Does it Take a Conscious Effort to be Polite?

March 24, 2019 / Jim / 4 Comments

When I write about religion, specifically Christianity, I attempt to not be insulting. I know that some believers may take what I write as just that, but it’s never meant that way. Some people are easy to insult I guess. One thing I never do (I have in the past, but it was rare), was to use expletives. I don’t see any necessity to pile on with what is clearly offensive to some. I’m not attempting to de-convert anyone, but I’d like those who are believers to be able to read my essays and note my attempt is to be thoughtful about what I write. Certain language doesn’t promote that at all.

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It’s Atheist Day! (Ho-Hum)

March 23, 2019 / Jim / 3 Comments

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So, today is Atheists Day. I had completely forgotten about it until I read this piece recently. I recall actually writing about the proposal for a day just for atheists a year ago, and at that time I wasn’t too impressed with the idea back then. The problem is that no one cares. Yes, even most atheists probably don’’t care about a self-proclaimed day. It’s not that there’s going to be any media attention to the day just as there wouldn’t be if I declared today Jim Day.

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What Defines Being Happy?

March 18, 2019 / Jim / 5 Comments

We all have them, good days and bad days. Do we let those particular days define us? We shouldn’t. Everyone has a bad day now and again whether it;s work relatd or personal. The same goes for what we would define as a good day. Mainly, I think, we are all in the middle; Meaning we’re not overly happy nor are we sad. We can be happy without those highs and lows.

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Should The Bladensburg Cross Come Down?

March 16, 2019 / Jim / 2 Comments

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I’ve been meaning to write on the case that was recently heard by the Supreme Court, The American Legion v The American Humanist Association. This case was brought by the AHA through the Federal court system because the cross, in Bladensburg, Maryland, resides on public land and is maintained by public dollars. The circuit court (AKA Appeals Court), ruled against the Legion and the Supreme Court was petitioned to hear the case. In all SCOTUS cases, at least four justices have to agree to hear a case before it’s placed on the calendar so there was definitely some interest in this by the justices.

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Atheism as a Protected Class

March 7, 2019 / Jim / 1 Comment

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Should atheists be a protected class? So far, two cities, Madison, WI, and Portland OR have voted in favor of just that. It seems a bit silly to me, and I hope this doesn’t somehow become a trend. Are atheists discriminated against? Well, as far as I know, I’ve never experienced any, at least not openly, but that doesn’t mean it does not occur, just as there are still those that are denied bank loans and mortgages based on their race. It’s not an openly hostile environment, as it can’t be by law, but there’s always that subtle discrimination that niggles at the edge of society that is still a concern for many.

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It’s Okay to Criticize Islam

March 3, 2019 / Jim / 3 Comments

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One thing I hear from Christians more often than anything else is why atheists always seem to focus on their religious belief and not others, particularly Islam. First, at least in the West, Christianity is the dominant religious belief and in the U.S. alone, some 71% identify with the Christian belief. That doesn’t mean that those same people are actual practicing Christians, it’s just that at least here, the influence of Christianity vastly outweighs that of any other religious belief.

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All Good Things…

February 26, 2019 / Jim / 1 Comment

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Whenever the smallest thing goes right for a Christian, they give Glory to God, or they thank Jesus. Think of all of those professional athletes in any sport that hit a home run, score a touchdown, or a goal in soccer: many of them will look to the sky, maybe kiss their fingers, and point toward that same sky. Why is it they give glory to some invisible being to celebrate that it is they who’ve worked since early childhood, to become the player they are today? As a former evangelical, I can understand this reaction.

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Giving The Catholic Church a ‘By’

February 14, 2019 / Jim / 1 Comment

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I’ve been writing about the abuses in the Catholic Church for a while. Just do a search from the Home Page here using “Catholic Church” and you’ll discover at least seven posts since the middle of August. This will the the eighth. What I don’’t understand is what appears to be the lack of outrage over these abuses and it seems like every few weeks or months, another one is discovered. Of course it’s easy to ignore because of the news cycle. within seventy-two hours after initial reports, the latest outrage has virtually disappeared. I would think that the sheer number of abuse victims – including Nuns – would keep these stories front and center if not with the media, then the general public.

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