Why I've changed my political stance dramatically since leaving religion.

As a conservative Christian, I use to believe that I should merely pray for my leaders, obey all authorities, give unto Caesar what was Caesars, (taxes) and I also believed that all leaders were ordained of God to bring about God's will. So I saw no point in getting involved in politics or even voting, as "All things work together for good" anyhow. To this day I find it quite pathetic that Christians feel they should get involved in politics, and wish there were actually more Bible believing Christians like we were. That way the unbiased nonreligious voters would not be so steamrolled by the conservative right wing. . . A group that is literally not able to separate church from state.

It is hard for a country to respect a president who by his religious stance is inevitably judging most everyone else as deluded or stupid to not believe his truths are absolutes. Whereas a Christian with a very open and inclusive belief about God, (Deist, Unitarian) allows that Christian to treat nonbelievers fairly and equally. I can see that kind of a "closet Christian" doing pretty well in politics, like Lincoln. Often a leader that spouts a bold religious stance is usually one who has something to prove to both himself and others, and will show himself hypocritical, unteachable, and very biased. Not very appropriate in a leader of anything, IMO.

Anyhow, as for my political story, It was a fast transformation of my personal responsibility after ditching religion. For the first time in my life I felt a connection and empathy for the plight of my fellow man. Also a responsibility to be involved in this world I live in, knowing that this life is all that I'm guaranteed. I realized that no one else was going to fight my battles for me, or stand for the underdogs of society, as much as I wished or prayed for it. (And history proved it pretty well too.) I could no longer blissfully stand by watching this world go into the hands of the rich and powerful, while loosing the freedoms this country was famous for. I saw now how instead of God choosing these leaders for any good, short term or long, religion has always been used to control people and make them submit. . . like sheep led to the slaughter. 

 So to say the least, I did a 180 degree turn in my involvement with my community, and politics in general! Come to find out, that is actually very common of people coming out from under the oppression of a controlling religion. Many nonreligious people online echoed what I have done and also heard from friends at my Unitarian Universalist church as well. (That church is a very politically active and humanitarian minded denomination of very loosely religious-if at all religious- people BTW.)

 I found a group of ex-fundamental Christians online who were asked the question: "What influence has dropping religion had to your political involvement and stance?" These were the answers:

"Stayed conservative for the most part, but gravitated towards the libertarian side of the movement.
Also came to realize politics is all manipulation. The manipulation scares me. Civil discourse (about politics to Christians) has increasingly become an impossibility."

"I am tempted to give up politics altogether, but part of maturity is to realize your place in whatever “movement” you ally yourself with. While I may have heartfelt ideological leanings, I realize the part I play – a balancing force against those diametrically opposed, whether they be conservatives, liberals, and associated extremists."

"As I’ve evolved from a know-it-all Fundy, I’ve realized that there are many things that I just don’t know. There’s a lot I don’t understand about religion and faith, and that’s carried over into politics for me. I don’t know the answers to our country’s problems. I don’t want to say that I just don’t think about it, but I have found that it’s not the best use of my time to dwell on and try to come up with solutions to the problems we have. As a result, I don’t watch much news or political commentary (I used to watch O’Reilly religiously), and I don’t allow myself to get in to political debates with others. I’ve found that by not worrying and forming opinions all the time, I get much more accomplished that’s close to my heart. And I’m much less annoying. "

"My move out of/away from Christian fundamentalism had reverberations throughout my life. Politically, I moved from being a very conservative Republican who could barely wait for my dad to finish the latest edition of National Review to read it each month, to being both economically and socially liberal. A great deal of that had to do with, as others have mentioned, finally being able to separate religion/spirituality and politics. Part of it was a realization that what I thought was most important to achieve in society was far better served in reality by a more liberal/progressive political approach than a conservative one. And part of it was firmly recognizing that America is, and has been, a secular state, and I would like it to remain so.
Politically I’m still conservative, but I no longer pay attention to what religion or church a candidate claims to be a part of (or that other people claim they are a part of). I’m concerned about them actually being good leaders with good policies, and wherever they go or don’t go on Sunday’s is irrelevant."

"I vote for whoever I think is better, or at least who I think will do the least amount of damage (the latter is becoming more and more frequent, sadly.)"


"Heal the sick. Feed the hungry. Accept those who are different. Jesus was more liberal then conservative."

 "Since my time in the pen, I mean Hyles-Anderson, I have changed 180 Degrees. I consider myself a Liberal without apologies, and believe Jesus would have been too."

"Big government isn’t bad; Big IRRESPONSIBLE government is the problem …"

"Went from typical religious right knee-jerk republican to liberal democrat. Now I know neither party is to be trusted. Our country’s political problems are way beyond the radical right and looney left as portrayed by Fox News and MSNBC. We are more of a plutocracy than a democracy. Our government is no longer responsive to “we, the people”. I think republicans are totally crazy and while democrats may say things I agree with during the election season, they are only beholden to big money/corporate interests. The idea that Obama is a communist or even a socialist is absolutely laughable."

"Republicans were liberal and morally repugnant to me and the Democrats were messengers from Satan or people that just hated God.
That’s how I was. I’m closer now idealistically to being a Democrat, but the abortion issue and simply not trusting politicians is what keeps me from being a card carrying member of any party. I’m simply not ok with some things, so I don’t vote. When I do vote, I normally write in the name of a good person I know."


So, if these folks sound like stupid, loose moraled, Liberals, you be the judge. Considering though these people's involvement, sense of responsibility and concern for all man equally, while no one is controlling them. . . it seems prudent to me to consider their words, since they've been in your shoes. 

Common sense translations of common Christian terms.

Born again: While the term originated in the Bible, it was first defined as a turn around in the life with a one time decision to truly follow Christ by a progressive, nondenominational evangelist named George Whitfield. His preaching became wildly popular with the shunned and religious rebels of the time, who were looking for anything real in the lives of the religious authorities of their time. (As this new teaching allowed the tables to be turned and the pompus ministers to be deemed "unfit of their office", if they were found without a legit sounding salvation or "born again" experience.)

God: all that is good, love in humanity, any mysterious thing science has no explanation for as of yet.

