Short Break

Hi folks. I will be taking a break from blogging as my life leaves too little time to keep up with it. This may be temporary or permanent, I haven’t decided yet.

To my regular readers I do apologise.

Kind regards, EvilGod

Inexplicable does not equal miraculous.

What is it about the religious persons psyche that requires anything unexplainable be relabelled miraculous? It seems to me that believers abhor anything they can’t explain or understand, that ‘god’ is the default answer if a rational one eludes us. What is so wrong with saying that something is currently beyond our understanding but that one day we may be able to know all there is to know about it?

Scientists regularly discover things that are beyond our comprehension and that drives them to do research, experiment and postulate hypothesise until there is a theory explaining whatever it was we didn’t understand. I am quite sure that any beliefs regarding ‘the afterlife’ are just another example. Why does the unknown scare people so much?

There was recently an opinion piece in New Scientist titled “Do you believe in miracles?” and as with all articles on the topic of religion the comments section degraded into the usual slanging match between atheists and believers concerning what does or doesn’t constitute a miracle and whether to be a miracle, in the caused-by-god sense, something must defy the Laws of Nature.

For the rational amongst us the fact that anyone would argue that miracles exist and that god causes them is just as ludicrous as people believing the Jonah or Noah tales.

Here’s my take on it. Anything labelled a “miracle” is either simply an occurrence that the observer can not explain or perhaps something intentionally lied about for gain, or just something as yet inexplicable by current scientific knowledge. There seems to be a prevalent feeling in society today that to not know something, or more importantly to be seen not knowing something, somehow implies stupidity. This is very wrong. Being unable to explain something only shows one does not possess the required information, irrespective of whether that is because the information doesn’t currently exist or because one has never learned it. Ignorance isn’t a sin, choosing to remain ignorant certainly should be.

There  must have been many things previously thought of as miracles that have since been debunked. Most would be nothing more than coincidences. How miraculous would a solar eclipse have seemed to people in millennia past?

Does David Copperfield perform miracles or illusions? If his act was performed a few hundred years ago it would be called miraculous and/or he would be burnt at the stake. Millions watched as he made the Statue of Liberty disappear that doesn’t make it a miracle.

How does one recognise a miracle as they are indistinguishable from any unexplained phenomenon.

A true miracle would be undeniable. Perhaps a multiple amputee that had been examined and certified as such by several skeptical scientists with no agenda suddenly growing new limbs in a matter of seconds in front of an audience of scientists and doctors that could examine the person again afterward and verify there was no hoax involved. That might qualify as a miracle.

If tomorrow you went to the toilet and excreted the young of ten different species of mammals, fish, birds and insects. That would be a miracle, but only if it was verified beforehand that you hadn’t put them there.

The famous line “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence” is true.

There is a reason there have never been any verified miracles. There aren’t any. A miracle would require something with the power of a god and as there are no gods there are no miracles.

It would be fair to say. A miracle is in the mind of the deluded beholder.

Please note all references to the word miracle in this article are made based on the current use of the word when concerning religion and supernatural belief not the original meaning of  ‘wonderful’ or ‘to wonder at’.

Another post by EvilGod, one of the Unindoctrinated.

What Would Jesus Drive?

I don’t know about you but when I’m looking for spiritual guidance or perhaps seeking a saviour I know that the best place to find enlightenment is obviously the back of the car in front of me.

Of course! silly me. If I pick Jesus can I flick it at him?

Truly professional sign-writing and a classic font always sucks me in.

When you’re not sure what to say, say everything.

Maybe gaudiness is next to godliness.

Not exactly sure whether this is advertising or vandalism.

It’s been a while since I watched Wheel Of Fortune. Can I buy a space? Yea though I drive through the valley of California I will fear nothing behind me because I can’t see it. Jesus is apparently ambivalent about road safety.

Less than sixty bible thumper bumper stickers on the back, obviously not a Real Christian. Maybe they are cheaper by the dozen. What do you reckon? Has he made his point? You’ve got to love the “Spank your inner child” one.

This Xmas themed ride is so tastefully done. I sure didn’t know Tweety-Bird was a Jesus freak and I presume the cross on the gas-tank flap helps get this beautiful ride blessed gas mileage.

At least seven stickers for the same radio station, what a fan. Apparently he likes Jesus too.

I’m at a loss for words. There is so much wrong with this I don’t know where to start.

