Even Pat Robertson Calls Young Earth Creationism "Nonsense"

Methuselah Pat Robertson, image from source, Raw Story

As an atheist, it is unlikely I'm ever going to reach complete understanding with the devoutly religious. But it is interesting that there are levels of devoutness. See, I would have pegged Pat Robertson as a "Young Earth Creationist." But he isn't, and that's kind of interesting.

Young Earth Creationists believe in the literal creation story told in the Bible, complete with all of Genesis and all of the begets. Counting each day of creation as a literal day, believing that man was created in the first literal week of existence, and adding up all of the generations listed, YECs have calculated that the Earth (and also the universe) is only 6,000-or-so years old. This--to most rational people--is preposterous. There are things on earth (beer, trees) that are older than that. There are stars whose light couldn't possibly have reached us in that short a time. There are geological formations that couldn't possibly have formed so quickly. And on and on, and that's not even picking apart the very pick-apartable Genesis.

Well, ol' Pat surely does believe in talking snakes, the firmament and Noah's Ark. But he's having none of this young Earth nonsense. Even a nutcase like Robertson gets one right once in a while!

[Excerpt]
 
Pat Robertson implores creationist Ken Ham to shut up: ‘Let’s not make a joke of ourselves’

Pat Robertson responded to the recent debate between Young Earth creationist Ken Ham and Bill Nye, a.k.a. “The Science Guy,” by reiterating his disagreement with Ham’s form of creationism.

“Let’s face it,” Robertson said, “there was a Bishop [Ussher] who added up the dates listed in Genesis and he came up with the world had been around for 6,000 years. . .”

Read more at: Raw Story 

Say What You Will About Gays. No, Really.

Yeah, this guy has room to talk about matters of
"morality." Image from HuffPo.

I said recently that my conservative mom has tried to convince me that "most" Republicans (and conservatives/Christians/etc.) aren't anti-gay. My mother is naive. The Huffington Post just posted a video slideshow of a huge list of outragously hateful/nasty/wrong/ridiculous things said by prominent conservatives. It is unfortunately not set up to be embedded, but I'm linking to the main story below.

Long story short, conservatives who are opposed to* gay people find it to be perfectly alright to say anything they want about us.  Anything. No matter how dishonest. Or nasty. Or insulting. Doesn't matter, they feel free to just spew. And these people get regular play on FOX "News", CNN, MSNBC, and the major networks. They are treated like royalty at CPAC and other conservative gatherings. They are lauded at FreeRepublic.com. And they hate me. Seriously.

Homophobe Roundup!

- Pastor Wooden Says Gay Sex Causes Gay Men to Need Diapers
- Bryan Fischer on Why Gayse are Responsible for the Nazi Party
- Rick Santorum: Why Gay Marriage is Like 9/11
- Linda Harvey: Don't Let Gay Doctors Attend to Your Children
- Matt Barber: "No Evidence" Gays are Targets of Violence, Discrimination
- Stacey Campfield: "Virtuall Impossible" to Contract AIDS Through Heterosexual Sex
- Kevin McCullough: I Don't Believe You Can be Gay
- Rush Limbaugh On Why Gays Should Be Pro-Life
- Scott Lively: Gay-Straight Alliances Are Designed To Recruit Kids
- Tamara Scott: Gay Marriage Leads To Eiffel Tower Marriage
- Michele Bachmann On Gay Lifestyles (vague, but the "lifestyle" bit is a hint at where she's going)
- Tony Perkins: 'If You Want A Military That Just Does Parades,' Allow Gays To Openly Serve
- Pat Roberston: 'Demonic Possession' Behind Homosexuality
- James Robison: 'The Enemy' Is Using 'Glee' To Destroy America
- Newt Gingrich: Gay Marriage A 'Perfect Example Of What I Mean By The Rise Of Paganism'
- Daniel Lapin: Gays Should've Been Quarantined To fight AIDS
- Pat Robertson Advises Father To Seek Ex-Gay Conversion For Gay Son
- Bryan Fischer On How 'Poppers' And Promiscuity Causes AIDS
- Liberty Counsel Warns That Macy's LGBT Policy Could Lead To Rape, Sexual Assault
- Bryan Fischer: Adolf Hitler Was An 'Active Homosexual'
- Alan Osmond: In Defense Of Reparation Therapy
- Victoria Jackson: Homophobia Is 'Buzzword Of Liberal Agenda'
- Ann Coulter Calls John Edwards A 'Faggot'

