Christmastime faith vs. godlessness roundup

As the Season to be Jolly is moving on behind us, it’s time for a little reality check – in the form how a Gallup poll that determines the levels of religiosity in the U.S.. Four separate questions, four pleasing statistical results that prove what we’ve known for a long time: religion is slowly but surely on its way into ignominy, and godlessness and reason are on the rise – again, slowly, but just as surely.

First, Gallup asked people how which religion they identified with (standard starter question).

Religious demographics as of winter 2009: Protestantism/Non-Catholic: 56% (decreasing) / Catholicism: 22% (decreasing) / None: 13% (increasing) / Other: 9% (level)

Then, the polled were asked how important religion is in their lives:

Personal importance of religion as of winter 2009: Very important: 56% (decreasing) / Fairly important: 25% (decreasing) / Not very important: 19% (increasing)

Next, pollster asked people whether they attended church or a place of worship:

Healthcare reform bill ruined Christmas, so I burned my house and plunged my car in a lake

This Christmas Eve morning, C-SPAN took some calls from viewers to hear their opinions and reaction to the healthcare reform bill that had just been passed. I’m praying that this one, below, isn’t a representative sample of what had been heard on the air, or else America is doomed to fall into the hands of absolute Christofascist morons. (And I cannot emphasize that last word enough.) I really sorta pity the presenter who had to listen to all that.

PRESENTER: ‘We’ve got another call from Kansas, this one from “Bunny”, uh, Parson, Kansas. You’re opposed to the bill?’

BUNNY: ‘Good morning. Yes, I am, very much. I am so disappointed. I have taken my Christmas tree down, I have taken my Christmas trees off my house, I’ve taken all the lights down. This is supposed to be a nation under God, and it isn’t. They absolutely have ruined Christmas for all the Senators and Representatives that are supposed to be under God. This is God’s holiday, for the birth of his son.’

PRESENTER: ‘So, you took down your Christmas tree because of the Senate healthcare bill?’

BUNNY: ‘I certainly did, and I would like to see every light in the nation go out, especially in the White House. This is just ridiculous.’

PRESENTER: ‘Why are you so opposed to it, Bunny?’

BUNNY: ‘Because it’s divisive between my son, who is younger, and myself, and in many families, it’s that way. Either it’s genocide on the seniors […]’

Am I the only one who, no matter how many times I listen to that rambling and read the transcript, simply cannot fathom what the hell this nut is talking about? I pity her son, who’s gonna be wondering why his wackjob mother ruined Christmas, herself, in taking down all the pretty lights and trees in a supremely stupid and futile move of protest against something that is both wholly unrelated and that will only help the country in the coming years. And, of course, the way she tries to rationalize just how the bill is wrong is just an illustration in pure brainlessness. Truly, if anyone has a gobbledygook translator, I’d be grateful.

(via Dispatches From the Culture Wars)

A stupid story to which I don’t even need to formulate a reaction

Another example why “zero-tolerance” policies should be shitcanned soon enough:

A 10-year-old girl in New York has been suspended for bringing peppermint oil to her middle school and distributing it to other students.

The Commack School District said in a statement on its Web Site that the oil is "an unregulated over-the-counter drug."

[…]

Commack Superintendent James Feltman said Sara's actions violated the school district's code of conduct when she brought the oil to school on Monday. He said the label on the bottle said it should be kept out of reach of children.

Of course, standard policy dictates that I should now respond in an exasperated, snarky and marginally witty sort of way. But then, I don’t have to exert myself; I’ve got the perfect response already provided via DONTBUGME in the article’s comments:

In related news, a boy was expelled for bringing water to school. School officials said that "water" is an over-the-counter drug commonly used to treat dehydration. They said that h2o, the main ingredient, has been known to cause drowning in humans and is therefore too dangerous for minors to possess on school grounds.

Exactly.

(via Fark)

I don’t think he’ll be reproducing and creating more would-be moronic robbers anytime soon

At least, I dare to hope. There are several ways a criminal can be stupid and fuck up, but … seriously. This guy must’ve been vying for a medal.

A DOZY robber was nicked while scoffing a chicken dinner at a restaurant he held up at gunpoint 20 minutes earlier.

The 38-year-old is accused of stealing several hundred pounds after waving an airgun at terrified staff.

But he then sniffed the tasty aromas at the Southern Fried Chicken branch and demanded: "Give me one of those Hunga Busta Meals too."

He sat down to eat the meal and was still tucking in when armed cops alerted by staff burst into the diner in Colchester, Essex.

