art, politics, religion: discuss
This video is absolutely fascinating.
From Kottke (where I found it):
The short clip follows a group of young Sudanese men who move to the United States and remark on the cultural differences they observe.
Their reaction to the food and the characterization of the US as unfriendly are especially interesting.
Update: Several people wrote in to say that this clip is from the 2006 documentary God Grew Tired of Us.
Mattress in dumpster. Someone wrote on it: “I don’t fit in anywhere.” 
Guy laying in bed awake in bed and his girlfriend/wife beside says, “Sometimes, late at night, I lay awake in bed and wonder … did I clear my internet history.
Image of redhead girl saying, “Kurt Cobain is my hero. I’ve read his entire wikipedia article.
Graphic Illustration of Rick Perry holding a church next to the Capitol building says, “Church & State, Rick Perry ponders his plan for a newer, holier U.S. Capitol building.
I would post this video just for the opening title screen that says:
The more scientifically literate, intellectually honest and objectively sceptical a person is, the more likely they are to disbelieve in anything supernatural, including god.
I have found the statement to be a truism.
What do you think about it, dear reader?
Below the fold, is a list of the 50 academics.
Continue reading “Another 50 Renowned Academics Speaking About God”
I’ve posted the meat of this clip before, but I think it’s necessary to repost it. This caller is a resilient mental gymnast. Despite failing and floundering several times, he keeps getting back up and traipsing along like a half-witted numbnuts.
There’s a part in the conversation when the caller bemoans that Matt has a smarter-than-thou attitude (much like most us atheists have). Around 8:35-ish, Matt says (paraphrased with my comments), I was a Christian for 25-plus years (meaning: I really believed that stuff and I thought I was smart then too). I didn’t get smarter. I gained more knowledge, and I decided to actually care whether or not my beliefs are true.”
The caller admits that the only reason he’s a Christian is because he was born to Christian parents (borderline Poe award) and then he admits that Christians should only point toward the parts of the Bible that make god out to be great.
If this kid is legit, he does an excellent job selling the side of belief that looks all colors of inferior.
Like Matt, I don’t think I’m smarter than anyone else. I am more realistic with my morality. I call a spade a spade. If I do wrong, I should receive the proper response, punishment, etc. for my crime or issue.
If I murdered someone, I can’t hide behind Christianity and say, “See … god forgave me and you should too.” If I committed adultery, I can’t hide behind supernatural forgiveness, and hope my friends and family ignores my indiscretions, because god said I’m forgiven.
That kind of mindset is harmful and full of shit.
What might you think?
Is this statement felacious … I mean, fallacious?
Graphic says, “It is impossible to bob your head back and forth while you have your mouth open.”
Just like everyone else, I heard about the awful events at the Indiana State Fair over the weekend. I cannot believe I watched this video footage of the stage collapsing, and I feel that it might be something you might want to see.
I tell you, it’s awful. It’s scary. And my heart is broken.
From an evil, left-wing propaganda piece out of the New York Times called “Stop Coddling the Super-Rich,” Warren E. Buffett writes:
Last year my federal tax bill — the income tax I paid, as well as payroll taxes paid by me and on my behalf — was $6,938,744. That sounds like a lot of money. But what I paid was only 17.4 percent of my taxable income — and that’s actually a lower percentage than was paid by any of the other 20 people in our office. Their tax burdens ranged from 33 percent to 41 percent and averaged 36 percent.
Buffett ends with these two paragraphs:
But for those making more than $1 million — there were 236,883 such households in 2009 — I would raise rates immediately on taxable income in excess of $1 million, including, of course, dividends and capital gains. And for those who make $10 million or more — there were 8,274 in 2009 — I would suggest an additional increase in rate.
My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice.
Read the entire editorial here.
Yeah, Michele Idiot Bachmann, my gay friends are personally enslaved … and their eyes glow red when they look at me as if possessed by Satan.
Bachmann eschews the reality of homosexuality with the stupidest, unfounded ideology ever, then has the gall to say, “I’m running for president.” As if homosexuality isn’t one hot issue that, because of people like her, won’t go away. It’s an easy fix, Michele, accept homosexuality and ignore all those damning parts of the bible, just like you ignore so much of the rest of that book.
With these polls popping up and Obama’s record sliding, I’m starting to mentally prepare myself for Bachmann having a chance to be the next president. It’ll be a sad day for Americans.
Her inauguration speech will include the lines, “Come with me, America! Let me guide your hands back to the dismal dark ages. Because that’s when ignorance was winning and my religion stomped on the people’s collective faces! What a glorious time we will have!”
From the YouTube video page:
Michele Bachmann, fresh from a victory in the Ames, Iowa Straw Poll on Saturday, appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning, and was again dogged with questions about her anti-gay platform, this time declaring, “I don’t judge gays.”
Story: http://t.co/kHMZq99
From your future Mormon president, Mitt Romney:
During his Magical Misery bus tour this week, it is unlikely President Obama will speak with unemployed Americans, to near-bankrupt business owners, or to families struggling to survive in this economy. He is more interested in campaigning in swing states than working to solve the economic crisis that is crushing the middle class. Turning this economy around will require real leadership and the experience of someone who has actually worked in the private sector.
Via Joe MG
Le Café Wittypoots 