The Dishonor Roll

Not long after, the American Humanist Association launched their own campaign in the US: “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake.” (Note the apostophe)

Well, the Lichfield Diocese (Church of England) has returend fire with their website - There Probably Is! The creators said that they made the site “in order to present an opportunity for individuals to explore the other side of the debate arising out of the Atheist Bus and Poster campaign.” The site is heavily moderated (because of some atheist mischief aparently), but it allows you to post a story about why you believe in a god. Here are some examples:

I believe in God…

• because God is real!
• because he is the creator of life
• because my daughter Sarah died after a long battle with cancer
• because my parents not only told me who Jesus is but demonstrated what it means to be one of his followers
• because he has saved my life by showing me hell! When i was thirteen I was raped at knife point…

And I didn’t have to hunt for these; I just pulled them off the front page. This does not seem like a good way to address an accusation that your belief system is based on emotional decisions, childhood indoctrination, and psychological disfunction.

I will admit that these experiences can be convincing when they happen do you. I understand that atheist arguments often undervalue the emotional side of religious conviction, but these reasons for believing in a god seem more like examples of the things that can fool us into believing untruths about the world.

The League of Minor Characters

by Kathleen Flenniken

The main character sits on his childhood bed
naming everything that’s gone—ex-job, ex-wife,
ex-best friend-and finally apprehends

the breakdown we’ve felt coming since chapter five.
When his doctor calls with test results, most of us
decide to remain minor characters

While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him.”

The owner of the house went outside and said to them, “No, my friends, don’t be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this disgraceful thing. Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But to this man, don’t do such a disgraceful thing.”

But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight.

When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. He said to her, “Get up; let’s go.” But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.

When he reached home, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the areas of Israel.

-Judges 19:22-29 (NIV)

::UPDATE:: AHH! Giant puppy!!!

Remember that if you are in line by the time polls close, you will be given a chance to vote (but don’t wait that long if you can help it).

Jessie Jackson Jr. already gave Obama the election on ABC - maybe it was a slip of the tongue :)

The girl who played Fantine in my highschool production of Les Miserables was on TV just now.

Me: (Realizing I need an important manual from my house) If only I had a quick way to get home…
Ryan: cd tilde?

http://videobama.mirandajuly.com/

The Girl Effect

found via project.ioni.st

Why? Because Obama has specific plans to reduce the number of abortions in this country while the McCain camp has none. They’ve tacked a Pro-Life bullet point onto their website, but have done little else. So I pose this question to those who are anti-abortion:

Is it more important to have a representative who recognizes the emotional and physical consequences of abortion and so will act to reduce it or do you simply want someone who will stand on a moral high-horse and issue reprimands because his political platform demands it?

[On a personal note, while looking for images to use in this post, I discovered that it is not adviseable to enter the word "abortion" into a Google image search.]

His explaination is concise, clear, and respectful. It’s also not what the plumber wants to hear, but Obama is actually pretty up-front in recognizing that people like this man will be taking on a little more of the burden.

Key Points:

• Small businesses get a 15% tax credit for health care
• If you earn over $250,000, your taxes are increased from 36% to 39% (which is what it was under the Clinton administration)
• People who are making less, like Joe was ten years ago, will be taxed less and so will have a greater opportunity to actually make it to where Joe is today by being able to save and invest more.
• Only about 5% of the US population will experience a tax increase.
• A business owner is going to be better off if there are more customers who can afford to pay them.
• Obama is also eliminating the capital gains tax for small businesses.

If only we could get more answers like that out of both candidates…

This man, Garrison Keillor, was on NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” today and I learned that he spent some time as an advice collumnist for Salon.com under the pseudonym, Mr. Blue.

Garrison Keillor answers your questions about writing and romance

I like his advice on dealing with heartbreak (though, thankfully I don’t currently need it). Read the letter from “In Pain.”

Found via BoingBoing