Who do you know and why should I believe you?

If I said I knew all my neighbors on my block, you'd probably believe me. If I said I knew everyone in the town where I live, you'd need more information. Is it a small town or not? If the town had hundreds of thousands of people, you certainly would have doubts about my statement.

If I said I knew everyone in the state of California, you'd immediately say I was crazy. If I said I knew everyone in the world, you know I was crazy. You certainly would not take me seriously.

If I said I knew all the heads of state of all the countries of the world, you think I was probably crazy as well. Even though this is actually possible.

Now if I change the  word "people" to "god", a thunder and lighting GOD, there are many people who would now believe me that I know a "god". There would also be many people who would think I was crazy.

Do you see the problem with people claiming they know a, thunder and lighting, celestial god?

Therefore, when someone tells me they know a god, you can be reassured, I do think they are crazy. This is why we have terms like wishful thinking and self-delusion. And this is why people of reason and rationality simply do not have respect for people living in the Scientific Age who believe in invisible friends.

Another Sam Harris quote

“Ever religious person feels the same criticism of other people's faith that we do as atheists. They reject the pseudo miracles and the pseudo claims to certainty of others.

And they see the confidence tricks in other people’s faith and they see it rather readily. Every Christian knows the Koran can’t the perfect word of the creator of the universe and anyone who thinks it is, hasn’t read it closely enough.

And it’s just in this hermetically sealed discourse that isn’t really being self-critical—we make a very strong case when we point that out.

And point out also, that whatever people are experiencing in church or in prayer—no matter how positive—the fact that Buddhists and Hindus and Muslims and Christians are all experiencing it, proves that it can’t be a matter of the divinity of Jesus or the unique sanctity of the Koran.”

–Sam Harris, 30th of September 2007

Sam Harris quote.

“We are offending people (religious believers) but we are also telling them that it’s wrong to be offended.

Physicists aren’t offended when their view of physics is disproved or challenged, this is not the way rational minds operate when they are really trying to get at what’s true in the world.

Religions purport to be representing reality and yet there’s this peevish and tribal and ultimately dangerous reflective response to having these ideas challenged and I think we’re pointing to the total liability of that.”

–Sam Harris, 30 September 2007.

In Defense of Witchcraft

I can hear Christians gasping with fear and horror at the thought of talking about witchcraft. Lightning and thunder, Fear Not.

Okay, I take it back. For those religious who dislike the words "In Defense of Witchcraft," you should be worried because Sam Harris shows that the way Christians treat atheists today are very similar to their Christians counterparts, who burned witches in the 1500s.

Except that Christians today don't burn heretics (people who reject the teachings of the church) or atheists as they call us, because they know they'd go to jail for murder.

Christians today want atheists to be quiet. Christians of the 1500s wanted the same thing. Christians today say they have very little in common with their Christian counterparts of the 1500s. It's funny how Christians today can easily fool themselves.

Christians today use slightly different tactics.

• "Don't criticize my religious beliefs, I don't criticize yours." And under their breath, "If it was the 1500s, I'd burn you at the stake."
• "You need to respect my beliefs." And under their breath, "If it was the 1500s, I'd burn you at the stake."
• Atheists are immoral people." And under their breath, "If it was the 1500s, I'd burn you at the stake."
• It's a taboo in our society for people to criticize my religious beliefs." And under their breath, "If it was the 1500s, I'd burn you at the stake."
• Stop criticizing people's religious beliefs, let everyone believe whatever they want to believe in." And under their breath, "If it was the 1500s, I'd burn you at the stake."

Sam Harris' entire article is found here online: "In Defense of Witchcraft"

What is immoral about questioning a religious belief?

Christians are offended when I ask them to question their belief. What is immoral and unethical about asking someone to use their brain?

Which is immoral, A or B?

A) To ask a Christian to question the truth claims their religion makes.

OR

B) To tell Christians to blindly accept religious propositions which can never be proven.

What a perfect proposition! Make a claim that no one can prove because the proposition claims things happen after someone dies.

The Bible. Divine origin or man-made origin?

It would be child's play for an all powerful God who is all wise, all knowing, all knowledgeable, perfect, omnipotent and who knows the past, present and future to write and publish a book with timeless morals and ethics that would apply to any culture in any time period of human history and would never be able to be misinterpreted by anyone who would read the Bible.

Yet, this did not happen. Why would anyone cling to any Bronze Age or Iron Age mythology with it's blatant immorality and then claim it's not only still applicable but it's of divine origin.

Certainty. A False Goal.

“Certainty is, I think, a false goal. We’re achieving functional certainties in science and just… in our day to day lives. I mean, it’s a functional certainty that I’m sitting here talking to you, though it’s possible I could be dreaming or, you know, deceived by an evil demon.

Those kind of philosophical, epistemological worries don’t really relate too much to the ordinary practice of science, the very useful practice of science and our ordinary task of just negotiating our lives and finding happiness in this world.

We recognize there is a range, there’s a continuum of, you know, “I’m not sure,” “You know, it’s a coin toss, 50/50”, understanding of our circumstances, to be functionally certain about what is so.

And many people are pretending to be functionally certain or believe themselves to be functionally certain about things like “Jesus is going to come back and judge the world in their lifetime,” and 20% of the American population claims to be functionally certain that, that is going to come to pass and 78% think that Jesus is going to come back sometime, not necessarily in their lifetime.

And these certainties do real work for us. The person who is certain that the soul enters the zygote at the moment of conception, is the person who wants to veto stem cell research despite the fact that tens of millions of people are suffering conditions for which stem cell research is the best line of research to generate therapies.

