Atheist Revolution

Christian Extremism Alive and Well

2009-11-06T06:17:00.000-06:00

I agree completely with Americans United for Separation of Church and State that there are important lessons in the recent elections in Virginia and New Jersey, as well as the abolition of civil rights in Maine. Christian extremism is alive and well.

According to Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of AU,

I wish I could say the Religious Right is dead, but this election shows that reports of its demise are inaccurate. The pundits who announced the Religious Right's demise in 2008 were simply wrong.

He's right. While nobody is saying that the outcome of these elections was solely based on Christian extremist influence, nobody should deny that there was an influence.

...Americans need to know that this movement's leaders are still influential in American politics. They haven't given up on their crusade to impose their fundamentalist beliefs on everyone through government action.

Our work is not finished. Not by a long shot.

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Death Threats: Just Another Risk of Atheist Blogging

2009-10-02T05:50:00.000-05:00

Image by minusman via Flickr

If you are a regular reader of Proud Atheists, you know what recently happened to its author, Mark. The short version is that Mark and his family were threatened by what initially appeared to be a dangerous Christian extremist via email. Mark contacted the FBI to report the incident (which I consider a smart move on his part). As it turns out, it appears that the perpetrator may have been a child (reportedly age 12) playing a prank. Mark received a couple of comments on his blog from people claiming to be the parents of the perpetrator. A couple days later, Mark posted an update saying that the investigation was closed and the matter had been resolved. I'm glad to hear that. He was right to take the threat seriously, and I hope any of us would have done so had we been in his place.

Many outside the small community of atheists who are open about their atheism and willing to speak their minds have a hard time believing that hate mail, including threats, is not uncommon. It is a sad truth. Many of us, even those who are less public about their identities than Mark, receive unbelievably vile hate mail on a fairly regular basis. Most of the threats I receive are passive (e.g., "I've been praying that you die of cancer."). I tend to dismiss these rather easily, especially when they involve prayer. But the active threats can be scary and are something to take very seriously.

Especially in the U.S., we should be aware that atheism has come to be associated with virtually everything despised by mainstream culture. It is no wonder that we consistently rank at the top of any "most hated" list. I'm not advocating hypervigilance here, but I do think we should be careful and take time to evaluate our own level of risk.

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Why Atheists Can't Let Go of the Crusades

2009-09-24T05:31:00.000-05:00

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Many Christians are puzzled about why atheists cannot seem to let go of the Crusades. Why must we continue to bring up these atrocities from the relatively remote past, they wonder, and use the atrocities of their ancestors against them today? It hardly seems fair. One might even be tempted to use American slavery as an example to illustrate how little sense it makes to blame a people for what their distant relatives did. And yet, I'll be taking a very different position here and arguing that atheists must not let go of the Crusades.

To paraphrase the common maxim, we who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it. We must remember the Crusades, the various periods of the Inquisition, the Salem witch trials, the Satanic ritual abuse scare in the 1980's, and recent revelations about the Family. We must remember these grotesque episodes just as we must never forget the Holocaust, Jonestown, or Heaven's Gate. We remember them because we cannot allow them to be repeated.

And yet, there is more to it than maintaining these memories out of any noble cause. No, we must remember because our very survival depends on it. Atheists remember many of these periods because there are enough of us, at least in the U.S., who go through our daily lives feeling that another such period could be right around the corner.

We lived 8 years under a Christian extremist presidency, and we are too suspect of human nature to conclude with absolute certainty that we'll never see a President Huckabee. It could happen. We have heard again and again how our Christian neighbors feel about us and what some of them would like to do to us to relax completely.

We have seen a Christian extremist presence infiltrate our military, at least one of our modern political parties, and countless wealthy corporations. The consolidation of political power, military strength, and massive wealth into Christian extremist hands is something that should terrify every atheist. We know what can happen because we have seen it again and again throughout history.

Those of us who live in hotbeds of Christian extremism often feel that we are a step closer to the nightmare that others have the luxury of pretending is solely in our past. "Never forget" is our cry, and we are not about to abandon it. Celebrate progress where one finds it, but never forget. Far too much is at stake.

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American Hate: Images From the 9/12 Rally in DC

2009-09-13T08:10:00.000-05:00

You may have already seen these. They've been circulating since Glenn Beck's 9/12 rally in Washington DC yesterday, and I found the link to this particular "hall of shame" set through Twitter. If you haven't yet seen them, brace yourself. This is pure American hate, and it may turn your stomach. You've been warned.

