gdp's Comments

Atheist Revolution : Mississippi Rejects \'Personhood\' Amendment

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:38:25 +0000

I understand that Alabama is to be targeted next year. There is a Facebook group called "Americans Against Personhood Amendments" set up by the Mississippi team to fight Personhood USA's efforts in all 50 states and on the federal level. My recent post Today's Doctor Visit

Mississippi Atheists : The Ironies Can Kill You

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 05:07:24 +0000

The kind of people who support these ridiculous positions are drug addicts. They are addicted to literalism and, in the South, that's almost always *Biblical* literalism. The only way I can see that changing is with education, humor, and pressure. We let people get away with saying stupid things way too often because it's risky to speak up. That has got to change.

Atheist Revolution : Empathy For Believers Does Not Exclude Mockery

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 00:26:44 +0000

Totally true. I wish I had a dollar for every time a Christian told me that a Bible passage (either Old or New Testament - sometimes even the very words of Jesus) did not apply to them.

Mississippi Atheists : The Insanity of Mississippi\'s Personhood Amendment

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:12:25 +0000

All these points are correct and let me also point out that this amendment will outlaw most birth control pills and IUDs - our most effective forms of birth control. The fact that their agenda creates more need for abortion - not less - let's me know how dishonest these people are. If you want to fight this amendment, let EVERYONE know that birth control pills and IUDs will be prohibited. The churches and pro-life activists are not making this known.

Mississippi Atheists : No More Football Prayers in DeSoto County

Thu, 8 Sep 2011 22:50:43 +0000

They could send the National Guard in to enforce the law. That's been done in Mississippi before. I'm curious, why do you need the government to force people to pray? Are you theocrats not convincing enough on your own? Or are you just lazy?

Atheist Revolution : More Christian Email: Hell is Waiting For You

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 04:11:22 +0000

We've got some nasty folks on "our side" too which reinforces to me that the problem is a very human one. The best cure I know for it is kindness but some days that's difficult to do. I commend you and everyone else, no matter what belief, who work for peace. Despite what the person who wrote the hate mail thinks, many of us care deeply about the rights of others. My recent post Depression Is...

Atheist Revolution : The Price of Hero Worship in the Atheist Movement

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:03:59 +0000

This reminds me of a conversation that my partner and I had after attending a recent small conference (more like a gathering really). I remarked that for a group of people who tend to hate church and not want to be preached to, we sure are willing to go to meetings and be...well...preached to. The difference being, of course, that we will afterward question and nitpick what was said to death. I think meetings and conferences are useful in getting the word out that atheism is ok, especially considering the stigma we face. It's also exciting to see if the writers and professionals you're interested in live up to what you had pictured. But we definitely should beware falling into the trap of hero worship - and that's why it was a relief for me to see people openly criticize Richard's, Rebecca's, and others' positions (regardless of my own). But the Elevator fiasco taught me a more important lesson about internet atheists: the hero they tend to worship is themselves. My recent post Bad Medicine

Atheist Revolution : Elevators and Sexism in the Atheist Movement

Mon, 4 Jul 2011 06:26:08 +0000

It's clear that many people do have very strong emotions attached to this issue and to the questions that sprang from it. It's sad to have seen what could have been a lively discussion descend quickly into a Trollfest on so many major blogs. It's good to see that folks here still know how to think. Gives me hope. My recent post To Answer Your Question: Why More People Don't Participate

Mississippi Atheists : Mississippi Judge Suspended for Requiring Church Attendance as Condition of Bail

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:29:49 +0000

It's good to see some justice done in Mississippi. After reading the document, I don't see where she has any business sitting on the bench.

Mississippi Atheists : Personhood Amendment Before Mississippi Court

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 23:48:58 +0000

You make some great points there from an intellectual point of view but I wonder how many people would understand your argument and, thereby, be persuaded? It seems to me the bulk of the effort should be directed toward getting women to understand how they are being suckered in and used. In this day of sound-bytes and catchy phrases, we need some way to make women see that small clumps of cells do not have the same value as a baby - because I think the anti-choice crowd has done a great job in convincing people (particularly women) that this whole fight is about saving beautiful little babies. We need to find language and concepts that the average housewife and mother can relate to. I fear, however, that it will take the deaths of millions of women before these ladies wake up to reality. Your thoughts?

