<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:openSearch="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/" xmlns:blogger="http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr="http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0" version="2.0"><channel><atom:id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440</atom:id><lastBuildDate>Wed, 06 Nov 2024 02:43:53 +0000</lastBuildDate><category>Beliefs</category><category>Opinion</category><category>Videos</category><category>Editors Pick</category><category>Christianity</category><category>Long Reads</category><category>Social Issues</category><category>USA</category><category>Life</category><category>Politics</category><category>News</category><category>SCIENCE</category><category>Bible</category><category>US Politics</category><category>Offtopic</category><category>Psychology</category><category>Jesus Christ</category><category>History</category><category>South Asia</category><category>Women</category><category>Stories</category><category>Music</category><category>Children</category><category>EDUCATION</category><category>Movies</category><category>Health</category><category>Islam</category><category>Philosophy</category><category>Arts and Culture</category><category>Europe Politics</category><category>Asia</category><category>Europe</category><category>LGBTQ</category><category>Lists</category><category>Middle East Politics</category><category>Tame Impala</category><category>Technology</category><category>Asian Politics</category><category>Top 10s</category><category>Why I'm An Atheist</category><category>GY!BE</category><category>Judiasm</category><category>Quran</category><category>Tips</category><category>Voices</category><category>Biographies</category><category>COVID-19</category><category>China</category><category>Deism</category><category>Environment</category><category>Ideas</category><category>India</category><category>Inspiration</category><category>Interviews</category><category>Reviews</category><category>Wiki</category><category>Budhism</category><category>Business</category><category>Creativity</category><category>Mormonism</category><category>Television</category><category>Web Development</category><category>Websites</category><category>ideos</category><title>Fadewblogs</title><description>Fadewblogs is an independent online magazine, a subsidiary company of Fadew Inc., that delivers interesting and factual updates and news about current affairs, entertainment, economy, politics, education, etc.</description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/</link><managingEditor>noreply@blogger.com (Fadew)</managingEditor><generator>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>196</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-5006926833014651970</guid><pubDate>Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:26:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:26:38.128-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Offtopic</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Opinion</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Technology</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Websites</category><title>Wikipedia is Actually More Accurate Than You Think</title><description><h1 style="text-align: left;">Can You Trust Wikipedia?</h1><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7osPzPc-1aqQm4OU_cfMkNxml7a0wIQ15fsp08GYb9lrP1q5OhAnfvDBr5SllOsIevTzt2mpwFkfd3IlDLRoUCN51aR8KE1F8PZGIf7IHavtyHzQp4r3cEW8HCXPWSt531k4S5FK0_1A/s640/640px-Wikipedia_mini_globe_handheld.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Can You Trust Wikipedia?" border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7osPzPc-1aqQm4OU_cfMkNxml7a0wIQ15fsp08GYb9lrP1q5OhAnfvDBr5SllOsIevTzt2mpwFkfd3IlDLRoUCN51aR8KE1F8PZGIf7IHavtyHzQp4r3cEW8HCXPWSt531k4S5FK0_1A/w640-h428/640px-Wikipedia_mini_globe_handheld.webp" title="Can You Trust Wikipedia?" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Wikipedia: everybody's favorite source of information on potentially rigged Super Bowl games, the flat Earth society, and the conspiracy theory that claims the early middle ages never existed.<br /><br />Despite the craziness you might find on there, Wikipedia has a lot of interesting and useful information, but can you really believe what you read on Wikipedia?<br /><br />The main concern is that anyone can edit Wikipedia, thus resulting in vandalism and complete nonsense. However, that's not exactly true. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVEOis3U-4q0zzI70TvceO_CA6YouJJ4ltlbXHVZ3zs5HpDVtO0PCvl9VwNoDts0Z-qtRNelxdXw4Dgd1R2cm8adGYHqecyTPYNaISAKJBxiY56JisQ0suPF6Cv5F4N3-WI5iXY9LF1o/s858/Screenshot+2021-08-13+133154.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="No one can edit Wikipedia, only can change a version of an entry" border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="858" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVEOis3U-4q0zzI70TvceO_CA6YouJJ4ltlbXHVZ3zs5HpDVtO0PCvl9VwNoDts0Z-qtRNelxdXw4Dgd1R2cm8adGYHqecyTPYNaISAKJBxiY56JisQ0suPF6Cv5F4N3-WI5iXY9LF1o/w640-h328/Screenshot+2021-08-13+133154.png" title="No one can edit Wikipedia, only can change a version of an entry" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No one can actually edit Wikipedia, only can change a version of an entry</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Nobody can actually edit Wikipedia. You can only edit a new version into existence. All previous versions of articles are saved in case of vandalism.<br /><br />So you can only really add to Wikipedia, not change it permanently. Contrary to popular belief, the site is not a dumping ground for everybody's nonsense. <br /><br />There are actually a quite large number of people who actively monitor, improve, and add to Wikipedia. Before we go any further, we need to know what exactly Wikipedia is. <br /><br />It is simply an online encyclopedia. Just like Encyclopedia Britannica, or others, but online, thus opening itself up to the constantly evolving influx of information. <br /><br />It is not a political system, a newspaper, a source of opinionated articles, or anything else that is not strictly neutral and informative. At least, that's the intent.<br /><br />There are obviously people who don't appreciate those values, but nevertheless, the site is as strong as ever. But if you really need to know something, should you believe what you read on Wikipedia. The answer is yes, with an asterisk.*<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozpLHj48QUkvwYD3Drf5xRODXU0k8BDw0n8K9PXDzbEWgQvP8OobITVzgUk9S_qG2Mm9_m2222h4RwiXWo7Uc8N8nnXas0ri7O64WGa0Y4QSdzfKc1c2M0RP4MphPHSJWPDi5R-LdgjY/s1353/Screenshot+2021-08-13+133330.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Yes you can trust Wikipedia*" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1353" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozpLHj48QUkvwYD3Drf5xRODXU0k8BDw0n8K9PXDzbEWgQvP8OobITVzgUk9S_qG2Mm9_m2222h4RwiXWo7Uc8N8nnXas0ri7O64WGa0Y4QSdzfKc1c2M0RP4MphPHSJWPDi5R-LdgjY/w640-h364/Screenshot+2021-08-13+133330.png" title="Yes you can trust Wikipedia*" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes you can trust Wikipedia*</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Say for example you wanted to know the capital city of Vietnam. First, you look on Wikipedia. You find that it's Hanoi without difficulty.<br /><br />But say you are skeptical. You want evidence. Click on Hanoi and scroll down to the references and the evidence speaks for itself.<br /><br />However, a country’s capital city is fairly objective. With an obvious exception, there's no dispute over capital cities for the most part. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam without question.<br /><br />Ottawa is the capital of Canada without question. The problems on Wikipedia tend to arise when concerning subjective or qualitative subjects, rather than objective or quantitative.<br /><br />Although there have been a few critical errors found in science-related articles, the people who desire that kind of information are less likely to be using Wikipedia to find it, as there are much more reliable sources elsewhere.<br /><br />While people seeking information concerning popular culture, art, and other topics are less likely to be dependent on whether or not that information is 100% accurate. <br /><br />In other words, a particle physicist would be less likely to check Wikipedia for information about supersymmetry, considering it is their own field of study and there are much better sources in the world of academia, while a fan of Star Wars would probably check Wikipedia for information on Darth Vader’s characteristics as the subject is fairly trivial and there are few consequences for misunderstanding the personality of a fictional supervillain. <br /><br />Every once in a while, something slips through the guards of Wikipedia, and a false piece of information becomes accepted. <br /><br />A famous example of this is the <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/how-a-raccoon-became-an-aardvark" target="_blank">Brazilian aardvark</a>. In 2008, a student jokingly said that a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coati#:~:text=Coatis%2C%20also%20known%20as%20coatimundis,the%20Tupian%20languages%20of%20Brazil." target="_blank">Coati</a>, a type of raccoon, was also known as the Brazilian aardvark on Wikipedia.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHxX49Wrw4VXjnu1Vwk3GJC2gE1nf_JZWPHxaj1QdzogBFZkXUQqwdisMMolH4pDBhcUeHIJG-cBcqnjRjINaoQco1mfEVBlPm4HiBwXUgVczKRIFRbGrIgCvjtYJuC-aDSiTOEqeqxI/s856/Screenshot+2021-08-13+133531.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Brazilian aardvark scandal on Wikipedia" border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="856" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHxX49Wrw4VXjnu1Vwk3GJC2gE1nf_JZWPHxaj1QdzogBFZkXUQqwdisMMolH4pDBhcUeHIJG-cBcqnjRjINaoQco1mfEVBlPm4HiBwXUgVczKRIFRbGrIgCvjtYJuC-aDSiTOEqeqxI/w640-h360/Screenshot+2021-08-13+133531.png" title="The Brazilian aardvark scandal on Wikipedia" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Despite his intentions, the name quickly caught on and several articles from relatively reputable media outlets were produced without fact-checking.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeUSW3Nkq6wHnKGhvYIV1B5IvGLKID6e81s2YMQqsA4-sgHNgZZa2w39FWp7HV4ZJft_6o9WM09W0dUlUf9Ipi8x1B-ViD20zBDZCNsv0Deb0Fvn0FSW7lGelNoBJ1BgtRayRXY-ulmA/s835/Screenshot+2021-08-13+133607.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Press cites Wikipedia, Wikipedia cites press" border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="835" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeUSW3Nkq6wHnKGhvYIV1B5IvGLKID6e81s2YMQqsA4-sgHNgZZa2w39FWp7HV4ZJft_6o9WM09W0dUlUf9Ipi8x1B-ViD20zBDZCNsv0Deb0Fvn0FSW7lGelNoBJ1BgtRayRXY-ulmA/w640-h354/Screenshot+2021-08-13+133607.png" title="Press cites Wikipedia, Wikipedia cites press" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Press cites Wikipedia, Wikipedia cites press</td></tr></tbody></table><br />An article from the Independent then became the cited source on Wikipedia, thus completing the circle. This is a famous example of circular reporting, where a piece of information seems to come from a number of sources, but really comes from one; especially when the one source is questionable.<br /><br />However, the subjectivity of the topic at hand caused the false information to eventually become true. You can’t use Wikipedia as a source for the exact reason we just discussed.<br /><br />It enables circular reporting. There’s even a section on Wikipedia which says “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ten_things_you_may_not_know_about_Wikipedia" target="_blank">we do not expect you to trust us</a>”. <br /><br />It goes on to say that the site is primarily useful for gaining familiarity with the subject. Another article suggests you should not use Wikipedia for making important decisions. In other words, if you wanted to familiarize yourself with rocket science, Wikipedia is the place to go.<br /><br />But if you wanted to build a rocket and leave this planet, which may I remind you has many illegal components, Wikipedia probably isn’t the way to go.<br /><br />However, the sources Wikipedia gives are often useful. So, after you escape Interpol while making rocket fuel in your basement, you finally launch, but the space police are onto you. Where will you go?<br /><span style="font-family: Philosopher;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: Philosopher;">Author:<b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0J2WXFCX3RreDlIWkl4XzJISFZOc0ZEYkxtUXxBQ3Jtc0trMjZyV04zWjV3aVpxcjc1eS1iVWE2VVlnWGo3VTZvRUNRRi1Tbkxia1N1SXBGMDVSNV9YZDh3NllPV000REN4S051N19sdEVUWDhlNDJlcUdaanF0OWRkTGJOUXQtbnZBc0t0azVwekx6TmJRU19lVQ&amp;q=declancoopersmith.com" target="_blank">Declan Cooper-Smith</a></b></span></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/10/wikipedia-is-actually-more-accurate.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7osPzPc-1aqQm4OU_cfMkNxml7a0wIQ15fsp08GYb9lrP1q5OhAnfvDBr5SllOsIevTzt2mpwFkfd3IlDLRoUCN51aR8KE1F8PZGIf7IHavtyHzQp4r3cEW8HCXPWSt531k4S5FK0_1A/s72-w640-h428-c/640px-Wikipedia_mini_globe_handheld.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-4333362390409659867</guid><pubDate>Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:26:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:26:18.854-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Life</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Opinion</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Social Issues</category><title>What is the Purpose of Life of an Atheist?</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbNxNn5DRkqaW_HPx-zMWmObAq-smJD3k_Ysn_al0DVddIDJt6A8VV7d_FSIVeaUE8a_TDN2wURNRA2ReMpJ3FwvHK80NKRQxJw-Gd1ooE7trf4Xkgo45jbbmI5f2km1KuDipra-J_BN-c_VvrfU5mtgfOg-zO-ZIea7qhiKkDhC5aIMLM-k18JpoufA=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What is the Purpose of Life of an Atheist?" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbNxNn5DRkqaW_HPx-zMWmObAq-smJD3k_Ysn_al0DVddIDJt6A8VV7d_FSIVeaUE8a_TDN2wURNRA2ReMpJ3FwvHK80NKRQxJw-Gd1ooE7trf4Xkgo45jbbmI5f2km1KuDipra-J_BN-c_VvrfU5mtgfOg-zO-ZIea7qhiKkDhC5aIMLM-k18JpoufA=w640-h360" title="What is the Purpose of Life of an Atheist?" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Dread Word "Purpose"</h1>For the scrambling and harried purveyors of world religion, “purpose” is the last, tenuous redoubt. No longer able to hawk protection from demons or the guaranteed intercession of angels, their hell out of sync with a less vengeful age, and their heaven finally being recognized for the extended juvenile fantasy fugue that it is, priests and holy men are in a mad whirl to find something that they, and particularly they, can offer.<div>&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><div>For some, that answer is a community, but the smart ones have already forfeited that ground for purpose, which is something less tangible and therefore more manageable.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Purpose, in bold and italic with a little star over the letter “i” that isn’t even there, is a get-out of-obsolescence elixir that they’ve been brewing for a few thousand years now and finally have cause to use.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>What’s more, by slowly and insistently foisting extra metaphysical baggage onto an already loaded word, they’ve been able to make everybody else use it, too. The peddlers of religion say, “We know your purpose, your reason for existence.”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>We Atheists should know better than to enter the fray, but too often natural combativeness or pride overcomes our better guiding lights.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Not to be outdone, we counter-clamor, “No, we’ve got a much more sublime purpose for you. It comes complete with contemplation of the universe, and the joys of shared human experience! And it’s narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson!”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Being an Atheist is pretty awesome, but to start listing all of the ways that Atheism gives you a sense of purpose is to have&nbsp;already lost. It lets religion reinforce the notion that our actions are not legitimate unless they are sanctioned from outside our “merely personal” sense of social industry.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Mired in that lexicon, we must be either charmingly insincere (“I know I don’t mean purpose, but I’ll say it anyway for the cameras to keep those Christians from scoring a point”) or honestly uninformed, and neither of those bodes well for the long game.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The fact is, the purpose is a cloying term that radiates the illusory light of freedom and fulfillment to mask a basic need for control.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Originating in honest curiosity about the nature of human life, the purpose has since been metaphysically refurbished to restrict individuality by mandating the boundary between normal and perverse.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a legitimate purpose of life, that is not. Its very existence calls priests, as the grim arbiters of purpose, into being. And as long as we believe in purpose as an evaluative category, so will the godly castes be there to wave its tattered banner in our faces. “But gosh, life’s gotta have a purpose, don’t it, Mister?” Well, kids, it’s like this.</div><div><br /></div><div>&nbsp;As primates with gregariousness turned up to eleven, we humans are chemically addicted to each other. Our brains, like those of our bonobo and chimp cousins, are elegantly wired to internally model everything we see each other doing.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>We live the lives of those we observe almost as much as we live our own. We find absolute delight in the laughter of others and, so long as we haven’t been conditioned against it by the massive machinery of theology, relive keenly the pain of others.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>We help each other, feel comfortable with each other’s casual and even insistent presence, and feel inhuman when deprived of it because, chemically, we cannot do otherwise. We seek out professions and relationships based on our chance strengths and random opportunities, all under distinctly determined and thoroughly lovely laws in which we have positively no say.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Those of us who respond to talk of purpose is, more likely than not, already in the process of turning around on our own steam. And for those of us who, by circumstance or basic nature, never quite make a go of life, the chant “find a purpose” will do little but breed resentment and despair. Goals, on the other hand, are good.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Unlike purpose, goals are generated from within and they change with time and disposition. Goals bring with them a vocabulary far less heinous. You can fail to reach a goal, but you can’t betray it.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>You can lack goals at the moment, and be perfectly fine, but to say you have no purpose is to put yourself in a class of sub-humanity that, in all theologically sponsored accounts, ends in a drunken shamble towards self-destruction.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>After having pumped up the term with such supernatural power and significance, religion has made a disease where before there was only a question. It’s the primary rule of advertising: Create a need, and then make people ill for the want of it.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Only in this case, the illness isn’t a passing yearning for a Skeletor with Rotating Battle Damage, but a civilization spanning, unquenchable malaise hypocritically serviced by its creators. Human life is something that happens—as does gravity, as does the emission of a photon when an electron drops to a more stable orbit—and purpose is a shabby fit for all three.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Life comes pre-loaded with its own satisfaction mechanisms that Christianity has spent the better part of two millennia feverishly attempting to snuff out to place church-approved purpose in its place.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>And they’ll continue to do so as long as the concession is made that purpose is something worth talking about. Pursue yourself, to the subtlest drive and the most tantalizing neurosis, because, sorry, you’re stuck with the brain you came with, and there will be no refunds on the unused portion thereof.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Pursue other people, because unless you are a fascinating mutant (and some of us are), that will take care of everything your needy primate brain hungers for. Pursue goals that match you and the people you’ve surrounded yourself with and, if you succeed, then your brain will reward you.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>If you fail, nothing crucial has really changed. If we pursue a purpose above and beyond our actual selves, we’re playing somebody else’s game while begging for recognition from indifferent idols.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Through it all, we will have only recognized ourselves dimly, as something foreign to be lived down in the pursuit of something we’ve been told we must have, by pundit and priest alike. But oh, the times are changing.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe once we stop seeking impossible approval, the remaining reality will be something we can, at last, follow to the full measure, knowing it is ours, along with the glory of its pursuit.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">More from the author:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/medieva.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sin Saves The Universe: The Unexpected And Tragic Return Of Collective Guilt</span></a></b></li></ul></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-indent: -37.7953px;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p></div></div><p>By&nbsp;<a href="https://thehumanist.com/contributor/dale-debakcsy/#:~:text=Dale%20DeBakcsy%20is%20the%20author,The%20Illustrated%20Women%20in%20Science." target="_blank">Dale DeBakcsy&nbsp;</a></p><p>Author of the weekly Atheist webcomic&nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.the-vocate.com/" target="_blank">The Vocate</a></i>, co-author of&nbsp;<i>Frederick the Great: A Most Lamentable Comedy</i>, contributor to&nbsp;<i>The Freethinker</i>, and former editor of the online&nbsp;<i>Rivets Literary Magazine</i>. By way of feeding his children, he is also a physics and mathematics teacher.</p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;">First published on American Atheists Magazine 2015 (2nd quarter). Republished on Fadewblogs courtesy to the author.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Cover photo by&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.pexels.com/@lolarussian?utm_content=attributionCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=pexels" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Lola Russian</a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;from&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-crew-neck-shirt-1804514/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=pexels" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Pexels</a>.</span></p></div></div></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/what-is-purpose-of-life-of-atheist.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbNxNn5DRkqaW_HPx-zMWmObAq-smJD3k_Ysn_al0DVddIDJt6A8VV7d_FSIVeaUE8a_TDN2wURNRA2ReMpJ3FwvHK80NKRQxJw-Gd1ooE7trf4Xkgo45jbbmI5f2km1KuDipra-J_BN-c_VvrfU5mtgfOg-zO-ZIea7qhiKkDhC5aIMLM-k18JpoufA=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-6530560568365096463</guid><pubDate>Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:21:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:21:11.247-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Editors Pick</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">EDUCATION</category><title>Investing in Education: Unleashing the Power of Knowledge through Liberal Policies</title><description><h1 style="text-align: left;">Education: The Key to Unlocking Human Potential and Societal Progress</h1><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZa12gmD-yMw0pXGHdlrQSuTi8L3hAoU71_yygpsG8gSyd887TS-2F9z9OWy5OK63I_bD0x44ghQGrkTEKB2bu2PZBwJI1kqi1U3jAsnFnO-hSktF-XzIyB53MMNiKBxNJGd0wgGJeNQCx6ykZiHYZciufoQcax8NxYutxlTY7NQPsfcrNAhp1ayVduuqw/s1024/Investing%20in%20Education%20Unleashing%20the%20Power%20of%20Knowledge%20through%20Liberal%20Policies.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Investing in Education Unleashing the Power of Knowledge through Liberal Policies" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZa12gmD-yMw0pXGHdlrQSuTi8L3hAoU71_yygpsG8gSyd887TS-2F9z9OWy5OK63I_bD0x44ghQGrkTEKB2bu2PZBwJI1kqi1U3jAsnFnO-hSktF-XzIyB53MMNiKBxNJGd0wgGJeNQCx6ykZiHYZciufoQcax8NxYutxlTY7NQPsfcrNAhp1ayVduuqw/w640-h640/Investing%20in%20Education%20Unleashing%20the%20Power%20of%20Knowledge%20through%20Liberal%20Policies.jpeg" title="Investing in Education Unleashing the Power of Knowledge through Liberal Policies" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration by John Cook of Fadewblogs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><b>{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}</b></div><div><br /></div>Education plays a pivotal role in shaping individuals and societies. It is the foundation upon which dreams are built, opportunities are seized, and progress is achieved. Recognizing the transformative power of education, liberal policies have emerged as a driving force in ensuring equal access to quality education for all. In this article, we delve into the transformative power of liberal policies in education, exploring the ways they empower individuals and shape a brighter future for society.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Liberal Approach to Education</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Understanding the Core Tenets of Liberalism in Education</h3>At the heart of liberal education policies lies a commitment to equality, justice, and inclusivity. Liberalism seeks to break down barriers and create a level playing field for all learners, regardless of their background, socio-economic status, or personal circumstances. By embracing principles such as equal access, investment in public education, inclusivity, and support for educators, liberal policies foster an environment where every individual can thrive and contribute to society.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Breaking Barriers: Ensuring Equitable Access to Quality Education</h3>One of the core pillars of liberal education policies is the belief that education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances. By addressing systemic inequalities and dismantling barriers to education, liberal policies aim to create a society where opportunities are not limited by one's socio-economic background or geographic location. Through targeted initiatives such as scholarships, grants, and school funding reforms, liberal policies strive to bridge the educational divide and ensure that all learners have an equal chance to succeed.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Building Strong Foundations: Investing in Public Schools for All</h3>Liberal policies recognize the crucial role of public schools in providing education to a large segment of the population. Investing in public education means allocating adequate resources, improving infrastructure, and enhancing the quality of teaching and learning experiences. By prioritizing the needs of public schools, liberal policies aim to create a robust educational system that can cater to the diverse needs of students and foster an environment conducive to academic growth and personal development.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Nurturing Diversity: Fostering Inclusivity in Educational Settings</h3>Diversity is a strength that enriches educational experiences and prepares individuals for a globalized world. Liberal policies promote inclusive learning environments that embrace diversity in all its forms. This involves fostering an inclusive curriculum that reflects the experiences and contributions of various cultures, ethnicities, genders, and identities. Additionally, it entails creating safe spaces, providing support systems, and promoting cultural competency among educators to ensure that all students feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Empowering Educators: Investing in Teachers for Student Success</h3>Teachers are the bedrock of education, and liberal policies recognize the pivotal role they play in shaping the lives of students. Investing in teachers means providing them with competitive salaries, professional development opportunities, and support systems that enable them to deliver high-quality instruction. By valuing and empowering educators, liberal policies aim to attract and retain talented professionals who can inspire and guide students on their educational journey.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Liberal Policies and Early Childhood Education</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Planting Seeds of Success: The Role of Early Childhood Education</h3>Early childhood education forms the foundation upon which future learning and development are built. Liberal policies prioritize the provision of high-quality early childhood education, recognizing its potential to mitigate learning gaps, enhance cognitive and social-emotional skills, and promote lifelong learning. By investing in early childhood education, liberal policies seek to ensure that all children, regardless of their socio-economic background, have access to the necessary resources and support to thrive.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Opening Doors: Making Preschool Education Accessible for All</h3>Access to preschool education is a critical component of early childhood development. Liberal policies advocate for the expansion of affordable and high-quality preschool programs, making them accessible to families from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. By removing financial barriers and promoting universal access to preschool education, liberal policies lay the groundwork for future academic success and social mobility.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Early Intervention: Investing in Children's Futures from the Start</h3>Early intervention programs play a vital role in identifying and addressing learning challenges at an early stage. Liberal policies support the allocation of resources towards early intervention initiatives, such as screenings, assessments, and specialized services, to ensure that children receive the necessary support and interventions to thrive academically and emotionally. By investing in early intervention, liberal policies aim to empower children and set them on a path to lifelong success.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Advancing Higher Education through Liberal Policies</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Breaking the Barrier: Ensuring College Education is Within Reach</h3>Access to higher education has the potential to unlock countless opportunities for individuals and contribute to societal progress. However, the rising cost of college education has become a significant obstacle for many students. Liberal policies prioritize making college education affordable and accessible to all by advocating for measures such as tuition assistance, need-based scholarships, and loan forgiveness programs. By reducing financial burdens, liberal policies aim to expand access to higher education and enable more individuals to pursue their academic and career aspirations.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Investing in Dreams: Broadening Opportunities through Financial Aid</h3>Financial aid plays a crucial role in supporting students who aspire to pursue higher education. Liberal policies strive to expand financial aid programs, making them more robust and accessible. This includes increasing funding for grants and scholarships, simplifying the application process, and providing comprehensive guidance to students and their families. By investing in financial aid, liberal policies empower students to overcome financial barriers and unlock their potential in higher education.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Pushing Boundaries: Liberating Higher Education for Discovery and Progress</h3>Universities serve as hubs of knowledge creation and innovation, and liberal policies recognize the need to foster research and intellectual curiosity. By allocating resources and promoting a conducive environment for research and innovation, liberal policies support universities in pushing the boundaries of knowledge across various disciplines. This includes investing in research grants, promoting interdisciplinary collaborations, and encouraging the pursuit of breakthrough discoveries that can drive societal progress.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Education as a Pathway to Social Mobility</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Leveling the Playing Field: Bridging the Opportunity Gap in Education</h3>Education has the power to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and serve as a pathway to social mobility. Liberal policies aim to bridge the opportunity gap by addressing systemic inequalities and providing resources and support to students from marginalized communities. This includes targeted programs that offer mentorship, tutoring, college and career guidance, and additional resources to ensure that all students have an equal chance to succeed academically and pursue their dreams.