Author Archives: Jacob Fortin

More books on how atheists are ‘ignorant’

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Normally I don’t pay much attention to those who ceaselessly attack Dawkins and Hitchens, mostly because although I respect and enjoy their books, they are not the definitive works on the subject of atheism. Yes, both The God Delusion and God is Not Great make powerful cases against believing in God, but to say these two tomes somehow embody all of the principles of atheism would be a lie, one that Terry Eagleton seems to have no problem spreading. He’s written a new book called Reason, Faith and Revolution where he accuses both authors of being ignorant on the subject of mainstream Christianity.

The problem, of course, is that Dawkins and Hitchens never deal with mainstream Christianity primarily due to the fact moderate Christians are not truly Christians at all. Sure, they claim to believe in the Bible and its teachings, but in actuality they follow the moral teachings of the age of Enlightenment. Modern Christianity is nothing like its ancient counterpart, but this veneer of modernity can be peeled off, revealing a religion that is still stuck in the Bronze Age.

I’ve lived my whole life in a Christian community, and know full well the kinds of people it develops: close minded bigots, usually. I will not deny there is a great element of fraternity and social commitment that has a long tradition in the religion, but this is often countered with their supreme efforts to convert those they help as well. Food, shelter and clothing are sometimes only offered to those who profess Jesus as their savior.

I’ve never found Dawkins or Hitchens were ignorant of religion. On the contrary; both are highly educated men who have long studied the Bible and the history of Christianity. The irony here is they know more about Christianity than most Christians, who read so little of their own Bible that their morality often comes from other, more secular sources.

It sounds like I’m trying to defend these two men, who obviously don’t need my help, but it really bugs me when authors attack other writers simply because they don’t like what they’ve read. Straw man attacks are pretty common in religious circles, so I’m not usually all that surprised. Still, I’m putting Eagleton’s little book on my list of things to read this year. We’ll see how strong his argument is (considering he calls Dawkins and Hitchens “Ditchkins”, I’m not too hopeful it’ll be a fair critique).

Holding priests accountable

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There are some passionate people out there with plenty of time on their hands. Most of them channel it by watching shitty television programs that slowly rot their brains. Luckily, a few of them end up trying to devote their lives to a worthy cause; and what could be better than trying to hold priests accountable for molesting children? Literally, I can’t think of anything that would rival it.

This site does not fuck around. Unlike most sites that seem to be lost trying to identify their purpose, BishopAccountability.org goes for the jugular. It’s a huge (though obviously passionately cluttered) database of written material dealing with everything pertaining to the Church’s involvement in child molestation.

It pleases me greatly there is an organization that takes this issue so seriously. Not only that, but their righteous indignation goes far beyond simple priestly accountability; they also have a huge beef with Google over censorship issues in China. Man, talk about fighting the power! If any of you feel generous, I suggest giving them a hand.

NYTimes on growing atheist movement

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The New York Times wrote a piece yesterday on the growing atheist movement, and the increased confidence of many non-believers who are tired of hiding their beliefs. It’s one of the few articles that seems to show us with dignity, humanity, and understanding. This, increasingly, is the kind of coverage we should be seeking. It’s no secret a great proportion of Americans still think we are despicable, Satan worshiping whackos. Most have never taken the time to actually hear us out, so these kinds of pieces are at least showing people that we are not afraid anymore.

The angle of the story is that rather than attract negative attention, atheist organizations are getting huge outpourings of support from both monetary contributions and well wishers. We are witnessing the beginning of stronger atheist organizations that help clean up roads, feed the homeless, and provide a range of services that have been the domain of religious institutions. We’re getting stronger, and this can only mean good things.

Faith Fighter

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Here’s a way to kill an afternoon and simultaneously engage in delicious blasphemy: play Faith Fighter, a web based fighting game featuring prophets and gods of different faiths. Your selection includes Jesus, Old Testament God, Ganesha, Buddha and if you pass it at least once, Xenu, the intergalactic tyrant.

The game has stirred the usually controversy, with some people saying it should be taken down because it’s offensive, and of course, the Muslim population feels hurt and targeted because of the depiction of Muhammad. There’s a hilarious option to play the censored version, which just puts a black dot over Muhammad’s face.

