It's the Moderation, Stupid (my response to atheists on religion)

It is estimated that 65% of women and 80% of men have sexual fantasies.  According to U. of Vermont psychologist Harold Leitenberg, Ph.D. and South Carolina's Kris Henning, Ph. D., data shows that where sexual fantasy is concerned, frequent fantasizers are having more than their share of fun in bed. They have sex more often and engage in a wider variety of erotic activities than infrequent fantasizers.  Peter Doskoch of Psychology Today says,"the association between fantasies and healthy sex life is so strong, in fact, that it's now considered pathological not to have sexual fantasies."  "…unusual and deviant fantasies give little reason for concern in healthy individuals.  Rape fantasies, for instance, are far more common than rapes themselves.  Only 22 percent of child molesters say they had sexual fantasies about kids before their first molestation."

Estimates vary, but according to ABC, the adult industry generates $10 billion a year in sales.  But if sexually explicit material had any potential for creating sex offenders, there would be a helluva lot more of them than there are.  Sex offenders account for only 1.4% (.014) of the population (747,408 registered offenders vs 53,078,525 males between the ages of 15 and 54).

Leitenberg and Henning say,"…fantasies are a concern only when they become compulsive or exclusive, or for individuals in whom the barrier between thought and behavior has been broken."

Now, if you want to consider religious belief in an afterlife as fantasy, Daniel Kruger, an evolutionary psychologist at the U. of Michigan, said,"Fairy story or not, a belief in heaven does seem to come with some benefits.  Humans didn't evolve in an environment where an understanding of black holes or the origin of the universe would be helpful.  What really matters to us is what happens at the human scale, relationships to other people, things we experience in a lifetime."  On a personal level, Kruger says the idea of an afterlife offers some hope in a world where, historically,"life has been pretty harsh."

Nathan Heflick - U. of South Florida - says,"The more people believe, the less death anxiety they tend to have."

Dr. Martin Luther King is a respected social activist, but his courage came through faith.  Jim Wallis, another respected Christian who works for social change, also finds courage in faith.  Wallis talks about the immigration problem, saying,"We need faith in a God who is larger than we can imagine, the God who cries as we humans build border walls to separate ourselves from our brothers and sisters on the other side, the God of justice who isn't persuaded by the political timetables of Washington, D.C."

I would suggest that one of the most common problems in the thinking process of Americans is the concept of "moderation."  Regarding money, most people want to earn enough to live on, provide for their family, and perhaps a little more.  At least, enough to where their basic needs are being met and they're not worried about making the next rent, mortgage or car payment.  But, in larger amounts, wealth can do weird shit to your head.  One need look no further than people like Bernie Madoff, Michael Jackson, or the Koch brothers.

We're fortunate to live in a time when medical science provides vaccines for lyme disease and Hepatitis B, and when we can use human skin cells to create embryonic stem cells.  But use of anti-depressants has increased almost 400% in the last 20 years.  Antibiotics are life-savers, but the CDC estimates that 20-50% of the doses prescribed are unnecessary.  Consequently, there are now some serious infectious diseases that have become immune to antibiotics.

Alcohol sales in 2011 was $162 billion.  Most people have the self-control to deal with alcohol use, but approx. 17 million have an alcohol use disorder.  10% of U.S. children live with a parent with an alcohol problem.

Although Democrats have been polled as decreasingly religious, between 1987 and the late 1990's, they polled equally with Republicans.  But the focal point of that spirituality differs greatly.  Democrats are more focused on social justice - the poor, the homeless, and the rights of women, minorities and gays - whereas Republicans are more focused on authority, control and punishment.

Politically, the problem with religion is that some people take things to the extreme - Jones, Applewhite, Koresh, Phelps - while most people just relate to religion as a guideline for daily living and their relationship with fellow human beings.  Democrats are generally more concerned with people having enough to eat, while Republicans are more concerned with who they can refuse to serve at their place of business.

So, it's not so much a problem of what you believe, but how extremely it affects your logic, your common sense, and your attitude toward other people. And obviously, politicians - especially Republicans - have tried to co-opt religion in an attempt to gain voters.

