1. Don Imus - By now we've all heard the story. Radio douchebag makes a joke about a college ladies basketball team and gets the shaft. I guess I'll start by stating that I hate basketball, and douchebag DJ's, so I don't take sides based on either of those parameters. That being said, Imus probably didn't deserve to be fired, but will probably come back with an even more popular show on Sirius sattelite radio... I mean, I've heard way worse every day on the radio station I listen to everyday up here in KC. The whole situation is ridiculous and over-publicized. Which brings me to my next one...
2. Apologizing to a race through its "Leader" - Ie. Don Imus apologizing to Al Sharpton on behalf of the african americans... Or Michael Richards to Jesse Jackson... Or Imus again to Oprah( for AA's AND women this time...) I can see its a faster way of getting the point that you're sorry you said something dumb-shitty about a person of color, but do it in a more original way. I'm tired of reading news stories about dumb-shit people who do dumb-shit things and then apologize to Al Sharpton for it. I mean, yeah, he's a Reverend, but that doesn't mean he can absolve EVERYONE of all their problems and mistakes. Sometimes people say mean things that they really do mean, but apologize and try to take it back and act all sorry to save face in the public eye. Well, maybe some people should just speak their minds and say "Fuck the public! This is how I feel!" Very few people of "celebrity" status want to lose that position, though... So it ain't gonna happen.
3. American Idol - In general... I just really hate American Idol... Besides, I think they're running out of clout. Is it just me or are NONE of the contestants any good this year... It's ridiculous...
4. Michael Bublé - I'm probably gonna get rude comments about this one, but Michael is overrated... He is a mediocre vocalist who has no original music as of yet. He's not very attractive either... But, then again, I am neither gay nor a woman, so I guess I can't judge attractiveness of males that well... I'll tell you though, the man can swing, I'll give him that. Whenever I listen to him, he's so far behind the beat, I can't really tell where it is. That's a helluva swing. Whether it's really talent, or his inability to stay in time is a mystery, though...
5. Republicans - Again, in general, I just don't like republicans... Being the millitant liberal that I am, I have a great many reasons for my dislike, so I won't go into that. I started thinking about that Bush quote earlier today, y'know the one where he was giving a speech at some White House banquet and he's like, "I'd like ta say welcome to all my friends. The Have's... and the Have-More's. Eh-heh-heh-heh." and I thought to myself (for the hundred millionth time) "What a douchebag..."
6. Religious people - Another one I'd probably get rude comments about if anyone read this... I'm really, really starting to hate religious people. Christians, mostly. The hypocracy and hot air coming from the Christian leaders in this country is apalling. I was in a pseudo-dream the other night and I started thinking, What if I was to go to Cornerstone church and preach there, what would I have to say to those people? I think it would go something like this...:
Me: All right now, I want everyone in this room to think about something. Leviticus, Chapter (blahdeeblah), Verse (scoobily doo) [EDIT: I watched South Park and learned that it was Lev. 18. 22] , the one that everyone quotes when speaking out against homosexuals. Who believes that this statement means that God is against homosexuality, and that it is a sin?
*Waits for people to raise hands, picks out one who does*
Me: All right, you there, come here. *Waits for the person to come up on stage* All right, sir/ma'am, you raised your hand. That means you take this verse of leviticus to be the Word of God, am I correct?
*Person nods or says "Hell yeah! Let's go four-wheelin'!" or some retarded thing*
Me: All right then. I'm going to read a list and you tell me whether you have ever committed that act, or not. Do you understand?
Person: *wakes up and wipes drool from face* Uh huh!
Me: Okay then... Have you ever...
Slept with an animal? Person: "No way! That's gross!!!"
Slept with another man as you would your wife? Person: "Eww! You're fuckin nasty!"
Eaten shellfish or any other creature from the sea that would be deemed unclean? Person: *hesitates* "Like shrimp?"
Me: Yes, like shrimp, or Crab or Lobster?
Person: Uh... Yeah
Me: *Picks up a large rock and throws it into the persons skull*
Person: *falls to the ground and twitches*
Me: Now then... *points to another person* You had your hand up. Do you still think that everything the Bible says has to be God's Word, and the Absolute Truth?
Other Person: (If intelligent) No sir!
