Religion and Universal School Vouchers: A Panacea for Struggling Conservative Politics
TheBluegrassSkeptic in atheism
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Goodbye Jesus
A recent article on CNN had me grumbling aloud at my computer screen, shaking my head, and ranting to my cats while pouring a tea version of a McD’s vanilla-iced coffee. Reading about how Arizona greenlighted funding for its school voucher program to include private and charter schools has motivated me to hop on an important soap box this morning I’ve been meaning to get around to involving religious identity politics in education.
And seeing how this is Juneteenth, it’s oddly approp
I absolutely love the horror and supernatural genres of entertainment. Alfred Hitchcock, Vincent Price, George Romero, Quentin Tarantino, Boris Karloff, Stephen King, and Peter Cushing? Cannot get enough. I love the macabre art inspired by all things dark and taboo when I go to horror-themed events. Little coffins decorated with favorite movie characters. Crafted earrings with baby squid tentacles in formaldehyde. Scary baby doll head sculptures and Silent Hill cosplay. Spookiness has everything
Sometimes I wish I had a preprinted FAQ card about my personal life that was always ready in my rainbow-toothed zip fold when discussing why I am who I am today. Especially when being confronted about my lack of belief, and my penchant for unabashedly slamming organized religion. I think many of us out there can relate to this constant rehashing of the same answers over and over again. It's akin to signing up for a dating service, and every interested suitor begins asking the same questions over
The recent Rapture prediction for September 23, 2023, ignited a whirlwind of emotions within me. As an ardent atheist, I approached the prediction with skepticism and rationality. However, lurking beneath the layers of disbelief were haunting memories of my traumatic childhood abuse and the desperation I once felt as a Christian child, yearning for confirmation of Christ's existence. This blog post explores the intricate tapestry of emotions where my adult self grapples with the collision of log
In a world marked by diverse belief systems and a spectrum of values, the atheist movement has provided a platform for individuals to embrace rationality, critical thinking, and secular ideals. For many, it's been a space to challenge dogma and promote open dialogue. However, my journey through the mainstream atheist movement has been tainted by an unexpected aspect: the insidious pressure on non-religious women to conform to certain sexual expectations. This expectation, combined with the dishe
I'm finding my social circles shrinking more and more everyday because of conspiracy thinking's pervasiveness. It really hit home that this isn't just a "Boomer" problem either. Younger and younger generations of adults are being sucked in to some of the most irrational thinking. And all I can imagine is that this trend is a response to our societies becoming ever more stressful. This isn't helped by many world governments not making education a top priority over national defense initiatives, I'
Hey, Peeps. Got a recipe you want to share for a good cause? To benefit the Gulf Coast Center for Non-Violence adopt a family program,The Mississippi Gulf Coast Humanists, Freethinkers, and Atheists are going to put together a fund raising recipe book.
You will get attribution for your recipe if you want, but all proceeds go to the family sponsorship program. We will put this for sale in downloadable form. It will be organized into different categories of food, and will accept alcoho
As an atheist, one of the key issues I had with religious belief was the idea for whatever we don't understand or have answers for, we can insert God. Also known as God of the Gaps thinking. I've had several religious friends over the years make it clear that they are still saying "I don't know" but they have confidence that God has things handled and that is good enough. No, you are not saying I don't know. You are still acting with some level of presumed certainty. This kind of thinking leaves
School shootings bring out all kinds of reactions. Some folks immediately seek to speak on gun rights, and how guns don't kill people, people do. Some folks focus on the murderer(s). Why would they do this? Were they sick in the head? And some only speak on the victims and the lasting emotional/physical trauma that has been inflicted.
About three weeks ago, there was another mass shooting in Kentucky at Marshall County high school. This shooting came up in my office break ro
Having a friend make headline news by becoming the embodiment of everything wrong in the world was not how I imagined my evening would begin. Scott Smith, one of the hosts of the Recovering From Religion podcast, top dog activist for Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF ), father of three, and all around good guy, turned a very dark corner earlier today. He shot and killed his wife and then took his own life just as police arrived. Three school age girls are going home to rela
It was a timing much like other realized moments of accounting in my life. I sat at the red light. Chest tight, my eyes wet and slippery, the church on the opposite corner rang its bells. Its enormous clock had struck 7p while I was waiting at the intersection. Like a reverberant pang of regret, the tolling of the bells echoed the hollow sentiments that had gripped a of hold me. The deep pangs of grief I had begun wrestling with physically pulsed in my ears as every dark note rang out from that
If you haven't seen it yet, there is a hashtag floating around the past week that says simply #MeToo. This is in response to the growing fire storm in the media this past week about Harvey Weinstein's despicable behavior towards women he worked with. Many have come forward alleging instances of unwanted sexual advances, sexual touching, and even rape. Additionally, some other male actors have come under close scrutiny after being confronted about their own behaviors towards fellow female actress
I'm just going to say it.
I have had it up to fucking here with the Atheist Role Model Who Is Causing A Lot Of Drama In My Personal Circle bullshit.
