Hey Look: A drawing of Mohammed

Thanksgiving Prayer William S Burroughs

Thanksgiving Day, Nov 28,1986 first appeared in the chapbook Tornado Alley, with illustrations by S. Clay Wilson. Gus Van Sant then made a short film of Burroughs reading the text.
This poem resonates today as exposing what has gone horribly wrong in the USA, or maybe what has always been wrong.
Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1986

William S. Burroughs
For John Dillinger
In hope he is still alive
Thanks for the wild turkey and the Passenger Pigeons, destined to be shit out through wholesome American guts
thanks for a Continent to despoil and poison
thanks for Indians to provide a modicum of challenge and danger
thanks for vast herds of bison to kill and skin, leaving the carcass to rot
thanks for bounties on wolves and coyotes
thanks for the AMERICAN DREAM to vulgarize and falsify until the bare lies shine through
thanks for the KKK, for nigger-killing lawmen feeling their notches, for decent church-going women with their mean, pinched, bitter, evil faces
thanks for Kill a Queer for Christ stickers
thanks for laboratory AIDS
thanks for Prohibition and the War Against Drugs
thanks for a country where nobody is allowed to mind his own business
thanks for a nation of finks — yes,
thanks for all the memories all right, lets see your arms you always were a headache and you always were a bore
thanks for the last and greatest betrayal of the last and greatest of human dreams.

PETA condemns Obama for murdering innocent fly

Obama’s ninja-like moves, which resulted in the murder of said fly on Tuesday, has resulted in harsh condemnation of the president by the animal rights group. Well, maybe not that harsh. They view Obama’s actions as perhaps more of a teachable moment. “He isn’t the Buddha, he’s a human being, and human beings have a long way to go before they think before they act,” writes Alisa Mullins on the PETA blog. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is President Obama a cruel abuser of insects? Or, most honorable, Ninja Master? You make the call.

Check-it RT @current

Atheist Billboard to Go Up in South Florida

The first atheist billboard in South Florida is about to go up thanks to an anonymous donor! The billboard is sponsored by FLASH: Florida Atheists and Secular Humanists.

From the FLASH website:

One of our long term dreams has been to put up a billboard. Thanks to a donor that wishes to remain anonymous that time has come. Barring complications, June 22 should be the start date and be up for one month. Our billboard will be on Sunrise Blvd. facing the west (east bound) between the Swap Shop and I-95. Chip in below and keep it up for another month.

Oppose Spiritual Heritage Week

Today, Rep. Randy Forbes of Virginia, the Founder and Chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, and twenty-four other members of the House of Representatives, co-sponsored a resolution in Congress that would “affirm the rich spiritual and religious history of our Nation's founding and subsequent history and express support for designation of the first week in May as America's Spiritual Heritage Week for the appreciation of and education on America's history of religious faith.”

The resolution, H.RES. 397, would put Congress on record as “recognize[ing] the religious foundations of faith on which America was built are critical underpinnings of our Nation's most valuable institutions and form the inseparable foundation for America's representative processes, legal systems, and societal structures.”

In addition, the resolution “rejects, in the strongest possible terms, any effort to remove, obscure, or purposely omit such history from our Nation's public buildings and educational resources” and justifies the need to keep “under God” in the pledge. 

Last year, when a similar measure was introduced, 93 members of the House of Representatives co-sponsored this legislation.

Our elected officials need to know that these "Christian nation" resolutions distort America's history and exclude the history of atheists, humanists, freethinkers and other nontheists who have made significant contributions to our nation. 

Their denial of the secular nature of our government means that these members of Congress are not only disagreeing with Americans who know that we are not a Christian nation (and never have been), but they are also disputing our President who recently promoted America’s secular heritage abroad during a trip to Turkey. 

In this new era of promoting science and evidence, no representative should feel compelled to support the agenda of the Congressional Prayer Caucus and their attempts to infuse personal religious values into public policy.

2010: Year of the Bible?

A Republican House member wants President Barack Obama to make 2010 the Year of the Bible.

There's no sign that Obama will get the chance in the foreseeable future. Georgia Rep. Paul Broun's resolution would have no force of law if passed. And it can't be passed unless majority Democrats, who referred it to a committee, bring it to the floor for a vote.

The resolution reads in part:"The president is encouraged ... to issue a proclamation calling upon citizens of all faiths to rediscover and apply the priceless, timeless message of the Holy Scripture which has profoundly influenced and shaped the United States and its greatDemocratic form of government, as well as its rich spiritual heritage, and which has unified, healed and strengthened its people for over 200 years."

Told of the measure, several Democrats and liberal and atheist bloggers objected. Some said it would violate the separation of church and state by advocating one book of faith over others.

Broun said the nation's values are based on those espoused in the Bible."The national year of the Bible resolution reminds us that our great nation was founded upon biblical principles and that religious freedom is guaranteed by the Bill of Rights," he said in a statement. The resolution has 14 co-sponsors.

There is precedent. By signing proclamation 5018, President Ronald Reagan designated 1983 the year of the Bible, "in recognition of the contributions and influence of the Bible on our Republic and our people."

