No Faith? But that’s no good, either . . .

I love that there are people like Erich Vieth in the world, people who take the time to refute dangerous “fact” spouters like the Creationists who got themselves powered up to the top of the Google listings for vestigial organs.  I love that he researches so thoroughly and carefully points out the enormous flaws in what passes for logic in the world of the fanatical faithful.  They need to be pointed out, those flaws.  Because in recent years, their voices have become very, very loud.  And often, unfortunately, loud wins.  Especially when loud is accompanied by legislation, or worse, explosives.

Seems fanatics, whether they be Christian, Muslim or otherwise, are dead-set on yelling the loudest and therefore claiming victory.  It pains me.  It obviously pains lots of people; even most flocks of the faithful can see that anything carried too far becomes dangerous.  People like Erich, or Al Franken, say, do good work.  I applaud them.

I, on the other hand, might be more likely to just cover my ears and say “la-la-la-la-LA-I-CAN’T-HEAR-YOU!”

Yeah, yeah, I know, not particularly effective in the battle against ignorance.  It’s just that I get soooo tired of it.  Of the fighting, of the rhetoric, of the nonsense that parades as so much religion and the often arrogant verbosity working to knock down the many points of faith, one at a time, but not being heard because, after all, if you believe, you don’t need proof.  Or un-proof, as it were.

I happen …

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The Curse of Fungible Dollars

A friend recently gave me a ticket to a hockey game.  I couldn’t help but noticing the high cost of tickets; the average ticket costs $50. 

Mark Manary, a WUSM pediatrician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, is saving the lives of children in Malawi with peanut butter. His revolutionary new method for treating starving children in malnourished regions could become a worldwide standard of care. 

My attendance at this game reminded me that numerous people spend substantial dollars to go to sporting events. As I watched the game tonight it occurred to me that whenever 20,000 people each pay $50 to go to one hockey game, the total gate for the event is $1 million. That $1 million is spent solely to distract and entertain the people for a few hours.  The money is for pure amusement, of course, even when it’s the “game of the century.”

An average of 20,000 starving children each year enter the so-called Nutritional Rehabilitation Units in hospitals throughout Malawi.

The arena literally filled up with Americans.  60% of Americans are overweight and half are obese.  But Americans are largely in denial regarding the extent of this problem.

When Manary first traveled to Malawi a decade ago, he was eager to make a difference. Everyone told him to stay away from the nutrition wards in the large hospital where he worked. It will depress you, they told him. 

People want to think of some dollars as “entertainment dollars” and others as “charity dollars.” Most people …

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The Fourth Person in God: The Free Market

Based on several conversations I’ve recently had with some religious/social conservatives, God is no longer a Trinity.  Whether I raise pressing issues about oil, housing or education I hear the same answer:  “The free market will take care of it.” They seem to repeat this free market mantra as their…

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Fundamentalism in Washington DC

Jimmy Carter on Fundamentalism: one can find it in religious circles and now "very overwhelmingly" in Washington. A fundamentalist believes, say, in religious circles, that I am close to God. Everything that I believe is absolutely right. Anyone who disagrees with me, in any case, is inherently wrong and therefore,…

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Proposed Amended Ten Commandments

I hereby propose a new version of the Ten Commandments.   

1    Choose and follow a version of the golden rule.  Note in your heart that golden rules have appeared in the writings of many cultures, including Jewish, Buddhist, Confucian and Ancient Egyptian.
 
2.   Never publicly advocate that one’s own version of a supernatural God is truer than the Gods of others; always apply the same degree of skepticism one uses regarding the Gods and sacred writings of others to one’s own God(s) and sacred writings.  Don’t build expensive or ostentatious worship places in honor of your God. Never scare any child with stories of great suffering in order to cause that child to believe in the existence of any particular supernatural being.   Thou shalt not blasphemy the unfolding mysteries of the universe by claiming to know the thoughts or plans of any God.  Thou shalt always approach the mysteries of life with humility, awe and unbridled curiosity.
 
3.  Do not honor any God who you believe prohibits you from honoring any other God or who, in your opinion, threatens to eternally torture any person or animal for any reason.  Constantly remind yourself that you have a serious obligation to take good care of all of the children of the world, not just your own children. Regularly breathe deeply and remember to keep a sense of humor, especially when considering spirituality, sex and death. Whenever you speak of God, don’t get that look like you’re about to be smacked with a …

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