Cognitive Dissonance: Lies, Fear & Propaganda!

Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive Dissonance: a discomfort caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance. They do this by changing their attitudes, beliefs and actions. Dissonance is also reduced by justifying, blaming and denying.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Lies, Fear & Propaganda!

In response to the shooting in Arizona on Saturday, the Christian Extremist group from Westboro Baptist Church, best know for their "God hates fags" slogan released a statement saying they were thankful for Jared Loughner, the alleged shooter and proclaimed that god sent him.  They also stated that they will be picketing the funerals of the victims of this henious crime, which includes a 9 year old girl who was born on 9/11/2001 which they claimed as a sign from god that her murder is somehow symbolic.

I have a really hard time remaining composed when talking about Westboro Baptist Church's campaign against gays, dead soldiers and their support for acts of terrorism and the wholesale murder of children and innocent human beings in general.  However, I think that is a normal reaction considering how totally and absolutely revolting their abhorrent ideals are.  The members of Westboro Baptist, Christians, and members of other faiths who share these and similar ideals are so diluted and psychotic that I can't seem to come up with language strong enough to convey my disgust.  While I will acknowledge that the beliefs held by Westboro Baptist are extreme, I know from my 20+ years of experience as an evangelical Christian (I now consider myself an ex-Christiant and Atheist) that the core ideals and sentiment of hatred towards homosexuals and any other group of people opposed to their beliefs is not isolated to this radical group.  Intolerance, ignorance, hatred and bigotry are rampant throughout the Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths.  Homosexuals, abortion clinics, stem cell research, President Obama and the government are NOT the problem in this country, the extreme religious right and other similar religious organizations are the problem.  Ignorance is the problem.  Closed minds that refuse to recognize facts in light of overwhelming evidence are the problem.  People clinging to antiquated ideas and a god that offers eternal life because they're too afraid to acknowledge the truth about life and death are the problem.  Religious extremists trying to impose their ideas and "morals" on the rest of the United States and the world is not only a problem, it's a global emergency.  It's given rise to genocide, war, terrorism, slavery and a laundry list of unspeakable offenses and tragedies.  All in the name of what Christians and Muslims claim to be a loving god who is intimately involved in the lives of each and every person on the planet. If that is true, why doesn't he stop the slaughter of the very people he is supposed to love and care for?  None of it makes any sense, especially the vile ramblings of a groups who's ideals are comparable to a far less intelligible version of one of Adolph Hitler's rants.

So I think anyone and everyone capable of rational thought will admit that there's a problem, which begs the question.  What can we do to fix it?  I think many things have to occur to right this sinking ship, but first, I think we have to absolutely and totally remove all aspects of god and religion from politics, public policy, school curriculum, etc.  Second, we have to marginalize the religious right and all other religious groups and churches by acknowledging that they are in fact huge cults that survive on ignorance, fear, lies and propaganda.  Finally, we have to turn our focus to the future and making progress that is in the best interest of mankind in general, not in the best interest of religious groups, special interest groups or large corporations.  I know that most of the people I went to church with were convinced that Jesus would be returning before the end of their lifetime, so I'm confused as to why they're so involved in politics and public life.  They should be holed up in their underground bunkers preparing for Armageddon and leaving us to conduct our sinful lives in peace.  We will be offered a second chance after the rapture right?  So unless that happens (which would be some evidence actually in favor of the bible being true, of which there is literally none at this point) I will be moving on with my life, re-educating myself as quicly and thoroughly as possible in areas of study with an actual basis in facts and doing my very best to expose religion for what it is, false.

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