One religion

I was told today (on twitter)to go and read the Quran and not be afraid. I have also been told in the past to read the bible so that i can find/know god. I have read the bible, i read it all the time. I have an app on my phone with every available translation on it and i read it more than twice each week…But here’s the thing, I read it as fiction! My mindset is such that i’m not reading it as a guidebook or an operating manual because no one has ever told me to or shown me to. It’s just a collection of stories, most of which i find don’t sit well with me. I’m not the kind who takes well to being preached at. I like to find my own way. Taking a story from the bible and using it as some kind of moral guidance is all well and good, but not if you’re picking and choosing which bits of the book you like and dislike. Any one of those moral stories can be reflected in anyone who doesn’t subscribe to religion, otherwise we’d all be locked up for doing horrible things! Being good without god is relatively painless and easy!

If someone presents me with evidence that contradicts my current way of thinking, i research it! i go and read about it, or search the internet for it, or talk to friends about it to see if they have heard of it and, if it turns out it’s not bullshit then it gets slotted comfortably into my world view…..until it’s challenged again!

I love to have my views challenged! It doesnt scare me, it (usually) expands my knowledge or makes me go “OH! so i’ve been wrong for ages!”

Thinking about those who carry strict, blind faith *does* scare me though! The willful ignorance and rejection of fact over their beliefs is terrifying! The shocking cognitive dissonance is far scarier than being wrong about something.

Anyway, to the (vague) point, and it’s one i’m sure countless people have thought about before. Religion and culture. I live in the UK, and (before the census) lots of people were banging on about how it’s a Christian nation…well, whilst proving this isnt really the case these days, it does carry a heavy Church of England and Catholic trend in the 21st century still, this mainly down to them being older religions to have established in this country than say, Islam. Christianity arrived in the British Isles in sub-roman England in around AD 47 whereas (as an example) the first recorded Englishman to become a Muslim was John Nelson, who converted to Islam at some point in the 16th Century. Before this of course there were more earthy religions in this country such as paganism and of course subscribers to this way of life were persecuted by Christians as Christianity became more popular, but that’s not for this post (I’ve only added Wikipedia links because i’m pushed for time).

You could say, “if you were born here in a religious family, there’s a likelihood you will be christian”

In India, a higher likelihood of being Hindu. And muslim in those countries which *that* is the predominant religion.

Where you are born will more or less dictate which religion you might become. . .Czech Republic for example, if you’re born there you’re extremely lucky indeed, they have the highest non-religious population in the world!

Religion is a taught mechanism and the flavour you’re taught is reasonably dependant on the culture you are brought up i. It’s not innate. That is to say, it’s not something you just know from an early age, unless someone teaches it to you. If you’re one of those people who actively seeks it out, there’s no doubt it’s because it has been shown to you by something or someone else. It’s not something you just *want* to go an learn about, there’s always a reason.

Here’s where i’d like to ask anyone of faith who reads this, what was the thing that moved you to choose your faith? Was it something someone said to you? was it an attempt to find meaning in your life? did you seek people who knew about it so they could show you how to follow a faith? was it your parents? or your friends who lead your hand? Why did you choose faith?

.. now here’s where i make a bit of a jump…..>

Imagine yourself on the International Space Station (stick with me here)! looking down on our planet: a bit like this

(image thanks to Commander Chris Hadfield, ISS) [ps, i can't see heaven or hell in either of those pictures.......just sayin']

and ask “does it matter?”

What i mean is LOOK at the bloody place! If there was going to be a religion, i imagine that we’d all be the same one. If there was some kind of benevolent, omnipresent creator in charge of this beautiful place (not to mention the rest of the universe) we’d all know it as empirically, just as we know that the earth goes round the sun, birds have wings, dogs have four legs [generally] and that we use our lungs to breathe! none of us question those….actually, people DO question the earth/sun thing (thank you, Flat Earth people! << mad as a box of frogs!) but generally, as far as evidence goes, you’d think if there was someone in charge there wouldn’t be discrepancies between faiths or wars over promised lands.

There wouldn’t be any doubt at all in our minds, all 7 billion of us – but there is……. and that says a lot.

