On the matters of faiths, beliefs, sciences and worldviews.

I never though that the colour gray could be the subject of such lengthy discussion, but everything’s possible if you’re a rationalist. Case in point: The Fallacy of Gray.

My favorite part is this:

If science is based on ‘faith’, then science is of the same kind as religion – directly comparable.  If science is a religion, it is the religion that heals the sick and reveals the secrets of the stars.  It would make sense to say, “The priests of science can blatantly, publicly, verifiably walk on the Moon as a faith-based miracle, and your priests’ faith can’t do the same.”

It seems the theists arguing against things like evolution are so hungry that they want to have their cake and eat it too. That may be a miracle God could have performed (had he existed), but it’s certainly an impossible task for mere humans.

Will you look at that, Ray is giving us another one of his fascinatingly flawed analogies to dissect:

When I was about 8 years old I thought nothing of throwing a stone the full length of our street, just to see how far it would go. My problem was that I didn’t understand that sometimes actions can have serious consequences.

One day I was in a tree-filled empty lot, three doors along from our house. For some reason I threw a stone into the trees. Suddenly I heard the sound of glass breaking, and high-tailed it out of there like a rabbit that had just seen a hungry fox.

A few minutes later, the fox was at our back door. Then I heard my mom call my name, and then ask, “Did you just throw a stone through Mr. Prescott’s window?” I stepped out of my room and said that I had. I can’t remember anything else about the incident, except that my mom has said a number of times how proud she was that I had done the right thing by telling the truth.

When it comes to the issue of sin, we don’t understand that there are deadly serious consequences. We lie, steal, lust, covet, and blaspheme without too much thought. It’s no big deal. But every time we do so, we smash the window of God’s Law and that Law demands retribution. Now He’s waiting for us to do the right thing and ‘fess up. If we refuse to come out in the open we will pay for it ourselves, and there will be Hell to pay.

Ok, so the first three paragraphs are pretty straight-forward. I guess it took a while before Ray grew up to be the kook he is today. The last paragraph, however, is ripe for the picking. First of all, let’s take the issue of consequences. Ray is right to point out that actions have consequences, but speaking of people’s actions in a society, that’s not always true. Ray speaks (as usual) of laws and justice, but neglects to mention that there is such a thing as a “victimless crime”, an action that does not have a reaction towards another person. Drugs, for example, are often said to be a victimless crime, because it doesn’t actually hurt or affect anyone other than yourself. Thankfully, in most societies, the Biblical sins aren’t actually literally illegal, but if they were, most of them would also fit the description of a victimless crime. When I lust after another person, that hurts a grand total of no one. It is an act that doesn’t even have a reaction to any meaningful degree. It might lead me to take another action, such as approaching the person I’m lusting after, but that’s another act altogether. The act of lusting is a victimless crime.

Apparently, according to Ray, God is like some “universal judge” that will sentence all of us for the crimes we commit, supposedly, against him. Not mentioning the fact that this means the judge (who would have to remain impartial in order to be just) is also the victim, this means that not only is God the highest court of justice available (meaning no chance for appeal if you believe you’ve had an unfair trial), but he is also immune against prosecution from anyone else. In essence, God doesn’t have to follow his own laws.

How can all this possibly be called justice? Oh, silly me. You know what? Read the last paragraph again: “But every time we do so, we smash the window of God’s Law and that Law demands retribution.” Here I was talking about justice, when all God wants is revenge and retribution. Would we want judges in our society that cared more about retribution than about justice? If not, why would we ever accept a god that does exactly that?

Ah, another fine winter morning, with the receding mist leaving all of beautiful nature covered in a frosty white veil. And just like the world right now is exceptionally beautiful, so is Ray Comfort showing how exceptionally ugly he can be when he wants to. Yes, it’s that time of the month again: Ray has published another homophobic, bigoted post on God’s judgment of gays.

We can choose to become a pedophile, a fornicator, an adulterer, or a homosexual.

I just don’t know what to say. Ray doesn’t even try to hide it. He’s straight-up, plain-as-day, clearly equating homosexuality with pedophilia.

“Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 9-10).

Notice how this actually says nothing about pedophiles? Apparently, being gay is bad enough to warrant special mention in the Holy Book itself, but raping children isn’t. Yet, Ray is equating one with the other, saying both are abominable sins in the eyes of God. How can he make that statement? Obviously, being gay is much worse than being a pedophile.

After publishing this, and quite expectedly receiving a substantial torrent of comments pointing out his bigotry and “Christ-like” hatred of people who aren’t exactly like him, Ray added a postscript. It reads as follows:

P.s. After reading this post, some have asked if I would endorse the killing of homosexuals–quoting Old Testament verses, from Hebrew civil law. Of course I wouldn’t. Why would I (living in the United States in 2010), advocate the sentence given under the civil law of nation that existed 3,000 years ago?

Pedophiles do have rights. They have the same rights you and I do, and they lack the same rights you and I do. Pedophiles, as disgusting we all think their affliction is, are still people. They have the right to, and deserve, all the help they can get to cope with their problems.

Also, I have a question for those of you who were obviously angered by what I have written. Why have none of you suggested that pedophiles are born that way, and they have rights, etc.? All I have done is given you the biblical perspective, and warned you of who will not enter the Kingdom of God. Again, if I didn’t care, I wouldn’t bother.

Oh, I know you care, Ray. The question isn’t if you care, it’s what you care about. Apparently, you care so much about people around you loving other people that you have to write a blog post specifically to condemn such “sinful” behavior. You care so much that you will compare statutory rape and child abuse with consensual sex between adults, and claim they’re both just as bad. I’m sure the Ku Klux Klan “wouldn’t bother” with the sheets and burning crosses if they also “didn’t care”.

