19th December 2010
“The universe is 13.7 billion years old, the Earth 4.6 billion. A mere 2,000 years ago, at a time of great ignorance and superstition, some Middle Eastern men wrote some books. With respect, does it never strike you as absurd to use them as proof of a benevolent and watchful God?”
Anon.
December 19th, 2010 at 1:09
We need to go back much further than 2,000 years; at a few-thousand year intervals prior to “christ” we find, in various cultures, a fable involving a virgin birth of a messiah, a crucifixion-or death- of some sort, and a “rising from the dead” out of a cave 3 days later, wandering and spreading a dogma…..need I go on? The people 2,000 years ago fell victim to a millennia-old fable that cultures had, from time to time, latched onto as a source of hope in the face of hopelessness. This, too, shall pass. Viva enlightenment!
December 19th, 2010 at 2:21
At a time where disease was considered a “curse”. A time where medicines greatest feature was adding arsenic to water and calling it a “cure all”. A time where your local surgeon was probably your hairstylist, too. A time where insanity was given the names “demon” and “possessed”. A time where words like “schizophrenia”, “depression”, and so on were not even thought of.
Yes, such wonderful times to revere in, and base your whole base of being on. People weren’t frequently dying of famine, disease, and all-round insanity at all. Let’s just go ahead and base our entire social system on their not insane beliefs of being(s) that control the very existence of life, yet never show their face, or even feel the need to have their very existence proven (then demand worship).
December 19th, 2010 at 9:20
Jeff and GreatEighthSin,
Both your comments remind me of the AtheistQOTD Twitter quote from a few days ago… so very appropriate:
December 19th, 2010 at 11:16
Yes
December 19th, 2010 at 16:55
Its disappointing that these “ladies and gentlemen of the jury” common sense questions have so little impact on the religiously trained mind. Faith is the condom which common sense may not penetrate. But as with the other kind, its effectiveness is something less than 100%. It can be weakened with application of questions like those above. Until the fairly recent past it was unusual to ever hear these kinds of questions but the volume is being raised and you see the result in the religious affiliation polls.
I agree Great8th – Ancient fishermen, shepherds and carpenters, while engaged in useful work, were perhaps unqualified to create any useful system of moral philosophy and even less qualified to explain universal beginnings.
December 19th, 2010 at 17:00
CaptainZero: “Faith is the condom which common sense may not penetrate.”
Oh yes! Gotta have that one for the Twitter feed.