I've noticed that whenever someone "miraculously" survives a tragedy, somebody is usually there saying a god saved that person. For example, if a plane crashes, and there's one survivor, someone says their god must have been looking out for that person (but apparently he wasn't bothered much about the rest of them). So I was just wondering. If a plane crashes and everyone but one person survives, does that mean their god hated that person? Does it mean he didn't figure into the god's plans? And would anyone say that on the news? Like, you would hear this headline:
Car Flips Over and Bursts into Flames: One Person Walks Away Unscathed; Says God Has a Plan for Her
But not this one:
Car Flips Over and Bursts into Flames: Four Uninjured, One Dead; Relatives Say God Didn't Have a Plan for Her
Why is that? Could it possibly be that religion just tells us what we want to hear?
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
redistribution
The other day I was talking about how the religious right people are always complaining about "redistribution of wealth." Well, apparently that only applies if it's being redistributed away from them. According to this chart from the Tax Foundation, they need to STFU. Apparently most of the red states get back more federal aid money than they pay in taxes in the first place. Meanwhile, the blue states are getting less than we pay. Hmmm. How is that not redistribution??
Here in Massachusetts, we're getting back $0.82 on the dollar. Whereas, say, Mississippi, is getting back $2.02 for every dollar they send in tax money. Why do they even get to vote? They're not ever paying taxes. They get double their money back! California only gets $0.76 back per dollar. No wonder they're broke. They're supporting half of the red states by themselves.
Recently, Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), who is running for governor of Tennessee, was whining that if we don't vote the Republicans into federal offices and overturn health care, then states might have to "consider separation from the government." Excuse me? You want to talk treason and secession? Go ahead. Buh-bye. And kiss your $1.27 return on $1 taxes paid goodbye. If enough of you leech states leave, maybe we can bail California out of the republican mess it's in.
Here in Massachusetts, we're getting back $0.82 on the dollar. Whereas, say, Mississippi, is getting back $2.02 for every dollar they send in tax money. Why do they even get to vote? They're not ever paying taxes. They get double their money back! California only gets $0.76 back per dollar. No wonder they're broke. They're supporting half of the red states by themselves.
Recently, Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), who is running for governor of Tennessee, was whining that if we don't vote the Republicans into federal offices and overturn health care, then states might have to "consider separation from the government." Excuse me? You want to talk treason and secession? Go ahead. Buh-bye. And kiss your $1.27 return on $1 taxes paid goodbye. If enough of you leech states leave, maybe we can bail California out of the republican mess it's in.
Friday, July 16, 2010
I guess this is good...
...even though I never heard of him before. Is there a sci-fi version of this thing?
I write like
David Foster Wallace
David Foster Wallace
I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Can't make this shit up
So over on Facebook, The Raw Story put up a post about ol' Glenn Beck's latest faux pas. (HAHA FAUX NEWS, FAUX PAS!!) I wrote about what he said the other day. But anyway, their take on the story was that Beck was siding with the Nazis, claiming that the Jews killed Jesus, rather than the Romans. Which, you know, now that they mention it...
But anyway, the Christians were having an argument about "Paunches Pilot." Hello? Pontius Pilate, kids. And yeah, I'm pretty sure he was a Roman. And anyway, aren't they supposed to be happy that Jesus was tortured to death? Isn't that the whole point of the death cult? Human sacrifice, martyrdom, cannibal wafers and blood wine? Because of how he wanted to plagiarize Odin with the sacrifice myself to myself theme, right?
I will never understand this religion.
But anyway, the Christians were having an argument about "Paunches Pilot." Hello? Pontius Pilate, kids. And yeah, I'm pretty sure he was a Roman. And anyway, aren't they supposed to be happy that Jesus was tortured to death? Isn't that the whole point of the death cult? Human sacrifice, martyrdom, cannibal wafers and blood wine? Because of how he wanted to plagiarize Odin with the sacrifice myself to myself theme, right?
I will never understand this religion.
Whoa!
I was just reading some of my old posts from back when I was going to do reviews (movies, tv, books, whatever). I notice that I said I liked anything with vampires. Apparently, I did not anticipate sparkly vampires. They are an abomination. Whiny emo sparkle boys... bleh. Those aren't sparkles, he's starting to catch fire. I hope.
Finished The Family
I finished reading Jeff Sharlet's The Family the other night. It was kind of dry, and fairly depressing. Not that I didn't like it. I did like it. I'm glad I read it. Now I get why the conservatives back the wars they do, but didn't want to get into WWII - no chance for proselytizing. They're right ready to leap into Vietnam or Iraq, because they have a chance to get converts. But who were they going to convert in Europe? Iraq has the extra added bonus of having oil, so the rich guys with oil stock love that.
Now I get how the Prayer Breakfast people managed to get their god stuck on the money, and in the Pledge. No previous president would go there, but Eisenhower caved.
So yeah, it cleared up a lot of things for me. I think people should read this book. Even Christians who agree with everything Sharlet says these people have done should read it. If they think the Family is doing the right thing, it might make them feel good.
Now I get how the Prayer Breakfast people managed to get their god stuck on the money, and in the Pledge. No previous president would go there, but Eisenhower caved.
So yeah, it cleared up a lot of things for me. I think people should read this book. Even Christians who agree with everything Sharlet says these people have done should read it. If they think the Family is doing the right thing, it might make them feel good.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Glenn Beckisms: Christians take note
I know an awful lot of fundamentalist Christians get angry every time someone mentions separation of church and state. But you know what? They really shouldn't.
Glenn Beck's Latest Heresy
This is what happens to religion when it gets political. Beck is spouting the old GOP line about how we should all just pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, and forget about helping the poor. Let's pretend for a moment that Jesus was real. What the heck would he say about that? And what would he say about the fact that a huge number of "Christians" are buying into it? Because Beck is directly contradicting him.
Ask the Dalai Lama what he would think about not helping the poor (he's actually a real guy, so he could answer).
So what I'd like to know is this. Glenn Beck says that he does not want "the government to redistribute money from wealthy whites to victimized minorities."
Jesus says: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Matthew 19:21 (Also, "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."" Luke 18:22.) Matthew, Mark and Luke all have verses about "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (That was Mark 10:25.) Beck is contradicting Jesus. So who are these people following? Beck or Jesus? I'll give you three guesses, and the hint that it's not Jesus.
When religion gets political, the religion suffers just as much as the state from the combination. Beck and his super-conservative GOP buddies are rewriting the religion, and since they're saying what the sheep want to hear, those sheep are letting them.
Glenn Beck's Latest Heresy
This is what happens to religion when it gets political. Beck is spouting the old GOP line about how we should all just pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, and forget about helping the poor. Let's pretend for a moment that Jesus was real. What the heck would he say about that? And what would he say about the fact that a huge number of "Christians" are buying into it? Because Beck is directly contradicting him.
Ask the Dalai Lama what he would think about not helping the poor (he's actually a real guy, so he could answer).
So what I'd like to know is this. Glenn Beck says that he does not want "the government to redistribute money from wealthy whites to victimized minorities."
Jesus says: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Matthew 19:21 (Also, "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."" Luke 18:22.) Matthew, Mark and Luke all have verses about "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (That was Mark 10:25.) Beck is contradicting Jesus. So who are these people following? Beck or Jesus? I'll give you three guesses, and the hint that it's not Jesus.
When religion gets political, the religion suffers just as much as the state from the combination. Beck and his super-conservative GOP buddies are rewriting the religion, and since they're saying what the sheep want to hear, those sheep are letting them.
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