Things like sex, money, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, and religion are not a problem for most people.  It's when you lose sight of moderation that things begin to get twisted.  It's when you attempt to use them for an extremely prejudicial personal agenda that shit gets weird.

Millennials Offer Political Hope

A survey just recently released reveals the political attitudes of 2,000 young adults between the ages of 18-29. What is significant about the results is that they echo many progressive ideas that the GOP has been consistently resisting.

74% said that government has a responsibility to guarantee every citizen a place to sleep and enough to eat.

69% said it's government's responsibility to guarantee everyone access to health care.

68% said everyone should make a living wage.

54% want government to guarantee everyone a college education.

62% describe themselves as socially liberal and only 27% as conservative.

67% favor legalizing same-sex marriage.

61% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.


Observing the ongoing GOP obstructionist policy and activity, it boggles the mind as to what the hell they're thinking when it comes to "winning" anything.  The current social tide is against them and it well appears that the next generation feels the same way.

Republicans must certainly have access to the same demographic information.  If they're just trying to woo old white men they're committing political suicide.

Free Your Mind

Life is not just a matter of a blue or a red pill.  It's not an either-or proposition.  There are more than 8 crayons to color with.  It's not a matter of gay or straight.  It's not a matter of belief or disbelief.

As a lifelong musician, I remember back in the day when we had so few commercially-defined genres.  Our musical thinking and appreciation operated in terms of the categories they gave us.  We really didn't think much outside the box.  And then, rock music hit us like a freight train.  Now, here we are 60 years later and just LOOK at this list:  Rock Genres

I think that's amazing.  I certainly don't listen to all of them or even appreciate all of them, but you can't deny their existence.  It's called creativity; at least on the part of the artists, if not the recording companies.

How did John Lennon put it?  "You tell me it's the institution.  Well you know, you'd better free your mind, instead."

We need to apply that kind of thinking, that kind of variety to the rest of our lives, in the broadest sense.  Not just in what we do, what we consume, but in how we think.  It's how we relate to the world we see, and the worlds we cannot see.  The world we can touch and the ones we can't.  The concepts and constructs we understand, and the ones we can't get our heads around.

Everything doesn't necessarily respond equally well to a microscope or a measuring instrument.  Unless you're a painter, it's not necessary to analyze the colors of a sunset.  Just enjoy it.  Take it in.  You can study a musicians timing, phrasing and attack, but I don't think that necessarily helps you appreciate the music as a whole.  Science and math are tools, but sometimes you don't need tools.  When you read a book, are you consciously studying the author's mechanics or character development?  I doubt it.  You're just letting it all happen; letting it draw you into the story.

As humans, we often have a need to compartmentalize.  There are times when that's necessary.  And times when it isn't.

Free your mind.

Wasting Time

You might consider this a topic worthy of conversation, and you may not.  It's a very relative and individual thing.  Wasting time, that is.

OK, let's begin with a few basic things.  A lot of people work full time. Many people work overtime, and still others may work a lot of overtime.  And they may be in a relationship.  They may be married with children.  In any case, they have a truckload of responsibilities - to their employer, to their spouse, to their children and friends.  They have tasks to attend to once they're home from working.  A lot of people will claim that they really don't have a lot of free time, and that may be a perfectly legitimate statement.

Let me pause at that point and state the obvious; we are all, for the most part, in charge and in control of our own lives.  Most of us make the conscious decision(s) about how much stuff we want on our plate, our agenda, our to do list.  Some folks enjoy being busy all the time, in fact, they're not happy if they're not busy.  The motives for their activity level aren't really important, it's just that they feel happiest when they feel they're being productive.  As long as they're getting something done, they feel good about themselves.

Productivity - per se - is a good thing. Managing our time is often essential, no matter what that time is used for.  We all get the same 24 hours in a day.

