A series of conferences are being set up by the Catholic Church to discuss Darwin and Galileo. Seems like they are trying to remove the stigma of being "anti-science", or something like that.
Of course it's hard to forget that this is the same entity that jailed Galileo for spreading the word that the Earth revolves around the Sun. I don't expect much progress to come from this.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
A Smart Creationist?
This is a recent video of a discussion between Michael Shermer of the Skeptics Society and Georgia Purdom. Purdom has a Ph.D. in molecular genetics, is the director of the Creation Museum, and truly honestly believes in creationism. I can understand uneducated people being duped into believing something as far fetched as the world is only 4,000 years old or evolution doesn't exist, but when a Ph.D. steadfastly defends these claims, we have a problem. But of course she seems very foolish, to me at least, in this conversation. It's hard to fathom that she doesn't understand how absurd many of her claims are, especially in the face of science.
Somewhat of a long video, cut to 14:00 for the really good stuff. Purdom says that there "would be no point" to testing certain things because we already "know God did that". Wow.
Somewhat of a long video, cut to 14:00 for the really good stuff. Purdom says that there "would be no point" to testing certain things because we already "know God did that". Wow.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Neil deGrasse Tyson on Science and Religion
Some excellent points here by Neil deGrasse Tyson. He is a fascinating person to listen to.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A Problem with Religions and Respect
There is a problem in regards to the level of respect a person of one particular faith may have to a person of a different faith.
If it is true that Christians believe that those of us who do not take Jesus Christ to be their savior are going to hell (and it is true), then mustn’t the Christians of the world (appx. 2.1 billion in ranks), think that the rest of us, (appx. 5.5 billion), are doomed to an eternity in hell?
Doesn't that make you think dearly of your Christian neighbors?
Take note of some of these quotes from the bible:
"He that has the Son has this life; he that does not have the Son of God does not have this life."(John 5:12)
"He that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him." (John 3:36)
Those two quotes are threats, nothing more. Take god in your life and you will be okay, dare to disbelieve and you will be punished. Does that really sound like a guy you want to follow?
This seems to me to be a big problem in the discussion among religions, or even in the tolerance of those outside a certain religion.
If it is true that Christians believe that those of us who do not take Jesus Christ to be their savior are going to hell (and it is true), then mustn’t the Christians of the world (appx. 2.1 billion in ranks), think that the rest of us, (appx. 5.5 billion), are doomed to an eternity in hell?
Doesn't that make you think dearly of your Christian neighbors?
Take note of some of these quotes from the bible:
"He that has the Son has this life; he that does not have the Son of God does not have this life."(John 5:12)
"He that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him." (John 3:36)
Those two quotes are threats, nothing more. Take god in your life and you will be okay, dare to disbelieve and you will be punished. Does that really sound like a guy you want to follow?
This seems to me to be a big problem in the discussion among religions, or even in the tolerance of those outside a certain religion.
On Snobbiness
I disagree with Corey and his initial point in the entry below. I do not think one has to be intellectually snobby to convey their point, and in many cases I think that hinders their ability to change minds. If someone sees you as snobby, they will immediately take you less seriously.
In order to change minds, you have to speak clearly and with strong points. I certainly believe Hitchens has strong points and he also speaks very clearly, but snobbiness to me is not the way to go.
These are sensetive people we are dealing with, their feelings are very easily hurt in respect to their religion, so a person making an argument must be level-headed and calm in their discussion.
In order to change minds, you have to speak clearly and with strong points. I certainly believe Hitchens has strong points and he also speaks very clearly, but snobbiness to me is not the way to go.
These are sensetive people we are dealing with, their feelings are very easily hurt in respect to their religion, so a person making an argument must be level-headed and calm in their discussion.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Response to "Hitchens Debate"
Thank you Christopher Hitchens. Hitchens knows that in order to convey his point he has to be hostile and use "intellectual snobbiness" according to Hannity. I am now completely convinced that people who believe in religion are misinformed and brain-washed. I am going to use the Santa Clause blog to convey my point. Religion is a much greater Santa. Religious people are hardcore Santa believers, and they still believe in Santa because by the time they were introduced to the idea of god not existing, they could not accept the statement. Their minds are completely closed to the idea. Ergo, everyone who does not believe in god has not been brain washed, and can understand the truth.
