 |
|
|
|
|
May 24th, 2013
04:46 PM ET
Has the Oklahoma atheist been saved?By Jessica Ravitz, CNN (CNN) - Just days after she announced to the world from tornado-ravaged Moore, Oklahoma, that she is an atheist, it looks like Rebecca Vitsmun has found salvation. Not from the Lord, mind you, but from other atheists and friends of atheists. An Indiegogo campaign titled “Atheists Unite,” launched late Thursday by stand-up comic Doug Stanhope, is raking in dollars to help her family rebuild. Less than 17 hours after going live, it met its 60-day goal of $50,000. A little more than an hour later, as we prepared to publish, donations were at $55,000 - and growing. “Holy @#!%!” Stanhope said, by way of hello when he answered his phone Friday morning. Vitsmun, whose home was destroyed in Monday’s deadly tornado, unwittingly became a sensation Tuesday after participating in a live TV interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. When Blitzer asked if she thanked the Lord for the decision she made that saved her and her 19-month-old son, she stammered before saying, “I’m actually an atheist.” She and Blitzer laughed and moved on. But that TV moment took on a life of its own, spreading online and through social media. It also inspired this outpouring of atheist love. “It's important that our community shows that we have your back when you come out publicly as an atheist,” Stanhope wrote on the Indiegogo page. “Let's show the world that you dont need to believe in a god to have human compassion nor does all charity fall under the banner of religion. Let's get this courageous woman and her family back in their own home.” While a serious matter, the campaign offers “Perks” for giving – including a “Get Out of Hell Free Card” for a $50 donation, a “First Class Upgrade” on “the flight to the afterlife” for $500 and, just because, “Full Access to God’s Planbook” for $5,000. Stanhope said he often weaves his beliefs, or lack of belief, into his stand-up routines. While Christian missionaries run around Third World countries – feeding the poor, Bibles in hand – he bemoans how atheists do nothing. “We sit around in a dark bar and mock them,” he said. Meantime, “that book [the Bible] is a lot more appealing when there’s a bowl of rice under your nose.” He saw this as an opportunity to do something, and his 2,021 contributors – and counting – clearly did, too. This wasn’t the only group to get into the atheist-supporting game. On the website for FreeOK, Oklahoma's freethought convention which is scheduled for June 22, T-shirts are being sold to benefit Vitsmun and her family. The shirts are emblazoned with her quote, "I'm actually an atheist." And as Stanhope's Indiegogo campaign reached its goal Friday afternoon, a press release came in from the American Humanist Association – announcing that it just forwarded to Vitsmun a whopping donation of $10,000. “Rebecca Vitsmun’s courage to speak forthrightly about her atheism inspired humanists and others who are good without a god across the country to help her through this difficult time,” said the association’s executive director Roy Speckhardt, in the written statement. “Natural disasters are a product of our environment, not supernatural forces, and we have a responsibility to help those affected by them.” While we are in contact with Vitsmun through sporadic e-mails, we were unable to get a reaction from her before publishing. But the American Humanist Association shared a statement from her in its press release. “People from all around the world have reached out to us and the people of Moore and Newcastle and we don’t know how we can ever thank everyone enough for their generosity,” she said. “It is really hard to even know where to begin, but having so many here to embrace us while we figure it out makes the path ahead less intimidating. Thank you all so much.”
« Previous entryMy Take: Why my family is quitting the Boy Scouts
|
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
|
|
|
People can be decent without the threat of he11. Whoda thunk it?
The Oklahoma Atheist CAN be saved!
http://www.holy-19-harvest.com
UNIVERSAL MAGNIFICENT MIRACLES
GOOD NEWS..............no bible needed !
Oldest Primate Fossil Skeleton Found In China
Seth Borenstein, Associated Press | Jun. 5, 2013, 2:14 PM
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/oldest-primate-fossil-skeleton-found-in-china-2013-6#ixzz2VS35T5QS
Black Holes Abundant Among the Earliest Stars
June 5, 2013 — By comparing infrared and X-ray background signals across the same stretch of sky, an international team of astronomers has discovered evidence of a significant number of black holes that accompanied the first stars in the universe.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130605190711.htm
Join your heroes. Be one yourself.