On the last one, I'd call John Edwards a scumbag. Which might be offensive, but only to John Edwards. This list is mostly posted for people like my mom, who make excuses for the homophobic right. And for all the gay Republicans out there! You know who you are!

Source: Huffington Post


*As a sidebar, I'd really like to know what "being opposed" to the gay really means.  Opposed to our rights as taxpaying citizens? Opposed to our existence? My favorite, is when people say, "I don't agree with the lifestyle," and I'm all, "I don't agree with that sentence." First, it isn't a "lifestyle," that's a euphemism invented for the personals section of newspapers in the seventies. And second, how do you disagree with reality? It's nonsense! Knock it off!

Right-wing World: Second Scariest Email Ever

I was cycling through my email box this past evening, and what pops up, but the scariest collection of humans--the ones I recognize, mind you--ever in one photo (particularly after I clicked it and it expanded). Don't get me wrong, I have no negative opinion about Tim Tebow. As with Jesus, I am much more leery of his followers. And I think it will be hilarious to watch the rest of those heads explode if Tebow should ever come out of the closet (just a hunch, but I'm often right!). Otherwise, this is a frightening collection of scary, scary people. The former leader of this group, The Christian Coalition of America, was Pat Robertson. He used to seemingly pray that God would wipe out sinners with tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes. I think God could do a lot more good hitting this convention!

Glenn Beck (crazy), Jedediah Bila (no idea), Sarah Palin (also too), Mark Levin (apparently a comic book supervillain) Rush Limbaugh (glamor shot), David Limbaugh (coattail rider), Matt Drudge (closet case allegedly!), Larry Elder (who?), Erick Erickson (who whoerson?), Michelle Malkin (horrid), Ed Morrissey (dunno), Tammy Bruce (quisling), Newton LeRoy Gingrich (pantload), Mary Katherine Ham (mmm, ham!), Sean Hannity (moron), Rick Perry (oops), Karl Rove (turdblossom), Thomas Sowell (ugh), Hugh Hewitt (ugh ugh), James Hirson (hack), Mike Huckabee (goober), Tim Tebow (hail, mary!), Fred Thomson (very tired) and Brad Thor (The Mighty Thor! Spare this one, Jeebus!)

Source: CCA

Incidentally, this was my scariest email ever: Scariest E-Mail EVER: Karl Rove is Following Me!

The Tim Tebow Skit from Saturday Night Live

When I watched this skit on Saturday Night, I thought it was cute. Kind of funny.  It wasn't riffing on religion or Christianity as much as it was riffing on excessive displays of religiosity. Saturday Night Live is  satire, and in satire, very little is off limits to my mind. Sure, SNL can sometimes be unfunny, and can veer off the rails all the way to offensive. But this wasn't offensive. Do you know how I know? Because Pat Freaking Robertson was offended. 'Nuff said. He doesn't matter.

Lawrence O'Donnell Rewrites Newt Gingrich's Adultery Confession

Newt Gingrich is allegedly mulling a run for the presidency. He's been threatening to for many, many years, so I'm not sure we really need to take it seriously. But as unpopular, unattractive, unlikeable and skeleton-riddled as Newt is, it looks like he's doing more than sticking a toe into the water. He recently appeared on Pat Robertson's The 700 Club, baring is soul, and coming clean about his past. Well, no, not really. He was very dodgy and sketchy about the details. Particularly about the fact that if Newt won, our first lady would have begun her relationship with the President in an adulterous affair.

