This video shows just how ignorant christianity really is. And, what’s even more disturbing is the fact that every one of the statements made in this video are the same ones used time and time again by the godidiots.
Archive for March, 2009
Fear: The Key To Religion
Posted in Uncategorized with tags Atheism, Atheist, Christian, Christianity, Fear, Religion on March 10, 2009 by RJ EvansThe believer lives in a constant state of fear. They monitor everything they do, as well as others around them. They deny their humaness, and substitute a random moral code, based upon their interpretation of their dime store novel (read holy book), and their current lifestyle. Typically the original moral code is established when they are young and impressionable, taught to them by their guardians, and reinforced to some degree by further indoctrination in the church they attend. The moral code must be adhered to, with the consequences of not adhering being horrifying and for eternity. Enter the fear factor. But, as they grow older, their biological foundation takes hold and drives them toward the natural purpose. Or as Richard Dawkins calls it, their Archeo-Purpose.
Fear is a great motivator. Religion thrives on fear. Without fear, it cannot survive for long. The dynamic of the human relationship to religious fear requires an ultimate authority to be judge, jury and executioner. The god becomes that authority. This god does not subscribe to the idea of innocent until proved guilty, nor do the laws that apply have any consistency. The rules are random, vague, obscured by generational flavors. The believer is already guilty. The offense is sin. So, the believer is left to pick and choose their way through scriptures, weeding out the sins they can and cannot live by. In the end game, the individual is never right, is always guessing, and living their entire lives in fear of picking and choosing the wrong moral zeitgeist from the confusing and utterly useless list of to-dos and not-to-dos. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. So-called “holy texts” are brimming full of vagaries, contradictions and useless edicts. Add to that the aggression and violence prescribed as punishment in these books and one can see that it is the fear that keeps the believer in check.
Several years ago, I was fairly and firmly entrenched in the idea of a skydaddy. And, it was fear that kept me there. But, deep in the recesses of my mind, hidden by the dark, dusty, dank space occupied by file cabinets of religious dung and years of religious propaganda posters lining the walls, I found logic and reason. Stuffed into a corner, the light could not reach them. Occasionally, when I couldn’t find a file in the religious folders, I would knock a cabinet over in frustration, suddenly discovering a single pamphlet of logic and reason. And, as time went by, the file drawers would stick, the dings and dents of frustration taking their toll on their function. Soon, the religious cabinets began to rust and decay. My frustration grew. Soon, I had destroyed the cabinets. They became piles of scrap metal, lying on the floor, files scattered everywhere. Then, the light from the adjacent room illuminated that which was hidden. I could now freely access my logic and reason. Fear and frustration no longer held me captive. I now saw religion for what it was. It was a freak show, an illusion, a nightmare designed to enslave me. The file cabinets were put there by my parents, and a world trapped in ignorance and bigotry. Discovering logic and reason embolden me to take responsibility for my own life. No longer were my actions and words dictated by a confusing and utterly irresponsible set of vague rules and regulations. I was free to think, free to speak, free to do whatever I chose. And, my moral compass was no longer being cheated by the ferrous metal file cabinet it sat upon. I was truly free.
6 years later, I have never been happier or more assured. But, a great number of believers, friends in particular, insist that I must be having doubts. They declare that my pontifications on this blog are cries of uncertainty. I find this laughable and absurd. I rail against ridiculous claims, illogical and unreasoned thought, and religious bigotry on this blog. To expect anything different is wishful thinking at worst. At best, my friends questioning of my commitment to atheism is a mirror image of their doubt in their religious beliefs. Unprompted, these godidiots declare that they won’t read what I write here. Then, moments later, they embark on a journey through my prose. When they encounter a perceived threat to their faith in my words, they stab back, flailing their verbal blade wildly, hoping beyond hope to strike a blow that will liberate them from their doubt, forcing them back into compliance with their fiction. In the same breath they declare their commitment and certainty of their skydaddy as if this will somehow strengthen their faith in the face of facts. Flail away my dear friends. Finding logic and reason is not without emotional pain.
If anyone finds what I say here a threat, consider this. My lack of belief is not the threat, your belief is. You question me because you cannot question yourself. And, the more you question me, the more you are forced to address logic, reason and science. So, please continue to question me. I’ll be more than happy to point you to the facts and show you how fucked up you really are. But, I’ll also show you what you can achieve if you discard fear and fantasy in exchange for reality.
The Body Count Game
Posted in Uncategorized with tags Atheism, Atheist, Christian, Christianity, Death, God, Religion, Terror, Terrorism on March 10, 2009 by RJ EvansI recently received a comment from a person who answered my post “Religion=Terrorism”. Here is his statement with regard to atheism and religious terror.
