What if you're wrong?

Sorry I've been gone for so long. I plan on keeping up with the blog again now that I have some free time. Any topic suggestions can be emailed to me at drewy813@gmail.com.

Blaise Pascal might have been an ingenious scientist and mathematician, but he didn't think straight when he thought about God.

Look at that stache.

I am asked all the time, "Why don't you just believe? You have nothing to lose!" Besides the hypocritical nature of claiming I believe in a supreme being when in fact I don't? That and the fact you could be wrong.The argument was apparently considered well argued, by none other than Pascal. Giving rise to the term Pascal's Wager. So how does the wager go? If one believes in God and God is real, then one gains eternal bliss in heaven. If one disbelieves in God, and God is real, then one gains eternal damnation in hell. If one believes in God and God is not real, then no harm done. If one disbelieves in God, and God is not real, then no harm done. But my question is, "What if you have the wrong God? Simply believing a supreme being exists isn't enough in any religion to gain any eternal benefits... So seriously, consider the fact you could be wrong?" I'm always countered with, "I know my God is the true God." *facepalm*

I'm asked to prove that there is no god on a fairly regular basis.Of course, I can't, but that doesn't stop the request from coming. I want theists to prove to me that there is a god and it's their god. The burden of proof always lies to those who make a positive claim. If I said that unicorns exists, and that I believe they're hidden to our eyes, would I have to prove that unicorns exist or does someone who claims they are nothing but fairy tales have to prove they don't exist? Well, I would, duh. The same thing goes for the FSM, pink elephants, Russel's teapot, and God.

You can get this as a shirt here.

What is the meaning of life?

42....... Well maybe not, but it's a good guess.

After some discussion last night I was inspired to write this post. After all this is a common question worthy of attention. A deep philosophical question with so many answers and thoughts that I can't go through them all. A lot of this is direct from the conversation as well.

I imagine the Christian explanation like this...We are the byproduct of a bored supreme being who wanted someone to play with, watch, do his bidding, honor him and worship him because of his abilities. That is our TRUE purpose. Everything else we wish to do is second to him.

Here's some Sagan with some lovely insight.

I really love Sagan. When he talks about the universe, I can't help but be awed by his words. I am sure the second video is from Pale Blue Dot, but am unsure of the first.

[We long to be here for a purpose, even though, despite much self deception, none is evident.] The significance of our lives and our fragile planet is then determined only by our own wisdom and courage. We are the custodians of life’s meaning. We long for a Parent to care for us, to forgive us our errors, to save us from our childish mistakes. But knowledge is preferable to ignorance. Better by far to embrace the hard truth than a reassuring fable… If we crave some cosmic purpose, then let us find ourselves a worthy goal…

A response from a Christian might (more like did) go like this.

Dear [suffering person],

I've got comforting advice for you all.
You may long for a higher purpose, but none exists, so deal with it.
Create your own purpose, but remember it's just an illusion.
Science has proven your childish longing for real meaning to be simple ignorance.

Carpe diem, and tough luck.

Sincerely,
Carl Sagan

That's the most dismal thing I've ever heard. Just because we make our own meaning for life, doesn't make that life worthless or that meaning an illlusion. The reason to make this planet a better place to live is one huge reason out of many others. Is it meaningless? It's rather sad that one's reason to live is to serve and worship a god. I guess God isn't so humble.

Then what is the meaning of life? Whatever we make it. We are a cosmic coincidence, one of the few lucky planets that has the capability to support life, and we can do whatever we want. We could have simply continued to exist as hunters and gatherers or we can continue to learn and grow and eventually venture off into space. We can watch the poor starve and the sick die or we can help them by giving them food and medicine. We can make this planet a better place for all life.

Carpe diem. Seize the day. You can put as little effort into changing the world with your life or you can do as much as you want in changing it. Life is tough, but we rarely go at it alone. We have our families and our friends, and we want them to be happy and live successful joyous lives. And I will, to the best of my abilities, make that happen. When we're in a time of despair, some turn to God. Rather than turn to an almighty being THAT CAN'T DO A DAMN THING for anyone. Why not turn to our family and friends where you can actually hold their hands and feel their love. I understand that turning to God can be a good thing when one has no family or friends in a time of suffering. Imagining there is a being who cares about your existence can help you. (There are also telephone help lines now). But once that has passed it's time to realize that we are fully capable of anything ourselves. That drunk who sobered up and moved back in with his wife and kid doesn't need to thank God. He needs to thank himself. For he actually found the will power within to change his lifestyle, to go to rehab, to talk to people, to understand his problem. He did it. I don't know how many times I see and hear, "it's in God's hands now." Take your hands off the steering wheel next time your driving down the highway and tell God it's in his hands now... See what happens.

Whatever meaning we choose, it takes hold of our life and drives us wherever we want to go.

Zombie Jesus Day

This Sunday is of course Zombie Jesus Day. The day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, by having Easter egg hunts, taking pictures with the Easter Bunny, eating lamb or ham, and exchanging gift baskets.

Man, I love Blasphemy

"Don't forget the TRUE meaning of Easter?!?"

I'm not sure how often I hear this one, but it does come up. Of course, not as often as the proclamation of the true meaning behind Christmas. But like Christmas, it has a much older meaning than Christians claim.

The word 'Easter' comes from the Old-English name for the Saxon's Mother goddess, Eostre. Eostre was the Goddess of fertility, renewal and (re)birth. Rabbits and eggs have been ancient symbols for fertility and birth in many different cultures.

