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Quotable
"What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous . . . it's dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists! This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God. Get out of that seat . . . You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon."
-- Illinois State Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) to Rob Sherman, who was testifying before a committee of the Illinois House. Davis was referring to Sherman's atheism.
Episiarch|4.7.08 @ 3:39PM|#
You believe in destroying what this state was built
upon.
Massive Chicago corruption?
|4.7.08 @ 3:41PM|#
I would like to hope that a higher power would smite Rep. Davis, but that would imply believing in a higher power, so.... any way to get out of this dilemma?
drawnasunder|4.7.08 @ 3:41PM|#
"You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what
this state was built upon."
Yeah, so what?
|4.7.08 @ 3:43PM|#
You believe in destroying what this state was built
upon.
Apparently the foundation of Illinois doesn't include the First
Amendment.
Why are some atheists so radical? Hmmm.
|4.7.08 @ 3:44PM|#
I would like to hope that a higher power would smite Rep.
Davis, but that would imply believing in a higher power, so.... any
way to get out of this dilemma?
Max Power.
|4.7.08 @ 3:45PM|#
First, as a Christian I would like to note that Monique Davis
does NOT speak for all of us. Hopefully that's understood, but it's
frustrating when ignorant people like this make the rest of us look
like intolerant bigots.
Second, for those who are curious, this link shows
that Ms. Davis used to serve on the Board of Directors of Chicago's
own Trinity United Church of Christ, the very same church once led
by Rev. Jeremiah Wright (you may have heard of him) and still
frequented by Barack Obama.
Elemenope|4.7.08 @ 3:46PM|#
If God wanted Sherman out of that seat, he would have
miracled it out by now.
Nicely done, sir. Or, I mean, sarge.
javier|4.7.08 @ 3:46PM|#
was i the only one expecting there to be a (R) after the representatives name?
ed|4.7.08 @ 3:46PM|#
It's rather ironic that Lincoln was probably an atheist. He was at minimum a skeptic.
|4.7.08 @ 3:48PM|#
was i the only one expecting there to be a (R) after the
representatives name?
Don't fuck with angry liberal fat black Christian go-gooder
self-righteous women.
Elemenope|4.7.08 @ 3:49PM|#
Second, for those who are curious, this link shows that Ms.
Davis used to serve on the Board of Directors of Chicago's own
Trinity United Church of Christ, the very same church once led by
Rev. Jeremiah Wright (you may have heard of him) and still
frequented by Barack Obama.
Somehow, I just can't picture Mr. Obama saying something remotely
like this. Absent that, I have no idea how this pertains to what an
asshat Monique Davis is.
It's kind of like saying "Hamburgers come from Germany. You know
what else comes from Germany? Hitler. Like those burgers?"
|4.7.08 @ 3:52PM|#
Hitler was Austrian.
Holy shit. We firebombed the wrong country?
Sorry 'bout that, Dresden. Our bad.
|4.7.08 @ 3:55PM|#
Nice try LMNOP.
I don't think ClubMedSux's analogy was entirely appropriate and I
don't think BO is as intolerant as this woman BUT they do choose to
go to the same church. Not as ridiculous as the Hamburger/Hitler
thing. Which is kind of funny.
Episiarch|4.7.08 @ 3:55PM|#
Hitler was Austrian.
You know what else comes from Austria? Arnold. Like those
Terminator movies? What about Commando?
|4.7.08 @ 3:56PM|#
Somehow, I just can't picture Mr. Obama saying something
remotely like this. Absent that, I have no idea how this pertains
to what an asshat Monique Davis is.
It's kind of like saying "Hamburgers come from Germany. You know
what else comes from Germany? Hitler. Like those
burgers?"
Geez, Elemenope. I just thought it was interesting, given the
amount of press the Wright story has gotten. Defensive a
little?
|4.7.08 @ 3:58PM|#
If this idiot ever took time to read what Jesus he'd understand he's the sinner.Not the atheist.
ed|4.7.08 @ 3:58PM|#
was i the only one expecting there to be a (R) after the
representatives name?
I don't know, but I was certain she'd be black. It wasn't the name,
or even party affiliation. It was the hysterical, ignorant,
god-fearing rhetoric that gave her away. Not that there's anything
wrong with that.
