Nevada Republican's State Assembly Speaker Openly Racist, Sexist, Homophobic*

Image from source, Think Progress

Nevada has faced a number of oddball candidates for office, from the Chicken Lady, Sue Lowden to the certifiably batshit crazy Sharron Angle. And for decades, we've had the Hansen family, from the "Independent American Party," which should absolutely, positively not be confused with your run-of-the-mill independents. The IAP is a very fringy party, where you thought fringes were impossible. And the Hansens tried for years to get into mainstream politics.

Undoubtedly some have, and there is a new one. I wasn't able to confirm that he's part of the same family, but if not he'd fit right in. Ira Hansen is the new Speaker of the Nevada State Assembly. And he simply is pure hard right wing id. No filter, no dog whistle, all right there in the front window.

Whew. Unbelievable.

[Excerpt]

Incoming Nevada Speaker Said Democrats Have ‘Master-Slave’ Relationship With ‘Simple Minded Darkies’

Nevada Assemblyman Ira Hansen (R), who the assembly’s Republican caucus selected as their choice to be its next speaker earlier this month, has a long history of racist, sexist and homophobic statements chronicled in a long list published by the Reno News Review. Among other things, as part of a broader statement of support for school vouchers, Hansen claimed that “[t]he relationship of Negroes and Democrats is truly a master-slave relationship, with the benevolent master knowing what’s best for his simple minded darkies.” Indeed, according to the News Review, Hansen keeps a Confederate battle flag on his wall, which he says that he flies “proudly in honor and in memory of a great cause and my brave ancestors who fought for that cause.” He also “tends to use the term ‘Negro’ and often does not capitalize it. . .”

Read more at: Think Progress

*Obviously, "racist, sexist, homophobic" are all subjective judgments by me, your editor. Though I'm not sure another conclusion could be drawn.

Hate Group Using DC Comics' Superman for Publicity

The image NOMBlog is using to promote their brand.
Are you paying attention DC?

Ugh. I'll admit that when I heard that there was a boycott afoot over a proposed writer for a Superman comic, I was torn. First, I'm a DC Comics fan from way back when comics cost 20 cents, so the character is more than just another superhero to me. Second, I'm gay, and this writer dude Orson Scott Card is profoundly, loudly and proudly anti-gay. So, while I have some issues with interfering with an individual's career over his personal views, I also feel a personal connection to the character he's writing, and am appalled that he's going to be writing it.

But the issue is a little more clear when you realize that this isn't one guy's personal views. Card is on the board of the National Organization for Marriage, a hate group that exists not--as they purport--to "protect" marriage, but to thwart equal rights for gay people. One need not follow NOM's writings for long to suss out that "marriage" is only part of their agenda. Their championing of the Boy Scouts of America's anti-gay policy, their campaigns against domestic partnerships and civil unions, and many other issues illustrate clearly that NOM is an anti-gay organization, first and foremost. So, to my mind, Card isn't just some poor schmuck with an opinion.

DC Comics, for their part, has pretty much to this point stood by their man. And I get that. They don't want interest groups combing through each writer's and artist's pasts for something to object to. I get that. But I'm also one of many gay former kids for whom DC Comics and Superman played a large part in our growing up. And a lot of us still read comics. And how much can DC or parent company Warner Bros. want their flagship character to be used by a hate group? Because that is what NOM is doing with Superman.

[Excerpt]

ConservativeHQ: Buy A Comic Book To Stand For Marriage

. . .Orson Scott Card, a talented science fiction writer, is part of a team of writers and artists assembled by DC Comics to create an “Adventures of Superman” comic series ahead of the release of the summer Superman film Man of Steel.* Card is also a believer in the Biblical definition of marriage who has the courage to say so. . .

Source: NOMBlog (If you have a strong stomach, click through, and read some of their postings, but be warned. . .the comments sections are poisonous.)

Soledad O'Brien Makes Rep. Joe Heck (NV) Look Stupid

I've never, as a Nevadan, been very fond of Joe Heck. Sure, I don't find his policy ideas palatable, but I'm going to have to cop to a little trifle that bugs me almost as much: if you slapped one of those FLDS wigs on him, he'd look exactly like one of those Warren Jeffs "sister wives." Which has nothing to do with anything, except that he's my Congressman, and I can't help seeing it. Anyway, Soledad O'Brien made him look extra doofy Thursday.

 

Crazy Creationists: Dinosaurs Fled the Flood!

