Time to Weigh In, The Japan Earthquake.

I've been putting this off for quite a bit because, well, I didn't want to be in a bad place when I wrote it. It's going to be quite the rant, worry not, but I would hate to express it poorly or not weigh in on the issue entirely. So it's been long enough.

I'm going to give my thoughts on the Japan Quake, and how it relates to religion.

It's not a coincidence that this blog is named “Thought Quake,” and it emerged soon after the devastating events in Japan. The day it happened, the day I stood beside a Japanese 7Eleven, feeling the quake under my feet and the aftershocks that followed, that there would be a reaction from the religious community. I didn't know how, I didn't know when, but I knew that no matter how well mannered it seemed,

it would be misinformed, ignorant, and almost ALWAYS totally illogical.

I wanted to start with my own personal views on the issue. I've had dozens of people come up to me and say things like, “you where in our prayers,” or, “We were praying for you.” That's all well and good, I have no quarrel with well-wishing. I found it sweet and endearing to hear such kind words. This rant isn't about the people who showed me such kindness, it's simply about the words and what they mean. These words are implying that God answered their prayers right? That I was saved because god watched out for me during this disaster. Last time I checked, I lived through this disaster because I was in Tokyo, instead of Sendai or Fukushima. Could I have been in these areas, or conversely could the earthquake have been in Tokyo? Sure. Why wasn't it? I and many others believe that it was random coincidence that saved my life. Many others would say God. They would say that “God was watching out for me.” The main thing that I think, still throws a wrench in the gears is that,

The damn thing still happened.

Those people didn't have to die. If god is all powerful, why would he allow such a disaster to happen? I actually find it quite disgusting that some cosmic force would place my life above some 30,000 others. It's interesting that when you ask these people why the earthquake happened at all, God doesn't seem to be on the list. Why is it that God can decide the location of the earthquake, but not whether or not it happens at all?

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you believe in the Christian god, then by all accounts, God caused this. Even if he somehow didn't, he did nothing to prevent it. It frustrates me that people believe God is working his miracles to get their kid into college, but doesn't have the time to prevent 30,000 human beings from dying in a matter of days. Your kid got into college because they worked their ass off, and the Japan Quake happened because of seismic changes beyond our control or scope of prediction. That's it. It seems ironic that gods where most likely created as a way to, among other things, explain the power of natural disasters. And, now that modern Christianity has evolved this all-knowing, all-loving god, disasters like these are the strongest evidence to the contrary. I have said this many times. I'm truly glad that I don't believe in God. I take the smallest amount of comfort knowing that there was nothing that could have prevented this. To me, believing in a force that had all the power to prevent this tragedy, yet chose to do nothing, would kill me.

I guess the point is, all this well-wishing, and the “God has a plan,” and the prayer to a being that, according to these beliefs, so easily commits genocide, it's all crap. Those men, women and children, what was God's plan for them? The majority of the Japanese population is Atheist, so that means no entry into the clouds. That means that god is not only allowing these people to die, but is then CONTINUING their suffering in the Afterlife. I honestly don't understand why anyone would be so willing to worship such an evil, destructive, and sadistic megalomaniac. I would never in any way look down upon these people, I guess I just don't get why its necessary. These people died because of a random tragedy. If you start involving God, you start steering towards the belief that these people somehow deserved what happened. That's simply rude and unfair. These people deserve better than that, plain and simple.

Korean Paster Cho Yong-gi has just said exactly that. With several statements he has perfectly encapsulated why religion can be so absolutely evil. It causes people, smart people, to do inane, horrible, vile and socially detestable things. Here is a quote from the priest himself.

"I fear that this disaster may be warnings from God against the Japanese people’s atheism and materialism," an online Christian press quoted the elderly religious leader as saying Saturday.

"I hope that these series of events will drive the Japanese to turn their eyes towards God."

