Author Archives: Jacob Fortin

Men get amputated in Somalia for stealing phones and guns

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Whenever you hear the words ‘Sharia’ and ‘Court’ uttered in the same sentence, you can bet something fucked up is about to happen. In Somalia, a radical Muslim group known as al-Shabaab has seized control over much of southern Somalia, and they have instituted Sharia Law in that region. Yesterday, 300 onlookers, mostly women and children, watched on as 4 men had their right hands and left feet amputated for stealing some phones and guns.

Somalia’s government is rapidly losing ground in the country, and al-Shabaab is poised to continue to gain more control. Their followers are dedicated and hardened combatants, all supremely dedicated to their goal of defeating the ‘enemies of Islam’; anyone, in other words, who doesn’t share their fundamentalist views.

Onlookers watched as the men screamed for help while their limbs were chopped off, and witnesses refused to comment on what happened, presumably too frightened to say anything. The accused had confessed to their crimes, but the fact they had no lawyers or representation makes me think these confessions were probably coerced. Hey, when you’ve already sharpened all your unsanitary knives in preparation for an amputation, you can’t have anyone being found not guilty, can you?

Somalians are accustomed to a much more reasonable and peaceful version of Islam, but it looks like the fundamentalist bullies are trying to turn the country into another radical state. This is the real ‘War on Terror’ here; a country’s population is being held hostage by maniacs who think cutting off a man’s hands for stealing is appropriate punishment. Things in Somalia are going to get worse before they get better.

I love this guy’s arrogance

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Man, I love people who are arrogant and flaunt it. Maybe that’s also why I love Hitchens, I don’t know; it could just be his general attitude. I personally find it delightful watching obviously intelligent people ranting about the stupidity of religious belief. Who doesn’t?

Glenn Beck`s idiotic special on Biblical prophesy

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What was Glenn Beck doing before he started crying like a bitch on national television? Well, he was busy inviting crazy preachers to talk about End Days on CNN. What fun! In this clip, Glenn Beck is asking pastor John Hagee to confirm or deny some of the claims of the return of the 12th Imam, and to try and correlate it with Christian’s favorite fictional character after Jesus: The Anti-Christ. Presumably I think that means they want him to be a Muslim guy..man, they would love that!

Should the burqa be banned?

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France sure thinks so; President Sarkozy is backing moves to make it illegal in his country, and according to this article, Britain should follow suit. Saira Khan is a devoted Muslim woman who says the burqa not a religious tradition, but rather an ultra fundamentalist practice originating in Saudi Arabia that has no place in modern society. She believes these outfits are a type of female oppression, robbing women of their ability to interact with society and alienating them. Even worse, the practice has caused some women to develop rickets (a softening of the bones due to a lack of vitamin D) due to a lack of exposure to sunlight.

Many of my adult British/Muslim friends cover their heads with a headscarf – and I have no problem with that.

The burqa is an entirely different matter. It is an imported Saudi Arabian tradition, and the growing number of women veiling their faces in Britain is a sign of creeping radicalization, which is not just regressive, it is oppressive and downright dangerous.

The burqa is an extreme practice. It is never right for a woman to hide behind a veil and shut herself off from people in the community. But it is particularly wrong in Britain, where it is alien to the mainstream culture for someone to walk around wearing a mask.

I’m normally uncomfortable with the idea of banning anything; it doesn’t really set a precedent I’m too happy about (after all, what’s to prevent people from banning other religious symbols and practices, or even non-religious ones), but in the case of burqas, I can understand why it’s necessary. After all, although I’m sure many Muslims claim the decision to wear them is entirely up to women, we all know the ‘choice’ to do so was never theirs to begin with. The burqa has come to symbolize the fundamental incompatibility of conservative Islam with modern society, and is a repressive tool to control and segregate women.

I think it’s important to mention not all forms of traditional Muslim clothing are being targeted here: just burqas. The custom has no place in a country where women are treated as equal members of society. Banning anything isn’t something we should take lightly, but we cannot allow an obviously sexist and demeaning tradition from taking place on our soil. Being tolerant of religion does not mean we must accept every single tradition and ritual of any religion. We don’t allow many voodoo ceremonies for both health and animal cruelty reasons. Forcing women to completely veil themselves and act in a submissive manner towards men does not reflect the values that define our modern society. There are plenty of places where this sort of thing is allowed; to those who object to the burqa being banned, might I suggest relocating there.

