Thelindenpapers - TheLindenPapers

Part of what finally snapped me out of my belief:

If god is the most intelligent and wise of all possible geniuses, then what's written in the bible should blow the efforts of scientists and philosophers completely out of the water.

The works of scientists should seem like the striving of toddlers in comparison to the bible.

It doesn't.

And if god is the source of absolute and perfect morality, then incredibly difficult moral quandaries should have been solved brilliantly in those pages...

I should never feel as if know right from wrong better than the god character.

And yet, with dismay, I frequently felt that way, while reading the bible.

I can't tell you how many hours I spent in desperate prayer, asking for revelation and clarity, on what was, ultimately, already clear:

The bible has no divine origin...and therefore, has no power to reveal anything that humans have yet to reveal; no ability to imbue one with a morality or a wisdom greater than what humans can construct; and no capacity to save you from what you yourself or another human or another animal or a stroke of sheer random chance couldn't save you from.

Design from Murder Apparel

Reminder:

Transphobia hurts all women, including cis women.

Statistics show that harassment and violence against cis women have increased ever since transphobes started to intensify discrimination against our trans sisters, trans brothers, and trans siblings...

This is because, as people have been encouraged to police and persecute trans folk, it has increased the ways in which people police the bodies, rights, and behaviors of women, and to demonize femininity, across the board.

Look it up.

Little cis girls have been harassed on sports fields, in schools, and on playgrounds for being tomboys and "appearing" to be trans; and some cis women have even been murdered on the mere suspicion of being trans.

The solution is NOT to be even more transphobic and find "better" ways to discriminate. 🙄 That is TRASH.

The solution is to stand firmly against the sexism that stands at the ROOT of homophobia, transphobia, and queerphobia to begin with; by standing against transphobia and discrimination against trans people.

The gender binary isn't real, bioesentiallism blows (not in the good way), and patriarchal structures are not worth defending.

Let people be whatever hue and color and texture of gender they are, stop policing them about it!

abc.net.au

Native title claim spanning 95,000 square kilometres recognised by Federal Court in Western NSW

In an open-air courtroom set up in a nature reserve at Cobar, families from the Ngemba, Ngiyampaa, Wangaaypuwan and Wayilwan peoples secure

"In an open-air courtroom set up in a nature reserve in Western NSW, a four-nation clan has secured one of the largest native title claims in the region's history. 

Far from the four walls and formalities of a federal courtroom, Justice Melissa Perry delivered her determination at Newey Reserve in Cobar on Wednesday, recognising the native title rights of the Ngemba, Ngiyampaa, Wangaaypuwan and Wayilwan peoples.

The decision marks the successful end of a 12-year legal battle that began in 2012.

The claim covers more than 95,000 square kilometres of land and water from the Barwon River in the north, to the Lachlan River in the south, the Castlereagh River in the east and Ivanhoe to the west. 

It recognises native title rights including the right to hunt, fish and gather resources, the right to access and camp on land and right to protect places of cultural and spiritual importance.

A legacy for future custodians 

Aunty Elaine Ohlsen, a Ngiyampaa Elder from Cobar and one of the original applicants, said the decision brought her "mixed emotions".

"I just persevered," she said.

"We've been through a lot of trials and tribulations to get here, but I'm someone who won't give up fighting for our people."

"These sorts of things need to happen all the time, because we need to know who we are and where we come from and where we are in this country."

Aunty Elaine hopes the determination will inspire future generations to continue their ancestors' legacy.

"Hopefully, this will encourage them to stay connected to their country, heritage, and culture, and to carry on the hard work we've done," she said.

Vision for the future

Wangaaypuwan man and claim applicant John Shipp recently camped on country with four generations of his family.

He said the recognition of native title meant they could continue to do so without fear of being moved on.

"It's just those little things that give us our connection back to our land, our heritage, our culture," he said.

The native title holders have now formed the Ngemba, Ngiyampaa, Wangaaypuwan Wayilwan Aboriginal Corporation (NNWW Corporation) to manage their rights.

As a director of the NNWW Corporation, Mr Shipp sees the determination as the beginning of a new chapter...

As for Mr Shipp's message to other Indigenous groups fighting for recognition?

"Keep going — it's getting better, it's getting shorter, it's happening, just keep going," he said."

-via ABC News Australia, August 14, 2024