An Essex police source said: "We've come across some stupid criminals in our time but this beats all. Normal practice is to grab the cash and run. But this man was obviously controlled by his belly rather than his brain.

"After running in with a hoodie and scarf hiding his face, he took them both off to stuff his face with chicken.

"The staff he'd just waved a gun at were gobsmacked.

[…]

The man, a double glazing salesman who cannot be named, is charged with possessing a weapon in a public place, theft and using threatening behaviour in a public place.

…

All together, now: “Thank God for Natural Selection!”

(via Fark)

Stupid Quote of the Day: One mustn’t criticize what one doesn’t comprehend

And in this vein, Vox Day really needs to stop spewing nonsense about evolution and those who accept it:

I've also found it to be interesting how in physics - real science - there is very little, if any, of the defensive and irrational babbling often heard from true-believing TENS [Theory of Evolution/Natural Selection] advocates about how a lack of an alternative theory somehow justifies the continued use of a theory already known to be intrinsically flawed.

Except that the Theory of Evolution/Natural Selection is not intrinsically flawed. Actually, it doesn’t really have any problems in any way, shape or form. The reason why it’s quasi-universally accepted in the scientific community as a scientific fact, unlike what cranks like Vox will tell you, is that even after 150 years (and counting) of endless and rigorous testing, any and all evidence that has ever been uncovered, across all virtually fields of research, has only strengthened the Theory of Evolution rather than exposed any faults or weaknesses. In addition, the very fact that all of modern biology exists and has provided us with endless amounts of verifiable and demonstrable evidence regarding the functioning and mechanisms of our natural world is the ultimate proof that the Theory of Evolution is as sound as it can be and that it is, quite simply, a scientific reality. If there had ever been an “intrinsic flaw”, particularly any large one as in evolution denialists’ minds, then not only would it have been uncovered and its existence made known throughout the scientific community long ago, but any further established science built on top of Evolutionary Theory would have collapsed as well, as would any structure erected on a faulty foundation.

Vox also claims that Evolution advocates only support and defend this theory because there isn’t any “alternative theory”.

Um … duh.

Primo, there is no such thing as an “alternative theory”; in scientific parlance, such a thing is an oxymoron. There cannot be two rivaling theories. There can only be the current accepted theory, and any other lesser hypotheses that aren’t as well supported. Remember that in the scientific vernacular, “theory” is equal to “fact”. Evolution is a theory, just as there is the Theory of Gravity, the Germ Theory (that illness is caused by microscopic agents rather than by demons or curses or whatever), the Wave Theory of Light (that all visible light is determined by wavelength) – and so on. Basically put: a theory is any hypothesis that is testable and demonstrable with consistent results and that doesn’t have any credible evidence weighing against it. Notice how this definition is rather similar to that of “fact”? That’s because, scientifically speaking, facts and theories are the exact same thing.

There is no “alternative theory” to explain the diversity of life on Earth other than Evolutionary Theory, because this would mean that there were two perfectly-accepted scientific facts. Which would only be possible in alternate universes, not the same. I trust you see where this is going.

And now, to truly exemplify why I classify stuff like this under “Stupid Quotes” …

[…] the natural selection hypothesis has always been logic, not science. The fact that it is difficult and dangerous to paint grizzly bears pink in order to see if they breed less successfully doesn't change the fact that no one has ever tested the widespread assumption of why polar bears are white.

In response to that first sentence: uh … same thing. Science is the pragmatic application of logic to find answers and solutions. Sheesh. And for that second sentence … well, I may respond as soon as I get the slightest idea what in the name of bloody frakkin’ crackers it’s supposed to mean.

Standing up for your rights in the face of bullying cops

It’s crucial to remember that police officers are public servants, and as such, they are to be held accountable to the public. One of the best ways one can ensure that any cops who commit misdeeds and crimes of their owns will stand trial is by catching their words and actions on tape. Videotaping cops is perfectly legal; in fact, it is a cherished right. And, most important of all: cops do not have the right to take this right away from you, regardless of whichever phony excuse they use to try and strip you of your camera.

Here is the first-hand account of one such civilian who was able to document cops acting strangely and disproportionately with a videocamera, and then faced pressure from said cops to give his camera away. More people need to respond the way he did: by standing firm and letting the officers know that he was very much aware of his rights.

