What Makes a Decent Human Being?

The religious would have you think that you can’t be decent unless you have the same thoughts and beliefs as they do.  But, I submit that they’re wrong.  Hypocrisy knows no bounds when immoral people are involved.

Of course, we all lie.  See Pamela Meyer: “How to spot a liar” on YouTube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_6vDLq64gE and then you can realize that something innate is very difficult to eliminate.  Lying is a human trait.  It probably will never be eliminated, but we can learn to deal with some of it.

The problem is when a “white lie” which can be something unimportant such as answering the question, “Honey, do I look fat in this dress?” turns into a serious lie like “No, I didn’t steal that car.” Or, “I did not have sex with that woman…” (President Bill Clinton).

Some of the least trusted people are salespeople.  Sometimes, they are forced to lie or are duped into lying about a product just to sell it.  And, of course, this discourse wouldn’t be complete without mentioning politicians who lie to get elected and then do as they please, or worse, as other bid them to do.  Many taking money, lots of money, in the process.

Let’s bring religion into the picture.  As we are seeing with the Clergy Project, there are many members of the clergy who have lost their beliefs and still stand in front of their congregation and preach the gospels.  Here are men and women who are deliberately lying to people because they don’t know of one or are unwilling to find a way out.  I realize they are trapped in a situation that seems like there is no way out and am willing to give them a pass with this caveat:  They must work to find a solution to the problem to regain their credibility.

Here’s the biggest rub:  I have seen average everyday people who claim to be religious on Sunday (or whatever day they call holy) who will then become the most aggressively dishonest people the other days of the week.  Everyone knows at least one person like this.  AND, as long as they’re forgiven before they die, they get into heaven.  HUH?  And yet, someone who lives a very moral, yet secular, life cannot get there unless they truly believe.  DOUBLE HUH?!

So, decency seems to be in short supply at times and learning to avoid those who lack common human morality is critical today.  It’s even more difficult in the digital age where all we know of them are words on a screen.

I submit that almost every religion encourages lying, cheating and stealing because their foundations are built on the biggest lie of all.

Walk the Path in Grace

On Being Right and Wrong

The problem with the religious is not that they think they're right but rather that they cannot possibly imagine being wrong.  That being said, I find it almost impossible to have an honest discussion with them.  They are immune to logic and reason.  They will not accept any idea that does not agree with a 2,000 year old book that was written by early iron age ‘scholars’.

I’ve tried to reason with them for many years and only get a blank stare.  The First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution gives citizens here the right to practice any religion they want.  That’s right, ANY religion!  Or, no religion if they please.

But, it also forbids the practice of ANY religion in a building or at a function that is in any way funded by public tax dollars.  The First Amendment is the ultimate fair practice clause.  By forbidding religion in public affairs, its intention is to include EVERYONE.

Here’s the rub:  The religious faction known as the Christian fundamentalists is very determined to eliminate the First Amendment.  It will do anything to insert itself wherever it can.  American schoolbooks are updated every 10 years or so and school boards in Texas and California are usually charged with that duty.  The reason those states are used is because they buy the majority of schoolbooks in this country.

Imagine a committee that is comprised of a high majority of Christian fundamentalists and it’s run by majority vote.  Every time a schoolbook is up for review, they not so subtly try to insert creationist language.  Or as it’s known today, Intelligent Design.

We simply must not allow this travesty to happen.  Hence the first line of this blog.  It’s impossible to tell a Christian that they’re wrong and they want to turn America into a theocracy.

Let’s not let that happen.

Walk the Path in Grace

On Credibility

As atheists we face an incredible amount of scrutiny.  We are always on the 'examination table' and we can never be shown as being deliberately untruthful.

Religions are built on a foundation of non-truth.  Their whole house of cards tumbles when presented with logic and factual information.  The very definition of faith is to accept without proof and we have an advantage here.  If we can keep chipping away at the mountain of faith, we can eventually reduce it to a grain of sand.  Preachers can spew lies, although they may believe them to be true, and get away with it every day.

We, on the other hand, do not have that luxury.  Our statements must always be factual and must never contain any exaggeration.