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Beyond College: Recognizing the Value of Vocational Education</h3>While higher education is often associated with traditional academic pathways, liberal policies also recognize the importance of vocational and technical education in equipping individuals with valuable skills for the workforce. By investing in vocational education, liberal policies provide alternative pathways that cater to diverse interests and talents. This includes promoting apprenticeships, vocational training programs, and partnerships with industries to ensure that individuals have access to the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in their chosen careers.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Education as Empowerment: Breaking Cycles of Disadvantage</h3>Liberal policies view education as a powerful tool for empowering marginalized communities and breaking cycles of disadvantage. By investing in resources, mentorship programs, and community initiatives, liberal policies work towards addressing the specific needs and challenges faced by underrepresented groups. This includes implementing culturally relevant curriculum, providing support for English language learners, and ensuring that educational opportunities are accessible to individuals from diverse backgrounds.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Role of Technology in Liberal Education Policies</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Harnessing Innovation: Embracing Technology for Educational Advancements</h3>Technology has revolutionized the way we live and work, and its potential to transform education is immense. Liberal policies advocate for the integration of technology in classrooms to enhance teaching and learning experiences. This includes providing access to digital tools, promoting digital literacy, and incorporating online resources and interactive platforms into the curriculum. By harnessing the power of technology, liberal policies strive to create dynamic and engaging learning environments that prepare students for the demands of the digital age.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Digital Divide: Bridging the Gap for Digital Inclusion</h3>While technology offers incredible opportunities, it also highlights existing disparities. Liberal policies recognize the importance of bridging the digital divide to ensure that all students have equal access to technology resources. This involves advocating for equitable distribution of technology devices, improving internet connectivity in underserved areas, and providing training and support to educators and students to navigate digital platforms effectively. By addressing the digital divide, liberal policies promote digital inclusion and prevent further marginalization of disadvantaged communities.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Overcoming Challenges and Criticisms</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Investing in the Future: Countering Cost Concerns in Education</h3>One common criticism of liberal education policies revolves around the perceived high costs associated with implementing these initiatives. Critics argue that the financial burden on taxpayers and the potential strain on the economy outweigh the benefits. However, proponents of liberal education policies emphasize the long-term societal gains, including increased workforce productivity, reduced inequality, and improved social well-being. By highlighting the positive impact of investing in education, liberal policies seek to counter cost concerns and garner support for sustained investment in education.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Education for All: Navigating Ideological Criticisms and the Pursuit of Progress</h3>Liberal education policies are not immune to ideological criticisms that arise from differing perspectives on the role of the state, individual liberties, and the balance between equity and personal responsibility. Critics may argue that liberal policies prioritize collectivism over individual freedoms or that they neglect the importance of personal accountability. However, proponents of liberal education policies assert that equal access to education is a fundamental right that fosters social cohesion, strengthens democracy, and unlocks human potential. By navigating ideological criticisms and promoting informed dialogue, liberal policies aim to forge a path towards progress in education.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Case Studies and Success Stories</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Success Stories: Countries Transforming Education through Liberal Policies</h3>Numerous countries have embraced liberal education policies and witnessed positive outcomes in their educational systems. For example, Finland's emphasis on equity, teacher professionalism, and child-centered learning has led to consistently high performance in international assessments. Canada's investment in inclusive education and support for diverse learners has contributed to improved educational outcomes and reduced achievement gaps. By examining these success stories, we gain valuable insights into the tangible impact of liberal education policies and the potential for transformative change.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Unleashing Potential: Personal and Societal Transformations through Liberal Education</h3>Beyond statistical data and global comparisons, the impact of liberal education policies can be seen in the lives of individuals and communities. Stories of students overcoming barriers, pursuing their dreams, and making significant contributions to society serve as testaments to the transformative power of liberal education. By highlighting these personal narratives, we recognize the far-reaching effects of liberal education policies in unleashing the untapped potential of individuals and fostering a more equitable and prosperous society.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Conclusion</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Education for a Brighter Future: The Lasting Impact of Liberal Policies</h3>Liberal education policies have the potential to shape the future by unlocking the power of knowledge, fostering social mobility, and creating a more inclusive and prosperous society. Through equal access to education, investment in public schools, support for educators, and innovative approaches, liberal policies empower individuals to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to their communities. By prioritizing education as a fundamental right and a driver of societal progress, liberal policies pave the way for a brighter future for all.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">FAQs</h2><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Are liberal education policies only applicable in certain countries?</h3>Liberal education policies are not confined to specific countries or regions. The principles of equal access, inclusivity, and investment in education can be adapted and applied in various contexts. While the specific policies and strategies may vary, the underlying goal of creating an equitable and empowering education system remains universal.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">How can liberal education policies address the needs of diverse learners?</h3>Liberal education policies recognize the importance of catering to the diverse needs of learners. By implementing inclusive curriculum, providing support systems, and offering targeted interventions, liberal policies aim to create an educational environment that fosters success for all students, regardless of their abilities, backgrounds, or learning styles.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What role do parents and communities play in supporting liberal education policies?</h3>Parents and communities are essential partners in supporting liberal education policies. By actively engaging in their children's education, advocating for equitable resources, and participating in community initiatives, parents and communities contribute to the success of liberal education policies. Their involvement helps create a strong support network and reinforces the importance of education as a collective responsibility.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">How can technology enhance liberal education policies?</h3>Technology can enhance liberal education policies by providing innovative tools and resources that enhance teaching and learning experiences. Digital platforms, online resources, and interactive technologies offer opportunities for personalized learning, collaboration, and access to a wealth of information. By integrating technology effectively, liberal education policies can create engaging and inclusive learning environments that prepare students for the digital age.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What challenges might liberal education policies face in implementation?</h3>Implementing liberal education policies can face challenges such as resistance to change, limited funding, and differing ideological perspectives. Overcoming these challenges requires collaboration, informed dialogue, and a commitment to evidence-based decision-making. By addressing concerns, fostering understanding, and continually evaluating and adapting policies, liberal education initiatives can navigate challenges and achieve their intended impact.<br /><br />In conclusion, investing in education through liberal policies unleashes the power of knowledge and transforms individuals and societies. By prioritizing equitable access, investing in public schools, fostering inclusivity, empowering educators, and embracing technological advancements, liberal education policies pave the way for a brighter future. Through their commitment to education, liberal policies nurture human potential, foster social mobility, and create a more just and prosperous society.</div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2023/06/investing-in-education-unleashing-power.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Fadew)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZa12gmD-yMw0pXGHdlrQSuTi8L3hAoU71_yygpsG8gSyd887TS-2F9z9OWy5OK63I_bD0x44ghQGrkTEKB2bu2PZBwJI1kqi1U3jAsnFnO-hSktF-XzIyB53MMNiKBxNJGd0wgGJeNQCx6ykZiHYZciufoQcax8NxYutxlTY7NQPsfcrNAhp1ayVduuqw/s72-w640-h640-c/Investing%20in%20Education%20Unleashing%20the%20Power%20of%20Knowledge%20through%20Liberal%20Policies.jpeg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-2736090544568657643</guid><pubDate>Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:21:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:21:04.789-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Editors Pick</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Long Reads</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Philosophy</category><title> The Problem of Free Will: Determinism, Quantum Mechanics, and the Illusion of Choice</title><description><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19SX8aSeragNIoopguxUjVxFixRRUveap_9O0TG8Xu6Q5wSKZHkq-vtrXCNy_Vqru-K_KmHi_xoay3Xt2Sb-MAINuYom_Ha5URIChBl7IfcQx4aUeMpy_XBw545yFfykJFnsNrt3v82bAyVaQQNGuL_S-iYwg79mOcivCBI7gXufUbiqOoAzxHPucwIRp/s1024/Free%20Will.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Free Will" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19SX8aSeragNIoopguxUjVxFixRRUveap_9O0TG8Xu6Q5wSKZHkq-vtrXCNy_Vqru-K_KmHi_xoay3Xt2Sb-MAINuYom_Ha5URIChBl7IfcQx4aUeMpy_XBw545yFfykJFnsNrt3v82bAyVaQQNGuL_S-iYwg79mOcivCBI7gXufUbiqOoAzxHPucwIRp/w640-h640/Free%20Will.jpeg" title="Free Will" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration of Free Will. Generated using Bing.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>The problem of free will has long fascinated philosophers, scientists, and individuals grappling with questions about human agency and the nature of choice. In this comprehensive article, we delve into the intricate relationship between determinism, quantum mechanics, and the illusion of choice. By exploring philosophical perspectives, psychological and neuroscientific explanations, and the implications of quantum indeterminism, we aim to shed light on this complex and thought-provoking topic, providing a thorough examination that spans over 3,000 words.<div><br /></div><div><div><b>{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}</b></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Understanding Determinism</h2>Determinism, the philosophical concept that all events are determined by antecedent causes, challenges the traditional notion of free will. According to determinism, every action and decision can be traced back to a chain of causality, suggesting that our choices may not be truly free. However, philosophical debates on determinism have spanned centuries, with varying positions and interpretations.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Illusion of Choice: Critiques and Explanations</h2>In our everyday lives, we often feel in control of our decisions. However, mounting evidence suggests that our sense of choice may be illusory. Numerous studies in psychology and neuroscience have revealed hidden biases and subconscious influences that shape our decision-making process. Cognitive biases, social conditioning, and environmental factors all contribute to the illusion of choice, raising questions about the extent of our free will.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Psychological and Neuroscientific Explanations</h2>Psychology and neuroscience provide valuable insights into the illusion of choice. Research has shown that our decisions are often influenced by factors outside of our conscious awareness. Cognitive biases such as confirmation bias and availability heuristic affect our judgment and decision-making. Additionally, neuroscientific studies have demonstrated the involvement of unconscious processes and brain regions in shaping our choices. These findings highlight the intricate interplay between our conscious and unconscious minds, challenging the idea of free will as an entirely independent and autonomous faculty.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Quantum Mechanics and Indeterminism</h2>Enter the realm of quantum mechanics, a branch of physics that describes the behavior of particles at the smallest scales. Quantum mechanics introduces a level of indeterminism, where events at the quantum level are inherently unpredictable. The uncertainty principle, wave-particle duality, and quantum superposition challenge the deterministic worldview, raising intriguing possibilities for a non-deterministic account of choice.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Quantum Indeterminism and Free Will</h2>The presence of quantum indeterminism has sparked discussions among philosophers and scientists regarding its potential implications for free will. Libertarianism, a philosophical position that emphasizes genuine indeterminism and self-determination, argues that quantum indeterminism allows for true freedom of choice. However, critics question the applicability of quantum indeterminism to human decision-making and highlight the need for compatibilist interpretations.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Compatibilism: Reconciling Determinism and Free Will</h2>Compatibilism aims to reconcile determinism and free will by proposing that they are not mutually exclusive. Advocates of compatibilism argue that even in a determined world, we can have a meaningful notion of free will compatible with causality. According to this perspective, free will can be understood as the ability to act in accordance with our desires and motivations, without external coercion or constraint.<br /><br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Moral Responsibility and Accountability</h2>The problem of free will extends beyond abstract philosophical debates and touches upon notions of moral responsibility and accountability. If our actions and choices are ultimately determined by factors beyond our control, to what extent can we be held morally responsible for our behavior? Legal systems and ethical frameworks grapple with these questions, seeking to strike a balance between accountability and an understanding of the external influences that shape human action.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Existential and Personal Significance</h2>Beyond the realm of morality, the problem of freewill carries profound existential implications. It challenges our sense of self and the significance we attribute to our choices. If our decisions are predetermined or influenced by factors outside our conscious awareness, what does that mean for our personal identity and agency? The problem of free will prompts us to question the nature of our existence and the meaning we derive from our actions.<br /><br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Conclusion: Exploring the Boundaries of Human Agency</h2>Throughout this comprehensive exploration, we have delved into the intricate problem of free will, examining determinism, the illusion of choice, and the role of quantum mechanics. While determinism challenges the traditional notion of free will, psychological and neuroscientific explanations shed light on the subconscious influences that shape our decisions. Quantum mechanics introduces indeterminism, offering possibilities for non-deterministic accounts of choice. Compatibilism seeks to reconcile determinism and free will, suggesting that meaningful agency can exist even in a determined world.<br /><br /><br />By grappling with the problem of free will, we confront questions of moral responsibility, accountability, and the existential significance of our choices. While definitive answers may remain elusive, the exploration of these complex topics encourages us to critically examine our beliefs, challenge preconceptions, and navigate the complexities of human agency.<br /><br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">FAQ</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Can determinism and free will coexist?</h3>According to compatibilism, determinism and free will are not mutually exclusive. Compatibilists argue that even in a determined world, individuals can have meaningful agency and make choices aligned with their desires and motivations.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">How does quantum mechanics relate to free will?</h3>Quantum mechanics introduces indeterminism, challenging the deterministic worldview. Quantum indeterminism suggests that at the quantum level, events are inherently unpredictable. Some argue that quantum indeterminism provides a basis for genuine free will, while others debate its applicability to human decision-making.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Does the illusion of choice invalidate free will?</h3>The illusion of choice suggests that our decisions are influenced by factors outside of our conscious awareness. However, proponents of free will argue that even if our choices are influenced, we still possess the capacity to act in accordance with our own desires and motivations.<br /><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">How does the problem of free will impact moral responsibility?</h3>The problem of free will raises questions about the extent to which individuals can be held morally responsible for their actions. If our choices are determined or influenced, the traditional notion of moral responsibility may need to be reevaluated to account for external factors beyond our control.<br /><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Can scientific research provide definitive answers to the problem of free will?</h3>The problem of free will spans philosophical, scientific, and ethical domains, making it inherently complex. While scientific research provides valuable insights, definitive answers may remain elusive due to the multifaceted nature of the topic and the philosophical implications involved.<br /><br /><br />In this extensive exploration of the problem of free will, we have examined various perspectives, from determinism to quantum mechanics, and the implications for our understanding of choice and human agency. While the topic continues to provoke debates and philosophical inquiries, it invites us to reflect on the nature of our decisions, the boundaries of our control, and the profound mysteries that lie within the realm of human existence.</div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2023/07/the-problem-of-free-will-determinism.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Fadew)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19SX8aSeragNIoopguxUjVxFixRRUveap_9O0TG8Xu6Q5wSKZHkq-vtrXCNy_Vqru-K_KmHi_xoay3Xt2Sb-MAINuYom_Ha5URIChBl7IfcQx4aUeMpy_XBw545yFfykJFnsNrt3v82bAyVaQQNGuL_S-iYwg79mOcivCBI7gXufUbiqOoAzxHPucwIRp/s72-w640-h640-c/Free%20Will.jpeg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-6989804964522409964</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Aug 2024 15:11:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:21:21.521-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Editors Pick</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">EDUCATION</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">SCIENCE</category><title>Superconductor Story: Finding the Source of Renewable Electric Flow</title><description>We all know about the resistance of conductors for the sake of Ohm's formula we read in school life. If the temperature continues to drop, where will the resistance go?&nbsp;<div><br /></div><div>In search of the answer to this well-known question, history is made - the beginning of a new chapter. Superconductivity - One of the most important and exciting chapters in physics is narrated by&nbsp;Shamashis Sengupta.<div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguk7J25dzhrK-4UFyO3v_6hmDDrzH3XLCjNRZebpiL5ZaYRlJtmYrPcK4U_FlTq-vJbnMafDPWeedvIRQTVJhe3kDB4rmDyfQbKJLbuMs5_jfgXt0GE77XDcKGvFyuHpjkC7-inNEoT_c/s1600/Meissner_effect_p1390048.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A magnet floats on a superconductor's disc" border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguk7J25dzhrK-4UFyO3v_6hmDDrzH3XLCjNRZebpiL5ZaYRlJtmYrPcK4U_FlTq-vJbnMafDPWeedvIRQTVJhe3kDB4rmDyfQbKJLbuMs5_jfgXt0GE77XDcKGvFyuHpjkC7-inNEoT_c/w640-h456/Meissner_effect_p1390048.jpg" title="A magnet floats on a superconductor's disc" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A magnet floats on a superconductor's disc</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">Electricity is used everywhere in our daily lives. In a dark room, when we turn on the light by pressing the switch, countless electrons run through the electric wire. Where there is an application of electricity, there is a game of running electrons. What is the movement of electrons in a metal? One of the most exciting discoveries in physics revolves around this question.</div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">&nbsp; <br /> <span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Today we will discuss one such discovery, which is called superconductivity.</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><div><p class="graf graf--p" name="e296"><b>{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}</b></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="e296"><b><br /></b></p></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Conductive and superconducting</span></h2><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Metal is the conductor of electricity. In some cases, it is not only conductive but surprisingly it can also be called superconducting. To maintain the flow of electricity in metal, one has to go through a constant supply of energy.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">When a voltage is applied between the two ends of electrically conductive wire (which is mostly done by a battery) current is generated from the movement of moving electrons.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">To maintain a certain amount of electricity, how much energy must be supplied from the outside of the electrons depends on the resistance of the metal. Making it with low resistance metal requires less energy and saves cost.</span><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">One of the main reasons for the existence of resistance is that the running electrons constantly collide with the molecular center of gravity lined up inside the solid. No matter how little, a little resistance will always be present.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">This is because the electrons collide with the surrounding molecules, even within themselves. It is justifiable to form such an idea from the earliest lessons of physics.</span><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">But laboratory experiments often create new surprises. The same thing happened in this case. A groundbreaking discovery was made in 1911.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">In the city of Leiden in the Netherlands, Kamarling Ones was researching the electrical conductivity of certain metals. He observed that in very cold conditions an electric current flows through solid-sized mercury with zero resistance as if there is no friction or reaction at all with the electrons surrounding the matter!&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Solid mercury then transcended the conductor into the superconducting of electricity. This new phase of metal is called a superconductor. The birth is of a subject called superconductivity.</span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Which theory of physics can explain it? The answer took more than four decades. Later new questions arose, the answers to which are still unknown. If it can be solved, it will be one of the best achievements of the basic physics of today.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Why was the importance of Ones' research so immense? How did it give birth to new technology? We will discuss this in this article.</span><br /><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">This topic is divided into three parts. Today in the composition of this first part we will look at the historical context of Ones' discovery. In the <a href="https://fadewblogs.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-story-of-superconductor-explanation.html">second part</a>, we will see what the answer was after the problem of superconductivity was solved and how superconductor has shown the way to modern technology. And in the third part, we will discuss how superconductivity works at normal temperatures and so on...</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Explanation of the resistance of the substance</span></h2><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">The movement of electrons in metallic substances causes electric current or electrical current. Suppose there is a wire. If you connect the two sides of it with a battery, electricity will flow through it. The battery has a certain voltage, which will create an electric field inside the wire.</span><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">This electric field will give rise to electric current by moving the free electrons. The current is measured by the total number of charges per second passing through the cross-section of the wire. The higher the voltage of the battery, the higher the amount of running electricity.</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">This formula was discovered by&nbsp;</span>Georg Ohm. He observed that voltage and current are proportional to metals. The proportional constant is called resistance.</div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">What is the reason for having immunity? What happens inside a substance that blocks the passage of electrons and prevents the transmission of electricity? It was not possible to find an answer to this question at the time of Ohm. That was in the 1820s.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">At the time, scientists could measure voltage and current in a laboratory, but there were tiny particles of matter called atoms or electrons - all that was not known.</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Many years later, by 1900, when the elementary particle called the electron was discovered, Paul Drude explained the resistance. Any substance is the sum of innumerable molecules.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">At the center of the molecule is the nucleus, which has a positive charge, and is surrounded by electrons carrying multiple negative charges. The characteristic of metallic matter is that not all the electrons inside it are bound to the nucleus.&nbsp;</span><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Many of them can move from one molecule to another. These are called free electrons. Their freedom of movement makes it possible to conduct electricity through metal. When an electron moves freely from a molecule, the charge on the molecule's total becomes positive, which is then called a positive ion.</span><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">"Electrons collide with massive ions along the way, and that's what makes them resistant," said Drude. The electrons move in a zigzag path, constantly colliding with rows of leaf ions.</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">If the temperature continues to drop, where will the resistance go? Scientist Ones set out to find the answer to this controversial question.</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Discovery of superconductivity</span></h2><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Let's see what Kamarling Ones was looking for in 1911. In that era, laboratory tests showed that as the temperature decreased, the resistance of the metal decreased. The reason for this can be inferred from Drude's theory. The ions of solid matter continue to move around their place.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">As the temperature decreases, the level of their instability gradually decreases. Then it is easier for the electrons to avoid the shock. If the temperature continues to drop, where will the resistance go? This question was very much on the minds of physicists.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Some people thought that if the temperature was reduced, the resistance would continue to decrease, and even at zero temperatures, it could stop at zero. Some people said that electrons would also stagnate at zero temperature, so there would come a time when the resistance would increase drastically and become infinite, meaning that the metal would no longer be able to conduct electricity.</span><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Ones and his colleagues worked tirelessly to find the answer. First, they found a way to liquefy helium from gas. This enabled them to reduce the temperature to 1 Kelvin (-272 degrees Celsius). At that time no other laboratory in the world knew how to reach such a low temperature. One was the guide. He used this cooling method to cool the solid mercury.</span><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">When the temperature reached 4 Kelvin, an unexpected event happened - the resistance of mercury suddenly became almost zero! The minimum resistance that can be measured accurately in the laboratory is even lower than that level in the case of mercury.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">That is so small that Ones says that in reality it can be taken to be zero. The image below is the result of that famous test. Two things here were very surprising. First, the resistance is reduced to zero before reaching absolute zero temperature. Second, this change was abrupt, as if something terrible were happening in the electron world.</span><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">It was not long before Ones realized the importance of this discovery. Zero resistance means that the speed of the electrons will never decrease. There is no loss of this current. This state of the metal is called a superconductor.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Within a few years, superconductivity was observed in other metals as well. Tin and lead showed zero resistance at temperatures of 4 and 6 Kelvin, respectively. Superconductivity is a kind of phase change - which is completely different from the normal phase of free electrons2. Ones' discovery sparked a stir in the world of physics.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1913 for his discovery of the helium liquefaction method and his research on the properties of metals at low temperatures.&nbsp;</span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilvAf7RHQKIbccHSNCuj7XflzZ_OaxWIhRYofpdUXWu_eNLe8zyd4dwC4dLoL2GvdoZ3Yr_pZlkWsxvGT1ZU2v3B-FF34bhjXj_UnfKDeobtzEIXhohQGV_yL15-BaRVJKeAc2QgwVjE/s1600/cummerling-oness-mercury-conductivity.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="359" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilvAf7RHQKIbccHSNCuj7XflzZ_OaxWIhRYofpdUXWu_eNLe8zyd4dwC4dLoL2GvdoZ3Yr_pZlkWsxvGT1ZU2v3B-FF34bhjXj_UnfKDeobtzEIXhohQGV_yL15-BaRVJKeAc2QgwVjE/s320/cummerling-oness-mercury-conductivity.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif" style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">A magnet floats on a superconductor's disc</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Image 1: The result of that historic test of Kamarling Ones - the resistance of mercury (on the left axis) is almost zero when the temperature (on the lower axis) drops below 4.2 Kelvin. <br />Image Source:&nbsp;</span>‘<a href="http://cds.cern.ch/journal/CERNBulletin/2011/15/News%20Articles/1342159" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Centenary of the discovery of superconductivity, CERN</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">At 4 Kelvin, the resistance to hard mercury is lost - the beginning of a new chapter.</span></blockquote><p>&nbsp;</p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Different types of superconductors in the magnetic field</span></h2><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">There is a close connection between the electric and magnetic fields. So the superconductivity that can be seen when the metal is cooled, scientists also worked to understand their behavior in the field of magnetism.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Research on superconductors was only possible for those who knew enough helium liquefaction technology. The number of scientists capable of this work was innumerable.