Accurate News Poll on Religion

Do you identify with some form of the Christian religion?

Affect the outcome here.

And then vote again at work. Also, pass it along to all your God-hating friends. Because that's how we vote in Chicago. Early and often.

The Single Worst Post Thus Far In The History This Blog (With A Retardedly-Long Headline)

Sorry. Sometimes I just can't help myself.

Can you practice "Practice what you preach?"

I spent the weekend with my wingnut, racist in-laws. Kill me.

The weekend started with with one of my brothers-in-law prank calling the house, using a broad, African American stereotype voice that was well beyond Amos & Andy era black face. Who answered the phone? My 11-year-old. Who was confused. Horrified. Repulsed. Good kid.

The Sysmistress took the phone from him, heard the voice on the other end, and hung up. Which led to calls from other in-laws asking if, for Easter Sunday, they should bring over chitin's instead of a salad.

When told that they were not welcome in our house if they continued with that crap, we were told to lighten up. "I don't have a problem with black people," said brother-in-law #1. "That's just my Obama impression." The first statement is demonstrably wrong. The second shows the power of rationalization of hatred. It goes right back. I have grown to truly loathe these people. If I didn't love my mother-in-law so much –- who is nothing like her horrible children -- I would have opted out of participating in any contact with these people years ago.

These people brought this humor to their Easter Sunday. When none of them went to church. When none of them bothered to discuss their faith on their most holy day of the year. When none of them bothered to say grace before digging in to their meal.

Which leads me to my topic.

If you're a Christian, act as a Christian. If you're a Catholic, act as a Catholic. If you fail to do that, I am not going to take you seriously if you address topics of faith or religion.

For all of the uproar about President Obama speaking at the University of Notre Dame Spring commencement, due to his pro-choice stance, I ask - how many "good Catholics" are calling him out on this? How many parents of students aren't hoping that if their kids are sexually active, they're using birth control? How many of the commenters are divorced? How many have family members who suffer from debilitating illnesses, but are provided hope by advancements in stem cell research?

In my completely secular view, I find the President's concern for people on the lower echelons of society profoundly humanist. I don't for a second think that Christianity has any more overlap with a humanist viewpoint than any other religious or nonreligious worldview. But for "Cafeteria Catholics", there seems to be more in his approach that overlaps with the teachings of Christ - rather than the practices of organized religion -- to find agreeable.

If Atheists Ruled the World

C'mon, kids! Go and get your hoods and robes!

We are scientists - you are clowns

Professor Nicholas Gotelli (University of Vermont) was invited to debate one of the clowns at the Discovery Institute.Click here for the full text of their invitation and the Prof's devastating rebuttal where he declines the invitation.

Man I wish I could put people down this precisely whilst remaining polite at all times - it'd be an awesome superpower, just call me Captain CutDown!

So, I hope you understand why I am declining your offer. I will wait patiently to read about the work of creationists in the pages of Nature and Science. But until it appears there, it isn't science and doesn't merit an invitation.

Zing!

The Most Polite Religious Uproar in History

Put Me in a Rubber Suit for Jesus

Man puts an ad on Craigslist to tell people his loving Christian family will adopt dogs who can be cared for. Families notice their dogs they gave to this man are now being sold on Craigslist. People get upset and call Fox news investigative reporter who comes out to visit the man and ask why he is selling dogs he says he is adopting.