Secular Humanism

mor(e)-on Sarah Palin (from Moveon)

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:36:25 GMT

Who is Sarah Palin? Here's some basic background:

* She was elected Alaska 's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage. She has no foreign policy experience.1
* Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.2
* She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000. 3
* Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.4
* She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.5
* She's solidly in line with John McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy. She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species—she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.6
* How closely did John McCain vet this choice? He met Sarah Palin once at a meeting. They spoke a second time, last Sunday, when he called her about being vice-president. Then he offered her the position.7

This is information the American people need to see. Please take a moment to forward this email to your friends and family.

We also asked Alaska MoveOn members what the rest of us should know about their governor. The response was striking. Here's a sample:

She is really just a mayor from a small town outside Anchorage who has been a governor for only 1.5 years, and has ZERO national and international experience. I shudder to think that she could be the person taking that 3AM call on the White House hotline, and the one who could potentially be charged with leading the US in the volatile international scene that exists today. —Rose M., Fairbanks, AK

She is VERY, VERY conservative, and far from perfect. She's a hunter and fisherwoman, but votes against the environment again and again. She ran on ethics reform, but is currently under investigation for several charges involving hiring and firing of state officials. She has NO experience beyond Alaska. —Christine B., Denali Park, AK

As an Alaskan and a feminist, I am beyond words at this announcement. Palin is not a feminist, and she is not the reformer she claims to be. —Karen L., Anchorage, AK

Alaskans, collectively, are just as stunned as the rest of the nation. She is doing well running our State, but is totally inexperienced on the national level, and very much unequipped to run the nation, if it came to that. She is as far right as one can get, which has already been communicated on the news. In our office of thirty employees (dems, republicans, and nonpartisans), not one person feels she is ready for the V.P. position.—Sherry C., Anchorage, AK

She's vehemently anti-choice and doesn't care about protecting our natural resources, even though she has worked as a fisherman. McCain chose her to pick up the Hillary voters, but Palin is no Hillary. —Marina L., Juneau, AK

I think she's far too inexperienced to be in this position. I'm all for a woman in the White House, but not one who hasn't done anything to deserve it. There are far many other women who have worked their way up and have much more experience that would have been better choices. This is a patronizing decision on John McCain's part- and insulting to females everywhere that he would assume he'll get our vote by putting "A Woman" in that position.—Jennifer M., Anchorage, AK

So Governor Palin is a staunch anti-choice religious conservative. She's a global warming denier who shares John McCain's commitment to Big Oil. And she's dramatically inexperienced.

In picking Sarah Palin, John McCain has made the religious right very happy. And he's made a very dangerous decision for our country.

In the next few days, many Americans will be wondering what McCain's vice-presidential choice means. Please pass this information along to your friends and family.

Thanks for all you do.

–Ilyse, Noah, Justin, Karin and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Sarah Palin," Wikipedia, Accessed August 29, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

2. "McCain Selects Anti-Choice Sarah Palin as Running Mate," NARAL Pro-Choice America, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17515&id=13660-46017-6YTuikx&t=1

3. "Sarah Palin, Buchananite," The Nation, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17736&id=13660-46017-6YTuikx&t=2

4. "'Creation science' enters the race," Anchorage Daily News, October 27, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17737&id=13660-46017-6YTuikx&t=3

5. "Palin buys climate denial PR spin—ignores science," Huffington Post, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17517&id=13660-46017-6YTuikx&t=4

6. "McCain VP Pick Completes Shift to Bush Energy Policy," Sierra Club, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17518&id=13660-46017-6YTuikx&t=5

"Choice of Palin Promises Failed Energy Policies of the Past," League of Conservation Voters, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17519&id=13660-46017-6YTuikx&t=6

"Protecting polar bears gets in way of drilling for oil, says governor," The Times of London, May 23, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17520&id=13660-46017-6YTuikx&t=7

7 "McCain met Palin once before yesterday," MSNBC, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=21119&id=13660-46017-6YTuikx&t=8

All call for musicians, tablers, people who love to cook, and all of you ROOTS RADICALS!

