God's Plan - Pathetic Excuse

I recently had an exchange with set of twitter users that indicated that all the death and suffering currently being imposed by religious extremists in the Middle East is all part of a plan imposed/implemented by god.  They openly admitted that they are comfortable with this plan.  This plan contains everyone who is murdered or tortured by the Islamic fundamentalists.  All of this is based on some perverse love of Bronze Age ideology

One of these persons used the martyrdom term and prayer to cover for their rationalization of the horrors committed in the name of a god.  They will pray for those persons beheaded or slain in a bathroom because they did not meet the standard of the persons using god’s law to cleanse the earth of kafirs.  It is atrocious to think that prayer or doing nothing but thinking about god’s plan, will actually help anyone or anything change for the betterment of humanity.

What becomes evident quickly is that there are victims/cowards identified and barbarians/murderers and those who believe in any god will comfortably slip between roles because they are championing gods great plan.    Congratulations you have equated the phrase, it was part of gods plan to  - Allah akbar.  

The use of the term, gods plan, is an excuse to murder, torture, or marginalize humanity or is a way to watch from a safe distance and do nothing.

For those who do not speak up or act up to change the outcome of your own future hiding behind a plan from an imaginary sky daddy are actually worse than those who commit the atrocities.  You had the ability to act and you failed.   You are cowardly little shits and deserve the guilt you feel.    Unfortunately it is likely you feel no guilt for these people, their families, or the persons who watched these horrific events. 

Until you realize that guilt, sadness, fear, and anger are signals that something must change you are destine for a horrific outcome.

I am an atheist and do not support nor understand your twisted sense of reality.  I support humanity hoping that it will shed the need for a religious construct to feel better about the way we treat each other.  Facts are facts humans are animals, religion does not elevate us from that fact.  Some of these animals are so profoundly damaged by religious zealotry that that they cannot see belonging to a religion does not keep you safe it imperils your existence.

Religion poisons everything and will eventually destroy humanity.  I will work diligently to conversationally neuter any person or entity that supports this pathological perspective.  

Abrahamic Theism Is A Death Cult

I have seen frequently in the exchanges between theists and atheists the claim that atheists/atheism has killed more people and is responsible for more of the world’s tragic human events.  This would be the one fallacy that the theists cling to for comfort when the facts point to the contrary.  Theism – Abrahamic sects [Christianity, Islam, and Judaism] are in fact the most prolific death cults on the planet.

Let’s start with the Christian claim the Pol Pot, Chairman Mao, Hitler (actually Catholic), and Stalin being ‘atheists’, killed millions of people.  There is no question that these persons did horrible things and worked to eliminate persons who did not conform to their perceived ideology.  

I cannot find in any document that these pariahs used atheism to further their causes.  No evidence exists indicating that these populations were put to death due to their failure to participate in atheism.  Unless – you put on your biblical glasses (thanks Ken Ham) – then you can lie for Jesus all you desire to support your position and attract new followers.

When asked for evidence to support validity of this claim; the debate tends to devolve into accusatory statements and spraying hostility to deflect from the fact there is no direct evidence to support the position.  I have yet to have a Christian produce ANY clear evidence that the persons mentioned are acting on behalf of ‘Atheism’ to rid the world of non-participants in atheism.  North Korea is not a good example… the practitioners believe that their leader(s) are gods and it appears that atheism is not a good way of describing the necrocracy in that country.

Challenge: Theist please provide a clearly defined case of an atheist, leader or singular atheist who has advocated and acted on the presumption that atheism prescribe(s) death to those who do not follow the established dogma and ideology.

Actions of theists: - Especially ~ those of the Abrahamic sects, toward those who are not of the same faith paint a far different story.  The Christian, Islamic and Jewish operator’s manual (Bible, Koran [Quran] and Torah) have clearly defined actions to be performed by the believer on the non-believer… Death.  They also describe very horrible ways of dispatching non-believers.  This accomplishes three things:

1.       Affords the opportunity for the punisher (killer) to experience a euphoric event of taking the life of another person, sense of complete control.

2.       Inflicts horrible pain and suffering on the person being killed.  Usually in a humiliating way.  (cutting off your head, burned at a stake, throwing stones, shot in the head) whilst saying, “Allah -Ackbar”, “May Jesus have mercy on your soul.”

3.       Clearly advertises: Join us, and follow our dogma, or we will kill you – in a horrific fashion – in front of your friends and family.