“Finally, do not circumnavigate the issue of atheistic terrorists of the
most brutal order (hundreds of thousands to tens of millions dead). Ever
heard of Josef Stalin or Mao Zedong? If not, read about them. Evil lurks
among all men, not just those who claim religion, but also, those who deny it.
The Taliban and Crusaders, also purveyors of horrible actions, have
nothing on those particular atheists.”
Yes, it is true that Stalin and Zedong were atheists. However, claiming that atheism led these men to commit atrocities is patently false. In fact, it could be asserted that Stalin (1897-1953) who attended a Russian orthodox seminary, developed his dark and brutal ways as a teen while practicing his faith. It’s far too easy to site a simplistic common denominator and disregard relevant facts. Historian Alan Bullock wrote in his 1991 book “Hitler & Stalin: Parallel Lives”
“The fact that it was a Church education helped to form the mind of a man who was to become known for his dogmatism and his propensity for seeing issues in absolute terms, in black and white. Anyone reading Stalin’s speeches and writings will notice their catechistic structure, the use of question and answer, the reduction of complex questions to a set of simplified formulas, the quoting of text to support his arguments. The same Church influence has been noted by biographers in his style of speaking or writing Russian: ‘declamatory and repetitive, with liturgical overtones.”
The primary influence for Hitler, Stalin and Zedong was dogmatic Communism-Marxism. These political systems closely resemble that of religion. If one takes a close look, you will see that both religion and Communism-Marxism share several primary tenets. 1) Both are prone to oversimplification. Complex problems are explained in simplistic terms. For example, religion and Communism-Marxism use moral authority in the same way. Both assert that anyone who opposes their view must be immoral and therefore evil. The two share an over-simplified black or white view. Shades of gray are not permitted. 2) In another example, the Communist-Marxist idea of collectivization is the main source of happiness. Religion uses the same premise based on a god. If one doesn’t have a god, one cannot be happy. 3) The commonality shared between these two dogmatic methods continues when one looks at the how the two use sacred writings. Christards use the bible. Communism uses “communist classics”. Both use infallible authority ascribed to their texts and declare them absolute truth under the guise of “science”, but both are based on “faith”.
If you’ll notice, in no case is atheism central to the dogma of Communism-Marxism. One must look beyond the common oversimplification and misrepresentation of this argument. Atheism isn’t a principle, cause, philosophy, or belief system. It has no dogma. It also knows no political ideological lines. It is innocuous. Unlike religion and communism, there is no central written tenet, or ideology. It is simply lack of belief.
(Source info: Skeptics Guide to Christianity, http://www.geocities.com/paulntobin/hitlerstalin.html)
The second point I’d like to address is the number of people killed by religion. Let’s take a quick look at the number of people killed in the bible alone: 2,391,421 This number represents the number of people that the christian god killed himself. A total of the number of killed in the name of all religion would be impossible to calculate. That being said, one can only speculate. But if the total killed by a jealous christard god in the bible is any indication of the vile nature of religious belief, then the numbers could be staggering.
Friendship: The Religious Divide
Posted in Uncategorized on March 10, 2009 by RJ EvansI have a few friends, some believers, some not. Many read this blog from time to time, while others choose to avoid it. I care deeply for my friends regardless of whether or not they believe in a skydaddy. I can separate the delusional aspect of the believers from their human character. While I hold no respect for their belief, they have earned my respect on a much more human level. Unfortunately, some of them may view my ramblings here as an attack on them personally. Sad to say, but that is their choice and has no bearing at all on the actual truth of the matter.
Religion always seems to become the great divide rather than a mode uniting. But, that is the nature of religious belief. There is no standard with which to find common ground. By its very nature, religion demands belief in the unbelievable, capitulation to random and unreasoned moral codes, and it denies the cohesive human element of humaness. It embraces superhuman, supernatural dribble, discounting humanity through subversion and personal denial. It drains the human out of the human, and pumps the empty space full of unrealistic expectation.
I’m no better or worse than my believer friends. At the human level at least. I find their belief laughable, but not their character. I enjoy their company, relish their smiles, take joy in their laughter. But, I find that I may be the only one that can look beyond the religious differences. Unannounced silence, from some of my friends who believe, is deafening. It leaves me to wonder if I have given too much credit to their humaness. Or, could it be that they are truly blinded by dogma, blinded to the point of anger and distrust? Maybe. But, if this be the case, then what of the human bond, the shared experiences, and commonality of our humaness?
