Enraging and Stupid

You know how you can tell that someone isn't disabled or chronically ill? They go on and on and on about "natural cures" and "your body knows best" and "you should stop taking that medication". Yeah, "stop shoving chemicals* into your body!" seems like good advice- until you get sick and those chemicals are the only thing that allow you to move or work or stay alive.

Unplugging From Your Medicine Cabinet: Respecting the Body's Intelligence

It may be time to go on a special type of vacation: a drug vacation.* A drug vacation is a time in which you reduce the doses or eliminate entirely whatever drug or drugs you are taking. A drug vacation may give you (and your doctor) an opportunity to learn whether you really need to continue taking this drug or not. More important, this vacation will give your body an opportunity to manifest its everyday self-regulating and self-healing propensities without the crutch of a pharmaceutical agent inhibiting or suppressing its important work.

So, what, your doctor is just giving you drugs at random, in random doses and random combinations with no idea at all what you need? Presumably, you started taking medication to help with health problems you were having. If the medication worked, you kept taking it, if it didn't, you stopped or switched. If your medication is working for you, why stop taking it?

What really pisses me off is the idea that everyone would be perfectly healthy if they'd just stop taking their medication. Hey, spleenweasel! If my body were capable of self regulation and self healing, I wouldn't be taking medication in the first place. How fucking stupid can you be?

IF you are ready, step away from the medicine cabinet. You may not even recognize it, but you may be addicted to one or more of the drugs there. It may be time that you received an intervention, though this time, you should probably intervene on yourself rather than have anyone do it for or to you.

You may have noticed but your body has become accustomed to these drugs, and you've probably have had to increase the dosage over time, though you probably also noticed that various weird symptoms emerged when you did so. You then probably chose to increase it on some days and decrease on other days, in the hopes that they will still work, though some people may wonder if they are really helping or not.

Ah, addiction. I do so enjoy, as a pain patient, a discussion of addiction. First of all, addiction is a psychological process. What the writer seems to be referring to is dependency, which is an entirely different issue. After all this time, I am dependent on pain medication, but then again, I was dependent on it from the first pill I ever swallowed because I can't move without pain medication. Hell, with the pain medication I have days where walking 15 feet to the bathroom is the impossible dream. I would be rendered entirely disabled without pain medication. Oh, well, I guess as long as I'm not inhibiting my body's complete inability to heal itself.

There it is, isn't it? The blame that whispers through this entire article: It's your fault you're sick. If you would just stop taking chemicals, you'd feel better. If you'd just listen to me, you stupid, stupid sick person, you'd be fine. Your doctor? Why would you listen to him? He's got schooling and experience, I've got woo.

GAH! I hate these purveyors of woo.

The rest of the article is trying to sell me homeopathy, the idea that less is way more, but that's been dealt with a few times before. I just wanted to explain what this attitude- drugs are bad! stop using them!- sounds like to the chronically ill/disabled. It sounds like you think you know better than me. It sounds like you want me to suffer.

*I feel like shouting, "You know what's in your water? Dihydrogen Monoxide!" Everything's a damn chemical, get over it.

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My Kind

Being white, I've never been on the receiving end of a "your kind" or "you people" before I came out as an atheist. (Note: I am not saying that being an open atheist on the internet is in any way comparable to the experience of being a minority in the US, or in other countries.) It's rather jarring every time I come across it. Perhaps because for me, "you people" is not enough letters removed from words I can't even type, let alone say.

I came across "you people" directed at atheists on Ray Comfort's blog. (No matter how much Ray protests that he lurves all the little atheists, he doesn't mind letting through hateful comments about atheists, and someone at Atheist Central is heavily moderating those comments.)

Eddy Allen (of the unaccessible profile)

YES Ray that is true there are NO athiests in fox holes or death beds!! even monkey man Darwin gave up his foolish THEORY When he was faced with DEATH and as you said 10 out of 10 die and then no THEORY will save anybody!!

so dear athiests there you have it as Ray said there are no famous and respected of your foolish kind. and dont say Dawkins because he is NOT respected by me how can anyone believe we came from ALIENS! too much scifi channel and daydreaming there was no MAKER so he can sell foolish books to fools!!!

First of all, how could you possible know that there are no atheists in fox holes or death beds? Have you interviewed every active duty soldier and dying person in the entire world? That seems . . . unlikely. (Think of all the frequent flyer miles!)

Secondly, god doesn't save anyone from dying, so apparently he's no better than THEORIES. Supposedly, the wages of sin are death, but if I don't go to heaven, I'll be tortured forever in hell, which is still living forever. So, no death for anyone, ever.

