FIIIIIIRRRRETRUCKS, Donnie Darko, 80's music, I'm poor.

I have not one thing to write about, but many, and they are all completely un-related. Sooo, there's that.



- Jessica reminded me on my last post that I forgot about the firetruck. To which I say, holy hell, how could I have forgotten about the firetruck!? See, after we watched porn on Shawn's iPhone (it's in my Twitter timeline if you don't believe me) we got some Chinese food and while waiting on said food, we browsed through one of those Penny Saver type booklets full of car ads. Well, there was a firetruck for sale, for, I shit you not, $6,000. That's it, just a measly $6,000. This led to an array of jokes throughout the rest of the evening:

"Gosh, we really shouldn't drive anywhere drunk!"
"It's okay, we have a FIIIIIRRRRRETRUCK!!!!!!!"

"How are we going to fit that many people in the car?"
"It's no problem, we have a FIIIIIIIIRRRRRRETRUCK!!!!!!"

"Man I wish I could take that handicap space."
"Oh we can, because we have a FIIIIIRRRRRETRUCK!!!!!"

"There's a cat stuck in that tree."
"That's fine, we have a ladder, because we have a FIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRETRUCK!!!!!"

And so on about the endless possibilities and solved situations one might find themselves in, if they had a FIIIIIIIIRRRRRRETRUCK. Maybe you had to have been there, but it was hilarious, and we couldn't stop laughing.

- I was having a nice Sunday the other day. I nice Sunday full of sleep. I was abruptly, rudely, horrifyingly, awakened, to what I thought was a jet engine falling through the ceiling of my room (I assume my subconscious pulled this from Donnie Darko). Whatever the jet-engine-propeller-like-noise was, it was loud and I pretty much assumed I was dead. In those split seconds I caught my dog huddled in a corner (instead of protectively positioning herself on top of me, like any good German Shepherd would do), and my cat fly into the water bowl, knocking that over, only to fly right back out onto the dresser, then onto my bed, then into the window, etc. After the full five seconds of impending-death-chaos, I realized the sound was coming from the fan. The ceiling fan. Something was stuck in it. That something was a Christmas tree balloon. Oh ver re action. I was not alone though, my aunt also thought the house was falling apart and I was dead. Because of a jet engine. Maybe we should stop watching Donnie Darko.

- Speaking of my subconscious, I've been having a lot of dreams lately. The last one I can remember is one in which I spend a lot of my time shopping at the DollarTree. I get a couple of everyday groceries until I come to the toothpaste section, where I get angry because I can't find cinnamon flavored toothpaste. I woke up shortly thereafter. I guess in this scenario my subconscious is trying to tell me that I'm poor, so I need to start shopping at the DollarTree, and that I am really honestly getting sick of the nasty peppermint flavored toothpaste that's currently sitting in my bathroom. Way to go brain!

- There is a dog that lives across the road from where I work. He always comes over to beg for food visit, but he never gets close to anyone, or allows anyone to touch him. Ever. For two years. The other day, he let me pet him, for a long time, without any coaxing on my part, in front of everyone. I feel like I have won some type of dog vs. Domino's employee battle, and I'm the most important soldier in the army. I also feel that no one else gives a shit.

- I opened my drop box (it's a Domino's term, you wouldn't know) today and found a little "come to Jesus" booklet. Actually it specifically said:

"You are loved! *MIDGET NOTE!* On the front which got me excited because I thought I had a secret admirer, but upon opening it...* "For God so loved you that he gave his only begotten son (Jesus Christ), that if you would believe (trust, rely, give up to, ask him to come in and take over) in Jesus, you would not perish (suffer for your own sin) but you will have everlasting life. He is the way, the truth, and the life, so when you ask Jesus into your heart, you have everlasting life and heaven becomes your new home!"

Then it tells you what to say to accept Jesus into your heart, tells you to find a church to go to, and blah blah blah. Firstly, I was pissed that it was not a secret admirer, secondly, I know this must be some big "Haha! Let's put the bible thumping pamphlet in the atheist's drop box!" joke, since all of my co-workers know about my religious views. Assholes.

- I was going through my old Twitter posts tonight and in one of them, I accidentally wrote "hear" instead of "here". Way to fail, self.

- Shazam reminded me that there is such a thing as the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Soundtrack, and ZOMG, it's downloading to my computer (ahem, legally) right this very second!

So, yeah, I'm off to go pretend I'm some 80's thug, killing and stealing in the sunny streets of Miami. Kthanksbye!

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A serious post on atheism and theism.

I love writing funny (well I try), but sometimes I have to write serious.

