Question for Xians: Why Isn't This a Good Thing?

Has it ever occurred to you that if there is no god, then untold billions will NOT spend eternity in agony.  

Why isn't this a good thing?

Questions for Xians: Do You Actually Know The Difference?

The Friendly Atheist noticed an amusing interview: Nervous Americans may now relax because Barack Obama is NOT the Antichrist, says the author who made a pantload of money writing fiction about that subject.

One of the commenters remarks: "It is very telling that folks are asking a writer of FICTION about whether a real person is the antichrist."

Like some of my co-bloggers at The Raytractors, I continue to drive by the wreckage of Ray Dumbfort's blog (whatever its name is today) to gawk at the rusting remains of ratiocination on display there.  A recent post about a movie based on Charles Dickens' classic novel A Tale of Two Cities contained this little gem:

"Sadly, the movie dropped the fact that the hero was converted to Christianity during the last few days of his life...."  (Italics mine.)

Er, Ray.  The movie is fiction.  It's based on a novel -- also fiction.  By definition, fiction isn't about facts!

Then there was the commenter -- at Ray's I think, though I can't remember now -- who observed that in one of the Indiana Jones movies, the hero is forced to abandon science and rely instead on faith to save his father's life.  The commenter was referring to the sequence where Indy must pass a series of tests involving interpretations of an ancient text, where either misinterpretation or hesitation will get him killed instantly. As I hazily recall, this was little more than an excuse for lots of then-pretty-cool 1980s special effects to give the impression of Indy stepping off a cliff into an abyss, only to have a bridge magically materialize under his feet.

The commenter implied (perhaps unintentionally, you never can be sure with the Raylians) that all scientists will or must do something similar at some time.  Because as we all know, science just doesn't count in matters of life and death.  For that matter, reality doesn't really count; what counts is how well you mumbled your magic spells and whether the ferryman on the River Styx was paying attention to your mumbles.

Or something like that.

It's enough to make you wonder whether bleevers are actually aware of the difference between fact and fiction.

They do recognize the human capacity for error; hence their constant whining chorus of "but what if yer wrong?"  It's probably useless to point out that mistakes can only occur if a) truth is consistent with itself and b) getting it right requires finding the actual truth, as opposed to picking a plot that you like and sticking with it long after the lights have come up and the ushers are trying to clean chewing gum off the floor.

We know that some of them are smart enough to realize when they've screwed up, even if it takes them several centuries to get around to admitting it, as in the case of the Catholic Church and their "pardoning" of Galileo for being -- ahem -- right.  I'd die of shock if I heard someone like James Dobson saying: "Ah, y'know, it seems that -- ahem -- it now appears that maybe, ah, maybe we shouldn't have voted for Dumbya after all...."

Question for a Christian Who Needs to Know Better

I love Jesus and Mo.  Check 'em out here.

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Over at The Raytractors, silentdave opened a thread for Christians to ask him questions.  He was hoping for questions from Cynthia, but she has been -- ahem -- less than forthcoming.  Patti/fourkid, however, was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed:

fourkid said... 

Oooo, ooo - 
question, question.......
::hand raised::: 
:::bopping out of seat:::

I have tried and tried to understand this, but to no avail - How can an atheist have morals?

You say societal norms - but all our Western societal norms are based on the laws of God. 

And non-Western societal norms are not pretty - I don't think most of you would enjoy them very much - think cannibalism. 

Blessings,
Patti
August 13, 2008 10:27 AM

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See what I mean?  Bright-eyed.  Bushy-tailed.  Blithering idiot.

Patti, how can the prisons be full of believers if it's the atheists who have no morals?

Do you suppose that the Israelites made it all the way to Mount Sinai before noticing that murder and theft might be less-than-good ideas?

And if you should lose your belief in your imaginary friend (hey, it happens) then what's to stop you from going all Jack the Ripper on us?

Questions to Ask a Christian After at Least Three Drinks

Why haven't you killed me yet?

Let’s talk about some of the more – ah, interesting things that your religion expects you to do.

You are expected to kill:

1. nonbelievers or anyone who offers to indoctrinate you into some other religion;
2. adulterers;
3. sassy children;
4. people who don’t belong to your tribe; and
5. homosexuals (or not -- there's some disagreement about this).
   

Mind you, these aren’t suggestions, nor outdated regulations. These are all current instructions.

What, you don’t believe me?

You think, “She’s quoting the Old Testament but that’s no longer valid since we’re under Jesus’ New Covenant.”

Wrong.

The New Testament depends upon the Old Testament. If there’s no Old Testament, then there’s no New Testament. Also, Jesus himself observed that his job was not to change the Old Testament law in any way – not a jot nor a tittle of it. He was very specific about that.

Therefore, the Old Testament may be old but it’s still in force.

Sooo: Why haven’t you killed me yet?

While you’re fishing for an answer to that one, let’s consider other matters of doctrine which are not necessarily based on nor supported by the Bible, but which are taken very seriously by your church, which means you must also take them seriously.

Does your church teach that homosexuality is an abomination, that homosexual relationships are verboten, and that homosexuals must not be treated like everyone else?

Then you must act immediately to take adopted and foster children away from their gay and lesbian parents/guardians. This will keep you busy for a while since there are thousands of such children all over the country, including a number of special-needs, difficult-to-place kids whose lives are hard enough already (though not yet so hard as you’re about to make them by performing your Christian duty). Lots of luck finding new homes for these kids. You could save time by memorizing a speech explaining why you’re breaking up their families, and be prepared to speak very loudly in order to make yourself heard over the noise of their screaming and crying.

Does your church teach that abortion is murder?

Then why aren’t you campaigning for the passage of legislation that sets out the required sentences for women who end their pregnancies, and to replace any elected official who won’t get behind such legislation?

“Because it won’t work.” -- You gotta be kidding me. No deity worth its halo would accept that excuse. Or any excuse, for that matter.

Sooo: Why haven't you killed me yet?

You can think about it while having another drink.

(Hat-tip to Vera and Cynthia at Comfort Food / The Soap Box / Atheist Alley / Whatever Its Name Is This Week for the inspiration)

Questions To Ask a Christian After a Coupla Drinks

If you genuinely believe that your Deity and all of your dead relatives are watching you, all the time, then why haven't you stopped doing that?

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• If porn is a $13 Billion-per-year industry in the United States;

and

• if 75% of the United States is Christian;

then,

WHO, exactly, is buying all the porn?

And come to think of it -- Who's producing the stuff?

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If sinners get saved at porn conventions, then why are there still porn conventions?