Wherever the norms of rational conversation are allowed to do their work, beliefs must earn respect.
pretty much
Dinosaurs against creationism!
Happy Winter Solstice
(Source: aurapck-todoeseventual, via ummagumma-)
(Source: christinsanity)
Ask yourself the question: how moral is the following? I am told of a human sacrifice that took place two thousand years ago, without my wishing it and in circumstances so ghastly that, had I been present and in possession of any influence, I would have been duty-bound to try and stop it. In consequence of this murder, my own manifold sins are forgiven me, and I may hope to enjoy everlasting life. Let us just for now overlook all the contradictions between the tellers of the original story and assume that it is basically true. What are the further implications? They are not as reassuring as they look at first sight. For a start, and in order to gain the benefit of this wondrous offer, I have to accept that I am responsible for the flogging and mocking and crucifixion, in which I had no say and no part, and agree that every time I decline this responsibility, or that I sin in word or deed, I am intensifying the agony of it. Furthermore, I am required to believe that the agony was necessary in order to compensate for an earlier crime in which I had no part, the sin of Adam. It is useless to object that Adam seems to have been created with insatiable discontent and curiosity and then forbidden to slake it: all this was settled long before even Jesus himself was born. Thus my own guilt in the matter is deemed “original” and inescapable. However, I am granted free will with which to reject the offer of vicarious redemption. Should I exercise this choice, however, I face an eternity of torture much more awful than anything endured at Calvary, or anything threatened to those who first heard the Ten Commandments.
(via therikeone)
(via artoftheunbeliever)
NASA estimates that there are 10 billion small terrestrial (Earth-like) planets in our Milky Way Galaxy alone. Let’s take an extremely conservative guess and say that .0001% of these planets support life. That would mean there are 10,000 planets in our galaxy alone which support alien life.
Oh yeah, there are about 500 billion galaxies in our universe. Do the math.
Blows the mind, huh?
(via atheist-overdose)
The next time you go out of your way to insist that religion is a positive force in society, or an inclusive force, or a family-friendly force, or a cultural necessity…take a look at this video and become acquainted with religion. Truly become acquainted. This preacher is not an anomaly. This is not a one-off. This is the face of southern evangelical christianity - which is a massive political force in the USA today.
So next time you fall over yourself excusing or defending religion, think of this preacher and his calls for death camps for your gay friends and family.
[TW: Homphobia, Internment Camps]
Local Pastor Calls For Death of ‘Queers & Homosexuals’
Pastor Charles L. Worley of Providence Road Baptist Church — located at 3283 Providence Mill Rd, Maiden, NC 28650 — is seen here from a service posted to the church’s website dated May 13, 2012 calling death of “queers and homosexuals.”
I had to listen to this 3 times to get myself to believe what I was hearing. I’ve done something I’ve only ever done once before. I’ve taken the time to transcribe his “sermon.”
…of our President getting up and saying that it was alright for two women to marry, or two men to marry. I tell you right now I was disappointed bad. But I tell you right there as sorry as you can get, the Bible’s against it, God’s against it, I’m against it, and if you got any sense you’re against it. I had a way, I’ve figured a way out. A way to get rid of all the lesbians and queers, but I couldn’t get it past the Congress. Build a great big large fence, 150 or 100 miles long, put all the lesbians in there, fly over and drop some food. Do the same thing with the queers and the homosexuals. And have that fence electrified till they can’t get out. Feed them. And you know what? In a few years they’ll die out. You know why? They can’t reproduce. If a man ever has a young’en, praise god it will be the first. All of these… You can say amen, I’m going to preach the hell out of all of them. Hey I’ll tell you right now, somebody say who you going to vote for? I ain’t gonna vote for a baby killer and a homosexual lover. You said did you mean to say that? You better believe I did. God have mercy it makes me puking sick to think about…I don’t even know whether you ought to say this in the pulpit or not. Can you imagine kissing some man?
This person, man of God, spiritual leader, pastor, actually stood in his pulpit and called for people to be put in internment camps and killed because of their sexuality. I’ve heard a lot of homophobic propaganda lately with every group calling themselves “Family” something or the other going on the attack. Their level of hatred and intolerance is something I’ve heard so much that while outraged, I seldom have a physical reactions.
The words of this pastor caused a chill to run over my body. Maybe because I had a visual of my friends suffering and dying in prison camp, with electrified fences. I know something like this would never happen, but the fact that his congregation felt so moved as to say “amen” makes me realize that there are those who would not be adverse to such human suffering.
His crass and moronic argument of homosexuals becoming extinct if they were all killed is so typical of this kind of hatemonger. I know this is where I usually take the time to point out that people like him are not the norm. However right now I just can’t. He does not represent a fringe minority of Christians. The Christians who are kind, loving, and accepting are outnumbered by assholes like him. Those with the loudest, most hateful voices are well supported, well funded, and very public. They spread a cancerous message of hate that has yet to be effectively challenged by Christians who aren’t homophobic.
I wish I didn’t view this first thing in the morning. I’m going to go walk this off and re-start my day. ~ Kim
(via therikeone)
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