Just seeing

I’m not saying that the only problem us our school system is the lowering of expectations, but you can’t tell me that setting the bar at this level isn’t a mistake

Fruit flies made to de-evolve.

Funny how you can test evolution even though creationists and “intelligent design” people keep saying you can’t.

Evolution: +1  Creationist tripe: -3

Lets summarize first.

1. Rick Warren is anti-gay.
   

   Dr Warren said that homosexuality is not a natural way of life and thus not a human right. “We shall not tolerate this aspect at all,” Dr Warren said.

2. Rick Warren is anti-woman (see #32) I don’t see how you can tell a woman to let a man beat her instead of getting a divorce and be anything but anti-woman
3. Rick Warren is anti-AIDS prevention.  His ‘main man’ in Uganda is named Ssempa:
   

   Ssempa’s stunts have included burning condoms in the name of Jesus and arranging the publication of names of homosexuals in cooperative local newspapers while lobbying for criminal penalties to imprison them.

And this man isn’t run out of town on a rail?  Why?  Because of the most insidious aspect of religion.

It justifies anything and everything.  Once in a blue moon, as in the case of Madeline Kara Neumann, there will be a cry for people to be held accountable for their religions beliefs and the actions that stem from them, but as a rule, anything goes.  If I said the things Rick Warren said, and my only justification was “because”, I’d been called a monster.

This is the twisted result of backwards tolerance.

You see it in some Middle East and African countries where women are treated like property ON A GOOD DAY.  We say to ourselves “Well, thats just their way”.  We can’t question their religion because then, y’know, you might have to apply that to religion here too.  Further, most people don’t fully understand that this isn’t ‘their’ way, its forced upon the women.  The idea that there is ABSOLUTELY NO CHOICE doesn’t fully compute to us, and so we make the assumption that the women want to be treated worse than dogs and that religion can justify this anyhow.

Any other name put on this would make these people devils.

Sometimes I’m watching Comedy Central and I realize that George Carlin is dead. Mitch Hedberg is dead.
But Dane Cook won’t shut the fuck up.

This is an interesting read.  Surprisingly, Warren appears to be living in a world unrelated to reality.  And since AIDS only kills faggots and whores, why should he care?
I have to say, it is getting harder and harder to figure out exactly why anyone who cares about human beings could possibly like this guy.

Condom Burnings and Anti-Gay Witch Hunts: How Rick Warren Is Undermining AIDs Prevention in Africa | The Smirking Chimp

But since the Warren inauguration controversy erupted, the nature of his work against AIDS in Africa has gone unexamined. Warren has not been particularly forthcoming to those who have attempted to look into it. His Web site contains scant information about the results of his program. However, an investigation into Warren’s involvement in Africa reveals a web of alliances with right-wing clergymen who have sidelined science-based approaches to combating AIDS in favor of abstinence-only education. More disturbingly, Warren’s allies have rolled back key elements of one of the continent’s most successful initiative, the so-called ABC program in Uganda. Stephen Lewis, the United Nations special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, told the New York Times their activism is “resulting in great damage and undoubtedly will cause significant numbers of infections which should never have occurred.”

Warren’s man in Uganda is a charismatic pastor named Martin Ssempa. The head of the Makerere Community Church, a rapidly growing congregation, Ssempa enjoys close ties to his country’s first lady, Janet Museveni, and is a favorite of the Bush White House. In the capitol of Kampala, Ssempa is known for his boisterous crusading. Ssempa’s stunts have included burning condoms in the name of Jesus and arranging the publication of names of homosexuals in cooperative local newspapers while lobbying for criminal penalties to imprison them.

I don’t actually have a problem with giving money to the porn industry, per se.  Regardless of how you feel about the product, they do employ a lot of people (I don’t approve of many industries, why should I treat this one differently).  However, giving money to an industry ‘just in case’ goes beyond the pale.  At that point, isn’t the government just a whore to be used by business?

Commentary: Porn kings have an economic laugh – CNN.com

They concede the $13 billion industry is in no fear of collapse, but say in this environment, why take chances?

Surprisingly, a religious leader feels OK ignoring the needs of people (and, as usual, its women) in order to satisfy his own bizarre myths.
Film at 11.
Rick Warren: Abuse is no excuse for women to seek divorce : The New Agenda

Having been involved as a pastor in situations of abuse, there’s something in me that wishes there were a Bible verse that says if they abuse you in such kind of way, then you have a right to leave them.
…
It’s not like you can escape the pain… You don’t — you don’t escape the pain. And I’d always rather choose a short term pain and find God’s solution for a long term gain, than try and find a short term solution that’s going to involve a long term pain in life.

(not for nothing, for all those of you who think religion is a good thing, this is how religion almost always goes. Theism is all about submission, regardless as to consequence. Take your beatings now, or God will beat you senseless later.)

Thought it would be right to post this along.
kiwi_grrl: Help Me, Please

Help Me, Please
Hi everyone.

So, as of a few hours ago, my father died.

Needless to say, the whole family is in a bit of shock as this came completely out of the blue, totally unexpected. I’ve booked a trip back to NZ, but of course, given it’s a) flying all the way to kiwiland, and b) last minute (leave first thing saturday morning … tomorrow would have meant selling my first-born child, and given how I am not planning on having children … well, you can see how expensive that would make that) it’s made things requiring a chunk of cash.

A friend has fronted me the money, wonderful incredible friend that she is, but her credit card will require payment. So, I am wondering, can I please ask anyone and everyone to please donate below? Any amount at all will help, and I totally mean that.

Please.

Thanks so much.

Do feel free to post a link to this on your blog if you feel so inclined, I would appreciate it more than words can say.

I’ll arrive back in Chicago around midnight on Sunday night, the 11th of January.