That is one catchy tune. Too bad in real life you can’t get an Arab and a Jew dancing together. Nice reference to Jefferson’s Bible. Definitely one to play at parties hehe.
aaasays
This was the most awesome video EVER. You sir, deserve to win the internet.
ggabsays
Hey, that was fun but did you see that guys dancing?
How the hell did we find a musician without rhythm?
Mattsays
For entertainment, just found this youtube. Maybe you all have seen it already. Lady can’t believe there’s a rainbow in her sprinkler mist. Must be pollution, etc. Not kidding.
JBsays
filthy atheists
Boy, people like BurningUmbrella are lucky that unbridled stupidity isn’t a terminal illness.
Trying to insinuate that the first amendment includes filthy atheists is clearly a sin.
Nothing to insinuate, it’s there in black and white. And most atheists I know shower regularly, so we aren’t as filthy as some might imagine. Oh wait… y’all imagine a bunch of other stuff that isn’t true, too.
Anyway, I’m proud to live in a country where videos like this are protected under the First Amendment historically accurate, politically correct, visually fun … and successfully do their part to piss off the religious right.
Janine ID AKA The Lone Drinkersays
Posted by: Burning Umbrella | November 6, 2008
Trying to insinuate that the first amendment includes filthy atheists is clearly a sin.
Hey! I took a shower this morning.
Oh wait, you are talking about something else. Why don’t you just come out and say it; IT IS FREEDOM OF RELIGION NOT FREEDOM FROM RELIGION!
You took the first shot so I will fire back, you are a pig ignorant asshole.
The figures named in the video were not christians as you would know it. As shown in the video, Jefferson did edit the bible, taking out all supernatural events, thus leaving what he felt were the valuable thing from that book, moral teachings.
If you paid attention, the video was an attack on those who would use the american government to force their religion on others.
As it stands, I can life openly as an atheist. Ain’t that great! And I will not tolerate any mental filth from the likes of you. Fuck off.
lytefootsays
Well, that could’ve used a NSFW warning… and I think I may need to burn my eyeballs out after watching the intro… but awesome, just awesome.
BTW… everything in Burning Umbrella’s post rang my sarcasm detectors. Am I wrong? Does (s)he have other posts that lead people to think (s)he’s serious? Have I got my optimism about human nature tuned too high lately?
Kalynsays
Barack Obama may be a Christian – but he’s also a secularist who does not stand for basing public policy on religious motives. This is a nation of Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Mormons, Muslims, and nonbelievers. He said that – not me.
Ponysays
You know, I could be wrong, but I thought there was a strong sarcastic undertone to Burning Umbrella’s post.
JBsays
@#20 — Maybe… If so, I apologize. Otherwise, my statement stands, and I will second Janine’s.
Peter Ashbysays
Brilliant, best bit was the limboing under the Nazi salutes. Nice one.
Jeanettesays
lytefoot @18: I could be wrong, but I thought Burning Umbrella was being sarcastic, too, especially in light of the whole comment. People keep quoting the first part and ignoring the rest of it, so I think they’re missing something. And I’m not in an overly rose-tinted mood today.
Patriciasays
Damn Janine, you beat me to it this morning!
Burning Umbrella – Fuck Off.
Burning Umbrellasays
I grasp for the impossible.
David Marjanović, OMsays
How anyone could believe Burning Umbrella was being serious is beyond me.
Sven DIMilosays
“smakin'”?
E.V.says
Burning Umbrella:
I grasp for the impossible.
That would be wit, in your case.
Burning Umbrellasays
Most likely so.
For my defense, I tried to make it obvious.
Janine ID AKA The Lone Drinkersays
Burning Umbrella, you should realize, it is difficult to do a parody of crazed christian thought. It is a parody unto itself. Therefore, it is hard to tell parody from the (sur)real thing.
Seeing that it was a joke, I apologize for verbal lashing you.
Epinephrinesays
“Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason. I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice, I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God’s will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.”
Barack Obama, (probably the speech linked above, by Kalyn @#19).
I really think this could be a good thing for Americans.
Jeanettesays
Burning Umbrella @29: Some of us got it. Things sometimes get lost in the translation in written communication, is all. Have a great day, anyway.
Burning Umbrellasays
I’ll keep trying. One day it shall be possible to distinguish the real thing from parody (or there won’t be need for it), and then my wit might impress someone other than myself.
Yes, I’m an optimist.
Janine ID AKA The Lone Drinkersays
We all need to be, even if it sometimes goes against my better judgment.
Steve8282says
I for one got burning umbrella’s joke on the first pass but then I’m Canadian.
Burning Umbrella, ya gotta watch out for Poes’ Law.
That said, apparently the “jump to conclusions mat” didn’t work out. Although he did say: “I deal with the god damn customers so the engineers don’t have to. I have people skills; I am good at dealing with people. Can’t you understand that? What the hell is wrong with you people?”
Newfiesays
I watched that whole video, and I didn’t catch teh ghey.
