Atheist in the Park

  I'm reporting to you from what is supposed to be the site of the rapture, judgment day, the day jesus came to town. There isn't much happening....in fact it seems pretty much business as usual. This reporter is of the opinion that things will stay just as they are. I'm not saying everything is gumdrops and rainbows. There are still innocent children suffering from disease and abuse. The guy who volunteered at the homeless shelter, and always had a wave and a smile as he passed by had a heart attack. The drug addict who broke into your house last week, sold your shit and used the money to get  loaded, the same guy who beats his wife every Friday night....he is still walking around. Babies are being born, and a wife is being told her husband didn't make it through surgery because of complications. A group of high school kids are drinking their parents vodka and smoking a joint down at the park. A local cop has pulled over a pick-up truck because it was driving in more than one lane at a time. And you can hear the lady who lives next door moaning as her current love interest tries to stay interesting.  
  Business as usual...this is bad news for a certain group of  religious believers.
Poor Harold Camping didn't quite get the math right, not his fault really, no one could have arrived at the correct answer given the circumstances. I feel kinda bad for Harold. It's not that I wanted him to be correct about judgment day happening today but I really wish someone could or would have done something to keep him from making a fool of himself.
 I know some of you are thinking that Harold is just a con man and I will admit I had some suspicions myself. But then I thought about the hour I spent talking and listening to Mr Camping, he didn't seem like a con man.
 At the end of the interview I paused before hanging up the line and Harold could be heard saying "Well that went pretty well. They learned some things they never knew before. That's the reason they are Atheist you know" and then I hung up the line because to listen any further didn't feel right.
  Those few words don't really say all that much until you add the fact that Harold didn't know we were listening. I think he really was hoping to help us poor Atheists to see the light. And even though it wasn't quite the kind of help Harold intended to provide, I think he has done those of us who would like to see organized religion fade away a huge favor.
  From  where I sit the Atheist have come out in full force, using the claims of Family Radio as a prime example of what religion results in. Sure even a lot of religious people think that Harold is crazy because he tried to pin down May 21 as the day of judgment but is he really any more crazy than a christian who thinks no one knows the date of the rapture only that it will occur at a future date?
  Another way Harold has done some good is by causing people to stop and wonder about their own beliefs. When  someone who believes in the same basic things as you takes those beliefs and makes them appear silly it makes you feel silly too. When a christian tries to point and laugh at Harold the tip of that finger is aimed a little too close to their own face for comfort I would think.

 The catholics have mishandled the abuse by priests on a scale whos magnitude would even impress god. Scientology has turned out to be made up of con men and bullies. The muslims  keep running around yelling and blowing things up, like women and children. The christians act like lunatics and want to force their god on you whether you like it or not. People are starting to realize all these things. The Atheists? Well we get to get to sit back laughing as we watch more and more people bring their lawn chairs over to our side of the park.

Atheist Prick

Since I have become more outspoken as an Atheist I have noticed something about others who also call themselves Atheists. A lot of them are pricks. With a tendency to talk down to not just believers, but anyone they come in contact with. They will bounce into a conversation or forum with the sole purpose of trying to show others how smart they are. If a study comes out showing that Atheists know more about religion than believers, you better watch the hell out, the arrogance will be overwhelming. I remember when I was a kid and we expected my dad to acknowledge some task we had completed. Such as my going to school without cutting any classes. My father would remind me of a couple things. First, if I was going to school it was for my own good. Second, it wasn't a big deal to go to school. It certainly was not something anyone should get kudos for.It was normal behavior. When I was younger this point escaped me a bit. Now that I am older the point is very clear. I certainly don't expect my family to thank me every time I pay the rent and I don't expect my boss to shake my hand, look into my eyes and thank me from the bottom of her heart for showing up for work each day I come in. Such behavior is reasonable. I know the little guy on the Lucky Charms box is not real, neither is the easter bunny. Do I expect anyone to be impressed by this? No.

Would you like someone to thank you for putting on your pants every morning? You don't get acknowledgment for doing the basics. You need to go above and beyond, to excel, to put in extra effort, then people may notice... or maybe they won't. It shouldn't make a difference, you do what is right.
As Atheists who reject organized religions based on what they expect us to accept as reality we really don't have any right to think we are better than anyone else. We shouldn't expect anyone to consider us specially gifted in some way for having issues with what religion paints as truth.
Just to make my point clear....I am not talking about whether the Atheist movement should go around holding hands with believers and gently breaking the bad news about their god and/or religion to them or run up from behind and begin screaming "YOU ARE A FUCKING MORON!" Like I have said before, everyone has their own way of going about things, more power to 'em, no one way is going to work on everyone.
I would like to see more Atheists remove the chip from their shoulder, especially when dealing with those of a like-mind.From now on when I come across those types I will be running up behind them and screaming "Everyone is ignorant in some way, and arrogant pricks are just to dumb to know it." it's just my way.....

