Category Archives: Blog

Every time you don’t recycle, baby Jesus cries

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Ok, well, maybe baby Jesus doesn’t cry, but that hasn’t stopped the Vatican from including failure to recycle as one of the new deadly sins.

In case you were unaware of what a deadly sin is, it’s a ticket straight to hell for eternity (remember the sins of envy, gluttony, and greed? They’re still there, but there have been some additions) . So, if you threw out your soda can in the garbage rather than the recycle bin, you might be bunkmates with Hitler.

If you need further proof that the Vatican is insane, consider the fact that it isn’t a deadly sin to forbid AIDS-ridden Africans from putting a small rubber sheath on their penis. It also wasn’t a sin, until recently it seems, to molest little boys, although technically, it still isn’t a deadly sin to cover it up.

The hypocrisy of the Catholic Church isn’t a surprise to anyone, especially me. I experienced it firsthand in my small French-Canadian hometown, when at funerals the priest would sing hymns about our greed and selfishness, all the while passing around the collection plate and enjoying his swanky well decorated house. But this latest effort to force people to recycle or face eternal punishment demonstrates just how twisted their view of humanity is. Do I need the threat of Hell to make me care about the environment? No. I do it because the Earth is my home, and unlike my religious, Armageddon wishing neighbor, I don’t expect Jesus to come down from the clouds and fix all my problems.

I’d like to revise the new deadly sins and add my own. Here’s my list:

1. It is a deadly sin to scare people into complacency
2. It is a deadly sin to lie to people about the origins of the Universe, and to suppress information and findings that give us a greater understanding of the Cosmos.
3. It is a deadly sin to allow your narrow religious views to interfere with the well being of others. It is also a sin to make people believe that if they don’t think the way they do, they will burn in a lake of fire forever.

Letters from the Bible Belt

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I received this letter from a fan, and I thought I might share it with all of you.

Dear Jacob,

My wife recently stumbled along you podcast on iTunes. I started to listen to your show and I wanted to tell you first off that I have become a huge fan. I started to listen to your archived podcasts and I got to the one where you talk about religion in the Deep South. I am from Charleston, SC. I live here with the evangelical reich and was very interested in hearing your take on what you thought it would be like to be an atheist in the south. So I thought I would write you and give you a first hand opion of what it is truly like. I do not keep the fact that I am an atheist a secret from anyone except my wife’s parents and not out fear or embarrassment but because the are good people and the thought of them not being able to dance in the afterlife without there daughter would crush them. As far as my place in society it has not held my back from anything. No one has openly shunned my family or me for our lack of religious beliefs. I have advanced quickly in my career making it to a management level in spite of the fact that I am openly an atheist and that I call the religious right out on there hypocritical bullshit every chance that I get. One of the biggest problems that I face is that I live in place where they hang the Ten Commandments in our schools right next to the Bill of Rights and the Emancipation Proclamation on the belief that it is a historical document.
Also the religious assholes here have brainwashed some of the most intelligent people I know into thinking that here is no evidence for evolution, and that the world is only ten thousand years old. [A] comment you will here hear a lot is that I don’t believe in evolution I can’t explain why I just know that I didn’t come from a monkey.” Now these are not the words of an uneducated idiot these are things that you here from people of all class and educational backgrounds. Religion is big here in the south but it is not as openly pushy as you would expect. People here every once in a while try to bring my family and I over to the right side of thinking. For the most part as long as you don’t wonder over to a Baptist Church on Sunday morning you are pretty much left alone. Thanks for reading my email.

I want to thank Jason for his kind words, and for sharing his experience of living in the ‘Bible Belt’. I’m glad most of his peers chose not to involve themselves too much in his life. I would argue, however, that if you were going to try and get rid of the Ten Commandments in schools (in order to fulfill the spirit of the Constitution), you would notice much more animosity than you are accustomed to.

Catholics are strange

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Catholics have always had a strange obsession with their beloved saints. In my own city, the mummified heart of St. Joseph hangs quietly in a corner. It’s usually ignored by tourists who consider it far too macabre to be photographed. This recent stunt in Italy, however, breaks the standard conventions of good taste as the decayed body of St. Padre Pio of Pietreclina is being exhumed and displayed to the general public.

For those of you not in the know, St. Padre Pio was famous back in the day for his reoccurring stigmata; the supposed appearance of wounds similar to those Jesus received while hung up on the cross. It’s a fairly easy scam to perpetuate, especially when your adoring public is more than willing to buy into it.

