians-oppose-interracial-marriage/
10.  http://youtu.be/vuWLeqAe5iY
11.  http://youtu.be/aw1ZLsTSVzc
12.  http://youtu.be/JSCA42uOCac

Bryan Fischer: Liz Cheney Is Not Enough Of A Bigot

Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney^[1], is as right wing as her father^[2].  She's the kind of right wing that makes one a regular on Hannity to accuse the President of whatever they can find to pull out of their asses.

[3]

You would think that's good enough for American Family Association's^[4]  Bryan Fischer, who is no fan of Muslims^[5].  But there's one thing Fischer hates more than he hates Muslims^[6].

Bryan Fischer really hates the gays^[7].  Or as he puts it, "homofascists"^[8].  So despite all Liz Cheney's hate, it's not good enough for Bryan Fischer^[9].

Although I’m not aware that she has declared a position on ENDA, in 2009 she supported the State Department’s decision, in flagrant violation of DOMA, the law of the land at the time, to extend benefits to same-sex partners.

Said Ms. Cheney, “I think it’s wrong to discriminate, in those relationships, based on someone’s sexual preference.” Homosexual activists prefer her to Enzi^[10] for the sole reason that she just might be a “sleeper vote for LGBT rights.”

She supported the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, which is driving values-based members of the military out of the service and ushering in militant homosexuals. Currently, 55-60% of  all sexual assaults in the military now, thanks in part to the DADT repeal, are committed by homosexuals.

Fischer doesn't like that at different times, she's either refused to take a stand against gays' civil rights and actively supported equality.  He doesn't like her lack of bigotry against homosexuals like her sister^[11], he thinks it means she'll be responsible for the end of all us.

George Washington famously said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness.”

The bottom line: Liz Cheney is not, under Washington’s definition, a patriot. She will throw her weight behind those who are placing improvised explosive devices beneath both of Washington’s indispensable pillars. When the roof collapses on us all, those who supported Liz Cheney will be partly to blame.

I love watching this crazy asshole lose his shit over people getting the equal rights they deserve.  His brand of hatred is losing.  Even Republicans are coming around to the right side^[12].  Soon we'll correct this error by allowing everyone to marry, and bigots like Fischer can just fucking deal with it until they die out and go the way of segregationists.

[13]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/11/dick-cheney-heckled-cpac-war-criminal_n_821591.html
2.  http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/07/17/2313551/liz-cheney-senate-primary/?mobile=nc
3.  http://youtu.be/UlIpJbVW7dk
4.  http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/groups/american-family-association
5.  http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/bryan_fischer_muslims_have_no_first_amendment_righ.php
6.  https://twitter.com/BryanJFischer/status/356817349283823616
7.  http://aparticularblogbyaparticularatheist.blogspot.com/2013/06/bryan-fischer-being-unhappy-makes-me.html
8.  http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/12/bryan-fischer-homofascists-will-treat-christians-like-jews-in-the-holocaust/
9.  http://www.afa.net/Blogs/BlogPost.aspx?id=2147537172
10.  http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/16/1224242/-Liz-Cheney-Possible-Sleeper-Vote-for-LGBT-Equality-in-the-Senate
11.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/post/mary-cheney-gets-married/2012/06/22/gJQAHbJsvV_blog.html
12.  http://www.policymic.com/articles/31091/republican-support-for-gay-marriage-jumps-to-52-percent
13.  http://weknowmemes.com/2012/05/imagine-how-stupid-you-are-going-to-look-in-40-years/

Bryan Fischer Being Unhappy Makes Me Happy

Unless this is the first thing you're reading after spending the entire day in a cave, you already know that the Supreme Court struck down a key part of the Defense of Marriage Act^[1] and effectively upheld the previous overturning of California's ban on gay marriage, Prop 8^[2].

These are both good things.  Unless you're a bigot.  If you're a bigot, you had a bad day.  If you're Bryan Fischer, you had a really bad day^[3].

With the DOMA decision, we have ceased to be a constitutional republic. The words "We the People" are now meaningless.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) June 26, 2013

Yeah, equality is a real pain in the ass for the Constitution.

The DOMA ruling has now made the normalization of polygamy, pedophilia, incest and bestiality inevitable. Matter of time.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) June 26, 2013

I care about my dogs^[4].  The prospect of gays marrying does not make me want to fuck them.  It does not provoke any sexual attraction toward anyone I'm related to.  It also does nothing to change me from the complete lack of sexual desire I have toward children.  Maybe it's just Mr Fischer experiencing these changes.