</span><br /><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">Walther Mysner was one of the leading scientists in the 1920's. He made a very important discovery in 1933, with Robert Oxenfeld, that the magnetic field inside a superconductor disappears. When the superconductor is placed close to a magnet, it creates a field exactly opposite, so that the total magnetic field inside it is zero.&nbsp;</span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif">A repulsive force acts between the superconductor and the magnet. This phenomenon is called the Mysner-Oxenfeld effect. A fancy test shows that if a light magnet is placed on a superconductor, it floats in space.</span><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span face="&quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif"><a href="https://fadewblogs.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-story-of-superconductor-explanation.html">Read the second part</a></span></h3><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Philosopher;"><i>Author:</i> <a href="http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=x7HL7ZwAAAAJ&amp;hl=en" target="_blank"><b>Shamashis Sengupta</b></a>,&nbsp;University of Paris — XI alumni.<br /></span><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /><i>Acknowledgments: I am grateful to <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">Anil Ananthaswamy</a> for his help in making this article.</i> <br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><i><br /></i></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">(Cover image: Mysner-Oxenfeld Effect: A magnet floats on a superconductor's disc (courtesy: Wikipedia / Mai-Linh Doan); a video address of the event -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRLvVkkq5GE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRLvVkkq5GE</a></div></div></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2020/07/superconductor-story-finding-source-of.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguk7J25dzhrK-4UFyO3v_6hmDDrzH3XLCjNRZebpiL5ZaYRlJtmYrPcK4U_FlTq-vJbnMafDPWeedvIRQTVJhe3kDB4rmDyfQbKJLbuMs5_jfgXt0GE77XDcKGvFyuHpjkC7-inNEoT_c/s72-w640-h456-c/Meissner_effect_p1390048.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-7819127035250118169</guid><pubDate>Wed, 31 Jul 2024 12:30:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:21:32.171-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Editors Pick</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">GY!BE</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Music</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Offtopic</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Top 10s</category><title>Top 10 Post-Rock Bands Of All Time</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTTJr0X0HnFyybaaiXqWopxL8jjaYSkHy-i6gL1rxCIqwHbI5cO2LSzLMx1F84qxRvqh5g6AjWAfgGsipYi8DYyu5HxYxD2xEvCQ7wRiJGyNlwj9V2nu_gswT8SIw-i9zW0xNgAacUX8/s1280/Best-post-rock-bands+%25281%2529.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="World's Top 10 Post-Rock Bands Of All Time" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTTJr0X0HnFyybaaiXqWopxL8jjaYSkHy-i6gL1rxCIqwHbI5cO2LSzLMx1F84qxRvqh5g6AjWAfgGsipYi8DYyu5HxYxD2xEvCQ7wRiJGyNlwj9V2nu_gswT8SIw-i9zW0xNgAacUX8/w640-h360/Best-post-rock-bands+%25281%2529.webp" title="World's Top 10 Post-Rock Bands Of All Time" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>The post-rock genre is an experimental form of rock that has emerged within the indie and underground music scenes during the 80s and 90s. While the existence of this genre is not quite new, but it didn't lay low in the music industry until the 90s or mid-late 90s.<br /><br />The concept of post-rock was coined by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Reynolds" target="_blank">Simon Reynolds</a>, an English music critic, who used the term post-rock in an album review of Bark Psychosis's album Hex, in the March 1994 edition of Mojo magazine.<div><br /></div><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b>{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}</b></div><br />Post-rock also takes a heavy influence from the early 1960s and mid-1970s, but the solid foundation was laid in the mid-90s via bands such as Talk Talk, Slint.</div><div><br /></div><div><span></span>As we proceeded towards the early 2000s, the genre, however, was greatly condemned by many critics for its ominous use, hence the term was falling out of favor.<br /><br />There have been also some cases where bands through whom the genre was most frequently assigned, such as Tortoise, Cul de Sac, Mogwai, rejected their labels. <br /><br />However, Radiohead's Kid A, and Sigur Rós' "Ágætis byrjun" made a turning point in the music style.<div><br /><h1 style="text-align: left;">Top 10 Most Influential Post-Rock bands of All Time</h1><h2 style="text-align: left;">Godspeed You! Black Emperor</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QLOxOd_xGlk" width="320" youtube-src-id="QLOxOd_xGlk"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>Often considered by critics as one of the best experimental musical groups, GY!BE is a Canadian experimental music collective that originated in Montreal, Quebec.<div><br /></div><div>They’ve always been the darlings of both critics and fans. Their sheer intensity and cinematic quality are unparalleled, their album covers extremely iconic, and they are surrounded by enough mystery to always keep things interesting.</div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><i><b>More on GY!BE</b></i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://fadewblogs.blogspot.com/2021/06/GYBE-FBI-Arrest.html">Were Godspeed You! Black Emperor terrorists?</a></span></li></ul></div><div><br /></div>This 9 piece epic band created the stepping stone for the evolution of the genre of post-rock. They also add a different spin on the post-rock genre itself. They are not like any of their contemporaries.<div><br /></div><div>Almost every post-rock fans are more than familiar with the subtle political commentary by their album and song titles and insanely lengthy track, which is why the band has arguably the biggest cult following within the realms of post-rock.</div><div><br /><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Tortoise</h2><div>Formed in Illinois, Chicago in 1990, <i><b>Tortoise</b></i> is often cited as being one of the prime forces behind the popularization and categorization of the post-rock movement. The band is also viewed as one of post-rock's define makers.</div><div><br /></div><div>Even though the group was formed in 1990, the group's true origin lied in the 1980s pairing of&nbsp; <i>Eleventh Dream Day</i>'s bassist Dough McCombs, and drummer John Herndon.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Initially, they tried to establish their accompany into a freelance rhythm section&nbsp;(A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony, and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band). </div><div><br /></div><div>However, the idea didn't really come to light, but their sheer recording studio knowledge and interest in grooving rhythm led them to partner up with <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastro" target="_blank">Bastro</a></i>'s drummer John McEntire, and bassist Bundy K. Brown.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Tortoise released their self-titled debut studio album in 1994, which led many to predict an upcoming music prodigy. Their latest album <i>The Catastrophist</i> was released in 2016.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Albeit their approach in that album does not quite strike as much as the old albums, <i>The Catasthrphist</i> is the band's first album where they featured some prominent vocals and laid off jazz, contrary to their usual heavy instrumental sounds.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Swans</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Oxtb4pVbCtI" width="320" youtube-src-id="Oxtb4pVbCtI"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Swans are probably the world's loudest experimental rock band. The group was formed 39 years ago in 1982, and they still haven't called it off, their most recent studio album <i>Leaving Meaning</i>&nbsp;was released in 2019.</div><div><br /></div><div>The group went dormant in 1997 and again reformed in 2010, and went to a brief hiatus in 2017, and came back for yet another time in 2019.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Several members of this group had been in-n-out from the group. The founder&nbsp;was the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Michael Gira.</div><div><br /></div><div>Swans are considered one of the uncompromising bands of all time and are renowned&nbsp;for their constantly evolving sound, ranging from bleak, brutal noise-rock to spiritual, ethereal folk, and their intensely loud, transcendent live performances.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Although they are not completely post-rock-centric, they are definitely among the best within that movement.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Sigur Rós</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8AuJdkZkgCw" width="320" youtube-src-id="8AuJdkZkgCw"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Sigur R</i>ó<i>s</i></b>, one of the most iconic and profound post-rock bands of all time, is a must on any list regarding the genre of post-rock itself.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Sigur Ros</i> is an Icelandic band that formed in 1994. They are still active, tho not as much as they used to be. The band made its debut with <i>Von </i>in 1997.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Then came the year 1999, when they released <i>Ágætis byrjun, </i>arguably one of the finest "post-rock/art-rock/ambient/dream pop" albums of all time!&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Even still today, they are highly acclaimed for their release of that revolutionary album.</div><div><br /></div><i>Sigur Ros</i> is named as one of the most enigmatic bands ever. They released their untitled album ( ) in 2002, all of the songs in that album are sung in Hopelandic language (A.K.A. Vonlenska), a made-up language without semantic meaning, which resembles the phonology of the Icelandic language.<div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Explosions in the Sky</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ziw4yd5R0QI" width="320" youtube-src-id="Ziw4yd5R0QI"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Explosions in the Sky, a post-rock&nbsp;(though doesn’t consider themselves to be)&nbsp;prodigy formed in 1999 in Texas. The group was initially called <span face="sans-serif" style="color: #202122;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">'</span></span>Breaker Morant,' then changed to the current name in 1999.</div><div><br /></div>They have the reputation for scathingly intense live performances, and&nbsp;were touted early on in their career as the next phenomenon in moody and dynamic instrumental indie rock à la <i>Mogwai</i> and <i>Godspeed You! Black Emperor</i>.&nbsp;<div><br /></div><div>Eventually, they became one of the genre's most commercially successful bands, scoring several motion pictures and being featured in countless other films, television series, and video games.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Mogwai</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WCmmD37dmFg" width="320" youtube-src-id="WCmmD37dmFg"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Mogwai have an effect on their listeners is like Toronto’s latest climate forecast: unpredictable. This post-rock band takes their listeners on an emotional rollercoaster, from lingering melancholia and remoted strings to extreme clouds of feedback and white noise.</div><div><br /><div>The Scottish band's first single "Tuner"/"Lower" came out in 1996, trailed by their first studio collection, Mogwai Young Team in 1997. From that point forward, Mogwai have delivered a broad discography of eight studio collections, just as an assortment of gatherings, live collections, and expanded plays.</div><div><br /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Slint</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FAApF-FDkoY" width="320" youtube-src-id="FAApF-FDkoY"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>Slint were formed in 1986 in Kentucky and have reunited sporadically since 1990.&nbsp;Though in large part left out at some point of their distinctly short lifespan, Slint grew to end up one of the most influential and far-reaching bands to emerge from the American underground rock network of the 1980s.</div><div><br /></div>Slint broke up after the release of their second album Spiderland. Since then, Slint guitarist David Pajo has played with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol, Tortoise, and others. Slint was one of the first to influence post-rock and is still highly regarded in this genre.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Talk Talk</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LuYNidNgQic" width="320" youtube-src-id="LuYNidNgQic"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Except for a modest bunch of ongoing ideas - chief among them the plaintive vocals and haunting lyrics of frontman Mark Hollis, there is little to recommend that the five studio LPs that make up the Talk oeuvre are to be sure crafted by a similar band.</div><div><br /></div><div>After starting their vocation with records practically typifying the new wave period that brought forth them, the British group never had to look back, making significant strides with each successive album on its way to discovering a wholly unique and uncategorizable sound informed by components of classical, and ambient music; their astonishing last recording, while got ignored commercially, possess a timelessness rare among the music of any genre, and in retrospect, they seem the clear starting point for the post-rock movement of the 1990s.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Bark Psychosis</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WCw2seCIwGE" width="320" youtube-src-id="WCw2seCIwGE"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>Despite a relatively small recorded output and little media recognition, <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bark-psychosis-mn0000784222">Bark Psychosis</a> were one of the most innovative artists of their era. From rather uninspired origins as a teenage Napalm Death cover band, the British group evolved by leaps and bounds, moving from moody, lush pop to ambient soundscapes to taut, atmospheric experimental music; their work was so revolutionary and so impossible to define, that noted critic Simon Reynolds even found it necessary to invent a new subgenre -- "post-rock" -- simply to categorize their vision.<br /><br /><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Labradford</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AhkgRw2p7bA" width="320" youtube-src-id="AhkgRw2p7bA"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><div>Founded in 1991, Labradford were key players in the post-rock movement even if they remain somewhat unsung heroes of the genre. Their widescreen vision, sweeping the sounds of Ennio Morricone and Arvo Pärt into a post-rock template that was still in its formative stages, characterized a whole section of the scene, influencing a swathe of young artists, rock and otherwise.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mi_Media_Naranja" target="_blank">Mi Media Naranja</a></i> is undoubtedly the band’s high point, building on the smudged drone of their first few albums and giving it focus, restraint, and an incredible layer of detail. Their influences are sometimes stripped back to the tiniest elements – the light rhythmic thud of dub in ‘G’ or the subtle electronic treatments of ‘I’ – only revealing themselves on repeat listens.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Read more: <b><a href="https://fadewblogs.blogspot.com/2021/09/top-5-albums-to-get-you-into-ambient.html">Top 5 Albums To Get You Into Ambient Music</a></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://substack.com/profile/11643941-shoaib-rahman" native="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;SF Pro Display&quot;, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Shoaib Rahman" class="user-photo" src="https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/w_112,h_112,c_fill,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5ddb0ad2-da21-4fd0-913d-a003149a8e90_200x200.png" style="border-radius: 50%; display: block; height: 56px; margin-bottom: 20px; width: 56px;" /></a><div class="name" style="background-color: white; color: #757575; font-family: &quot;SF Pro Display&quot;, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 4px;"><a class="name-link" href="https://substack.com/profile/22250898-shoaib-rahman" native="true" style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 27px; text-decoration-line: none;">Shoaib Rahman</a><span class="self-indicator" color="var(--print_secondary, #757575)" style="display: inline-block; margin-left: 4px;">(author)</span></div><div class="bio" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: &quot;SF Pro Display&quot;, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Reader of things. Founder of Fadewblogs.</div></div></div></div></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/09/top-10-post-rock-bands-of-all-time.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTTJr0X0HnFyybaaiXqWopxL8jjaYSkHy-i6gL1rxCIqwHbI5cO2LSzLMx1F84qxRvqh5g6AjWAfgGsipYi8DYyu5HxYxD2xEvCQ7wRiJGyNlwj9V2nu_gswT8SIw-i9zW0xNgAacUX8/s72-w640-h360-c/Best-post-rock-bands+%25281%2529.webp" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-8062434176562468692</guid><pubDate>Wed, 24 Jul 2024 12:29:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:21:51.814-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Life</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Lists</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Offtopic</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Top 10s</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Videos</category><title>World&#39;s Top 10 Most Hated Countries</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYMkiXr5MzwWf5Z6W4oryqmWvhs3u3Yz6eAIOqBFAgmv5A_Gp_Bzr2-49cL0gq14s-e_Ol31fy0x2wDUNxO3fN_bV4k3NjWoCXLZyfwq1fJFRgIUoHt95MFIYpkfof1xb3YVQahfjg5xRa3H_iGsszcLKff_Coc3bLgb9PVOlz6VidYh7GGz2ogew=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Top 10 Most Hated Countries in the World" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYMkiXr5MzwWf5Z6W4oryqmWvhs3u3Yz6eAIOqBFAgmv5A_Gp_Bzr2-49cL0gq14s-e_Ol31fy0x2wDUNxO3fN_bV4k3NjWoCXLZyfwq1fJFRgIUoHt95MFIYpkfof1xb3YVQahfjg5xRa3H_iGsszcLKff_Coc3bLgb9PVOlz6VidYh7GGz2ogew=w640-h360" title="Top 10 Most Hated Countries in the World" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Top 10 Most Hated Countries in the World</h1><div style="text-align: left;">People hate different countries. Several different organizations do different surveys on what country is the most hated or disliked on the planet.&nbsp;</div><p>Reputation Institute, Pew Research does this thing called attitude towards different countries. I looked at all the different surveys that I could find and I came up with a list of countries that most frequently show up on these studies or surveys, whatever you want to call them.&nbsp;</p><p>There are a lot of different reasons people from other countries may hate another country. It could be things that happened in the past or now, it could be for economic reasons or military reasons. For whatever reason, people hate. It's just a fact.&nbsp;</p><p>This is a very interesting list. I've found some on the list, they really haven't done anything horrible in decades and decades, but people hate them going back hundreds and hundreds of years, it's really strange.&nbsp;</p><p>All right, let's see what people say are the most hated countries.</p><div><b>{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ig0E9myWKG0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Saudi Arabia</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QSslw265uwc" width="320" youtube-src-id="QSslw265uwc"></iframe></div><br /><div>Saudi Arabia is an oil-rich country in the Persian Gulf and everyone's heard of Saudi Arabia. This place is highly dominated by religious laws and go all the way to medieval punishments like stoning, lashing, amputation for thieves, women really get a raw deal here, too.&nbsp;</div><p>With the lack of most freedoms that we take for granted here in the United States, they are just part of our normal life. I was reading some of their laws and thinking why would they stop a woman from doing that?&nbsp;</p><p>One of their laws that just baffled me, which I knew about it for a long time I just thought it was strange, started reading about it. Was women, when they go outside the home have to cover themselves from head to toe, including their faces.&nbsp;</p><p>And they're not allowed to go anyplace alone. They have to take a male relative with them, could be a brother, could be their husband, whatever.&nbsp;</p><p>I'm sure that it gets old quick for both the woman and her brother, who every time she's gotta go to the store, and if her husband's working, she gotta call her loser brother to come over and escort her to the store.&nbsp;</p><p>They got a whole bunch of other reasons that rub outsiders the wrong way here. And that's what gets them on lists like this. Most tourists will tell you to stay away from this place because it's kinda boring to visit.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Turkey</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zm-bK_ZMCxg" width="320" youtube-src-id="Zm-bK_ZMCxg"></iframe></div><br /><div>Turkey has had a love-hate relationship with the world for centuries. Turkish people are great, I know a few of 'em, all of 'em are wonderful people.&nbsp;</div><p>What's putting them on the list, according to several sources is their current government. And actually, their past government, when they were the Ottomans. When you go way back, Turkey is hated because of the Armenian genocide.&nbsp;</p><p>The massacre was carried out by the Ottoman Empire and resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million people, Armenians mostly. If you don't know the Ottoman Empire, it's probably 'cause you're from the United States. We kinda just brush over it in our world history.&nbsp;</p><p>But the Ottoman Empire was basically big in this area and it all came from Turkey. And I just totally broad-brushed that again, but give you the idea of what's going on there. Although the massacre is widely known, it is still denied by the Turkish government.&nbsp;</p><p>It's like, they know it happened, everyone else knows it happened, but if they don't admit it, it didn't happen. It's weird.&nbsp;</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Iran</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hbUxI1_3kGw" width="320" youtube-src-id="hbUxI1_3kGw"></iframe></div><br /><div>I know many Persians, I've worked in Beverly Hills for a lot of years and it's filled to the brim with Persians. Like Turkey, the people are kind and decent, very smart and friendly. It's their government.&nbsp;</div><p>It supports terrorism around the world, has a horrible human rights record, keeps threatening the world with nukes and it likes to piss off the most powerful nations on the planet.&nbsp;</p><p>The people are great though. And it's not just the United States they like rubbing the wrong way, everyone. If you're a major power in this world, Iran's gotten under your skin at some point.&nbsp;</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">India</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XZuT5Dr2cyU" width="320" youtube-src-id="XZuT5Dr2cyU"></iframe></div><br /><div>If any country excels in discrimination, it's India. This is one of the main reasons people hate this place. The Indians believe that hating you for your color, race, gender is perfectly a normal thing.&nbsp;</div><p>Now I'm not saying all of 'em, this is just a general feel. I'm sure you could run into a lot of really nice Indians. This, as you can imagine, puts a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths and it kinda keeps 'em away from visiting India.&nbsp;</p><p>The country isn't safe, especially for women. They are cracking down on this, but it isn't terribly rare to find out that some woman was attacked by a group of men. For a while there, it seemed to be happening like every week. I mean, brutal stuff too.&nbsp;</p><p>Not like touching on the bus or something like that, it was ugly. On top of that, they aren't the best neighbors to other countries around them. They have a really bad reputation for that.&nbsp;</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">United Kingdom</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/frF33emgn5g" width="320" youtube-src-id="frF33emgn5g"></iframe></div><br /><div>Yes, believe it or not, the United Kingdom is hated by a lot of people and it's not so much as what's going on now, it's they have a terrible past. it's thought by many around the world that the UK is extremely greedy and it ruled about a quarter of the earth at one point.&nbsp;</div><p>It was one of the first in the world to bring in a slavery system. It encouraged civil wars, oppressed and looted many countries and is responsible for the division and destruction of several countries on different continents around the world, and is still involved in most of the major wars that happen on the planet.&nbsp;</p><p>But if you go way back, I mean, look at anything to do with history, especially here in the United States, you could tell England was kind of, they were kinda a-holes. And the arrogance they had back in the day about it was just incredible.&nbsp;</p><p>One of the best scenes, there's a movie called "Last of the Mohicans" and Daniel Day-Lewis is this scout woodsman and this British officer, he saves him. And then he's all, how is it you came across this war party of Native Americans that were attacking the British?&nbsp;</p><p>And he goes, well, we were headed to Kentucky. He's all why are you heading to Kentucky? All of our scouts are heading to someplace else.&nbsp;</p><p>And he goes, well I ain't one of your scouts. I mean, the British officer's demeanor was like, what do you mean? He's all, yeah, I'm just not doing that stuff.&nbsp;</p><p>Great movie though.&nbsp;</p><p>In one of the reports I read, there's a big problem with the British. Obviously, they were in India for a very long time and I don't know all the ins and outs of it, but it seems very interesting, but it's a little more time-consuming than I wanted to get into.&nbsp;</p><p>They say the UK destroyed India and ruined its education system.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">China</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MEnnV3aLhlM" width="320" youtube-src-id="MEnnV3aLhlM"></iframe></div><br /><div>China has a lot of people and they execute a staggering amount of 'em. They have forced labor camps, ugly history, and cheap exports.&nbsp;</div><p>They've been accused of currency manipulation and have decided that the island of Taiwan belongs to them. They're always, something going on between those two. Some of their low-cost products include medicine and food.&nbsp;</p><p>On a few occasions, they've decided to use less expensive materials so they could drive up profits, make the product cheaper. The downside is this has caused some deaths. That type of thing has gone on for decades with them.&nbsp;</p><p>So many times, they found out some toy that was inspected before, all a sudden they switched it out to having lead-based paint or something like that because it's cheaper, on a kid's toy. As you can imagine, all those things have gotten them on this list.</p><p>Israel</p><p>Israeli people and the Palestinian people have been going at each other's throats for decades and decades.&nbsp;</p><p>They fire rockets at each other from across the border, the politics and the drama that has gone on here for, like I said, decades and decades is just far too complicated to cover in a single article/video.</p><p>But whenever you have warring neighbors, the one that's usually doing the most damage is the more powerful one, which brings on a lot of hatred and that's part of Israel's problem.&nbsp;</p><p>I mean, there's a ton that goes into this, but basically, the war that they've had with the Palestinian people and the fact that there are Jewish nations surrounded by Muslim nations probably doesn't help matters either.&nbsp;</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Russia</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1pR9lFw2Jd8" width="320" youtube-src-id="1pR9lFw2Jd8"></iframe></div><br /><div>Russia has a history of being aggressive to its neighbors, not just in military terms, economics, hacking, forcing a bunch of countries to join the Soviet Union and before you say it, yes, some went willingly.&nbsp;</div><p>At least the people in charge went willingly, it's really hard to find average Joes from the old Soviet Union that were on board with this whole operation.&nbsp;</p><p>Russia likes to create conflicts between major nations of the world, which is designed to be beneficial to Russia.&nbsp;</p><p>They like to kill people that disagree with them, no matter what country the person happens to be standing in.&nbsp;</p><p>You know, like Russians go someplace else, they've been talking to the media bad about the Russian government, and next thing you know they've been poisoned with uranium or something weird like that.&nbsp;</p><p>They're, right now, in the news because they have jailed an opposition leader that's been on a hunger strike. This isn't the first time they've done that either.&nbsp;</p><p>All those things and some other things make Russia one of the most hated countries on the planet.&nbsp;</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">United States of America</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RCKXm6ltj3w" width="320" youtube-src-id="RCKXm6ltj3w"></iframe></div><br /><div>Yeah, you heard me, my country, our country, if you're watching from the United States, is the second most hated country in the world.&nbsp;</div><p>Now it's hard to believe if you're from the country, much like if you're from Russia, you're probably wondering why people would hate Russia, that's just how things are.&nbsp;</p><p>We're kinda designed to be that way. The United States of America is hated by many because of its vast military and economic power over the rest of the world and that's just a fact.&nbsp;</p><p>We've been involved in so many different conflicts, which have just angered people from the areas and in the countries that the conflicts happened in.&nbsp;</p><p>They're in a lot of cases wondering why we got involved. You would probably have to go back to the Korean War and World War II to find a time that we were truly justified by going to war there and the people were probably happy with it 90% of the time, I mean the people from those countries.&nbsp;</p><p>But considering we've been involved in all these conflicts, we are one of the wealthiest countries on the planet and we have the largest military, it's hard not to be hated by Third World countries because of that.&nbsp;</p><p>There are so many other things for all of these really, not just the United States, but for all these countries, there are thousands of other reasons people might hate that country.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">North Korea</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8PcdqBqR3F0" width="320" youtube-src-id="8PcdqBqR3F0"></iframe></div><br /><div>Who didn't see this one coming? You know, when you put as much effort into hiding what is going on in your country as North Korea does, you know what's going on isn't good.&nbsp;</div><p>North Korea has been a big pain in the ass to everyone for a very long time. We know their people are starving, jailed, executed, they disappear in the middle of the night and they're subjected to an insane propaganda program.&nbsp;</p><p>They're told that their leader doesn't have to use the restroom because he works so hard for the North Korean people that he burns off all the calories he takes in, so he never creates any waste.&nbsp;</p><p>They also tell the people of North Korea that he has to take phone calls from other countries to solve problems that other countries can't figure out.&nbsp;</p><p>They also have their own Netflix knockoff called Manbang. I'm not kidding, it's called Manbang. I don't even know how to explain they came up with that name, but it doesn't mean what it sounds like to Americans. I'm sure it means something different to them.&nbsp;</p><p>This is a streaming service that has three channels. Two of which are government news channels filled with nonsense and one channel that shows government-approved movies only.&nbsp;</p><p>Those who live in the country suffer from restrictions of freedom, as their internet access is heavily censored, poor infrastructure, low standard of living.&nbsp;</p><p>And the reason they're all poor and their infrastructure is crumbling is because they put all their money towards nuclear weapons. This is an obsession with the North Korean government. It threatens the world with nuclear war, like every week.&nbsp;</p><p>They have an aggressive attitude towards neighboring countries and this has caused them to be pretty much isolated from the rest of the world.&nbsp;</p><p>And people go on to believe that they're just totally evil, which I'm sure the people are just fine. It's just their government is just whacked. The outside world knows very little of what's going on in North Korea.&nbsp;</p><p>Every once in a while, we'll get someone that defected over. They finally got out of the country and they just tell us horrible things. I remember there was this soldier that jumped across the border not too long ago, he was starving.&nbsp;</p><p>He had seeds from trees in his stomach that he just couldn't get enough food, so he was actually eating these big seeds that weren't digested and it was kind of sad.</p><p>All right, that's today's list. Hope you guys got some information out of it, hope you guys enjoyed it, it's kind of weird.&nbsp;</p><p>And it's really weird to have to say that yeah, the United States is one of the most hated countries on the planet, I love my country.