I hate posting from Huffington, but this illustrates that Robertson and his ilk (including some from Islam) have often said, during disasters, that people were getting what they deserved.  Let us not be surprised, let us not think this is isolated, let us wake up and call these monsters what they are and recognize that everything these people live for is exactly what people believed in the dark ages

Valerie Tarico: Televangelist Robertson is Likely Possessed by Satan

So, for those of you who missed this, a City Councilman in Asheville, NC may lose his seat because he is an athiest and, apparently, that makes him a second class citizen.  Not just socially, but legally.
Foes say atheism disqualifies pol – BostonHerald.com

That has riled conservative activists, who cite a little-noticed quirk in North Carolina’s Constitution that disqualifies officeholders “who shall deny the being of Almighty God.”

I really don’t understand this position at all.  While I do understand the idea that the atheist movement might need to deal more politely with those of faith (’understand’, not necessarily ‘agree with’), the idea that somehow saying that one can be good without god is too strong an attack on religion is ludicrous.  It seems to me that if that is too aggressive, even the statement that its OK to be an atheist is too much of an assault.  If that is true, then saying “I believe in Jesus” is anti-semitic, or saying that “I’m a moral person even though I am an atheist” is too derogatory towards theists (which is all the ad campaign is, in fact, saying).  It sounds to me like this gentleman wants atheists to ‘keep it to themselves’.  Which would be more than OK if theists would do the same.  But, as always, religion is the trump card and anyone who says anything about alternatives is just being a jerk.  Apparently, Humanism only worries about the tender feelings of the theist, and atheists can go fuck themselves.
Atheists’ ad campaign embarrasses humanism leader

Writing in the NY Times (Dec. 9/09), Mr. Doerr commented that “…I am embarrassed by the A.H.A.’s “good without God” campaign of signs on transit vehicles. Humanists are philosophical naturalists, but more important than advertising, one item of the humanist worldview is emphasizing the many positive positions we hold in common with a wide range of religious believers. I refer to such matters as peace, civil liberties, religious freedom, the environment, social justice, democracy, women’s rights and so on.”

If my arguments against Card’s position seem less-than-rational, less-than-reasonable, its because the arguments he uses, and all those like him use, are completely irrational.  Every example is flawed and the very core idea, that marriage has always been exactly as it is now, is simply incorrect.  Oh, and the desire to overthrow any government that says otherwise is nuts.

So make no mistake, these people don’t care about rational thought.  They care about following text in a book written by men long ago (though, more recently in the case of Mormons…) attributed to a being whose existence can neither be verified nor disproven.  Further, in the case of Mormons, their views on marriage can’t be taken seriously in the first place given the incredibly strong current of misogyny present in their ‘culture’.

The very best you can hope for is to convince them that government shouldn’t be defining marriage.  But anything else and you might as well be talking to my laptop.  Both are nicely programmed.

Survey: Support for terror suspect torture differs among the faithful – CNN.com

More than half of people who attend services at least once a week — 54 percent — said the use of torture against suspected terrorists is “often” or “sometimes” justified. Only 42 percent of people who “seldom or never” go to services agreed, according the analysis released Wednesday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

And this really is it.  The more atheists that come out, the more WILL come out.  Changing public acceptance and image of atheism is fundamental.  I believe that there are far more people out there who don’t believe in magic-men-in-the-sky then we think, and I think there are even more people out there who say they believe but are just in denial because they see no other options.
More Atheists Shout It From the Rooftops – NYTimes.com

“It’s not about carrying banners or protesting,” said Herb Silverman, a math professor at the College of Charleston who founded the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry, which has about 150 members on the coast of the Carolinas. “The most important thing is coming out of the closet.”

More than a couple times recently, I’ve heard atheists ask “How can I talk like I respect a theists beliefs when I think they are insane?”

This is actually a valid issue in general.

The thing is, you don’t have to respect their beliefs.  In fact, you’d be pretty hypocritical, I’d guess.  Anyhow, these discussions aren’t about respecting each other’s beliefs.  Its about respecting the fact that they have these beliefs, and that those beliefs are important to them.

For example, if I think that the US is the greatest country in the world, and I’m all patriotic and all that, then it is hardly a good discussion tactic to start talking trash about the US.  All you are going to do is piss me off.  Alternately, you could understand the effect that will have and, instead, speak tactfully.  You might still think the US is evil or whatever, but you’ll end up communicating more effectively.

I dunno, just felt like I had to say that.

Seriously, check out the video starting around 4:45
Burn Those Evil Science Books! | Friendly Atheist by Hemant Mehta

Woman: [Shouts] “Burn the books!” [applause]

…

Man: “I don’t think you were serious about that, were you?”

Woman: “I am too.”

Man: “Burn all the books?!”

Woman: “The ones in college, those, those brainwashing books.”

Man: “[laughs] Brainwashing books?”

Woman: “Yes.”

Man: “Which ones are those?”

Woman: “Like, the evolution crap, and, yeah…”

Project 912 Glenn Beck Tea Party

Seriously, though.  I love Colbert, but I thought this bit was kind of amusing and indicative of a general attitude.

He started out making a joke about a seder for dogs.  And if there are jewish dogs, then soon there will be christian dogs, and then, 700 years later, there will be muslim dogs.  Of course, thats just 100 years to us.

What I find amusing here is that its the 700 years that gets noted.  However, Judaism started, what, 3500 or 4000 years before Christianity.  I think that most people imagine that the two started around the same time, or within a couple centuries.  But it ain’t so, Joe.

Obviously, nothing was meant by this on Colbert’s end, but, y’know, I think its worth noting.

So, to all you zombie worshippers out there, you are still just new kids.

Leilani Neumann Has Run Out Of Cash

Attorney Gene Linehan told a judge Friday that Leilani Neumann of Weston has already spent $12,000 in donations on her legal expenses and can’t hire needed expert witnesses for her May trial.
Linehan says all Neumann has now is a law book and Bible to defend herself.

Well, that should be plenty!
I mean, all it took was some praying to heal her daughter.
Oh…wait…no, all it took was some praying to murder her daughter.
My bad.