yobnoc

Soooo...social policy should be based on something that only 11% of people with no religious leaning can even attempt to justify on secular terms? Don't like abortion? Don't have one. As for the trip out of my theist upbringing, I admit it was painful, and is still. But to pigeonhole my motivations based on some silly quote is inappropriate. Imagine waking up every day in a world where most people you interact with on a daily basis are absolutely convinced that there are invisible unicorns all around us. You don't buy it, and try to go about your day, but the overwhelming majority of people in your country not only believe in these unicorns, but they try to enact laws that you have to follow in order to avoid upsetting their invisible unicorns. You see where I'm going with this... It's painful every single day. Because of my lack of belief, I'm in a minority group so discriminated against that I'm less likely than any other minority group to be elected to office were I to run. But please, go on with the condescending "crusading spirit of the professional atheist." I wasn't around for it, but I'd bet that was the same condescending attitude that was prevalent in days past with women's suffrage, civil rights (still a problem today; can't those blacks just know their place and stop being so loud about 'injustice'?), marriage equality (I was around for that one). So yeah, when people are legitimately discriminated against because they don't believe the same mythology you do, we tend to get real loud and pissed off. Because I don't want anyone in this country to be limited by their fairy tale of choice (or those without one). Just be a good person, and that should be it. No religion needed. Funny, I hear a lot of christian angst about the "Muslim Brotherhood" infiltrating our government. Rules for thee, but not for me, right?

She's not *in* office (yet). Marysville is a pretty hickish town, however. We'll see what happens. #MAGA amirite?

I'm gonna go ahead and say that I can't take you at your word for this for two reasons: 1) "Out" atheists are roughly 3.1% of the US population. Those demographic trends are likely higher concentration in urban areas, and if I remember correctly, you're from Northern Michigan - a rural area. and 2) Evangelical Christians don't make much of a habit of spending time with atheists. It's no more murder than taking someone off of life support, or DNR directives. There isn't much demographic data out there on the subject, but what I could find on Pew Research indicates that among atheists, 11% say that abortion should be illegal in all/most cases. Among evangelicals, it's a whopping 66% for illegal in all/most cases. I think that qualifies it as a religion-based issue, and no amount of mental gymnastics can make me see it any other way.

You're really stuck on the word treachery, so I'll use a synonymous phrase instead: Impeachment for not adhering to, and acting in bad faith toward the Oath of Office (you know, the one that says you'll uphold the Constitution?) Upholding the Constitution requires that one does not give preference toward any religion. Ours is a secular Republic, regardless of the majority of the populace identifying as some flavor of christian. From Jefferson's Danbury Letter: Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. [Congress thus inhibited from acts respecting religion, and the Executive authorised only to execute their acts, I have refrained from prescribing even those occasional performances of devotion, practiced indeed by the Executive of another nation as the legal head of its church, but subject here, as religious exercises only to the voluntary regulations and discipline of each respective sect.] Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I just watched episode 1, and I’m torn between being horrified (my atheist self) and shrugging my shoulders (my conservative Lutheran upbringing saying “Christians gonna Christian”). In context, I grew up with parents who flat out said and say to this day openly that they believe the United States should exist as a Christian theocracy. So yeah, Coreece...this isn’t some far-fetched conspiracy theory. These people are out there, doing their best (and a damn good job) to influence the powerful to enact their agenda. The only wall that needs to be built in this country is the wall of separation between government and religion. I don’t give a shit what constituents you are elected by. If you submit policies and legislation that cannot be justified but for religious faith (any religion), that should be grounds for removal from office on the basis of treachery against the Constitution of the United States of America. I don’t want them thrown into prison, but they ought to be disqualified permanently from making laws. No religion should be able to dictate laws. Period. Y’all don’t want Sharia law; I agree wholeheartedly. But that means Christianity based laws ride the pine too. Nobody has the right to inflict their religious tenets on me or anyone else in this country.

I maintain that the PackMonkey was the difference between me completely giving up on learning to pack, and now just mildy dreading it. My pack time has gone down significantly, and each pack job is helping me to get faster. Those damn stows still take me the longest time though. I've gotta revisit my technique on making sure the lines don't slack between the stows - my wrapping technique needs improvement.

Damn man, I just looked that up. Sent them an email seeking more info. Looks like it might be worth going to check out. Tunnel is only 9' though (I'm 6'4, so...that could be problematic).

Except they didn't choose him. By 2.8M votes, they rejected him. But I don't want to split off the intent of the topic. This moron is losing as many voters as he can manage to. Do you think he really actually wants to win reelection?

Wow. Wow. What kills me is that Evangelicals only care about Israel insofar as it's supposed to be where Armageddon takes place according to their book. The Jews all get sent to hell; they couldn't care less about Jews. In fact, in the denomination I came from, they actively preached a subtle form of disdain for the Jewish people. So every time one of these fuckers starts slinging around the "anti-semitic" accusation, I grind my teeth a little bit. It couldn't be more disingenuous.

Of course, "Israel" and "Jews" are inseparable when it's convenient for the Trump admin. Consider the politicians who dare to speak out against the Netanyahu admin. They're labeled as Anti-Semites (which is fucking crazy). To criticize Israel's government policies is not to hate Jews, as much as the republicans are pushing that idea.

Yeah, you're right. But then again, we're at a point where we have to split hairs about which absurd thing he said is more absurder.

I hate giving attention to this moron's tweets, and I know he's just quoting some other fool, but WTAF is that? Second coming of God? When you have to research something the president says to see if it's satire or not, I think it's clear we've lost our way as a nation.

Except that's clearly not Bill's ideology. He so stated.

I'm already a resident in Michigan. I'm doing my part. No payment needed.

If someone beats his wife, is it biased to then call him a wife beater? Similarly, when Trump is who he is, and lies like he lies, and (allegedly) rapes who he rapes, and hurls childhood insults while ruining our country, is it then biased to say he’s an awful motherfucker?

Over $75 a year membership fee. How much is your time worth to type all this stuff out, knowing you won't get a ROI? Edit: the second sentence wasn't for you, Gowlerk.

Oftentimes I find that the people who scream the loudest that they're not racist are in fact the most racist people I find. When people ask me if I'm racist, I say "Probably, a little, because of the environment I was raised in, but I actively try to identify those moments of failure and do better."

Oh yeah, my mom was one of those folks making fools of themselves with shitty hats with tea bags hanging from them. What they meant when they said they were tired of being taxed and wanted fiscal responsibility was actually "We're racist and don't like the black president." Because now they don't seem to mind one bit that the deficit and debt are skyrocketing so that MNC's can pocket even more cash at the long-term expense of the ever-shrinking middle class.

Which community? Wonder if it's the same BFE that my folks live in. You just described my parents in your post.

I was recently told by a rigger not to buy cheap South African knock-offs anymore (after he spent some time looking over my rig). I asked him specifically what was wrong with my rig (Vortex), and he just vaguely stated that they do a crappy job at trying to imitate better brands. Anybody have any insight on this? I wasn't sure if I was going to get another Vortex again when I do buy another rig down the road, but it seemed like an unhelpful comment.

President David Dennison should not be compared to Mussolini. It's an insult to Mussolini.

They do in fact have a second amendment. It was ratified in 1910. " amended Section 105 to extend the power of the Commonwealth to take over pre-existing state debts to debts incurred by a state at any time. "

Damn! I won't be rolling in until Friday around noon