Well, it seems the "end of the world" has once again come and gone. While the faithful are busy trying to rationalize their cognitive dissonance, reality continues -- as it always does -- forward. I am both enraged and saddened at Harold Camping for the casualties left in his wake of fear-mongering, and simultaneously filled with schadenfreude for the dumbfounded scratching their heads in disbelief.
Let's face it, none of raptor-ready halfwits are in any kind of "shock" right now. When the mind is addled with such a lack of critical thinking, it can come face-to-face with contrary or antipodes information and still assume it was right all along. The double-think involved is seen any many other areas of theistic ideology...it's like a staple or a necessity for it. In fact, I'd be amazed if I could find one of these May 21st people who would say, "I truly believed the world was going to end, and when it didn't I realized there was something deeply wrong with my thinking."
One can wish. Next up to get bitch-slapped by the world when it sticks around: the Mayans.
-STA
(Typed while listening to Ænema)
Showing posts with label superstitions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label superstitions. Show all posts
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Reasons for Everything
My mother is fond of saying, "Everything happens for a reason." I agree with her, but not in the way you'd think.
She, unlike myself, is a theist. The "reason" she attributes everything to ultimately boils down to nothing short of a divine plan authored by some all-knowing being. As a loud, snooty man on Fox News is fond of saying, "the sun goes up and comes down", and that's enough to ascribe an invisible father figure to it all.
I'm somewhat of a determinist. Now I don't think there's an ultimate plan for anything -- I'm no fatalist. But I do think things happen for reasons we can either explain, or can't (yet?). Say, casting a handful of dice. Natural forces determine how the dice will fall; everything from the strength and angle of your hand, to its height above the table, to the material makeup of the dice and the surface, to air pressure, to the tilt of the earth, and any number of other factors. But that does not mean that it's written somewhere ahead of time "On March 21, 2011, STA will throw a 2, 4, and 5 on 3d6." We can't really process all the factors in a seemingly random event, like a dice throw -- that's why we use them to determine random outcomes. If we really could process it all, it wouldn't seem random.
Therefore, I don't really believe in randomness. We might not know or understand all the circumstances for an event, but I don't think we can accurately say a thing just randomly happens. Even quantum mechanics might have some extenuating circumstances that lie beyond a certain complexity boundary for its seemingly random goings-on. I see randomness as a label that we put on too-hard-to-calculate events.
Sure, things happen for a reason. But those reasons have reasons themselves, and they've nothing to do with gods or magic. There may be a reason for everything, but it's just a whole lot bigger than you or I can comprehend...without the need for God.
-STA
She, unlike myself, is a theist. The "reason" she attributes everything to ultimately boils down to nothing short of a divine plan authored by some all-knowing being. As a loud, snooty man on Fox News is fond of saying, "the sun goes up and comes down", and that's enough to ascribe an invisible father figure to it all.
I'm somewhat of a determinist. Now I don't think there's an ultimate plan for anything -- I'm no fatalist. But I do think things happen for reasons we can either explain, or can't (yet?). Say, casting a handful of dice. Natural forces determine how the dice will fall; everything from the strength and angle of your hand, to its height above the table, to the material makeup of the dice and the surface, to air pressure, to the tilt of the earth, and any number of other factors. But that does not mean that it's written somewhere ahead of time "On March 21, 2011, STA will throw a 2, 4, and 5 on 3d6." We can't really process all the factors in a seemingly random event, like a dice throw -- that's why we use them to determine random outcomes. If we really could process it all, it wouldn't seem random.
Therefore, I don't really believe in randomness. We might not know or understand all the circumstances for an event, but I don't think we can accurately say a thing just randomly happens. Even quantum mechanics might have some extenuating circumstances that lie beyond a certain complexity boundary for its seemingly random goings-on. I see randomness as a label that we put on too-hard-to-calculate events.
Sure, things happen for a reason. But those reasons have reasons themselves, and they've nothing to do with gods or magic. There may be a reason for everything, but it's just a whole lot bigger than you or I can comprehend...without the need for God.
-STA
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Second Nature
Now, Tell Me What You See Here
We are pattern-seeking animals -- we have to be. It's what keeps us alive as a species. Avoiding danger and finding food are our rewards for successful detecting patterns. Take Pavlov's dogs for instance. Once they could recognize the bell had a direct correlation to food, they salivated upon hearing the bell. They, like many sentient beings would, had a reasonable expectation that BELL = FOOD.
We're so good at detecting patterns that we can find one even where none exists. The more certain among us are called superstitious. Studies have shown that people tend to be more superstitious when they are in situations where they lack control. We do what we can to influence the outcome, however trivial it may seem. The greater the perceived lack of control, the more superstitious people tend to become. Humans aren't the only animals to experience this, either. Take for example Skinner's pigeons. B. F. Skinner ran an experiment in which he placed a series of hungry pigeons in a cage attached to an automatic mechanism that delivered food to them at random intervals. The birds, however, began to exhibit signs of superstitious behavior. They appeared to think that they were somehow influencing when the treat would be delivered based on what they were doing right before the previous drop. The pigeons were soon performing all sorts of "rituals", such as turning two times counter-clockwise, then bobbing their head back and forth and pecking the cage twice. The birds behaved as if there were a causal relation between their behavior and the presentation of food, although no such a relation existed. But the pigeons believed it. I'm sure if they could talk, many would probably stand by their strong convictions even in the face of evidence. Sounds familiar, huh?
Humans have evolved not only to perceive patterns even if there are none, but we've also evolved a sort of upgraded version of that pattern-seeking software that specializes in faces. Again, this helps us survive. If we can detect a face hidden in the bushes, as well as discern the faces of our family (our tribe), we stand a much better chance at survival. Pareidolia is the phenomenon whereby we see patterns where there aren't any. How many times have you saw a face in the wood grain of a door, wall, or desk, or seen faces in the clouds? How many times has the likeness of Jesus or Mary appeared in toast or other places?
Oh, I See What You Did There
Michael Shermer, editor of Skeptic Magazine, has coined the term "Patternicity", the tendency to find meaningful patterns in both meaningful and meaningless noise. When doing so, two types of errors can result. Type I errors are false positives, believing a pattern exists when it doesn't. Type II errors are false negatives, not believing a pattern isn't real when it actually is.
We want to believe, it's evolutionarily our default position. Consider and early hominid hearing a rustle in the grass...is the hominid skeptical and thinks it's just the wind, or are they cautious and believes its a dangerous predator? We listen when we're told by our parents or elders that, for example, don't swim in the lake because there are snakes. We automatically listen to and believe what we're told -- we can't afford not to with a risk as high as death.
Shermer has discovered that you'll find meaningful patterns in things when the cost of making a Type II error is less than the cost of making a Type I error. It's easier to not believe in Bigfoot (especially if you live in the city) than to not believe in Hell, because the perceived cost or personal danger is much higher. We evolved down a path in which the more cautious survived. In the earlier example, if the rustle in the grass was indeed only the wind, then the cost to assume it was a dangerous predator is low -- you just move away and be more observant.
