A Defense of Mormonism from an Atheist's Perspective

Mitt Romney accepted the nomination for Republican candidate for the presidency tonight.  He is the first Mormon to reach such high heights in the history of US politics.

There is no chance I will vote Romney in November, but I do take exception when his critics, particularly some of the more outspoken Christian leaders, refer to his religion as a cult.

From an atheist's point of view, a Mormon is no more cultish than a Roman Catholic.  Or a Baptist.  Or a Presbyterian.  Or a Jew.  Or a Muslim.  Or a Scientologist.  Or a Branch Davidian.  Honestly, is the Book of Mormon really that far fetched?  What's another testament or two when you've already bought into the virgin birth?  I know many of these denominations have the benefit time on their side, but they all seem equally made up to me.

So believe what you like and I'll believe what I like and we'll all let Romney believe what he likes, because that's how it's supposed to go around here, isn't it?

nwb

The O Word

A few days ago my mother said the 'O'-word to an employee at the athletic club she belongs to.  The woman's response?  'Obama is a Muslim.'

And on and on it goes, this perfect alloy of ignorance and stupidity when it comes to our president.  But then it's more than just ignorance, isn't it?  And it's more than stupidity.  Oh yeah, we know what she really meant.  Muslim is just one of the polite ways people are calling Obama a n----r these days.  Here's some more:

Arab
Kenyan
Indonesian
Illegal alien
Socialist
Marxist
Communist
Fascist
Hitler
Nazi
Terrorist 
Chief Wahoo*

They all mean the same thing, and in that context they are equally vile.  Leading up to the election of 2008, John McCain, with no shortage of exasperation, ordered his supporters to knock it off.  McCain was running for president.  He was taking it seriously.  He wanted to talk policy, but he was surrounded by people with tapioca for brains.

And here we are--2012, and still we see Obama posters with postage-stamp moustaches.  Mitt Romney, does it bother you that these votes are coming your way?  Don't they smell kind of funny?  Don't they embarrass the hell out of you?  They should.  Why not do something about it?  Start by telling our Birther-in-Chief to shut the fuck up.

nwb

*OK not really

Can't Be President, Mitt

I'm weighing in on this "bitter politics of envy" thing late, but in light of MLK Day, when equality should be foremost on our minds, it seems appropriate to comment on a guy who has more than just about anyone.

Mind I have nothing against being rich.  Nothing.  Might not mind having a load of green myself one day. What I cannot abide, though, is the likes of Mitt Romney, a rich dude who presumes to have what it takes to lead a nation of 300 million, telling me that, because I see a problem when the tiniest fraction of a sliver of a micropercentage of a population controls 25% of a nation's wealth, I'm engaging in the politics of envy.  Asshole!

Trust me, Mitt, I don't envy you.  I don't envy your creepy good looks.  I don't envy your business acumen or your Harvard degree or your triumphs at Bain Capital.  And I'm certainly not jealous of your gobs of cash, or I would never have set my sights on an English degree from Ohio U.  Perhaps I assume too much, but I think it's true that most regular folks don't waste much time on envy.  Instead of entertaining delusions of fabulous wealth (aside from a weekly lotto ticket, perhaps), I think most people are figuring out how to pay the bills from month to month.  That gets harder to do as real wages shrink and people like you get richer.  Can you blame average working Americans for getting a little bent out of shape when they pay, by your own admission, a much higher tax rate than you do?  Doesn't it bother you that, when your money is earning you money, there are plenty of working people have to apply for food stamps?

Equality--I know you don't care.  Just please don't mistake our laments for envy.  Doing so only shows how out of touch you are with basically everyone, and underscores how utterly unqualified you are to be president of this country.

Or to put it less eloquently than Dr. King would: Go fuck yourself.

nwb