“Poe’s Law” is just a theory, which means it’s not real.
Janine ID AKA The Lone Drinkersays
Now you are just being a smartass!
-snort-
JohnAsays
I loves me some metaphors – especially some fun ones like that.
Benjamin Franklinsays
My name is Benjamin Franklin, and I approve this message.
Jeevessays
Is the old gentleman with the Bible from Office Space? The one who wanted to retire on the “Jump to Conclusions” mat. Could be.
Lailasays
Yes! Cuttlefish + a band = several cookies’ worth of goodness.
JSugsays
@Burning Umpbrella #40:
Now THAT was funny :o)
Evinfuiltsays
I have to 2nd the love given to the Jefferson bible, nothing like having a heretic being labeled as a bible thumping Christian by all too many people.
Still, I don’t like seeing anyone taking a black pen to a book, no matter the book. Thankfully he used scissors, just like the people in Constantinople who “wrote” the first version.
Outrage and cries of anti-Christian bigotry in 3, 2, 1…
tsgsays
How anyone could believe Burning Umbrella was being serious is beyond me.
Poe’s Law
SanMansays
Virgil: Thanks for those links.
After reading the messages, I am just astounded that otherwise intelligent beings could give their reasoning and freewill over so completely to a fantasy. This message,” I am so sad. Please Lord, bring us home. We want to come home.” is a primary reason that there is so much war and murder in the world. Why care for your life, when a better one is waiting “on the other side”? If only these people had some consciousness after they pass, which reveals that their beliefs were all in vain… if only they could convey that experience to the living.
It wasn’t too bad until I looked at the words linked to McCain supporters. I was astounded that “scared” was at the top – it Obama being elected really something to be scared of?
I was also saddening to read some of the other words on there: “disgusted”, “horrified”, “terrified” and “sick”. I realise that the is some emotion when your candidate loses, but still…
Michellesays
Catchiest song ever! I’ll sing it all night long!
…Or not. I think they’d think I’m a retard.
varlosays
I too thought B/Um was not serious. Nevertheless I consider “Filthy Atheist” a badge of honor, hope it is highly contaminable, and can’t wait until it is the majority condition.
Ugh, PZ – I love ya, man, but you owe me that two minutes I just wasted from my life :)
That was painful.
Daniel Korostyshevskysays
That is great!!! It is scary how many people think that this is actually a christian nation. It never really was and hopefully will never be one. I say America will one day be a pastafarian country! Arrr!!
Benny the Icepicksays
How much d’ya think they had to pay Richard Riehle to dress up as a BDSM-lovin’ preacher?
Hanksays
Re: Virgil #1
I find the comments these people are making absolutely frightening. They are ASKING to die because Barack Obama has been elected president. And what is even more frightening, they want all the rest of us to die with them. I cannot fathom this mindset. The tragedy of living the only life we have thinking like this, and the absolute evil of filling children’s minds with these kinds of beliefs and passing on this poison to the next generation. I’m depressed.
KiwiInOzsays
No Amelikites were harmed in the making of this video.
Hahahahahahhaqhahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
That was too funny ROFL……. again please
funda62says
How do I get that on my iPod? I want to watch it every time some fundie gets me sad.
tsgsays
Poe’s Law
Duh, well that worked ok
The corollary to Poe’s Law is that it is impossible to invent a religious position so ridiculous that no one holds it in earnest.
internet rookie, can you tell?
We all were at once.
kamanusays
I did get the “filthy atheist” sarcasm on the first read
When I told a friend about Jefferson editing the supernatural stuff out of the new testament, he laughed and asked if it was longer than two pages
he since has become a filthy atheist himself
Jonathansays
It’s funny cause it’s true
RamblinDudesays
At first it started to wear on me … but then it grew on me. I like it!
Oh, smack them christians down, yeehaw! (Metaphorically, of course.)
Roger the Shrubbersays
1. Is the Smack Them Christians Down song available as a ringtone?
2. How do we get this on prime time television?
Susan B. Anthonysays
My name is Susan B. Anthony and I approve this message.
(Gotta get the women involved too!)
Rahnesays
LOL Lincoln beatin’ up the preacher
Alverantsays
At the end of the video he gives his url http://www.jayspears.com/mike.shtml
where you can download the video.
Youtube is just a stepping stone.
AHsays
I *love* this!!!
Rik Gsays
Funny lyrics, fun video, but day-um, that music suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks!