But…now…when we're at a point where we think we've accomplished enough in one day, when we say to ourselves,"OK…enough of that for a while…I'm going to take a break, that's where things get interesting.  That break might be a coffee break, a smoke break, a nap, reading a book, taking a short walk, or any of a million things.  What they all have in common, however, is that all of these activities are usually something other than work/labor.  They are a change of pace for both our minds and bodies, and in that sense, it really doesn't matter what they are.  We merely choose to do something else, something other than necessary tasks.  Usually - but not always - breaks are not what one would call productive.  They're not meant to be.  That is not their purpose.

So, with that in mind, whereby to we come up with the phrase wasting time?

Let me suggest what I would consider a waste of time:  trying to accomplish a task (any task) with the wrong tool.  Let's say you had to dig a trench in the back yard for an electrical or a garden project.  If the trench were of any length and depth, a trenching machine might be the best tool of choice as opposed to a military surplus folding shovel.  But maybe you can't afford to rent a trenching machine and don't know how to use one.  Then, perhaps you simply have to do the best you can with what you have.

Perhaps a better example might be clearing some land of a few small trees.  A chainsaw would be the tool of choice, as opposed to an axe.  It's simply more efficient, saving both time and labor.

But when it comes to non-labor tasks or activities, who is to say when (and if) time is wasted?

Unless one is guilty of shirking some work or responsibility and engaging in some recreational activity, instead, how can anyone make a judgement about another's choice of entertainment?

If you've got some time to kill, or basically just use any way you damn well please, who's to say what's wasted?

A couple of activities that seem to get criticized most are video games and internet activity.  I've logged countless hours on both activities and have no reservations or guilt about any of it.  Would it be somehow better if I just sat on the back porch and whittled on a stick with a pocket knife?  As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter if you're playing Candy Crush on Facebook, or you're down by the creek, dropping pebbles into the water.

It's simply a matter of choice and someone else's negative opinion of your activity doesn't mean squat.

As far as waste is concerned, we all waste a variety of things; food, water, fuel, materials, resources but we don't put any guilt on ourselves for that.

Your waking, breathing hours are yours to use, abuse or waste any way you choose.  As long as you're doing your job and being responsible, you don't have to take any crap from anyone as to how you use any non-labor time.

Just Another Boring Love Story (sort of)

Last night, we were sitting by the fire, roasting breadsticks and chunks of marinated tenderloin, sipping Southern Comfort and generally celebrating having been together a total of 46 years.  We first met each other at a beach party; a group of my wife's fellow graduating classmates. And the rest, as they say, is history.

We talked about a lot of things last night, but mostly it all centered around why some relationships succeed and about half of them fail.  Miserably.  One of the things my wife stressed was compromise; how so often people are just too selfish, too self-centered, too inflexible.  And she's absolutely correct on that, but I said that I found it incredible that people who initially came together in a state of passion, who actually modified their behavior in order to impress the other person, somehow, down the line, seemed to forget why they got together in the first place.  And it just amazes me.  I mean, how does one go from being crazy about the other person, from being on their best behavior on dates, from doing everything they can to please the other person…to a state of it's all about me, or that classic statement when a couple is arguing about some individual activity,"Oh, I don't care what you do."  Or the classic female statement,"Fine."  You know what I mean.

People age.  People change.  Somewhat.  But beneath it all, most of us still have the same basic personalities we've always had.  Most of us don't undergo complete transformations.  At the core, we're still the same.  We may have matured.  Some of our tastes may have become more refined, but as regards myself and my wife, she's still the same fun-loving, sexy, intelligent, logical girl I met 46 yrs. ago.  In fact, I think she's become more fun, more sexy, etc.

One of the other ideas I put forth was:  consider people like a TV or a computer monitor;  many of them simply don't have the screen resolution when it comes to reasoning, logic, decision making.  They don't see things in fine detail.  They don't see them clearly. They don't see all the colors.  They can't make finer distinctions.  This idea seems to explain a lot when you look at their political, philosophical and spiritual beliefs.  They just have too few crayons in their box.  They like their world in a fairly simple, categorized, cubist, labeled state.

