That's not how we handle things.....But it was damn funny.

Last week someone ran down a monument of the Ten Commandments that was sitting (illegally) on public property in Oklahoma.

It was a bad way to get what you want, I admit. But I can't help but kinda laugh about it. The guy urinated on the monument, hit it with his car, then he went on a small rant about Obama. Here's the kicker: he blamed the devil.

The devil!

Boom! Not an atheist.

Totally not one of ours.  YES!!

I want to be clear: I don't condone the destruction of public or private property. The ACLU was taking proper legal routes to have the monument removed. I support the actions of the ACLU and their correct and civilized way of taking a religious monument off public lands.

The man who has been accused of the destruction of the monument sounds like he may need psychological help. I hope he gets that help as well as a fair and speedy trial- if needed.

But I'll be a damned liar if I say I wasn't a little tickled to read the headlines saying that the Ten Commandments were urinated on then smashed with a car.

They shouldn't have been there in the first place.

My Strong, Independent, Church-Going Mother

I will never understand why so many women are still a part of any religion. Especially any one that follows Judeo-Christianity. I read this article form AlterNet.org:

http://www.alternet.org/gender/20-vile-quotes-against-women-religious-leaders-st-augustine-pat-robertson?page=0%2C0

It has some of the most vile things that have been written or said about women from some of the most famous names in the Christian religions. Here's a good quote:

• "Woman is a temple built over a sewer."  —Tertullian

OR... 

• "The word and works of God is quite clear, that women were made either to be wives or prostitutes." — Martin Luther, Reformer (1483-1546)

Thanks, Martin! How about this one: 

• "The Holiness of God is not evidenced in women when they are brash, brassy, boisterous, brazen, head-strong, strong-willed, loud-mouthed, overly-talkative, having to have the last word, challenging, controlling, manipulative, critical, conceited, arrogant, aggressive, assertive, strident, interruptive, undisciplined, insubordinate, disruptive, dominating, domineering, or clamoring for power. Rather, women accept God’s holy order and character by being humbly and unobtrusively respectful and receptive in functional subordination to God, church leadership, and husbands." — James Fowler, Women in the Church, 1999.

Go fuck yourself, James. 

My mother was a great student. She skipped her junior year of high school and graduated early. She took a few college courses before she married my father and started a family. After my father left, my mother moved her three girls into her parent's home so she could return to school to earn her bachelors degree. After she graduated she had the courage to move us to a new state for work. She had a job lined up but she had no family, no support system, and no knowledge of the state of Florida. She found us a home, good schools, and made sure we were involved with the community to gain friends. She worked two jobs during the holiday season so we could have a nice Christmas. She worked late, sacrificed a personal life, and still made sure we all did our homework every night. My mother is my greatest role model. 

Unfortunately, my mother is also a Christian. She took us to a Church of Christ. It was the religion she had grown up in. It was the only religion I'd known for most of my life. (Catholics and Jews were just Hollywood stuff) Every week we were reminded that the woman's role was to serve her husband and run the home. My sisters and I were looked down upon because we didn't have a father. My mother was treated like a broken woman because she didn't have a man in her life to take care of her. 

I was appalled that my mother seemed to believe what others thought about her. She would cry. She would say that she just wanted us to be able to find a nice, god-fearing man and start a good church-loving family. Was that all she wanted for me? How could she give me all these examples for how a woman can be as strong as steel but, as weak as scripture? 

To this day I have internal battles with what I was taught was destined for me and what I truly want for myself. I struggle with the deep-rooted belief that I should be married. I should be taking care of a household. I should be having children. I should be submissive. 

But I'll never be those things.  And I'm angry that I still have this nagging feeling, that by not being who the church wants me to be, somehow makes me less of a person. Less of a woman. My strong, independent, church-going mother brainwashed me into believing that I can't be as strong as her. 

It's Happening....