Together, you and DC Entertainment have raised more than $2 million. This fight can be won. Here’s how.
http://www.wecanbeheroes.org/
Atheists reaching out to help when one of their own is affected? Good to know that atheists can be just as tribalist and myopic as their religious counterpart.
Science
Hey I found my theme song I just love this it really says what I am about. But excuse me I just wet my pants
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJS5UOyHyQE
OK..............thanks..................who ever is the fake handle as i did not post.
Peace
Lmfao...........got no sole..............on bottom of shoe...........can be replaced or repaired !
May 21, 2013 at 8:15 pm | Report abuse |
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/05/when-christians-become-a-hated-minority/comment-page-110/#comments
Chomp on that bone...................creationists/ID believers. chadie too..................evolution at its best the old croc.
Time for the horn-y beast to get the hell out of the bedVroooom !!!
Fourteen Closely Related Crocodiles Existed Around 5 Million Years Ago
May 21, 2013 — Today, the most diverse species of crocodile are found in northern South America and Southeast Asia: As many as six species of alligator and four true crocodiles exist, although no more than two or three ever live alongside one another at the same time. It was a different story nine to about five million years ago, however, when a total of 14 different crocodile species existed and at least seven of them occupied the same area at the same time, as an international team headed by paleontologists Marcelo Sánchez and Torsten Scheyer from the University of Zurich is now able to reveal.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521121323.htm
AND
Hey faithy seems like you have not been weaned yet sort of like chadie .............reminds me of a 5 year old ?
Monkey Teeth Help Reveal Neanderthal Weaning
May 24, 2013 — Most modern human mothers wean their babies much earlier than our closest primate relatives. But what about our extinct relatives, the Neanderthals?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130524104828.htm
Current search on Bing chadie ..........bookmark update chad........3rd one from top of page.
RDFRS: When Christians become a 'hated minority'
http://www.richarddawkins.net/.../5/5/when-christians-become-a-hated-minority
11,000,000 results Any time
Evolution wins !
New Species of Marine Fish from 408 Million Years Ago Discovered in Teruel
June 3, 2013 — Researchers from the University of Valencia and the Natural History Museum of Berlin have studied the fossilised remains of scales and bones found in Teruel and the south of Zaragoza, ascertaining that they belong to a new fish species called Machaeracanthus goujeti that lived in that area of the peninsula during the Devonian period. The fossils are part of the collection housed in the Palaeontology Museum of Zaragoza.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130603133432.htm
Splat Chad/GOOD NEW too below
Atheists CAN be saved,
if/when they really want to be saved now:
http://www.holy-19-harvest.com
UNIVERSAL MAGNIFICENT MIRACLES
Awesome all around!
The savior did come to earth. He only communicated by tap dancing and flatulence. He saw a house that was on fire and ran in to warn the occupants. He was bludgeoned to death with a golf club.
The intelligence that caused Ms. Vitsmun to be an atheist is what saved her life and that of her child. She can truly be thankful to herself.
Which means her rights are man-given. So if I decide she has no rights, she can't argue with. Her rights are totally and completely alienable, given by men, and only men. End of story.
TeeJ – your comment is amazingly good!! Well done.....and absolutely right. God bless you ,friend.
HEY HAR you too you are the one stuck in the matrix.............now do not go deleting comment !
Current search on Bing chadie ..........bookmark update chad........3rd one from top of page.
RDFRS: When Christians become a 'hated minority'
http://www.richarddawkins.net/.../5/5/when-christians-become-a-hated-minority
11,000,000 results Any time
Splat Chad
You to the peachy one...................No red horn-y devil !
Earth’s timeline ................chad remember this long ago..........L4H but me on the list for this.
Trace our planet's geological and biological ages............better than the bibles timeline.
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/33184839/ns/technology_and_science/
Church Refuses to Host Troops Over Scouts' New Gay Policy
NBC News·16 hours ago
See also: More stories ·
Top stories
Big circle here chadie...................
look what shows up on Bing 16 hours ago
AND
By the way HAR/chadie..........your header on post was ............see below........so do not go deleting comments !
Your request was successfully submitted.
Bing Webmaster Tools
June 2, 2013 at 6:45 pm | Report abuse |
Religious morons will believe anything. I commend this woman for being forthright and telling imbecile Blitzer off. What a fool is Wolf Blitzer! Why would he presume to impose his ignorant religious beliefs on this intelligent woman?