The Wine Commonsewer|4.7.08 @ 4:01PM|#
Please note that Rep Monique is neither a Republican nor a Bible
Thumping Religous Righty.
Thankee.
|4.7.08 @ 4:03PM|#
Seriously though, if she'd said that garbage to me, I'd have had a hard time keeping my laughter in
The Wine Commonsewer|4.7.08 @ 4:04PM|#
You believe in destroying what this state was built
upon.
Massive Chicago corruption
Nope:
I think that's how Chicago got started. A bunch of people in New
York said, 'Gee, I'm enjoying the crime and the poverty, but it
just isn't cold enough. Let's go west
|4.7.08 @ 4:05PM|#
it's frustrating when ignorant people like this make the
rest of us look like intolerant bigots.
I'm sure it is. How about dropping that stupid cow a note and
explaining to her how wrong she is, from a biblical point of view?
Would Jesus shun atheists?
-jcr
Elemenope|4.7.08 @ 4:07PM|#
Geez, Elemenope. I just thought it was interesting, given
the amount of press the Wright story has gotten. Defensive a
little?
Not really. I personally think that the Wright story has been
overplayed; it deserved about as much press as the Hagee story got
(i.e. jack and shit). People are not clones of their pastors, nor
to they really get much of their ideology from them; for the most
part pastors can give people packaged excuses to feel good about
what they already believed, but that's about it.
And in what sense is "hey, here's something nasty that is connected
in a completely superficial way to a famous person in the news"
interesting? I suppose it's interesting on the level that the
church is big tent enough to include Obama, Davis, Wright, and
Oprah fucking Winfrey.
But that's not news.
p.s. Nice shots everybody on the Hitler from Austria thing. ;)
FWIW, he may have been Austrian-born, but was a German citizen for
most of his life, fought in the German army, and was the Chancellor
(and later, dictator) of a country called Germany. If that's not
"from Germany" I dunno what is.
The Wine Commonsewer|4.7.08 @ 4:07PM|#
it's frustrating when ignorant people like this make the
rest of us look like intolerant bigots.
True enough, but I'll bet you a bottle of wine that if the governor
had forked up a million bucks to Planned Parenthood Rob Sherman
would have been at the beach....
Episiarch|4.7.08 @ 4:08PM|#
If that's not "from Germany" I dunno what is.
Yet somehow I bet the Germans wish they could dump that
association.
|4.7.08 @ 4:09PM|#
How about dropping that stupid cow a note and explaining to
her how wrong she is, from a biblical point of view?
Hmmm... too Jewish.
ed|4.7.08 @ 4:09PM|#
Well, if there is a just god (there isn't but my comment doesn't work without him) Ms. Davis's YouTube celebrity will embarrass her all the way to hell's gate.
|4.7.08 @ 4:17PM|#
And in what sense is "hey, here's something nasty that is
connected in a completely superficial way to a famous person in the
news" interesting? I suppose it's interesting on the level that the
church is big tent enough to include Obama, Davis, Wright, and
Oprah fucking Winfrey.
If you'd provide your email address I'd be glad to send you any
future comments I'm thinking of posting so you can let me know
whether they're interesting or not. In the meantime, I think it's
worth pointing out another nutjob coming from Trinity UCC. It's a
fucking H&R comment, not the front page of the New York
Times.
Abdul|4.7.08 @ 4:18PM|#
So why was an atheist called into testify before the IL legislature anyway? Were they thinking of legislating the ontological proof?
DJ Voton|4.7.08 @ 4:21PM|#
Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris better keep their sorry non-believin' asses out of Illinois, fer sure.
|4.7.08 @ 4:22PM|#
So why was an atheist called into testify before the IL
legislature anyway?
They just wanted to know why all atheists hate America, rape
children and wipe their asses with the Constitution.
So you ask an atheist.
Episiarch|4.7.08 @ 4:24PM|#
So, LMNOP, what about this:
"His parents are Jeremiah Wright, Sr., a Baptist minister who
pastored Grace Baptist Church in Germantown from 1938 to
1980"
Germantown. Like Germany. You know what was from
Germany? Not Hitler, he was from Austria. But Himmler was from
Germany. Like that burger now? Have some more knockwurst.