Well sign me up right away, I’m sure the kids would love it. Who doesn’t appreciate a good eternity in hell threat?

King of the road? I think last time he was here he only had one donkey power at his disposal. Nothing says love thy neighbour like the glorious pedestrian impalers, oops, bonnet emblems.
Reminds me of the wonderful story of the Floridian who told friends and family he didn’t wear a seatbelt because the St. Christopher statue on the dash would protect him.  Someone rear-ended him. Oops. The five inch high statue ended up buried right into his brain via his right eye socket. When the police officer attending the scene pushed his body back in the seat of his low-rider and looked at him the first thing he saw was a shiny gold sticker that said “Made in Taiwan” where his eye should have been. Karma’s a bitch, ain’t it?

Another pedestrian killer.

And here it is. The pièce de résistance.

After seeing this eyesore I’m sure many people have turned to the lord if only to say “What The?”   Classy I’m sure you’ll agree.

Perhaps I should have said “Would Jesus Be Seen Driving That?”

And to finish up probably the most overtly racist display short of wearing a white pointy hood and he probably has one of those too.

You'll probably have to click through to read.

Should I be surprised by the Kentucky Plate? I’m sure not all Kentucky residents agree with this sort of attitude but I’m also sure more than a few do. What a disgrace to the human race. I’ll assume the owner is a wounded veteran but obviously the main injury was inter-cranial.

Don’t worry I’ll go ahead and presume 99% of Americans think the same of him that I do.

Another post by EvilGod, one of the Unindoctrinated.

A Little Justice for a Horrendous Crime.

A follow up to a post I wrote back in January regarding the Neumann family “Criminal Stupidity or Killed by belief” and the death of their eleven year old daughter due to the parent’s ridiculous belief that prayer alone would save her from what was later determined to be Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

The father, Dale Neumann was found guilty of second-degree reckless homicide on 1st of August in the death of his daughter Kara. The mother, Leilani had previously been convicted on 22nd of May on the same charge.  The maximum sentence allowed for a charge of second-degree reckless homicide under Wisconsin law is twenty-five years in prison but it is highly unlikely they will get that. I hope that the judge at sentencing on the 6th of October makes an example of them and that the expected appeal is fruitless.

I want to say I hope this will make others think twice before praying their children to death but I’m not that optimistic. The deluded believers will keep on doing such inexplicable things as long as the preachers keep telling them it works.

One must focus on the fact a child died here. This is not about religious freedoms. This is about parental responsibility.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. To believe that prayer works one must first believe that god’s plan is of such little importance that he’d be willing to change it just for you.

Another post by EvilGod, one of the Unindoctrinated.

Another quick pointer to a great post.

I don’t want to make too much of a habit out of just putting up a link to stuff I’ve read elsewhere but occasionally if I read something different, preferably something not said a hundred times before, I’ll post a quick link to it. I hope this doesn’t bother my regulars.

I have read many well thought out disproofs of god before but few as eloquently written as this How You Can Know There Is No God at The American Chronicle by Wayne Adkins.

Here’s a funny picture from an art exhibit to make up for it.

Thanks to ‘mats’ for supplying a link to this artist and his work.

Another post by EvilGod, one of the Unindoctrinated.

Simple proof God is not omnipotent.

I found this little gem over at Futility Closet posted by Greg Ross and I thought I’d share it with you fine folks.

God can’t make a genuine $10 bill. Only the U.S. Mint can do that. Presumably God could make an atom-for-atom copy of one, but it wouldn’t be genuine because it wasn’t produced by the mint.

Therefore God is not omnipotent.

~     –     ~     -     ~

I can imagine the childish response this would get from the deluded but no matter how they react or how they wish to argue, it is unassailable truth. Simple, unambiguous proof that their god is not as all powerful as they were taught.

If you enjoy what I like to call intellectual trivia head over there. If you’re anything like me you’ll end up reading his entire archive.

Another post by EvilGod, one of the Unindoctrinated.

If we have to help gays we won’t help anyone.

One can’t help but be amazed by the Catholic church’s ability to base their religion on Jesus Christ yet never actually behave like he supposedly did or how he asked his followers to.

“The adoption agency of the Archdiocese of Westminster has declared that new gay rights laws have forced the closure of its key services.” according to The Catholic Herald. They go on to say “The charity has pulled out of adoption because it cannot reconcile Church teaching on marriage and the family with the demands of the Sexual Orientation Regulations”

What they mean is if we are not allowed to discriminate against gay couples we will quit helping children find adoptive parents altogether. How charitable of them. What would Jesus think?