Want some catchy lyrics AND music with teeth? Try Frank Zappa’s “Dumb All Over”…
Whoever we are
Wherever were from
We shoulda noticed by now
Our behavior is dumb
And if our chances
Expect to improve
Its gonna take a lot more
Than tryin to remove
The other race
Or the other whatever
From the face
Of the planet altogether
They call it the earth
Which is a dumb kinda name
But they named it right
cause we behave the same…
We are dumb all over
Dumb all over,
Yes we are
Dumb all over,
Near n far
Dumb all over,
Black n white
People, we is not wrapped tight
Nurds on the left
Nurds on the right
Religous fanatics
On the air every night
Sayin the bible
Tells the story
Makes the details
Sound real gory
bout what to do
If the geeks over there
Dont believe in the book
We got over here
You cant run a race
Without no feet
n pretty soon
There wont be no street
For dummies to jog on
Or doggies to dog on
Religous fanatics
Can make it be all gone
(I mean it wont blow up
n disappear
Itll just look ugly
For a thousand years…)
You cant run a country
By a book of religion
Not by a heap
Or a lump or a smidgeon
Of foolish rules
Of ancient date
Designed to make
You all feel great
While you fold, spindle
And mutilate
Those unbelievers
From a neighboring state
To arms! to arms!
Hooray! thats great
Two legs aint bad
Unless theres a crate
They ship the parts
To mama in
For souvenirs: two ears (get down!)
Not his, not hers, (but what the hey? )
The good book says:
(it gotta be that way!)
But their book says:
Revenge the crusades…
With whips n chains
n hand grenades…
Two arms? two arms?
Have another and another
Our God says:
There aint no other!
Our God says
Its all okay!
Our God says
This is the way!
It says in the book:
Burn n destroy…
n repent, n redeem
n revenge, n deploy
n rumble thee forth
To the land of the unbelieving scum on the other side
cause they dont go for whats in the book
n that makes em bad
So verily we must choppeth them up
And stompeth them down
Or rent a nice french bomb
To poof them out of existance
While leaving their real estate just where we need it
To use again
For temples in which to praise our god
(cause he can really take care of business!)
And when his humble tv servant
With humble white hair
And humble glasses
And a nice brown suit
And maybe a blond wife who takes phone calls
Tells us our God says
Its okay to do this stuff
Then we gotta do it,
cause if we dont do it,
We aint gwine up to hebbin!
(depending on which book youre using at the
Time…cant use theirs… it dont work
…its all lies…gotta use mine…)
Aint that right?
Thats what they say
Every night…
Every day…
Hey, we cant really be dumb
If were just following gods orders
Hey, lets get serious…
God knows what he’s doin
He wrote this book here
An the book says:
He made us all to be just like him,
So…
If were dumb…
Then God is dumb…
(an maybe even a little ugly on the side)
…I can even picture that illustrated Dr. Seuse style!
Hello, fab denizens of Pharyngula. I’m Jay Spears, the singer songwriter who wrote & performed SMAK DEM CHRISTIANS DOWN and produced the music video. I’m delighted & gratified by your comments and interest. It’s a thrill to know that one can produce popular entertainment without having to cater to the LCD in the audience.
To answer a specific question or two, the cast was all-volunteer, mostly pals from my college days. I met Dick Riehle (the Preacher) in college when he was teaching & I was a student. The S&M parody of Ted Haggard didn’t bother Richard in the least since he’s a pro, a trouper and a sweetheart.
The director (Mark Herrier, one of the PORKYS guys) and I wanted the Jefferson (Brad Hall, of SNL) Bible sequences to be the major visual memory from the vid, an iconoclasm-gasm as it were. Franklin (Mike Winters, of Gilmore Girls) and Lincoln (Mark Harelik, Light in the Piazza @ Lincoln Center) going “Rodney King” on the fundie was totally improvised.
I wrote the song several years ago in response to the Federal DOMA. Didn’t realize how appropriate it would be here in CA given our recent election.
You can get CDs & DVDs of my stuff at jayspears.com and downloads from iTunes & most other outlets. I would appreciate your support.
Cheers dudes & KEEP ON SMAKKIN’!
Jay
Xaviersays
It strikes me that there is an excellent meme in this to retort the claim that USA was founded as a christian nation:
The decidedly religious pilgrims who first arrived at North America were British, the very group who were defeated in order to establish the USA . . . the christians are on the wrong side!
Michellesays
Hey, it’s the Jay man himself!
You just became one of my new heroes. Cuz you made a catchy song out of such an important topic! Creations like that need to be hailed to.
JDsays
Hello, fab denizens of Pharyngula. I’m Jay Spears, the singer songwriter who wrote & performed SMAK DEM CHRISTIANS DOWN and produced the music video.
Jay, that video was awesome. Thanks for making it. I hope it goes viral.
silentsantasays
I appreciate the sentiment, I suppose, but the song didn’t really appeal. Now, if Sam Harris and I were to construct an objective system of auditory aesthetics… ;)
Fernando Magyarsays
Posted by: Dances With Books
That is one catchy tune. Too bad in real life you can’t get an Arab and a Jew dancing together.
I get the feeling you need to get out a bit more into the real world…
Does a Palestinian and an American Jew count? I happened to have known such a happy couple, oh, and btw they were both female. They used to throw some fabulous parties, unfortunately one of them has now passed on.