But, here's the problem we face.  The religious will defend their faith with any means necessary, including violence.  I'm not saying you will be attacked if you say something wrong but I do worry about the ever growing Muslim radical presence in America.  Great Britain is facing growing violence between Muslims and non-Muslims and it's entirely possible that the same sort of violence will cross the pond.

If you find yourself in a debate with a religious person, you must do two things. 

First and foremost, you must be absolutely certain your facts are correct when you present them. Your opponent will strike out at any mistake you make or, in the worst case, as with some violence that has been reported in England, you could be physically attacked for apostasy.

And, second, it's important to remain calm.  If you allow anyone to get under your skin, it's very easy to appear to have lost the argument.

Education and rational calm discourse are the rule of the day.

Walk the Path in Grace

Are Human Beings a Bridge Species?

Since life first sprouted on our planet, species have come and gone.  Some have flourished only to go extinct by one cause or another.  Mass extinctions have happened more than once and explosions of new species have also occurred. Homo Sapiens Sapiens is a relatively new species having existed somewhere between 100,000 to 250,000 years and, at one point, we came oh so close to going the way of the dinosaurs. 

Evolution dictates that no new species can arise without a ‘parent’ species from which to evolve.

Now for the hard part. The Earth is becoming over populated and over worked to support our species.  This leads to three possibilities.

1. We will continue to over populate the Earth until we kill the planet.

2. We will experience a population correction. I. E. an extinction or near extinction level event.

3. We will evolve into the next level of inhabitants of the planet.

Numbers 1 and 2 are self explanatory; but number 3 is open to several possibilities.

1. We will evolve into a less demanding species that doesn’t challenge the planet.
2. We will evolve into a non-physical being that has no demands on the planet.
3. We will evolve/create a mechanical species that will inherit the cosmos.

Your thoughts?

Walk the Path in Grace

What’s In The Box

I walked into three successive debates with the same person with my computer, a few pieces of paper and a small cardboard box with a red ribbon tying it closed.  Before each of my turns at the microphone, I made a point to reach over and shake it several times.  I shook it hard enough that if something solid were inside, it would have rattled; but it was silent.  Then, I would nod, and proceed with my rebuttal.

The debates went well and I feel that I performed quite well.  I demanded points and facts from the proponent while I attempted to disprove each of them.

During the Q and A of the third debate, my opponent was feeling quite comfortable with our relationship.  His curiosity got the best of him and he asked, “Why do you carry that box with you?”

“It’s something that I highly value.” I replied and picked up the box very reverently and shook it again.

“Oh,” he then asked, “what’s in it?”

To which I replied that it was a ten carat raw diamond inside a small loaf of carrot cake. And, “It tells me what to say to each of your points.  Without it, I would be totally lost.”

“Prove it.” He said, “I don’t believe you.”

“I rest my case.” I said as I stepped away from the podium.

Walk the Path in Grace

Gods Are Terrorists

Man has created gods since we first started to think.  Fear was the driving force.  What was behind the quaking earth?  What caused lightning to kill a loved one?  What did he do to deserve instant death?  Floods, wars, land slides, and, of course, vicious animals to deal with. 

An earthquake?  Must be an angry god!  Lightning?  What did my mate do to anger the sky god?  There have been over 3,000 gods throughout human history and not one has physically appeared.  No one has personally seen a god.

For centuries, ‘holy’ men have attempted to control tribes, congregations and whole countries with their ‘divine’ messages.  Humanity, when kept in ignorance, follows like sheep.  The early Christian god, if their holy book is accurate, killed thousands of his creations and even more in the great flood.  Condoning slavery, rape, murder and incest, this god is responsible for wars, cruelty and betrayal since its creation.

Then, it was witch-hunts and the Inquisition. The Dark Ages were a product of religion where it was illegal to own a copy of the Bible unless you were an approved ‘holy’ man.

A human being worshipped as a god in Japan didn’t help us grow.  And now it’s the Islam menace.

Religion is a parasite on humanity.  It sucks the ability to learn while instilling guilt and shame into its worshippers.  It feeds on fear and self-loathing.  It MUST be eliminated!