Proof of a god – what I would need

This is quite a simple and short one really. Let’s just start with these:

Proof of a god, I would need it to:

1. Appeal to its *creations* for forgiveness! Come to us all at once and apologise for creating us on just one planet then deliberately giving us free will, knowing the whole time that we would fuck everything up!

2. Sit down with the great minds of our world and re-write or abolish its rule book. Clearly define to its creation what the hell it is doing letting us kill each other.

3. Clearly state its meaning, tell us all about heaven and hell and who will or will not go there, get rid of the ambiguity so people stop killing each other over promised lands and virgins!

4. End poverty and world hunger. Pretty basic really!

5. Man up to this mess its made!

I could go on forever but there’s a top 5!

These demands are made on the premise that a god is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. If its not, then its not a god, and if it *is* all those things but is sitting back watching like some sick voyeur then it is disgusting and not worthy of worship anyway!

Any one of those would be all the proof i’d need to accept that a loving god exists, until any of those turn up, i’m sticking with atheist. Thanks!

Fears that same-sex marriage legislation will restrict religious freedoms

Firstly, Happy New Year. Secondly, look who’s made the first post of 2013! Catholic Priests! woo!

Today’s note relates to the following story, headlined by the BBC today titled “Catholic priests voice same-sex marriage fears”.

The sub heading states:

“More than 1,000 Roman Catholic priests have signed a letter voicing fears that same-sex marriage legislation will restrict religious freedoms.”

It is this that I’d like to pick up on. Most importantly because the term “religious freedom” is repeatedly thrown around as some sort of “get out of jail free” card for the bigotry displayed by a large portion of religious people. I’d add the term “fundamentalists” but I have a feeling, if I looked hard enough then it wouldn’t be too difficult to find any person of faith who regarded “religious freedom” as their badge to get away with acting or saying things that may not be fully acceptable. Stamping their comments or actions with “It’s part of my faith” or “You can’t speak ill of god” or “How dare you oppose me, I’m religious don’t you know?” doesn’t actually mean they can get away with being a prick! I know plenty of people who subscribe to faith who don’t act that way, but the ones who do are really just using faith as an excuse to be horrible!

The difference between the terms Religious Freedom and Freedom of Religion I think is the key here. At first glance, the language might suggest they are both the same, but if you look a little closer you will find the opposite. Freedom of Religion is the understanding that, regardless of how any of us feel, that some people *will* choose to follow faith and, as tolerant human beings who respect other people’s choices, it also requires that we have an understanding *of* these choices. Freedom of Religion is a bit like Live and Let Live….except when those who are religious choose to use Freedom of Religion to mean Religious Freedom – “I CAN do this BECAUSE of my faith” – they are two separate things. I realise I haven’t explained myself very well there. So here it is in a different way.

Lets for a moment pretend that Freedom of Religion means Freedom of Cake. There are a group who chose to eat cake, and a group who think eating cake is a waste of valuable time and there are better things to do than eat cake. These people don’t try and stop the cake eaters, they just don’t particularly subscribe to cake eating. Now, one day a cake eater walks over to a non-cake eater and cries “Why you evil person! You blasphemer! How dare you disagree with cake! You should eat cake like the rest of us because it’s good and it makes you feel happy. You dislike of cake is an offence to us cake eaters! We can use this cake to stop you doing things you know, just you watch us!” This would be called Cake Freedom. The cake eater has attacked a non cake eater using cake as his excuse for the attack. Can you see how silly this is? Throwing cake around to hurt people. Throwing religion around to hurt people.

From what I can see, tolerant and loving people understand that there are many different faiths and cultures around the world and understand that it is an individual’s choice whether they subscribe to any of them. I could of course go off on a tangent here about how in theory that would mean they all cancel each other out and renders *none* of them true but that is certainly a different post for a different time. The problems arise when, in this case, priests, use the fact they’re religious as a barge pole to force their bigotry upon other people. They have missed the point entirely it seems. The priests referenced in the BBC article are stating that there is a “fear that same-sex marriage will restrict religious freedoms”. What does that even mean? The irony oozes out of it like thick oil being squeezed from an old rag! It’s disgusting. I have always thought, if you are priest who opposes same-sex marriage, don’t perform same-sex marriages! How hard can it be? Other people’s choice to marry the person they love is only affecting them because they let it. Why not accept that those people are not the same as them and stop trying to dictate how they should live their lives.

