left biblioblography: July 2015

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Religious Entrenchment: The ‘Higher Power’ Clause

Cross posted @ the Atheist Oasis
12steptranslate(Hat tip to the Atheist Republic, where I learned about the following story.)

In the next few weeks, I am going to try address (read: bitch about ) the constant reminders of superstition in our culture, what I like to call the ‘god nods’. One never realizes how ubiquitous that is, until you become an atheist. Then, it seems the newly-self-aware atheist is being bombarded by all kinds of folderol, from ‘bless you’ when you sneeze, to reading about some tea-bagging idiot proclaiming ‘GAWD!’ from the podium while running for president. It just seems like it’s EVERYWHERE – a body can’t turn around in some states without being slapped in the face by a cultural anachronism from the last century.

Case in point:

Atheist Sent To Jail For Rejecting God, In Blatant Violation Of The Constitution

The Constitution doesn’t apply, apparently, when it comes to atheists. Barry Hazle, an avowed atheist from California, has had his parole revoked, and you’ll balk at why. According to Courthouse News Service, Hazle rightfully sued his parole officer, several corrections officials with the state of California, and Westcare Corp. for revoking his parole after his “congenial” refusal to acknowledge a higher power in a required 12- Step Program.

Hazle said that he had already expressed discomfort with participating in religiously based drug treatment programs after a plea of “no contest” to a methamphetamine possession charge. Despite the fact that everyone involved knew he was was an atheist, Hazle was released from prison into a 90-day treatment facility, where all of the programs available followed the 12 step method, which requires the acknowledgment of a higher power. When Hazle refused to participate, the staff reported him to his parole officer, and he went back to prison for 100 days.

Hazle filed a efderal civil rights suit seeking damages for false imprisonment and other civil rights violations. San Francisco U.S. District Judge Garland Burrell found the defendants in Hazle’s case liable for civil rights violations. However, when he turned the case over to a jury, they awarded Hazle zero damages.

Hazle appealed for a new trial, and was denied. Finally, a three- judge panel of the 9th Circuit found that Hazle was entitled to damages in his civil rights suit. From Judge Stephen Reinhardt:

The district judge’s finding of liability establishes that Hazle suffered actual injury when he was unconstitutionally incarcerated. Given this undisputed finding that Hazle’s constitutional rights were violated, and applying the rule that the award of compensatory damages is mandatory when the existence of actual injury is beyond dispute, we hold that the district judge erred in refusing to hold that Hazle was, as a matter of law, entitled to compensatory damages. We therefore reverse the district judge’s denial of Hazle’s motion for a new trial.

I’ll say he is entitled. And if the damages awarded are something insanely small, we’ll know where this nation stands with regards to the First Amendment: it only applies to some. Then again, we already knew that, didn’t we?

This is something we may all have encountered (I certainly have, multiple times). I have had a lot of friends in AA – but the ‘higher power’ thing? If someone asks me (no, not in AA thankfully), I’d simply state that humanity would be my ‘higher power’, which likely Hazle didn’t come up with. This goes hand-in-hand with the question, ‘don’t you want to be part of something larger’? Already am. Humanity. This also applies to the concept fronted by the ‘divine command’ folks. You know who I mean – the idiots who try to take credit for human morality, and try weakly to argue that all their morality comes from their imaginary friend, and somehow everyone else is ‘borrowing’ their morality (reification fallacy – how can anyone ‘borrow’ an abstract? Is there interest charged? Batshit crazy, that is).

The “selective rights” thing is going to be a thing of the past – equal rights. What a concept.

Because yes, freedom OF religion requires freedom FROM religion. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Till the next post then.

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Sunday, July 19, 2015

Extreme Religiousness As Mental Illness: File This Under ‘About Bloody Time!’

Cross posted @ the Atheist Oasis

strongmedsA casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith proves nothing – Nietzsche.

I think (but am not sure: the inevitable encroachment of entropy has claimed more than a few brain cells) that I’ve been on about this for some time. And voila! Someone finally has gotten a clue:

American Psychological Association To Classify Belief in God As a Mental Illness

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), a strong and passionate belief in a deity or higher power, to the point where it impairs one’s ability to make conscientious decisions about common sense matters, will now be classified as a mental illness.