Hitchens Debates Hannity (Video)
I particularly like the part about the collapsing stars, imploding galaxies, and death of 99% of all species who have lived on Earth. Some designer, eh?
God as Santa
The best analogy I can think of to describe most of humanities' belief in an all-powerful creator is the story of Santa.
As children, most of us seriously and honestly believed in Santa Clause. We truly believed that there was a man with the ability to keep tabs on our "naughtiness" and "niceness". We believed that once a year, this man had the ability to travel to millions and millions of homes in one night and bring us toys. We wrote him letters, asking for this or that (a form of praying I would say). When we saw the gifts under the tree with the name "Santa" on it, we were very excited (it's a miracle! How did he know I wanted Air Jordan sneakers?!).
But inevitably, either through our parents or through some kid at school, we learned the truth; that Santa was simply a made up figure who brought about joy to kids every year. Some of us might have been momentarily disappointed or even distraught for a time, but we always got over it. After all, it is kind of stupid to think that there is a jolly fat man who rides around flying reindeer, isn't it?
Critics might say that there is no harm in children believing in Santa, and I agree to a point. It is okay when you are 8 years old, but no 20 year old should honestly believe in Santa Clause. Much is the absurdity with grown, intelligent adults believing in their form of Santa Clause.
I compare children's belief in Santa to humanities' belief in god. In many of the same ways, believers truly and honestly believe in a being "up there" who keeps tabs on our lives, who we pray to, and who performs miracles from time to time.
The only difference is, unlike with children and Santa, humanity never is told or inevitably finds out that god does not exist. Just like Santa, god was a fictional figure, a part of a grand tale created by a young species still lost in their world.
If only humanity could start to follow the trend of every single child who eventually comes to the conclusion that Santa does not exist, we would certainly be at least partly better off.
As children, most of us seriously and honestly believed in Santa Clause. We truly believed that there was a man with the ability to keep tabs on our "naughtiness" and "niceness". We believed that once a year, this man had the ability to travel to millions and millions of homes in one night and bring us toys. We wrote him letters, asking for this or that (a form of praying I would say). When we saw the gifts under the tree with the name "Santa" on it, we were very excited (it's a miracle! How did he know I wanted Air Jordan sneakers?!).
But inevitably, either through our parents or through some kid at school, we learned the truth; that Santa was simply a made up figure who brought about joy to kids every year. Some of us might have been momentarily disappointed or even distraught for a time, but we always got over it. After all, it is kind of stupid to think that there is a jolly fat man who rides around flying reindeer, isn't it?
Critics might say that there is no harm in children believing in Santa, and I agree to a point. It is okay when you are 8 years old, but no 20 year old should honestly believe in Santa Clause. Much is the absurdity with grown, intelligent adults believing in their form of Santa Clause.
I compare children's belief in Santa to humanities' belief in god. In many of the same ways, believers truly and honestly believe in a being "up there" who keeps tabs on our lives, who we pray to, and who performs miracles from time to time.
The only difference is, unlike with children and Santa, humanity never is told or inevitably finds out that god does not exist. Just like Santa, god was a fictional figure, a part of a grand tale created by a young species still lost in their world.
If only humanity could start to follow the trend of every single child who eventually comes to the conclusion that Santa does not exist, we would certainly be at least partly better off.
Response to "Food Restrictions"
The purpose of not eating certain foods or not using modern technology on a certain day is to reaffirm the belief that there is a god. That is it. If a person is not concerned or even afraid of the effects of eating bacon for Sunday brunch, then why not eat it?
This is another example of god creating rules about how people can live their lives. Read the bible or the torah and you will come acros many of these rules. Some of the rules would be good to follow, such as never harm your neighbor. Some of these rules would not be good to follow, such as stoning homosexuals.
If these rules are followed, people can expect good things. If these rules are broken, you can expect terrible plagues and an eternity in hell. Who wants to live under such a dictator?
And in response to the Greek gods; it is true that 99% of all the gods humans used to believe in are no longer "around". Humanity has come very close to becoming completely atheist, just one more god to go!
If you went up to someone and seriously claimed to believe in Zeus, you would no longer be taken seriously. If you believed in a man who lived in the sky and produced lightning bolts with his hands, you would correctly be laughed out of the room. And in the world we live in, those people have been brushed back into obscurity.
But somehow, believing in a man being born of a virgin or believing in a man who literally walked on water is taken very seriously in most of the world.
