Author Archives: Jacob Fortin

Ugandan gay rights activist murdered

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You might recall a few months ago, a Ugandan tabloid called “Rolling Stone” published an article identifying a number of homosexuals in an attempt to entice violence. David Kato brought these homophobic bastards to court, and won. His victory, however, was short-lived, as his infamy in the country eventually led to his murder.

David Kato, the advocacy officer for Sexual Minorities Uganda, was bludgeoned to death in Mukono, Kampala, yesterday afternoon. Witnesses saw a man fleeing the scene in a car, and police are investigating.

Along with other Ugandan gay activists, Kato had reported increased harassment since 3 January, when a high court judge granted a permanent injunction against the Rolling Stone tabloid newspaper, preventing it from identifying homosexuals in its pages.

Although Uganda was always very homophobic, it took the inspiration of evangelical leaders in the US to really stoke the fires, which are raging indeed. It’s becoming increasingly dangerous for gays and lesbians, many of whom are seeking asylum in an attempt to avoid Kato’s fate.

I wonder when the crocodile tears will be shed by evangelical leaders who, without their tireless effort, none of this would have been possible. When will we all wake up to the fact that if they had their way, homosexuals would be jailed, beaten or killed for the “crime” of disobeying the supposed commands of a sky fairy?

Auto-tune used for good instead of evil

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If you’ve been a regular visitor of the site for a while, you’ll recall I’m quite partial to these kinds of auto-tune symphonies about science. It’s the one time when I can actually stand what is arguably the worst musical invention since the Theremin.

Texas doesn’t grasp “separation of church and state” concept

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Oh Texas, can you possibly go one day without embarrassing yourself? It wasn’t enough that your governor is trying to prevent women from having abortions: now one of your counties has erected a monument to the Ten Commandments in the courthouse square of Oldham County.

The constitutionality of displaying the Ten Commandments in public squares and buildings has been tested elsewhere with varying results.

“The laws are very convoluted,” said Manuel Quinto-Pozos, staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. “Does it represent the government’s endorsement or seal of approval for a religion?” Quinto-Pozos said he knows of no current court challenges in Texas. How and where the commandments are displayed makes a difference.

“In short, it depends — on context, history and motive,” Charles Haynes, a First Amendment Center senior scholar, wrote in 2005

Yeah, I wonder what the “context” of this gigantic monument to the Abrahamic God of the Bible is. Could it possibly be the endorsement of a specific religion?

I’m doubtful anyone in this tiny county is going to dispute the constitutionality of the monument, mostly because it’s a gigantic waste of time and money to do so. Another victory for the religious, and another defeat for those who maintain the notion America is a secular nation.

Christian hate group attempts to burn gay man alive

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What’s more Christian than a good old fashioned burning? Why, it’s homicidal rage against homosexuals, of course. And what better way to show your love for a 2000 year old failed Jewish prophet than by combining these two activities?

Chris Staples, a citizen of Carroll County GA, woke up with his home set a blaze after receiving a threatening anti-gay note. Staples gives the account of a rock with the threatening note being thrown through his window as he was watching TV and finishing a cigarette. He said the note read “We know you’re gay. And God hates gays. You won’t be raping anybody in the county and God’s going to make sure that you burn in hell.’ And something about my daddy… my daddy will make sure you burn in hell.” Several [hours] later Staples woke up with his house burning to the ground, and was lucky to barely escape.

If you thought that violence against gays and lesbian was subsiding, I’m sad to report you live in a sheltered world and need to wake the fuck up. Homophobia is very real, and the incendiary rhetoric of Christian hate groups (for there’s always a strong religious element to them) has escalated the conflict beyond simple name-calling.

Texas Governor wants to make abortion more of a pain

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If you’re a pregnant woman faced with the difficult decision of aborting your child, Gov. Rick Perry has a few words for you:

“When you consider the magnitude of the decision to have an abortion, ensuring that the patient understands what’s truly at stake seems a small step to take,” Gov. Perry said. “When someone has all the information, the right choice – the choice of life – becomes clear. Now our legislature can take fast action on this important bill because we all know when it comes to saving lives, every second counts.”

This was his speech during a “Rally for Life” where he declared his efforts to pass through legislation that would make it mandatory for women seeking an abortion to have a sonogram.

