The Catholic Church is a political organisation

Sorry for the hiatus, I have been busy, lazy and lacking in writing inspiration. But enough excuses, now I am marking my return with a post on my favourite topic: Religion. Or is it politics? What's the difference?

Truth is, all organised religions are as much politics as they are religion. To hold power over the masses, politics is undeniably vital. And to say that they are not about power would be akin to saying Megan Fox is ugly. In other words, denial.

But here I point you to the sex abuse crisis the Catholic Church faces, and the Pope's avoidance of the issue. The Pope made no mention nor apology on the issue during the three hour Easter Mass. But what's worse is that some leaders of the Catholic Church called the sex abuse issue a "smear campaign aimed at the Pope." That is no different to what politicians say when their sex scandals were made public. Plus the fact that these were not allegations, these were cases where the clergies themselves have admitted to committing. What happen to the Church that preaches repentance? Clearly, politics is more important than God's forgiveness. Hypocrisy is a virtue in politics, remember?

To their credit, there were a few Archbishops who criticised the Church's handling of the issue. They deserve to be commended for that. I urge more Catholics to do the same.

Despite his silence towards the sex abuse crisis, the Pope did however, say that humanity faces a "profound crisis" and that it needs to undergo a "spiritual and moral conversion." I fully agree. However, I hope the Pope does not regard sex abuse and spreading HIV to others as morally acceptable. If he does not, then I think the Pope should tackle the problems in his own backyard first before trying to "fix the world." Like Michael Jackson said, look at the Man In the Mirror.

There are many other Catholic clergies more deserving to be the Pope than this idiot. The only way to make sense of his election is to draw parallels from how George Bush was elected: He played politics.

Blasphemy Law

Warning: This post is blasphemous. But thankfully, this account is not registered in Ireland. Oh, thank Darwin! Thank Science! Thank the Big Bang it's not!

If you still don't know what I'm talking about: Ireland enacted the Blasphemy law which came into effect on the 1st of January 2010. No, this is not an Onion piece, this is real. You wouldn't be the only one if you think you're back in Ancient Rome. Fundamentally, this poses two problems.

Firstly, the death of Freedom of Speech. Secularists have time and again criticised religions for the religious dogmas who do not respect human rights, and this just proves it once again. Freedom of Speech is one of the most basic elements of Human Rights, hence by suppressing it, religions have once again shown that Human Rights is less important than protecting their religion. Is this rational? Am I wrong when I claim religions are irrational?

Secondly, by requiring a law to protect religious ideas, wouldn't that be blasphemy in itself? Isn't God all powerful? So why is he not capable of taking a few criticisms? By requiring a law for this purpose, they are in fact claiming that God isn't all powerful after all. I don't know how they think, but to me, that is blasphemy. I think whoever enacted that law should be fined under that very same law. Paradox. Yes. I love it.

At the end of the day, I think religions should be more careful and stop doing stupid things to undermine themselves. Religions' popularity has already declined over recent decades. Flaunting their stupidity is not going to help their survival. Oh, and may I remind you, these are the same people who criticise Muslim fundamentalists in the Middle East. And the same people who condemn countries that lock up political prisoners.

What is the difference between political prisoners and religious prisoners? As far as I am concerned, they are both based on ideologies.

Food for thought: The Ancient Roman and Greek Gods and Goddesses have lost all their followers. So have many other religions. In fact, contemporary society seems to think it's funny people in those day believed in such absurd God as the God of Love (Cupid). Abrahamic religions are only about 2000 years old. Who is to say that they will not disappear one day in the future? And people then would think it funny that we, now, think God created humans in his image?

When your religion dies, will your heaven still be eternal? I say best forget your religion and make full use of your current life.

So that's what free speech means

"Talking about free speech--you should have the right to keep them out as much as they have the right to bring him here." --Kay Anderson

Now I know. So Stalin was just exercising his rights all along. Preventing others from speaking is part of free speech rights. I see. Glad you cleared that up. So, can I prevent you from preventing others? My rights, isn't it?


Anyway, I have a few unfinished posts waiting to be completed. I hope to get them done soon. One particular one is my own reflections on why I write about the stuff that I write about. And I'm going to change the colour coding of the blog. Don't like it (anymore).


See you soon,
Free Speech

Won't Get to Heaven

So, you have probably heard about the Texas Military base shooting by now, or at least I hope so. And guess what is the latest development? That's right! Right-wing media respond to attack by demonizing Muslim.

What's better, you ask? Less than 24 hours later, Orlando office shooting occurred. Wait for it, oh, man is not Muslim. Theory debunked. The man is probably Catholic too.