Theism is a Cult of Death, and the practitioners are fully aware of this fact; but work hard to deceive themselves, conscript others given; the promise of eternal life in paradise, 72 virgins, and the Promised Land of milk and honey.  This being an “Army of god.”   Christians, Islamic fundamentalists... embrace genocide - In Africa, Christians/Muslims are working diligently to kill off the homosexual population:

History has presented, a well-documented, long and growing list of atrocities associated directly with the belief in a god(s).  Projecting these events onto atheism to escape the guilt and culpability is pure spinelessness and using your indoctrination to protect your fragile psyche.

Abrahamic Religions are barbaric and abhorrent cults with the emphasis on inclusion of the feeble minded and imposition of a horrific death of those who should be excluded for any dogmatic reason.  Mormons are included in this ever increasing cesspool of human detritus.

Theists:  Please be aware that your words, dogma, and actions do not match: this is a sign that either you are profoundly mentally ill or so intensely brainwashed that it would be in your best interest to seek help.  I am willing to fight you to the death to prevent your dogma from retarding humanity back to the dark ages.  Self introspection is highly recommended.....  You have pledged your allegiance to one (or more) of these sects. Think about it.

I Am Not My Atheism

Many persons take their religion so profoundly personal that when an atheist expresses something perceived as hateful or disrespectful the observation is that the attack is an individual one.  Nothing should be considered personal from a disrespectful attack on religion (any religion). 

Please keep in mind that if a practitioner of said religion is so enmeshed in the dogma, tradition, and belief structure they have difficulty separating where the religion ends and person begins there are internal issues of identity. 

I am not my atheism.  My atheism does not dictate my actions for me.  My current assessment of reality is that there is not enough, nor there is any credible evidence to support my belief in the existence of any god.  This does not discount my respect for any person that expresses an interest or belief structure that is invested in the existence of a god or gods.    My actions are never taken to directly insult nor infer insult to a person unless their actions have manifested a direct attack on me personally.

I have respect for the great majority of users on the internet.  Very few have gone out of their way to personally attack me or my lack of beliefs.  That is greatly appreciated.  I have also had a great deal of constructive conversations with persons who have had differing perceptions and beliefs.

Stated clearly and succinctly I have no respect for religion, all religions are in the same dubious pool.   My life experiences with three different sects of Christianity have given me nothing but a lifetime of broken promises, false hopes, and wasted prayers.   I do not hold any one person, or group of persons, responsible for this circumstance.   The blame lies squarely on the oversight and implementation of dogma, tradition, and edicts lay down by the authority of the religion. This is typically in a written form and known as holy scripture.

In my life (any and all) religion is function-less and devoid of any meaning.  It operates like a business to collect funds and then hides all its misconduct behind the idea that it must be respected because of its legal status as a religion.  It leaves a horrible feeling of mistrust in all of my dealings.

There are many in the community who work diligently to attack me and my secular friends for our lack of any belief.  There have been many who have stood upon their pulpit of love and acceptance to fabricate stories about persons who do not fit the religious standards casting us into hell and ‘rebuking’ us in the name of Jesus.    This two-faced and cowardly approach to dialog does not inspire confidence fostering a relationship between the secular (atheist) and the religious persons.  These double standards and unfair expectations of respect based on title and religion are irrelevant.  A religious practitioner should never expect anything more than respect from one human to another and no additional privilege or respect based on religious affiliation.

Atheists free from the threats locally will turn the internet to seek out persons of the same perception persuasion.  Doing this locally causes extreme reactions from religions for reasons that are veiled in ritual and dogma.  We are human and have feelings also.  We deeply love our families and have positive and lasting relationships with many people.  And we react strongly when we feel that we have been treated unfairly or in a fashion that is demeaning to us as human beings.

I advocate for atheism.  I operate under the principle that I have but one life to live and I have to make it count.  The only thing that will remain after my death is what actions I took, and I will be remembered for the legacy I leave.

I hold no resentments against anyone who does not feel the same way I do about religion.  The dialog is free of emotion and considered nondestructive until the attack is directed at a human being. 

Islam Hides behind Racism to Protect Cowardice

There appears to be a negative and hostile reaction when atheists/agnostics/humanists become disrespectful or speak in undesirable terms regarding Islam.  The respondents to these comments typically cry foul and indicate that the individual is being racist. 

This is a clear indicator that the person playing the racism card has either been indoctrinated into Islamic perspectives or is grossly under educated and socially retarded. 