Note, I didn't mention polygamy.  Because I'm cool with it.  So is the Bible, by the way^[5].

God defined marriage at the dawn of time as one man and one woman. What God has defined, the Supreme Court may not redefine.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) June 26, 2013

The Bible disagrees with what he claims his god defined^[6].

[7]

I agree @BryanJFischer! The Bible clearly defines marriage as an exchange of a female between a father and her new owner, as it should be.
— Mildred vonHildegard (@MildredVon) June 26, 2013

In our battle to defend marriage as God has defined it, we will never give in. We will never, never, never, never give in.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) June 26, 2013

That's fine.  They'll just have to lose the hard way then.

@BryanJFischer And you will lose. You will always, always, always lose. #DOMA #equality #bigotrywillnotstand
— Rebekah (@AtHomePundit) June 26, 2013

One man, Kennedy, has decided marriage policy for 315 million people. That is tyranny. All hail the king.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) June 26, 2013

Scalia right about DOMA: "We have no power under the Constitution to invalidate this democratically adopted legislation."
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) June 26, 2013

That wasn't his stance when the ACA ("Obamacare") was up for review by the Court^[8].  He called it tyranny when the Court upheld one law and tyranny when they didn't uphold another.  That's weird.  It's almost as if he's just calling everything he doesn't like tyranny.

[9]

SCOTUS today dehumanized supporters of natural marriage. Did the same thing to pro-family folks the Nazis did to Jews.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) June 26, 2013

This one was inevitable^[10].  Apparently, to Bryan Fischer, having your ability to discriminate slightly diminished (but still left largely intact), is just like the systematic murder of millions.

And even after that, he got even more desperate in his ranting.

Did SCOTUS just discriminate against every homosexual couple who lives in a state that does not recognize gay marriage?
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) June 27, 2013

SCOTUS did discriminate against every gay couple in 38 states - not eligible for same benefits. Malice? Animus? Bigotry?
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) June 27, 2013

SCOTUS today disenfranchised every black voter who voted for Prop 8. Where's the outrage over minority vote suppression?
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) June 27, 2013

The more desperate they get, the closer we are to winning.  They don't have a choice.  The baby will cry and cry, but eventually the baby goes to sleep.

[11]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court/2013/06/26/f0039814-d9ab-11e2-a016-92547bf094cc_story.html
2.  http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-prop-8-supreme-court-ruling-20130626,0,5931694.story
3.  https://twitter.com/BryanJFischer
4.  http://aparticularblogbyaparticularatheist.blogspot.com/2013/06/i-still-hate-fourth-of-july.html
5.  http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/says_about/polygamy.html
6.  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/unreasonablefaith/2009/04/the-varieties-of-biblical-marriage/
7.  http://i.imgur.com/yXkyl.png
8.  http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/fischer/120327
9.  http://youtu.be/G2y8Sx4B2Sk
10.  http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/godwins-law
11.  http://youtu.be/PrWUU-jV-kc

Apostacon Offers Free Admission to Grace University Student Suspended For Lesbian Relationship

You may already be aware of the shameful behavior of the administrators of Omaha school Grace University^[1].  Especially if you're on Reddit^[2].  If you're not familiar with it, a Christian school found out one of their students was gay and kicked her out.  They're apparently even refusing to even transfer her credits until she pays $6,300 owed because she had her scholarship taken from her.  She's since married, and her wife has started a petition to have the debt forgiven^[3].

Today, Omaha Atheists posted that Apostacon has offered her free admission^[4].  Apostacon had sent out the following:

Thursday, June 15th, 2013 — Secular conference “Apostacon”, formerly known as the Midwest Freethought Conference, is offering free admission for their September 20th – 22nd event as a gift to Danielle Powell, the former Grace University student who was kicked out before finishing her bachelor’s degree after it was discovered she was involved a lesbian relationship.

“We take pride in welcoming everyone to Apostacon, regardless of anything as arbitrary as their sexual orientation.” says William Newman, spokesman for Apostacon. “While it may not make up for the financial and educational difficulties she now faces as a result of Grace University’s ridiculous behavior, we hope to show her that there is a large population of the Midwest who welcomes the LGBTQ community with open arms. This conference will be fun while also educational, focusing on secular activism issues like separation of church and state, as well as social justice causes and more. The Flying Spaghetti Monster theme and logo embraces our sense of humor while reminding us to utilize science and reason in our daily lives.”

