The Rev. Rob Times - Society, Arts, and Entertainment
The Top 5 Sexiest Women Fitness Models
Written by KnowYourRoots.com Monday, 11 February 2013 06:13
Bodybuilding isn’t just a man's world, it’s for women too. The following five fitness stars are not only gorgeous, but are inspirational and have helped countless others enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
5. Belinda Benn
Website: belindabennsblog.com
Workout tip: Change your day. Make small, incremental changes consistently.
Nutrition tip:Omega-3’s increase sexual pleasure.
This fitness model was out of shape and overweight at age 37. Now she’s in her 40s and is a sexy and beautiful Aussie inspiration.
Hello, My Name Is Rob, and I Used to Be Bullied
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Saturday, 02 February 2013 00:35
For about a year now, there is more and more, shall I say, activism against bullying. Anti-bullying campaigns have cropped up across the internet. Unfortunately, this was only after a number of young people took their own lives out of desperation and the kind of pain that no one can understand unless they lived through it.
At the time of this writing I am 30 years old, and it took me until about this age to really admit how bad it was for me in school. Not just high school, but grade school and middle school as well.
Add a commentThe 20 percent: Religion Rapidly Declining in America
Written by Allen Moccio Tuesday, 09 October 2012 20:41
Every few years or so a comprehensive study on religion in America is done. This year it was completed by the PEW Research Center. The big headline? One in five Americans, a full 20 percent, are not religious. But are they nonbelievers?
The answer, disappointingly, is no. While it is exciting for many to see the number of people who identify themselves as agnostic, atheist, or “nothing in particular” rise to 20 percent of the population, a huge constituency, a large number of the “none of the above” crowd are really religious egonovists.
Dissecting the numbers tells a tale of an America where the power and influence of religion is in rapid decline, but also of one where people are hesitant to let go of a higher power.
Of the 20 percent, only six percent identify as either atheist or agnostic. Enough has been written about agnostics to conclude that they either don’t exist, or are really agnostic atheists, as are virtually all atheists. It’s a safe bet that a minimum of six percent of the population do not believe in any god whatsoever.
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Navigating the Compass of Belief
Written by Honest Atheist Wednesday, 02 May 2012 20:39
It isn’t a delusion for one to be an atheist; after all, simply not believing that deities exist is no less rational than not believing that Santa Clause exists.
The delusion, however, comes from religionists who seek to paint atheism itself as a religion.
“It takes as much faith to not believe in God and it does to believe,” they constantly repeat.
But no, it doesn’t, just as it takes no faith to not believe that cats are an invading alien species whose mission is to pacify us with their cute YouTube videos before conquering our feeble planet. In fact, evidence suggests that cats are capable of no such thing and that they evolved right here on Earth with the rest of us.
Not believing in God (or gods, for that matter) is not the exact opposite of believing in them, which typically does require faith (but not always). For most atheists, there is no certainty that gods do not exist, merely the high probability. This concept is excellently illustrated by Dawkins Scale.
Unfortunately, Dawkins’ scale is only two dimensional and, like political ideology, religious belief is much more complex than that. Therefore, we need a compass to illustrate for us a third dimension.
The Compass of Belief
North and south on our compass are represented by theism and atheism, respectively. A theist is one who does believe in deities, an atheist is one who does not. Very simple.
East and west on our compass are agnostic and gnostic, respectively. This is where some people tend to get lost.
A person who is gnostic believes that they are in possession of special knowledge that perhaps only a select few can know.
In a religious sense, a person who is agnostic either doubts or denies outright that knowledge of the existence of a god is even possible.
On a map it is possible to travel both north and east and
the same time, and both south and west at the same time, and so on. But it is
impossible to travel both north and south simultaneously, and the same goes for
east and west. Our compass illustrates this.
Lou Reed and Metallica: LULU Album Review
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Saturday, 22 October 2011 08:24
Former Velvet Underground rocker Lou Reed unites with Metallica
to make an album. When these two forces unite, the result is something that no
one can quite expect.
9/11 Not Possible Without Religion
Written by Vox Populi Sunday, 11 September 2011 23:42
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the September
11th attacks on the United Sates. This year also marks the 40th
anniversary of John Lennon’s most influential song, “Imagine.” Within the lines
of its lyrics, we are invited to imagine no heaven, no hell, and no religion.
Absent: Movie Review – A Documentary About Fatherlessness From a Director Who Misses the Point
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Saturday, 14 May 2011 03:37
This documentary about absent fathers by young filmmaker Justin Hunt groans under the weight of post hoc statistics and does little more to show that some people who grew up fatherless and made bad decisions while at the same time reminding us that Metallica is cool.