The SCOTUS judgement that allowed Hobby Lobby to have a religious viewpoint is coming back to bite us in the ass. (As if it already didn't)

I read this article published by FindLaw about Ark Encounter, a Noah-based theme park:

http://legalpronews.findlaw.com/article/03be7622fb0212970a5de3d211431810#.VDafPGddWXo

It's set to open in 2016 in Kentucky. The state of Kentucky was to offer tax incentives to the park for bringing tourism to the state. Fine. Lots of states do this. A big attraction brings money to the state; the state allows for tax breaks to the attraction as a 'reward'.

Here's the problem: the owners of the park want to make potential employees sign a faith agreement stating that they truly believe in the 'great flood'.

It's absurd that anyone actually believes in a world-wide flood. There is no geological or anthropological proof that something of that magnitude even occurred. But, people will believe an ancient and non-peer reviewed book over years of scientific study and testing. What are you gonna do?

So, the state of Kentucky has determined that if the owners of the park don't remove this silly restriction then they will receive no tax incentives. Ark Encounters, LLC immediately cried persecution.

"Zovath, who is also co-founder of Answers in Genesis, said that if tax incentives for the project are withdrawn because it does not give written assurances the state now seeks, it would violate the organization's First Amendment and state constitutional rights." 

So now, the park has 'First Amendment and state constitutional rights'? Are you fucking kidding me?!? The park is doing the hiring and they want to discriminate? The state hiring laws are very clear. You cannot discriminate against someone for not holding the same beliefs as you. If you want to reap the benefits, then you must play by the rules.

Not being allowed to discriminate is not discrimination. Christians really need to learn this.

You know, I grew up in Tampa, FL. A LOT of my friends worked for Disney World. Not a single one of them believed in a real rodent who wears shorts and gloves. I'm pretty sure they didn't ruin it for the little kids who did believe in him.

At least Mickey is suitable for children. A story where a 'loving' god destroyed every living being? Men, women, children, every animal.... It's disgusting. Adding a rainbow to genocide doesn't make it pretty.

Hacking of the Humanists

Today the American Humanists Association's Facebook page was hacked. It's actually still happening. Right now. As I type. (I'm bored at work) It's been going on for an hour or so now.

The hackers got in, removed all the admin's privileges and began a tirade of trashy articles that belonged more on the covers of the Weekly World News magazine.  Pictures of women in yoga pants, women's secret sexual positions, collections of suggestive pictures, Kim Kardashian's rear end....(A lot of anti-women stuff if you ask me--must be one of those 'Good Christian Boys')

The first article I saw that looked questionable was "10 Selfies Taken Right Before Death". Really?!?!

There is a commenter in each hacked post directing everyone as to how to 'report' the group to Facebook and have the entire page taken down.

This is exactly what the hackers want people to do. They want this page taken down. I have no idea who has done this but I would not be surprised if it was a Christian supporter.

AHA has a 'Don't Say The Pledge' campaign right now. They are spreading the very tightly kept secret that kids do not have to recite the pledge of allegiance in school. In the 40's it was decided in a court decision that children in public schools do not have to recite the pledge.

Since then, almost no school teacher has shared that knowledge with the children. Seriously, I was in public schools for 12 years...no clue about this. I was given a worksheet as homework to help me memorize it word for word. We took time out of kindergarten to learn how to stand and place your right hand over your heart. I was given a flag to take home and practice the pledge. T.V.s in my classrooms would have a video of that one super American song that I can't remember (something about ..'they come to America'...), followed by the American flag with the words of the pledge rolling across the screen karaoke-style. (My head is exploding)

In the 50's 'Under God' was added to the pledge-- making it unconstitutional as a breach of the First Amendment to the Constitution stating that 'Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion...'. AHA is spearheading a major campaign to remove it and/or at least let kids know they don't have to say it.

Kids are starting to stand up to their teachers and refuse and they are being punished and treated like anti-American criminals. And now we have the loving Christians hacking Facebook pages and trying to shut-up the voices of secular people. (Allegedly)

Seriously? The Humanists? The people who specifically campaign for ALL humans? The ones who advocate the good-will and respect of all people? These are the ones you want to attack and call un-American?

I'm to the point where I'm truly ashamed that I have to admit that I was brought up and once identified as Christian.