When you live in the Bible Belt, it really is a lot easier to just smile politely and go along. Good for her for being true to herself, and for being completely gracious about it.
Reminds me of Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who landed his crippled airliner in the Hudson. He took all the credit, gave god none, and in the process wasn't a raging egomaniac.
I guess I'll never understand the knee-jerk need to effusively thank your lord for sparing you from the horrible storm that he himself wrought upon your community. Good on her for a gracious response.
Why isn't Wolf blaming God for destroying a town, causing billions in damage, and killing dozens? Doesn't Wolf think it is fucked up that God would crush children to death in an elementary school that has no shelter? Wouldn't this be a good place for His infinite mercy? Oh, but He decided not to smite a woman and her baby while killing everything else in sight. Whoop-de-fucking-do! Look how fucking great God is. We must thank Him for such mercy! If I went and burned down a house and a few of the occupants got out uninjured, they wouldn't be thanking me. I think Wolf needs to acknowledge that what God did in Morris, Oklahoma was pretty much a dick move. The fact that God didn't kill the woman and her baby was probably because God isn't very thorough--it wasn't as if He wasn't trying.
I thought the question and the way he phrased it, "You gotta thank the lord," was ridiculous and presumptuous. Even in the Bible Belt. She answered so graciously and I'm glad she didn't back down and let him know she's an atheist.
Surprising how quiet the fundies are when the most anti-gay marriage state in the whole union gets whacked by their god. (the only state where the constitution *criminalizes* issuing a same-sex marriage license)
“@mtvnews: Beyoncé, Rihanna & Katy Perry send prayers to #Oklahoma #PrayForOklahoma”I feel like an idiot now…I only sent money.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) May 21, 2013
I saw an interview with one of the teachers tonight. What she did in sheltering the children in her charge was undoubtedly heroic, and I will not take that away from her. But I was annoyed when she said "I did what you're not supposed to do. I prayed out loud for us"
I'm not an atheist. I don't really know what I am, and i'll admit that there have been times in my life when I have said a prayer (including a few tornadoes I sat through). I respect people's faith, but the whole Christian Martyr thing just leaves me cold.
Is not the existence of this person, a cool atheist with a baby living in rural Oklahoma, probably in a house (not apodment) with a backyard (not zoned for density) a kind of hipster heresy? She probably drives a car even.
Isn't that high sacrilege for Church of Liberalism and its trinity of Density-Urbism-Transit? It's sort of like Galileo looking through a telescope for the first time.
"The Coalition 4 Marriage has just posted an "urgent call" for Christians to gather outside Parliament beginning at 5PM local time for a last-ditch plea to God, who is presently busy destroying Oklahoma."
At least Cthulhu is honest: he's out to destroy your world, kill you and eat your soul. Truth in advertising. This so-called omnibenevolent God of yours sends tornadoes to kill your children and you puny humans thank him when he doesn't get them all?
If you insist on believing in a murderous, malevolent deity, then placate the vicious motherfucker. Placate him! Don't thank him; he'll just think you're stupid. Grovel, beg, bribe and bargain. Trick him, if you can. But recognize he is not your friend, he's your enemy and you're negotiating terms of surrender.
I think Wolf Blitzer just made the assumption that he's in the heart of the Bible Belt and everyone would be in that mindset. I doubt he would have asked the same question of someone in New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy.
@28 This AIPAC stooge at one time could get a shit out..at least from his mouth.
It's just so insulting and condescending, especially of god-fearing Oklahomans not to mention non-believers. Wolf doesn't call Him "The Lord" anyway. Fucker.
I recently travelled through the deep south and found my experience surprisingly apolitical and entirely non threatening even for a Seattle lib. Its a big beautiful country out there filled with sane rational folks too often eclipsed by the antics of their nutty neighbors.
Are we not supposed to know that that's an obvious greenscreen shot with a photo of a destroyed house as the backdrop? Hell, the lighting alone is telltale.
This from the network that had a satellite interview within a single parking lot.
What the hell else do you expect from a guy who's show is all CGI and flashing lights, utterly devoid of content, and hosted by a Geraldo clone in a cheap suit?
This idiot wouldn't know a news story if it hit him in the face.
For a Jew to say that is just astounding. "Thank the Lord" is a Christian phrase and he knows it. I've admired him because he didn't Christianize his name, but no more.
It's kind of a weird thing to say, you know, "Thank the lord!" Like, what if a survivor went to one of the victim's funerals and was like, "Thank the lord! I didn't die! I lived! I'm a survivor! Thank the lord!"
But, I must say...
Phoebe @1, that was the perfect response. Done in one.
Barack Obama is a man whose father left him as a child. He had to be raised by a poor working mother who did not take any government aid. He then got an education through scholarship, found jobs and was elected President.
So why does he spend all his time creating welfare for lazy people who don't want to work as hard as he did?
John Bailo is a lazy dork who reads blogs and posts comments that lack any relevance whatsoever to the corresponding post, despite there being plenty of other far more logical forums to spew his nonsense. He then apparently expects people to respond in kind.
So why does he waste his time and does he have some sort of a mental deficiency that causes such behavior?
@41 Because he's a Marxist Kenyan obviously. Still trying to figure out where this fancy welfare you talk about is happening...
Also, the President was paying off Federally subsidized student loans until a few years ago so if I could even take that claptrap seriously for a second, it still has some basic flaws in the premises.