Last night I posted a piece about Mitt Romney' literal belief in his wacky religion. And, I noted that as an atheist, I find 'em all wacky, so I'm not so much singling Mormonism out, as I am saying it's just extra special goofy. But Mitt's not alone in his belief in unbelievable things.

Somehow, I got on the Creation Ministries International mailing list. And these folks are literal believers in the book of Genesis. Just FYI, that's the book that set me on the road to atheism, because it was taught to me at the same time as freshman Earth science. Guess which book won? Anyway, Genesis is chock full of ridiculous things that only the deeply deluded could believe are literal. From the "firmament" to the items set into it, from the cleanliness rules to the list of sacrificial requirements, from the conflicting dual creation stories to there being light before there was a light source? All of it is frankly unbelievable.


























But nothing is more ridiculous than the flood story. Forget that there are (again) two conflicting Noah's Ark stories, and different numbers of animals in each. There are problems with the size of the boat. There are problems with the technology of building such a boat. There's the problem of how every kind of animal got to the middle east, and then re-dispersed themselves back to from whence they came. There are the uncomfortable facts about feeding and housing these animals for such an extended period, and what they would do about the waste. How did they keep the animals from eating each other, or the humans? How did they transport the bacteria, viruses, insects, arachnids and amoeba? How did the sealife and freshwater animals survive in the stirred up, seawater/rainwater/sediment-filled water? How did plantlife and fungi survive submerged for 100 days? And we're not even talking about where the water came from, and where it went! Why would an "all-loving" god murder his "children," no matter how disobedient they were?

Creation Museum folly. Image from Bay-of-Fundie.com

On top of this is the question of dinosaurs. Why doesn't the Bible mention dinosaurs? Well, some try to parlay allusions of "dragons" and whatnot into dinosaurs, but it's a stretch. It actually makes the bible sound more like a bunch of fables to me. So, the question is, if man coexisted with dinosaurs, why do they get such scant coverage in the Bible? Why weren't they on the Ark? Did Noah take dinosaur eggs, rather than full-grown T-Rexes and Stegosauri? Why isn't it mentioned?

Obviously, it isn't mentioned, because the writer(s) of Genesis never heard of dinosaurs, and thus couldn't write about them. They didn't realize that the sun is the source of our light, so they could say it was created after light. They didn't know how clouds, the atmosphere, the orbits of the moon and planets, or stars in the universe worked, so they made crap up about the celestial bodies being placed in a bowl that separated the waters of heaven and earth. There are so many, countless, obvious problems with Genesis, an irreligious person like me just stands with my mouth agape. How can any adult take these fairy tales seriously?

And then I get my latest installment of further attempts at devising a narative that makes sense out of a book that really doesn't.  You know what I liken groups like Christian Ministries International to? I liken them to Rankin-Bass. You know, the studio that made such holiday classics as, Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Year Without a Santa Claus. In those holiday specials, they took all of the implausibilities in the Santa Claus story, and explained them in such a way as to keep kids believing it just a little while longer. And as kids, we wanted to believe. That's all this foolishness is.

If you are interested (and I hope it's only for amusement value), you can find this group here: Christian Ministries International.

Romney Gets Testy About Mormonism

I'm frankly amazed that Mitt Romney's religion hasn't come more into play in this election. As an atheist, I find all religions to be on the edge of wacky. But Mormonism has that extra layer of crazy frosted with a thick layer of WTF? icing. So, when I see a video of Willard very clearly completely believing his religion's spiel (Jesus is coming to Missouri!), It just makes me freakin' terrified that this man could get this close to the presidency.

Video found at: JoeMyGod.com

What Happens in Vegas: Las Vegas Sign Goes Purple for Spirit Day

Spirit Day is something I wasn't familiar with until last year, but it is a day to stand up and show your support against bullying by wearing or displaying the color purple. It has a heavy focus on gay people who have been or are victims of bullies, but is not exclusively about "the gay." Regardless, there is a bit of bewilderment on my part, knowing that the sign company that owns and is putting up the purple on the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is--or at least was founded by--Mormons. Color me pleasantly surprised!

Image from The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada

Mormon Church Owns Unregulated Guns Website?

EDITOR'S NOTE: When I get to writing, sometimes the words flow and go off on a tangent. And in the fast-pace of blogging,  up it goes on the blog, and then I get to wondering, "where did that come from?"  That's what happened here. I am one half of one of the 18,000 same-sex couples married in California, during the brief window in which it was legal. A primary reason that Proposition 8 was successful in stopping marriage equality, was the Mormon church. I am also an atheist, who has many times been irritated by the intrusion of religion into law. Hence the rant.