Now, I happen to believe in Henry David Thoreau's statement:  "Our life is frittered away by detail.  An honest man has hardly need to count more than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest.  Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!  I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand…"   Too many of us think we need several irons in the fire at any time.  We multi-task, or think we do.  We complain to others how busy we are.  Well, I can understand that perhaps our lives have become somewhat more complex within my lifetime, but I also believe that ultimately, we are in control of most of it.  Our lives don't have to be a balls-to-the-wall rat race from the time we get out of bed until the time we get back in it.

In terms of our thinking process, detail is necessary.  Good input and information are necessary, but we don't have to allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by it all.

And I think that's part of the general problem of Life and subsequently relationships, politics, etc.; that in addition to ego and selfishness, people want simplicity where they should have detail, and they overwhelm themselves with detail where they need to simplify.

These days, people are concerned about optimizing their computer system - deleting junk, backing-up files, running virus protection, having the latest apps - and their own personal computer - their brain - is a system in chaos.

Fresh Perspective on Hobby Lobby Issue

You might be thinking,"So what's new?  This was a horrible anti-women SCOTUS decision."  Well, this blog concerns discussing/debating the issue with conservative/religious Republicans or anybody else parroting GOP anti-contraception nonsense.

Source:  Dailykos.com  Here's a digest version of the editorial:

When debating this issue, the core element is mutual responsibility; the fundamental value behind all Judeo-Christian religions. Not personal responsibility. 

Those supporting Hobby Lobby might argue,"It's a woman's choice whether she has sex or not.  Because it's her choice, I shouldn't pay for it."

But women and men are being "responsible" when they use birth control.  They're actively taking responsibility to avoid unwanted pregnancies.  What could be more responsible?  Get the other person to explain why they view something as "irresponsible."

Compared to Europe, the U.S. has one of the highest rates of unplanned pregnancies largely because we haven't had universal coverage for birth control. And all you have to do is talk about sex as something normal and natural.  Are they suggesting people shouldn't have sex?  What if they're married?

Ah, but they insist,"why should I have to pay for it?"

The simplest answer is:  you don't.  Insurance pays for it.  We pay for insurance because we believe in mutual responsibility. With the passage of the ACA, we believe in this principle as a country.  This is why we are a nation "of the people, by the people, and for the people."  In other words, it's not just about you.  You reap the benefits, you pay it forward.  Any and all health insurance premiums involve a pool of people paying forward for the benefit of the group as a whole. You don't buy a flu policy or a cancer policy.

In a study from 2010 of over 9,000 women in St. Louis, MO, the women were given free FDA-approved birth control for 3 years. The end results were that abortions were less than one third the national average.  You might say,"well, there shouldn't have been any abortions if they were doing things correctly."  That's as may be, but the fact remains that fewer unwanted pregnancies means fewer abortions. There were only 6.3 births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 in the study, compared to the national rate of 34.3 births per 1,000 teen girls.

Nearly half the 6 million pregnancies that occur each year are unintended, and about 43% of them end in abortion.

There's no way for religious people to get around the fact that Jesus believed in mutual responsibility. Examples:  the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), dining with Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) and healing the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-13).

Other possible questions for discussion:

What part of your religion are you not allowed to practice?  If you don't want to use birth control, you are free to not use it.  What you are not free to do is impose your religion on others.

What makes your religion better than others?

Why are women held responsible for pregnancy?  Isn't it a 50/50 proposition?

Insurance also pays for bypass surgery resulting (partly) from poor dietary habits.  It also pays for a motorcycle rider who ends up in a vegetative state from refusing to wear a helmet.  It pays for the person who breaks their leg during skiing. As insurance customers, we don't get to say,"I don't want my premiums paying for stupid people or for people leading what I consider is an immoral lifestyle."

Arrogance and Wonder

With regard to the first image above, I found this quote from a fellow called Gladstone, a columnist at Cracked.com (my highlighted text):

"Religion, like government or anything structured and administered by humanity, will always be flawed and ruined by all of our weaknesses and failings.  And given how much we suck, why shut the door completely on the possibility of something in this universe being better, stronger and wiser?  Something we could strive to be more like?  It's always seemed to me that the most virulent atheists - not the mere nonbelievers - but those who claim to be positive about God's nonexistence and openly hostile to anyone who could think otherwise - are incapable of believing there could ever be something greater than they.  Not a lack of faith so much as humility."