Unfortunately, I bleed the blood of being human, and they the blood of a fictional character in a dime store novel. In the meantime my hope for them slowly dies as each day passes. Religion demands a price. It’s a price that is payed by those who don’t choose the human component, but rather the inhuman component of selfishness, self-righteousness, and in some cases, out and out bigotry. While I care deeply for my friends, their blind faith in dogma beckons me to remind them, and myself, that the principles of freedom come at a price. I do not wish to sacrifice our friendships, nor do I relish disclosing their hypocricy. But, my responsibility is to freedom, liberty and happiness for all. I’m not going to compromise those for the sake of a few who cannot see the forrest through the trees of religious dogma. I will continue to reveal the awful truth of religious belief. I will continue to wreak havoc upon the idiocy of religion. And, I will not be kind to those who are dead set on usurping the Constitution of this nation.
So, with sadness, I turn the page to the next chapter. Goodbye to those who cannot accept fact, and favor ficiton. Goodbye to those who embrace dogma and turn away humaness. It’s time for me to move on to new friends, new challenges, and more freedom of thought. But beware my former friends. No longer will I hold respect for character distant from your delusion. I now consider you an enemy of freedom.
Religion = Terrorism
Posted in Uncategorized with tags Atheism, Atheist, Christian, Christianity, Jew, Jewsih, Muslim, Politics, Religion, Terror on March 9, 2009 by RJ EvansThroughout the history of mankind religion has been a core source of terrorism, along with nationalism, in the quest to effect change in political views and legislation. The primary goal of religious terror is to instill fear in those who oppose its world view, and to destroy those who speak or act out against it. When the godidiots of Islam flew jets into the World Trade Towers on 9/11, the promise of an afterlife with beautiful virgins was the enticement. And, it was blind faith in this vision of an afterlife that motivated these men to commit a murderous suicide in the name of a skydaddy. Make no mistake, ANYONE who believes in a skydaddy is equally equipped to carry out this type of terror. All it takes is “faith”. No more, no less. Yet, so many in the United States ignore the obvious because they claim to ascribe to a higher, more civilized standard of religious belief and tolerance. With every scientific discovery, with every court decision handed down in support of Separation of Church and State, with each breath of the non-believer driving the intellectual screw into the heart of religious belief, the stage is being set for a violent clash between freedom and religion. The believer is forced deeper into the “faith escape” and driven closer to avenging their skydaddy and their ridiculous delusion. The act of terror will become a means to an end for the christards. Whether or not they do so through direct acts against those who oppose them, or through the halls of government, they will eventually self-fulfill a prophecy of armagedon/rapture/second coming, and a fictitious afterlife in heaven.
I highly recommend that anyone reading this check out the movie “Religulous” by Bill Maher. I also highly recommend “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins. The evidence presented in these two works is compelling and should illuminate the issue of religion and its stranglehold on people and governments, it’s direct relation to terror, and the potential outcomes of holding onto archaic, ignorant, useless skydaddy beliefs.
In a nut shell, the godidiots will happily hasten the demise of the human species.
Now, there are those who will accuse me of trying to usurp the U.S. Constitution. There are those who would say that I’m against religion. Against religion?. Yes, religion should be eradicated with a caveat. The caveat? In an IDEAL world. Unfortunately, and fortunately, I’m a realist. Utopia is fiction, whether for the believer or non-believer. Therefore, the idea of no religion is mute. As to the Constitution, I stand firmly behind it. The citizens of the United States have a right to believe whatever they want. Note, I said BELIEVE. They don’t have the right to intimidate, legislate or discriminate against those who don’t ascribe to their brand of worship or non-worship. They have the right to be heard by those who WANT to hear from them. They have the right to be ignored by those who DON’T want to hear from them. In other words, keep the bullshit to themselves. Go ahead and let them wallow in their religious bullshit in their home, in their church, and in their private schools. Keep religious displays off public property, out of government offices and out of public schools. Let them pray quietly wherever the hell they want, as long as it’s not on government time or as a group in a public school led by public school employees. Their religion is THEIR business and has no place in a secular society. I don’t want to hear about their skydaddy. I don’t want their useless prayers. I don’t want their bullshit spread like a virus through the halls of government. America is NOT a christard nation. These things I’ll defend. And I’ll defend them with my life if needed.
Now, if christards decide to attempt acts of terror (and I consider evangelism of any kind an act of terror) I will be more than happy to show them the error of their ways. Religious terror, to me anyway, is anything that forces religious beliefs upon the SECULAR foundation of this country, or upon those who do not subscribe to a particular brand of belief. In fact I consider telling anyone, who does not believe as you, that you will pray or are praying for them, an act of terror, and I will engage these acts with the proper response. My response will be verbally vicious, with a secret hope that they will escalate to a more viable means of shutting their fucking mouth.