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 20:50:09 GMT

International Call for Solidarity with Orlando Food Not Bombs:
Lake Eola Ladle Fest!
Oct. 8-10

On April 4th, Eric Montanez became the first Food Not Bombs member in Orlando arrested under the City's anti-homeless food sharing ordinance. That measure, aimed at Orlando FNB and other groups that help hungry and homeless people, bans unpermitted food sharings of more than 25 people in more than three dozen downtown parks. Groups only are allowed two one-time permits per per park in a 12-month period. Eric's trial starts Mon., Oct. 8. In addition, five other FNB comrades arrested under a City noise ordinance while drumming outside a fund-raising event for Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer have a pre-trial hearing on Oct. 10.

Eric is, of course, one of hundreds of Food Not Bombs members arrested over our movement's more than 25-year history for the "crime" of sharing food with the hungry and homeless and directly challenging the poverty and inequality that make FNB necessary. His trial will set a precedent that will affect FNB and other anti-poverty groups throughout the country; so what happens to Eric and Orlando Food Not Bombs should be of concern to all of us. Cities and developers around the country are keeping a watchful eye on Orlando to see what they may be able to get away with. The City and business interests need to know that we will not let them take away our rights and tighten thescrews on the poor and homeless through gentrification and criminalizing homelessness. To put pressure on the City, we will hold Lake Eola Ladle Fest--a three-day event in Lake Eola Park in the very spot where Eric was arrested by more than a dozen uniformed and undercover Orlando police for ladling out stew to the homeless.

From Oct. 8-10, we would like FNB members from around the country to stand in solidarity with Eric, OFNB, and the local poor and homeless by helping us share breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and also holding various events and workshops throughout the day. We hope to attract as many of our community's homeless and low-income residents, and supporters from around the country, as possible. We also as a group will walk to the courthouse each morning and we encourage people to show support for Eric by attending his trial. The third day we will hold "The March of Mimes" in support of the Cruddy Dyer-rhea Drum Corps 5--Ryan Hutchinson, Bryan Jones, Brett Mason, Eric, and Will Vertlieb--and also free speech rights.

We here in Orlando we can provide some sleeping space. People are encouraged to bring items such as canned goods, fresh veggies and prepackaged snacks to donate. Also there will be a really really free market that will be available for the homeless and low income residents, so brings things to donate to that, too.

The Lake Eola Ladle Fest begins on the morning of October 8 in the park's picnic area which is located at the corner of Central and Osceola in downtown Orlando. If you are coming the night before or have any questions, e-mail us at orlandofnb@orlandofoodnotbombs.org and we'll try to find you a place to stay at our collective house(s).

Please forward this message far and wide. We need as many people as possible to participate.

Orlando Food Not Bombs
http://orlandofoodnotbombs.org

Rational Secular Humanism Condones This Mess

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 14:19:43 GMT

I was looking at some political-themed crafts over on a Slate article. And they had a godless cross-stitch! Cute!

Secular Humanism on Myspace

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 19:24:19 GMT

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=121987573&MyToken=7ba66dc4-348c-4395-8759-697194bfeff8

Darwin Day

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:07:24 GMT

Happy Darwin Day, a holiday celebrated by Humanists and Deists.
Darwin Day Info

Flying Spaghetti Monster spotted in Germany!

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 20:29:26 GMT

(thanks greyyguy)

2007 Atheist Calendar

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 21:22:55 GMT

A friend of mine has published a 2007 monthly wall calendar titled "Atheists", featuring the likenesses of, among others, Nietzche, Edison, Hemingway, and Mencken. It is available for online purchase here.

Personally, I think this is awesome, and settles early on my annual debate of what calendar to put up in my kitchen.

problems in the workplace

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:50:02 GMT

I just moved to the Los Angeles area from Buffalo (New York). Back on the east coast, my lack of religious beliefs didn't seem to create any problems for me (most likely because it's not something people discuss as often there). Recently, a discussion at work came up about god and I was asked if I believed in god. I said "no" and explained that I am more partial to scientific theory. I didn't argue about religion nor did I say anyone was wrong, I just stated that I was an atheist. As a result, 2 of my co-workers won't speak to me and mentioned they're "done" with me due to my lack of religious belief. I work in an environment where there are several different types of religious beliefs and no one else has had this problem. Still, because I happen to be an atheist, people say things like "don't listen to her, she does't believe in god." How do I deal with this?