Education and understanding are beginning to make inroads into the darkness.  Religion is losing its hold on the human mind.  Humanity has the chance to finally fulfill its promise and, if the statistics hold true, the next generations of Americans are beginning to throw Christianity on the trash heap of all the prior myths.  Today’s gods are tomorrow’s myths. It’s said that the internet is the place where religions go to die.  I certainly hope that’s so.

Here’s the benefit.  IF we can finally put all gods behind us, we have a chance to make the planet as close to a Garden of Eden that is possible.

Let’s rid ourselves of these imaginary terrorists.

Walk the Path in Grace

Intelligent Design, eh?

If a god exists, and it’s an omniscient being, then he is a piss-poor designer.

Let’s start with the Universe.  It’s so hostile to human life that, as of this writing, there is only one tiny speck where humanity can survive.  The Universe is ‘designed’ in such a way that the lack of breathable air, various kinds of radiation and microgravity will kill us.

A little closer to home.  Our planet circles the Sun in the ‘Goldilocks Zone’ that is suitable for human life; but only in certain areas.  We cannot survive at the poles or under water.  We will die if we drink seawater.  The world is full of predators that will dispatch and eat us (admittedly they get fewer as time goes on).

There are many animals that share our world that don’t make sense.  Why would a god invent the platypus or the mosquito?  Who, in their right mind, would see the need for poisonous snakes and spiders?

Socially, we humans seem to want to go extinct.  We keep killing each other with wars and hatred.  Religion causes more pain than it helps.  Our species may be a bridge species to the one that will finally dominate the planet, who knows?

Our bodies are a mess of poor ‘design’.  If God designed me, he has a bad back.  I won’t go into the oft repeated list of physical design flaws; but as I age that list grows.  Vestigial organs exist in many species on the planet.

On to the microscopic world.  Why would a god create viruses and bacteria that kill its host.  Makes no sense to destroy the house you live in.  This includes humanity as a virus that could destroy its own host, too.

Sure you might bring up the words of the Bible where it says we created this world by disobeying a god.  I don’t know about you; but I didn’t disobey this god and why I should be blessed with the blame for it beats me!

Intelligent design indeed!

Walk the Path in Grace

Who cares where the Universe came from?

It seems that every Christian always ends up with an unanswerable question. "Where did the Universe come from?" is the standard that's supposed to stump an atheist.

Here's the rub:  They continue with their own selfish lives because they can crow to their fellow believers that they're superior.

Instead of trying to feel superior, they should, instead, work about making the world a better place.  That doesn't mean going out and doing great things or giving a lot of money away.  It just means living your life as best you can without hurting others.  If you can practice random acts of kindness, that's good enough.

It makes absolutely no difference where it all came from.  It matters no one wit that a god created it all or it just happened.

What's really important is that you have just one chance to go through this life and it's critical to the survival of our species that we all live well and treat each other well.  Even if you're a believer and you trust that you'll have an eternity elsewhere, it doesn't mean that this is a practice run.  It doesn't mean that you can do anything you like here because it won't affect you in your heaven.

We all still leave behind children who still need the planet.  We leave behind generations of offspring who need air to breathe, water to drink and unpolluted land to grow food.

Let's make life better NOW!

 

Walk the Path in Grace

Fairness In Teaching Intelligent Design

“Teach the Controversy” seems to be the catch phrase of the day.  There are those among us who want to have Intelligent Design/Creationism taught in science class along with Evolution.

Despite the preponderance of evidence for Evolution, creationists refuse to recognize it as a reality.  And, even more amazing is the almost absolute lack of evidence to support their claim of Intelligent Design, they demand an equal place in the public school classroom.

Here’s the rub: The First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution sets up a barrier between religion and publicly funded places.  When ever our tax dollars are spent or a publicly owned building is used, there must be absolutely no religious icons or prayers involved.  And, yes, there are plenty of religious mentions in our daily life, such as ‘In God We Trust’ on the money and in our pledge of allegiance to name just two.

So, here’s the suggestion of how to deal with this fairly.  I thank none other than Christopher Hitchens for this idea from a speech in 2007.  Religious representatives are all squawking about fairness and that our children should be able to make an informed choice about this ‘controversy’.

