Nice try, John.

First things first - I love you, honey, but I have to do this.

Now that that's out of the way, how stupid does John Ratzinger, a.k.a, Pope Benedict XVI, think atheists, agnostics, deists, and other freethinkers are?

If you've missed the latest papal news, Ratzinger tried in vain to equate atheism with Nazism, even going so far to say that atheism lead to the Holocaust in an attempt rid the world of God. Apparently, Ratzinger never heard of a book that Adolf Hitler wrote, entitled "Mein Kampf". In it, Hitler stated "I believe today that I am acting in the sense of the Almighty Creator. By Warding off the Jews, I am fighting for the Lord's work."

Here are some more quotes that Ratzinger might want to pay attention to:

"I am now as before a Catholic and will always remain so." - 1941

"I would like here to appeal to a greater than I, Count Lerchenfeld. He said in the last session of the Landtag that his feeling 'as a man and a Christian' prevented him from being an anti-Semite. I say: My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded only by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them and who, God's truth! was greatest not as a sufferer but as a fighter. .. How terrific was His fight for the world against the Jewish poison." - 1922

"The greatness of Christianity did not lie in attempted negotiations for compromise with any similar philosophical opinions in the ancient world, but in its inexorable fanaticism in preaching and fighting for its own doctrine." - Mein Kampf

"I have followed the Church in giving our party program the character of unalterable finality, like the Creed. The Church has never allowed the Creed to be interfered with. It is fifteen hundred years since it was formulated, but every suggestion for its amendment, every logical criticism, or attack on it, has been rejected. The Church has realized that anything and everything can be built up on a document of that sort, no matter how contradictory or irreconcilable with it. The faithful will swallow it whole, so long as logical reasoning is never allowed to be brought to bear on it." - Mein Kampf

Sorry, John. It doesn't sound like Hitler was an atheist to me.

Since we're quoting Nazis, let's throw another in for good measure:

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the policital, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."

Actually, what I really think Ratzinger is afraid of is people learning about the true history of the Church and its complicity with the Nazis as they murdered over 6 million Jews. Either that or he's still hoping that people will forget that he was a Nazi himself.

Anyway, nice try, John. Continue living your lavish life clothed in the finest linens and silk while sitting in a throne made of gold. Personally, you disgust me like few people can.

In related news, Christine O'Donnell, the new darling of the Teabaggers, stated that she wouldn't lie to protect Jews from Nazis. Apparently, telling the truth means more to her than saving the lives of innocent people. During a recent appearance on Bill Maher's show, she stated the following:

"I believe if I were in that situation, God would provide a way to do the right thing righteously. I believe that! ... You never have to practice deception. God always provides a way out."

Which, of course, begs the obvious question; did your god provide a way out for the millions of Jews who were being gassed and incinerated, Christine? Could you stand there listening to Jews screaming to God to save their lives as the skin melted from their flesh with a clean conscience because you couldn't tell even a little white lie to save them?

Learn more about Christine's extremely fragile mental health here.

First Amendment under attack - Christian style!

The First Amendment is under attack again, and as usual, it is the usual suspects who are doing the attacking; the Texas Board of Education. When are the troglodytes in this braindead organization going to go away?

It's not enough that they hate science for the sake of dogma and want to change history. Now they want to alter the way religion is covered in social studies text books throughout Texas. Apparently, textbooks talk way too much about Islam, and not enough about Christianity. They've even gone so far as to threaten textbook publishers with the following warning:

"State Board of Education will look to reject future prejudicial social studies submissions that continue to offend Texas law with respect to treatment of the world's major religious groups by significant inequalities of coverage space-wise and by demonizing or lionizing one or more of them over others."

In other words, write only page after page of rosy material about Christianity, but damn you to hell if you write even one word Islam that is anything but negative. The most telling aspect of this whole thing is that no one on the board has been able to offer any kind of evidence that Islam receives preferential treatment over Christianity in any textbook.

Perhaps what goons like Don McLeroy are truly frightened of are the Founders who identified themselves as anything but Christian. Perhaps the Treaty of Tripoli, signed by John Adams, states it best that: "The Government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion." Also, I think McLeroy and his clones should be reminded that "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." That includes members of the public school boards, Mr. McLeroy.