It's the Everywhere
We tend to attribute agency in scenarios like this as a result. The major difference in assuming an unknown sound in the bushes is another animal as apposed to thinking it's harmless wind is that the latter is inanimate, the predator is an intentional agent. This is why we attribute agency to many unknown things, and why our lives are filled with ghosts, gods, angels, demons, aliens, and even malevolent government conspirators. Things that confuse us or baffle us by their complexity often get ascribed to an agent. And it's easy for such a thought to arise -- "She can run faster than me, and he can run faster than her...there must be someone out there that can run faster than all." Powerful beings beget powerful ideas, and before long you have a being of ultimate speed, might, and power. And if it's that powerful, then it must be responsible for this currently unexplained phenomenon.
These reasons make it difficult to use skepticism and science, because they're against our nature. Studies have shown that children start to apply purpose-based meanings to things at about the time they begin to recognize man-made tools that really do serve a purpose, such as cell phones. But science has proven itself to be the best tool we can use to determine reality. If we can understand ourselves, if we can recognize the places where we are more prone to these kinds of errors in thinking, then we can start changing for the better. After all, if we can find patterns so well, finding the patterns in our error-making habits should be...second nature.
-STA
We are pattern-seeking animals -- we have to be. It's what keeps us alive as a species. Avoiding danger and finding food are our rewards for successful detecting patterns. Take Pavlov's dogs for instance. Once they could recognize the bell had a direct correlation to food, they salivated upon hearing the bell. They, like many sentient beings would, had a reasonable expectation that BELL = FOOD.
We're so good at detecting patterns that we can find one even where none exists. The more certain among us are called superstitious. Studies have shown that people tend to be more superstitious when they are in situations where they lack control. We do what we can to influence the outcome, however trivial it may seem. The greater the perceived lack of control, the more superstitious people tend to become. Humans aren't the only animals to experience this, either. Take for example Skinner's pigeons. B. F. Skinner ran an experiment in which he placed a series of hungry pigeons in a cage attached to an automatic mechanism that delivered food to them at random intervals. The birds, however, began to exhibit signs of superstitious behavior. They appeared to think that they were somehow influencing when the treat would be delivered based on what they were doing right before the previous drop. The pigeons were soon performing all sorts of "rituals", such as turning two times counter-clockwise, then bobbing their head back and forth and pecking the cage twice. The birds behaved as if there were a causal relation between their behavior and the presentation of food, although no such a relation existed. But the pigeons believed it. I'm sure if they could talk, many would probably stand by their strong convictions even in the face of evidence. Sounds familiar, huh?
Humans have evolved not only to perceive patterns even if there are none, but we've also evolved a sort of upgraded version of that pattern-seeking software that specializes in faces. Again, this helps us survive. If we can detect a face hidden in the bushes, as well as discern the faces of our family (our tribe), we stand a much better chance at survival. Pareidolia is the phenomenon whereby we see patterns where there aren't any. How many times have you saw a face in the wood grain of a door, wall, or desk, or seen faces in the clouds? How many times has the likeness of Jesus or Mary appeared in toast or other places?
Oh, I See What You Did There
Michael Shermer, editor of Skeptic Magazine, has coined the term "Patternicity", the tendency to find meaningful patterns in both meaningful and meaningless noise. When doing so, two types of errors can result. Type I errors are false positives, believing a pattern exists when it doesn't. Type II errors are false negatives, not believing a pattern isn't real when it actually is.
We want to believe, it's evolutionarily our default position. Consider and early hominid hearing a rustle in the grass...is the hominid skeptical and thinks it's just the wind, or are they cautious and believes its a dangerous predator? We listen when we're told by our parents or elders that, for example, don't swim in the lake because there are snakes. We automatically listen to and believe what we're told -- we can't afford not to with a risk as high as death.
Shermer has discovered that you'll find meaningful patterns in things when the cost of making a Type II error is less than the cost of making a Type I error. It's easier to not believe in Bigfoot (especially if you live in the city) than to not believe in Hell, because the perceived cost or personal danger is much higher. We evolved down a path in which the more cautious survived. In the earlier example, if the rustle in the grass was indeed only the wind, then the cost to assume it was a dangerous predator is low -- you just move away and be more observant.
It's the Everywhere
We tend to attribute agency in scenarios like this as a result. The major difference in assuming an unknown sound in the bushes is another animal as apposed to thinking it's harmless wind is that the latter is inanimate, the predator is an intentional agent. This is why we attribute agency to many unknown things, and why our lives are filled with ghosts, gods, angels, demons, aliens, and even malevolent government conspirators. Things that confuse us or baffle us by their complexity often get ascribed to an agent. And it's easy for such a thought to arise -- "She can run faster than me, and he can run faster than her...there must be someone out there that can run faster than all." Powerful beings beget powerful ideas, and before long you have a being of ultimate speed, might, and power. And if it's that powerful, then it must be responsible for this currently unexplained phenomenon.
These reasons make it difficult to use skepticism and science, because they're against our nature. Studies have shown that children start to apply purpose-based meanings to things at about the time they begin to recognize man-made tools that really do serve a purpose, such as cell phones. But science has proven itself to be the best tool we can use to determine reality. If we can understand ourselves, if we can recognize the places where we are more prone to these kinds of errors in thinking, then we can start changing for the better. After all, if we can find patterns so well, finding the patterns in our error-making habits should be...second nature.
-STA
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Get Back To The True Meaning
Every year America is inundated with pleas from the Christian populace to cast off the secular traditions and once again return to the true meaning of Christmas.
If only they'd study a little history.
Origins of Christmastime
Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. Saturnus, the god of seed and sowing, was honored with a festival. During this time the Roman courts were closed, law was lifted, and the social order was inverted. Slaves didn't have to work, banquets were held, and all seriousness was essentially barred. There were gifts given and informal dress with felt hats (normally used by slaves) were worn to symbolize the freedom of the celebration.
It was an occasion for jubilation, visits to friends, and the presentation of gifts. Slaves were treated as equals, allowed to wear their masters' clothing, and be waited on at meal time in remembrance of an earlier golden age thought to have been ushered in by the god Saturn. Lucian of Samosata wrote, "Drinking, noise and games and dice, appointing of kings and feasting of slaves, singing naked, clapping of frenzied hands, an occasional ducking of corked faces in icy water—such are the functions over which I preside." The Saturnalia continued to be celebrated as Brumalia, the winter solstice, down to the Christian era, when its rituals had become absorbed in the celebration of Christmas (just as the festival of the Germanic goddess Eastre).
The Real Reason
When I was a Christian, I despised what I saw as the corruption and commercialization of my Lord's birthday by the evils of Walmart, Target, and Santa Claus (who I saw as a way of getting Christ's message across to heathens). Now that I actually looked into a bit of history surrounding the time, it's clear that we're not too far off from the "original meaning". I admit that I was an ignorant theist, as I think many today are; they don't want to learn anything past Jesus. They don't realize that centuries of time, traditions, and practices came before the third century! Just as with Christmas, they stop at 4AD and refuse to accept that gods like Mithra, Horace, Dionysus, Osiris, and lots of others all call that date their birthday.
Traditions get taken over as ideas slowly change. As the culture changes, you either adopt the new traditions by relating to them in some way, or you ignore them outright. I find it amusing that the pagan influences are still wrapped around the Christian face of the holiday. Jeremiah 10:2-4 warns not to put up what we today call a Christmas tree. And yet how many Christians have a tree in there house right now? Like I said, you go with the flow and change the meanings to fit your own tastes and beliefs or you die by the wayside. Our contemporary traditions are just as much the "true meaning" as any.
