Humility

To young-Earth creationists out there: let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that the following statements are true:

• Your god is real.
•  Your Bible is 100% true, without a mistake.
•  You are human, capable of making mistakes.

If you as a Christian accept the above, I ask you to consider this:

Is it possible that your Bible is 100% true, but you, being an imperfect human, have misinterpreted just one single part of the Bible? Perhaps the Genesis creation story, complete with talking snake and magic tree, were written as a metaphor or parable, and not meant, by your own god, to be taken literally?

If you accept that you just might have incorrectly interpreted this tiny fraction of the Bible, then suddenly your entire belief system will no longer be at odds with all that is known about geology, biology, physics, chemistry, anthropology, paleontology, genetics, astronomy and world history.

All it takes is an ounce of humility, to accept the possility that you, and not your Bible, might have made a mistake. The result of this is that you just might keep from crippling your children’s education by teaching them that facts are wrong, and magical stories are true, and keeping them from resenting you when one day they learn how they have been deceived.

- Secular Simian

Religion and Lying

I have noticed a lot of religious people being dishonest or deceitful in an attempt to support their religion, often in religious debates, or when proselytizing. Many times the leaders of the Catholic church have been caught actively deceiving as they attempt to hide cases of child rape. Televangelists and mega-church preachers lie constantly, promising impossible, magical rewards if only viewers or listeners would send them money. Some of the most famous religious leaders who have spoken out against drug use, infidelity and homosexuality have been caught with prostitutes, illegal drugs, or gay lovers.

However, I do not see this in the humanist community. Ask a non-religious scientist a question that they do not have an answer for, and they will say, “I don’t know,” or “we have not found an answer to that, but we are working on it.” Ask a religious person a question they don’t have an answer for, and they will change the subject or in some other way try to avoid answering, which is a form of deception.

Why is it that more deceit is found in religious communities? I think it is because they already deceive themselves and everyone else in their churches on a daily basis.

Every time they sob in anguish about a dead family member, while simultaneously proclaiming, “They are in a better place,” they are lying, and deep down, most of them know it, otherwise they would not be sobbing.

Every time a Christian rushes their injured child to the hospital, while simultaneously proclaiming, “God heals us,” they are lying, and deep down, they know it.

Every time a Christian locks their door or nervously avoids a shadowy street at night, while at the same time saying, “God protects us,” they are lying, and they know it.

Many religious people lie every day in these ways, and as a result of their regular practice, deceit comes naturally. However, most atheists (including myself) reject religion because we hold truth in high regard, and refuse to pretend to believe something we know is not true. Being an atheist is a result of being honest with ourselves and those around us, even if that truth comes at a cost.

Is the Constitution Based on the Ten Commandments?

I have heard many people suggest that the United States Constitution is based on the Biblical Ten Commandments. In 2010, I saw an episode of the “O’Reilly Factor” where both Bill O’Reilly and Sarah Palin talked for quite a while on this idea (link). But is this true? Let’s examine each commandment, and see how it compares to the Constitution:

1. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.”
   
   This clearly violates the Constitution, because it gives no freedom of religion, only allowing the worship of one particular version of a god that can be worshiped. This commandment would make Hinduism, Wicca and numerous other religions illegal. The Constitution protects Hindus and Wiccans, allowing them to worship as they wish.
   Verdict: Not Constitutional.
2. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My Commandments.”
   
   This commandment outlaws making carved images, and bowing down before them, which would make Catholicism illegal for bowing before a carved statue of Mary, and it would outlaw Native American religions for their creation and worship of Totem Poles. The Constitution protects followers of these religions.
   Additionally, this commandment suggests that the people should be punished for the crimes of their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers.
   Verdict: Not Constitutional.
3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.“
   
   This commandment, if upheld, would be a violation of Freedom of Speech granted us all by the Constitution.
   Verdict: Not Constitutional.
4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work“
   
   This commandment states that you cannot work, travel or do a long list of things on the “Sabbath.” Note that traditionally this period went from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday, though most Christians have re-defined it as Sunday. Of course the Constitution does not limit the days of the week one can work.
   Verdict: Not Constitutional. 
5. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.“
   