The Holy Spirit/the still small voice: The ingrained conscience of all people.

Being under conviction: you are feeling guilty, maybe because of your own conscience, maybe from peer pressure.

Being led of the Spirit: Making the right choices instinctively, and having intuition.

Being slayed in the spirit: an emotional high brought on by peer pressure, exhaustion and music.

I feel the Spirit: goosebumps, feel love and comradeship, usually while holding hands or having a group singing a song to unify.

The witness of the Spirit: where you "click" with a persons energy, personality, believe they are a good person like yourself; feeling as if that proves they are saved.

Relationship with Jesus: having religion.

Grieving the Spirit: going against the accepted norms in your church circle.

Having your conscience seered with a hot iron: Becoming callus to your conscience's voice and listening instead to bad influences. . .in the case of actual immoral behavior.

Creation: everything that was slowly made through evolutionary processes that continue to happen today with no creator. Nature, or Mother nature.

The heavens declare the glory of God. . .:we believe that because space is huge and awesome, that means our claim of a creator God, automatically trumps other people's creator god claims or the explanations of science.

Vision: usually a dream or hallucination while on a high from music, exhaustion/stress, drugs. . .

Sign from Heaven: A fluke, a superstitious reading into a normal occurrence.
.
Blessing: All good luck, all processes of nature, as long as they are good.

Judgment of God: bad luck, all bad natural process.

The Devil: everything bad in the world. Any mysterious bad thing that science has no explanation for yet.

Sin: What someone's generation, denomination, and family reads out of the Bible as being wrong.

Sinner: someone who falls short of your expectation based on your reading of the Bible.

The lost: Anyone who rejects your limited worldview.

Modesty:  What someone's generation, denomination, and family reads out of the Bible as being the way they need to dress to please God, and not offend the opposite sex. Nothing to do anymore with being moderate in their actions or dress, compared to their culture, as one might suspect. . .

Making a joyful noise to the Lord: singing with no talent; cacophony.

Being in the ministry: making your living off of begging and  pushing your thoughts on others, while often doing no actual useful thing in a needy world.

Hate the sin, love the sinner: Judge the person as inferior to a good Christian/ a sinner, then tell them how then need to change to be acceptable to God, all the while claiming that they are still loved and accepted for who they are.

Religious freedom: proselytizing the children and desperate of society, disrespecting, mocking, shunning or physically abusing those in your own family or those with differing thoughts, lifestyles and beliefs, while expecting all onlookers to allow you your "religious freedom".

Do I have to be the family dentist now too?!

Well, today I had a miserable experience at the dentist. I was so stressed and mad, I had to go tour a Lowes nursery and eat at a buffet before going home. I find that I need to put myself in nature, and nature in myself, before I can feel better. (It's my form of meditation.) My chiropractor tells me I have stress induced adrenal fatigue as it is right now, so while not wanting to make it worse, I've just got to tell what happened today!

Remember when I blogged on what happened to my son's teeth because of Prednisone, a drug I briefly took while nursing him? (I blogged on it here .) Well, as the damaged teeth came in more, I could see how weak they looked at the roots, but wasn't sure what we should do about it, and when. He isn't even 2, and to think of him in a hospital setting getting knocked out to get fillings, just didn't seem right! So until they seemed to bother him, I was kind of just hoping to rebuild his enamel and hold off until he was at least able to understand better, so he wouldn't be so traumatized. Well, due to a little accident, of someone lightly popping him in the mouth, (we won't name names) it broke in half one of those 4 damaged teeth. (The fact that it hit the lip, and there was no blood tells you just how tiny and fragile a tooth it was.)

So we felt forced to do something. . .So I called around to find the first dentist who would take a two year old, and found out that in our city we don't have much for choices. So I got an appointment for the next day and hoped for the best.

So the next day I went in there for the first time ever and found this old dentist who immediately made my son cry. He didn't even talk to him or smile, just wanted me to drop him down by himself and be examined. I finally coaxed him into being brave, and letting the dentist have a good look. The dentist, without so much as poking the "stains" to see if there was any decay, pronounced, "I think it's all decay." Then he asked if I breastfed him. (In my mind, I was thinking, he's going to say how at least I gave his teeth the best possible start through good nutrition, but no. . .) To which I proudly replied, "I'm still nursing him." Then he asked, "do you nurse at night and nap times?" To which I replied back "yeees. . ." (Getting suspicious now that he wasn't going to pat me on the back for nursing my son.) Then he dropped the bomb: "You have ruined your boy's teeth by nursing him like that." So I went on to explain to him some facts of how the nations and peoples who have the best teeth worldwide, (many while hardly brushing their teeth,) all nurse their children "Biologically". (Long, on demand, and without any other pacifier use.) So what sense did that make when we are the country with not only a bad diet, (Which is usually the real cause for bad teeth) but rampant use of drugs. Most of which drugs woman aren't warned about avoiding with a baby in the womb, much less a nursing baby!
Furthermore I said to him that all sorts of people online have had the same issue of enamel erosion, and we know effects of drugs on children is always worse, and that most things go through the milk, so why wouldn't it have been the drug that caused the lacking enamel? I told him how a 6 month old just doesn't have teeth rot from milk in any normal circumstances, and how my other kids teeth were practically perfect. He told me that he was the authority, and this would be the first case he'd ever heard of for drug induced bad teeth, and he's sure that it's just too much nursing that causes ruined baby teeth. He was also convinced that there was no point in covering the teeth to protect them with a veneer, as I suggested, as in his opinion they were already full of decay. (Which he admitted that he had no proof of without an x-ray.) So he wanted to take away more tooth, and put almost a cap on all 4 teeth, while my son was knocked out. . .which would be a very invasive, expensive procedure in the hospital.

Is it just me, or is that really stupid?

