Scott's Case Files

Happy HumanLight!

What the heck is HumanLight, you ask?  So did I.  It's basically a humanist/atheist holiday to celebrate humanistic values.  Why celebrate yet a whole new holiday today?

From what I understand it HumanLight was invented for several reasons.  First, as Dawnkins has noted, a thing that atheism lacks over religion is a sense of community, ceremony, and tradition.  With exceptions, atheists don't really gather together in one place and talk day after day about why we don't believe in gods.  HumanLight is a first step to providing that sense of community as the atheist/humanist community itself grows.  Second, some Christians feel that there are some who are trying to "steal Christmas" from them.  Well, go ahead and wish me a merry Christmas - I'll gladly wish you one back.  Celebrating HumanLight and creating its own tradition steps on fewer toes.

Why the 25th?  Western culture celebrates on this day in one religious sense or another.  HumanLight is simply a way for those who don't worship to truly celebrate the season.

I did not actively celebrate HumanLight this year, but maybe next.  We'll see.  Until then, happy HumanLight, merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy Kwanzaa to all...and to all a good night.

But He Loves You...

For all the crap that I give Christianity, Christians that I know by and large are good, caring people.  They want to see the good in people and things and I admire that.  It's their illogical religious beliefs that get to me...really irk me.  The Christian god is not a caring and loving one and they just don't see it.  An old friend of mine recently made a post on their blog about god and a few things concerning it and I really had something to say.  It has been requested (a request that I have honored) that I neither comment on nor link to their blog, so I will do neither.

This, however, is my blog and I can post what I please here.

They start out asking some hard questions about the idea of The Fall (that's part of Genesis - Adam and Eve - for those who are not familiar) and if god was omniscient and knew that Man would fail why would it then put the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil out there?  Why do something that would lead to the suffering of its creations?

The answer, the blogger feels, is out of love.  The crux of the rest of the post is that god wanted to be loved by people who knew what love was and who loved it because they wanted to.  How can one know love without hate?  Light without dark?  Burger King without McDs?  They go on to note that they would not know how to deal with the idea that their spouse loved them because they were "brainwashed, or coerced, or tricked, or manipulated into loving" them.  I'd have to agree and it wouldn't be love if someone was forced or intimidated or threatened to love me or else - that's not love at all.

The kicker is that the Christian god created a place of ultimate and eternal suffering where people go when they don't love it - a place where pain and separation are indescribable with mere human words.  Given that there is no worse pain or punishment than hell, is this not the ultimate in brainwashing, coercion, and manipulation for humanity to love this god?  Where would Christianity be today without its cherished hell?

I think George Carlin says it best (for the full text version of the Carlin rant go HERE)...

Suck It Jesus

Oftentimes I am asked what holiday, if any, I celebrate at this general time of year.  I tell them that I do celebrate Christmas to which those of a Christian bent immediately exclaim, "Aha!"  In the face of their glee that I have been caught up in an Atheistic hypocrisy, I explain to them at a metered pace that Santa is the center of my holiday celebration...not some fictitious man-god.

The Christmas holiday is about decorating trees, eating cookies in the shape of snowmen, exchanging gifts, drinking nog (oh nog, how I love thee!), going out of your way to do something nice for others, watching those animated specials from the '70s, and getting ready for the new year.

Sadly, the "War on Christmas" is nothing new to us.  You have some Christians who want to keep the holiday completely associated with the Biblical birth of their Christ and then you have the rest of us who see that the holiday is so separated from the religious celebration and will continue to be so that it's silly to really even argue it.

I found a list of why Jesus is better than Santa Claus.  We might as well discuss why the Tooth Fairy is better than a unicorn.  If I was to make up such a list it would only need one entry to show why Santa is the superior fictional being:

Jesus' main message is, "Love me or else." 
Santa's only message is, "Be good to others."

Pastafarianistic Thoughts From An Atheist

Though I am not a Pastafarian (a worshipper of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, for those uninformed in such things) I do see some merit with the Eight "I'd Really Rather You Didn'ts."  And I think the holidays coming up are a good time to follow them, given that this time of year has the highest suicide rate and that something inevitably messes up that feeling of hope for humanity that I experience once a year.