The fact is, the season is the reason for the season; it's the winter solstice. We must realize that feasts and festivals in honor of to the gods and forces of the seasons have existed for millenia. In our modern times of abundance and prevalence of food (the fact that you can get strawberries in the winter, etc.), in a way removes the reasons for many of our traditional holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thus, we're free to "celebrate" whatever we want. If you want to view Christmas as a celebration of the hope of the next spring, go for it. If you want to see it as another chance to spend time with loved ones, be my guest. If you want to think that it's the day your god was born or as a festival to one of the many fertility gods, that's fine too. Whatever reason you decide the season is for, just make sure to eat, drink, and be merry -- and don't force your practices on everyone else.
And have a wonderful Christma-Hanu-Rama-Ka-Dona-Kwanzaa-Wali-Solstice!
-STA
If only they'd study a little history.
Origins of Christmastime
Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. Saturnus, the god of seed and sowing, was honored with a festival. During this time the Roman courts were closed, law was lifted, and the social order was inverted. Slaves didn't have to work, banquets were held, and all seriousness was essentially barred. There were gifts given and informal dress with felt hats (normally used by slaves) were worn to symbolize the freedom of the celebration.
It was an occasion for jubilation, visits to friends, and the presentation of gifts. Slaves were treated as equals, allowed to wear their masters' clothing, and be waited on at meal time in remembrance of an earlier golden age thought to have been ushered in by the god Saturn. Lucian of Samosata wrote, "Drinking, noise and games and dice, appointing of kings and feasting of slaves, singing naked, clapping of frenzied hands, an occasional ducking of corked faces in icy water—such are the functions over which I preside." The Saturnalia continued to be celebrated as Brumalia, the winter solstice, down to the Christian era, when its rituals had become absorbed in the celebration of Christmas (just as the festival of the Germanic goddess Eastre).
The Real Reason
When I was a Christian, I despised what I saw as the corruption and commercialization of my Lord's birthday by the evils of Walmart, Target, and Santa Claus (who I saw as a way of getting Christ's message across to heathens). Now that I actually looked into a bit of history surrounding the time, it's clear that we're not too far off from the "original meaning". I admit that I was an ignorant theist, as I think many today are; they don't want to learn anything past Jesus. They don't realize that centuries of time, traditions, and practices came before the third century! Just as with Christmas, they stop at 4AD and refuse to accept that gods like Mithra, Horace, Dionysus, Osiris, and lots of others all call that date their birthday.
Traditions get taken over as ideas slowly change. As the culture changes, you either adopt the new traditions by relating to them in some way, or you ignore them outright. I find it amusing that the pagan influences are still wrapped around the Christian face of the holiday. Jeremiah 10:2-4 warns not to put up what we today call a Christmas tree. And yet how many Christians have a tree in there house right now? Like I said, you go with the flow and change the meanings to fit your own tastes and beliefs or you die by the wayside. Our contemporary traditions are just as much the "true meaning" as any.
The fact is, the season is the reason for the season; it's the winter solstice. We must realize that feasts and festivals in honor of to the gods and forces of the seasons have existed for millenia. In our modern times of abundance and prevalence of food (the fact that you can get strawberries in the winter, etc.), in a way removes the reasons for many of our traditional holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thus, we're free to "celebrate" whatever we want. If you want to view Christmas as a celebration of the hope of the next spring, go for it. If you want to see it as another chance to spend time with loved ones, be my guest. If you want to think that it's the day your god was born or as a festival to one of the many fertility gods, that's fine too. Whatever reason you decide the season is for, just make sure to eat, drink, and be merry -- and don't force your practices on everyone else.
And have a wonderful Christma-Hanu-Rama-Ka-Dona-Kwanzaa-Wali-Solstice!
-STA
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Day In The Life: Accused
I just have to share this because I'm jazzed about it.
Many of my regular readers will know that while I'm very outspoken about my atheism on the web, I'm still a mostly-in-the-closet atheist when it comes to my immediate family members. (I know, I'm working on it; these things take time.) Said family members were have their Thanksgiving celebration yesterday, myself included. I love our Thanksgiving. I mean, sure, I still like going to the houses of parents' and grandparents' of extended family for the holidays, but nothing can beat the spread, quality, and atmosphere of having Thanksgiving at home (and Mom's food is always better). They're not an overtly religious bunch. None go to church regularly and holidays have always been about family and food and togetherness, never about Jesus or other religious hogwash. So there I was, sitting at the dinner table in the house that I grew up in, stuffing my face with...well, stuffing, when one of my grandmother's many brothers walked into the kitchen with his southern boisterous ululations.
"You god-damned atheist!" he roared.
I froze, heart thumping.
"With yer bumper sticker saying 'The hard work of one does more than the prayers of millions'! I'm gonna go get Brother Jack and we're going to send you straight to hell!"
I nearly choked on the turkey -- with laughter. "Well, send him over!" I quipped. My mother chuckled.
You'd probably have to know the man to appreciate it all. He's known for that type of language, but I was surprised to hear it and being in the form a joke softened it a little. But the fact was there...I was called an ATHEIST in front of my whole family! Holy shit! I'm sure because of me not objecting to the term and congenially welcoming the attack was in a way a coming out of sorts. At least I'm sure it will aid in the real event, should it arise in the future. It was great. In one instant I essentially made the topic accessible. Call me an atheist, I don't mind.
I assume that my family suspects at least something's up. I mean, they realize I stopped going to church. And I have that bumper sticker and an EvolveFish on my truck. And I made the priest who came into my hospital room when I had my cholecystectomy leave immediately. And I sent my mom a reply linking to this blog when she forwarded me a stupid email. And some of my kinfolks and related-in-law already know for sure, through either direct conversation or finding me on the internet (no telling who they talk to). So I think at least some of my core family members might get the picture, although they're not aware of all the details.
My great uncle was joking, of course. He meant no ill toward me, though I'm not entirely sure he'd be so cordial if I had stood up and said, "yeah, I'm a soulless, faithless, godless atheist...so what?!" And I was all ready to defend my position. This is it, I thought. Oh well, perhaps for the better; it may have ruined the festivities. But at least my uncle can joke about it. He was raised in a tough Catholic school way back in the days where they would beat your hands with rulers for not obeying their strict requirements. He hates nuns now.
Anyway, I'm still all goosebumpy over it even though it literally was one sentence and nothing more from anybody. I never thought I'd be (semi)outed by one of own family. Being called an atheist, just out in public like that, was exilerating.
I hope it happens again.
-STA
Many of my regular readers will know that while I'm very outspoken about my atheism on the web, I'm still a mostly-in-the-closet atheist when it comes to my immediate family members. (I know, I'm working on it; these things take time.) Said family members were have their Thanksgiving celebration yesterday, myself included. I love our Thanksgiving. I mean, sure, I still like going to the houses of parents' and grandparents' of extended family for the holidays, but nothing can beat the spread, quality, and atmosphere of having Thanksgiving at home (and Mom's food is always better). They're not an overtly religious bunch. None go to church regularly and holidays have always been about family and food and togetherness, never about Jesus or other religious hogwash. So there I was, sitting at the dinner table in the house that I grew up in, stuffing my face with...well, stuffing, when one of my grandmother's many brothers walked into the kitchen with his southern boisterous ululations.