Other Person: (If not... Repeat process until I find something that they've done which constitues breaking Holy Doctrine then stone them into submission...)
*End pseudo-dream*
And then I thought, that might be a really effective wy of dealing with stupid hypocratic Christians and gay-bashers.
In all seriousness, though, I don't think I've seen or heard a Christian, or any religious person for that matter, do anything really world changing and truly meaningful with their religion in some time. All they seem to do is slow the progression of science and mankind in general by sticking to ancient and outdated dogma which literally does not apply to society anymore at all. I may have become on of those Ultra-Atheists in my time away from church, but so it must be. Christianity is ruining this world, as is Islam and Judaism, and Scientolgy. I've looked at myself, and the only religion I could even remotely see myself following is Buddhism, but I still don't see that happening.
7. (or is it 8 now.. I've lost count and it's too much to scroll back through...) The Bell Curve - FUCK the bell curve! According to the bell curve, I am above average in just about everything, and I am doomed to forever be plagued by morons for the rest of my natural life! That's so depressing! I mean, seriously! I heard the other day that the scientists in charge of the bell curve were thinking of lowering the average I.Q. by 10 points, to better suit the population. If that's true, then I really envy the dead geniuses of the past, because they are really the smartest men to have ever lived on this shithole of a planet. Which brings me to my next one...
8. (or 9) - Gliese 581 c (The new "Super-Earth") - If you haven't heard about this yet, you should look it up. This one isn't so much a rant-about thing, as a "you need to check this out" thing. Apparently, scientists have finally got off their asses and found a planet which may or may not be able to support habitable conditions for sustaining human life. Which is pretty fucking cool. It's approx. 1.5x Earth's size, and waaaay closer to it's solar body than we are to our sun. It is still possible for it to have a temperate climate due to the fact that its sun is smaller and less intense.
Pretty fucking cool, eh?
Anyway, I think that's about enough bitching for now. Comment if you please. Good or bad, I'll have a friendly insult wating for you either way. :-D
Seeya'll later!
--Chris
From Shelley Dubber: Wow, Chris!
You are truely a whiny little guy. When you have so many issues with the society in which you live, it's time to quit complaining and do something. Your quabbing about religion, conservative views, etc. sounds like you're just trying to convince yourself that that is what you believe. After all, your little college freinds all believe it,too. And you want to fit in, not stick out.
Let me guess. You come from a conservative family, but they're not cool, so you must dis them. You're not very cool, so you hate everyone who is. You are marginally smart, so you think that you know it all. Sadly, you might just know more than most of your contemporaries. But you come across as a crabby little whiner who's way too full of himself. For your sake, I hope you can get over it and be a productive member of society.
Have a nice day!
My response: Wow, Shelley!
You are truely(Which, incidentally, is not how you spell the word "Truly") a sad excuse for a psychologist. As it so happens, my family is almost entirely liberal, save for the ones I never spend any time around, and I love everyone in my family very dearly, and respect them to the utmost extent. I have a select group of friends who I decide to spend my time with, and I have more than enough self esteem to compensate for any shortcomings the general public may think I have. So no, I don't hate everyone who is "cool" I hate everyone who doesn't have a mind of their own, and just goes with the flow because it's the flow. I am marginally intelligent, I'll give you that, but no, I definitely do not know everything. In fact, I practice Socratic thought, and feel that I won't ever truly know everything. So, darn it, wrong again! Yes I do know more than most of my "contemporaries" but that's not because of my natural intelligence. It is simply because I raise my head and look the world in the face rather than stare at the ground. I read the paper or watch the news, every now and then. I choose to formulate my OWN ways of thought, rather than listening and blindly following the opinion of my A. Parents, or B. Religious Leader, or C. Some random psychologist who decided to make blind accusations about my personality based on a very poor psychoanalysis, and did a pretty shitty job of it.
I recommend a change of job, since you obviously cannot do your own. And in the future, when you think you "know" someone well enough to make wild accusations concerning their disposition and background, you can take those assumptions and shove them right up your ass, because it's pretty likely that that will be the only use for them in the end anyway.
SO
Thank YOU, and have a nice day!
P.S. Say Hi to my brother Taelon for me.