Numerous fallacies are involved in that dentist's reasoning: one I believe is that bacteria is the cause of tooth decay.
This is on par with believing that fevers and cholesterol are bad, because they are found at "the scene of the crime". Yes, there is a bacteria that is at the site of unhealthy teeth, and live milk bacteria is likely there too, but that by no means tells us that it is the culprit of the decay. We only need to experiment on other cultures to see if that diagnosis holds up to testing. . .it doesn't. The theory of a bad bacteria causing decay (that passes from mother to kids and her husband because of sharing food and kissing) has issues though.  Like how can they differentiate what she passes to them genetically or through her germs, from what she feeds them, or how she taught them to eat? Unless a woman with bad teeth (the bad bacteria)gives up her newborn baby for adoption to a family with perfect teeth, and then the kid has horrible teeth later in life, I don't see an easy test for that problem. . .

What we do see is the harm of eating grains, (especially whole ones), that have not been soaked, sprouted, or traditionally soured with a natural yeast starter for 8 hours. When I met my husband he had perfect teeth, and mine were horrible. . .like the rest of my family's teeth. He ate sugars and white everything, and I was a health nut. When we got married though I started cooking all the whole grains for him and not only did he have some GI issues start, but he got his first cavities. Of course he blamed my "germs", and threatened to stop kissing me:) That was the start of my suspicions on the real cause of cavities. . .

Later I read that cultures that switched to a man made yeast for quicker breads, instead of the "long ferment" with a natural or wild yeast, (around 1980) started having a host of health issues start up because of it. . .including teeth decay! Cultures that didn't, still have great teeth, even when they have sugar! As a matter of fact, I have a personal testimony about that: My Mother in law was once a very young inexperienced mother, and regularly filled her babies bottles with pop. (Thankfully they were also nursed long.) If any baby should have had rotten teeth, her first should have had. . .They were perfect though. Along came her second baby, and she got smarter and gave him less pop if anything, but instead of his teeth being perfect too, his were in an identical pattern of discolored, and crumbled enamel in a perfect line on the top 4 teeth only, just as my baby's teeth were, and they showed up at about the same age.  Was it the sugar, or something else? (All 4 of her boys ate lots of sugar, and no whole grains, and otherwise had perfect teeth)Well, she claims that it was a drug she took while nursing that destroyed his teeth as well. This one was called Tetracycline though. It too had the common effect of bone loss on the individual taking it, which is likely going to cross over into developing teeth of your nursing child. If she had've gone to a dentist like me though, she probably would have been told that it was because she nursed her son too long as well. It makes me wonder how many woman have been kept from exposing a drug for it's side effects to babies simply because the drug companies, and their puppets the dentists, are telling everyone that the nursing women are to blame for not wiping or brushing the sugars of the milk off of the gums and teeth of their babies after every nursing? It seems to me that nursing woman have become the unwitting scapegoats of the pharmaceutical company.  Doesn't that discourage long nursing, further discouraging good health of the future generations? Is it possible that some people want a sick nation, because there's no money in good health? Just a thought. Whatever the case, I'm not going to a dentist again (except for a cleaning) anytime soon.

Why get raw milk?

Most people only get to hear the negative from the media about raw milk, but as usual, it is not true. It is safe, like raw anything, if the source is good. Not only is it safe though, it is very much more healthy for you too!  It can even be money saving. . . It kind of depends how you are eating in the first place.

For one thing, you can either pay the farmer, or the pharmacy. For another thing, if you are already paying the farmer, through a middle man, and paying big bucks for the good stuff, like grass fed butter, organic buttermilk, organic milk, organic yogurt. . .you might as well get the stuff that allows you to almost effortlessly make your own. Sadly, once milk has been pasteurized, it will parish quickly, and it isn't easy to make anything out of it, even when you do add back some good bacteria to it. I have had little success with making even yogurt with pasteurized milk. Pus you get no benefits of using the different part of it when it's homogenized.
With raw, live, whole milk you get:

•  heavy cream for sauces, soups, cereals, drinks, whipped cream, ice cream. . .
•  rich milk for drinking, cereals, recipes. . .

You can make:

•  grass fed butter, very expensive, and good for you!
• buttermilk with the leftover liquid (after taking out the chunks of butter.)
• Crème fraîche, a slightly tangy, slightly nutty, thickened cream. It is interchangable with sour cream, but superior in that it doesn't curdle when boiled, and it whips up like whipped cream.  (Mix one tablespoon of buttermilk and a cup of heavy cream.)
• Natural sour cream. (With one tablespoon of vinegar per cup of heavy cream allow it to curdle for a few hours on the counter, then refrigerate.)
• Yogurt. (Let milk and a little plain yogurt sit covered in a warm oven with the light on for 24 hours and you have an easy and yummy yogurt. (Then if you want, you can use a strainer with a cheesecloth or the like, and make yogurt cheese, a tangy cream cheese type cheese.)
•  Fromage blanc cheese. Just lemon juice (or vinegar) and salt added to the milk, a bit of time, and you have a simple cheese.

All in all, I've found it well worth my effort and money, and I think you will too. Check it out more here at some great resources I've found.

Online sites, articles, blogs, videos, etc.

BLOG chronicling the raw milk legal battle in in California, Michigan and other states: http://www.thecompletepatient.com/

Home dairying and cheesemaking: Fias Co Farm, http://fiascofarm.com/

On Mercola.com: The Real Reasons Why Raw Milk is Becoming More Popular http://www.mercola.com/2004/apr/24/raw_milk.htm

On YouTube: Organic Pastures Dairy owner Mark McAfee talks about raw milk

The Douglass Report with the benefits of raw milk

National Internet Forum that covers many regions dedicated to the Health Benefits of raw goat milk. Suppliers of milk, consumers and all are welcome!http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/raw_goatmilk/

"Baby I Like It Raw" interview with Mark McAfee: http://www.sicklycat.com/2010/07/18/baby-i-like-it-raw-video/

Real truth on the safety of milk, and a series to follow.
http://chriskresser.com/raw-milk-reality-is-raw-milk-dangerous

Suggested Reading

By Realmilk.com
01 JAN 2000 (Updated periodically)

Books

Enzyme Nutrition, Edward Howell, MD: Pioneering work on the role of food enzymes in diet and health. Reveals the dangers of diets composed entirely of cooked foods and problems posed by pasteurization of dairy products.