Hello Quincy.............it stumps the sh-it out of me !
By the way faith evolution gave you the brain............OK and se-x was needed back then .
Hey all creationists ...........chadie too....the truth below !
The fairy in the sky DID NOT create US !
Ancient life...............3.5 billion years ago.............NO god(s) or horn-y red devil (666 the beast) never has been
Disappearance of Stromatolites, Earliest Visible Manifestation of Life: Ancient Enigma Solved?
May 28, 2013 — The widespread disappearance of stromatolites, the earliest visible manifestation of life on Earth, may have been driven by single-celled organisms called foraminifera.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130528143756.htm
+
The University of Sydney.........................geology..............the dirt guys.
Precious opal veinlets in a sandstone from central Australia.
News
Answer to opal mystery shows Red Centre's links to Red Planet
31 May 2013
The dramatic geological events that created opal, Australia's national gemstone, have been described for the first time by a University of Sydney researcher.
http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=11678
+ the damn fossils ..............works better than the BIBLE !
Scientists Recover Wooly Mammoth Blood ..................cloning could happen maybe
Posted by Soulskill on Wednesday May 29, 2013 @01:52PM
from the wooly-mammoth-vampires-very-excited dept.
http://science.slashdot.org/story/13/05/29/1712242/scientists-recover-wooly-mammoth-blood
New study restores famed fossil to "bird" branch
Wednesday May 29, 2013 | Alicia Chang for The Associated Press
http://www.newsdaily.com/article/04243837283ffd8f533a0cf41d35cd27/new-study-restores-famed-fossil-to-bird-branch
AND chadie has a link on Bing
Quarterback's next play: Going long with the Bible – CNN Belief ...
religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/01/quarterbacks-next-play-going...
Feb 01, 2013 · Since we've got Chad buybull ... Jurassic Park came out. Now that it has been found, ... You have nothing but a 2000 year old stone age book written ...
AND
All creationists...............a turtle.............but is it to old to have come from the ark ?
Or chad crawled into his shell on the ark and finally found his way out .............you know chad ?
The mystery of how the turtle got its shell has finally been solved by scientists studying a 260-million-year-old fossil.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-have-figured-out-how-the-turtle-got-its-unique-hard-shell-2013-5#ixzz2UspYoTOm
Prehistoric Park : T-Rex Returns – Episode 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFcoGAMsQfE
Remember chad........... the talking donkey you like so much might of chewed on that BONE.............that created eve.
Chomp Chomp.............make sure to look up creationists for the next big chondrite and
Crickets at the swamp............. are gone this time of year ............but the ticks are out.
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/paying-for-college/compare-financial-aid-and-college-cost/?utm_source=turner&utm_medium=adcouncil_banner&utm_campaign=pfc_graphs
Here's and idea. How about everyone agrees to disagree. Here is another, how about all of you, theists or atheists, stop attempting to press your views on another. How about, for the first time, people leave each other and their beliefs alone. Unless, of course, you think the entire course of human kind will be changed by your views posted on CNN.
Hey chadie time to come in old of the cold..............or stay stuck in the green slime that created US
NASA: Mars could have supported life
Water-Rock Reaction May Provide Enough Hydrogen 'Food' to Sustain Life in Ocean's Crust or On Mars
May 30, 2013 — A chemical reaction between iron-containing minerals and water may produce enough hydrogen "food" to sustain microbial communities living in pores and cracks within the enormous volume of rock below the ocean floor and parts of the continents, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130530132541.htm
Star Dust we are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWdU_px9ApE
Pebbly Rocks Testify to Old Streambed On Mars
May 30, 2013 — Detailed analysis and review have borne out researchers' initial interpretation of pebble-containing slabs that NASA's Mars rover Curiosity investigated last year: They are part of an ancient streambed.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130530150547.htm
Peace
With the New Testament, and faith, she's one her way to being saved. I think so, yes I do.
Maybe you didn't read the article, but she already SAVED HERSELF! No need for any old nor new testament. No need for an imaginary super-being... Plain old education and intelligence! No "magic" involved!
Hey all creationists ...........chadie too....the truth below !
The fairy in the sky DID NOT create US !