I suggest that the U. S. government will allow Intelligent Design in public schools science classes if churches that receive ANY public moneys will also teach Evolution in their Sunday school classes.

That’s entirely fair, no?

 
Walk the Path in Grace

Occam’s Mop

Occam’s Razor is as follows:  When many hypotheses are available, chose the one with the fewest options, as it’s usually the correct one.

Occam’s Broom is as follows:  When an inconvenient fact gets in the way of your reasoning, just push it under the rug. (Conceived by Sydney Brenner)

Occam’s Mop is as follows:  Whenever you can’t hide every thing with Occam’s Broom, employ Occam’s Mop to sufficiently smear the facts so that they cannot be discerned. 

Occam’s Mop is a favorite tool of the American Politician and, of late, radio broadcasters like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.  “Christian” broadcasters, such as Bryan Fischer and Glenn Beck, are also very skilled at confusing the already addle-headed religious idiots.

These ‘solid citizens’ hold such sway with the public that anyone who listens and believes what they say is completely bamboozled.

So, beware Occam’s Mop, it’s ability to obfuscate, confuse and completely destroy the truth will be used a great deal in the future.

Walk the Path in Grace

Occam’s Broom

We all know Occam’s Razor which states “that among competing hypotheses, the one that makes the fewest assumptions should be selected.”

Ockham’s broom is an implement conceived by Sydney Brenner as the device whereby inconvenient facts are swept under the carpet.  We see this methodology practiced everywhere.  American politicians are particularly adept at its application as are today’s Christians. 

The recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut demonstrates their ability to overlook the 800 pound insane person in the room while concentrating on the gun as the problem.  They have effectively swept the most dangerous social problem America faces under the rug and redirected our attention away from it.

Ronald Reagan began closing the mental hospitals in the 1980’s and we are now reaping that seeds growth.  It’s now almost impossible to get a very troubled person committed for his/her own safety, not to mention ours, without their permission.  Some people need 24 hour care and we are not providing it for them.  Insanity is as insanity does.

Our Christian friends are using Occam’s Broom whenever they attempt to change textbooks to fit their archaic beliefs.  Evolution, science and free thought are inconvenient facts that they gladly sweep under the rug to make their beliefs easier to swallow.  They also use the Broom to try to rid the world of all other religions by playing the persecution card.

Coming soon “Occam’s Mop”

Walk the Path in Grace

What is a statesman/woman?

Dictionary.com defines it as follows:

states·man
/ˈsteɪts mən/ Show Spelled [steyts-muhn]  
noun, plural states·men.
1. a person who is experienced in the art of government or versed in the administration of government affairs.
2. a person who exhibits great wisdom and ability in directing the affairs of a government or in dealing with important public issues.

I ask this question because of the devolution of the American Congress since President Obama took office.  Come to think of it, the eight years of the last Bush administration comes into play also.  Certain members of our Congress have behaved so barbarically that I’ve wondered about their loyalty.

When someone is elected to the highest offices in the land, I would hope that they would think of the country first and their constituency second.  I understand that their party has a great deal of influence but you cannot convince me that EVERY Republican in over the last twelve years of our history has thought so little of our county that he/she would vote in a strictly party line.

Surely there would have been one, just one, who thought the party line was wrong.  Just one?  But, alas, no.  They hate President Obama so much that they will destroy our county to prove he is a poor choice for President.

Who forces a Congressional candidate to sign a pledge of unstatesman-like behavior in order to get campaign funds from the GOP coffers?  Who can wield that much power?  Who, in their right mind, would sign such a pledge?  What private citizen can usurp the power of, as of today, more than half of our Senate and just slight less than half of the House of Representatives?

ANYONE who signs this pledge and obeys it is no statesman/woman.  ANYONE who can look at the needs of our country today and STILL FOLLOW this pledge is no statesman/woman.  ANYONE who can march to this insane pledge by exhibiting such hatred of one President is not an American.  Yes I said insane.

NO ONE in their right mind can behave so badly.  Perhaps I’m an idealist, perhaps I’m naïve; but, I refuse to believe that my Country can be led by these monsters and no one seems to mind.  Why haven’t we look at the author of this ridiculous pledge as a practitioner of subversion.

