Relief from Belief

"Pro-Life"

2009-05-31T12:03:00.000-07:00

A sad day...

George Tiller the famed, (infamous), abortion doctor was killed outside his church today, gunned down in public by a terrorist.

I do blame right-wing talk radio/television for this occurance, O'Reilly et al. have done everything but threaten death upon this man, and all it took was one delusional act to reprise domestic terrorism in our country..."Pro-Life" indeed...

George Tiller, R.I.P.

The Crusades, Part Deux

2009-05-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

First read this article from Men.Style.com, and before you start puking, come back and read my blog...

Well, pretty interesting huh?

The United States Department of Defense, was being run by an incompetent, doddering, religiophile. Now the incompetent and doodering parts, that was known well before now, but the brazen appeal to the bible as an argument for war is possibly the most damning show if ineptitude by the Bush administration. Pictures of war machines with bible passages, photos of disposed dictators of Arab descent while invoking Jesus, were all brought by Rumsfeld as a means to "butter up" the president, or at least comfort his simple mind. While Rumsfeld was busy mishandling our armed-forces, he distracted the Shrub with bronze-age mythology, essentially hiding his incompetence behind feigned holiness...The fact that these "men" were at the helm of U.S. power is not only frightening, but sad in way. A president, whom was completely in over his head, instead of getting the help he needed, was being decieved by an arrogant, worm-tounged, war monger, praying on foolishness...

Yes I do believe Rumsfeld is a War Criminal, and he should be put on trial, but his intents to decieve the commander-in-chief while fumbling the military damns the man more than a court ever can or will.

Spectre Finishes Them Off...

2009-05-09T12:21:00.001-07:00

Something Different...

2009-04-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

This is an off-topic post, but is still something worthwhile...

Right now, Royals pitcher Zack Greinke is the best pitcher in major league baseball, and as he is starting to gain noteriety, (see this months Sports Illustrated), I just want to thank Zack for all his hard earned recognition. He is not only an interesting sports story but a human interest one as well. He has overcome social anxiety, (which would seem difficult as a person that has to speak to the press and perform in front of strangers every night), a bumbling team ownership, and a number of different coaches telling him different things, to become an up and coming ace. We in Kansas City thank you Zack for sticking through the tough times, and hope to have you around awhile and be a part of a growing franchise...

I'm Twittering All Over

2009-04-21T11:05:00.001-07:00

Relief from Belief can now be found on Twitter! My username is "cgentry02", sign up and get more posts than humanly possible!!!!

HYAAAAWH!!!!

Traitors! umm Nut Cases!...er Nut Sacks! I mean Tea Baggers!

2009-04-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

Is this real? Are there people out there actually claiming "Taxation Without Representation"? (Outside of DC I mean). Was there some set of circumstances where they couldn't vote for a congressperson or senator? Was Obama not democratically elected? The answer to the last 2 questions is an obvious "No". The answer to the first 2 questions is a surprising "Yes".

Interesting...the republican party, in an attempt to create a "grassroots" movement, has put millions of dollars into the promotion of "tea parties", an anti-tax propaganda venture in the hope of rejuvenating the conservative movement...job NOT well done. By making vague claims of some sort of "unconstitutionality" of Obama's policies, the conservative movement has alienated itself from a country that overwhelmingly supports the president. While we know from past conservative actions that they will cut off their nose to spite their face, it's hard to believe the outrage incited by the frothy mouth El Rushbo, or the just plain silly Glenn Beck, could be taken seriously, and for the most part it isn't. I'm not what you would call over patriotic, (don't get me wrong, I love my country, but realize we are only one of many), but what Faux news, along with Glen "Rodeo Clown" Beck are doing may be considered treasonous. Making false claims of misrepresentation because your guy didn't win the election is as despicable as it is dishonest.

As the sin of Pride runs rife through Faux News, so does support for the president, (and his policies), across the country, (excluding undereducated white southern males of course). Can we learn anything from fake populist uprisings built on the flimsiest of reasons? Yes and it is this...Glen Beck is a real "Eye-Hole"...