This is utter BULLSHIT. I have had the opportunity to interact with him for a three years or so now. Granted, it was usually one sided, and when he wanted something, but I have been privy to a lot of background discussion he authors. Ever having a shoulder and ear that many of us mutually shared to let him v
I have severely scaled back participation in Pride and LGBTQ community activism over the last year or so because I have reached a major crossroads in my life during this time. I openly have lived as a bi-sexual woman for approximately a decade. I have also added a slight addendum to that and expanded my bi-sexuality to include those who are also genderqueer, gender fluid, and trans, as I have really found I am attracted to pretty much anyone. I have come to realize I will love and be sexually at
Over the last decade I have dreamed of being able to help students pursue education that helps them further important work needing to be tackled in separation of church and state issues and many fields in science. This can be accomplished if students decide to pursue political careers, community leadership positions, higher education teaching jobs, and so much more. With the onslaught of propaganda surrounding issues like keeping a god in school, governmental suppression on earth science, encour
The headline is colorful, chilling, and woefully short sighted about the issues of incest, pregnancy, and consent.
I think it goes without much emphasis how quickly it hit all the wrong buttons that put me back to my youth being molested by my father. It made me immediately reflect on the moment I said yes when he asked if he could pretend I was my mother. That headline made me stand up and pace the room for a good three minutes, reminding myself how often incest happens: voluntarily
I've always enjoyed watching how a person can adapt, and even sometimes evolve, belief to fit the not just certain time frames in life, but even moment to moment. The give and take between believer and belief system has always fascinated me because many times it seems the believer is unaware of the relationship that is actually occurring. Especially so when confronted with situations or reasoning that directly confronts and contradicts said belief relationship. Much like poor Beni Gabor (The Mum
Death for me over the years has rarely been difficult to process and move on. I've buried quite a few, only mourned a couple. The two I mourn are now memories I guard so earnestly a mother bear could not rival my ferocity. These two people immediately bring on the wet eyes and short tight breaths when I just so much as think on their lives, their influence, and my loss.
This past January I experienced a third loss of someone very important in my life. It's hit me very hard, and I am surprise
I don't know how well this blog is going to go over, and I probably haven't thought this completely through, but I am posting it anyway. I have to get this off my mind, and I am sure just the idea of what I am suggesting will infuriate a few out there, but hopefully if read all the way through, I make sense, just not articulated well.
This all began earlier this week when a friend of mine, our very own Brother Jeff, was being persistently pursued about the concept of Hell, and the need to op
"No truly dedicated human being would stay with someone that sexually abuses others."
"I wasn't happy about Bill Clinton's sexual harassment charges and affairs in office either."
"Why would someone wait until an abuser is running for office to come forward? It's fame. S/He wants fifteen minutes of fame."
I want to address the first statement from a Trump supporter's interview on CNN earlier this week. Honestly, this one is the most difficult to deal with, not because it's horrible t
The past few weeks, with the onset of Summer and seemingly aggravated like insects by climate change, many incidents of straight up assholery has permeated all manner of news. It could just be an intensely socially focused political season, but I still think we are animals in our behavior. This has been especially felt by me in the secular community, where activist networks have been tearing each other down.
Yes, I realize that this isn't new, but it seems more intensified. Maybe because man
Bernie Sanders has said that:
"I think the overwhelming majority of the American people know that we have got to stand together, that we're going to grow together, that we're going to survive together, and that if we start splintering, we're not going to succeed in a highly competitive international economy."
Bernie supporters, I ask you this honestly. How does one affect change when even the DNC is actively splitting apart its base with supposed corrupted delegate counts
It's funny how many lessons we learned as children that we like to attribute to mom or dad. The respective holidays for our parents every year tends to make us all reflect a bit on their parenting skills when raising us, and it's nice to look back on thoughtful advice and recipes. You remember those heartfelt talks about life, parenting, education, or morality, and many of us out there treasure them. Some of us end up seeing those moments of advice and conversation as the bread crumbs that lead
Going to be a fun night on political issues. The esteemed Alan M. Gold, funny man Joe Dixon, and my opinionated self will be having a discussion of the 2016 elections, issues surrounding it, and how we see the impact of the years to come with a new president from our current selection of terrible options. Catch it tonight!
Bible Stories Few Read to the Bitter End, Episode 4: Lot, Biblical Proof of PT SD.
Copeland and Robertson say PTSD is not biblical, but the story of Lot begs to differ. I also bring up Sarah Palin's demonizing of combat vets suffering from PTSD, and share some tips and networks if you or a loved one needs help dealing with PTSD.
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About this blog
Formerly Rotting Thoughts
Entries in this blog
ATHEISM, CULTURE, AND GHOST HUNTS
Blaming God
Rapture Predictions: Navigating the Abyss Between Logic, Childhood Hope, and the Quest for Divine Confirmation
Departing the Mainstream Atheist Movement: My Journey to Authentic Humanism
Why Is Everything So Complicated?
TheBluegrassSkeptic in Critical Thinking
Recipe Book Fundraiser for Mississippi Gulf Coast Humanists, Atheists, and Freethinkers
TheBluegrassSkeptic in Good Causes