The Raw Truth About Milk (formerly The Milk Book), William Campbell Douglass II, MD: Excellent explanation of the dangers of pasteurization, written in a highly amusing style. Where to get it: Douglass Family Publishing, www.douglassfamilypublishing.com/. The book is printed in the U.S. so there are no ordering problems. The new edition, revised and expanded by two chapters is titled The Raw Truth About Milk. The original Milk Book sold over a million copies and, with the new chapters, it is better than ever. Do not order The Milk Book as you will not get the important new chapters on how vegetarianism often leads to anorexia and the consumption of soy "foods" causes serious health problems.

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, Sally Fallon with Pat Connolly and Mary G Enig, PhD: Full spectrum nutritional cookbook that dispels many myths about animal fats and traditional foods.

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Weston A Price, DDS: The classic study of isolated populations on native diets, and the disastrous effects of processed foods and commercial farming methods on human health. Published in 1939, Dr. Price's findings have as much relevance today as they did 60 years ago. All who plan to bear children, and everyone in the practice of medicine, should read this book, which is now available in affordable soft cover.

The Ploy of Soy: A Debate on Modern Soy Products, Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, PhD: An exposé on the dangers of modern soy products, often promoted as "better than milk."

The Untold Story of Milk, Ron Schmid, ND

To purchase these and other publications, contact: Radiant Life (888) 593-8333

Journals/Newsletters

CreamLine (quarterly for small-scale commercial dairies and creameries)
Home Dairy News (published 10x per year, home milk processing & more)
P.O. Box 186
Willis, VA 24380
info@smalldairy.com
www.smalldairy.com -- samples and subscription information

Scientific studies link analytical thinking with Atheism

Yet another study I read is again throwing religion under the bus. Highlights of the article from Scientific America are below:

"People who are intuitive thinkers are more likely to be religious. Getting them to think analytically, even in subtle ways decreases the strength of their belief, according to a new study in Science."

"The research, conducted by University of a British Columbia psychologists does not take sides in the debate between religion and atheism, but aims instead to illuminate one of the origins of belief and disbelief. One of their studies correlated measures of religious belief with people's scores on a popular test of analytic thinking."

"But the researchers went beyond this interesting link, running four experiments showing that analytic thinking actually causes disbelief! "

"Analytic thinking undermines belief because, as cognitive psychologists have shown, it can override intuition. And we know from past research that religious beliefs—such as the idea that objects and events don't simply exist but have a purpose—are rooted in intuition. Analytic processing inhibits these intuitions, which in turn discourages religious belief."

"Harvard University psychologist Joshua Greene, who last year published a paper on the same subject with colleagues Amitai Shenhav and David Rand, praises this work for its rigorous methodology. "Any one of their experiments can be reinterpreted, but when you've got [multiple] different kinds of evidence pointing in the same direction, it's very impressive."

The study also gets high marks from University of California's evolutionary biologist Francisco Ayala. Ayala calls the studies "ingenious", and is surprised only that the effects are not even stronger. "You would expect that the people who challenge the general assumptions of their culture—in this case, their culture's religious beliefs—are obviously the people who are more analytical," he says. "Obviously, there are millions of very smart and generally rational people who believe in God. Obviously, this study doesn't prove the nonexistence of God. But it poses a challenge to believers: If God exists, and if believing in God is perfectly rational, then why does increasing rational thinking tend to decrease belief in God?"

Can you love whom you fear, if "love casteth out fear"?

I read yet another article today from a Progressive Christian who was angry at the hate preached from his childhood church's pulpit. The article was called How my church tried to make me hate Gay people.
 The author decided to write about homophobia for two reasons he said: "first, to demonstrate the falsity of fundamentalist rhetoric about 'hating the sin and loving the sinner,' and, second, to shed light on the tools fundamentalists use to instill fear of LGBTQ people in their children." It was a very well written article and echoes what I've heard from many other "Progressive" Christians, or those also who like me and my husband have dropped any association with those beliefs.

The author said: "Whether or not my church explicitly intended for me to receive this message, I understood homosexuality as one of an array of perversions. Homosexuality, promiscuity, pedophilia, drug addiction, alcoholism, cheating, self-harm, unwed pregnancy and abortion were not treated as separate issues. I was afraid of gay people because I was taught that it was impossible to be gay or lesbian without partaking in all of the above." 
I hate to admit it, but I still have a subconscious fear of cross dressers as being on par with "woman of the night" or worse. Just tonight driving by a manly looking "woman" (?) in gaudy prostitute looking attire, I foolishly commented to my husband Mike that "this is the time they tend to come out". . .as if like the bats, werewolves, witches and Dracula, these gay, cross dressers only come out to do their wicked deeds at night. It's sad how deep the programming of your childhood goes.

  As the article put it: "My church badly wanted to pin an image on homosexuality, to label it abnormal and self-destructive. . ." (With a bunch of other self destructive things -it's a great psychology trick to add being gay to a list of obviously bad things.) "My church, after all, was fixated on the end times and craved evidence of increased moral depravity." (Unfortunately for them, that evidence is hard to find, as stats tell us quite the opposite is happening worldwide. With the fall of religion comes peace, not depravity.)

It just came down to fear of the unknown that is just human nature. Of course, we didn't admit to that! As the author put it: "There were all the justifications, the lies that enabled us to pretend we weren't just scared":

1. Gay and lesbian people are sexual predators.
2. They all have AIDS.
3. They hate God and want to drag us down to hell.
4. They have abortions for fun.
5. They want to spread their “lifestyle."
6. They don't carry out God's command to be fruitful and multiply.

"When I was a fundamentalist kid, I was never afraid . . .My discomfort was more generalized: gay people represented something out of Order. . . I wasn’t afraid of a “gay demon,” but rather of the demons of sexual perversity that only manifested in some as homosexuality. But I could never articulate what I expected would happen to me if such a demon did leap onto my shoulders as I walked past . . .two men kissing. My fear was grounded in emptiness. . .Gay people were impure, out of Order, perverted. But I couldn’t for the life of me say why that belief made me feel so threatened. “Touch not the unclean” defines homophobia for me. It’s a sense of generalized discomfort and disgust with others that was founded on nothing. It’s not rational, so it defies rational explanation. It’s a conditioned emotional response that causes fundamentalists to pull away from “corruption”. . . . 
It’s also a response that makes no sense in Christianity: such an attitude towards publicans, lepers, poor people and Samaritans was exactly what Jesus opposed. And he didn't oppose those attitudes only to replace them with a sanctimonious missionary attitude that says, 'I hate the sin but love the sinner so that I might bring him into the fold.' He genuinely loved, respected, and accepted them as human beings." For all their frothing over “worldly” perversions, one wonders whether fundamentalist preachers have ever actually read half of what Jesus supposedly preached!

