Sunday, December 16, 2012

What if Bryan Fischer Is Right?

I'm sure by now you've seen the video of Bryant Fischer and his disgusting assessment that school shootings happen because "God doesn't go where He's not wanted." Here's the video if you missed it and would like to torture yourself with it.


But what if Bryan Fischer is right? What if we're seeing more violence because we've taken prayer and Bible reading out of schools? Let's consider that from a Christian perspective.

Yahweh, according to the Bible, is all-powerful. He sees all and knows all - even before it happens. He can be everywhere at once and almost nothing can stand in His way.

Therefore, if Yahweh does not go into a school, it's because He chooses not to. We can't reasonably assert that He is rendered powerless to enter the building unless, of course, the entrances were guarded by iron chariots (Judges 1:19).

Why would Yahweh choose not to enter a school and protect the students? According to Fischer's explanation, He does not protect those who don't love Him and don't want Him around. Considering that Newtown, CT, is 85% Christian, that answer doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

The only thing left to consider is that these teachers and students were only nominally Christian - in other words, they weren't "True Christians." Not only is this fallacious thinking, but it leads us to a very damning conclusion.

If these victims weren't "real Christians," then who is to blame? It's not the government's job to teach kids religion. It's not the city council's job to teach kids the "real" meaning of Christmas. As any honest conservative who takes personal responsibility will tell you, it's the PARENTS' job to teach their kids how to be good Christians.

In other words, if you buy Fischer's claims, you must blame the victims' parents for not indoctrinating their kids well enough to buy them some mafia protection from their god.

That's not a position I'd want to advance, much less stand by. How Bryan Fischer, Mike Huckabee, and all the other shills can utter these notions without choking is beyond me.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Taking Back Mississippi

Credit: Thomas Thornycroft
It's no secret that Mississippi has long been under the boot heel of preachers and politicians who put their own interests above those of the people. I think it's even safe to say that corruption is so ingrained in our way of life down here that we've come to expect it and take a rather lackadaisical attitude towards it. Many are the times I've heard people say, "That's just the way things are down here," or "It's never gonna change. It'll always be that way."

Mississippians proved that wrong in 2011 when we said NO to amendment 26's "personhood" initiative. Against the dollars funneled in by Colorado's forced-birth group, against the organization and bullying of the local churches...against all hope...we defeated them by 58%. And now we've done it again.

Last night - Tuesday, December 11, 2012 - in Corinth, MS, the voters passed a liquor referendum by 70%. The churches posted their signs. The pastors thundered their sermons of doom. But 70% of the voters paid them no mind. Now the pastors are weeping and caterwauling at this stinging defeat and well they should - it's a sign of the times and conservative religion is losing!

The most damning belief we can hold is that we can't change anything. It's a message you'll hear all the time from those who don't want things to change or those who have already given up. The future is not for those people - it's for us. Mississippi doesn't have to always be the third-world state of the union. It doesn't always have to be the brunt of every joke. We can make it a better, freer place to live but it's going to take work.

Be sure, that work is going to continue to be arduous, maybe even risky, at times. It's always hard to take a stand against something that is so deeply ingrained. Nevertheless, we owe it to ourselves, our country, and our future generations to turn this ship around. Someone has to fight these battles and last night's victory is proof that votes - and voices - matter.

Every soldier in this fight is valuable. It doesn't matter whether your job is to stand on the front lines, fire the cannons, lead the calvary, run the ammunition, or cook for the troops. Everybody has a place in this fight. So do what you can. Plant the seeds of freedom by challenging myths and assumptions. Spread those seeds on Facebook and Twitter. Use humor. Be creative. Find your place in the ranks and help us pull this state out of its corrupted and prohibitive rut.

We pay a lot of lip service to the concept of freedom. Now it's time to claim that freedom - to claim our natural rights as free people. We don't need Mississippi's version of the nanny state, always telling us what religion says we can't drink or view or buy. We need to make those decisions for ourselves.

Use your voice. Use your vote.

Take Mississippi back!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Delay in posting next set of interviews.

Hello,

Due to technical difficulties and illness this last week (I hate having chronic Sinusitis) we were unable to complete the interviews scheduled but will reschedule them asap and get them out to you.

Thank you all for your support in this project, the response and volunteers has been amazing.


In the mean time please take a few minutes and check out Tweenky's shop

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Twink-a-dinks/107416266092699


Thank you again.


Nathan.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Shut Up and Listen

The noise of the world...car horns, big rigs, the TV or radio. God has trouble getting a word in edgewise, eh? If we'd just shut up and listen, we would be able to hear him speaking directly to us. Right?

All this time we thought we were basing our disbelief on lack of evidence but it turns out that we are just being too loud to hear God. Guess the "still, small voice" was literal and not metaphorical.

Well, I'm convinced. Are you?

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Interview with Atheist in Mississippi - 2 - with Chris

Our latest adventure leads us to the front porch. 
Join us as we conduct our 2nd interview with a fellow atheist in Mississippi.




Also available in audio only format through our podcast here.