The National Day of Prayer.

It doesn't surprise me that Conservatives largely favor the National Day of Prayer... They've never really been all that invested in actually SOLVING problems or DOING anything about them.  So "prayer" fits into their agenda nicely.

The National Day of Prayer was established in 1952 - the same era that added "Under God" to our Pledge of Allegience, and did any number of other uncostitutional things all while fearmongering about the Commies.  And I have basically no respect for the view of the 1950's, and their Red-Scare McCarthyism, as the "Good ol' days."

The 1950's? Really?

You had segregation and the hula hoop.

We've got gay rights and the internet.

The '50's sucked.  'Nuff said.

I enjoyed very much hearing the exchange on NPR today between Annie Laurie Gaylor, Representing the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and a certain Reverend Hunter (which would be a GREAT name for an atheist, wouldn't it?) who was defending - pathetically, I might add - this unconstitutional nonsense which is the National Day of Prayer. OK, I'll admit that my postion on the matter is hardly an objective one, but IMHO she mopped the floor with him, while he tried repeating the same old, tired and irrelevant arguments that the Federal Appeals courst has already ruled aginst.

BUT - lest you think that this is no more than another purely atheistic tirade - let me say that the very best argument AGAINST the National Day of Prayer that I've ever read comes not from an Atheist, or even from a Constitutional Scholar, but rather from a man of the cloth!  I encorage everyone to read, and THINK about, Reverend Barry Lynn's April 20th Article fro HuffPo.  THIS is my real problem with the National Day of Prayer.  As Rev. Lynn  points out, it actually UNDERMINES Religious faith and true practice.  And THIS is what the Religious Right in this country just doesn't get - or doesn't care about.  Because the Religious Right has NEVER been about Religion.  It's has always been about POWER and MONEY.  Or, more specifically, using RELIGION to get the religious to put them in POWER, so they can take their MONEY.

...And if there was any signifciant population of Christinas in this country who had any sense of real Christian principles, there's no way we'd have, "In GOD we trust" printed on so base and material thing as our MONEY.

But that a rant for a different day.

Happy National Day of Prayer. 

(I'm going to celebrate MY "religion" by continuing to think and act rationally.)

The Atheism / Religion Argument

"I contend we are both atheists - I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you reject all other gods, you will understand why I reject yours as well."
~Stephen F. Roberts

I saw [the above quote] posted by TBONE today on http://mediamatters.org/columns/201001050042




Before I go any further, let me say that I am not a “true” atheist. I'm solidly agnostic. God might or might not exist. I don’t know, and can’t know, therefore it would be reckless of me to CONCLUDE anything. What I DO know is that the most learned theologian in the world today, knows no more about God(s) than I do. All they have over me is a vast repertoire of knowledge regarding what man has believed about God(s) over the centuries. And seeing how much it’s changed? Why on earth should I believe in merely the most recent one to come along? If 500 years from now, Scientology becomes the dominant religion in the world, I hope that the atheist of that day are able to read this: I WAS AROUND WHEN THEY WERE NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF KOOKS AND CULTISTS AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, IT’S ALL BULLSHIT.

And in reality, it really is ALL bullshit. Every religion ever concieved asks you to believe something that's either impossible or at a minimum something that there is no evidence, at all, to support.

But the opening quote is arguably the best way to debate atheism with a religious person. Or, if they’re not buying it, try this:

1) Ask them if they believe in ZEUS, RA or ODIN. Not worship now, but do they believe in the existence of these deities as actual, living entities?

2) Once you both agree that the idea of ZUEA/RA/ODIN being REAL is absurd, ask them WHY, and remind them that their reason should not be one that could be applied equally to God/Allah/Yahweh/Jehovah /etc…

3) Flip it: Ask them for an argument supporting the exsistance of God (etc…) that could not be used equally to support the exsistance of Zeus (etc…)

It logically can’t be done. To argue for the exsistance of something without evidence is to accept the theoretical exsistance of ANYTHING... without evidence!

Believe in Angels? What about Demons? Why those and not Goblins, Unicorns or Leprechauns?

Well... I know why. Because that would be absurd, right?

(See three step process above)

Now... in truth? I don't care what YOU believe. I really don't. Believe whatever you want. I won't mock; in fact you'll find I'll be very respectful of it, just as long as you don't try to call science, or history and for God's sake don't try to use the government (or the schools) to force me (or my children) to go along with it.

That's all we ask. If denying you the right to wage war on our non-belief constitutes us waging war on your belief, then so be it. I'll just list that among the millions of absurd things religion asks that you believe.