Why would god create humans (Adam and Eve) as naturally curious, then plant the bait of a tasty treat in the garden and allow a fast talking serpent in there to entice the curious humans?
Imagine putting a box in a daycare where dozens of children play. The box is marked "candy". It has no lock. Inside is an angry King Cobra snake. The daycare provider tells the children not to open the box, but doesn't specify the consequences or dire dangers. Then he leaves the room and leaves the door open for a predator to come in and suggest that the children should open the box because there's candy inside.
Were the children given a fair chance? God punished all humanity for all eternity for one person's finite crime. That would be like a child being bitten by the Cobra and the daycare provider unleashing the Cobra on family members of the bitten child for generations to come. This god is pure evil. We're all damn lucky he doesn't exist.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Genesis, the early years
1) In the beginning God created heaven and earth. Earth was just a formless, dark, giant marble at that point. Then he said let there be light, and went on to divide the light and darkness to make day and night.
If there was no light in the beginning, wouldn’t there be darkness? Darkness is just the absence of light. How is light and dark divided? In what way would it have been homogeneous before it was divided?
And earth was created before any stars? Not in my universe. The current estimate of the age of the Sun is 30 million years older than the Earth.
2) Then god created the firmament, a solid dome that surrounds the earth, holds the stars in place, and separates heaven and earth.
Do I even have to comment on this one?
3) Then god put water on the earth and called it the sea and where there was no sea, he called it land. On that same day, he then created grass, herbs, and fruit bearing trees.
These forms of vegetation use photosynthesis as their method of energy production. Life was on Earth for upwards of a billion years before photosynthesis began. These earlier forms of life would ultimately be killed in droves by the toxic oxygen the photosynthesizing plants would create. That period is called the oxygen crisis. But those earlier life forms shouldn't worry about photosynthesizing lifeforms because god hasn’t even created the sun yet.
4) On the fourth day, god placed lights in the firmament to provide light, divide day from night, and to identify seasons and years. The bible then says, in addition to dividing day from night, the lights separate light from darkness.
I thought light was already separated from darkness on the first day. Doesn’t this book have an editor? Lights were placed in the firmament (the solid dome that rotates around the stationary Earth) so we are able to tell what the date is? This vast and incredible universe full of stars emanating light that has been in transit to us for billions of years was put in place just so humans can tell when labour day is? And what of this visible light? If it is to be visible for Adam, who will be here in two short days, god will have to create the light on route from the stars, otherwise Adam won’t see them for a long, long time.
5) Then he created moving water creatures, including whales, and he created birds.
It’s interesting that whales are mentioned, as they are evolved from land animals, which haven’t been created yet, as with birds also.
6) Then he created land creatures, everything that creepeth upon the earth. Finally he created man, a special kind of beast, created in god’s own image. And god gave man dominion over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Man has dominion over everything that move on the earth? What about bacteria, another one of god’s lovely creatures he just created. Did man have dominion over bacteria during the black plague which killed 30% to 60% of the population of Europe? Here’s a better question: why doesn’t the bible even mention bacteria?
Man was made in god’s image? This is a throwback from religions anthropomorphising their gods. Zeus looked like a man, Baal looked like a man, etcetera. The author believed god looked like us. This is confirmed in Genesis 18 when god hangs out with Abraham in his tent. Eventually god would evolve into a burning bush, but would ultimately turn back into a man for the Christians.
7) And on the seventh day, god rested.
Even god deserves a day off. So, on the seventh day, god completely ignored Adam. Adam’s prayers would not have been answered, he would not have been taken care of. I wonder if god does that every week.
If there was no light in the beginning, wouldn’t there be darkness? Darkness is just the absence of light. How is light and dark divided? In what way would it have been homogeneous before it was divided?
And earth was created before any stars? Not in my universe. The current estimate of the age of the Sun is 30 million years older than the Earth.
2) Then god created the firmament, a solid dome that surrounds the earth, holds the stars in place, and separates heaven and earth.
Do I even have to comment on this one?
