by Tyrone L. Heppard
I know that we’re in the middle of a presidential election. I’m also aware that Mitt Romney isn’t doing so hot based on the polls I’ve seen/read. But imagine my surprise when I woke up at 9:30 this morning and saw him fielding questions in front of a blue back drop and four American flags like he was talking to the White House press corps.
Once the initial shock and confusion wore off, I figured it was in my best interest to listen to what this joker was talking about. He was going on about how the Obama administration was wrong to apologize for our First Amendment rights and our principles. It was at this point when the confusion returned and, confident that Romney wasn’t going to say anything informative, I decided I had to do some research.
It turns out a Jewish-American named Sam Bacile had made an anti-Muslim “movie” and, like everything else in the 21st century, it found its way onto the internet where some Muslims in Benghazi, Libya saw it on YouTube and freaked the ‘f’ out!
Apparently, they got so upset over it they decided to launch RPGs at the U.S. Embassy and ended up killing 4 diplomats; one of whom, Ambassador Chris Stephens, was well-loved and respected in Washington.
What Romney was referring to in his faux presidential press conference was a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt (where, by the way, people are just as offended) once they heard about what was going down in Libya.
Don’t get me wrong: I would love to chide Romney for putting politics before the lives and safety of Americans overseas and (thoughtlessly) choosing the day after 9/11 to display such insensitivity; all the while smugly doubling down on such a outlandish criticism of U.S. foreign policy (something which he knows little to nothing about), but there will be time for that later.
Right now, I want to focus on the reactions of these Muslims in Libya. As the resident atheist here at NGNJ, I feel that whenever someone does something ignorant, dangerous, or irrational in the name of religion I have an obligation to point it out; even more so when it results in someone dying.
Indeed, the attack was all of the above: ignorant, dangerous, and irrational. I think one can grasp what I mean by “dangerous” – four people are dead now – but let’s focus on the other two charges I’m bringing against these pious heathens.
Firstly, I would like to urge you to go on YouTube and take a look at Mr. Bacile’s “The Muhammad Movie” on YouTube. If the people in Benghazi were to be offended by anything at all it should be the horrible acting, incoherent rambling, and poor set design. Honestly, I’ve seen better production value in porno. Any rational Muslim would have watched the first 10 seconds, realized the director (I hesitated to use that word) was making this to provoke and offend, shrugged it off, and went about his or her business. But not these Muslims….
No. Instead, they take leftover ammo from the rebellion (you know the one – the one we helped them win) and start opening up on the very people sent there to help them rebuild; the Americans in the consulate. Why? Because simply put, they saw one video made by one person who isn’t a fan of Islam. That’s it.
As I type these words, reports are coming out that say the attack actually was planned and a small group of extremists capitalized on a protest against the video to execute their plan. However, even if that is true, the fact remains that instead of taking advantage of the help and rebuilding their bombed-out, raggedy, war-torn country, grown men and women are in the streets trying to intimidate the West because someone made fun of their religion. Therefore, by definition, their violent and deadly reaction to a crummy YouTube video was both irrational and ignorant.
It’s true that I’m against religion (because of the 2012 elections, I have a special hatred in my heart for the Mormon faith right now, but that’s another topic for another post). However, it’s not because I don’t acknowledge religion helps people get through tough times in their lives or that it inspires people to do good things. It’s not even because I think it’s inherently dangerous, irrational and ignorant.
It’s because religion permits people to act like complete savages without any sense of shame, remorse or pity; EVERY major religion is guilty of this. In addition, if you ask any religious extremist why they want to murder other people – why they want to literally end someone else’s life – 99.9 percent of the time they’ll say either God told them to do it OR they read it in The [insert name of sacred text here].
Let me get this straight: You were told to do something obscenely deplorable by a deity no one can prove exists and you read a book written in the Iron Ages that said it was okay? How silly of me! Well, that makes perfect sense! Sorry to bore you with all that nonsense about “concern for your fellow man” and all that; resume the massacre!
That might have been acceptable when we thought the world was flat and the sun revolved around the earth; but it’s 2012, people. By now, we should all be in agreement that there’s a better way to handle someone who disagrees with you other than killing them. In addition, we should all agree that no matter who you pray (or don’t pray) to, that doesn’t mean you’re any better or worse than anyone else. It’s true!
So to my fellow Christian, Jew and Muslim human beings out there: CHILL OUT! There’s no need to terrorize each other because someone lives their life different from what your holy book says. You don’t have to believe what they do or even like the person, but they definitely don’t deserve to die because of their faith. Frankly, it’s just plain silly to think that way and besides; all of this talk of “holy wars” and “God’s wrath” is getting kind of stale.
Like Danny Vinyard said in American History X, “Life’s too short to be pissed off all the time.”