So, these are ideas that are not just of academic interest or personal, private, spiritual relevance, I mean, these are shaping policies, they’re shaping the national conversation. And when you look at the Muslim world they are causing people to blow themselves up on street corners.” —Sam Harris

Watch video here: Is there certainty in science? (Hint: Choose the video titled, "Is there certainty in science?")

The Big Think website does not give the date this video was recorded. However, it's most likely after 2006, not sure.

On Belief

If you are a Christians or claim a religious believer or believer is some power, you believe you have the ultimate truth, the only answer.

What the religious do is issue a proclamation, a statement, they are not able to engage in a conversation, debate or even a real discussion. For simply, they already know the truth. They don't have to look elsewhere. As for Christians, they have been told from their scriptures to not even think about any other religion or else!

The real question is, do you seek the ultimate truth, at all costs or do you simply think you don’t have to seek or think any further.

The religious cleverly made it taboo to criticize religion. They want to keep this taboo alive. We as humans, don’t respect religious beliefs. It’s only the religious who demand respect for their beliefs because of the insane teachings their scriptures propose.

The religious are afraid to criticize other religions because this would now allow their own religion to be open to scrutiny.

If I told you I will win the lottery this week, I know this. It is my truth. Would you respect my belief? Nope. Would you respect my belief that the world is ending tomorrow? I hope not. We don't respect beliefs, only the reasons for beliefs.

The immorality the Bible seems endless. Some examples. Christians and non-Christians. What an immoral teaching. There is no "them", non-Christians. We all share the same humanity.Why does the Bible want to divide people?

In fact, religions are a their core, immoral. They want you to join their club. You are either ni the club or out of the club. If you are in the club, you are good, if you are not in their club, you are bad. Why does not Christianity (or any religion) unite the entire world, whether we are believers or non-believers? Religion is immoral.

Doing good things for bad reasons. You better be good or you'll go to hell. How immoral of a teaching. There are many good reasons to do good things.

Love your enemy. An utterly immoral teaching. You defend yourself against your enemy. How many Christian churches are calling for the US Military to be dismantled? None.

Is this the best a god could provide us? I propose the Bible's immoral teachings are more harmful to society than good.

The religious pronounce their religion is the only real religion and all other religions are rejected. The religious know what it is to reject all other religious belief systems, except their own.

Nontheists simply go one religion further and reject all religious beliefs.

Christian’s last ditch attempts are now claiming abuse by those who break the self-made taboo of not allowing anyone to question their faith.

Recently, I've noticed when Christians (and other religious people) are questioned about the validity of their belief, their hair stands up on the back of their neck and proclaim, you MUST respect my belief. Don't tell me I can't believe. Don't be abusive to me! You are disrespectful to me. You make me feel uncomfortable being around you. You are obviously angry and bitter to talk to me in a negative way about my faith.

Really? First, we don't respect people's beliefs, only the reasons behind their beliefs. Of course, for eons, religious people have wallowed in their own taboo which disallows criticism of their belief or faith. They have to have this taboo because their beliefs are simply mythology of old and for some reason, the masses cling onto these beliefs, like a drowning man, grasping at a razor blade to save his life.

If I tell you I have a diamond, the size of a refrigerator, buried in my backyard. Wouldn't you want some proof?

What if I said, I wouldn't want to live in a universe where I did not believe I have a diamond, the size of a refrigerator, buried in my backyard. Or if I said my life would not be meaningful if I did not believe I have a diamond, the size of a refrigerator, buried in my backyard.

Wouldn't you want some proof as to if I had a diamond, the size of a refrigerator, buried in my backyard? Would you respect my belief?

The reason people say they believe in Christianity is the Bible. Okay. Take a look at the Bible... is this the best an all knowing, all wise, all perfect, all powerful god—who knows the past, present and future—could write or inspire?

So many translations, so many interpretations. Why wouldn't a god simply write and publish his own book? This would be child's play for an omnipotent god to write a book filled with timeless morals and ethics and a book which would never be misinterpreted. After creating the Universe, was god tired?

I know when Christians are called on the carpet about this, their brain will be working on uttering some excuse to defend why their god could not write (and publish) an all perfect, all moral, all ethical book which would apply to any culture in any time period in human history and which would also apply to any alien planet in our galaxy or in the universe.

Why isn't there equal rights and human rights in the Bible? Why does God want you to fear and love him at the same time? Fearing and loving the same person are the words you'd expect to hear from a dictator or totalitarian leader.

Why does God want you to do good things for bad reasons? Be good or go to hell! There are many good reasons to do good things. Is doing good things for bad reasons the best a god could come up with?

Why does God want you to love your enemy? A horrible moral. You defend yourself against your enemies. How many Christian churches are recommending we dismantle the entire US military? Yet, Christians preach love your enemy. Are they nuts?

Also, the Bible says that slavery is moral. The Bible says the repression of women's rights is moral. The Bible says discrimination against gays is moral. The Bible says that genocide is moral. The Bible says that human and animal sacrifice is moral. The Bible says that murder is moral. (Examples, if a child curses his parents, it's okay for the parents to kill their child.) The list seems endless.

One of the most horrible teachings of the bible: Christians are taught that demonizing nonbelievers is moral. What a perfect example of how religion divides people. If Christianity was so fantastic, why would anyone need to believe in it? Why doesn't Christianity unite the entire world whether you believe or not? Religious beliefs divide friends, families, marriages, co-workers, partners, communities and nations. For this reason alone, religion is not only immoral but a clear danger to a productive, free thinking, rational, progressive civilization.

And the one of the biggest problems of all, if not the biggest: Is it ethical to believe another person can take on the responsibility for your actions? Christ as a human sacrifice for your sin is an utterly immoral proposition. (Another problem, sin is a man-made concept.) The Christ sacrifice that eliminates personal responsibility is utterly immoral because personal responsibility is what all ethics and good morals depend.