   The Constitution does not require one to honor their parents. I think this is a good thing, since some parents are mentally or emotionally abusive, some rape or beat their children, some are neglectful, etc. Honor is something to be earned, in my opinion, but that’s beside the point. This is about the Ten Commandments, and this one clearly violates the Constitution.
   Verdict: Not Constitutional.
6. “You shall not murder.“
   
   This commandment is a no-brainer. It has been a part of every secular society, and taught by teachers from various cultures and times long before the earliest books of the Bible were written. Murdering someone would clearly violate their right to freely pursue happiness protected by the Constitution, so even though it was not based on this commandment, the two are not in conflict.
   Verdict: Constitutional.
7. “You shall not commit adultery.“
   
   Though this is a pretty good rule to live by, it is not in the Constitution, and is not federal law in the United States.
   Verdict: Not Constitutional.
8. “You shall not steal.“
   
   Much like number six, this rule is also an obvious rule held in just about every successful human society, so this corresponding law in the US is not based on this commandment. However, it is not in conflict with the Constitution.
   Verdict: Constitutional.
9. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.“
   
   The Constitution allows freedom of speech, which includes telling lies about one’s neighbors. However, it is illegal to lie in court while under oath, so again, though this is part of every successful society, it is not in violation of our country’s most important document.
   Verdict: Constitutional.
10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s [belongings]”
    
    First of all, coveting is a thought, not an action. Making coveting against the law would be thought-crime. Such a rule is about as contrary to the Constitution as a rule can be. Second, listed in with the neighbor’s belongs is his wife. In our country, a woman is a person, with equal rights, not the property of a man, so again, this rule is illegal and unconstitutional. And finally, the economy in the United States is based on capitalism, which depends on people spending money, buying things, and “keeping up with the Jones’s.” In our economy, coveting keeps the stock markets happy.
    Verdict: Not Constitutional.

With only a bit of examination, it is clear that not only is the US Constitution not based on the Ten Commandments, but SEVEN of them are in direct violation of it, our country’s most sacred document.

Faith Auto Repair

I just thought of a business idea that is sure to succeed. I will start an automotive shop called, “Faith Auto Repair.” I will market it in all the latest fundamentalist Christian and Muslim periodicals, which should drum up a ton of business.

When someone brings in a car that is not functioning correctly, I will have them make a mandatory, generous donation to my cause. Then I will lay my hands on the vehicle, say a prayer, and trust in God to do the rest. Now, suppose the car still does not work. Well, obviously that is not MY fault. It just means that either the car’s owner did not have enough faith, or it just wasn’t God’s will that the car be repaired at that time. The Lord works in mysterious ways, you know.

Now suppose that customer takes their car to a secular car shop. In that shop, those highly trained mechanics remove the transmission, rebuild it, and install it again, and then the car starts working. Know what that means? That God DID fix that car after all. He just chose to wait until after I laid hands on it, and after those other non-believing mechanics did their tinkering. But the credit goes to God, and my intercession.

I am sure this business will work. I mean, I don’t need to have even the slightest understanding of how cars operate, or how secular mechanics try to fix them. I don’t have to buy any expensive tools or diagnostic equipment. I do not have to show results, because if the car doesn’t get fixed, it is just God’s will. If someone else fixes it later, The Lord and I get all the credit. And best of all, my business will be tax free, since it is a faith based organization!

After my business grows, maybe I will branch out into other fields. Maybe “Faith Jet Aircraft Inspection.”

On Being Open Minded

Atheists are often told by Christians that we are closed minded. Let’s think about this a moment:

A Christian is convinced that their god, and ONLY their god is real. They are 100% sure, and they will admit that they will never change, no matter what evidence is shown. They are not open to any evidence contrary to their position.

An atheist like myself considers all gods equally likely (or unlikely), awaiting evidence of any of those gods before claiming their existence. If empirical evidence of any god were to appear, we would then accept that god as real, but until then, we remain neutral, and do not assume the existence of any god.

Now who is REALLY being closed-minded?

Suppose we ask a Christian and an atheist like myself, “Which of the following gods exist?” Here are the answers you would most likely receive:

Christian answers:
Krishna: NO!
Zeus: NO!
Ganesh: NO!
Horus: NO!
Jesus: YES!