We’ll ignore the whole stigmata thing for now (I plan on doing a podcast about the subject eventually anyways), and focus on the fact people are actually interested in seeing the half decayed corpse of a man that died over 40 years ago. Here’s an amusing quote that should turn your stomachs:

“Nevertheless, in spite of all of this [the corpse being deemed to be in good condition], we can say that the upper portion, we refer to the face, is partially skeletal, as well as the upper limbs. Though the rest is very visible, the hands are very clear. The technicians have said that a sort of auto-mummification process has begun in some parts of the body.

Wow, and some misguided fools think Disneyland is the place for a good vacation. Where can I sign up to see the half eaten corpse? If it’s any consolation to you die hard skeptics, it seems the body failed to show any signs of stigmata. Hard for something that was never there in the first place to be found, isn’t it?

Sad, sad numbers

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Here’s a depressing fact: a new Gallup poll released on the eve of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday showed only 39% of the population believes in evolution. What is so frustrating is roughly 36% of the respondent cited they had no opinion.

Not having an opinion about evolution is the equivalent of not really caring if the Earth revolves around the sun. I’m sure it doesn’t affect your daily life, but this is just ridiculous! It just goes to show that the problem is too many people are on the fence. If we could convince all of these sad fence sitters to start actually having some educated ideas about evolution, the numbers would start being a bit more encouraging.

For those of you wondering why the evolution debate in the US is so fierce, you only need to look at the poll numbers to discover why. The future of science in America hinges on the battle for the hearts and minds of the public, and so far, creationists have been able to make people question the validity of the theory enough to not have an opinion about it. It’s sad, frustrating, and rather depressing.

Octuplet mom looks to God for assistance

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Nadya Suleman has an obsession. Since she was a teenager, she’s dreamed of being a mother. Nadya has recently given birth to octuplets, adding 8 children to a house that already has 6 of them. She is not married, lives in a small apartment, and when asked how she plans on taking care of so many babies, she responded simply that she will look to God for answers.

The eyes of the nation are on her, but I think Nadya doesn’t yet quite understand that many are anticipating her failure. Caring for 14 kids, including 8 babies simultaneously, is a job which would require a fully trained staff to handle properly. All Nadya has for help is her mother, who has already expressed her disapproval of her daughter’s choice to have the controversial in vitro fertilization which led to her unusual pregnancy.

In terms of stories, I can tell you with confidence that ultimately, this one will not have a happy ending. This woman clearly has a few issues, and her obsession with having children has allowed her to be put in a situation beyond her control. These babies are in a fragile state, and no doubt will have development problems later on due to low birth weights. Some may require extended medical treatment she can ill afford. The woman is on food stamps, but it’s surely not going to be enough.

If she’s as religious as I think she is, Nadya probably thinks all of these babies are some kind of miracle, despite the obvious fact their entire existence is contingent on medical science. It wasn’t God that impregnated her with so many embryos. It was a doctor. And it’s medical science that is allowing these children to continue to develop and grow outside of the womb. God is not going to be splitting the groceries with her, or changing their dirty diapers. I have a feeling this story isn’t going to end very well, and I foresee child services getting involved very soon.

When religious freedom turns to child neglect

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There are currently an estimated 170 million people worldwide who suffer from diabetes. A few decades ago, this disease was destroying lives. Children diagnosed would slowly fade away, often dying of starvation even though they were eating plenty of food. The discovery of insulin, and later its manufacture, has allowed what would otherwise be a deadly disease to become only an inconvenience for those who suffer from it. In other words, diabetes is no longer the death sentence it was 60 years ago.

The availability of insulin, however, was not able to save poor Kara Neuman, who died Easter Sunday last year. Her parents are followers of the ‘Unleavened Bread Ministries‘, an online church that forbids using modern medicine and preach that the End Times are near. Kara’s parents refused to call a doctor, even as their daughter lay dying in bed. She did not survive, and now the parents are being brought to trial for child neglect.

They have chosen to make this a First Amendment issue, asking that they be allowed to practice their religion without interference from the state. They say they are grief stricken, and they have already been punished enough by the tragic death of their young daughter.