 “As a member of the LGBTQ community, I am saddened by the news that Grace University would exclude any student based on the antiquated laws of an ancient religion, rather than embrace diversity and promote equality,” says Meagan, Treasurer of Apostacon.

 “It’s clear that Grace University is falling short of its name,” said David Silverman, President of American Atheists and Apostacon headliner. “This is a textbook example of religiously motivated bigotry. I hope that Grace changes its policy to reflect compassion and acceptance, rather than discrimination and intolerance. It’s pathetic.”

Apostacon 2013 is hosting quite a few speakers supportive of the LBTQ community. Nathan Phelps, son of Fred Phelps from Westboro Baptist Church, is a board member of the organization Recovering From Religion. Mr. Phelps speaks regularly in support of LGBTQ causes and against his father’s “God Hates Fags” placards. AJ Johnson, founder of Be Secular, identifies as bisexual and speaks on the topic “God Really Does Hate Fags.” Also speaking will be Dr. Darrel Ray, author of books entitled “The God Virus” as well as his most recent, “Sex and God,” where he promotes broad and healthy sexuality outside of religious beliefs.

 ###

 If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Apostacon spokesman William Newman, please contact Apostacon at info@apostacon.org or call (402) 522-6463, or visit the website at www.apostacon.org.

The Christians in this story rejected Powell for being comfortable with who she is instead of repressing her identity to conform to their narrow view of what they say sexuality is  Now they want her to pay a debt she shouldn't owe because she only owes it because of their bigotry.

The atheists in this story would welcome her with open arms, no matter her sexuality.  Even if she shows up to the conference wearing a cross and proclaiming herself to be a devout Christian.  As evidence, our conference last year had two Christians on stage.  One of them, Fred Heeren, is someone I've spoken to since and is someone who has my respect.  He also opened ReasonFest^[5], gets positive reviews from atheists^[6], and goes with them to speak to governors^[7].

There's a reason I'm so happy that I'm atheist instead of a fundamentalist of any religion.  A great number of people in my life do not conform to the narrow minded views of places like Grace University and too many other religionists.  If I were like them, I'd be forced to shut of a lot great people out of my life.  While Heeren, my new dialogue partner^[8], and my parents^[9] prove it's not an either/or situation, I'd still much rather be good without god(s) than a bigot with a god.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/12/danielle-powell-grace-university_n_3428514.html
2.  http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/1g8iy3/christian_university_expels_student_for_being_gay/
3.  https://www.change.org/petitions/grace-university-don-t-force-my-wife-to-pay-back-college-scholarships-because-she-s-gay
4.  http://www.omahaatheists.org/2013/06/14/apostacon-offers-free-admission-to-grace-university-student-suspended-for-lesbian-relationship/
5.  http://youtu.be/i8z5MWsbFAY
6.  http://jrh3k5.blogspot.com/2012/03/show-me-god-stellar-book-review.html
7.  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wwjtd/2013/05/atheists-including-my-fiancee-go-smile-to-smile-with-sam-brownback/
8.  http://aparticularblogbyaparticularatheist.blogspot.com/search/label/Discerning%20With%20A%20Christian
9.  http://aparticularblogbyaparticularatheist.blogspot.com/2013/04/an-open-letter-to-some-atheists.html

Saturday Morning Shares - 03-23-2013

Here's the links & tweets to share from the last week.  Most were also shared on this Facebook page or retweeted.  Please add any fun or informative stories I missed in the comments.

Random Stuff:

(via George Takei)

Science!:

There Are Whales Alive Today Who Were Born Before Moby Dick Was Written (via Sarah)

Two ships passing in the night: neuroscience and social media (via @Alyssa_Milano)

Shorter-winged swallows evolve around highways (via Mark)

Secular Coalition of America's Weekly Update:

National Secular Movement Update Call (03/21/2013)

Religion Stuff:

The High School Performing a Play About ‘Adam and Steve’ Isn’t Being Anti-Christian (via @hemantmehta)

(via Atheism)

Cardinal asserts that child raping priests shouldn’t be punished. (via @jteberhard)