Terror is not a game, and I take it seriously. I live peacefully and quietly under the Constitution of the United States. But, I’ll defend it vigorously and without reproach. Tread upon it with the shit stained feet of religious belief, and I will answer loudly. Religion unchecked IS an act of terror.
Political Ignorance
Posted in Uncategorized with tags Atheism, Atheist, Christian, Christianity, Evangelsim, Evolution, Politics, Religion, Richard Dawkins on March 9, 2009 by RJ EvansOn Friday, March 6th, Richard Dawkins, noted evolutionary biologist from Oxford University and author of “The Selfish Gene” (1976) and “The God Delusion” (2006) spoke on “The Purpose of Purpose” at the University of Oklahoma. My wife and I, along with another couple, attended the talk. After an early dinner, the four of us drove over to the campus and stood in line for about an hour and a half, with throngs of other attendees, and waited for the doors to open. The event was “first come, first served” so getting to the venue early was paramount for anyone who wanted a seat. While standing in line, we were approached by members of a secular organization handing out sheets of paper. The paper disclosed a disturbing message. On one side of the paper the following:
STATE OF OKLAHOMA, 1st Session of the 52nd Legislature (2009), HOUSE RESOLUTION 1015 By: Thompsen
AS INTRODUCED
A Resolution opposing the invitation to Richard Dawkins to speak on campus; encouraging the University of Oklahoma to engage in a certain discussion of certain scientific theories; and directing distribution.
WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma is a publicly funded institution which should be open to all ideas and should train students in all disciplines of study and research and to use thinking and free inquiry; and
WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma has planned a year-long celebration of the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s theory of evolution, called the “Darwin 2009 Project”, which includes a series of lectures, public speakers, and a course in the history of evolution; and
WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma, as part of the Darwin 2009 Project, has invited as a public speaker on campus, Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published opinions, as represented in his 2006 book “The God Delusion”, and public statements on the theory of evolution demonstrate an intolerance for cultural diversity and diversity of thinking and are views that are not shared and are not representative of the thinking of a majority of the citizens of Oklahoma; and…
On the other side:
STATE OF OKLAHOMA, 1st Session of the 52nd Legislature (2009), HOUSE RESOLUTION 1014 By: Thompsen
AS INTRODUCED
A Resolution expressing disapproval of the actions of the University of Oklahoma to indoctrinate students in the theory of evolution, opposing the invitation to Richard Dawkins to speak on campus, and directing distribution.
WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma is a publicly funded institution which should be open to all ideas and should train students in all disciplines of study and research and to use independent thinking and free inquiry, not indoctrinate students in one-sided study and thinking;
WHEREAS, the Department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma has, as evidenced on the departmental homepage, been framing the Darwinian theory of evolution as doctrinal dogmatism rather than a hypothetical construction within the disciplines of the sciences; and
WHEREAS, not only has the Department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma been engaged in one-sided indoctrination of an unproven and unpopular theory but has made an effort to brand all thinking in dissent of this theory as anti-intellectual and backward rather than nurturing such free thinking and allowing a free discussion of all ideas which is the primary purpose of a university; and…
The fact that these resolutions even passed a legislative body is evidence alone to damn the creationists as they continue to try and assert that their ID claims are science. Once again, the idiots step into their own shit. Let’s look closely some of the statements made in these resolutions.
In 1015 it is written:
“…should be open to all ideas and should train students in all disciplines of study and research and to use thinking and free inquiry”
Thinking and free inqury? Yeah right! In religion, a god did it, so shut the fuck up and accept that. In science, it’s ALWAYS under scrutiny, tested and re-tested. Think and Inquire…over and over again. The next clip from 1015 underlines the idiocy of the creationist mentality, and puts an exclamation point on the words “shit heads”!
“…Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published opinions, as represented in his 2006 book “The God Delusion”, and public statements on the theory of evolution demonstrate an intolerance for cultural diversity and diversity of thinking and are views that are not shared and are not representative of the thinking of a majority of the citizens of Oklahoma”
Intolerance for cultural diversity? Since when is science supposed to embrace cultural diversity and side step the scientific method to placate anyone’s culture (read “religious beliefs”)? The search for knowledge doesn’t stop at the doorstep of someone’s fucked up idea of “the earth is flat, god did it, so leave us alone because that is our culture” If science stops inquiry because someone is “offended”, tough fucking shit! If science didn’t ignore the church throughout history, these christards would still be wearing rags and living in huts, not driving cars, and not killing atheists and infidels in their video game “Left Behind”! Then, to state that because evolutionary science doesn’t agree with the “majority” of citizens it should therefore be muzzled… OK. Let’s get rid of the Constitution while we are at it , the parts that the “majority” doesn’t like. The whims of the majority? The religious flavor of the moment? Which one? I know! The one that tastes like shit and is composed of nuts! ANYTHING that doesn’t agree with religious tenets needs to be muzzled, squashed, and declared blasphemous!
