Due to constant misunderstanding with my name I feel the need to change my intro. I am hateful, hateful of religion. I hate what religion does to people and that people use it as an excuse to not think. I have spent many years of my life as an Atheist and have learned to handle my emotions, but no other word quite describes how I feel towards religion short of hate. I am outspoken, open minded, and will share my opinion. If you're looking for someone who will always agree with you, that won't be me.(Ricky Gervais is my icon photo, I seem to be asked a lot.)

Question with 7 notes Anonymous asked: So i like looking up other religions cause there are over 200, and thats nuts to me. I've found some beliefs that focus more on "inner peace" and finding "ones self" without the helping hand of a god. All up to person. That's pretty cool, but would you call it religion, or just a way of life? I really haven't found a solution. I'd like to think it's a "way of life" type of deal but many would argue believing in a god/s is also a way of life. I feel like there is a misconception. Thoughts? I think a lot of this comes down to the loose definition of words when it comes to religion. There are simply no clear lines that define “this is” or “this is not” a religion. I’ve met a few people in my life who I would say their way of life is essentially their “religion” even if it doesn’t fit the classic definition. What comes to mind most are people who are absolutely devoted to the “organic, non-gmo, free range, ect” movement. I’ve encountered several people personally who seemed to have eating nothing but food “as pure as possible” as their only driving goal in life. They would believe what they believe about these things despite facts, evidence, or science to the contrary. They would preach these beliefs to anyone that would listen. “Food” became their religion.



If we define a religion as the most predominant driving force in someone’s life then everyone has a religion and I personally feel the word loses much of its implied meaning. Then everything can be a religion, football, the stock market, food, popular culture, anything people can become so swept up in that it becomes the focus of their life. To me saying something is a religion has a much deeper implication.



To me Western Buddhism (the stripped down version of it) is not a religion but many people will claim it is. Atheism is more certainly not a religion but it doesn’t stop people from continually calling it one. In the end you will likely never get everyone to agree to what exactly a religion is because it all comes down to what that word means to them and how they perceive the definition of it. It also really doesn’t matter what exactly you call it, one man’s religions is another man’s myth.

Post with 15 notes Most people are so concerned with their own self interest they literally can not understand how other people can look beyond themselves. I’ve had so many people assume that I’m gay, trans, black, or a woman simply because I will speak out boldly for the rights and recognition of these people. It’s as if they can’t understand why someone would ever possibly defend these people and their right to a happy and prosperous life without being one of those people.

Post with 12 notes Random Ramblings I haven’t logged in to this page in forever and honestly I’m not even sure why I did today. My life has been in a weird place the last many months. I was laid off from the job I had most of my adult life and now am at a place I really don’t enjoy and doesn’t make me happy. I don’t know what else to do though since I still need to keep paying the bills. I continue to focus on my family and have been more than happy to give all I can to raising my two fantastic sons.



I used to feel so enlightened to the world and so aware of what was going on but in truth it was harming me so much. I walked around angry at the world. I would start arguments on the internet at the drop of the hate with the hopes of changing people but really only focused on the goal of being right. I was angry at people, angry at things I can’t change but desperately wish I could. It has only become worse the last year with the absolute worst president in history. I’ve had to shut off for self preservation sake. I’ve had to numb myself for the world to prevent being overcome by it.



I’ve come to realize that ignorance is bliss is a statement more true than anything I could ever say. Knowledge and intellect causes suffering and anguish because you realize what is going on in the world beyond you. You realize it doesn’t have to be that way but due to the nature of people it is. Greed, hate, fear, loathing, all of these emotions drive much of the “evil” we see in the world today.



Good and evil aren’t made and controlled by imaginary figures like the devil and god. They’re the emotion inside the hearts and heads of men and women the world over.

Question with 4 notes Anonymous asked: God is not a religinal God he's a relational God and he is hates religion too! God is not real. So what you impose on your imaginary friend as hating or not hating is completely inconsequential.



Poor grammar and the religious go hand in hand.

Question with 7 notes Anonymous asked: I've read your posts on this website and on Twitter and it seems that you are against everything that is "established" whether it's political, social, sexual, economic, religious, education-related, etc. Are you sure that you're not simply very unhappy and lash out at anything and everything due to your unhappiness? I agree that there are many things in this world that, if changed, would make the world a better place. But EVERYTHING seems to bother you! Maybe the problem is partially within you. I’m not against “everything” but I certainly look at the world and see that humanity could do better. I look at how we struggle against each other instead of work together and it bothers me. I hope for a better future and a better world because we really can accomplish it but it seems that there are always forces at work looking to divide us. My world view is actually quite positive and life affirming even if it is often presented in the negative against some other idea or view. I often find that I am best mentally stimulated when challenged by someone or presented a view to overcome, it’s just how my mind works. As far as if I’m happy or not I hope you’ll be relieved to know I’m actually quite happy. I’m not an over the top bubbly outwardly happy type, I’m certainly an introvert, but I am quite happy with where I am in my life. The fact that I am happy and content in life is part of what encourages me to speak out against wrongs when I look around and see so many others that are not happy or struggling for reasons that could be helped.

I assure you I don’t claim to be a perfect person, perhaps there are many things wrong with me, but I feel that I have a well aligned moral compass and a caring for humanity. I feel a love for people and for life and more than just about anything else I want other people to be able to live the best life they can. I may not always be right, but at the core of what I push for and hope for is what I genuinely feel will be better for humanity and the possible future of humanity.



Question with 5 notes Anonymous asked: I feel so sad that you have to waste time and energy on being so pathetic to bitch about religion. You're just a sad ass troll who has nothing to live for. You're pathetic Sincerely an agnostic. You're pathetic. :) ;) Agnostic theist? Agnostic Atheist? Agnostic deist?



