Comments by 82abhilash

Comment #123574 by 82abhilash on February 7, 2008 at 11:09 am

Dr Rowan Williams is being idiotic. This move will only create two parallel societies which are highly polarized.

And the problem with Sharia law is that once it is introduced, no Muslim can refuse to follow it, even if it is only optional. They risk being labeled apostates and even killed.

Besides this will open the door to all sorts of claims from people of all sorts of religious backgrounds - Hindus, Sikhs, Catholics, etc.,

Given that this man is the Archbishop of Canterbury, we now have one more reason now to dismantle the antiquated theocratic institutions of Great Britain.

152. Help Build The Reason Project Archive!

Comment #123552 by 82abhilash on February 7, 2008 at 10:42 am

Looks like righton is some sort of Sam Harris fanatic.

153. Help Build The Reason Project Archive!

Comment #123543 by 82abhilash on February 7, 2008 at 10:26 am

Seems like there are too many sites doing similar works already. What unique contributions does this site bring to for the cause of reason?

EDIT: Perhaps that is OK. If the cyberspace is proliferated with reason, easily accessible, it will be more difficult for theocrats to enforce ignorance.

154. The New Atheist Movement

Comment #123126 by 82abhilash on February 6, 2008 at 1:30 pm

I found the same video with comments enabled

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWn_dNtjVU4

155. Apologetic billboard replaces atheistic sign

Comment #122985 by 82abhilash on February 6, 2008 at 10:21 am

A reputation for deception damages our cause. It portrays us as who we hate. Why not instead target specific issues where the religious leaders are on the wrong side of public opinion? That would weaken their credibility and shake the confidence that people have in them, while at the same time corroding institutions that promotes dogma.

Using deceptive means to put up bill-boards seems like busy work, that in the long run is damaging.

156. The real danger in Darwin is not evolution, but racism

Comment #121905 by 82abhilash on February 4, 2008 at 10:17 am

I found this from Darwin's Descent of man

As man advances in civilisation, and small tribes are united into larger communities, the simplest reason would tell each individual that he ought to extend his social instincts and sympathies to all the members of the same nation, though personally unknown to him. This point being once reached, there is only an artificial barrier to prevent his sympathies extending to the men of all nations and races.

I can no longer consider the possibility that Darwin was racist in good faith.

157. Female Muslim medics 'disobey hygiene rules'

Comment #121407 by 82abhilash on February 3, 2008 at 11:12 am

I think they are trying to disrupt or destroy the British Public Institutions. That would be a very Islamic thing to do.

158. U.S.: 'Demonic' militants sent women to bomb markets in Iraq

Comment #120685 by 82abhilash on February 2, 2008 at 10:17 am

16. Comment #120612 by agn on February 2, 2008 at 5:59 am
Who will win the debate?
The one who confines himself to peaceful "re-interpretations" of the Quran, or the Islamist willing to murder that interpreter?

Or more precisely:
Who will be left alive?

Who will win the debate?
There is no need for debate. Someone will just come out and declare that it is so, on national TV. That this is un Islamic. Someone with a beard a black robe and a turban hopefully.

Will he live?
Maybe. If he is living in the green zone. Protected by armed guards. Is probably under US Govt. payroll. Of course the people listening to him will not know that. Maybe they will help him start an 'Islamic' school, which spreads his relatively non-toxic virus, rather than the virulent one we are familiar with.

Who will believe him?
Well educated and sensible Iraqis who are afraid to speak out because they could be labeled apostates, infidels or atheists. And that is good, the influence of educated people in a society is always disproportionately high relative to their numbers.

What do we get?
A non-toxic Islam. Of course it will make no more sense that the toxic Islam, but it is easier to handle. We do not yet have fully reasonable people at such a stage but atleast things will begin to move in the right direction.

But all this is a lot of work. Why not just flatten Mecca and Medina, Jerusalem and all their other holy sites and prepare for the mayhem that will make us forget Iraq? I am just proposing a practical solution.

159. U.S.: 'Demonic' militants sent women to bomb markets in Iraq

Comment #120376 by 82abhilash on February 1, 2008 at 2:36 pm

Think out loud here. I know it can be argued very successfully that the actions of actions of whoever did this are very Islamic in character. Any action can be theologically justified.

My question is can it also not be argued that this action is very unIslamic in the same spirit? The Quran is the Islamic holy book, but the Hadith makes the context in which the Quran is revealed to the Prophet. Most Muslims do not differentiate the two.