Mississippi Atheists : Personhood Amendment Before Mississippi Court

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 22:04:17 +0000

Not to mention the jobs created when we have to make a Department of Spontaneously Aborted People (DSAP) to examine feminine hygiene pads and tampons monthly to collect many of these "people." We'll also have to add on extra detectives to ensure that those spontaneous abortions really were spontaneous - otherwise, charges will have to be filed against the woman. If you truly believe a blastocyst is a person, then you absolutely must behave like it in all circumstances - even when it makes you do something as stupid and disgusting as the above. When people tell me they don't want to do those things, I immediately know that they either aren't smart enough to have thought it through or they are just damned liars.

Mississippi Atheists : Personhood Amendment Before Mississippi Court

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 05:31:18 +0000

I blogged about this back in October 2010. I assume this is a different legal challenge since the one reported in October failed. The idea of defining personhood as beginning at conception changes everything about the Mississippi constitution and the law. It's an insane thing to do when you consider the lengths we will have to go if we really believe it. But then, the people who are pushing this don't really believe the hype, I think. They just want to force birth (or death) on all women. Edit to add: If this passes and outlaws most forms of birth control as well as preventing any abortions, then women like me are doomed. My doctors told me that if I get pregnant again, I will almost certainly die. These vicious and heartless devils would apparently rather see me die than allow (allow!) me to have access to contraception and abortion.

Mississippi Atheists : Bigotry is Alive and Well

Sun, 5 Jun 2011 04:06:42 +0000

It's been my experience that those who style themselves as "patriots" and wrap themselves up in the flag, worship the Constitution, mindlessly scream "USA USA!" and proclaim the "love of Christ" are the same ones who don't want anyone here who disagrees with them and will happily send you death threats to make sure you know you aren't welcome.

Atheist Revolution : Are Atheists at Risk of Developing a Persecution Complex Like Christians?

Thu, 2 Jun 2011 22:05:38 +0000

This is something I've thought about a lot. Should there ever come a time in America where atheists are the entrenched majority, would we simply become apathetic like some of the European peoples or would start taking on the characteristics that the Christian majority has now. When a group has power for a long time, it almost inevitably becomes corrupt and forgets its roots. Would we lose sight of our rational heritage and start behaving in the same deplorable ways? I think it's possible but I doubt I will live to find out. My recent post The Price of Atheism

Atheist Revolution : Visiting Your University Counseling Center: A Guide for Atheist Students

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 21:43:28 +0000

Well said! A person should never be afraid to shop around for a good counselor. The best one I ever had was a Christian who bought into a little bit of woo but respected me enough to never to bring any of it up and to use only the techniques and treatments that we had agreed upon. My recent post I Have Questions!

Atheist Revolution : Entering the Job Market With a Background in Atheist Activism

Wed, 25 May 2011 03:15:27 +0000

I have worked with some people who acted very similarly to the way your mentor is behaving. Those people don't care about your feelings or your future - they are looking for ways to control you. If they can't do that, they will turn on you in a heartbeat and destroy your career. It's great to dream of being a hero in these cases but it's difficult to do without harming yourself. I really hope that this mentor will be fair with you and not start causing any more trouble. My recent post Brainwashed in the USA

Mississippi Atheists : Congress is Not Supposed to Represent Only the Religious

Wed, 18 May 2011 18:26:48 +0000

One can only hope that the conservatives' latest attacks on everything and everybody will generate some sort of pushback. But the sad part is that if such a thing happens from a purely reactionary standpoint, then people will later forget. It's odd how in this internet age where information is readily accessible, people manage to be even more ignorant.

Atheist Revolution : Why Doesn\'t Pascal\'s Wager Apply to Christians Too?

Mon, 16 May 2011 18:02:22 +0000

Funny you should mention that. I was remarking just the other day how dismayed I am at the lack of "science" in our science-based medical education around here in the South. Not only are the majority of nurses Christian but they also fall for alt med crap and don't have the faintest understanding why it does not work. There seems to be a decided lack of understanding of the scientific method which gives me very little confidence in the medicine being practiced. I expect religion to be logic free (hence the Pascal's Wager arguments mentioned) but medicine? Really?? My recent post Weekly WorldNuts- Lets Beat the Kids Again

Atheist Revolution : Are You Ready for the Rapture?

Sat, 14 May 2011 05:42:26 +0000

You've seen Jesus and the Virgin Mary in cheese toast. What else do you need? My recent post To the May 21st Crowd

Mississippi Atheists : Rep. Palazzo Opposes Reproductive Rights for Mississippi Women

Thu, 12 May 2011 11:12:42 +0000

I also doesn't appear that he even read the letter which was both factual and well-written. Rep. Palazzo just confirms my suspicion that these guys really don't give a damn.