Nullifying Love in the Name of Tradition and Religion

Is anyone surprised?

I know I'm not. Not content to rule their own flock, or allow some basic civil liberties (alright, let's be honest - not content to allow basic rights towards a group of human beings), the backers of Prop 8 are finally being called on the language of the Proposition...and, oh, they're incredibly happy about it. It's crystal clear, they say. The voters, in good conscience, voted to nullify all existing same-sex marriages. I can see them. Rocking back and forth on their heels, hands behind their backs, smug, satisfied little smiles on their faces.

This is always the point I have to get back to - as an atheist, I'm uncomfortable with religion, mostly because of religion's long history of not-so-nice behavior towards those that disagree with it (the same can be said of states, admittedly). Would I like to see people give up on religion? Yeah, probably. But here's the difference - I want to bring it into the marketplace of ideas and let it fall where it may. I'm not looking to legalize or make illegal any religion or religious belief. I don't fall back on the court system to get my opinions across. I've been accused of all sorts of close-mindedness, brutishness, rudeness, offensive behavior, etc. Some of that may be true, but I think the majority of it comes from the fact that religion and all other manner of pseudo-scientific flim-flam has been spoken about in such hushed tones for so long, that whenever someone speaks about them normally, it sounds like they're shouting.

"I don't believe in God. I think it's patently absurd, and while I can't absolutely disprove the concept, I think it's highly unlikely. Here's why..."

Most people claim that the above statement is ranting, highly offensive, or worse...I think it's pretty even toned. I'd say the same about psychic abilities, homeopathy, Zeus, Vishnu, Vecna, Hextor, alien abductions, the LHC destroying the world, and a host of other things, and a lot of people laugh along with these things...but, when I say "God," it's a lightning rod, apparently. I just don't think anything should be granted such sacred status. Sorry, kids.

So, all this is to say...You, you people who sponsor and bankroll Prop 8 and conducted campaigns of lies and misinformation, you people who feel like martyrs for supporting it...you are all snakes-in-the-grass, low, vile, mean, cruel, snooping, intrusive, abhorrent, despicable, hypocritical, scumbags.

Oh, and for the more childish amongst us, "Fuckers!"

Now, note. This is just my personal opinion, and I'll back it up with my reasons if anyone really wants to call me on it.

And people ask me "what's the harm" of religion...destroying the lives of those not even involved. That's one harm.