Infidel
April 24, 2008
One November morning in 2004, Theo van Gogh got up to go to work at his film production company in Amsterdam. He took out his old black bicycle and headed down a main road. Waiting in a doorway was a Moroccan man with a handgun and two butcher knives.
As Theo cycled down the Linnaeusstraat, Muhammad Bouyeri approached. He pulled out his gun and shot Theo several times. Theo fell off his bike and lurched across the road, then collapsed. Bouyeri followed. Theo begged, “Can’t we talk about this?” but Bouyeris shot him four more times. Then he took out one of his butcher knives and sawed into Theo’s throat. With the other knife, he stabbed a five-page letter onto Theo’s chest.
The letter was addressed to me.
Whether you a re a person of faith, an agnostic, or an atheist, I highly recommend Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali grew up in Africa (born Somali), the product of a Muslim upbringing, ultimately bravely abandoning her roots and becoming a controversial member of the Dutch parliament. Her story is one of incredibly bravery and an amazing capacity to overcome all obstacles. At the same time, it is a painfully clear indictment of Islamic misogyny, absolutism, intolerance, and the price we all pay for religious beliefs that contribute to insane actions.
Some of her criticisms could just as easily be leveled at any other organized religion, but her critique is certainly most scathing of Islam. But she holds back no punches against the West for failing to address the fundamental conflict between Islam and the West. For example, she faults multiculturalism:
“We in the west would be wrong to prolong the pain [of the transition of Islam to the modern world] by elevating cultures full of bigotry and hatred toward women to the stature of respectable alternative ways of life.
This is not just a critique, however. This is her personal story. It is filled with vivid detail, personal trials, the charming and beautiful moments of adolescence, the tragedy of war and her conflict between faith and reason. It is both tragic and uplifting
I found this book so compelling I am reading it all over again even though I just finished it. This is one of those books which, when you close the final chapter, you ask yourself “what exactly do I have to complain about? Wow …”
I also recommend looking her up on YouTube.
Atheist Blogs Unite!
April 15, 2008
I opened up my email today and received an invite to Social Spark, from the Izea, the people that brought you Bloggers Choice Awards. You can find my account here. If you are a fellow atheist and own a blog, I would encourage you to give this new service a try. It promotes a Stumble like community while allowing you to earn some cash for your blogging effort. Currently, there are only 4 users that have tagged themselves as atheist. Sign up, add me and let’s get our community started!
The absurdity of religion - Part 1.
December 10, 2007
A short, condensed summary of the first part of:
An introduction by Christopher Hitchens to the book: The Portable Atheist.
The pre-history of our species is hag-ridden with episodes of nightmarish episodes of ignorance and calamity, for which religion used to identify, not just the wrong explanation but the wrong culprit. Human sacrifices were made preeminently in times of epidemics, useless prayers were uttered, bogus “miracles” attested to , and scapegoats, like Jews or heretics or witches - hunted down and burned. The few men of science and reason and medicine had all they could do to keep their libraries and labs intact, or their very lives safe from harm. Of course, when the evil had “passed over”, there were equally idiotic ceremonies of hysterical thanksgiving, propitiating whatever local deities may be.
One is usually told, as an unbeliever that it is old fashioned to rail against the primitive stupidities and cruelties of religion because after all, in the enlightened times the old superstitions have died away. Nine times out of ten in debate with a cleric, one will be told not of some dogma or religious certitude but of some instance of charitable or humanitarian work undertaken by a religious person. Our response is to issue a challenge: name an ethical statement made or action performed by a believer that could not have been made a non believer.
Against the insane eschatology with its death wish and its deep contempt for the life of the mind, atheists have always argued that this world is all we have, and that our DUTY is to one another to make the very best of it all. Theism cannot coexist with this unexceptional conclusion.
To be charitable, one may admit that the religion often seem unaware of how insulting their main preposition actually is. Exchange views with a believer even for a short time, and let us make the assumption that this is a mild and decent believer who does not open the bidding by telling you that your unbelief will endanger your soul and condemn you to hell. It will not be long before you are politely asked how you can possibly know right from wrong.
The working assumption is that we have no moral compass if we do don’t somehow in thrall to an unalterable and unchallengeable celestial dictatorship.
Religion was the human race’s first and worst attempt to make sense of reality. It was the best the species could do at a time when we had no concept of physics, chemistry, biology or medicine.
We did not know we lived on a round planet, that the said planet was in orbit in a minor and obscure solar system, which as at the edge of an unimaginably vast cosmos that was exploding away from it’s original source of energy.
We did not know that micro-organisms were so powerful and lived in our digestive systems in order to enable us to live, as well as mounting lethal attacks on us as parasites.
We did not know of our close kinship with other animals. We believed that sprites, imps, demons and djinns were hovering in the air about us.
It has taken us a long time to shake off the heavy blanket of ignorance and fear, and every time we do, there are self-interested forces who want to compel us to cower under it again.