Ploonsays
Anyone call Godwin yet? Anyway, in this instance it gave me a laugh – limbo-ing under the outstretched arms of Hitler-saluting nazis! Brilliant!
Carl Troeinsays
Best! Song! Evar!
Or, well, bloody good anyway, and more well-directed, well-choreographed and generally well-polished than anything I’ve seen on the Internet in quite some time. If the PCR song could go viral I don’t see why this wouldn’t, unless the topic is too controversial in the US and too US-centric to interest people elsewhere. But hey, I’ll do my part and spread it as far and wide as I can. Excellent work, Jay!
bezoarsays
This is going out to my religiobots in central KY. A good dose of history is the best cure for religious intolerance and bigotry, provided of course that these indoctrinated ears will (want to) hear!
Elmershmelmersays
I like it! but why discriminate on the christians. For anybody outside the USA like , it has to include all religions, especially their fundies that are the problem. It’s a bit precious to make fun of the christians in the USA, when you’d get beheaded in most arab countries if you say you’re an atheist! The jew/arab bit was hilariously untrue and non representative.
Colinsays
Nice video, and catchy tune, however, three problems.
1. Nazis aren’t Christians. They’re bigots that’s for sure, but I’m sure the singer could have found other Christians to portray rather than having to bring in Racist neo-pagans
2. KKK members aren’t Christians either. Sure some of them profess to be, but much like #1 above, they fall more under neo-paganism
3. It’s difficult to say Lincoln was not a Christian. Some of his quotes portray skepticism, however, he comes from a Baptist lineage, Lincoln read the Bible regularly and was committed to God and morality throughout his life. Some historians call him a Deist. Thus, while I’ll grant the other figures, Lincoln is less obvious a pick.
Josh Westsays
#87
1) They had God With Us on their uniforms, and Hitler used Christian/Catholic thinking to justifiy his actions. In order to say the Nazis weren’t Christian you end up with a No True Sctosman
2) Again, they used christianity to justify thier views. See above
3) He was kind of the odd president out. It could be interpreted that he was not a christian when it came to governing I guess.
1) There were no Muslims, Buddhists, or Hindus in the Third Reich. The people who showed up to work at the death camps and Gestapo Headquarters every day were Christians.
2) From kkk.com:
Welcome to the Ku Klux Klan!
Bringing a Message of Hope and Deliverance to White Christian America! A Message of Love NOT Hate!
’nuff said. And 3) Honest Abe, in an 1846 campaign handbill:
“That I am not a member of any Christian Church, is true; but I have never denied the truth of the Scriptures; and I have never spoken with intentional disrespect of religion in general, or of any denomination of Christians in particular.”
Cheers dudes & Keep On Smakkin!
Jay
Colinsays
Perhaps a retraction on my stance on the KKK is due. However, I do recall seeing an episode of Louis Theroux meets the Nazis. Where one of the people being interviewed (a kkk member) makes it clear that he doesn’t consider the KKK a Christian entity. More research to do…
As far as the Nazi’s, that I’ll stick to. It’s debatable what role Pius XII had in WWII, but it is fact that Hitler had a plot to assassinate him. So despite compacts with Germany signed earlier, the pope seems to have done something to piss der Führer off. My point is that with all of Hitler’s ideology of a master race, of the Fatherland and all, while he may have used some Xn thought, he wasn’t an Xn by the time he rose in power. One could argue, that he was his own god? Sure many xns worked at the camps, but if you’re brainwashed from serving one deity to serving another, doesn’t that change your religion?
As far as Jay’s assertion of no Muslims in the third reich, that’s not really true. The cooperation between the Nazis and Hajj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand-Mufti of Jerusalem, who supported Hitler with speeches, propaganda (he had the “protocols” translated into Arabic), and political alliances, is a matter of historical record. He’s even credited with masterminding the “final solution.” So while perhaps none of the guards were rolling out a mat five times a day, I daresay certain Islamic elements were involved with the Nazi program.
Well you certainly win the MTA Award (Most Tortured Argument). Christians brainwashed, duped, seduced, or bullied into serving Hitler were still Christians. And your rebuttal to my “no Muslims in the Third Reich” statement is “wull… there were Muslims in Palestine….” Sorry Colin, some Christians are guilty of heinous atrocities, like lynching blacks, gassing Jews, and burning witches. Coming from a Catholic background myself, I admit it. Those Christians need BIF TIME SMAKKIN’! As do the US religious right to whom I address my song & video.
Cheers dude
Jay
Colinsays
Jay,
You’re probably right. I still don’t buy the whole Nazis=Xns bit, but I need to articulate it better. I also didn’t make the connection that you’re the song writer/performer, nice job dude!
I don’t think anyone would contend that Nazis=Christians, but given the fact that Germany was predominantly Christian, and that Nazism fed off historic Christian anti-Semitism, it seems highly implausible that Nazis were not predominantly Christian.
That was funny!
So is this…
http://www.rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=66777
http://www.rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=67064
Catchy! This gives me an idea: Cuttlefish + a band.