See…that's my problem with the people like Gervais and Hitchens.  The arrogance.  The wholesale ridicule of anyone who dares to entertain any kind of mystic or spiritual thoughts.  And, because we know that a lot of people like their politics and philosophy neatly packaged on a plate, they mirror this wholesale ridicule in the same way that the KKK dismisses an entire race of people based on skin color.  That's not just racism; it's being mentally lazy.

Hatred is a very powerful emotion, like cilantro and dill are a powerful herbs.  One should use them sparingly.

With regard to the second image above - a picture from the Hubble telescope - it is things like this that give me a sense of awe and wonder; in both a scientific sense and a spiritual one.  Did all of this just happen by some cosmic accident? I mean, if it did, fine…it's still awesome and beautiful.  But what if…??

I saw in a news feed, something about another planet that might support "life" as we know it; a planet with an atmosphere, water and non-hostile temperatures.  And while it's entertaining news, I'm like….so what?  There's no other humanoid life out there within our current grasp…and we're already destroying THIS planet, and our fellow inhabitants.  And following that thought, that moment, it's just very easy to see why throughout the ages people might entertain the notion of there being some other dimension of existence…because in this one, the little guy, the kinder, gentler souls, the people who entertain the idea that we're all in this together…they just seem to continually get ground under the boots of the rich, the powerful, the greedy, the ugly hateful souls of this planet.

So, you know, I don't have the answer.  Some suggest that man created god(s) in order to make himself feel better.  I can understand that line of reasoning.

But what if??

And amid cries and demonstrations for freedom (sexual freedom, religious freedom, etc.), mere logic would suggest that we should treat others equally, justly, and not discriminate against them for their sexual identity, their ethnicity, the color of their skin, or their beliefs.  So, I'm saying that you don't exhibit wholesale ridicule against anyone and everyone who entertains a sense of spiritual wonder. 

As Lindy West writes at Jezebel.com :

"There are a lot of people in the world who have nothing.  Faith in a higher power gives them one thing.  You know what we call people who try to take away other people's one thing?

A fucking dick.  Don't be one."

Money, Drugs, Sex and Religion

Well, that title got your attention.  Today's blog is a favorite topic of mine and inspired by the latest rash of anti-religion postings/pastings in the wake of the SCOTUS Hobby Lobby decision.

Thesis:  religion per se does not make a person weird, anti-woman, anti-gay, anti-sex, or a hundred other anti things.  It's just all too easy for small minds and lazy thinkers to find something on which to blame problems.  See, if we can blame our problems on a thing, then we have an enemy, something we can hate and loathe.  Just as the KKK does with race/skin color.  Got it?

Of course, if everyone got it, there would be no reason for me to write another word. However….

So, let's begin with money. We all need it to survive.  Most of us are not self-sufficient.  We don't grow our own food, make our own clothes, generate our own power, etc. We need money to purchase goods and services. No big revelation, there.  But in larger amounts, money has the potential to do weird things to your brain.  Studies have shown people become less empathetic.
http://healthland.time.com/2010/11/24/the-rich-are-different-more-money-less-empathy/   And, unless one just hoards their wealth and/or chooses to live like a hobo, the joy of wealth is in spending it, and that's where things can begin to get weird.  

There are conflicting reports of Michael Jackson's net worth, but I've seen the figure $600 million frequently. Hey, I can't imagine having $ONE million, let alone six. So, this pop star bought a mansion, built an amusement park in the yard, bought the remains of the Elephant Man, and - the part I find most intriguing - decided to undergo multiple procedures to change himself from a black man into a Caucasian. You can argue that this last decision isn't particularly weird. I mean, you could argue that George Hamilton  was trying to be black.  But the point is, it takes large amounts of cash to do these kinds of things. 

