Imagine we have two soldiers in combat. Their race, age and sex are irrelevant. Both of them are equally equipped with weapons and in their skills as marksmen. Let’s also say these two soldiers share a common God. They both pray daily and for each shot to find its mark. So we have these soldiers and they both line up their sights and fire at each other. Assuming both prayed equally well, who lives? I mean God’s “plan” is already determined, right? Is there even a point in praying? Since we all have free will, but things are also determined, does it even have an effect? I just don’t buy into this. I have still yet to see prayer ever help anybody in a measurable way.

Today at around 7:10 EST, I’ll be on ReapSowRadio discussing the ad campaign. To help get attract more funds, my friend Kenny Wyland has offered to double all donations for the next week until Thursday the 26th. If you were considering donating to the campaign, now is really the best time to get the most bang for your buck and provide the most help to the campaign. For more info click on the Billboard tab on my site or simply visit: http://AtlantaAtheistAd.com

Take this and your hairdryer and you are ready to perform your own de-baptisms.

Like most people, some of my friends are also atheists. Some of them also tend to live by or in the close vicinity of a church. Many also complain about this fact. All I have to say is, what’s the big fucking deal?

I really think this is a non-issue. I mean really, what is the main problem here? Yes, it is a religious institution they do not believe in. Whoop-dee-do. How exactly is it hurting them? Are the prayers melting their souls? I highly doubt it. I’ll admit there is a degree of irony with the nonreligious living directly adjacent to a religious place. I just do not see what the problem is. Many atheists like myself try to avoid shoving things down people’s throats and just generally attacking people. My bet is that this church is not even aware of their existence and therefore is not doing anything to them. Even if they did know there was a “heathen” down the lane, I still doubt it would be a huge issue. At least in all the complaints I’ve heard from friends there is not any real harm being done than the effects of their own bigotry and prejudice. Just grow up.

All I have to say is finally. It appears as if gay marriage will once more be legal and valid in California. Sure it’s only one state, but then there is what I like to call “California Syndrome”. It seems like when big events like this are passed in California, many other states follow suite soon after. I hope this trend will continue with the overruling of Prop 8.

Barring anything catastrophic, the way will be cleared for same-sex marriages on August 18. Personally, I just don’t see this getting overturned as an article I read said:

Legal standing, Ms. Cooper explains, dictates “you have to be directly affected by the outcome.” According to Walker, the backers of Prop 8 – the “proponents” – have not demonstrated that.

“If anyone is going to be ordered to implement Prop 8, that would have to be the state of California, and the governor and attorney general have made it clear that they have no interest in enforcing Prop 8,” says Cooper.

Essentially it comes back to one of my favorite rebuttals against those who oppose equal rights. If you don’t like gay marriages, nobody is forcing you to have one. Honestly, I fail to see how two women getting married would destroy somebody else’s marriage.

Let’s say for a moment that there is in fact one true, magical, all-powerful, deity up there in the sky somewhere. Why the fuck are there so many different opinions? Seriously. Look around at all these different religions that all claim to be “the one, true and only answer”. Obviously they can’t all be right, but why are there so many different theories on this? If there truly were a God up there watching and wanting His presence to be known and recognized, I’d think he would’ve given some more helpful hints. If it was me, I’d show myself and let people know. Instead, we have a supposedly secretive God up there who relies on faith to feed His ego. It simply seems like things should not be so confusing if there really is a God. Instead, it’s really just a toss of the coin mixed with what your parents believed that decides most people’s religions.

Okay so the real name is “Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity”. Either way, I think it’s stupid. I’m all for expression of what you think is right and all, but the whole pro-life thing is one I can’t apply it to as readily. If you think we should build this structure one way and I think it should be done differently, we should discuss it and determine who is right.

These Pro-Life groups always angered me mostly because they strive to take away another’s rights. I think a woman should have the choice to do whatever she thinks is best with her body. If you don’t agree with abortion (or gay marriage) don’t have one. It’s that simple. If your holy book says no, you don’t have to have one. That’s your choice. All I ask is that others be allowed to make a choice as well. To preserve everybody’s liberty the only real option is to keep abortion legal.