&nbsp;</p><p>It's just I had to go by what the survey said, trying to give you guys the most accurate information I can, don't hate the messenger. All right, everyone has a great day. Be nice to each other.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: Philosopher;"><b>Author</b>: Briggs from <i><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/WorldAccordingToBriggs/featured" target="_blank">World According To Briggs</a></b></i></span></p></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/10/world-top-10-most-hated-countries.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYMkiXr5MzwWf5Z6W4oryqmWvhs3u3Yz6eAIOqBFAgmv5A_Gp_Bzr2-49cL0gq14s-e_Ol31fy0x2wDUNxO3fN_bV4k3NjWoCXLZyfwq1fJFRgIUoHt95MFIYpkfof1xb3YVQahfjg5xRa3H_iGsszcLKff_Coc3bLgb9PVOlz6VidYh7GGz2ogew=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>3</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-5192266323190182777</guid><pubDate>Wed, 24 Jul 2024 12:23:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:26:01.399-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Movies</category><title>List of Must-Watch Atheist Movies</title><description><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDB8rl3Se9TMGifGYYuIR3dbimhPl8tOEszfwKPgCj2db7MznTucC58Xx4VNz1DpzKwDzcuPVWdvbCh13wtKPk8P5Ju79uUJnaJXCdE3WeSkmKl-OQ-WAiJUAEXLkWzoNZ113qzpqYuCobzv17gt4Z-0pzWoXygA0ZrH2FSzzm3evbVfaeBfJkQNVcHA=s1280" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="List of Must-Watch Atheist Movies" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDB8rl3Se9TMGifGYYuIR3dbimhPl8tOEszfwKPgCj2db7MznTucC58Xx4VNz1DpzKwDzcuPVWdvbCh13wtKPk8P5Ju79uUJnaJXCdE3WeSkmKl-OQ-WAiJUAEXLkWzoNZ113qzpqYuCobzv17gt4Z-0pzWoXygA0ZrH2FSzzm3evbVfaeBfJkQNVcHA=w640-h360" title="Best Atheist Movies" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Photo by&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.pexels.com/@adrien-olichon-1257089?utm_content=attributionCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=pexels" style="text-align: start;">Adrien Olichon</a><span style="text-align: start;">&nbsp;from&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-chairs-in-front-of-white-wall-3709370/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=pexels" style="text-align: start;">Pexels</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>For millennials, art was inseparable from religion. Religion completely dominated culture, so aspiring Expressionists could only draw inspiration from approved doctrine.</div><div>&nbsp; <br />In <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Christianity" target="_blank">Christianity</a>, it was blasphemous to create something that was not already in the <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Bible" target="_blank">Bible</a>, and in<a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Islam" target="_blank"> Islam</a>, it was blasphemy to create... well... It does not matter that.<br /><br />Of course, such restrictions do make wonderful art, from the Sistine Chapel to Ben-Hur, and even Islam has established its own art by finding sophisticated solutions to Sharia law, such as calligraphic interpretations of scriptures. <br /><br />Nonetheless, the scope and beauty of theistic art are undeniable, but atheistic art is not without representation either.<br /><br />However as of late acknowledged into mainstream society, skeptic films exist and are among film's outperforms. We're discussing films that harbor topics of unbelief or stories that cultivate strict uncertainty.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>They possess a lot more modest artistic specialty than those strictly propelled, yet just by virtue of their earliest stages.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}</b><br /><br />It's mind-boggling how as of late atheism was vilified in western culture, and this ill will in any case stays in a significant part of the world. <br /><br />To believe that the basic affirmation of the nonexistence of something apparently nonexistent is a conviction framework worth censuring is absurd. Atheism is as much a conviction as religion is proof. It's not reasonable to call them alternate extremes.<br /><br />The following movies are made for the people who do not believe, but the believer can still draw something of value from the wide-raging and well-executed themes. <br /><br />They’re not just lightning rods of disagreement, but objectively good films that would not look amiss on any other list.<br /></div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Movies That Criticizes Religion</h1><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Ledge (2011)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aJ-ZrZMW7Ew" width="320" youtube-src-id="aJ-ZrZMW7Ew"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Grey (2011)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wSQDYf2q__c" width="320" youtube-src-id="wSQDYf2q__c"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Rabbit Hole (2010)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8V5904uauqg" width="320" youtube-src-id="8V5904uauqg"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Planet of the Apes (1968)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wHIEVRS86dQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="wHIEVRS86dQ"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Agora (2009)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5DsTwzUg5-g" width="320" youtube-src-id="5DsTwzUg5-g"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Invention of Lying (2009)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RhRnmyBjOLs" width="320" youtube-src-id="RhRnmyBjOLs"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Religulous (2008)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XdkyLrDpaUg" width="320" youtube-src-id="XdkyLrDpaUg"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Master (2012)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rzHXrg1CgjQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="rzHXrg1CgjQ"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">God On Trial (2008)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7Lpk4xu2SKc" width="320" youtube-src-id="7Lpk4xu2SKc"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">There Will Be Blood (2007)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OjZ1rUQQKxY" width="320" youtube-src-id="OjZ1rUQQKxY"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Life of Brian (1979)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y8YyfvINTWc" width="320" youtube-src-id="y8YyfvINTWc"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Man from Earth (2007)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9mOIxyRTY5I" width="320" youtube-src-id="9mOIxyRTY5I"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2>Inherit the Wind (1960)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xpIjRdiUkx4" width="320" youtube-src-id="xpIjRdiUkx4"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JBzlQ7bUtKk" width="320" youtube-src-id="JBzlQ7bUtKk"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Seventh Seal (1957)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vZucwtdSvJ8" width="320" youtube-src-id="vZucwtdSvJ8"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Dekalog (1989)</h2></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OYg5zswGG8Y" width="320" youtube-src-id="OYg5zswGG8Y"></iframe></div><div><br /></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/list-of-must-watch-atheist-movies.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDB8rl3Se9TMGifGYYuIR3dbimhPl8tOEszfwKPgCj2db7MznTucC58Xx4VNz1DpzKwDzcuPVWdvbCh13wtKPk8P5Ju79uUJnaJXCdE3WeSkmKl-OQ-WAiJUAEXLkWzoNZ113qzpqYuCobzv17gt4Z-0pzWoXygA0ZrH2FSzzm3evbVfaeBfJkQNVcHA=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-8022810773587724275</guid><pubDate>Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:29:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:21:42.943-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Editors Pick</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Long Reads</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Psychology</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Videos</category><title>Becoming Your True Self - The Psychology of Carl Jung</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uRDy4M5jI-g" width="320" youtube-src-id="uRDy4M5jI-g"></iframe></div><br /><div>We feel as though we are in the driver’s seat of our mind, driving according to our conscious will; but upon only a little introspection, we realize, at least in many cases, we are merely following a built-in navigation system that exceeds our knowledge and understanding; we perceive but the display screen atop an entire complex software run on even more complex hardware.</div><div><br /></div><div>If we do not attempt to familiarize ourselves with this navigation system, how it works, where it’s trying to go, and how to override it when it sends us the wrong direction, we risk aimlessly traveling the world, ending up somewhere uninteresting at best and disastrous at worse.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>20th-century Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung, is perhaps one of the greatest and most capable minds that has ever attempted to do this—to explore itself from the inside and conceptualize a complete understanding of this sort of internal navigation system from the top-down.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Jung was born in 1875 in Kesswil, Switzerland to a relatively impoverished rural pastor, Paul Jung, and a depressed, eccentric, spirit-seeing mother, Emilie Jung.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Jung was a very introverted and isolated child who spent much of his time alone, engaging in activities of make-believe, projection, dissociation, and analyzing the adults in his life.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>During early childhood, he strongly disliked and underperformed in school to the point of almost neurosis, regularly fainting to get out of it.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>However, as age and maturity would have it, and after his father expressed stern concern over his potential incompetence, Jung somewhat dramatically shifted to engaging more intensely in his education, reading actively on his own, especially that of philosophy and religious texts.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Following secondary school, after determining that he did not want to follow the family’s path of a religious vocation, Jung would end up pursuing medicine at the University of Basel.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>After getting his completed medical degree from the University of Zurich in 1902, he would work at a psychiatric hospital under the prominent and well-connected psychiatrist, Eugen Bleuler. Several years later, he would leave the hospital and begin his own private practice.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>As Jung became more successful and well-known in his field, he would soon become acquainted with the extremely popular, ground-breaking, and controversial psychologist of the time, who still holds this title today, Sigmund Freud.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The two would meet for the first time in 1907, upon which they would talk for around thirteen hours straight. This would quickly develop into a strong friendship and professional association.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>They traveled the world and lectured together, analyzed each other’s dreams, and discussed various aspects of their psychological studies and theories.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>However, Freud being of a much greater professional stature at the time, as well as being substantially older than Jung, created a dynamic in the friendship that was much more like a father-son- or teacher-pupil-relationship.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>This would, unfortunately, pose problems as Jung’s career advanced and began to encroach on Freud’s. The two would soon find themselves in disagreements over fundamental aspects of each other’s theories.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Ultimately, these disagreements, Jung’s tendency toward a somewhat mystical consideration of the human mind as opposed to Freud’s more scientific reductionist approach, the nature of their father-son-relationship, and Jung’s desire for professional independence, all caused the two to split their friendship off in 1913.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Following and as a consequence of this breakup, from around 1913 to 1918, Jung experienced a sort of mid-life psychological breakdown.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>During this, he spent much of his time introspecting and writing about psychological experiments he conducted on himself, exploring the recesses of his unconscious.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>This period of transition, independence, and psychological turbulence would ultimately concretize his views of the mind and his career as an independent theorist of psychology.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Put simply, the primary objective of Jung’s career was to understand the nature of the psyche and then develop theories and methods to aid in the integration of all its components to create a singular, unified state of wholeness.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>In this context, the psyche here simply refers to the complete personality of the individual, including feelings, thoughts, and behaviors—the combination of the unconscious and conscious mind.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The continuous striving toward integrating the psyche through the process of self-realization and becoming a maximized, authentic individual, for Jung, was the fundamental goal of life and psychological understanding.</div><div><br /></div><div>“…Man’s task,” he wrote, “is…to become conscious of the contents that press upward from the unconscious…As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>For Jung, there is a constant interplay between the unconscious and conscious realms of the psyche, which combine to create our complete personality.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Most of this, however, develops and exists in the unconscious realm, beneath our immediate awareness and control.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Thus, a significant portion of who we really are, what we really like and are capable of, and the reasons we do the things we do, persist within a realm we don’t actively understand or have access to.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>And so, to come into a more authentic and complete state of being, the individual must attempt to make this portion of the psyche conscious by tapping into it and integrating it into the whole of their awareness.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Jung would call this process Individuation. To better understand this, it is important to understand Jung’s model of the psyche, which he divided, starting with the broader dimensions, into consciousness, personal unconsciousness, and collective unconsciousness.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Breaking each of these three realms down, consciousness is, as one would typically think of it, the realm of personal awareness where one identifies explicitly and knowingly with themselves. At the core of this is another structure Jung identified, the ego.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The ego sits at the center of consciousness and provides a sense of personal distinction, creating the story one tells themselves about themselves to maintain continuity in their identity.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The ego is expressed in the conscious realm by what Jung called the Persona, which is the outward efforts of appearance, which the individual actively displays to the world.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>This persona, however, is often disjointed from the individual’s true self as it displays the character that one thinks or wants to be according to what the ego deems is appropriate to a particular society and role, and not what is true to who the individual actually is.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>To execute and maintain this suitable appearance and self-esteem, the ego filters various components of personal experience and selfhood either into or away from the conscious dimension.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>What it filters away and restricts, it represses and sends down into the unconscious realm. One of Jung’s most unique and profound insights that differentiate him most notably from other psychologists is how, from here, he separated the unconscious into two distinct structures: the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The personal unconscious fits similarly into the ideas already understood and proposed by Freud and others of the time. In which, after the ego represses and disregards undesirable aspects of experience and selfhood, these aspects are stored and concealed here, just beneath normal awareness.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>They still, however, continue to actively affect and interact back and forth with consciousness. The collective unconscious, however, differentiates from the personal unconscious and other prior conceptions of the psyche in that, according to Jung, it contains and facilitates universal elements that are inherited through the sum total of human history—similar in some sense to how biological evolution works.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>"Man has developed consciousness slowly and laboriously, in a process that took untold ages to reach the civilized state …And this evolution is far from complete, for large areas of the human mind are still shrouded in darkness." wrote Jung.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>As a result of each generation of human offspring essentially imitating the behaviors of the previous generation, (to at least some degree) an unbroken chain of psychological imitation is formed, going all the way back to the beginning of human history.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Thus, a sort of reservoir of psychological predispositions, structures, and memories that have been formed by this chain is automatically inherited by each human being.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Jung found this to be empirically demonstrable in both his own professional psychiatric practice, finding recurring similarities in the unconscious of a vast number of his patients, as well as his historical and mythological research, in which he noticed that similar motifs, symbols, and themes that appeared in his patient’s unconscious, also were prevalent and consistent across art, myths, and literature within different cultures of different times, even though these cultures often never even encountered one another.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>In Jung’s view, these shared motifs, symbols, and themes were expressions of the various psychic structures consistent across humanity, which he called archetypes.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>These archetypes, in Jung’s model of the psyche, essentially form the basis of the individual’s personality by predisposing specific cognitive tendencies.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Within the combined unconscious, Jung would refer to all the repressed, denied, and unknown content, which the ego does not want to identify with, like the Shadow. Lastly, sort of nested within the Shadow is what Jung broke down into the animus and anima, which specifically refer to the suppressed feminine qualities in a male (anima) and the suppressed masculine qualities in a female (animus).&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>According to Jung, all the aforementioned structures of the psyche work together in active circulation to ultimately form what lies at the center—the Self—the combined, authentic totality of the unconscious and conscious.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>This Self is who the individual actually is, what they actually desire, what they actually like, what they actually are capable of, and so on.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Simply put, getting the ego and a high degree of the persona as close to this as possible is the goal of individuation, and ultimately, a fulfilled life.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Whether it’s through methods like therapy, introspection, personal development toward authenticity, or some combination, ultimately, for Jung, it is the task of the individual to determine and strive toward this.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>In all cases, this sort of self-realization requires an effort of radical self-acceptance; and radical self-acceptance requires an effort of radical self-honesty.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>To actively move deeper into the psyche, each opportunity one takes to examine a personal feeling, thought, or action, they must attempt to do so by accepting the complete and often undesirable potentiality of what it truly indicates about themselves—that they are not always who they think or hope they are.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Each of these capitalized opportunities, personal or professional, is like a small step down the stairwell into the unconscious.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>As one goes further down, however, as they confront these deeper and darker elements of their being hidden in the basement, they must, in Jungian terms, work to integrate their Shadow—the breadth of their potential faults and wickedness—as opposed to rush back up the stairs in denial.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>One’s shadow does not disappear by looking away from it. In the same way, one cannot literally evade the light-casted shadow of their body by outrunning it, there is no move or evasive tactic that separates the individual from their psychological shadow.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The danger, rather, is in the attempt to do so, the ignorance and denial of it. “Good does not become better by being exaggerated, but worse, and a small evil becomes a big one through being disregarded and repressed.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The Shadow is very much a part of human nature, and it is only at night that no shadows exist.” wrote Jung. Awareness of one’s dark side allows one to more appropriately manage and recognize it when it sneaks up the stairs uninvited.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>One must know of a problem to be able to fix it, and it is an act of healing to admit that one is sick.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Although self-acceptance and authenticity are perhaps simple and obvious enough sounding, the act of actually working toward radical self-acceptance and individuation is, of course, far from simple and obvious.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>In the absolute sense, it is almost certainly impossible. In the above-average sense, it is still perhaps life’s greatest and most difficult endeavor.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>To truly and honestly accept your downfalls, weaknesses, potential evils, and shameful or unpopular interests and qualities, to admit what you see, fear, or hate in others is and could be inside of you, to admit to yourself that is not and will never be completely who you think and want to be, that you are not as good as you had hoped, and to confront what your mind has worked a lifetime to keep from itself, is a task that literally shakes the very core of the psyche.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, it is perhaps proportionally essential for a fulfilled and complete life. Ultimately, Jung’s work provides insights, theories, and methods to help the individual move through this process toward not only potentially gaining access to fixing the bugs in their navigation system, but also, in some sense, access to the controls, where now they can better input the destination coordinates according to where they actually can and want to go. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><i style="font-family: Philosopher;">Author:</i><span style="font-family: Philosopher;">&nbsp;</span><b style="font-family: Philosopher;">Robert Pantano</b><span style="font-family: Philosopher;">, owner-&nbsp;</span><i style="font-family: Philosopher;"><a href="https://pursuitofwonder.com/" target="_blank">Pursuit of Wonder</a>.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">More from this author:&nbsp;</span></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://fadewblogs.blogspot.com/2021/07/nihilism.html"><b>Nihilism: The belief in nothing</b></a></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://fadewblogs.blogspot.com/2021/07/living-forever.html">Why Living Forever is an Awful Idea</a></b></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://fadewblogs.blogspot.com/2021/07/The-Fermi-paradox.html">Fermi paradox: 7 Theories about Potential Aliens</a></b></span></li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Support Pursuit of Wonder:</b></div><ul><li>You can shop Pursuit of Wonder merch here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pursuitofwonder.com/store">https://www.pursuitofwonder.com/store</a>&nbsp;</li><li>Or contribute to the Patreon here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.patreon.com/pursuitofwonder">https://www.patreon.com/pursuitofwonder</a></li></ul></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/10/becoming-your-true-self-psychology-of.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/uRDy4M5jI-g/default.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-4968581137017207515</guid><pubDate>Tue, 09 Jul 2024 12:24:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:23:04.252-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Bible</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Christianity</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Editors Pick</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Long Reads</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Social Issues</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Women</category><title>#GodToo: He's Fired</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhewzis1Q4lLEwe_Z1t5eEZakpMcZRnK7bRKX77llo_px-rWqUH3Zt-R7MLorQ5J4qABb8LAuEx3WePbm67Jw-F3pshAN5-Xc5fA9-fNjosM9oEaIQ06hFSEAeDEhAW-Jw1JhErKs-C0DiyHiq9MXcsl0GBuBKFQ1oSdAdCDWG4enxkGYoZXiEdkK9n0g=s1484" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="#GodToo: He's Fired" border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1484" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhewzis1Q4lLEwe_Z1t5eEZakpMcZRnK7bRKX77llo_px-rWqUH3Zt-R7MLorQ5J4qABb8LAuEx3WePbm67Jw-F3pshAN5-Xc5fA9-fNjosM9oEaIQ06hFSEAeDEhAW-Jw1JhErKs-C0DiyHiq9MXcsl0GBuBKFQ1oSdAdCDWG4enxkGYoZXiEdkK9n0g=w640-h426" title="#GodToo: He's Fired" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">God was actually the first one to say to a woman, “Yeah, but what were you wearing?”</h1><div>In the middle of a Kansas City blizzard in 1985, Katilyn Pulcher was born into a fundamentalist Christian family.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Brainwashed at a young age to believe a monster in the sky would punish her soul for eternity unless she complied entirely with all the rules in <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Bible" target="_blank">the Bible</a>, she strove to be the perfect daughter.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>However, when she was in her mid-twenties, she began to question the reality of God when a relative struggling with alcoholism wasn’t helped by her family’s prayers and continued to deteriorate despite them.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}</b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Around that time, after watching the Ricky Gervais movie The Invention of Lying, the seeds of real doubt were planted, and she began her trip down the clickhole toward atheism.</div><div><br /></div><div>Eight years later, and over thirty years since the blizzard, she fired God and wrote a book to create her own storm that Christian leaders did not see in the forecast: <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Status_Quon_t.html?id=Xw55swEACAAJ&amp;source=kp_book_description" target="_blank"><b>Status Quon't: A Woman’s Perspective on How Christianity Was Never About God</b></a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The following is an excerpt adapted for this magazine.</div><div><br /></div><div>In any system of life, the status quo seeks to maintain itself until violently forced to change. We see this in economies, social groups, and even earthquakes.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The very ground we stand on does not budge without a fuss. No matter how great the need for a new status quo, nor how grotesque or oppressive the current one is, its upheaval requires tremendous effort and mass buy-in. Even the change of a status quo as horrific as slavery required a bloody civil war.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Although challenging a status quo can be scary, with potentially severe ramifications, it always starts with something as simple as a probing question.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>For me, the question was, “Is everything I learned in church and in the Bible actually true, and if not, then what is the truth?”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>My book does not give a definitive answer to establish a new status quo because I don’t want people to blindly follow advice from me any more than I want them to blindly follow advice from the Bible.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>What I hope for is a status quo, a dynamic state of critical thought, authenticity, and personalized belief systems—the antithesis of groupthink.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let’s start by understanding some things about Christianity. Most believers take for granted that the apostles were God’s <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/p/publish-on-fadewblogs.html" target="_blank">ghostwriters</a>, transcribing messages they were allegedly receiving in real-time.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>In reality, the gospels were written one hundred years after the supposed death of Jesus. And churchgoers are typically given Cliffs Notes of those gospels, rather than the entire text.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>An isolated verse or two can be interpreted any number of ways but would lose all credibility if the rest of the chapter were read, or if verses with conflicting messages were read the following Sunday. The scriptures were not inspired by a divine being.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>They were written exclusively by men to control the behavior of other people, women especially, using the number-one source of human motivation: fear.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>To produce this fear, they created an eternal, omnipresent threat (God) and preached obedience to him as the only way to avoid eternal punishment. It worked beautifully and still controls the lives of many Americans today, plaguing their choices of politicians and creating behavior that leads to self-oppression.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>As I became an adult, I realized that I couldn’t follow a leader who didn’t respect me and whom I didn’t trust—let alone one I couldn’t see or hear—so I had to fire God. In my opinion, all women should do the same. Along with him, the…</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Outdated Policy Manual Must Go&nbsp;</h2><div>The first section that needs updating is the dress code. The original dress code began in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve sewing fig leaves together to cover their loins after eating the forbidden fruit.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>This story of the talking snake is used to blame Eve for something that Adam did of his own free will.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>She can present Adam with an airtight case full of reasons why he should eat the apple, but, at the end of the day, it’s his choice.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Nonetheless, the <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Arts%20and%20Culture" target="_blank">culture</a> of blaming women for controlling (or failing to control) grown men’s thoughts and choices began here. Eve is the first case of victim-blaming.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>How many of you have thought about the fact that God was actually the first one to say to a woman, “Yeah, but what were you wearing?”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I was raised in an extremely conservative church that enforced all sorts of rules governing women’s clothing.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Our dress code was created to blame women for men’s sexual thoughts and actions, but similar logic was not applied to their alcohol consumption.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>However, we don’t shut down every bar in America so alcoholics aren’t tempted to drink. Instead, we set up twelve-step programs for them to find support and hold each other accountable for their consumption.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Similarly, we don’t evacuate non-Caucasians so racists feel more comfortable. Telling all women to cover themselves up so men aren’t tempted to grope, rape, or verbally abuse them is an equally ridiculous request, but it’s been granted for centuries.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>It is as impossible as it is unfair to try to change an environment to prevent all types of acting out. The urge to act out is what needs to be addressed. But hey, why would a country hold men accountable for their urges when…</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Nobody’s Perfect, Not Even Their God</h2><div>Christians believe in an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving God who never makes mistakes. But in order to explain the vastly different varieties of human existence, one has to admit that at least one of those adjectives does not accurately describe God.