Help Me Explain This!!!

I'm thinking they should be wearing earmuffs, not sunglasses. How about you?

When Science and Religion Collide

I live in a small community of a few thousand mostly deeply religious people; a small group of Hindus and Christians dominated by a majority of Muslims. It's not hard to notice that the single Church, two temples and three mosques are frequented daily, and that each religious grouping are devout followers of their respective religions. This community is a microcosm of the religious fervour endemic the world over.

In Europe, on the other hand are a few thousand scientists who after fourteen years of collaboration, this week witnessed the fruits of their labour when the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN was switched on successfully. Amid threats to shut the project down over fears of safety by certain detractors, and doomsday predictions by the loony religious fringe, the first proton beams were injected into the LHC on the 10th September this week to complete a successful start up on the most expensive and probably most important scientific experiment in the history of mankind to date.

In stark contrast we have two groups of people; one looking for meaning and purpose in archaic religious texts and ultimately for salvation through blind faith, and the other nobly trying to unravel meaning and purpose and indeed, the secrets of the universe through scientific experiment. While scientists will be asking how the universe came to be the way it is, the religious faithful believe they already know and see no reason to question further. In life there can be no two endeavours that are more diametrically opposed to each other than science and religion; indeed religion is the antithesis of science. And while religionists vehemently oppose science, some have no qualms about engaging the detestable field of pseudo-science to prop up their dying religions as in the laughable hypothesis about Intelligent Design.

In the modern era, religion still dominates the lives of ordinary people in spite of the great advances in the science and the increasing evidence against religious dogma and superstitious practices. As scientific scrutiny closes in on irrational religious thinking, I'm constantly amazed at the mental gymnastics employed by the religious institutions, the evangelists, clerics, clergy, priests and common shysters, to find new ways to "keep the faith alive." Religion is big business, and I guess there is a vested interest to ensure its survival.

The future benefits of the LHC and the experiments to be conducted at CERN are obvious to all but the firmly religious. The one benefit not listed, and the one that amuses me no end, is how this scientific event has sparked some fear and loathing into the religious establishment. Take Ray Comfort for example, an evangelist whose recent blog "Its a Sick World" questions the spending of 10 billion dollars over 14 years on the LHC project when the money could be used for feeding starving children in Africa. It is typical of the dishonesty and bigotry of the religious movement who have squandered many more billions in furthering the aims of useless religions. One could also ask why he has never questioned the US Government's expenditure in an untenable war in Iraq, which makes the LHC budget look like small change. No, Ray like the rest of the religious rabble don't concern themselves too much with starving children; right now he is more concerned about how the scientific experiments at CERN is going to affect his business of selling salvation.

While I know it's irrational to suggest that we use the LHC to accelerate different religions at nearly the speed of light from opposite directions so that they collide and smash each other into oblivion, I wish we could. Is it too much to ask?

God Hates Jazz

Three years ago Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans with a fury that was described by some evangelists such as Pat Robertson as God's revenge for abortion and homosexuality among other things considered as "evil" by these hate mongering preachers.

After the death and destruction wreaked by Katrina, the poor people of New Orleans were subjected to further pain and suffering when they were shamefully abandoned by the Republican government of George Bush. According to Michael Moore, on the day that Katrina broke the first levees (dikes), George Bush was apparently partying with John McCain, and they continued having fun at a fundraiser, a full day afterwards, while New Orleans was flooding.

Last week, another evangelist, the Rev. James Dobson, a well-known right wing nut-job and also considered as a New Hitler for the Twenty-First Century, called for his dim-wit followers to pray for a storm so that Barrack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention in Denver, would be cancelled. However in an ironic turn of events, the storm in the form of Hurricane Gustav was set to hit New Orleans again and Louisiana where The Republican National Convention was scheduled to take place.

Now some are saying that God has a great sense of humor by punishing the Republicans and their supporters, such as the Rev. Dobson. But it surely has to make one wonder if "He" just does not like Jazz music and can't stand to see folks having a good time (as they usually do in New Orleans).

Slipknot Honoured at Kerrang! Awards

Only days after being vilified by religious wackos in the small town of Mogale City, for allegedly inspiring a juvenile delinquent to commit murder at a high school, heavy metal band Slipknot were honoured at the 2008 Kerrang! Awards held in London, with the Icon award.

I wonder what the Theist loony brigade think about this development? I'll bet they are all confidently affirming that the devil rewarded Slipknot for a job well done in leading a young kid astray. Trust these "death worshipping" wing nuts to turn an innocent event into a vision of the imaginary "end-times."

Big up to Slipknot for winning the award which is well deserved. You guys are an icon. To all the religionists is Mogale City and elsewhere; eat your silly little hearts out.

South African Religionists Allege That Slipknot Are Competing Unfairly, Using Poetry to Brainwash Youth

This is a follow up to my recent blog about the religious twit who (still) insists that heavy metal band, Slipknot and Satan are responsible for leading a kid into killing a fellow pupil at a Krugersdorp school earlier this week. The title for my follow-up blog is an indication of how I would report the incident, if I was a newspaper editor.

Almost a week has passed, and the consensus of opinion, both written and verbal (broadcast and socialized) is that Slipknot and Satan cannot be held responsible for the behaviour of the kid who committed the atrocity. However, there are many commentators, with a religious leaning who still hold on to the preposterous notion that the kid was influenced by Satanic lyrics from Slipknot's recordings. To my utter disgust, it has also been revealed that Pierre Eksteen (my twit of the week), originally reported as a community leader, is in fact a member of the local clergy (Pastor).

