Where freedom of religion crosses the line

Free speech is crucial in a free and democratic society as long as it does not result in people being harmed.

I support freedom of religion and I support freedom from religion. However, when it comes to protecting children, I think we need to start drawing the line when it comes to people's right to practice what they preach. The following story highlights yet another shameful example of parents neglecting a child by eschewing conventional medical treatment in favor of prayer:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/susan_nielsen/index.ssf/2010/07/faith_healing_in_oregon_a_pict.html#incart_mce

I have a simple solution to nip this kind of abuse in the bud. Don't wait for parents to neglect their children when they follow misguided religious practices. Prosecute anyone who preaches that prayer may be used as an acceptable alternative for medical treatment of a child under the age of majority.

Born ok the first time

I have to admit that I only discovered this bumper sticker recently and have just placed my order for one at: http://www.carryabigsticker.com/born_OK.htm

What a great message ... simple and yet bold. I can't wait for mine to arrive.

Cartoons for thinkers

This is a fascinating excerpt from Waking Life, in which Irish chemistry professor Dr. Eamonn Healy describes "telescopic evolution". Waking Life is described on youtube as "a digitally rotoscoped and animated film, directed by Richard Linklater and made in 2001. In a broad scope, Waking Life is about a young man in a persistent lucid dream-like state. The film follows its protagonist as he initially observes and later participates in philosophical discussions that weave together issues like appearance and reality, free will, our relationships with others, and the meaning of life. Along the way the film touches on other topics including existentialism, situationist politics, post humanity, and the film theory of André Bazin."

Just thought that I would state the obvious

For every ridiculous line that you can find in the Bible, Christians have centuries of apologetics and rationalizations and countless brilliant scholars who have "worked through" those problems. If it's found in the Good Book, they will find a way to justify it. My favorite example of this is Abraham's binding of Isaac. Why won't all Christians admit the following?

(1) It would have been wrong for God to order Abraham to kill his son, as the Bible says He did.

(2) It would have been wrong for Abraham to set about doing so.

(3) It is wrong to kill an innocent person because you believe God has told you to.

Onward Christian Soldiers

I can't count the number of times I sang this hymn in Anglican church as a child. The lyrics are well worth a read:

Onward, Christian Soldiers*

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!

Refrain

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.

At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.

Refrain

Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

Refrain

What the saints established that I hold for true.
What the saints believed, that I believe too.
Long as earth endureth, men the faith will hold,
Kingdoms, nations, empires, in destruction rolled.

Refrain

Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

Refrain

Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honor unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.

Refrain

* Lyrics written by Sabine Baring-Gould in 1865 and music composed by Arthur Sullivan in 1871.

It can't be believed by a thinking person

This is a killer quote by Christopher Hitchens:

Let’s say that the consensus is that our species, being the higher primates, Homo Sapiens, has been on the planet for at least 100,000 years, maybe more. Francis Collins says maybe 100,000. Richard Dawkins thinks maybe a quarter-of-a-million. I’ll take 100,000. In order to be a Christian, you have to believe that for 98,000 years, our species suffered and died, most of its children dying in childbirth, most other people having a life expectancy of about 25 years, dying of their teeth. Famine, struggle, bitterness, war, suffering, misery, all of that for 98,000 years. Heaven watches this with complete indifference. And then 2000 years ago, thinks “That’s enough of that. It’s time to intervene,” and the best way to do this would be by condemning someone to a human sacrifice somewhere in the less literate parts of the Middle East. Don’t let us appeal to the Chinese, for example, where people can read and study evidence and have a civilization. Let’s go to the desert and have another revelation there. This is nonsense. It can’t be believed by a thinking person. [my emphasis]

I have heard Hitchens give this line on several occasions but thanks to C. Reid of Montville, New Jersey for posting it on his blog: http://conorreid.tumblr.com/ Also, best wishes to Hitchens who is currently undergoing treatment for oesophageal cancer.

* I took the picture above tonight looking east from my deck just after dusk.

The Bible is the best promotional tool in support of atheism

People occasionally send me Bibles and I am assembling a nice collection of them at the office. I am just getting ready to start my third reading of the King James version because, to be frank, Bible passages are the gift that won't stop giving. I never cease to be amazed at the Biblical ignorance of those who call themselves Christians. If they would only spend more time reading their holy book, they would begin to appreciate how it is a patchwork of the good, bad and really ugly. For this morning's taste of the latter, I present Leviticus 26:29 (KJV):

And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.

The only thing more repugnant than some of the passages you will find in Leviticus are the efforts of Christian apologists to justify them.