These religious conservatives should really stop blinding themselves. They choose to see what they want, and close out the rest, even if it means not seeing the truth. It's ironic they'd claim atheists "can't see the light." (You know the joke? "How many atheist does it take to change a light bulb? None, because they can't see the light." Though they fail to realise, without science, there would be no light bulb for you to change, idiot!) They like to believe what they believe is true, even with overwhelming evidence against it. When your 14-year old gets pregnant, why blame her for being a slut? Blame parthenogenesis (virgin birth) or blame the Pope for stigmatising condoms. Makes more sense to me.


Jesus is cool. The Bible is cool. The Qur'an is cool. But if you need to take them all literally, you might as well believe my shit smells like roses. They do.


Your friendly atheist,
TY

Playing God

(Yes. Title from latest Paramore. Don't get why all the hype though. It's good but not great to me. Maybe it's a Twilight type thing. Speaking of which, a forty plus year old lady was reading Breaking Dawn on the train. Oh My! It is the end of literature!)

This is an embarrassing attempt by a believer to defend religion.

A plague of atheists has descended, and Catholics are the target

Seriously. How can something like that match up to the likes of Dawkins, Hitchens or Singer?
The article is written by Greg Cravens, Vice Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University.
I honestly feel sorry for Catholics and students of that university. His credibility is gone. I doubt any believers themselves would think that the article would do them justice.

Since you are unlikely to read the article, I'll show you some of the comedy.
He started off with:
"Attacking Christians is not really clever, witty or funny."

but apparently attacking atheists is.
Why would anyone start an essay with that but go out of your way to try to be funny in their essay? Oh, hypocrisy!

Now for my favourite part:
"This is not to say that believers - and perhaps especially Catholics - do not get seriously irritated by atheists. They do, but not because atheists are fearfully clever or Wildely funny."

So he thinks Wilde is funny. Oh my, wait, Oscar Wilde? The atheist? HAHAHA!
Hypocrisy or misinformed?
Not to mention that in itself is a lame attempt at trying to be funny.

Next, for the most disgusting part:
"In an average week of atheistic bigotry in the Melbourne media, we can expect to learn that Catholics endorse child molestation, hate all other religions, would re-introduce the crusades and the auto de fe at the slightest opportunity, despise women, wish to persecute homosexuals, greedily divert public moneys for their own religious purposes, subvert public health care, brainwash children, and are masterminding the spread of the cane toad across northern Australia."

He brushed those claims aside just like that. He rather devote his essay to unsuccessful attempt at wit, which he says isn't cool.
Let's see, Catholic sex abuse cases. Oh, not much, just an entire Wikipedia article about it. Let's not count the ones for each country. He offered no solution, no apology, nothing. As though it was not an important matter. Maybe he's part of it. Like wise for all the other "sins" he mentioned. No solution, just as though they weren't true. Only an idiot will think atheists made those facts up. Who's against Gay Rights? Who's against Feminist Rights?

Let me remind you, the upcoming atheists convention in Melbourne in 2010 (largest ever in Australia, which is what sparked the increased number of debate between atheists and believers lately) is funded entirely privately. World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney cost the government $185 million.

What's fair? You tell me.

If believers want to be taken seriously, they ought to come up with better arguments. So far, I have yet to witness a believer defeating a non-believer in one of these debates on religion. Either it's ignorance, or just not as intelligent. I think the former, they aren't stupid.

Believers, if you got this far, don't get me wrong. Most atheists don't hate you. We simply do not like you imposing your believes on to us. Public money in a secular country should be spent without the interference of religion. Islamic country can spend it on Islamic activity, it makes sense, but not secular country. If you want to practice your religion, do so, but don't impose it on others. You don't see atheists attacking Buddhism.


Your friendly atheist,
TY

21st Century Breakdown

Cyber attacks smite atheist websites

I bet you these same people hate Stalin and champion for the freedom of speech.
We all love hypocrisies.

I think, that these religious idiots just feel way too insecure about their own religion. And they say religion is based on faith. Oh the irony!

If your god is so powerful why are you afraid about some atheist undermining his authority?

So many unanswered questions. Religious idiots, please shed some light on these questions. Or else, I have no choice but to accept the theory that common sense is dead. Or soon to be. Sooner than punk.

Punk's not dead. Common sense is.


TY

No God Only Religion

This is a good piece on religion in Australia.

Editor, The Age: Sir, The spectre of religion has affected me from an early age.

