Right Wing Intellect

What If

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8 : The Mormon Proposition

I watched 8 : The Mormon Proposition last night.

It's hard to put my reaction in words, but if I had to pin it down to one word, it would be...

ASHAMED

Ashamed that my name still counts as a member of that organization.

Ashamed for the hurt which has been done in the name of God.

Ashamed that I am not doing to more to ease suffering and help my fellow man.

Ashamed that last week, when I explained what the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell was to a superior, and he actually said "I wouldn't want to share a tent with a fag." that I didn't have any words, and all I did was to turn and walk away, disgusted with him, and since, disgusted with myself.

I need to do more.

Fooka Dupe

I came pretty close to dying last night. I was just sitting there, going through some Mr. Deity videos, and all of a sudden... 1 "fooka dupe" and an "as shoalie" later, I'm doubled over, gasping for air and seeing my life flash before my eyes - In other news, I'm trying extra hard to be nicer!

The context needs to be set before I can fully explain.

The season of Mr. Deity is the prequel to the whole deity scenario.

In this first scene, Mr. Deity is looking for qualified people to play major roles in his plan.

And then the second... Well, I'll let it stand by itself!

Xmas Feedings

Decisions were made last night...

Well, one decision was made last night.

Xmas morning in the Koda house is usually a suger fest topped with chocolate and drizzled with all manner of other unhealthy and diabetes inducing treats.

A week or two back, me and the oldest boy were perusing the blogs of friends and we discovered a link to a previously posted recipe by the infamous Morgan Mouse.

Last night it was decided that we shall be putting together an Egg and Bacon Pie when the sun arises on the 25th.

The other decision... We started eating out for Christmas dinner a couple of years ago. We did 2 years at Famous Dave's BBQ and last year we tried Chillis.

The plan in recent weeks has been to go to Ruby River Steakhouse, but last night, the oldest boy suggested Cafe Rio. Cafe Rio isn't as nice or formal (and not even close to as expensive!) But it's good food and we can let the kids go ape with the menu, and it won't hurt as bad.

So we're still trying to decide which... It may come down to what we feel like on Christmas Eve.

On My Christmas List

Or at least it would be if I still gave a damn about all the Mormons around me!

Human Nature

I've noticed something interesting on Facebook. When I post something controversial, people who have either had a problem with my views in the past, or people who due to experience would have issues with my views react in a funny way.

They used to take me head on... If I can refute their arguments, they generally back down, or they resort to ridiculous hyperbole which may or may not include the use of Glenn Beckinisms. In the case of the latter, I'll usually give them the benefit of the doubt once, and if they keep it up, I usually just defriend them. Especially when they start using my wall to espouse what I deem to be crap!

Nowadays they do something different...

When I put something up which they disagree with, they'll generally find something else on my page to comment on. Like... "Nice profile pic!" or something generic and mundane.

Either they just have to say something and that is the best way to let it out, or they are trying to send a subtle message that they are still watching me. Hard to say which, and it could well be a combination of both.

The Dangers of Religion - Part 2

That's right folks... There is more!

The Dangers of Religion

Me and Great Literary Works

So we've been reading "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens to our kids at night. The younger ones generally wonder off after a couple of pages, but last night we passed half way.

It's interesting to read, especially read out loud.

You know how I said that I felt I was married to Mrs. Krank last week, and how that was appropriate, because she seemed to be married to Mr. Krank. Well, I found a reference to me in "A Christmas Carol" last night.

It said something about a man with "Horny Hands".

I busted up, as did Mrs. Koda!

And it was only a rendition of Tiny Tim's, "Gawd bless us, Eeeeveryone!" by yours truly that changed the topic so we didn't have to explain it to the two oldest kids, neither of whom seemed to get the original joke.

There is Nothing I can Add

Wait a Second!!!

So I'm part of a group of Facebook. It's a private group, but if you want an invite, let me know.

One of the hardest things about leaving Mormonism, was wondering what was wrong with me. I was actually employed by the corporation which runs the religious activities of Mormonism at the time, and so there I was, surrounded by thousands and thousands of Mormons at work, at home and at church, and the question in my mind was...

How can they all be wrong, and what makes me so special to think that I can see it's all a sham?

That feeling of loneliness is perhaps the worst part of leaving.

Fortunately I found a couple of friends online, and as time has progressed I've made actually friends in real life as well - not that online friends aren't real, but...

Anyway, so the cool thing was learning that there are others out there. And that was the idea behind the group.

So today I perusing the posts from the past weekend, and I came across this...



And my first thought was... Hey... I know Sarah!

If you didn't watch the video, I'd recommend it. It's a good one!

The Greatest Action Story Ever Told

Obscene and Tasteless

I got sent one of those people of walmart emails. I have a friend who has been asking about moving to the US, and wanting to do so for higher values - so I thought I would send her a link - one of the reasons she wants to leave her current place of residence is that too many of the teenagers have mullets!