"You god-damned atheist!" he roared.
I froze, heart thumping.
"With yer bumper sticker saying 'The hard work of one does more than the prayers of millions'! I'm gonna go get Brother Jack and we're going to send you straight to hell!"
I nearly choked on the turkey -- with laughter. "Well, send him over!" I quipped. My mother chuckled.
You'd probably have to know the man to appreciate it all. He's known for that type of language, but I was surprised to hear it and being in the form a joke softened it a little. But the fact was there...I was called an ATHEIST in front of my whole family! Holy shit! I'm sure because of me not objecting to the term and congenially welcoming the attack was in a way a coming out of sorts. At least I'm sure it will aid in the real event, should it arise in the future. It was great. In one instant I essentially made the topic accessible. Call me an atheist, I don't mind.
I assume that my family suspects at least something's up. I mean, they realize I stopped going to church. And I have that bumper sticker and an EvolveFish on my truck. And I made the priest who came into my hospital room when I had my cholecystectomy leave immediately. And I sent my mom a reply linking to this blog when she forwarded me a stupid email. And some of my kinfolks and related-in-law already know for sure, through either direct conversation or finding me on the internet (no telling who they talk to). So I think at least some of my core family members might get the picture, although they're not aware of all the details.
My great uncle was joking, of course. He meant no ill toward me, though I'm not entirely sure he'd be so cordial if I had stood up and said, "yeah, I'm a soulless, faithless, godless atheist...so what?!" And I was all ready to defend my position. This is it, I thought. Oh well, perhaps for the better; it may have ruined the festivities. But at least my uncle can joke about it. He was raised in a tough Catholic school way back in the days where they would beat your hands with rulers for not obeying their strict requirements. He hates nuns now.
Anyway, I'm still all goosebumpy over it even though it literally was one sentence and nothing more from anybody. I never thought I'd be (semi)outed by one of own family. Being called an atheist, just out in public like that, was exilerating.
I hope it happens again.
-STA
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Who Really Needs God?
I hope everyone's Thanksgiving weekend went well. How many of you nonbelievers had discussions with religious family members? I'm betting a lot of you 1) sat quietly through the prayer before dinner, and then 2) listened to your aunt bitch about how Obama is the Muslim Communist Antichrist. I was lucky enough to only have to deal with a few racist jokes this year; and all-in-all fairly good Thanksgiving.
This time of year always gets me thinking about why people cling to the ideas they have. What makes these otherwise kind, sane, decent people feel the need to uphold barbaric, antiquated, immoral concepts?
Religion Binds Culture
Religions tend to contain directives that are divisive and harmful. They are prone to being used by people who are willing to take the necessary actions suggested by them. Take the passage of "thou shall not suffer a witch to live". That passage is toothless until someone comes along who is of such character as to accept it as an authority and then act upon it. Therefore, the passage (or the religion, moreover) becomes a reflection of that individual's character.
Not only that, but religions change -- and poison -- the culture they're in. They increase the likelihood that people with these characteristics will be cultivated. Cultures change over time if left to their own devices. The problem is that a religion, upon its creation, encodes the current culture. Once locked in, it attempts to maintain the status quo. This is why the believers of the Bronze Age ideals of Christianity and Islam are trying to keep their outdated ways of thinking in the norm. Religion shackles culture, inhibits progress, and encourages stasis and stagnation.
Breaking The Chains
So who needs religion? Many people feel that without religion humanity would have no sense of right and wrong. Some even feel that its impossible to breath without God.
A lot of the ideas modern folks have about God, prayer, and religion has grown out of the mindset of the contemporaries of their belief systems. As stated above, religion naturally assumes the state in which it is founded. Those who hold Bronze Age beliefs come from a long line of people wanting a better life. The average poor person in America would be considered rich by the standards at the time the New Testament was written. The average tween probably knows more and is generally smarter than anyone who lived over two thousand years ago.
But even by comparison, some people today still feel like the world is against them. They covet the positions of the rich, feel like the "good guys" are loosing, and see the world as doomed. Most people still cling to hopes for a better life. I suppose in some sense that will never go away; no matter how good things get, there will always be a need to find something better. Religion thrives on this idea. It tells you that things are guaranteed to be better for you, if not in this life, then in the next. It's the ultimate "grass is greener" mentality -- something that's extremely appealing to the downtrodden.
We have to eliminate the need for god. We have to realize, as a whole, that together we can accomplish amazing things. With the scientific discoveries of the century, we've discovered microbiology, cured major diseases, and even walked on the moon. As long as our society neglects people, as long as there is major injustice and suffering, god will be there as the last resort and the empty hope for surrendered minds.
-STA
This time of year always gets me thinking about why people cling to the ideas they have. What makes these otherwise kind, sane, decent people feel the need to uphold barbaric, antiquated, immoral concepts?
Religion Binds Culture
Religions tend to contain directives that are divisive and harmful. They are prone to being used by people who are willing to take the necessary actions suggested by them. Take the passage of "thou shall not suffer a witch to live". That passage is toothless until someone comes along who is of such character as to accept it as an authority and then act upon it. Therefore, the passage (or the religion, moreover) becomes a reflection of that individual's character.
Not only that, but religions change -- and poison -- the culture they're in. They increase the likelihood that people with these characteristics will be cultivated. Cultures change over time if left to their own devices. The problem is that a religion, upon its creation, encodes the current culture. Once locked in, it attempts to maintain the status quo. This is why the believers of the Bronze Age ideals of Christianity and Islam are trying to keep their outdated ways of thinking in the norm. Religion shackles culture, inhibits progress, and encourages stasis and stagnation.
Breaking The Chains
So who needs religion? Many people feel that without religion humanity would have no sense of right and wrong. Some even feel that its impossible to breath without God.
A lot of the ideas modern folks have about God, prayer, and religion has grown out of the mindset of the contemporaries of their belief systems. As stated above, religion naturally assumes the state in which it is founded. Those who hold Bronze Age beliefs come from a long line of people wanting a better life. The average poor person in America would be considered rich by the standards at the time the New Testament was written. The average tween probably knows more and is generally smarter than anyone who lived over two thousand years ago.
But even by comparison, some people today still feel like the world is against them. They covet the positions of the rich, feel like the "good guys" are loosing, and see the world as doomed. Most people still cling to hopes for a better life. I suppose in some sense that will never go away; no matter how good things get, there will always be a need to find something better. Religion thrives on this idea. It tells you that things are guaranteed to be better for you, if not in this life, then in the next. It's the ultimate "grass is greener" mentality -- something that's extremely appealing to the downtrodden.
We have to eliminate the need for god. We have to realize, as a whole, that together we can accomplish amazing things. With the scientific discoveries of the century, we've discovered microbiology, cured major diseases, and even walked on the moon. As long as our society neglects people, as long as there is major injustice and suffering, god will be there as the last resort and the empty hope for surrendered minds.
-STA
Friday, October 23, 2009
Happy bEarth Day!