AT SCHOOL: If you are not attending religious instruction, sit outside in the passage!
JOIN A GANG: Not a Protestant or Catholic? You're out!
IN HOSPITAL: No religion? You must have one! We will put you down as CoE.
IN COURT: (giving a character reference for a teenager). You must swear to tell the truth on the bible. There will be no affirmation in my court!
ADOPTING A CHILD: You must get two Ministers of Religion to recommend you!

And so it has gone on for over 70 years, as I witnessed in our secular country, governments going to war in the name of God, granting vast funds to religious schools (rich and poor) and church institutions, giving tax concessions and rate exemptions to large church holdings and investments and exemptions from equal opportunity legislation.

Under the misapprehension that religion is the sole foundation of ethics and morals, we open our Parliament sessions with prayers and - fearing opposition from religious groups - our representatives disregard popular demands for abortion, voluntary euthanasia and official recognition of same-sex relationships.
Now, while I continue to try to join with my religious and atheist friends in responding to the bells tolling for justice and equality, I look forward to the 2010 atheist conference in the hope that it will foster a greater understanding of atheistic thought.

- Keith McEwan, CLA member, Bendigo.Victoria

Secular country? Is this what you call a secular country?

Hey hypocrites, stop condemning Islamic countries. Look at the Man In the Mirror first. No difference to me.

TY

A Day in the Life

Charles Darwin film 'too controversial for religious America'

A movie about Charles Darwin!!! I just discovered it today! Oh, what a joy! I doubt it'll be historically accurate but I'm sure I'll enjoy it nonetheless. Plus it stars Jennifer Connelly. How can I not love it?

Poor Americans, ignorant enough as it is, will now have to suffer more! Ignorance brings ignorance, I guess. Just like how the rich get richer. This is my favourite part of that news article.
"The film has sparked fierce debate on US Christian websites, with a typical comment dismissing evolution as "a silly theory with a serious lack of evidence to support it despite over a century of trying"."

I love it when creationists argue that natural selection lacks evidence. I suppose there are millions alive today that saw God created the world in 6 days? Surely there must be! They can't all be hypocrites, can they?

Oh, I'm too lazy to find a Youtube trailer for you, but there's one in that article.

I'm looking forward to it!


Your dearest evolutionist,
TY

False Pretense

The more I come into contact with the private healthcare system, the more disheartened I get of the system in place. Everything in the system seems to depend on only one thing. Money. The general feeling I get from the people working in the system, be it the doctors, nurses or the receptionist, is that, no matter what happens, as long as there is a profit, everything's fine.

They don't really care if you live or die, as long as you pay your bills. For all they care, even they've killed hundreds of patients, it doesn't matter, as long as new patients keep coming and the law suits are under control. At the end of the day, it is the billion dollar profit they care about, not you, the patient. The patient is only a means to an end. The end, I would state again, is money.

For quite some time now, I have been a staunch supporter for a health care system whereby the universal health care coverage provided by the government should co-exist with the private sector. I believed such a system would bring about healthy competition to keep each other in check. At the same time, people who can afford the private health care should be allowed to opt for a faster, more efficient service, while the poor still get the essential health coverage from the government. But my recent revelations have led me to think that maybe this isn't such a good idea at all. After all, do you think a doctor would run as fast to a cardiac arrest of a patient he does not care about, as he would to a patient he sincerely cares for? No. In other words, you are jeopardising your health by submitting your care to such a doctor, motivated by only money.

However, little can be done as of now, because the public hospitals are terribly under-funded, has severe staff shortages, and many are operating at near capacity. These all lead to a decrease in quality of care. Hence, opting for public health care really isn't going to improve your care.

For as long as I can remember, the subject of money has been a taboo when an aspiring doctor is asked "why do you want to study medicine?" Be it during a medical school interview or when asked by a friend. Yet, the bureaucrats running the system are all about money. Maybe this hypocritical nonsense is something I have known for years, but have just been desperately hoping it wasn't true. Maybe it's time I get out of my denial phase and accept the fact that the health care system is just like any other industry, motivated only by money. The pharmaceutical industry has long since sold out. There is no reason why the health care industry, one of the largest industry in the world, would not.


TY
Next post is likely to be about secularism. Religious leaders sitting on government committees in a country that openly declares is a secular country, is plain absurd. And a picture post about Canberra too, if I'm not lazy.

Dazed and Confused

Hypocrisy, oh hypocrisy!

I just came across a blog accidentally 5minutes ago which was thoroughly fascinating. Why? Because the second latest post on the blog was about 40 hour famine, and the latest post was about...iPhone. Yes, iPhone.
Oh, the irony!
"People are starving, what are you doing about it? See I'm helping. Oh and I got a new iPhone too!"