So I looked up People of Walmart, and found the original site.

I made the mistake of looking it up at work though, and it turns out that it is blocked by the nanny software my employer uses.

And the reason the software gave...

OBSCENE/TASTELESS

Ummm... Yeah!

A Bedtime Story

I still really like President Obama, but... This story did make me think.

A Bedtime Story

So here is where I'm at, and if the more politically astute of my readers would like to comment and correct me if I'm wrong, I'd really appreciate it.

So we have America with a system of government, put in place to help maintain our freedom and prevent tyrants from taking over.

Tyrants have kind of taken over though, and thus we have wars being waged in the Middle East and a growing deficit.

I think President Obama genuinely wants to change things for the better, and with a majority in the house and senate, most of the American people wanted that as well.

We didn' get it, and there is a real problem no-one seems to recognize...

There is a class of people who have been duped - In my opinion.

Average, good intentioned, hard working Americans. These people have been told that there is a chance that one day, they might be in the top 1% and so they have a responsibility to protect those people.

They have also been told that these people are the reason America is great.

I have no doubt that many of the top 1% in America have gotten there through hard work, however, many have leverage others to help them get there as well.

Take for example, someone like... Bill Gates. Bill had a great idea, and then working with others created a great empire. Would he be that great if people hadn't helped him on that way, helped him market his product, purchased his product and that kind of thing? I used to support one of his products, and I had to pay his corporation for the privilege of doing so. Something stinks about that.

Without the American people, Bill Gates would be just another computer nerd. It's not that he owes us, but in a way he does. He owes his success to the American Dream, and along the way, he's leverage others to increase his fortune.

Are you following me here, or starting with the "Geez! Sounds like Koda is turning into a communist!"

Anyway, so there is this whole class of Americans who feel that it is their patriotic duty to protect the fortunes of people who have used them to amass that fortune.

OK... So here we have America, deeply in debt, struggling middle class and wealthy folks who some how seem to have made out like bandits from this whole recession thing.

A president gets elected and tried to change some stuff.

He runs into the GOP. The party of NO!

They're a minority, and yet they use the checks and balances in Washington to prevent any change. Change which will impact the wealthy 1%.

So here's my question about what happened earlier this week..

Faced with the choice between continuing to fight, and having people lose their unemployment benefits, and compromising and throwing a bone to the wealthy 1%, the president opted to compromise.

It was a choice between letting the GOP win, and letting the GOP win, and not screwing the average hardworking American over in the process.

Did he make the wrong decision - Absolutely!

But was the other option the right one, or was it even more wrong?

Was there a way the President could have won without conceding to the scum who are raping this country?

I'm not sure there was, making his wrong decision the right one in the end.

Of course I'd welcome your comments and thoughts.

Global Warming etc.

3 Neighbors

I've been a slacker getting my Christmas lights up this year. Mrs Koda likes Christmas, but she's not a big fan and me and Christmas lights together.

There is a peak on the front of our house which is about 20 feet up in the air. Combine that height with a husband who is terrified of heights, a rather springy ladder, and kids who like to pick the exact moment when he is at the top of the ladder, with eyes closed, praying to whatever deity he can not to fall down, to start fights, or fall down and injure themselves... And I can't say I blame her.

So needless to say, until Sunday, our lights were not up.

But the weather was reasonably good, and I was feeling festive, and so I decided to have a go at some of the lights.

I didn't get the peak lit up, but as I was atop the ladder on another section of roof, Church let out.

Oh - did I mention I didn't go? It's been over 6 months since I've been. And I really don't miss it.

Once Church is over, members descend on a neighbors house for choir practice. I was out as this was happening.

A couple of neighbors walked by, and it was fun to see their reactions.

First neighbor came by on our side of the street. Looked over at me and remarked... "You look like you're having fun!". It's his usual catch phrase. He seems like a great guy. His wife is the Relief Society President, and she reminds me too much of my mother, but he seems like a good guy.

His brother stayed with them for a while, when we first moved in. He was the only neighbor to come over and help during the move - the brother that is. And when our yard flooded, he came running over to help my distraught wife figure out how to shut the water off.

He doesn't look like a good Mormon. Long straggly hair and ear rings. And the nicest guy you could hope to meet.

The wife of our neighbor has since apologized for him. WHAT?!?

Anyway, so that was person number 1. Good reaction, humorous, and not too bad.

Next came the single mom from up the street. I used to teach her daughter in Sunday School.

You know how you can just tell when someone is trying not to look at you?

That was her... Looking incredibly uncomfortable and looking everywhere but at me.

She passed by on the other side.

The came a lady I should know, but not having been at Church for 6 months, I don't. It may have been the wife of the douche bag who used the commitment pattern on me, to try and get me to go home teaching with him, but I could be wrong.

She passed by on the other side as well, but she wasn't looking away.

On the contrary, she was glaring right at me, and when I stared back, she glared even harder.

People are just interesting!