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More Violent Rhetoric From Christian Clergy

2009-09-06T11:26:00.000-05:00

I'm all for the exercise of free speech, but calling for the death of someone has never quite impressed me as the sort of speech that should be protected. Maybe this is because I have spent enough time working with emotionally troubled individuals to know that many do not need much prodding to go over the edge and engage in violent acts. Sure, most high-functioning people are going to be minimally susceptible to such speech, but they aren't the ones we need to worry about. There are enough emotionally disturbed people, those we might describe as high-risk, that I cannot help thinking that repeated calls for the death of someone are probably more dangerous than most people realize.

Why am I bringing this up, and what does this have to do with atheism? Well, it seems that yet another Christian pastor is unapologetically calling for the death of a prominent public figure. According to Americans United for Separation of Church and State,

The Rev. Steven Anderson of the Faithful Word Baptist Church told his Tempe, Ariz., congregation he prays that Obama “dies and goes to hell.” In an Aug. 16 sermon that recently came to public attention, Anderson said, “If you want to know how I’d like to see Obama die, I’d like him to die of natural causes. I don’t want him to be a martyr, we don't need another holiday. I'd like to see him die, like Ted Kennedy, of brain cancer.”

Now, it is entirely possible that Rev. Anderson knows full well that his god is a sham and that his prayers have no effect. And yet, I don't think it is any sort of god that we need to worry about. What Rev. Anderson is clearly saying is that he would like to see the death of President Obama. Unfortunately, there are more than a few disturbed individuals out there who might interpret such statements as a command (or at least permission) from someone who knows the mind of a god.

I join Americans United for Separation of Church and State in denouncing Rev. Anderson's calls for violence. I sincerely hope other religious leaders will do so as well. Disagreement is welcome (even encouraged), but the violent rhetoric has to stop before it motivates additional murders.

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C Street and Our Anti-Democratic Members of Congress

2009-08-03T05:26:00.001-05:00

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Uncovering evidence of another Christian extremist organization in the U.S. is not exactly newsworthy. There are many such groups, and they are nothing new. However, when the particular Christian extremist organization proves to be extremely secretive, proudly compare itself to the mafia, and counts many members of Congress among its members, one hopes that a flurry of investigative reporting would be unleashed. Moreover, one hopes that this investigative reporting would continue until all the information worth knowing about such a group becomes public. Now just imagine that the organization we're talking about also proves to be anti-democratic to the core.

Of course, we are talking about "the Family" and their insufficiently infamous C Street "church" for a number of conservative Christians in Congress. The problem with this group and the reason that we need to demand both serious investigative reporting and a dramatic increase in media coverage is not simply that this is a Christian dominionist organization. No, the real problems are that the group poses a clear and present danger to American democracy. They have been convincing our elected officials that they do not answer to us or to the laws we have enacted to preserve our society.

We simply cannot afford to ignore the Family, nor can we allow elected officials to continue to participate in such a group, without expecting seriously unpleasant consequences.

H/T to Stardust Musings and Thoughts for the Freethinker

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Christian Extremism in America: The Family

2009-07-22T05:22:00.000-05:00

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I had heard of the secretive Christian extremist organization known as "the Family" before the latest high-profile Republican sex scandals hit the news. However, I did not know much about the group. In fact, all I had really heard was that they were a well-connected Christian dominionist organization in the Washington D.C. area. I still do not know very much about them, but I have to say that what I've been learning in the aftermath of the Ensign, Sanford, and Pickering scandals has been more than a little concerning. I hope that more information about the group emerges, so much information that they are essentially neutered. After all, it strikes me as nearly impossible to view this group as anything less than a serious threat to democracy.

Bruce Wilson has an informative post on the Family over at Huffington Post, and as much as I hate the thought of relying on them as a source of information on any subject, it seems like a reasonable place to start because he assembles information from a variety of reputable sources. Religion Dispatches also has some good information on the Family. Here are some details about the group worth knowing:

The Family is the oldest conservative Christian organization in Washington D.C.
The Family runs (but does not own) the notorious "C Street House" as a church to provide assorted politicians with inexpensive living space, Christian bible study, and "spiritual counseling."
"C Street House" is owned by an organization, Youth With a Mission D.C., headed by Loren Cunningham, a man with a vision for worldwide Christian dominion. Cunningham links to Campus Crusade for Christ and Christian Embassy, a D.C.-based ministry that tries to convert Pentagon officials.
The Family is responsible for the annual National Prayer Breakfasts and runs assorted prayer groups in which both Republican and Democratic members of Congress participate.
According to Jeff Sharlet, author of The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power (added to my to-read list), the Family is "committed to a political theology that views democracy as a form of secular humanism, to which they're deeply opposed."