Ancient life...............3.5 billion years ago.............NO god(s) or horn-y red devil (666 the beast) never has been
Disappearance of Stromatolites, Earliest Visible Manifestation of Life: Ancient Enigma Solved?
May 28, 2013 — The widespread disappearance of stromatolites, the earliest visible manifestation of life on Earth, may have been driven by single-celled organisms called foraminifera.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130528143756.htm
http://kblakecash.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/all-in-gods-time/
Yes, it man were meant to fly, he'd have wing. 640Kb ought to be enought for anyone, and the earth is flat. Science... you are part of the "science" that has admitted it has no clue how animated matter was created from inanimate matter... aka how life began in our universe. You science continually and constantly falls flat on its face.
Teej, the problem with your argument and with anyone who uses ancient scripture to prove anything, is that science never claims to have all the answers or that anything that is currently 'known' is inalienable truth. Only religion does that.
Science is about discovering the truth, not claiming that we currently know everything.
And let's talk about arrogance for a minute. What makes more sense, saying that we don't really know what god is or what god wants, or claiming to know what god is what god wants.
It makes people feel comfortable to think they know what god is or what god wants, but let's face it it's really arrogant.
GOD so loved the Atheists,
that HE sent HIS only Servant now,
thus to unmistakably prove to them that HE is absolutely REAL,
that they CAN be saved!
http://www.holy-19-harvest.com
UNIVERSAL MAGNIFICENT MIRACLES
You are an old web page.................no chance of getting the truth !
Wow, Good News, I am so glad that YOU know the answer to life, the universe and everything (42). You must be very special and chosen by god to be saved.
You must have some sort of lifeline to god that most of us don't have. We have to rely on ancient scripture that was compiled by a Roman emperor, added to, edited, translated and interpreted by humans called the Bible.
There's a reason that the holy books of the big religions are thousands of pages long and written in old languages. Things that are that complicated are hard to understand and allow for many different interpretations. just as sure as there are those that say that gay people can't go to heaven there are those who say that anyone who dances can't go, or that anyone who is divorced and remarries can't get to heaven. By the way it was Jesus who said that (Matthew 19).
He also said very clearly that you should sell all your possessions, give the money to the poor and follow him (Jesus).
For those who believe the 10 Commandments are the unerring word of god I would like to remind you that it forbids the drawing of fish or clouds or tunnels. Oh yes it does and I quote King James, Matthew 20: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth"
Good for them, however a truthful look at organizations throughout history has shown that faith based organizations have provided the most help to people. More hospitals, universities, schools, orphanages, food banks and kitchens, help for the poor, and so forth have been founded by people of faith.
I have it posted on my door ... "NO RELIGIOUS SOLICITATION. YOU WILL GO TO HELL IF YOU TRY!" Yes, I am an Atheist. I do not hide it, nor will I. If someone comes to my door ignoring what is posted I am more than happy to get into a debate. I usually win 🙂
Sadly, too many hospitals that were once affiliated with churches have been taken over by greedy corporations.
So the Red Cross, UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders do nothing? While churches do help they do so with the hope of throwing their propaganda in ones face. Secular organizations offer as much help and do not throw anything in your face.
The point is that you do not need a church to get assistance.
They've caused more wars (as in MOST of them) and been responsible for more loss of human life than non-religious organizations, too.
It is pretty ridiculous to criticize atheists of the past for not forming big charitable organizations where for a great deal of Western history simply being an open atheist subjected you to torture and execution.
Nothing wrong with helping a person in need. Not that its one of the principles of being a Christian or anything like that, but really good to see Atheist helping people in need. If there was more of that, and Atheists stading up for a little more conservative views in our culture. We would get allong much better as Americans, no matter what we believe.
"If there was more of that, and Atheists stading up for a little more conservative views in our culture. We would get allong much better as Americans, no matter what we believe."
So, what you are saying, is aetheists will be accepted provided they conform to the conservative views you share. There goes the whole "no matter what we believe" statement you made. Clearly, it does matter what they believe to you, because you plainly say that you cannot get along with aetheists if they do not follow your conservative thinking.
Closed minded, AND from Texas. I'm shocked.
http://kblakecash.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/how-could-god-do-this/
if atheists really practiced what they preached, they would keep their beliefs to themselves...