Way back in 1658, Archbishop James Ussher determined that the world was created precisely at 9am, October 23, 4004 BC. So today is the official creation day and the earth is a ripe young 6012 years old! Men of God have faith, and that counts just as much as evidence, right?
-STA
-STA
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
What to Give Up for Lent
The season of Lent begins tomorrow, and even if you're not a Catholic I challenge you to give up one (or all) of the following for the next forty days (or for as long as you live).
-STA
- Superstitious thinking - Maybe you're the sort of person that thinks walking under ladders or breaking mirrors is "bad", or maybe you own a lucky sock, penny, shirt, or animal foot. Perhaps you're afraid of certain numbers, or think something will happen on a given day just because of the numbers in the date. Maybe you think crackers can become human flesh, or that talking to yourself can help you find your car keys or cure your cold. For the next few days, attempt to willfully break yourself of whatever mental habit you have that can be labeled superstitious. Put away belief in magic and learn about the laws of nature.
- Credulity - If you're the kind of person who accepts things you're told without checking into the details, try for the next month to instead check into what you hear. Think about something you feel you know and actively check it out. For many faith is a virtue, but for these next few days, let it be a defect. Instead seek to back up claims you hear or ideas you come up with. The key point here is that you learn the what a reputable source is. The best sources are backed up by evidence. Gullibility won't get you as far as you think in this world.
- Apathy (especially towards the "god question") - If you'd rather not ponder on the existence of a Supreme Being, over the coming days I urge you to do so. A lot of people are apatheists; they don't care or just don't ever think about their position on theism. For this season of Lent, take some time and gather your thoughts on this matter. It's important to understand what you think about theology, because if there is no such thing that could be called "God", millions of people are wasting their lives (and hurting the lives of others). But if there is a god, it's the most important thing for us all. If you've already made up your mind on the matter, again toss aside apathy and speak out about it. If you haven't approached the question before, take the next few days and just think about how you feel. Do you really believe in God?
-STA
Thursday, July 17, 2008
A Hypocritical Atheist?
I was recently asked the absurd question: isn't it hypocritical to enjoy supernatural things if you're an atheist? Of course not! People can like anything, regardless of their position on religious ideas. It's even possible to enjoy religious ideas! Believing in them and liking them aren't the same thing.
Walk Like an Egyptian
Here's a list of things I enjoy, despite my attitudes toward theism:
I do all kinds of things that might seem hypocritical -- I practice science...WTF am I doing playing "Magic"?! It's only hypocritical if I believe that "magic" is real. Religious art, music, and customs can be appreciated at face value without the need for their belief. I don't have to think the Devil is real to enjoy a bad-ass rendering of him. We can sing "Santa Claus is coming to town" without actually believing it!
Walk Like an Egyptian
Here's a list of things I enjoy, despite my attitudes toward theism:
- I cover the song "Last Kiss"
- I love Collective Soul
- the Sistine Chapel is breathtaking, even in photographs
- Christian radio programs make me laugh
- I dabble in close-up magic
- I play Magic: The Gathering
- I say "oh my god", "oh god", "god damn it", and sometimes even "bless you"
- Signs scared the shit out of me
- some of my favorite people are theists
- I read fantasy stories (including the Bible)
- I regularly watch TV series like The X-Files, Reaper, and Supernatural
- Amazing Grace, if done well, can move me to tears
I do all kinds of things that might seem hypocritical -- I practice science...WTF am I doing playing "Magic"?! It's only hypocritical if I believe that "magic" is real. Religious art, music, and customs can be appreciated at face value without the need for their belief. I don't have to think the Devil is real to enjoy a bad-ass rendering of him. We can sing "Santa Claus is coming to town" without actually believing it!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
But I Got PERSONAL Experience
Nine times out of ten -- after all their arguments are laid bear, torn apart, and scattered on the ground, soaking in the tears of the theist who produced them -- a believer will resort to one of two (or perhaps both) arguments left to defend his beliefs: "I just have faith!" which we've covered here before; or "I have personal experience".
Very Superstitious
The uselessness of that argument should be clear to see because anyone can say anything about anything. We can't just take someone for their word. And calm down; I'm NOT saying you're lying. I think you really believe what you're saying. The issue is that people can be fooled.
It's no surprise that a lot of magicians are atheists. Guys like Penn and Teller or Jamie Ian Swiss or Steve Shaw understand how easy it is to fool our senses; to make people think that experienced something that can't happen. Magicians have intimate knowledge about the tricks and nuances of human perception, and the better ones know how exactly to work them.
So why is it that whenever you see a magic trick and you exclaim "Wow...how did you do that?", you are never satisfied with the answer "It's magic"? Don't won't you accept that as an answer? Probably because you know that magic isn't real...you understand that there must be some explanation for it. Saying "it's just magic" is equivalent to saying "invisible card-changing pixies did it", or "supernatural forces altered your perception of reality", or "God did it".
It's Always Personal If You're A Person
Not only can you not always trust your senses -- especially if your brain is experiencing some kind of trauma -- but other people can't always trust your judgment either. Again, it's not always that you're actively lying. Maybe you saw/heard/felt something you didn't. Maybe your mind was/is in a state that interpreted the actual event unfaithfully. Or maybe you really experienced something.
There's no doubt that experiences can have profound effects on a person's life. Many people have religious experience, and it changes their life. But this doesn't have to mean that the experience was real. Read that sentence again.
It is very possible to have experiences that are not real. Think about this scenario: Sally Sue spends the night in a house that she's told is haunted by evil spirits. She believes in ghosts, but she doesn't know exactly what they are or how they got there, etc. Her personality drives her to seek out strange things like haunted houses, but she's never actually seen a ghost before. She hopes she will tonight. As Sally is creeping around the dark upstairs hallways with her partner (come on, no one in their right mind would stay alone in an old abandoned house!) they exchange stories of the murders, suicides, and tortures that went on in this old house, all the while "building the suspense".
Ever been in a situation like that before? Where you psyche yourself up? Ever notice how fragile and easy-to-spook a mind can get when its in that hairpin-trigger state? Anyway, back to the scenario...
Sally Sue's mind is busy conjuring up images and sounds of these horrible stories, when a sudden "pop" breaks the darkness. Sally and her ghost-hunting partner freeze and look each other in the eyes. Suddenly, Sally feels something brush her arm, and she screams and starts to run. Another loud popping, cracking sound rings out, but Sally is running full-tilt toward the stairs. Other sounds echo from seemingly all around her as she turns back just in time to see her friend disappear through the floor. An instant before she rounds the corner, she swears she sees a face or a figure in the dust through her tears.
Years later, Sally still remembers the night her friend died. They said the rotten floorboard gave way and she fell through, embedding herself on a large piece of wood. Perhaps she could have survived if someone had been there to help her. Sally's life was changed.
Ya Know, I've Learn Something Today...
Look, I don't want to make this some kind of moral lesson, but I do want to convey the way in which our perceptions alter reality FOR US. Let's take an honest look at the story.
Here we have a girl who's hoping to see ghosts. She believes they're real, and wants to have an encounter. So, her emotionally-charged is fueled by ghost-stories (anyone ever had this experience as a kid around a campfire?) and by her friend. We scare easily, but even more-so when we're with someone. We scare each other in a back-and-forth, domino-effect kind of way. When they heard something, they looked at each other -- something common to all humans and a lot of animals. It's how we gauge what's going on when we're clueless about something. We watch each other for signs of how we should act. Should we run? Do you know what it was? Are you afraid? Should I be?