Religion was our first attempt at philosophy, alchemy was our first attempt at chemistry and astrology our first attempt to make sense of the movements of the heavens.
All of these things cater to our inborn stupidity, and our willingness to be persuaded against all evidence that we are indeed the center of the universe and that everything is arranges and created with us with us in mind.
Let us grant the assumption that some “thing” was indeed present at creation and gave the order to let matter explode to let th evolutionary process begin here on the far away little blue planet.
On what authority can he hope to show that the original flying part of matter was set in motion with the object of influencing life on a minute speck of a planet , billions of years later, at the very margins of the whirling nebulae and amid the extinction of innumerable other worlds?
Isn’t id odd that religion, which continually enjoins an almost masochistic modesty upon us in the face of god, should encourage such an extreme and impossible form of self-centerdness and self-regard?
What kind of creator is so wasteful and capricious and approximate? What kind of creator is so cruel and indifferent?
And- most of all: what kind of designer or creator only chooses to reveal himself to semi-stupefied peasants in a remote desert reason?
Not even highly intelligent believers understand the “mind of god”.
The religious person claims to KNOW that this creative force is an intervening one who cares for our human affairs and is interested in what we eat and with whom and how we have sexual relations, as well as in the outcomes pf battles and wars. (Not to mention sporting games).
To be continued.
Cross posted from The Atheist Toolbox.
Parenting Beyond Belief (the book)
November 8, 2007
The Prayer Diet
November 8, 2007
After I had checked the book out of the library I couldn’t wait to get home and read it. For some reason I kept thinking that it was a hoax. Then I got to page 29. The author encourages the reader to recite the following prayer: “I realize that I cannot control my weight and my life. I let go and surrender to your love and care. Thy will be done.” After that he says “Then relax and let God do the rest. You were never in control anyway.” This reminds me of an acquaintance that my husband and I had many years ago. She prayed about everything, even what pies to serve us when we came over for dinner. That makes me sad. Why is it so hard for people to take responsibility? People who think that they are mature enough to have kids, own a home, and make financial decisions can’t think for themselves. Her husband had to come over to our house to play games on our computer because his wife thought that a computer was a waste of time…it should be spent in prayer instead. Wow. I find myself feeling sad for these people. They believe so firmly in God yet they don’t use the brain that God gave them to think for themselves. Ironic, isn’t it? So, if you want a good book to read, don’t read this one. Just my opinion.
Scientology
August 9, 2007
Scientology makes some grandiose claims: “Scientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The Scientology religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. ” - from the official Scientology website.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? They go on to claim that you don’t have to accept ANYTHING on faith, it will ALL be conclusively proven to you.
What they neglect to tell you is that you are not capable of understanding those “fundamental truths” until you have gone through extensive brainwashing training, spent a small fortune on “auditing” and alienated any of your family members who challenge the cult of Scientology.
This article should serve as a jumping-off point for the outsider to take a real look at Scientology. Before you get started, I recommend you check out this video (Not for the faint hearted - there are posthumous photos of some of Scientology’s victims… Click here)
More after the break…
Read more
Interview of Martin Walker
May 23, 2007
AAUPC interviews Martin G Walker. Check out the interview here.
Another lawsuit
May 15, 2007
I was on AOL today and there was an article about some poor little 8th grader who, along with her grandparents, is suing her school over a movie that was shown in class. It was “Brokeback Mountain” and most of us know what that movie is about. Now, as a parent, I can see why this girl and her family are outraged. It was shown by a substitute teacher. It was not on the agenda of the regular teacher and the administration claims that they didn’t know that it was going to be shown. As a parent I would also not want an R rated movie shown to my child without my permission, and there was allegedly none given in this instance. What I am not understanding, though, is the claim that they need $500,000 for pain and suffering as well as emotional stress. The grandparents claim that there was severe psychological harm done to their granddaughter and that they could barely cover her medical expenses. I have had to discuss some things with my 7 year old nephew that were a little uncomfortable. I would hope that these grandparents would be able to sit down with their teen granddaughter and talk about homosexuality and then relate it to their beliefs instead of suing and putting her in therapy. They claim that it is against their religion and that is fine. The grandfather has also complained in the past about cuss words in books that his granddaughter has to read. Again, as a mom I can see why he wouldn’t want his granddaughter around these things,, but once she is in the real world she will hear this stuff everywhere. I think that he should talk with her about these things instead of trying to get rid of it everywhere, especially if he is the only one complaining about it. That is part of our jobs as adults-to teach these children as best as we can before they go into the real world and learn it from someone else. I just hope that by saying that it’s against their religion to watch/read this stuff this family doesn’t take up court time or taxpayer money to get their point across.
Sponsored Post: Take Care
May 13, 2007
As an atheist, I would not normally do a paid review of a product affiliated with any religious organization. However, when I got this offer in my Review Me in box, my curiosity was aroused. The company in question is The Simplify Company and the product is their take Care package. You can find it at http://www.take-care.ca. Read more
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