Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
This strikes me as progress.
OK, I think in my many posts here I have pretty well established my 'atheist cred' - I doubt anyone would consider me particularly sympathetic to religion or woo. And that's appropriate, because that's where I come down on these issues.
But unlike some in the wide atheist community, I do see it as progress when someone moves from a narrow, hateful religion to one which is less so. And so, while I still see it as rather silly for someone to believe in the Sky Daddy, I do think that which variety of Sky Daddy cult they belong to makes a difference, for the health of the country, for the health of the planet. This morning's This I Believe essay from NPR is a good example of this. Here's an excerpt from it:
As the years passed by, opportunity took me all over the United States and to other countries, as well. I saw churches everywhere I went and I noticed something I'd never seen before. I met people who didn't pray to Jesus. You have to understand, where I come from the people who tried to teach me about God by using fear, also kept me from learning about other paths to God. Any variation was described as a trick of the devil.
But I saw good sincere Muslims, Buddhists and Jews all walking in the light — as they knew it. I started to believe that no one is capable of knowing God's specific identity, so I decided to seek him down my own path, because I believe that's what he wants me to do. I talk to him daily. He never says anything back but I know he's listening. I thank him for my family and friends, and I thank him for the good life I have. I still have problems like anyone else, but overall there's peace in my heart.
The people who were trying to get me to God used fear and intimidation like a hammer, beating into submission anyone who dared to question their brand of absolute truth.
From my perspective, it ain't perfect. But it ain't bad.
Jim Downey
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Yeah, well ...
I agree with your basic point. But such a person might well still vote for Bush. Still send money to Pat Robertson. Still back creation science in biology classes. Still fear and dislike atheists.
It's like having a family of skunks in the neighborhood, and being glad it was the least stinky one that took up residence under your house.
I heard that, too . . .
. . . and I tend to agree. Anyone who feels the need to believe in a sky daddy, or a ceiling cat, or whatever, is welcome to do so if it makes them happy, as long as they don't try to make me agree with their belief system. That's where so much hatred and conflict starts, and I can't believe that their gods actually require this. The biggest problems with the 'major' religions are the proponents of those religions trying to convince others to believe as they do. I could go on for ages, about the ramifications of that, but you don't need to hear that.
It isn't what they believe
so much as what actions they take on behalf of that belief that is the important part. If they believed that some unseen spirit required them to establish a sustainable ecosystem, maximize their personal potential and explore space, you know I wouldn't say one word against it.
Um.
I'm still suspicious of people who come to the same conclusions I do, but do it for all the wrong reasons.
For instance, John McCain thinks Islam is bad. I think Islam is bad. But the reason he thinks it's bad are stupid and counterproductive, whereas my reasons are enlightened and wise, and will make the world a better place. ;)
As a REAL for-instance, the evangelicals who are latecomers to the Save The Earth movement scare the hell out of me. If they can stand on the side of the road holding up posters of aborted fetuses and screaming about Jesus on Sunday, I'm not sure I want them rubbing shoulders with me at an environmental rally on Monday.
More power to them in their green goals, but I continue to ask "Why the hell did it take you guys all this time to get past that stupid destructive "subdue the Earth and rule over it" business??"
And until I hear something critical from godders on the Quiverfull idiots, I'll find it hard to believe them capable of thinking rationally on environmental subjects.
If you ride out to the range to round up the cattle and get them back to the home corrals, and they stampede toward you, they might be going in the direction you want them to go, but they're still stampeding cattle, and they still just might crush you.
Strange bedfellows
You may not like making common cause with theists, but its not possible to get much done without them, because there are so damn many more of them than there are of us, and that fact isn't going to change anytime in the near future. I was just reading an article about how young evangelicals want to get past the politics of the religious right and care about social justice and environmental issues. I suspect the article is mostly wishful thinking, but if its true its welcome news. I think a more socially just society will inherently be more secular because it will reduce the human misery on which religious extremism breeds. And the God of the NPR essayist above is so placid and benign the guy is just one step away from agnosticism. Rejection of the Bible, Torah or Koran as the sole source of Truth is a huge step toward rational thinking, and should be celebrated.