I had to pick my little cousin up from a church tonight and that is what prompted this. Daily, I think about this stuff, but after talking to him tonight about the belief or non belief in a god, I decided to write about it.

I will start by saying that if you are easily offended and are not mature enough to read this without hating me and being mean, leave now. This is not meant to intentionally disrespect religion, it's just my thoughts on the subject, and some things about atheism I'd like people to know. I implore you to read and think carefully on this before shunning it away. Open up your eyes, just a little.

Now, as many of you already know, I'm an atheist, and also sort of an anti-theist. I wouldn't be an anti-theist if not for the people who practice theism. See I do not care one bit what one does in their own home or church, but when religion is brought into government, public schools, or war, I, and others, must fight back to protect freedom and secularism. People generalize that atheists and non believers are a minority and we are, but we are here, just like anyone else. In Europe, around 45% of the population does not believe in a god and in Japan about 65%. The percentage in the US is lower, around 16%, but is also growing. We are not evil heathens, set out to destroy the world, we are decent, moral, kind, smart people, just like you. Yes there are some bad eggs, but not near as many as seen on the religious side, like the people who hold up signs during soldier funeral processions saying "Thank God for I.E.D.s". Many religious folk will say they are not true representations of Christianity, but regardless they are still considered part of the religious sect. So I introduce my argument as to why I believe religion is completely unnecessary and actually detrimental to this country. I invite anyone to debate this, but in a mature fashion, please. I will respect you, so please respect me, and understand this is meant as an educational discussion, NOT A BATTLE. We are fighting for the same country remember?

First, think of all the bad that has come from religion. Almost every single war. Mass slaughter and massacre of people of lesser religions. Fighting between citizens of the same country. 9/11 (for those of you who do not believe the conspiracy theory). Child's lives have been ruined by men who were trusted alone with them, for no other reason than they were "men of God". Heart wrenching, disgusting, violent acts that are unimaginable to the everyday US citizen, such as cutting the labia and clitoris off of pre-teen girls with a sharp rock, with no pain killer whatsoever. Suicide, martyrs, murder, so much death, in the name of so many different gods. The Christian god by the way, is no exception, whatsoever. Keep in mind that the people who knocked over the towers in this country worship "Yahweh", the god of the Islamic, Jewish, and Christian religions.

Now think of the good religion has done. They have provided homes to countless people, food, water, comfort. Religion has been able to raise money for so many different organizations it would be impossible to name them all. Religion provides an easy bond within the community. The thing is, these are all things that can be and are easily done, without religion.

Allow me to explain. Take myself for example. I believe in being good to others, not because I think it's what a certain deity wants me to do, or because I believe it will get me into heaven, but I believe in being good to others, because it is simply the right thing to do. I do not expect the same treatment in return, there are a lot of horrible people in the world, but I will still be good. I believe in raising money for good causes, and whether or not a religious organization backs it or not means nothing. Anyone can raise money, it is not religious people who have the inclination to be good (we've seen so many bad examples), it's good people who are good. They are good with or without religion. I know many wonderful kind religious people (Caitlin, Wesley, and Dana Fountain are three shining examples), but I know that they would be good people without religion as well. I know some religious people who are assholes, but I know that if they were atheists they would still be assholes. Morals do not come from whatever religion you are or aren't, they come from your environment, family, friends, and your own brain (some people are psychotic and always will be). So the argument that we need religion for morals is obviously wrong. I have morals and no religion, as do many other atheists I know.

Now, there is another reason for religion. Comfort. Religion comforts the person riding out a storm, the person going through hard times, the person with no one else to comfort them, religion is always there. That is one of the main things religion has under it's belt. It's faith. You can buy a cell phone, and get stranded on a road and call for assistance, but the cell phone could go dead. With religion, at that point you still have options, such as prayer. The idea of prayer for me is easy to understand. When someone prays for something and it happens they believe they've been answered but when it doesn't happen they believe there is a reason for it. They believe whatever they need to believe. In reality, prayer does not mean anything to anyone but the person who is praying. I live in an area that gets hit with hurricanes frequently, so I often hear people saying their prayers were answered, or if it hits, we're getting punished. Your god does not control that storm; the wind currents, the ocean, temperature, heat waves, cold fronts, and humidity (among other things) control that storm, and the meteorologist can explain all of it to you. No god, just nature. People even pray that a storm won't hit when it's not even close to us and when it doesn't hit (as predicted), they say their god did that. No. We knew it wasn't going to hit, the whole time, because of science.