As for the veracity of the story I attached my rant to, I couldn't say. Mayor Bloomberg of New York City is at the core of it, which lends it credence. But he could be barking up a wrong tree, who knows. So, without further ado, I do not disavow what I've written, but now you have the context, if it wasn't clear before. Ahem.

Thought I'd better add this tag, since it would seem
I had a few pent-up things to say!

ORIGINAL POST:

Mormons are weird. Don't take that personally, Mormons, I find all religions weird. But I think--what with LDS' very recent vintage, it is weirder still that it has bloomed into such a force to be reckoned with. I mean, with Christianity, Judaism, Islam and others, the religions are so old, few of their claims can be fact-checked. The religions have to be taken almost entirely on faith. But there's stuff in the Book of Mormon that can be checked out, with history books and with common sense. There are entire websites devoted to Mormon debunkery, so I'll not delve further into that here. I'm just sayin'.

After the South Park episode, and the broadway hit, The Book of Mormon by the same guys, I think you'd find a lot of people who find Mormonism really kind of nutty, and in wonder of  the fact that there are converts. How do you sell such a crazy story? By leaving the nutty stuff out, most likely.
I doubt those adorable missionaries spend much time on posthumous baptism, magical undergarments, end-of-days clearing houses, celestial marriage or Kolob in their spiels.

Secrecy is very big in the Mormon church, particularly with outsiders. With their ten percent tithing requirement, the Mormon church is also very, very rich. They can afford to pump money into efforts to defeat and/or prevent marriage equality for one, which is how they got on my bad side.

When a church is so publicly (with a layer of secrecy, naturally) politically active, I've got to ask: why are they tax exempt? Yes, the Constitution protects religious freedom (and freedom from religion, don't forget), but where does it say that they have the right to unlimited funds, tax free? And now they're supposedly selling unregulated guns? They need to be investigated, not just for this, but for any other potentially illegal dealings. They need their tax exempt status revoked, or at least need to be warned that further political--and illegal--activity be ceased instead, either/or.

I know that it is impolitic to criticize religion unless it is Islam and/or Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church. But I don't see what makes any religion so special. Anybody can invent a religion, and sell it to rubes. Joseph Smith, for instance. L. Ron Hubbard for another, but that's a whole different (but very similar) story.

[Excerpt]

Michael Bloomberg, on the case. Image from source.

Mormon Church 'owns unregulated gun sale website' 

KSL.com was criticised by the Mayor's office for running classified adverts which allow individuals to buy and sell handguns and other firearms without proper background checks and no questions asked.

The site is owned by Deseret Media, the for-profit arm of the Church of the Latter Day Saints – also known as the Mormons – which has come to prominence recently as a result of the presidential run of member Mitt Romney. . .

Read ore at: The Telegraph

Rocky Mountain Mike: Mitt Romney's Magical Underwear Tour

Awesome! In a great spoof of The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour (during their psychedelic period, my personal favorite),  Rocky Mountain Mike has fused Mitt's "Etch-A-Sketch" reputation, with one of the weirder Mormon religion beliefs (magic underwear), and come up with a pretty great parody.

Romney Dazzled by Convenience Store Touch Screen

Image from Raw Story

The issue of Mitt Romney ordering a sub from Wawa, and his subsequent, tedious description of the place probably shouldn't be newsworthy. But it is only the latest in a long, long series of attempts to "humanize" the RomneyBot 3000. And like all the others, it failed spectacularly.

A typical Wawa outlet. Source: Wawa.com.

I don't know if it's his status as a life-long multimillionaire, and thus he can't relate to the average Joe. You wouldn't think that an alpha male, one who was a missionary--convincing enough to convert people to a ridiculous* religion--would be socially awkward. Then again, maybe in the boardroom, or the country club, he gets on famously with Skip and Buffy Worthington III. Trouble is, to the rest of us, he's as relatable as Thurston Howell III.

[Excerpt]

Romney says gas station’s touch-screen ordering is ‘amazing’

It doesn’t take a lot to impress Mitt Romney. At a campaign stop in Pennsylvania on Sunday, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee told a crowd that he had been astonished by a touch screen computer used to order food at the Wawa gas station chain. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

*When I call Mormonism ridiculous, it isn't out of anti-Mormon bigotry. I'm an atheist, and I find religion in general to be preposterous. But Mormons are selling a very tall tale, and it surprises me that anyone buys it. Just sayin'.