3) Then god put water on the earth and called it the sea and where there was no sea, he called it land. On that same day, he then created grass, herbs, and fruit bearing trees.
These forms of vegetation use photosynthesis as their method of energy production. Life was on Earth for upwards of a billion years before photosynthesis began. These earlier forms of life would ultimately be killed in droves by the toxic oxygen the photosynthesizing plants would create. That period is called the oxygen crisis. But those earlier life forms shouldn't worry about photosynthesizing lifeforms because god hasn’t even created the sun yet.
4) On the fourth day, god placed lights in the firmament to provide light, divide day from night, and to identify seasons and years. The bible then says, in addition to dividing day from night, the lights separate light from darkness.
I thought light was already separated from darkness on the first day. Doesn’t this book have an editor? Lights were placed in the firmament (the solid dome that rotates around the stationary Earth) so we are able to tell what the date is? This vast and incredible universe full of stars emanating light that has been in transit to us for billions of years was put in place just so humans can tell when labour day is? And what of this visible light? If it is to be visible for Adam, who will be here in two short days, god will have to create the light on route from the stars, otherwise Adam won’t see them for a long, long time.
5) Then he created moving water creatures, including whales, and he created birds.
It’s interesting that whales are mentioned, as they are evolved from land animals, which haven’t been created yet, as with birds also.
6) Then he created land creatures, everything that creepeth upon the earth. Finally he created man, a special kind of beast, created in god’s own image. And god gave man dominion over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Man has dominion over everything that move on the earth? What about bacteria, another one of god’s lovely creatures he just created. Did man have dominion over bacteria during the black plague which killed 30% to 60% of the population of Europe? Here’s a better question: why doesn’t the bible even mention bacteria?
Man was made in god’s image? This is a throwback from religions anthropomorphising their gods. Zeus looked like a man, Baal looked like a man, etcetera. The author believed god looked like us. This is confirmed in Genesis 18 when god hangs out with Abraham in his tent. Eventually god would evolve into a burning bush, but would ultimately turn back into a man for the Christians.
7) And on the seventh day, god rested.
Even god deserves a day off. So, on the seventh day, god completely ignored Adam. Adam’s prayers would not have been answered, he would not have been taken care of. I wonder if god does that every week.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
atheist bus
I was talking to a religious friend about the atheist bus ads. She thought it was strange that atheists would feel the need to do something like that. I gave her my thoughts on it, and I do welcome comments on this if you think otherwise:
For almost the entire history of humanity, it has been unacceptable to express these thoughts, and still is unacceptable in many parts of the world to the extent that it is punishable by death. In much of the rest of the world, your best hope is to be ostracised and disowned by your family, friends, and community for expressing doubt about the existence of whichever God they happen to believe in.
The atheist bus ads are an effort, not to convert, but to let people know that these thoughts are acceptable. If you have these thoughts, it is okay to express them openly without fear. The buses advertise the fact that we are not alone, there is a growing community of us and we don't have to feel socially isolated. Consider gay pride parades. I've heard many heterosexuals ask why "those people" have to flaunt it out on the street. It is about advertising the fact that despite both groups having been historically marginalized, we're here, we're out in the open, and we're not going away. The strengthening of the gay community has served many positive ends, including the protection of rights. That's something that many religious people don't think about. When someone is fired from their job for being homosexual or atheist, it is something we must stop. When people are discriminated against, it must be fought. We are fighting to bring our group to the forefront of the mainstream for our social wellbeing as well as for our protection.
For almost the entire history of humanity, it has been unacceptable to express these thoughts, and still is unacceptable in many parts of the world to the extent that it is punishable by death. In much of the rest of the world, your best hope is to be ostracised and disowned by your family, friends, and community for expressing doubt about the existence of whichever God they happen to believe in.