Anyways, I'm getting off point. People find comfort from religion. Non religious people find comfort in themselves, in their family, in their friends. We don't need a friend in the sky. We have everything we need here on this beautiful green earth. We appreciate life, and the random chance that we were born into existence, and we do not worry ourselves with afterlives, but with what is now. We know love, and we know why we love, and we love it, with no help from any god. We know why we do things, thanks to science, and we understand it, and what we don't understand we continue to learn about. So see, if you embrace the now, and the science, and everything else you are lucky enough to comprehend, you will see no need for religion. You will see the beauty I see, that need's no faith, because it is right there in front of me and 100% true.

Religion breeds fear. There is no reason, for example, to ban gay marriage, other than fear. Silly fear, I might add. I was raised by gay people and am straight as a board, like to think of myself as intelligent, and very loved. Gay people are not evil, they are just different than you, and as a fellow human being you need to embrace culture and diversity. It infuriates me what the religious have done to gay people. Their lives are being ruined and all they want to do is have the equal right to love someone else. I do not know why any moral kind person wants to deny them that.

This is why I and others fight. Too many bad things have happened thanks to religion. Science and medical advancements that could save countless lives have been hindered by religion. At this point in age we obviously do not need religion for moral control, or comfort. All religion serves as now as a tool. A tool to take away the rights of others. This country was founded on secularism, and the religious do not want that. They want complete control. What of the people who are non-believers? It's not fair for us to have to adhere to your laws. What if we made a law telling you, you could not get married in any religious way? Wouldn't you be absolutely outraged?

Well we're not doing that. We don't even want this fight really, we just want you to leave well alone. Practice what you want in your home, in your church, but do not take away our right to not practice anything. I wouldn't even be writing this argument if the religious has not brought it upon themselves.

Once again, I encourage all responses. Sorry if I offended any of you, but hey, you offend me sometimes too, and that's okay. ;D

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Last thing for today, but this is awesome!

New Article Link
Atheist Bus Campaign Link

Atheist transit ads proposed for Toronto could roll into other Canadian cities

1 day ago

TORONTO — The eyes of atheist and humanist groups across Canada are on Toronto, where a group is proposing to plaster ads that question the existence of God on the city's transit buses. The Toronto-based Freethought Association of Canada wants to buy bus ads that say: "There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." The message comes from a campaign recently rolled out in the United Kingdom, sparking similar campaigns in Washington, D.C. and the Spanish cities of Barcelona and Madrid. Atheist groups in Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver are keeping a close watch on Toronto's efforts. "We're going to see how that flies," said Cliff Erasmus, co-ordinator for the Center for Inquiry in the Calgary area. Atheist, humanists and agnostics should have the same opportunities to voice their opinions as people of faith, without discrimination, Erasmus said. There are a lot of misconceptions about what it means to be an atheist, he added. "For some reason, we're labelled as devil worshippers and all sorts of nasty stuff," he said. Those misconceptions are part of the reason for the campaign, said Katie Kish of the Freethought Association. "So often you see (atheists) portrayed as kind of gloomy and angry. We really wanted to counter that stereotype," said Kish. The other goal, said Kish, is opening a dialogue with religious groups. "I think discussion is really important and that's what I'm hoping will happen from this campaign." A spokesman for the Montreal chapter of the Center for Inquiry said there could be conversations about Toronto's concept if it works well. For Guillaume Loignon, the ads would provide an alternative for non-believers in Montreal since there are numerous publicity campaigns run by religious organizations in Quebec. At least one faith group appears to be open to the ads. "If it helps to foster dialogue in our society, that might actually be a good thing," Rev. Susan Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, said in an interview from Winnipeg. The British brainchild behind the ads says she's pleased that the message could soon spread to Canada. "As long as it's a peaceful campaign," Ariane Sherine said from London. Sherine started the campaign after noticing ads on London buses that led curious readers to a website that suggested non-Christians would spend eternity in hell. Initially, Sherine hoped to raise enough money to post ads on 30 buses in London. The campaign received enough donations to buy ads on 800 buses across the U.K. In Toronto, the group has launched http://atheistbus.ca/, a website through which they hope to collect between $6,000 and $7,000 to purchase the bus ads. Hours after it was set up Friday, the group had received $6,800, according to its website. The ad has been submitted for approval to CBS Outdoor, the firm that handles advertising for the Toronto Transit Commission, said Kish. Though they've settled on the message for the campaign - it's identical to the slogan used in the U.K. - the actual layout is still being worked out. They want "something happy, something bright," Kish said. If approved, the month-long campaign would start in the spring.

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Just for fun!

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