It’s pretty obvious what he’s trying to do here: he wants to discourage abortion, and he figures having to look your baby “in the face” will change more than a few minds. Ignoring the fact this kind of thing completely violates their rights as a patient, I find it more than a little ironic a state that executes more criminals than almost every other state combined would pride itself on “choosing life”. I guess life only counts when it’s in amniotic fluid, cuz once it’s out of the womb, it better not ask for any financial assistance, am I right?

Mom kills infant son, claims he was possessed

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Now I’m aware reading the news can give you a false perspective about the world, since they typically report unusual and shocking news. With that in mind, it’s hard to not feel like you’re surrounded by religious nutjobs when one of them kills her son by asphyxiating him because she thought he was possessed. It kind of makes you feel like the whole world is a little messed up.

Prosecutors formally filed charges Tuesday against 31-year-old Latisha Lawson including two counts of battery and three counts of neglecting a dependent for the alleged abuse of her two children in November 2009…

On December 21, authorities interviewed Lawson’s daughter, who confirmed she and her brother had been given the olive oil and vinegar because their mother thought they were possessed. The 10-year-old reportedly said that she immediately vomited afterward but that Jeziah King died as he was spitting out the mixture. She also alleged that Lawson put his body on a bed and had her pray over him before moving the body to a closet. According to her, Lawson placed the body in a plastic tote when they moved out of that apartment and kept him with them.

How do some people get this creepy? Moving your decomposing dead 3 year old son around in a plastic tote bag has got to be one of the most gruesome moves in the history of bad moves.

I’ve got 10 bucks that says that no one was quite aware of just how crazy and demented this woman was specifically because of how devoted and religious she appeared to be. I’ve lost count of how many times mental illness has been covered up by religion. If believing in an invisible imaginary friend isn’t considered insanity, what hope do we have to properly identify it?

You’re not my brother, pal

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I can accept the fact that some people are just going to flat out detest people who don’t believe exactly what they do. It’s well within someone’s right to be a selfish dick, but I draw the line when the person in question has a job that requires requires them to forgo their petty, xenophobic tendencies.

I’m fairly confident you’ll agree a governor should be someone who places the good of the voting public above his private beliefs, but unfortunately it seems as though not everyone shares this attitude. In Alabama, the new Republican governor Robert Bentley had a special message to those who didn’t believe in his bearded hippie God:

“I was elected as a Republican candidate. But once I became governor … I became the governor of all the people. I intend to live up to that. I am color blind.”

“But if you have been adopted in God’s family like I have, and like you have if you’re a Christian and if you’re saved, and the Holy Spirit lives within you just like the Holy Spirit lives within me, then you know what that makes? It makes you and me brothers. And it makes you and me brother and sister.”

Bentley added, “Now I will have to say that, if we don’t have the same daddy, we’re not brothers and sisters. So anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, I’m telling you, you’re not my brother and you’re not my sister, and I want to be your brother”.

Wow, you’re color blind, Robby? How enlightened! It must almost feel like you’re a good person when you claim not to judge people based on the color of their skin. Too bad you don’t seem to take the same attitude regarding their beliefs, you close-minded prick.

Hitchens on Freedom of Speech

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Yes, I am a Hitchens fanboy and will post just about anything the man says, but in my defense, you can’t help but acknowledge the man is brilliant. Here’s an old video of him talking about freedom of speech. My favorite part is when he argues it’s the right of people not only to speak their minds, but also for others to hear the opinions of others. Simply awesome.

Fundie Mormons use water torture on babies

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I’ve said many times I think the word “fundamentalist” is misplaced; not because it’s inaccurate, but because it misses the point when talking about adherents. The word “originalist” seems more apt, since the people who qualify as fundamentalists are merely those who have taken the old school approach to their religion. The rest of the world behaves in a sane matter because they have ignored passages of their holy books generally regarded as unacceptable or down-right insane.

Take the obsession of “Originalist” Mormons when it comes to the fear of God. They believe submission to God begins with mental conditioning including torturing babies to get them to fear authority. I wish I was making this shit up:

Water torture of babies is one way some members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints instill fear of authority, a former member testified Wednesday.

“It’s quite common,” Carolyn Blackmore Jessop said. She was a witness for the B.C. government in the constitutional reference case to determine whether Canada’s polygamy law is valid.