I don’t doubt they loved their Kara very much, or that they feel terrible about how events transpired. They are no doubt wrestling with their theological convictions as we speak. The problem is, the decision not to seek treatment was not theirs to make. Sure, they are her parents, and as caregivers, they are allowed a great degree of flexibility in how they choose to deliver this care. However, their own personal religious convictions cannot interfere with the well being of another human being. Kara was her own person, and her right to have medical treatment outweighs the rights of her parents to live according to their religious doctrine.

We see these kinds of cases all the time, and they haven’t stopped being so controversial. People don’t want the state telling them how to raise their children, or their lives. Although I’ve never had a problem with an adult deciding for themselves they do not wish to seek treatment for their own illnesses, I do not agree this right extends also to their children. To deny another human being the right to live is more than neglectful; it is a form of abuse.

Consider the Travoltas. Their son suffered from autism, a disease the parents deny even exists. They did not seek the proper treatment, and as a result, he died of a seizure. And yet, these ignorant people have not been prosecuted. Their religious belief was more important than the life and health of their boy. It stands to reason that this type of insanity should not be allowed to continue. Religious beliefs in conflict with medical science are wrong. They are responsible for the countless deaths of innocent children who had the misfortune of being raised by people who were more interested in make believe than they were in the lives of their loved ones.

Cases like this highlight the growing rift between science and religion. Fundamentalism is forcing us to make difficult choices. Among these is the notion that parents do not ultimately have the power of life and death over their children. If a life can be saved using medical science, it will be. The damage to a person’s religious conviction is not seen as a bigger threat than the loss of an innocent life.

Do I wish to see the Neumans in jail for the next 25 years? No, not especially. I believe the death of their daughter was a tragedy that began with the dangerous assertions made by their church. Religious individuals need to realize their beliefs are protected so long as they remain private, and dictate only their own personal lives, not the lives of others around them. This is a warning to parents who place their doctrine over the lives of their children: call the doctor, or get ready to call your lawyer.

On conspiracy theories

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On November 22nd, 1963, the President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was shot and killed during a parade in Dallas, Texas. It was a gorgeous clear day, one few expected would forever change the lives of so many Americans. Though he was rushed to the hospital, Kennedy died immediately from a fatal shot to the head, the impact of which destroyed a significant portion of his brain. Not long after the shooting, the Dallas police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald. Oswald was already known to the police as being a Cuban insurgent, as well as being the owner of a Mannlicher-Carcano Rifle (which he had purchased under the pseudonym A. Hidell). Photos were found showing him holding communist literature, as well as the rifle which was used to kill Kennedy. It was also discovered an assassination attempt had been made by Oswald on one General Edwin Walker, who survived but was wounded by bullet fragments. At the time of the attempt (April 10th) police had no leads as to the suspect, until after the assassination of Kennedy and the subsequent search of Oswald’s home.

Forensic evidence supported the conclusion by the Warren Commission (established by Johnson after the assassination) that the shots were fired from the 6th floor of the Dallas book depository, where Oswald worked. Immediately following the shooting, Oswald left the building, and was the only employee to fail the roll call later that day. Officer Tippit heard the general description of the shooter by an eye witness who saw Oswald shoot from the window, saw and attempted to intercept Oswald. After a brief chat, Tippit opened his door and got out of his police cruiser. Oswald grabbed the officer’s .38 caliber and shot him, killing the officer instantly.

Lee Harvey maintained he was innocent, claiming to have been set up as a patsy, and that he had shot no one. The evidence strongly discredits this statement. And yet, if you were to ask the American population who killed John F. Kennedy, odds are you would get many different answers. “The CIA killed him because of the Bay of Pigs incident” or “the killer wasn’t Oswald, but rather a Soviet double agent codenamed Alex who had assumed Oswald’s identity” or “The Mafia killed Kennedy, since Jack Ruby (Oswald’s assassin) had connections to the mob”. About 49% of Americans are convinced Oswald was either a patsy, or was part of some larger conspiracy to assassinate the president; this, despite the mountain of credible evidence pointing directly at Oswald as the sole killer. Why would anyone believe a massive conspiracy was behind the assassination, and not one man? Why would people choose to disregard crucial evidence in favor of theories for which the evidence is both flimsy and non existent? Why are conspiracy theories so popular in our modern culture?