Thanks again to ArtMaggot Hysteria for the use of his work, as he sums up Mr. Beck quite well...

Is it the Religion? Or the Mind-set?

2009-04-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

I found this article recently about a study that shows the decline of religion in America.

I've read subsequent articles referring to this study, specifically by religious leaders that are obviously concerned, and contemplate what my mindset might be if faced with the same predicament. If the "value" system I've been using to judge the world around me is losing "subscribers", what does that mean to me? Could I ignore the fact that people were finding better explanations that what I was giving? Is my life/personality/being so wrapped up in this system that I could never look at my position objectively? While I believe that a person could hold to their religion even as others are finding reason to leave, that this not only could change a person, but SHOULD change, (or at least give pause), to those that profess an undying faith. As pragmatism wins out over vague references to "good" or "evil", so goes reason over faith. And this seems to be the arc of Western History...

As Aristotle and Socrates brought the gods down from Olympus, as Galileo and Copernicus brought the stars down to earth, and as Darwin and the Scientific Method discovers the story of life on our planet, the ability for man to make arguments on "feelings" and "faith" has greatly diminished. As evidence and logical rationale take the place of superstition, the culture of man advances on. While there were hiccups in this process, (The Dark Ages, etc.), it is still the case that the mind-set it takes to hold religious convictions is being replaced by the mind-set that allows for new evidence to enter the room at any time. It is this ability to deal with new facts that makes humans as successful as they are, the brain was not meant to be a static storage space, but a biological tool that evolves to the changing circumstances.

It is my thought that this study doesn't necessarily show that religion is "losing out" to non-religion, but that we are becoming more discriminate in our knowledge base. With the amount of knowledge we have access to, we don't need the preacher to take on biological theories, our Imam isn't our pharmacist anymore, and our Rabbi's better stay out of the political realm. I believe that the fact that we are "losing religion" in our country isn't solely because of the disenfranchising by the clergy, (see Catholic Priests), but by an awakening that we can think for ourselves. As we allow ourselves to become self-aware, we are compelled to be truthful with ourselves, and in doing so require no guidance but the self-evidence of our own consciousness.

Held Hostage

2009-04-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

Chop Their Heads Off

2009-03-23T10:08:00.001-07:00

The President Engages Us...

2009-03-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

While I certainly understand some amount of anger towards Obama regarding his recent, "Special Olympics" comment, it stands to reason that the most "outraged" aren't actual Special Olympians, but the Rightwing Attack Machine, (RAM). You see, Conservatives can't differentiate between a joke and political commentary, that's why they assume, that Rush Limbaugh is a "political commentator". When Rush ridicules a person with Parkinson's disease as "acting", nothing out of the conservative base. When "El Rushbo" says feminism is for "unattractive women" to get ahead, crickets in the conservative corner. BUT, when the President makes a disparaging comment about his bowling game, the Faux-Rage from the RAM goes into overdrive. While seeming to have no sympathy for minorities, women, or others in general, all of a sudden the conservatives are the champions of the mentally handicapped...sorry but we're not falling for it.

While many in the RAM derided the President just for going on a television show, the reality is that this is why the American people hired Obama. An easy going, open communicator with the American people, isn't this what a president is supposed to do? While I do think Leno is a D-bag, the president's accessibility is exceptional. By being on TV, by talking to the citizens, he emplores us to become more involved with our government, creating knowledge about our government. The president is engaging us, he is meeting us were we relax, (Leno), and play, (NCAA B-ball), there is no shame in this. The last president we had only came out of his hole when he had to, (and given his response to Katrina, not even when he had to), Barack is changing what it means to be a representative of the people. By using the technology of TV, internet and email, the president is speaking directly to more people than any other president in history, bringing sunlight to a darkened oval office...

Again I would like to than ArtMaggot Hysteria for the custom pix...

I've Found Jesus

2009-03-12T22:43:00.000-07:00

Jesus reveals himself...

Mr. Dawkins Spreads the Good Word...

2009-03-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

Richard Dawkins, landing some haymakers on Ben Stein and Oklahoma Religionists...

The Descent Continues...Part II

2009-03-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

The Battle Ensues...