Don’t read this version of “On the Origin of Species”

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Creationism is alive and well in the United States. Despite their laughingly terrible arguments, backers of ‘Intelligent Design’ continue to flood educational institutions with materials they hope will throw doubt on the truth of evolution by means of natural selection. Their latest tactic is this book; a republication of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species with a twist; the introduction is a 50 page attack on Darwin, accusing him of causing the Holocaust, of being a racist (find me one person living in 19th century England who wasn’t), and of even doubting the truth of his own theory. They misquote him at every turn (a tactic Ben Stein used extensively in his terrible movie Expelled: No intelligence allowed), and suggest Darwin wanted to use evolution to justify genocide.  Here are some choice passages:

Do you think that DNA’s amazing structure could have come together by accident? Or does it point to an Intelligent Designer? Even the director of the U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute concluded there is a God based on his study of DNA.

Richard Dawkins, arguably the most famous of atheists, can’t claim the title “atheist”, because he understands that something must have created everything. He said, “Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose.”

Keeping in mind that the most intelligent of human beings can’t create a grain of sand from nothing, do you think that “something” that made everything was intelligent? It obviously is; and if you do believe the “force” that made the flowers, the birds, the trees, the human eye, and the sun, the moon and the stars was intelligent, you then believe that there was an intelligent designer. You have just become an unscientific knuckle-dragger in the eyes of our learning institutions that embrace Darwinism.

Jesus freak extrordinaire Kirk Cameron is the mastermind behind this project. He wants his copy of Origins to be picked up by schools. Personally, I’m sickened by the idea these intellectual midgets would publish one of the most important scientific theories of all time with a 50 page indictment in the front. What a strange schizophrenic message this must seem to children! It’s not enough for these guys to let the material stand on its own right; they have to try to sabotage the learning process in order to force their sky god down our throats.

Hey guys, how would you like it if I started printing Bibles with a disclaimer at the front that said: “Warning, materials covered in this book are of a racist, bigoted and violent nature. It should be kept well out of the reach of children, and people with a history of mental disorder should avoid reading it. The characters depicted are fictional; and any similarity with persons living or deceased is entirely coincidental.” Would you find that offensive? You know what, I have an idea…

Daniel Hauser story has a happy ending

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Remember a few months ago when I reported Colleen Hauser had fled Minnesota after a judge had ordered her son to undergo chemotherapy? You may remember them as the family who refused to use conventional medicine to treat their son’s deadly Hodgkin’s lymphoma, opting instead to follow the ‘teachings’ of a fake Native American religion called ‘Nemenhah’ (you can find out more about them and their founder, a man with a history of fraud, right here). Well, the story kind of fell off the grid (my bad), but I’m happy to report the parents have come to their senses and have agreed to follow the judge’s ruling.

Colleen spent about a week on the run before she was convinced alternative therapies would not do the trick (she was hiding out in California, the capital of New Age). It’s a good thing too; Daniel’s doctor argued the boy needs immediate and aggressive chemo in order to properly fight off his cancer.

It’s nice to know this story has a happy ending, assuming of course he responds well to the chemo, which seems likely. Kind of makes you hopeful other terribly deluded people can come to their sense with enough persuasion. Who says TGA never has any good news?

Two thirds of UK teens don’t believe in God

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It’s becoming increasingly obvious that religious traditions are fading rapidly. The Telegraph reports over two thirds of teenagers in the UK don’t believe in God, and 59% of them think religion has a negative influence on the world.

In a time where kids are exposed to a huge array of information, ideas and opinions, religion is now seen as antiquated, outdated, and incompatible with our modern values. These religious institutions are sometimes hundreds, if not thousands of years old. The fact they no longer represent our social mores in today’s society should surprise no one;  Bronze Age platitudes are ill equipped to help guide us in the Age of Science and Reason.

I think it’s interesting how many kids have a negative opinion of religion these days. It seems like they are rejecting the old values of their parents. It’s become quite clear modern homophobia, bigotry, and xenophobia is largely the result of the divisive nature of religion. In a world as interconnected as ours, there is no place for these sorts of primitive beliefs anymore.

Now, if only the ‘colonies’ can catch up to this irreligious trend, then we’d be in business…

Hitchens: why it’s a good thing God doesn’t exist

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As we continue our coverage of everything Hitchens, I can’t help but notice how passionate he seems to be on this subject. He sometimes gives me the impression he’s half asleep in some lectures, but I have come to believe this may actually be a result of his heavy drinking rather than any lack of energy on his part. Let’s enjoy the man before his liver becomes pickled, shall we?