It’s natural for people to be distrustful, particularly about entities that have, in the past, blatantly lied to them. This mistrust has grown in the past 50 years, as public confidence in both government institutions and corporations have eroded. The idea that Oswald did not act alone was not generally held by the public around the time of his murder. For the most part, the public trusted the Warren Commission’s findings, and the case was closed. But like any good mystery, some questions arose. Why had the government sealed some of the report (about 3%) and would not make it public record for 75 years? Why, in the famous Zapruder film, did the president’s head shoot backwards if the shots came from behind? How could Oswald have shot the president 3 times in only 9 seconds, a feat even the top marksman of the world was not able to reproduce, this despite the fact many have contended he had below average marksmanship?

In actual fact, each of these questions has been answered in a satisfactory way, and each obey Occam’s Razor: that the simplest explanation is probably the right one. The head tilting back is caused by the fact that the point of entry of the bullet (in the back of the head) released very little energy. A bullet passing through a skull meets little resistance, as though passing through a honey melon. But when it leaves the skull, it carries with it much more kinetic force from the bone and brain matter than it is dragging along, pushing the head back as it exits. The simple proof lies in the fact the exit wound turned out to be much larger than the entrance one. Despite the rumors Oswald was a poor marksman, he earned a sharpshooter qualification badge during his Marine corp. years, finishing 212 out of 250 students. The ’9 seconds’ theory was dismissed, as it is believed Oswald had as much as 20 seconds with which to fire. As for the government classifying certain documents, the FBI was criticized for not conducting a proper investigation into the possibility of a conspiracy. However, had they done so, it is likely they would have examined the motive for murder of prominent political figures. If no conspiracy was found, it is likely the sensitive information would have been part of the report, but judged as both irrelevant and politically incendiary.

Today’s well documented events are no different. The tragic events of September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks are even more scrutinized by conspiracy theorists. Even though we know a great deal of how the terrorists planned and executed their attacks, even though there were FBI reports indicating the possibilities of such attacks, and even the footage of the terrorists boarding the planes is not enough to convince some CT’ers that the government was actually behind it. After all, did the government not plan on invading Iraq anyways, needing only a way to convince the population of the need for this military action? Almost half of all Americans claim there was government involvement behind 9/11. Are they all crazy?

If the answer was ‘yes’, then we would be in serious trouble. Having half the population of the world’s only superpower diagnosed as insane would be a frightening prospect. Luckily, these people are not actually crazy; rather, they are simply being misguided by bad information. How does bad information, like some of the 9/11 conspiracies that exist today, persist so well?

Because we live in an age of so much information, we are constantly being bombarded on all sides, often with bits of information that contradicts one another. Television, radio, and the Internet are swimming with people offering their interpretation of the truth. It’s often difficult, or even impossible, to distinguish which side of the story is true. If we are thorough, we may try and browse different media sources and compare the information given, in an attempt to determine the truth (not unlike trying to figure out who is right or wrong in an argument by hearing both sides impartially). Sometimes, there are odd discrepancies in stories. Most of them are ignored by us as either being mere coincidences, misprints, or sloppy reporting. Some, however, tend to focus on these seemingly unimportant bits, seeing patterns in the information that re-affirms their preconceived notion of events. These individuals are conspiracy theorists, and although most of us think they are relatively harmless, they nevertheless have a powerful influence on our culture.

The appeal of a conspiracy theory is threefold; (1) it reaffirms our belief in a particular axiom. If this axiom is we are being visited by aliens, a conspiracy theory that confirms Roswell, New Mexico is the location of a crashed alien spaceship will support this notion. (2) Conspiracy theories make people feel as though they are part of a privileged information network. Since often CT are complex, and require much research (the selective kind of course), a person can come to believe very few other individuals are capable of putting the pieces of the puzzle together as elegantly as they. And finally, (3) Conspiracy theories play into the reality we are distrustful of powerful institutions, particularly governments and major corporations. We often see the gross misconduct of public figures and CEOs, and naturally feel if these misdeeds get noticed, just what isn’t being witnessed?

There are examples of real conspiracies that we know about. Our degree of certainty of the completeness of our understanding of how these conspiracies occurred, and all the individuals involved, cannot always be total. We must accept that for any large conspiracy exposed, some individuals are sure to escape our notice, and if the facts are complicated and motivations complex, we may not be privy to the entire truth. Real conspiracies, like the Watergate scandal, have generally been exposed, and the players and perpetrators were identified, though all of the information (particularly the missing White House tapes) was never gathered. The fact remains that the motivations behind the conspiracy are known (mainly that Nixon had become extremely paranoid, and had put wiretaps in the Watergate motel to find out as much information from his democratic rivals as possible). The Watergate conspiracy itself was relatively small, and if the security guard, one Frank Wills, had not noticed there was adhesive tape on one of the locked doors, he would not have called D.C. police, and the events might never have surfaced. Small conspiracies, involving only a few individuals, are usually difficult to track.