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The Debate Over Dog Fighting Video Games for Android
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Saturday, 30 April 2011 23:56
Google is facing backlash for allowing “KG Dogfighting” to be sold in the Android Marketplace. This comes only days after the original app, “Dog Wars,” was pulled after a national outcry, with former dog fighter extraordinaire Michael Vick adding to the dialog.
The question is now becoming whether or not a game which depicts the illegal act of dog fighting dogs should be allowed to be sold.
Add a commentGoogle Launches ‘Google Gas’ – A Synthetic Replacement for Gasoline
Written by Zadoc Paet Friday, 01 April 2011 10:12
PHOENIX, AZ – On this historic date, Google has launched it’s newest product dubbed “Google Gas.”
Unlike other product that Google has launched in recent years, such as Gmail, Google Wave, Google Docs, and more, “Google Gas” is a physical, not electronic, product that consumers can look forward to buying.
An Update from Japan – A Young Woman’s Personal Account of Tragedy and Loss of Life
Written by Yumi Wednesday, 23 March 2011 07:49
As I write this I only have enough time to clean up and change clothes, my brother and I have been in Sendai. Back home in Tokyo it’s hard enough to get more water and blankets; this event is very horrifying.
We went there (to Sendai) to find his wife and children. Lucky we found them, but while there I also found so many bodies... even children. I also found great sadness.
I came across a small little girl, just five years of age. She was stuck under a car, a three door type, and I held her and tried to call help, but my brother said she will die.
That is now the way of life here. So much death, so many dead. But my brother always says, “We Japanese, we live on.” So we go back again after take a bath shower and such as that area water and communication is lost. My brother and I have been searching, just to find people and help.
Add a commentIs there an outbreak of secular child molesters? The Pope Bashes Atheists in the UK, Compares Them to Nazis
Written by C. Editor Friday, 17 September 2010 04:28
As if we didn’t need another reason to criticize either the Catholic Church or former Nazi Youth member, Pope Benedict XVI.
While on his first state visit to England, and the first papal visit to the United Kingdom in 28 years, Pope Benedict’s address didn’t contain a single reference to the Vatican’s massive conspiracy to cover-up hundreds of counts of alleged sexual abuse from within its ranks. Instead the pontiff focused on bashing secularism in a very secular nation.
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We play god every day so, why not allow federal funding for embryonic stem cell research?
Written by Jessica Moccio Thursday, 16 September 2010 12:13
Judge Royce Lamberth overturned the ban President Obama had lifted in March 2009 so that researchers could use federal funds to create embryonic stem cell lines.
According to recent polls, 80% of the population agree with Obama and are in favor of the controversial research. That means even a large number of Republicans and right-wing tea folks are on board with this. Even Congress has passed a bill for it twice.
Stem cell research done with embryonic cells could be much more versatile than using adult cells, or umbilical stem cells, or any other kind of stem cells.. This is because embryonic stem cells can develop into any cell types of the body. They can also be kept alive indefinitely and grown in cultures so they can keep doubling every two to three days.
However, because these stem cells come from blastocysts it becomes a matter of “playing god.”
Add a commentEditorial: How the Catholic Church Promotes Atheism
Written by Jessica Moccio Monday, 13 September 2010 03:17
The Catholic Church in Belgium recently released an independent report detailing hundreds of assertions of sexual abuse of children by priests and others working for the church from the 1950s into the late 1980s.
This is a sad truth that reminds us that history repeats itself. Pope Benedict XVI, a former member of the Nazi Youth, has repeatedly said the Vatican will seek justice for victims. What kind of justice can be given?
For the victims in these particular reports, the abusers are long deceased. What justice can you give a child who has been abused? Can you give them back their childhood? When your innocence is ripped from you at such an early age, how can there ever be justice?
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The Lunacy of “Last Call” Laws
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Sunday, 12 September 2010 23:16
Different states have different drinking laws, but one thing they all have in common is ‘last call,’ a cut off time when stores and bars are no longer allowed to serve alcohol.
It’s 1:30 am in Phoenix, Arizona, one of the least pedestrian cities in the US. Bars are preparing to close at two o’clock in the morning. Patrons have two options. They can drink as much as possible in the remaining half-hour, or they can get in their cars, already inebriated, and drive to the nearest store to buy more booze to continue the night elsewhere.
Either way, the hour between 1:30 am and 2:30 am is unquestionably the most dangerous time to be on the road. These folks who are looking for a good time aren’t walking, there’s no available public transportation, and few are calling for a cab. Be assured, they’re behind the wheel.
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Who Cares About ‘Burn a Koran’ Day? This is all the media’s fault
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Friday, 10 September 2010 06:31
Terry Jones is an aging nobody, a redneck gun-toting pastor in Gainesville, Florida who leads a congregation of just fifty at his Dove World Outreach Center. Yet his decision to burn copies of the Muslim holy book, the Qur’an, to celebrate the anniversary of the September 11th attacks has literally sparked international outrage. Really, though, who cares?