The power of prayer

It's time for me to vent again I guess.
Japan has just been hit by a large earthquake and it is the day after that event.
Prayers are flying all around.
Prayers do not work, not to help the victims of the earthquake, not to provide some sort of divine intervention anyway. Sure, prayer may make the person praying feel like they have done some good without even having to move anything more than their hands. Prayer may give piece of mind to a dying person. It may make some feel closer to an invisible being who they feel is controlling their lives. In the real world, when people need active help, prayer is good for shit.
When someone tells me "I'll pray for you" often my reply is "thanks for nothing".
I don't know why people buy into the whole 'prayer' thing I mean how often does it work? Never. But how often does it even seem to work? Very rarely, unless you are praying that the sun comes up the next day or for some other silly thing which has been occurring for billions of years before you were even born. People pray for their bus to show up on time and then when it does they give credit to god. Like god cares about a bus schedule yet when someone prays their newborn child does not die because of a defect god shakes his head and says "Sorry, can't help you there. If you take a bus to the funeral I'll make sure it picks you up on time though"
As Hitchen's said- "Religion was our first attempt to explain the world." That theory has had ample time to be shown as invalid. It has been tested countless times by countless people and the vast majority of results have shown there is not a god listening to prayers and reaching in to effect the path of our lives. Any results that do seem to prove the prayer hypothesis to be true can also be explained by the odds of chance.
Look at the destruction in Japan. Look at the loss and suffering. Think about the number of people who were praying after the quake for the people of Japan. What happened? A tsunami hit the Japanese coast killing even more people. As a result even more began to pray. "God please have mercy on the people in Japan. Watch over you children and protect them from harm.Amen" Did that help? Nope. The nuclear reactors began to melt down, the fail-safe systems unable to handle the one-two punch dealt to them. More prayers, the number of people praying to god asking for him to help the Japanese grows even larger. "Lord, jesus, almighty creator, please oh please won't you help stop the suffering in Japan? They have been through tremendous suffering. No one deserves such strife. Show your love and help them recover. Bless you lord. Amen." Now you are thinking that must surely have gotten god's attention. Such a huge number of his flock begging, pleading. People who have worshiped just as god commands them to, bowing their heads praying with all their might. Well if god did answer their prayers it was with this- 'Volcano in southern Japan erupts' yep that's right. A fucking volcano erupts in southern Japan. Let me help with the next prayer " Yea. god? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU DRUNK AGAIN? LOOK, IF I PROMISE TO NOT DRUNK POST ON FACEBOOK WILL YOU PROMISE NOT TO ANSWER PRAYERS DRUNK? I WOULDN'T WISH SUCH SUFFERING ON MY WORST ENEMY LET ALONE ON MY FUCKING CHILDREN. DO US A FAVOR AND JUST PUT US UP FOR ADOPTION CAUSE THIS FAMILY UNIT IS JACKED UP. I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING EMANCIPATION. AMEN AND SCREW YOU"
Of coarse it isn't god doing anything. These are natural events. They occur every day and have since the universe began.
Look at the world, the entire world. Don't just look at your world where you consider how large your house is a concern of your god. look at the suffering of innocent children, children who never even had a chance to anger god. Look at the number of people who suffer and die on this planet every day. How many have prayed for them? Does the suffering stop? Does it even lessen a bit? No, it does not.
I ask instead of prayer, take action. Do whatever you can to actively help people, no matter how small the deed every bit of help, helps.
If all you can think to do is pray then while you are talking to god be sure to thank him for nothing.

Atheist Christopher Hitchens and Christian Dinesh D'Souza- Debate on religion

I'm going to post a Re-broadcast of a taped debate between Atheist Christopher Hitchens and Christian Dinesh D'Souza on the value of organized religion, moderated by Brent Walters.

D'Souza doesn't do a real good job of presenting his case, clearly outmatched by the logic that makes up Atheism. The fact that Christopher Hitchens is the man representing the Atheist point of view is kinda like pounding in nails with a 20lb hammer. Brent Walters, who takes no side in the debate does a pretty good job pointing out what most Atheists will be yelling at their speakers while they listen. While I was listening it was hard not to be a bit bothered by the thought of a man like Hitchens being taken by cancer. He is the kind of person the world needs more of, not because of what he believes in so much as the way he arrives at his conclusions. D'Souza is clearly doomed from the start. I found myself wishing the debate would have been a bit more even but then realized there really is no way that could happen and it still be a reasonable intelligent discussion.

The show is in 2 parts and each hour starts with news for the first 10 minutes. Brent gives his take on the debate and it is pretty clear even he is impressed with Hitchens and his style. The format of the debate is another thing that makes this an enjoyable listen as each speaker is allowed limited time to speak. D'Souza would ramble on for years if this were not the case I think.

Here are the links-

Hitchens/D'Souza debate part 1



Hitchens/D'Souza debate part 2