And I have been told that the Hadith is unreliable and inconsistent so can it not be used to aid the cause of freedom of freedom and liberty? If anything can be theologically justified, why not use it to end violence in Iraq? Tactfully drive theology into suicide.

160. Pope says some science shatters human dignity

Comment #120200 by 82abhilash on February 1, 2008 at 10:31 am

It seems like a very catholic thing to say. I mean we might reason that the potential suffering of an embryo with 20 cells and no pain receptors can take a lesser priority than the real suffering of an actual sick human being.

But allow me to put a catholic spin and turn the issue backwards. The soul comes into the world at conception. My destroying the embryo you kill the soul. That is murder. What about the sick person suffering and dying you might ask? Well that person is very special. Their suffering is a reflection of Christ's love for them. And just like Christ suffered and died and absolved the world of sin, so will their suffering in this life absolve them of sin and bring them closer to God. That is a privilege that few can have.

So there, a fancy way of saying, a sick person dying because no one helped him or her is a good thing (indeed divine!!). While destroying an embryo the size of a pin head, with no conception of life or pain is very bad indeed. Bad argument, but I must admit I too will feel much better if embryos could be left out of stem-cell research.

Here is where we can find common ground though, non-embryonic stem cell research can side-step the issue completely. (Interesting to note though is it not that progress in that sphere has come from countries which do not have belief systems that inhibit embryonic stem-cell research?)

In the meanwhile let the Pope speak his heart out. Let him express himself completely and without ambiguity, so that people all over the world knows what the Catholic church is all about.

161. Richard Dawkins on The Big Debate

Comment #117840 by 82abhilash on January 29, 2008 at 7:07 pm

I too liked the Hindu guy. He made a reasonable, sensible point without playing in the faith card.

162. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #117818 by 82abhilash on January 29, 2008 at 5:59 pm

Lord Carey was sitting there shamelessly and deliberately trying to confuse education with indoctrination. I was hoping he would be a man I can respect, but I guess being mild mannered and being honest is not the same thing. I will remember that.

And Ann Widdecombe was most irritating, reminds me of an old English school mistress who has a particular fondness for the cane.

163. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #117805 by 82abhilash on January 29, 2008 at 5:21 pm

I noticed RD claiming that he could find no Arabic publisher to print his book. Irshad Manji had the same problem with her book "The trouble with Islam" and she solved the problem by putting an Arabic, Persian and Urdu translations of her book freely available on her website.

If RD can do that with his book, people who have been living in forced ignorance for so long will get a chance to understand new ideas. PDF files are easy to read and attract less attention, especially in those parts of the world where you can get killed for reading the wrong book.

Notice it won't affect book sales. But what if it gets him killed?

164. Loneliness Breeds Belief in Supernatural

Comment #116348 by 82abhilash on January 26, 2008 at 9:33 am

The happiness of those who want to be popular depends on others; the happiness of those who seek pleasure fluctuates with moods outside their control; but the happiness of the wise grows out of their own free acts. �Marcus Aurelius

As you move to the third category, I think loneliness or the lack there of will become irrelevant to happiness.

165. Loneliness Breeds Belief in Supernatural

Comment #116178 by 82abhilash on January 25, 2008 at 5:53 pm

If this article is correct, then my life story is exceptional. I started creeping into irreligion when I started spending time with myself. Thinking in solitude about the important things in life.

I mean if you are born into a religion and people around you all act as if its core doctrines are absolutely true, would it even occur for you to question it? On the other hand if you got some time for yourself and could seriously scrutinize these concepts�

I see how a lonely person could invent a God to keep company, but there is another side to this story that has not been addressed in this article.

166. A Letter From Hell

Comment #115830 by 82abhilash on January 24, 2008 at 10:21 pm

They are desperate. This looks more like a video to scare Christian children into evangelizing than anything else.

167. The real danger in Darwin is not evolution, but racism

Comment #115239 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 7:21 pm

So, why can't I as a (jesusfuck it hurts to say this) Christian demand the same from "Darwinists?" If you are going to take the theory from the person who developed it, why should I not force you take take all his ideas? Why are you allowed to cherry-pick and I am not?

GSP, it is a generally monotheistic notion to believe that you need a single book that is the mother of all books. The Origin of Species in not a replacement for the Bible, although it does nullify the Biblical account of creation and thus the Christian claim that it is the word of God.

