The holidays are approaching us and most people are in a fucking frenzy to buy shit they don’t need and when they’re not buying shit they don’t need they’re trying to figure out what his or her friend or cousin or sister wants and ends up buying them shit they don’t need. Before you “Bah Humbug” me I’ll write the actual meaning of the phrase outside the Dickens reference: “something intended to deceive, a fraud; an impostor; rubbish; nonsense.” Well now who’s the humbug? You don’t see me in a reindeer hat with a decorated cat feigning happiness under the tree!
Last month I read a New York Times article which discussed the atheist community’s outreach to non-believing do-gooders who want nothing to do with religious giving this season. Atheist do-gooders? Yes, they are out there, go find them and be inspired. The article also mentioned a New Jersey billboard with a picture of a nativity scene and the words “You Know it’s a Myth. This Season, Celebrate Reason.” Ahhh reason, that sounds swell. Why don’t we see more billboards like that? Why don’t more ads expose the truth about religion, the fact that religion in the US is in sharp decline (according PEW statistics more millennials are less affiliated with religion than their parents) and the damage, yes, the damage it causes during the winter solstice.
“What damage you say?!” the religious respond with passion and pep: “ We are believers so what?” So what? So what that you believe in a surveillance spirit in the sky that answers your prayer because you are soo important? So what that their self-importance causes them to believe in sin? As Bertrand Russell brilliantly stated: “Self-importance, individual or generic, is the source of most religious beliefs.” Once self-importance and over-consumption combine with an extreme media campaign, many individuals revert back to childhood, into seasonal fantasyland and some never return to reality. So are thoughtful progressives surprised when christmas conformists have not a pinch of energy left to even learn about the real world. After all, they have their ticket to heaven, right?
Wrong. We are all in hell. Living our nightmare of over 26.1 million people unemployed and many underemployed. So before you think about purchasing that ipad, think about the struggling single woman who’s expected to feed her family with $12,000 this year. A little help? And in case the believer didn’t hear the news at his church concert, now Obama-approved bombs are killing young men and women in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Pakistan. Oh, and if the fat asses are too busy watching the latest holiday tv special, just wanna let y’all know that no state met the Healthy People 2010 goals. Yup, we’re still all fat. And for all you shoppers out there (I know that is most of you) you may find comfort in knowing that your president is continuing a tax cut for the wealthiest folks in this country and that money will NOT trickle down to you. Oh Bah Humbug!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWell put!! It's so sickening how society ignores the real problems that we all face such as poverty and unemployment. All these shoppers who wake up at the crack of dawn on black Friday to buy more stuff they really don't need. It's a great distraction from the real issues and it's working.
ReplyDeleteCount me in because this season I'm going to celebrate reason and keep my money in my pocket. We must wake up for this nightmare as we’re being played and the fat cats are the one’s pulling the strings.