By this time, Sally's nerves are bristling. One touch -- could be an insect, a spider's web, or even just the air moving mites around on her skin -- was enough to start a chain reaction of scare-me-scare-you. Her brain was telling her what she wanted it to; what she had conditioned it to. But what about that face in the dust? Was it the figure of an evil ghost killing her friend? Or was it the way the light played off the dusty hallways and refracted against her tears? Or is it something her mind filled in later, after the fact?
I hope none of you are actually thinking to yourself, "maybe it was a ghost...you don't know". I do know. I made it up. If you're really trying to reason it out to be an actual "ghost attack" you might be too far gone in the realm of fantasy to ever hope to understand the lesson here. That lesson is this: Sally's life was changed. Her experience actually had a real, life-altering effect on her. But her experience wasn't real (not just because the story is fake). She lost a friend and suffered serious emotional trama.
So the next time you claim "You can't say God isn't real because I've had an experience that changed my life!" or something along those lines, think about Sally and think about how I can't take your word about experiences I didn't have. You try telling Sally it wasn't a ghost!
-STA
Very Superstitious
The uselessness of that argument should be clear to see because anyone can say anything about anything. We can't just take someone for their word. And calm down; I'm NOT saying you're lying. I think you really believe what you're saying. The issue is that people can be fooled.
It's no surprise that a lot of magicians are atheists. Guys like Penn and Teller or Jamie Ian Swiss or Steve Shaw understand how easy it is to fool our senses; to make people think that experienced something that can't happen. Magicians have intimate knowledge about the tricks and nuances of human perception, and the better ones know how exactly to work them.
So why is it that whenever you see a magic trick and you exclaim "Wow...how did you do that?", you are never satisfied with the answer "It's magic"? Don't won't you accept that as an answer? Probably because you know that magic isn't real...you understand that there must be some explanation for it. Saying "it's just magic" is equivalent to saying "invisible card-changing pixies did it", or "supernatural forces altered your perception of reality", or "God did it".
It's Always Personal If You're A Person
Not only can you not always trust your senses -- especially if your brain is experiencing some kind of trauma -- but other people can't always trust your judgment either. Again, it's not always that you're actively lying. Maybe you saw/heard/felt something you didn't. Maybe your mind was/is in a state that interpreted the actual event unfaithfully. Or maybe you really experienced something.
There's no doubt that experiences can have profound effects on a person's life. Many people have religious experience, and it changes their life. But this doesn't have to mean that the experience was real. Read that sentence again.
It is very possible to have experiences that are not real. Think about this scenario: Sally Sue spends the night in a house that she's told is haunted by evil spirits. She believes in ghosts, but she doesn't know exactly what they are or how they got there, etc. Her personality drives her to seek out strange things like haunted houses, but she's never actually seen a ghost before. She hopes she will tonight. As Sally is creeping around the dark upstairs hallways with her partner (come on, no one in their right mind would stay alone in an old abandoned house!) they exchange stories of the murders, suicides, and tortures that went on in this old house, all the while "building the suspense".
Ever been in a situation like that before? Where you psyche yourself up? Ever notice how fragile and easy-to-spook a mind can get when its in that hairpin-trigger state? Anyway, back to the scenario...
Sally Sue's mind is busy conjuring up images and sounds of these horrible stories, when a sudden "pop" breaks the darkness. Sally and her ghost-hunting partner freeze and look each other in the eyes. Suddenly, Sally feels something brush her arm, and she screams and starts to run. Another loud popping, cracking sound rings out, but Sally is running full-tilt toward the stairs. Other sounds echo from seemingly all around her as she turns back just in time to see her friend disappear through the floor. An instant before she rounds the corner, she swears she sees a face or a figure in the dust through her tears.
Years later, Sally still remembers the night her friend died. They said the rotten floorboard gave way and she fell through, embedding herself on a large piece of wood. Perhaps she could have survived if someone had been there to help her. Sally's life was changed.
Ya Know, I've Learn Something Today...
Look, I don't want to make this some kind of moral lesson, but I do want to convey the way in which our perceptions alter reality FOR US. Let's take an honest look at the story.
Here we have a girl who's hoping to see ghosts. She believes they're real, and wants to have an encounter. So, her emotionally-charged is fueled by ghost-stories (anyone ever had this experience as a kid around a campfire?) and by her friend. We scare easily, but even more-so when we're with someone. We scare each other in a back-and-forth, domino-effect kind of way. When they heard something, they looked at each other -- something common to all humans and a lot of animals. It's how we gauge what's going on when we're clueless about something. We watch each other for signs of how we should act. Should we run? Do you know what it was? Are you afraid? Should I be?
By this time, Sally's nerves are bristling. One touch -- could be an insect, a spider's web, or even just the air moving mites around on her skin -- was enough to start a chain reaction of scare-me-scare-you. Her brain was telling her what she wanted it to; what she had conditioned it to. But what about that face in the dust? Was it the figure of an evil ghost killing her friend? Or was it the way the light played off the dusty hallways and refracted against her tears? Or is it something her mind filled in later, after the fact?
I hope none of you are actually thinking to yourself, "maybe it was a ghost...you don't know". I do know. I made it up. If you're really trying to reason it out to be an actual "ghost attack" you might be too far gone in the realm of fantasy to ever hope to understand the lesson here. That lesson is this: Sally's life was changed. Her experience actually had a real, life-altering effect on her. But her experience wasn't real (not just because the story is fake). She lost a friend and suffered serious emotional trama.
So the next time you claim "You can't say God isn't real because I've had an experience that changed my life!" or something along those lines, think about Sally and think about how I can't take your word about experiences I didn't have. You try telling Sally it wasn't a ghost!
-STA
Monday, February 4, 2008
Jesus Thinks I'm Hot
I saw a tee-shirt last week that said something like “Jesus Thinks I’m a Hottie”. The teenage girl it was wrapped around seemed like your typical, average Southern middle-class Jesus-freak teen. But what drew my attention was not the girl, of course, but the style of the message.
Personal Jesus
Practically any person can have their own, personal Jesus. Conservatives have the holier-than-thou, take-no-shit, obey-or-burn Jesus; the hippies have the shaggy, peace-and-love Jesus; and now the teens and ‘tweens have the boy-band Jesus.
Man or Myth?
There were historians at the supposed time of Jesus, and none of them mention him either. There is a mention in a document by Flavius Josephus, but it is a known forgery (some Christian followers went in long after he had written, and stuck in some drivel about everyone worshiping Jesus). There are only a few other first-century historians (Tacitus, Thallus, Suetonius, and Pliny the Younger), but they don’t say anything about “Jesus”, but instead mention “the Christ”, and there were several people running around in that time calling them selves “the Christ”. These historians’ writings provide no independent confirmation of the events of the New Testament. At the very most, they provide evidence of Christians living in first-century
My Kind of Christ
-STA
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Seeing Is Believing?