What a forum like this can hopefully do is allow the 'New Atheists' to appreciate the new process where new ideas are formed, old ideas examined in light of new evidence and improved upon or tossed out if necessary. In other words 'the scientific method', which at its core is dependent on intellectual honesty.

The final argument from science stems from examining the natural world. It is possible for one scientist to develop two theories one of which is proved wrong and the other stand the test of time. Since the final argument rests on evidence observed through experimentation and not the authority of the scientist, we can cherry pick and improve upon what he got right. That is the strength of science.

Can't do that in religion because everything in the Bible is the infallible word of God and it is blasphemy to alter it. The final argument rests on his authority, even if it is proved wrong during experimentation. That is the weakness of religion.

168. The real danger in Darwin is not evolution, but racism

Comment #115170 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 5:33 pm

MPhil Hitler was Austrian by the way, not German. Just FYI.

169. The real danger in Darwin is not evolution, but racism

Comment #115165 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 5:27 pm

Now in case some of you may be wondering whether it was a coincidence that Western societies where and have remained technologically and scientifically the most progressive society in the world. And in case some of you maybe thinking whether there is something special in the genes that can explain that. Well there is not. Dr. James D. Watson, who should have known better, made a remark to that extent and was rightly reprimanded.

But by far the most rational explanation so far has been proposed by Jared Diamond in his book Guns, Germs and Steel along with a PBS documentary by the same name. I found it very enlightening:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4008293090480628280

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6846344734969027300

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3449100874735282191

170. The real danger in Darwin is not evolution, but racism

Comment #115150 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 5:03 pm

Darwin was not advocating genocide. Merely predicting ways in which "more fit" varieties within a species would displace other varieties.

But yes Darwinism has within it the potential to create toxic racist cults based on pseudoscience, when devoid of objectivity and intellectual honesty.

However keep in mind that teaching nuclear physics has within it the potential to create mad scientists who will develop a bomb to destroy the world as we know it. Yet no one is using that excuse to prevent the teaching of good physics.

I would like to hear Richard Dawkins comment on this article.

171. Banned From Church

Comment #115124 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 3:43 pm

Deepthought if you are talking about Francis Collins, I think I can explain. Collins was a default atheist. He decided to become a scientist, and serious scientists where atheists, so he decided to be one.

He did not struggle with deep questions that most normal people struggle with before they realize that religion does not give good answers. And such people are more gullible for religious thinking. They have not been vaccinated against this virus.

Once you take the plunge, it is difficult to change without loosing credibility. What most people do then, is to quietly refuse to put themselves in any situation that would require them to reconcile their religious views with reality.

25. Comment #115101 by Deepthought on January 23, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Out of curiosity how would you approach an atheist who has converted to christianity?

Now for the last question, you cannot generalize on your approach for the same reason that you cannot generalize on atheist morals.

Atheism is a term without content. No atheist needs to be intellectually honest, moral or sincere. Like Christopher Hitchens says Irreligion is a necesarry not a sufficient condition for a just society. So unless you have some insight into their nature, their thoughts, their tastes, etc., you cannot approach them effectively.

172. Lewis Black - The Devil's Handiwork

Comment #115116 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 3:31 pm

Lewis Black got confused, the fossils do not disprove that the earth was created in seven days. It disproves that the earth is 6000 years old and that man lived with dinosaurs.

173. Death Sentence for Afghan Student

Comment #115111 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 3:20 pm

What exactly was the insulting article? I would like to read it.

174. Three Little Pigs 'too offensive'

Comment #115109 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 3:15 pm

This is a lot of Bullshit. I was raised in the UAE for the first ten years of my life and I have seen cartoons there on Government owned TV, dubbed in Arabic that featured pigs case main characters!! In the UAE!!

Perhaps the problem is that there is too much freedom in the West and the muslims are not used to it and do not want to be used to it. I mean what can they do in the UAE, petition for religious freedom in the courts? Take to the streets? They can do nothing there. It is not a democracy. Perhaps that is where they need to be. They will be happy submissive to a theocracy. Where someone else makes all the decisions for them. No need to think for yourself about the most important questions in your life.

175. People who've experienced God KNOW that God exists

Comment #115096 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 2:39 pm

Experiencing something and coming up with a good explanation for the experience are not the same thing.

176. How can the Earth be so perfectly suited for life by coincidence?

Comment #115093 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 2:36 pm

Earth is not perfectly suited for life. Indeed 99% of all species that have ever been on this planet are extinct. Life forms have been continually adapting themselves to become more fit to earth's changing conditions. And from that view point, religion is a step in the reverse direction.