Frans de Waal's Bottom-Up Morality: We're Not Good Because Of God (via Omaha Coalition of Reason)

(via @tsh1118)

An Increasing Number of Atheist and Agnostic Alcoholics Anonymous Groups Are Altering the Twelve Steps (via @hemantmehta)

Digital Bible Reaches 100 Million Listeners (via @mashable)

Atheist Student Questioned By Police For Being an Atheist (via Kansas City Atheist Coalition (KCAC))

Expert: Gay Rights Opponents Misrepresenting Religious Liberty

(via @jteberhard)

ACT NOW:  Tell your Senators not to use your taxpayer money to fund religious schools! (via @OmahaCoR)

Pope Stuff:

Geography of the Conclave: Where Do the Cardinals Come From? (via @ZacharyNelson)

(via Rational Hub)

Asshole Of The Week:

Ernie Chambers Takes On Nebraska Homophobes

Living in Nebraska means putting up with a lot of religion and other types of nonsense from our politics.  We're not quite as bad as some other states, but it's bad enough that I have to compare our state to the shenanigans of states like Tennessee[1] or Mississippi[2] to make it seem better by comparison.

But we've also got Ernie Chambers[3].

He's even caught the attention of The Friendly Atheist[4].  If Nebraska can have one Ernie Chambers, I bet we could have more.  We would just need to work to make it happen.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  http://www.advocate.com/politics/2013/01/30/tenns-dont-say-gay-bill-back-and-it-could-out-students-their-parents
2.  http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-mississippi-ratifies-slavery-amendment-20130218,0,7978766.story
3.  http://aksarbent.blogspot.com/2013/03/video-nebraska-state-senator-asks-ex.html
4.  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/03/16/non-theistic-nebraska-state-senator-questions-orientation-of-ex-gay-man/

Chick fil-A, Still Assholes

Since the publicity last year about Chick-fil-A's^[1] donations to hate groups^[2], I've heard a variety of things about the issue.  Some friends have tried to say "it's just a sandwich".  But enough people stood up to  Chick-fil-A^[3] that they promised to stop the donations^[4].

Last week, Think Progress reported on their 2011 donations to these ant-gay hate causes^[5][6].

In 2011, the group actually gave even more to anti-LGBT causes. Its contribution to the Marriage & Family Foundation jumped to $2,896,438 and it gave the same amount to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and National Christian Foundation as it had in 2010. In total, the anti-LGBT spending exceeded $3.6 million — almost double the $1.9 million from the year before.

...

In essence, Chick-fil-A’s “charitable” contributions in 2011 were no less hateful than in 2010 — just less transparent.

This spike in donations occurred before the promise for them to cease.  I wish I expected us to see anything different when the information on their 2012 donations comes out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  Chick-fil-A Does Not Want Your Money
2.  http://www.advocate.com/business/2012/07/02/chick-fil-donates-2-mil-antigay-groups#.T_H5UqpmN6R
3.  http://news.change.org/stories/yes-chick-fil-a-says-we-explicitly-do-not-like-same-sex-couples
4.  http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/19/business/la-fi-mo-chickfila-gay-moreno-20120919
5.  http://www.facebook.com/beingliberal.org/posts/434487519960515
6.  http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/03/14/1722631/chick-fil-a-foundation-anti-lgbt-spending-nearly-doubled/

Making The Case For Marriage Equality

I've said for a long time that there's more truth in comedy than anything else.  It's why The Daily Show is what it is.  This video may have been meant as humor, but it presents one of the best cases for marriage equality I've seen.

Opponents of marriage equality should pay attention.  But I doubt they will.  After all, if bigots were smart, they wouldn't be bigots.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  18+ Humour (Thanks to Sarah for sharing)

Many Many Links, Without Comment (Except For The Comment)

I don't know how some of the bigger bloggers manage to publish so often.  I'm terrible about bookmarking more things to share than I can find the time to write about.  I've decided to start sharing them as a group on Saturday mornings.  Sometimes they'll be timely news stories (give or take a week).  Other times they'll be random, older bits I've come across & just want to share.

But first I'm gonna drop a bunch of things I had bookmarked to share that still seem worth sharing.  And, even with sharing this much crap on Thursday evening, I've got some stuff already on the post for Saturday.  This should be an interesting experiment.