For just a moment, I thought his final comment "well, you made the right decision" was referring to her deciding to be an atheist. Then I realized it was whatever decision she'd made that kept her alive that they were discussing. I like my initial interpretation. I can just picture that conversation.
WB: Well, you have to thank God right.
Atheist Mom: Actually, I'm an atheist
WB: Well, you made the right decision. What sort of idiot believes in Bronze Age myths these days right?
AM: I lot of my neighbors oddly enough.
Good on her, she handled that well and with class.
WTF is up with Wolf Blitzer? Gimme a break! THAT was journalistic malpractice if ever there was any. Ask once (in bible belt Oklahoma), OK, but to push it?
So much for Pat Robertson's theory about lack of prayer - the atheists are spared. Of course, the xtianists have it covered: the lord works in mysterious ways.
@34 very true. Even the reddest of the red states is pretty purple, when you get down to it, and a lot of people who have political opinions I disagree with still, somehow, manage to not be assholes about it.
Wolf Blitzer in this clip is an idiot, the woman is very gracious and charming, and the baby playing with the microphone is adorable.
@22: @13 wasn't. @26 however certainly is.
@24: I know right? In the midst of horrible devastation she still found time to feel put upon for an entirely imaginary reason. That's some skillz.
It's one thing for him to say as a sort of throw-away line, "You gotta thank the Lord." But then for him to pursue it as question, "Do you thank the Lord for that split-second decision" struck me as highly strange indeed.
Hot diggity dog! Look at all the people we turned against God! Hurray! Communist regimes that control the media really do have very good social engineering, after all. Look at all the ready, dumb converts!
"YOU DID THANK GOD, RIGHT? I'M WITH THE MEDIA I HAVE TO VERIFY THESE FACTS, MA'AM. SO YOU DID, DIDN'T YOU? DIDN'T YOU?"
And good for her!
Surprising how quiet the fundies are when the most anti-gay marriage state in the whole union gets whacked by their god. (the only state where the constitution *criminalizes* issuing a same-sex marriage license)
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) May 21, 2013
I'm not an atheist. I don't really know what I am, and i'll admit that there have been times in my life when I have said a prayer (including a few tornadoes I sat through). I respect people's faith, but the whole Christian Martyr thing just leaves me cold.
Isn't that high sacrilege for Church of Liberalism and its trinity of Density-Urbism-Transit? It's sort of like Galileo looking through a telescope for the first time.
See, there is but coolness Eastward!
(Quick, burn him.)
I said that Wolf is a jerk, but that doesn't mean dirac should insult people with GI tract issues.
And then I cheered for atheism.
"The Coalition 4 Marriage has just posted an "urgent call" for Christians to gather outside Parliament beginning at 5PM local time for a last-ditch plea to God, who is presently busy destroying Oklahoma."
http://www.joemygod.blogspot.com/2013/05…
If you insist on believing in a murderous, malevolent deity, then placate the vicious motherfucker. Placate him! Don't thank him; he'll just think you're stupid. Grovel, beg, bribe and bargain. Trick him, if you can. But recognize he is not your friend, he's your enemy and you're negotiating terms of surrender.
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn! Aiii! Aiii!
It's just so insulting and condescending, especially of god-fearing Oklahomans not to mention non-believers. Wolf doesn't call Him "The Lord" anyway. Fucker.
How wonderful would it be if a tornado came and wiped out that gathering in it's entirety? Shit, I might even pray for it to happen!
This from the network that had a satellite interview within a single parking lot.
This idiot wouldn't know a news story if it hit him in the face.
It's kind of a weird thing to say, you know, "Thank the lord!" Like, what if a survivor went to one of the victim's funerals and was like, "Thank the lord! I didn't die! I lived! I'm a survivor! Thank the lord!"
But, I must say...
Phoebe @1, that was the perfect response. Done in one.
So why does he spend all his time creating welfare for lazy people who don't want to work as hard as he did?
So why does he waste his time and does he have some sort of a mental deficiency that causes such behavior?
Also, the President was paying off Federally subsidized student loans until a few years ago so if I could even take that claptrap seriously for a second, it still has some basic flaws in the premises.
WB: Well, you have to thank God right.
Atheist Mom: Actually, I'm an atheist
WB: Well, you made the right decision. What sort of idiot believes in Bronze Age myths these days right?
AM: I lot of my neighbors oddly enough.
WTF is up with Wolf Blitzer? Gimme a break! THAT was journalistic malpractice if ever there was any. Ask once (in bible belt Oklahoma), OK, but to push it?
So much for Pat Robertson's theory about lack of prayer - the atheists are spared. Of course, the xtianists have it covered: the lord works in mysterious ways.
@38 - It isn't that there are no atheists in foxholes, but that there is no theology coming between zionists, whether jewish or talibangelical.
He need a Seattle apartment.
Everyone wants a Seattle apartment.
They built too much Seattle apartments.
There aren't enough Seattle apartments.
Oklahoma needs a Seattle apartment.
Wolf Blitzer in this clip is an idiot, the woman is very gracious and charming, and the baby playing with the microphone is adorable.
@24: I know right? In the midst of horrible devastation she still found time to feel put upon for an entirely imaginary reason. That's some skillz.
@48 Iron Age.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/atheis…