"Religion is but Myth and Superstition that Hardens Hearts and Poisons Minds"

The Freedom From Religion Foundation won a lawsuit to place a sign next to a nativity scene that has been set up in the Washington state capitol building. Good job FFRF!

With a nod to the winter solstice - the year's shortest day occurring in late December - the placard reads: “At this season of the Winter Solstice may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”

I like this idea. What do you think?

Merry Fucking Christmas, Daniel Henninger

There it was, in the Wall Street Journal, the most incredibly fucking stupid thing I've read in a long time. You see, it is the lack of people saying "Merry Christmas" and the so-called "War on Christmas" that caused the financial meltdown... and not, well, not greed and the lack of reasonable regulations.

I rubbed my eyes, shook my head clear, and decided that I must have read it wrong. But no, there it was, in all its insipid glory.

Could it be meant as a joke? Shit, I hope so, but it isn't funny, so probably not. And that right wing turdbag Rupert Murdoch owns the WSJ, so it looks like anything goes now in terms of being published in the Journal, as long as it adheres to a right wing ideology... even if it is colossally insane.

"Fox and Friends" Snipes at Atheists

The American Humanist Association (AHA) has launched a holiday advertising campaign, with ads in major newspapers and posters on Washington, DC buses proclaiming, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake."

AHA spokesman Fred Edwords told the Associated Press, "Our reason for doing it during the holidays is there are an awful lot of agnostics, atheists and other types of nontheists who feel a little alone during the holidays because of its association with traditional religion."

The hosts of Fox and Friends naturally saw this as something to snipe at. Brian Kilmeade found it particularly hilarious and offered a variety of possible slogans to promote sympathy for the feelings of lonely atheists.

He began with, "A lot of times during the holidays, we don't think enough about people who don't think enough about the holidays."

He then offered, "There's nobody's birth to celebrate, so give an atheist a hug."

His third suggestion was that "atheists should get together and not celebrate all at once."

But the accumulated paradoxes finally made Kilmeade's head explode. "I really don't understand this story," he expostulated. "I don't understand the campaign. They don't want -- leave them alone!"

As an atheist, I do not feel left out of Christmas. I celebrate the season with my family and friends as the non-religious holiday it mostly has become.

If you're interested, here is the information on the holiday campaign from the American Humanist Association.