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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

"The Voice of the Non-Believer..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesday)


Bettejo Dux has lived on the cosmic garden island
of Kaua'i over 30 years. She is an animal lover, people lover and lover of life.
She will be 83 years young next month and still active in life and community.

You can order a copy of her Novella "The Scam "below.www.bettejodux.com

The Voice of the Non-Believer

I am a devout non-believer.

For me it’s simple: I don’t need a god and I don’t need a religion. Please do not send someone to my house to convert me. I promise I will not knock on your door in an attempt to un-convert you.

I am not selling anything. I think there is all too much of that going on in America already. Religion is big business. Tax exempt business. Many of our televangelists are very rich and powerful people in America.

What is a belief anyway? Isn’t it something that is not true? I mean, if it were true would in not then be a fact?

There are many religions. Many Gods. And every believer believes his God- his religious belief- is the one true God, the true beliefs. Every other God and every other religion is false. Please note: these ancient structures are all patriarchal. God is a he-even when packaged in a three-cornered wrap.

True believers seem to be constantly at each other’s throats. The Christians, the Muslims and the Jews have been duking it out for years. Still are.

While some 78% of Americans believe in God, we are not a theocracy. That is, no one in this country is forced to believe in God. Attend church. Man’s laws prevail in our courts. Here in Hawaii, in a courtroom, we say,” I declare under penalty of perjury in this court and the state of Hawaii my statements are true.”

The number of Americans who have no religious affiliation is strong and growing. 1 in 4 Americans, ages 18 to 29 are not currently affiliated.

For years it seems, far too many years, the only thing all believers agreed on was all atheists, agnostics, secular humanists, devout non-believers would spend all eternity burning in the fires of hell.

Sin, guilt, fear, hell and damnation are cloaked, sold and practiced. All three of the major religions-Christian, Muslim and Jew- play these card, as non-believers

stand outside the game and shake their heads.

We are constantly harassed, bombarded with religious hype. Obey us. Don’t do this, don’t do that. Do this or else. Do that and die. The list of do’s and don’ts is endless.

It’s true that most non-believers know the New Testament and the Old Testament better than most Christian or Jewish laymen who have a habit of cherry picking. Bad stuff when it’s time to kick ass. Good stuff on Saturday and Sunday.

And, of course, all their Gods are coming back. Soon. Better look out.

Well, this I dare to say, she says, looking for a place to hide-“…if their Gods come back to be tried in a court of American law, they’ll all end up on death row.”

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this blog site do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Publisher of Dakinetalk the blog...
Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...





20 comments:

Pete Antonson said...

Via facebook,"Bettejo quotely directly from the Pew Forum; but, cherrypicked their survey. "Unaffiliated" means no specific denomination selected; it does not mean nonreligious. The same survey found 1.6% atheists - same as it ever was!"

KimoRosen said...

Pete, you would also be welcome to guest-blog on dakinetalk if you ever wish! any subject, your choice. 200-500 words, short bio and photo...

Bettejo Dux said...

Thank you, Kimo. You are a dear sweet man. Looking forward to Pete's rebuttal. The Voice of the Non Believer is researched---not cherry picked---and is an honest and heart felt piece, Pete should also read Banned in Boston. My new column.

Bettejo Dux said...

...also a passionate well-written piece.

Bettejo Dux said...

Yup, I agree completely. There aren't many individuals I thoroughly dislike...I may disagree with them, or even feel they're missing the boat completely, but I don't thoroughly dislike them...but he's one. Arrogant, egotistic, narcissistic, and a few other "-tics" apply. I get the impression from his meanderings that he's now an ex-pat living in the Philippines (with a Filipina wife, it would seem). No loss to Kaua'i or the US, for that matter. I'm rather having a good time figuring out a way to really get his goat. I can't imagine how he would have been as a teacher."

Bettejo Dux said...

Not my words.See the quotes. This is also a passionate, honest, we-written comment. Very bright person.

Bettejo Dux said...

Hi, Pete.

Bettejo Dux said...

By the way, this person loved Banned in Boston.

Bettejo Dux said...

I love to quote Richard Dawkins, “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all of fiction, jealous and proud of it, a petty unjust, unforgiving control freak, a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser: a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” The only reason he isn’t dubbed narcissistic is ’cause he never fell in love with anybody. Anyhow Narcissus was mythical Greek

Bettejo Dux said...

Kind'a like Pete?

Bettejo Dux said...

Oh, yes, my darling column When the World was Young Aging Damsels in Distress is up, mit pix, in The Garden Island Wellness section B2, Pete might like to change some words and sign it. I'll let him if he apologizes for all the lies he's told about me and says, "Pretty please."

KimoRosen said...

If you search Bettejo Dux you'll find page after page of my work, here with Kimo, TGI, Those awful TG**alk guys-such a relief to be outta there-, Island Breath. Lots of stuff Pete might like to put his name on. "pretty please," Pete? Brief apology...

KimoRosen said...

Bettejo great article (column) in today's garden Island news, for those who have not read "Aging Damsels in Distress," here it is; http://thegardenisland.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/aging-damsels-in-distress/article_3f09b8e8-f429-11e2-b9f6-0019bb2963f4.html

Pete Antonson said...

via Facebook;" Bettejo Dux left several hateful messages on my facebook page. So I learned how to permanently block her access. He who laughs last, laughs best! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!"

Harmony Bentosino said...

I'm so happy to be a Unitarian. We support the right of each person to find their own truth, and many of us are Atheist & Pagans, & others from more traditional backgrounds. We all agree to disagree. I think that even Bettyjo might feel like she belongs in our church!

Bettejo Dux said...

I would love to meet people I can love and who will love me. I've met the most vicious patriarchs on the island. Threatened and lied about. Maligned. Called 'a spawn of satan'. Would love to meet you....

Harmony Bentosino said...

If you are ever on Oahu, you can visit the First Unitarian Church on the Pali Hwy. I will find out if there is a branch of our church on Kauai.

Bettejo Dux said...

Thank you, Harmony. I pal with the Friends but I'm not a Quaker.

KimoRosen said...

Harmony, what about me, can I come next time on Oahu?

Bettejo Dux said...

We'll all go together when we go.