A friend pointed out to me that, if you were in fact gay and wanted to get married in church but your church was opposed to it, why would even want to be a part of that religion in the first place? That is *such* a good question and I’d love for someone to answer that for me.

I could rant about this for ages, but in conclusion I think I’d just like to say, to all Catholic Priests and any of those who appose same-sex marriage …..STOP! Just stop trying to tell other people what they can and can’t do. Stop assuming that their actions are going to rock the foundations of your church or faith! The only people who are doing that are you! The fact that religion is falling apart has nothing to do with atheists or secularists. You are pulling your institution apart from the inside all on your own with such displays of bigotry and intolerance. Let people love who they want to love, they aren’t trying to love or marry you, so why do you even care?!

Christmas is secular

Over the last few weeks we at amp-towers have heard, or read an astonishing amount of tweets, comments and general mutterings of barely disguised contempt at the fact atheists celebrate Christmas. I’ve seen everything from people implying we should be forced to work over the Christmas period to not being given Christmas bonuses.

Let’s get one thing straight, and it’s something that quite a few people are having difficulty coming to terms with.

Christmas is secular.

Sorry Christians, it just is. It used to be pagan and roman, then it was Christian, and now it’s a secular holiday. That it’s called Christmas is utterly irrelevant to the nature of the holiday as it stands today. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of people I know that even think about the religious aspects of Christmas by the time it comes around each year.

When we’re asked as atheists “Why do you celebrate Christmas”, really, we should be asking those same people the same question. As an atheist, I gladly celebrate Christmas, but certainly not because of the baby Jesus. But then, when you do a bit of research – pretty much all Christmas traditions have NOTHING to do with the baby Jesus.

Far be it for those of a theistic inclination to ignore facts in order to preserve belief in their mythology of choice, but I though it worthwhile to explore some important historical points of note regarding the celebration of Christmas that more Christians would do well to take on board. As an aside, I always find it astonishing how little some people of faith know about the history of their beliefs.

1) Jesus was not born on December 25^th

This is an important point to note for those that are insistent that this is a prerequisite for celebrating this date as the birth of Jesus. If Jesus even existed at all (which judging by the fact he is not mentioned by any historian of note, and the lack of real evidence of his existence beyond the biblical gospels makes it highly unlikely) based on the accounts in the bible he would have been born either in spring or autumn (depending on which scholar or source you believe). If you can find somewhere in the bible that states 25^th December was the day of his birth feel free to correct me.

2) Christmas was Roman & Pagan before it was claimed by Christians.

Here are a few festivals that took place before Christians claimed the date in order to supplant those cultures and ancient religions with their own mythological purposes for celebration.

Saturnalia – an ancient Roman festival celebrating the god Saturn was traditionally held between the 17^th & 23^rd December each year. It is likely Christians decided to claim this date as a celebration for Jesus’s birth in order to attract Roman converts.

Sol Invictus – an ancient Roman celebration held every year on the 25^th December to celebrate the rebirth of the Sun. You can sort of see where the early Christians pinched their ideas from eh?

Yule & Modraniht– pagan germanic festivals that were later absorbed in to the Christian mythology, celebrated by feasting, getting drunk, animal sacrifice and burning logs. Celebrated by Vikings for the gods Baldur and Odin.

The Winter Solstice – traditionally celebrated throughout the world by a multitude of cultures, often symbolising birth / rebirth

Yalda – an Iranian festival celebrating the victory of light and goodness over darkness and evil. Mithra was born at dawn on the 22nd of December to a virgin mother. He symbolizes light, truth, goodness, strength, and friendship. Sound familiar?

