Phelps Granddaughter Escapes Westboro Baptist Church

Image from source, BuzzFeed

The Westboro Baptist Church are the world's ultimate trolls, doing and saying outrageous things to get a rise out of people. But WBC takes their schtick pretty seriously, and their trolling is particularly vicious. So, it is gratifying to see that even a person steeped in Fred Phelps's foul cult can escape.

[Excerpt]

Fred Phelps' Granddaughter Leaves Westboro Baptist Church With Emotional Blog Post

. . .In a city in a state in the center of a country lives a group of people who believe they are the center of the universe; they know Right and Wrong, and they are Right. They work hard and go to school and get married and have kids who they take to church and teach that continually protesting the lives, deaths, and daily activities of The World is the only genuine statement of compassion that a God-loving human can sincerely make. As parents, they are attentive and engaged, and the children learn their lessons well. . .

Read more at: BuzzFeed

Two & A Half Men Star Finds Religion, Loses Mind

Who knew crazy was contagious? From People.

As an atheist, I have a very low tolerance level for religious foolishness. I understand that I'm supposed to respect peoples' religious beliefs. In point of fact, I don't. Well, let's not be too harsh. I respect your right to believe anything you wish. But I reserve the right to think that those beliefs are stupid.

In the stupid category I would put radical, nutbar religions like Seventh Day Adventists. And into that religion did one Angus T. Jones apparently fall. In what I'm hoping is either a publicity stunt, or a classic Punk'd episode with costar Ashton Kutcher, Jones--who plays Jake Harper, the half man of the title--has come out against the show. The show that made him a star, and is solely responsible for anyone knowing or caring what he has to say.  As I said, I hope it's all a ruse. If it's not, he's playing with the livelihoods of his costars and those of everyone associated with the show, all based on nothing more than this addle-brained, crazy-pants religious sect. And I'd lay money on Angus being very embarrassed by all of this when he outgrows his "religious phase." I may actually believe he's for real if he gives back all of the money he's gained from his "filthy" show.

Tying it All Together: The Tea Party Death Cult

This is good stuff about a bad thing. And it needs to be pointed out again, and again.

Image from DailyKos

[Excerpt]

The tea party death cult 

Many remember the moment when it was said that Rep. Alan Grayson had gone too far. The speech that signaled that he had far exceeded the reasonable political bounds of his swing district and had violated the supposed normative decorum of the hallowed House of Representatives. . .


. . .Grayson had a different characterization of the so-called Republican plan for healthcare:

Don't get sick. And if you do get sick, die quickly. . .

 . . .Until last week, Grayson's speech about Republican perspectives on health care could theoretically have been considered a rhetorical exaggeration. But not any more. It's now a simple fact that a good number of tea party voters actively like to see people die. . .

Read more at: DailyKos

Michele Bachmann Can't Stop Lyin', and it Won't Matter

Image from source, ThinkProgress

First, a note. I'm finally--I think--kicking this weird fever roller coaster ride I've been on. So I'll be back to blogging with a little more gusto. And maybe a little more diversity? Olbermann, Gay Marriage and Michele Bachmann, oh my! Yeah, I'll try to spread out a little.

But this one is a story that should, if not sink Bachmann's boat, at last put a dent in its hull. But you know what? It probably won't. Like Sarah Palin, Bachmann is more a cult of personality than an accomplished politician. For all the "Messiah/The One/Celebrity" status the right tried to paint onto Obama, they latch onto their icons with much more fierce tenacity. Liberals and progressives have shown themselves quite willing to criticize Obama, sometimes to ridiculous extremes.

But if Palin or Bachmann make a gaffe? Get caught in a lie? Are proven to be a hypocrite about something? That's just the lamestream media, picking on Republican women. It doesn't matter if they're caught dead to rights, the mere fact that the media or bloggers are making an issue of it is the problem. It's a classic "blame the messenger" response, but they don't realize it. And it's really Bachmann's ace in the hole with these people. As when Palin wrote on her hand, and then turned it into some sort of virtue, Bachman has carte blanche with conservatives.  And on a side note, since the excerpted story below is from Think Progress, no matter how true it is, every Bachmann supporter would completely discount it.

[Excerpt]

Bachmann Personally Benefited From Earmarks, Then Falsely Claims She Never Did

Michele Bachmann (R-MN) officially kicked off her presidential campaign this morning in Iowa, right after the latest state poll shows her surging and only a point behind front-runner Mitt Romney (R-MA). But as she becomes a more prominent and viable candidate, Bachmann is facing fresh scrutiny over her past remarks and positions. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

So, Why Do I Keep Talking About Sarah Palin?

