Battle Cry

Many apologies from the loyal readers of The Accuser. It's tough to keep things up, but I will try to do better.


A reader emailed me this interesting link. Battle Cry is a christian youth group, with the following mission, which they refer to as "The Crisis".

A stealthy enemy has infiltrated our country and is preying upon the hearts and minds of 33 million American teens. Corporations, media conglomerates, and purveyors of popular culture have spent billions to seduce and enslave our youth. So far, the enemy is winning. But there is plenty we can do. We need to take action. We need to answer the Battle Cry.

Creepy indeed, as my informant pointed out. Apparently, you can go to these rallies, indulge in a little god, and create a "battle plan" (with such useful actions like spending 10 minutes a day praying) and get other likeminded christian teens motivated.

My reader also brings up an interesting point: is there a way to get kids motivated who are the secular side of things. I'd say that this is a dangerous idea. Any ideological organization is highly susceptible to corruption. The best chance we have to get people to abandon religion is to make sure that the we diminish its effects in the world and let people come to their own conclusion. Atheists shouldn't minister. Leave that to the preachers.

While scary, I suspect this Battle Cry is ultimately harmless. If the concern is that it might create some psychopath who'd bomb abortion clinics, then chances are that person would become nuts in the first place.

Technorati Tags: Religion,
christian, Battly Cry, Atheism,

Hitchens Benjamin Debate - DVD Update

Just got word from Scott Pelligrino, the president of popdebate.com who threw the Hitchens/Benjamin debate in February. He's informed me that once they should have DVDs of the event for sale on their site as soon as a few technical snags are worked out. Check back soon.

Technorati Tags: Christopher Hitchens,
Playthell Benjamin, religion, Iraq,

Abdul Rahman and the Curious Case of the Christian Convert

In Afghanistan, apparently, a man by the name of Abdul Rahman could be facing trial, and execution, for converting to christianity.

While The Accuser appreciates the sentiment of such a law, the practical applications are a little extreme.

It points to a fundamental fact of religion... that they are intolerant, as previously discussed on this blog. In fact, they have to be intolerant by their very nature, otherwise, any authority they might have would disappear. How could you believe me to have the answers to the mysteries of the universe if I said this other guy had 'em too and they were also right.

The article also mentions that he may not be able to face trial because he is mentall unfit. Of course he is unfit. He's religious. Anyone who is religious should be deemed mentally unfit for all activities: trial, public office, medicine, teaching.

However, there is a deeper issue at play here. These countries, where we have fought to bring democracy, are now creating and enforcing legal systems based on religious law. That is a scary thing. Democracies based on religious beliefs are not democracies. And no, America is not a christian country, despite what the 700 club would attempt to have you believe.

Iraq also includes religious ideology in their constitution. To me, that is a big sign of problems to come.

Technorati Tags: Religion,
Abdul Rahman, Afghanistan, Iraq,

Gonzo is dead! Long Live Gonzo!

Grievous day, readers of The Accuser!

Our good friend over at Deus Caritas Est has informed me that Bill Cardoso, the man who coined the word 'gonzo' died, February 26, of a heart attack.

Gonzo, if you recall, was a style of journalism embraced by the likes of Hunter S. Thompson.

But, the concept of gonzo has become much more than merely journalism. While defined in Webster's in 1979 as

meaning "bizarre, unrestrained, extravagant, specifically designating a style of personal journalism so characterized.

I think it's safe to strip out journalism and replace it with just about anything else. General writing, personal style of living, music, anything.

Cardoso's contribution was brilliant, and it's sad that he is gone.

Everyone should do something a little gonzo to remember him.

Technorati Tags: Gonzo,
Bill Cardoso, Hunter S. Thompson

Buddhist Bullshit - Revisited

Faithful readers of The Accuser will remember a little story published here a few months ago, about Ram Bahadur Banjan, a 15 year old boy in Nepal who has been "meditating" without food and water for months.


It appears little Ram is back in the news. He's missing.

Followers of Ram Bahadur Banjan reported his disappearance and search parties on Sunday split up in the jungles of Bara, about 100 miles south of the capital, Katmandu, to investigate, said Santaraj Subedi, the chief government official in the district.

Gautam Raj Kattel, a police official, said eyewitnesses reported seeing the teen heading south before dawn on Saturday. His clothes were found near the spot where he had been meditating.

Kattel said officials did not believe Banjan had been abducted by communist rebels or robbers.

Don't really know what to say here. People actually believe that this boy has been surviving with no food, no water, motionless for nearly a year. And you could, until now, go see this miracle, with certain exceptions:

Visitors have only been allowed to view the Banjan between dawn and dusk from a roped-off area about 80 feet away. His followers kept him from public view at night, when they would place a screen in front of him.

Buddhism is a particularly dangerous religion. Mostly, I think, because the west has this soft attitude towards it: it's viewed more as philosophy than organized religion, and that it's all peace and serenity and tranquility. It's real dogma is obscured by a vague spirituality with which people approach it. There's a lot more to Buddhism that meets the eye, and The Accuser is going to try, at least, to bring some of its more nasty (and therefore, real) parts to light.

Technorati Tags: religion, buddhism, bullshit, atheism, Ram Bahadur Banjan

Hitchens Benjamin Debate Audio Recording Available

An addendum to the Christopher Hitchens / Playthell Benjamin debate at Cooper Union on February 9, 2006.

I know a lot of you have been wondering if there is any recording of the Christopher Hitchens / Playthell Benjamin debate that took place on February 9th at Cooper Union in NYC. I have found that on WBAI, a local radio station, has copies available, if you donate to them, Here is the link

WBAI Donation Page

I haven't personally purchased one yet, so if anyone has and wants to comment on its quality or reliability, feel free to use the comment page or email me directly at editor@theaccuser.org.

Technorati Tags: Iraq, Christopher Hitchens, Playthell Benjamin, debate, Atheism

Human Sacrifices: Absurd or Insane? or This Is Religion!

Here is a beauty of an article from India this morning. It appears that human sacrifices are still going on.

Ten days ago Sumitra and her two sons crept to their neighbour's home and abducted three-year-old Aakash Singh as he slept. They dragged him into their home and the eldest son performed a puja ceremony, reciting a mantra and waving incense. Sumitra smeared sandalwood paste and globules of ghee over the terrified child's body. The two men then used a knife to slice off the child's nose, ears and hands before laying him, bleeding, in front of Kali's image.

This is religion. There is no clearer image than that of a "holy man" convincing an illiterate woman to kidnap and brutally butcher a child to death. It doesn't matter if it's one god, one hundred gods, aliens or whatever. All of it is insanity. The only difference here is degree. Catholics snack on Jesus' flesh and drink his blood every Sunday. Many Muslims think it's halal to strap a bomb to their chest and blow up schoolchildren. Some Jews practice oral suction during circumcision. There is no end to it.

Interestingly enough, this took place in Uttar Pradesh, the same province where Yaqoob Qureshi, minister of Minority Welfare, put out a 6 Million Pound bounty on the Danish Cartoonists.

I can't think what proof people need to wake up, if this doesn't do it.

Technorati Tags: Religion,
Hinduism, Human Sacrifice, India, Atheism,