I've talked about faith so much that it makes me sick, but still it's an almost daily battle. One of the main contributors to my sorrow is the Judeo-Christian holy book. The bible is filled with stories and metaphors of people who didn't believe and were subsequently punished or hurt for it. The book breeds this ideology of faith so much so that it still affects humanity to this day.
You Gotta Have Faith!
Take for example, the story of Balaam's talking ass in Numbers 22. In a nutshell, the king of a town called Moab was afraid for his people because God's chosen people were destroying everything in their path (like good little believers do). This king sent forth for a guy named Balaam, a prophet. The king's men asked Balaam if he would mind putting a curse on these Israelites. Balaam talked it over with God, but of course these were God's people they were talking about, and God ordered Balaam not to curse them. Balaam told the king's men to go back to their country because Yahweh wouldn't let him curse their enemies.
The men did, but not taking 'no' for an answer, the Moab king sent another larger band of men for Balaam. They found Balaam and delivered the message from the king: "now do not refuse to come to me. I will load you with honors and do anything you say. I beg you to come and curse the people for me."
Being the ever-obedient one, Balaam replied that even if the king gave him is whole palace of silver and gold, he still couldn't disobey his God. He offered to let the men stay the night there before traveling back. Here's where it gets screwy...
No! I Mean, Yes! I Mean, No!
The bible says that Yahweh came to Balaam that night, and said "Have not these men come to summon you? Get up and go with them! But do only what I tell you to do." Once again, this is an example of God sending mixed messages. This can be explained if one considers the pantheistic religions of which Judaism and Christianity (and others) were molded from, but that's another topic.
So in the morning, Balaam saddles up his donkey and heads back with the men to Moab. The bible says that "God's anger was kindled because he went"...WTF?? So God says, "don't go!", then he says "okay, go" and then gets mad because he goes?! Perhaps Yaheweh's getting Alzheimer's?
As if this weren't enough to sell the story, it gets even loonier! So Balaam is riding his donkey, traveling back with the men from Moab, when God sends an angel to stand in the middle of the road. Balaam can't see this "angel of the lord", but his donkey can, and doesn't want to continue on down the road, but veers off into the open countryside. Balaam hits the donkey and steers her back toward the road.
Think about it, he's ridin' along, and his donkey leaves the road, so he strikes it and steers it back toward the road. Remember, Balaam can't see the angel that God sent to block the road cause he was pissed that Balaam went.
The angel then moves up the road a little ways and stands in the road between two vinyards, where there are walls along both sides of the road. The donkey has to squeeze right up against the wall to go past the invisible angel, and doing so, it crushes Balaams foot into the wall. Balaam of course beats his ass's ass again.
The angel then positions itself at a narrow passage (like maybe a bridge or something) where there's no way for the donkey and rider to go around. Get the picture -- it's like telling a joke, there's power in the one-two-three. The donkey can't go around the angel, so it lays down in the road. By this time Balaam is fed up with this damned stubborn donkey and lays his riding stick across its head one more time.
Talking Outta My Ass
The bible -- the holy book that some people believe every word of -- then says that Yahweh gave the donkey the power to talk! It tells Balaam that it doesn't understand why he beats it all the time, to which the infuriated (though not-so-much amazed) Balaam replies that he'd kill it if he only had a sword. The donkey then asks, "Am I not your donkey, and have you not been riding me all your life? Have I ever behaved like this with you before?"
"No," answers Balaam (now remember, a man is having a conversation with his donkey). God then opens Balaam's eyes so that he can see the angel standing there. Balaam bows down beside the donkey, in yielding to the angel of the lord.
The angel then says, "Why did you strike your donkey three times like that? You are lucky she turned aside or I would have certainly killed you by now, though I would have spared her." Huh? Wait, I know the story is trying to teach the lesson that you should just believe without evidence, but let's not forget that the donkey *could* see the angel, but Balaam *could not*. How would sparing the donkey but killing the rider be justice?
Balaam says to the angel, "I didn't see you standing there, but if what I'm doing displeases you, I'll turn back." The angel tells him to keep going, but to say only what he/God tells Balaam to say.
Flip-flop! So...wait a sec....huh?! So the point of the story was...to not go, but then go, then not go because God's angel is blocking the way, but because he can't see it he thinks his ass is just malfunctioning, so he beats it, but that's bad, so he should go anyway?!
Oh, Just Do Whatever The Hell You Want
There are tons of these kinds of screwy stories. There's the ultimate tale of "put your trust in God" with the story of Doubting Thomas, who wouldn't accept that Jesus had risen until he actually poked his fingers into the deity's wounds. The bible is filled to the brim with these kinds of stories, teaching the "value" of belief without evidence is always better.
I hope you can see that it isn't.
-STA
You Gotta Have Faith!
Take for example, the story of Balaam's talking ass in Numbers 22. In a nutshell, the king of a town called Moab was afraid for his people because God's chosen people were destroying everything in their path (like good little believers do). This king sent forth for a guy named Balaam, a prophet. The king's men asked Balaam if he would mind putting a curse on these Israelites. Balaam talked it over with God, but of course these were God's people they were talking about, and God ordered Balaam not to curse them. Balaam told the king's men to go back to their country because Yahweh wouldn't let him curse their enemies.
The men did, but not taking 'no' for an answer, the Moab king sent another larger band of men for Balaam. They found Balaam and delivered the message from the king: "now do not refuse to come to me. I will load you with honors and do anything you say. I beg you to come and curse the people for me."
Being the ever-obedient one, Balaam replied that even if the king gave him is whole palace of silver and gold, he still couldn't disobey his God. He offered to let the men stay the night there before traveling back. Here's where it gets screwy...
No! I Mean, Yes! I Mean, No!
The bible says that Yahweh came to Balaam that night, and said "Have not these men come to summon you? Get up and go with them! But do only what I tell you to do." Once again, this is an example of God sending mixed messages. This can be explained if one considers the pantheistic religions of which Judaism and Christianity (and others) were molded from, but that's another topic.
So in the morning, Balaam saddles up his donkey and heads back with the men to Moab. The bible says that "God's anger was kindled because he went"...WTF?? So God says, "don't go!", then he says "okay, go" and then gets mad because he goes?! Perhaps Yaheweh's getting Alzheimer's?
As if this weren't enough to sell the story, it gets even loonier! So Balaam is riding his donkey, traveling back with the men from Moab, when God sends an angel to stand in the middle of the road. Balaam can't see this "angel of the lord", but his donkey can, and doesn't want to continue on down the road, but veers off into the open countryside. Balaam hits the donkey and steers her back toward the road.
Think about it, he's ridin' along, and his donkey leaves the road, so he strikes it and steers it back toward the road. Remember, Balaam can't see the angel that God sent to block the road cause he was pissed that Balaam went.
The angel then moves up the road a little ways and stands in the road between two vinyards, where there are walls along both sides of the road. The donkey has to squeeze right up against the wall to go past the invisible angel, and doing so, it crushes Balaams foot into the wall. Balaam of course beats his ass's ass again.
The angel then positions itself at a narrow passage (like maybe a bridge or something) where there's no way for the donkey and rider to go around. Get the picture -- it's like telling a joke, there's power in the one-two-three. The donkey can't go around the angel, so it lays down in the road. By this time Balaam is fed up with this damned stubborn donkey and lays his riding stick across its head one more time.