Image from Lynnrockets

This is a great question I come around to a lot. A lot of left wing bloggers (and likely pundits and hosts) probably do too. Sarah Palin is a political celebrity, a FOX "News" employee with a vague job description, a former elected official from a small town, and then small state. The latter job, she quit half-way through, with a vague explanation. She has no real policy ideas or depth of political knowledge, other than what she may have crammed into her head in the last two years. She's hyper-defensive, knee-jerkingly responding to any slight or negative story about her. She is certainly the oddest, strangest specimen of a potential presidential candidate ever, and that is really saying something.

So, why is Palin's every tweet and bleat handled as though it was said by a politician on par with a president or major congressional or party leader? What in the world has she done to deserve such attention? And why do people like me keep talking about her, when we don't think she merits such a focus? It's a difficult thing to articulate. "Vague" may again be a word to describe how I feel about the answer. I think Mrs. Palin is an intellect of almost no consequence. I think she has very little chance--barring just the perfect set of circumstances--of becoming president. But not talking about her isn't going to make her go away.

Palin is an almost unique "perfect storm" of the cult of personality. Almost any time she says anything, her popularity falls. At the same time, her core supporters love her even more. Ann Coulter used to have a little of that, but has long since lost it. But Ann Coulter was never given this kind of faux gravitas. And grasp as I may for an answer, I'm still not getting my hands around it. But the article excerpted below does. It's great, take a look.

[Excerpt]

Why we can't say goodbye to Sarah Palin




In a perfect world, we would not know her name. Her political ambitions would take her no further than the City Hall of her state's meth capital. Her hyperpartisanship would be limited to smearing the mayor for being insufficiently Christian and asking "rhetorical" questions of the local librarian about banning books she doesn't like. . .

Read more at: Daily Kos

Four Minutes You'll Never Get Back: Sarah Palin, Lady Liberty

Don't watch this. I'm only posting it because I couldn't believe it exists. Sarah Palin's followers are scarcely different from cult members. She's not particularly bright, not well informed. She quits all her jobs halfway through. There isn't one shred of evidence she'd make a good Governor (her most recent job), let alone President of the United States. What the hell is wrong with these people?

What Happens in Vegas DC: Ensign Moves Out of C Street

Image from source, Las Vegas Sun

Poor Captain Hairdo! He just can't catch a break, can he? Well, I guess when you hook up with a super-secret, cultlike outfit like "The Family" at C Street, you really ought not to break one of the ten commandments. Then again, the rules aren't supposed to apply to them. . .unless they get caught. Anyway, Ensign is out! And I don't know if the wifey has taken him back or not, so is he homeless now? Poor guy.

[Excerpt]

Ensign moves out of home on C Street

Sen. John Ensign has moved out of the C Street house, the Christian home he shared with other elected officials on Capitol Hill that came under scrutiny for its residents’ beliefs and practices and their role in trying to end the Nevada Republican’s affair with a campaign staff member. . .

Read more at: The Las Vegas Sun

More of Rachel Maddow on Creepy GOP "C Street" Cult

"The Family" is a religious cult made up of powerful DC Senators and other power players, so the story goes. Holed up in their "church," they seem to find themselves exempt from the laws of man--apparently no matter what they do. No wonder Family member Sen. John Ensign (R.-NV) thinks its a great idea to announce his reelection bid for Senate in 2012.

Anyway, I'm glad that Rachel Maddow is keeping a spotlight on this group, who would really rather stick to the shadows.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Michael Steele Disses then Apologies to Rush Limbaugh

Image from source, Amazon.com

Back in 1993, I bought my grandmother--a died in the wool, if not logically grounded Republican--Rush Limbaugh's book, The Way Things Ought to Be. Grandma loved the guy. Me, I found him to be a curiosity. I often watched his television program, not as a fan, but for the sheer audacity of it. It was right up there with The Morton Downey Junior Show, or even The 700 Club for its loony, fringe theories and pronouncements.

Limbaugh was successful with his book, and (of course) his radio program, but his TV show tanked. Maybe it was that "TV adds 20 pounds" thing, I dunno. But the point is, Limbaugh was not a mainstream personality. His political ideas were far, far right-wing, and he was basically only taken seriously by like-minded individuals. Like my Grandma.

Since 1993, with the ascendancy of Newt Gingrich, the "Republican Revolution" of 1994, and the two term purgatory of the George W. Bush presidency, Limbaugh (and a host of other far-right ideologues) have ascended into the mainstream. I'm not convinced that his views are mainstream, as the lock-step conservatives seem to constitute a fairly constant 25% of the populace, but Limbaugh is now front-and-center the guy in charge of the Republican Party.