It's hard to wrap your brain around Newt's ability to ensnare three wives at any age. But in his "confessional", he tries very hard to imply that since he's in his late 60s now, he's so unattractive that he wouldn't be doing any of that skirt-chasing anymore. Thankfully, The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell put Newt's little mea culpa into their Rewrite segment. It's very, very funny.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Get Your Own Pat Robertson Voodoo Doll!

I like my humor dark and twisted. And while the disaster in Haiti yields very few opportunities for humor of any kind, making fun of a dipshit who tried to blame the earthquake on the Haitian people. . .well, that works for me.

[Excerpt]

Bidding Is Now Open

Your very own Pat Robertson voodoo doll, complete with Bible and money bag, is now up for auction on eBay. Proceeds go to the Haiti relief effort.

Source: Joe.My.God.

Don Imus: "Pat Robertson Should be Put to Sleep"

Another quickie.

Jon Stewart Blasts. . .Rachel Maddow?

I was a little surprised while watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, to hear the affable comedian--after blasting Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson for their politicization of the Haiti tragedy--do the same to MSNBC host, Rachel Maddow. Was what Maddow said about the situation political? Perhaps tinged with politics, yes, but it had the virtue of being true. Was it equivelant to what Limbaugh or Robertson said? In no way. Maybe this was Stewart's way of showing that he takes on all comers, but c'mon Jon.

I don't think I'm being too touchy here. Rachel has not only devoted much of her show to the Haitian disaster ever since it happened, she's also put in extra hours after her show is over to report on it. To isolate one instance of her using a political perspective does not accurately put into context the many hours she was not being political. OK, maybe I am too touchy. I don't like it when two of my favorite personalities are not on the same page. Oh well.

[Excerpt]

A Foxified Jon Stewart Blasts Rachel Maddow For Haiti Coverage

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Haiti Earthquake Reactions
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

The clip about which Stewart was so offended was a lead-in to an interview from Wednesday night, in which Maddow discusses USAID--an agency with which many Americans are unfamiliar--and the political and international diplomatic ramifications that a swift and effective response to the disaster in Haiti can have in this country. . .

Read more at: Air America Radio

Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh and Haiti: Disgusting

I'll cop to overusing Countdown with Keith Olbermann and The Rachel Maddow Show clips. But this Countdown clip, a "Quick Comment," is important. The earthquake in Haiti is one of the most devastating losses of human life in quite a while, and yet Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh sought to use it to their own selfish ends. Olbermann's assessment of them only barely touches the vileness and the nastiness of these right-wing assholes. Both should be relegated to the scrap heap of "people we don't listen to anymore."

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Pat Robertson: Gays Want to Destroy Marriage

You know, I'm long beyond being offended by the likes of Pat Robertson. He's a charleton. He's gotten fat and wealthy off the old people who he's scared into sending him their savings. But what he has to say in this video is more than offensive. It is relentlessly stupid.

The scary thing is, if you go to a right-wing website like FreeRepublic (where they helpfully have a whole section titled "Homosexual Agenda"), you'll find countless people who believe drivel like this. Worse, they propagate it. I suppose if you have wacky political or religious beliefs, something as irrational and illogical as what Robertson has to say could make sense to you.

But let me set the record straight, so to speak. There first of all is no gay agenda, singular. Getting gay people to all agree on something would be beyond impossible. Getting them all to even acknowledge that they are gay would be too. Every human has an agenda, so there are as many gay agendas as there are gay people. So the phrase is nonsense. And thus, some sort of organized effort to "destroy marriage"--whatever that means--wouldn't get very far.

As I've said here before, The Other Half and I got married in Palm Springs last year, while it was still legal. We planned the trip, bought rings, invited a couple of friends, drove through the desert, got a license, and then on to the courthouse for the actual marriage. In all, it cost a few hundred dollars, with little pomp and circumstance. But it would have been entirely too much effort to make some fuzzy political point about "destroying marriage." Ludicrous. We got married because we love each other, wanted to have evidence of our commitment (in the event something should happen), and feared if we didn't jump in and do it, they'd take the opportunity away. WHICH THEY DID.