It does not sound to me like members of the Family, including the politicians who continue to associate with them, have much interest in democracy. If this group was not on your radar before, I suggest they should be now.

The kingdom of God that’s to be built here on earth, Family organizers are fond of saying, is not a democracy.

- Jeff Sharlet

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Christian Extremist Group Calls for July 5th Jesus Fest

2009-07-01T05:13:00.000-05:00

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Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, claims to have a direct line of communication to the Christian god. And just what is his god telling him to do now? According to Perkins, his god wants him to organize yet another national day of prayer (presumably because the one we just had worked so well). Under the name "Call2Fall," Perkins is hoping to organize his followers into one big Jesus fest on July 5, 2009. In this post, we'll take a look at an e-mail about the event Perkins recently sent to those he considers his supporters and have some fun with it.

What follows are excerpts from Perkins' e-mail...with commentary. You can find the entire e-mail on Pam's House Blend without contributing to traffic for Perkins' website.

The Lord has impressed on me the need for us, as followers of Jesus Christ, to take responsibility for the broken state of our nation and go to God. But we must go to Him on His terms, in humility, prayer, and repentance as outlined in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Then and only then can we claim the promise of God's forgiveness, healing and the renewal of our lives and our land.

So this all-powerful and loving god of yours essentially wants humanity to grovel before it. Even though this being could solve the problems to which you refer in an instant, what it really wants to see is humans begging.

The day after we celebrate our "Independence," we need to re-declare our "Dependence" upon God in humble and repentant prayer. At minimum, we hope that you will spend at least a few minutes literally on your knees in prayer during worship services on Sunday, July 5th.

Dependence on your god? No, not even you or your deluded followers are truly dependent on mythological creatures. You may find it useful for fundraising purposes to speak as if you were. I understand that. You have made quite an impressive living for yourself out of exploiting the weak-minded. But I think we all know that unless we are merely labeling nature as "god," we are not dependent on any supernatural entities.

Can you imagine what God would do if millions of Christians all across our land would actually do this and mean it?

Yes. Yes, I can. Absolutely nothing. But that suits you just fine, doesn't it? After all, when nothing happens, you can always twist it into evidence that not enough people participated, that they didn't pray correctly, or some other bit of willful trickery.

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This is Christian Morality?

2009-06-16T06:11:00.000-05:00

Image by photobunny via Flickr

One of the most pervasive myths about atheism is that atheists are immoral because gods are somehow required for good behavior. Of course, the person making such an accusation tends to have a particular god in mind and to disqualify all others without any justification. I think I'll steer clear of that tangent for now. Instead, I'd like to stick with the idea that a particular god - or at least belief in a particular god - is the only thing standing between a person and bad behavior. This appears to be a core tenet of the sort of Christian "morality" practiced by fundamentalists and extremists.

When a Christian makes the claim that atheists are necessarily immoral because of their lack of belief in the Christian's preferred god, the atheist typically retorts by asking if god-belief is the only thing preventing the Christian from running wild in the streets. Some Christians will answer in the affirmative; others will recognize the worrisome implications of this and activate their reality-distortion field to escape the question.

Once in awhile, a Christian making such a claim might experience a moment of terrifying honesty. Austin Cline reports on just such an occurrence from Jeff Allen who tweeted the following (including the spelling error):

Dear liberals and athiests, My religion is the only thing that keeps me from killing you, are you sure you want me to give it up? #tcot

If you believe Mr. Allen, it appears that he would be a murderer without his god-belief. I agree completely with Austin Cline when he says:

If the only thing preventing Jeff Allen from going on a psychotic killing spree is his religion, then perhaps everyone else is better off if he keeps his religion. Contrary to what Allen might imagine, though, he's hardly offering a positive argument in defense of religion.

I should also note that Jeff Allen left the following comment on Austin's blog:

I am only commenting to say that whoever tweeted that is not me. I am a Christ follower who couldn’t disagree with the tweeter in this article more. May God have mercy on his soul. Blessings to all you skeptics.

Maybe someone hijacked his Twitter account. Then again, maybe he was temporarily possessed by demons. In the world of fundamentalist Christians, one never knows for sure.