I liken it to a cult. Cults are typically kooky religious sects with charismatic leaders, and are derided by most religious (and non-religious) people. But when cults get big enough, and are around long enough, they become religions. And their leaders go from whack-jobs to "Reverend." Well Reverend Limbaugh and his disciples are now the public face of the Republican Party. And even the official Republicans now have to bend and kiss his ring. Or ass. Take your pick.

[Excerpt]

Limbaugh blasts Steele, the GOP


On the same night he was offering the keynote address to the Conservative Political Action Conference, Rush Limbaugh drew criticism from an unlikely source: Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.

In a little-noticed interview Saturday night, Steele dismissed Limbaugh as an “entertainer” whose show is “incendiary” and “ugly.”

Read more at: Politico

And then. . .

Steele to Rush: I'm sorry

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says he has reached out to Rush Limbaugh to tell him he meant no offense when he referred to the popular conservative radio host as an “entertainer” whose show can be “incendiary.”

“My intent was not to go after Rush – I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh,” Steele said in a telephone interview. “I was maybe a little bit inarticulate. … There was no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership. . .”

Read more at: Politico

Which Came First, the Snuggie or the Slanket?

Photo from source, New York Times

Well, neither as it turns out. The strange cult-like world of Snuggies is generally the antithesis of the type of thing that interests me. But the story-behind-the-story can often times be more interesting than what is on the surface. Or wrapped around you like a backwards bathrobe.

This post was prompted by my last one, which featured Bill Maher using the Snuggie as a metaphor for America's apathy and general dimness. And I have to admit--I own a Snuggie. But only because it was a free promotion from a local casino. And once I got one, I immediately knew that I'd have felt ripped off if I had bought it. It's a very cheap, very unpleasant material, too thin for a lap blanket. It's pure "as seen on TV" cheese, just like its commercial.

The earlier (but not earliest!) version seems like the better bet, higher priced (and no free useless booklight), but apparently much nicer fabric. Plus, the whole attitude of the company looks hipper, if that matters to you.

[Excerpt]

Snuggie Rode Silly Ads to Stardom Over Rivals

ONE of the most memorable, and parodied, of current infomercials is for the Snuggie, a blanket with sleeves whose users resemble converts to a cozy cult. Jay Leno mocked the Snuggie in a monologue (“Why don’t you just put your robe on backwards?”), as did Ellen DeGeneres on her syndicated show (“They should throw in a pointed hat so you can look like a wizard.”). . .

Read more at: New York Times

Religious Processional Followed by Dark Side of the Force!

FailBlog.org is a great place to go if you want to laugh yourself stupid. Seriously, it usually makes me fog up my glasses, and get the hiccups. This video is typical of the site, and while it may not leave you in stitches, trust me when I tell you, if you go to the site you will get progressively weaker and weaker in your resistance to laughter.

Cult Procession Fail

News of the Weird: Cult Predicts Nuclear War on Thursday

Image from Atomic Archive

Better get all your ducks in a row. We apparently have six days, give or take, to accomplish our collective bucket lists. A doomsday cult has predicted that nuclear war is coming next week. And you know the track record for these sorts of predictions are. . .well, OK, they're never right. But you never know, maybe this cult has the inside track. The real question is, if there is a nuclear war, do we want to survive it?

[Excerpt]

Doomsday cult says nuclear war starts next Thursday

ABC’s Brian Ross reported on a cult leader who says that nuclear war will begin by June 12.
“Nuclear war will begin next Thursday, June 12, or sooner, according to the latest prediction of self-proclaimed prophet Yisrayl ‘Buffalo Bill’ Hawkins, the founder of a religious sect in Abilene, Texas. . ."

Read more (with video) at: Raw Story

Rush Limbaugh's Disturbing Hold on His Listeners

Image from source, RushLimbaugh.com

I've commented previously that Rush Limbaugh creeps me the hell out. He is--by far--more than merely a right wing radio bloviator. He fancies himself as an entertainer, Keith Olbermann refers to him as "the comedian." My preferred designation is cult leader. The thrall he holds over his listeners is downright frightening.

Now, you might dismiss me as paranoid, or just biased against right-wing pundits in general. And you might be just a little correct, but that's not all there is to it. I've reported earlier on this blog about how Rush often tells his fans that they don't need to get their news anywhere else, he'll do the work for them. On his website, he gives his listeners marching orders. And today, in a facetious ramble about supporting Sen. Barack Obama for President, he said the following:

"So, using their guidance and using their thought processes, how about, ladies and gentlemen, if I were to announce today and use my powers as a pied piper over all of you mind-numbed robots to declare our support for Obama, for this reason: Some of the key issues that our candidate supports are signature issues of McCain."