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>It is not possible for a perfect, loving God to have created and still co-exist with so much pain and suffering.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>After testing into the gifted program in elementary school, I was told by my parents, “You are smarter than both of us put together.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>There is nothing you cannot do.” However, fearing my ego would inflate to unmanageable proportions, they refused to tell me my IQ score.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I remember being in church wondering <b>why God put such a tremendously capable brain in my female body</b> because, during the service, the pastor read Ephesians 5:22-24: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” I was also familiar with 1 Timothy 2:11-12: “<span style="color: #2b00fe;">A woman&nbsp;must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">For it was Adam who was first created and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived and fell into transgression.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.</span>”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>This all made it very clear to me that God did not want me using this intelligent brain that he put in my head.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>So, at the age of seven, I was already wondering why God would give me a tool I wasn’t supposed to use.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>According to scripture, if I marry a developmentally impaired male who is incapable of making sound financial decisions and taking care of his health, I am, nonetheless, required to submit to him. But, say I marry an intelligent man instead and develop a health problem in my reproductive system.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Am I to submit to his decision about organs he doesn’t have, even though I’m the one who knows exactly where and how badly it hurts? The scripture says “submit to their husbands in everything,” so if I follow that rule, then I have to do what my husband says, even if it’s the wrong move.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Even if I know it’s going to kill me or ruin my chances of happiness, and that I can make a better choice if I think and decide for myself, I have to do what he says.</div><div><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><div style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><p><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p></div></span></div></div><div><blockquote>Using the Bible as a guide for living your life is a dangerous endeavor, especially if you’re female.</blockquote><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><div style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><p><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p></div></span></div><p>&nbsp;If you believe that God is perfect, then wouldn’t it make more sense for God to have put my brain in a man, where it could have been used?&nbsp;</p></div><div><br /></div><div>Did he make a mistake? Devout Christians will tell you that’s not possible because God is perfect. One could argue God simply put this brain in my body because he intended for me to never marry.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I would counter and ask why he would give me a brain powerful enough to question his very existence and a will so strong it could disseminate my thoughts to a wider audience via my book. I may never marry; time will tell.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>However, I can tell you for sure that there are plenty of women who are married and capable of making better decisions than their husbands. To waste powerful brains merely because they are put in female bodies is hogwash.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>My powerful childhood brain could also never find a comforting answer to the question…&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">When is Dad Coming Home, and When is God Coming Home?</h2><div>Devout Christians prepare all their lives for “the second coming,” the day when Jesus is supposed to return to Earth, take all the good people to heaven, and cast all the bad people into hell.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>They will tell you that they very much look forward to this day because they are certain they <i>will</i> be in the group going to heaven.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>They are literally sitting around with bated breath, ready to jump at a moment’s notice to do whatever someone who abandoned them thousands of years ago wants them to do.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>In the real world, however, the triumphant return of an earthly father after a prolonged absence is often not an event&nbsp;that is celebrated.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>It wasn’t until recently that I connected the dots between the story of the second coming and my strained relationship with my own father.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>He worked long hours (by choice), and as a result, one of the things he had in common with Jesus was that I never knew when either of them was coming home. In my early years, I would try to stay up as late as I could in the hopes that I’d see him.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaQZaFog_FN9ZZ2DSLLuIvaT6Id3nYuJTKZc75ae4zYJQqEJkYhHiNRCpLdkx3E2eCZGwwb98xTBfj_khUFbOxpMJh6XBPm5tdWV3B32tiABXS-3wyn2-IJln0bETBZXEVUERdyM1RlFqMHFZFKW4XJgfFhOKNS-oA9hHZyBrnHFTT_NMTrbi2nQ8Xtg=s447" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Jesus and Mo" border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="435" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaQZaFog_FN9ZZ2DSLLuIvaT6Id3nYuJTKZc75ae4zYJQqEJkYhHiNRCpLdkx3E2eCZGwwb98xTBfj_khUFbOxpMJh6XBPm5tdWV3B32tiABXS-3wyn2-IJln0bETBZXEVUERdyM1RlFqMHFZFKW4XJgfFhOKNS-oA9hHZyBrnHFTT_NMTrbi2nQ8Xtg=w622-h640" title="Jesus and Mo" width="622" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jesusandmo.net/" target="_blank">Jesus and Mo</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Then I got used to him being gone and started to resent him, so I’d pretend to be asleep when he got home. I didn’t know how to express how abandoned and insignificant I felt.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I also thought that expressing these feelings would be unfair because it would mean I was holding him to a higher standard than that to which I was told to hold Jesus himself.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>If Christians accept that Jesus isn’t here right now, then they certainly could accept that my father wasn’t, and so should I.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>As a result, my father became unaccountable to me. I now fully understand that the message I absorbed in childhood was that men need only be there when they want to be, and you better drop everything and come running when they are.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>As I became an adult, I continued to accept crumbs of attention from my father. I’d get brief phone calls every month or so, and I’d see him a few times a year, but usually only if I traveled home.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>For nearly ten years, I’ve lived in a city that is a one-hour plane ride from his home.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>It wasn’t until I bought my own house and he refused to come to see it without my estranged mother that everything clicked. He doesn’t feel the need to come to see me for me to keep loving him and to maintain a “relationship” with him.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Clearly, Jesus feels the same as my father does. My first relationship with a man was with my father and, as a child, I believed my second to be with God.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Therefore, what I had been conditioned to accept from both became what I accepted from all men. Looking at my relationship history, I see that I dated the type of men who were familiar to me: distant men.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I dated workaholics, exercise addicts, and alcoholics, all of whom picked different poisons but shared the trait of absenteeism.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Just like I didn’t know how to hold my father to a higher standard than my God, I didn’t know how to hold my boyfriends to a higher standard than my own father. I didn’t feel I could expect a boyfriend to spend more time with me than my own father had.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I also couldn’t get mad at him without feeling my suppressed rage at my father, and I didn’t want to go there. When my dad finally chose not to come to visit just after my thirtieth birthday, I was forced to face my rage. An important decision accompanied said rage.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I decided that if I am going to respect myself in one relationship, I have to respect myself in all of them. I can’t make an exception for&nbsp;one person who treats me poorly but not the others.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I could no longer be okay with my father not showing up for me if I was going to dump my boyfriend for the same reason. Both relationships had to end.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The issue is not the person, it’s the behavior of not showing up. Parental status does not exempt someone from being an asshole.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>To truly comprehend this lesson, I had to take myself outside the status quo of maintaining a relationship with my parents no matter what. My father was and is capable of spending more time with me than he did when I was a child.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>He’s self-employed and sets his own hours. He has always had his own car and enough money to pay for gas or plane tickets.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Hell, he could be here right now, sitting across from me on the couch as I write this. But he’s not —because he chooses not to be.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>My father is human, not an omnipotent, all-powerful, and all-knowing being. If he is able to be in my company right now with all the restraints of space and time, Jesus could absolutely be here, too. If he really did revive himself from the grave, a quick trip back to Earth should be a piece of cake.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The lesson that my own father could be here for me but chooses not to is, admittedly, a very hard pill to swallow. It hurts because the status quo teaches us that parents always love and prioritize their children more than anyone and anything else.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>But we learn our definition of love from the way our parents treat us. As a kid trying to make sense of why my parents told me they loved me but still made me feel lonely and forgotten, I just decided love wasn’t supposed to make you feel good.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>As I grew older, I met men who did show me, love, by making me feel good and making an effort to be around me consistently, but I pushed them away. I still needed to believe that my dad loved me more than these good men did.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>(If any of you are reading this, you know who you are, and I’m sorry. I literally had to be completely alone or surrounded by people who made me feel unimportant for my father’s love to be better in comparison to yours.)&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Then came the phase of relationships with the only men who seemed legitimately less available than my dad: men in the military or men who lived in another city. The time during which I needed my father around most has passed.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>My childhood is over, so I’m left with the decision of what to do if he finally chooses to come around and build a closer relationship with me. My brain has been crammed with religious agendas from childhood (honor thy father and mother) and societal agendas in adulthood (“they’re family” is supposed to excuse all manner of offenses).&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I’m expected to keep the proverbial door open to him for life and allow him to walk right back in when he decides to show up, no matter when or how infrequently.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Christians are expected to do the same for Jesus. But regardless of what I’m expected to do, it will be me who decides whether to keep the door open for my father’s “second coming.”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I don’t believe everyone deserves unconditional love and forgiveness from everyone else, and that’s not a bad thing. There are over seven billion people in the world.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMLYFpsFw72N_Xe8tRFlekqGTfwzxJTenxoNILu9HsDvNePTVe68_GLTIQhVyOS2cJwRfvR_mEnPN21DOZb6lwQd7MumkxU5DR4HMnbRMKvYS-s4oJq5yKfRyQ7k1N2Y7xOcU1wfJNjETIGlXgK8vrz4Pke79oFTiST23glO1MGLAfPBbh-_kviHOeEA=s813" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Katilyn Pulcher" border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="813" height="501" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMLYFpsFw72N_Xe8tRFlekqGTfwzxJTenxoNILu9HsDvNePTVe68_GLTIQhVyOS2cJwRfvR_mEnPN21DOZb6lwQd7MumkxU5DR4HMnbRMKvYS-s4oJq5yKfRyQ7k1N2Y7xOcU1wfJNjETIGlXgK8vrz4Pke79oFTiST23glO1MGLAfPBbh-_kviHOeEA=w640-h501" title="Katilyn Pulcher" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self portrait by Katilyn Pulcher</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>If you’re&nbsp;born into a group of people, or you marry someone that humiliates and abuses you, I believe you need to leave and find other people whose conditions through which you need to love them are not unforgivable.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>And if we find ourselves attracted to the people we choose to surround ourselves with, we will inevitably be thinking about…&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">The “S” Word</h2><div>When I started to lose my faith, I spent a lot of time browsing the internet to find out what the Bible actually says about all of those values I was taught.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>In my quest to learn what the Bible has to say about premarital sex, I stumbled upon Deuteronomy 22:20-21: “<span style="color: #2b00fe;">But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman, then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father’s house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.</span>”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The Bible was obviously written solely by men because no woman in her right mind would write or even believe something so damaging and potentially fatal.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I’m sure it’s no coincidence that it says nothing about a man being stoned to death if he is not a virgin when he marries. It’s also no coincidence that African-Americans had nothing to do with drafting segregation laws.</div><div><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><div style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><p><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p></div></span></div></div><div><blockquote>People do not write laws and rules to persecute themselves.</blockquote><div><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><p style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p></span>This passage proves that “God’s love” is not unconditional. If he truly loved all of us unconditionally, he would not condone stoning any one of us to death. </div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>First Corinthians 7:8-9 also relates to premarital sex: “<span style="color: #2b00fe;">To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.</span>”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Just a few lines earlier is a passage condoning sex slavery within marriage:&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">“Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, a man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his body, but the wife does.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control (1 Corinthians 7:1-5).</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Slaves were bought and commanded to serve their owners’ desires, and brides were bought with a dowry to serve their husband's desires back in Biblical times.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Do you see the similarity? Other verses, like Exodus 22:16, talk about paying for sex: “<span style="color: #2b00fe;">If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.</span>”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Nothing is mentioned about the woman’s desire or lack thereof, to marry the man in question. This is why so many devout Christians are fearful of sex. Some are afraid that they will be cast into hell, others that they will have to marry someone just because they slept with them.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>On top of that, women are implicitly told that their desires for love and sexual satisfaction don’t matter at all. If someone marries a person with whom they have no sexual chemistry, these rules will make them miserable.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>They won’t look for satisfaction outside their marriage, and they won’t end their marriage because their God hates divorce, according to Malachi 2:16: “<span style="color: #2b00fe;">For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.</span>”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>So these people sentence themselves to a life of unhappiness in an unfulfilling marriage and convince themselves that life is not meant to be enjoyed.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Churches often use the aforementioned verses to try to control women, yet they rarely mention the verses in Ephesians 5:5: “<span style="color: #2b00fe;">For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.</span>”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>This verse preaches that the mere feeling of sexual desire (i.e. being covetous), even without action, dooms a man to hell. So, men are screwed, too.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Unsurprisingly, this verse never came up in my church. This further proves that the stories and rules in the Bible were simply made up by people attempting to judge and control others rather than by a loving, divine being.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>With messages like these in their scriptures, it’s no wonder devout Christians often suffer crippling anxiety. You would, too, if you thought someone could both love you and want you murdered. Christians claim their religion to be full of love, acceptance, and hope, but if you dig into their creed, it’s full of judgment and death.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Looking to the Bible for guidance on when, how, and with whom to have sex, is a shaky endeavor. Despite what the status quo in your religious community maybe, you are better off&nbsp;establishing a status quon’t that involves tuning in to your gut feelings and practicing safe sex rather than trying to be perfect and resisting all temptation. But in order to practice safe sex, we must keep at bay the…&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Control of Birth Control</h2><div>Bible verses are the primary arguments for why women should not have access to birth control or abortion, despite no verse in the Bible explicitly saying either. You will not find any verse that says, “<span style="color: #2b00fe;">Women should never have abortions,</span>” or a verse that says, “<span style="color: #2b00fe;">Women should never try to prevent pregnancy.</span>” What you will find is Psalm 127:3, a common verse of choice for the birth control debate: “<span style="color: #2b00fe;">Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.</span>”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Many conservative Christians are actually conflicted about killing. Some have gone as far as murdering abortion providers. “<i>I can kill you, but you can’t kill anyone</i>” is a message that’s both hypocritical and sickening. Even more absurd is that these people claimed to be “pro-life.”&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Such a label would seem to imply supporting all lives, not just those of unborn children. Curiously, many pro-lifers also oppose birth control.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>They want to prevent the senseless murder of fetuses, but they oppose the very pills and devices that can prevent such occurrences in the first place. Pro-lifers seem to have been waiting a long time for an undeniable sign from God that abortion and birth control are okay, but I’m not sure what people think a sign from God looks like these days.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>I feel so strongly that birth control should be available to all that I’ll even argue from a faith-based standpoint to try to reach the religious folks. So here goes.</div><div><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><div style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><p><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p></div></span></div></div><div><blockquote>What if the mere presence of birth control is a message from God that you should use it?</blockquote></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><p style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p></span>Imagine you are on a deserted island and a boat appears. As a <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Christianity" target="_blank">Christian</a>, you would almost certainly see the boat as God answering your prayers to save your life. Consider that we are already on a proverbial island, and the proverbial boat is birth control.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Birth control can save lives. Over the years, far too many women have died in childbirth, and far too many unwanted children have been abandoned or killed, and birth control is the saving grace from more of that occurring.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope we can agree to disagree on whether that saving grace came from a God or from scientists, but that we can all agree that regardless of where it came from, it’s here and should be used.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Interestingly, Christians do not seem to be waiting for a sign from God that the use of Viagra is permissible.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Plenty of people who identify as pro-life view every woman’s pregnancy as God’s will but do not view a man being unable to get a woman pregnant as God’s will. This is a blatant double standard. To be clear, I am not arguing that Viagra is outlawed.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I am arguing that the debate should end, and both should be available to all. It is unfair to promote a man’s ability to get someone pregnant but not a <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Women" target="_blank">woman</a>’s ability to not get pregnant.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Another argument against birth control is that when God allows a woman to become pregnant, he wants that child to be born.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>The argument is another loose interpretation of Psalm 127:3. This belief leads many fanatically religious families to have a child every time conception occurs and to take no measures to prevent future pregnancies.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>They believe if it happens, no matter when and how often, God intended to give them that child.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>A freethinking, logical person can see that it makes absolutely no sense for countless children to be born.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>If Christians truly believe that God is all-knowing, then they must believe that he knows some babies will wind up in incapable, sometimes downright abusive, hands.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>A truly loving and all-knowing God would, logically, want us to use mechanisms (like birth control) that ensure children are only conceived when they will be born into loving arms.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Due to the extensive brainwashing they’ve endured, many Christians may never agree with atheists on this.</div><div><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><div style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><p><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p></div></span></div></div><div><blockquote>But the point of my book is not to get them to think like us, it’s to get them to think at all.</blockquote><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><div style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><p><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p></div></span></div><p>&nbsp;They’re not currently thinking; they’re reciting the lines they memorized from the script(ure), just like actors. If they do begin to think for themselves, then there’s no way they won’t agree with some of our points of view. And when everyone’s critically thinking for themselves, that’s status quon’t.&nbsp;</p></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Can’t Stop, Quon’t Stop</h2><div>I believe the ability to search the Bible online is one of the reasons churches are rapidly losing followers today.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>When I was a kid, in the days before the internet, my family showed up at church every Sunday and simply trusted that the values preached to us came directly from the Bible.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>In Bible study, we didn’t start at the beginning and make our way through the book in its entirety. Instead, we always homed in on the same passages while others—entire books, even—were completely ignored. And there was never any order to the passages that we read.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>It wasn’t until I searched the Bible topically online and read the verses in the context that I rejected the status quo.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Given what I read and how it made me feel, I decided I had to fire God, just like I would any other employee who doesn’t respect women, polices what they wear, doesn’t reply to emails (prayers, in his case), and doesn’t show up to work.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>There will always be certain aspects of a status quo that cannot sustain us. Since there will never be one idyllic status quo, our job as atheists is to get people comfortable with change.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I can’t accept the current status quo until anyone— including God—who impedes women’s progress is fired from their position and removed from the payroll. I quon’t stop until it’s done. Will you join me?</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><div style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><p><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p></div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaoCpeNIxf3qhzdAbZNV51eYj-vgjHhL7lBltdHXctzMYtrjYSIJXAW7jffbmLYc3J70JrwnZxdXWo5itcamINiRqAvkyCR2zJ8jBZSgtmlgXY3VTMD81X7T8vzfksm1dLCKIysOSW5iNsp-M2KWElJojgvnIlsGw7VbrtSrGnb0XlPnB2sNs4NptW7Q=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Katilyn Pulcher" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaoCpeNIxf3qhzdAbZNV51eYj-vgjHhL7lBltdHXctzMYtrjYSIJXAW7jffbmLYc3J70JrwnZxdXWo5itcamINiRqAvkyCR2zJ8jBZSgtmlgXY3VTMD81X7T8vzfksm1dLCKIysOSW5iNsp-M2KWElJojgvnIlsGw7VbrtSrGnb0XlPnB2sNs4NptW7Q=w191-h191" title="Katilyn Pulcher" width="191" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">By<b> <a href="https://katilynpulcher.com/" target="_blank">Katilyn Pulcher</a></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;">An author, artist, actuary, and singer/songwriter living in Chicago who intends to keep speaking out until the world is ready to hear her. You can get her book on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Books-Katilyn-Pulcher/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AKatilyn+Pulcher" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or iTunes, follow her on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katilynmusic/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, hear her songs on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvR34iKMrBkGf_sOGhbunPA" target="_blank">YouTube</a>, and see her drawings at <a href="http://www.artbykatilyn.com">www.artbykatilyn.com</a>.</span></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/God-Too.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhewzis1Q4lLEwe_Z1t5eEZakpMcZRnK7bRKX77llo_px-rWqUH3Zt-R7MLorQ5J4qABb8LAuEx3WePbm67Jw-F3pshAN5-Xc5fA9-fNjosM9oEaIQ06hFSEAeDEhAW-Jw1JhErKs-C0DiyHiq9MXcsl0GBuBKFQ1oSdAdCDWG4enxkGYoZXiEdkK9n0g=s72-w640-h426-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-8541492802471931660</guid><pubDate>Sun, 30 Jun 2024 12:27:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-08-07T04:22:16.717-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Arts and Culture</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Movies</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Opinion</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">USA</category><title>Hollywood’s Atheism Taboo: Slow Progress in the Entertainment Industry</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeQ6dYISBu1-AjzHifVZmf6XBVDh5C4tGoJ-bXuaE86nHqLxHnTwcfvBK7-lfg9M0jNj6GuuOIDb7hQSqdB3J3uDqKY4p3PKSoZP3Zo-RSZDDlqSbeMwVo6yw_KB_F4MOXvlCwqKikfY5Zft86zzAoob4ZLA8eT-IBYUrCfG-hJyBQmh2VSFx_4h6sWw=s756" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hollywood’s Atheism Taboo: Slow Progress in the Entertainment Industry" border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="756" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeQ6dYISBu1-AjzHifVZmf6XBVDh5C4tGoJ-bXuaE86nHqLxHnTwcfvBK7-lfg9M0jNj6GuuOIDb7hQSqdB3J3uDqKY4p3PKSoZP3Zo-RSZDDlqSbeMwVo6yw_KB_F4MOXvlCwqKikfY5Zft86zzAoob4ZLA8eT-IBYUrCfG-hJyBQmh2VSFx_4h6sWw=w640-h354" title="Hollywood’s Atheism Taboo: Slow Progress in the Entertainment Industry" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Subtle Improvements In The Atheism Scene In Hollywood</h1><p>"I think of Britain and America differing by about five percent in most things,” said Hugh Laurie to Larry King when asked his opinion on the biggest difference between the two countries.&nbsp;</p><p>The year was 2013, and the British actor and musician had recently completed an eight-season run of House, M.D., the critically acclaimed television series about a surly physician with a genius for solving medical mysteries, a lack of empathy for his fellow human beings, and absolute disdain for anyone who believed in God.&nbsp;</p><p>Laurie joked that “we have five percent less melted cheese on our food” to illustrate just how small our differences are. “Our lapels are five percent narrower, maybe. We’re incredibly alike,” he reiterated.&nbsp;</p><p>Except when it comes to religion. The difference there? “Ten thousand percent. This is a very, very, devout religious country.&nbsp;Europe, by and large, is not.”&nbsp;</p><p>To put it in more concrete terms, he offered England’s former prime minister Tony Blair as an example.&nbsp;</p><p>As practicing Catholic campaigning for the public office, Blair had to downplay his religious affiliation to the point of virtually concealing it.</p><p>“Over here, that’s a plus,” King responded, referring to America’s attitude toward politicians. That was an understatement in 2013 and is even more so now.&nbsp;</p><p>To run for president in the United States as an open atheist would be political suicide. Overt atheism is not a smart career choice in American show business, either.&nbsp;</p><p>In fact, thanking the lord for winning an Oscar, Emmy, or Golden Globe is common, just as it is for professional athletes who win the big game.&nbsp;</p><p>And even if they don't praise their divine maker as they receive the trophy, athletes who are atheists aren’t pouring <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/coming-out-as-atheist.html">out of the closet</a> the way they barrel out of the tunnel on game day. Arizona Cardinal quarterback Josh Rosen is currently the lone openly atheist player in the NFL.&nbsp;</p><p><i>House M.D.</i> is on the very short list of examples of an atheist motif in a Hollywood production. Others include <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898266/" target="_blank">The Big Bang Theory</a></i>, which stars Jim Parsons as SheldonCooper, a physicist and atheist.&nbsp;</p><p>In the prequel spin-off series, <a href="https://www.cbs.com/shows/young-sheldon/" target="_blank">Young Sheldon</a>, Iain Armitage plays Sheldon as a boy who is not afraid to stand up in church to debate his pastor on the existence of God. Ricky Gervais is also on this shortlist.</p><p>Besides speaking and writing frequently about being an atheist, Gervais wrote, directed, and starred in the feature film <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invention_of_Lying" target="_blank">The Invention of Lying</a></i>, an allegory for religious belief. Comedian <a href="https://www.kathygriffin.net/" target="_blank">Kathy Griffin</a> is another example.&nbsp;</p><p>In her 2007 Emmy Award acceptance speech, she said, “A lot of people come up here, and they thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no&nbsp;one had less to do with this award, so suck it, Jesus! This award is my god now!”