The creator of the game has attracted media attention before with his controversial game “Operation: Pedopriest“, where your task is to prevent priests from going to jail for molesting kids. You can do this by either intimidating the parents, or by airlifting the molesters with a helicopter.

Did I mention how much I love crazy creative people before?

Taliban moving closer to Islamabad

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I’m not a fear monger, but right now, the whole world needs to pay attention to what is going on in Pakistan. Taliban militants are continuing their assault, and have had a series of victories that continue to move them closer to the capital of Pakistan. It’s risen fears the country is on the brink of collapse, and the secular Awami National party is on the verge of being overrun. If you don’t think that’s a very big deal, try and remember what they did with Afghanistan. The Taliban is interested in only one thing; Islam, and they are ready to spread the ‘good word’ with sword in hand. The problem, of course, is Pakistan is one of the few countries in this world with the deadliest of swords: The Atomic Bomb.

I don’t want to be needlessly alarmist, but we cannot allow Pakistan to fall into the hands of theologically motivated whackos. It’s one thing to battle individuals based on politics, but it’s quite another to battle someone’s religion. The Taliban does not negotiate, does not compromise, and does not care for anything other than the complete submission of every Muslim.

The Taliban in control of a nuclear state is one of those doomsday scenarios that plays out like a Tom Clancy novel without the super cool international special forces. Hopefully, the Pakistani government will be able to suppress this rebellion (especially with help from the West), but it’s very likely that over time they may gain more support, especially with the quagmire in Iraq providing them with fresh recruits and political fodder.

Dark times are ahead, people.

I’m in the wrong business

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The Good Atheist survives because of patronage, but unlike my religious counterparts, I have to rely on reason and logic to convince people to shell out a few dollars. José Luis de Jesús doesn’t have this limitation. He’s convinced millions of people he is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ, and every year, his church makes roughly 1.4 million in donations. People give him large cash sums, cars and even homes to the man they think is the second coming.

In terms of a racket, it’s a pretty sweet one. José doesn’t need to do more than simply quote the Bible, say a few charming speeches, and the droves eat it up. He doesn’t need to worry about such trivial details as truth or integrity; he has money to spend, and people to convert.

José targets proud Hispanics, as he claims the children born in his congregation are a ‘super race’. It’s kind of the Latino version of the Aryan race. He also claims to simultaneously be Jesus and the Antichrist, and has managed to convince people these two things are not mutually exclusive, so his bullshit technique must indeed be strong. His followers even tattoo 666 in their arms in solidarity.

Here I was trying to spread reason and common sense, and barely scraping by. Seems like the money is in nonsense, so starting today, The Good Atheist will be changed to ‘The Good Jesus’, and will be taking donations from suckers patrons interested in the New, New Gospel (which includes a special provision to allow all hookers into heaven).

If you’re interested in reading about more Jesus wannabes, here’s a list of other guys who have made similar claims. The most interesting is Hong Xiuquan, who called himself the ‘Little Brother’ of Jesus, and led a rebellion killing over 24 million people. And who could forget Charles Manson? Yep, people who call themselves Jesus are usually pretty messed up.

Saudi police prevent fire rescue

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People sometimes criticize me for taking such a strong stance against Islam. I’m told it’s a religion of peace by many of its practitioners. I’d like very much to believe them, but the actions of its strictest adherents continues to shock and dismay. Take this story in Saudi Arabia where 15 school girls died in a fire. Their deaths could have been prevented, but the rescue was hindered by the fact the police would not let them out of the building because they were dressed too provocatively.

It’s one of those tragedies you wish was a joke. Surely, no human being could possibly prevent someone from leaving a burning building for not obeying the dress code, right? Well, Saudi Arabia benefits from a religious police force called the ‘Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice’, which is just a long winded nomenclature for what is essentially a thought police. These guys are feared, and they enforce dress codes, prayers and sexual segregation with intimidation, beatings, and incarceration. If you want an example of police who’s main duty is the subjugation of its citizens rather than their protection, look no further.

