Superstitious Times

Florida teachers allegedly douse atheist teacher with holy water

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Wed, 26 May 2010 18:19:00 +0000

POMPANO BEACH — Two teachers accused of sprinkling holy water onto an avowed atheist colleague have been removed from the classroom, and may be fired.

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At the center of the investigation are Blanche Ely High School reading teachers Leslie Rainer and Djuna Robinson, who profess that they are Christians. They are accused of sprinkling holy water onto fellow teacher Schandra Tompkinsel Rodriguez.

I’d like to see what comes of this. What was the atheist teacher doing, what actually transpired, etc.

Vatican exorcist: Pedophiles tempted by Satan, not possessed

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:37:00 +0000

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Vatican City (CNN) -- "The devil tempts everyone -- people in politics, in economics, in sport. And naturally, he tempts, above all, the religious leaders, so you shouldn't be surprised if the devil tempts those in the Vatican. That's his job."

The Rev. Gabriele Amorth isn't speaking metaphorically when he says that. The 85-year-old priest means people can be tempted and literally possessed by Satan.

Adults believe this stuff. Not much more to say.

'Avatar' is the most satanic film [Seattle’s Mars Hill Church’s] Mark Driscoll has ever seen

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 06:36:00 +0000

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No surprise here; Avatar is seen as Satanic film that taints our values, trying to sway us to worship the creation rather than the Creator. Seriously? Of all the evil deeds Satan could do, you’d think he’d come up with something better than to trick people into forming a deep and profound connection with nature. Maybe it’s a many-step process, and that’s just the first one.

Here are sermon the links I’m reposting from the original blog entry. This one starts the Avatar-rant at about 17:02:

And the other:

1-year old boy starved to death as punishment for not saying “Amen”

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:44:00 +0000

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The leader of a religious cult was "outraged" when a 1-year-old boy did not say "Amen" before a meal and ordered her followers to deprive him of food and water until he died, a Baltimore prosecutor told jurors Monday.

Shocking: Facilitated Communication is a fraud!

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:43:00 +0000

…or false, in any case.

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Dr Steven Laureys, one of the doctors treating him, acknowledged that his patient could not make himself understood after all. Facilitated communication, the technique said to have made Houben's apparent contact with the outside world possible, did not work, Laureys declared.

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"It's like using an Ouija board," said Arthur Caplan, a professor of bio ethics at the University of Pennsylvania. "It was too good to be true, and we shouldn't have believed it."

Virginia delegate claims that child handicaps are God’s punishment for prior abortions

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:34:00 +0000

No, this isn’t a joke. And this guy was 65 votes away from becoming a U.S. senator.

Anti-gay Ugandan pastor shows church gay porn to rile up the yuck factor

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:33:00 +0000

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Martin Ssempa, a Ugandan pastor, has shown hardcore pornography to a crowd gathered in a Kampala church in an effort to stir anti-homosexual sentiment, AFP reports.

"The major argument homosexuals have is that what people do in the privacy of their bedrooms is nobody's business but do you know what they do in their bedrooms?," he told the crowd of 300, which included children.

Science teacher’s students harass in the name of Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:45:00 +0000

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So here we have a science teacher who dares teach, you know, science, and naturally this goes against the ignorant superstitious beliefs her students have been indoctrinated into. As an act of misguided rebellion, the students begin singing Christian songs, wearing blatantly Christian t-shirts, anonymously placing Jesus post cards and Bibles on the teacher’s desk, and much more.

So the teacher posts on her Facebook status, comparing the students’ actions to a hate crime, and now she’s in big trouble, naturally.

Now I realize that some people will have a knee-jerk reaction when they hear the term “hate crime” in such a way, and while that’s beside the point, I’d like to address it anyway. To anyone who believes that it’s not akin to a hate crime, imagine if the teacher had been Jewish or Muslim. Or, to tingle your sensibilities more strongly, imagine if the students had been Muslim and the teacher Christian, and all the propaganda had been pro-Islam and anti-Christian. Yikes! Now it seems like persecution, eh?

Pope whipped himself as act of penance

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:03:00 +0000

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There’s no big story in here. Just superstitious people acting superstitious.

The late Pope John Paul II, who has been put on the fast track to sainthood by the Vatican, regularly whipped himself as an act of penance to feel closer to God, and signed a secret document saying that he would step down as pontiff if he became incurably ill, according to a new book.

Rehearsing your prejudices: “Where are all the atheist donations to Haiti?”

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:41:00 +0000

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Similar to the baseless reactions to the supposed “lack of Muslim response” to 9-11, atheists are often accused of lacking representation in the form of charitable giving. I’d like to make a few points in response to these accusations in general, as well as this recent example:

Just as when the tsunami struck Indonesia, and tens of thousands of Muslims were killed, the United States and Christian charities took the lead.

So where are the atheist organizations? Are they sending aid workers, money or prayers? No. But they do have money to devote to a display in the Capitol building in Olympia, to tell us there is no God, there is no heaven or hell.