And of course, one need look no further than the Koch brothers regarding what money can do to your head.  They want to buy an entire democratic system.

Bernie Madoff's net worth was estimated at $17 billion.  He had multiple mansions, multiple yachts and a larger shoe collection than Imelda Marcos. So obviously, large amounts of cash can contribute to an inflated sense of power or a fascination with things.

Drugs.  Another interesting topic. Let's start with prescription drugs.  The rate of antidepressant use in the U.S. increased nearly 400% over the last two decades.  23% of women age 40-59 take antidepressants. One in every 10 Americans is taking them.  Drugs can be good, but they can easily be abused. 

And then, there are recreational drugs, both prescription and non.  The top three manufacturers of ED drugs all post annual sales in the billions.  And the drugs themselves are horribly overpriced, but we're willing to pay the price for what they do for us.  Not surprising.  One of the latest reports on alcohol sales in the U.S was from 2011 - $162 billion.  Legal cannabis (pot) sales in the U.S. are estimated as high as $2.57 billion.

Again, no surprise.  People enjoy altering their consciousness, whether that means having a cocktail, a joint, or an erection.  And most of us don't have a real problem with any of it - it's called moderation.  We like a little buzz, but we also recognize the importance of obligations - to our partners, our children, our employers, our friends.

But like the prescription drugs mentioned above, addiction can be a problem for many people.  Then again, we have other forms of addiction.  Food (sugar, fats) for example.  If something feels good or tastes good, we want more of it.  And the only things standing between you and drug addiction or obesity are self-control and money.  I can't afford to eat prime rib regularly, or buy the best kind bud.  But, when money's no object and/or the drugs are virtually free the potential for uncontrolled indulgence is much greater.

Sex?  That doesn't cost anything.  Well, no, other than accessories;  the prices of lingerie, videos and toys are all inflated.  And people will pay that price because they like sex….or shall I say accessorized sex.  In any case, sex sells. Again, no big revelation.  Sex sells cars, perfume, fashion, toiletries, music, in addition to erotica. And again, the majority of people who enjoy sex - solo, married or unmarried - aren't in danger of become addicts; they don't lose their jobs or molest children.  Perspective.  Moderation.  Self-control.  And sex is actually a good thing; our bodies release dopamine, prolactin, and oxytocin, which make us feel better.  Endorphins reduce stress and blood pressure. Our immune systems are  enhanced.  It helps us sleep. Nothing wrong with any of that.  Actually, I say that sex should be part of everyone's total wellness program.  Point is, it doesn't make us crazy or violent.

One of my all-time favorite quotes about sex is by author David Shaw in "The Pleasure Police" .  He writes,"Maybe it's precisely because sex is so overpowering, so all-consuming, so capable of not only overwhelming but obliterating all else, that the extreme religionists among us are so opposed to it, and so appalled by it.  Most very religious people seem to think that the only 'other' to whom one should ever abandon oneself is God."

Now, face it.  There are people in the world that are just damaged goods.  They're broken.  Something in their brain just isn't working correctly, like the rest of us.  They find pleasure in the pain of others.  They lack that certain something that allows them to feel empathy.  They seem to act with no concept of consequence. They have delusions of grandeur. They become cult leaders, and cults are not restricted to religious groups.  Guns can be part of a cult.  I don't think there's any argument there - amongst sane people.  Wayne LaPierre is as much a cult leader as Jim Jones.  The gun becomes a fetish object; something to be revered and worshipped.  The person obsessed with open carry is no different than some Chester Molester exposing himself. But the active ingredient behind all this activity/sales is not the gun itself, but fear.  Fear can make anyone do some weird shit.  It certainly sells guns.

Religion. The subject of a billion discussions and arguments. 16% of Americans claim they have no link to any established faith.  3-5% of Americans claim they are atheists. In my lifetime, we've seen several religious nutcakes like Jim Jones, Marshall Applewhite, David Koresh, Fred Phelps and Pat Robertson, just to name a few.  But it's not religion per se that made these men crazy, but a combination of things, including (but not limited to) being obsessed with the concept of sin, shame, control, and like any other broken mind, at some point, something just snapped in their head, and they became obsessed with their idea that God was speaking directly to them, telling them specifically what to do, telling them it was ok for them to hate specific people in his name, and that dying in the name of religion was somehow not a bad thing.