"RDF, more like Really Dumb Fools (Psalm 14:1)!!!1"

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 02:59:10 GMT

(Sure I'm a few months behind on checking this out, but--) Pretty interesting... http://www.richarddawkins.net

There's always a rather condescending air to Richard Dawkins' focus on America and implication that the rational British should save us from ourselves, but damned if it isn't true that the most economically and politically influential country in the world greatly needs someone to teach us about rationality. So he's set up a foundation based in both the US and UK to funnel money in a tax-efficient way from British contributors such as himself to America to do things here such as provide material to schools, fund scientific research into religious/superstitious behavior, and support general charities that don't involve church/missionary work. The articles on the website continue to assume the currently popular memetics-based explanation for religious behavior, unfortunately, but the research funding he talks about could hopefully clear some of that controversy up someday.

Angel Therapy: a REALLY alternative therapy

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:47:08 GMT

You've heard of "Alternative Therapies"?
Here's a really alternative therapy: Angel Therapy

“Angel Therapy is a non-denominational spiritual healing method that involves working with a person's guardian angels and archangels, to heal and harmonize every aspect of life.”

http://www.angeltherapy.com/about_at.php

Meet Dr. Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.
Hello, nurse! Uhh, doctor.

http://www.angeltherapy.com/about.php

“Dr. Doreen Virtue is a spiritual doctor of psychology and a fourth-generation metaphysician who works with the angelic, elemental, and ascended-master realms in her writings and workshops. Doreen is the author of more than 20 books about angels, chakras, Crystal Children, Indigo Children, health and diet, and other mind-body-spirit issues ….

As a child, Doreen was a natural clairvoyant, seeing and conversing with what many people call “invisible friends.” But this natural gift and ability was little understood by the young Doreen and her family, and was the cause of teasing by her friends.”

Is Virtue her real name?

”Yes. Doreen says, "I wouldn’t have had the nerve to make-up a name like ‘Dr. Virtue.’ “

What about what the Bible says, that it’s wrong to consult with mediums and talk to the dead?

”… there are certain therapeutic reasons for contacting the deceased. … “through the process of talking with their deceased loved one, people heal very rapidly. They’re able to express their feelings of hurt, anger, guilt, abandonment, loneliness, betrayal and other pent-up emotions directly to their deceased loved one, through the process of mediumship. Doreen says, "When I see people’s lives heal because they have contacted a deceased loved one, I don’t see how that could be a sin in any way.” …”

(I.e. – Hey, who ya gonna believe, the Word of God, or li’l old me???)

What about fallen angels? Is there such a thing? Aren't you worried that the devil will disguise himself as a beautiful angel and trick you?

”As a clairvoyant, Doreen can see the spirit world in great detail. She says, "There are beings that are referred to as ‘fallen angels.’ In reality, they aren’t angels at all. Angels are glowing beings, filled with the inner radiance of God’s love. Angels have soft, feathery wings. Angels always talk about, and act from, Love. The "fallen angels," in contrast, have no light in them. They have short, bat-like bony wings and clawed talons. They’re commonly called "gargoyles." These beings aren’t creations of God’s love; they’re creations of man’s fear.

… Dark beings are attracted to those who abuse substances, and those who are dishonest, cruel, manipulative and obsessively afraid of evil.

"Earthbound spirits" are another form of so-called "fallen angels." These are deceased humans who, for a variety of reasons (fear of hell, materiality and so on.), stay rooted to earth. They are sometimes called ghosts.

The best way to clear away the presence of earthbound spirits and dark beings is to hold a constant mindset of Love. Think about God as often as you can. And call upon the Archangel Michael, who escorts away fear and darkness, to act as your "bouncer," ensuring that only invited guests are by your side and in your home.”

http://www.angeltherapy.com/faq.php

“The angels are with us as a gift from our Creator, and their aim is to establish peace on Earth, one person at a time.

Working wing-in-hand with the angels, I believe that this goal is possible.”

LOL. I couldn’t make this stuff, up, folks.

(I’d just like to say here that I think this stuff is pretty silly, but certainly no sillier than other religious and “spiritual” beliefs and practices, and that Dr. Virtue is by no means the worst “spiritual advisor” I’ve encountered.)

-

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 01:28:09 GMT

As usual, religious fundamentalists target "pornography" (like showing a bit of leg) in an attempt to abolish secularism and suppress women.

Indonesia's powderkeg

Date: August 31 2006

Julia Suryakusuma and Tim Lindsey

INDONESIA is in the middle of an explosive debate about whether conservative Islamic morality will become enforceable law in that nation of 230 million. It is a debate that threatens to unravel the secular foundation of the republic itself.