In this corner we have Michael "The Man in Black" Steeeeeeeeele...

And in this corner, weighing in at over 20 million listeners, "El Rushhhhhh Booooooooooo"!

As the fight unfolds we realize this is not the simple infighting of an inclusive whole, but a battle to the death for the mantle of "Conservative Leader". Can Steele capture the conservative dynamic and deliver it to the republican party, WHILE changing the face of the party? Will El Rushbo drive his listeners so far away from compromise that there is no hope for a viable republican party? Let's take a look...

Steele fires the first shot, calling Limbaugh an "entertainer" and his comments "incindiary", trying to bring a moderate tone to the Republican leadership. The problem with this is that Limbaugh's listeners are anything but moderate, and unfortunately they were a great chunk of what made up the previous republican party. So by alienating Rush and his fans, you are essentially giving up the most rabid conservatives in favor of, (or at least hoping for), a more moderate version of the republican party. Will this work? Didn't Obama get those moderates already? If you can't count on Rush's 20 million to vote, then do you push left in the party, (thereby pushing the dem's more left)? (By the way, after firing this "first shot", Steele promptly apologized for even questioning Limbaugh.)

The point we are getting at here is that the republican party of the last 29 years is done. It started with Reagan and ended with Bush. What is left are the social conservatives that won't drop the abortion debate, and wealthy people. I've got to tell you, that ain't much of a base to work from. The main concern, (and should be deeply troubling to conservative thinkers), is that

Rush Limbaugh is not a superior intellect, nor is he a leader, he truly is an entertainer, with his bottom line ending at a paycheck every week. Can the republican party moderate itself from the divisiveness that the conservative movement has thrived on? Can the republican party survive without the Far-Right? Will Limbaugh realize soon enough that he may kill the republican party completely?

As the Descent Continues...(you would think that there would be a bottom somewhere don't you?)

The Descent Continues...

2009-02-28T07:57:00.000-08:00

While attempting to watch Governor Bobby Jindal's rebuttal of Barack Obama, I was struck by the sense of ineptitude in the republican party right now. While it's pretty standard to have a rebuttal of the presidents statements in that format, it seems that whomever wrote Mr. Jindal's speech needed to at least ACT like they were paying attention to what the president was saying. In Obama's speech in which he specifically stated that he wasn't' for "big government", Mr. Jindal's reply ignored this and rambled on about the vague "bureaucrats" that he faced down during Katrina. Given the colossal failure of the republicans regarding Katrina, opening this wound isn't such a good idea. But what is really embarrassing is that the whole story was made up! So not only did it seem the rebuttal was ill-written, not only did it ignore the content of Obama's speech, the glaring failure of the young Jindal was a contrived story of him facing down "big government", a complete farce...

Right now our president is running loops around republicans, out smarting, out maneuvering and out performing them at every turn. Jindal who was talked about as a presidential candidate in 2012, not only ruined that possibility, I'm wondering if he'll even be re-elected...

"Golly Andy, the bureaucrats won't let us save the people..."

I'd like to thank ArtMaggotHysteria for letting me use his artwork. There is always fresh material, give the site a visit and return often, always something fun...

A Left-of-Center President!

2009-02-24T19:22:00.000-08:00

Again, President Obama captures the imagination of our country, but this time it is not as the story of the first Black President, but AS the President. There are no more campaigns, leadership is needed now, and tonight Barack Hussein Obama set out to convince that this country is not only capable of rising from a myopic, nihilistic haze, but in fact, that by simply doing what we know we can, ("the nation that invented the car" for example), we can restore the greatness that we once held in the world. While reminding the nation of the deficit he inherited, the wars he inherited, and the cynicism held by many citizens, he left no doubt that we are in good hands, OUR Hands. As the president helps us to realize the importance of commitment to community, he reminds us that this commitment IS the reward, it is what MAKES a community, and in fact the community cannot exist without it.