&nbsp;</p><p>Saturday Night Live alum Julia Sweeney is on the list for writing and performing her one-woman autobiographical play <i>Letting Go of God</i>, which was eventually made into a film.&nbsp;</p><p>In his book <i><u>The God Delusion</u></i>, Richard Dawkins gives high praise to the work: “Part of Julia Sweeney’s gift is to make you cry and laugh at the same time.”&nbsp;</p><p>Other examples exist, but not many, and it’s not because there aren't atheists in Hollywood. “There are more than we realize,” said reporter Natasha Stoynoff, who interviewed hundreds of celebrities over the course of a seventeen-year career with People magazine.&nbsp;</p><p>“They’re not open about it for the same reason other people aren’t. It’s a stigma, and coming out of the closet could mean losing your community.”</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Related: </span><b style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/coming-out-as-atheist.html">Why Coming Out As An American Atheist Is Worth It</a></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p>For celebrities, the loss extends beyond the community. “They may worry that if they call themselves an atheist, their fan base will shrink, making them less marketable and therefore less employable,” she added.<br /><br />To be fair, there are actors who, when asked in interviews, have professed to be atheists or agnostic. A more recent example is Daniel Radcliffe.<br /><br />In an interview with the New York Post, he said, “I don't expect there to be a God and an afterlife—I would be pleasantly surprised if there was.”<div><br /></div><div>Every time a quote like this appears, atheism moves a little bit closer to being normalized in American show business. <br /><br />The results are even better when an atheist character’s storyline is integral to a product without it being a character flaw. But the strongest influence comes when a celebrity lends considerable clout to an organization. <br /><br />Hugh Laurie did just that for American Atheists at our 2018 National Convention in Oklahoma City where he, in his words, stood with us as a proud atheist. <br /><br />The actor, writer, and filmmaker Stephen Fry is another stellar example of a performance artist who can eloquently dismantle atheism’s stigma. <br /><br />In 2009, he partnered with Christopher Hitchens in a televised debate sponsored by the Intelligence Squared media company. <br /><br />Although it wasn’t a Hollywood production, it is very much worth mentioning here. The debate topic was “The Catholic Church is a Force for Good in the world” and even though their opponents were archbishop and a member of the British Parliament, the audience poll was taken afterward declared Hitchens and Fry the winners. <br /><br />When a magazine in the U.S.mentions Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie in the same article, some due diligence is in order. <br /><br />It would be downright negligent for the writer not to digress and tell American fans of House, M.D. about their early collaborations, which includes Jeeves and Wooster, a four-season British television adaptation of the novels of P.G.Wodehouse. <br /><br />Watching just a few minutes of a Jeeves and Wooster episode is all that’s necessary to understand that there is no actor with a range vaster than Hugh Laurie’s. <br /><br />The difference between his playing Gregory House and his playing Bertie Wooster is about the same as the difference between the U.S. and Britain when it comes to religion: ten thousand percent.<br /><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbkxYqxx_oOv29iB2gYWHQUFBIwvJ-FvbHZ3pGZVd8mf3zycVJkJGZwaeWol3VZddqNsW_xiGp_E5MTrtsMihH18hRiIPw-233fOLyz-y_7ufQmgcwoSr3T38g0ffx-QW72jVgY0Baa5ElZYoxV9gnRl_acdryZXPjawmt7zpZ4TzxZYtzDPpfrNFFgw=s175" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pamela Whissel" border="0" data-original-height="175" data-original-width="166" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbkxYqxx_oOv29iB2gYWHQUFBIwvJ-FvbHZ3pGZVd8mf3zycVJkJGZwaeWol3VZddqNsW_xiGp_E5MTrtsMihH18hRiIPw-233fOLyz-y_7ufQmgcwoSr3T38g0ffx-QW72jVgY0Baa5ElZYoxV9gnRl_acdryZXPjawmt7zpZ4TzxZYtzDPpfrNFFgw=w151-h159" title="Pamela Whissel" width="151" /></a></div><div>By&nbsp;<b>Pamela Whissel</b></div><div>Editor-in-Chief,&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Atheist_Magazine" target="_blank">American Atheist Magazine</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">More from the author:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/democracy-and-atheism.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Tenets Of Democracy and Atheism Are The Same</span></a></b></li><li><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/prayers-arent-enough.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Saying Prayers Are Not Enough To Religious People- Are Not Enough</span></a></b></li><li><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/forced-marriage-young-girls-are-victims.html"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Forced Marriage In The U.S. Caused By Religious Dogma, Reinforced by Laws</span></b></a></li></ul></div></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/hollywoods-atheism-taboo-slow-progress.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeQ6dYISBu1-AjzHifVZmf6XBVDh5C4tGoJ-bXuaE86nHqLxHnTwcfvBK7-lfg9M0jNj6GuuOIDb7hQSqdB3J3uDqKY4p3PKSoZP3Zo-RSZDDlqSbeMwVo6yw_KB_F4MOXvlCwqKikfY5Zft86zzAoob4ZLA8eT-IBYUrCfG-hJyBQmh2VSFx_4h6sWw=s72-w640-h354-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-3073176903178500490</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:28:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:28:50.536-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Movies</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Reviews</category><title>The Sex Scene In Marvel's "Eternals" Is Utterly Asinine</title><description><p></p><div class="Rubric Rubric--inStandardHeader Rubric--tilted Rubric--withDivider StandardHeader__rubric" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #02141f; font-family: Georgia, Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 12px 0px 4px; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; widows: 2; width: 970px; word-spacing: 0px;"><div class="Rubric__divider" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: 12.3906px; width: 970px;"></div></div><p></p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Marvel Finally Made a Sex Scene in ‘Eternals.’ It’s So Bad You’ll Wish They Hadn’t.</h1><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKH3nPk_amvi2s3yk6K-Tt6yM_cslojjgBSOr1laQNpyPagVNBe8mU_ivY-z-Z-i7pIhPTdmdp78ZC28StIk6bujBVMHCebmBJuTXuBg_WGCGODgNh5pS7izIiTEJ0hXN8Vi1N2aMFhpbpDCAB67K6YzAIIRZ92J3DwofeyL_V57bWg6iMRV5qSP0=s1245" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Marvel's &quot;Eternals&quot; Sex scene" border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1245" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKH3nPk_amvi2s3yk6K-Tt6yM_cslojjgBSOr1laQNpyPagVNBe8mU_ivY-z-Z-i7pIhPTdmdp78ZC28StIk6bujBVMHCebmBJuTXuBg_WGCGODgNh5pS7izIiTEJ0hXN8Vi1N2aMFhpbpDCAB67K6YzAIIRZ92J3DwofeyL_V57bWg6iMRV5qSP0=w640-h360" title="Marvel's &quot;Eternals&quot; Sex scene" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">📷 Marvel Studios</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>It took 13 years and two "Phases", but folks, those crazy Marvel freaks finally made it: In Eternals, the latest broadcast from our most productive spandex cinema provider, two people finally had to have a relationship. sexual.</div><p>I really wish they did not.</p><p>The scene itself ends almost as soon as it begins, so a "detailed" description would be hard to come by.&nbsp;</p><p>Let’s try it this way: have you ever seen a 6-year-old put a Ken doll on top of a Barbie doll and then kind of look at her because she does not really know what happens next? This is basically what we are working on here.</p><p>It's not just that the scene is uncomfortable, though it certainly is. Or that it's comically short and without any real passion. It's not even that Richard Madden and Gemma Chan, whose characters are supposed to have been in love for 5,000 years, share about as much chemistry as a gynecologist and their patient on a Pap test through the film. . (But seriously, how do two people get so hot producing such a cold, clinical atmosphere as soon as they touch each other ?!)</p><p>At the risk of sounding like one of Marvel's monsters who will likely complain about the sex scene on Reddit for entirely different reasons, it was the pointlessness of this moment that made its viewing so numbing.&nbsp;</p><p>He seemed to exist only to get people to stop making fun of Marvel for never doing those scenes in the first place, which might explain why everything in the moment, from bored expressions on the actors' faces to dull cinematography and lifeless, it landed like a deep sigh muttering, "Well, there you go."</p><p>The talk surrounding Marvel's apparent allergy to intimacy has been around almost as long as the MCU, as have conversations about the films' general lack of diversity and apprehension about portraying openly gay characters on screen.&nbsp;</p><p>Eternals seems determined to correct these mistakes and follow through on Phase Two's promise to improve Phase 1 limits (you know, now that the series has already made billions for its creators). If only the movie had something to say.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x_me3xsvDgk" width="320" youtube-src-id="x_me3xsvDgk"></iframe></div><p>Eternals revolves around a group of quasi-immortal beings who disguise themselves as humans on Earth while essentially serving as the galaxy's most hideous nannies.&nbsp;</p><p>They are there to make sure things run smoothly, but not to protect humanity from itself, a goal that makes no sense even to this insignificant human brain, but that these millennial beings take. never bother to question.&nbsp;</p><p>However, when the group finally achieves their true purpose on Earth, they are left with big questions about what to do next.</p><p>At the center of it all is apparently an exploration of humanity - its nobility and its monstrosity. This is where the aforementioned plasticine sex scene comes in.</p><p>The lack of intimacy between Chan's Sersi and the Ikaris alongside Richard Madden's Superman highlights a deeper issue within the Eternals and Marvel canon in general.</p><p>There are actually three romances in Eternals. Brian Tyree Henry's Phastos is one-half of the MCU's first same-sex couple, and Lauren Ridloff and Barry Keoghan's Makkari and Druig share an ongoing flirtation throughout the film.&nbsp;</p><p>However, like Sersi and Ikaris' alleged love story, none of these relationships seem credible - in part because the film itself seems so uninterested in them, beyond any implications it may have for the plot.</p><p>Calling the MCU a plot-oriented machine seems shaky at this point - like pointing out that a lot of Star Wars takes place in space.&nbsp;</p><p>That these films tend to lack emotional depth, with a few exceptions, is not necessarily a problem in itself; many genre films root them in other corners of the storytelling. But it seems a little strange that a movie that claims to mean anything about humanity seems so indifferent to a crucial human experience.</p><p>Perhaps it's fussy to wonder why, at the possible end of the world, is Brian Tyree Henry's character kissing his tongueless lover, or why, despite the actual chemistry that Ridloff and Keoghan's characters share, their relationship? Seems to get the least attention from the script.&nbsp;</p><p>And director Chloé Zhao. Like the film's clumsy attempts to cut its way through human history, these relationships unfold through a broad narrative that erases any possibility of texture and nuance, qualities that distinguish the work. Zhao's previous in the indie world.</p><p>The Marvel brand is tackling "big issues" through the superhero metaphor, a strategy its fans frequently invoke whenever another bad-faith discussion about Martin Scorsese ensues.&nbsp;</p><p>WandaVision is about pain, Black Widow is about trauma, and so on. But the metaphor can only express so much, and at times Marvel's abstraction can seem like an escape: Are the Eternals, a group of superhuman beings whose conversations revolve around whether humanity is worth saving or not, truly the best vehicle. for a nuanced comment. about humanity itself? These "people" apparently can't even have sex properly!</p><p>If Eternals feels especially empty, perhaps it is because it reveals how much the "big themes" of this cinematic universe are mere appearances.&nbsp;</p><p>The ideas these movies claim to explore increasingly feel like packaging for the real product: an endless plot machine designed, above all, to sell movie tickets and Disney + subscriptions as long as people keep paying.</p><p><br /></p><p><a class="TrackingLink Byline__photo-link StandardHeader__byline-photo-link" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/author/laura-bradley" style="background-color: white; border-radius: 50%; border: 1px solid rgb(63, 77, 85); box-sizing: border-box; color: #02141f; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 16px; height: 45px; margin-right: 11px; overflow: hidden; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.15s ease 0s; width: 45px;"><img class="Byline__photo StandardHeader__byline-photo" itemprop="image" src="https://img.thedailybeast.com/image/upload/c_fill,h_200,w_200,x_0,y_0/v1579727693/laura-bradley-author_mcbnrj.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; height: 43px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; width: 43px;" /></a></p><div class="StandardHeader__byline-data" style="background-color: white; color: #3f4d55; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: Georgia, Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 16px;"><a class="TrackingLink Byline__name-link StandardHeader__byline-name-link" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/author/laura-bradley" style="background-color: transparent; color: #02141f; display: inline; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 4px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.15s ease 0s;"><h4 class="Byline__name StandardHeader__byline-name" itemprop="name" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #3f4d55; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: initial; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; text-transform: capitalize;">Laura Bradley</h4></a><p class="Byline__job-title StandardHeader__byline-job-title" itemprop="jobTitle" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #3f4d55; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: initial; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; text-transform: capitalize;">Entertainment Reporter</p></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/Marvel-Eternals.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKH3nPk_amvi2s3yk6K-Tt6yM_cslojjgBSOr1laQNpyPagVNBe8mU_ivY-z-Z-i7pIhPTdmdp78ZC28StIk6bujBVMHCebmBJuTXuBg_WGCGODgNh5pS7izIiTEJ0hXN8Vi1N2aMFhpbpDCAB67K6YzAIIRZ92J3DwofeyL_V57bWg6iMRV5qSP0=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-9127942661733652636</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:25:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:25:23.146-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Bible</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Christianity</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">News</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Social Issues</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Television</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">USA</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Women</category><title>Turpin Sisters Who Escaped Calif. 'House of Horrors' Say Parents 'Used the Bible' to Explain Abusive Behavior</title><description><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: Lora, serif;"><div class="inner-container js-inner-container image-overlay" style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 426.547px; left: 0px; overflow: hidden; pointer-events: none; position: relative; top: 0px; z-index: 100;"><img alt="turpin-5" src="https://imagesvc.meredithcorp.io/v3/mm/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.onecms.io%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2020%2F04%2F09%2Fturpin-5.jpg&amp;q=85" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; width: auto;" title="turpin-5" width="" /><span class="icon icon-pinterest-circle-solid social-icon pinterest-transparent" data-social-service="pinterest" style="align-items: center; background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65); border: none; bottom: auto; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 44px; justify-content: center; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; pointer-events: all; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 0px; width: 44px; z-index: 200;"><a aria-describedby="external-disclaimer" aria-label="Pin this turpin-5 image" class="display-block allowPopup popup external-link" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpeople.com%2Fcrime%2Fturpin-sisters-who-escaped-house-of-horrors-say-parents-used-bible-to-explain-abusive-behavior%2F%3Futm_source%3Dpinterest.com%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3Dsocial-share-article%26utm_content%3D20211123%26utm_term%3Dundefined&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fimagesvc.meredithcorp.io%2Fv3%2Fmm%2Fimage%3Furl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fstatic.onecms.io%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252Fsites%252F20%252F2020%252F04%252F09%252Fturpin-5.jpg&amp;description=Turpin%20Sisters%20Who%20Escaped%20Calif.%20%27House%20of%20Horrors%27%20Say%20Parents%20%27Used%20the%20Bible%27%20to%20Explain%20Abusive%20Behavior" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #00aeef; cursor: pointer; display: block; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank" title="(opens new window)"><svg aria-hidden="true" height="32" viewbox="0 0 32 32" width="32" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none"><path d="M32 16c0 8.837-7.163 16-16 16S0 24.837 0 16 7.163 0 16 0s16 7.163 16 16" fill="#E54A59"></path><path d="M15.164 18.532c-.011.039-.022.072-.03.106-.503 1.97-.56 2.408-1.076 3.322-.246.436-.524.847-.832 1.242-.034.044-.067.102-.136.088-.076-.016-.082-.084-.09-.145-.083-.599-.128-1.2-.108-1.803.026-.788.123-1.058 1.139-5.327a.295.295 0 0 0-.024-.178c-.244-.656-.291-1.32-.079-1.995.459-1.456 2.11-1.567 2.398-.366.178.743-.292 1.716-.653 3.152-.299 1.186 1.097 2.03 2.29 1.163 1.1-.798 1.527-2.71 1.446-4.067-.16-2.703-3.125-3.287-5.005-2.417-2.157.997-2.647 3.67-1.673 4.891.123.156.219.25.177.408-.062.245-.117.49-.185.734-.05.182-.202.247-.385.173a2.212 2.212 0 0 1-.9-.675c-.827-1.024-1.064-3.049.03-4.763 1.21-1.9 3.463-2.668 5.52-2.435 2.457.28 4.01 1.958 4.3 3.863.133.867.038 3.006-1.18 4.518-1.402 1.737-3.672 1.852-4.72.786-.08-.082-.145-.178-.224-.275" fill="#FFF"></path></g></svg></a></span><button aria-label="Make image larger turpin-5" class="icon icon-image-zoom elementButton__defaultFocus" data-alt="turpin-5" data-caption="" data-credit="Credit: Jae C. Hong/AP (2)" data-image="https://imagesvc.meredithcorp.io/v3/mm/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.onecms.io%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2020%2F04%2F09%2Fturpin-5.jpg" data-title="turpin-5" data-tracking-do-not-track="1" style="align-items: center; appearance: button; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: initial; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: flex; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 37px; justify-content: center; left: 0px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; overflow: visible; pointer-events: all; position: absolute; right: 8px; width: 37px; z-index: 100;"><svg height="24" viewbox="0 0 24 24" width="24" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M2.667 21.333h8v2.667h-10.667v-10.667h2.667v8zM21.333 0h2.667v10.667h-2.667v-8h-8v-2.667h8z"></path></svg></button></div><div class="image-wrap-container clearfix" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 12px; width: 640px;"><div class="credit body-credit padding-8-top padding-8-bottom elementFont__fine--credit" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65); display: inline; float: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-top: 8px; text-transform: uppercase;">CREDIT: JAE C. HONG/AP (2)</div></div><div class="image-wrap-container clearfix" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 12px; width: 640px;"><div class="credit body-credit padding-8-top padding-8-bottom elementFont__fine--credit" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65); display: inline; float: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-top: 8px; text-transform: uppercase;"><br /></div></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Two children who escaped the Turpin family "<a href="https://people.com/crime/california-house-horrors-turpin-family-alleged-abuse/" style="box-shadow: rgb(255, 241, 0) 0px -3px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; padding: 1px 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">House of Horrors</a>" are breaking their silence about their traumatic living situation in Perris, Calif.</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: Lora, serif;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">In an interview with Diane Sawyer for ABC's latest episode of&nbsp;<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">20/20</em>, 33-year-old Jennifer Turpin and 21-year-old Jordan Turpin shared new details of the physical and emotional abuse they endured at the hands of their parents, David and Louise before they were rescued in 2018.</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: Lora, serif;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">"If I did one little thing wrong, I was going to be beaten," Jennifer said. "And not just beat, but beat till I bled."</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: Lora, serif;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">As the oldest of 13 children, Jennifer was forced by her parents to discipline the younger siblings by putting them in cages. If she didn't lock them up, she said, she would be caged herself.</p><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The women shared that their father used belts, sticks, dog kennels, and homemade cages as tools for punishment, in addition to chaining children to their beds and pulling on their hair when they misbehaved.</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">"They literally used the Bible to explain their behavior to us," Jennifer said. "They loved to point out things in Deuteronomy, saying that, 'We have the right to do this to you.' ... That they even had the right to kill us if we didn't listen."</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The Turpin children were fed once a day, typically a peanut butter sandwich, while their parents ate regular portions consisting of fast food and frozen meals. Jennifer was often tasked with preparing meals for her parents — meals she wasn't allowed to eat.</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Jordan recalls feeling so hungry at times that she resorted to eating leaves, grass, or ketchup poured over ice cubes.</p><div class="component inline image margin-32-tb align-img align-default" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 32px; margin-top: 32px;"><div class="component lazy-image lazy-image-udf image-wrapper aspect_3x2 cache-only align-default rendered image-loaded" data-alt="Diane Sawyer special event - The 'House of Horrors' Turpin siblings are speaking out in a new 20/20 special" data-crop-percentage="67" data-high-density="true" data-orientation="default" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" data-shop-image="false" data-special-crop="rect=18,28,1476,1000" data-src="https://imagesvc.meredithcorp.io/v3/mm/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.onecms.io%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2021%2F11%2F09%2Fturpin-siblings-1.jpg" data-title="turpin-siblings-1" data-tracking-zone="image" data-use-imagesvc-to-cache="true" style="background: rgb(242, 242, 242); 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appearance: button; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: initial; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: flex; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 37px; justify-content: center; left: 0px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; overflow: visible; pointer-events: all; position: absolute; right: 8px; width: 37px; z-index: 100;"><svg height="24" viewbox="0 0 24 24" width="24" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M2.667 21.333h8v2.667h-10.667v-10.667h2.667v8zM21.333 0h2.667v10.667h-2.667v-8h-8v-2.667h8z"></path></svg></button></div><div class="image-wrap-container clearfix" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 12px; text-align: left; width: 640px;"><div class="credit body-caption padding-8-top elementFont__fine--caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65); display: inline; float: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 8px;">The Turpin sisters speak to ABC's Diane Sawyer</div>&nbsp;<div class="credit body-credit padding-8-top padding-8-bottom elementFont__fine--credit" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65); display: inline; float: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-top: 8px; text-transform: uppercase;">| CREDIT: CHRISTINA NG/ABC NEWS</div></div></div></div><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The 13 Turpin children were aged 2 to 29 at the time that they were rescued, thanks to the bravery of Jordan — then 17.</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">On Jan. 14, 2018, Jordan and Jennifer heard their mother say that the family was moving to Oklahoma.</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">"If we went to Oklahoma, there was a big chance that some of us would have died," Jordan said, noting that her siblings were too malnourished to make the journey —&nbsp;a detail supported by medical professionals, who said that some of the children were too frail to walk, according to ABC News.</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Jordan decided that she had no time to waste. She took a deactivated cell phone she had found in the home, gathered photo evidence of her sisters chained to the bed, and snuck out a window to call 911 and get help.</p><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">After nervously sharing her story with authorities, police searched the Turpin home and found enough cause to take David and Louise into custody.&nbsp;</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">In 2019, both parents were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after&nbsp;pleading guilty to 14 felony counts&nbsp;including cruelty to an adult-dependent, child cruelty, torture, and false imprisonment.</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">"I was always terrified that if I called the cops or tried to escape, I would get caught, and then I knew I would die if I got caught," Jordan said. "But at the end, when I saw all my younger siblings, I knew that's what I had to do."</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Diane Sawyer's exclusive&nbsp;<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">20/20</em>&nbsp;interview with the Turpin sisters aired Friday night on ABC News. The episode, titled "Escape from a House of Horror,"<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">&nbsp;</em>is now available for streaming on ABC News' digital platforms and&nbsp;<a aria-describedby="external-disclaimer" class="external-link" href="https://www.hulu.com/series/abc-2020-1ad6a7fd-8188-4c3d-b164-ba7640d3329a" style="box-shadow: rgb(255, 241, 0) 0px -3px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; padding: 1px 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank" title="(opens new window)">Hulu</a>.</p></div><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to&nbsp;<a aria-describedby="external-disclaimer" class="external-link" href="http://www.childhelp.org/" rel="noopener" style="box-shadow: rgb(255, 241, 0) 0px -3px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; padding: 1px 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank" title="(opens new window)">www.childhelp.org</a>. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.</em></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Syndicated from:&nbsp;<a href="https://people.com/crime/turpin-sisters-who-escaped-house-of-horrors-say-parents-used-bible-to-explain-abusive-behavior/">https://people.com/crime/turpin-sisters-who-escaped-house-of-horrors-say-parents-used-bible-to-explain-abusive-behavior/</a></span></em></p></div></div></div></div> <link href="https://people.com/crime/turpin-sisters-who-escaped-house-of-horrors-say-parents-used-bible-to-explain-abusive-behavior/" rel="canonical"></link></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/turpin-sisters.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-6053667688749472752</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:24:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:25:40.695-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Bible</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Christianity</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Politics</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">US Politics</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Women</category><title>Evidence Suggests Patriarchal Religious Indoctrination Played a Primary Role in the 2016 Election</title><description><h1 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hillary, Women, and Patriarchalism</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjtPOXbe3VV2v18VnA400NJTySXiyBcv03pZ_KdZk5ljEq7Ah5e16Iw-WKJVfB7Hx0Gy0wuX6RoQ-Qw4DB7LIFzEErDZdOfiREKfud1ke9Q2abalPk0NyhqEL5CioHzIlFCE60XxXPiBgJdhHzRkn8pMsb7_0xUzqRaIxcppiL8NFfPEe0wVxt_Ni3Ww=s822" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hillary, Women, and Patriarchalism" border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="822" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjtPOXbe3VV2v18VnA400NJTySXiyBcv03pZ_KdZk5ljEq7Ah5e16Iw-WKJVfB7Hx0Gy0wuX6RoQ-Qw4DB7LIFzEErDZdOfiREKfud1ke9Q2abalPk0NyhqEL5CioHzIlFCE60XxXPiBgJdhHzRkn8pMsb7_0xUzqRaIxcppiL8NFfPEe0wVxt_Ni3Ww=w640-h334" title="Hillary, Women, and Patriarchalism" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Hillary Rodham Clinton was the first woman to become a major party candidate for the office of President of the United States.</p><p>She was defeated by an unqualified, foul-mouthed, ignoramus who has regularly expressed his contempt for women, even though he claims that he “loves” them.</p><p>While it is not surprising that a majority of men voted for Donald Trump, it was stunning that fifty-three percent of white women actually refused to support the first female presidential candidate who had a good chance of winning.</p><p>The outcome of any election is determined by many interacting factors, but there is some evidence that patriarchal religious indoctrination assumed a primary role in the 2016 presidential race.</p><p><b>{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}</b></p><p>A slight majority of Catholic voters (60%) favored Trump, while an overwhelming majority of fundamentalist Protestants (81%) preferred the bellicose billionaire.&nbsp;</p><p>From the latter figure, it can be concluded that Donald Trump is the exemplar of the “Christ-centered life” because this term is central to fundamentalist ideology. The justification for patriarchal domination as a God-given mandate is, of course, Holy Scripture.&nbsp;</p><p>Because so many Americans accept the myth of Judeo-Christian nationalism, it is entirely appropriate to look to the <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Bible">Bible</a> as the source for this severely oppressive, anti-woman theme in fundamentalist Christianity.&nbsp;</p><p>The content of the Bible was recorded, transmitted, and compiled over a span of almost two millennia in male-dominated, agrarian, Middle-Eastern societies.&nbsp;</p><p>Therefore, the treatment of <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Women">women</a> in the Bible reflects the cultural context in which these chauvinistic rules and beliefs developed.&nbsp;</p><p>Because these misogynistic edicts, decrees, and mandates were codified in the Judeo-Christian scriptures, they became part of a vast compendium of commandments that devotees today believe to be God’s perfect word.&nbsp;</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Origins of Patriarchalism</h2><p>It was only after God created animals and birds, which Adam then named, that God fashioned woman as Adam’s helper from his spare rib (Genesis 2:22).&nbsp;</p><p>The woman, Eve, caused the fall of humankind, at which time death entered the world. She ate the forbidden fruit and gave some to her husband, and he ate it as well (Genesis 3:6, 12).&nbsp;</p><p>Eve’s punishment was painful labor in childbearing and total submission to her husband (Genesis 3:16). In 1 Timothy 2:13-14, Paul provided the <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Christianity" target="_blank">Christian</a> rendition of this fictitious event when he said that because Eve was the one who was deceived, it was she, and not Adam, who became the sinner.&nbsp;</p><p>Obedience and subjugation of women are dominant themes throughout the Bible. For example, God approved of multiple wives and concubines for men (Genesis 4:19, 16:1-4; Judges 8:30; 2 Samuel 5:13; and 1 Kings 11:3), but he did not endorse multiple husbands for women.&nbsp;</p><p>Moreover, a woman’s pledges, vows, or obligations could be subject to patriarchal nullification (Numbers 30).</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Unjust Punishments</h2><p>God generally considers women to be less valuable than men (Leviticus 27:1-7), an attitude reflected in several degrading Biblical regulations and judgments, such as the classification of a man’s wife as one of his possessions along with his slaves and livestock (Exodus 20:17).&nbsp;</p><p>In a frightening illustration of cruel injustice, God ordered the rape of David’s wives to punish his disobedience (2 Samuel 12:11-12).