Question with 16 notes Anonymous asked: What happened? Why aren't you throwing Christians to the lions anymore? I guess defending a negative wears a person out after a while, huh? I have had this page for over 6 years at this point, that’s a very long time. I can’t say that things have completely changed in this country because they haven’t but I can say I see a lot of progress. In just a few short years I’ve seen many many more people start to take up the fight to maintain a secular society. I’ve seen many more people willing to speak out against religious abuse and tyrannical religious powers. The small minority is steadily growing.

I’ve had hundreds and hundreds of debates, but I’ve yet to come across a single new argument in years. There just in no defense to organized religion I even consider worthwhile at this point. I’m still, of course, an Atheist but at this point I feel less need to actively defend it and discuss it. I’ve been able to focus a lot more on other things in my life and I feel that the fight to oppose religion has strong momentum. I’m not done completely because there is still plenty to do, and who knows I may feel the need to take up the charge myself again, but there are a lot of very capable people taking up the task and I’m enjoying watching it.



Question with 13 notes Anonymous asked: From what I've read here, you've contemplated life more than the average person. So I'll ask you the same question that Pontius Pilate put to Jesus while deliberating what to do with him: "What is truth?" I don't plan to post any comments about the reply you might offer, I am just curious about how you would answer the question. In all honesty it is nearly impossible for us to say, as people. I do believe that there is such a thing as the Truth, an objective truth, but can we perceive it correctly? We’re imperfect beings using our extremely imperfect senses to try and filter what we observe and experience in a turbulent and unpredictable universe. Even if we were looking directly at the truth, could we know it? Would we accept it as true? Would we see it the same as others do? It’s hard to say, the Truth may exist, but what is truth depends on the person. How you see truth may be a matter of subjective opinion, but what is truth may simply be impossible for us to know. In the end, it is not for me to say, even if I could, would you believe me?



Question with 5 notes Anonymous asked: You say to ask anything so here goes: You seem to be clued in to the racial dynamic in the U.S. So tell me, why is it that nearly every ad on television that features black people will have them dancing before the ad ends? Have you noticed this? The majority of Americans really don’t care about racial stereotypes, they’re so commonly portrayed in the media that most people have come to expect them. It has come to be accepted by enough of America that advertisers don’t have to worry about being labeled as racist because of it. It really isn’t anything new, in America we’ve used racial stereotypes in advertising for nearly as long as there has been advertising. I buy and sell quite a few antique and vintage items and nearly all advertising that features African Americans before the 1950′s is hugely stereotyped or extremely negative. Big black smiling mouths to sell watermelon, black mammys for your pancake mix/cookie jar/salt and pepper shaker, even Zulu Lulu stir sticks for your drinks and Little Black Sambo books for the kids. We’re really not so far removed from segregation or even slavery in America, it is a recent part of our history and as a result many people aren’t really shocked by racial stereotyping. The part of it that really surprises me is that it is so common even African Americans have no trouble accepting it. Usually these commercials that feature dancing black families are selling a product they intend to gear at least partly towards black families, and they buy it. If the advertising wasn’t effective they would likely change their methods but they stick with it because quite simply, it works. Perhaps as we continue to evolve (slowly) in America we’ll become more disgusting with the casual racism we see on a daily basis and the tides will change. Once advertisers no longer get positive reactions from these chariactured advertisements we’ll see a change, until then we’ll continue to see African Americans mainly cast to rap, dance, or play some kind of sport in advertising.



Question with 7 notes Anonymous asked: You have an "interesting" albeit overly simplistic view of Christianity, though it obviously serves as a good straw man. Would you also characterize Buddhists as just a bunch of people sitting around trying to think about nothing? Also, you say you hate religion, not religious people, yet you seem to aim a lot of insults and condescension toward religious people. Shouldn't they be seen as victims to be pitied rather than abused, even if they are willing victims of their own misguided beliefs? If you’re referring to my most recent post I would think it was quite obvious that I was providing a brief simplistic view of Christianity. At this point my blog page has been going for near 6 years (I feel so old) and given the number of times I’ve discussed Christianity it should be clear my understanding of the religion goes much beyond the brief explanation I jokingly provided. In a way though the chariactures aren’t entirely invalid. Your Buddhist example is actually somewhat fitting, in the simplistic sense. Meditation may be calming but ultimately it is as useless as prayer.

As for the second part of your question I have to say I find it quite funny, it’s almost as if you’ve actually read my blog. I’ve said numerous times that I do see many religious people as victims of the religion they have tied themselves to. It is unfortunate and in some ways they are to be pitied but a lot of the ignorance stems from wanton ignorance. People don’t have to remain sheltered away from the truth, they don’t have to ignore secular logic and insight. They simply chose to ignore fact and reason to insulate their preconceived beliefs. These people hang on to their ignorance with everything they possibly can, pushing away anyone who may disturb their way of thinking. That, I can not pity, that I can only condemn and hold contempt for and that is unfortunately how the most fundamentalist religious adults often behave.

I do still hold a strong amount of pity for the other victims of religion, the people who don’t have the sense and reason to comprehend complex ideas, the people who have been victimized far too long to stand a chance at recovery, people with no opportunity for a real education that can provide an alternative world view, and the children brainwashed in to servitude. Unfortunately these victims are often the body count of the willfully ignorant fundamentalists I mentioned above. Religion does have victims to be pitied, to feel sorry for, and to empathize with but those victims are the direct result of other religious believers who look to manipulate and control others, perpetuating the system of abuse. The compassionate thing to do as an outside observer to this system is to call for an end to it, reform is a failure. The long and short of it is this, there are victims of religion, and religion is still to blame.