In further developments, it seems that the Ninja kid has "given his heart to God" and "accepted Jesus" after appearing in Court yesterday. I viewed an online video of him leaving the court buildings and he looked particularly happy. Maybe he had already found Jesus by then, or maybe he was just basking in all the media attention; one can never tell. Let me just comment that I'm not the only person asking why he did not "find Jesus" last week, which would have resulted in the victim still being alive today. As one blogger commented "I just have to shake my head in amazement. Turn to the devil when you want power, turn to God when you are in 'shit'? Religion of convenience."

I've been following the online commentary during the week as the story unfolded, and they range from extremely intelligent and insightful from the non-religious or moderate segment of the community, to utter banality and outright rubbish from religious dimwits. One guy from the religious loony brigade went so far as to suggest that non-religious persons are "too thick" to understand how Satan works. Therefore Satan infects only the minds of intelligent (and presumably religious) people. According to him Satan plies his trade by "dividing and conquering" the intelligent, and so he does not bother with "thick" (non-religious) people. I'll leave you to ponder how intelligent this guy (and the thinking) is.

I cannot understand how the band members from Slipknot can be regarded as evil (Satanists) by merely expressing themselves through poetry. Would you automatically consider an artist who paints a nude study, a pervert or rapist? If, as these religious delinquents believe, people are inspired by mere words (Slipknot's lyrics) to perpetrate horrendous acts of violence and even murder, then you have to question the Bible (and other religious texts, most notably those from the Abrahamic religions) to do the same. In fact you don't have to go further than the Old Testament to be inspired to commit all sorts of atrocities. Richard Dawkins wrote in his book The God Delusion, "The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully." And yet, these writings are considered as the basis for morality.

So, what's that about Slipknot's lyrics again?

Twit of the Week - 06

I haven't written anything for a while; since catching a flu virus, but it's given me some time to catch up on some reading and other research. I have also not written a "Twit of the Week" blog for some time, but we are not fully into this week yet, and there's already a candidate shouting out to be honoured as such.

Earlier this morning in Mogale City (previously known as Krugersdorp), the small conservative mining town I live in, a high school pupil wielding a Ninja sword, killed one student , injured another seriously and caused minor injuries to two men employed as gardeners by the school. Apparently he arrived at school carrying about three Ninja swords, face painted black, and wearing a mask that made him resemble the drummer from Metal band, Slipknot. The press reported the incident as an alleged Satanic act. Now you might be thinking that this murderous teenager is my Twit of the Week. Well, actually he is not. This misdirected fool is only a product of poor parenting, and a victim of a pathetic school system that has lost control and a society that has created Gods and Devils.

And that brings me to our Twit of the Week, none other than community leader Pierre Eksteen, who is also reportedly in charge of a school support network for children. This supposed leader when interviewed after the incident, made it very clear that Satanic music was the cause of the attack, stating that "He came here camouflaged as the guy from Slipknot. We know the wrong kind of music and drugs have bad effects. Young people need to be informed of the effects of bad Satanic music." What the blazes is "bad Satanic music?" It never ceases to amaze me how religious tards can immediately conclude that in every case where some kid known to like Heavy Metal music and who has on his person anything resembling black, is involved in Satanic practices. Hey Mr. Eksteen, I happen to love Heavy Metal music and Slipknot for that matter and I also frequently dress in black outfits, so I must also be a Satanist, right?

Well Mr. Community leader Eksteen, let me spell it out for you and all those other religious cretins who make similar allegations. I don't believe in Satan, or God for that matter and I certainly don't worship either. I am not the one who invented Satan. You and the rest of the Theist crowd invented Satan, just as they invented God. So let me put forward my conclusion: You and your religious masters are ultimately responsible for screwing up this kids mind and causing him to commit such a heinous act. Conclusions! Nasty how they can be made so easily, hey?

Ethics and Atheism

There was a time, when it was considered unethical to be an Atheist. Fortunately for us, times have changed and independent rational thinking is as widely accepted as the fact that the Earth is not flat and at the centre of the universe. However, it is one thing to adopt a moral position and then behave in a manner that violates the "unwritten" code of conduct or behavior that that position espouses.

Allow me to explain what has lead me into this field of thought. Since my "conversion" back to Atheism, I have become somewhat over-exuberant in making my feelings, discussions and discoveries about Atheism known to all and sundry by sending out frequent e-mails. I was totally unaware that some, if not all recipients would take a dim view to being inundated with information on this particular life-view. Recently however, I received a scathing rebuke from my Uncle in Canada which stated "You're as harassing as a religionist who is bent on his beliefs." Initially, I just laughed it off with a not entirely convincing bravado of someone who will go to war for his beliefs.

Thankfully, while on business up North in Limpopo Province for a couple of days, I had a chance to reflect on my behavior, while lying in my hotel room. And it struck me how my enthusiasm for learning and unsolicited sharing of information could be and indeed become "harassing." I do sometimes become annoyed when I'm bombarded with dubious material for one or the other religion, so why should the faithful (or not) not feel the same when treated similarly. It is thus I come to the realization that ethical behavior is paramount, especially when one has adopted a moral position that should be beyond reproach. Consequently, I am asserting that an evangelical disposition is both immoral and unethical.

For this reason, I will no longer send out e-mails pertaining to Atheism or Theism for that matter. I will however still utilize these blogs to carry on the noble fight for Atheism, because you visit this site voluntarily.