UPDATE: As pointed out by Dan, a blogger (and friendly rival) at LasVegasBadger, The Media Research Council (a Brent Bozell/Newsbusters organization) and FOX "News" say that Andrea Mitchell Reports "doctored" the video in question to make Romney look goofier. Were such a thing possible (kidding, Dan, kidding). I'm not sure I see it that way--I'm not sure editing is "doctoring" in every case--but here's the link if you want to check it out: MRC/FOX "News" Debunk of Andrea Mitchell.

A Thought on Sarah Palin, Game Change, and the Mormon Church

Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin. Bet she wins an Emmy.
Image from Vanity Fair.

It's been a week since HBO's Game Change--you know, the Sarah Palin movie that Sarah Palin didn't like--aired. It was a compelling docudrama that told the story of John McCain's 2008 campaign for President against Barack Obama. Yeah, it didn't go so well.

But that isn't the point of this post. Sarah Palin (played by Julianne Moore) was actually humanized in the film, in both good and bad ways. From the film, it was clear that she's a good mother and wife. She was shown to be driven, enthusiastic, energetic, and a go-getter. But, she was also shown to be profoundly ignorant of basic foreign policy issues and other basic knowledge. She was shown to be somewhat emotionally unstable, belligerent, a giant pain in the ass, and completely unsuited to be one septuagenarian's heart-beat away from the White House.

It was interesting to see how Steve Schmidt (Woody Harrelson) and Nicolle Wallace (Sarah Paulson)--two prominent McCain campaign operatives--dealt with Palin's obvious failings. Wallace grew weary of Palin's abuse, and basically washed her hands of Palin. Schmidt hit upon Palin's strength: acting. Acting like she knows what she's talking about. Give her a script, wind her up, and watch her go. She's a little firecracker!

But Schmidt, Wallace and the rest knew they were dealing with a dangerously incapable candidate. Their biggest issue wasn't the potential problem of an unqualified second-in-command. Their biggest issue was how to camouflage that, well enough to win the election. So, when I watch Wallace and Schmidt on television, confirming, yeah, that's how it all went down. . .well, I'm glad to hear the movie was accurate. But wait! I'm aghast that these people admit what they did!

Typical Mormons. Image from ABC News

It all reminds me of a book called The Mormon Murders by Steven Neifeh. The book recounts the true story of a con-man named Mark Hoffman. He was an antiquities dealer who had the amazing ability to find exceedingly rare Mormon artifacts. He conned the Mormon Church at its highest levels with amateur forgeries (and killed people when he got busted). Those forgeries--believed to be authentic by the church--pointed to the in-authenticity of the church itself.

So, did the church prepare to inform their congregants and potential converts that Joseph Smith was a fraud after all, and that the whole Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was now going to become a secular charity or something? No, no they didn't. They paid Hoffman beau coup bucks to take the documents and hide them away! Let's go over that again: they believed the documents saying the church was a fraud were authentic. And rather than re-assessing the whole religion, they decided to put their fingers in their ears and go, la-la-la!!!

Maybe it's a bit of a stretch, but I see the McCain campaign's decision to soldier on, and try to win--despite having knowledge of Palin's disqualifying shortcomings--to be the same kind of willful disregard for the facts. Charging ahead anyway. I find both to be disgusting.

Keith Olbermann's Worst Persons in the World, Feb. 15, 2012

I haven't posted a clip from Countdown with Keith Olbermann for a while, probably because I can't get it on Cox Cable in Las Vegas. But this one is good. The only thing is, I'd give Andrew Breitbart a lifetime achievement award.

Rick Perry and Mormons (and Mitt Romney)

The beginning of Mormonism, as chronicled by the
documentary film, South Park: All About the Mormons.
Image from IGN.

When Barack Obama was elected, I predicted that the thinly-veiled racism that was popping up here and there would give way to full-fledged N-words-a-poppin.' Oddly enough, it hasn't happened for the most part, which shows arch conservatives to have a bit more self control than I'd imagined. So, imagine my surprise when that self control cracked in regard to this election cycle's Mormon issue.

Most Mormons are devout believers in God and Jesus, have a strong focus on the families and values. Oh my heck, they don't even drink coffee, smoke cigarettes or touch alcohol! But their God and Jesus are different from evangelicals' version. So Mormons are in the same boat Catholocism was back in 1960. All of it is fiction to me, so the distinctions are ridiculous. Yes, Mormonism is wacky. So is every other religion that isn't yours.