Amid street protests, the DPR, Indonesia's newly democratic legislature, is debating a reactionary Anti-Pornography Bill that is really an attempt to introduce hardline interpretations of sharia (Islamic law) by stealth. The bill would criminalise much sexuality, force women to cover up almost completely, largely exclude them from public space and tightly censor the arts and media. If passed, it would give Islam a new, dominant position in law and politics that generations of Indonesian leaders have tried to avoid. And it would inevitably create huge difficulties for the relationship with Australia.

How did Indonesia get to this frightening position? A wave of local elections through to late 2005 seeking to implement democratisation and decentralisation delivered dramatic political change in Indonesia, cementing a broader social process under way since 1998, when the dictatorial Soeharto lost power. Of a hundred local elections conducted to date, some 40 per cent or so resulted in the rise of new elites.

Many of these are male traditional leaders pushed to one side under Soeharto's "New Order", who draw their authority from traditional local sources and look for legitimacy for conservative and socially regressive values linked to local identity. In many regions these groups have replaced Jakarta-endorsed bureaucrats, who, for all their many failings, often had a strongly secular nationalist bent and some commitment to a modernising agenda. The old-for-new elites are influencing local policy across the country.

The local heroes want to differentiate themselves from the apparatchiks of the past and to strengthen their local support by adopting agendas sponsored by conservative social groups, often religious in nature. The result has been a wave of attempts to introduce conservative interpretations of sharia-derived moral norms through local regulations and bylaws. This has occurred most obviously in autonomous Aceh. It is even more disruptive, however, in other areas that have greater religious and social plurality.

That some of these new regulations are inspired by Muslim hardliners is clear. The Acehnese laws, for example, drew inspiration from radical and controversial sharia codes introduced in Malaysian states Kelantan and Trengganu by the conservative Islamic party PAS. Likewise, a local congress that led to the drafting of a proposed law for South Sulawesi in Indonesia in 2001 was attended by Abu Bakar Bashir, leader of terrorist organisation Jemaah Islamiah.

In 2002, hardliners were soundly defeated in the national legislature in attempts to insert a clause obliging Muslims to follow sharia into the constitution, from which it had been deleted in 1945. This was a proposal for which radicals, including Bashir, had campaigned hard. National failure led them to renew efforts at the local level, with some success. Now they are back at the national level: the Anti-Pornography Bill is the local sharia regulations writ large.

Like them, the bill would ban modern behaviour that offends traditional and religious cultural norms. If passed in its original form it would prohibit forms of expression that its supporters consider pornoaksi (pornographic actions) — mainly sexuality or women's self-expression. Public displays of affection (such as holding hands) would be criminalised and so would exposing "sensitive" body parts such as breasts, thighs, belly and navel, as well as, even, hair, shoulders and legs. Women have already been arrested for these sorts of offences under the hardline regional laws in some areas, including the outskirts of Jakarta itself.

The Anti-Pornography Bill is about denying women and sexuality public space. It uses pornography as an excuse, equating expression of sexuality outside the marriage bed — even the very presence of women outside the home — with obscenity and criminality. And it would lock up artists and writers who present these themes, as do many artists in most societies, including Indonesia, which has a vibrant, flourishing and cosmopolitan artistic and cultural scene.

The irony is that these reforms, intended to give democracy and the right to a voice to millions of Indonesians silenced for decades under Soeharto, may now strip away from half of them some of the few rights they enjoyed under his rule. While decentralisation may deliver political democracy to the regions, it may also deny social democracy — at least for women and non-Muslims.

The real fate of these laws will most likely be decided in the streets, as demos and protests for and against it continue unabated, often led by women. Even if the bill fails, however, it is unlikely that the issue will fade away, because what the legislature is considering is in reality a proxy for a broader and persistent debate: should Indonesian Muslims be forced to follow sharia law — and, if so, whose version?

Disagreement was intense among Indonesia's founding fathers in 1945 and there is no sign that anything has changed after 50 years of debate — except that now women are squarely in the argument, too, as both voices and victims.