Atheist answers:
Krishna: Probably not, but if you have evidence, show me.
Zeus: Probably not, but if you have evidence, show me.
Ganesh: Probably not, but if you have evidence, show me.
Horus: Probably not, but if you have evidence, show me.
Jesus: Probably not, but if you have evidence, show me.

Again, which view is closed minded, and which is open?

The Prayers of Texas

On April 21st, Texas governor Rick Perry prayed for rain to stop the drought and wild fires spreading across his state, and encouraged others to do the same. That was about 18 WEEKS ago, on the day of this writing. Since then, the drought has worsened and the fires have spread.

I think we can now conclude that prayers to the Christian god do not work. We all know that eventually rain will come, because that is what nature does. But if mass prayers to a god do not result in relief after four and a half months, and in fact things only get worse, then either one’s god isn’t listening, is listening but wants you to suffer, is incapable of helping you, or more likely, just doesn’t exist.

Hundreds of thousands are dying in Somalia, from similar droughts in spite of their prayers to their Muslim god.

If someone cares about truth, they must be honest with themself first. One must remember the misses as well as the hits, and the combined prayers of Texas, led by Rick Perry, make one enormous miss.

The Dual Meanings of Militant

Darwin and I

Some might consider me a Militant Atheist because I often wear a necklace celebrating evolution, have a Flying Spaghetti Monster symbol on the back of my car, and like to talk about Bible verses.

By that standard, would a Militant Christian be someone who wears a cross necklace, has a Jesus fish on their car, and likes to talk about Bible verses? I doubt that most people would consider that “militant” behavior, even if they were to knock on your door on Saturday morning to tell you about their beliefs while you stand there in your pajamas.

What do militant people do? Militant Christians picket the funerals of dead soldiers with signs proclaiming, “God Loves IED” and “God Hates America,” or they shoot doctors as they walk out of Planned Parenthood. Militant Muslims strap explosives to their bodies or fly planes into buildings, killing innocent strangers.

Please don’t dilute the meaning of  that word by labeling as Militant Atheists those people that only use words to peacefully state disagreement with your particular religion or wear t-shirts celebrating Charles Darwin.

- Secular Simian

The Amazing Meeting 9

The Amazing James Randi

My family and I went to The Amazing Meeting 9 (TAM9) in Las Vegas, NV in July 2011. We stayed at Southpoint Hotel, where the event was held. Before we got there, I was a little bit afraid that my kids would get bored with all the lectures. However, they both enjoyed all the talks and events, and I think we all learned some interesting things. On the way home, both boys told me that this was their favorite vacation ever, which really made my day.

We generally take one “big” vacation every year. Sometimes a week of camping, sometimes a cruise, sometimes a visit to Disneyland or some other theme park. But this vacation was different. All those other vacations were relaxing, fun, exciting, and all those other pleasurable experiences. This trip had some of those too, but it also had something else. It had a sense of value, a sense of education, a sense of learning things about life that really matter. It was also refreshing to be surrounded by so many highly intelligent and educated people, some of which have been making very important progress toward making this a better world, improving education, fighting bigotry, and working to spread the ideas of science, reason and skepticism.

I hope to go back again next year, learn a lot more, and maybe meet some of you.

- Secular Simian

Lawrence Krauss, my son Blake, myself, Richard Dawkins, and my son Corey

My wife, Michael Shermer and I

Me and Cristina Rad (ZOMGitsCriss)

Corey and I at Penn Jillette's donuts-and-bacon party

Meeting Thunderf00t

PZ Myers and I talking in the hall

Me, Phil Plait, and my sons

Martin Wagner, from "The Atheist Experience" show

My wife and I with Eugenie C. Scott

Bill Nye the Science Guy

George Hrab

A Sincere Letter to Young Earth Creationists

Hundreds of years ago, it was commonly believed that the world was flat, and the church believed that the Bible taught this. Then people began to find evidence to support the idea of a spherical Earth. As more and more evidence was found, the church resisted fervently, even as far as persecuting and killing people who perpetuated the idea of a spherical planet. However, eventually the evidence was undeniable, and the church was forced to re-examine their own interpretations of the Bible, and accept that the Earth is spherical.