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Acknowledging Some Good Christians

2009-06-08T17:16:00.000-05:00

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Many of us often lament how few Christian moderates speak out against Christian extremism. When one comes along who is willing to do just that, recognition is due. Thus, I would like to credit Dwight KcKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, TX, for stepping up to denounce Wiley Drake, our most recent Idiot of the Week, for praying for the death of President Obama. McKissic has also called on Southern Baptist leaders to do the same.

I would also like to commend former reproductive rights opponent, Frank Schaeffer, for taking responsibility and apologizing for his role in contributing to the murder of Dr. George Tiller. Schaeffer acknowledges his role in helping to create the milieu of hate which fosters violence toward those who practice reproductive medicine.

I'm not holding my breath for Fox "News" to follow Schaeffer's example, but I will certainly give them credit if they do so.

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Idiot of the Week: Wiley Drake

2009-06-06T06:51:00.000-05:00

Idiocy of this magnitude deserves attention, and that is exactly what it gets right here in the Idiot of the Week series (now with a dedicated topic label for easy access). A new winner is announced each Saturday.

As has been fairly obvious to readers of Atheist Revolution lately, I was and continue to be upset by the murder of Dr. George Tiller. It is not simply that he may have been killed by someone who appears to be a Christian terrorist. Nor is it that the suspect appears to be an avid consumer of Fox "News," that the role of Christian extremism seems quite evident here, or even that the murder is being celebrated by Christian extremists. It is also that he was one of a tiny number of physicians with enough courage to provide a controversial but necessary service to American women and that he will be difficult to replace. Thus, I hold special contempt for this week's honoree, Pastor Wiley Drake, and acknowledge that this goes well beyond mere idiocy.

Here is what Pastor Drake had to say on the murder of Dr. Tiller:

I’ve been a Baptist pastor for a long time, been in the pro-life fight, been face-to-face with Tiller, told him about Jesus, and I’ve seen many, many others tell him about Jesus over and over and over again. And I’ve seen horrific things that go on in those death abortuaries — and that’s what they are — and so my initial response to those people, they said, 'Well what was your response,' and I said, 'Well, in all honesty I have to just respond directly and say I am glad that he’s dead.'

The murder of Dr. Tiller is abhorrent to most people, regardless of their views on the subject of abortion. However, Christian extremists such as Pastor Drake appear to have few moral qualms over this crime.

In the unlikely event that this is not enough for you, Pastor Drake is also the one who has been in the news lately praying for the death of President Obama (i.e., imprecatory prayer).

H/Ts to The Good Atheist and The BEattitude

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Correcting Barry Lynn on Wichita

2009-06-01T15:18:00.000-05:00

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Americans United for Separation of Church and State is one of a handful of worthy organizations that I am happy to support. They do good work on behalf of atheists in the U.S., and I have great admiration for their executive director, the Rev. Barry W. Lynn. That said, I do have to take issue with something he was quoted as saying in a recent Americans United press release about the latest act of suspected Christian terrorism in Wichita.

Lynn was quoted as saying the following:

The murder of Dr. Tiller is an affront to every moral system imaginable.

I appreciate his willingness to issue a statement condemning the murder, but I think this statement is inaccurate. While the murder of Dr. Tiller should be an affront to every moral system, it is clearly not.

Regardless of what we ultimately learn about the killer, his motives, and the like, we know now that a segment of our population supports his actions. And no, I do not think I am merely nitpicking here.

It is important to recognize that there is a segment of society to which I have repeatedly referred to as Christian extremists. They cheer the murder and congratulate the killer. We need to talk about this.

The loss of Dr. Tiller is a serious one. His murder is indeed an affront to most moral systems, but unfortunately, it is not so to Christian extremists.

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Christian Terrorism in Wichita

2009-05-31T13:15:00.000-05:00

The latest act of suspected Christian terrorism occurred today in Wichita, Kansas, where another physician was shot and killed. According the The Wichita Eagle, 67 year-old Dr. George Tiller was shot as he entered the Reformation Lutheran Church to attend services this morning. Dr. Tiller is suspected to have been murdered because he performs a medical procedure with which some Christians disagree - abortion.

Tiller has long been a focal point of protest by abortion opponents because his clinic, Women's Health Care Services at 5701 E. Kellogg, is one of the few in the country where late-term abortions are performed.

While searching for additional information about this story on Twitter, I came across a comment I thought I'd share. This is from Matthew Kamar (@Darkshore):

Karma is a beautiful thing. Cheers to the hero who sent George Tiller where he belongs...straight to hell.

