The rationale of Arizona State Senator, Sylvia Allen (R), for mining uranium:
“I can’t say enough how it’s time that we get beyond, and start focusing on the technology we have. And move forward into the future.
This earth’s been here for 6,000 years. Long before anybody had environmental laws.”
Focus on technology and move into the future? Who are the morons voting for these people?
Tags: 6000 years, Arizona, Bible, Christian, Creationist, Genesis, Republican, Senator, Sylvia Allen, Uranium, Young Earth
July 13, 2009 at 2:33 am |
I don`t know whether I mentioned this before, but there was a TV documentary here in the UK a couple of years ago, in which some mining manager in the US was being interviewed. He was asked whether he felt any guilt over the damage that the burning of coal was doing to the environment just to meet the needs of the human population, and he replied without a moment`s hesitation: “Nope! That`s what God put it in the ground for!” Do you wonder why people on this side of the Atlantic have a somewhat stereotypical view of Americans, when this is all they hear?
July 13, 2009 at 2:54 am |
I think people like this get elected not on what they know but where they stand on just a few issues. The people that vote for them are voting for who they think is the best christian and the abortion issue. I have family members who vote that way and they seem to think that is the best way to do it.
July 13, 2009 at 7:42 am |
I have several friends that vote the same way. They follow the Christian opinion that if they are “wrong” on the abortion issue, they are wrong on everything. Their are idiots on both ends of the political spectrum. Right and left wing extremists always lose sight of reality.
My question is how an Arizona senator can possibly affect abortion in America? This woman is so ignorant she will blindly do more harm than good.
July 13, 2009 at 6:04 am |
I think Baconsbud is probably right about why people elect these idiots. What baffles me is how they get re-elected after this sort of thing. Of course, I’d guess that their voter base is so well insulated that they’d never hear of this.
July 13, 2009 at 6:49 am |
“What baffles me is how they get re-elected after this sort of thing.”
Because they make the electorate comfortable with their ignorance. Unfortunately, there are a lot of ignorant people in our world, enough to elect The Shrub and Chimney and believe their brand of BS.
July 13, 2009 at 7:49 am |
But a lot of Americans would agree with her anyway! They`re trying to get it taught in your schools!!
July 13, 2009 at 10:29 am |
This is the sort of thing that stopped me being a nice, quiet atheist. Even the people who disagree with her are probably afraid of saying it too loudly. Do you think he opponent in the next Senate race will use this against her? Probabaly not, unless he wants to get tagged with the most unelectable epithet immaginable: atheist.
I just started feeling that our (my) silence has been allowing the culture to slide.
I know the image of Americans that barriejohn is talking about and I’m sure it’s based on reality. However, I’ve met these people’s equivilents in other countries as well. I wonder if there’s something in American culture where we are reluctant shut these people up. It’s not only the fact that we probably have more people like this, but that they get elected to public office or put in positions of authority.
For instance, I get the feeling (if anyone has better informtion let me know) that anti-intellectuals aren’t as proud of their ignorance and would not be tolerated in public life. Of course they elected Sarkozy. . .
Canada is culturally very similar to the U.S. and when I was there their educational system wasn’t doing any better than ours, yet we don’t have an image of big, ignorant Canadians. It seems to me that they have less tolerance for an “I’m dumb and I’m proud” mindset.
July 13, 2009 at 10:37 am |
[...] to the Beatitude for the [...]
July 13, 2009 at 10:37 am |
I was once a born-again Christian, and am now a radical, gay atheist in San Francisco.
When I was a Christian, we voted the way we were “told”. Being born-again meant we were AUTOMATICALLY against abortions, gay rights, pre-marital sex, and a list of sins.
There was no debating, no chance to express an opinion. You were either saved or you were back-sliding.
So people like the above, or Sarah Palin, will have followers simply because they claim to be born-again. It’s very very frightening!
I think they’re losing ground. More atheists are COMING OUT and that gives courage to young people who don’t believe in god.
COME OUT COME OUT, non- believers !
July 13, 2009 at 12:52 pm |
“Back-sliding” is such an ugly phrase in Christianity. It has such an smug air about it. At that point, anyone who’s deemed to be a “back-slider” is constantly prayed for so that they come back to the only correct way of thinking and any contact with that person is solely for the purpose of bringing them back to the fold.
And yet atheists are the arrogant ones. Obviously.
July 14, 2009 at 5:17 pm |
I`m a “backslider” too! It`s like being referred to as a “leper” (seriously)!!
July 14, 2009 at 5:41 pm |
The ugliest phrase I was ever told was to “get downwind of myself”. It was said all the time to people considered “back-sliders” and I found it highly offensive.
In fact I find the whole concept of sin highly offensive. I don’t need to be fixed. There is nothing wrong with me. Yes I make mistakes, but I learn from them and that is a good thing!
July 14, 2009 at 5:53 pm
My experience exactly! When I was a Christian I thought I was happy, but it was the sort of delirious joy exhibited by the inhabitants of the madhouse really. I did in fact suffer a “nervous breakdown”, and have never ben as contented with both the world and myself as I am now. I can truly say now that “The Burden Of My Sin Has Rolled Away”, hahaha!! If only I had come to my senses sooner!!!
July 13, 2009 at 10:49 am |
[...] a while I see something and I just want to draw more attention to it. The BEattitude has put of a video of Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen using the age of the earth, 6,000 years old, in her [...]
July 14, 2009 at 5:43 pm |
This woman represents one of the fundamental flaws of democracy– ignorant people get the same vote as informed people.
What can be done? Nothing, I’m afraid.
September 16, 2009 at 9:11 pm |
I am a practicing Roman Catholic. I come from South America and it really shocks me to see how radical Christians are in the US. It is scary. I go to church on Sundays and have our local Priest at home every once in a while for dinner. We discuss about many things including science, evolution, Bible, Abortion, Gays (I have a few good friends) I talk to him about the stars and planets (I am a backyard astronomer, Science freak and Engineer) and guess what…..the man is even more liberal than I am. I have never been in contact with any priest (in my environment) that will say something against what science has proven. I know Priests that are archeologists, astronomers and physicists these guys are amazing in the way they see the universe and how it blends in a rational (not dogmatic) way with religion. Honestly it has been a shock to me and needless to say worries me that Atheists, Gays, liberals and other people see this stupid behavior of Christians in the US and basically generalize it to the entire Christian Community. Not all of us are created equal I guess…. some are more stupid than others. 6000 years….whatever!!