So, without further ado, the Eight "I'd Really Rather You Didn'ts":

1. I'd really rather you didn't act like a sanctimonious holier-than-thou ass when describing my noodly goodness. If some people don't believe in me, that's okay. Really, I'm not that vain. Besides, this isn't about them so don't change the subject.
2. I'd really rather you didn't use my existence as a means to oppress, subjugate, punish, eviscerate, and/or, you know, be mean to others. I don't require sacrifices, and purity is for drinking water, not people.
3. I'd really rather you didn't judge people for the way they look, or how they dress, or the way they talk, or, well, just play nice, Okay? Oh, and get this into your thick heads: woman = person. man = person. Samey = Samey. One is not better than the other, unless we're talking about fashion and I'm sorry, but I gave that to women and some guys who know the difference between teal and fuchsia.
4. I'd really rather you didn't indulge in conduct that offends yourself, or your willing, consenting partner of legal age AND mental maturity. As for anyone who might object, I think the expression is go fuck yourself, unless they find that offensive in which case they can turn off the TV for once and go for a walk for a change.
5. I'd really rather you didn't challenge the bigoted, misogynistic, hateful ideas of others on an empty stomach. Eat, then go after the bitches.
6. I'd really rather you didn't build multi million-dollar churches/temples/mosques/shrines to my noodly goodness when the money could be better spent (take your pick):
   • Ending poverty
   • Curing diseases
   • Living in peace, loving with passion, and lowering the cost of cable
     I might be a complex-carbohydrate omniscient being, but I enjoy the simple things in life. I ought to know. I AM the creator.
7. I'd really rather you didn't go around telling people I talk to you. You're not that interesting. Get over yourself. And I told you to love your fellow man, can't you take a hint?
8. I'd really rather you didn't do unto others as you would have them do unto you if you are into, um, stuff that uses a lot of leather/lubricant/Las Vegas. If the other person is into it, however (pursuant to #4), then have at it, take pictures, and for the love of Mike, wear a CONDOM! Honestly, it's a piece of rubber. If I didn't want it to feel good when you did it I would have added spikes, or something.

We're Just A Speck

As humans, our early science and the religion of our past and present think of us - Humanity and Earth - as the center of creation.  The Hubble video that I've embedded really brings it home that we are just the tiniest speck in a far corner of the universe.  We are not the penultimate creation.  We are not the center of anything at all.  At best, we're a statistical inevitability given all of the planets that are out there revolving around their own star(s).

Keep in mind as you watch the Hubble footage that each of those elliptical shapes of light is an entire galaxy.  You know, like the Milky Way.  And in each of those galaxies there are millions upon millions of stars, some of them with orbiting bodies making up uncountable solar systems.

Being tiny, unimportant, and insignificant when compared to the universe shouldn't scare you.  It just means that we make our own destiny.

An Amazing Atheist Post

I was totally blown away reading this post at Greta Christina's Blog.  All the frustration that I feel as an atheist but have been unable to put into words in one place...she's done it.  It's all there.  It's amazing.  It makes alot of sense.  I have to say that I couldn't find a single part that I couldn't agree with.

Here's a quick snippet that I've wanted to shout out loud myself:

"I'm angry that so many believers treat prayer as a sort of cosmic shopping list for God. I'm angry that believers pray to win sporting events, poker hands, beauty pageants, and more. As if they were the center of the universe, as if God gives a shit about who wins the NCAA Final Four -- and as if the other teams/ players/ contestants weren't praying just as hard."

I really will be posting some of my very own thoughts and experiences soon, but these past couple posts from other bloggers really hit the spot, so to say.

A Little Skepticism Anyone?

Over the years I've grown from being just an Atheist to being a skeptic, one playing neatly into the other.  I think that it's a good and smart thing to question things, be they religion, science, current events, or whatever paranormal phenomenon have you.  To root yourself in what is known as opposed to what people believe or feel is a responsible thing in my mind.

To that end, I've made a home at the James Randi Educational Foundation.  I've posted about the JREF before, but it wasn't until relatively recently that I got onto their forum and started contributing myself.  Now, this is not a place for the meek of heart or those who don't understand some semblance of logic or the Art of debate.  State "facts" without a basis for them and they will tear you into little pieces.

Should you go there, also understand that the majority of the posters are skeptics, most of which are also Atheists or Agnostics.  This is not to say that non-skeptics or those of religion are unwelcome (because they aren't) but by the same token on this forum such folk are the other side of the debate and will be treated as such.  Show respect and you will generally receive it in turn.

Some things that I suggest that you arm yourself with, skeptic or non-skeptic, should you decide to contribute to the forum:

• List of fallacies (ad hominem, straw man, and an argument from ignorance are commonly called on posters)
• Russell's Teapot
• Pascal's Wager and the rebuttals thereof (mentioned offhandedly in a recent Atheist vs. Evangelical debate)
• Understand the difference between abiogenesis and evolution (proponents of creationism often debate the first while referring to it as the latter)
• For that matter understand what Intelligent Design is (and is not)
• The Bible (don't debate anything that you haven't read before)
• Homeopathy is a term that is used quite often, so nice to know

Also remember that you will need to cite references if you hope for anyone to take you seriously.  It's not enough to say that "some researchers/historians/scientists/theologians/etc" state something.  You need to show the group where they state such a thing.