The atheist bus ads are an effort, not to convert, but to let people know that these thoughts are acceptable. If you have these thoughts, it is okay to express them openly without fear. The buses advertise the fact that we are not alone, there is a growing community of us and we don't have to feel socially isolated. Consider gay pride parades. I've heard many heterosexuals ask why "those people" have to flaunt it out on the street. It is about advertising the fact that despite both groups having been historically marginalized, we're here, we're out in the open, and we're not going away. The strengthening of the gay community has served many positive ends, including the protection of rights. That's something that many religious people don't think about. When someone is fired from their job for being homosexual or atheist, it is something we must stop. When people are discriminated against, it must be fought. We are fighting to bring our group to the forefront of the mainstream for our social wellbeing as well as for our protection.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Christianity vs. Slavery
Many Christians believe that the Bible served as inspiration for abolishing slavery. It is true that God was displeased with the Egyptians keeping his chosen people as slaves. So displeased that God decided to “harden [Pharaoh’s] heart so that he will not let the people go” (Exodus 4:21), so as to provide a reason for God to execute the young innocent Egyptian children to satisfy his crazed blood lust.
But was God against the slavery of non-Jews? “Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.” (Leviticus 25:44) “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.” (Ephesians 6:5) "Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh." (1 Peter 2:18) Set the value of a male between the ages of twenty and sixty at fifty shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel and if it is a female, set her value at thirty shekels. If it is a person between the ages of five and twenty, set the value of a male at twenty shekels and of a female at ten shekels. If it is a person between one month and five years, set the value of a male at five shekels of silver and that of a female at three shekels of silver. (Leviticus 27:3-6)
Wow, I can buy a female infant for 3 shekels of silver. What a bargain. But the bible doesn’t seem to have the foresight to consider rates of inflation. In today’s market, I wouldn’t sell my infant son for less than 20,000 shekels of silver.
There is no verse in the New and Old Testaments that objects to the practice of the slavery of non-believers. Just try to avoid enslaving Jews and you’ll be okay. God doesn’t give a damn about anyone other than his chosen people because he’s a tribal god. Just think, if Moses wanted to enslave your twelve year old daughter for unsavoury duties, God would be just fine with that as long a Moses paid the ten shekels of silver. But if you tried to enslave Moses, God would kill the firstborn child of every person he associates with you and your tribe. God sure does love his chosen people.
But was God against the slavery of non-Jews? “Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.” (Leviticus 25:44) “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.” (Ephesians 6:5) "Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh." (1 Peter 2:18) Set the value of a male between the ages of twenty and sixty at fifty shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel and if it is a female, set her value at thirty shekels. If it is a person between the ages of five and twenty, set the value of a male at twenty shekels and of a female at ten shekels. If it is a person between one month and five years, set the value of a male at five shekels of silver and that of a female at three shekels of silver. (Leviticus 27:3-6)
Wow, I can buy a female infant for 3 shekels of silver. What a bargain. But the bible doesn’t seem to have the foresight to consider rates of inflation. In today’s market, I wouldn’t sell my infant son for less than 20,000 shekels of silver.
There is no verse in the New and Old Testaments that objects to the practice of the slavery of non-believers. Just try to avoid enslaving Jews and you’ll be okay. God doesn’t give a damn about anyone other than his chosen people because he’s a tribal god. Just think, if Moses wanted to enslave your twelve year old daughter for unsavoury duties, God would be just fine with that as long a Moses paid the ten shekels of silver. But if you tried to enslave Moses, God would kill the firstborn child of every person he associates with you and your tribe. God sure does love his chosen people.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Genocide, Infanticide, and all the fun stuff
Why did God create anyone other than his chosen people? Why would he create people that he hated and would ultimately command be destroyed? Being omnipotent and omnipresent, he knew those other people would be an annoyance to him. Perhaps he created them as cannon fodder for his own amusement. Like the child that sets up his green army men only to be shot down with his slingshot, God created the heathens so he could have someone to smite.
“Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys." (1 Samuel 15:3)
"And when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them; then you must utterly destroy them; you shall make no covenant with them, and show no mercy to them." (Deuteronomy 7:2)"So Joshua smote the whole land; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded." (Joshua 10:40)
“And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.” (Exodus 11:5) I’m sure the child of the maidservant was the mastermind of the whole crime. That dirt poor young child deserved what he got, but what the heck did the beasts have to do with it?
“Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.” (Numbers 31:17-18) Now, what do you suppose Moses is going to do with those virgins? The number is actually thirty-two-thousand virgins (Numbers 31:35). Will the virgins be forced to darn socks, vacuum, cook and clean? What else could an invading army bent on violence and destruction do with thirty-two-thousand virgins?
“Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys." (1 Samuel 15:3)
"And when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them; then you must utterly destroy them; you shall make no covenant with them, and show no mercy to them." (Deuteronomy 7:2)"So Joshua smote the whole land; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded." (Joshua 10:40)
“And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.” (Exodus 11:5) I’m sure the child of the maidservant was the mastermind of the whole crime. That dirt poor young child deserved what he got, but what the heck did the beasts have to do with it?
“Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.” (Numbers 31:17-18) Now, what do you suppose Moses is going to do with those virgins? The number is actually thirty-two-thousand virgins (Numbers 31:35). Will the virgins be forced to darn socks, vacuum, cook and clean? What else could an invading army bent on violence and destruction do with thirty-two-thousand virgins?
Originality of the Ten Commandments
Some of those commandments sound pretty familiar. Were could I have heard them before? Could it be the Code of Hammurabi, created circa 1760 BC. It’s got some pretty similar rules, 282 in all.
The bulk of the Torah was likely completed by the end of the Babylonian captivity (537 BC) with elements dating back to between the 10th and 6th centuries BC. But even if we use the Bible’s own account of the birth of Moses on 7 Adar 2368 (Feb – Mar 1391 BC), the code of Hammurabi still outdates the bible and its commandments written in stone by some 400 years.
Perhaps we should consider earlier sources of law. What about the code of Ur-Nammu (2100 – 2050 BC).
1. If a man commits a murder, that man must be killed.
There it is on the top of the list. God wouldn’t plagiarize, would he?
And the oldest example of legal code in recorded history, Urukagina, dates back to 2380 BC. In it, widows and orphans were exempted from paying taxes, the city was required to pay for funeral expenses, and the rich were banned from forcing the poor to sell against their wishes. It limited the power of the priesthood, took measures against usury and hunger, and and sought to establish higher levels of equality.
Based on the Bible’s own chronology, this was just before the time of the birth of Noah’s son Shem. This would have been before the flood that killed everyone except for Noah and his family. Yes, it is quite obvious why God would find the creator of Urukagina’s code of law so vile that he would wipe him from the face of the earth while leaving Noah to get pissed drunk on wine and run around naked (genesis 9:21) and upon learning that his son saw him in his naked drunken stupor, cursed his son and his son’s descendants to an eternity of slavery. Great guy. Good decision God.
The bulk of the Torah was likely completed by the end of the Babylonian captivity (537 BC) with elements dating back to between the 10th and 6th centuries BC. But even if we use the Bible’s own account of the birth of Moses on 7 Adar 2368 (Feb – Mar 1391 BC), the code of Hammurabi still outdates the bible and its commandments written in stone by some 400 years.
Perhaps we should consider earlier sources of law. What about the code of Ur-Nammu (2100 – 2050 BC).
1. If a man commits a murder, that man must be killed.
There it is on the top of the list. God wouldn’t plagiarize, would he?
And the oldest example of legal code in recorded history, Urukagina, dates back to 2380 BC. In it, widows and orphans were exempted from paying taxes, the city was required to pay for funeral expenses, and the rich were banned from forcing the poor to sell against their wishes. It limited the power of the priesthood, took measures against usury and hunger, and and sought to establish higher levels of equality.
Based on the Bible’s own chronology, this was just before the time of the birth of Noah’s son Shem. This would have been before the flood that killed everyone except for Noah and his family. Yes, it is quite obvious why God would find the creator of Urukagina’s code of law so vile that he would wipe him from the face of the earth while leaving Noah to get pissed drunk on wine and run around naked (genesis 9:21) and upon learning that his son saw him in his naked drunken stupor, cursed his son and his son’s descendants to an eternity of slavery. Great guy. Good decision God.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Ten Commandments
Mankind needed a set of rules to keep them in line, so God wrote down everything we would ever need to be good and moral citizens. Sure, he left out a few important ones, like anti-slavery laws, women's voting rights, anti-child abuse laws, but what do those matter when you've got "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy".