Julia Suryakusuma is a Jakarta writer and the author of Sex, Power and Nation. Tim Lindsey is professor of Asian law at the University of Melbourne.

http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2006/08/30/1156816965281.html

Celebrate Ten Amendments Day: A Response to Ten Commandments Day

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Wed, 03 May 2006 14:20:26 GMT

Summer Institute: Center for Inquiry. Register Now!

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 15:31:33 GMT

http://www.centerforinquiry.net/education/

Seattle, this week

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 01:10:30 GMT

Any Secular Humanists in Seattle? I'll be there speaking this weekend and part of next week.

I wish this were a joke. It's not.

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 19:23:26 GMT

So, by Presidential Decree, the War for Theocracy is to be placed under control of the Department of Homeland Security. Unfortunately, as we have seen, throttling the Constitution is the one of the few areas of activity in which the DHS has not been shown to be utterly incompetent.

It becomes obvious at this very late juncture that the words "congress shall make no law" were insufficient - the establishment clause did not go nearly far enough.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/03/20060307-5.html

Executive Order: Responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security with Respect to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to help the Federal Government coordinate a national effort to expand opportunities for faith-based and other community organizations and to strengthen their capacity to better meet America's social and community needs, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment of a Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the Department of Homeland Security.

(a) The Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) shall establish within the Department of Homeland Security (Department) a Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (Center).

(b) The Center shall be supervised by a Director appointed by Secretary. The Secretary shall consult with the Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (WHOFBCI Director) prior to making such appointment.

(c) The Department shall provide the Center with appropriate staff, administrative support, and other resources to meet its responsibilities under this order.

(d) The Center shall begin operations no later than 45 days from the date of this order.

Sec. 2. Purpose of Center. The purpose of the Center shall be to coordinate agency efforts to eliminate regulatory, contracting, and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the provision of social and community services...

And so on.

I hope you'll read the whole thing carefully - the implications are anything but trivial - and above all, voice your opposition to this ongoing theocratic insanity.

Thank you.

Missouri House Concurrent Resolution No. 13

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 10:33:54 GMT

crossposted to anti_righty, antivists, and sos_usa.

State bill proposes Christianity be Missouri’s official religion

09:24 PM CST on Saturday, March 4, 2006

By John Mills, News 4 [KMOV-TV, St. Louis]

Missouri legislators in Jefferson City considered a bill that would name Christianity the state's official "majority" religion.

House Concurrent Resolution 13 has is pending in the state legislature.

Many Missouri residents had not heard about the bill until Thursday.

Karen Aroesty of the Anti-defamation league, along with other watch-groups, began a letter writing and email campaign to stop the resolution.

The resolution would recognize "a Christian god," and it would not protect minority religions, but "protect the majority's right to express their religious beliefs.

The resolution also recognizes that, "a greater power exists," and only Christianity receives what the resolution calls, "justified recognition."

State representative David Sater of Cassville in southwestern Missouri, sponsored the resolution, but he has refused to talk about it on camera or over the phone.

KMOV also contacted Gov. Matt Blunt's office to see where he stands on the resolution, but he has yet to respond.

___________

Text thus far of House Concurrent Resolution No. 13

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 13

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

4572L.02I

Whereas, our forefathers of this great nation of the United States recognized a Christian God and used the principles afforded to us by Him as the founding principles of our nation; and

Whereas, as citizens of this great nation, we the majority also wish to exercise our constitutional right to acknowledge our Creator and give thanks for the many gifts provided by Him; and

Whereas, as elected officials we should protect the majority's right to express their religious beliefs while showing respect for those who object; and

Whereas, we wish to continue the wisdom imparted in the Constitution of the United States of America by the founding fathers; and

Whereas, we as elected officials recognize that a Greater Power exists above and beyond the institutions of mankind:

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-third General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, that we stand with the majority of our constituents and exercise the common sense that voluntary prayer in public schools and religious displays on public property are not a coalition of church and state, but rather the justified recognition of the positive role that Christianity has played in this great nation of ours, the United States of America.

-----------

I tremble for my country when I reflect that natural selection feels no pity.

Io, Saturnalia!

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 01:20:13 GMT

If you're not a Christmasy person, I'm afraid that you would probably find me very annoying to be around right now. I am overflowing with seasonal cheer.

OK, well not "overflowing", exactly, but I'm feeling it, and I'm enjoying some of the aspects of the holiday season. It probably helps that I'm doing almost no shopping, I don't watch television, and I've made my own holiday compilation CDs to listen to. Oh, and Santacon on Saturday helped my spirits as well. :)

Still, I might be annoying to be around for the next couple of weeks for someone who is deliberately avoiding holiday cheer.