Malkh – Chechen tradition celebrating 25^th December as the birthday and the festival of the Sun. Also celebrated in a similar way by the celtic people (although not called the same)

For a bigger list of Winter Solstice festivals…. Check this link out

3) The Christmas tree is not Christian…

Historically, sticking a tree in your house and decorating it can easily be traced back to 15th century Livonia (present-day Estonia and Latvia). The Romans also did something similar, during Saturnalia they put up evergreen shrubs and decorated trees with shiny things and idols of the god Bacchus (the god of wine and intoxication… fuck yes). As well as these examples, the Egyptians & Vikings also decorated their homes with dressed up trees, shrubs and the like, and of course, the Pagans did similar to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

But wine and intoxication? Sounds like Christmas to me!

If you fancy it, check out what the bible has to say about this particular tradition

4) Carols, mistletoe, exchanging of gifts, holly…. All pagan, Egyptian & Roman in historical lineage.

Carols were originally folk songs sung at local celebrations, the exchanging of gifts was a tradition traced easily to the Saturnalia festival, mistletoe was traditionally known as a Scandinavian peace plant under which arguing couples could kiss and make up, holly was known as a pagan plant revered by druids for its luck bringing and hung up by Romans at Saturnalia for similar reasons. Go to youtube, and search for “To Xmas and Beyond” for a great video detailing the above. Or just click here

5) As for the Virgin birth and other Jesus birthday “facts”….

Here are some of the gods and figures in ancient mythology with stories you might consider synonymous with the Jesus birth myth. Let me know when you see something of theme appearing here….

Horus – Egyptian, 3000 BC

Born end of December

Immaculate conception

Star in the East

Adorned by 3 kings

Teacher at 12 years old

Baptized / ministry at age 30

Had 12 disciples.

Attis – Greek, 1200 BC

Born end of December

Immaculate conception

Crucified

Dead for 3 days

Resurrected

Mithra – Persia, 1200 BC

Born end of December

Immaculate conception

Had 12 disciples.

Performed Miracles

Dead for 3 days

Resurrected

Krishna – India, 900 BC

Immaculate conception

Star in the East

Performed Miracles

Resurrected sans death

Dionysus – Greek, 500 BC

Born end of December

Immaculate conception

Performed Miracles

Resurrected

as for everyone’s favourite zombie Jew…

Jesus H Christ – Middle East, 500 BC

Born end of December

Immaculate conception

12 Disciples

Star in the East

Performed Miracles

Resurrected

etcetera

I feel my point is made.

OK Fine, but WHY do YOU Mr/Mrs/Miss Atheist celebrate Christmas, you’re not a pagan are you?

No I’m not, nor, you may be surprised to learn, am I an ancient Roman.

But what do I think Christmas really is and why do I celebrate it at all? I can’t speak for all atheists but for me Christmas is still a very, very special time of year even when you strip away all of the mythology and nonsense surrounding it.

Christmas is when my family and friends get together to celebrate our love and appreciation for each other. It’s a chance for me to really sit back, take time to appreciate everything I have, and to enjoy the company of the people I hold dear. I love eating, drinking and talking with those closest to me.

I enjoy the glow of seeing someone’s face light up when they’re given a gift they wanted. I love to eat so much food I can barely walk and then to fall asleep watching crap telly. I love turkey sandwiches, the near two weeks off work I get, and drinking myself in to a stupor at parties.

I love that it’s a time of year that everyone puts aside specifically for the purpose of being happy and making other people happy.

Belief in god or gods is not a prerequisite for enjoying the Christmas holiday, and is not a requirement to show your love and appreciation for your friends. Whatever your beliefs, Christmas is secular now – which means EVERYONE regardless of their beliefs can celebrate it. This is a much better state of affairs than it being claimed by people of a certain faith.

I for one will drink to that, and you should do. Cheers!

National Secular Society: Government confirms school worship guidance can be ignored

Obviously, the topic of religion in primary schools is one that’s very close to my heart. I don’t really feel as though I say enough about it and one of the reasons why I’ve gone on to start up a local secularist group (after being amazed that there wasn’t one). After realising I wanted to say something to the school about how unhappy i am with the way they are “teaching” christianity in a non-denominational school, I figured there would be a local group around who could help back my cause. No such luck. So i started one, but that’s probably a post on its own, this one is about the recent news about the government’s decision to pretty much waive the requirement for collective worship in schools.