This, ladies and gentleman, is what we are up against. It is people like Mr. Kamar who will keep me speaking out against Christian extremism.

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Idiot of the Week: James Dobson

2009-05-16T06:08:00.000-05:00

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Idiocy this astounding deserves attention, and attention it shall receive! Right here in the weekly Idiot of the Week series. Look for a new winner to be announced right here each Saturday.

Like most weeks, there was ample idiocy to be found this week. In the end, I just had to go with James Dobson. Why? He sums up the Christian extremist position on hate crimes law so perfectly that he deserves credit. Speaking on the subject of the recent Matthew Shepard Act, Dobson attempted to strike fear into his flock with outright lies:

Those who speak out against homosexuality, including pastors, could face prosecution for "inciting" violence against gay individuals.

First, that is not what hate crimes laws do. Pastors who commit felonies while spewing bigotry might have a problem, but nobody is going to arrest them for doing it in church. Second, and I know this will sound crazy, maybe bigoted pastors should not be pastors. Remember the shit storm over Obama's Rev. Wright? If Obama demonstrated poor judgment by attending that church (and he did), surely the same can be said of those who attend the churches of these bigoted pastors.

Still not convinced that Dobson is worthy? Don't worry, it gets better

Even more concerning, the legislation could create special protection for pedophiles. Democrats voted down an amendment to the bill that would have excluded pedophilia from the definition of "sexual orientation."

There is nothing whatsoever in the Matthew Shepard Act that gives pedophiles special protection. Why did Democrats vote down the amendment mentioned? Just maybe it was because pedophilia is a mental disorder that is not part of the definition of sexual orientation.

Evidently, Dobson is upset because he is actually a fan of hate crimes.

Things are being done that will undermine the rule of law and seriously damage morality and decency in the culture.

H/T to Pam's House Blend

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Christian Evangelist to Women: Shut Up!

2009-05-10T10:19:00.000-05:00

Image by alison.mckellar via Flickr

The Christian religion has a long and troubled history regarding the role of women. Long before the feminist movement, there were the infamous witch trials. Even today, many in the Christian right consider feminism to be a force of evil, undermining traditional family values. In fact, some Christian extremists are quite clear what they want from women - they want women to shut up. In fact, that is exactly what Christian evangelist "Dr." Phil Kidd argues in his brilliantly titled "Hey Lady Shut up!"

I'm honestly not sure how to summarize Kidd's biblically-supported misogyny, so I will simply quote my favorite part:

11 Timothy 2:9 commands the woman to dress in modest apparel. I have personally seen that in a large percentage of churches, the long tongued, rebellious, bobbed-haired, preacher-hating, pants-wearing, liberal-minded women have determined the standard of dress for the church. The cowardly preacher is afraid to cross this group. He knows if he does, these loud-mouthed women will take their weak husbands and go to another church. Sadly, most woman pull their hair, grit their teeth, and even yell back when the preacher deals with modest dress. Some will even get mad just reading this article. I say to you, SHUT UP!

To all the "long tongued, rebellious, bobbed-haired, preacher-hating, pants-wearing, liberal-minded women," you are welcome here and at countless other atheist blogs. We appreciate you.

H/T to Pam's House Blend

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Idiot of the Week: Gordon James Klingenschmitt

2009-05-02T08:01:00.000-05:00

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Idiocy this astounding deserves attention, and attention it shall receive! Right here in the weekly Idiot of the Week series. Look for a new winner to be declared right here each Saturday.

There was a particularly crowded field of competitors this week. I was able to narrow it down to three contenders, but it was quite a challenge to pick just one. In the end, I had to go with former Navy chaplain, Gordon James Klingenschmitt, for calling on supporters to launch “imprecatory” prayers against Barry W. Lynn (Americans United) and Mikey Weinstein (Military Religious Freedom Foundation).

Almighty God, today we pray imprecatory prayers from Psalm 109 against the enemies of religious liberty, including Barry Lynn and Mikey Weinstein, who recently issued a press release attacking me personally,” prays Klingenschmitt on his Web site. “God, do not remain silent, for wicked men surround me and tell lies about me. We bless them, but they curse us. Therefore, find them guilty, not me. Let their days be few, and replace them with godly people. Plunder their fields and seize their assets. Cut off their descendants. And remember their sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Idiocy is one thing, but Klingenschmitt skillfully combined it with Christian extremism, pushing him over the top.