I hang out mostly in the "General Skepticism & The Paranormal" and the "Religion and Philosophy" sub-forums, so maybe I'll see you around.

Harris Wisdom

The Bratmeister has suggested some Dawkins to me and it's definitely on my to-read list.  Here's another thinker that I have to get on my reading list.  A guy named Sam Harris.  I'm embedding a video with him speaking at a convention.  It's 23 minutes long, but it may be the best 23 minutes that you'll spend today.  The introduction preceding him wasn't the best, but Harris has some truly wise and interesting ideas to bring up.

Do check it out...

Atheist Quotables

Today felt like a quotable quotes day, so here it is!  The theme: Atheism & religion.

How can a person who is civil and just, but asks for nothing in return be less righteous than those behave justly, but only under threat, and for the aim of a personal reward?
- John Kelly

I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.
- Susan B. Anthony

God is Perfect: Perfect beings do not experience anger or suprise towards a sequence of events they knew of in advance.
- John Kelly

There once was a time when all people believed in God and the church ruled. This time was called the Dark Ages.
- Richard Lederer (Anguished English)

With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.
- Steven Weinberg

An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An Atheist believes that deed must be done instead of a prayer said. An Atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death.
- Justin Brown

Why should I allow that same God to tell me how to raise my kids, who had to drown His own?
- Robert G. Ingersoll

Believing there is no God gives me more room for belief in family, people, love, truth, beauty, sex, Jell-o, and all the other things I can prove and that make this life the best life I will ever have.
- Penn Jillette

Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365 not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers were given. Satan - 10
- Unknown

Pray, v.: To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled on behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.
- Ambrose Bierce

Scriptures, n. The sacred books of our religion, as distinguished from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths are based.
- Ambrose Bierce

We are all Atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
- Richard Dawkins

In a dangerous world there will always be more people around whose prayers for their own safety have been answered than those whose prayers have not.
- Nicholas Humphrey

No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says; he is always convinced that it says what he means.
- George Bernard Shaw

Primitive people, without the benefit of scientific method, could not see how the wind could move, so they concocted "gods" who moved the wind for them. That's when the trouble started.
- Ken Harris

Way of the Master: A Study In Logic

In writing out my post the other day, I decided to watch some Way of the Master (WotM) clips to refresh my memory.  I watch the show every now and again, but never had the time like in the clip to take it apart.  These guys are good!  Good, that is, at breaking rules of logic to make their arguments.  Now, don't get me wrong - it's not like it hasn't been done before by much more reputed sources.  Read some Plato and you'll see his representation of the teachings of Socrates do much the same, really.

They are crafty, though.

Take for example an argument from their Atheist show:  Can you say that there is no gold in China?  Well, unless you are able to look under every rock, have dug under every bit of it, and looked everywhere period and not found gold you can't say that there is no gold there for certain.  But if you find one chunk of gold in China (even if that is the only chunk) you can say with certainty that there is gold in China.  So, therefore, unless you know everything you can't say that there is no god.  But if you see any bit of evidence at all for god, you can say with certainty that he does exist.

So let's imagine this dialogue:

Scott: There is a Santa Claus.

WotM: No, there isn't.

Scott: *repeats gold argument from above*  So you've been to the North Pole and looked around every inch of it, have you?  When were you there last?

WotM: I've never been to the North Pole but I know there is no Santa Claus.  He's a myth made up for children.  It's a fairy tale and nothing more.  Such magical creatures don't exist.  And flying reindeer?  Don't get me started!

Scott: Well, since you don't have omniscient knowledge of the goings on at the North Pole, you can't say that he doesn't live there with absolute certainty.  I, however, have seen proof of him - gifts under my Christmas tree every December 25th!

WotM: Your parents put them there.  Here's your mom's credit card receipt that clearly shows that she bought you the life-sized Captain Picard statue and your other Christmas presents.

Scott: No, they definitely come from Santa.

WotM: Just because you see presents under a tree and assume that a supernatural entity put them there because you can't accept evidence to the contrary doesn't mean that Santa exists.

Scott: EXACTLY!

As you can see, the problem is that gold being in the ground somewhere and the existance of god (or for that matter the existance of Santa) aren't things that share common attributes that can be aptly compared.  See the continuation for more fallacies in WotM.