This is another example of god creating rules about how people can live their lives. Read the bible or the torah and you will come acros many of these rules. Some of the rules would be good to follow, such as never harm your neighbor. Some of these rules would not be good to follow, such as stoning homosexuals.
If these rules are followed, people can expect good things. If these rules are broken, you can expect terrible plagues and an eternity in hell. Who wants to live under such a dictator?
And in response to the Greek gods; it is true that 99% of all the gods humans used to believe in are no longer "around". Humanity has come very close to becoming completely atheist, just one more god to go!
If you went up to someone and seriously claimed to believe in Zeus, you would no longer be taken seriously. If you believed in a man who lived in the sky and produced lightning bolts with his hands, you would correctly be laughed out of the room. And in the world we live in, those people have been brushed back into obscurity.
But somehow, believing in a man being born of a virgin or believing in a man who literally walked on water is taken very seriously in most of the world.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Food Restrictions/Greek Gods
What is the purpose of not being allowed to eat something on a certain day? What is the purpose of not being allowed to eat something because of the way it was slaughtered? Please enlighten me, who created these rules? What will happen to us if we do not obey them? All of these questions pertain to "God" and the absurdity of "his" existence. Think about it, for Jews, on high holy days; they are not allowed to drive an automobile. Why? Because it says in the Torah not to. Why do we have to listen to the Torah? Because "God" created it. Therefore we should do everything it says, and believe every story it tells. Such as the story of Moses seeing "God" in the state of a burning figure. This reminds me of Greek Mythology. To all religious people; do you realize that the Greeks believed that all of the "Gods" actually existed. How absurd does that sound? They actually believed that Zeus, Dionysis, Hades, Poseidon, Cupid, and all the hundreds of others actually existed! Now, if that seems absurd, than believing in just one "God" has to seem a little absurd. The fact of the matter is, if believing in hundreds of "Gods" sounds absurd, than believing in one "God" is absurd.
Sam Harris Owns a Rabbi (Video)
Sam Harris, who is quickly becoming my favorite atheist, makes a fantasic point to defeat the argument of a rabbi in this debate.
Response to "Absurd"
I totally agree with you and find it absurd that the people who prayed actually believe that they survived because they clasped their hands together and "wished" that they would survive. Frankly, all of religion is absurd, and people waste their lives believing in it. Imagine the good people could do if they didn't waste their days praying to some "higher power" Instead of praying for world peace, why not actually get up and do something about it. Religion is all about feeling important. Do you know how many people are praying to "God"? Do you actually believe that "he" is listening to you? Do you realize how absurd it is to be asking "him" for guidance and help when there has been no physical proof of "his" existence. honestly, people.
Absurd
I was working out today, and as I left the gym I happened to glance at a TV. On the screen was a major media channel with the following headline , "How Religion Played a Role in the U.S. Airways Crash". I had to stay and watch.
Of course, the news guy was talking about how many of the people were praying on that flight as it was going down, and how they soon after survived the crash. He thought it was no coincidence. He thought their prayer somehow caused their survival. He thought: they prayed, therefore they survived. Absurd.
You have to bring more than that. They also all wore pants and survived, they also all presumably brushed their teeth that morning and survived. Why not attribute their survival to those things? What about the people on the flight who didn't pray? How did they then survive?
There are simply too many loopholes and contradictions in the belief that these people survived because they prayed.
The reason they survived, the one and only reason, is because of the incredible skill, cool headedness, and impecabble training of the pilot. He should be getting every ounce of credit. He is the reason these people survived, not because some of them happened to be praying at the time.
Of course, the news guy was talking about how many of the people were praying on that flight as it was going down, and how they soon after survived the crash. He thought it was no coincidence. He thought their prayer somehow caused their survival. He thought: they prayed, therefore they survived. Absurd.
You have to bring more than that. They also all wore pants and survived, they also all presumably brushed their teeth that morning and survived. Why not attribute their survival to those things? What about the people on the flight who didn't pray? How did they then survive?
There are simply too many loopholes and contradictions in the belief that these people survived because they prayed.
The reason they survived, the one and only reason, is because of the incredible skill, cool headedness, and impecabble training of the pilot. He should be getting every ounce of credit. He is the reason these people survived, not because some of them happened to be praying at the time.
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This blog is written by two young atheists who will discuss everything and anything relating to religion, atheism and other stuff.
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