Tebow-mania/hate.

Tebow. People either love him or hate him.

Why?

If you believe in God and that he cares about us and guides us in our everyday lives, do you *really* think that God cares more about this one person in football than the faithful who have cancer or are homeless?

Why does his faith affect football at all? Yes, he has faith. Good for him! Just because he's more public than most doesn't mean you have to pay attention to him. He has faith that God gave him the ability to play football, and from the little I've heard about his post-game interviews, he thanks God for that ability.**

But I see people on Facebook that act like God personally helped him on specific plays/games. I see people I know are Christian threaten to convert to Islam if he wins the Super Bowl.

To both these extreme views I say: W.T.F?

I'm sorry to break it to y'all, but God doesn't really give a shit about football.

He doesn't seem to care about the thousands of children molested by their priests and elders. He doesn't provide the homeless with food and shelter. He doesn't provide those that need work with jobs.

God doesn't provide shit. Why the fuck would he care about a football game?

PEOPLE provide goodness, kindness, and love.

It's PEOPLE that give food, clothing and time to shelters to help the poor.

It's PEOPLE that create shelters in the first place, be they government or private.

It's PEOPLE that adopt families at Christmas so children have coats for winter.

It's PEOPLE that stand up for those abused by the very ones who claim to speak for God.

One of my biggest pet peeves are those that give "God" credit for all the hard work they themselves did. God didn't help you win that race, that promotion, that goal you set. YOU did. YOU worked your ass off for it. Not some invisible being in the sky.

People are all about giving God credit for the good stuff, but you never hear anyone give him credit for striking some kid with cancer or a fire that burns a house down. (And those that would comfort a grieving parent with "God has a plan" should die a thousand fiery deaths.)

Now, I'm not a believer in God (especially the Judeo-Christian one, he's an asshole), but hearing people give thanks to whom they believe in for whatever ability they have doesn't really bother me.

Hearing the media call the last play in the Bronco/Steeler game yesterday "divine" does piss me off. It wasn't divine. It was talent and luck. Nothing more, nothing less.

Judge Tebow all you want based upon his talent (or lack thereof) for actual football, but not for his show of religion.

Now, if he starts trying to convert people, all bets are off.



**No, I don't watch him, he's a fucking Bronco. I hate the Broncos simply because I'm a Chiefs fan, duh.

um, Hi!

I know, it's been forever since I've posted anything, but there's not much to say, really. Just normal summer stuff with the kids.

I have been dealing with some of the religion crap, but only because my mom asked to have the kids visit, and we finally agreed they could visit for a few days.

It's like a wound that will never truly heal, it just develops this thick scab. And every once in a while, something comes along and picks at it to make it bleed again.

So yeah, my kids are visiting my mom this week, Keith took two days off from work while they're gone; we're going to take the motorcycle out and go watch Harry Potter. Should be fun.

Wound...being picked at...

Happiness is a choice.

I remember sitting at a Mary Kay meeting many years ago, listening to the director talk about money and happiness.

"Money doesn't buy happiness, money buys choices. It's your choices that make you happy."

I have never forgotten those words, they gave me the strength to find my own happiness. In the process, I left an unhappy marriage, and a high-control, borderline cult of a religion. Sadly, my blood family chose to stay behind. While this has caused me much pain, it doesn't really affect my overall happiness with my life. I have an awesome husband, two beautiful children, a sister (something I didn't have before), and true friendships with people who value who I am.

It's no secret that I've been in therapy since my oldest brother uninvited me to his wedding. The pain and trauma of leaving the religion of my birth still had to be dealt with; it had been buried for years.

I'm toward the end of my therapy now, even though I don't think I will ever give it up completely. I can't say it changed my life, but it has helped me deal with the curves life throws at me with a lot more composure, and helped me to sort out my past and to accept that people/family can't/won't be what I need them to be.

Over a year ago my therapist, Dawna, read to me something she had written, and I liked it so much I begged her to let me post it. She's finally to the point of sharing it (hopefully it will be published soon), and I have it here for you now.

Soul Clay

The insult she held against herself was deeply made and liberally felt every moment. She had allowed herself to be made over by someone else.

She did not expect him to provide her with clay. Instead, she simply pulled away from herself areas of unhardened clay lying just under her skin. Freely, she passed over parts of herself to be molded by the man she chose to trust, not because he was trustworthy but because she didn’t trust herself. “He must know better,” she told herself. “He must know how to make something more of me.”