Simply entertaining thoughts about the origin of the universe or the possibility of some other realm of existence after death, or just having a sense of wonder about Life, or simply being kind to other human beings because Jesus suggested it….this is not a gateway to insanity, or hating women, or gays, or anything else. But there are people who would have you believe otherwise.  And they are wrong.  But that doesn't mean they're going to stop spreading their particular brand of bullshit.

A moderate amount of spirituality never hurt anyone, any more than alcohol, pot, sex, or money.

Anything that has the potential to alter our consciousness has the potential to lure us away from reality.  Money, drugs, sex and religion all have the potential to seduce us. But that doesn't make any of them evil.  Contrary to arrogant men like Richard Dawkins, merely having religious thoughts doesn't make anyone crazy.  But then remember, Dawkins is also like any other celebrity, including people like Ted Nugent, Sarah Palin, or Rush Limbaugh who say outrageous things not just to keep the cash flow going, but because they enjoy the feeling of publicity.  It's the illusion of power that is altering their consciousness.

So, enjoy life.  Spend some money if you have it.  Buy something frivolous.  Have a drink.  Catch a buzz.  Have an orgasm.  Believe in God, or not, as you choose.  But stop blaming problems on things and realize that we're all subject to seduction of one form or another.  But for some people - as the phrase goes - one drink is too many and a hundred is not enough. And that applies to much more than just alcohol...

Adult Content re: Hobby Lobby

Honestly, I don't know why I'm wasting my time writing this.  Probably because I'm stuck inside from all the rainy weather, and I don't presently have a song to work on.  Maybe I'm just bored and angry.  It's not like many will read this, much less respond with a like, a re-post or a comment.

We're fucked.  Why?  Gee, where should I start?  Because we have too many asinine Republican politicians saying batshit crazy things like:

"It's (birth control) a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be."  - Rick Santorum

"If we took away the minimum wage…we could potentially virtually wipe out unemployment completely because we would be able to offer jobs at whatever level."  - Michele Bachmann

And of course, if their insanity isn't bad enough, there are people out there who actually VOTE for idiots like this, so how f*g stupid do THEY have to be???

And then we have this most recent SCOTUS decision regarding Hobby Lobby.  One of the biggest problems - as I see it - is not just that the male justices are Republican ass-lickers, not just that David Green (CEO Hobby Lobby) is a f*g hypocrite because he makes his millions off of trinkets from China, where they DO practice abortion on a mass scale, but that a lot of the people pissing and moaning about this whole situation are incapable or unwilling to make finer distinctions where religion is concerned.  And that unwillingness to properly dissect this issue clouds their thinking where any other issue is concerned.  

In other words, we'll likely see another shitload of anti-religious copy-and-pasting on the internet when in fact the whole problem is abuse of religion, not religion per se.

Basically, too many people are just too f*g lazy to look objectively at an issue and it's just easier to trash something in a wholesale fashion than deal with specifics.  Thinking is hard.

Religion isn't to blame for what happened with Hobby Lobby.  David Green is to blame.  Justice Roberts is to blame.  Indeed, Justice Ginsburg's dissent is quite clear about how a corporation is not a religious organization.

What we have here are people like Green and Roberts who abuse a system of law and mislead people into thinking that the issue is one of religious freedom. This is no different than the open-carry ammosexuals who insist that toting around loaded weapons in public is the ultimate exercise of their freedom.  And by so doing, they serve as a bad example of a mature, responsible gun owner. Same way that some weed-lovers give all other cannabis users a bad name.

Green is a hypocrite.  Roberts is a lap dog.  And neither of those facts has any direct causal link to spirituality, itself.

A lot of women are enraged about this SCOTUS decision, as well they should be, but let us all properly focus and direct that rage.