While cutting the taxes of 95% of working people, Obama effectively neutered any argument the bloated carcass of the GOP may have had, and in doing so, may give the Democrats decades of congressional dominance. By putting faith back into American Government, Barack is bringing back a forgotten idea; that government can be good! Regulating Wall-Street stops multi-billion dollar Ponzi schemes, keeping an eye on money lenders makes sure the housing market doesn't tank, monitoring industrial waste keeps are environment healthy, these aren't bad things, (but something that hasn't been said in 29 years or so). Obama, by actively demanding an amount of government, industrial, and financial responsibility has essentially reclaimed the U.S. as a progressive country, and in doing so starts moving the country in the liberal direction it was originally designed for...

While sounding as giddy as I do when I watch Obama, I still realize there are things out there that he did not address that must be brought up, specifically, Extraordinary Renditions, (What is the story Mr. Holder?). "Truth Commissions"? (sorry Mr. President, justice must be served to Rove, Cheney, and George II). Ensuring that "Faith Based Initiative" funds are used properly, (a pet project of mine) and the Drug War, (not an immediate issue, but would like it to be addressed).

Sebelius is Next HHS Secretary!?

2009-02-18T22:48:00.000-08:00

The New York Times and CNN have reported that my, (Kansas), Governor, Kathleen Sebelius, is on the short list to be the next Health and Human Services Secretary! A middle of the road type of politician, she has brought a dose of sanity to a state that has had it's issues with "Intelligent" design. While we are happy to see her get mentioned for such a position, I remain anxious at the question of what will happen in Kansas if she moves on...I just got a feeling that Phil Kline is out there...lurking...

Good Luck, Kathleen!

The Faith Based Iniative: Can We Trust It?

2009-02-15T10:15:00.000-08:00

With Obama re-upping Bush's "Faith Based Initiative", my initial reaction is one of concern. Can the son of an openly secular family really be attempting to blur the line between church and state? (There is a good quote from Obama's book at this link, describing his mothers view of religion)

Obviously this sort of action is expected from an evangelical oil executive, but not a thoughtful, intelligent, constitutional lawyer. Is it possible to give federal dollars to any group that bases it's motives on "faith" and still preserve the separation of church from state? Can faith based groups describe their desire to help others without invoking their mythology? Will people that claim no faith be able to access this money?

While looking for answers to these questions, I stumbled upon the website for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. At this site I found a FAQ page regarding the use of "Faith Based" funds, and how exactly these funds are to be used. Admittedly, these guidelines were written under the previous presidents regime, and surprisingly are quite secular in their design. A Christian soup kitchen can identify itself as "Christian", but cannot make judgements upon those who may eat at the kitchen. For example, if the soup kitchen refused to serve a customer because they were wearing a Burqa, this would violate the guidelines, as denying the food, (bought with federal funds), would be based on mythology/religious differences.

It seems that there are guidelines in place to ensure that this federal money is not used in proselytizing, and this is the main worry of the agnostic/atheist movement. But how do we moniter this? Is there a regulatory watchdog keeping an eye on the money and the institutions? How can Barack give me the confidence that my taxes aren't going to the "christianization" of the homeless and those under state care, (ex. the incarcerated, those in adoption homes)? As we know the history of religion's ability to infiltrate the minds of the destitute and undereducated, how do we ensure that our nations core beliefs are heeded and respected? As previously written, (see my Feb. 8th post, "The fight continues..."), Obama has opened his arms to non-believers, now, can he continue with the systematic secularization of the country?

Trusting churches to spend government funds properly?..."Faith-Based" indeed...

An article I found direclty pertaining to this...Faith Based Fudging

Darwin Day

2009-02-12T08:20:00.001-08:00

We, (meaning me), here at "Relief from Belief" hope you have a wonderful Darwin Day. Contemplate the beauty of the Scientific Method today, with it, all things are possible.

The Fight Continues...

2009-02-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

Before we get into this too much, I'd like you to read this article by Jake Jones, the "Evangelical Examiner" for Wichita, Kansas...

Obama meets with Atheists.