Some conspiracies are likely, although specific motivations may not be fully known. The War in Iraq is a good example. We know, for instance, that the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, created a department in the Pentagon called ‘the office of special plans’. Their primary goal was to ‘uncover’ evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and to leave critical details out of their report to bolster support for a preemptive attack. The alleged purpose of the attack is debatable. Some contend major corporations, such as Haliburton, would have benefited from a war in Iraq, as well as some of the major oil companies. When no WMDs were found in Iraq (despite a massive search) the government tried to make the implication that there was a complex terrorist network supporting Al Qaeda within Iraq. No evidence of this was ever found, and the government later admitted there was in fact no connection. Although we can probably draw a number of conclusions for the motivations behind the war, the truth is, without proper investigation and prosecution, the war in Iraq will continue to be theorized by conspiracy enthusiasts.

It’s easier to believe in the conspiracy you can’t prove than the one you can. Although they can often exist, the more complex and bigger a conspiracy is, the less likely it can remain unexposed. People who believe and perpetuate unproven theories are motivated by a deep level of mistrust rather than an honest attempt at impartially interpreting information. We should be weary of those who disregard evidence when it conflicts with their interpretation of the facts. As most serious scientists will tell you, when the model fails, you tend to not want to stick with it, regardless of its elegance. The truth is often far more inelegant, messy, and confusing. If you yourself believe in any conspiracy theory, then I strongly urge you to reconsider the evidence behind your belief, and ask yourself important questions, such as: Is there another explanation that also corresponds to the facts? Is it possible your own prejudice and conviction may be blinding you to contradictory evidence?

The world is a confusing place. Just as many of us assume a Godly Omnipresence dictates the daily operation of the universe, some believe powerful shadowy organizations secretly control our lives. Our skeptical nature should make us weary of claims that require the perfect manipulation of thousands of people, let alone billions. It is not to say conspiracies are not real; it means those that are usually do not appear as grandiose and huge as we would hope. We should seek truth in all its forms, even when they shatter our fantasies and hopes.

Anti-Muslim flyer offends everyone…(almost)

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REVISION: I’d like to start off by saying I was entirely wrong about the intent of this flyer when I originally wrote this article. I first thought this (a flyer which appeared in George Washington University) was just another example of anti-Muslim propaganda, and failed to notice its over the top nature screamed satire. The problem, I have now come to realize, is such a flyer is entirely within the realm of possibility. I have therefore retracted my previous statements.

I would also like to point out the article upon which I based this entry also failed to make the proper fact check. If it had, it would have realized the small lettering near the bottom, which says “Seriously, do a search for the power of Nightmares”, pointed to an article exposing the use of fear propaganda for the purpose of population control.

After careful consideration, and a little bit more research, I have to admit the flyer is a bit of poorly executed satire. It was meant as a way of garnering attention to the fact Conservatives are attempting to vilify Muslims in order to increase their foothold in the political world. But unfortunately for the satirists, it seems more attention was focused on the blatant racism and bigotry of the writing. Still, what are we to think of such a piece? Although the rise of Islamic Fundamentalism is a definite concern, I can’t help but feel both sides have this all wrong. Undoubtedly, there is a significant proportion (although by no means the majority) who dislike Western civilization, but it certainly does not drive anyone to mass murder. The growing trend of suicide bombings is a disturbing trend to be sure, but it still remains a fringe movement in the religion. What most people fail to realize is the majority of targets of sectarian violence is a result of schisms within the Islamic faith, and does not come from without.

At the same time, we have to be fearful of the fact that the growing religious fundamentalist movement will continue to cause violent conflict in the world. Reminding us that we need to be more tolerant, and respectful of other beliefs, eliminates the debate over whether those beliefs are tolerable in the first place. Just what are we to do?

I admire the effort to demonstrate the fear mongering tactics of the right; unfortunately, the impact of this flyer seems to have been entirely lost on everyone, including myself (at first). I was so eager to point out the inanity of it all that I forgot to look beyond the obvious façade. Still, if a studious person as myself can easily jump to a forgone conclusion, it would seem to indicate that at the very least, the satire perhaps isn’t hitting the right cord.

