Faith and Foolishness

Every two years the National Science Foundation produces a report, Science and Engineering Indicators, designed to probe the public’s understanding of science concepts. And every two years we relearn the sad fact that U.S. adults are less willing to accept evolution and the big bang as factual than adults in other industrial countries.

Except for this time. Was there suddenly a quantum leap in U.S. science literacy? Sadly, no. Rather the National Science Board, which oversees the foundation, chose to leave the section that discussed these issues out of the 2010 edition, claiming the questions were “flawed indicators of scientific knowledge because responses conflated knowledge and beliefs.” In short, if their religious beliefs require respondents to discard scientific facts, the board doesn’t think it appropriate to expose that truth.

The section does exist, however, and Science magazine obtained it. When presented with the statement “human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals,” just 45 percent of respondents indicated “true.” Compare this figure with the affirmative percentages in Japan (78), Europe (70), China (69) and South Korea (64). Only 33 percent of Americans agreed that “the universe began with a big explosion.”

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Sam Harris Breaking the spell

American Jewish University presents best-selling authors Sam Harris and Rabbi David Wolpe in a debate about the existence of God and the role of religion and faith in society. Sam Harris is a renowned atheist and author of The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation. Rabbi David Wolpe, of Sinai Temple, is the author of Teaching Your Children About God and Why Be Jewish. This debate is moderated by Los Angeles Times religion editor Steve Padilla.



American Jewish University is grateful to Jewish Television Network for their partnership in making it possible for the public to view more of our programs.

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Donohue vs. Hawking

It's like Bambi vs. Godzilla, except no one would consider Donohue cute and innocent. In an interview, Hawking talked about gods:

"What could define God [is thinking of God] as the embodiment of the laws of nature. However, this is not what most people would think of that God," Hawking told Sawyer. "They made a human-like being with whom one can have a personal relationship. When you look at the vast size of the universe and how insignificant an accidental human life is in it, that seems most impossible."

When Sawyer asked if there was a way to reconcile religion and science, Hawking said, "There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, [and] science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win because it works."

Straightforward and sensible, that's a scientist talking. Bill Donohue, who is anything but sensible, took exception to all that.

How any rational person could belittle the pivotal role that human life plays in the universe is a wonder, but it is just as silly to say that all religions are marked by the absence of reason. While there are some religions which are devoid of reason, there are others, such as Roman Catholicism, which have long assigned it a special place.

Human life plays a pivotal role in the universe? How? Is the orbit of Mars influenced by human activities, does the Andromeda galaxy, 2.5 million light years away, care in the slightest about a species so remote that they're still waiting for the glimmerings of light from the fires they used to roast a mammoth? We could wink out of existence right now and the universe would go on, fundamentally unchanged.

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How Faith Blocks Reason

Melanie Phillips: God, Truth & Power

In her latest work, Melanie Phillips, repudiates the view that faith and reason are incompatible, demonstrating that in many cases the opposite is true. Her central thesis is that the trivialization of religious belief, rejection of the Judeo-Christian heritage, and postmodernism all combine to erode the foundations upon which Western civilization is based. Ms. Phillips explains that this vacuum has resulted in the emergence of a host of irrational cults and preposterous conspiracy theories-a world in which verifiably false statements are continuously reiterated, while truth and lies, right and wrong, victim and aggressor are reversed; a world which may lead Western civilization to a new antirational dark age.

TED: Julia Sweeney on letting go of God

Not Even in South Park?

The article below by Ross Douthat of the New York Times has got me thinking about freedoms.

Two months before 9/11, Comedy Central aired an episode of “South Park” entitled “Super Best Friends,” in which the cartoon show’s foul-mouthed urchins sought assistance from an unusual team of superheroes. These particular superfriends were all religious figures: Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Mormonism’s Joseph Smith, Taoism’s Lao-tse — and the Prophet Muhammad, depicted with a turban and a 5 o’clock shadow, and introduced as “the Muslim prophet with the powers of flame.”

That was a more permissive time. You can’t portray Muhammad on American television anymore, as South Park’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, discovered in 2006, when they tried to parody the Danish cartoon controversy — in which unflattering caricatures of the prophet prompted worldwide riots — by scripting another animated appearance for Muhammad. The episode aired, but the cameo itself was blacked out, replaced by an announcement that Comedy Central had refused to show an image of the prophet.

Assembly, Association, Movement, Press, Religion, Speech, Information, Thought

I don't think anyone can deny that a person's freedoms and liberties should be the most important thing to them. Therefore, as well as ensuring our safety and providing basic public services, maintaining those freedoms for every person within our society should be top of any government's list of priorities.

When certain people threaten this principle using intimidation and fear to prevent or scare members of our society from using that freedom, we should all stand up and take note. When people use intimidation and fear to scare people from using that freedom in the name of a God. We should all start to be very concerned.

If some omnipotent being really did create the world in all its splendor and majesty, created all the plants and animals, all the planets, stars and solar systems, do you really think they give a fuck if Trey Parker and Matt Stone make a joke or two about them at their expense!?

In the same way I despise the Fox News in America from instilling fear in its people, I think anyone with an ounce of reason is starting to get very tired of these fear mongering extremist assholes.

If someone told me I couldn't show an image of the Easter Bunny because Santa Claus would be angry and wouldn't give us any presents. Or worse that someone threatened me harm for that same reason, they would be locked up for encroaching on my freedom of thought and speech.

So why are we tolerant of these idiots, solely because they do it in the name of religion.

Hopefully, very soon, we as a society can start to use reason and common sense to stop these pillocks in their tracks.

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National Day of Reason

The following article is in relation to the Pentagon's plan to have a Muslim hating preacher, Franklin Graham, speak on a National Day of Prayer.

It sparked outrage amongst the Muslims working at the Pentagon and he was then pulled Mr Graham from speaking.

Religions are divisive, and there is no such thing as a prayer that's inclusive for all. To honor our members in the service, and to inspire them to act responsibly in difficult situations, perhaps our government should sponsor a National Day of Reason. I may be a bit naïve, but who can be opposed to reason?

The piece asks from very interesting questions.

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