I do like the no murdering, no steeling rules, and no bearing false witness rules. I'll even look the other way regarding the Bible's acceptance and glorification of the ruthless murder of and plundering from rival tribes. But what of the other rules on the tablets?
1) You shall have no other Gods before me: So practicing Hinduism is immoral and offensive to this God. That’s about a billion people right there that are on their way to Hell through no fault of their own.
2) You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Many religions do this, including Christianity. Who is that likeness of above the pulpit in church? You know, the guy on the cross. How is that not an idol? Let’s continue: You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,: So if my great-grandfather worshiped an idol, God will punish me and all the generations of family between, regardless of my guilt or innocence. Sounds perfectly reasonable.
3) You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God: I guess naming my dog ‘God’ was a bad idea. For an omnibenevolent god, he sure does get upset easily.
4) Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns: I have yet to find a mall that isn’t open on Sunday. But working in retail is like hell on earth anyway, so they won’t be able to tell the difference when God smites them for their sinful ways of trying to pay their bills and put food on their table.
5) Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you: That’s a nice idea in many cases, but there are many parents that are not deserving of respect. If parents observe God’s rule outlined in Deuteronomy 21:18-21 and stone unruly children to death, I’d say they are not very deserving of honour.
7) You shall not commit adultery: A nice idea in principle, but like the one about honouring your folks, there are many exceptions. Consider Deuteronomy 22:28-29, which requires a man who rapes an unmarried girl to pay her father fifty shekels of silver and then marry the poor girl. I don't think it's fair of God to require this woman to honour marriage vows to a depraved deviant like this. Also, there being multiple male characters in the bible with two or more wives, it seems the rule is meant only to apply to women. If applied only to women, this rule is strictly a tool of oppression.
10) Neither shall you covet your neighbour’s wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbour’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour: I wasn’t aware that one’s desire was subject to the will. I do not decide what I desire. I cannot snap my fingers and instantly desire my neighbour's brussels sprouts if I don't like brussels sprouts, and likewise, I cannot cease my desire of my neighbour's brussels sprouts if I happen to like brussels sprouts. Stealing the brussels sprouts is another story, but stealing is covered in commandment eight. This has nothing to do with stealing and everything to do with desiring. Also, this rule is clearly directed at males. It does not command women not to covet their neighbour's husbands. It speaks directly to men and commands them not to desire their male neighbour's property, including wives. This rule sets us up for failure. I would expect an all knowing God to think these rules through a little more thoroughly.
I do like the no murdering, no steeling rules, and no bearing false witness rules. I'll even look the other way regarding the Bible's acceptance and glorification of the ruthless murder of and plundering from rival tribes. But what of the other rules on the tablets?
1) You shall have no other Gods before me: So practicing Hinduism is immoral and offensive to this God. That’s about a billion people right there that are on their way to Hell through no fault of their own.
2) You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Many religions do this, including Christianity. Who is that likeness of above the pulpit in church? You know, the guy on the cross. How is that not an idol? Let’s continue: You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,: So if my great-grandfather worshiped an idol, God will punish me and all the generations of family between, regardless of my guilt or innocence. Sounds perfectly reasonable.
3) You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God: I guess naming my dog ‘God’ was a bad idea. For an omnibenevolent god, he sure does get upset easily.
4) Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns: I have yet to find a mall that isn’t open on Sunday. But working in retail is like hell on earth anyway, so they won’t be able to tell the difference when God smites them for their sinful ways of trying to pay their bills and put food on their table.
5) Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you: That’s a nice idea in many cases, but there are many parents that are not deserving of respect. If parents observe God’s rule outlined in Deuteronomy 21:18-21 and stone unruly children to death, I’d say they are not very deserving of honour.