He took her clay because he recognized its quality and potential. He thought he could use it to re-make parts of himself, but, her clay wouldn’t stick to him. It wasn’t made for him.

Her soul clay hardened too fast on his frame. It became brittle and fell off his skin. Every bit of her he took became useless to him and to her.

What price did she pay for her submission? What price is worth selling pieces of your soul? “Love is!” she cried. There is no love in her story. She didn’t love herself enough to trust she would fashion her soul into something meaningful. She didn’t have the patience to remain unchanged until some beautiful moment transformed what was still soft inside of her.

The counterfeit for love that she readily exchanged herself for was security; a modern version of selling one’s soul to the devil. She sold her soul, or at least pieces of it, for nothing. He was only her perception of security, her projection of protection. He didn’t even protect her from herself.

He had hardened long before he met her, only looking for someone still naive enough to open up her soft soul to share. She thought of it as sharing, at first. He only needed a little of her soul clay, a little each day. Since she didn’t know what to do with what she had, giving it to him was easy.

Later she saw the results of his theft. Hardened, broken and useless shards of her soul clay lay in heaps on his workshop floor. Every part of her he had taken remained unusable to him, ruined. She had become emaciated, not resembling even the simple unfinished self she had been when they first met.

She confronted the man, demanded what was hers! “Sweep it up,” he mocked and left. Tenderly, she swept her scattered soul clay into a pile along with bottle caps, toe nail clippings, and some broken glass.

She worried about how she would ever get herself back together and separate from this mess. As she worked, she noticed her skill at recognizing the missing parts of herself. Delighted, she began to see what she wasn’t (and was) for the first time as she separated the trash from her soul clay.

When she cried over her loss, she decided to make every tear count. She poured them over the pile of old, hardened clay, softening the deformed shards. Then she massaged the newly wet, old soul, clay back into herself. Understanding, as she reformed her shape, she can love what she creates and trust her own hands. - Dawna Grigsby, 2008

Own your choices, and you can be happy.

Fighting for peace

Here in the United States, we have a volunteer military. It wasn't always this way. Right now our military is stretched thin, and a draft in the near future is possible. I hope it doesn't come to that, but it is possible. *Maybe not kicking the gays out would help*

In Israel, serving in the military is required, for both men and women. I think the requirement is 2 years, but I'm not sure about that. This has been part of the Israeli culture for many decades.

Today, I was introduced to Omer Goldman, via Ed Asner. There is a new generation of young Israelis standing up to the government. They believe in a better, more peaceful future for themselves and for Israelis and Palestinians, and they are refusing to join the Israeli army. They're in jail, holding strong against immense pressure from family, friends and the Israeli government.

Omer's own words:

I first went to prison on September 23 and served 35 days. I am lucky, after 2 times in jail, I got a medical discharge, but I'm the only one. By the time you read this, many of my friends will be in prison too: in for three weeks, out for one, and then back in, over and over, until they are 21. The reason? We refuse to do military service for the Israeli army.

I grew up with the army. My father was deputy head of Mossad and I saw my sister, who is eight years older than me, do her military service. As a young girl, I wanted to be a soldier. The military was such a part of my life that I never even questioned it.

Earlier this year, I went to a peace demonstration in Palestine. I had always been told that the Israeli army was there to defend me, but during that demonstration Israeli soldiers opened fire on me and my friends with rubber bullets and tear-gas grenades. I was shocked and scared. I saw the truth. I saw the reality. I saw for the first time that the most dangerous thing in Palestine is the Israeli soldiers, the very people who are supposed to be on my side.

When I came back to Israel, I knew I had changed. And so, I have joined with a number of other young people who are refusing to serve - they call us the Shministim. On December 18th, we are holding a Day of Action in Israel, and we are determined to show Israelis and the world that there is wide support for stopping a culture of war. Will you join us? Please, just sign a letter. That's all it takes.

Everyone should have the choice to serve or to not serve. Everyone should have the choice of promoting peace without resorting to war.

Jewish Voice for Peace is the U.S. group heading things up for the Shministim. Sign the petition here if you want to stand up for Omer and those like her.