Hang on folks, that's not all of the hypocrisy news for today. There's more.

"A new study has found more than 40 per cent of Australians believe it is acceptable to torture enemy soldiers in certain circumstances."

These are the same people who campaign for Tibet's freedom. The same people who want Mugabe to resign. I thought they stood for Human Rights. But now I can safely say they just like campaigning, joining rallies, wearing badges, and looking like they're useful to society. Fuck off.

And remember, Australians aren't the only ones. US has been pressuring China to stop suppressing the Uighurs and Tibetans all while operating this extremely humane prison known as Guantanamo Bay.

Don't you just love hypocrisies. I do.

"A man who moralises is usually a hyprocrite"
-Oscar Wilde

TY

America

Do you think Americans are stupid? Or the smart Americans just don't give a rat's ass about polls?

I am of the idea that it is one or the other.

Here, have a look at this.

A healthcare system such as the American's cannot even be close to good, if you ask me. They spend the most money per capita on healthcare but their system has been ranked in the 30s by various studies. If that is good, my fart smells like roses. Not to mention the 50million who don't even have healthcare coverage.

Then again, Americans also have this remarkable belief.

"God created man in present form" - A whopping 44%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

44% of Americans still think we descended from Adam and Eve!!!
You tell me!!

The debate isn't even between Creationism and Evolution anymore. Most creationists have taken the side of Intelligent design since overwhelming evidence have shown WE ARE FROM APES!!!

Would you Americans please accept the fact that we are all once upon a time from Africa, and very probably had dark skin colour. Not some guy and girl with English names. Are you trying to believe in the contrary to show that your brain has not evolved, hence evolution does not exist?

Oh and your health system is fucked. Stop saying it's "excellent" just because you don't want higher tax. Don't kid yourself.


TY

Only God Knows Why

I can't hold my silence anymore. Inter religion war MUST STOP.

Religious fundamentalist thinks their religion is "morally superior" to every other religion. They kill and brutally bomb everyone of a different religion. Where is the morality in that?

Fascism must go. There are no difference between Bush, Osama and Hitler. Fascists.

If you can't tolerate other religious beliefs, I suggest atheism.

This is what religious fundamentalists has done.Iraq WarSeptember 11

I need not add various others.

Here is what atheist do.
Richard Dawkins

http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/news/file002.html

Leading researchers


So clearly, religious fundamentalist bomb and kill, while atheists have been debating in a civilised fashion, with formal attire and words, rather than guns and bombs, and doing research for the progress of human knowledge.

Inter-religion war has killed millions and counting. Science vs religion war has barely killed any since the days of Aristotle.

This is what sparked this blog post.
Noordin claims Jakarta bombings

Whether or not it is from the man himself, I find it funny.
This is the best part.
"previously conducting serious surveys and thorough observation."

And your bomb didn't explode? HAHAHAHAHA! Maybe Allah didn't want it to go off? Ever thought of that? Ay, Top? No? When it's for your cause it's Allah, when it's not it isn't Allah? What fuckin' hypocrite.

Well, my religious friends, may I ask that instead of trying to convert non-believers to your religion, try preaching tolerance and acceptance among your fellow believers. If the image your religion is portraying to the public is violence and stupidity, no one will ever believe your religion is "morally superior" to anyone else. (No atheist will believe that anyway but, you don't want to be seen as morally inferior do you?) No one will belief your religion will be good for the progress of humanity. Atheists are not undermining your religion. People from your own side of the fence are.

Peace. That's all I ask for. Is it so much to ask for?

Apparently so.


TY

Someone's Looking At You

My English isn't flawless. Far from it. But I try my best and I'm still learning. However, terrible English hurts my head. When I come across a badly written news article, or a badly written article of any sort, it is highly likely I'll give up, however interesting the article would have seem. One or two mistakes are fine, we're only human, but needing to re-read every second sentence just to understand what it means severely hurts my head. Would it kill to re-read what you wrote before submitting/publishing it?

On the other hand, I detest those who tell others to "learn the language" when they themselves do not seem to know the difference between "it's" and "its". Please "learn the language" yourself first before telling others to do so. Or else, you'll be entertainment to many. Me especially.


TY

Who's Gonna Save Us

After several weeks, I still cannot get over the fact that authorities renamed the latest Flu pandemic as H1N1 Influenza A, or something long and scientific along those lines.

The 1918 flu pandemic was named Spanish Flu, 1957 Asian Flu, 1968 Hong Kong Flu and 1978 Russian Flu.

So why the fuck can't the 2009 flu be named North American Flu?