Below is the movie by Sam Becile that incited outrage in Libya and the Muslim world
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| The blown out car of Ambassador Christopher Stephens |
I know that we’re in the middle of a presidential election. I’m also aware that Mitt Romney isn’t doing so hot based on the polls I’ve seen/read. But imagine my surprise when I woke up at 9:30 this morning and saw him fielding questions in front of a blue back drop and four American flags like he was talking to the White House press corps.
Once the initial shock and confusion wore off, I figured it was in my best interest to listen to what this joker was talking about. He was going on about how the Obama administration was wrong to apologize for our First Amendment rights and our principles. It was at this point when the confusion returned and, confident that Romney wasn’t going to say anything informative, I decided I had to do some research.
It turns out a Jewish-American named Sam Bacile had made an anti-Muslim “movie” and, like everything else in the 21st century, it found its way onto the internet where some Muslims in Benghazi, Libya saw it on YouTube and freaked the ‘f’ out!
 |
| Ambassador Chris Stephens, one of four dead in recent attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Libya |
Apparently, they got so upset over it they decided to launch RPGs at the U.S. Embassy and ended up killing 4 diplomats; one of whom, Ambassador Chris Stephens, was well-loved and respected in Washington.
What Romney was referring to in his faux presidential press conference was a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt (where, by the way, people are just as offended) once they heard about what was going down in Libya.
Don’t get me wrong: I would love to chide Romney for putting politics before the lives and safety of Americans overseas and (thoughtlessly) choosing the day after 9/11 to display such insensitivity; all the while smugly doubling down on such a outlandish criticism of U.S. foreign policy (something which he knows little to nothing about), but there will be time for that later.
Right now, I want to focus on the reactions of these Muslims in Libya. As the resident atheist here at NGNJ, I feel that whenever someone does something ignorant, dangerous, or irrational in the name of religion I have an obligation to point it out; even more so when it results in someone dying.
Indeed, the attack was all of the above: ignorant, dangerous, and irrational. I think one can grasp what I mean by “dangerous” – four people are dead now – but let’s focus on the other two charges I’m bringing against these pious heathens.
Firstly, I would like to urge you to go on YouTube and take a look at Mr. Bacile’s “The Muhammad Movie” on YouTube. If the people in Benghazi were to be offended by anything at all it should be the horrible acting, incoherent rambling, and poor set design. Honestly, I’ve seen better production value in porno. Any rational Muslim would have watched the first 10 seconds, realized the director (I hesitated to use that word) was making this to provoke and offend, shrugged it off, and went about his or her business. But not these Muslims….
No. Instead, they take leftover ammo from the rebellion (you know the one – the one we helped them win) and start opening up on the very people sent there to help them rebuild; the Americans in the consulate. Why? Because simply put, they saw one video made by one person who isn’t a fan of Islam. That’s it.
As I type these words, reports are coming out that say the attack actually was planned and a small group of extremists capitalized on a protest against the video to execute their plan. However, even if that is true, the fact remains that instead of taking advantage of the help and rebuilding their bombed-out, raggedy, war-torn country, grown men and women are in the streets trying to intimidate the West because someone made fun of their religion. Therefore, by definition, their violent and deadly reaction to a crummy YouTube video was both irrational and ignorant.
It’s true that I’m against religion (because of the 2012 elections, I have a special hatred in my heart for the Mormon faith right now, but that’s another topic for another post). However, it’s not because I don’t acknowledge religion helps people get through tough times in their lives or that it inspires people to do good things. It’s not even because I think it’s inherently dangerous, irrational and ignorant.
It’s because religion permits people to act like complete savages without any sense of shame, remorse or pity; EVERY major religion is guilty of this. In addition, if you ask any religious extremist why they want to murder other people – why they want to literally end someone else’s life – 99.9 percent of the time they’ll say either God told them to do it OR they read it in The [insert name of sacred text here].
Let me get this straight: You were told to do something obscenely deplorable by a deity no one can prove exists and you read a book written in the Iron Ages that said it was okay? How silly of me! Well, that makes perfect sense! Sorry to bore you with all that nonsense about “concern for your fellow man” and all that; resume the massacre!
 |
| A good meme |
That might have been acceptable when we thought the world was flat and the sun revolved around the earth; but it’s 2012, people. By now, we should all be in agreement that there’s a better way to handle someone who disagrees with you other than killing them. In addition, we should all agree that no matter who you pray (or don’t pray) to, that doesn’t mean you’re any better or worse than anyone else. It’s true!
So to my fellow Christian, Jew and Muslim human beings out there: CHILL OUT! There’s no need to terrorize each other because someone lives their life different from what your holy book says. You don’t have to believe what they do or even like the person, but they definitely don’t deserve to die because of their faith. Frankly, it’s just plain silly to think that way and besides; all of this talk of “holy wars” and “God’s wrath” is getting kind of stale.
Like Danny Vinyard said in American History X, “Life’s too short to be pissed off all the time.”
Below is the movie by Sam Becile that incited outrage in Libya and the Muslim world
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