However, it was still generally believed that the Earth was the center of the solar system (and the Universe), and that the Sun revolved around the Earth, and the church believed the Bible suggested this. Eventually, scientists of the time found more and more evidence to support the idea that it was the other way around, that the Sun was the center of our solar system, and the Earth revolves around it. Again, the church resisted strongly, oppressing and punishing people that questioned an Earth-centric view of the solar system. However, over time, more and more evidence arose, until the fact that the Earth is not the center of the solar system nor of the Universe was undeniable. The church resisted for quite some time, but eventually re-examined their interpretation of the Bible, and modified their beliefs to fit reality.

Now in the 21st century, we are in a similar situation. People have long believed that the species that are on the planet today have never changed, and are “just as God created them” without modification. However, as evidence for Evolution has continued to grow from all areas of science, it is now an undeniable FACT that creatures evolve, and this can be observed first hand, for example, as viruses and bacteria modify and evolve in real time.

Also, people have long assumed the Earth to be only 6000 years old, based on the genealogy of the Bible. However, mountains of evidence from every field of science has demonstrated the the Earth is Billions of years old. This is an undeniable FACT. This is something that many religious people accept, including the Catholic church, and many highly religious scientists, like Francis Collins, the Christian man who led the team that unraveled the human genome. These people have accepted the reality of evolution of species, and the great age of the Earth and the Universe. However, just like the early church that fought long and hard to believe in a flat Earth and an Earth-centered solar system, now many Christian Fundamentalists are fighting to hold on to the idea of a 6000 year old Universe, and resist the fact that evolution of species occurs. I believe that churches today should reexamine their interpretation of the Bible, and find a way to make their religion fit with what is known about reality.

I have seen religious-based home-schooling material which teaches a young Earth and does not teach the facts of evolution. I have seen the material that people like Ray Comfort, Ken Ham and other Young Earth Creationists teach, which is quite frankly dishonest, deceptive, and utterly incorrect. I have a fear that many home-school parents are not teaching them honestly about science, about evolution, and about the age and action of our planet and Universe. I am afraid that they are either not teaching them these things, or teaching them but then telling them, “But we know, as Christians, that this science is wrong.” If they are teaching their kids that the Earth is only a few thousand years old and that evolution is a lie, then I think they are doing a great disservice to them, and crippling their education in a terrible way that will not prepare them for the real world. I believe that is just as bad as raising children to believe that the Earth is flat, and that the Earth is the center of the solar system.

I hope that Young Earth Christians will re-evaluate what they have been taught, and see that they can still believe in Jesus and Jehovah and Heaven, AND also accept the fact that evolution happens and that the Earth is Billions of years old.

- Secular Simian

Our World at Risk

Sometime around the Winter of 1986, I was working for pennies-over-minimum-wage as a security guard in a Portland office building. During one of my rounds through the building, I ran across a woman working late named Muriel Hoyt, who worked for the Center of Disease Control. She seemed almost frantic. I asked her what was wrong, and she started telling me about AIDS. Now, at that time, most everybody, including myself, thought of AIDS as a really rare disease that only gay men got, or people who had sex with monkeys or something. It was a new disease, but was of little concern to me, since I’m not gay, and I think the general public felt that way too.

However, Ms. Hoyt began telling me that AIDS was spreading far faster than anyone expected, that it was spreading to heterosexual people, and to different geographical areas. She said, “Things have got to change! People don’t understand! They are going to stop having sex. It will be like the Victorian age all over again!” As it turns out, she wasn’t quite accurate about the Victorian age coming back, but other than that, she was spot on. Over the next few years, AIDS grew to become the single biggest fear with sex, above all other STDs and unwanted pregnancy. In a way, her words were about the closest thing to prophesy I have ever heard, though at the time it seemed like she was exaggerating and extreme.

Now, two and a half decades later, her words that at the time seemed far fetched and an over-reaction, now are understood by everyone. Now almost everyone understands that AIDS is an extremely serious and deadly disease, infecting large percentages of people in many areas of our world. Now we recognize AIDS for the danger that it is.

And now I think there is another danger on our horizon; a danger that most people don’t recognize the seriousness and the scale of what it could mean to our future, just as in 1986, most people did not understand the seriousness of AIDS.

