Comedian Raised $126k for Atheist Tornado Victim to Piss Off Christians

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

When Wolf Blitzer asked Moore tornado survivor Rebecca Vitsmun if she thanked the lord, many expected her to answer "yes." Instead she replied "I'm actually an atheist." "Saying 'I'm an atheist' in Oklahoma is like screaming 'Jihad' at airport security," says Doug Stanhope in a clip from Charlie Brooker's 2013 Wipe. "That took some nuts."
The blue comedy specialist decided to show his appreciation for Vitsmun's candidness by starting an IndieGogo campaign on her behalf.
"If you watch the footage, all the other victims are on the news thanking Jesus for only killing their neighbors and not them, while a crawler is on the screen telling me where I can text money to help them out," Stanhope goes on to say. "**** them. I don't want Jesus getting credit for my $50. I'll help that other girl out."
By the end of the two-month funding duration, Stanhope's campaign had raised nearly $126,000 for Vitsmun.
In the Brooker clip, Stanhope explains that he didn't do it for the sake of helping out the victim of a natural disaster — he did it for the sake of not helping out her Lord-thanking neighbors.
"I didn't do it because I felt sympathy because she got all her **** destroyed by a tornado," he said. "I did it simply to be a prick to her Okie-Christian neighbors, hoping that they were still eating off of FEMA trucks when someone drove up and presented Rebecca with a giant cardboard check."

This is why Doug Stanhope is a genius, I love his comedy. Couldn't link to the vids because the have rather salty language but you can find them on YouTube

 

[SuperFerret]

Watch her donate some of it to help other people out of kindness instead of dickish spite.

 

[Doctor Evo]

I could see giving a show of support if she faced some type of social backlash (which is entirely possible, but no indication is given here), but this? I don't think I can get behind this...

 

[Thundercrack85]

"If you watch the footage, all the other victims are on the news thanking Jesus for only killing their neighbors and not them, while a crawler is on the screen telling me where I can text money to help them out,"

Yeah, I kind of wondered about that myself. But you don't want to start an argument with someone who just lose their house.

I don't think we should have separate collections though. Christian, atheist, a disaster is a disaster, and they all need help.

 

[SuperFerret]

"If you watch the footage, all the other victims are on the news thanking Jesus for only killing their neighbors and not them, while a crawler is on the screen telling me where I can text money to help them out,"

Yeah, I kind of wondered about that myself. But you don't want to start an argument with someone who just lose their house.

I don't think we should have separate collections though. Christian, atheist, a disaster is a disaster, and they all need help.

Thanking Jesus for sparing your house is different than thanking Jesus for smiting Bob down the street.

 

[Teelie]

I see where he's coming from with it (saying they were glad Jesus smote the neighbors, not themselves) even if I don't agree with it.

I won't be getting into the religious side of thanking Jesus or not thanking any deity but I do think his attitude is the exact same as those religious extremists who take it too far. He's on the opposite side of the spectrum but he's no better than someone who says he'd only donate money to someone of his own faith.

No one should be excluded from help or assistance when they need it.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Thanking Jesus for sparing your house is different than thanking Jesus for smiting Bob down the street.

But why would Jesus spare you and not Bob?

 

[KevanG]

Cause Bob was a jerk who took money from the collection plate when no one was looking.

 

[SuperFerret]

But why would Jesus spare you and not Bob?

He has His reasons...


That sort of thing doesn't typically come into play. People thank their god when they experience something good, but they don't necessarily place the blame that way when bad things happen to good people.

 

[Hal_Jordan]

I see where he's coming from with it (saying they were glad Jesus smote the neighbors, not themselves) even if I don't agree with it.

I won't be getting into the religious side of thanking Jesus or not thanking any deity but I do think his attitude is the exact same as those religious extremists who take it too far. He's on the opposite side of the spectrum but he's no better than someone who says he'd only donate money to someone of his own faith.

No one should be excluded from help or assistance when they need it.

The difference between the religious extremists and Doug Stanhope is that Doug Stanhope doesn't claim to be better than anyone else.

 

[SuperFerret]

The difference between the religious extremists and Doug Stanhope is that Doug Stanhope doesn't claim to be better than anyone else.

That implication is there, actually. All of those quotes scream with the subtext of a superiority complex.

 

[Thundercrack85]

He has His reasons...


That sort of thing doesn't typically come into play. People thank their god when they experience something good, but they don't necessarily place the blame that way when bad things happen to good people.

I just think it's really inappropriate / offensive to thank God for sparing your family in earshot of someone who lost half their family.