Thirdly is the money quote: so dear athiests there you have it as Ray said there are no famous and respected of your foolish kind. Can I just say buy a fucking comma? Can I also just say that this is bizarre and unfounded and silly? Hitchens, Dawkins, PZ Myers, Eddie Izzard and Joss "the man himself" Whedon. Seriously, Joss Whedon. How much more famous or respected do you want than that? If you really want more, here you go.

Seriously, though the construction of that sentence makes me think of a time when black children in this country had few heroes, or when homosexuals had no one to point out as a famous and respected homosexual. Not because there weren't respectable people in both groups doing, or capable of doing, great things, but because the society they lived in either prevented them from achieving their potential, or prevented them from being honest about who they were. I've heard people say that President Obama is an atheist. He could be. I suspect he's probably agnostic, but we'll never know. You cannot become President of the United States as anything other than a Christian. So, politicians in this country are Christian whether they are or are not.

A lot of atheists hide. It doesn't mean we, my kind, aren't here.

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Open Your Mind, Dude!

screenshot because the Schaflys aren't known for their integrity

I was scrolling through Conservapedia's Talk page (don't ask me, apparently I like having aneurysms) and came across the weirdest exchange ever. I don't really know what to make of it except that perhaps everyone at Conservapedia is drunk?

Mr. Arrogance

The news story about Nick Clegg accusing David Cameron of arrogance states that Richard Dawkins "supports the accusation". The linked article does not support that assertion. It merely refers to Dawkins as a named supporter of the Liberal Democrats' campaign to bring about a fairer Britain. It says nothing about Dawkins even being aware of the assertion, let alone supporting it. Perhaps the news item should be reworded? --ClaudeEB 17:12, 4 May 2010 (EDT)

I could add in the fact that a increasing number in the liberal media now refer to Dawkins as a clown. Would that help clarify the item? --ṬK_/Admin^/Talk 17:19, 4 May 2010 (EDT)

Umm... is there someone else that I can talk to? --ClaudeEB 17:37, 6 May 2010 (EDT)

Well yes, I am certain if you walk into most any street in Melbourne you will find someone. But around here a closed mind isn't appreciated, I'm afraid. You should open your mind, Claude. The truth will set you free! --ṬK_/Admin^/Talk 18:38, 6 May 2010 (EDT)

I edited the entry taking into account your input. conservative 23:40, 7 May 2010 (EDT)

That's just freakin' weird, although I do enjoy ClaudeEB's attempt to find a sober person to talk to.

The World Is Complicated, Allow Me to Simplify It for You

I had an epiphany while reading a fascinating exchange on Zimbabwe (the country formerly known as Rhodesia) and the continuing effects of colonialism in present day Africa.

Well, actually, commentors like Whateverman and the problem with religion were having a fascinating discussion about the continuing effects of colonialism in present day Africa, while the blogger himself, Chris, was repeating "Christians [of my particular persuasion] good, all others bad!"

This relates, oddly enough, to the case of an abortion performed on a woman who would have died without the abortion, and the Catholic defense of their belief that even if the pregnancy will not result in a viable baby, the woman in question should still die, which could be reduced to "we have rules and we stick to them and if you allow exceptions to rules everything immediately descends into chaos."

That is, of course, demonstrably silly and everyone knows this, even those who claim it is true. I imagine everyone's boss cares when they show up and will punish people who fail to show up on time. However, if even the most die-hard Catholic got a flat tire on their way to work, do you think they wouldn't protest being punished for their lateness? If they were the boss do you think they wouldn't say, "Well, that's not your fault, don't worry about it"? Would the entire world descend into chaos if they did allow an exception in such a case? No.

The thing is, I have had bosses that would punish people for events beyond their control. Because actually listening to people and making judgments as to what is avoidable or fair is complicated. And who wants to think about things? It's far easier just to enforce the rules the same way every time, though that certainly cannot be termed fair.

Back to Chris, who won't listen to anyone but a Christian, no matter how much evidence someone else presents or how many Christians get caught out as liars. Over and over and over again, Christians prove that they are just like the rest of us and that you shouldn't trust people until they prove themselves trustworthy, that you should take everything with a grain of salt and that nothing is quite as it seems, but it doesn't matter. Someone like Chris will be fooled, again and again and again because his only qualification is Christianity.

Chris has simplified his life, like the people who allow no exceptions (common in Christianity), into one principle: Christian is good, everything else is bad. Everything else is too complicated. Subtlety is hard. Shades of grey are confusing. This one is good, that one is evil and that's all I need to know. The fact that very, very few, if any, people are all good or all bad is irrelevant. He's got his answer and that's all he needs. If PZ Myers tell Chris that his pants are on fire, Chris will double check with Ray Comfort before even looking to see why his legs are so warm. The fact that Ray already lied to him about the state of his pants 6 times before means nothing.