This being the somewhat incendiary topic it is, Ray felt the need to add a second postscript:

P.P.s. Individuals have responded with: “Pedophiles don’t have rights because they are CAUSING HARM. They are harming children. Consenting adults HARM NO ONE. Again, it’s pretty clear cut.” “Said act harms children. End. Of. Story.”

Therefore pedophiles that have pictures of semi-naked young children on their computers are okay? No one is being harmed. Why then is it illegal? The “I was born like it . . . it doesn’t harm anyone” doesn’t cut it in civil court. Neither will it on Judgment Day.

Again, Ray is tripping over himself in his eagerness to portray homosexual men and women as “sinful” and wicked. Again, it’s not a crime merely being a pedophile. If a person had pedophilic tendencies but never acted on them, “I was born like it, it doesn’t harm anyone” is perfectly good defense. It’s so good, there isn’t even a reason to accuse him of anything to begin with. Is Ray suggesting that civil law start punishing thought crimes?

Ray can add all the postscripts he wants. It won’t change the fact that he is a sad, bigoted, hateful joke of a man.

Kent Hovind being in prison doesn’t do much to contain the stupid for which he is famous. Even when he’s taking it easy, his son is busy trying hard to be just as ignorant as his father. Just listen to this:

My apologies for not posting parts 3 and 4 of the eye opening short series with Sye and I…which is exactly what this argument is to the Atheistic world view, Cyanide.

While, I suppose, somewhat originally phrased, this is something that’s been heard for decades now. You can rest assured that atheism isn’t going anywhere, that neither Eric or Kent Hovind, nor anyone else, will present anything remotely like “cyanide to the atheistic worldview”. But thanks for capitalizing Atheism though, even if there’s no reason to…

You see, the only internally consistent worldview is the Christian world view. Every other worldview will implode with an internal critique.

The mindblowing arrogance continues. Does he really believe Christianity is that much different from any other religion based on supernatural beings and events? What’s his basis for making this claim? I am well familiar with the arguments that supposedly prove how “true” or “real” Christianity is, but no one’s ever heard an argument like that that couldn’t be used equally well on _any_ religion. Heck, exposing this fact is the main purpose of the Flying Spaghetti Monster scenario.

Episode #3 of this series deals with science. Did you know that the only way to do science is based on what is known as the “uniformity of nature”. This is the assumption that tomorrow will be like today. However, this is an assumption. What is its basis?

Ok, so the way they’re “proving” Christianity is by attacking science? Has attacking science ever proved any religious point before? Why should it do so now?

And yes, Eric, science does assume that “tomorrow will be like today”. So do you. So does everyone, and they have done so for as long as anyone could reason enough to put forth a thought to that effect.

What he’s also forgetting, of course, is that science also has methods for adjusting to when tomorrow is not like today, which Christianity does not.

His last argument is really the most hilarious, so I’ll do him a favor and print it bold and in large print, just to make sure no one could possibly miss this incredible insight of Eric Hovind’s:

The only world view that can logically make sense of this idea is the Christian world view.

Eric Hovind, “Proof that God exists Part 3“

I do not knock on people’s doors and if I did knock on doors so that I could proselytize against god, it would be considered so incredibly rude as to merit active campaigns against my activities. Moreso than if I were selling cookies, anyway. I do not protest funerals, as do the Westboro Baptists. I do not stone to death adulterers. I don’t bomb abortion clinics or kill abortion doctors. Nor would I rape and kill a family member who was raped. Nor would I murder a person who once held the same views as me but had recently switched sides. Nor would I command the mutilation of a child’s genitals, imposing a covenant on the child without his or her permission. I would not kill, maim, or shame a person for acting on their sexual proclivities. I demand no rites, no tithes, no rituals, no prayers, no profession, no utterance, no submission, no allegiance, no indignity, no dissolution of family bond, no affirmation of permanent commitment, no denial, no cognitive dissonance, no abdication of reason. I demand very little, in fact. Such things are the province of religion.

But I am a militant atheist.

This is just part of a letter RobTheMonk8 has written down, as well as read aloud in a youtube video, but this part struck me. I’ve argued the same thing countless times, but it just never seems to hit home with some people. I know there are people that literally think it’s worse to believe God doesn’t exist, than it is to commit actual crimes. I know, because they’ve told me, straight-up. Being an atheist is bad, in some people’s minds. Why, I honestly don’t know. When reading something like this, I just wonder even more.

When a Christian goes on a killing spree, it might get mentioned that he had a lot of faith or went to church often. Maybe it’ll even be mentioned a couple of times. In the end, however, this fact becomes utterly irrelevant somehow. People just tend to forget about it completely. However, the mere realization by someone that I am a person that does not believe God exists is often times enough to label me “militant”. I’m “militant” because I dare to openly admit to not believing in God. I’m “militant” because I dare to oppose those that do.

Well, gosh darnit, I’m guess I’m militant, then. It has been said that the pen is mightier than the sword, and with the advance of technology, the keyboard must be a regular atom bomb. I guess I’m a soldier in the army of atheists roaming the earth, scaring little old ladies and stealing candy from children. I guess I’m guilty of war crimes, or at least I soon will be, seeing as me having an opinion is now a “war on religion”, and blasphemy will probably be made illegal.

I feel a little like a regular Iraqi citizen, just living my life and thinking that the USA is cool but not nearly as fantastic as they claim, before the Americans dropped a bomb on my house and called me a terrorist. Religion can do good things, of course, but just like with the states, it’s not nearly as fantastic and idyllic as it makes itself out to be. And for no other reason than that I feel that way, I’m labeled “militant”.

I am a militant atheist.