Lovely. Just lovely. When’s the musical coming out? I’ll certainly buy the DVD.
Virgil, I was all happy and smiling until I looked at those links. Thanks. But if I just think ‘Poe’ I’m all happy again.
I just loved the references to the Jefferson Bible.
Finally!
A musical since ‘Paint your Wagon’, that I could sit through!
I suppose we should expect to see proposition 8.5 next year in California – a ban on gay atheist music videos.
Trying to insinuate that the first amendment includes filthy atheists is clearly a sin.
Besides, you just voted a self-proclaimed devout christian as your president. Not that you had option though, for isn’t democracy wonderful?
Somehow, your imaginary sky fairy disapproving of tolerance doesn’t suprise me in the least.
Too bad he doesn’t disapprove of blatant ignorance…
Now that’s a catchy tune. Sort of like Sesame Street with guts. We should blare it from car stereos.
Wow, I’m all for making fun of religious types, but that was horrible.
That is one catchy tune. Too bad in real life you can’t get an Arab and a Jew dancing together. Nice reference to Jefferson’s Bible. Definitely one to play at parties hehe.
This was the most awesome video EVER. You sir, deserve to win the internet.
Hey, that was fun but did you see that guys dancing?
How the hell did we find a musician without rhythm?
For entertainment, just found this youtube. Maybe you all have seen it already. Lady can’t believe there’s a rainbow in her sprinkler mist. Must be pollution, etc. Not kidding.
Boy, people like BurningUmbrella are lucky that unbridled stupidity isn’t a terminal illness.
Nothing to insinuate, it’s there in black and white. And most atheists I know shower regularly, so we aren’t as filthy as some might imagine. Oh wait… y’all imagine a bunch of other stuff that isn’t true, too.
Anyway, I’m proud to live in a country where videos like this are protected under the First Amendment historically accurate, politically correct, visually fun … and successfully do their part to piss off the religious right.
Posted by: Burning Umbrella | November 6, 2008
Trying to insinuate that the first amendment includes filthy atheists is clearly a sin.
Hey! I took a shower this morning.
Oh wait, you are talking about something else. Why don’t you just come out and say it; IT IS FREEDOM OF RELIGION NOT FREEDOM FROM RELIGION!
You took the first shot so I will fire back, you are a pig ignorant asshole.
The figures named in the video were not christians as you would know it. As shown in the video, Jefferson did edit the bible, taking out all supernatural events, thus leaving what he felt were the valuable thing from that book, moral teachings.
If you paid attention, the video was an attack on those who would use the american government to force their religion on others.
As it stands, I can life openly as an atheist. Ain’t that great! And I will not tolerate any mental filth from the likes of you. Fuck off.
Well, that could’ve used a NSFW warning… and I think I may need to burn my eyeballs out after watching the intro… but awesome, just awesome.
BTW… everything in Burning Umbrella’s post rang my sarcasm detectors. Am I wrong? Does (s)he have other posts that lead people to think (s)he’s serious? Have I got my optimism about human nature tuned too high lately?
Barack Obama may be a Christian – but he’s also a secularist who does not stand for basing public policy on religious motives. This is a nation of Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Mormons, Muslims, and nonbelievers. He said that – not me.
You know, I could be wrong, but I thought there was a strong sarcastic undertone to Burning Umbrella’s post.
@#20 — Maybe… If so, I apologize. Otherwise, my statement stands, and I will second Janine’s.
Brilliant, best bit was the limboing under the Nazi salutes. Nice one.
lytefoot @18: I could be wrong, but I thought Burning Umbrella was being sarcastic, too, especially in light of the whole comment. People keep quoting the first part and ignoring the rest of it, so I think they’re missing something. And I’m not in an overly rose-tinted mood today.
Damn Janine, you beat me to it this morning!
Burning Umbrella – Fuck Off.
I grasp for the impossible.
How anyone could believe Burning Umbrella was being serious is beyond me.
“smakin'”?
Burning Umbrella:
That would be wit, in your case.
Most likely so.
For my defense, I tried to make it obvious.
Burning Umbrella, you should realize, it is difficult to do a parody of crazed christian thought. It is a parody unto itself. Therefore, it is hard to tell parody from the (sur)real thing.
Seeing that it was a joke, I apologize for verbal lashing you.
Barack Obama, (probably the speech linked above, by Kalyn @#19).
I really think this could be a good thing for Americans.
Burning Umbrella @29: Some of us got it. Things sometimes get lost in the translation in written communication, is all. Have a great day, anyway.
I’ll keep trying. One day it shall be possible to distinguish the real thing from parody (or there won’t be need for it), and then my wit might impress someone other than myself.
Yes, I’m an optimist.
We all need to be, even if it sometimes goes against my better judgment.
I for one got burning umbrella’s joke on the first pass but then I’m Canadian.
Burning Umbrella, ya gotta watch out for Poes’ Law.