From 1014:
“A Resolution expressing disapproval of the actions of the University of Oklahoma to indoctrinate students in the theory of evolution, opposing the invitation to Richard Dawkins to speak on campus, and directing distribution.”
The word “indoctrinate” is a blatant attempt to instill fear. Since when has science EVER indoctrinated? Let’s look at the dictionary’s definition of the word.
in⋅doc⋅tri⋅nate
| 1. | to instruct in a doctrine, principle, ideology, etc., esp. to imbue with a specific partisan or biased belief or point of view. |
| 2. | to teach or inculcate. |
| 3. | to imbue with learning. |
Science is only partisan toward inquiry and falsifiability. It is not a belief. It does not force, intimidate, cajole, manipulate, or otherwise outright LIE about its intentions. Nor does it misrepresent itself for its own selfish reasons. It demands inquiry, testing, and verification of EVIDENCE. Unlike skydaddy worship, science doesn’t remain static and demure, resting on its religious dogma like some sort of christian dog guarding its mythical bonehead.
Here’s another piece of meat to chew thoroughly:
“…been framing the Darwinian theory of evolution as doctrinal dogmatism rather than a hypothetical construction within the disciplines of the sciences”
Doctrinal dogmatism? Hypothetical construction? Let’s address “Doctrinal Dogmatism”. Science doesn’t subscribe to dogma. Let’s look at the dictionary again, shall we?
dog⋅ma
| 1. | a system of principles or tenets, as of a church. |
| 2. | a specific tenet or doctrine authoritatively laid down, as by a church: the dogma of the Assumption. |
| 3. | prescribed doctrine: political dogma. |
| 4. | a settled or established opinion, belief, or principle. |
Science is not static. How many times do I have to say that? The only thing that it holds steadfastly to is the method of inquiry, test and test, and test and test… It also demands falsifiability. That means it has to show that ANY result is true OR false, through repetition, duplication and verification, over and over and over again. If there is a “dogma” in science, it is the METHOD of INQUIRY. The results are not dogmatic. They are the results. And, those results, should they hold up to continuous scrutiny, will continue to be scrutinized through the scientific method, even long after they are accepted as scientific fact.
The creationist/ID cowards will continue their attempts at claiming that their skydaddy is the “end all, be all” solution to the universe. Ignorant of what science is and will continue to be, the godidiots blatant disregard for EVIDENCE and testing will not dissuade them. It is my prediction, based upon the voracity and bigotry of these christards, that as science continues to deliver solid facts, they will up the ante by resorting to violence. No matter the moderation of the religious attitude, no matter the appearance of gentile jebus belief, as science bulldozes through the natural world and uncovers the facts, the world of extremism will feed the minds of even the quietest of skydaddy cock suckers. Brace yourselves. The Crusades, the Inquisition, Salem Witch Trials… these will pale in comparison to what religion will do as science uncovers more of natures secrets. Also, keep in mind something very important. Religion feeds on “end of days” scenarios. Christards feed on the second coming, the rapture, armageddon, the end times… these could be destined for self-fulfilling prophecy. Ever wondered why we still have so many nukes? Hey, these idiots have to have something to hasten the process!
My best advice? Buy guns and as much ammunition as you can. Sinclair Lewis wrote: “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross.” It’s already here. Look around. Those folks you call friends are quietly wearing the banner of “I’m better than you. I believe in god, and you will be forced to accept our way soon. God willing.” As religion is forced further back into a corner by science, there will be an exponential increase in religious zealotry, and it will play out as acts of terror against those who defend science, freedom and liberty.
Here’s a video of Richard Dawkins opening at the University of Oklahoma
The Simple Hypocrites
Posted in Uncategorized with tags Atheism, Atheist, Christian, Christianity, Gay, Homosexuality, Lesbian, Religion, Westboro Baptist on March 4, 2009 by RJ EvansThe other day the Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas took a drive down I-35 to a high school in Moore, Oklahoma. They drew quite a crowd, according to a local paper. There were 6 of the Westboro contingent, condemning the high school population to hell. This group are the same idiots that protest at veterans funerals, calling them fags and saying that “god hates fags”. The large crowd that turned out to protest the protesters were predominately christian. I find this very amusing. It also underscores the hypocrisy of religion, christianity in this case.
