Carnival of the Godless 54: Christmas Shopping Time!

First, some music.

The Family Shopping List:









For Your Sister (the smart one):

The Irrationality of Theism, by Samuel Thomas Poling, from The Rational Response Squad
What does the theist have to lose, Pascal? Much more than you think.

Are We There Yet? by Blueberry, from Texas Oasis

"...they oughta send them damned atheists over to Afghanistan."

For Your Bro:

Believing in Dumb, Unproven Crap can Kill, by Amy Alkin, from Advice Goddess
Nothing goes better with gay sex than shellfish.

Don't Call me Stupid; Think of a Synonym, Instead, by John, from Hell's Handmaiden

What is the first thought that comes to mind when a collegue is behaving illogically and irrationally? Perhaps, ‘idiot’? ‘Stupid’? Or ‘What a moron’?

What's a Little Atheist-Bashing Among Friends? by vjack, from Atheist Revolution

If I, as an atheist, am not willing to speak for us and to correct misconceptions when they are voiced, then how can I expect anyone else to do so?

...well, it's generally not a good idea to speak for loudmouths like me, but it's the thought that counts, I suppose.









For Ma:

So I have this History assignment to write about my "Hajj to Mecca"… by Seth from Kingdom of Heathen

No, Ma, I converted because the Bible's boring. There's too much begetting and not enough killing of infidels. I'm a child of the twenty-first century, Mom. I need action, and I found it in the Koran.

Have They Learned Their Lesson? by Klaas Acts, from Klaas Acts
The Catholic Church will Never Learn.

Wal-Mart, by FriendlyAtheist from Friendly Atheist
It seems that The War on Christmas is earlier and earlier every year. Sigh.

There are so many good reasons to boycott Wal-Mart.

This is not one of them.

No, the fact that Wal-Mart is helping (in the case of my parents, changing the lives of) millions and millions of prescription drug users is one of the good reasons, I guess! ;)

For Dad:

Re-Framing the ID Debate by Jeff Hebert, from A Nerd's Country Journal
The ID/Evolution "debate" is not about atheism, but creationists would like it to be. Although the debate is neither about religion nor atheism, Jeff argues why it might be framed this way.

Damnit, I Want This Settled! by Jake, from Jaköbische Rants
Jake, it doesn't matter that Calvinistic Predestination is cruel and psychotic. It's in the bible! Everything in it is cruel and psychotic. Why should this be any different? ;)

Can Atheism Slay Goliath? by Brian Davies, from The Right of Reason
I don't know, ask "Atheism." She's at home. Good ideas last a long time, but bad ones never leave.









For Grammy:

Saying Grace, by Francois Tremblay, from Check Your Premises
If you were asked to say grace at the family table, what would your blessing be? I hope that one day he will offer this grace to the rest of my family. How could they complain? (They'd find a way.)

My Atheist Thanksgiving Day Prayer, by Buridan, from Buridan's Ass
The second secular grace as I suggested for this Carnival. This one would be sure to set any Fundy Family's teeth grating. ;)

Thanksgiving's Prayer, by Bora Zivkovic, from A Blog Around the Clock
Brevity is the soul of wit.

Emerson's Nature Essay Review, by Brandon Peele, from Generative Transformation

"There is no object so foul that an intense light will not make beautiful."

For Grampa:

Proving his religion -- Dr. Tundra and the Noodly Norsemen, by Mark A. Rayner, from The Squib
Who are the Chosen People? The Pirates, or the Vikings? Mark reports on the debate.

God and the Masculine Pronoun, by Stephen Frug, from Attempts
Making much of God's gender is important to theists who try too hard to obscure Scripture's inherent sexism.

How to Tell a Good Fundie from a Bad Fundie, by Joe Crumpler, from Deep Thoughts
...by analyzing their claims.









For your weird uncle Chester who wouldn't leave you alone when you were a little kid:

Some Irony for Your Amusement, by Lisa W., from Lemons and Lollipops

Have YOU ever tried to explain to a third grader what "virgin" and "undefiled" mean?
Oy...

Fill My Eyes with that Double-Vision, by Barry Leiba, from Staring at Empty Pages
Talking to people who aren't there is socially acceptible; quite normal, actually.

What is the real difference between a divine vision and a psychotic delusion? Why is it socially acceptable to see God or Jesus or a saint, or perhaps a dead relative, but not Elvis or George Washington or Mary, Queen of Scots?

Because the insane are running the asylum!

And most important of all, for your fundy neighbors:

How to Become a Religious Hypocrite in 10 Easy Lessons, by Jake Danger, from Lunatic Wisdom: Life Beyond the Matrix

Your purpose here is to accumulate power by winning moral authority over others. To do this you need a keen eye for their sins (actually they need not be sins at all, as long as they can be easily portrayed as such - playing poker or billiards, for example, or even watching Hollywood movies).

Religion, Excuses, and Desires, by Alon Levy, from Abstract Nonsense
People hold values and morals in spite of their religions: not because of them.

Christians' Moral Blind Spot, by Martin Wagner, from The Atheist Experience
My absolute favorite subject: The immorality of Christianity!

Why Go On? by Greg, from Free Mind Joe
Greg illustrates exactly why the material is reason enough to celebrate, to live. After all, what the hell else is there? Merry Christmas, everyone!