 Interestingly, I see some Christians (admittedly all Fundamental type ones) fear Atheists in the same way they fear gays. Again, Atheism has been put with a long list of evil doers, and stupid behavior, in an attempt to discredit the life and intelligence of the Atheist. (Neither of which have anything to do with whether their lack of belief in gods is validated with even the reasoning of an un-brainwashed child.)

Furthermore, there is a fear that the Atheist might lead you astray and straight into Hell! And justifiably so, because the moment you do open yourself up to an open minded discussion with them, you will see their intelligence and the common sense of their thoughts and likely join them. . .but not in Hell, as you will realize that Hell is just a silly myth. (The key here is "open mindedness", which only a "progressive" or smart rebel Christian will allow themselves to be. . .because a sincere Christian can find verses that make that open mindedness a lack of faith, and a sin.)


I was recently was sat down with my hubby in a circle of Christians for some insisted upon some "Adult conversation". I knew what was on their minds, as they all wanted to convert us back to Christianity. . . Not surprisingly though, no one had the nerve to bring it up apparently, and neither my husband or I had a reason to bring it up ourselves. . .so the "adult talk" never happened. It was obvious they had nothing to say, and we were fine with that. We would always be fine with not bringing it up ourselves too, if it weren't for the many things we feel we just have to speak up on, that feel wrong to us that they do. They don't have anything "on us" to make us fearful of confrontation, to my knowledge, but if they did, we would be open to hear about it. . . if it was an issue of life, not just beliefs!

Who cares how you believe, if it hasn't changed you into a better person! My family knows that my character has always been basically the same; caring, helpful, truthful, and even conservative person in most areas. . .whether a believing Christian or not. Whereas, we see other family members and friends getting saved or rededicating their lives to God late in life and not changing at all, at least in any areas that would actually help them have better character. (Just easy outward stuff changed, and they got all preachy saying what a better person they were with Jesus controlling them. . .yeah right!) People just don't change much deep down I've found. Their level of selfishness, generosity, intelligence, strength of will, and just overall character instilled in them from childhood, as well as their personality, will stay for life.

In the past I had this illogical fear of Atheists myself, and I got the shock of a lifetime when I got married to my husband. . .I mentioned before how I met my hubby in Bible school, and how we got separated for 2 1/2 years before getting married. (Read about it here in my post on He said he'd marry his first girlfriend. . .how we met.) Well, when I was with him, he was this patient, soft spoken, "godly"  leader. He knew his Bible better then anyone I knew, and even won big awards for it in highschool days! He  graduated top in his class, and was respected by most everyone as a guy of character and good work ethic, as well as brains. . .(even if some did mockingly call him a "prick", or "gay" behind his back.) Anyhow I could brag more, but you get the idea.

Then, due almost exclusively to his disappointment in people, as well as some miserable life circumstances at the time, he went searching for reality and truth. He knew he was struggling and couldn't lead me if he didn't know where he was going himself, but he didn't have the nerve to disappoint me. So with some hesitation, he went forward with our wedding. (This story does have a point here. . .)

We then went back to Bible school for him to finish up his music degree, while taking on a youth/music pastor position, and him working two jobs, and me one. (After my green card came in 6 months later then promised.) It was about two years of part time school, and making many 4 hour trips to our ministry for the weekend, that we took some time off to travel to Brazil. I was 7 months pregnant, and a position had opened up for Mike to be a music professor in a Bible school in Brazil when he graduated, so we had our expenses mostly paid to check it out.

That trip was not only completely miserable on me, for reasons I didn't understand at the time, (called an irritable uterus and horrible roads) but it showed us the secret life of missionaries. . .we came home needy, deflated, and a little lost. Mike continued on in his search for truth, and realized he didn't fit in with his Bible school anymore. He knew he would have to sign a doctrinal statement to graduate from his Bible school soon, and realized that he couldn't in a good conscience do that. So using our really poor finances, and my pregnancy issues as the reason, he dropped out of school, we then moved away from Wisconsin, to his family in California. There he started a business with his Dad, doing handyman stuff, and we lived with them for a while until I got back to feeling better.

In the mean time,( to make a long story longer:) my husband finally admitted to having no faith in the God of the Bible, and said he was an Atheist until he could find out what God was the true God. (He was not a true Atheist though IMO, he was just angry and bitter at what he'd been taught wrong, people and circumstances. He had a lot of questions, but saw no good answers at that time.)

Well, thanks to my great judgmental training as a Christian, and a lot of pressure from family, I harshly judged him and looked for fault in everything he did. I pestered and nagged him, I guilt tripped him whenever I could, and I didn't listen to a thing he tried to tell me. He was constantly studying, while I was constantly preaching what he already knew. (As if I was the one who knew the Bible inside and out, and had a much "better" life!) Not surprisingly, he got depressed and drowned himself in work and sports to get away from me and our miserable baby-who I made miserable with my Christian control methods. . . He told me later that he almost left me, but couldn't quite bring himself to doing it. ( I believed he was just miserable and depressed because he was trying to live without God.) He knew he wasn't happy, and didn't- at the time- have any conclusive evidence against the Bible, and certainly not against the existence of a God! So when out of his stress and half awake state while praying one day, he had an out of body experience, he believed that was his answer. Mainly because the last thing he remembered praying was that God would reveal himself to him if he was truly the God of the Bible. Convenient timing for our marriage, and easy to see how the mind would twist that situation, because he was desperate for any answer, even one his mind made up. So he came to me crying and we were both amazed with God's provision and in love again. (Knowing nothing of the science behind the Out of body experiences, and how typical it was.)