His response: Chris,
You should practice your own preaching. You have blindly judged conservatives based on what, your first hand knowledge of them? Time for a little self evaluation, bud. You turned around and judged me, not even based on a blog, only a response to yours. Hmmm. You're a cute kid. Your brothers are both very nice, as are your parents, Aunt and Uncle (who live by me) and your cute little cousin is pretty great, too. So, I have some basis of understanding of your family. I've only met you once, you seemed nice and so did your girl friend.
My objections are to your blog. Everything I said was based on how you come across. If that's how you want to sound, it's your business. When you post a public blog, you're subjecting yourself to their scrutiny. Your ideas are as original as oatmeal. You sound like 75% of college students. Few have had two original thoughts ever. Maybe you'll be different. I hope so. You actually do sound intelligent. Look deeper than your text books and MTV.
Have a blessed day.
Shelley
My response: Well, I'm sorry my ideas aren't as original as they could be, but I figure, hey, why not try to fix the easy problems first? I dunno about you, but I typically think all men are created equal. Call me crazy! So imagine things from my perspective: Everyday, my homosexual friends have to either hide their true identities, or face the ridicule of people who claim to be Christian, and who "love everyone." If your God truly loved everyone, and gave you the free will that you think you have, why do you choose to hate those who are different from you?
Now, I don't really know you personally, so I can't say if you think along those same lines, but I imagine that you probably do, since based on MY psychoanalysis of you, you run along the lines of a moderate conservative who likes to rock the boat. You like to inspire critical thinking in your students/others who you preach to, but you would still rather them follow the same beliefs as you, so that everyone could go to "heaven." This, I must say, is very noble of you, but you can stop. Everyone who is gonna be converted to your religion through nonviolent means has already been converted, and Violence never solves anything.
Now, as it so happens, I absolutely loathe MTV, and I typically don't read my textbooks, so I wonder... Where do YOU think I get my crazy ideas of universal equality and brotherhood among all people? It's not gonna be from Christianity, because clearly, Christians don't want that. I've not read very much on the subject of other religions either, so it's likely none of them... Do you think it could possibly be that I naturally, really, truly want to help people? No way! That's ludicrous! I'm just a dumb college student who blindly follows whatever anyone tells me! I have no mind of my own! I'm a robot!
Oh wait! That's you! My mistake...
By the way, I am usually very nice to most people I meet, and I apologize if in my attempts to get across the point that I am not the way you see me, I have insulted you or your faith. I whole-heartedly believe in the free practice of all religions, by all nations of people, of all races and creeds. It just seems to me that in today's society, religion is the primary cause of strife and hate in this world. From Islamic Fundamentalists, to Abortion-Clinic-Bombing Christian radicals, to the Jews who, to this day, are still persecuted in israel, and are locked in a near-constant struggle with Pakistan, to crazy-ass Tom Cruise and his Scientology buddies. I realize that as long as more than one interpretation of how this world, or our people, were created, there will be bitter rivalries over religion, but surely we can put aside our differences for the sake of humanity in general.
The decision won't be made by my kind, the non-religious. It's up to YOU to help create a society where Christians don't hate. Where they really do "love everyone."
Ah, if only...
His response: Chris,
You are absolutely right about most of the wars on the planet being perpetuated in the name of one god or another. But I don't see you bashing the Secular Humanists, or Islamists. Just Christians. Huh. Anyway, I don't go around inciting violence. I have friends of EVERY ethniticity, actually, I have Koreans, Germans, BLacks, Native Americans in my immediate family. Oh, and I am of Jewish descent. I am what is termed a Messianic Jew.
My children (I'm really quite old, like in my thirties!) have mostly non-white friends, we do live in El Paso. I have been friends with both gays and straights. They're all people, that's the main thing.
You mentioned that Jesus didn't discriminate. That's true, so why do you dis him? A lot of people say they follow him, but it's blatantly obvious that they don't. Please do not judge me by Fred Phelps, he's already judged me himself. Find out who he is and use your fervor against him. You're in KC right? He makes the news there. Just look for him at the funeral of any vet or homosexual. He's there with his picket signs. He is the kind of 'christian' who gives the real ones a bad name.
The saddest thing here, is that you and I would probably get along. It's just your stereo-typing of 'my kind' that is offensive. The upside of it is that you are getting a bit of attention from your blog, so good for you.
I hope you're enjoying this and I really hope you check out Fred Phelps, he runs for office there a lot.