7) You shall not commit adultery: A nice idea in principle, but like the one about honouring your folks, there are many exceptions. Consider Deuteronomy 22:28-29, which requires a man who rapes an unmarried girl to pay her father fifty shekels of silver and then marry the poor girl. I don't think it's fair of God to require this woman to honour marriage vows to a depraved deviant like this. Also, there being multiple male characters in the bible with two or more wives, it seems the rule is meant only to apply to women. If applied only to women, this rule is strictly a tool of oppression.
10) Neither shall you covet your neighbour’s wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbour’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour: I wasn’t aware that one’s desire was subject to the will. I do not decide what I desire. I cannot snap my fingers and instantly desire my neighbour's brussels sprouts if I don't like brussels sprouts, and likewise, I cannot cease my desire of my neighbour's brussels sprouts if I happen to like brussels sprouts. Stealing the brussels sprouts is another story, but stealing is covered in commandment eight. This has nothing to do with stealing and everything to do with desiring. Also, this rule is clearly directed at males. It does not command women not to covet their neighbour's husbands. It speaks directly to men and commands them not to desire their male neighbour's property, including wives. This rule sets us up for failure. I would expect an all knowing God to think these rules through a little more thoroughly.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Prayer works
To those who believe prayer works, ask yourself this:
If you are asking for something just and noble like curing your child of a terrible ailment, why do you have to ask? If God is good, loving and just, would he not do the just and noble thing regardless of whether or not He's asked?
If you ask for something that is not noble and just, isn't it likely that he won't grant it? Does God really care if you have a Mercedes or other forms of "bling"? If God will do the just and noble thing without being asked and he will not grant frivolous wishes, despite being asked, why would you ever bother asking for anything?
If you ask for something on a grander scale than a personal health goal, like reversing global warming or safeguarding a near extinct species, do you think prayer will work? Or do you think that God will leave that up to the actions of humans? If you believe it is up to humans, why do you believe that curing the ailment of one individual is the responsibility of God? Does the hard work of doctors, chemists, and lab technicians play no role? If it plays no role, why do you ever consult a doctor about anything? If it does play a role, to what degree? Before antibiotics, people lived in a world where you could die if you cut yourself shaving. God was prayed to in that world. Thousands of years after creating humans, did God only recently decide that antibiotics would be a good thing for humans to have, or did it have a little something to do with human ingenuity. (a slight tangent here: God created bacteria. Are we angering Him by circumventing his will with antibiotics?)
How long do you think prayer is effective for? You can ask for a child's cancer to go into remission so they can have a long and fruitful life. You can ask again when the child becomes an adult and the cancer comes back. You can ask again when this person is elderly. But is there an age when God stops listening to your prayers. If you keep asking for life, will God grant it. Can this method carry you to age 400? Why does it seem that God stops listening to U.S. citizens at age 78 and citizens of India at age 64? Is is possible that average life spans by country have something to do with availability of modern medical treatment, sanitation, and access to adequate nutrition? Or perhaps it's because Americans pray harder than Indians. What about medieval Europe? The average lifespan was 20-30 years. Is the reason for longer lives around the world today because of, in addition to incredible advancements in medical science, advancements in the efficacy of prayer? Seriously ask yourself if prayer has increased our lifespan.
When you form prayer groups, do you really believe there is power in numbers? What numbers are most powerful? If 39 people ask God to heal little Timmy's cancer, does God say, "sorry, no can do...cancer carries a minimum of 40 people". What if you have a thousand people in your group? Are humans able to browbeat God into doing something he might not otherwise do? If I can gather three billion people to ask God to give me the power to turn lead into gold, do you believe it will happen?
What if God orchestrated a plan that included you dying of heart disease at age 43 (which of course has everything to do with God's plan and nothing to do with the tons of fried food you eat). Months before the event, your doctor tells you that you have months to live, so you start praying. What are you asking for? You are asking God to alter his plan. Your death at 43 will have profound effects on your family, your friends, your workplace. Perhaps your now vacant rent controlled apartment prevents a young family from being homeless. Perhaps one of your children will be so moved by your death that he or she will dedicate their life to, and ultimately discover a cure for heart disease. Perhaps if you were allowed to live to 44, you'd get into a car accident that will kill the person that would have become the world leader to finally bring world peace about. If God has decided you should die, do you really think you can change his mind? He has weighed and measured every action your life will have on the world for a millennium to come and he has made his decision. What use do you think it is to ask him to rethink it?