 

[SuperFerret]

I just think it's really inappropriate / offensive to thank God for sparing your family in earshot of someone who lost half their family.

And it may be inappropriate, but it's not the same as saying you're glad that other people were harmed.

 

[Thundercrack85]

And it may be inappropriate, but it's not the same as saying you're glad that other people were harmed.

It's not hard to read a "better Bob than me" subtext in there.

 

[Hotwire]

But why would Jesus spare you and not Bob?

That's always been my problem when people thank God/Jesus for saving them or a loved one in a disaster. I can understand you're thankful to be alive but think about what you're saying. By giving God credit for saving your life you're also giving Him credit for NOT saving others.

 

[Warhammer]

I'll give Doug Stanhope some props for being honest. However, he's still a piece of s*** for that last quote. He's so damn salty.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

That implication is there, actually. All of those quotes scream with the subtext of a superiority complex.

If you knew Doug at all you would know how un-true that is. He is a raging alcoholic and drug abuser and is one of the most self deprecating individuals alive

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I love Stanhope's socially libertarian stand up but he looks like a bully picking on old church ladies here.

Yes this will galvanize hardcore atheist but it will alienate mostly everyone else.

But it's good to see a celebrity get involved in a subversive cause they believe in, even if it's a little counter-productive.

 

[Teelie]

There was a article I read earlier this year that I recalled when posting earlier. It is that there are atheists who give other atheists a bad name just as there are Christians who give other Christians a bad name and every religion or belief has those bad name-givers.

That he would thumb his nose at those who were also affected by the disaster because they have faith is no better than those who won't help those who don't have faith. I don't care even if he's a self-deprecating alcoholic drug abuser, that's not justification to ignore the rest of them. That last quote doesn't put him in a good light at all.

 

[jmc]

I find it hilarious when people thank the lord for saving them or their house as if it couple possibly be just pure dumb luck. It's the same as when football players thank the lord for helping them win the game - as if he's choosing sides to win.

 

[Thundercrack85]

As I always tell football and baseball players, just because God is omniscient and all-powerful, doesn't mean he's bored.

 

[Warhammer]

There was a article I read earlier this year that I recalled when posting earlier. It is that there are atheists who give other atheists a bad name just as there are Christians who give other Christians a bad name and every religion or belief has those bad name-givers.

That he would thumb his nose at those who were also affected by the disaster because they have faith is no better than those who won't help those who don't have faith. I don't care even if he's a self-deprecating alcoholic drug abuser, that's not justification to ignore the rest of them. That last quote doesn't put him in a good light at all.

Exactly. What is discouraging is when you click on the links in the original post and read the comments. It makes me sick because those posters are giving atheists, as a whole, a bad name. One shouldn't be denied help just because they have a differing viewpoint.

Not to sound like a hippy, but what is the point of that spitefulness? Oh boy, you sure showed those stupid Christians, Stanhope.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I feel sorry for this "Bob" guy, whoever he is.

 

[Marvolo]

Oh, Bob, you foolish bastard...whyd you have to go back for that vintage playbook collection? Was it worth your life? Was it!?!?

 

[Xeno]

There is a story about Oklahoma atheists saving Christmas for a young mother and her baby that shows a much better way of shaming "Christians" who treat people badly.

Mother Thanks Atheist Group for Saving Christmas After ‘Shockingly Bad’ Church Treatment

One Oklahoma woman is thanking a local atheist group for making her Christmas an enjoyable one after she had a “shockingly bad” run-in with workers at a church’s toy giveaway on Christmas morning. Tiffany Wait tried to get her infant child a gift, but people at the church wanted to hold her baby while she shopped and got very upset and insistent when she refused to hand her child over.

Wait said she was treated “shockingly bad,” and explained that during the confrontation, “I stood there, fighting back tears and asked, ‘You would turn a baby away on Christmas?’” It got so bad, Wait says one of the volunteers “tried to forcibly take her child.”

After she took to social media to tell her story, Oklahoma Atheists took notice and decided to help balance things out so she could still have a merry Christmas. And Wait was nothing but grateful for it.

“The Christians turned my baby and I away, and a group of atheists showed us compassion, kindness, and charity,” Wait said. “They brought us toys, dinner, gift cards, donated money and really saved our holiday.”

The church has attempted to apologize to Wait for the poor way she was treated, while the director of Oklahoma Atheists said they collected donations in order to make sure she would still have a happy holiday season.

Well, so much for the atheists’ War on Christmas™, huh?