Mother Teresa: closet atheist

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Remember Mother Teresa? You may recall often today, every time someone fails to commit an act of selfishness, they are automatically criticized for not being like her. This woman is still revered by many as a symbol of goodness and generosity. Unfortunately, it would seem her saintliness was not a result of her religious conviction. It seems to have been only a facade, as recently published letters indicate for years, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu had completely lost her faith.

This stunning revelation is made all the more confusing by the fact its publisher, Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk, released the letters in order to bolster Mother Teresa’s chances at sainthood. Why? Well, according to this obviously confused preacher man, it supposedly demonstrates her tortured nature, and difficulty in accepting what can only be described by this humble writer as reality. Here are a few choice quotes from her:

“Where is my faith? Even deep down, there is nothing but emptiness and darkness… If there be God” please forgive me!

Such deep longing for God: Repulsed, empty, no faith, no love, no zeal

What do I labor for? If there be no God, there can be no soul. If there be no soul then, Jesus, You also are not true.”

She had asked that the letters be destroyed after her death, to cover up the reality that for almost a decade, she had completely lost her faith. The church decided otherwise, for reasons which are still quite baffling.

It’s a strange reminder that those who shroud themselves in the veils of saintliness often do so to cover up some gigantic character flaw. Obviously, I’m not saying her faithlessness was such a flaw; on the contrary, it was a woman admitting to herself there simply was no real evidence for her belief. Still, you have to wonder how many other high profile religious folks are simply closet atheists, hiding secret diaries that would otherwise expose their inability to admit to themselves and the world they have stopped believing in fairy tales.

Women’s right to choose still hot debate topic

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What you believe about the supernatural has a powerful influence over how you treat the natural, physical world. For instance, if you think life begins right at the moment of conception, you may feel the need to deny the right of others to terminate unwanted pregnancies. It wouldn’t matter if you lacked any real evidence of this; it’s inconsequential. Some can be so convinced of this fact they would be willing to try any tactic to deny the ability for others to seek, what is essentially, a medical treatment.

In Denver, a Planned Parenthood facility is being built. Although they had attempted to construct it in secret, word quickly got out, and now the Colorado Right to Life organization is protesting its construction. Their objection is based on their theological conviction contraception is evil, all fetuses should be brought to term, and any planning beyond getting married and having more kids is the work of the devil.

All of this joyful protest would normally have gone right over my head, had it not been for an interesting article I read in the New York Times. It involved a study that found 90% of pregnant women who have had a Down syndrome test choose to abort. Now I’m no mathematician, but the pro life group in the US doesn’t have those kinds of staggering numbers. That’s because when the issue having an abnormal pregnancy comes biting them in the face, many pro-choice have to agree that life can often be relative cruel and hard, and the benefits of being able to avoid the burden of a serious mental handicap often outweighs their supernatural convictions. In other words, the real world doesn’t always obey your simple, black and white, good and evil platitudes.

This is what the issue boils down to. People who are pro-choice and believe an individual should have sovereignty over their own bodies don’t force young teenagers in Texas into having abortions. Many of them will quietly respect their neighbor’s right to procreate and raise children in their own fashion. Pro-lifers, however, do not generally have the same respect of their counterparts. They wish to suppress and deny these rights, if only due to their religious conviction. Whether they like it or not, the issue of when life develops, and deserves the same rights as a breathing, thinking human being, is not a black and white issue, just as the termination of fetuses with Down syndrome isn’t. Just what is the right thing to do?

I don’t pretend to know the answer. I only hope that we give people the chance to make the right decisions. In this case, it’s to allow someone the option of choosing the direction and course of their lives. I, for one, would never protest a facility that offers choices to people, since perhaps one day, I may be faced with a similar decision to make.

Answering why I’m an atheist

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I received an interesting little letter, and I thought it might be a good idea to post it on the site to let others know how I feel about my atheist views

“Hey, how’s it going? My name is Anthony I was browsing around and saw you profile [on myspace.com]. I have a question. Just curious, why did you decide to become an atheist? What convince you that there is not a God?”

Hi Anthony,

If you’d like to hear the reason I became an atheist, I’d be more than happy to explain it to you. I hope you don’t mind that I will include this open letter to you on my site, www.thegoodatheist.net.