Shelley
My response: Fred Phelps is a horrible person, and his entire family is about as evil as can possibly be. He is a vile human being and everything he believes in about homosexuals is comparable to the holocaust.
Anyway, I suggest you read my reply to Kayla's comment, because some of it will apply to my conversation with you.
From Kayla, a student at the school Shelley worked at: Well it would be very unfriendly not to introduce myself so hi my name is Kayla, nice to meet you. Well, cutting to the chase I think it's messed up what you think about Christians because some of us aren't the way you portray ALL Christians to be. You contradict yourself way too much and you need to check some of the things you say becasue you're always saying one thing but meaning another. Next to that you talk about how judgemental Christians are...LOOK AT YOURSELF!!! All you do is stereotype us and think we don't "love everyone." Yeah, some Christians don't, but there are some that do, you know. I have a couple of homosexual friends and ppl who take drugs, drink, and have sex but it's not like I don't love them with all my heart. Yes, I disapprove of the things they do but I still love them and tolerate them the way they are and I pray for God toi help them out. One thing you really need to do as well, is look up what the word tolerance means by actual definition. And I must ask, why do you pick on Christians so much when their really are religions out there that do teach ppl to hate other religions, races, and etc? It would be nice if you would actually reply this time.
My response: From Dictionary.com
"tol·er·ance
–noun
1. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.
2. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own.
3. interest in and concern for ideas, opinions, practices, etc., foreign to one's own; a liberal, undogmatic viewpoint."
You guys have a point... Sometimes I choose not to give Christians the benefit of the doubt, but here's why. The overwhelming majority of Christians that I have met, conversed with personally, and have had the "benefit" of learning what they think and feel about Jesus and what "he" thinks about homosexuality, premarital sex, abortion, stem cell research, etc, have been as I have portrayed them in my writing. I hereby apologize to the Christians who are like yourself, but I have to insist that you are a minority in your religion.
However, I disagree with you in that you think I am not tolerant. I can bitch, whine, moan and curse the actions of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Scientologists, Buddhists, and Hinduists, as well as probably a hundred others, but I would NEVER ever, under any circumstances, try to hurt another person because of their religious beliefs, or try to legislate MY God into their everyday lives, or force someone who doesn't believe in my God to do so. Christians (as well as many, if not most of the other religions out there) have done this in the past. It is certainly not common practice anymore, but everyday, I still hear about anti-abortion groups, anti-gay groups, etc who are doing just that. They, whether they will admit it or not, are doing exactly that: Forcing their beliefs onto everyone else.
Now, I'm not trying to convert anyone over to the Pro-choice or pro-gay rights agendas, but I do personally think that they are the most fair, balanced, and truly tolerant ways of thinking. And if YOU people were truly tolerant, which you have insisted that you are, then you must think the same way I do, yes? If not, then you should reevaluate your life by taking a step back away from your life, and then just watch yourself. Self-evaluation is one of the hardest things to do in this world. One cannot truly look at oneself from an entirely objective point of view. It's just not possible. But you have to try.
Most people really don't want to be tolerant in this day and age. It's just a simple fact. Everyone had prejudices, regardless of whatever they claim. Everyone wants to have something to dislike, otherwise life would be boring. So if you examine your life, and you realize that you enjoy being intolerant, then go right ahead. I can't stop you. However, if you find that you don't like being a prejudiced bigot, then by all means, change! (Once again, I don't want this to seem like I'm saying it to you personally, Kayla, it's just an in general 'you')
Now, this I do have to ask you. You pray to God to help them out. That is very noble of you, but did they ask you to? Do they want God to help them? Do your prayers do any physical help for them? Does it take the needle out of their arm? Does it put a condom on their penises? Or, if you're totally against premarital sex, does it keep their penises away from vagina's by way of a tangible barrier? I don't mean to sound like your run-of-the-mill cynical atheist, but the thought of prayer often perplexes me. I have heard from numerous sources (and I'm sure you will have your own opinion) that prayer really does have a healing power. I mean, realistically, it has no physical purpose, other than to calm your own mind, because unless you believe in the power of positive psychic energy, nothing is happening when you talk to yourself. You can claim that God is listening, but (I hate to say this...) you have no proof! (Ugh, I feel like Richard Dawkins...) If God is listening, does he decide whose prayers to listen to? Does he grant everyone's prayers/wishes? Does he only work miracles for his favorites? Or does he sort them into varying degrees of severity? "This girl had her legs torn off by a bear!" "Oh, well, this girl was raped by her father and got pregnant. Then she had a miscarriage, and the dead baby made it so she can never have her own children in the future!"