&nbsp;</p><p>In another instance of grisly punishment that should mortify “pro-life” zealots, God caused a woman to abort her fetus because she committed adultery (Numbers 5:21, 27).&nbsp;</p><p>Equally horrible is the command that an unbetrothed virgin must marry her rapist (Deuteronomy 2: 28-29).</p><p>Interestingly, some Muslim countries like Jordan and Morocco have similar laws on their books and are currently changing or revoking them.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Some Capital Crimes</h2><p>In additional heinous decrees and actions, God requires that women be killed for violations that are not viewed as crimes in contemporary Western societies.&nbsp;</p><p>For example, an evil enchantress must be executed (Exodus 22:18), and unchaste brides must be stoned to death (Deuteronomy 22:21). Lot’s wife was instantly destroyed for disobeying the Lord’s command to not look back when her family was fleeing Sodom (Genesis 19:26).&nbsp;</p><p>Arguably the most abhorrent event in the Bible is Jephthah’s sacrifice of his daughter, whom he unknowingly promised to God as a burnt offering (Judges 11:29-39).&nbsp;</p><p>Why did God not spare Jephthah’s innocent daughter as he had done previously with Abraham’s innocent son, Isaac (Genesis 22:1-18)?&nbsp;</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Disgusting Attitude</h2><p>Several gruesome episodes with a common theme illustrate another feature of God’s disgusting disregard for the lives of women.&nbsp;</p><p>In one of them, Lot offered the men of Sodom his betrothed daughters in lieu of his male guests because handing over the guests would have violated the accepted standards of hospitality. But the men of Sodom rejected the young girls (Genesis 19: 4-10).&nbsp;</p><p>In another episode, a Levite offered his concubine to a group of men in a similar circumstance; she died as a result of the ensuing gang rape (Judges 19:20-30).&nbsp;</p><p>He cut the deceased concubine into twelve pieces and distributed them to the tribes of Israel, precipitating a murderous war with the Benjamites (Judges 20, 21).&nbsp;</p><p>There are an additional four ghastly events in which the bellies of pregnant women were ripped open with swords, killing them and their fetuses (2 Kings 8:12, 15:16; Hosea 13:16; Amos 1:13).</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Treacherous Women</h2><p>There are many Bible stories about treacherous, dangerous, dishonest, manipulative, untrustworthy women. Three are notable for their savage behavior. Jael was clever, fierce, and violent.&nbsp;</p><p>She killed General Sisera by hammering a tent peg through his skull into the ground while he was asleep (Judges 4:17-22). Delilah betrayed Samson to the Philistines for a monetary reward. The Philistines subsequently gouged out his eyes and imprisoned him (Judges 16:4-21).&nbsp;</p><p>Evil Jezebel was most certainly the worst of all scriptural shrews. She arranged for Naboth to be falsely accused of blasphemy and then stoned to death so that her husband could take possession of Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21:7-16).&nbsp;</p><p>She was so diabolical that the prophet Elijah fled because he was afraid of her (1 Kings 19: 1-9). She suffered a brutal death herself (2 Kings 9: 30-37). Many centuries later, <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Jesus%20Christ">Jesus</a> criticized the church in Thyatira for tolerating a false prophetess, also named Jezebel (Revelation 2:18-23).&nbsp;</p><p>The depiction of women as untrustworthy even extends to political symbolism, as when Israel’s lack of fidelity to God is represented as the adultery of a faithless wife in Hosea 1-3.&nbsp;</p><p>In fairness, it should be noted that there were heroines among the Hebrew women, including Ruth, Rahab, and Rachel.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Christian Womanhood</h2><p>Along with slaves and children, wives are commanded to be under the jurisdiction of their husbands. Paul is the preeminent New Testament spokesman concerning Christian marital relationships.&nbsp;</p><p>He said repeatedly that wives should submit to their husbands in everything because the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is head of the church (Ephesians 5: 21- 23, Colossians 3:18-25). He did, however, stress that husbands should love their wives and not be harsh with them.&nbsp;</p><p>Peter reiterated this advice concerning spousal submission and declared that wives should exhibit purity and reverence in their lives.&nbsp;</p><p>He referred to wives as the “weaker partner” (1 Peter 3:1-7). In addition to marriage, Paul provided specific admonitions for women in the church. They should dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves only with good deeds.&nbsp;</p><p>Women should learn in quietness and full submission, and they cannot teach or have authority over men (1 Timothy 2: 8-15). Moreover, it is disgraceful for women to speak in church (1 Corinthians 14: 34-35).&nbsp;</p><p>Although Jesus did not specifically address women’s status in his ministry, it is clear that men were preferred.&nbsp;</p><p>All twelve apostles were men, and the Last Supper was a stag affair, while women were typically portrayed as committed helpers or servants.&nbsp;</p><p>The Christian Testament’s description of women’s roles is consistent with the definition in Proverbs 31 of the “wife of noble character” as capable, dutiful, dedicated to family, and fearing the Lord.&nbsp;</p><p>The restrictions, limitations, and standards detailed above are enforced in many fundamentalist Christian churches today, even after two thousand years have elapsed.&nbsp;</p><p>Does this testify to the enduring truth of traditional scriptural views of women or to the obstinacy of the dominant ecclesiastical patriarchy?</p><div><p><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiES8HaZiM7NMiMytu_RXBPcN-Yn1YIzwJgck3ftbJtBNiQCPo3AY21OcGCbSKZXpumJjy6wn4c_pzWmPUAKBudHypO7f5E40W0gtqJw-mv4h10LByRCY4gzG1moMMMwGRZgVn3000by4HXJlcK0y2Lu325d4zPDUfkMkRWyDuKR44Ryjmu3eultBAXLA=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brian Bolton" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiES8HaZiM7NMiMytu_RXBPcN-Yn1YIzwJgck3ftbJtBNiQCPo3AY21OcGCbSKZXpumJjy6wn4c_pzWmPUAKBudHypO7f5E40W0gtqJw-mv4h10LByRCY4gzG1moMMMwGRZgVn3000by4HXJlcK0y2Lu325d4zPDUfkMkRWyDuKR44Ryjmu3eultBAXLA=w156-h156" title="Brian Bolton" width="156" /></a></div><p>By&nbsp;<b><a href="https://secularhumanism.org/authors/brian-bolton/" target="_blank">Brian Bolton</a></b></p><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;">A retired psychologist from Georgetown, Texas.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">More from the author:</span></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/slavery-in-bible%20.html">Slavery in the Bible: God is the slave owners' best friend, and the Bible is the instruction manual</a></b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/jesus-loves-and-hates-bible-tells-us-so.html"><b>Jesus Was A Prophet Of Hate: The Bible Tells Us So</b></a></span></li></ul></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/hillary-women-and-patriarchalism.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjtPOXbe3VV2v18VnA400NJTySXiyBcv03pZ_KdZk5ljEq7Ah5e16Iw-WKJVfB7Hx0Gy0wuX6RoQ-Qw4DB7LIFzEErDZdOfiREKfud1ke9Q2abalPk0NyhqEL5CioHzIlFCE60XxXPiBgJdhHzRkn8pMsb7_0xUzqRaIxcppiL8NFfPEe0wVxt_Ni3Ww=s72-w640-h334-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-8248770051832933930</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:24:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:24:14.249-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Life</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Opinion</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Social Issues</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">USA</category><title>Blocked: Protecting Free Speech in the Public Square of the Social Media Age </title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiigdE5_DSPDifGNnBYptHaU94WBd_CvmzFEkXTQ1GrNoQOEAyxj_DX-xwi_Icv4Trt8p21-8eXUzaoM_Nsqk2CjQWqVvjGljWGDMbifJOg2_oN3Zm39JQ53wJieAT3_3ZyVjclp8BUiaSLFRe7AcI1f25QzfDzbv2iIl2VZQcITgu0Py47s9QLXMFP2g=s804" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Protecting Free Speech in the public Square of the Social Media Age" border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="804" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiigdE5_DSPDifGNnBYptHaU94WBd_CvmzFEkXTQ1GrNoQOEAyxj_DX-xwi_Icv4Trt8p21-8eXUzaoM_Nsqk2CjQWqVvjGljWGDMbifJOg2_oN3Zm39JQ53wJieAT3_3ZyVjclp8BUiaSLFRe7AcI1f25QzfDzbv2iIl2VZQcITgu0Py47s9QLXMFP2g=w640-h514" title="Protecting Free Speech in the public Square of the Social Media Age" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Social media, according to the United States Supreme Court, is “perhaps the most powerful mechanism for citizens to make their voices heard.</p><p>It allows a person with an internet connection to become a town crier with a voice that resonates farther than it could from any soapbox.”&nbsp;</p><p>The idea of giving citizens the right to make their voices heard was far-fetched when it was enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution.&nbsp;</p><p>But because they were some of the most imaginative minds of the 18th century, the framers of the Constitution were bound to come up with ideas considered wild and unrealistic at the time.&nbsp;</p><p>As visionary as they were, the Founders couldn’t have imagined anything like the internet or the colossal megaphones of Facebook and Twitter. Likewise, it’s difficult today to imagine a world without social media, let alone the internet.</p><p>The internet, probably more than anything else, has let closeted atheists around the world know that they’re not alone.&nbsp;</p><p>The internet, probably more than anything else, has allowed people to easily search their holy books for absurdities and contradictions—only to find more than they ever realized were there. The internet, probably more than anything else, has given atheists a voice in our national discourse.&nbsp;</p><p>Betty Jo Fernau is an Arkansas activist who understands all of this. She enthusiastically participates in Facebook and Twitter discussions, sometimes with her elected representatives, as is her right granted by the First Amendment and upheld by the Supreme Court.&nbsp;</p><p>On several occasions, she’s posted criticism of statements made on the official Facebook page and Twitter feed of her state senator, Jason Rapert.&nbsp;</p><p>In 2014, after Rapert used his official Facebook page to reiterate his opposition to same-sex marriage, she posted a criticism in response.&nbsp;</p><p>A few hours later, she discovered that she was now banned from posting comments of any kind on his official page. So she went to his official Twitter feed to criticize him again, this time for blocking her participation in a public forum with her elected official.&nbsp;</p><p>A day or so later, she was blocked on Twitter as well.&nbsp;</p><p>Cathey Shoshone is another Arkansas activist. In 2014, she participated in the campaign to repeal her state constitution’s prohibition of same-sex marriage.&nbsp;</p><p>That was the year she was banned from Rapert’s Facebook page after she criticized his religious opposition to same-sex marriage.&nbsp;</p><p>In 2015, he blocked her from his Twitter account as well after she posted viewpoints that differed from his.&nbsp;</p><p>That same year, Robert Barringer was also blocked from Rapert’s Facebook page after he took issue with Rapert’s post opposing a woman’s right to choose.&nbsp;</p><p>In 2018, it was Karen Dempsey who was blocked after she criticized Rapert’s disparaging remarks about atheists.&nbsp;</p><p>Betty Jo, Cathey, Robert, and Karen are now plaintiffs in a federal civil rights lawsuit that was filed by American Atheists against Senator Rapert on October 2, 2018.&nbsp;</p><p>“The senator’s conduct constitutes viewpoint discrimination, which is prohibited under the First Amendment. Government officials cannot take hostile actions—like limiting participation in public forums—against someone simply because they have different beliefs,” said Alison Gill, American Atheists’ Legal and Policy Director.&nbsp;</p><p>“These forums include social media accounts used by public officials for government purposes.” “Senator Rapert has a duty to represent all of his constituents, not just the ones who share his religious views, and on that duty, he is failing miserably,” said American Atheists’ president, Nick Fish.&nbsp;</p><p>“Anyone capitalizing on their elected officials to advance their particular religious viewpoint seriously misunderstands the foundation on which America was built.”&nbsp;</p><p>Arkansas attorney Matt Campbell, an expert on civil rights, criminal law, and the appellate process, is American Atheists’ local counsel in the lawsuit.&nbsp;</p><p>According to Campbell, “Senator Rapert’s own comments demonstrate that his actions were motivated by animus toward atheists and those who support the constitutional separation of religion and government.”&nbsp;</p><p>American Atheists seeks a court order permitting the plaintiffs to participate in these public forums, as well as nominal damages, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.&nbsp;</p><p>This lawsuit is just one example of how American Atheists are taking action against public officials who curtail the free-speech rights of their constituents.&nbsp;</p><p>We have also launched Atheists ENGAGE, a national online campaign to ensure that atheist voices are heard at all levels of government.&nbsp;</p><p>Go to <a href="http://atheistsengage.org" target="_blank">atheistsengage.org</a> to learn more about your rights. The website also provides some guidelines about online discourse, as well as suggested tweets and social media posts to start the conversation and ensure that your voice is being heard by your elected officials.</p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbkxYqxx_oOv29iB2gYWHQUFBIwvJ-FvbHZ3pGZVd8mf3zycVJkJGZwaeWol3VZddqNsW_xiGp_E5MTrtsMihH18hRiIPw-233fOLyz-y_7ufQmgcwoSr3T38g0ffx-QW72jVgY0Baa5ElZYoxV9gnRl_acdryZXPjawmt7zpZ4TzxZYtzDPpfrNFFgw=s175" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pamela Whissel" border="0" data-original-height="175" data-original-width="166" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbkxYqxx_oOv29iB2gYWHQUFBIwvJ-FvbHZ3pGZVd8mf3zycVJkJGZwaeWol3VZddqNsW_xiGp_E5MTrtsMihH18hRiIPw-233fOLyz-y_7ufQmgcwoSr3T38g0ffx-QW72jVgY0Baa5ElZYoxV9gnRl_acdryZXPjawmt7zpZ4TzxZYtzDPpfrNFFgw=w151-h159" title="Pamela Whissel" width="151" /></a></div><div>By&nbsp;<b>Pamela Whissel</b></div><div>Editor-in-Chief,&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Atheist_Magazine" target="_blank">American Atheist Magazine</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">More from the author:</span></div><div><ul><li><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/hollywoods-atheism-taboo-slow-progress.html">Hollywood's Atheism Taboo: Subtle Improvements In The Atheism Scene In Hollywood</a></span></b></li><li><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/forced-marriage-young-girls-are-victims.html">Forced Marriage: Young Girls are Victims When U.S. Laws Defer to Religious Dogma</a></b></li><li><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/democracy-and-atheism.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Tenets Of Democracy and Atheism Are The Same</span></a></b></li><li><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/prayers-arent-enough.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Saying Prayers Are Not Enough To Religious People- Are Not Enough</span></a></b></li></ul></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/protecting-free-speech.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiigdE5_DSPDifGNnBYptHaU94WBd_CvmzFEkXTQ1GrNoQOEAyxj_DX-xwi_Icv4Trt8p21-8eXUzaoM_Nsqk2CjQWqVvjGljWGDMbifJOg2_oN3Zm39JQ53wJieAT3_3ZyVjclp8BUiaSLFRe7AcI1f25QzfDzbv2iIl2VZQcITgu0Py47s9QLXMFP2g=s72-w640-h514-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-8016247440164007861</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:24:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:24:05.302-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Opinion</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">USA</category><title>Why Atheists Should Stop Debating With Religious People</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1_aseHy6Zaa-DMIKojQcJyrlbJKrTZ959JGBbua0YP2iPjC3o3ts8IRVUYZQHtWTb-z9et8ctVR7d4_SdQyKYLdUBhFJOh9QQo2nUfSUzx7taVaJ9H-w2zTPaPsNx3HEIVfBDNcA68_u4gOY8zXKT8iBz1KPoxOgK9Kao47rIFLTjXkCjCMD25l-DAg=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="No More Debating With Religious Citizens" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1_aseHy6Zaa-DMIKojQcJyrlbJKrTZ959JGBbua0YP2iPjC3o3ts8IRVUYZQHtWTb-z9et8ctVR7d4_SdQyKYLdUBhFJOh9QQo2nUfSUzx7taVaJ9H-w2zTPaPsNx3HEIVfBDNcA68_u4gOY8zXKT8iBz1KPoxOgK9Kao47rIFLTjXkCjCMD25l-DAg=w640-h360" title="No More Debating With Religious Citizens" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Life in a reality-based world cannot accommodate conversations about nonsensical notions</h1><p>As has every successful movement before it, the atheist movement must now move past the debate stage because there are no new arguments to make and no new evidence to present.&nbsp;</p><p>We have raised awareness, we have made our arguments, we have pointed out the evidentiary and logical flaws in religious claims, we have tried to educate, and we have even gotten angry.&nbsp;</p><p>Further debate only distracts us, helps to normalize ridiculous claims and stokes unfounded doubts about objective reality itself.&nbsp;</p><p>In order to break the cycle, we atheists must simply refuse to engage in nonsensical diversions, even with each other. We must reject assertions of <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Beliefs?m=0" target="_blank">religious belief</a>, no matter how heartfelt, with no more compunction than we would claims of perpetual motion, psychic readings, or leprechauns.&nbsp;</p><p>We must quit disputing <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/creationists-myths.html" target="_blank">creationists </a>and no longer treat faith-healing as a mere cultural difference. Let’s forget about conducting experiments to disprove the power of prayer, and stop deliberating over <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Bible">the Bible’s inconsistencies</a> as if they matter.&nbsp;</p><p>Instead, we must quietly assert, through our refusal to engage with these ideas, that the reality-based world has moved on. This stance is already standard for any number of groups who hold bizarre beliefs. We’re not conflicted&nbsp;when we denounce statements of Holocaust denial.&nbsp;</p><p>We no longer treat sincere beliefs about white supremacy as legitimate. We refuse to be open-minded about a flat Earth. We no longer debate the pros and cons of <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/slavery-in-bible%20.html">slavery or racism</a> or women’s rights.&nbsp;</p><p>Of course, we cannot eliminate delusional beliefs altogether, but we are able to marginalize them so that their influence is kept to a minimum.&nbsp;</p><p>Many people believe in ghosts,&nbsp;psychics, and Bigfoot, but those groups do not attempt and are not powerful enough, to substantially influence public policy.&nbsp;</p><p>There’s no Bigfoot wing of a political party fighting incessantly to include a Bigfoot curriculum in schools, or to build Bigfoot memorials on public property, or to push through legislation based on the teachings of Bigfoot, or for the government to establish a Department of Bigfoot Protection.&nbsp;</p><p>This is not to say that secular society can or should relegate religious citizens to voiceless, second-class status. On the contrary, we must engage in social-justice debates with everyone, even though the gap between secular and religious worldviews is deep.&nbsp;</p><p>At times, it seems like a bottomless chasm, but it’s not. Our common goals and needs as humans bring our two sides close enough together to form strong bridges on a wide range of issues.&nbsp;</p><p>But we need those bridges to be built on facts, reason, and universal values. If religious citizens wish to create social policy in keeping with their faith, we must insist that they do so by sticking to objectivity and sound logic.&nbsp;</p><p>While laudable religious beliefs do exist, they can undermine our own capacity for <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/10/how-to-spot-rationalization.html">rational thought</a>, which is why it’s easy to get caught up in silly debates, even with other atheists.&nbsp;</p><p>We are activists mainly because we see powerful religious interests pushing America—perhaps unwittingly and with sincerely good intentions—toward delusional thinking and sectarian behaviors.&nbsp;</p><p>Each, at any level, is anathema to our American ideals, including the free exercise of religion. So, in order to move forward, we must participate in any reasonable, fact-based conversation while refusing to engage in arguments over fiction that have nothing to do with the real world. A pluralistic society cannot function in any other way unless it becomes a theocracy.</p><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></div><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: -37.7953px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6OrcpYkaxGIIsINI2rXPo2Lhkmgqy5-pj-tmlqHwR9QICVHMqj5GykfEoHRCma8RNMf-2RXDYkwwlg93-bkjoSKQCm03R5t-OwPn8cDxvog91YQ--bmvaJZ6k-UxFuqkoFkmCFPRSEnNijSA9VxoRNomeVYeTFlG7RdI68WV9zroWy2JXF82E_oGVXw=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tyson Gill Atheist Author" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6OrcpYkaxGIIsINI2rXPo2Lhkmgqy5-pj-tmlqHwR9QICVHMqj5GykfEoHRCma8RNMf-2RXDYkwwlg93-bkjoSKQCm03R5t-OwPn8cDxvog91YQ--bmvaJZ6k-UxFuqkoFkmCFPRSEnNijSA9VxoRNomeVYeTFlG7RdI68WV9zroWy2JXF82E_oGVXw=w129-h129" title="Tyson Gill" width="129" /></a></div><p>By <b>Tyson Gill&nbsp;</b></p><p>A former science teacher, researcher, and software developer. He has authored several books, including <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41751550-the-science-of-belief" target="_blank">Belief in Science and the Science of Belief</a></i>. He writes about atheism, science, and social justice at <a href="http://Figmentums.com">Figmentums.com</a>.</p></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/no-more-debating-with-religious-citizens.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1_aseHy6Zaa-DMIKojQcJyrlbJKrTZ959JGBbua0YP2iPjC3o3ts8IRVUYZQHtWTb-z9et8ctVR7d4_SdQyKYLdUBhFJOh9QQo2nUfSUzx7taVaJ9H-w2zTPaPsNx3HEIVfBDNcA68_u4gOY8zXKT8iBz1KPoxOgK9Kao47rIFLTjXkCjCMD25l-DAg=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-3527300206422045038</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:23:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:23:54.587-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Deism</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Opinion</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">US Politics</category><title>Is ‘Deist’ or ‘Agnostic’ More PC than ‘Atheist?’</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiziXuLowEbbozYQooLN5eMmVAHvVt9aFJvfaBvRMWlCSu6KHAqqyU2yOhU7Q9-HDkYLpDLwmKyDfBED3WFirO5j8cDfrMNcw9e9eUhQZ8zr7OFPDGK3kNhTBmbXaLxxAxHcgt0eFgaDGlaiSWS890QaBN1SmeDzMJBvXePhYdqtHhqgD-rcpfRZQeiIA=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Atheists, Deists, Agnostics" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiziXuLowEbbozYQooLN5eMmVAHvVt9aFJvfaBvRMWlCSu6KHAqqyU2yOhU7Q9-HDkYLpDLwmKyDfBED3WFirO5j8cDfrMNcw9e9eUhQZ8zr7OFPDGK3kNhTBmbXaLxxAxHcgt0eFgaDGlaiSWS890QaBN1SmeDzMJBvXePhYdqtHhqgD-rcpfRZQeiIA=w640-h360" title="Atheists, Deists, Agnostics" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h1 style="text-align: center;">Atheism, Deism, Agnosticism: Which philosophy is more politically accurate culturalized?</h1><div>I believe that almost all the freethinking skeptics I know who refuse to call themselves Atheists do so for one or both of two reasons—one emotional and the other intellectual.<br /><br />I’ll try to spell these out in some coherent manner, although they are not easy to separate. In fact, emotions frequently influence the intellectual, and in the relatively rare instances when the reverse is true, another Atheist may be born.<br /><br />At times it is hard to say which is which. Is it ever possible to make an intellectual decision that is not mediated by our emotions? The fear of renouncing or rejecting the Christian god is a powerful one and its roots run deep into the psyche of even the most logical of scientists like Albert Einstein. <br /><br />He claimed he believed in the god of Baruch Spinoza, a well-known pantheist philosopher who said that “God” was “Nature.” Stephen Hawking, the world-renowned cosmologist, whom I greatly admire, plays the same game. <br /><br />The late Stephen Jay Gould went so far as to advocate NOMA—Non-Overlapping Magisteria—by which he meant that there are two domains of knowledge, the religious and the scientific, an absurdity in which “never the twain should meet.”<br /><br />Atheists like Einstein, Hawking, Gould, and Spinoza are unable to overcome the religious indoctrination of their childhood, so decades later and despite achieving great intellectual stature and scientific acumen, they grope for a connection between the absurdities of their traditions and the common sense of their reason and apply to themselves descriptions like “pantheist,” “agnostic,” “<a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Deism" target="_blank">deist</a>,” and other philosophical disguises.<br /><br />Fear that is implanted early and deeply, usually by priests, nuns, and parents who need a weapon to encourage compliance, is virtually impossible to eradicate. It need not, however, be imposed overtly by some maniacal nun or parent. <br /><br />Even people like me who were raised without formal religious instruction, manage to absorb it early on through the culture where it is conveyed through friends, schools, the media, music, art, and literature.<br /><br />I still respond emotionally to the “Ave Maria” and the soaring strains of the “Intermezzo” from Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, because of mysterious but pleasant early childhood associations, and have to remind myself that “It’s only music, Gil.”<br /><br />The desire and need for acceptance, either by family, friends, or employers, and the corresponding dread of ostracism, especially in the workplace, is another powerful force based on fear. I have known more than one Atheist, including dear friends, who reject the label “Atheist” because they know it might affect their careers. <br /><br />One Atheist professor friend of mine who enjoyed reading my <a href="https://www.atheists.org/magazine/" target="_blank">American Atheist Magazine</a> refused a gift subscription from me because he did not want the mailman to see the word “Atheist” on mail being delivered to him in the Mississippi town where he taught.<br /><br />The word itself carries with it a subtle negative tone like “communist” or “homosexual” because of repeated cultural and <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Politics" target="_blank">political</a> portrayals of undesirability and deliberate connections with “evil.”<br /><br />Fear of being tarred with the brush that smears radical Atheists like the reviled Madalyn Murray O’Hair, or the abrasive Christopher Hitchens—does not help to allay the general fear that leads almost invariably to many Atheists saying more politically correct things like: “I’m really an agnostic, I just don’t know,” or “I’m a Deist like Thomas Paine,” or “I believe in the Great Watchmaker who created the universe and stepped back to allow it to run” and, of course, the banal “I think there has to be something that started the Big Bang.”<br /><br />These terms like agnostic and deist have more acceptable connotations because they allow for some theistic possibility, hence they elicit a more likely positive response from believers, or to put it another way, they are less likely to be rejected.<br /><br />Harsher critics than I might call it pandering. It reminds me of a gangster who is basically a decent guy who rubs out a store clerk just to gain respectability with the gang. Many nascent Atheists hesitate to accept Atheism because of what they see as the limitations of scientific knowledge or gaps in science’s ability to explain the cosmos.<br /><br />They fall back on what is sometimes called the God of the Gaps. What caused the Big Bang is currently unexplained, so it is not able to be a complete theory and therefore a god must be the answer. The implication is that a god was the ‘uncaused first cause.’<br /><br />This is a frequent ploy of liberal Christians who have a motive for such equivocation, but agnostics and other freethinkers should know better. There are numerous refutations of this ‘argument from personal incredulity or ‘argument from ignorance.’<br /><br />For me, the best reason is that it is pointless to substitute one mystery for another. If the Christian god could have always existed, then why couldn’t the universe have always existed? One ‘uncaused cause’ is as good as another. <br /><br />The meaning of ‘god’ as it has been conveyed to us through countless religions including the contemporary few major players—<a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/search/label/Christianity" target="_blank">Christianity</a>, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism—is not consistent with any of the tenets of science, reason, logic, or mathematics, to name a few products of human intellectual potential.<br /><br />To remain compatible with educated, information-oriented human intelligence, strategies like renaming or redefinition the meaning of terms has to be employed.<br /><br />As Stephen Hawking’s assistant wrote to me in response to a query about Hawking’s frequent references to “God” in his wonderful book A Brief History of Time, published in 1981, “When Professor Hawking uses the term God, he is referring to the laws of the universe.” <br /><br />Straws have to be grasped at, like the invocation of quantum physics (which none of the invokers understands) or quasi-scientific proposals of neurobiologists who find trivial electronic indications on sensitive brain-monitoring instruments sufficient reason to proclaim biological proof of a god. <br /><br />All of this derives from fear in the broadest sense, meaning response to a perceived present or future threat, occurring in the face of danger. Fear is probably one of a few innate emotions.<br /><br />It may be the fear of Hell, the fear of gods, the fear of retribution, the fear of Karma, or any of a number of imaginary consequences, as well as rational fears like accident, disease, or venomous snakes. In any case, it influences the intellectual process.<br /><br />In my opinion, the most inept description in all of philosophy, and probably the most widely invoked, is the word ‘agnostic.’ It is a platitude that derives from ‘without knowledge’ or ‘to not know,’ and while it is usually applied to theological subjects, one can be agnostic about anything.<div><br />In fact, in the strictly empirical sense, almost everyone is agnostic about almost everything. We simply cannot know very much, as René Descartes so famously pointed out when after tortuous introspection in the first two of his six “Meditations on First Philosophy” he concluded, “Cogito ergo sum” . . . “I think, therefore I am.”<br /><br />No one knows if there is a god. Not even the Pope. You either believe there is or you don’t. In either case, you do not know. Knowing is not the same as believing.<br /><br />You can believe in anything you want, including Bertrand Russell’s famous celestial “china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit,” but to know that it exists is another matter. <br /><br />Despite this obvious fact that no one knows if there is a god, many Atheists, rather than saying simply and unequivocally, “I do not believe that a god exists,” adopt the evasive strategy of calling themselves agnostics, which saves their proverbial hides while allowing them to retain an illusion of acceptability.<br /><br />Because everyone “doesn’t know” if a god exists, we are all agnostics, which of course illuminates nothing and renders the description useless. Think about it. I think that what most people who reject the appellation “Atheist,” seem to want is the luxury of having the intellectual satisfaction of not believing in absurdities, along with the emotional comfort of protecting their image among those who might matter, and most importantly, they want to have an insurance policy against some god’s wrath.<br /><br />Blaise Pascal said it best in what is known as “Pascal’s Wager” when he advocated: “Let us weigh the gain and the loss in wagering that God is . . . If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation that He is.” To which I add, “and call yourself a deist, or better yet, an agnostic."<div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAOz7P5oIiMiuxeveyotcG1b688MfP3LOb9xuETBxvuEwMoxeau59yq_p6lLnHS2DzQ51X1O8_DrKqlrqa8c7va1iWrVdUELy4IETHaWU7YCdyiXHR8uKZQrXsWYPQHqDC1RTkCHEkeEfAbutMZXl2dzxUpEviicaJs5R5Wlg6aU6OY6GgpnYeUIml8A=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Gil Gaudia, Ph.D." border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAOz7P5oIiMiuxeveyotcG1b688MfP3LOb9xuETBxvuEwMoxeau59yq_p6lLnHS2DzQ51X1O8_DrKqlrqa8c7va1iWrVdUELy4IETHaWU7YCdyiXHR8uKZQrXsWYPQHqDC1RTkCHEkeEfAbutMZXl2dzxUpEviicaJs5R5Wlg6aU6OY6GgpnYeUIml8A=w173-h173" title="Gil Gaudia, Ph.D" width="173" /></a></div><br /><p>By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/tcpalm/name/gilbert-gaudia-obituary?id=9537816&amp;__cf_chl_captcha_tk__=Dkk7S38EhW9U4v8p7v47phWxeFsQwKQPZQy0d5XSTg4-1636186169-0-gaNycGzNCFE"><b>Gil Gaudia, Ph.D</b>.</a>, a former professor emeritus at State University of New York and an ex-editorial assistant at American Atheists magazine. He used to reside in Eugene, Oregon, with Jeanne Gaudia, his wife until she passed away in 2015, and he on April 2021. He was an amateur astronomer and still used to play handball at the time of writing this article in 2015.