NSS Article

What gets me is that i know the school my kids attend won’t change anything they’re doing and have most likely been using the mandatory collective worship in schools as a loophole in which they can up the saturation of religious bollocks within daily life at the school. My christian friend tells me that “it’s not that bad” and that they don’t “do” too much religion there. I love her, but to me, they do. As she is christian I’m guessing it’s like water off a duck’s back, in the same way that I’d never complain they were doing too much science. (ok she loves science too but i had to find a comparison)

Anyway

It put me in a bit of a spin when i read this article, mainly because I’d very much like the school to take note of my views and feelings about the christian type of worship they do there, but also because it has reminded me that non-denominational means just that! Undoubtedly there are going to be people who attend this school who are not christian, but another religion. What do they do when the teachers, or in some cases the local Baptist minister (who is chair of governors as well) leads them in christian worship? Do they sit and listen or do they leave…and then WHY should they have to leave?

It annoys me so much that you are given the option to opt your kids out of collective worship if you/they want to, but in doing so there is no doubt that this would single the children out as being different. This is why I haven’t done it.

Why can’t “collective worship of a broadly christian nature” be opt in? This is the question i asked myself when i had become resigned to the idea that the school had to, by law, include collective worship. I was of the mind that if it •had• to be part of their curriculum and part of the school, then we should be able to choose to opt in and not out. In that scenario, parents who choose to have their children taught religion in school (that sentence doesn’t sit well with me at all) could do so. Now that it seems there is no mandatory need for it, I am considering a different approach the school to what i had planned previously to include finding out what (if anything) they’re going to do about accommodating the relaxed laws. I have a feeling though, unless i can manage to find loads of other parents who share my point of view, that i will be on to a lost cause. This isn’t going to stop me having a go, but I’m really hoping i can get some support behind me before i go and speak to them about it.

I firmly stand by the position that religion has no place in schools. It should •not• be taught. It should •not• be a mandatory requirement to anyone’s life. If you want your children to learn about faith (unfair in my eyes, but i couldn’t stop anyone from making that choice) then it should definitely be done in a place that is fully dedicated and focussed on just that, a church or faith group. A school is for learning, teaching, expanding knowledge, nurturing young minds and social interactions, caring for and supporting children. It is absolutely not an extra pocket that religion can slip its filthy hand into to weave its doctrine through impressionable young children when they are at such an open point in their development.

•

Respect their little minds, they are our future.

What happens when the guy you voted for loses?

Well, on the internet, complete verbal paroxysm it seems!

Yes folks, I’m talking about twitter. I’m talking about fundamentalists on twitter. I’m talking about a GOP supporting, god assuming, right wing lunatic fucktard on high – one Joe Cienkowski

Any veterans to twitter will know that Joe used to concentrate most of his efforts on denying evolution, claiming a young earth and loving god / knowing god’s will. Over this past year he’s been more focussed on trying to persuade his followers, and anyone else i guess, that Romney is special and honest and should become the next president of the USA… well, the election was yesterday and surprise surprise, magic-pants wearing, intelligence-stunted Mitt Romney did NOT win. [ps that YouTube link is hilarious, click it!]

This of course has sent poor old Joe into the most insane fit and he has now thrown all his toys out of the pram and cried “fix!” on the whole thing. In his little padded cell, Joe had convinced himself that Romney was a winner. Much the same as he convinces himself god is real i imagine, and by golly it’s making for a spiffing good read, chaps!

Many atheists on twitter have been #blockedbyjoe so aren’t able to read his feed (although i’ve just noticed if you log out you can view it – why didn’t i think of that before? [sigh]. Today there are a select few who have been able to retweet some of his insanity, and it really has had me in stitches, not only because of the guy’s craziness, but funniest of all is a statement made to him that, if his god existed, then Obama being realected was in god’s plan. An easy enough statement to make if you use the logic of a fundamentalist, and we can apply that to Joe because he’s proven to be one. So, take his logic, make a statement true to it and what does he respond with?