Soon we were unfairly evicted from our home and job as managers of a Motel, and sent in desperation to Canada to take a position to care for my Grandpa (because our other family we had lived with had just sold their home and were moving to a 55 + community). After selling most of our stuff in 2 weeks, and packing our 2 cars to the gills, we found out that my beloved Grandpa had died, and my paid position had now dried up.

Having nowhere to go, my parents told me to come anyhow and house sit for a short time, or until we had something come up. In that short time, because of my husband's trusting nature, our new car (Almost all of our money had foolishly just been sunk in that car.) and my Greencard in it was stolen. That led to a 9 month nightmare of fixing up an old RV to legally stay camped out together in the winter with a baby, on church property, (In trade for services) and Mike daily crossing the border to get a lousy fast food job. Then trading in our last descent car to buy a cheap van and trailer to haul our stuff across country in, to cross the border when we got approved of another greencard at a long awaited appointment. (Which we had the van die before getting there, making us in debt, and almost late for the appointment that we found out later was totally unnecessary to have to drive to.) It was ok though, because we believed that "God was testing us"! We were most importantly though, happily united, and searching together for the "perfect" church. . . (Another long story.)

Anyhow, the moral of the story to me was this: money and security doesn't bring happiness in a marriage where you are judging, instead of loving and accepting. The moment I stopped it though, all of the security and money dropped away, but we were strangely happy with just love and acceptance! I learned my lesson, and I vowed I would never make his or my life so miserable again by judging him.

And you know what? He never actually changed to be this horrible, Atheist I presumed he would, or even justified that he had been, in his depression. He was the same great guy! I just made him really sad and even mad at times because of how I treated him.  I realized later, that I see more marriage problems started and continued by the religious, preachy, judgmental wife (or husband, rarely)! Well, I learned my lesson for the next time he turned Atheist for real on me. . .and we never had anything but positive changes in our marriage that time. And I listened to him too. . .

 So my conclusion on the matter is this: if we can just enjoy people based on the similarities we have in character and personality (and/or life experience, hobbies and interests) and not focus so much on judging the differences in beliefs we have, I think we will not only have no fear of the differences, but as communication opens up, we will also have more understanding, love and acceptance as well. . . Actually, acceptance is necessary for true love in my book.

Let me save you some trouble. . .good health books.

While I hate soliciting, I am not selling anything. I simply want to share some resources with those who actually agree with or are considering my opinion on health and childcare topics. I may not be a pro on everything, but I am around those who are, that I hear the same books brought up a lot. And while no wise person agrees with 100% of any book, (No the Bible or the Koran are not exceptions to that rule) I think there are some jems out there that I would like to share with my readers. So in the categories that I am familiar with, I will share both my favorites, and what knowledgeable people in the related fields, as well as Amazon, highly rate.

The best womanly health books:

• Toni Weschler's, Taking Charge of Your Fertility
• The wise woman herbal for the childbearing year
• Down there: Sexual and reproductive health, the wise woman way
• The complete Organic Pregnancy
• Ina May's guide to childbirth
• Spiritual Midwifery (by Ina May)
• Hypno Birthing
• Husband coached childbirth
• Pushed
• The natural pregnancy book
• The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy by Aviva Romm.
• The labor progress book
• Birthing from within
• A thinking woman's guide to a better childbirth
• Active birth: a new approach
• To give birth naturally
• Do you want to have a Baby
• Natural Health after birth: The Complete Guide to Postpartum Wellness
• Christian Midwifery

Natural and loving Childcare books:

• The womanly art of breastfeeding

 (The newest addition that discusses ecological breastfeeding is best.)

• The continuum concept
• Unconditional parenting
• The Baby book, by Dr. Sears
• Attached at the heart
• Liberated parents, liberated Children
• An introduction to Biological Nurturing: New Angles on Breastfeeding.
• Diaper Free! The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene 
• Baby-Led Weaning 
• Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care
• Disease Proof Your Child, By Joel Fehrman MD 
• Take charge of your child's health, by Dr. George Wootan 
• How to raise a healthy child in spite of your Doctor, Mendleson 
• Naturally healthy babies and children

And a longer list here.

Top natural health books:

• Fit to live
• The paleo diet
• Nourishing Traditions
• Gut and Psychology Syndrome
• Your body's many cries for water
• Politically incorrect nutrition
• Natural health solutions
• Knockout: Interviews with Doctors curing Cancer 
• Healthy Healing 14th ED. 
• Be Your Own Doctor by Rachael Weaver M.H. 
• Super immunity, by Joel Fehrman MD 

Stay tuned for book recommendations for all things related to gardening and homesteading next.

Let's talk about "ageism" in America. . .

Ageism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Look up Ageism in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Ageism, or age discrimination is stereotyping and discriminating against individuals or groups because of their age. It is a set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values used to justify age based prejudice, discrimination, and subordination.

Agist
	Someone who uses Ageism, usually by an adult who obviously cannot remember his or her childhood becuase if they did they'd think that kids deserve rights. Saying that someone at a certain age is better than someone at another age (agism is about not having age rights, not age appropriate abilities.)

While Ageism can be seen in any proud person, in any group, I see Ageism rampant in mainly  conservative Christian circles in this country. Even while in  those crowds myself though, unfairness always disturbed me. (It especially angered me as a child!)  I even wrote a poem talking about it, back in my most conservative cult days. It went like this:

                               Can you see me; are you looking- past my eyes so blue?

                                   In this little body that is still so very new. . .
                                   Can you keep that vision from this day until I die?
                               Does it make your heart just swell, and does it make you cry?
                               Do you see the responsibility that now belongs to you?
                                To feed and cloth my body sure, but I'm a soul too.

                               Can you see me; are you looking- past me in my prime?
                               Can you see the need within and will you take the time?
                                Though I have the pride that tells me, "I will never die". . .
                                 Help me to slow down in life, not let it rush on by.
                                 Won't you see me like a babe, that vision please renew. . .
                                'Cause way down deep under my skin, I'm a soul too.