I never in actual fact decided to become an atheist. I have always been one. My parents were not very religious, but their philosophy was to allow their children the opportunity to decide for themselves what they would believe. I was lucky enough not to have that decision made for me.

As a young child, the issue of God never really came up that often. Although my school was a Catholic one, and although they made prayer in the morning mandatory, for me, they were mere words. Just as children may not fully comprehend the significance of the song “ring around the rosie” (which is about the bubonic plague), the prayer “Our father…” was just routinely memorized in order for me to avoid the floggings handed out for not chanting it aloud.

As I grew up and became more curious about this notion of God, I couldn’t help but feel as though the answers everyone claimed to have were simply guess-work. A priest would inform his parish that a man was born of a virgin, and somehow this person was supposed to be my lord. But where was his proof of that if this was true? His reliance lay in a book that, just a few hundred pages earlier, claimed that one man had fit two of every animal on a single boat. Clearly, such a tome was not to be trusted.

Also during this time, my high school class was being taught Greek mythology. The comparisons between the two were immediately obvious, and I began to understand religion served not as a historical account of human history, but rather was a way for confused and superstitious people to explain the world around them. In my own lifetime, the mysteries about the weather, earthquakes, and even the development of life on earth have been satisfactorily answered by the sound and tested methods of science.

I used to feel as though religion did no real harm; it was just a way for people to bring comfort in their own lives. However, I began to realize a strange and deadly hubris is formed when individuals assume their improvable theories are tantamount to supreme truth, especially when these truths conflict with the equally improvable claims of others. Clearly, no one was willing to have a rational discourse on the matter simply because the foundations of their arguments were irrational to begin with.

In any case, the ‘decision’ to become an atheist was simply a refusal to believe any claim made that isn’t supported by evidence. There are some hard core believers who try and fabricate evidence to prove God’s existence (such as citing miracle). It’s ironic that these efforts obviously undermine religion’s claim that only faith is needed to believe. It is quite obviously not enough for the human mind to accept treatises that fly in complete opposition to what it knows as fact.

You might be religious. Odds are you consider me strange for not believing in the same mythology you do, but in reality, you might not fully appreciate just how strange it is to believe in the invisible, or the improvable. A pagan who believes in fairies in Ireland, or a cargo cultist in Taanu (who think a man by the name of John Frum will come and deliver life giving cargo) would consider the idea of a son of a god being born of a virgin as completely ludicrous. It’s easy to dismiss the strange beliefs of others; but in so doing we ignore the nonsensical things we hold dear. It is better to face the possibility that we may be wrong, rather than foolishly hope we are right.

Nigerian cross-dressers face possible execution

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A group of 18 men in Northern Nigeria are facing a possible death sentence for taking part in a gay wedding. The men were dressed as women, and were promptly arrested for alleged sodomy. Unfortunately for them, the town of Bauchi is under Sharia law, and so the men face the possibility of being stoned to death.

For those of you unaware of what Sharia law is, in Arabic it translates directly to the way. It is the legal system bound by Islamic dogma. Their obvious and violent aversion to homosexuality makes it a crime punishable by death, and failing that, there is a real possibility they could face torture or even amputation for their alleged crime.

It seems almost impossible that in this day and age, the biblical traditions of the 1st century are still being practiced, and yet, in Nigeria, it’s not uncommon for people to be flogged for drinking, or have their hands cut off for adultery. Most of the citizens there support this. In fact, they’re down right confused about why we make such a big deal out of it. They mistakenly assume our morality must somehow be inferior to theirs, since they derive their laws from sacred texts, while we foolishly base it on precedence, and habeas corpus.

Obviously, there are some people in the US who actually support similar laws like the Sharia edicts. It’s not surprising these same individuals are highly religious. At the same time, many of us in the West feel it is important to respect other cultures, and their way of doing things. I, on the other hand, feel that it’s necessary to remind people that simply because it is culturally acceptable to do something, does not make it right. There are many different ways to live a good life; but there isn’t an infinite amount. If your laws and morality reflect the habits and mores of the Bronze Age, the level of sophistication of your moral development will reflect this fact. As the world becomes smaller, we can no longer take the attitude of live and let live, particularly when it comes to violent offences against our fellow human beings. We should take these kinds of issues very seriously, and not allow relativism to confuse the important issue of human rights.