Now, you might claim that Rush is just being funny. . .jabbing at liberals like me, who think of him and his dittoheads precisely as he described in the bold letters above. And you might be right, unless you heard the phone call that followed shortly after that:

RUSH: What are you going to do?
CALLER: Well, I'm a member of -- I'm an op for chaos.
RUSH: And so what are you going to do?
CALLER: Well, I'm going to do whatever you say, basically, I just can't bring myself to vote for McCain.
RUSH: A-ha. Well, what if I told you to vote Obama?
CALLER: That's classic. If you were serious, I'd do it. . .

Now really, how far is it from that kind of talk to the big drum of special kool-aid?

Source: Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh Treats Listeners Like Fools

Before John McCain became the Republican nominee for President, Rush Limbaugh assailed him. He came very close to saying he wouldn't even vote for the guy. After McCain was in, Limbaugh shifted gears, and started his dubious Operation Chaos, an attempt to confuse and corrupt the Democratic primaries, and help Hillary Clinton stay in the race, because he believed her to be the easiest for McCain to beat.

Now that his efforts in that endeavor have proven to be negligable at best, he's flip-flopped. He's saying he "now believes" that Barack Obama is the weaker candidate. Mmm hmmm. And no matter what he says, or how he behaves, his lock-steppy listeners fall right into line. Rush obviously possesses a powerful charisma that completely elludes me, I can only say that his listeners are lucky he hasn't decided to become a cult leader. Or, I suppose, you could argue that he already is. He regularly ladles out the metaphorical Kool-Aid, and his ditto-heads greedily drink it up.

Just check out this screen grab from his site (top of post). Can you even imagine if MoveOn.org or Michael Moore had a campaign like this, with "official orders?" This is not an isolated example, or something out of character for Rush. He regularly tells listeners that they need no other source than him. One of his popular items for sale is a "Rush is Right!" bumper sticker. How far is it from metaphorical to literal Kool-Aid?

[Excerpt]

Limbaugh comes out for Obama

He has publicly urged Republicans to vote for Hillary Clinton to keep the divisive Democratic nomination fight alive, but talk radio host Rush Limbaugh said Wednesday it's Barack Obama who he really wants to be the party's nominee.

"I now believe he would be the weakest of the Democrat nominees," Limbaugh, among the most powerful voices in conservative radio, said on his program. "I now urge the Democrat supereldegates to make your mind up and publicly go for Obama. . ."

Read more at: CNN

Texas Defends Removal of Mormon Cult Children

Photo from source, Yahoo! News

I haven't reported on this story until now, because I couldn't think of a way of doing so that wasn't intensely derogatory. I'm an agnostic, leaning toward atheism, and have a very strong distaste for most religions. When those religions wander into what sane people would call child abuse and molestation, I get livid.

There is no schadenfreude involved for me in this little busting of religion. Most of the people involved know nothing other than the life they've been leading. Most are the multiple wives (and even more multiple kids), and they can rightfully be seen largely as victims.

So I'll avoid judgment here, and instead offer only an observation. If you take some time to check out the photos of the people involved, there is a very creepy undercurrent to them. First, and most obviously is the frontier garb, and Little House on the Prairie hairstyles. Superficial yes, but enough to make them look very different, and alien to most Americans. Second, is a profound aging of the women. Some are said to be in their thirties and forties, but they look twenty years past that. Almost like middle-aged people of 35 or more years ago, old before their time.

And most superficially, there is an odd sameness to the faces of many of the people involved. A strange--not totally unattractive--but masculineness to the women. And they certainly all look related. Sad all around.

[Excerpt]

Texas defends separation of polygamist sect kids from moms

ELDORADO, Texas - State officials Tuesday defended their decision to suddenly separate mothers from many of the children taken in a raid on a polygamist ranch in West Texas.

Texas Children's Protective Services spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner said the separation was made Monday after they decided that children are more truthful in interviews about possible abuse if their parents are not around. . .

Read more at: Yahoo! News

The End is Near: Yet Another Doomsday Cult

Photo from source, AOL News

The last story I posted had to do with crazy Christians. But religious fervor knows no denominational bounds. As we've seen in the past with the Branch Davidians, The People's Temple, and Heaven's Gate, lots of people just go nuts over religion--literally. And people wonder why I'm agnostic.

Here is just the latest example.

[Excerpt]

Sect Holes Up in Cave to Await Doomsday

At least 30 members of a Russian doomsday cult have barricaded themselves in a remote cave to await the end of the world and are threatening to commit suicide if police intervene, officials and media said Thursday. . .

Read more at: AOL News