The school was already a death trap, the doors having been locked down prior to the fire in accordance to segregation policy. The police only added to the tragedy by literally beating anyone who tried to go in or come out. That 15 women died seems of little concern to them; after all, they were only women in their eyes.

I’m supposed to believe the bullshit story this religion is peaceful rather than the misogynistic, barbaric and morally bankrupt belief it is? Sorry, but in my book, a religion is judged by it’s actions. So far, Islam has proven itself to be incompatible with our modern values, and free thinkers like myself will continue to warn people against its tyranny.

The unintended hilarity of creationists

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Don’t you just love the Internet? Everyone on this planet has an opinion, and we have access to billions of different ones in all different languages. The Internet is just like real life; it’s filled with plenty of crap, a plethora of porn, and it’s also populated by some truly wacky and unintentionally hilarious people. Take for example this website called ScienceagainstEvolution.org. The site looks like Geocities threw up all over it, and the arrangement of text can only be described as manic. It doesn’t have any actual science, but the anti-evolution part is there. Here is an example of the funny shit you’ll find there:

We don’t entirely agree with the evolutionists’ claim that it is wrong to look for data to support a theory. You rarely find something unless you are actively seeking it. There are scientists who believe there is a cure for AIDS, and they are looking for it. There is nothing wrong with that. It only becomes wrong if the desire to find the cure makes you consciously (or unconsciously) report the results incorrectly. That is, there is nothing wrong if a zealous doctor actually finds a cure for AIDS. There is something wrong if he manipulates the data to make it appear that he has found a cure when he hasn’t.

Yeah, creationists have never manipulated any data to support their insane claims…Look, you can print page after page of specific examples of missing or incomplete data, but it does not diminish the power of the theory as a whole; just as any potential falsehood in evolutionary theory does not mean creationism is the answer. What they offer in terms of explanation is a literal interpretation of a prayer book, and nothing more. It’s intellectually lazy, dishonest, and false.

If these guys are serious about treating their endeavors as science, then they have to play by its rules, and the first rule is: disproving a theory does not prove your own. The second rule is: a theory isn’t just some idea you through out there, but a complex model to explain how something works. And finally, the third rule is: you can’t point to the unexplained for proof of anything other than ignorance.

Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it?

Villagers kill 5 ‘witches’ in Kenya

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If you have a weak stomach, then I urge you not to watch this video. This is uncensored human stupidity at work. If you’ve ever said superstition isn’t harmful, then you’ve obviously never traveled to some of the less fortunate parts of the world, where the combined brutal ignorance and extreme poverty are a recipe for disaster.

If you think this video is outrageous, consider the fact the person who recorded this video had also notified the police 45 minutes before the attack, but they did nothing. Now 5 people are dead, and all we can hope is that the video itself can lead to some convictions and help curb these kinds of attacks.

America is not a Christian nation

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An article here tries to make the case that both the Left and the Right are wrong about the Founding Fathers establishing (or not) a Christian nation. The author makes a good case for why religious conservatives are wrong, but he doesn’t seem to say anything constructive about why the Left is mistaken. I must assume he feels perhaps secularists like myself may not fully appreciate the contribution Christians have made in forming this country. I thought, therefore, I might talk a little bit about my thoughts on the subject.

We cherish our memories. Without them, our experiences would simply fade, and we would lose the ability to learn. This is why history is such an important subject; the progress of our society has only been possible because of the shared and recorded experience of millions of human beings who are now deceased. We stand on the shoulders of giants, and we directly benefit from their knowledge so long as we take the time to examine the past.

History is a neglected subject, and easily corruptible; after all, how many are willing to lie to further their agendas and politics? Take for instance the ‘religious right’ and their revisionist perception of the Founding Fathers, who they believe were devout Christians. They uphold the factually incorrect idea that the United States of America was founded to be a Christian nation, or even that the founders had intended to make Christianity the official religion. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Declaration of Independence was a statement against the tyranny of kings, princes, and clergymen. This is precisely why the separation of Church and State is such a fundamental principle; it is designed to prevent the usurpation of freedom by men of the cloth.