Myself, I've always been conflicted about military service. Growing up as a Jehovah's Witness, one of the many 'rules' was NO MILITARY SERVICE. If you joined the military, you were turning you back on "God" and putting your faith in 'Man'. No matter what country you were in. They were really big on the whole "you'll find Catholics killing Catholics and Protestants killing Protestants, but you'll never hear of JWs killing JWs"! I've always had a strong respect for those that choose to fight for the freedoms I enjoyed. I was hyper-aware, you might say, because I wasn't allowed that choice.

I never took my right to stand without my hand over my heart during the Pledge of Allegience for granted. NEVER. In fact, the very first fight Keith and I ever had was about that very subject. My religion forbade me certain things, and I was grateful that others had given me those rights so I didn't have go to prison. JWs in other countries weren't always so lucky. Hell, during the draft days, many of the JWs DID go to prison for refusing to serve in the military. Or, like my father, used the loopholes in the system to keep their names from coming up.

I think the draft has it's place, honestly. And the next time it is used, I hope they start including women. I don't think it's fair in this day and age to exclude them.

But I don't think military service should be mandentory all the time. Only when it's needed. And everyone should have the choice, no matter what country they live in. Everyone should have the choice to stand up for what they believe in.

Remember, remember, the 5th of November

Today is November 5, 2008. A day I will never forget.

It's the day after America stood up and told the Religious Right where they could shove their agenda. (Mostly. All of the gay-marriage bans passed. We're still working on that.)

It's the day after America voted a bi-racial man as President of the United States of America. For the first time EVER, there will be a (half) BLACK man in the White House. I am so proud to have had a part at this moment in history. I'm amazed that it happened before my children could vote. Absolutely amazed.

Yesterday, America stood up and rejected hate. Yesterday, America stood up and rejected fear.

Do I think that Barack H. Obama, our president-elect, is the be-all, end-all, savior of the nation? Fuck NO! He's just a man. A politician at that. There will many of his "promises" that he does not keep. But he does know the Constitution, and he believes in the constitution.

He has charged us all in rebuilding our country. It is OUR responsibility to pick up that challenge, and hold him to OUR ideals. To hold him responsible for what he said he would do. And yes, our country DOES need to be rebuilt. Have you not been paying attention to what W has done to our nation? We are a laughing stock to the world. Our economy is in shreds. Our privacy has been stripped away from us.

But god-dammit, this is a start in taking back our country from the crazy nuts that are trying to impose their religious dogma on the rest of us. And they are, whether you believe that or not.

I grew up in a religion that wouldn't let me hold any office in the church. A religion that believed the only place a woman had was in submission to her husband. A religion where I had no voice. A religion that told me what to think, how to dress, who to talk to, who I could be friends with.

I walked away from that religion, and in doing so, lost my blood family. I walked away from every friend I'd ever had. Twenty-eight years of friendships and family, reduced to nothing.

So yeah, when religious people try pass laws based on their particular beliefs, I get really pissed. I've paid a very high price for my religious freedom, and I will let no one take that away from me.

This country was founded with freedom for religion, which includes ALL religions, not just the Christian faith, and the freedom FROM religion.

Keep YOUR religion at home, out of our public schools, and out of our government.

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Just because you think the majority has the right to impose their beliefs on everyone else doesn't make it right. Sometimes we do whats right because it's the right thing to do, not because it's what everyone thinks should happen.

If we didn't, women still wouldn't have the right to vote, and blacks would still be slaves.

So all you Republicans who think that the world just ended and are wondering why, stand up and take your party back from the Religious extremists. Maybe then the rest of us won't mock you anymore.

People should not be afraid of their governments.
The governments should be afraid of their people.

7 years ago...

I'll let you look at that day through the eyes of an atheist Muslim...

Seven years ago today, I sat in a cold, windowless classroom, staring at a puddle of tears on my desk. I should have skipped class today, I repeated in my head. Today would have been the best day to skip class. Some of the other kids, boys mostly, were yelling back and forth about how we should just nuke them. We. Them. On an ordinary day, I’d be included in the we. But I was one of them that day, and the 20 pairs of eyes burning holes through my skin reminded me of that more and more with every passing second.