If there are atheists interested in helping the people of Haiti, I ask them to give to World Vision or one of the other fine Christian organizations. Or they can do nothing.

First, merely claiming that atheists as a whole do not give is akin to saying that “people who don’t believe in astrology” don’t give. To jump to the conclusion that a certain group of people gives less simply because an organized group of these people may not have a charity set up (or such an organization may not even exist) is of course fallacious. Anyone, whether they believe in astrology or not, whether they believe in a deity or not, can and do donate to secular and religious charities alike.

But let’s address that the major criticism that secular organizations do not donate. Well, the American Red Cross, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and many other organizations should serve as a sufficient counter-example. These groups are not religiously motivated.

What about explicitly irreligious organizations? What are they doing? Plenty:

…the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (RDFRS) has joined forces with 13 other freethought groups or associates, to collect donations to non-religious relief organizations. Those participating are Atheist Alliance International, Atheists Helping the Homeless, Atheists United, The British Humanist Association, James Randi Educational Foundation, Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, New Humanist magazine, Pharyngula, Rationalist Association, Reasonable New York, The Reason Project, The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, The Skeptics Society and Unreasonable Faith.

The two greatest charitable donors in the history of the world are atheists, keep in mind.

It would have taken the writer of this letter all of 30 seconds to completely dismantle their argument. But this person isn’t seeking the facts; they are merely rehearsing their own prejudices.

Finally, some relief in Haiti…

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:08:00 +0000

…in the form of solar-powered Bibles.

As international aid agencies rush food, water and medicine to Haiti's earthquake victims, a United States group is sending Bibles.

But these aren't just any Bibles; they're solar-powered audible Bibles that can broadcast the holy scriptures in Haitian Creole to 300 people at a time.

The Faith Comes By Hearing organisation says its Bible, called the Proclaimer, delivers "digital quality" and is designed for "poor and illiterate people".

It says 600 of the devices are already on their way to Haiti.

Irony, defined

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:25:00 +0000

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Dreaded Bliss

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Pat Robertson blames Haiti quake on Haitian “pact with the devil”

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Christian parents object to kid’s trip to museum

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:05:00 +0000

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“Note: Just to let you it is not that we don’t believe in things like that, it is just misleading when you talk about it being billions of years old, when we all know that the world is only about 6,000 years old. So why would I pay so that you can misslead my children, your world is just a revolving(?), ours has a start and an end. God created the world. He created animals and man all in the same week. It was also Adam who named all the animals, they will do the essay ‘Rock and Minerals’ but it might not be 5 pages long, and about billions of years, it will be according to the Bible.”

Furor Erupts Over Atheist Display At State Capitol

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:19:00 +0000

Comptroller Candidate William J. Kelly Tries To Take Down Sign, Is Escorted From Building

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) ― A conservative activist and Illinois comptroller candidate was escorted from the Illinois State Capitol building Wednesday when he tried to remove a sign put up by an atheist group.

The Glennville Sentinel Soapbox: Proof that anyone can get on a soapbox.

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:16:00 +0000

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I don’t understand why people have their children watching Harry Potter and think it’s OK. You need to go to a good Bible-believing church. This is a trick of the devil to deceive our children and involve them into witchcraft. The devil is real, and he is not fiction. How do I know this to be true? First, I was delivered by Jesus Christ of all these demons, and my husband was into witchcraft. People - don’t play with fire - you will get burned!

Ohio public school district drops “belief in God” as core value following lawsuit

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:12:00 +0000

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Yet another victory for church/state separation, the Lake Local School District in Clark County, Ohio had a values statement containing “belief in God” as a value. Yes, this is a public school district, ladies and gentlemen. And it’s 2009.

Belief in God was a part of the value statement for more than a decade, until the National Freedom from Religion Foundation sent a letter strongly urging the school district to remove the language.

The community understands the school district's dilemma but they won't take the decision lying down.

For one thing, students are planning to wear T-shirts expressing their belief in God.

Although "belief in God" has been dropped from the value statement, it will keep the words "religious freedom."

I always love these “protests” that occur after such events take place. They show just how much the protesters miss the point of the lawsuit. If anything, these protests should be endorsed by those advocating separation of church and state. Hell, I support them fully. They are a demonstration of people’s personal, individual, non-state-endorsed right to practice/endorse their religion, which serves as a glowing contrast to state endorsement. We should thank them for finally realizing the difference.

Critics of elected city council member Cecil Bothwell cite N.C. bar to atheists

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:39:00 +0000

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“I'm not saying that Cecil Bothwell is not a good man, but if he's an atheist, he's not eligible to serve in public office, according to the state constitution,” said H.K. Edgerton, a former Asheville NAACP president.

Article 6, section 8 of the state constitution says: “The following persons shall be disqualified for office: First, any person who shall deny the being of Almighty God.”

Virgin Mary seen in football-size rock

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:48:00 +0000

Yawn.

MERCED, Calif. | Nobody can say why the Virgin of Guadalupe would appear on a hunk of rock formed millions of years before the birth of Jesus.