"Make joke--not head of Gestapo at all!"
PC|4.7.08 @ 4:24PM|#
"Would Jesus shun atheists?"
Maybe, maybe not, but wouldn't you have to exist to shun? That
seems to be the problem.
Elemenope|4.7.08 @ 4:30PM|#
Were they thinking of legislating the ontological
proof?
They'd love to; if anything that actually exists in reality is
greater than that same thing as it exists as a conception, then
why, you would have the greatest excuse to pass every law you ever
wanted to pass ever, now wouldn't you? Wouldn't want to deprive
those potential laws of all that greatness, would we? ;)
If you'd provide your email address I'd be glad to send you
[blah, blah, blah] I think it's worth pointing out another nutjob
coming from Trinity UCC. It's a fucking H&R comment, not the
front page of the New York Times.
I wasn't looking to censor you, just pointing out that the thought
process you expressed makes you kind of a tool. Since this is a
comment board, commenting in response to other comments seems
apropos. Cheers.
Germantown. Like Germany. You know what was from Germany? Not
Hitler, he was from Austria. But Himmler was from Germany. Like
that burger now? Have some more knockwurst.
ROFL!
"I *love* wienerschnitzel."
|4.7.08 @ 4:31PM|#
Maybe, maybe not, but wouldn't you have to exist to shun?
That seems to be the problem.
I don't think it is...
Jesus's existance isn't in dispute. His being a son of God and a
deity is where the dispute lies
Other Matt|4.7.08 @ 4:35PM|#
Her
Illinois Gen Assembly site if anyone's interested.
Don't fuck with angry liberal fat
black Christian go-gooder self-righteous
women.
No wonder joe ain't all over this one.
|4.7.08 @ 4:35PM|#
So why was an atheist called into testify before the IL
legislature anyway? Were they thinking of legislating the
ontological proof?
Now I am not sure (and the Tribune link doesn't state what the
Committee was meeting about) but I believe it may have to do with
the Mandatory Moment of Silence for Prayer or Reflection that the
Il state Legislature passed last year.
There had been quite a bit of debate as to whether a mandated
moment of silence was tantamount to forced prayer in IL public
schools. And the legislature was looking at undoing what they did
last year by once again making it a voluntary moment of silence if
you want one rather than mandating that all students must take 5
minutes in the morning to stay silent and reflect upon
something.
short, fat bastard|4.7.08 @ 4:49PM|#
I usually tell these types of people that protestantism is founded in heresy and that they're doing the devil's work. She needs to find a priest and confess her sins.
|4.7.08 @ 4:52PM|#
Now I am not sure (and the Tribune link doesn't state what
the Committee was meeting about) but I believe it may have to do
with the Mandatory Moment of Silence for Prayer or Reflection that
the Il state Legislature passed last year.
A blog post I Googled on the subject, which includes the
language of said act and confirms that Mr. Sherman is engaged in
litigation over it.
As a hard Atheist, this act, even in its original form, hardly
registers on my "things to give two shits about" scale. A moment of
silence. Big deal. Some Atheists (such as Mr. Sherman) clearly
don't have better things to do.
|4.7.08 @ 4:55PM|#
No wonder joe ain't all over this one.
Oh, just to be fair and multicultural:
Don't fuck with angry liberal skinny white Catholic do-gooder
former-urban-planner self-righteous men named joe.
|4.7.08 @ 4:59PM|#
Some Atheists legislators(such as Mr. Sherman Rep. Monique Davis) clearly don't have better things to do than legislate stupid, meaningless laws like "moments of silence."
|4.7.08 @ 4:59PM|#
I've never understood why the religious folks are so worried about atheists in public office. What are they afraid might happen...an atheist president might gut the Constitution and start wars all over the place?
|4.7.08 @ 5:02PM|#
Chicago Tom,
Historical proof of Jesus is very much in dispute. I don't really
care what the historians eventually reach consensus on, but the
dispute is very real.
Herod - Yes
Pontius Pilate - Yes
Jesus of Nazareth - Undetermined
Other Matt|4.7.08 @ 5:02PM|#
Don't fuck with angry liberal skinny white
Catholic do-gooder former-urban-planner
self-righteous men named joe.
