Confronting Islam in Minnesota

Common sense is on the move in Minnesota. Islamic Taxi drivers have been denying service to passengers if they have dogs (even service dogs) or carry  alcohol. Muslims feel they are participating in sin if they transport alcohol. Dogs are simply unclean.

At a meeting Wednesday of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), airport staff members asked the commission to give the go-ahead for public hearings on a tougher policy that would suspend the licenses of drivers who refuse service for any reason other than safety concerns.

Drivers who refuse to accept passengers transporting alcohol or service dogs would have their airport licenses suspended 30 days for the first offense and revoked two years for the second offense, according to a proposed taxi ordinance revision.

Source: Tighter airport cab rules proposed

The airport commission is taking the right approach. If drivers don't want to treat passengers by acceptable American standards, they can find a new job. Some people might object, but think about it. If they refuse to carry passengers with alcohol, they can move on to more severe forms of discrimination. What if Muslims decide that transporting single unaccompanied woman were wrong, or what if  they determine Jews were unclean? It is a slippery slope, but it could happen, and the thought is scarry.

 

Technorati tags: Islam, Minnesota, Muslims

The proper way to beat your wife

Islam has a few gaping problems, like being stuck in the dark ages. There is no proper way to beat your wife. There is no reason to beat your wife. A wife is not a thing or a possession, they are our equals. Only a coward beats his wife. I don't care what your culture, religion, or rational dictates. It is simply wrong.

And for all you moral relativists in the blogsphere, don't bother writing. I'll be to busy reading my hate mail.

I wonder what the next video will be...

Technorati tags: islam, youtube

Rupture the Rapture

A new blog joined the Atheist Blogroll today, Rupture the Rapture. He scored some points right off - he thinks Pat Roberson is a nutball, and so do I.

Pat Robertson: What a Guy!!!

Pat robertson has made his predictions for 2007 after his tete-a-tete with the godster. The big guy related to good ole' pat that a bunch of us are going to die this year via some type of terrorist attack on our soil. God, being the sly devil he is, wouldn't divulge anything further except to say that it will probably be later in the year. So, I guess we can relax through spring and into summer. College kids can still get stinko and screwed at their all important post winter rituals in Florida and the Caribbean. The rest of us should be able to get a handle on that pesky crab grass and perhaps get in a few rounds of golf, (thank god!,) Then, we'd better start upping the terrorist alert level toward the crimson end of the spectrum, and stock up on batteries, plastic and duct tape. The lord of lords wouldn't even tell patty cake what kind of attack it will be. Nuclear? Biological? Tribbles? He knows how to keep us on the edge of our proverbial seats, doesn't he?

Read it all - it's good.

 

Technorati tags: atheism

Digg and YouTube Powering Atheism 2.0

 As a follow up to The only good atheist is a dead atheist I offer this tidbit. It seems they are on to us.

There is no "type" of person who might be an atheist, but if you look at Web 2.0 community sites like Digg and YouTube, you'll see a growing number of users there who display anti-religion or pro-Atheism sentiments. I would go so far as to argue that without large tech-oriented sites like Digg and YouTube, the Atheism 2.0 movement would not have taken off as quickly as it has.

Earlier today, a story hit the Digg frontpage with the title "Murdered for being an atheist" and as of 3:15pm eastern it has over 1100 diggs and nearly 300 comments, easily eclipsing other stories that were made popular today.

Source: Digg and YouTube Powering Atheism 2.0 — Business Logs

 

Technorati tags: Atheism

The only good Atheist is a dead Atheist

Larry Hooper was killed for being an atheist. His brutal murder, perpetrated at the hands Arthur Shelton, a Christian and Eagle scout, was justified simply because he was an atheist. 

The trial began with the taped phone call Arthur Shelton placed to the Taylor police department in Taylor, Michigan, October 18, 2004, at precisely 12:44 AM. Shelton sounded calm and pridefull when he told the dispatcher he had just shot "the devil himself" with a revolver and a shotgun because "he (Hooper) didn't believe in God." Shelton told the dispatcher he was "still armed and ready to shoot again in case he moves. I want to make sure he's gone." When the dispatcher asked how many times he shot the victim Shelton replied, "hopefully enough."

Source: Parallel Politics and Comment

The story behind the story is how the relatives of Arthur Shelton treated the representatives from American Atheists. It's horrifying. What kind of person does it take to hate another like this?

 

Technorati tags: atheism, Larry Hooper, Arthur Shelton

Sean on Bakker

Sean Prophet at Black Sun Journal is into evangelist Jay Bakker - for good reason too. The show One Punk Under God rocks.

I never thought I'd find myself liking an evangelist. But it's hard not to like Jay Bakker, son of the Rev. Jim and Tammy Faye. The younger Bakker has a new show on the Sundance Channel, entitled One Punk Under God. The show covers the tattooed and pierced younger Bakker's struggling ministry, currently run out of an auto body shop.

Source: Black Sun Journal - Right Message, Wrong Reason 

Technorati tags: Media, Evangelicals

Evangelical Shams and snake oil

Few things annoy me more that men of god who masquerade as faith healers. Besides bilging gullible people out of their hard earned savings, they can cause actual harm. People who buy the divine healing me line are likely to alter their associated medical treatment, even stop it altogether. Take the poor rube who believed he was cured of throat cancer, only to die from the decease a few months later.  