Talking Outta My Ass
The bible -- the holy book that some people believe every word of -- then says that Yahweh gave the donkey the power to talk! It tells Balaam that it doesn't understand why he beats it all the time, to which the infuriated (though not-so-much amazed) Balaam replies that he'd kill it if he only had a sword. The donkey then asks, "Am I not your donkey, and have you not been riding me all your life? Have I ever behaved like this with you before?"
"No," answers Balaam (now remember, a man is having a conversation with his donkey). God then opens Balaam's eyes so that he can see the angel standing there. Balaam bows down beside the donkey, in yielding to the angel of the lord.
The angel then says, "Why did you strike your donkey three times like that? You are lucky she turned aside or I would have certainly killed you by now, though I would have spared her." Huh? Wait, I know the story is trying to teach the lesson that you should just believe without evidence, but let's not forget that the donkey *could* see the angel, but Balaam *could not*. How would sparing the donkey but killing the rider be justice?
Balaam says to the angel, "I didn't see you standing there, but if what I'm doing displeases you, I'll turn back." The angel tells him to keep going, but to say only what he/God tells Balaam to say.
Flip-flop! So...wait a sec....huh?! So the point of the story was...to not go, but then go, then not go because God's angel is blocking the way, but because he can't see it he thinks his ass is just malfunctioning, so he beats it, but that's bad, so he should go anyway?!
Oh, Just Do Whatever The Hell You Want
There are tons of these kinds of screwy stories. There's the ultimate tale of "put your trust in God" with the story of Doubting Thomas, who wouldn't accept that Jesus had risen until he actually poked his fingers into the deity's wounds. The bible is filled to the brim with these kinds of stories, teaching the "value" of belief without evidence is always better.
I hope you can see that it isn't.
-STA
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Help Us Rain Man
A man clenches his hands together and squeezes his eyes shut, deep in thought. Another lifts his hands toward the sky and weeps, while a woman kneels and gently rocks.
"You visit the earth and you water it," says a man. "The River of God is full!" he declares.
This might sound like something out of weird occult ritual or maybe an early pagan ceremony, but in fact it happened in the year 2007. Today, Georgia's top officials -- that's right, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS -- officially prayed for rain on the steps of the Capitol building to end the devastating drought that's lasted over a year.
And if you need water, Yahweh knows fuckin' water.
Wash Us In Your Watery Wetness
Georgia Governor, Sonny Perdue, teamed up with lawmakers, ministers and supporters to pray for rain at the State Capitol. THE STATE CAPITOL!!! There's a church, mosque, synagogue, or tabernacle on just about every corner of Georgia, and these are the places where religious rituals and practices should be held.
Since this drought's been around for a year or more, I'm sure God's inbox has several prayers with "Need Rain Now" as the subject. Are those not working? Apparently not. Rocky Twyman, the guy who organized a concert two weeks ago at an Atlanta church (where shit like this NEEDS to be) said: “We need a different approach. We need to call on God, because what we’re doing isn’t working.”
So, exactly how long is it supposed to take for God to make it rain? How long will rain for? And if it rains, you've proven what...that it rains sometimes? Can you make Him do it again???
Don't for get that back in July the Governor of Alabama declared a full week to “Days of Prayer for Rain”. And back in 1986, Georgina's prayed for rain and God came through!
Look, it rains sometimes, and sometimes it doesn't. But it isn't some magical Sky Daddy that's "makin' it wet", it's natural processes -- some of which we understand and some of which we don't yet -- that control our weather patters. Things like the Jet Stream, atmospheric radiation, snow, tornadoes, even lightening are things that we've discovered scientifically. Remember way back when people thought that lightening was thrown down by Zeus because he was pissed? Do the hicks in Georgia or Alabama still think that?
I'm not trying to be divisive or insulting here. But just wanting rain or anything else isn't going to make it happen. There's some things you can do to conserve water (take shorter showers, turn off the tap while you brush your teeth, etc.) but there isn't a lot you can do to make it rain.
And that's the issue here. The people of Georgia are at a loss. They got nothing left, what could it hurt?
Hey, Get Away From My Wall!
Well, I've covered this before not three posts ago, but our government was founded on secularism. State politics are not to get involved with Church matters. Yes, Governor Perdue declared this to be a "non-denominational" event, though I'm not sure exactly how many Muslims, Hindus, or Jains attended. It was mostly Southern Baptist with a couple of Protestants thrown in for extra spiritual spice.
This is a violation of the U.S. Constitution, the Georgia State Constitution, and a public mockery of the government. Was public money used to fund this, or any religious event?
And when it doesn't rain, will you people stop this bullshit?
-STA
"You visit the earth and you water it," says a man. "The River of God is full!" he declares.
This might sound like something out of weird occult ritual or maybe an early pagan ceremony, but in fact it happened in the year 2007. Today, Georgia's top officials -- that's right, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS -- officially prayed for rain on the steps of the Capitol building to end the devastating drought that's lasted over a year.
And if you need water, Yahweh knows fuckin' water.
Wash Us In Your Watery Wetness
Georgia Governor, Sonny Perdue, teamed up with lawmakers, ministers and supporters to pray for rain at the State Capitol. THE STATE CAPITOL!!! There's a church, mosque, synagogue, or tabernacle on just about every corner of Georgia, and these are the places where religious rituals and practices should be held.
Since this drought's been around for a year or more, I'm sure God's inbox has several prayers with "Need Rain Now" as the subject. Are those not working? Apparently not. Rocky Twyman, the guy who organized a concert two weeks ago at an Atlanta church (where shit like this NEEDS to be) said: “We need a different approach. We need to call on God, because what we’re doing isn’t working.”
So, exactly how long is it supposed to take for God to make it rain? How long will rain for? And if it rains, you've proven what...that it rains sometimes? Can you make Him do it again???
Don't for get that back in July the Governor of Alabama declared a full week to “Days of Prayer for Rain”. And back in 1986, Georgina's prayed for rain and God came through!
Look, it rains sometimes, and sometimes it doesn't. But it isn't some magical Sky Daddy that's "makin' it wet", it's natural processes -- some of which we understand and some of which we don't yet -- that control our weather patters. Things like the Jet Stream, atmospheric radiation, snow, tornadoes, even lightening are things that we've discovered scientifically. Remember way back when people thought that lightening was thrown down by Zeus because he was pissed? Do the hicks in Georgia or Alabama still think that?
I'm not trying to be divisive or insulting here. But just wanting rain or anything else isn't going to make it happen. There's some things you can do to conserve water (take shorter showers, turn off the tap while you brush your teeth, etc.) but there isn't a lot you can do to make it rain.
And that's the issue here. The people of Georgia are at a loss. They got nothing left, what could it hurt?
Hey, Get Away From My Wall!
Well, I've covered this before not three posts ago, but our government was founded on secularism. State politics are not to get involved with Church matters. Yes, Governor Perdue declared this to be a "non-denominational" event, though I'm not sure exactly how many Muslims, Hindus, or Jains attended. It was mostly Southern Baptist with a couple of Protestants thrown in for extra spiritual spice.
This is a violation of the U.S. Constitution, the Georgia State Constitution, and a public mockery of the government. Was public money used to fund this, or any religious event?
And when it doesn't rain, will you people stop this bullshit?
-STA
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