Being a Pagan-leaning Atheist, of course the holiday I'm talking about is a solstice celebration (though the big day is December 25 at our house). Longer days are almost here!

This is the weirdness of my life, particularly around this time of year. I was born and raised as a Catholic. Leaving the Church as a teen, I wandered quite a bit, and at one point or another attended services of at least a dozen different Protestant denominations, actually joining two of them at different times. In my late 20s, I came to the conclusion that I am an atheist, and any sort of spirituality or mysticism is simply carried-over mythos from more primitive times. During that phase, I also married a Christian who was exploring possible conversion to Judaism, and I became heavily involved in the peace movement, which is dominated by Christians, Buddhists, and Pagans (at least in this area). Over the past several years, my hard-line atheism has bent a bit to an acceptance of spirituality sans deity, and the most accurate label I could place on myself now would be "adeist", though I have yet to succeed in my feeble attempts to get that word accepted by the O. E. D., so "atheist" is still the label I use with people when I don't feel like exploring this whole answer in depth.

As an adeist, I find great thoughts embodied in the writings of various religions, most notably some Pagan and Buddhist philosophies, which largely speak of a universal spirituality rather than any omniscient, omnipotent deity. For the most part, even the Gods and Goddesses who do exist in Pagan mythos are not omnipotent, omnipresent, omni-anything non-corporeal beings. They're more like ... superheroes: powerful, but vulnerable as well, usually with a vulnerability as pronounced as their "superpower".

So comes the Holiday Season, a time of year which is the focal point of most of my good childhood memories, as well as some of the bad ones. Either way, the significance of this time of year to my childhood family makes it a significant time of year for me as an adult, whether I like it or not.

So what to do? For me to celebrate a Christian holiday would be hypocritical, but I do enjoy the rites and trappings of the season: decorated trees, gift-giving, houses and streets lit up to chase away the dark winter blues, and wishes of "peace on Earth" to and from strangers.

Well, fortunately for me, all the things that I really like about Christmas have absolutely nothing to do with Jesus Christ or Christianity, and everything to do with centuries-old Pagan solstice traditions of my European ancestors!

Christmas didn't even exist as a Christian holiday until they started trying to convert the European Pagans. Bothered by the Saturnalia solstice festivals of their would-be converts in Rome, which the Romans seemed adamant to keep, the Christian missionaries there decided that Jesus Christ the Messiah was born on the solstice (December 25 on the ancient pre-Julian calendar), thus paving the way for a supplanting of Saturn while allowing the new converts to keep the trappings of their solstice festivals.

As Christianity moved north, particularly into areas less "civilized" than Rome, this winter holiday turned out to be a very convenient lever to use when converting various middle European cultures, easing their assimilation as well. These northern Pagan cultures are where we get things like lighted evergreens, wreaths, holly decorations, mistletoe, gift exchanges, and "Father Christmas" or "Santa Claus", whose mythology is derivative of the Norse "Old Man Winter", who spent the week of solstice going door to door through the villages of Scandinavia, bestowing blessings, and accepting alms and food.

Among modern day Christians, the holiday of Christmas is still a controversy. Some say that the celebration of the Saviour's birth is the greatest holiday of the year, while others say it is only of secondary importance behind Easter, the celebration of His resurrection, and the assortment of Christian Holy Days that precede it. Still other Christians, notably Jehovah's Witnesses, deny Christmas as a holiday entirely, since it is a birthday celebration, which is banned by their dogma.

And now, brewing for the past several years, but seemingly coming to a head this December, is the Christian campaign to convince people that non-Christians are engaging in a "War on Christmas", telling the faithful that to greet people with anything other than "Merry Christmas" at this time of year is not only blasphemous, but going so far as to be anti-Christian. Nevermind that Christians share this nation with people of every faith, as well as those of us who are faithless. For Christians to feign any cry of oppression while they are three-quarters of the country's population has got to be the height of pathetic, self-aggrandizing martyrdom to come down the pike in many decades.