Do you see the hypocrisy and the imbalance of power among seemingly "international" authorities like WHO? Now you know why so many countries are strongly against organisations such as World Bank and IMF.

Fuck the dictators who so vocally oppose dictatorships. Fuck the hypocrites.

On another note, do you think the people who coined the term common sense have seemingly little of it? Seeing as common sense is rather uncommon, it would have been stupid to name it as such, isn't it? It would have been better off as Seventh Sense. I'm pretty sure there are more people with sixth sense than common sense, whatever sixth sense is.

Now to weather, yesterday was the foggiest day I've seen around my area. Visibility was about 20-30m. It was fascinating yet slightly scary driving through the fog. Today isn't as foggy, there's even sun. Fogs are way cooler than floods though. Poor Queensland.

Wave of Mutilation

And now here are quotes from A Woman of No Importance I find worthy. Also by Oscar Wilde.

"The youth of America is their oldest tradition. It has been going on now for three hundred years. To hear them talk one would imagine they were in their first childhood. As far as civilisation goes they are in their second."

"Taking sides is the beginning of sincerity, and earnestness follows shortly afterwards, and then human beings become a bore."

"The soul is born old but grows young. That is the comedy of life."

"The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."

"The world is simply divided into two classes -- those who believe the incredible, like the public -- and those who do the improbable."

"There is no secret of life."

"All thought is immoral. Its very essence is destruction."

"Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess."


Ah, sometimes I wish I came up with these quotes!

TY

Imitation of Life

I've been reading Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan, a play. Here are a few quotes that I found interesting.

"Scandal is gossip made tedious by morality. A man who moralises is usually a hypocrite, a woman who moralises is invariably plain."

"Women like to find us[men] quite irretrievably bad and to leave us quite unattractively good."

"What on earth should we men do going about with purity and innocence? A carefully thought out button hole is much more effective."

"In this world there are only two tragedy. One is not getting what one wants, the other is getting it."

"Cynic is a man who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing."

"A sentimentalist is a man who sees absurd value in everything and doesn't know the market price of any single thing."

"Experience is a question of instinct about life."

"Good women may have terrible things in them, mad moods of recklessness, assertion, jealousy, sin. Bad women, as they are termed, may have in them sorrow, repentance, sacrifice."

All by Oscar Wilde, of cause.


TY

The Modern Age

"There are moments when one has to choose between living one's own life, fully, entirely, completely-or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands."
-Oscar Wilde(Lady Windermere's Fan)

The Scientist

If you believe in Intelligent Design, you were most probably made by Stupid Design.
- Me


Sometimes it is quite difficult to believe that so many people believe in things that are so difficult to believe in.


TY

Whatsername

So after doing some blog surfing, it seems that Valentines' Day is a day where the "guy" showers the "girl" with gifts and flowers, and in most cases, it isn't reciprocal. I wonder if that is how it is suppose to work. Doubt it.

But if it is, then equal pay wouldn't be fair anymore! As far as I'm concerned, there isn't a reciprocal celebration day for Valentines' Day.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against equal pay. After all, I'm a leftist, remember?
It is just that, as much as I despise conservative right wing radicals, I despise hypocrites!

I sincerely hope none of these females are activist or even supporters of equal pay!


TY

Under The Influence

This is what Jeremy Clarkson of Topgear have to say about Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister.

'It's the first time I've ever seen a world leader admit we really are in deep shit.'
'He genuinely looked terrified. The poor man, he's actually seen the books.'

And here's the best bit.

'(In the UK) we've got this one-eyed Scottish idiot, he keeps telling us everything's fine and he's saved the world and we know he's lying, but he's smooth at telling us.'

Awesome.
Original article

On a related note, this is what the Australian Opposition government has to say about the Lower House debate on the latest stimulus package that went into the wee hours of the morning.

"Senator Brown said he hoped the Senate would not sit the same hours as the lower house because parliamentarians needed to be alert and awake to debate the package."

Senator Joyce
'It's arrogance, and it doesn't lead to good legislation.'

Senator Xenophon
'Legislation by exhaustion is never a good way to determine the laws of this nation.'

So dear leaders, why are doctors given 36 hour shifts regularly, or sometimes more? Does treating patients not require one to be 'alert and awake'?

Fucking hypocrites. Once again shows that when it happens to you, it's not OK. When it happens to someone else, that's perfectly fine. Bastards.

Kiss my ass. The package can wait. 3ooo jobs a day gone. What's one extra week? 15,000 jobs? Ah, we can wait. Enjoy your sleep. Please don't wake up too. At least you'll free up a position that way. Fuckers.


TY