I won’t deny Christianity has had a supreme influence on the West; it does not mean, however, our morality is inherited from the Bible. If anything, our modern society was shaped and influenced by moral philosophers coming out of the Enlightenment. It just so happened that many tried to apply their models to that of Christianity, despite the fact much of it is contradictory. They were pious men, but although they may have been inspired by God, it does not mean their morality reflected the message and tone of the Bible. If anything, they did what most Christians do these days; they ignore anything that conflicts with their morality, or declare the stories are meant to be taken allegorically. It’s one or the others, guys; not both.

If the US was really a Christian nation, then all other religions would be outlawed, or at the very least, severely limited. Yes, the majority of Americans are Christians, but so what? It does not mean the entire country should be defined by what a large portion of the population believes. To do so misses the whole point and strength of the American model of government; that people should be free to seek out their own happiness as they themselves see fit. If that involves rejecting God, then anyone should be able to do so without fear or retribution, discrimination, or lost opportunity. Sadly, the reality is that Muslims, gays, and atheists are pariahs in the eyes of many Christians. Their livelihood is largely dependant on the fairness and objectivity of a secular society. This is why history is so important. We must learn the lessons of the past; that no one mode of thought or religion can be enforced on others, and no religion (or even lack of religion) should be forcefully imposed onto others. America is not a Christian nation, and you can thank some pretty smart guys for that one.

Romanian nun dies during exorcism

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So here you are, a Romanian priest who’s been ‘trained’ by the Church to perform exorcism, and some poor nun has to die right in the middle of it. To make things worse, the police are at your front door, asking what the hell happened. You casually explain to the officers that you had bound, gagged and starved the woman for three days only for her to later die of asphyxiation. The police don’t seem very impressed with your answer, and all of a sudden, the media shows up. Talk about a bad day!

I wish I was making this story up, but unfortunately, I’m not. Father Daniel, who committed this vile crime, is unapologetic and has no remorse for his actions:

“I don’t understand why journalists are making such a fuss about this. Exorcism is a common practice in the heart of the Romanian Orthodox church and my methods are not at all unknown to other priests.”

In his eyes, he was following church doctrine. The nun was possessed by a demon, so he did the only logical thing: he crucified her, and she eventually died. What is most shocking about this is the fact he doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong. As far as he’s concerned, he saved that woman’s soul.

I predict this whole affair is going to get very messy. There are tons of Romanians who are deeply religious, and may feel the state getting involved is oppressive to their religious beliefs. These poor deluded fools actually trust a man who believes incantations and ‘holy’ water is enough to cure serious mental illnesses. Exorcisms are not only stupid, dangerous, and ignorant; they are quite obviously deadly.

Hopefully this nun’s death will not be in vain. If it can help stop this kind of practice, we can take comfort in the fact her death can at least prevent more tragedies like this from occurring.

Pharmacists sue for right to deny medication

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There’s a disturbing new trend in the US. Pharmacists are attempting to prevent the sale of the morning after pill because of their belief life begins at conception. In Washington state, the government has taken the position it is illegal to deny any care based on religious convictions, due to the simple fact that their profession is not subject to theocratic moralization. This hasn’t pleased everyone, and now two pharmacists are suing the state saying their civil rights have been violated.

I’m sick and tired of every religious nut job coming out of the woodwork complaining modern society is imposing its values on them. Apparently not living in the Bronze Age has forced many Christians to compromise their antiquated belief system. These pharmacists are part of the overall health care system of the country, and as such, their priority is first to the well being of its citizens, and not their naïve belief that life begins at conception. If they aren’t happy, then they can open up a fucking hardware store.

Rhonda Mesler and Margo Thelen, owners of Ralph’s Thriftway, think scripture is clear that life begins at conception. They are sadly mistaken. The Bible is not a scientific document, and none of the writers had any idea what happens during pregnancies. Besides, the biggest abortionist out there is their god; a quarter of all pregnancies are terminated by the body within the first six weeks. If Christians are correct about life beginning at conception, it would appear the human body has no need for such sentimentality. It’s priority is the development of healthy embryo, not just ones that are ‘alive’.

We cannot allow religious beliefs to endanger the health services of any individual. These same pharmacists would love to stop providing birth control pills and other forms of contraceptives. I’m sure there are many who would gladly eliminate condoms as well. Does that sound like a good idea to you?