A tele-evangelist with a large following across the United States is being sued by relatives over her claim that prayer cured her brother's throat cancer.

Darlene Bishop's claims appear in her book, Your Life Follows Your Words, which fails to mention that her brother, the songwriter Darrell "Wayne" Perry, died of the disease 18 months ago.

Source: Evangelist sued for claiming that God heals

The faith healer's logic is a beautiful thing. It entraps the unwary with inescapable logic. They claim to bring the healing power of God to bear on all matter of ailments, yet when the sick fail the heal it becomes a problem of lack of faith on the part of the sick. As in, the sick do not have sufficient faith to be healed. If the sick respond to medical treatment and recover, then the faith healer steps in a claims credit.

The Darrell Perry story is more compelling. It appears as if faith healing played a part in a strategy for his pastor wife to write a sequel to her first book on faith healing in which she claims to have been healed of breast cancer. Ms. Perry acted to prevent her husband from receiving treatment instead urging her husband to find healing through the lord. Greed motivates - Perry's estate is estimated at over a million dollars. Ms. Perry is the executor.

 

Technorati tags: evangelicals, faith healing

What the hell?

I don't even know how to describe this folk art painting of Angelina Jolie as a virgin blessing Walmart. Take a look for yourself.

Technorati tags: art, religion

I joined Edge today

As further proof that I know very little about the world, I found the Edge today, I don't know how I missed it.

The mandate of Edge Foundation is to promote inquiry into and discussion of intellectual, philosophical, artistic, and literary issues, as well as to work for the intellectual and social achievement of society. Edge Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit private operating foundation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

Technorati tags: atheism

Atheist Quotes

It's been a great year here at Deep Thoughts. I've had fun writing and learning. I am already looking forward to next year. I would like to end 2006 with a link to a collection of atheist quotes which I find inspiring.

Stephen Roberts
I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours

Seneca the Younger 4 b.c.- 65 a.d.
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.

Blaise Pascal
Men never commit evil so fully and joyfuly as when they do it for religious convictions

Emo Philips
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realised that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me.

Source: Atheist Quotes - www.chrisbeach.co.uk

Happy New Year!

Seventh Day Church of the Secularists

Wow, finally! A Church for atheists... and a leader too!

In what can only be described as the ultimate “cosmic irony,” Sam Harris, leading atheist and best-selling author of Letter to a Christian Nation, reportedly now has the largest cult following in the world, surpassing even the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

I sure hope services are not on Sunday.

 

Technorati tags: Atheism, humor

Jesus to return in 2007?

A poll conducted by the Associated Press-AOL indicates that one in four Americans believe Jesus will return in 2007. To the 25% all of my fellow American's who believe this, I will take all bets. Please bet me on this, please! Heck... I'll even give odds.

Technorati tags: religion

Matisyahu - Message in a bottle

and they did a nice job.

 

Technorati tags: matisyahu, music, youtube

Chinese Graffiti Stories at microscopiq

I'm a big fan of street art and graffiti. Microscopiq found some graffiti while in China. I've been to China twice - neither yielded much in the way of graffiti as art. It is nice to see the spark alive.  

I found graffiti in mainland China, but it wasn’t easy. Over the years, I’ve heard many explanations for the lack of street art there, from the stereotypical (orderly Chinese society) to the sinister (fear of reprisals). We had little luck in major urban centers like Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing (besides tiny bits like this). So, imagine my surprise finding these big ‘ol tags under a bridge in the quaint canal town of Suzhou.

Source: Chinese Graffiti Stories at microscopiq

 

Technorati tags: Graffiti, photography, art

Blogroll maintenance

I've made the first pass at maintenance on Mojoey's Atheist blogroll. I added 12 blogs in December and deleted 19. Most of the deleted blogs were hold overs from the days before I made the blogroll public, so no real loss. However, Somnambulist is gone. I like this blog.

The year end statistics for The Atheist blogroll are 145 blogs active with 30903 page views.

I developed a set of rules for removing blogs.

1. No activity in two months and no link back to the blogroll then blog is deleted.
2. No activity in three months with link to blog roll then email requesting status with deletion for non response or if inactive.

Of course, I am flexible. If your blog was removed in error, just let me know.

Changed:

Salto Sobrius moves Aardvarchaeology

Added:

Bitchasaurus
Everything is pointless
The Atheist Effect
Aidan Maconchy Blog
They Promised Us Jetpacks and We Got Blogs
No More Hornets - Not showing the blogroll because of a commitment to not using Javascript. Apparently, at some point in his life, Javascript abused him after a night out drinking with the boys.
North Alabama Rant
Staring at Empty Pages
The Honest Doubter
Olio
Toxic thought waste site
Lord J-Bar for Democracy, not Theocracy

Deleted:

Somnambulist - gone
Beware of the dogma stopped blogging on November 4th. A pity - I loved this blog
Desecrate Holy Books inactive
Excelsior inactive
Evolution 101 inactive
Gnosos inactive
Kele's Journey inactive
My boring best - has gone private
Notes of Intelligence inactive
Out of respect inactive
Positive Blasphemy inactive
Recovering Mormon inactive
Spoiled Honey inactive
The confessions of Mr. Thinkfree inactive
These twisted Times Inactive
Think outside the Church - odd, it now sells presents
TX Atheist Inactive
United Free Thinkers gone