The Atheist News Podcast

I have the Rev Dr. Mark Esq. IV (R-FLA) (known in some circles as the FIFTH RIDER OF THE ATHEIST APOCALYPSE) with me on the show this week. He is a very important man as can be demonstrated by the absurd number of titles I have appended to his name. While they may not all be technically “true,” it’s the thought that counts; isn’t it? We talk a bit about what we did for Christmas and at some point I think I even talk Mark into being the first atheist to attend Patriot University.

Atheist News of the week: Teabaggers have bad aim, religion ain’t what it used to be, everyone act surprised at news of a homicidal Baptist, atheists hit them where it hurts the most, of biblical apologies from Gaymorrah and finally: a priest actually making some sense for once.

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Well, I finally got off my lazy ass and did it… sort of. I can’t get Zazzle to integrate quite the way I want it to, but screw it, you’re smart enough to figure it out on your own I’m sure. I added a Swag! link at the top so you can always get to the store and buy some AN goodies. I added in some other designs that aren’t quite as overt as a giant ATHEIST NEWS logo on your chest and will be adding more in the future I expect.

First the good news. Last Tuesday the Washington DC city council for the second time voted in favor of a measure that would legalize and recognize same sex marriage in the District of Columbia. All that stands before this becoming law is the signature of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (he has affirmed that he will sign) and a 30 day legislative review period. By next Spring, Washington DC will legalize same-sex marriage, and the peasants rejoiced.

Now the bad: This has sparked the ire of the local Catholic archdiocese. They have threatened to halt all social services in the city including drug treatment, homeless shelters and foster care if the bill passes and becomes law. This would leave around 68,000 of the city’s residents even needier. The archdiocese claims that it’s main contention with the bill is that charities doing business in the city would have to extend spousal benefits to same-sex partners.

Apparently cutting off services to tens of thousands is preferable to the Catholic Church loving their neighbors as they love themselves (why does that phrase sound somehow familiar?). This sort of “WAH! I’m taking my toys and going home” mentality is by no means a new M.O. for Catholic organizations. When Massachusetts stopped barring same-sex couples from adopting, the Catholic Church halted all operations that facilitate any adoptions. Specific operations in other states that have legalized gay marriage have also been halted, but should the archdiocese make good on their threats, this will dwarf these in scale.

It’s the Atheist News Podcast with Me and “Bro-Ro” again this week. Did you know that Snoop Dogg was going to be fronting for his own brand of GPS? I didn’t. Richard really does have his finger on the pulse of America. Well, Christmas is coming, so inevitably, we talk about that a bit–as well as all the rest of the Holidays. Things sure do get sticky for us non-believers this time of year, don’t they? Christmas and atheism are not good bedfellows. Oh well, I like it anyway. Ho, ho, ho.

In the news: Kosher Killing–The do’s and don’ts of slaughtering the innocent, Jew vs. Hipster throwdown, “Yes, Virginia… There is no God,” Why we have a federal constitution, Moses the holy cow and the effing CHRIST-mas tree.

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After this week’s atheist news, I look forward to the day when I, Joe Prova, must come to you and say that religious people haven’t done enough loony shit in the last week to justify me bothering with a news podcast. Alas, that week is not this week. Brother Richard joins me so that I have someone to listen to me rant like a madman for an hour. I also subject him (and you) to almost three minutes of christian rap music.

Thank me later.

Speaking of thanks: Lord Scarab rocks my socks. Thanks for posting last week’s show, old chap.

In the news: Is Belief in God Hurting America? Ireland’s clergy and police for were in cahoots. “Cut out of an arm chair for Jesus.” The seal of the confessional is apparently more important than your life. The former pope kicked his own ass. Give me an atheist front hug any day of the week.

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So it’s getting to that time of year where we start seeing the spaces in stores previously occupied by pumpkins and turkeys being filled with holly leaves and all sorts of trinkets that hearken the year’s end. No one can be bothered by the fact the health care bill limped out of the house as a crippled shell of itself or that tens of thousands of additional troops will be shipping to try to stabilize a part of the world to which the Mongols, Soviets, the Greeks, and the British have all at some point said “fuck that”. But no one can be bothered by that. There’s too much stress and consumption involved in the time of year that’s been perfectly crafted so that no matter what religion one ascribes to, there’s and excuse to bust out that credit card, crank up those lights, and compromise every value you hold and shop at Wal-Mart. It’s that time of year that always made me feel isolated in my cynicism and surrounded by a huddled mass willing to ignore all the problems of the world and suckle eagerly from the teat of over consumption.

And this was when I was in high school and still believed in God.

In case it isn’t blatantly obvious yet, the end year holidays are an institution I feel jaded about on a level equal to marriage and professional sports. This however is the first Christmas I’ll go through as a realized atheist. So what this brings to me is an important question that all non-theists must answer at sometime or another: How do you deal with the religious holidays as an atheist? Although there are religious holidays throughout the year, this question comes up particularly in December, since during this month so many different faiths find some excuse to buy shi… I mean celebrate their faith it’s become ingrained into our economy and culture at large and is thus unavoidable. So what obstacles and challenges, if any, are you faced with? Do you go through the motions to satisfy your family? Do you take a defiant stand against any and all festivities?

Personally, I think Christmas lost almost all of it’s religious significance ages ago (if it ever really had any). This makes it easy to regard any family gatherings as nothing more than what they are on the surface. An excuse to see relatives I don’t see often enough and give away books of mine that I’ve already read several times.

Religious or not, this can be a stressful, depressing, and hectic time of year. I wish you all the best in confronting it.