That said, apparently the “jump to conclusions mat” didn’t work out. Although he did say: “I deal with the god damn customers so the engineers don’t have to. I have people skills; I am good at dealing with people. Can’t you understand that? What the hell is wrong with you people?”
I watched that whole video, and I didn’t catch teh ghey.
Kos has an interesting idea for protesting prop 8 passing.
We really need people to add </poe> tags at the end of their posts, for the less cluefull in the audience…
Whoops… let’s try the correct link.
“Poe’s Law” is just a theory, which means it’s not real.
Now you are just being a smartass!
-snort-
I loves me some metaphors – especially some fun ones like that.
My name is Benjamin Franklin, and I approve this message.
Is the old gentleman with the Bible from Office Space? The one who wanted to retire on the “Jump to Conclusions” mat. Could be.
Yes! Cuttlefish + a band = several cookies’ worth of goodness.
@Burning Umpbrella #40:
Now THAT was funny :o)
I have to 2nd the love given to the Jefferson bible, nothing like having a heretic being labeled as a bible thumping Christian by all too many people.
Still, I don’t like seeing anyone taking a black pen to a book, no matter the book. Thankfully he used scissors, just like the people in Constantinople who “wrote” the first version.
“Still, I don’t like seeing anyone taking a black pen to a book, no matter the book. ”
Meh. For me, it’s the red and blue pens. I just can’t watch.
Goooooooooo Lincoln!
Big problem with smackin’ down dem Christians: They pretty obviously liked it!
And Washington was too awesome to be a Christian. He’s coming, he’s coming, he’s coming.
Outrage and cries of anti-Christian bigotry in 3, 2, 1…
Poe’s Law
Virgil: Thanks for those links.
After reading the messages, I am just astounded that otherwise intelligent beings could give their reasoning and freewill over so completely to a fantasy. This message,” I am so sad. Please Lord, bring us home. We want to come home.” is a primary reason that there is so much war and murder in the world. Why care for your life, when a better one is waiting “on the other side”? If only these people had some consciousness after they pass, which reveals that their beliefs were all in vain… if only they could convey that experience to the living.
It worked pretty well for some Blowfish I once knew.
@52 – I am astounded by some of the comments as well.
Another link that surprised me was the NY Times “wordtrain” regarding the election: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/11/04/us/politics/20081104_ELECTION_WORDTRAIN.html?hp
It wasn’t too bad until I looked at the words linked to McCain supporters. I was astounded that “scared” was at the top – it Obama being elected really something to be scared of?
I was also saddening to read some of the other words on there: “disgusted”, “horrified”, “terrified” and “sick”. I realise that the is some emotion when your candidate loses, but still…
Catchiest song ever! I’ll sing it all night long!
…Or not. I think they’d think I’m a retard.
I too thought B/Um was not serious. Nevertheless I consider “Filthy Atheist” a badge of honor, hope it is highly contaminable, and can’t wait until it is the majority condition.
Ugh, PZ – I love ya, man, but you owe me that two minutes I just wasted from my life :)
That was painful.
That is great!!! It is scary how many people think that this is actually a christian nation. It never really was and hopefully will never be one. I say America will one day be a pastafarian country! Arrr!!
How much d’ya think they had to pay Richard Riehle to dress up as a BDSM-lovin’ preacher?
Re: Virgil #1
I find the comments these people are making absolutely frightening. They are ASKING to die because Barack Obama has been elected president. And what is even more frightening, they want all the rest of us to die with them. I cannot fathom this mindset. The tragedy of living the only life we have thinking like this, and the absolute evil of filling children’s minds with these kinds of beliefs and passing on this poison to the next generation. I’m depressed.
No Amelikites were harmed in the making of this video.
please enlighten..Poe’s Law?
Poe’s Law.
when in doubt, google
Poe’s Law
Duh, well that worked ok
internet rookie, can you tell?
Hahahahahahhaqhahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
That was too funny ROFL……. again please
How do I get that on my iPod? I want to watch it every time some fundie gets me sad.
The corollary to Poe’s Law is that it is impossible to invent a religious position so ridiculous that no one holds it in earnest.
We all were at once.
I did get the “filthy atheist” sarcasm on the first read
When I told a friend about Jefferson editing the supernatural stuff out of the new testament, he laughed and asked if it was longer than two pages
he since has become a filthy atheist himself
It’s funny cause it’s true
At first it started to wear on me … but then it grew on me. I like it!
Oh, smack them christians down, yeehaw! (Metaphorically, of course.)
1. Is the Smack Them Christians Down song available as a ringtone?
2. How do we get this on prime time television?
My name is Susan B. Anthony and I approve this message.
(Gotta get the women involved too!)
LOL Lincoln beatin’ up the preacher
At the end of the video he gives his url
http://www.jayspears.com/mike.shtml
where you can download the video.
Youtube is just a stepping stone.
I *love* this!!!
Funny lyrics, fun video, but day-um, that music suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks!