Here’s a small quotation from their website:

Since January 22, 1973 over 50,000,000 babies have had their voices silenced through surgical abortion in this nation alone.

Over 4,000 children have their lives taken each day in the name of choice.

Over 4,000 women are emotionally damaged every day.

My first objection is their terminology. An embryo is not a baby for Christ’s sake. They aren’t children either. It is a lump of cells that has the potential to become a human. I didn’t have a chance to verify their numbers, but I’m going to assume they are valid. So what if there have been a large number of abortions in the last nearly 40 years? Are you certain those parents would have the capacity to raise these children? What about pregnancy complications? It really doesn’t explain the various reasons for abortion. The emotionally damaged women one really strikes me. Certainly an abortion would provoke some form of response, but so would carrying the baby of your rapist to birth. Am I right?

Nobody should be able to force you to do something in regards to your own body. The woman down the lane getting an abortion does not hurt you one damn bit. I’m not saying this post encompasses the full gamut of reasons behind an abortion, but I hope it makes sense. I also thought it would be prudent to mention that this campaign is being organized by Stand True, a Christ based pro-life organization. The reason for separation between Church and State is shown here. People are going to disagree on what is morally right, but so long as you aren’t harming somebody else I say do whatever the fuck you want. If you can live with it, so can I.

So the front seat of the White House briefing room is up for grabs and the two contenders are for FOX News or NPR. There really isn’t a choice there. FOX is not news. It is more like the GOP’s lurking tentacle/appendage masquerading as a legitimate institution for the distribution of news. Political site MoveOn.org has setup a petition to help ensure the seat goes to a deserved and of course actual news outlet: NPR.

Visit their site and sign it!

http://pol.moveon.org/nprvsfox/

According to a press release sent to me by the American Atheists, an atheist advocacy group has encouraged gay priests to “resign from the church and reject the Vatican’s repressive teachings on homosexuality”. I have to say I agree.

The report also claims that as many as 60% of Catholic priests are gay.

This comes following an expose by the Italian weekly news magazine Panorama titled “Good Nights Out For Gay Priests.” Investigative journalist Carmelo Abbate who spent time undercover filming and interviewing gay clerics who often flaunted their lifestyle, and even hired male escorts for private parties. Panorama’s expose seems to confirm a 2000 study by Father Donald Cozzens whose book, The Changing Face of the Priesthood suggested that as many as 60% of American Catholic priests were gay.

The president of American Atheists, Ed Buckner agrees.

Dr. Ed Buckner, President of American Atheists, said, “In an institution where men and women are treated as equals–as human beings!–double lives (hypocrisy) aren’t necessary. These men should choose integrity, honest lives, not continuing support for unsupportable, irrational dogma that misleads millions and expands human suffering rather than easing it.”

That makes sense. I understand many priests are proud to be spreading the word of God and all, but they don’t need the Vatican to spout their nonsense. I’m not suggesting that they should leave their religion all together, but at least should distance themselves from this horrible organization.

As I was reading Jeffery Mark’s book, Christian No More, one of his examples jumped out as something I’d seen before. He writes about how some Christians are obsessed with even the smallest of things going wrong. I’ve seen it myself. A lady was holding a door open for some people entering a restaurant. She thought everybody had entered and let go, but it turns out one man didn’t get in. The lady started crossing herself and praying. While this is definitely an extreme example, it does highlight just how powerful the scare tactics the Church uses are.

What’s worse is this type of indoctrination and brainwashing is done to children. Many children live in fear that they will do something incorrectly and have their ticket to Heaven revoked. It just isn’t right. This can also by psychologically scarring too. I know plenty of people who have left the Church but are still haunted by the eternal fires of Hell.

I guess my point is that there are plenty of bigger things to worry about, religious or not.  Things like war, and protecting our planet for example(Unless you think global warming doesn’t matter because we are already saved). I also wish people would stop worrying so damn much. Take some time and simply enjoy your life. Everybody is going to make mistakes, but you have to move on past them. Our time really is limited and I know this is the only shot I have.