Now, it alludes me why anyone at all would EVER in their right mind, blame a natural disaster on it's victims. I think it is one of the more horrible things I've ever heard come out of a religious leader's mouth. Here we have people, good people, lost forever to a terrible tragedy, and this wretched vile scum of a man is trying to say it was somehow their fault. Here is a well respected man many believe to be a force of love and good in the world, saying that JAPANESE PEOPLE CAUSED THE EARTHQUAKE with their lifestyle. It's absolutely insane. This is a huge problem with modern Christianity. It places blame where it shouldn't, and removes it from where it should be. The worst part is, people like this man are genuine. They honestly hope that this disaster will make Japan more religious. They are willing to say the most vile things to hopefully rope in a few more followers.

I can tell you first hand, that while in Japan, I experienced nothing but honesty. A city that is practically crime-less, clean streets and honest people. It is a beautiful country that I wouldn't change for the world, and it's certainly one that is better off without people who believe in a “loving god” capable of destroying tens of thousands of people in a matter of days. Keep doing what your doing Japan, and may we all learn something from your “Material, sinful, atheistic” lifestyle.

Oh We're not upset that WE have to pay, just that our Church does...

So, I began this blog to get my thoughts, rants and things onto the internet. I couldn't so much as cough in the airways without stumbling into this little gem.

Fox News: Taking Away Liberties

Are you really surprised? I'm beginning to think that getting material for this blog from Fox News may be a bit too easy. Maybe I should take a challenge, something worthy of me scouting around a bit...

naaaah, I'm living in the middle of the Apocalypse right now, so I could use an easy outlet.

He said the government can tax your life and can tax your death, but they’re not supposed to tax your church.

And that’s exactly what he said is happening in Mission.

“The city of Mission is taxing churches,” he said. “And that’s clearly unconstitutional.”

This is one of the many reasons I rage so hard. not only is it ignorant, it's an absolute lie, spread entirely by those that live in this so called "Christian Nation." If these people would pull their heads out of their asses for two seconds, maybe, just maybe they'd stop cherry-picking documents to suit their fancy. Here's more

The purpose of the “Transportation Utility Fee” is to raise money for public works projects in Mission like street construction and road repair.

It’s unpopular among residents, some of whom have put up protest signs on their yards.

But it’s particularly controversial because the town has included churches in the program.

GOOD! This is a GOOD thing. A step in the right direction. CHURCHES SHOULD BE TAXED. The Idea that some building shouldn't be taxed because it makes people feel good about themselves is asinine. Now, I'm not saying that this TAX is a good thing. I think taxing buildings for driveway traffic is kind of ridiculous. What pisses me off, is that Fox News seems to be upset that churches don't get some miraculous free pass. The Tax exempt status of churches has gone on unchallenged for FAR to long. to quote the constitution.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

The tax exempt status of churches certainly falls under the "respecting an establishment of religion," part of that sentence. If your going to use the constitution as the backbone of your argument the LEAST you can do is not insult the document with your ignorance. The government is suppose to neither support nor deny any particular religion. The tax exempt status is exactly what is unconstitutional. These people are so thick headed about their religion being the most important thing in the world that not only have they stained our country with it's name, but they have somehow convinced themselves that regardless of how many times it is read to them and presented to them, that the constitution is in their favor. The "Clearly Unconstitutional" Tax is absolutely anything but. Erik Stanley, next time you spout off a word like "Clearly," Make sure it doesn't come back to make you look like a blissfully ignorant prick. ~ZU

First Post.

This is a speculative project. Right now it's simply a place for me to express my thoughts, but maybe it will amass various writers and an editor, and become a bigger thing than one of the nameless thousands of blogs. Anyway, Thoughts on various issues coming, hopefully soon, once I catch up on the other blogs I'm writing. When I have free time, expect content to start accumulating.

So what is this about?

My name is Zachary, and I was raised a Christian. due to various reasons, I began skeptically analyzing my faith and realized it had no bases in evidence. The question, Why is faith good? eventually got me thinking. Now I am a strong atheist, and seem to have no outlet for my rants, opinions, and religious-based frustrations. That is,

Until now. I hope to be responding to various news events and other types of posts, and I hope that an audience will stick with me. PLEASE NOTE!

This post will be the most Politically correct post on the blog. This is an opinion based blog, and as such, I take no prisoners and make no apologies. I would even go as far as to say I'm funny. Stay tuned and I will see you next post. It will probably be regarding the Earthquake here in Japan, as I'm currently abroad in Tokyo.