Eggs were originally painted and decorated for the Persian New Year (transliterated: "Noruuz") and were symbolic of the birth and life in the Spring time. Spring is the time of the new year and the time when plants came to bloom, and the days become longer than the nights. The egg was also used in Northen European traditions of springtime. The rabbits also have traditions of fertility in Northern Europe and even in Aztec Central America. Ironically however, the Jew's symbolize rabbits as cowards.

I do enjoy the link between bunnies, eggs and Jesus in South Park. Watch it here.

Watch out for Zombie Jesus.

Pray for Japan?

After the Japan disaster I have heard a lot of pretty sad things from the disaster.

Then I saw a lot of that on facebook profiles. But I didn't see a lot of this.

I mean don't get me wrong. If someone wants to pray, they are most definitely entitled to do so, but praying doesn't give them food, water, clothes or shelter; donations do.

I'm sickened when I see disaster areas flooded by missionaries who feel the need to brainwash vulnerable people. It happened in the 16th-19th centuries with the Spainish coming to America. The same continues today in Haiti and Japan (maybe not as vicious as it was then, but still ridiculous).

It's become something like: take this bible, read it and then we'll give you food or listen to these bible stories, tell us you like them and will dig you a well.

"Actually this disaster has opened many people to the Word of God in Japan. Bad things happen because we chose a path apart from God due to our sin nature brought about by free will. It is not that they are not Christian, because bad things happen to Christians. Its that bad things happen because we fled from God." - A facebook friend that will remain anonymous.

I think this goes to show how crappy this God is that Christians claim to worship. We're supposedly given this freewill to choose or deny God. The consequences are not only postmortem but are happening right now. And the consequence include, loss of one's own life, loss of loved ones, and months of suffering while trying to rebuild one's life...BS.

I hope everyone understands the need for charity and not religion. If someone wants to hear about your god, they can come to you. 

The United States IS NOT a Christian Nation

I've been spending the morning thinking of a new idea for my next post. There are some things that I feel are current and worthy of notice. However, there are also a few other topics that I encounter often, and I feel I should touch on as kind of an opening premise.

The United States of America is not a Christian nation. I'm going to analyze a few of the reasons Christians give for the claim that the US is indeed a Christian nation.

IN GOD WE TRUST
- 'In God We Trust" was adopted as the official motto for the nation in 1956. During the previous 170 years the motto was "E Pluribus Unum" which is Latin for "Out of many, One". It was changed during the communist scare of the cold war. Christian evangelism was becoming more and more prominent after WWII. They believed the communists had no belief in God and the US did, and the US needs to show it. It was then coincidentally placed on all our paper currency.

...ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE....
- The Pledge of Allegiance was officially altered in 1954 to include the words 'Under God'. This change was again because of the communist scare and was to supposedly differentiate the US from other nations.

Here is Porky the Pig with the previous pledge. (1939)

THE FOUNDING FATHERS WERE CHRISTIANS
-No, they weren't. Some were. A lot weren't

"The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as His father, in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter." - Thomas Jefferson

"I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life, I absenteed myself from Christian assemblies."  - Benjamin Franklin

"Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause." - George Washington

"That diabolical, hell-conceived principle of persecution rages among some; and to their eternal infamy, the clergy can furnish their quota of impas for such business..." - James Madison

 A book I suggest to you is The Faiths of the Founding Fathers by David Holmes.

THE MAJOR RELIGION IS CHRISTIANITY
- The major race is White/Caucasian. Are we a Caucasian nation? The most common last name is Smith. Are we a nation of Smiths?

THE CONSTITUTION IS BASED ON JUDEO-CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES
Where? Please tell me how this is. Oh, and "Sarah Palin said so" doesn't count.


Of course if we just look at things like the Constitution, the Treaty of Tripoli (1797) and the history of American settlements. I think it's clear enough to see that we are not a Christian nation.

As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion - Art. 11 Treat of Tripoli 1797

Fighting Religious Extremism

This post is of course dedicated to the person who came up with this blog's name, Charles Ritchie.


Everyone is most familiar with Westboro Baptist Church. I imagine they are the most well known extremists groups in the country. The things they say and believe are quite horrible.

So, what should we do about it?


Listen and educate.

People can spend all day trying to convince the members of WBC they're wrong. People can stand around and argue with others like Repent Amarillo or Dove World Outreach Church. But what does that confrontation do? Absolutely nothing. If there is anything I've learned as President of the Secular Student Society, it is a complete waste of time. I saw countless Christians try and argue their postions to Brother Jed and Sister Cindy when there were at TTU last month, but they just kept on preaching.

Educating audiences civilly and peacefully is the best thing anyone can do.

Brother Jed and his accomplices said things that were in the bible about going to hell and repenting, all expected. So in response, a few others and I silently protested their presence. We made signs that talked about other stuff in the bible that's just as weird or cruel as the ideas they were spouting. (Note: They were directed at the preachers for comedic effect).

Rather than arguing with the aggressors, talk to the audience. Tell them your position and listen to theirs; then discuss the aggressor's. I'm not saying they will change their views overnight, but it at least gives them another direction to think in.

Obviously religious extremism isn't going anywhere any time soon and this isn't going to stop Brother Jed or WBC from preaching across the country, but what else can we really do about it?