‘Right to Life’ group protests HPV vaccines

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There are so few hard core right wing religious groups in Canada you can sometimes forget they exist at all. In typical Canadian fashion, most religious organizations are reluctant to get involved in any politics, and prefer not to make a fuss. However, a new proposed program has one province’s Right to Life group up in arms. Newfoundland is facing some opposition for wanting to offer vaccines for HPV to young girls, as religious groups claim such vaccines would further encourage kids to engage in sex. They want the program, which would help reduce cervical cancer rates by well over 70%, to be replaced by an abstinence only one.

I love these abstinence guys. Despite the overwhelming evidence that abstinence only teaching actually dramatically increases the instances of both pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, the religious organizations that push for this infantilizing program refuse to accept reality. It’s not a complete stretch for them to ignore strong evidence; it’s practically a daily habit for them. Luckily, the provincial government is more interested in the health of its citizens than in their immortal souls burning in eternal hellfire.

You have to wonder if any of these ignoramuses would quickly switch camps if one of their daughters or wives suddenly developed cervical cancer as a result of the human papillomavirus. Would they think their God had a special plan in place for their soon to be departed loved ones, or would they kick themselves knowing they could have prevented it? Even if giving out the vaccination did somehow slightly increase how many teenagers engage in sexual intercourse (for which there is zero evidence indicating it would), it’s a small price to pay for these young girls to have a greater chance of living long and healthy lives

Staring at the Sun heals (apparently)

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Hira Ratan Manek (or HRM as he’s known) believes staring at the sun heals

When navigating around the endless New Age nonsense out there, inevitably you’ll run across a gamut of different emotions, ranging from surprise to utter shock at the gullibility and stupidity of the human race. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a new group of doe eyed true believers come out of the woodwork. This time, it’s a goof troop in Atlanta who believes staring directly at the Sun, 5-45 minutes a day, is making them lose weight and feel great. I admit it; I’ve been tempted sometimes to look at that giant ball of gas millions of miles away; after all, it’s the reason there’s life here on Earth. Who isn’t curious to see what it really looks like? Luckily, we can in complete comfort using special telescopes (yeah science!) Of course, we were always told that staring directly at the Sun without special equipment was about as smart an idea as shoving a fork in an electrical socket; but, than again, not everyone takes good advice. These sun-gazers believe that the life-giving properties of our favorite star revitalizes them, by infusing them with vital energies.

If you’re looking for some scientific proof to these crackpot claims, don’t waste your time. It’s the same tactic every New-Ager uses: say the word energy, and life force, and people will buy anything you say (as well as your crummy high-priced merchandise). Who needs science anyways, when your guru is a retired Indian spice trader who has rabbit like sideburns? His ideas are so beyond science, it takes a spin doctor to understand what the hell he’s saying.

We have a super computer in our bodies given to us by the nature, which is our brain. HRM (Hira Ratan Manek) calls it the brainutor. The brain is more powerful than the most advanced super computer. Each and every human being is gifted with innumerable talents, and infinite inherent powers by nature. Individuals should never underestimate themselves. Everyone is gifted. If we make use of these powers we can take ourselves to great levels. Unfortunately, these infinite inherent powers are programmed in that part of the brain that is largely dormant and goes unused. Even medical science agrees we hardly make use of the brain but about 5-7% the most brilliant of humans like Albert Einstein is reported to have used only about 32% of their brains.

Where does HRM get his facts? Presumably from the wisdom of Mother Earth! But wait, there’s more nonsense! He goes on to say:

Sun energy is the source that powers the brain, which can enter and leave the human body or the brain only through one organ that is the human eye. Eyes are the Sun Energy’s entry door to the human brain. Present day teachings and ideas such as don’t look at the sunlight at all –you will damage your eyesight; never go out in the sun as you will get cancer, are causing needless hysteria and paranoia. The more you are away from the nature, the more there is a cause for illness and you will automatically support global corporations.

Well, just in case you thought that perhaps Mr. Manek might not know what the hell he’s talking about, bask in his unique understanding of our solar system, as HRM informs us that the Sun is the biggest planet in our planetary system. Wow, and here I stupidly thought it was a star!

The rest of us who possess a little common sense can laugh at the ridiculous claims of people like Manek, who is just another type of Breatherian (those who essentially believe they can survive on only sunlight and water). So long as people are desperate to believe anything a bearded weirdo is willing to tell them, we can expect the continued survival of similarly sad and deluded individuals.