Now that you mention it, I don't think there's a god, either...he wouldn't have allowed this.

This is new?

And Julia, you may want to stop buying any food your grocer tries to sell you....

FlashHarry: this is "news busters" material? wtf?

I heard one of her monologues on This American Life on this topic, so I looked it up to see exactly how behind-the-times NewsBusters is today:

Sweeney's third autobiographical monologue is titled Letting Go of God. In it, she discusses her Catholic upbringing, early religious ideology, and the life events and internal search that led her to believe that the universe can function on its own without a deity to preside over it, finally becoming an atheist. ...

She workshopped the show in small theaters and clubs around Los Angeles for three years and then opened it at the Hudson Backstage Theater in October 2004. An audio recording of Letting Go of God was released on CD in 2006, and it was filmed live on stage in May 2007. The film premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival on June 13, 2008. The DVD of the show was released in November 2008.

It's a good listen- parts are funny, but it's mostly intended to be storytelling. Essentially, she turned to the Bible because she wanted to deepen her faith, but at some point she came around to "Has anyone actually read this thing? These stories are horrible!", and moving from how the violent/paternalistic/xenophobic/etc. themes of the Bible manifest themselves in modern political fundamentalism.

Her sketch comedy was awful, but she's more natural in the monologue format. ~10 years after she started putting it together, NewsBusters is upset by this.

Welcome to ten years ago, News Busters.

Now tell us what Melanie Hutsell is up to, Newsbusters! The anticipation has me on the edge of my seat!

Saw Letting Go Of God on TV a while back. It was good stuff. I didn't think I'd enjoy a monologue, but I did very much.

But, yeah, this isn't news.

sinanju: Saw Letting Go Of God on TV a while back. It was good stuff. I didn't think I'd enjoy a monologue, but I did very much.

But, yeah, this isn't news.

Came to say this. Letting Go of God has been out for years.

Diogenes: sigdiamond2000: Why do marginal ex-SNL cast members refuse to say the things right-wing bloggers want them to say on regional Midwestern television ads?

They have their own set:

[www.herminorthing.com image 432x283]

I expect her to suddenly produce a dolphin puppet.

/Mmmm bearclaw!

Then who said "ha"?

BSABSVR: Now tell us what Melanie Hutsell is up to, Newsbusters! The anticipation has me on the edge of my seat!

Let's go to our special reporter, Victoria Jackson!

Why is this news? Oh right, it's not news, it's Fark.

Is she the anti-Kirk Cameron?

kid_icarus: Now that you mention it, I don't think there's a god, either...he wouldn't have allowed this.

[i76.photobucket.com image 350x262]

or God has a terrible sense of humor

case in point, the platypus, Robert Boehner, and the entire state of Arkansas

Ween was in It's Pat so iT is okay by me.

gunga galunga: Then who said "ha"?

Nobody watching her on "SNL."

in other news...wait... who gives a fark about Julia Sweeney now, or in any other decade?

I mean...aside from her hamfisted, mumbling her only line,staring at the camera, "I was blowing Tarentino" role in Pulp Fiction I mean...

she's awful and unfunny. Like Margaret Cho.

So Victoria Jackson is president now?

Miniature american handstands for all!

Since subby brought it up... how do hermaphrodites fit into the whole sexuality thing biblicaly speaking?

I mean, its a natural/ god-made condition.

Who are they allowed to fark and marry?
If so, is there a formula for deciding which sex they are allowed to be attracted to?
If some sort of exemption applies, is the hermaphrodite prohibited from gratifying the sexual organs they have in common with their partner?

FTFA: "Hi, I'm Julia Sweeney, and I'm a cultural Catholic," she says. "I'm no longer a believer...'


What's a 'cultural Catholic' and non-believer?

I'm confused.

/like Pat

GungFu: FTFA: "Hi, I'm Julia Sweeney, and I'm a cultural Catholic," she says. "I'm no longer a believer...'


What's a 'cultural Catholic' and non-believer?

I'm confused.

/like Pat

she has catholic guilt for not believing in god and upsetting the virgin mary

Just another niiny who doesn't know what separation of church and state really means. Religion is culture, you don't protect the state from it, you protect the culture from the government imposing on it.

This is news? She's been an atheist for many years.

Besides she's a farking moran.

Not for her atheism but for her political beliefs.

The irony that she (and others) hates a God (and his representatives) that she claim doesn't exist woould be funny if it weren't so sad.

Plus her position that others with differing veiwpoints should be suppressed is a scarey.

I thought that the "It's Pat" skit was funny. But I was 11 or 12 years old. Nothing people this age think is great is really good. See: music.

I'll say it. I think It's Pat: The Movie is hilarious. When it's showing Pat, blithely spiteful, deluded idiot, it's great. (When it's showing Pat, androgyny joke, less so.)

Also, Julia Sweeney is a great storyteller. I've seen her live twice.

That said, carry on your "An old Saturday Night Live cast member isn't funny! Ha! Ha!" commenting.

wraithmare: Diogenes: sigdiamond2000: Why do marginal ex-SNL cast members refuse to say the things right-wing bloggers want them to say on regional Midwestern television ads?

They have their own set:

[www.herminorthing.com image 432x283]

I expect her to suddenly produce a dolphin puppet.

/Mmmm bearclaw!

Glad I'm not the only one that saw she had a bit of the Pam Poovey going on.

