(via Atheist Media Blog)
Oh boy, Fox News. A commenter on Atheist Media Blog makes a fun observation in noting that Fox’s analysis is more of a “How can we make this illegal?” stance than a report on its own.
I realize there’s opposition on both sides to Smut for Smut. Even atheists argue against the idea both from feminist and humanist standpoints, in opposition to the objectification of women that pornography promotes.
Personally, I’m a fan of Smut for Smut. I see very few ways to garnish this much attention to the immoral (by today’s societal standards) items in the bible without being at least mildly offensive. Regardless of what Fox News presents from the religious side, the campaign has people talking, which is exactly what it was intended to do.
(via Dump.com)
Pinocchio is God.
(via photofile.name)
Still trying to figure this one out…
(video via Atheist Media Blog)
Beck makes my head spin.
This video, combined with Beck’s “9/12 Project” only helps solidify the idea that the man should never be taken as anything more than religion dressed in politics.
In case you haven’t seen the “9/12 Project”, you need only count to two on his mission statement:
1. America is Good.
2. I believe in God and He is the center of my life.
Yeah, right. I’m supposed to think you’ve carefully thought about political issues and base my policy opinions on you, even after “God is the center of your life”?
There are those who honestly believe this.
Word.(via prologic)
Too true.
(via godtoldmeto)
AC Grayling is one of the most well spoken individuals I think I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.
From today, 1 January 2010, the new Irish blasphemy law becomes operational, and we begin our campaign to have it repealed. Blasphemy is now a crime punishable by a €25,000 fine. The new law defines blasphemy as publishing or uttering matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby intentionally causing outrage among a substantial number of adherents of that religion, with some defences permitted.
This new law is both silly and dangerous. It is silly because medieval religious laws have no place in a modern secular republic, where the criminal law should protect people and not ideas. And it is dangerous because it incentives religious outrage, and because Islamic States led by Pakistan are already using the wording of this Irish law to promote new blasphemy laws at UN level.
[…]
In this context we now publish a list of 25 blasphemous quotes, which have previously been published by or uttered by or attributed to Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Mark Twain, Tom Lehrer, Randy Newman, James Kirkup, Monty Python, Rev Ian Paisley, Conor Cruise O’Brien, Frank Zappa, Salman Rushdie, Bjork, Amanda Donohoe, George Carlin, Paul Woodfull, Jerry Springer the Opera, Tim Minchin, Richard Dawkins, Pope Benedict XVI, Christopher Hitchens, PZ Myers, Ian O’Doherty, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor and Dermot Ahern.
[…]
22. PZ Myers, on the Roman Catholic communion host, 2008: “You would not believe how many people are writing to me, insisting that these horrible little crackers (they look like flattened bits of styrofoam) are literally pieces of their god, and that this omnipotent being who created the universe can actually be seriously harmed by some third-rate liberal intellectual at a third-rate university… However, inspired by an old woodcut of Jews stabbing the host, I thought of a simple, quick thing to do: I pierced it with a rusty nail (I hope Jesus’s tetanus shots are up to date). And then I simply threw it in the trash, followed by the classic, decorative items of trash cans everywhere, old coffeegrounds and a banana peel.”
(via Pharyngula)
It’s a nice little collection of quotes, too! I’m so excited to see where this leads! Here’s to hoping we never see laws against blasphemy in the US. Happy New Year, everyone!