Debunking Agnosticism – Why Most Self-Identified Agnostics Are Anything But
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Monday, 06 September 2010 05:34
Agnostics don’t exist. The idea of an informed and intelligent person not being able to determine if they do or do not believe in the existence of a god or gods is incredulous at best.
The majority of self-described agnostics are really one of two things; a weak theist, or a weak atheist. And most of them fall into the atheism side of the spectrum.
Agnosticism is the belief that the existence of god and the non-existence of god are equally likely in probability. In other words, evolution and the big bang are equally as plausible as creation and magic sky pixies.
Add a commentThe Number One Religion in the U.S. May Be Egonovism, Not Christianity
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Thursday, 02 September 2010 07:04
Christianity is commonly held to be the predominate religion in the United States. According to the Association of Religious Data Archives (ARDA), 82.3 percent of Americans identify themselves as being Christian. The next largest group is Agnostics and Atheists at 11.6 percent.
However, when surveys are made that collect religious data, the pollsters never drill down to find out how religious the respondent really is. As it turns out, most people who identify themselves as a particular religion may not actually adhere to the tenets of their self-proclaimed belief.
In April 2003 the Barna Research Group did ask the deeper questions and determined that only 4 percent of American teenagers are “Bible believing” Christians.
Despite the fact that the percentage of teen Christians in the U.S. is close to that of the national average, Barna was able to come up with just 4 percent because, although many more teens identified themselves as Christians, they didn’t follow the tenets of Christianity.
The conclusion is that the vast majority of Christians do not follow Biblical law and other rules in order to ensure their salvation, or generally be a good Christian in the eyes of God.
This is an example of societal norms eroding religious doctrine. It’s not just Christianity that is affected either. The erosion can clearly be seen in American Islamic and Hindu (Brahmanist) communities as well.
Add a commentAn Anti-American Religious Group Is Building Houses of Worship Near Ground Zero and They Must Be Stopped Now!
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Monday, 23 August 2010 16:12
It’s true. To the surprise and horror of an untold number of citizens, an ancient Abrahamic religion is attempting to run not one, but several houses of worship near Ground Zero, the sacred land where the United States was viciously attacked by religions fanatics on September 11th, 2001, a day seared into the minds of everyone who was old enough to remember it.
These zealots put their religion above their country and even their families. In other words, their allegiance to their god comes before their allegiance to the United States or the people.
What makes this even more disturbing is that they bring with them their own form of religious law that does not mesh with either the Constitution, endless state and local ordinances, or morality of any kind as we know it. In fact, if they were to follow this religious code they would most likely end up in prison.
Add a commentA Trip to the Phoenix Musical Instrument Museum
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Saturday, 14 August 2010 08:23
Calling themselves the world's first "global" Musical Instrument Museum, MIM's grand opening began in Phoenix, AZ weekend of April 24th 2010. Though there are other musical instruments in Brussels, London, Paris,
Berlin, and Belgium, to name a few, organizers of the $250 million Phoenix project say that the others lack a global perspective.
MIM certainly does have a global perspective. Equipped with headset and receiver, visitors follow a network of interlinked geo-galleries, ten in all, that represent a different part of the world: Africa, Middle East, East Asia, Latin America, Oceania, and so on. Each region of the world is represented, and the goal is that each country within each region will have their own gallery, complete with an assortment of instruments and audio/video display.
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Banning Cell Phones While Driving - Good Idea or Useless Law?
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Friday, 13 August 2010 00:34
A commercial flickers on the TV screen during the break of the always funny Family Guy. A close up of a young girl talking on her cell phone fills the screen. Her laughter and giggling is abruptly cut short... The camera pans out to reveal that she had been talking on her cell phone while driving; followed by a message: "Do not talk on your cell phone while driving."
The message intended to be seen is a simple one; talking on the phone while driving. However, it’s easy to see something profoundly different, and something that is quickly become a cancer on American society; the art of passing blame.
On the Neuroticism of Fox News Viewers
Written by Rev. Robert A. Vinciguerra Monday, 02 August 2010 02:53
Christopher Nolan had it wrong, inception is pretty easy
Lets face it. Fox News isn’t a news source, per se. It’s a network that is, by design, set up to propagate a specific political view point, that of the American political right wing. Fox is neither fair nor balanced, and oftentimes “facts” conveyed on the network are demonstrably false. Yet fans of the network swear by it as the only source for news that they trust. The following is an analysis of Fox’s tactics of manipulation and the defenses employed by their viewers.
First, it is important to assume that the average Fox News viewer is intelligent, capable of reasoning, and is rational. Many are well educated and successful in their respective comminutes. So, what is it that allows them to be blinded from the obvious reality that Fox News manipulates them, and in some cases out and out lies to them?
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