Not the first or last time you'll hear a story like this

[istences.livejournal.com]

Oh, hi everyone. I know of at least a couple of you by association, if not directly. It's been a long, strange journey for me with religion until I reached this point.

Anyway, I teach biology at a university in Louisiana. Which, as you might imagine, has its moments.

I have this nugget to share today. ---> http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI124870/?56

Observe how people's pointless outrage blinds them from simple comprehension of what they're reading. It does not read "do not believe in God." There's nothing anti-Christian or anti-religion about it; they're advertising a support group! But of course there's nothing remotely unacceptable about posting any propaganda that instructs me to believe, or better, telling me I'm going to hell.

Is everybody's stockpile of marshmallows ready? Because, after all--what's the sense in us caring about what doesn't affect us?

In addition, "who else are they going to believe in?" Perhaps your parents or anybody that has a positive message of strong character, hard work, charity, goodwill and tolerance to share? This, of course, does not require a preacher, but isn't it just easier to outsource some of that responsibility and just tell your kids to not think for themselves? Wait...does this not make them even more susceptible to negative peer pressure? Maybe not; every brain is different, but the logic makes sense to me.

Also, "Big Mama." I might not have laughed because of the nickname, but because it was used in lieu of the woman's actual name in the story. Admit it, you did too!

Comments

[furthling.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking lately about the difference between the rational and the emotional response I feel I should make to people when they flip out over the existence of atheists and start saying stuff.

You know, all the shouting about how you can't have morals if you can't believe in god-- as if nobody's ever heard of utilitarianism or dreamed of any kind universalist ethics aside from playing simon-sez with politically redacted, mistranslated ancient mythology.

There are rational answers to all that of course.

But I think there's reason to respond to the emotional and social aspect of it too. It's hardly an exaggeration to say that the basis of the reaction they have is: trying to defend all the time they've wasted on religion.

And really, need they? Professing faith, even if you don't believe, remains an extremely effective way to trade away (what seems like only a little bit of) your honesty for a whole lot of support and acceptance, with all the vilification of everybody who falls outside your group that goes along with it.

So maybe it's a mistake to think about it as though it were ethics or live-and-let-live or any bigger picture or philosophical problem, for them, at all. In the end atheists are people who aren't willing to pony up the lies it takes to join. They won't get with the program.

Not about a real assessment of somebody else's values, at all.

[istences.livejournal.com]

"It's hardly an exaggeration to say that the basis of the reaction they have is: trying to defend all the time they've wasted on religion."

As a previously religious person, I certainly agree with this statement in principle. I haven't considered such an argument before--it opens up a whole new realm of uncertainty to consider with respect to the psychology of religion.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[senkolke.livejournal.com]

Typical from americans...

[wulfshade.livejournal.com]

They are afraid. For deep within their minds lies the doubt, doubt that they may be wasting their lives for a God that is not real - and thruths like this merely feed that doubt. Anger, a defense mechanism, follows.