Monday, June 21, 2010

Palliative Care For True Believers

Unfortunately, for those who have allowed religion to metastasize to their entire self, there is nothing to do but provide palliative care.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

If Prayer Worked...

If prayer actually worked, it's proponents would be pushing to make 911 a dial-a-prayer service.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Needed Confirmation

We are always seeking confirmation of our own views, no matter what other contradictory or evil baggage comes along with it--we will accept a large proportion of bad in order to get that confirmation of some small part of a view we hold.

The "Real" Personality

When people eventually show multiple sides to their personality, why is it that the one most deemed most unpleasant is seen as the "real" one?

Over The Line

It is often said that a government will not deal with terrorists and police will not negotiate with kidnappers. The people in these cases are really pissed off for some reason and have gone to extremes to either get attention or are attempting to accomplish some goal. We say that we won't deal with them now because they have crossed some line we have set and no longer deserve it. The implication is that if someone is only a little pissed off, then he is still considered worthy of attention. But at that point a person can easily be ignored and forgotten because he is not powerful enough to matter and not making enough noise to be noticed. However, if someone is really pissed off because they couldn't get help or attention while being civil, then no attention is deserved. This teaches that if someone in power wants to make changes, then big changes that cause people to get really pissed off can be accomplished because reaction to the changes can be dismissed as over that same line; little changes can be validly attacked and fail.

Respect For Power

Respect for a person in power comes only when they give it.

Safe, Legal And Rare

A stray thought: Religion should be thought of as some of us think about abortion--it should be safe, legal, and rare.

Putting Church And State In Perspective

If you are a right-wing nutball, think of the separation of church and state the same you think of two gay men getting together: an abomination. If you are a normal person, think of keeping church and state separate as you would a priest and a child.

Think There's A Deity?

If you believe in a deity, you may never quit. However, if you think there's a deity, eventually you won't.