As you see, the push for equality regarding non-believers is still being fought for. The good news is our president is acknowledging and meeting with leaders from the agnostic/atheist movement to get some ideas on how to move forward in these tough times. The bad news is the radical-right refuses to accept non-believers as equals under the constitution, and are acting to marginalize this movement. This isn't a big surprise, no one expects the religious/radical right to roll over when placed on equal standing with non-believers, (they are born in, reside, thrive, and spread the fear of a "non-christian"nation). Of course we've had nothing but christian presidents, (including Obama), since the founding of our nation, Obama is simply acknowledging that not all people believe in Bronze age mythology. And since there is evidence to show that "Higher leve ls of belief among people with no college educati on and lower levels of belief among those with p ostgraduate education.", (think scientists, professors, lawyers, doctors...), Obama may be indeed acknowledging that we need non-believers to assert their expertise to help with our current issues. This isn't in fact a knock against Christianity, (as the religious right would like to think), but a reach out the best and brightest that may have felt ignored, neglected, and at times demonized by our previous presidential administration. If Obama can bring a sense of real compassion, of real change to the Oval Office, acknowledging the millions of us who refuse to adhere to ancient dogmatic beliefs, is a good start.

If the movement to stop Obama from talking to non-believers makes you a little anxious, go here, and tell "In God We Trust", what you think of their un-patriotic ways. I did.

And as with my pastime of including pictures, here is one I find particularly funny that symbolizes the irrational fear and hatred of those that claim Jesus as their shepherd...

Obama's Team: Part III

2009-02-04T10:10:00.000-08:00

In what may currently be the toughest position in America, (outside the presidency), the Treasury Secretary.

Timothy Geithner - Treasury Secretary

While the onus is on the president to get the economy back on it's feet, it is Geithner who will help design and implement the strategies to do so. While it is difficult to discern whether Mr. Geithner adheres to any one religion, it has been rumored he is Jewish, but there are no facts to back this up, and according to Tvzee's Talmudic Blog, he was raised Episcopalian. But even better than that, (for us non-believers anyway), is that Mr. Geithner is described as "hardly religious" by his father-in-law. Do we have an agnostic in the house? While I can't say that I support the American pastime of MoneyWorship, I will stand by a man that knows his dinero, especially in this time of dire need for comprehensive economic reform.

With economic times unjust,

A review of our policies a must.

A good change indeed,

our money should read,

"In Barack H. Obama we trust"

Stalling...

2009-02-01T09:27:00.000-08:00

While waiting for some information verification to come in regarding Mr. Timothy Geithner, (Treasury Secretary), I got a video to pass the time...

He must be a migrant worker...

2009-01-28T22:38:00.000-08:00

"One of these faces is not like the other, one of these faces just isn't the same..."

Mr. Boehner's face is a little more , ahem, "golden" than the others. Are we supposed to believe that this man cares more about the American middle class than Obama does? A skeleton, Ratman, and LeatherFace, is that all the conservative "movement" has left?

By the way, Boehner doesn't represent a warm, sunny, southern district, he's from Ohio. Fako Bako.

Obama's Team: Part II

2009-01-28T07:49:00.000-08:00

Continuing with our investigation...scanning for Atheists, inquiring about Agnostics, noodling (?) for Non-Beleivers, in Barack's Cabinet appointees...barring that we will at least reward good secular politicians...

Hillary Clinton - Secretary of State

We all know Hillary, she's been on the national political stage for years now, The First Lady of Arkansas, State Senator of New York, and her most difficult job, keeping Bill's pants on. Listed as a Methodist, Hillary uses her religion very suspiciously. While being a politician in the south, there really is no way to be elected than by proclaiming a deep and abiding faith, and as with Obama, we will take her word for it, no reason to suggest she is not religious. But, we can moniter how and when she chooses to use her religion. She is not openly religious, unless she's in front of a crowd of evangelicals, but she's reviled by conservative leaders, as her religion is essentially pro-choice. So, is she the pious disciple that leaned on Jesus through the difficulties in her marriage? Or is she the pragmatic, open-minded politician that her husband represented? It seems tough to claim both of these positions without alienating people on both sides, but isn't this the Clinton (family) legacy? Knowing your audience, knowing the law, bending the law, bending the audience. The Clinton's are nothing if not shrewd politicians, and they know that most people in our country are religious, they certainly convey that they "feel your pain", but behind closed doors they are negotiators to the first degree, and this is the real duty of the politician. While we take at face value "Hillary as Methodist", we look at her track record of policy making and we see a history of (somewhat) progressive reform. When the votes are up in the air, Hillary knows the audience, when policy and politics come around, jesus covers his eyes. Since Hillary is now in an appointed position, there are no more elections, no more playing to the audience, so we will soon see how she carries out the work that Barack will hand her. This is one voter who hopes to see Rick Warren and the like covering THEIR eyes.