First off, if one does not know another individual's religion, "Happy Holidays" would most certainly be the most appropriate greeting to give. If I know that someone is a Christian, I will say, "Merry Christmas", even though I am not a believer myself. The same goes if I know someone is Jewish; I will wish her a "Happy Hanukkah", and my pagan friends will hear me say, "Happy Solstice", or "Io, Saturnalia". But if I don't know a person's religion, or know him to be an atheist, "Happy Holidays" is what he gets.

Of course, some people of any given religion have difficulty functioning in a secular society where they have equal freedom to practice their religion as anyone else, and it is from these people that we are now hearing about this "War on Christmas" (cue villainous theme music) -- all because the sales clerk says "Happy Holidays" instead of assuming them to be Christians in our multi-cultural, religiously pluralistic society. Cry me a river. The River Styx, in fact. Cry me the River Styx!

Don't be fooled -- this "War on Christmas" campaign is being staged not by secularists within our society, but by the radical religious right. It is their attempt to create an artificial backlash against liberals and against secularists to slingshot this country closer to Christian theocracy, driven by what they hope to be the outrage of the mainstream Christians of America reacting to non-existent oppression by minority cultures.

Last week, while driving through my neighborhood, I saw a yard sign with a silhouette of a radiant child in a cradle and the words, "Keep the Christ in Christmas!" I have no trouble with this as an expression of the individual's faith, but since it was on the person's lawn, and facing the street, I took it as an admonishment to the rest of us to observe the holiday a certain way. However, given the visible evergreen in the home's window, and the wreath on the door, and the Santa Claus banner protruding from the house, I felt a strong twinge of contempt for the person who is so adamant to keep faithful to his own religion while stealing the symbology of another. The hypocrisy of the scene is staggering.

How can these people claim any kind of religious high ground while they co-opt the religious symbols of others? As long as these people insist on using Pagan symbols for their Christian celebrations, I say that they have no place objecting to the various ways that others observe -- or don't observe -- their winter holidays. No, that's not correct. This hypocrisy is only one stick in a pile of contempt. Even if they give up the traditionally Pagan observances of the season, they still will never have the right to dictate how others observe the holidays, nor which holidays they observe.

If I were a Christian, I'd be hopping mad at those maniacal radicals who use my religion to further their evil causes.

As it is, I am thankful to live in a nation where I do have the freedom to celebrate the season as I see fit, with whom I see fit, by whatever name appeals to me, and I am going to enjoy my Solstice Celebration!

IO! SATURNALIA!
Further Reading

What Would Jesus Want for Christmas?

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 07:52:42 GMT

Hello, hope all is going well. I hope you all are surviving the dreadful madness which we call the Holiday Shopping Season(used to be Christmas Shopping Season, but since we live in a politically correct time period this is what I will refer to the period as, sorry for any inconveniences. Thank you!) I am surviving without being trampled on because I am buying everything at the local Meijer store during the not so busy hours of the day. Already, I have bought most of my gifts and they all together should retail under $75 which is pretty darn good. Other than that, I am eagerly awaiting the return of my brother from Germany, and waiting for the madness to end, and hopefully get a phone call soon about working for the local newspaper in my area. Other than that, everything is fine.
A question, if this holiday that we call Christmas is really about Christ's birthday, then why is it we hear no one in particularly in the Christian community ever talk about what would Jesus want for Christmas (WWJWC), nice acronym, hey; since Christians talk about WWJD (I do not have to write it out do I. I always wonder that is it possible that he would not wanted anything at all because he was a extremely benevolent man, or a perfect man to believers that was so modest that he would'nt want anything. If Jesus were alive, I would probably go to Home Depot and rob it and get whatever he needs since he is a carpenter, and has the power to create anything. Then I expect him to go inside and not only create replacements of the stolen items but just by his presence alone will enable the store staff whom many of them probably admirers/believers will allow him to get away with it since he is God and can send all of them to Hell if he wants to. However he may condemn my actions but hey he allegedly is God after all, so you can rob for God, or even kill for God which the people of the Book have been doing for thousands of years.
That reminds me the "Age of Reason" by Thomas Paine gave me a whole new outlook on the Bible in particularly the Old Testament which is not written by people other than those who purported to have written them but they written years after, for example the Book of Samuel continues after the death of Samuel, and Samuel wrote it, kinda silly huh. Any how back to my initial statement, the Old Testament according to Paine is nothing but violence-blood and gore in all, now the New Testament is'nt so violent because Jesus seemed to be an awfully nice fellow to get along with. It's a shame that the Romans and the Sadducees had to kill him because he was not only a nice guy but happened to be a good teacher of men. However they thought he was a nut-case and he probably was for that time like Socrates was for his time or Joan of Arc for her time, and Martin L. King Jr. for his time. It is of my strongest opinion, nut-cases move and drive the engine of history for us all, they are our leaders and visionaries.In the end, Paine concludes that the Bible is no more than an anthology of violent hear-say, not revelation which many are led to believe since the beginings of the Bible around the time of the 4th Century AD . Personally, I take Paine's view.
It appears that I have ran out of time, I shall talk to you all later. Love you all! Ciao!