A Good Week

The post below was supposed to go up on my other blog... But in the fog of Monday morning, it ended up on this one. I didn't even notice that the header was wrong... It was the links on the right hand side which had changed which clued me in.

It was supposed to be a good week. After a Sunday which started awesomely and then went quickly downhill, this was the day that was going to reverse the trend.

To be fair, I shouldn't have stayed up until past midnight, watching the Amazing Race. But I wasn't tired, although I suspect the cuppa of Chai had something to do with that.

So shortly after midnight, I set my alarm, turn off the TV, and then snuggled up to Mrs Koda.

It took a while to go to sleep, but next thing I knew, I was in the midst of a dream.

It involved a multi story house which I know I seen in past dreams.

And there were people there. A guy and a gal from my tri club, and then a girl I run with at work.

This is where it get's kind of weird though.

We all left to go to a concert. We were supposed to walk or take a car. I think the travel requirements came about because of the amazing race.

I was wearing a pair of panties belonging to the girl I work with - NO CLUE WHERE THAT CAME FROM!! And I had a towel wrapped around my waste and over my shoulder - toga style - must have been a huge towel.

I think the concert was in New Zealand. A friend of mine saw Bon Jovi this past weekend down there, and New Zealand was where I saw Bon Jovi as well. I was thinking about that last night before bed. But I don't know if it was a Bon Jovi concert.

As it turned out, we were walking down a street I knew in South Africa. Trying to get to the Concert (which may have been in New Zealand), but we where headed to North Salt Lake - Some 30 minutes drive south from where I live.

And with that... I woke up.

Disoriented, and thinking it was about 2 in the morning.

Turns out that it was 4:08

7 minutes before my alarm went off...

And I needed to pee - which might be related to the aforementioned Chai.

So I got out of bed...

Walked around the bottom of the bed and toward the bathroom.

You'd think I'd be all spry and nimble... But I've been waking up stiff lately.

I was cold as well.

So there I was, lurching toward the bathroom... And my foot stopped suddenly.

And then the pain came...

SON OF A BITCH!!

I'd walked right into the leg of a large arm chair, Mrs Koda had moved into the bedroom last week.

I'm still impressed she was able to get it up the stairs and into the bedroom, but that feeling was not the one which consumed me at 4:08 this morning.

PAIN! PAIN! AND MORE PAIN!!

OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

I paused, tried to gain my composure, and then stumbled into the bathroom, before standing on the side of the bathroom scale... Which them proceeded to tip and send me sideways towards the toilet.

You know that feeling, when someone has left the seat up, and you sit down, but you pass the point where you think the seat should be, and hit the water?

I had the other feeling... The one where someone closed the lid, and so in your hasty descent, you hit before you expect it.

Needless to say, this was not the wake up I had in mind.

I reset the alarm for 4:45 and tried to get back to sleep.

You can't sleep after something like that though.

I don't think my toe is broken, but time will tell.

It still hurts like hell! And today was supposed to be my first day back running in a couple of weeks.

But I think the week may be turning around.

This was on the radio as I headed to catch my ride into Salt Lake... And I caught enough red lights to allow me to hear the whole song.

On Compassion

Mormons are generally good people.

Unfortunately, oft times, they're good people, because they want you to listen to their message and join their church. I'm sure that in most cases, their intentions are pure. They believe they possess knowledge that unbelievers do not. Knowledge which will allow the non-believer to have a shot at heaven, because without it... You just can't make it.

If you want to see the ugly side of Mormonism however, go along with it for a while - hell, do like what happened to me. Be raised in the Church, go out and recruit many more souls for them (My number was somewhere above 50) and then go through and get married in the temple and spawn many new Mormon spirits.

Then when you realize it's built on a foundation of deception and manipulation, ask to take a break... Not walk out the door, yelling and screaming. Not trying to convince the congregation that they're wrong, not even confronting one of the leaders who lies directly to your face...

No, simply... I'm struggling with this, and I'd like to take a break.

Then they're not so nice.

On the plus side... I do have it pretty easy.

The Mormon Church may claim that it loves people with Same Sex Attraction - because saying homosexuality is apparently now politically incorrect in the Church. And it may act all offended that people may attribute to the Church a certain amount of responsibility in the suicide deaths of many LGBT youth.

But then you read stuff like this

WTF by The Gay Dot.

And if you read the comments, you'll find that this isn't an isolated incident.

Mormons are good people.

Although some of them are only good people because they want something.

And some of them are just sick bastards - not that I would wish any harm on them, other than to experience for just a moment, then mental pain and anguish that they have inflicted on others.

Regrets

I've been planning on doing a post on regrets, but... Where I can usually blog on breaks and what-not at work, today I am SWAMPED!

So...

Since it kind of relates to the topic, please enjoy:



And perhaps:



And as always with posts like this, I feel I should add that the lyrics or general tone of the songs is not related to my marriage to the beautiful and vivacious Mrs. Koda. The hottie who still gets my motor racing!

OK - Back to work!