"God works in mysterious ways." I'm almost certain that someone will say this to me in a reply. Well then, to that, I have to reply, "God is one fucked up little piglet then." If situations like the one I described above can happen to good, honest, god-fearing individuals like yourself (and I assure you, it has, and will continue), what is the point in praying, or believing in God in general?
I think I've waxed rhetoric for long enough... I just want you to think about what I've said. And I mean really think about it. You don't have to change your mind about any of your own beliefs, but I want you to consider what it would mean if I am right. You and everyone else like you would be wasting your lives. I won't say that you are, because no one can say that for certain, but the thought should really strike some kind of chord with you. Have you ever really thought about it? Could my God not exist? Could there be no God at all? If you haven't ever asked yourself these questions, then you will never live a full life. Every true believer has a crisis of faith, because if they come through it and still believe the same things, then their belief will never waver in the future.
Also, I'd like you to reevaluate me as well. Am I still as judgmental as you think I am? Do you really think that I am the intolerant one? After you answer that, you need to ask yourself, "What do I REALLY think about Gays, Abortion, and the state of other religions in this world?" Depending on the answer you give yourself, you may be surprised, and possibly disturbed. Then once you have that answer, and you are completely confident that it is what you TRULY feel, send me an email or something and let me know what it is, because if I really am the intolerant one, I'd like to know.
Take it easy.
--Chris
A response from Shelley to this: Chris,
I am so sorry that you have been so hurt to be this defensive. It must have been pretty bad, I really am sorry. I know it can't really help much, but just so you know.
You still come across as tolerant to only the people who think the way you do. Why would you care if people pray for you or anybody else, if it's only talking to themselves? I'd think you wouldn't care one way or another. It'd be like if a fly is buzzing in someone else's house. You wouldn't care, right?
I don't have the time to reply to your blogs more than once a day. For-that-matter, this takes time away from the rest of my life. I don't want to keep arguing with you. You're hurt by people, most probably Christians, and that puts your back up. I'd say, "I'll pray for you," but that'd offend you and you've been offended enough. So, what I'll do is offer to dialogue with you if you'd like. You have no proof for your disbelief in God, and I can't show you His physical form. So I doubt that this is a place we could meet. I can show you that I, as a Christian, can be a decent, productive contributor to society who is tolerant. You may choose to discount this, it depends on what you're willing to see.
What I am unwilling to do is keep fueling this quazi debate. I just don't feel like kicking your dead horse, what's the point? So, should you desire real conversation about a subject drop me a comment. If you're not interested, that's cool, too.
Oh, by-the-way, when I say "Have a nice day" I mean it. It's not a clever way of saying to shove it. We can disagree and not wish harm on one another.
Shelley
Input from my cousin Dennis: Oh wow, I guess I was a little late to the game on this one... Too bad really, these kinds of debates are my bread and butter. A lot of this shit boils down to the fact the Christian right will always line up behind whatever their GOP leaders and the media present as the issue of the day, and healthcare is next in line.
The Christian voting block will oppose universal healthcare because the GOP will oppose universal healthcare because BlueCross Blueshield will oppose universal healthare.
They are simply a very easily manipulated segment of the population. Really nothing more then a blank check in the backpocket of the GOP. Provided that you crack down on bullshit like gay marriage, you can fast track gross inequality and start as many wars as the country can handle, and then some.
Dont let these people accuse you of calling the kettle black. They are the ones opposing gay rights. They are the ones preaching intolerance. And they are the ones trying to turn their own personal beliefs into legislation. You are simply putting these observations down on paper. Yes, those observations tend to make them look bad. However, instead of defending their statements with a real counterpoint of any kind, they can only try to undermine the ground you stand on. I think our boy Shelly said something to the effect of "When you put your opinions out in the world, you have to be prepared to be judged"... All too often Christians do and say stupid shit and then they get judged... Well, who's the hypocrite now?
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