It's sad, really. There's a whole universe of knowledge out there, and these people have put themselves in a cage to keep it all out. I really can't imagine anything more tragic.

Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

A short story inspired by John Loftus' post, What Must Be the Case if Christianity Is True

4) That the highest created being, known as Satan or the Devil, led an angelic rebellion against an omnipotent omniscient omnibenelovent omnipresent God, and expected to win--which makes Satan out to be pure evil and dumber than a box of rocks.

Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, a conversation between Satan and Satan's second in command, Bob.

Bob: So, we're rebelling against God?

Satan: Yes.

Bob: Why? He's omnibenevolent. You can't get nicer than that.

Satan: Apparently, I'm wicked jealous of the humans.

Bob: Those things that feel pain, get sick and die? We're angels, why are we jealous of humans?

Satan: Two words- free will.

Bob: Well, if we're deciding to rebel, we must have that, too.

Satan: Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven.

Bob: Have you seen Hell?!

Satan: I admit, the decor is a little heavy on the burning lakes of fire and, well, burning lakes of fire, but we could always redecorate.

Bob: I don't think new wallpaper is going to fix that. Anyway, how can we rebel? God isn't just omnibenelovent, he's also omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent.

Satan: Hmmm . . . if he's omnipresent, doesn't that mean he rules Hell, too?

Bob: Yes.

Satan: Omniscient means he's hearing this conversation right now.

Bob: Uh-huh

Satan: Omnipotent means I can't win, right?

Bob: I don't know, you got anything better than all powerful?

Satan: This probably isn't a good idea.

Bob: Nope. So, how much apologizing do you think it's going to take to fix this one?

Satan: We may as well just keep rebelling, I don't think Hallmark makes that card.

Bob: *sigh* I'll go get some wallpaper samples, sir.

Satan: See if they have anything in tone-on-tone stripes. Those are classy!

Bob: Right away, sir.

Major Lulz from the Sheltered - Chapter 3

And the lulz just keep on comin'! (Chapter 1, Chapter 2)

In today's episode of Slut-Shaming for Dummies Life's Choices, our most improbably named 18-year-old mentally debates adoption and single motherhood and meets a proselytizer with a porn name in a parking lot*.

Two hours later, Leona emerged from the counseling room of the Lewis County Pregnancy Center. Mrs. Black hugged her before she headed out to her car. Sarah waved at her and called a good-bye from behind the receptionist counter and little Luke added his own version good-bye.

You mean waving goodbye? Children under the age of 1 can handle that amazing feat. Luke is supposed to be 3, I believe.

Leona smiled to herself as she got into her car. The people she had met at the Center were so cheerful and sweet...made her feel welcome and wanted. Her day felt brand new.

Christians can cleanse not only souls, but days, too!

She decided to stop by her favorite coffee shop and grab a latte. She hadn’t had one for a while and thought she needed the treat.

Because that's what liberals do, right? They drink overpriced coffee-based beverages, yeah, I think.

As Leona sipped her hot latte,

ahem. speaking as an official liberal drinker of overpriced coffee-based beverages, I can tell you that lattes are assumed to be hot unless specified otherwise. "Hot latte" is a weird phrase to someone who actually does visit coffee shops on a regular basis. (Well, mostly Dunkin' Donuts. And I don't generally get lattes, but still, the point stands.)

she thought back to her conversation with Mrs. Black. The woman made her feel as if she had known her all her life. It was so easy to talk to her...to tell her what her life was like. She was able to tell her about Jerry and how he had left her after finding out that she was pregnant. Mrs. Black seemed to really understand what Leona was feeling and sympathized with her. But even after her talk with Mrs. Black, Leona still felt that she wouldn’t be able to keep the baby. It wasn’t fair to him or her that they should grow up with just one parent - never knowing their biological father.

Full stop. Your average, normal, liberal teen would never think this. Maybe 1 in a 100 might possibly, I suppose, but no. It is assumed in this day and age that teen mothers will raise their own children, probably without the equally teen father around to help. And who thinks "biological father" like that, anyway? Why not just "father"?

When she had asked Mrs. Black for other alternatives, the older woman had given her several. Carry the baby to full-term and keep him/her or give birth to him/her and then the baby up for adoption or foster.

That's actually not several alternatives, that's two, and only one of those is an alternative to keeping the baby herself. (I really fail to see the difference between "foster" and "adoption" in this instance if Leona doesn't want to consider raising the baby without the father who has already left her.)

