Recent posts

#1

Laid Back Lounge / Re: What's on your mind today?

Last post by Firebird - Today at 05:30:50 AM

Late to the party, but I miss how active the forum was too. It helped me feel like I wasn't going insane in this crazy world. Of course, I'm also one of those who stopped posting a while back as parenthood and life got busy, so partly my fault. I regret that.

Can't sleep right now and had a wave of nostalgia. Feeling people slowly drift away, both here and in my "real" life, is hitting me harder today for some reason. The years go by too fast. I asked Tank where he'd gone a few months back and he didn't say much, but seemed ready to move on from here too. I'm sure many of you knew that already.
Anyway, I'm glad it's still somewhat active here and hope you're all well.

#2

Politics / Re: Dominionists in the United...

Last post by Recusant - October 07, 2026, 05:21:49 PM

These white male Christian nationalist dipshits think really highly of themselves. If you're not them, you're lesser in their eyes and supposedly in the eyes of their god.

"Pete Hegseth's holy war on 'weirdos' targets most Americans" | Salon

Pete Hegseth is odd. This isn't just a personal opinion, though there's no doubt that he gets widely mocked for his carefully cultivated public persona, which is a mix of megachurch preacher, gym rat and Robert Duvall's napalm-huffing character in "Apocalypse Now." The fact that the defense secretary is different is simply a statistical reality.

It's not just that he's a white evangelical Christian, a group that, according to PRRI, makes up only 13% of the population. Hegseth's church, the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, is extreme even for the right, with a leader who argues against women's suffrage and teaches that slavery was the height of "mutual intimacy and harmony" between the races. Even within MAGA, those remain fringe positions, despite great efforts by some Christian nationalists to reignite "debate" on such long-resolved issues.

All this means it's hard not to laugh when Hegseth pontificates about his hatred of "weirdos." Although he has a war to fight in Iran, somehow he finds time to focus his attention on what he clearly sees as the greater battle: remaking the military according to the demands of his very white, very male, very right-wing vision.

"No fatties, no t******s [slur against transsexuals], no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps, no radicals," Hegseth said during a Sept. 30 speech at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. He didn't explicitly say "no women," but his kicker — "with testosterone testing on top" — made the implication plain. The "no beardos" demand may seem strange, but as Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times explained, it's coded racism. Hegseth ended medical exemptions that allowed beards for people, mostly Black men, with certain skin conditions. This may explain why he has no problem when white men have beards, as seen on his church leader, Doug Wilson, or the many celebrities the defense secretary likes to take photos with. (Hegseth himself sported a beard in 2018.)

[Continues . . .]

#3

Miscellaneous / "god" is a sadistic creature

Last post by iriss7480 - October 06, 2026, 08:44:47 PM

I wrote an essay about how the Christian "god" is evil and abuses your trust:
https://seylee.medium.com/god-is-a-sadistic-creature-f571b5e36a20?postPublishedType=initial

[iriss]

#4

Miscellaneous / Re: Let me tell you about the ...

Last post by Recusant - October 06, 2026, 12:03:00 AM

Mind you, as a character in mythology YHVH is an unabashed psychotic. His supposed incarnation (multiple personality disorder?) is a neurotic at best. The historic person (assuming he existed) was heavily delusional while also hypnotically charismatic. The Islamic version is not an improvement. Worshipping these dysfunctional personalities seems like mass Stockholm syndrome.

I like to commit the unforgiveable sin every once in a while so: By the way, the "Holy Ghost" should sit on a cactus and spin.

No doubt all of the above has been said before (by myself and others) but I want to let iriss know that there is some agreement here. 

#5

Miscellaneous / Re: Let me tell you about the ...

Last post by Dark Lightning - October 05, 2026, 10:51:02 PM

 

#6

Miscellaneous / Re: Let me tell you about the ...

Last post by Recusant - October 05, 2026, 08:13:15 PM

Just can't let go, eh? The mythology provides you with an imaginary scapegoat for unpleasant aspects of your life. As much a crutch for you as it is for the Bible-thumpers.

#7

Miscellaneous / Let me tell you about the true...

Last post by iriss7480 - October 05, 2026, 01:26:07 PM

I wrote an essay about how "god", instead of giving you comfort, reassurance and encouragement, will overwhelm you with its creepy presence.

https://seylee.medium.com/let-me-tell-you-about-the-true-nature-of-god-24a91997a2a7?postPublishedType=repub

#8

Miscellaneous / Re: Intentional infliction of ...

Last post by Recusant - October 04, 2026, 10:26:31 PM

I suppose that by continuing to believe the mythology is real, you have something to blame. It may provide some measure of comfort (I'm the victim of a supremely powerful supernatural being!) but probably won't produce positive results.

#9

Miscellaneous / Intentional infliction of emot...

Last post by iriss7480 - October 04, 2026, 02:50:37 PM

I've written about the Christian "god"s intentional infliction of emotional distress the last 13/14 years.  Where I live, it is a crime to harass someone incessantly.  It has been especially bad the last 3/4 months.  This being is engaging in targeted aggressiveness for no reason.

https://seylee.medium.com/intentional-infliction-of-emotional-distress-db5316f15bfd?postPublishedType=initial

#10

Religion / Re: Who Would Have Thought?

Last post by Dark Lightning - October 04, 2026, 01:55:34 PM

PZ has a blog over at Free Thought Blogs. When I first started out with atheism on the 'net, I hung out at Raving Atheists. Pretty virulent. It is no more.