Woman sets her child on fire in voodoo ritual

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I’ve seen some pretty messed up voodoo rituals in my day. I think probably the most graphic one involved a man, allegedly possessed by the spirit of the dead, who bit off the testicles of a goat. The gonads were spread around for everyone to suck on, until the creature’s throat was cut, with some licking the bloodied knife. Let’s just say I had some trouble keeping my lunch down.

It’s bad enough when these rituals constitute animal cruelty, but this latest story makes this goat stuff pale and seem like child’s play. Marie Lauradin was convinced her daughter Frantzcia was possessed by an evil spirit, and so she decided to douse her daughter in rum, and to burn the demons out. After the Grandmother put Frantzcia out with a bucket of water, they put her to bed, only bringing her to a hospital the next day after another relative begged them to. Frantzcia suffered from second and third degree burns. She will be scarred for the rest of her life, and I can only imagine the pain she must have gone through. I get all teary when I get a little burn on my hand. She has second and third degree burns on 25% of her body!

The mother faces up to 25 years in jail for endangering the welfare of a child, and the grandmother was also charged and faces a possible 7 years. Their version of the story was that she was boiling water and accidentally spilled it on her child when startled. She still has no explanation as to why she waited almost 24 hours before going to the hospital, however. The truth only came to be known when Frantzcia told her foster caregivers what had really happened to her.

I have to wonder how many rebellious or independent daughters have suffered at the hands of their mentally deranged mothers who believe their behavior must be the product of evil forces at work. It’s another example of how dangerous superstitious beliefs can be. It seems burning people alive is a common practice in a number of organized religions. Clearly, this shit has to stop.

I hope both these deranged women get the maximum penalty for their crime, and I hope poor Frantzcia will recover and find a new family that doesn’t think setting people on fire is a good idea. There are still a few sane people in this world, right?

Scientology lays the smack down on members

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According to four former high ranking church members, their leader David Miscavige is a violent bully who randomly and viciously attacks members of his own organization. They claim that on dozens of occasions they witnessed him attacking someone for ‘violations’ ranging from looking at him funny, to not answering questions fast enough. Miscaviage’s huge legal team denies these allegations.

Personally, if this story is true I’m not entirely surprised. I’ve seen the tactics they employ to ‘free’ people of thetans. These often involve a great deal of shaming, screaming, and yelling (where you need to stay absolutely still and show no emotion in the face of such attacks). It’s a form of mental abuse, so news that the physical kind is also prevalent in this organization isn’t very shocking.

This isn’t the first time the church has been accused of abuse, and it certainly won’t be the last. When has an organized religion ever avoided a major scandal? It’s practically a requirement these days. If you aren’t physically abusing kids, advising husbands to beat their wives when they are disobedient, or slapping your staff around, what kind of religion are you?

Richard Dawkins interview with Derren Brown

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I love listening to professional charlatans about how they employ their craft. I can understand why some of them dedicate their lives to educating people about what they do. It’s kind of like the first time your apartment gets robbed; you get a small sense of just how crappy some people are. Derren is extremely popular; last time I posted a video, people were still playing it a year later. So yeah, I love Derren Brown.

I wanted to include all six, but for some strange reason, part 3 can’t be embedded.

Christian Action League supports bullying of gays

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When I was in elementary school, I was bullied by a giant idiot named Clay. Clay had failed a few times, and as such, he was significantly bigger than everyone else in the same grade (he was roughly twice as big as I was). His obvious stupidity and lack of brain power made him detest anyone who appeared intelligent or interested in school. His favorite tactic was to hold kids upside down and shake them until their money fell out of their pockets, which he would invariably steal.

In some schools, bullying is so bad that the law needs to get involved to protect students trying to learn. This is especially true for homosexuals, who are routinely tortured and tormented in schools due to their sexual orientation. In North America, they are attempting to amend existing anti-bullying laws to include protection for gays and lesbians.

That’s something the Christian Action League is attempting to fight. That’s right; the group opposes laws that would protect kids of a different sexual orientation from being bullied. They claim these types of protection only encourages children to express their sexual identity, and eventually, their precious marriages will be threatened.