177. What is the role of free will to an atheist?

Comment #115091 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 2:32 pm

Free will to me means an opportunity to continually improve my understanding of the real world; and act optimally based on that understanding. In short the essence of free will is not about the variety in my behavioral choices, but the level of intelligence that goes into my opinions, decisions and actions.

178. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc. were atheists, and they were terrible! Answer that!

Comment #115086 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 2:18 pm

Co-relation does not equal causality my friend. Today it is known that several members of the Catholic clergy where pedophiles yet no one claims that they where pedophiles because they where Catholics. Speaking of Catholics, by the way, Hitler was Roman Catholic not an atheist.

179. Atheists only promote divisiveness, as any other separatist movement.

Comment #115083 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 2:12 pm

Being divisive is not the same a being dogmatic. Other movements are dogmatic and consequently divisive. Our movement is divisive precisely because we question are not ashamed to question dogmas, even amongst each other. If the price of consensus is intellectual dishonesty, then it is of no value to us.

180. What does atheism say about the purpose (or the meaning) of life?

Comment #114988 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 11:35 am

Like Sam Harris keeps emphasizing atheism is a term without content. It is not a world view, so there cannot be a single atheist view on the meaning of life. Most atheists live under the assumption that life is worth living. But I personally feel that what adds value to a life is the level of intellectual honesty one practices in every day living and the consequences it has on the questions we ask and the answers we receive. It is this process driven by intellectual honest that makes life meaningful and purposeful.

181. Hinduism and Buddhism offer much more sophisticated worldviews (or philosophies) and I see nothing wrong with these religions.

Comment #114985 by 82abhilash on January 23, 2008 at 11:25 am

I can speak more about Hinduism and a bit about Buddhism. Since I was raised a Hindu. Generally speaking Hinduism is less structured than Buddhism. There is no single dogma, no single creed. Hindu sects exist in an ocean of other mostly Hindu sects and everyone has a general understanding that they can believe whatever they want as long as their beliefs are compatible with us believing whatever we want. Even Muslims and Christians in India tend to have a tacit appreciation of this consensus. This of course creates an environment where criticizing dogma is the only taboo, which is very true of India today.

Buddhism though originating in India has had long ceased being part of Indian culture until recently where it has made a come back with low-caste and untouchable Hindus who find it an easy way to obtain upward mobility without abandoning their traditions, something which is very difficult if one embraces Islam or Christianity.

It is absolutely correct that, "Hinduism and Buddhism offer much more sophisticated worldviews." Indeed most Hindus and Buddhists are sophisticated thinkers, especially those Hindus and Buddhists who are in the habit of thinking a lot. And unlike Muslims or Christians, they try to accommodate new ideas and concepts into their world view. This makes them highly receptive not only to Christian and Islamic world views but to Communist and even Scientific worldviews.

However they suffer from the same weakness of other religions in that they do not have a rigorous and objective means to validate their world views through scientific experimentation. This lack of objectivity means that any attempts for validation tends to gravitate into some form of pseudoscience. Sophisticated worldviews and objective worldviews are not the same thing.

But like I said before Hindus and Buddhists are receptive to ideas outside their worldview. Hence in today's world there are extremely good at adapting and incorporating ideas from the scientific world into their living system. If you look at the world map for the most technologically adaptive countries, most of them are in Asia. But if you look at the most technologically innovative countries most of them are in the West (except Japan). And I claim this is no accident. The answer lies in the weakness of Eastern philosophies � while they are adaptive to change, they lack within them the potential to seize the initiative and be active in changing the world. Like the Abrahamic dogmas, they like to maintain existing power structures and the status quo that comes with it, so more time is wasted playing verbal gymnastics.

182. Minnesota Atheists Interview Richard Dawkins

Comment #113768 by 82abhilash on January 20, 2008 at 1:30 pm

You know what I think. I think the founding fathers valued independence above all. Some of them did believe in some form of deity but even they felt that the decision to worship must be made by person of his/her own free will, not compromised in any way.

That is why they worked so hard to maintain neutrality in religion. In fact their notion of independence included economic independence as well. Something which is lacking the US today, is it any wonder that the religious right are trying to hijack the economic machinery?

183. The New Theology

Comment #113159 by 82abhilash on January 18, 2008 at 5:46 pm

Passing through my mind:

Creeping normalcy

The frog in warm water

It is the final proof of God's omnipotence that he neednot exist in order to save us.

184. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #111015 by 82abhilash on January 13, 2008 at 10:48 am

Richard Morgan,

I will choose to remain with the term 'unknowingly'. People tend to internalize contradictions that form part of their daily lives quite effectively without even realizing it, especially when it pays for bread and butter. Scientists are less likely to do so because their profession demands intellectual honesty more than any other.

I will do the Christian thing, and believe that there is. Until further evidence proves me wrong.

Of course it is the word Christian that pops out here. Makes it sound as though good deeds are something that only Christians are capable of. That is condescending and dishonest.

But that old Christian tradition is exactly what we are hoping to get rid off here. Are you a religious lurker?

185. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #110945 by 82abhilash on January 13, 2008 at 9:10 am

467. Comment #110647 by garp on January 11, 2008 at 7:38 pm

Comment #110491 by 82abhilash
"...this man tells things that are rational and sensible...."

No he doesn't. His assessments are often incorrect...and I stand by my words that I stated in my previous post.

(shhhhh don't tell anyone on this board that I said this as I would be insulting their God lol)

You know garp I kind of noticed it too. But I was not as brave as you to be too open about it. I cannot put a finger on it, but yes Hitchens seems to fall into the trap the many journalists do, quiet unknowingly. They see someone present a biased point of view, they try to correct it by presenting an opposing point of view (in the case of theism, it is anti-theism); and before you know it instead of being objective in their criticism, they end up cherry picking facts to fit their view point, just like their opponents.

Now he is not that far out, yet. Most of the thing he says are rational and sensible. But I see him trending that dangerous road. And that concerns me.

186. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #110511 by 82abhilash on January 11, 2008 at 12:12 pm

You know walk, all four does a pretty good job of insulting faith heads without being mean. But Hitchens seems to piss some people on both sides. In my opinion this is not strategy. He is just being himself. Reminds me of a jig saw piece that at first glance seems to fit any puzzle but when tried, fits none perfectly. This is his strength and weakness.

187. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #110491 by 82abhilash on January 11, 2008 at 10:43 am

Garp and Melisande

Hitchens is becoming a bit of a talking point out here. In what way you might ask. Well his tone and rhetoric can make some of us uncomfortable while others fiercely loyal. I know that sensation - this man tells things that are rational and sensible, but the way he says it he pisses off even the best of us, almost making us consider doing exactly the opposite just to piss him off.

And he invokes strong emotions. People like Styrer admire him so much that they are almost handicapped from sensibly responding to criticism against him. And people like you are so irritated by him that you fail to express your discomfort with him in sensible manner. Plus Hitchens goofs up every once in a while.

If Hitchens where a diamond, I would say he requires to be cut and polished. The words that flow out of his pen may be appealing, but the ones that come out of his mouth need to be refined.

188. Two Ex-Jehovah Witnesses to Tell Why They Became Atheists

Comment #110271 by 82abhilash on January 10, 2008 at 8:03 pm

I found the link to this video from a site run by ex-JW called 'Watch the tower' - http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2919/

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2183288529160546808&q=jehovah%27s+witness

It is old but it useful.

189. Blind Faiths

Comment #108763 by 82abhilash on January 7, 2008 at 2:41 pm

Just in case anyone got mislead Ayaan Hirsi Ali, was commenting in the work of Lee Harris not Sam Harris.

190. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #107813 by 82abhilash on January 5, 2008 at 12:13 pm

evilgenius,

Dennett was giving general ideas on how Deja Vu could have natural explanations, not speaking about any specific experience.
Your scouting trip example seems fine. And Dennett seems to have a good explanation for that.

But what about having two memories of the incident. Well one could be a false memory based on false categorization and the other could be the real memory, both competing for your attention. A neuroscientist may find come up with better theories.

Of course if I did not have the Occam's razor on hand I may have considered this as an experience from another dimension, but no.

191. Sam Harris debate with Rabbi David Wolpe

Comment #107480 by 82abhilash on January 4, 2008 at 3:36 pm

I think Judaism is becoming more or less a socio-cultural phenomenon rather than a religion. Sam was getting as much maybe a bit more cheers than the Rabbi in a Jewish university.

The moderator was playing fair and people where asking sensible questions. All in all it was a wonderful intellectual discourse between two gentlemen and enjoyed by all in the spirit of human solidarity.

192. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #107475 by 82abhilash on January 4, 2008 at 3:19 pm

I have a strong suspiction that Artful_Dodger is a religous lurker. I have seen some of his other comments.

193. Can Atheists Be Parents?

Comment #107463 by 82abhilash on January 4, 2008 at 2:54 pm

jim.lloyd
I think you misunderstood. It was the second adoption that happend in 1970.

194. Can Atheists Be Parents?

Comment #107435 by 82abhilash on January 4, 2008 at 1:58 pm

Yes konquererz ,

And it is precedence like these that Pat Robertson and his henchmen at Regent University hope to overturn.

195. Can Atheists Be Parents?

Comment #107339 by 82abhilash on January 4, 2008 at 12:05 pm

NJ has come a really long way has it not? Why now they are trying to let gay people marry. Make expecting mothers do the responsible job getting HIV testing and all.

NJ is known as the arm pit of the United States. But I must add, I spent some of my happiest days there.

196. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #107191 by 82abhilash on January 4, 2008 at 8:59 am

Come on Styrer,

Why all this intellectual gymnastics to justify your position? Of course you are right 'dogmatic' and 'insane' are words more appropriate to the theistic camp. They live on it day and night.

Should we act towards them as they act towards us? Well that is a good idea; it is working; besides they seem to have no scruples. What other parallels can I see to it. It is like terrorizing the terrorists. It is like being intolerant to intolerance. It is a good way of doing some real damage in the sort term, but to consolidate our gains we need to do something else for the long term.

I like to be more economical - strike at the roots of this tree. Does not matter how tall the tree is, or how broad its branches are once we strike at the roots, it dies. Once science and reason is common knowledge. Once religious phenomena are all rationally explained. Then we are in a better place. We do not need to use words like atheist or anti-theist or anything like that. We will represent the main stream.

197. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #106997 by 82abhilash on January 3, 2008 at 8:22 pm

evilgenius

Daniel Dennett as a meaningful natural explanation for the Deja Vu experience. I have the link to the video here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8084768678469239623&q=Daniel+dennett+duration%3Along&pr=goog-sl

Go to 14:50. I would love to hear your comments.

198. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #106945 by 82abhilash on January 3, 2008 at 6:15 pm

Comment #106934 by walk on January 3, 2008 at 5:48 pm

82abhilash,

Have you ever had a transcendent experience that you believe showed you the window to a reality beyond the natural world?

What a loaded question. Are you trying to expose me as a religious lurker or something?

Well here goes. Religion has been a hobby of mine for a long time. I have tried to experience the feeling of transcendence that religious people claim they feel. I must say that I am not specifically sensitive to that. I probably got that from my father's side, he thinks it is all a bag of tricks. So whatever I did experience was probably a shorter form of that experience.

In my mother's side things are different and she more than anyone provided me with most opportunities to experience such feelings, in any religion might I add. Because she 'rationally' deduced that same experience meant there was only one God even if there are many religions. So I have tried to study all of the world's major religions. But she was hoping that I will become a devout Hindu when I grew up.

The fact that these experiences can have perfectly natural explanations is something that I have considered relatively recently. Not more than 5 years. Too much rational thinking I am sure. Objectively examining several religions does that to you, eventually.

And when I said the same to my mother, she was not hostile to the suggession at all. In fact she thinks it is entirely possible. Must say that surprised me. All she hopes is that, that option of happiness does not remain closed to me.

So if at this point you are wondering whether I call myself an atheist, well like Sam Harris, I would prefer not to be labeled. However if I find myself in company of people who insult atheists, I will step up and dare them to insult me.

199. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #106938 by 82abhilash on January 3, 2008 at 5:52 pm

lindajean

And it is ironic and perplexing he does not want theism to go away since he claims it is filled with evil.

It is not ironic really. You can't have anti-theism without theism. And he needs them to argue with, he admitted just as much. And they try to use him to negatively stereotype the 'New Atheism' movement. There is symbiosis in this relationship. Harris wants to be reasonable. Dawkins likes to sing carols and Dennett can never be demonized. They are the ones who will do real damage in the long run. Pure reason will eat into faith.

Think of how much air time Fox News gives him compared to Harris, Dawkins or Dennett. They get their pay checks from the gullible faithful. Hitchens gets his paycheck by demonizing their actions. They are the geese who lay his golden eggs. He will never want to kill them.

200. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #106933 by 82abhilash on January 3, 2008 at 5:47 pm

Steve Zara