Leona was sure that it would never work to keep the baby. And she wasn’t sure about the whole adoption process. At least she could make sure that the baby would go to a better home. But...hadn’t she been thinking all along that the baby shouldn’t have to grow up not knowing his or her father? Why would she want to give her baby away and for it not to know both of its parents?

Well, yeah, actually. Good point. Never gets addressed.

Abortion seemed like such an easy choice. She wouldn’t have to worry about telling her parents, or about the whole adoption procedure, or even have to have a huge belly in front of her for 9 whole months! How embarrassing would that be - having to tell everyone, who asked her, that she was a single mom?

Um, is Leona an elephant? She's already 3 months pregnant, so why would she have a pregnant belly for 9 more months? 6 more months, absolute tops. Also, while everyone who sees you will forget etiquette and normal social rules and quiz you endlessly about the baby, nobody will ask you about the father. Especially not if you look young. Except for really judgmental religious types. They'll jump right in with the slut shaming.

So then some woman is careless, well, not really at all**, with her child and Leona screams at her and then realizes- gasp!- she was about to kill her own baby, so how can she complain if someone else lets their baby play in traffic! So then she runs out to her car and cries and then some nice (probably Christian) boy asks if she's okay, and we get this:

She wasn’t sure if she should roll down her window or not. He might be one of those lunatics that always wandered around large parks. But he seemed harmless enough and genuinely concerned. Besides, he didn’t look loony. His dark hair was combed neatly and he had on a nice polo shirt and slacks.

Yes, large parks (which is not where Leona is, btw) are always mobbed by the mentally ill/psychopathic killers. It's hard to even find a place for a picnic anymore, what with with all the crazies taking up the space. Nothing like insulting the mentally ill in the middle of your slut shaming.

So, the not-obviously-a-serial-killer (who is?) is Peter Gunn (a porn name if I ever heard one) who hands her a Bible. Then we learn that if two people in one day tell you about this Jesus fellow- who's that?- it must be true.

Leona tossed the Bible onto the passenger seat of her car and started the engine. She had one of those at home, but never read it. Why was God suddenly coming into her life? Sure, she had heard about Him at that Sunday school that she used to go to before she had decided to stay home from church altogether. Her parents sometimes talked about Him, but when she had told them to lay off being preachy to her, they had. They didn’t go to church anymore either.

I guess our family just sort of got bored with it, she thought to herself.
But first that DJ on the radio station and now this guy that just happened to stop at her car and hand her this Bible. This was too much.

Why was her life changing so fast?

Wow, a DJ on a religious station and some guy in a parking lot both talked about god on the same day- it's too much! Why, god, why?!

*I bet you anything this is the plot to an actual porno, and the name is something like "Parking Lot Pussy 5".

**If you haven't had children what happens might come across as extreme carelessness, but as someone who has raised a small child, I can tell you that no matter how careful you are, children get hurt. It's what they do. They also eat dust bunnies, shove pennies up their noses and trip over chalk lines. All in the 24 seconds it takes you to pee.

Prolife Should Mean Prolife

A friend of mine recently died of pulmonary hypertension. She was 26. I could tell you that she was a wife, a mother, funny, kind and smart, but none of that would capture the essence of the wonderful person that she was.

She found out she had pulmonary hypertension a week after she found out she was pregnant with her second child. The worst moment of her life wasn't finding out that she would die before her 30th birthday, it was finding out that in order to live a few more years, to be there long enough for her son to remember her, she would have to have an abortion because the pregnancy would kill her in a matter of weeks. My friend wanted another child, but that wasn't going to happen. The only thing my friend could do was hang on a few more years for the sake of her son. That's not selfishness, that's sacrifice.

The Catholic Church thinks my friend made the wrong choice. The Catholic Church thinks my friend should have died right then rather than have an abortion, even though the fetus would not have been able to survive. The Catholic Church thinks a dead woman is a good outcome.

Seriously, fuck the Catholic Church.

A nun and administrator at a Catholic hospital in Phoenix has been reassigned and rebuked by the local bishop for agreeing that a severely ill woman needed an abortion to survive.

Sister Margaret McBride was on an ethics committee that included doctors that consulted with a young woman who was 11 weeks pregnant late last year, The Arizona Republic newspaper reported on its website Saturday. The woman was suffering from a life-threatening condition that likely would have caused her death if she hadn't had the abortion at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center.

So, we have two outcomes here: dead woman and no baby or live woman and no baby. Baby is not an option. I could sort of see the RCC's argument if one option resulted in a live birth, but that's not the case here. The only choice is between a live woman and a dead one. Most of us see saving lives as good, but not the RCC. (For those keeping score, aiding and abetting pedophiles is good, saving women's lives is bad.)

Really, that's morality? That's god's love? I'll take hell, thank you very much.