Religion

This article is a response to Sketch, an atheist who I met through the StumbleUpon website. He asked me where my convictions actually lie in relation to religion. It's a good question, because I say I'm not an atheist, but I clearly consider atheist my allies. I get along atheist because they rely on logic rather than dogma, and they lean on science rather than holy books. Saying that I am not atheist implies that I believe in god, but I don't believe in god in the way that most people would imagine. God is a word that has been very misused, but rather than accept or reject the definition that they tried to force on me I redefined the word.

Actually to call it a definition is a little bit of an understatement. It's more like a logical construct. It usually takes me several hours to give my full thesis, and I won’t put you through that, but will give a short sumary.

The bible states on no uncertain terms that gays, atheist and rebellious children should be taken out and killed in public. There is something seriously wrong with our culture if we still consider this book a reference point for our morality and justice.

This video does a good job of driving the point home. He repeats the word "repulsive" a few too many times for my taste though. Oh well.

I found this posted on an evangelical Christian's blog. It's bullshit (in my humble opinion) but I am reposting it here to insure that my rebuttal is seen. (I posted my comment on the comments section, but I have my doubt that it will stay up very long.) Enjoy.

God vs Science

A science professor begins his school year with a
lecture to the students, “Let me explain the problem science has with
religion.” The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class
and then asks one of his new students to stand.

“You’re a Christian, aren’t you, son?”

“Yes sir,” the student says.

“So you believe in God?”

String theory may not be the answer to all questions, and it is certainly not the final revelation of science, but it may the clearest glimpse into underlying structure of the world that science has ever dared to present, and it is a glimpse that blurs the line between science and mysticism.

String theory justifies itself with an elegant set of mathematical equations, but in the end the equations point to a paradox, and in order to get past that paradox scientist should come to terms with the fact that mathematics has its limitations, and at best can only trace out a small fragment of the absolute. As far as I can tell, scientist haven't really come to terms with the paradox, at least mainstream science hasn't, and alas we reinvent the wheel.

I'm not an atheist at all, but when it comes to logic I far prefer the way atheist think, and at the end of a discussion usually atheist tend to understand and even agree with my point of view. Christians on the other hand... whew! Christians are a another story all together. Remember, I was raised as a Christian, and I accepted Jesus into my heart...twice! (and yes I did mean it at the time) That's why I found this video so amusing. Not as a defense of atheism, but rather in its mocking of religion.

This is an unauthorized full version of the new Jesus Camp documentary.

I was raised in this kind of religious environment, so for me watching this movie brought back memories... not pleasant memories.

One point where I would like to counter what the movie depicts is the idea that the Christian extremist movement is gaining ground in America. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Churches all around the country are emptying at an unprecedented rate. What drives these fanatics isn't imminent victory, it's desperation. This country is slipping out of their collective grip, and if the only way that they can pass on their religion is to isolate their children from reality and teach them philosophies that contradict the laws of science, then they are going to place themselves on the outskirts of society, and ultimately they will be so out of touch with the rest of the world that it will be impossible for them to maintain even the slightest guise of credibility.

Are we losing the fanaticism battle with the Muslims? Apparently not by much. Evangelical Christianity is some scary shit. I should know, I spent 17 years in it. Not by choice mind you. I actually remember going to several Christian Summer Camps that were very similar to the one depicted in this video. I remember the pressure to speak in tongues and fall to the floor in convolutions. To the best of my memory I never did the convulsions thing, but I did speak in tongues. It was just gibberish, but everyone else was doing it, so that’s what it took to fit in.

Christian extremism is a reality, and I can personally attest to the effects being raised under this way of thinking.