Whoa, got off track there. Okay. When Rick Perry entered the race, he took all of the wind out of Mormon Mitt Romeny's sails. And Rick is super-duper "right kind of Jesus" to the base of the Republican Party (tea baggers). But Perry's fortunes have waned, and though another "right kind of Jesus" believer, Herman Cain has ascended (have you noticed, he's black?), it is widely believed that Romney will ultimately be the nominee. Which means that Rick Perry--if he wants to stay in the race--will have to go all out to beat him. Is he willing to play the M-card? Well, he didn't apologize for the preacher dude who introduced him, and called Mormonism a cult. And look how he treated these fundamentalist Mormons. . .

Image from source, The Daily Beast

[Excerpt]


Rick Perry’s Illegal Raid On A Mormon Sect

We all remember the image of hundreds of Mormon mothers, clad in pastel prairie dresses, trooping in and out of Texas courthouses, trying for three months to reclaim their children. It was the spring of 2008, and it would become the largest custody battle in U.S. history. . .

Read more at: The Daily Beast

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link, and the refresher course.

Trey Parker & Matt Stone Discuss The Book of Mormon, Their Broadway Show

I'm not a big theater fan (though I did see "Cats" at the Winter Garden. . .does that count?). But I really like skewering sacred cows, I consider religion in general, but Mormonism in particular to be preposterous, and I love Trey Parker and Matt Stone (but when did Stone become the cute one?). ABC's Jake Tapper interviewed the South Park creators about their Broadway creation, and the result is highly entertaining. Enjoy.



Found at: Joe.My.God.

BYU Suspends Star Player for Having Consensual Sex

Image from source, AOL

I'm not a sports fan. No, that's an understatement. Except for the Super Bowl, it is unlikely that I catch more than five minutes of sports in any given year. Until a couple of years ago, I had no idea that "March Madness" had anything to do with basketball, let alone college basketball. Sports are just out of my orbit. But not as much as religion is.

As little as I understand sports fandom (except for a brief dalliance with hockey, spurred by my friend Stupid Monkey Planet and my new in 2004 HDTV), I understand religious belief even less. Religious people think that unbelief (disbelief?) is a form of belligerence, a deliberate denial. It isn't. It is a total lack of interest. It rates somewhere with my belief in Santa Claus or gnomes. It doesn't ever cross my mind that there might be something to it. In fact, it rarely even crosses my mind at all outside of political discussions.

So, when in 2011--a year when the world was supposed to look like The Jetsons--we've got a lauded college with a prestigious basketball team who boots their star player right before March Madness, it wouldn't cross my mind that it was for religious reasons. But, aapparently, if you live in Utah, whether you are Mormon or not, you've got to tolerate a near theocracy. And if you go to school at Brigham Young University, you've really got to comply. But I've got a little newsflash for the "elders" at BYU: college kids have sex. Even Mormon college kids have sex. Some of 'em even have the gay sex! It's true! And you can't suspend them all.

[Excerpt]

BYU's Davies suspended for having premarital sex

The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting that leading BYU rebounder Brandon Davies was booted from the team because he engaged in premarital sex, a violation of the school’s honor code that says students must remain “chaste and virtuous. . .”


Read more (with video) at: AOL

And Now For Something Completely Different

By way of my brother-in-law Todd, comes this very strange item available at Amazon.com. It's not the right season for it, but when is the right season for a Mormon Hanukkah song?

Eight Days of Hanukkah by Orrin Hatch
and Madeline Stone (Performed By Rasheeda Azar)



Get yours at: Amazon.com

Friday Status Update: Mormons!

One of the many homoerotic Mormon paintings (maybe that's how they hook you?) from MormonMatters.org

I'm off work on Fridays these days, due to the economy. And before you blame President Obama, note that these mandatory three-day weekends began in August 2008. This after a business downturn for at least 8 months, probably more. On the bright side--hey!--three-day weekends! Which makes Thursday my "Friday", and sometimes leads to too much revelry on Thursday night.

Such it was last evening, and so I have little to show on the blog for Friday. Here it is, a little after noon, and I'm writing my first post. In fact, I'm still in my PJs, still drinking coffee, watching The Mormons, part 3 on PBS. Well, on my DVR actually. It's very interesting stuff. I'm an avid fan of history, especially the stuff that is borderline secretive. I'm still flabbergasted that a religion that to my eyes is absolutely false and bizarre could have grown to such a massive institution. How does such a crazy story catch on?