I will once again ask, “Is, or is not, the bible the word of god?” Because, if it is, then the idiots who take the moderate position are second guessing their god’s word. Read the following scripture, and if you’re a believer, please weasel your way out of this. I need some amusement.
Leviticus 18
18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
18:29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
Leviticus 20
20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Such hypocrisy puts the exclamation point on the absurdity of so called “moderate” christianity. My advice… Either you start killing fags or give up the “But jesus is loving” shit. Either way, if you’re christian, you’re an idiot.
Tell me again how loving your god is. Tell me again how inclusive he supposedly is. Tell me again about the “word of god” and the “love of jesus”. Wax poetic about how “I know” what god “really means”, and “I know” what god “really wants” and then excuse yourself of 2000 years of christian atrocity, violence, bigotry, and political manipulation. Self-righteousness is a cancer. It needs to be irradiated and cut out. The fact is your bible is bullshit. Not just parts of it. ALL OF IT.
Science vs. Religion
Posted in Uncategorized with tags Atheism, Atheist, Christian, Christianity, Creationism, Darwin, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Religion, Science, Scientist on March 1, 2009 by RJ EvansThere always seems to be a lingering debate as to whether science and religion can cohabitate, share the same ground, work in harmony together. Well, let’s examine this in detail. First, we need to look at the simple dictionary definitions of each word.
From dictionary.com
-Science-
–noun
| 1. | a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws: the mathematical sciences. |
| 2. | systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation. |
| 3. | any of the branches of natural or physical science. |
| 4. | systematized knowledge in general. |
| 5. | knowledge, as of facts or principles; knowledge gained by systematic study. |
| 6. | a particular branch of knowledge. |
| 7. | skill, esp. reflecting a precise application of facts or principles; proficiency. |
Origin:
1300–50; ME < MF < L scientia knowledge, equiv. to scient- (s. of sciēns), prp. of scīre to know + -ia -ia
1300–50; ME < MF < L scientia knowledge, equiv. to scient- (s. of sciēns), prp. of scīre to know + -ia -ia
-Religion-
–noun
| 1. | a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. |
| 2. | a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion. |
| 3. | the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions. |
| 4. | the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion. |
| 5. | the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith. |
| 6. | something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice. |
| 7. | religions, Archaic. religious rites. |
| 8. | Archaic. strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one’s vow. |
—Idiom
| 9. | get religion, Informal.
|
Origin:
1150–1200; ME religioun (< OF religion) < L religiōn- (s. of religiō) conscientiousness, piety, equiv. to relig(āre) to tie, fasten (re- re- + ligāre to bind, tie; cf. ligament ) + -iōn- -ion; cf. rely
1150–1200; ME religioun (< OF religion) < L religiōn- (s. of religiō) conscientiousness, piety, equiv. to relig(āre) to tie, fasten (re- re- + ligāre to bind, tie; cf. ligament ) + -iōn- -ion; cf. rely
A quick look at the origins is all that is needed to quickly and painfully put the debate to rest. Science or scīre to know, versus Religion or conscientiously rely. But, I like to put a lot of nails in the coffin, so let’s look a little deeper. I have a great number of friends who are picky about words, so let’s keep the party going!
A brief examination of the definitions should add a handful of nails!
-Science-
Systematic knowledge and practice.
-Religion-
A set of beliefs.
These are not MY definitions. They are THE definitions. They are not a reflection of my agenda, nor of my lack of religious beliefs. They are absolute definitions, as anyone with half a brain can see. But, there are too many folks out there that insist that the two of these polar opposites can co-exist. The people that have this mind numbing symptom are the ones that embrace a skydaddy. The disease they are afflicted with is religion. It’s a disease which is curable, but those who are riddled with it are delusional from lack of reason and logic and therefore seek no treatment.
It’s a shame really. I have many friends…some of them call themselves “scientists”. Indeed, they have degrees in one or two fields of scientific endeavor, but they have all but abandon the principles of science in their personal lives, instead opting to become hypocrites, and pariahs of science. They ignore the very method they use in their field of study, and rationalize their religious beliefs away from a method of knowledge through observation and testing. They instead rely on “feelings” and supposition. But, just as a drug addict gets hooked on the “feeling” of their drug of choice, these so-called “scientists” wile away the hours and the days buried deep in their “feelings” and ignorant of the facts.