Teen Denied Communion After Marriage Equality Facebook Post

I'm sure many people have posted this, but Wayne LaPierre, meet your good pal Archie Bunker.youtu.be/-lDb0Dn8OXE
— Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) December 30, 2012

Kids Without God

Christian Group Says Demon Sex Makes You Gay

Salvation Army comes under fire for alleged anti-gay stance huff.to/TgCPMq
— HuffPost Religion (@HuffPostRelig) November 26, 2012

CHECK IT OUT: International Directory of Freethought Groups from Atheist Alliance International: ow.ly/fEGOO
— AJ Johnson (@HappiestAtheist) November 28, 2012

Exposing Protestant Clergy Sex Abusers fb.me/P2wYWw3Z
— Teresa Macbain (@Teresamacbain) November 27, 2012

How and when did Jesus become white huff.to/10XuMtW
— HuffPost Religion (@HuffPostRelig) November 30, 2012

Atheist group called "terrorists" for criticizing holiday displays huff.to/Wxd6QD
— HuffPost Religion (@HuffPostRelig) November 29, 2012

Loudoun County Official Apologizes for Calling Atheists ‘Terrorists’… and Then Calls Atheists ‘Terrorists’ Again bit.ly/11lFgmb
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) November 29, 2012

What makes religious texts sacred? huff.to/11thaWp
— HuffPost Religion (@HuffPostRelig) December 1, 2012

Atheist Census

Why the image going around of Jesus sitting in a classroom is pretty damn insensitive and offensive: therearethornstoo.blogspot.com/2012/12/monday…
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) December 18, 2012

Vatican declares that same-sex couples live in a "different reality" huff.to/UNcPsd
— HuffPost Religion (@HuffPostRelig) December 19, 2012

Oliver Sacks, the popular author and professor of neuroscience at NYU, claims that the brain alone is sufficient... fb.me/1NEP5UaZN
— Omaha CoR (@OmahaCoR) December 20, 2012

Seth Andrews: Deconverted fb.me/1RtyoqLNP
— Teresa Macbain (@Teresamacbain) December 25, 2012

And Some Stuff About Billboard Vandalism:

Inoffensive Atheist Sign Gets Vandalized in Virginia; It Was Spraypainted and Burned bit.ly/VkPuyC
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) December 28, 2012

#Atheist group based here has been having trouble with one its signs. Not sure about the billboard in Times Square. -CS cranford.patch.com/articles/cranf…
— Cranford Patch / Cam (@cranfordpatch) December 27, 2012

A Second Atheist Billboard Vandalized Near Roanoke, Virginia bit.ly/VIDR3s
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) December 28, 2012

Within 48 hours of its placement, vandals had already marred the display: ow.ly/gawqi
— KC Atheist Coalition (@KCAtheists) December 18, 2012

First read this: patheos.com/blogs/friendly…. Then: Atheist Banner Destroyed After Councilman Says He'd ‘Look the Other Way’ bit.ly/VsmJ1K
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) December 25, 2012

Progress From The Vatican

My response to the announcement of the Pope's resignation^[1] was not optimistic.  But then I saw a post^[2] showing that they might be nominating the first Black Pope^[3].

He's responded to the problems the Vatican faces.

Pope Benedict's eight-year papacy saw controversies over paedophile priests, a tense relationship with the Muslim world, and the conviction of his butler for stealing documents that revealed corruption at the top of the Vatican.

"[We need] to relevantly address issues and the credibility of our own ministry and leadership," said Cardinal Turkson. "The Church, if you adopt the imagery of a boat, is going through quite a bit of a storm and it does not appear to be over yet," he said.

"In Europe, churches are getting empty, the population appears not to relate much to the Church and to religion and all of that –that is an issue to deal with. In the new churches, Latin America, Africa and Asia, where the Church appears to be growing there is also the challenge of being able to maintain membership. Whoever succeeds Benedict will not lack challenges and they are an invitation to creativity and innovation."

He's addressed anti-gay bills in Africa^[4], like, Uganda's controversial "Kill the gays" bill, . .

Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said some of the sanctions imposed on homosexuals in Africa are an “exaggeration,” but argued that the “intensity of the reaction is probably commensurate with tradition.”

Referring to the issue of stigma surrounding homosexuality in Africa, the cardinal said it is important to understand the reasons behind it. “Just as there’s a sense of a call for rights, there’s also a call to respect culture, of all kinds of people,” he said. “So, if it’s being stigmatized, in fairness, it’s probably right to find out why it is being stigmatized.”