If you believe in the common concept of a loving and just God that intervenes in human affairs for our benefit, then you must believe that prayer is totally ineffective. Stop praying and start doing. Stop praying for cancer to go away and start raising money for cancer research. Realize that humans are responsible for the shape of our modern world and that our actions, not our private thoughts to an invisible sky fairy, will form our future.
If you are asking for something just and noble like curing your child of a terrible ailment, why do you have to ask? If God is good, loving and just, would he not do the just and noble thing regardless of whether or not He's asked?
If you ask for something that is not noble and just, isn't it likely that he won't grant it? Does God really care if you have a Mercedes or other forms of "bling"? If God will do the just and noble thing without being asked and he will not grant frivolous wishes, despite being asked, why would you ever bother asking for anything?
If you ask for something on a grander scale than a personal health goal, like reversing global warming or safeguarding a near extinct species, do you think prayer will work? Or do you think that God will leave that up to the actions of humans? If you believe it is up to humans, why do you believe that curing the ailment of one individual is the responsibility of God? Does the hard work of doctors, chemists, and lab technicians play no role? If it plays no role, why do you ever consult a doctor about anything? If it does play a role, to what degree? Before antibiotics, people lived in a world where you could die if you cut yourself shaving. God was prayed to in that world. Thousands of years after creating humans, did God only recently decide that antibiotics would be a good thing for humans to have, or did it have a little something to do with human ingenuity. (a slight tangent here: God created bacteria. Are we angering Him by circumventing his will with antibiotics?)
How long do you think prayer is effective for? You can ask for a child's cancer to go into remission so they can have a long and fruitful life. You can ask again when the child becomes an adult and the cancer comes back. You can ask again when this person is elderly. But is there an age when God stops listening to your prayers. If you keep asking for life, will God grant it. Can this method carry you to age 400? Why does it seem that God stops listening to U.S. citizens at age 78 and citizens of India at age 64? Is is possible that average life spans by country have something to do with availability of modern medical treatment, sanitation, and access to adequate nutrition? Or perhaps it's because Americans pray harder than Indians. What about medieval Europe? The average lifespan was 20-30 years. Is the reason for longer lives around the world today because of, in addition to incredible advancements in medical science, advancements in the efficacy of prayer? Seriously ask yourself if prayer has increased our lifespan.
When you form prayer groups, do you really believe there is power in numbers? What numbers are most powerful? If 39 people ask God to heal little Timmy's cancer, does God say, "sorry, no can do...cancer carries a minimum of 40 people". What if you have a thousand people in your group? Are humans able to browbeat God into doing something he might not otherwise do? If I can gather three billion people to ask God to give me the power to turn lead into gold, do you believe it will happen?
What if God orchestrated a plan that included you dying of heart disease at age 43 (which of course has everything to do with God's plan and nothing to do with the tons of fried food you eat). Months before the event, your doctor tells you that you have months to live, so you start praying. What are you asking for? You are asking God to alter his plan. Your death at 43 will have profound effects on your family, your friends, your workplace. Perhaps your now vacant rent controlled apartment prevents a young family from being homeless. Perhaps one of your children will be so moved by your death that he or she will dedicate their life to, and ultimately discover a cure for heart disease. Perhaps if you were allowed to live to 44, you'd get into a car accident that will kill the person that would have become the world leader to finally bring world peace about. If God has decided you should die, do you really think you can change his mind? He has weighed and measured every action your life will have on the world for a millennium to come and he has made his decision. What use do you think it is to ask him to rethink it?