/Pam rules
//The flav-a ehnanc-a!

douchebag/hater: The irony that she (and others) hates a God (and his representatives) that she claim doesn't exist woould be funny if it weren't so sad.

I am curious: do you claim that Ms. Sweeney "hates a God" because you are dishonest, or do you suffer mental retardation?

Psychomancer: Just another niiny who doesn't know what separation of church and state really means. Religion is culture, you don't protect the state from it, you protect the culture from the government imposing on it.

That is a ridiculous and historically ignorant view of the separation clause. Loyalists had a sincere religious belief that the colonies belonged to the King of England. Our government chose to impose itself on that culture. Slave holders had a sincere religious belief that black people were meant to be slaves. Our government chose to impose itself on that culture. Southerners had a sincere religious belief that miscegenation is an abomination. Our government chose to impose itself on that culture. The founding fathers wrote the bill of rights to protect against the excesses of power they had experienced directly under the British Crown. Each of the amendments can be tracked to crises between the colonists and the Crown in the 17th and 18th centuries. The use of religious doctrine in governance was one of those excesses, and the corruption of religious doctrine by political appointment was another.

You don't protect the oil from the water or the water from the oil. You keep those things apart because they got no business with each other and all they do is fark each other up.

If God wants you to champion a government policy, surely he will give you an argument that doesn't rely on using his name.

chimp_ninja:
Essentially, she turned to the Bible because she wanted to deepen her faith, but at some point she came around to "Has anyone actually read this thing? These stories are horrible!", and moving from how the violent/paternalistic/xenophobic/etc. themes of the Bible manifest themselves in modern political fundamentalism..

I was raised catholic and, while I'm an atheist now, I completely understand. My parents said they were actively discouraged from reading the bible when they were young. When I did start to read the bible - as well as starting to read more histories about culture and religion - it put all religion in perspective.

As opposed to the Protestant friends I had when young who actively talked about the imperative of everything being bible based, but when asked specifically what/where/details from the bible, couldn't answer--because they never read anything more the highlights. They never read the whole thing, like a novel. Never knew its original languages, Greek, Aramaic culture, people, history etc etc. Just an abstract, just "the bible".

/cool story, infidel

In other breaking news, some of the comedy stylings of Euripides look at Zeus in a rather harsh light. Newsbusters to whine about this incessantly at 11pm.

LouDobbsAwaaaay: Anyway, I remember seeing billboards from the Freedom From Religion Foundation featuring this woman. I guess she was the biggest star they could get?

Atheists aren't really known to care for joining clubs, usually part of the reason they're atheists is they have better things to do than get together with a bunch of people and talk about imaginary things. Or if they do it involves rolling a lot of dice and writing character sheets.

eltejon: This is new?

No sh*t! She was doing those "Freedom From Religion" ads on the radio 10 years ago.

Julia Sweeney has been an outspoken atheist for years, if not decades. Been sleeping under a rock, subby?

Jim_Callahan: In other breaking news, some of the comedy stylings of Euripides look at Zeus in a rather harsh light. Newsbusters to whine about this incessantly at 11pm.

LouDobbsAwaaaay: Anyway, I remember seeing billboards from the Freedom From Religion Foundation featuring this woman. I guess she was the biggest star they could get?

Atheists aren't really known to care for joining clubs, usually part of the reason they're atheists is they have better things to do than get together with a bunch of people and talk about imaginary things. Or if they do it involves rolling a lot of dice and writing character sheets.

My wife was ragging on me about playing D&D one time and I made a very delicate, clever, tangential comparison to her occasional and random church attendance. She did not find it to be delicate, clever, or tangential.

/grapple rules make more sense than transubstantiation
//at least I KNOW I'm playing make believe

GungFu: What's a 'cultural Catholic' and non-believer?

Involves sexual hangups and lots of drinking.

/I know what I'm talking about

Metaluna Mutant: chimp_ninja:
Essentially, she turned to the Bible because she wanted to deepen her faith, but at some point she came around to "Has anyone actually read this thing? These stories are horrible!", and moving from how the violent/paternalistic/xenophobic/etc. themes of the Bible manifest themselves in modern political fundamentalism..

I was raised catholic and, while I'm an atheist now, I completely understand. My parents said they were actively discouraged from reading the bible when they were young. When I did start to read the bible - as well as starting to read more histories about culture and religion - it put all religion in perspective.

I was also raised Catholic. Reading the Bible cover-to-cover was one of those things that made me consider atheism. Reading other religions' holy books as well as Joseph Campbell pretty much confirmed it.

Disposable Rob: I was also raised Catholic. Reading the Bible cover-to-cover was one of those things that made me consider atheism.

This. Catholic school, church 6 days a week. I started my doubts before I graduated and gave up entirely when I was in high school.

douchebag/hater: This is news? She's been an atheist for many years.

Besides she's a farking moran.

Not for her atheism but for her political beliefs.

The irony that she (and others) hates a God (and his representatives) that she claim doesn't exist woould be funny if it weren't so sad.

Plus her position that others with differing veiwpoints should be suppressed is a scarey.

I hate Joffrey Baratheon (Lannister), and he doesn't exist either.

I was raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, unquestioned obedience. I got kicked out of church school for asking too many questions. I also asked why my Dad did not have to go to church, he was an Athiest, I became an Athiest in 2nd grade. No more wasted Sundays at church.