This is your typical bigoted bullshit being masked as some kind of crusade to ‘save’ marriage. It’s just another way of saying they don’t mind a world where homosexuals are flogged, ridiculed or demeaned. As far as they are concerned, these kids don’t deserve the same protection as everyone else.

Now I know there are a few people out there who wonder why the atheist movement so strongly supports gay rights. This is part of the reason right here: so long as religions continue to treat other human beings as inferior simply because of their hate and bigotry, atheists opposed to these types of institutions will defend the rights of homosexuals. Our goal is to expose the racism, intolerance and hatred of groups like the Christian Action League and their ilk.

Texas Supreme Court gives special rights to religion

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According to the Texas Supreme Court (which should be known instead as the ‘Supreme Being’ Court), religious institutions have special status that regular organizations don’t. A small town tried to prevent two church halfway houses from being built due to zoning violations, but as it turns out, the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act essentially makes it almost impossible for any municipality to deny a religious institution from setting up shop wherever they want.

The law was originally intended to prevent religious organizations from having to conform with anti-discrimination laws, as well as certain drug regulations (like the ingestion of peyote for ‘spiritual’ purposes). It’s now come to symbolize everything wrong with laws that supposedly ‘protect’ religious institutions.

How many more special provisions do we need to give these guys? Is being tax exempt, officially recognized, and lauded as paramount to society’s health not enough for these guys? Freedom of religion is also freedom FROM religion. If a town has specific zoning laws, who the hell are these guys to force them to change?

When is Texas finally going to secede from the Union? These guys make your whole country look bad…

Great speech by Robert Sapolsky on the nature of man

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I’ve always said our biggest ‘fault’ as a species is our inability to come to terms that we didn’t ‘evolve’ from apes: we ARE apes. That fact is perhaps what is indeed so fascinating about human beings; we are a talented and unique hairless ape. Robert Sapolsky is obviously quite brilliant and insightful. I cannot recommend listening to this important lecture enough. He now has one more fan.

More violent rhetoric from preachers

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I’m getting uncomfortably acclimatized to the violent rhetoric of pastors in America. It seems like every other day, some local preacher is defending the murder of Dr. Tiller, accusing the man of all kinds of terrible crimes, and raising his murderer to the status of martyr. It’s not the first time a deranged killer gets an endorsement from the self appointed messengers of god. You may recall Paul Hill (here is a crazy tribute site to him), who was convicted in 1994 of killing physicians John Britton and James Barrett. Hill encouraged others to follow in his example; when he was executed in 2003, he had no remorse and offered no apologies for taking the lives of these two men. Still today many in the religious right consider him a hero.

Now their new man of the hour is Scott Roeder, a man who was diagnosed as a possible schizophrenic (the diagnosis is contested, but all agree the man has serious mental illness) . According to his ex-wife, when he was facing financial trouble, a friend informed him paying taxes was not part of the Constitution, and it was then that he joined an antigovernmental militia and began reading the Bible with ‘zeal’. If that isn’t your stereotypical ‘gun nut’ gone wild, I don’t know what is.

If you have 20 minutes to kill and want to read what passionate and violent vitriol really sounds like, then check out this sermon by pastor David Gray, who had this to say of murder:

Violence is not always wrong. Killing is not always forbidden. Opposition to abortion does not obligate us to oppose all forms of killing. In saying this I make a biblically defensible statement. God has given the power of the sword to the state so that it may judge and execute judgment. This is true internationally and locally. Condemnation of the vile sin of abortion, the murder of an infant, an innocent, in its mother’s womb is not the same as the death penalty, properly applied.

Nor do I believe that Dr. Tiller’s killer necessarily acted inappropriately as self-appointed judge, jury and executioner…[Tiller’s] brazen boasting of his practice rendered judge and jury superfluous. He was self-accused and self-convicted.

The rest of this article is followed by your typical “Jesus is Lord, he is King, he commands everything” bullshit that goes on and on. I have to assume the reason they mention it so often is if you just claim something with fervor often enough, everyone will assume it’s true.

No, Jesus is not anyone’s Lord, and boldly declaring murdering innocent individuals is sanctified by God is the kind of hate speech most countries in the world have laws about. This is literally enticing others to continue the works of Hill and Roeder. So long as these pastors continue to entice their flocks to violence, tragedies like Tiller’s murder will be inevitable. Hey Christians, didn’t your God tell you killing is wrong? Didn’t he even make that a fucking Commandment or something? Try following it! It’s one of the few rules that makes any sense in that book of yours.