“god will allow people who have gone bad to elect shameful leaders..”

I absolutely Love his shining example of how these types of people will assume to know the will of god in order to make their case and a friend then pointed out to Joe:

“If Romney had won there’s no doubt you would have believed it to be #God ‘s plan.”

The irony in Joe’s fight and the fact that he doesn’t realise the mess he’s got himself into by saying such ridiculous things is pure poetry.

Oh Amp, you’re being a bully! leave the poor sick guy alone! some people might say?

well, that’s fine, say it if you like. I’m just revelling in a bit of madness and because i’m one of the #blockedbyjoe club, i’m allowed. If he will block atheists for trying to open his eyes a bit, and carry on his display of such wilful ignorance towards facts and truth and call us stupid (of all things!) and bit spiteful, then i think my little secluded part of the web is a suitable place to have a little rant about his lunacy.

there

that feels better

p.s yes i capitalise the word Love….it’s not a grammar error (in case there are any grammar nazi’s reading)

p.p.s – ranting about twitter is lame but it’s STILL better than going on about atheismplus ;)

Call for investigation into Belfast abortion clinic

BBC News – Marie Stopes: Call for investigation into Belfast abortion clinic.

Just NO! stop now! Really! i’m fed up to the fucking back teeth with people thinking that any kind of religious belief can allow you to impose your opinions on a stranger’s decision! And that really does go for anything, not just abortion.

The rules behind the opening of the new clinic are very very strict, women aren’t going to be tumbling into the place at 30 weeks shouting “take it out!” are they? ! (and i’m not sure any woman actually does that, it’s a wild over exaggeration of how i imagine wild pro-life supporters see people who are considering termination of pregnancy) In this clinic, the guidelines specify that the procedure must occur before nine weeks and only after an assessment has been made on the well-being of the mother and only after seeing two separate doctors.

Investigate them for what purpose? to see if they’re trying to break those rules and thus render the clinic unusable because it will get shut down, therefore causing the women to seek abortion elsewhere or be forced to go through with a pregnancy they’re not ready for. I’m pretty sure the Marie Stopes will stick to the rules!

Just to be clear as well, in case it wasn’t already, i’m pro-choice, and simply because a woman’s choice is her own. I can’t say i really like the idea of terminations, i doubt i’d have one myself unless there was a very serious reason to, BUT i fully support a woman’s right to choose and i would never ever judge anyone on that kind of decision or try and change their mind if they told me they were planning a termination. It’s their body, their life and their choice.

There is another story running alongside this one in the news at the moment about the protests against this clinic: Protesters at Marie Stopes private abortion clinic in Belfast

Why they think there’s any point doing that i just don’t know! What do they think is going to happen? any woman considering a termination of pregnancy is going to be brow beaten into having a baby because they stand outside with indecent images of aborted fetuses! How cruel is that? What business is it of theirs? I think rabid pro-lifers like that should have to sign an agreement that if they change the minds of any women planning a termination, they must then be held fully accountable in the future for the child that is born after that incident! That would make them think twice about trying to influence someone’s decision, i bet! Make them sign a contract that requires they provide financial support for children born to women who may not be physically or mentally able or willing to look after them. Make them agree to adopting these unwanted babies after the birth has occured! and don’t even get me started on what kind of traumatising experience that would be! An unwanted pregnancy, taken to term, a woman going through hours of pain to birth a baby she isnt ready for – unimaginable cruelty!

To all the disgusting pro-lifers who protest in the ways outlined in the above articles, i say Fuck Off! Fucking fuck off and leave these strangers alone you stupid, time wasting, self-centered pricks!

(ps, if you read this and you’re pro-life, but nice, please disregard the fucks! of course i respect that everyone has an opinion on this and if you’re pro-life then well, you’re pro-life…..but the ones who scream religious privilege and stand with placards and booklets and horrible images, that’s who i’m talking to here)

Amplified Atheist!

Two LOUD voices working hard to speak out against religious privilege and that absurdity of religious behaviours! Our methodology is in freethought, motivated by humanism and wrapped in two noisy, skeptical, agnostic heavy metal bundles!