Moreover, the cardinal called for a distinction to be made between moral issues and human rights.

“We [the Church] push for the rights of prisoners, the rights of others; and the last thing we want to do is infringe upon the rights of anyone. But when you’re talking about what’s called ‘an alternative lifestyle,’ are those human rights?” the cardinal said. “He [Ban ki-moon] needs to recognize there’s a subtle distinction between morality and human rights, and that’s what needs to be clarified.”

 . . by suggesting that making being gay a crime punishable by death isn't a violation of human rights.

So what if a man they're considering for Pope thinks the problems the Catholic Church faces are the declining membership, not the epidemic of pedophiles in their priesthood; and it's a possibility the next Pope doesn't think it's a human right to not be killed for being gay.  But at least he's not another white guy.  Progress for the Vatican is a tricky thing.

Maybe the Pope after next will be someone who's not a hateful piece of shit.  Or maybe at least sometime before the 22nd Century.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  Same Shit, New Pope
2.  Found on Hammer the Gods
3.  Cardinal Peter Turkson, Possible Pope Successor, Has Defended Legislation Like Uganda's 'Kill The Gays' Bill
4.  Cardinal Responds to U.N.'s Criticism of Africa's Social Policies

Same Shit, New Pope

I share JT Eberhard's disdain for Joseph Ratzinger^[1]. He's a terrible person who's done the world terrible harm. He's probably the only person in the world who's done the world more harm after being a Nazi than while he was.

I hold no optimism that his resignation^[2] will improve the Catholic Church. Their hate, lies about condoms^[3][4][5][6], protection of pedophiles^{[7][8][9][10][11]}, and shitty treatment of women^[12][13][14] aren't limited to just that one man. It's institutional. At best, the next Pope will be marginally better than this one.

The Vatican will continue getting Africans killed, and its members will continue to defend that despicable behavior^[15]. It will continue its efforts to suppress women's rights^[16]. It will continue to protect those who rape children.  It will continue to be bigoted toward homosexuals^[17][18][19], Jews^{[20][21][22][23]}, and sometimes both at once^[24].

It will continue to be the kind of organization who had a questionable relationship with the Nazis^{[25][26][27][28][29]}, was later led by one^[30], and has done more harm to world than even they did.

It will continue being one of the most evil organizations^[31] in the history of the world.  Just with a different monster running it, pretending to be infallible while pushing clearly fallible nonsense.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  The Pope is resigning. Good.
2.  Pope Benedict XVI to resign citing poor health
3.  Pope claims condoms could make African Aids crisis worse
4.  Vatican renews condom criticism
5.  Vatican newspaper article says condom campaigns increase AIDS risk
6.  The Catholic Church versus HIV/AIDS in Africa
7.  Catholic order had 'pedophile ring' in Vic
8.  Head of Catholic Bishops Paid Pedophiles to Disappear
9.  The Catholic church really is full of pedophiles.
10.  Catholic sex abuse cases - Wikipedia
11.  A smoking gun letter reveals Vatican directly ordered pedophiles be protected
12.  Proper Dress and Behavior for Catholic Women
13.  The Vatican's War on Women
14.  Vatican Reaffirms: Women's Ordination Invalid
15.  What Impact Does Catholic Teaching Have on AIDS in Africa?
16.  Vatican Crackdown On Nuns Over Social Justice Issues, Women Ordination
17.  The Vatican hates gays
18.  Vatican article likens gay marriage to communism
19.  Vatican Launches 'Anti-Gay Media Blitz,' Compares Gay Marriage To Polygamy, Polyandry
20.  Jewish outrage greets Vatican 'anti-Semitism' remarks
21.  Vatican embracing anti-Semitism?
22.  The Vatican's Shameful Secret
23.  Cables: Anti-semitism in the Vatican
24.  Vatican: Homosexuality And Jews Caused Pedophilia Scandal
25.  Red Cross and Vatican helped thousands of Nazis to escape
26.  Catholic Church and Nazi Germany
27.  Vatican City during World War II
28.  The Vatican Made Nazism Possible in Germany and Croatia
29.  Archbishop Orsenigo Celebrates Hitler’s Birthday
30.  Was Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) A Nazi? Why Join the Hitler Youth?
31.  Richard Dawkins on the Catholic Church