Today at around 4:00pm I noticed a police car in front of my house, and went out on my porch to see what was going on. As I did, another female officer in another cruiser pulled up as well and started talking to the other cop. I saw that they had pulled over my neighbor and were obviously trying to get him to consent to a search. ( I found out afterwards that they pulled him over for a suspected seatbelt violation; why this requires a vehicle search is beyond me ). Well, my neighbor told the officer that he did not consent to any searches. This apparently wasn't enough for him, so he made him wait about ten minutes for a K9 sheriff to arrive. Obviously this was either a case of profiling or harassment, as a seatbelt violation is not usually reasonable cause for a search and seizure. So, in the interests of making sure his rights weren't violated, I whipped out my video camera. Mind you, I never said a word or went over to the police. I didn't even leave my front porch.

When the K9 Sheriff arrived, he demanded that the four teens in the car get out and stand in the freezing cold while he patted them down and pulled up their pantlegs and opened up their jackets.

After about a minute or two of standing there taping them and watching my neighbor and his friends shiver in the cold, the big bald K9 Sheriff officer(hereafter referred to as 'baldy' since I didn't get his name) shouts from across the street "If you're going to keep on filming me, guess what I'm gonna do. I'm going to come over there and confiscate that camera and keep it for evidence." I said "Evidence of what?" "I'm on my property, I am not interfering. I can photograph whatever I want to from my property." He replied "Take that camera inside or it's gonna be mine and I'm gonna confiscate it.

Just so you know dear reader, it IS NOT against the law to videotape police officers as long as you do not interfere with what they're doing. As long as you stay away from them, you can videotape everything they do. They are allowed to video citizens and we are also allowed to video them. There are MANY cases of police abusing their power in regards to these incidents of citizens videotaping them. And nearly EVERY time they have had to return stolen property and apologize. Sometimes, the offending officers are even fired or suspended.

Anyway...

Another would-be vandal confuses criticism of religion with hate speech

If you at all follow the goings-on of the atheist community, then chances are you’ve heard about the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s (FFRF) sign that’s posted annually for the Winter Solstice at several state Capitol buildings across the U.S.. Here it is, below:

Personally, I don’t quite like this sign. I agree with its contents, of course, but if the purpose of the message is to encourage debate and discourse rather than to just piss believers off, then it doesn’t do its job very well. One idea would be to just do away with that last line, which is the worst of the message. Or, maybe just phrase it a little more lightheartedly.

However, one thing signs with such “inflammatory” messages are good at doing is exposing the intolerant and the idiotic. Cue conservative activist and candidate for Illinois comptroller William J. Kelly, who follows in line with fellow kooks in failing to distinguish between criticism and “hate speech” – and then tries to take matter into his own hands.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) ― A conservative activist and Illinois comptroller candidate was escorted from the Illinois State Capitol building Wednesday when he tried to remove a sign put up by an atheist group.

William J. Kelly announced Tuesday that he planned to take down the sign put up by the Freedom from Religion Foundation, and on Wednesday, he tried to make good on his plan.

But Kelly said when he turned the sign around so it was face down, state Capitol police were quick to escort him away.

The science of pedophilia, morality, and free will

Do forgive my lack of blogging for the past couple of days. I’d be tempted to pass the blame off onto Christmas and all that, but then, that would just be lazy. Which is, in fact, the primary reason for my lack of posting. So, to compensate, here is my longest blog post to date. There.

As you can surmise by this post’s title, this is a rather intriguing subject I’m writing about, here. A reader with whom I’ve been having an interesting discussion regarding pedophilia, morality, and the likes, has brought my attention to a couple of stories on how neurological impairment (aka brain damage) and its effects on those who have it, specifically regarding impulses, inhibitions, and sexuality. These cases bring up very intriguing questions on the neurology of morality, and the nature of free will.

The first case is one of the most peculiar stories you’ll ever hear in the realms of neurology and psychology. Imagine a perfectly normal middle-aged man who has a career and a family, a man who has normal interests in sex and shows no signs of any deviancies. Then, virtually overnight, he becomes addicted to sex (a condition known as “hypersexuality”) and becomes entrenched in child pornography. He even tries to molest a prepubescent girl, despite having shown absolutely no sexual interest in children for the first four decades of his life. In other words: a perfectly normal 40-year-old man suddenly turned into a pedophile and a would-be child molester, for no apparent reason (at least at first).

Now, people don’t just become slaves to hyperactive sex drives and start groping children after having lived what is arguably the first half of their lives without having shown the slightest impulses to do so. Yet, this is what happened to the man who is the subject of this first story. However, this is only a partial medical mystery, for neurologists have identified the precise cause of his behavioral issues: a tumor in his prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for controlling one’s impulses and inhibitions (ie. self-restraint).