                                    Can you see me; are you looking- past eyes dimmed with age?
                                  Past a body holding a soul in a miserable old cage.
                                  Will you listen as I share the needs of a dying soul?
                                  Will you touch me, thought the years have now taken their toll?
                                  Will you listen with respect, to what to me is true?
                                  'Cause when my body's seen it's end, I'm a soul too.
                                                                                       By Angela Aloisi

(To my great surprise, this poem wasn't well accepted by most of my Christian family and friends.)

The poem was partially inspired by the Ageism I saw towards mostly babies and kids that I saw all around me in the Church of God in Christ Mennonite . . .but also from what I saw in myself, and what I saw when I worked in a nursing home. My personality struggles with being a perfectionistic control freak but I felt a call from God/my conscience to not be a part of that judgmental and proud mindset anymore.


Don't think that the "set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values used to justify age based prejudice, discrimination, and subordination" aren't at the very heart of the Ancient religions though, just as racism and sexism was. Because it is! I was doing just what the Bible taught, and what the most sincere Christians I knew all did.

Sadly, the Ageism I saw (and abuse that went with it) was justifiable to me. "By way of justifying infant “training” and the continued “submission of the will” of children, IFB parents point to these lines in The Book of Proverbs:

• Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. (Pr 23:14)
• The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. (Pr 29:15)
  
• Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. (Pr 22:15)
  
• He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes [early on; speedily]. (Pr 13:24)
  
• Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.(Pr 19:18)
  
• The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil. (Pr 20:30)

To Train Up a Child, by fundamentalist Christian minister Michael Pearl and his wife Debi, is very popular within the IFB. This guide to “consistently rewarding every transgression with a switching” (from the book’s introduction) has sold over 670,000 copies. Here are some quotes from the book:

These truths [of this book] are . . . the same principles the Amish use to train their stubborn mules, the same technique God uses to train his children.

If you have to sit on him to spank him then do not hesitate. And hold him there until he is surrendered. Prove that you are bigger, tougher, more patiently enduring and are unmoved by his wailing. Defeat him totally. Accept no conditions for surrender. No compromise. You are to rule over him as a benevolent sovereign. Your word is final.

If God’s love is expressed by the “whippings” He gives, then can we not love our children enough to chasten them unto holiness? I have heard a rebellious teenager say, “If they only loved me enough to whip me.”

But what of the grouch who would rather complain than sleep? Get tough. Be firm with him. Never put him down and then allow him to get up. If, after putting him down, you remember he just woke up, do not reward his complaining by allowing him to get up. For the sake of consistency in training, you must follow through. He may not be able to sleep, but he can be trained to lie there quietly. He will very quickly come to know that any time he is laid down there is no alternative but to stay put. To get up is to be on the firing line and get switched back down.

She then administers [to a three-year-old] about ten slow, patient licks on his bare legs. He cries in pain. If he continues to show defiance by jerking around and defending himself, or by expressing anger, then she will wait a moment and again lecture him and again spank him. When it is obvious he is totally broken, she will hand him the rag and very calmly say, “Johnny, clean up your mess.”

On the bare legs or bottom, switch him eight or ten licks; then, while waiting for the pain to subside, speak calm words of rebuke. If the crying turns to a true, wounded, submissive whimper, you have conquered; he has submitted his will. If the crying is still defiant, protesting and other than a response to pain, spank him again.

One particularly painful experience of nursing mothers is the biting baby. My wife did not waste time finding a cure. When the baby bit, she pulled hair (an alternative has to be sought for baldheaded babies).

Select your instrument according to the child’s size. For the under one year old, a little, ten- to twelve-inch long, willowy branch (striped of any knots that might break the skin) about one-eighth inch diameter is sufficient. Sometimes alternatives have to be sought. A one-foot ruler, or its equivalent in a paddle, is a sufficient alternative. For the larger child, a belt or larger tree branch is effective."

So it was justifiable not only because it was done by good Christians and was Biblical, but because of it's seeming effectiveness. . .or at least acceptance. People being raised in the days of slavery or in a sexist societies also usually think (or thought) it's right and harmless though, so we need to realize that our perspective is blinded while in it.

As a teenager I saw this blindness in someone else firsthand, but still didn't see it in myself. . .mainly because I didn't have any cause to see it in myself with no kids yet.
Once my parents took in a boarder, a single mom of ethnic descent, and her 5 year old son. At first we thought they were both model boarders, and even came to some of our church's programs. I was impressed with the soft-spokeness and obedience of the boy, even if not his intelligence. Then I started to see the reason for it. . .the boy feared his mom, and her temper. She would privately fly off the handle at the least silliness or childishness and he would get a beating. Crying wasn't allowed for it though I quickly found out. He was only beat more for crying when he was beaten, so the boy was very quiet. There was no denying the many slapping noises that came from that room though, and I knew my heart couldn't stand for that. So I started talking to the boy more and gaining his confidence to get a feel for the situation more clearly. I found out that he loved his abusive Mom, and even justified all the abuse she did to him! Classic signs of abuse BTW.

At that time my parents were told about the abuse, and I recall them tentatively approaching the subject with the Mom, and it ending in her leaving our home. Should we have called child protective services? Should we have called the cops? What was our place, and what rights did the parent have to abuse their own child? It was tricky. . .especially for my parents who knew full well that they had spanked their children, and planned to do the same with their late born baby at the time.

Anyhow, it got me thinking; Is an abused child helpless? Or are we allowed by our society to intervene when we see wrong done to a child? Or is it none of our business what another parent does?

It's been said to me lately that it is none of my business if another parent wants to abuse their child, even if it's right in front of you! I understand giving grace to parents with a bad day, especially if they (or their partner) realize it's not typical, and preferably admit to their guilt later. . . but to defend the chronic abusive actions of a parent, both in the heat of the moment, and afterwards, tells us there is a deeper problem of Ageistic beliefs or values and I don't think people should stand for it.

How can we tell the difference between just for instance a choice of a different philosophy of care for a child (i.e. not choosing to vaccinate or chop out a body part that a doctor tells you that you could or should chop out) or messed up beliefs and values that place the child in a position of inferiority? What should our rights with our own children be? And what are their rights?!

