Category Archives: religion

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God Oil Good For You says God Oil Council

The media is reporting only a few people have done unfortunate things fearing the end of the world but even three would be too many. There may be scores of people who inflicted damage to themselves and others that we know nothing about. It is unfortunate that the mentally ill in particular suffer, and what other way would you describe them, when fear is fostered by every grifter with an internet connection.

PZ Meyers passes on the news that one woman attempted to kill herself and her children, a man committed suicide and another person gave away all their money anticipating the Rapture. NONE of which makes sense even in their strange world view. In accordance to their own wacky rules the mother and the man in Nairobi could have just repented and been saved and the children were innocents so no problem, they would have been removed from the world by a higher power. Their actions display not only illness but a profound lack of faith in their own system.

And why give away money to strangers when you would just leave it all behind for sinful looters anyways? It isn’t like the cash you left behind would be used for good purpose in any case. Even if you left it with someone you trust to do good deeds with it, they are going to be left behind and since being irredeemably sinful, they would divert the funds to their own purposes once you were gone.


As of 10 am pacific time the Harold Camping website has not been updated to reflect the world not ending. I am curious as to what form the next installment of the message will take. Undoubtedly the news from all the various God oil salesmen will be full of squirming, convoluted weasel words to explain why God’s plan is unknowable and the Rapture did not occur because Jesus is still holding out for a percentage of those WWJD bracelets and send more money or you will face damnation. Who knows? Since Harold is hiding from the faithful and mocking alike it might be a while before we get an update.

You know what? Right now I’m asking Harold to do some good in the world. Shutter your 120 million dollar radio empire, liquidate everything and donate the funds to some charities that actually accomplish something positive and not do something stupid and wasteful like build more prayer buildings or programs that teach abstinence. There are a lot of organizations out there that will actually make people’s lives better and make the planet a nicer place to live. All those bucks could really do a lot of great things if sent to the right places. Let good things and not bad jokes be your legacy, Harold.

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Christian Woman Stops Robbery With Guilt

This video of a woman in a store talking a guy out of robbing her is hitting the media outlets faster than a psychic on a rich widow. Nearly every news organization and uncountable blogs are leading with the story of Jesus stepping in to save the woman from harm and/or the money from being stolen. Watch this video and note were the would-be robber actually changes his mind. It has little to do with Jesus.

I doubt that stores make the teller or employee reimburse the company in the event of being robbed. I have worked for many companies retail or otherwise and have never heard personally of any place that did. Repayment may be sought after theft by the employee in some cases, from negligence sometimes, but not when forced to give up items of value. I would really like to know the official policy from the company about compensation from employees in the event of robbery.

i asked, but since it is unlikely I will hear back from that company and news organizations will certainly never question her statement of having to pay back the company it appears that what an article in the Miami-Herald calls a “fib” (others call it a lie) and guilt is what stopped the robber and not the invisible hand of the Lord. It appears more the worry that someone reluctant (or unstable and easily coerced) to commit a crime in the first place would cause the victim inconvenience than divine intervention. It is clear that the woman showed no fear, and if her belief enabled to her to calmly dialog and confront a man with a gun, then great. Often not acting like prey is almost all that is needed to avoid being a victim. But that can backfire and is a personal choice, not one that an employee should make for the company and any other persons in the store or the vicinity.

It is quite possible the company will terminate her employment for not cooperating with a robber. Interfering with criminal activity can have serious consequences as some Sprint employees, among others recently discovered. Most companies have strict rules about how to deal with criminal activity and not cooperating can create extreme risk for others. Her unwillingness to follow the orders of the armed man actually extended the length of the robbery and the time he was in the store. Every moment he remained in the store increased the risk for everyone involved. That is why it is better, if not policy, to comply, give the person the goods or funds and let them depart as fast as possible. Fortunately she was not harmed. What is unfortunate is how the news is playing up this event.

Try critical thinking, please, before attributing things to magic.