"I encourage all citizens, each in his or her own way, to re-examine and rediscover its priceless and timeless message," the proclamation reads.

Creationism as superstitious nonsense violates First Amendment?

A federal judge has ruled that a history teacher at a Southern California public high school violated the First Amendment when he called creationism "superstitious nonsense" during a classroom lecture.

U.S. District Judge James Selna issued the ruling Friday after a 16-month legal battle between student Chad Farnan and his former teacher, James Corbett.

Farnan's lawsuit alleged that Corbett made more than 20 statements that were disparaging to Christians and their beliefs.

The judge found that Corbett's reference to creationism as "religious, superstitious nonsense" violated the First Amendment's establishment clause. Courts have interpreted the clause as prohibiting government employees from displaying religious hostility.

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Was the Judge right?  Should a teacher be prohibited from saying creationism is "religious superstitious nonsense"?

Christians support torture more than non-believers

If you believe in Jesus, chances are you believe in torture. No doubt Jesus would be proud.


Results from a new Pew Forum poll show that evangelicals and Catholics are more likely than other groups (and more likely than average) to approve of "the use of torture against suspected terrorists." Those most likely to approve of torture some or most of the time are white evangelical Christians. Those least likely are "unaffiliated" and those who rarely or never attend church services. 
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Why are Christians more likely to support torture than non-believers?

UN adopts anti free speech resolution

The U.N.'s top human rights body has approved a proposal by Muslim nations urging the passage of laws protecting religion from criticism. Members of the Human Rights Council voted 23 in favor of a resolution Thursday to combat "defamation of religion." Eleven nations, mostly from the West, opposed the resolution and 13 countries abstained. The resolution was proposed by Pakistan. Muslim countries have cited the inflammatory effect of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad as an example of unacceptable free speech. Critics say the resolution, while not binding, will have a chilling effect on free speech and may worsen relations between faiths. ------------------------------------------------------------------- This is bad news for anyone who values free speech. The UN has given cover to extreme fundamentalists (mainly Islamic); cover to torture, imprison and harass those who would dare to dissent.  The irony is that the resolution has very little to do with human rights. Rather than protecting people, the resolution offers protection to religions; a protection which can all to easily translate into protection for a state, a state guilty of violating human rights, the very human rights the UN ostensibly seeks to protect. Ironic, isn't it?

topics:  News and Politics,  Politics,  News,  Religion,  United Nations, Free Speech,  Humanism + add

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Creationism in Texas

The Texas Board of Education votes this week on a new science curriculum. The new curriculum is designed to challenge evolution, and introduce creationism, a step that could influence what is taught in biology classes across the nation.

The proposed curriculum change would prompt teachers to raise doubts that all life on Earth is descended from common ancestry.

This is an assault on modern science, and an assault on reason. Good people need to stand up against religious ignorance and superstition.

The far right agenda must be stopped. Christianity is often a backward, ignorant world view that preaches hatred for those who are different or dare to speak out.

The repercussions could be devastating. Texas is such a huge textbook market that many publishers write to the state's standards, then market those books nationwide.

To deny evolution is like a denial of gravity. To deceive children by teaching creationism is criminal.

Texans should be outraged. Teaching creationism in a science class is child abuse.

More Americans say they have no religion

A wide-ranging study on American religious life found that the Roman Catholic population has been shifting out of the Northeast to the Southwest, the percentage of Christians in the nation has declined and more people say they have no religion at all.

This is good news for all free thinkers who value reason and truth.

Be brave; be strong; be an atheist!

Atheist outrage in Arkansas

Rep. Richard Carroll has introduced a bill to repeal Article 19, Section 1 of the Arkansas state constitution, which says:

"No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any court." 

In Arkansas an atheist is not allowed to hold office or testify in court!  And to think, some people deny that atheists are discriminated against.  How is it that such a blatant form of discrimination has been allowed to remain in the Arkansas constitution?  Where is the outrage?

Bus Slogan

go here & make your own!

http://ruletheweb.co.uk/b3ta/bus/

PostModern Heroes

 

One can appreciate the natural beauty of the world without resorting to superstitious non-sense, e.g. "a higher power".  Many presume atheism is negative. This is incorrect.

It is refreshing that atheist columns are getting attention. Perhaps people are tired of being bamboozled by spiritual charlatans. Perhaps people are escaping the darkness of religious superstition and spiritual obfuscation. Perhaps people are moving into the light of reason.

A new postmodern hero is emerging. A hero who challenges dogma and rejects magical thinking. Will you be a postmodern hero?  Be brave, be strong, be an atheist! 

Evangelical Atheism

Strong, strident, evangelical atheism is a political strategy to force thought and discussion. The more atheism is brought out of the darkness and discussed openly the more people will be willing to identify as an atheist. In this way hearts and minds can be brought to the truth.

As an atheist I want to recruit people. I do not want any important public decision made by anyone who believes in superstitious non-sense. The stakes are too high to tolerate and humor such ignorance.