H/T to Stardust Musings and Thoughts for the Freethinker

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Christian Terrorism

2009-03-16T14:38:00.001-05:00

I was motivated, at least in part, to start Atheist Revolution because I was becoming increasingly frustrated to see politicians and media in the U.S. obsess over Islamic extremism in the Middle East while ignoring Christian extremism at home. In the couple of years since I have been blogging, little has changed. There is still a tendency in the U.S. to see religious extremism as problematic only as long as one's own religion is exempt from similar examination. Yes, there have been some encouraging signs that people are beginning to wake up, but our work continues.

There is little doubt that Islamic extremism currently poses a serious threat in the world today. Driven by the desire to see a Muslim caliphate and immunized against reason by an ancient religion that offers certainty and opposes critical analysis, Muslim extremists deserve the fearful attention they are receiving around the world.

At the same time, the problem must be recognized as being one of religious extremism which is not necessarily limited to Islam. Right here in the U.S., for example, we endured 8 years under a regime, headed by a Christian extremist, which committed countless human rights abuses, including but not limited to torture. Our civil liberties were rolled back as we were shamelessly manipulated by fear and lies. Science and medicine were damaged, as was our international standing. Our economy continues to reel as the costs of trickle-down economics and lax regulation is felt by a large enough portion of the population that it can no longer escape notice.

Would these abuses have occurred without the influence of Christian extremism? We do not know. What we do know is that they were committed by someone who claimed to receive his marching orders from the Christian god.

The subject of Christian terrorism is not one we hear much about. We know that acts of Christian terrorism occur, but we tend to see them as fairly isolated acts perpetrated by especially deranged individuals and regard them as far less dangerous than their more highly organized, militaristic, and highly funded Islamic counterparts.

To be sure, the lone Christian terrorist deserves our attention. However, there is a different sort of Christian terrorism that is far better organized, far more militaristic, and better funded than even the Islamic versions which we so love to despise. When acts of international terrorism are paid for by U.S. taxpayers, supported by U.S. politicians, and justified by Christian leaders within and without our government, it is difficult not to regard them as acts of Christian terrorism.

Consider the following contenders for the label of Christian terrorism:

The Republican war on science
Attacks on clinics that provide abortion and other health services to women
Attempted church bombings
Unjustly invading another country and torturing prisoners while Christian leaders justify it all right along with many Americans

It is not necessary to claim that religion causes terrorism; it is enough to see how much more dangerous religious motivation makes potential terrorists. Christian terrorism should not be ignored.

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Need a Christian Extremist Trucking Company?

2009-02-27T06:51:00.001-06:00

If you own a business, you probably have a need to ship items. You might use UPS or FedEx to ship small items, but depending on the nature of your business, you might have a need for a trucking company that can handle large time-sensitive loads. Fortunately, there are many trucking companies that would be happy for your business. But what if you are a Christian extremist who simply cannot do business with anyone who does not share your values and need to proselytize constantly? What if you need a Christian trucking company willing to plaster all their trucks with pro-Jesus slogans? Well, I have good news for you.

Ship with Sam wants your business, and they "attribute our superior service to an unconditional commitment to our core set of values." Not just any values, mind you, but the sort of Christian values not bothered by using their trucks to proselytize. You see, Ship with Sam is not just a trucking company but a ministry.

Our main focus at Sam Kholi transport

Is To present to the world that Jesus Christ is lord not a swear word.

If you notice on our trailers you will see the name of Jesus Christ. Our heart yearns for the world to know that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. Hollywood has portrayed a different image, an image that portrays Jesus Christ as trash as a bad word. The Most Holy, the Most Majestic created our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and our mission is to use trucking to spread the word to America and God willing all the way to England.

When a run of the mill Christian trucking company is not nauseatingly evangelical enough, consider Ship with Sam. And for those thinking that this is some sort of hoax, I don't blame you. After all, whoever created their website misspelled the state in which they are based, Montana. However, one of these trucks was recently sighted near Vicksburg, Mississippi.

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Christian Terrorist Strikes in Colorado

2009-02-06T08:46:00.000-06:00

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Given that their bible commands Christians to kill non-believers, I suppose we atheists should consider ourselves quite lucky that this sort of thing does not happen more often. Sadly, there is nothing unusual about religiously-motivated murder. What makes this case out of Colorado noteworthy is that the gunman was quoted by witnesses as saying, "If you're not a Christian, you're going to die" as he opened fire.

Eldora manager Brian Mahon, fatally wounded by the gunman, identified himself as Catholic. Evidently, the shooter did not consider this sufficiently Christian.