The controversial ruling comes after a 5-year study by the APA showed devoutly religious people often suffered from anxiety, emotional distress, hallucinations, and paranoia. The study stated that those who perceived God as punitive was directly related to their poorer health, while those who viewed God as benevolent did not suffer as many mental problems. The religious views of both groups often resulted in them being disconnected from reality.

Dr. Lillian Andrews, professor of psychology, stated, “Every year thousands of people die after refusing life-saving treatment on religious grounds. Even when being told ‘you will die without this treatment’ patients reject the idea and believe that their God will still save them. Those lives could be saved simply by classifying those people as mentally unfit for decision making.”

“Jehovah Witnesses for instance,” Dr. Andrews continued, “will not accept blood under any circumstance. They would rather die than to receive life-saving donor blood. Many religious people believe they have “healing power” in their hands. Many believe they can communicate with God using a personal language, which is unknown to anyone but the communicator and God (known as speaking in tongues). Many often tell of seeing spirits. All of these are signs of a mental break and a loss of touch with reality. Religious belief and the angry God phenomenon has caused chaos, destruction, death, and wars for centuries. The time for evolving into a modern society and classifying these archaic beliefs as a mental disorder has been long overdue. This is the first of many steps to a positive direction.”

With the new classification, the APA will lobby to introduce legislation which would allow doctors the right to force life-saving treatment on those who refuse it for spiritual reasons on the grounds that they are mentally incapable of making decisions about their health.

The American Psychological Association says more information about the study and the new classification will be made available to the public in their upcoming journal (which is expected to be release in early August).

Whoo hoo! Hurray for the APA!

Now of course this isn’t targeting your average believer – for the most part, a lot of these folks sit around smoking cigarettes in their trailer parks, deluding themselves that they’re a part of a grander scheme (yeah, some divine plan there – dying broke and toothless, waiting for the handout from on high that never comes). No, the folks I worry about are the Mansons and the Chos – or we can reach back in time and look at all the lives that could’ve been saved if people had just realized that religious fruitcakes like Jim Jones, David Koresh or Timothy McVeigh (yeah, don’t bullshit me: any idiot who says ‘science is my religion’ is obviously covering for his faith) should’ve been put in some kind of institution, not become leaders of any sort. Joan of Arc? Crazy. And if it hadn’t been for her antics, we’d not have had Gilles de Rais. (Shudder)

And this is the part that cracks me up: we could, under the auspices of this study, commit a HUGE percentage of the GOP (if not all of them). I don’t trust a single one of those pricks as far as I can sling a piano. As I’ve stated (endlessly no doubt), folks who will put their faith above decisions that affect everyone are not to be trusted in office, because these people will ruin other lives due to ‘belief’.

And of course, those recalcitrant (read: stupid) parents who are convinced, regardless of all the evidence available, that their ‘gawd’ is going to cure their sick children. Maybe we should have all potential parents tested. And don’t get maudlin on me: we’ve all seen at least one instance on Facebook where some woman or man are behave in a manner unbefitting a human being, let alone a parent. And think about this: in order to adopt, you will be put through a literal wringer being vetted, but if you just give birth, hey, no harm no foul. Talk about inequitable.

But I digress.

Slowly but surely, our species is finally beginning to awake from the fever-induced fugue of religious thought. We can only hope that it continues as it has, albeit quickly.

Till the next post then.

ADDENDUM:

Yes, it has been pointed out that this is a satire – which I took seriously because A. I was seriously exhausted, & B. I should’ve known it was too good to be true. Apologies.

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Saturday, July 18, 2015

Extreme Religiousness As Mental Illness: File This Under ‘About Bloody Time!’

Cross posted @ the Atheist Oasis

strongmedsA casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith proves nothing – Nietzsche.

I think (but am not sure: the inevitable encroachment of entropy has claimed more than a few brain cells) that I’ve been on about this for some time. And voila! Someone finally has gotten a clue:

American Psychological Association To Classify Belief in God As a Mental Illness

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), a strong and passionate belief in a deity or higher power, to the point where it impairs one’s ability to make conscientious decisions about common sense matters, will now be classified as a mental illness.