It wouldn’t have done much good to tell them that I wasn’t really a Muslim. I was an agnostic. Or a cultural Muslim. Or an I-dunno-what, but I certainly wasn’t a Muslim. I didn’t know what to say, so I sat there in silence, watching the puddle ripple as it grew bigger and bigger until it finally spilled over the edge of the desk and left dark spots on my jeans. For some reason, that was my breaking point. I grabbed my bag and walked out.

The grad student / teacher came running out in the hall after me and asked if I was OK. I’m not sure what I said to him — incoherent mumbles, I’m sure — but the next thing I knew, he was giving me a hug and apologizing. He said he thought asking the class to share their thoughts and feelings would help them cope. And he was sorry for what it turned into.

*snip*

That day, seven years ago, I walked out to the parking lot and found my tires slashed. All four of them.

Go to her site and read the whole post, and all of the comments.

The best comment, imo, is this one:

We should not be arbitrarily proud of our country because it’s where we happen to live. We should be proud of what our country does when it does the right thing, and criticize it harshly and unceasingly when it does the wrong thing. It really bothers me when people eat up this crap about dissent being unpatriotic. It is truly the only patriotic thing to do when your country fucks up.

I'm ashamed of what the white people in this country do to those that are different, be it in skin color or sexual preference. And I'm pissed off over what religion has done to this country, and to the world. And I'm including Christianity in that mix, for sure.

rudely woken up this morning

So the kids managed to drag me out of bed a bit before 8 am this morning (they were HUNGRY), and sitting at the table watching them eat their oatmeal, listening to the radio, trying to fall back asleep, I heard the most awful news. I think I'm going to cry.

Pro-life, Anti-woman:



Religion is bullshit:



10 Commandments:



Bye, George.

drinking the kool-aid

By now I'm sure everyone's heard of the raid made on the YFZ Ranch earlier this week. I don't watch the network news, and I've heard it everywhere. PossumMomma even has an interview up with an escaped polygamist daughter and wife. (Scary thought: there's over a hundred MORE children still on that compound according to her.)

You'd be hard pressed to find someone not associated with this extreme sect that wouldn't agree with me when I say they are a cult. Waco is another example, not to mention the infamous Heaven's Gate.

But not many people automatically think CULT! when I talk about the religion I grew up in. But yet every year, thousands of people sacrifice their lives for this religion. And make no mistake, they ARE martyrs. They are revered within the religion as making the ultimate sacrifice to show their love for Jehovah. Many more are lauded for holding firm while not making the ultimate sacrifice, including Fate, who will have to tell his own story someday, if he hasn't already.

Yesterday, someone I've never met gave her life to this cult. But yet her death affects me because of circumstances. She was the sister-in-law of two very close friends of mine. One (that I know of) that had never even met her. But their hearts bleed for their brother, who is now a widower. Even sadder is the fact that this woman was only 22 years old. She had an entire life ahead of her. Her husband, their brother, is in his twenties as well, so he will eventually (hopefully) find love again and have a family, but he will be forever scared by this.

I shudder at the thought of his anger if he ever realizes what a crock his religion really is. A beautiful life, wasted. Simply for the pride of 12 old men in Brooklyn who refuse to admit that their policy regarding blood is wrong.

Well, not just pride. Think of the lawsuits from members who have had loved ones die for this belief, then to be told that there is "new light" and they can all take blood now.

And while many Elders within the Jehovah's Witnesses are fighting this policy and trying to bring about change, the governing body still hold firm, and another senseless death doesn't even merit news coverage.

This senseless death bothers me because of my family who are still in this cult. My parents are older, and they've had a chance to live their lives. But my brothers are both under 30, as are their wives. This could happen to them. And that scares me.

update

Well, yesterday went really really well. Everyone acted like adults, no screaming involved. An actual agreement to not push religious (or NON-religious) views to either party was made.

I'm very happy for my children, and jealous that my husband has a mother who realizes the value of family over religion (her words, no less).

I want a mother like that.

Hate traveled to Kansas City today.

Today, while out running errands, I passed the funeral home on Holmes by I-435. There were several men lining the drive holding flags. I thought maybe a veteran had died or something.

Across the street by the exit ramp, were protesters with the standard "god hates fags" protest signs. (we all know who they are, I refuse to name them)

I quickly deduced that the funeral was not for a veteran, but for an active soldier who has fallen. I almost turned the car around to attend the service, just to piss the protesters off (stopping to thank them for making me aware that this was a soldier's funeral). If my children were old enough to learn the lesson, I would have.