Are they forcing you to listen to atheist carols? Do they ring your doorbell and give you literature? Are they insisting that you obey laws based on myths?
Well it does give them something to fall back on. Like when a pol gets caught for adultery, and immediately brings his/her pastor into the spotlight with him/her. Pretty convenient I must say.
The religionists I mean. The rest of us deal with reality which is far more invigorating.
Same thing I posted to Chris: I have it posted on my door ... "NO RELIGIOUS SOLICITATION. YOU WILL GO TO HELL IF YOU TRY!" Yes, I am an Atheist. I do not hide it, nor will I. If someone comes to my door ignoring what is posted I am more than happy to get into a debate. I usually win 🙂
Most of us do. Now when are you religious folks going to start having the same respect for others?
BUZZ OFF fake science poster.and chadie/faith/Austin/toothless and L$H saw you somewhere today........the cats !
all creationists !
Changing Gut Bacteria Through Diet Affects Brain Function
May 28, 2013 — UCLA researchers now have the first evidence that bacteria ingested in food can affect brain function in humans. In an early proof-of-concept study of healthy women, they found that women who regularly consumed beneficial bacteria known as probiotics through yogurt showed altered brain function, both while in a resting state and in response to an emotion-recognition task.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130528180900.htm
http://www.safewayfoundation.org/
Have a great life if you can crawl out of the green slim you are in.
See we gays have it made. We don't have to avow or disavow any beliefs as people already assume we are godless and subhuman
I already don't trust anything CNN touches for other reasons. This is just another reason.
This is to me what atheism is all about! Caring and helping your fellow human in times of need not because if you don't you go to hell but because it is the right thing to do! Simple as that!
hippypoet........agree.........and another post for chadie.
Hey toothlees................damn toothless when it comes to the truth.............no horn-y red devil either.
EVOLUTION WINS THUMBS UP NO horn-y red devil OR the fairy in the sky DID NOT create US............
Chad do what Rachel said you to asustin. faith/lol??
Apes Get Emotional Over Games of Chance
May 29, 2013 — Like some humans, chimpanzees and bonobos exhibit emotional responses to outcomes of their decisions by pouting or throwing angry tantrums when a risk-taking strategy fails to pay off, according to research published May 29 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Alexandra Rosati from Yale University and Brian Hare from Duke University.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130529190933.htm
Big Data Chardie.............from Bing................again easy to access.
Scientists Recover Wooly Mammoth Blood ..................cloning could happen maybe
Posted by Soulskill on Wednesday May 29, 2013 @01:52PM
from the wooly-mammoth-vampires-very-excited dept.
http://science.slashdot.org/story/13/05/29/1712242/scientists-recover-wooly-mammoth-blood
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/05/when-christians-become-a-hated-minority/
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/29/poll-america-losing-its-religion/comment-page-52/#comments
Being a "community" doesn't automatically make something a religion. Atheism is just a stance on a particular belief, it has no doctrine, no dogma, no philosophy attached to it, therefore it can't be called a religion.
Um, it isn't a stance. Look up Atheism pls. It is just a non-belief. Wow, I am surprised at how many people believe those of us who are Atheist are taking a 'stance' against religion. We just don't believe in it. What I would like to know is why religious people really care whether or not we believe, because it just doesn't really matter. We don't believe, it is none of your business, we don't care whether or not you think we are going to 'hell.' We really don't care. What we do care about is for you to keep your religion out of our lives. If we want to be like religious people we will 'come to jesus.'
It is about time that Atheism is coming to the forefront. We have kept our mouths shut long enough.
BTW...LOVED Wolf's face when Vitsmun said she was an Atheist....He didn't see that coming did he!! 🙂
when atheists start calling themselves a "community" and donate money only to like-minded believers, they have become a religion as well. btw did this atheist not even have insurance?
"when atheists start calling themselves a "community" and donate money only to like-minded believers, they have become a religion as well"
I guess my vintage auto club is a religion.
We often raise money for less fortunate members of our club.
We probably need to build ourselves a church now.
I guess our shelters for battered women and children would qualify as a religion under you stated...but it isn't. No religion required. Hmmm, if that is your definition then battered women should definitely be YOUR best friend...but they won't be.