P.S. - Looks like Holder will be confirmed as Attorney General...more next time.

Obama's Team: Part I

2009-01-25T08:18:00.000-08:00

When Barack referenced "non-believers" in his inauguration speech, it wasn't simply a nod to the left-wingers that helped get him elected, it was an acknowledgment that our government and politics are secular. That we, (as a country), are ruled by laws written by man, and that adherence to these laws is what makes one truly "American". (This is a sharp contrast to the last president who's test for being a patriot consisted in an odd formula that took into account not only how "hard" one prayed to Jesus, but also the amount of Toby Keith albums one owned). While setting up for his historic run for office, Obama put out his biography, "Dreams of My Father" ,that confirmed his christian beliefs, I will take this matter at his word, (even if political expediency makes these claims necessary). I won't press on his mother's professed atheism, or his fathers non-religion, we will assume that Barack is in fact a follower of Jesus Christ. With that being said do we think that Barack "speaks with god" as Bush claimed he did? Will Barack consult ancient texts for modern medical advice? Will Barack allow natural disasters to be ignored as "the will of god"? We are all hoping the answers to all theses questions will be an emphatic "No". So, if Jesus isn't Obama's "co-pilot", where does Barack get his advice? And more specifically to this post, are any of the people that Barack takes advice from in fact "non-believers" themselves? Check back often as I will analyze selected members of Obama's staff, searching for those that may be atheist/agnostic, and cheering on those that show an affinity for secular government.

First under the microscope, Obama's pit-bull, Rahm Emanuel...

Rahm Emanuel - Chief of Staff

Mr. Emanuel is Obama's right-hand man, the strong arm bending the cabinet to Barack's will, a zionist Jew, and an all-around pain in the ass. While being a foot soldier in the remurgence of the Democratic party, Rahm gained the reputation of a mafia pit-boss, demanding loyalty and, *ahem*, taking care of those that didn't perform. While being a respected official, it can't be said that he is non-religious. Rahm still identifies himself as a Zionist, and his father has been less than flattering when speaking of Arabs, (oy vey!). That being said, Rahm is more of a facillitator and less of a policy maker in his White house position. It will be interesting to watch as Barack goes forward with Israel/Palestine relations. Will Barack take a pragmatic approach to the conflict? Can Rahm seperate what his position demands, from the policy decisions that Barack must make? Answers to these questions will go a long way in defining how secular the current White House will be.

Thank goodness he didn't get away

2009-01-23T16:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry, this is an off topic post, but fun to pass the time...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090123/ap_on_fe_st/odd_goat_thief

Hey-Row!

2009-01-22T14:25:00.000-08:00

Hello, my name is Clint Gentry, and I just made it home from DC...

Sitting on the mall...the people, the MILES of people, waiting for the second that the change actually came. The second George Bush was out of office. The second African-Americans broke the ceiling. The second we remembered what we love about America...

This blog will have nothing to do with that...

We will be a bit more specific here, a bit more precise, a bit more direct, we will focus ourselves on the first ever mention of "Non-Believers" in a presedential inauguration speech. Is the world ending? Can Non-Believers be real Americans? Is Obama going to actually acknowledge a, (gulp), secular government? Of course these are questions for FOXNews to answer, (with their dwindling fan base, they better do it soon), but seriously folks, the Atheists/Agnostic movement is on a roll, and this will be a big part of the discussion here at "Relief from Belief". I will attempt to do a weekly post which will hopefully have enough meat to last through 5-7 whole days, but I will certainly keep up with current events and post when I feel it necessary.