Islam is: a monotheistic religion based from the Qu’ran on the teachings of Mohamed’s interpretation of how life should be conducted and the religion spread.  Race is: a systemic way of classifying humans based on many different physical and social features.  Racism is: the equating that one race of humans is of greater value than others based on perception.  

Using the racism card to deflect attention from the religion’s actions or to elicit negative responses to those who are detecting that the religious affiliates are acting in an exceptionally inappropriate fashion is cowardice.

For the sake of argument could we invoke the same argument of race to all religions: Wiccan, Sikh, Mormon, Christian, Jehovah’s Witnesses’, Buddhists, Taoists, and  Pastafarians.  Then what of those who express NO religion?   Does that equate to no race?  

What is being projected by Islam is an illusion of victim-hood, maintaining claims of racism because the perception their religious beliefs are being disrespected.  I have read the Qu’ran, and the Bible both are rife with racial, gender, and religious inequalities in such a profound fashion that both texts call for the death of those who do not ascribe to the teachings of their prophets.  

This spinelessness is not just applied by Islam.  Many if not all religious sects use this tool to manipulate the populous into believing they are the victims of some horrible onslaught from other (races, religions, or social groups).    The proud portrayal victim-hood leads many leaders of these sects to advocate for abhorrent actions by their followers as a way of getting their agenda heard.  This is equitable to the use of terrorism to get religious or political attention.

Islam has a very bloody, violent, and socially retarded history of destroying all that is not of the same faith or religious practice.  Some of the rituals of this religion are bloody violent and horrifying (Halal).   When humanity starts to progress socially, choosing to abandon the, unnecessary, perturbing and archaic religious practices or they fall out of social favor it is not racism it is social maturation.

Islam – not a victim of racism, but a highly manipulative, aggressive, and hostile religious/political sect that uses carefully calculated psychological tools to hide behind.

I am likely to get a death threat for disrespecting Islam.  All that does is solidify my disrespect for all religions, contributing to my being more vocal about their eventual extinction.

Refugees of an Imaginary War

I keep reading or hearing about this ‘War on Christianity/Christmas’ ’War on Religion’ ‘Assault on Religious Rights’ posed by the Right Wing Nut Jobs – or at a minimum the Teabagger ~ Patriots spewing their hate swill on Fox News.

Hate to break it to you but, there is no war.  One may feel as though their ‘right to religious freedom’ is under assault.  I cannot find evidence of this.  What I do find evidence of is; the privilege/power, and unfair advantage of the overtly religious is being questioned by the populous.  There is a steady decline in the populations identified as attached to religious institutions and an increase in those who identify themselves as non-religious (atheist).  The power brokers of these religious institutions are starting to panic, and in their efforts to maintain their flocks of sheep, they have fabricated a war.   

The ensuing panic has led to a propaganda campaign by those who still have an audience to play the victim card; ‘War is being waged on our religious beliefs.’  Terms are thrown out like, ‘patriot’, ‘Christian warriors’, ‘racially motivated (Islam)’ and ‘homosexual agenda’. 

This is nothing more than a strong effort to consolidate the base of voters, or sheep, to remain faithful and pressure the lawmakers to aid alignment of their power over the perceived enemy (Atheists).  From the pulpits come the threats to the families to keep a tight rein on their potential wanderers.  Both the Jehovah’s Witness and the Mormon sects have documented systems to maintain this fear via processes dealing with apostates (control).  Islam takes it to the extreme.

Fortunately the more intellectually involved and informed can see that these propaganda efforts are in the long run; eventually destructive.  These efforts to control from within, eliciting power struggles appears as dictatorial events within almost all of these faiths.  When people can get past the fear and the understanding that departure from these faiths is healthy, natural, and beneficial they step away. 

Religion is destined for extinction.  The function of religion to control and maintain order is no longer necessary.  People hold onto the vestigial components for comfort and they serve no purposeful function other than to calm the fear inspired by the sect leaders.    This war is of attrition the faithful are dying out and the children want no part of the diseased relationships managed by the leaders of the faiths.   I don’t seek out the youth to ‘turn them’ from their religion.  They come to me asking questions and I answer them with honesty, truth, and reason.  They are refugees of an imaginary war.

My efforts to catch those who question their participation in this co-dependent relationship with their religions takes the form of starting a local Atheist group both on Facebook, and helping @FreeAtheism with the Atheist Paper Route.   Fliers handed out when they come to my door, and left on the doorsteps of local churches.

Question Everything.

