Walmart Censors the Bible

Granted that the one they chose to censor isn't a typical, dull, dry Bible that you actually have to read to get to the good parts. This one is gaily illustrated with photographs of Lego™ dioramas for every juicy story. Years of work went into developing the Brick Testament as an online presence. Then a paper publisher got interested, and more work went into producing several volumes (Available on Amazon). But Walmart refused to distribute the books as is, full of literal illustrations of the stories in the Holy book, including the sexual parts. So the publisher persuaded the author to pull the most explicit scenes. And they produced a new volume specifically for Walmart and its clientele. But after an initial small order, Walmart felt that even this censored version of the Bible was still too graphic, and refused to carry the volume. The other Bibles they sell, all of which include even the stories and scenes excised from the Brick Testament, are still for sale. Want more details? Here's a CNet report. Here's a "Patriot Update" report (I find that a Tea Party source can be an interesting perspective).

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Obama’s Thanksgiving greeting reignites the culture wars

Over at FOX News, Todd Starnes wrote this:

President Obama did not include any reference to God during his weekly address titled, “On Thanksgiving, Grateful for the Men and Women Who Defend Our Country.”
And then the culture war was reignited, which you can see in the hundreds of comments to the post. In reaction to Obama's address, comments indicated that he was an American-hating, Muslim (or Pagan) rotten atheist socialist. One woman commented: "Pray for Obama - Psalm 109:8 ~ 'Let his days be few and brief; and let others step forward to replace him.'" Another woman wrote: "There is no way I could be more disgusted with this creature who pretends to be a man. He must be eliminated from the public eye. The people who claimed to love god tend to hate Obama. In more recent comments, non-believers jump into the fray to chastise the Christians for their nastiness. All of this caused by a President who said things like this:
As Americans, each of us has our own list of things and people to be thankful for. But there are some blessings we all share. We’re especially grateful for the men and women who defend our country overseas. To all the service members eating Thanksgiving dinner far from your families: the American people are thinking of you today. And when you come home, we intend to make sure that we serve you as well as you’re serving America. We’re also grateful for the Americans who are taking time out of their holiday to serve in soup kitchens and shelters, making sure their neighbors have a hot meal and a place to stay. This sense of mutual responsibility – the idea that I am my brother’s keeper; that I am my sister’s keeper – has always been a part of what makes our country special. And it’s one of the reasons the Thanksgiving tradition has endured.
I have repeatedly criticized Obama for his decision-making, but I don't see anything in his address that is hostile to religion. What have we come to, America? And since when did Thanksgiving become a holiday only for those who believe in God? Epilogue: Good thing Obama didn't follow in the footsteps of Neil deGrasse Tyson:
Thanksgiving dinner, a few years ago, each in turn thanked God for food. I thanked scientists for improved farming. Got booed.

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How Atheism Happens

There is a new series on the Pharyngula blog: Posts confessing "Why I Am An Atheist" gleaned from comments and responses. Some are well written, others not so much. But each is selected for showing a particular path into the light for people who have recovered from invisible friend addiction. The most recent post, Why I am an atheist – Adam, shows how an upbringing under the Ken Ham school of Young Earth Creation and science denialism eventually led him to an understanding of the willful ignorance and dishonesty that pervades that culture. Once he began to question the "facts" that he was raised with, he quickly climbed up toward rationalism and lost his religion.

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The trouble with Mormons and atheists

Over at his new incarnation of Daylight Atheism at Alternet, Adam Lee (a/k/a Ebonmuse) discusses some of the deep differences between Mormonism and what passes for Christianity in modern America. As Lee explains, Mormons are working hard to sweep those differences under the rug in order to be politically acceptable. This is still a work in progress, as shown by the struggles of Mitt Romney. Lee also draws distinctions between Mormons and atheists, the latter group undoubtedly still pegged as political outsiders, despite the fact that non-belief is America's fastest growing "religion."

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