Now THAT one joe would be all over.
Have we ever seen a picture of joe?
I've seen him describe himself.
The Wine Commonsewer|4.7.08 @ 5:03PM|#
PC | April 7, 2008, 4:24pm | #
"Would Jesus shun atheists?"
Maybe, maybe not, but wouldn't you have to exist to shun? That
seems to be the problem.
I thought Jesus was a real person?
He had me at when he turned the water into wine. Jesus is the
MAN!
|4.7.08 @ 5:04PM|#
Doesn't the speaker usually pass out, in spite of all the
fluttering fans, and fall into the arms of fellow parishinors at
this point?
And then, I believe, James Brown would sing a song.
Other Matt|4.7.08 @ 5:06PM|#
Have we ever seen a picture of joe?
Yep.
Dammit, someone owes me a replacement cup of coffee and a new
monitor.
Episiarch|4.7.08 @ 5:08PM|#
Have we ever seen a picture of joe?
If I recall correctly, joe has described himself as Irish-Italian,
quite short (I believe he said "5 foot 6 with work boots on"), and
that's it. From joe's relative cluelessness of recent pop culture
I'd speculate that he is 40+ years old.
Anybody else remember anything concrete?
I Just LOOK Like an Islamist S|4.7.08 @ 5:09PM|#
"Hopefully that's understood, but it's frustrating when ignorant
people like this make the rest of us look like intolerant
bigots."
Now you know how I feel...
|4.7.08 @ 5:10PM|#
"Anybody else remember anything concrete?"
Just that thing about his having only the one ball.
Episiarch|4.7.08 @ 5:12PM|#
And then there's gorgeous me.
You're Claire the Cheerleader's dad from Heroes?
|4.7.08 @ 5:13PM|#
Anybody else remember anything concrete?
Just that thing about his having only the one ball.
joe has a concrete ball?
Paul|4.7.08 @ 5:33PM|#
If that's not "from Germany" I dunno what is.
Wow, dude, you're totally teh sensitive. My remark about Hitler
being from Austria was an attempt to take the wind of your sails in
a comical way. Nothing more. Someone needs a nap. He's still from
Austria. Just like Mumia is from Africa...
|4.7.08 @ 5:56PM|#
"joe has a concrete ball?"
Not concrete, a high tech composit. Whenever I pleasure him, he
makes me call him "Lance".
|4.7.08 @ 6:35PM|#
First, as a Christian I would like to note that Monique Davis does NOT speak for all of us. Hopefully that's understood, but it's frustrating when ignorant people like this make the rest of us look like intolerant bigots.
Davis:Christianity AS Hitchens:Atheism
In other words, the loudest asshats of any group are the ones that
cry foul from the podium. One would do well to remember this
regardless of the group in question.
|4.7.08 @ 7:12PM|#
I've never understood why the religious folks are so worried
about atheists in public office. What are they afraid might
happen...an atheist president might gut the Constitution and start
wars all over the place?
For a certain type of religious folk, I think they're afraid an
atheist President might NOT gut the Constitution and start wars all
over the place
|4.7.08 @ 7:15PM|#
Herod - Yes
Pontius Pilate - Yes
Jesus of Nazareth - Undetermined
Is there any record of Pilate beyond the mentions related to Jesus?
I think their physical existence is about equally well established.
The stuff about dreams and divinity is a little murkier, of
course.
JLE|4.7.08 @ 7:53PM|#
Reason #42,973 why I live in an absurd world. People still believe dependency on "god(s)" is a healthy and moral thing, but dependency on booze is somehow bad? At least I can SEE my wine.
ed|4.7.08 @ 8:09PM|#
angry liberal skinny white Catholic do-gooder
former-urban-planner self-righteous men named joe.
You forgot "short."
J sub D|4.7.08 @ 8:40PM|#
Is there any record of Pilate beyond the mentions related to
Jesus? I think their physical existence is about equally well
established. The stuff about dreams and divinity is a little
murkier, of course.
Pilate was a Roman official. There exists corroborating evidence.
Jesus was (mythically?) a minor league rabble rouser who was
executed. Lots of folks executed by the Romans are not remembered
by history. Jesus, if you discount the Gospels, would be one of
those unrecorded executions.