Our marriage is still legal in California and a handful of other states. But people like Robertson put an amendment up for a vote (twice) in Nevada. It passed on a passel of lies, scare tactics and massive disingenuousness. Remember, this is Nevada, home of drive-thru wedding chapels, quickie divorces, Britney Spears' "oopsie" marriage, Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire and John Ensign. "Sanctity of marriage" indeed.

It is the people like Robertson, and groups like "Yes on 8" in California that want to "destroy marriage." My marriage. And they keep proving it.

Rachel Maddow on Michelle Obama and Pat Buchanan

I've mentioned before on the blog that at one time, I was a Republican. Not exactly a strong one, mind you, but I voted primarily for people with (R) after their names. At the 1992 Republican National Convention, Pat Buchanan gave an ugly, nasty speech about "the culture wars," by which he meant gay people. The speech went unrefuted, and for me a pall hung over the remainder of the Convention, and the election season.

That year, after hearing that speech, and also seeing George H.W. Bush cozy up to Pat Robertson on the 700 Club, I voted for Bill Clinton. And I never went back to the GOP. In this clip, which followed Michelle Obama's amazing speech last night, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow brought up the '92 Convention. And she did it with Pat Buchanan sitting right next to her!

Brava, Rachel! NOTE: Be patient, the moment is about half-way in.

More Monica Goodling: Gays, Abortion & WMDs, Oh My!

Image from source, Think Progress

Yesterday, I posted a piece on Monica Goodling, the Pat Robertson law school Elle Woods, and the confirmation of her law breaking in the US Department of Justice (Confirmed: Monica Goodling Broke the Law). In that post, there was some detail about how she broke the law. Now there is more, and it isn't terribly flattering. Neither is the photo that accompanies this (or the original) post, and that appealed to my inner child.

[Excerpt]

Goodling Screened DOJ Career Candidates For Affiliations With ‘Abortion, Homosexuality, Iraq and WMD’

According today’s report by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), former Justice Department lawyer, Monica Goodling conducted detailed “Internet research on candidates for Department positions…designed to obtain their political and ideological affiliations. . .”

Read more at: Think Progress

Pat Robertson's Soothsaying Record

A few days ago, I posted a piece about Pat Robertson's fortune telling discussion with God, regarding what will happen in 2008. I wondered then, what his track record was for these predictions.

Here's just a taste of Crazy Uncle Chuckles' (™ The Stephanie Miller Show) earlier predictions. . .

[Excerpt]

Robertson: God "will remove judges from the Supreme Court quickly"

. . . [from 2005] "Well, the Lord has some very encouraging news for George Bush ... What I heard is that Bush is now positioned to have victory after victory and that his second term is going to be one of triumph, which is pretty strong stuff. ... He'll have Social Security reform passed. . .

Read more at: Media Matters

Pat Robertson Predicts the Year Ahead

Yes, Crazy Uncle Chuckles (™ The Stephanie Miller Show), Pat Robertson is doing the prognostication thing again. I guess since Jeanne Dixon has passed on into the ether, the sooth-saying field is wide open. 'Course, I'm pretty sure that fortune telling is a no-no in evangelical circles. And I've got to wonder, has anyone ever checked this guy's track record?

[Excerpt]

Pat Robertson Predicts Worldwide Violence, U.S. Recession in 2008

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson predicted Wednesday that 2008 will be a year of violence worldwide and a recession in the United States, followed by a major stock-market crash by 2010. . .

Read more at (Pat's favorite news channel): FOX "News"

Rudy Giuliani Endorsed by Pat Robertson

Photo shamelessly grabbed and edited by me

Yes, the second big Rudy story of the day is the endorsement by "Evil Uncle Chuckles," (™ The Stephanie Miller Show), Pat Robertson. And I got a tremendous sense of deja vu watching Pat Buchanan of all people discussing it on Live with Dan Abrams on MSNBC. After all, one of the chief reasons that I could not vote for George H. W. Bush in 1992 was the company he was keeping with both of the Pats.