Gunman Derik Bonestroo may have been many things. He may have been emotionally disturbed. But it seems that one thing is clear: he was a Christian terrorist.

H/T to Antimattr

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Christian Extremists Support School Bullying

2009-02-04T05:22:00.000-06:00

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It must be difficult to be a Christian extremist parent in 2009. First, those pesky public schools actually want to educate your children in science so they'll be able to compete in an increasingly complex job market. Second, some dare to teach method of sex education which have been shown to be...(gasp)...effective, instead of simply preaching "don't do it." And now, some schools have the nerve to realize that bullying detracts from the learning conducive environment they are trying to foster. What is a good Christian extremist parent to do? Oppose measures to reduce bullying, of course.

Evidently, last week's No Name-Calling Week was too much for some Christian extremist parents to swallow. Homosecular Gaytheist brings us the story of Linda Harvey from Mission America who is upset over efforts to reduce school bullying. The source of Ms. Harvey's displeasure is that reducing bullying interferes with the fundamental right of Christian children to spread anti-gay hatred and bigotry at their schools. You see, in Ms. Harvey's world, refraining from hurling homophobic insults at one's peers amounts to condoning the dreaded homosexual lifestyle.

Over at Friendly Atheist, Hemant shows us that Ms. Harvey has some company among the Christian extremist ranks. He brings us the story of Christian attorney, Brad Dacus, who echoes Ms. Harvey's fears about anti-bullying measures. In fact, Mr. Dacus is convinced that children prevented from bullying one another just might grow up tolerant. The horror!

They're promoting, all the way down to the first-grade level, children to read and be exposed to books and material that is pro-homosexual -- and it's all under the guise of opposing name-calling.

The truly mind-blowing part of this is that both Ms. Harvey and Mr. Dacus believe that by trying to reduce anti-gay bigotry, the schools are actually denigrating their religion. According to Dacus:

The alleged homosexual kids are not the only ones being bullied. There's [sic] kids of faith being called 'homophobic' and 'homophobe,' and yet those words and that name-calling is not under attack and is not being addressed by this alleged week of tolerance that's being pushed.

By labeling intolerance as intolerant, the schools are opposing Dacus and Harvey's brand of hate-based Christianity. Where is the outrage from Christians who do not want their religion equated with hatred and bigotry?

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Atheist Revolution Post Subject of Alliance Defense Fund Alert

2009-01-03T14:21:00.000-06:00

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeI just learned that the Alliance Defense Fund, the Christian extremist group behind Pulpit Freedom Sunday, is worried that gay marriage could bring about the end of Christian extremism. Worried enough that they've sent out an alert about one of my recent posts. I know these send out tons of these alerts to panic their supporters into donating, but I can't help thinking that I must be doing something right to come to their attention.

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Tags: Alliance Defense Fund, Christian extremism, Pulpit Freedom Sunday, gay marriage, atheist

Could Gay Marriage Bring the End of Christian Extremism?

2008-12-30T06:04:00.000-06:00

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeI fully realize that I will not live to see the end of Christian extremism in the United States. Far from being a source of despair, this encourages me to do what I can while I'm here. In fact, I'm feeling a bit optimistic at this moment that we may finally be nearing the beginning of what is almost sure to be a long and tortured decline of at least one form of Christian extremism. Specifically, I am very encouraged by what I'm seeing in the GLBT community in response to having the recent blow to their civil rights in California and elsewhere.

The Atheist Experience posted a great rant that really got me thinking. Here is an excerpt:

What a sickening cesspool of hate and fear Christianity has become. How can so many of its adherents live with themselves, when they actively take steps to bully, victimize, and bring misery to the lives of a group of people for the sole crime of being different? Word comes from California that it isn't enough for the supporters of Proposition H8 that they've banned gay marriage. Now they want to nullify the thousands of marriages that were performed in the few brief weeks that gays and lesbians actually got to see what having a basic human right was like.

Of course, the Christian extremists referenced in the first couple of sentences do not interpret what they are doing as bullying and the like. That is okay. The point, and the source of at least some of my optimism, is that others are starting to do so.

The degree to which hatred of gays is socially acceptable has declined substantially in the U.S. during my lifetime (except for when it is directed at atheists). Homophobia and anti-gay bigotry are still with us, to be sure. However, for a variety of reasons (mostly attributable to the GLBT community itself) it is somewhat less possible to express them with impunity than it used to be.