I'm an atheist, but if the existence of a man named Jesus, who was
executed by the authorities in Jeruselum back in the day, was
historically documented, it wouldn't surprise me greatly. I'm just
pointing out that presently it isn't accepted historical
fact.
|4.7.08 @ 9:10PM|#
You're Claire the Cheerleader's dad from Heroes?
Nah, that'd be our fearless leader,
Matt Welch.
|4.7.08 @ 9:15PM|#
We believe in something.
Kindly produce said something. I'd like to see Him. (Her? It?)
The Wine Commonsewer|4.7.08 @ 9:37PM|#
Ahem! JW, you muscling me? Well, are you? Punk! :-)
The Wine Commonsewer | March 18, 2008, 6:57pm | #
Has Matt Welch been moonlighting?
We Report. You Decipher.
|4.7.08 @ 10:55PM|#
To all dickfaces that need athiests to believe in someting: I
belive and hope in my species.
The 1st Amendment provides free speech, religion, etc. And the 2nd
the right to own some guns.
HOW FUCKING EVER: Do any of those rights insist that I SPEAK, or
insist that I assemble, or insist that I own a gun.
Fuck all you lazy ignorant assholes, and yes most of your are
religous.
zoltan|4.8.08 @ 12:04AM|#
It doesn't have to do with the Moment of Silence. It has to do
with
this scandal. A church burned down and the Governor wanted to
rebuild it by sending $1 million in taxpayer money. Since he didn't
want it to seem like a religious thing, he donated it to the
church's private school, which owes the state thousands of dollars
in unpaid taxes.
Also "The governor gave a rare and swift pardon to the school's
director, a convicted felon; the school registered as a charitable
organization for the first time in its 25-year history; and the
school filed three years' worth of required state tax documents in
one day."
zoltan|4.8.08 @ 12:25AM|#
To clarify, the school is renting space from the church and apparently is not religiously affiliated.
Elemenope|4.8.08 @ 1:01AM|#
Wow, dude, you're totally teh sensitive. My remark about
Hitler being from Austria was an attempt to take the wind of your
sails in a comical way. Nothing more. Someone needs a nap. He's
still from Austria. Just like Mumia is from Africa...
Dude, you totally missed the emoticon smiley...
For future reference -----> :)
...means I thought I got pwned, in a funny way. :)
|4.8.08 @ 2:47AM|#
Have we ever seen a picture of joe?
Yes we have, but it's kind of an old one.
PS: They got his middle initial wrong.
|4.8.08 @ 9:30AM|#
He had me at when he turned the water into wine. Jesus is
the MAN!
I'm sorry to have to correct you, TWC, but I believe the correct
phraseology is, "Jesus was way cool."
Here's a video
to remind you.
Mad Max|4.8.08 @ 10:02AM|#
"He was also vegetarian and Catholic."
Well, baptized in the Church and then abandoned it - persecuted the
Church, closed her schools, sought to recruit Catholic boys into
the anti-Christian Hitler Youth - otherwise, yes, you're right.
Ed Elfrink|4.8.08 @ 10:16AM|#
Here's a link to the audio. Give it a listen and ask yourself
which one is closer to "spewing hate?"
http://media.richarddawkins.net/audio/2008/DAVIS.mp3
|4.8.08 @ 11:04AM|#
Well, baptized in the Church and then abandoned it -
persecuted the Church, closed her schools, sought to recruit
Catholic boys into the anti-Christian Hitler Youth - otherwise,
yes, you're right.
So, did the Catholic church ever get around to, like, formally
excommunicating him? If the answer is "no," then he still counts.
Also, don't forget the vatican issued passports to high profile
Nazi's to allow them to escape Allied justice. Classy.
|4.8.08 @ 2:31PM|#
"First, as a Christian I would like to note that Monique Davis
does NOT speak for all of us. Hopefully that's understood, but it's
frustrating when ignorant people like this make the rest of us look
like intolerant bigots."
Yeah, that's what moslems say about Osama Bin Laden!
In the mean time:
Lincoln was an atheist!
Rep. Davis is an imbecile!
Christianity is a disease!
Jesus is a pagan sun god!
www.zeitgeistmovie.com (watch it!).
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