After watching a bunch of this story, I'm still not sure I understand that. I've read a portion of the Book of Mormon, and found it not only inscrutable, but also terrible writing. And why in the world was it written in the style of the King James version of the Holy Bible? Did Joseph Smith not know that the Bible was only written in that style because of the time and place it was translated? All religions are inherently ridiculous to the uninitiated, I know. But Mormonism is probably second only to Scientology in its obvious fraudulence. Just this heathen's opinion, I suppose.

Anyway, I'm fairly certain I won't be getting much of value or interest done today. We will see. Meanwhile, have a good start to your weekend!

Mormons Upset About HBO's Big Love

Image from source, The Salt Lake Tribune

They're only now getting upset? Mmmkay.

It's no secret around here that religion is not one of my favorite subjects. I get annoyed when I'm told I need to "respect" people's religious beliefs, when I am given no respect from most religions for my lack of belief (or The Gay Thing). So, I don't mind too much when a TV show or movie tweaks religion. And here, they didn't even really tweak them so much as expose them. Yes, the "secret rites" and garb are revealed to the lay public. Big deal, get over it.

[Excerpt]

LDS Temple secrets? 'Big Love' TV episode angers Mormons

"Big Love," HBO's television drama about a polygamous Utah family, will air an episode March 15 depicting a sacred and private LDS temple ceremony, prompting an official response from the church criticizing the network. . .

Read more at: The Salt Lake Tribune

Mormon Church Gave $200 K for Proposition 8?

If the comments at AmericaBlog are to be believed, "lying for the lord" is a-OK in the Mormon Church. Apparently, they have an ends-justify-the-means attitude toward lying, if they believe that they are doing so in the service of their church.

Whether or not this theory is true, I do not know. But apparently, in the fight for Proposition 8--the measure that stripped California same-sex couples of their existing right to marry--the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints gave $200,000. That's $190 K more than they initially admitted to. And if they lied about it at first, who's to say that they aren't still low-balling it now?

[Excerpt]

Under pressure, Mormon leaders finally admit spending almost $200,000 of church money to on Prop 8

It's getting really hard to believe Mormon leaders. They're not really heeding that commandment about lying. After downplaying their role in Prop. 8, the latest campaign filings show the church did spend a considerable amount of its own money. . .

Read more at: AmericaBlog

Tom Hanks Called "Basher" for Talking About Mormons

Photo from source, PopEater

I found the excerpted article below to be profoundly unfair in its headline--which was blaring as a top story on AOL's front page. Tom Hanks does talk frankly about Mormons, and about the proponents of California's Proposition 8. But nowhere does he "bash Mormons" or anyone else.

C'mon, this is Mr. Nice, Mr. Warmth, Mr. America. It would be profoundly out of character for him to trash somebody publicly. And he didn't here, unless something was left out of the story.

But you know what? I'm not afraid to trash religion or the religious. I wouldn't generally do it to specific individuals for no reason, of course. But I don't understand why "religious beliefs" are somehow immune to criticism. Sometimes, religious beliefs can be wrong, destructive, or downright criminal. And why should I--a gay, agnostic--pay respect to a group that affords me none? I have heard and read many, many nasty things written about gays, agnostics, atheists. In fact anyone in the alphabet soup (LGBTQ) or in any category deemed "unbeliever" can be criticized and insulted with almost impunity in almost any forum.

One more thing. Hanks is talking below about a group that worked mightily to step on the rights of another group. Intolerance or antipathy toward the former is entirely justifiable. It is intolerance of intolerance, and once more the oppressor is being classified as a victim. THAT is un-American! Ahem. . .end of rant.

[Excerpt]

Hanks Bashes Mormons, Prop-8 Advocates

At Wednesday night's 'Big Love' premiere party, Tom Hanks made his feelings about the Mormon Church's involvement in the passage of California's Prop 8 very clear, calling those against gay marriage "un-American."

Ironically, Hanks serves as the executive producer of HBO's controversial show, which focuses on a modern-day polygamist living in Utah with his three wives. . .

Read more at: PopEater

Did Mormons Illegally Contribute to Proposition 8?

NOTE: I posted several video clips from MSNBC below, and none are currently available. Either MSNBC's website is swamped, or it has gone offline. That's kind of big news all on its own. Hopefully, by the time you read this, it will be back.

Now, on to the subject of this post. Proposition 8 in California revoked the existing right for same-sex couples to marry. Much of the money that went toward the "Yes" side of the fight came from Mormons and Catholics. It has been alleged that the churches themselves dictated or at least urged their congregants to donate. But the Mormon church claimed to have given a very small amount themselves. But it looks like they weren't telling the truth. . .