The only point these protesters make with their hate is how insane they are. Is it any wonder so many people turn away from religion?

I'm very much against this war our current Governor-acting-as-President has embroiled our nation in, but like many others, I realize that our soldiers are (usually) following orders. They don't really have a choice about where they're assigned.

Here's to hoping that our next President will get us out of Iraq quickly and safely. I'm not holding my breath or anything, but I am hoping.

Proud to identify as an Atheist.

Many here know that I'm a huge fan of the PossumMomma. I've even quoted her before.

Now, P-momma has Lupus. The kind where going into a room with windows on a sunny day causes her pain. This means she cannot even go into her children's rooms to help them with their homework or watch them play.

Never let it be said that "Organizing atheists is like herding cats." Berlzebub has started a donation drive to buy UV film from 3M for the P-family. You can read about it here.

Now, this post isn't about drumming up donations for P-momma, but rather this post is about how awesome the Atheist community really is, and I for one am PROUD that we have created our own community, thanks to the wonders of technology. And I am very proud to identify with this awesome group of people.

Directly from the PossumMomma

Counter poem

War on Christmas? - by possummomma

Twas the month before Christmas and all through the land,
the Christians were stirring: a war was at hand.
As the secular people hung lights and red bows,
the fundies were thinking up mass e-mail prose.

They picked up their Bibles and lobbied with fury
at atheists and lib'rals as cop, judge, and jury.
The fundies - they cried, with phenomenal flair,
at a war that just didn't appear to be there.

They spoke of no greetings and secular schools,
while expecting the nation to bend all its rules.
Sorry, poor Rachel, you're only a Jew,
the Christians 'round here can't be bothered with you.

Kwanzaa is new, and therefore, competing,
with Jesus and Santa and holy tent meetings.
"How horrid!", "How dour!", "How pathetic!" they cried,
"It's Christmas or nothing!" and "nothing" just died.

"No glorious mangers and tunes at low level?"
"Surely, this must be the work of the devil."
And, all of those secular wallets at stores,
are they turning away all those dollars at doors?

"Jesus is the reason" they'll scream, pray, and shout,
while whipping their wallets, with credit cards, out.
And, while they are screaming, I hope they remember,
that their Jesus was likely not born in December.

iPods and XBox, enemy toys!
The Bible's the gift for good girls and boys.
Oh wait! They have products to substitute in,
by Haggard, and Hovind, and someone named Hinn?

"Here Billy! A book that will help you stay true,
about pillage and rape and incestual crews."
But, woe to the Wii game with family fun.
Unless it's of Jesus, we shouldn't have none.

Tolerance, humans, and diversity,
are the wrong reasons to light up a tree?
Encouraging good will towards folk of all kind,
is not what dear Matthew and Luke had in mind.

It's a war on Christmas and the fundies are back,
to tell us that Jesus is under attack.
Cradles, and crosses, and creches galore!
But, worship him, worship him, worship him more.

In their zeal and devotion to make Jesus matter,
their cause has been hurt by their incessant chatter.
A war with no weapons or obvious sides,
is a war of no reason but blind fundie pride.

So, here's my proposal, for all human kind:
You celebrate your way and I'll party mine.
Praise Jesus and Mary and stars that shine bright;
I'll read to my kids and then turn out the light.

For the gifts of humanity, freedom for all,
means seeing a menorah a-light at your mall.
The lessons of Kwanzaa, it's principles seven
do nothing to prevent one a place in your heaven.

And, when we awake for our own celebrations,
it's okay that we'll build them on different foundations.
You have your Christmas and we'll have our own,
and we'll strive to feel pride in the friendships we've sewn.

(make sure you go here to discuss this!)

Why, as an Atheist, I celebrate Christmas.

Religious fanatics. Gotta love 'em.

How many?

How many more people must sacrifice themselves before your God is satisfied? 100? 3000? 6 Billion?

Jesus was a sacrifice for ALL. No more sacrifice is needed. And yet thousands continue to die "serving Jehovah".

Fucking Bullshit if you ask me. Oh, that's right, you kicked me out for daring to give in to my sexual urges before I got married. My opinion doesn't count anymore to you. You don't even allow my family to call or visit me or let me attend their weddings.

Fucking Religion.