But David Nunez says the image is unmistakable — a bluish-black stain on the football-size rock outlines what looks like the Holy Mother.

Nunez’s father found the partially buried boulder while looking for landscaping rocks in an Oakdale, Calif., orchard. Nunez and his father, Jesus — both Catholics from Merced — insist that it’s hard to dispute that the image resembles the famous image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Russian Muslims flock to see ‘Miracle Baby’

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:44:00 +0000

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Thousands of Muslims have been traveling to a remote town in a war-torn region of southern Russian hoping to see verses from Islam's holy book appear on the skin of a "miracle baby."

The parents of 9-month-old Ali Yakubov said the word "Allah" appeared on his chin soon after his birth, The Sun reported.

Since then, verses of the Quran in Arabic script have appeared -- and then faded away -- on the infant's back, arms, leg and stomach, his parents and local officials say.

It’s a miracle! How else could you explain this??

Here’s a wonderful comment someone left:

“Wow, Exactly what was expected by you non-muslims. You all can't stand when a religion other than yours gets attention, especially when it's obvious how authentic it is. If it wasn't, it would've been named a hoax and wouldn't even be featured on INTERNATIONAL NEWS. You bunch embarrass me. And the idiot that said Islam is a violent religion, HAHA did you drop out of school in the 3rd grade? Hilarious how lowly intelligent you are. Please don't embarrass yourself again like that.”

Federal District Court Rules Against South Carolina’s Christian License Plate

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

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A federal district court ruled today that a special Christian license plate mandated by the South Carolina legislature violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie held that the plate, which was to feature a large yellow cross, a stained-glass window and the words “I Believe,” clearly gives favored government treatment to one faith. In a summary judgment ruling, she ordered state officials not to issue the plate.

Glenn Moon for Livonia City Council

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:26:00 +0000

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I waited too long to post this one. This guy used to be listed as a candidate for city council in Livonia, MI. He’s not listed anymore (thank Jesus), but his candidacy video lives on:

Men, Women Divided Over Bill Outlawing Marital Rape

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:16:00 +0000

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The bill, which is designed to outlaw marital rape, was tabled in the House of Assembly last month.

However, many Bahamian men, like taxi driver Pemmie Sutherland, say the bill is "simply unnecessary."

"It is ridiculous for them to try to make that a law, because I don’t think a man can rape his own wife. After two people get married, the Bible says that they become one – one flesh. How is it possible to rape what is yours?" asked Mr. Sutherland.

Elvis Russell told the Journal that he does not support the bill either because there is no such thing as rape within a marriage.

"Even if a woman says no to her husband it still can’t be considered rape because she is his wife. He already paid his dues at the church and she already said ‘I do,’ so from then on, even if [a man] forces sex on his wife, it isn’t rape," he said.

You heard it here first. If a man forces sex on his wife, it’s not rape.

Oldie but Goodie:

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:55:00 +0000

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Creation Museum Science Fair!

noreply@blogger.com (Vargo) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:55:00 +0000

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So, the Creation Museum is having a science fair. Neat. Let’s see their guidelines for submission, and how closely they adhere to scientific principles:

1. All projects shall be of an experimental nature where a hypothesis is developed and tested.

Good start so far.

2. All projects should lie clearly within the life science or physical science categories and should be entered under one of these two categories.

Sounds fine to me.

3. All projects should be clearly aligned with a biblical principle from a passage or verse.

Wait, what now? Why this requirement? A sub-point of this guideline:

Students should read the article “God and Natural Law.”

Let’s take a look into “God and Natural Law”:

If the universe were merely the accidental by-product of a big bang, then why should it obey orderly principles—or any principles at all for that matter? Such laws are consistent with biblical creation. Natural laws exist because the universe has a Creator God who is logical and has imposed order on His universe (Genesis 1:1).

Ah, so students should refer to a source which, in its first paragraph commits an Argument From Ignorance and naked assertion. Rather than making observations and forming conclusions from these, they must assume a conclusion and fit their science projects to be consistent with this conclusion.

Let’s continue with the guidelines:

4. Students should be able, with a clear conscience, to sign the AiG Statement of Faith, which upholds the belief in the creation of the universe in six, twenty-four-hour days about 6,000 years ago by the Creator God as revealed in the Bible.

WTF?? Are you serious? When is a legitimate scientist ever required to pledge allegiance to any assertion about the universe? Let’s look at this Statement of Faith a bit:

Section 1: Priorities

The scientific aspects of creation are important, but are secondary in importance to the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ as Sovereign, Creator, Redeemer, and Judge.

The doctrines of Creator and creation cannot ultimately be divorced from the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ah, so in other words, these young scientists must adhere to several dogmatic assertions without any supporting evidence. (And that’s just Section 1; there are 4 sections in total with 27 of these equally absurd and unsupported assertions.)

This is the Creationist’s view of science, people. And to think, these are the people who believe that “taking God out of schools” is doing us a disservice.