Want some catchy lyrics AND music with teeth? Try Frank Zappa’s “Dumb All Over”…
Whoever we are
Wherever were from
We shoulda noticed by now
Our behavior is dumb
And if our chances
Expect to improve
Its gonna take a lot more
Than tryin to remove
The other race
Or the other whatever
From the face
Of the planet altogether
They call it the earth
Which is a dumb kinda name
But they named it right
cause we behave the same…
We are dumb all over
Dumb all over,
Yes we are
Dumb all over,
Near n far
Dumb all over,
Black n white
People, we is not wrapped tight
Nurds on the left
Nurds on the right
Religous fanatics
On the air every night
Sayin the bible
Tells the story
Makes the details
Sound real gory
bout what to do
If the geeks over there
Dont believe in the book
We got over here
You cant run a race
Without no feet
n pretty soon
There wont be no street
For dummies to jog on
Or doggies to dog on
Religous fanatics
Can make it be all gone
(I mean it wont blow up
n disappear
Itll just look ugly
For a thousand years…)
You cant run a country
By a book of religion
Not by a heap
Or a lump or a smidgeon
Of foolish rules
Of ancient date
Designed to make
You all feel great
While you fold, spindle
And mutilate
Those unbelievers
From a neighboring state
To arms! to arms!
Hooray! thats great
Two legs aint bad
Unless theres a crate
They ship the parts
To mama in
For souvenirs: two ears (get down!)
Not his, not hers, (but what the hey? )
The good book says:
(it gotta be that way!)
But their book says:
Revenge the crusades…
With whips n chains
n hand grenades…
Two arms? two arms?
Have another and another
Our God says:
There aint no other!
Our God says
Its all okay!
Our God says
This is the way!
It says in the book:
Burn n destroy…
n repent, n redeem
n revenge, n deploy
n rumble thee forth
To the land of the unbelieving scum on the other side
cause they dont go for whats in the book
n that makes em bad
So verily we must choppeth them up
And stompeth them down
Or rent a nice french bomb
To poof them out of existance
While leaving their real estate just where we need it
To use again
For temples in which to praise our god
(cause he can really take care of business!)
And when his humble tv servant
With humble white hair
And humble glasses
And a nice brown suit
And maybe a blond wife who takes phone calls
Tells us our God says
Its okay to do this stuff
Then we gotta do it,
cause if we dont do it,
We aint gwine up to hebbin!
(depending on which book youre using at the
Time…cant use theirs… it dont work
…its all lies…gotta use mine…)
Aint that right?
Thats what they say
Every night…
Every day…
Hey, we cant really be dumb
If were just following gods orders
Hey, lets get serious…
God knows what he’s doin
He wrote this book here
An the book says:
He made us all to be just like him,
So…
If were dumb…
Then God is dumb…
(an maybe even a little ugly on the side)
…I can even picture that illustrated Dr. Seuse style!
Hello, fab denizens of Pharyngula. I’m Jay Spears, the singer songwriter who wrote & performed SMAK DEM CHRISTIANS DOWN and produced the music video. I’m delighted & gratified by your comments and interest. It’s a thrill to know that one can produce popular entertainment without having to cater to the LCD in the audience.
To answer a specific question or two, the cast was all-volunteer, mostly pals from my college days. I met Dick Riehle (the Preacher) in college when he was teaching & I was a student. The S&M parody of Ted Haggard didn’t bother Richard in the least since he’s a pro, a trouper and a sweetheart.
The director (Mark Herrier, one of the PORKYS guys) and I wanted the Jefferson (Brad Hall, of SNL) Bible sequences to be the major visual memory from the vid, an iconoclasm-gasm as it were. Franklin (Mike Winters, of Gilmore Girls) and Lincoln (Mark Harelik, Light in the Piazza @ Lincoln Center) going “Rodney King” on the fundie was totally improvised.
I wrote the song several years ago in response to the Federal DOMA. Didn’t realize how appropriate it would be here in CA given our recent election.
You can get CDs & DVDs of my stuff at jayspears.com and downloads from iTunes & most other outlets. I would appreciate your support.
Cheers dudes & KEEP ON SMAKKIN’!
Jay
It strikes me that there is an excellent meme in this to retort the claim that USA was founded as a christian nation:
The decidedly religious pilgrims who first arrived at North America were British, the very group who were defeated in order to establish the USA . . . the christians are on the wrong side!
Hey, it’s the Jay man himself!
You just became one of my new heroes. Cuz you made a catchy song out of such an important topic! Creations like that need to be hailed to.
Jay, that video was awesome. Thanks for making it. I hope it goes viral.
I appreciate the sentiment, I suppose, but the song didn’t really appeal. Now, if Sam Harris and I were to construct an objective system of auditory aesthetics… ;)
Posted by: Dances With Books
I get the feeling you need to get out a bit more into the real world…
Does a Palestinian and an American Jew count? I happened to have known such a happy couple, oh, and btw they were both female. They used to throw some fabulous parties, unfortunately one of them has now passed on.