Podcast

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 21:31:15 GMT

A new PodCast focusing on reason, humanism, and free inquiry: http://www.pointofinquiry.org

RSS feed: http://pointofinquiry.libsyn.com/rss

How does one Avoid being a Secular Humanist?

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 06:13:25 GMT

Not that I wish to do that, there is room for all in what I am. What I mean is, regardless if one is a Fallwell fundie or not, how, having to concentrate on one or many similar things at once, does one avoid trying to be a functional human being even if that means worrying about religious crap?

We always worry, even if we don't care at all. I could foreswear all my other names and labels and be content as a secular humanist, but just like the fundie freaks, I might be bored, find it not enough, not right for me.

What about you?

Astrology is scientific theory, courtroom told

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 17:28:49 GMT

"Astrology would be considered a scientific theory if judged by the same criteria used by a well-known advocate of Intelligent Design to justify his claim that ID is science, a landmark US trial heard on Tuesday."

New Scientist article

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 01:17:02 GMT

I don't know how applicable a kids' summer camp is to any of you, but since the website has just been put online--

Camp Quest West is coming Summer '06.

build you seven half built manors...

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 20:27:31 GMT

My husband and I are having a debate about secular humanism, and I wanted to get the opinion of this community.

Are all secular humanists politically liberal?

I say no, he says yes. Any thoughts?

(We both consider ourselves to be liberal secular humanists, btw.)

Time and Space are Running out, register now!

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 18:36:43 GMT

Richard Dawkins, Laurence Krauss, Ann Druyan, Sam Harris, Paul Kurtz and many more:

Go here to register: http://www.centerforinquiry.net/events/csh-2005.html

Don't miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

For those of you keeping score at home....

dkoepsell@centerforinquiry.net — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 07:09:48 GMT

Former house majority leader Frist, Senate majority leader Delay, vice president Cheney, president Bush, and Army secretary White all have been caught in white collar crimes. Each one of them came into more money through their lies, theft, and deception than Martha Stewart. Frist may have made as much as six million in fact.

Our president is a crook, our vice president is a crook, the next two people in line for the presidency after them were crooks (only one for sure now that Delay is out.) This can not stand. This must not stand. The endangered species act is gone. They will probably be drilling in Alaska before the snow melts next year, and they are trying to cut every significant social program left while 1.1 million new people are classified as poor this year (pre-hurricanes) and 700,000 more households are millionaires. If I hear the words "due to issues of national security" one more time about some shady government action, I'm going to blow someone's fucking head off.

I mean seriously this is so bad that I would rather be Zombie President Nixon's personal pre-speech fluffer tomorrow than a normal citizen under Bush today. These people are plundering the coffers of the American people for their own gain. We can not change things tomorrow. It will not be acceptable to choose someone better next time. I can't let them sit on private islands sipping Mai Tais while I run about trying to get things fixed during the nigh eminent class war. Let's make sure these bastards are rotting in jail before 2008. I've had less than a year of Bush's second term. I can't take three more. Does anyone really think things are going to get better? He is a second-termer with no incentive to listen to the mandates of the people.

Impeach that treasonous sorry excuse for a president.... Over 600,000 people have already signed the referendum to impeach Bush. Do the world a favor and get 10 of your friends to sign too. This isn't about just you or me. This is about starving children in Somalia, about monks in Kuala Lampur; it's about lonely Japanese businessmen; it's about our friends, fathers, mothers, brothers, children, nieces, nurses, nannies, and next of kin. Like it or not, when America falls the world will be in disarray.

Bring the global struggle against extremism to the White House with me. It's time to take back our house.

x-posted all over the damn place

This is off topic and I don't care..