I don't say this often, but: Go Indiana!

This was up at Pharyngula a couple of days ago: a map showing states with their science education standards scores.I don’t often have an excuse to cheer on my state, but here I go: Go Indiana! We’re one of the few states with excellent science education standards. I really shouldn’t be too shocked: All of my biology teachers openly said Intelligent Design/creationism is not science, we got comprehensive sex education, there were many elective science classes offered… However, before I cheer them on too much, I want to make one caveat. Even though we have great standards, that doesn’t mean we’re getting through to people. I still see a frighteningly large amount of people here at Purdue who are anti-evolution or really just anti-science. Were these kids asleep during their high school classes?

Anyway, go Hoosiers, state pride, yadda yadda.

I don’t say this often, but: Go Indiana!

This was up at Pharyngula a couple of days ago: a map showing states with their science education standards scores.I don’t often have an excuse to cheer on my state, but here I go: Go Indiana! We’re one of the few states with excellent science education standards. I really shouldn’t be too shocked: All of my biology teachers openly said Intelligent Design/creationism is not science, we got comprehensive sex education, there were many elective science classes offered… However, before I cheer them on too much, I want to make one caveat. Even though we have great standards, that doesn’t mean we’re getting through to people. I still see a frighteningly large amount of people here at Purdue who are anti-evolution or really just anti-science. Were these kids asleep during their high school classes?

Anyway, go Hoosiers, state pride, yadda yadda.

Non-theist callout an insane success

I’m home from the Society of Non-Theists’ callout, eating a late dinner and drinking a much needed beer. I personally think callouts are the most stressful events to hold because they really set the precedent for the year. Can’t have people come to events if they don’t know about your club. They’re extra stressful when people keep tearing down or vandalizing your flyers, which we deal with all the time. So, how’d it go?

…

ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR PEOPLE SHOWED UP!
Holy crap. It was standing room only! We have our regular room that has 94 seats, and it’s never even been filled to capacity (well, we’ve had some larger events, but I reserve a larger room). To put this in perspective for you, our first year we had about 90 people (keep in mind we’re brand new so this is from all grade levels), second year 60 (now basically recruiting new students), and most clubs get 10 – maaaybe 40 people at a callout unless they’re huge and popular. We are now huge and popular.

And as a special side note, out of all of my stupid jokes or random ideas, the thought to go see the evangelical Porn & Popcorn night then go watch real porn got a thundering applause.

People who tear our flyers down because you’re afraid we even exist? Yeah, you’re not stopping us.

Porn is evil! God is good! Rarrrr!

Man, you know what’s one awesome thing about school starting again? Endless blog material! Thank you, conservative uber-Christian Midwest!

My friend directed me to this lovely event on facebook – Porn & Popcorn – that will be at Purdue on Friday the 11th. I thought, porn and popcorn? At Purdue?! Awesome! Then I took the time to read the event description, and I wanted to cry. Actually, it’s so bad, I’m going to have to continuously interrupt it; sorry folks:

Porn has now become an accepted mainstream topic.

Good. We need to stop having such Puritan views of sex.

Porn is glamorized in almost every hit TV show today, magazine (teen or adult); it is piped into your cell phones, children’s cell phones,

Okay, fear tactics much? Porn isn’t randomly being sent to the phones of 12 year olds. Actually, your 12 year old shouldn’t even have a cell phone, but that’s a different pet peeve of mine altogether. If there’s porn on your 16 year old’s phone, it’s because he or she wants it there. And if they can’t get it on their phone, they’re going to find other ways to find it because they’re naturally horny and sexually repressed by your domineering religion.

book stores and even public libraries. Porn is regular conversation at jobs, in classrooms, and on most radio programs. Yes, it can even be found on the shelves of the libraries at the conservative midwestern campus of Purdue University.

Uh, no, I’m pretty sure it can’t…but if it can, where can I find it?

The statistics associated with pornography and pornography addiction are truly staggering. What began as seemingly harmless “pictures of pretty girls and some good articles” has spawned a generation of pornography that is more explicit, more violent, and more deviant than ever before. We need to start talking about it.

The statistics associated with pornography and porn addiction are pretty much worthless, but spread by extreme right religious groups in order to scare their followers into not being sexual beings. You know, human beings. Yes, some studies have shown that watching violent porn increased thoughts about violent sex – but some studies show the opposite effect, that porn decreases rape. You know why? Correlation doesn’t imply causation. People could be watching violent porn because they’re already predisposed to violent sexual thoughts! If you were looking for porn and accidentally found something violent and you weren’t into that kind of stuff, would you just sit and keep watching it?

And violent sexual thoughts don’t necessarily mean rape. A large amount of people are into BDSM, which some people may view as “violent,” but it is completely consensual. Of course, we know how much fundamentalists respect consenting sex between two adults… And just because someone has a rape fantasy doesn’t mean they actually are going to – or even want to do it. Rape fantasy is one of the most common fantasies in females, but that doesn’t mean those women actually want to be raped. That’s why it’s called a fantasy.

And on a final note, I don’t deny that there are people with porn addiction, or that this isn’t a problem. But you know what, you can get addicted to nearly anything. Do we ban alcohol because some people have problems with it? How about the internet? Hell, some people get addicted to working out – does that make it evil? No. Some people are just predisposed to engage in addictive behaviors. If porn starts to interfere with your normal life, then yes, you should probably lay off. But for the rest of us, it’s not dangerous.

Join us for a FREE event at Slayter Hill on the campus of Purdue University!

The band will start rockin’ at 9:00 pm
XXXChurch (leading expert on pornography) will present from 9:30-11:30
Then, choose to stay for a midnight showing of the movie, Fireproof.

…Lies about pornography and Kirk Cameron’s shitacular movie Fireproof?!?! Nooooooo! I feel dirty knowing this will even be occurring anywhere near me! It’s bad enough they’re spreading lies, why spread bad movies too?

Stuff like this really bugs me. The same people who think porn is evil think all sex is evil. They’re the ones who cause more problems. If we we more accepting of sex and had more comprehensive sex education, we’d have less teen pregnancy and less spread of STDs. And you know what, people may even rely on porn less because they wouldn’t feel so bad about actually having sex! It just drives me mad that people can be against something so natural and human that they need to go around fear mongering.