Anyone call Godwin yet? Anyway, in this instance it gave me a laugh – limbo-ing under the outstretched arms of Hitler-saluting nazis! Brilliant!
Best! Song! Evar!
Or, well, bloody good anyway, and more well-directed, well-choreographed and generally well-polished than anything I’ve seen on the Internet in quite some time. If the PCR song could go viral I don’t see why this wouldn’t, unless the topic is too controversial in the US and too US-centric to interest people elsewhere. But hey, I’ll do my part and spread it as far and wide as I can. Excellent work, Jay!
This is going out to my religiobots in central KY. A good dose of history is the best cure for religious intolerance and bigotry, provided of course that these indoctrinated ears will (want to) hear!
I like it! but why discriminate on the christians. For anybody outside the USA like , it has to include all religions, especially their fundies that are the problem. It’s a bit precious to make fun of the christians in the USA, when you’d get beheaded in most arab countries if you say you’re an atheist! The jew/arab bit was hilariously untrue and non representative.
Nice video, and catchy tune, however, three problems.
1. Nazis aren’t Christians. They’re bigots that’s for sure, but I’m sure the singer could have found other Christians to portray rather than having to bring in Racist neo-pagans
2. KKK members aren’t Christians either. Sure some of them profess to be, but much like #1 above, they fall more under neo-paganism
3. It’s difficult to say Lincoln was not a Christian. Some of his quotes portray skepticism, however, he comes from a Baptist lineage, Lincoln read the Bible regularly and was committed to God and morality throughout his life. Some historians call him a Deist. Thus, while I’ll grant the other figures, Lincoln is less obvious a pick.
#87
1) They had God With Us on their uniforms, and Hitler used Christian/Catholic thinking to justifiy his actions. In order to say the Nazis weren’t Christian you end up with a No True Sctosman
2) Again, they used christianity to justify thier views. See above
3) He was kind of the odd president out. It could be interpreted that he was not a christian when it came to governing I guess.
I’m just sayin’….
1) There were no Muslims, Buddhists, or Hindus in the Third Reich. The people who showed up to work at the death camps and Gestapo Headquarters every day were Christians.
2) From kkk.com:
Welcome to the Ku Klux Klan!
Bringing a Message of Hope and Deliverance to White Christian America! A Message of Love NOT Hate!
’nuff said. And 3) Honest Abe, in an 1846 campaign handbill:
“That I am not a member of any Christian Church, is true; but I have never denied the truth of the Scriptures; and I have never spoken with intentional disrespect of religion in general, or of any denomination of Christians in particular.”
Cheers dudes & Keep On Smakkin!
Jay
Perhaps a retraction on my stance on the KKK is due. However, I do recall seeing an episode of Louis Theroux meets the Nazis. Where one of the people being interviewed (a kkk member) makes it clear that he doesn’t consider the KKK a Christian entity. More research to do…
As far as the Nazi’s, that I’ll stick to. It’s debatable what role Pius XII had in WWII, but it is fact that Hitler had a plot to assassinate him. So despite compacts with Germany signed earlier, the pope seems to have done something to piss der Führer off. My point is that with all of Hitler’s ideology of a master race, of the Fatherland and all, while he may have used some Xn thought, he wasn’t an Xn by the time he rose in power. One could argue, that he was his own god? Sure many xns worked at the camps, but if you’re brainwashed from serving one deity to serving another, doesn’t that change your religion?
As far as Jay’s assertion of no Muslims in the third reich, that’s not really true. The cooperation between the Nazis and Hajj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand-Mufti of Jerusalem, who supported Hitler with speeches, propaganda (he had the “protocols” translated into Arabic), and political alliances, is a matter of historical record. He’s even credited with masterminding the “final solution.” So while perhaps none of the guards were rolling out a mat five times a day, I daresay certain Islamic elements were involved with the Nazi program.
Well you certainly win the MTA Award (Most Tortured Argument). Christians brainwashed, duped, seduced, or bullied into serving Hitler were still Christians. And your rebuttal to my “no Muslims in the Third Reich” statement is “wull… there were Muslims in Palestine….” Sorry Colin, some Christians are guilty of heinous atrocities, like lynching blacks, gassing Jews, and burning witches. Coming from a Catholic background myself, I admit it. Those Christians need BIF TIME SMAKKIN’! As do the US religious right to whom I address my song & video.
Cheers dude
Jay
Jay,
You’re probably right. I still don’t buy the whole Nazis=Xns bit, but I need to articulate it better. I also didn’t make the connection that you’re the song writer/performer, nice job dude!
Ok, but “smakin'”?
I don’t think anyone would contend that Nazis=Christians, but given the fact that Germany was predominantly Christian, and that Nazism fed off historic Christian anti-Semitism, it seems highly implausible that Nazis were not predominantly Christian.
Some interesting photographs: http://www.nobeliefs.com/nazis.htm