If you believe in the common concept of a loving and just God that intervenes in human affairs for our benefit, then you must believe that prayer is totally ineffective. Stop praying and start doing. Stop praying for cancer to go away and start raising money for cancer research. Realize that humans are responsible for the shape of our modern world and that our actions, not our private thoughts to an invisible sky fairy, will form our future.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
A note on faith
When you have no evidence for what you believe, you say you have faith. You proclaim it proudly, hands on hips, eyebrows raised in smug triumph because you feel you have delivered a decisive blow to my argument. But consider this;
I have a deadly disease that the entire medical community agrees there is currently no cure for. My doctor pulls a pill from his pocket that looks curiously like an old gumball with a slight dusting of pocket lint. He tells me it is the answer to my prayers, the cure for my disease. "But doctor, every other doctor I spoken to, as well as every piece of research I have read, tells me that there is no cure". He tells me that he had an inner-revelation that this gumball was transformed into the cure and that I only need to have faith. "But doctor, what about clinical trials, peer reviewed medical journals, the scientific process?" He told me he could offer me no evidence, only his faith. He claimed to have captured an invisible fairy in his sock drawer and it was her fairy dust that transformed the gumball into the cure. Unfortunately, the fairy is invisible, so there is no evidence to be had in the sock drawer. I suggest doing some tests on the gumball, so perhaps it can be replicated and others can be saved. He told me that testing it would be tantamount to questioning his faith and that would render the gumball useless. So, my desperate fear of death gave way to a reluctant faith in the doctor's unverifiable claims, and I swallowed the gumball.
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Is it good to believe something when there is no evidence of its effect, efficacy, or existence? Consider this quote from Martin Luther. "Reason is the Devil's harlot, who can do nought but slander and harm whatever God says and does".
I have a deadly disease that the entire medical community agrees there is currently no cure for. My doctor pulls a pill from his pocket that looks curiously like an old gumball with a slight dusting of pocket lint. He tells me it is the answer to my prayers, the cure for my disease. "But doctor, every other doctor I spoken to, as well as every piece of research I have read, tells me that there is no cure". He tells me that he had an inner-revelation that this gumball was transformed into the cure and that I only need to have faith. "But doctor, what about clinical trials, peer reviewed medical journals, the scientific process?" He told me he could offer me no evidence, only his faith. He claimed to have captured an invisible fairy in his sock drawer and it was her fairy dust that transformed the gumball into the cure. Unfortunately, the fairy is invisible, so there is no evidence to be had in the sock drawer. I suggest doing some tests on the gumball, so perhaps it can be replicated and others can be saved. He told me that testing it would be tantamount to questioning his faith and that would render the gumball useless. So, my desperate fear of death gave way to a reluctant faith in the doctor's unverifiable claims, and I swallowed the gumball.
----------------------------
Is it good to believe something when there is no evidence of its effect, efficacy, or existence? Consider this quote from Martin Luther. "Reason is the Devil's harlot, who can do nought but slander and harm whatever God says and does".
Evolution is just a theory
The theory of evolution is just a theory, it's not a fact. That is why I do not trust it. The theory of gravitation is likewise just a theory. If I hold my pen above the ground and let go, there will be the occasional time that it will just hang there in the air. The germ theory of disease is another theory. That's why I don't mind when fast food cooks go to the bathroom and don't wash their hands.
When people question evolution, why don't they question the germ theory of disease? Germs are not mentioned anywhere in the bible. "Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground" (Genesis 1:28). We do not rule over bacteria. If anything, they rule over us. It is only very recent in human history that we have any method for fighting them and in response, they are changing (evolving, which can't really be happening because evolution doesn't exist) to be able to resist our defences. If there is a being that is chosen or favoured by God, it would have to be bacteria. The bible does not confirm that. Therefore bacteria does not exist and the germ theory of disease is as incorrect as the theory of evolution.
When people question evolution, why don't they question the germ theory of disease? Germs are not mentioned anywhere in the bible. "Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground" (Genesis 1:28). We do not rule over bacteria. If anything, they rule over us. It is only very recent in human history that we have any method for fighting them and in response, they are changing (evolving, which can't really be happening because evolution doesn't exist) to be able to resist our defences. If there is a being that is chosen or favoured by God, it would have to be bacteria. The bible does not confirm that. Therefore bacteria does not exist and the germ theory of disease is as incorrect as the theory of evolution.
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