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- He was a schoolteacher, a husband, a father. Then he became a pedophile preoccupied with sex.

Doctors who treated him at the University of Virginia hospital in 2000 believe that the man's powerful sex addiction was caused by an egg-sized tumor in his brain.

"It turned out he was a guy who had made it into his 40s without having any problem with this," said Dr. Russell Swerdlow, a UVa associate professor of neurology. "He had a brain tumor that was damaging the part of the brain that controls impulse."

My Christmas present to you: butchering more traditional songs

These days, listening to the radio is particularly painful for, in addition to the regular muck, we also now get tons of mediocre cover versions of old classics (screw giving examples; you name it, chances are it’s been covered). They make the music-lover in me shrivel up and cry. So, I’ve decided to share my pain with y’all (well, sorta): Hemant Mehta has dug up a Bollywood “remake” of ‘Jingle Bells’, and … well, frankly, I’m not sure how to react to it. Hard to decide whether to laugh or cringe. (Unless both are possible.) One thing’s for certain: it’ll scar you for life.

I never knew Santa could look so freaky. Or that he apparently wears really tight-binding underwear. Though, you gotta hand it to those Indians^[1]: they do know how to make music that is as strange as it is hellishly catchy.

[1] Yes, “Indian” is the proper term for someone from India. “Hindi” is the Indian language, and “Hindu” is someone who adheres to Hinduism, the Indian religion. Learn your distinctions, folks.

(via Friendly Atheist)

Friday Canine: The cutest present of ’em all

(via Landlife Images)

Sprinkling chicken blood over healthcare reform

Maybe setting her head on fire could work, too

What is it with nuts and their inability to limit their craziness to one or two instances per text? Here’s how crankaholic WorldNutDaily commentator Janet Porter plans to spend her Christmas:

All I want for Christmas is my life and my freedom. Two-thirds of America doesn't want this horrible health-care bill, but it's going to take all of us doing everything we can to stop it –including using a secret weapon they don't have.

The weapon we have that they don't is prayer and fasting. […]

We need to act and pray like our lives and the lives of millions of children depend on it. Because they do. So it may mean passing up some Christmas cookies or missing your favorite shows, but one thing's for sure, I don't want to wake up on Christmas morning thinking I didn't do everything I could to stop this lethal legislation.

Right – and refusing to eat or do anything remotely productive for a day or two is totally gonna change anything. I’m sure the people in government, along with your imaginary deity, care very much about some random loon who has a problem with some much-needed healthcare reform and likens it to putting people to death and stripping away her “life and freedom”.

Hey, why don’t you go outside and throw some salt over your shoulders for a few hours? Not that it will change anything regarding healthcare reform, but at least you’ll do something useful for society in this snowy weather, especially with those big blizzard warnings we’re getting for Texas and other parts.

(via Dispatches From the Culture Wars)

Another example how atheists should not go on Fox Newz

If you’ve ever wondered why atheists generally seem so reticent to debate religion and/or atheism with religionists, here’s a prime example. Watch as Laura Ingraham from Faux Newz “interviews” Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-founder of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, over their wintertime atheist billboards in Las Vegas. The whole video is an aggravating collection of arrogance, rudeness and ignorance on Ingraham’s part as she constantly bullies Annie Laurie, who takes it all as though too meek to defend herself. It’s painful to watch as it leaves you feeling like yelling at that classless moron through your monitor.

Let’s see: she claims that atheists with their oh-so-mean billboards are waging that “War on Christmas”; that Christianity is somehow responsible for popularizing the winter solstice (WTF?); that Christmas (and the winter solstice) is all about Jesus; that all atheists wanna do is attack Christmas and Christians; that atheists follow a religious orthodoxy and dogma; that atheists don’t participate in charities as much as Christians and other religious people do; that there are “only” 14,000 FFRF members as opposed to the totality of the 300+ million Americans (which equates to “majority rules!”), and so on …

Anyone else get the feeling Ingraham consulted some sort of “Anti-Atheism Talking Points for Fox Newz-Caliber Dummies” or something? No wonder she works on the O’Reilly show; birds of a feather flock together, after all, even when it comes to brainless boors.

Cookie to anyone who can explain to me what the hell a “devout atheist” is, as the title idiotically states. Being staunch in one’s beliefs is not being devout as though religious.

(via Friendly Atheist)