Do we have the right to hurt and change our unconsenting children's bodies, just for what we deem as good looks? (Things like: filing teeth, binding feet to make small, binding heads into a point, piercings, circumcision. . .etc.) Some would do all manner of child abuse like those, while denying other parents the right to abort their unborn, unfeeling fetus. What's the difference? They are all abuse if you think about this: no child would consent to any of them at that moment, if in their innocent and un-brainwashed state they could talk. . . (except under a rare circumstance of excruciating pain, and if they could reason about a low quality of life in the future.) 

The thing is, if we believe they are "born in sin", needing to be controlled, (not protected) and put in their place, we will just naturally be abusing them. If we consider a baby or child with respect and live by the Golden rule, we will likely find it hard to abuse the innocent and vulnerable child.

 Remember, Ageism is saying that someone at a certain age is better than someone at another age ; it is about age rights, not abilities. Not to belabor this, but if you're like me, you may need examples of ageism practiced today in our culture.

So here's a list of abusive practices ageist adults do, that my children helped me come up with:

• Abortion (with rare exception for a case of life and death for mom to carry baby, or baby born with a major defect, the mom could show responsibility and carry the child, even if to give it up at birth.)
• Circumcision -no medical benefit, and lots of permanent side effects. It is now done out of tradition/looks, religion, and ignorance only.
• Ear piercing of babies and young children.
• "Sleep training"or "crying it out" method used on your baby or child. (Which causes a host of long lasting psychological issues, and brain damage.)
• Using a playpen, car seat, swing, or stroller a lot, or "training" a baby or child to stay away from you and within the confines of a blanket or bed against their will. (Again, causing a host of psychological issues and disadvantages to their future creativity and ability to think "outside of the box".)
• Using Mother substitutes in the first few formative years (i.e. babysitters, pacifiers) to replace the love, comfort and support from a nursing mother that a baby needs for optimal emotional/mental growth.
• Hitting/spanking a child hard (anywhere, and with anything!) for discipline, and with the purpose of breaking their spirit/will. (The motivation doesn't matter, nor does the calmness it is applied with. . .it only serves to give a mixed message that confuses and brainwashes a child.)
• Putting soap in a child's mouth for using free speech.
• Holding a child against their will just to teach submission to your will.
• Not allowing a child to question or "talk back" to an adult without discipline
• Not allowing a child to talk freely in settings they don't need to be in, (Adult church, concerts. . .) and using them in a public setting to show off what a "trained" and well behaved child you have. Or not allowing them to sing or whistle around you without being sent into isolation.
• Not allowing the child to talk with negative emotions (without harsh discipline).
• Not allowing a child to run or play inside like a "wild Indian" (when it would do no harm and just because you don't like it.) without discipline.
• Forcing a child to go to a nursery, Sunday school, school or a college that he doesn't want to go to, when other more favorable options exist. (Or take classes, sports or do a homeschool curriculum that he/she finds intolerable.)
• Giving a child no say in their hairstyle or clothes.
• Forcing a child to eat everything on their plate.
• Forcing a child to take "yucky" supplements or food that you don't eat, but should.
• Cheering to distract and minimize the feelings of a baby who truly hurts themselves.
• Giving yourself treats from a private stash that the kids can't have because it's bad for them. . .(and not you?)
• Giving yourself privileges that you don't give your kids. (i.e. food options within reason, trips to favorite destinations, choice of friends. . .)
• Giving yourself pampering that you wouldn't give your kid. (i.e. massages, manicures, comfy clothes and shoes, soft seats in the car. . .)
• Constantly bringing up children's childish behaviors as a problem that they should feel guilty for, as if it's a horrible sin (like, to act frisky, repeat themselves, yell, pick their nose, bit their nails, cut their hair, bug their siblings, etc.). . .while neglecting to mention how you had the same issues when you were their age.
• Using guilt, shock therapy or invasive surgeries. . .to treat an inconvenient and temporary problem, like bed wetting.
• Restricting their involvement in games and activities that they are able to do and there is no harm in them doing- with parental supervision to help them learn. (i.e. Facebook, e-mail, board games, toys, using hot tubs that are the only warm option sometimes, going to mature and ethically deep themed (R) movies with parents. . .etc.)

There are a host of others that are unfair or abusive, but they are ones that are done in complete ignorance by the parents. Sometimes because of a different model of care, just not being informed about the options or not having the right support. . .so those wouldn't count as Ageism.

What it comes down to though is: would you want any of those things done to you without a really good cause? Sadly, a lot of those practices came out of a convenience they represented to self-centered parents. Others from a concept of control and superiority of the elders, as taught in ancient religions. Some of those though (like abortion, using a pacifier, or a baby sitter,  nursery or school. . .) are necessary evils to parents in certain circumstances. . . which are usually choices they made for (they believed) the greater good of the whole family.

While we are not unique in our treatment of children in the world, we are one of the few who are not willing to see our part in the problem, and would rather blame the children, then take responsibility for how they became what they are today because of abusive parents. (I personally haven't found a bad kid yet. . .just a sad, hardened, bitter, neglected one. And I haven't found a truly Angelic one yet either. . .at least not one that hasn't been brainwashed into being content with, and thinking they deserve, abuse from their parents.)

We, a highly religious 1st world nation, should have been the first to come up with a declaration of the rights of the most vulnerable in our population, but sadly, we are one of the last to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is an international human rights treaty which grants all children and young people a comprehensive set of rights, including the right to express their views and have them taken into account in all matters affecting them (article 12); the right to play, rest and leisure (article 31) and the right to protection from all forms of violence (article 19). Only two countries in the world have not yet signed the Convention: Somalia and the US! The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely and rapidly ratified human rights treaty in history, and yet we have not signed it! 

The US is one of only seven countries-together with Iran, Nauru, Palau, Somalia, Sudan and Tonga- that has failed to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) as well. These and other key treaties the US has yet to sign, to protect some of the world's most vulnerable populations. The failure of the US to join with other nations has undercut its international leadership on key issues, limiting its influence, its stature, and its credibility in promoting respect for human rights around the world. Not surprising really though, as the US is only leading the world in the way their religious parents led them: through fear and intimidation, not by example and with respect.