Instead, they choose to pontificate on the mysteries of life outside of their respective scientific fields, and offer opinions without knowledge and facts to back them up. They speak with forked tongue. On one tip of their razor sharp tongue they demand capitulation to the scientific method, demanding evidence, as they should, for theories brought forth in their professional careers. On the other tip of their tongue, they rest on the religious laurels of faith, supposition, tales of the supernatural and 2000 year old stories from a single source book. The majesty of their noble scientific curiosity collapses under the weight of their baseless, lackluster religious performance. Hypocrites, all.
Is it not a disservice to oneself to live a double life? Is it not a travesty that such sharp minds have given themselves up to dogma sans all other reasoned and logical options? I’m appalled by the two headed dragon that has reared, and continues to rear, its ugly head at every turn. While the United States of America falls behind in the scientific arena, the battle between science and religion takes center stage. Cause and effect I say. While the bastion of scientific thought struggles to break free of thousands of years of ignorance, it’s still having to kick and scream its way to sensibility. And in my educated opinion, will soon discover that it is the ignoramuses within its ranks that drag the war into each new century. What’s more, those whom I admire for their dedication to their chosen scientific fields, and who still believe in this skydaddy shit, have lost some of their luster in my eyes. Men and women who, through shear determination and strength of will, overcame tremendous personal odds to embrace (at least in their fields) the scientific method. But alas, their minds have limits. Self-imposed limits. And, unfortunately, the meaning of honor, integrity and loyalty only extend to that which fits their religious paradigm. Damn the scientific method to suit the religious dogma.
The state of affairs in this country as they relate to science and religion is tragic. And, with every tick of the clock, the war between science and religion goes on. One bloody battle after another. Those that have grown tired simply scream that the two can co-exist. I KNOW LOGICALLY that the two can never. One demands facts, the other demands blind obedience. There truly can be no middle ground. There can be no shared world view between religion and science. To think otherwise is not thinking at all.
Put simply…
Science embraces being wrong. It relishes it. It invites it. It learns from it.
Religion hates being wrong. It despises it. It denies it. It makes excuses for it.
Which one loses the war? Religion.
Suffer The Children of Religion
Posted in Uncategorized with tags Abuse, Atheism, Atheist, Child Abuse, Child Molester, Children, Christian, Christianity, Dogma, Preacher, Religion on March 1, 2009 by RJ EvansSanta Claus. A jolly mythological fellow based on Nicholas of Myra (270- December 6, 346), considered a saint, and Bishop of Myra, a part of what is now Turkey. Known for his secret gift giving, the real Saint Nicholas was just that. Real. His acts of kindness became legend for future myth. Santa was a human creation, destined to become permanently woven into the fabric of what christians celebrate as christmas.
As an adult, I remember very little about the moment my father told me that Santa wasn’t real. I do remember that I wasn’t surprised by the confession. My father, like most parents, had tried to convince me of his existence, and yet, I was unimpressed. I know that a part of me wanted to believe that a fat, jolly, hairy, red suited man with flying reindeer would bring me presents for good behavior, but something just wasn’t right about the prospect. It seemed so ridiculous, so unconventional. My skepticism wasn’t embolden by the fact that I had caught my father eating Santa’s cookies and drinking his glass of milk one christmas eve. No. I figured dad was simply hungry. Anyway, what fed my doubt was simply the whole idea of free shit from a stranger. There HAD to be a catch. What made me even more skeptical was the fact that everyone, from teachers, parents, to policemen, insisted I never accept candy or gifts from a stranger. EVER! Yet, here’s a guy who’s sole purpose is to give me presents and I have never seen him in person! Never met him! Yeah, I sat in “his” lap at the store. Oddly, he smelled bad, his breath wafting of stale cigarettes and coffee in my direction as he gleefully asked me what I wanted stuffed under the dead pine tree in our living room. Doubt. Lots and lots of doubt. Healthy skepticism for a healthy mind.
I met a 6 year old kid the other day. I was sitting in a recliner waiting for my tattoo artist to begin the next artistic chapter in my personal dermal assault. I looked over my shoulder to see a small, blond haired boy. My tattoo artist introduced the boy as Carson, his girlfriend’s son. Carson smiled at me. I smiled back. He then proceeded to ask a lot of questions, in short order, about tattooing, my tattoos, and wanted to know what the big glob of goo was on the tattoo artists work table. I was astounded at the wonderfully healthy curiosity this child had. What a sharp and inquisitive mind. I couldn’t help but widen my smile. I introduced myself to Carson and told him the big glob of goo was snot from my nose. He grinned. I then told him that it was a giant booger. He laughed. “No it isn’t!” he exclaimed. I went on to explain that the goo was a special product/medicine used to help prevent infection. At this point Carson had stolen my heart. My wife and I have been married 26 years. We have no children. We really never wanted them. But, here, at this very moment, I found myself wondering if we had missed an opportunity. But, reality has a way of slapping me across the face in times like this. I came to, long enough to realize that this cute bundle of joy would one day be less than cute, possibly ruining any future my wife and I would have at a successful and stress-less retirement.