This is a questionable endorsement from both sides. From Pat Roberson's side, it would appear that all the social issues that Rudy is squishy on don't matter anymore. From Rudy's side, it means the extra crispy bucket of crazy (again, ™ The Stephanie Miller Show) that Pat brings to anything. Not to mention all of the nasty things Pat's said regarding 9/11, Rudy's key issue.

[Excerpt]

Rev. Pat Robertson endorses Rudy Giuliani, despite abortion stance

Rudy Giuliani Wednesday morning won the endorsement of the Rev. Pat Robertson, one of the evangelical Christian movement's most recognizable leaders, who said he put aside his differences with Giuliani over abortion because he believes the ex-mayor will appoint staunchly conservative judges.

Robertson also said he is backing Giuliani because "to me, the overriding issue before the American people is the defense of our population from the bloodlust of Islamic terrorists. . . . We need a leader with a bold vision who is not afraid to tackle the challenges ahead."

Read more at: Newsday

Behind the Blogger, Part Four: The Politics Thing

This is the fourth part of my "Behind the Blogger" posts, and if you've read the others, you've seen that I'm at least doubly unlikely to fall in with the Republican or Conservative side of politics. That wasn't always the case. I was raised in an ostensibly Republican household. We even had a plush, star-spangled elephant hanging in our rec room for my entire childhood. He had a Nixon ribbon, and a "Nixon's the One!" button, but he outlasted Jimmy Carter down in our basement!

I think pretty much all of the adults in our smallish family were professed Republicans. Just the same, I don't recall very many specific issues being discussed. In fact, even Viet Nam was glossed over (though being a little kid, it may have been I that I was more interested in the Six Million Dollar Man or something). Yet, it was well known that we were GOP, right down the line, forever and always. I just wasn't all that clear on why. So, naturally, when I reached voting age, I marched right down and registered as a Republican. It was 1984, and I of course cast my ballot for Ronald Reagan. In 1988, I had no problem casting my vote for the first go around with George H.W. So far, so good. Then something funny happened on the way to the 1992 elections. . .

Now, remember the time. The 1991 Gulf War was a huge success. People wore Operation Desert Storm t-shirts, and desert camouflage pants were all the rage. H.W.'s ratings were sky high. No one could beat the guy. Until the Republican National Convention of 1992--It's Pat! Pat Buchanan was allowed a prime spot to speak, and went batshit on "teh gays." Absolutely, over-the-top, out of his head batshit. He wasn't the only one, but he was the one I remembered clearly. The tone of the whole event was just nasty. Add to this the tendency of our then Commander in Chief dropping by The 700 Club to chat breezily with "crazy Uncle Chuckles," Pat Robertson. Here's the math: The Religion Thing + The Gay Thing = Ain't no way I'm voting for this guy again. Particularly since there was absolutely no effort made by Bush Sr. to distance himself from any of the nastiness spewed by the Pats.

Clearly, I was not the only one who felt this way. Bill Clinton came out of nowhere, and H.W. was toast. I became a "Republicrat." I'd had my family's politics internalized, and for them "Democrat" was a slur. So I stayed registered as a Republican, but voted Democrat with the belief that I'd revert if they stopped the homophobia, religious fervor, and general mean spiritedness. To date, that hasn't happened.

From 1992 onward, I began to pay a little more attention to what was going on in the nation a little more closely. I read a lot more, learned a bit about how government works, and just generally got more engaged. I came to realize that my political identity had been rather hollow. I was like a Christmas & Easter Christian who doesn't know much at all about the religion, but professes it anyway (hell, I was one of those too, growing up!). There is much more that could be said here. My journey, after all, took me through two Clinton administrations, from Don't Ask, Don't Tell to the blue dress. Nevada's Constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage. Arguments with the family. The ensuing madness of two W. administrations. I think delving deeper into all that can wait for a while. For at least the next few posts, I'd like to get back to current events for a while.

Oh, one last thing. I registered as a Democrat for the first time last year.