“They spank the baby and when it cries, they hold the baby face up under the tap with running water. When they stop crying, they spank it again and the cycle is repeated until they are exhausted.”

It’s typically done by fathers and it’s called “breaking in.”

Yes, you read right: these religious nutbags are using waterboarding on babies. Babies for fuck sakes!

The story came out during a trial to determine the legal status of polygamy in Canada. Now I’m actually of the opinion it should be legal (why the fuck should the government decides what constitutes marriage anyway), but it’s tricky when you’re taking about Fundamentalist Mormons who force young women to marry older men against their will. The truth is for the most part, polygamy is used by members of the FLDS churches as a way of controlling and subjugating women.

Don’t you just love religion?

Bigot Psychotherapist to be fired

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Britain is starting to drop the hammer on homophobic counselors and psychotherapists. For starters, there was the counselor Gary McFarlane who was sacked after he refused to service a gay couple, and now it looks like another mental help professional is getting the boot:

A psychotherapist faces being struck off after trying to ‘convert’ a homosexual man.

Lesley Pilkington, 60, a therapist for 20 years, is accused of ‘praying to God’ to ‘heal’ the patient .

Mrs Pilkington, will appear at a landmark disciplinary hearing this week where she faces being stripped of her accreditation to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

One of her clients recorded her therapy session, which included her suggesting that homosexuality was a mental illness and a “anti-religious phenomenon”.

Of course, she’s trying to argue the whole thing is entrapment, and she had made it clear to her client she used a “Biblical framework” for her therapy. That’s simple Christian-speak for “I use select passages of the Bible to accuse gay men of being abominations”. Luckily, the Royal College of Psychiatrists says this kind of “therapy” is complete shit, and it’s very likely that she’ll be sacked.

What’s really sad is Pilkington’s own son is gay, and she refuses to acknowledge it’s anything but a “lifestyle choice”. Man, can you imagine having this close-minded bitch for a mother?

Neil deGrasse Tyson on why Intelligent Design is stupid

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The Universe is so hostile to life it makes me laugh that religionists are convinced it was created with us in mind. We’re like a tiny bit of bacteria living on a rock that’s about to be engulfed by a river of lava. Mother Nature is a cruel bitch just itching to take us out, and will succeed eventually!

Army wants to assess “Spiritual Fitness”

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It bothers me to no end religious people are convinced the only way to cope with difficult situations and circumstances is to believe in a higher power. It’s just something they claim without any real evidence to suggest it’s true. It merely sounds good to their deluded ears.

So imagine my complete lack of surprise when I heard the US Army has devised a survey designed to test the relative spiritual “fitness level” of soldiers in an effort to avoid mental breakdown of their employees. It turns out a bunch of soldiers have started killing themselves or having mental breakdowns during and after their tours, and rather than taking care of the core problem (namely that they are embroiled in a pointless war that sucks donkey dick), the top brass has decided a person’s spiritual beliefs is of paramount concern when determining their combat fitness.

As you might have guessed, a number of non-religious soldiers are outraged they are being judged based on their lack of belief in fairy tales. Justin Griffith, a self described “foxhole atheist” had to take a survey, and since he answered a hearty “no” when asked if he prayed or meditated during times of stress, he was told his “spiritual fitness may be an area of difficulty” (I would say that religionists have an “area of difficulty” when it comes to accepting reality, but I digress).

It continued: “You may lack a sense of meaning and purpose in your life. At times, it is hard for you to make sense of what is happening to you and to others around you. You may not feel connected to something larger than yourself. You may question your beliefs, principles and values.”

It concluded: “Improving your spiritual fitness should be an important goal.”

I’m so sick of this nonsense. Believing in religious bullshit doesn’t make one a better soldier; it just means you’ve made the conscious decision to favor spiritual gobbledygook over hard fact. No, I don’t feel disconnected to what is happening to others around me; I’m just sick and tired of them pushing their fucking nonsense in my face.

Griffith and others are convinced this is merely a way to discriminate against non-believers in an attempt to populate the army entirely with religious zombies, and I’m inclined to agree. For every testimony I’ve heard (yes, I’m aware this kind of evidence is flawed), the Army is extremely evangelizing when it comes to Christianity, and this fact alone scares the shit out of me. When you combine the toxicity of religion with the machinery of war, terrible things are bound to happen.