Atheism Advocacy via Paper Route

Spending the last week participating in the Atheist Paper Route was well worth the time.  Initially I perceived it as waging some war on the religious factions in my home town.  After participating and starting some dialog with other atheists, I see it now more as a way of switching up the way that information and perspectives are shared.   Currently I am only one voice (delivery boy).

In this part of Idaho there are more churches than any other location I have ever lived.  One cannot travel more than half a mile on any road until you see a church or two.  There are a preponderance of Christian churches attuned to the charismatic evangelical populous and a very large number of Mormon stakes.

It often feels as though I live in the ‘Bible Belt of Idaho’ (a doubling of hellish experiences for an atheist).  There are a large number of missionary individuals going door-to-door to share their perspective on faith and to encourage many to join them for service at their holy place.    I have most certainly turned them away in a fashion that is appropriate and respectful.    Even the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

After posting several fliers on the doors of these establishments in an effort to ‘door-to-door’ advertise that atheists are here and we have valid points, the responses are typically bordering mild passivity.  I was expecting some letter to the editor with some fierce rhetoric (still waiting).  There was one church that did respond with a ‘Good Luck’ message on their sign. 

Is it a safe assessment of the situation that if they do not attend to us that we will fade into obscurity?   Maybe there is a more xenophobic approach that they are working hard to shield their populations from the information that is being dropped on their doorsteps? 

As the ‘Easter Season’ gets into full swing many of the churches have advertising to solicit new members to join them.  I will be there to deliver my paper and share with them that there are more options to choose from.  Remaining connected to some religion based in fear is asinine.    If I can reach one person give them the confidence to step out of the shadows it is well worth my time to advocate for atheism.

I want to thank the following:

@FreeAtheism

@GentleAtheist

@Atheist_Forever

@BrianBrachiopod

 For their support on Twitter!

Resources available here: Free Atheism Paper Route

Bullying and Cowardice of the Theists

Watching the constant ebb and flow of exchanges between the theists and the atheists on twitter something becomes more relevant at every exchange.  Escalating emotional responses to perceived hostility and/or disrespect directed at one person’s religious beliefs or perspectives.

What makes this even more salient is the amount of personalization that takes place in the exchange, where the religious person thinks that because their religion is under attack, or their beliefs are being ‘disrespected’ that they are personally being attacked.   Quick and visceral reactions range from simple name calling to threats of physical violence and promises of death due to a violation of religious doctrine.

What is painfully evident is the media is they work hard to sanitize their approach and presentation of the happenings in the world due to the responses from the fundamentalists and even some of the moderates.  This is ever more unmistakable with the presentation of Islam.  There is a prudent effort on the part of media to ‘not offend’ the Islamists.

Politics.... 

There is strong reason and evidence to continue to do this based on plain and simple fear.  Islam explains the use of violence, in some of the most cruel and hostile fashions, when the perception their doctrine or dogmas are threatened with disrespect or offense.  What is even more astounding is the response of Christians and other faiths to these threats – capitulation, lending to a very unhealthy and abusive relationship between the two parties.  

After I did some research it appears that this fear goes back centuries.   The populous of most of the world is genuinely frightened by the Islamists.  Not due to any feigned threats to act, but due to the actual facilitation of described threats.  When these actions are on put on display to a very wide audience to see and appreciate.  This public display of horrific acts of violence, retribution, desecration of humans and other religious faiths persons or property, with the intention of intimidation.   Much of this is Muslim on Muslim but open threats toward others are also common.

This is not just an Islamic issue only there are other sects or cults that use fear or intimidation to elicit compliance to demands for respect and conversion.    Christians often use the threat of eternal damnation to coerce their flocks to join and to establish retention.  Christians often prey upon each other not for conscription but for wealth and prestige.    They want your money not your soul.

The most disturbing part of this relationship is that, Christians are taught to forgive and to accept that they may be asked to die for their faith.  Muslims are taught that they should kill for theirs.  Christians are told that they are guaranteed a trip to heaven in service to their god and Muslims to paradise with lots of virgins to remove non-Muslims from the living.  This lends to a very ugly looking system of abuse.

When an atheist becomes involved and threats are made we are not likely to surrender to either party.  This causes the situation to escalate rapidly.   The roles being played are that of abuser and victim.  Atheist chooses to not play and calls the bully (Islam) on their aggression and the victim (Christian) on their cowardice.    Atheists are likely to stand up for the victim but they actively decline the assistance under the pretense of continuing to be the victim.

Any attempt to threaten me to achieve surrender becoming a bully or join a culture of victimization and the likely end will be a strong hostile response.  Bring it!