Notice in the above quote the reference to “Church teaching”, not God’s teaching or Jesus’ teaching, just Church teaching. Why do churches have such a problem with homosexuality? They say “It’s an abomination” and then fail to mention all the other things that are also referred to as abominations. There’s the wearing of clothing made of two or more fibres. The planting of more than one crop type in a field. The trimming of one’s beard. The eating of pork or shellfish. The list goes on and on and even those who actually accept that all the abominations listed in Leviticus are equal, as they are written, misunderstand who these rules were for. This part of Leviticus which all the homophobes quote from is part of the holiness code,  ritual manual for Israel’s priests. Not rules for the average citizen.  Once again they find a biblical quote to back up their own opinion instead of really looking for God or Jesus’ opinion. Seems like the Church is less about Jesus and more about them and their wishes.

An agency spokesman said “We do this with deep regret but have been forced into this position as a result of the Government’s Sexual Orientation Regulations”. So it is obviously clear to them that a child is better off never being adopted, perhaps remaining in an orphanage for its whole childhood, than being placed with a gay or lesbian couple. Let’s hope it isn’t a Catholic orphanage.

Another post by EvilGod, one of the Unindoctrinated.

The Religion Trilogy. (Post 100!)

I don’t want to make a habit of re-posting other people’s material but occasionally it is worth it. This was found as a post in a forum. Sorry I don’t have the source but I do know it was posted by RandomFerret

“Think of it like a movie. The Torah is the first one and the New Testament is the sequel. Then the Qu’ran comes out and it retcons the last one like it never happened. There’s still Jesus but he’s not the main character any more and the messiah hasn’t shown up yet.

Jews like the first movie but ignored the sequels, Christians think you need to watch the first two, but the third movie doesn’t count. Muslims think the third one was the best, and Mormons liked the second one so much they started writing fanfiction that doesn’t fit with any of the series canon.”

Sums things up quite well, huh?

Another post by EvilGod, one of the Unindoctrinated.

Wow! I just noticed this in my 100th post. Yay me.

The Nazareth Cross. Stupidity Super-Sized.

The lack of respect for others displayed by some religious people never ceases to amaze me.

A group of Christians, the Foundation of Nazareth, are hoping to build a sixty metre (200′) tall cross in Nazareth, a predominantly Muslim city in a mainly Jewish country. That won’t upset anybody will it? The stated intention is to improve tourism in the rather poor area but somehow I think it’s a little more than that. The proposed cross would be covered in 7.2 million tiles made of Nazareth Stone and each will be available for sale/sponsorship and may include a name of the purchasers choosing and be located wherever on the cross they desire and are willing to pay for.

Artists impression

The Mayor of the city, Bashir Abdel-Razik, hasn’t even been approached about it yet but that is somewhat normal as the best way to get something approved these days is to get a lot of support for the project first so an unfair amount of pressure can be put on those whose job it is to approve its construction. Typically underhanded tactics of those with a religious agenda if you ask me.

Surprisingly though the Catholic church is against the idea. Vatican representative Pierre Batista stated their primary reason for opposing the plan was fear that the cross could offend members of other religions and that it could draw attention from the Church of the Annunciation, one of the holiest sites in Christianity.

What I find odd is that nowhere in the multiple places I researched this did anybody object to it based on the fact it is monolithic eyesore. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Any religious symbol, statue or whatever should be required to meet the same standards as any other advertising signage. If Nazareth officials wouldn’t allow a sixty metre high McDonalds sign they shouldn’t allow this.

Reminds me of the nutjobs that want to put a satellite cross in space large enough to be seen from Earth.

Obviously Jesus would prefer a massive monument reminding him of the method of his demise rather than feeding the poor or anything as selfless as charity.

Please don’t attempt to visit nazarethcross.com as  ZoneAlarm, Firefox and Google all claim it will attempt to install malware.

Another post by EvilGod, one of the Unindoctrinated.

A quick pointer to a great post.

I have never before just provided a link to another persons article but feel compelled to now.

Head over to Ungodly Cynic and read Larro’s  excellent post about the murder of  Dr. George Tiller. Then check out the vile statements of the so-called pro-life advocates at Google News (this link probably won’t last long.

Another post by one of the Unindoctrinated.