The controversial ruling comes after a 5-year study by the APA showed devoutly religious people often suffered from anxiety, emotional distress, hallucinations, and paranoia. The study stated that those who perceived God as punitive was directly related to their poorer health, while those who viewed God as benevolent did not suffer as many mental problems. The religious views of both groups often resulted in them being disconnected from reality.

Dr. Lillian Andrews, professor of psychology, stated, “Every year thousands of people die after refusing life-saving treatment on religious grounds. Even when being told ‘you will die without this treatment’ patients reject the idea and believe that their God will still save them. Those lives could be saved simply by classifying those people as mentally unfit for decision making.”

“Jehovah Witnesses for instance,” Dr. Andrews continued, “will not accept blood under any circumstance. They would rather die than to receive life-saving donor blood. Many religious people believe they have “healing power” in their hands. Many believe they can communicate with God using a personal language, which is unknown to anyone but the communicator and God (known as speaking in tongues). Many often tell of seeing spirits. All of these are signs of a mental break and a loss of touch with reality. Religious belief and the angry God phenomenon has caused chaos, destruction, death, and wars for centuries. The time for evolving into a modern society and classifying these archaic beliefs as a mental disorder has been long overdue. This is the first of many steps to a positive direction.”

With the new classification, the APA will lobby to introduce legislation which would allow doctors the right to force life-saving treatment on those who refuse it for spiritual reasons on the grounds that they are mentally incapable of making decisions about their health.

The American Psychological Association says more information about the study and the new classification will be made available to the public in their upcoming journal (which is expected to be release in early August).

Whoo hoo! Hurray for the APA!

Now of course this isn’t targeting your average believer – for the most part, a lot of these folks sit around smoking cigarettes in their trailer parks, deluding themselves that they’re a part of a grander scheme (yeah, some divine plan there – dying broke and toothless, waiting for the handout from on high that never comes). No, the folks I worry about are the Mansons and the Chos – or we can reach back in time and look at all the lives that could’ve been saved if people had just realized that religious fruitcakes like Jim Jones, David Koresh or Timothy McVeigh (yeah, don’t bullshit me: any idiot who says ‘science is my religion’ is obviously covering for his faith) should’ve been put in some kind of institution, not become leaders of any sort. Joan of Arc? Crazy. And if it hadn’t been for her antics, we’d not have had Gilles de Rais. (Shudder)

And this is the part that cracks me up: we could, under the auspices of this study, commit a HUGE percentage of the GOP (if not all of them). I don’t trust a single one of those pricks as far as I can sling a piano. As I’ve stated (endlessly no doubt), folks who will put their faith above decisions that affect everyone are not to be trusted in office, because these people will ruin other lives due to ‘belief’.

And of course, those recalcitrant (read: stupid) parents who are convinced, regardless of all the evidence available, that their ‘gawd’ is going to cure their sick children. Maybe we should have all potential parents tested. And don’t get maudlin on me: we’ve all seen at least one instance on Facebook where some woman or man are behave in a manner unbefitting a human being, let alone a parent. And think about this: in order to adopt, you will be put through a literal wringer being vetted, but if you just give birth, hey, no harm no foul. Talk about inequitable.

But I digress.

Slowly but surely, our species is finally beginning to awake from the fever-induced fugue of religious thought. We can only hope that it continues as it has, albeit quickly.

Till the next post then.

Read More...

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Tempest In A Teapot: The Paper Tigers Of The GOP

Cross posted @ the Atheist Oasis

papertigerPaper Tiger: Paper tiger is a literal English translation of the Chinese phrase zhilaohu (紙老虎). The term refers to something that seems threatening but is ineffectual and unable to withstand challenge.

Well now, it’s been about two weeks since Obergefell v. Hodges, and we were promised civil disobedience and/or war. Let’s just see who’s been threatening what:

James Dobson (another person on my top ten I’d-like-to-slap-some-smarts-into-you list), has predicted civil war and the imminent collapse of Western civilization.

Rick Joyner (another nobody who can’t get a regular job) says that this in preparation for the coming of the Antichrist.