Anyway, Carson was full of questions. Not only about tattooing, but about the artwork that festooned the walls of the shop. His eyes were alive, dancing in the colors and designs that adorned the walls. I asked the boy if he could draw. He said “YES” with a big grin. Just then I had a thought. “Hey Carson! Would you like to design a tattoo for me?” I asked. Carson’s eyes lit up like the Las Vegas strip. “YEAH!” he said excitedly. I went on to tell him that if he could draw his design on a piece of paper, I’d have the artist permanently tattoo it on my arm. Poor Carson didn’t know what to do with himself at that moment. His eyes nearly rolled back into their sockets when he heard this. His excitement level almost prompted his beautiful actress mother to call for a quick dose of Thorazine and a straight-jacket for the kid. I asked my artist, Eric, for a sheet of paper. He dug one up and gave it, and a pencil, to little Carson. Before you know it, the kid was sitting at the drawing table, pencil in hand, and frozen. Frozen. His mind must have been going a mile every nano second as he thought about what he wanted to draw. Earlier, he had paid close attention to all the skulls that adorn my left arm, and he asked me if I wanted another skull. I told him that he could draw anything HE wanted, and I would be very happy with that. So, putting pencil to paper, Carson decided to draw a crude looking skull, with spiked hair (I’m bald by choice), big ears (mine aren’t big…really), and no lower jaw (I do have one). Then, in a moment of reflection, he also drew a 70′s style peace sign. “OK” he said, handing me the drawing. “Will I get to see them when they are done?” he asked. I told Carson that indeed he would. “But, I might not be here when you’re done” he replied. I assured him that even though he might not be around when the artist was finished, we would take a picture of the tattoo and he would see it later. With that, Carson’s smile grew impossibly larger. Then he asked a very intuitive question. “Do tattoos come off?” I explained to him that they were permanent, and that they would be a part of me until well after I was dead. A quizzical look appeared on his face. Carson then asked another question which leads me to the point of this story. “Will god take them off after you die?”
Carson is a wonderful child. His ability to question, seek, inquire… these are great strengths for all children. Unfortunately, these abilities are slowly, methodically, poisoned. And, as the years tick by, Carson will lose these abilities to the mythological, dogmatic, utterly useless dribble of religion. His intellect will be watered down, stunted, left to bake, wither and die in the heat of religious damnation of all who question and seek truth. The mere fact that Carson would ask such a question at the tender age of 6 underscores the vile nature and total lack of respect that religion has for the human mind. Reason and logic are the enemies of religion. The more someone questions, the harder religion pushes back, doing everything in its power to suppress the natural abilities of inquiry and skepticism. Children are prime targets for religion. Born atheist, devoid of myth and prejudice, the child is a blank slate for the grafitti of religious dogma and bigotry. The ultimate psychological abuse. Legal, reprehensible abuse. In the name of protecting children and a mythical god , the religious proclaim sovereignty, a professed moral high ground designed to thwart their individuality. Religion wants the young as soldiers in a crusade against sensibility and science. They want warriors to carry a message of hate and intolerance to a world that religion demands rule over. It doesn’t matter how young or innocent the child is. The child is the only way to propel sick and despicable religious agendas forward in the face of science, reason and logic.
It’s very sad that the children must suffer. And suffer they will. It’s a timeless endeavor. With each new generation, children are the fodder for dogma. Not surprising really. But, think about this. Whether a child molester or a preacher, the foundation of abuse is the same. They both have personal agendas, born of a sickness, a delusion, and wrapped in a rationalized excuse. These are the foundations for both abusers. Suffer the children of religion. Suffer the consequences of adults who could really give a rats ass for you. They both want your mind and body to do with as they please and for their own sick and twisted devices. Suffer the children of religion. You are merely pawns to be used in a war against the freedom of the mind. There is no god children. It is the creation of your fathers, mothers, grandfathers, and grandmothers. For generation upon generation has kidnapped you, raped you, and tossed you to the side in a unsavory game of world domination and oppression. And all in the name of a fiction, foisted upon you, and for your misery. Suffer the children of religion.