As a loyal American citizen, I demand that the members of the Republican party become statesmen/women.  I demand that they look at the needs of the citizens be examined and then work toward meeting those needs.  I demand that they stop this “criminal” behavior of allowing our country to fail.

Walk the Path in Grace

Religious to Apostate and Back Again

So, there’s this person who once believed in God, then became an atheist.  He then changed his mind and went back to his god.  What reasons he had are his own and I wouldn’t challenge them because he has a right to do so.

But, I will challenge two things about this little story.

One is that believing in any god takes a certain dispensation of clear thought.  Freeing yourself from the tyrannical yoke of religion is the most terrifying thing a believer can do.  Giving up the deep-seated terror that the church instills in a person can free your inner self to allow you to be a much better person.  It takes a lot of work and internal torment but it well worth the effort.

The second problem is that he went back to his god.  Some people are not strong enough to complete the journey to freedom.  The pressure from family and friends can be intense while he struggles with the demons created by the church.  Yes, I said the church created his personal demons.  But here’s the rub, he intentionally gave up a large part of his rationality to go back to the artificial shelter that the church offered.

Imagine that! Intentionally becoming less rational.  Sure, one might blame it on his personal strengths and weaknesses, and, I suppose, that’s okay.  He probably never really committed to atheism anyway.

I can relate to his struggles and terror because my journey was somewhat similar.  It took years for the fear to subside and my heart aches for the guy in this story.  He could have led a peaceful and productive life but, instead, he chose ‘turn turtle’ and hide.

I wonder what he will ponder on his deathbed.

 
Walk the Path in Grace

Beware the Coming Muslim Invasion

The current population of Muslims in Europe is approx. 8,000,000 and the United States has about the same.  And, they are both growing.  Imagine how a Muslim extremist feels living in the heart of his religious enemy.  We are told that our behavior and religious beliefs are only worthy of death by the Islamist.  As a matter of fact, they are commanded to kill every one of us by their holy book.

They practice and obey religious dogma that is totally foreign to everyone with a modicum of common decency.  Sharia law is impossible to accept by anyone with empathy or a sense of fairness.  It hates women and puts them into a class that’s akin to animals.  And, it completely forbids any free thought.

The real shame is that the area of the planet that spawned this inhuman behavior was at one time the leading center for human thought and progress.  Mohammadism has forced a regression from the forefront of the human endeavor to a very dark age of totalitarism and human hatred.

Here’s my prediction:

When the Muslim population grows, extremist behavior will be forced upon that population.  When that happens, Sharia law will become the law of the land wherever the Muslim’s live.  It will start by allowing the Sharia law within the Muslim enclave only.  And then, what ever law existed before the Muslims arrived will be driven out throughout the land and the non-Islamist population believe or they will die.

Be very careful of how you allow the Muslim communities to grow in your countries.  It’s not too late to stop it but I truly believe that blood will be shed.’

 

Walk the path in grace.

Welcome to Auldshaman's World!

I'm interested in many things in this big world we all live in.  It seems that there is no end to the stupidity of the religious nut cases out there.

Ray Comfort has stated that the Christian god is missing from our schools and that's why the recent shootings happened.  He blames this on Dawkins and Hitchens.  What he failed to do is research some school violence history.  There have been lots of school shootings before either one was even born.  I'm curious about where their god was back then.

Bryan Fischer claims that we kicked god out of our schools and, since this god is a gentleman, he won't go where he's not wanted.  Does that mean that this god wouldn't be at any event where a prayer isn't offered? Since the Christian god is a bloodthirsty goon, I would have rather thought that it would have enjoyed all the bloodshed in Newtown.

How about we try to fix the psychiatric problems in America.  Yes, guns make it easier to be violent; but, it's not the gun's fault.  Yes, the gun allows for violence from a distance; but, a crazy person will find a way to commit a crime.  Bombs, poison or running people down with a car are just a few. 

Lastly, banning assault style weapons is a mistake.  There are lots of semi-automatic rifles that don't look like an assault rifle but still fire the same bullets.  Before supporting a ban, educate yourself about what the gun does, eh?

More to come...