Mike Huckabee, everyone’s least favorite Republican (Young Earther? Shouldn’t be in office then), has been calling for civil disobedience. Sorry Fucked-up-bee, having Chuckles Norris on your side means shit in the real world.

This is the one that really pisses me off: black pastor groups rallying people for this nonsense. It’s bad enough there should be some kind of sympathy there (yeah, slavery and sexuality are different, but the principle remains the same), but skin color is not a precondition for deciding who gets civil rights – yes, everybody is aware that the African American population spearheaded the civil rights movement, but it’s not just about race. Anyone wants to get into that, fine – just read the definition.

So I’ve been waiting (only kinda joking) for war to break out, civil disobedience to spill over into the rioting streets, people tearing each apart, etc. All the signs of an imminent impending collapse.

Nothing.

Honestly, it’s kind of anti-climactic. We were promised sturm und drang, didn’t even get a light sprinkle. Maybe it’s too early in the game to tell, but thus far, the world just keeps on spinnin’.

Republicans are all mouth and trousers, it seems. Not really a surprise, though.

Till the next post then.

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Saturday, July 04, 2015

Happy Fourth Of July To A Freer America

Cross posted @ the Atheist Oasis

gawdwilljudgeThis is perhaps the happiest I’ve been (ideologically) in a long while.

On June 26, 2015, the Scotus ruled on Obergefell v. Hodges, coming to an historic landmark ruling that allowed same-sex marriage.

Because let’s face it: the only real argument against same-sex marriage is a religious one. Prior to the advent of Christianity, homosexuality was not only a recognized lifestyle, it was no huge deal to most of the ancient world. It was actually recognized in a few countries back then. It wasn’t until the Roman emperor Constantius II laid out a death sentence for this sort of ritual, that it became anathema. Then the Christians cracked down on this kind of behavior, because it was banned by their ‘holy book’. In fact, these alleged purveyors of the ‘religion of love’ indulged in some pretty horrific shit like:

In the thirteenth century, in areas such as France, male homosexual behavior resulted in castration on the first offense, dismemberment on the second, and burning on the third. Lesbian behavior was punished with specific dismemberments for the first two offenses and burning on the third as well.

(Though how someone would engage in that act after castration is a mystery.)

And so it was written, so it was done. As the evil priests of that old whore Christianity demanded, people were pre-programmed to hate and feel disgust at something we know now is not an ‘abomination’, but the expression of love two people felt for each other, regardless of genitalia, two adults whose business (sexual or otherwise) is theirs alone, not to be repressed and destroyed because of small-minded delusion.

And this rampant homophobia is embedded deeply in our culture. Teenagers still use the word ‘FAG!’ to denigrate some poor lonely isolated individual who is disliked (yeah, I got some of this ugly nonsense directed at me at that age, fucking un-fun.), and people have been savaged (and likely still are) over a sexual preference that is only disgusting if you have some serious insecurities about your own sexuality.

As an anecdote: back in the 80’s (or as I like to call it, the last century) I went to see the film Cruising. Mind you, I was still a young man, still chock full of ridiculous nonsense. I had to walk out, because the gay sex made me queasy and uncomfortable. Now, I can sit through Game Of Thrones (or Spartacus), see two men kiss (or more), and just shrug, thinking ‘good for them!’ I don’t fast forward to the hetero- scenes, I usually just wander off and come back at whatever time I feel like.

It makes me happy, to see that there’s a little less discrimination in our world.

But of course, the American Taliban is up in arms. That’s no surprise. In fact, the plethora of willful ignorance makes me want to get a Louisville slugger and start re-arranging knee-caps. But regardless of emotional vitriol, the Christians do have a good weapon: they can cry like little fucking babies because they didn’t get their way. It’s always all right when the rulings are in their favor, but they roll around on the floor, beating their heels and fists against the ground in temper tantrums like the ignorant spoiled children they are. And of course, scream their favorite delusion of  ‘Persecution!’ (as Jon Stewart once pointed out, ‘How can you be persecuted when you’ve been in charge for 2000 years?’)

And all I can say is; if you are forcing your religious beliefs down my throat, how is that in any way American?

Till the next post then.

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