BFSP - 2010

I haven't posted anything on the Black Forest Star Party this year, so I thought I'd jump on that before I forget.

First off, for those of you who are concerned that if you don't get to Cherry Springs by no later than noon on Friday you won't get a decent spot, you can forget that myth. Mario Andretti had nothing on me as I tried to get there ahead of the crowd, but when I got there I found that there was barely a spot open; people had been there since Monday, September 6th. Don't speed on your way to Cherry Springs for the BFSP because it won't matter and it's not worth it. But it is a fun drive!

Now that that's out of the way, I have a message for you smokers out there. Yes, smoking is permitted at Cherry Springs, but you inconsiderate smokers out there really piss me off. Is it too much to ask for you to not smoke in high traffic areas like the vendors tents, dining area, and door prize room? I had to leave several times because of the smoke. I know that doesn't bother you in the least, but for next year's BFSP please be considerate of the vast majority who do not smoke, and find some secluded area to partake your nasty habit.

Other than this, there was still a few of you who just don't give a flying rat's rear end about park rules. Since Cherry Springs is a state park, that means that no alcoholic beverages are permitted. Nor are you allowed to bring your dog. Yet, some of you still insist on open containers in your vehicles, which is a crime in Pennsylvania. I love dogs a good beer like anyone else, but leave them at home when you go to Cherry Springs.

Aside from these things, BFSP was acceptable this year. Friday night's viewing was very good, but Saturday went down hill as clouds rolled in.

Here are some pics from some of the more outstanding scopes this year. This one, a Takahashi TOA-130 refractor, is my favorite.

Farewell, Jack.

The world of amateur astronomy took a pretty hard hit on Friday at the passing of Jack Horkheimer. Jack was perhaps most popular for his PBS series, the Star Gazer, formerly Star Hustler. He helped popularize, or better yet, returned amateur astronomy to "naked-eye" astronomy.

Personally, I'll miss Jack. I found him shortly after David introduced me to astronomy, and I made it a point to watch him as often as I could.

Thanks, Jack, for all you've done, and bringing astronomy to the masses.

Farewell.

For your consideration

For once, no politics, beating down the doors of religion, or the incessant barking of a lunatic in some town, smack dab in the middle of Pennsylvania. No swearing or long-winded diatribes. Nothing more than something for you to consider.

Publish Post

What more should we expect?

You may have heard recently that right-wing cretin, Newt Gingrich, released a book in which he claims he has moral high ground over the rest of us because he has God on his side. Keep in mind, this is the same man (using the term very loosely) who cheated on his first wife and summarily left her when she was bed-ridden with cancer. He went on to marry that woman, only to cheat on her as well with his current wife, Calista Bisek.

Fast forward to August 10 - Esquire magazine published a scorching tell-all about Newt from his second wife.

In an interview with Christianity Today in April of last year, Newt said "The Democratic Party has been the active instrument of breaking down traditional marriage..." Two failed marriages filled with infidelity. Moral high ground? Oh, I don't think so.

If you're a Christian or even a Republican, can you vote for this man next November with a clean conscience? Luckily for Newt, most conservative Christians are quick to sweep dirty little secrets under the rug.

Save the date!

Meet Harold Camping. Harold is the founder of Family Radio and host of Open Forum, which you can listen to weeknights at 88.3 FM here in State College if you want a good laugh.

Harold is an elderly fellow with a soft voice and gentle demeanor. That is, until you give him grief about his belief that the Rapture is to take place on May 21, 2011, and that the world will end on October 21 the same year. Give him any sass or question his sanity, and the gloves come off.

Even most Christians think this guy is a clown. Albeit, a clown who thinks he's genuinely doing the right thing, but a clown, nevertheless.

A challenge for Mr. Camping: if you're so sure that the Rapture is set to take place on May 21 next year, I want you to send all of your money to my Paypal account on May 20th. If not that, then on May 22, 2011, I want you to give all of the money back to everyone you ever duped into believing your crap.