I believe this trend will continue, much as it has for racism and sexism. I will not live to see the end of Christian extremism, but I am quite confident that I will live to see the day when the majority of Americans not only accept gay marriage but look upon the current period of homophobia and bigotry with embarrassment. Children will grow up as puzzled by what they hear about gay rights as some of us have about equal rights for women or African Americans. It will not occur to them how they ever could have been a period in history when it was not okay for two consenting adults to marry.

What does this mean for the atheist movement? Plenty. First, I worry that anti-atheist bigotry may actually intensify as anti-gay bigotry becomes less acceptable. We have done such a poor job of organizing and becoming a political force that we are going to make an easy target. And if there is one thing we better have learned about Christian extremists by now, it is that they need a target.

But the news is not all bad. The second implication for us is that we have an effective model in the GLBT community from which we can learn a great deal. There is no need to start from square-one. We have a viable map if we are willing to use it.

Third, the Christian right (and to some degree Christianity itself) is at a real crossroads. Christian extremists have attached themselves so pervasively to bigotry and hatred of anyone who does not believe as they do that they are decreasing their odds of surviving in a multicultural world. Moderate Christians, on the other hand, have been doing some remarkable and praiseworthy things lately (e.g., working to end global poverty, fighting the spread of AIDS, protecting the environment, etc.). As gay rights becomes the norm, the gap between the extremists and the moderates will continue to widen. Perhaps moderates will finally realize that they can truly elevate their religion by jettisoning the extremists.

If my atheist readers are tempted at this point to protest that even such an improved religion would still be a religion and therefore bad, I'd have to say that I'm not sure I agree. Yes, an elevated sort of Christianity such as what I describe here would still make use of faith and would therefore be inherently irrational. But such a revitalized form of Christianity could end up being a genuine force for good. Imagine a religion focused on improving our world for all people. I'm not saying I'd join up, but I'd certainly see such a religion as a step in the right direction.

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Have You Seen Billboards Like This In Your State?

2008-09-16T05:24:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia Oliver took a break from attending assorted Christian churches and writing about his experience on Mississippi Atheists to do a bit of photojournalism. He managed to capture some extremely disturbing billboards near Oxford, Mississippi. It appears that Christian extremists are spending money to persuade Mississippians that the United States is (or at least should be) a Christian nation. Have you seen extremist propaganda like this in your area too?

If these billboards are part of a national trend and you tell me that you've seen similar material in other areas, I suppose I might feel a little bit better. Otherwise, I'm can't help feeling completely embarrassed by Mississippi. Well, that and outrage. Differences in political opinion are one thing; blatantly lying with the goal of imposing one's twisted morality on others is simply despicable!

I think I'm going to need to allocate a bit more of my time promoting reason and opposing Christian extremism locally. Not that this will change anything I do here, but I think I need to make time for both.

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Tennessee Church Shooter Hated Liberals, Watched Fox "News"

2008-08-03T07:56:00.002-05:00

Whenever news breaks of a church-related shooting, some Christians immediately assume that the shooter had to be an atheist. This assumption continues in case after case, even though the shooter inevitably turns out to be a disgruntled Christian. The recent shooting at the Tennessee Unitarian church is likely to be no exception. Could this be yet another act of Christian terrorism?

According to a letter police recovered from Jim Adkisson's SUV, he targeted the Unitarian Universalist Church because "he hated the liberal movement."

Adkisson "stated that he had targeted the church because of its liberal teachings and his belief that all liberals should be killed because they were ruining the country, and that he felt that the Democrats had tied his country's hands in the war on terror and they had ruined every institution in America with the aid of the major media outlets," Investigator Steve Still wrote.

I cannot help thinking that this senseless act serves as evidence that Fox "News," Rush Limbaugh, and the like affect vulnerable individuals. It turns out, there is merit to what started as mere speculation.

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Remembering Jesse Helms

2008-07-05T10:25:00.000-05:00

With the death of Jesse Helms, the world has lost one more "agent of intolerance." I don't know that this is necessarily cause for celebration (although the fireworks last night suggested that many others thought so), but I feel comfortable saying that I will not miss his religiously-fueled bigotry. Still, the man does deserve a fitting tribute.

What better way to pay tribute to Jesse than by quoting him?

I've been portrayed as a caveman by some. That's not true. I'm a conservative progressive, and that means I think all men are equal, be they slants, beaners, or niggers.

-- Jesse Helms, North Carolina Progressive, February 6, 1985, quoted from the Democratic Alliance, "Yes, They Really Said It!"