Ten years ago, our country was attacked, three thousand innocent civilians were murdered, several buildings were destroyed, and the US economy was dealt a serious blow. The 19 attackers were Muslim extremists, making jihad (holy war) on us, the infidel, the “Great Satan,” as they call the United States. This was not a politically motivated attack. All but 3 of them were from Saudi Arabia, which is our ally. It was motivated by their religion.

That was a decade ago, and many people seem to forget what their motivation was. Other religious attacks have happened since, but it seems to have become unpopular or politically incorrect to mention the religion of the attackers. Many people would like to pretend that Islam is a religion of peace.

Well, last night, something happened in MY city. Last night in downtown Portland, a Muslim Somali man named Mohamed Osman Mohamud attempted to blow up a car bomb at Pioneer Courthouse Square, during a Christmas tree lighting event with thousands of people present. FBI monitored him talking about committing “violent jihad,” and when police captured him, he shouted, “Allahu Akhkbar,” which means, “God is Great.”

One of my sons often goes to Pioneer Courthouse Square on the weekends. During the week, my other son goes by there most every day on his way to college and back. Some of my friends, family or co-workers might have been at that event, and might have been killed tonight, if Mr. Mohamud had succeeded in his plan.

Sometimes I feel like Ms. Hoyt, sounding an alarm of danger, when the general public is not ready to acknowledge it. Sometimes I expect people think I’m over-reacting, just as I thought Ms. Hoyt was doing in 1986. But I think the danger is just as real, and potentially even more deadly.

Only religion can motivate good people to do horrible things, and to desire to murder people they have never met, with whom we are not at war. I am confident that Mohamed Osman Mohamud attempted what he did because he had been raised to believe that that was what would please God. I am confident that he considers himself righteous, and doing God’s will, by attempting to kill strangers of differing religions. I’m sure he believes that killing Christians and Jews and Atheists and Pagans would make God happy, and he has reason to believe this, as this is what his holy books tell him.

My point is not to say that all Muslims are evil or violent. I do not believe that. However, I do believe that the religion of Islam is evil and violent, because the holy books it is based on teach violence toward unbelievers and those considered sinners. Those Muslims that read the Koran and the Torah and the Hadiths will be taught that violence toward unbelievers is a command.

How does Christianity compare? Is Christianity less violent? Again, I think that most Christians are decent, non-violent people. However, the Bible is filled with story after story glorifying the killing of men, women, boys and little girls that are unbelievers. It is filled with many calls of murder as punishment for worshiping different gods, practicing homosexuality, not being a virgin on one’s wedding night, or working on Saturday. Fortunately, most Christians do not follow these rules. Either they are unaware of these stories, they choose to ignore the parts they don’t like, or perhaps they have heard the stories watered down and focused on the victors’ perspective rather than the victims’. Fortunately, Christianity has passed through the worst of its Dark Age, as secular morality has moved it away from atrocities of yesteryear, like the Crusades and the Salem Witch Murders.

Islam, on the other hand, has not yet left its Dark Age behind. In Islam-controlled countries, like in the Middle East, parts of Africa, and Indonesia, Sharia law is in control. This is the religious rule of Islam, and includes polygamy, forced marriages, female genital mutilation, abuse of women, denial of education of women, “honor killings” where a family will have their daughter murdered if she becomes pregnant before marriage, and of course imprisonment or death to apostates (those that leave Islam) or unbelievers.

Though the majority of Christians and Muslims are peaceful people, the fact remains that their holy books instruct and glorify violence and intolerance. When those holy books are used as a basis for law, people suffer and society crumbles.

I know that what I say is not popular, and is considered politically incorrect. I know that I may sound to some like Ms. Hoyt giving frantic warnings. But I believe that our society is in danger, and that danger is rooted in fundamentalist religion, and belief that ancient holy books are the inerrant command of God. I believe that humanity is on a knife edge. Will we someday have world peace and accomplish great things? Not while we have 2 Billion Christians that hate Islam, and 1.5 Billion Muslims that hate Christianity and Judaism. Not while both religions discriminate against those that believe in other religions, or no religion at all. One is the bleach, the other the ammonia. Mix them, and you get caustic poison. The only hope for continuation of society and steps toward peace is to neutralize both the bleach and the ammonia. Fundamentalist religion and the hate, bigotry, intolerance and violence inherent in it must go away, or we are all in grave danger.