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">More from the author:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/should-atheist-accommodate-or-confront.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Should an Atheist Confront, or Accommodate?</span></a></b></li></ul><p></p></div></div></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/atheism-deism-agnosticism.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiziXuLowEbbozYQooLN5eMmVAHvVt9aFJvfaBvRMWlCSu6KHAqqyU2yOhU7Q9-HDkYLpDLwmKyDfBED3WFirO5j8cDfrMNcw9e9eUhQZ8zr7OFPDGK3kNhTBmbXaLxxAxHcgt0eFgaDGlaiSWS890QaBN1SmeDzMJBvXePhYdqtHhqgD-rcpfRZQeiIA=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-1939962829841493191</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:23:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:23:46.397-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">News</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">USA</category><title>NYC Subways Ban Marijuana And Psychedelic Mushroom Ads</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNf7Fh3-YwkLUM7XTaC3i5JRLC738m_gXJJF_72bH5XTNOjES5P6LFMej9Z1HUuhqTOvm-2RiYmshQKWT8as1m7CgeTnpXHsQQOjE0Idos7B9W3GMe5HmO1a3qruhbZ3wSMn3liXcWmyJlGnO8vrHEBlWMQEWOiWLCCFkrbYSlB5QJIDgslVKu3J5Tew=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="NYC Subways Ban Marijuana And Psychedelic Mushroom Ads" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNf7Fh3-YwkLUM7XTaC3i5JRLC738m_gXJJF_72bH5XTNOjES5P6LFMej9Z1HUuhqTOvm-2RiYmshQKWT8as1m7CgeTnpXHsQQOjE0Idos7B9W3GMe5HmO1a3qruhbZ3wSMn3liXcWmyJlGnO8vrHEBlWMQEWOiWLCCFkrbYSlB5QJIDgslVKu3J5Tew=w640-h360" title="NYC Subways Ban Marijuana And Psychedelic Mushroom Ads" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h1 style="text-align: center;">NY Subway Psychedelic Drug Ads Ban: Everything You Need To Know</h1>New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) on Wednesday decided to explicitly ban advertisements for marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms on its subway trains, buses, and trains.<p>The advertising policy update comes after MTA reached a settlement in a three-year sexual wellness brand case. While the company, in this case, Dame, would be allowed to advertise under certain restrictions, the public transportation agency ruled that marijuana and psychedelic drugs would be banned.</p><p>“The revised policy includes some provisions that were part of the previous policies (with some modifications) and adds new restrictions as circumstances change,” MTA said. "The revised advertising policy, for example, expressly prohibits advertising of marijuana products, following the decriminalization of the recreational use of such products in New York State."</p>Here’s the new drug-related advertising <a href="https://new.mta.info/document/65096">policy</a> in full: <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">“MTA will not accept any advertisement for display in or on the property if it falls within one or more of the following categories of prohibited advertising…</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">16. Promotes tobacco, nicotine, or any tobacco-related or nicotine-related product; any alcohol product; cannabis or any cannabis-related product; or hallucinogenic mushrooms or hallucinogenic mushroom-related product.”</div><br />The move follows New York’s recent legalization of marijuana, but it’s not clear why MTA is specifically prohibiting advertising around psilocybin mushrooms considering that the product is not legal. State lawmakers have introduced bills in recent years related to decriminalizing the entheogen and promoting research into hallucinogens, but they have not received hearings or votes. Outside of New York, there are numerous psychedelics reform measures that have advanced of late.<br /><br />Marijuana Moment reached out to MTA for comment, but a representative did not respond by the time of publication.<br /><br />With respect to cannabis, the policy change is <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-york-governor-signs-marijuana-legalization-bill-hours-after-lawmakers-put-it-on-his-desk/">consistent with the adult-use legalization bill</a> that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed in March.<br /><br />The law stipulates that regulators must impose a ban on marijuana advertising “in public transit vehicles and stations.”<br /><br />There have been several developments in New York’s cannabis space since the law was enacted. At this stage, adults 21 and older are allowed to possess and use marijuana—and they can also smoke cannabis in public anywhere tobacco can be smoked—but regulations still need to be implemented to permit retail sales.<br /><br />The first licensed recreational marijuana retailers in New York may actually be located on Indian territory, with one tribe officially opening applications for prospective licensees in October.<br /><br />In July, a New York senator filed a bill to create provisional marijuana licensing category so that farmers could begin cultivating and selling cannabis ahead of the formal rollout of the adult-use program. The bill has been referred to the Senate Rules Committee.<br /><br />Because the implementation process has been drawn out, however, one GOP senator wants to give local jurisdictions another year beyond the current December 31, 2021 deadline to decide whether they will opt-out of allowing marijuana businesses to operate in their area—a proposal that advocates say is unnecessary and would create undue complications for the industry.<br /><br />Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who replaced Cuomo after he resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal, has repeatedly emphasized her interest in efficiently implementing the legalization law.<br /><br />At a recent event, she touted the fact that she had quickly made regulatory appointments that had been delayed under her predecessor. “I believe there’s thousands and thousands of jobs” that could be created in the new industry, the governor said.<br /><br />Meanwhile, New York’s Cannabis Control Board (CCB) held its first meeting last month, a key step toward implementing the state’s adult-use marijuana program.<br /><br />Members of the board, who were appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, announced that medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to sell flower cannabis products to qualified patients. The $50 registration fee for patients and caregivers was also permanently waived.<br /><br />Earlier this month, regulators also approved rules for the state’s cannabinoid hemp program, notably clarifying that flowers from the crop can be sold but delta-8 THC products are currently prohibited from being marketed.<br /><br />This week, a New York senator filed a bill to make it so transgender and non-binary people can qualify as social equity applicants under the state’s marijuana law.<br /><br />Adding pressure to get the market up and running is the fact that regulators in neighboring New Jersey recently released rules for its adult-use marijuana program, which is being implemented after voters approved a legalization referendum last year.<br /><br />The state comptroller recently projected that New York stands to eventually generate $245 million in annual marijuana revenue, which they say will help offset losses from declining tobacco sales.<br /><br />For the first year of cannabis sales, the state is expected to see just $20 million in tax and fee collections. That will be part of an estimated $26.7 billion in new revenues that New York is expected to generate in the fiscal year 2021-2022 under a budget that the legislature passed in April.<br /><br />The state Department of Labor separately announced in new guidance that New York employers are no longer allowed to drug test most workers for marijuana.<div><br /></div><div><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">last updated: November 17</span></i></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/new-york-bans-subway-drug-ads.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNf7Fh3-YwkLUM7XTaC3i5JRLC738m_gXJJF_72bH5XTNOjES5P6LFMej9Z1HUuhqTOvm-2RiYmshQKWT8as1m7CgeTnpXHsQQOjE0Idos7B9W3GMe5HmO1a3qruhbZ3wSMn3liXcWmyJlGnO8vrHEBlWMQEWOiWLCCFkrbYSlB5QJIDgslVKu3J5Tew=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-627769726484717664</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:23:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:23:39.494-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Christianity</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Health</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Social Issues</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">USA</category><title>How Catholic Hospitals In America Has Been Diminishing A Patient's Rights to Know</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTMLF4DWoXjX-E7X3ZdL_ydg78J6opprRdpRJMlHzY_SMFAVvJjtMg2L-R0VqcSA98mRCqFJbWiVmtkhxwx4km1ZXvB5qSMVdj9oQqa_yV2AZvKdrX7c8cJUBw1JC6n7fi1QR5_wqpn9A3-fNaUUtLktPKnELkrWx1Lb2VWk3bdez6txUh_WNCLLWdNw=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Patient’s Right to Know" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTMLF4DWoXjX-E7X3ZdL_ydg78J6opprRdpRJMlHzY_SMFAVvJjtMg2L-R0VqcSA98mRCqFJbWiVmtkhxwx4km1ZXvB5qSMVdj9oQqa_yV2AZvKdrX7c8cJUBw1JC6n7fi1QR5_wqpn9A3-fNaUUtLktPKnELkrWx1Lb2VWk3bdez6txUh_WNCLLWdNw=w640-h360" title="A Patient’s Right to Know" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">Catholic Hospitals Perpetually Has Been Abolishing Patient's Rights When The US Laws Defer To Religious Dogma</h1><p style="text-align: left;">Informed consent is a fundamental principle of modern healthcare, which means that a patient undergoing treatment has the right to know several things about that treatment, including all known risks and all medically accepted alternatives.&nbsp;</p><p>And then, before the treatment commences, a patient should be required to sign a document that verifies that all information has been presented. In the United States, Catholic healthcare systems do not fully participate in informed consent.&nbsp;</p><p>That’s because physicians who practice in those networks are obliged to follow the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERD), issued by the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops. The ERD forbids treatments that incorporate, among other things, contraception, abortion, fertility assistance, and certain options available to terminally ill patients.&nbsp;</p><p>And because Catholic healthcare systems are religious organizations, they are exempt by law from even letting their patients know that treatments not provided in their facilities may be available elsewhere. These religious exemptions extend to medical education as well.&nbsp;</p><p>For example, even though terminating a pregnancy is sometimes a medical necessity and not a choice at all, several federal laws provide religious exemptions so that healthcare providers can refuse to even teach or learn abortion procedures.&nbsp;</p><p>As they take advantage of this favored status granted to them as religious organizations, these healthcare systems also receive billions of taxpayer dollars in the form of Medicare and Medicaid compensation.&nbsp;</p><p>Here are some examples of treatments that are neither provided nor even discussed in Catholic healthcare networks:&nbsp;</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Birth control of any kind, including tubal ligations and vasectomies. Any prevention of pregnancy is prohibited by the ERD, so if a woman or a couple wants to prevent pregnancy, they will not get information or services to assist them.&nbsp;</li><li>Abortion and ectopic pregnancy termination. This includes procedures for women whose lives are at risk because of complications, whose pregnancies are not viable, or whose fetuses are not viable. As long as there is a fetal heartbeat, nothing will be done to terminate a pregnancy, even when it means a prolonged miscarriage. Complications range from severe emotional trauma to deadly infections.&nbsp;</li><li>Right to die. In five states, it is legal for a patient with a terminal illness to choose to end their life with the assistance of a doctor. The ERD not only forbids physician participation but also refuses to allow patients to be informed of their rights.&nbsp;</li><li>Fertility assistance, such as in-vitro fertilization, surrogacy, and sperm/egg donation. Even a married man and woman who are unable to conceive cannot receive information about fertility treatment.&nbsp;</li><li>Certain cancer treatments. The ERD forbids cancer treatments that involve the removal of reproductive organs, even if the treatment increases a patient’s chances of survival.&nbsp;</li></ul><p></p><p>According to MergerWatch.org, Catholic hospitals account for more than seventeen percent of all hospitals in the United States. In Iowa, Washington, and California, they account for more than forty percent of all hospitals.&nbsp;</p><p>In 2016, American Atheists launched a legislative initiative called the Patient’s Right to Know Act (PRTKA), which, if passed into law, would require healthcare systems to inform their patients of all services and treatments not provided in their facilities due to religious or philosophical objections.&nbsp;</p><p>Under this legislation, physicians would not be compelled to provide any of these treatments, and they would not be required to refer a patient to a provider who would.</p><p>All they would have to do is let their patients know upfront about treatments they will not provide because of religious or philosophical objections—and how these objections impact a patient’s access to a specific treatment.</p><p>We are working with a broad coalition of organizations, including the National Organization for Women, to have this legislation introduced in the U.S. Congress and in state legislatures.&nbsp;</p><p>Thanks to the Secular Coalition for Arizona, the PRTKA was introduced in the Arizona House of Representatives as House Bill 2664 with nine sponsors last February.&nbsp;</p><p>The original sponsor was Democrat Randall Friese, a physician and the Ranking Member of the House’s Health Committee.&nbsp;</p><p>Though the bill did not make it out of the Republican-controlled committee, it was a big win for the new legislation. In June 2020, the Delaware House of Representatives voted down the PRTKA in form of House Bill 366 after St. Francis Healthcare, a Catholic system in Dover, objected to the legislation.&nbsp;</p><p>This fall, American Atheists plans to work again with groups in these two states, as well as in Iowa and Connecticut, to get the legislation introduced and passed.&nbsp;</p><p>Your involvement can make a difference. Call or email your representative and ask them to sponsor the legislation. For more information, go to AtheistVoter.org/patients.</p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwknFDsVGuuQ4DgQbmu2C_sETXj7WW4UyrZcfR38foKLJvAlrrYIASZicsHC0jg5uX75I0nuaL6jbwmCpNHZwUqs8HOFTL5JctrktbMwdnZPiHew4RUC3dNVOK9Wj_pOTa7zvI5oa6IXlzXRLDGYKg_B5HyQnS5e1wcHvjCMMMWNnAVE_YkhYsw28m_Q=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Amanda Knief" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwknFDsVGuuQ4DgQbmu2C_sETXj7WW4UyrZcfR38foKLJvAlrrYIASZicsHC0jg5uX75I0nuaL6jbwmCpNHZwUqs8HOFTL5JctrktbMwdnZPiHew4RUC3dNVOK9Wj_pOTa7zvI5oa6IXlzXRLDGYKg_B5HyQnS5e1wcHvjCMMMWNnAVE_YkhYsw28m_Q=w166-h166" title="Amanda Knief" width="166" /></a></div><br /><div>By <b>Amanda Knief</b>,&nbsp;National Legal and Public Policy Director for <a href="https://www.atheists.org/" target="_blank">American Atheists</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">More on Catholic hospitals:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/07/why-catholic-hospitals-are-bad-for.html"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Why Catholic Hospitals Are Bad for America</b></span></a></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/07/the-problems-with-catholic-hospitals.html">The Problems with Catholic Hospitals</a></b></span></li></ul></div></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/catholic-hospitals-in-america.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTMLF4DWoXjX-E7X3ZdL_ydg78J6opprRdpRJMlHzY_SMFAVvJjtMg2L-R0VqcSA98mRCqFJbWiVmtkhxwx4km1ZXvB5qSMVdj9oQqa_yV2AZvKdrX7c8cJUBw1JC6n7fi1QR5_wqpn9A3-fNaUUtLktPKnELkrWx1Lb2VWk3bdez6txUh_WNCLLWdNw=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-3945923017961123935</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:23:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:23:29.832-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Christianity</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Islam</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Psychology</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Quran</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Stories</category><title>The Sneaky Threat of Pascal’s Wager</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirgtuWpne0xKQYIxhpwKuUHfw5Lu8p0wCaAk1z_ZejcJ3Cazv1Hd_i3W38OYtbm2PpYCC3_ymLB_oeUdwuiUmpVJVsBa9YK3aQAzpVfRq1P8rELPNF2Fnftrni-qz3yuuejJKZLcvJe_av_JW_paIFk_5P_Jxtr0aa_3J3CRfBWP9rvFoQi8EDhOa5iw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Sneaky Threat of Pascal’s Wager" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirgtuWpne0xKQYIxhpwKuUHfw5Lu8p0wCaAk1z_ZejcJ3Cazv1Hd_i3W38OYtbm2PpYCC3_ymLB_oeUdwuiUmpVJVsBa9YK3aQAzpVfRq1P8rELPNF2Fnftrni-qz3yuuejJKZLcvJe_av_JW_paIFk_5P_Jxtr0aa_3J3CRfBWP9rvFoQi8EDhOa5iw=w640-h360" title="The Sneaky Threat of Pascal’s Wager" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>In 2010, I visited a different church every week. Since I’m in the US, most of them were some denomination of Christianity.&nbsp;</p><p>During these services, I never joined the congregation in standing, singing, or praying because it seemed the natural thing for a nonbeliever to do (or not do). Of course, this always gave me away as an outsider.&nbsp;</p><p>I suspect this is why, after almost every service, people migrated toward me like white blood cells to infection, welcoming me and asking my name. “I’m JT,” I would respond warmly. “I’m an Atheist.&nbsp;</p><p>Could you tell me why you think I should believe?” I enjoyed these chats, though I must admit none of them ever managed to convince me that god or Jesus is real.&nbsp;</p><p>Far and away, the most common reason people offered was Pascal’s Wager. Pascal’s Wager says that you have everything to gain by believing in God and everything to lose if you don’t.&nbsp;</p><p>In other words, if you choose to have faith, the best-case scenario after death is that you were right, and you will go to heaven.&nbsp;</p><p>The worst-case scenario for someone with faith will be nothing more than ceasing to experience the world after they die.&nbsp;</p><p>Alternately, if you choose not to have faith, then your best-case scenario after death is that you were right, and you will simply cease to experience the world. Your worst-case scenario is that you were wrong and will go to hell.&nbsp;</p><p>So whether it’s reasonable or not, why not go with the first option just to make sure you’re covered? I came up with these possibilities on my own when I was eight years old, long before I ever even heard of Blaise Pascal and long before I learned that lots of people ponder this question early in life.&nbsp;</p><p>There are several solid rebuttals to Pascal’s Wager, with Sam Harris’ response being the one I hear most often: “If the wager were valid, it&nbsp;could be used to justify any belief system (no matter how ludicrous) as a ‘good bet.’&nbsp;</p><p>Muslims could use it to support the claim that Jesus was not divine (the Quran states that anyone who believes in the divinity of Jesus will wind up in hell); Buddhists could use it to support the doctrine of karma and rebirth, and the editors of Time could use it to persuade the world that anyone who reads Newsweek is destined for fiery damnation” (SamHarris.org/site/full_text/the-emp).&nbsp;</p><p>But I’ve never heard anyone else respond to the wager the way I do. This shocks me because the one thing I’ve learned of philosophy is that every good “original” idea you have was already conceived by someone else at least a few centuries ago.&nbsp;</p><p>Pascal’s Wager doesn’t argue that a proposition is true, it just promises more benefits than the alternative(s). If the standard for your beliefs is for them to be true, then Pascal’s Wager doesn’t help you. The wager applies equally to any proposition that includes a threat (and/or promise of a reward).&nbsp;</p><p>For instance, what if I told you that invisible, incorporeal Smurfs are everywhere, waiting for you to die so they can tickle your soul for all of eternity? You’d probably say I was mad (and rightly so).&nbsp;</p><p>But what if I added that your soul could be ferried off to an eternal paradise as long as you also believed in an equally invisible, equally incorporeal knight named Cletus—and, if you want, give me $10 every week so I can continue to try and save other souls from the clutches of the Smurfs. Again, you’d probably say I was mad. (Again, rightly so.)&nbsp;</p><p>The&nbsp;absurdity of these propositions does not change if there is everything to gain and nothing to lose by believing—and nothing to gain and everything to lose by not believing. And even if you could turn a belief into truth by threatening someone, these claims are still silly.&nbsp;</p><p>Forming our views around threats is a terrible way to determine what’s true. We should believe things because they are reasonable, because they are supported by evidence, and because they are consistent with how we know the universe to work.</p><p>&nbsp;A man who walked on water and rose from the dead doesn’t fit that bill any better than spectral Smurfs. We’re usually contemptuous of people who threaten us. But slide a threat beneath the promise of infinite paradise, and it becomes the most popular argument for god’s existence.&nbsp;</p><p>If your religion really is true, then you’ll have something more than a threat at hand when I ask you why I should believe.&nbsp;</p><p>Sadly, though, it’s what I hear from most from believers, who usually couch their argument in assurances of Christian love. Even as they threaten me.</p><div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span></p><p></p></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis9ZwnOl8i2YcSrKU6qWJKbh9PSNyNyfgtrc8Ah0NsXB24yrTbjumz4S_5-cyrc5FZB-vs_67wtODYvltJWC8ghpBRSC9wxuG96jAL8lwzw6Kn5dSTNhShoLg5nXTMBKCQ_Mzjnx0oGaGxZ4m7Av2oqptTcp-ps9tzLizO5r5MrgbWE1IY4HoJXb8=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="J.T. Eberhard" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis9ZwnOl8i2YcSrKU6qWJKbh9PSNyNyfgtrc8Ah0NsXB24yrTbjumz4S_5-cyrc5FZB-vs_67wtODYvltJWC8ghpBRSC9wxuG96jAL8lwzw6Kn5dSTNhShoLg5nXTMBKCQ_Mzjnx0oGaGxZ4m7Av2oqptTcp-ps9tzLizO5r5MrgbWE1IY4HoJXb8=w152-h152" title="J.T. Eberhard" width="152" /></a></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">by&nbsp;<b><a href="https://www.patheos.com/blogs/wwjtd/author/jberhard/">J.T. Eberhard</a></b></p><p>J.T. Eberhard is the co-founder of the Skepticon conference and served as the event’s lead organizer for its first three years. His blog, What Would J.T. Do?, is at&nbsp;<a href="http://Patheos.com/Blogs/WWJTD">Patheos.com/Blogs/WWJTD</a>.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">More from the author:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/charity-and-religion.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">What Charity Could Be If It Wasn't For Faith</span></a></b></li><li><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/coming-out-as-atheist.html"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Why Coming Out As An American Atheist is Indeed Worth It</span></b></a></li></ul><p></p></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/the-sneaky-threat-of-pascals-wager.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirgtuWpne0xKQYIxhpwKuUHfw5Lu8p0wCaAk1z_ZejcJ3Cazv1Hd_i3W38OYtbm2PpYCC3_ymLB_oeUdwuiUmpVJVsBa9YK3aQAzpVfRq1P8rELPNF2Fnftrni-qz3yuuejJKZLcvJe_av_JW_paIFk_5P_Jxtr0aa_3J3CRfBWP9rvFoQi8EDhOa5iw=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-185119394165091022</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:23:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:23:23.166-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Christianity</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">US Politics</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">USA</category><title>Beyond The 2020 Election: How American Atheists Can Expand Their Influence</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggkVQj4_p9lk23HbsX7dnIj8-W64bksj-U1UMdG1kE1-82iGqCy94iqLEjEuOn1RofwmZnGHe-ZP3uK-PziaGV7G-FvpthIqzqgystgZkmyeste8mRFg1Drlhmevoap7ZTt6R_O0JT2cNvm4RMDik-rDY_31EHeZa7QUSUeotRN11WbENau7_bmn167A=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How American Atheists Can Expand Our Influence" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggkVQj4_p9lk23HbsX7dnIj8-W64bksj-U1UMdG1kE1-82iGqCy94iqLEjEuOn1RofwmZnGHe-ZP3uK-PziaGV7G-FvpthIqzqgystgZkmyeste8mRFg1Drlhmevoap7ZTt6R_O0JT2cNvm4RMDik-rDY_31EHeZa7QUSUeotRN11WbENau7_bmn167A=w640-h360" title="How American Atheists Can Expand Our Influence" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">Simple Ways To Expand Atheists' Influence</h1><p style="text-align: left;">The religious right and theocratically inclined politicians are seeing their power and influence slide away.&nbsp;</p><p>This creates an opportunity to restore secular, pluralistic politics in America and offers Atheists a significant opening for greater involvement in politics. But we must seize it now and commit right away to a four-part strategy.&nbsp;</p><p>If we don’t, our apathy will only fuel religion’s influence on the American government.</p><p><b>{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}</b></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Atheists Must Vote</h2><p>That cannot be said enough. Atheists must vote at every opportunity, not just in presidential elections. Midterm elections are just as important, but the turnout is much lower than it is in presidential years.&nbsp;</p><p>Local elections that occur at times other than the midterms have even lower turnouts, which can give minority voting blocs a numerical advantage—only if they vote in relatively large numbers.&nbsp;</p><p>That is exactly what happened in 2010 when the Tea Party faction took so many seats in Congress and in state legislatures. As a result, there has been a sharp rise in religiously motivated legislation and restrictions on the rights of minorities.&nbsp;</p><p>But that trend can be reversed just as quickly. What’s required is a high turnout of Atheists, a demographic with a historically dismal record of showing up at the polls. “<a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/vote-as-an-atheist.html" target="_blank">My vote doesn’t count</a>” is a common refrain, and it couldn’t be more wrong.&nbsp;</p><p>The ballot not cast is the ballot not counted. If you don’t think your vote counts for anything, consider the voter turnout in past elections. The 2014 midterm elections saw a turnout of about thirty-six percent, the lowest since World War II.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span>&nbsp;</p><p>The 2012 presidential election saw a slightly better turnout of about fifty-three percent.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span>&nbsp;</p><p>With those numbers, you could say that a ballot cast in those midterm elections actually counts for 2.77 eligible voters. So your vote counts more than double—if you use it.&nbsp;</p>However, the 2020 presidential election had the highest voter turnout of the 21st century, with 66.8% of citizens 18 years and older voting.<p>But, the situation is critical in primary elections, where even lower turnouts are the norm. In fact, many local and state races are determined in the primaries and are the only opportunity to select a candidate. So let’s stop saying that “votes don’t count.”<span style="font-size: xx-small;">3,4,5</span>&nbsp;</p><p>A lot of people don’t like voting for “the lesser of two evils.” That shocks me when Atheists say it as if this idiom can truly apply to all political candidates. I won’t deny that political leaders can do harmful things, but they can implement good policies, too.&nbsp;</p><p>So try thinking of the choice among candidates another way. Say there are two candidates, neither of which represent your values fully. But Candidate A represents your values even less than Candidate B. That means B is slightly better, so vote for B.&nbsp;</p><p>Even when the difference is slight, it’s not nothing. And yes, I did say “values.” The Religious Right has stolen that word and we must take it back. So, what values am I talking about? After all, Atheists are in total agreement about only one thing, but I believe that most&nbsp;Atheists would also agree that public policy should never be based on religious belief.&nbsp;</p><p>That leaves a lot of room for us to debate a great many topics, but it defines some core values that we should all share: separation of religion and government, separation of myth from fact in all subjects in public education, personal autonomy in body and thought, and equal rights for all.&nbsp;</p><p>So, I also reject the claim that Atheists are destroying religious liberty. Because we stand firmly against religious privilege, we are the true defenders of that liberty. Increasing Atheist turnout is by far the most important step.&nbsp;</p><p>Beyond that, more strategic actions will make Atheists a demographic force that all candidates must reckon with. But it won’t happen overnight, and it will never happen at all if we don’t cast our votes this November and in every election after that.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Advocate for the Issues</h2><p>Most of us can, in one way or another, be effective issue advocates. For example, Atheist activists have a long tradition of letter-writing. There are now many social media outlets, such as podcasts and blogs, where we can have a great deal of influence.&nbsp;</p><p>Advocacy for Atheism has driven the rise of the “Nones,” to use the pollsters’ preferred term for people with no affiliation, and has given Atheists greater courage to speak up and speak out.&nbsp;</p><p>The Secular Coalition for America and the Freethought Equality Fund are two organizations that have made great strides in keeping religion out of government, but neither is as large nor as well-funded as the lobbying organizations for the Religious Right—at least not yet. In the meantime, we have a vast, untapped resource that will be highly influential if we use it.&nbsp;</p><p>That force is the citizen lobbyist. We can be highly effective when we, as individuals, consistently lobby our elected officials and share with them the demographics that show they need our votes and, therefore, must represent our concerns.&nbsp;</p><p>The definitive guide to this type of activism is the book The Citizen Lobbyist: A How-to Manual for Making Your Voice Heard in Government, written for anyone who wants to have a more active role in public policy.&nbsp;</p><p>The author is Amanda Knief, the National Legal and Public Policy Director for American Atheists. Public forums and speaking engagements have become my favorite avenue for advocacy. There are many groups, like pro-choice and LGBTQ organizations, who are more than just our allies. They are us.&nbsp;</p><p>When I speak to these groups, I have a clear message about the intrusion of religion into government and politics. As a result, many members of these groups openly express their own Atheism. It happens over and over again: when we boldly speak up and speak out, others do too.&nbsp;</p><p>Another benefit of speaking up in public forums is the response of the politicians and candidates in attendance. At these events, candidates running for office at every level have approached me and asked for our support. In the run-up to the 2020 election, I was at a forum in Huntsville, Alabama, that was dominated by politicians who were part of the Religious Right.&nbsp;</p><p>Their aim was to push a Christian-nationalist ideology, so some members of the North Alabama Freethought Association attended, along with a local student organization, the University of Alabama in Huntsville Non-Theists.&nbsp;</p><p>We were not on the panel, and the organizers weren’t interested in our side of the discussion—at first. The panel’s moderator started by declaring that an overwhelming majority of the crowd were Christian nationalists after he asked for a show of hands.&nbsp;</p><p>When it came time for questions from the floor, one of our members asked for a show of Atheists’ hands and immediately proved the moderator’s claim was false. We then asked for five minutes for a rebuttal, and we ended up with ten.&nbsp;</p><p>Then something even more interesting happened. More questions and comments came from the floor and the Christian nationalist “majority” started to fold. This occurred in Alabama, identified as the most religious state in the country.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">6</span>&nbsp;</p><p>If it can happen here, it can happen elsewhere, too. At another event, a rally held by the Alabama Reproductive&nbsp;Rights Advocates, I gave a five-minute speech. Afterward, I was approached by three different candidates—one was running for county sheriff, one for the U.S.&nbsp;</p><p>Congress, and one for governor. They all asked how they could gain the support of Atheists because they understood that we are an important voting bloc. When candidates notice us, they pay attention to us because they want to know how to get our votes.&nbsp;</p><p>They need us to win, then they need to stay in office, and we need them to fortify church/ state separation. So our price for that support is that they leave religion at home when they serve the public.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">More Direct Political Involvement</h2><p>Political parties thrive only when they have active local committees, and there is always something you can do at the local level because volunteers are always needed and welcomed.&nbsp;</p><p>More Atheists need to volunteer on these committees because at the local and state levels, it’s the workers who have the most direct influence on the platforms and candidates. Public forums allow us to speak directly to officials and candidates.&nbsp;</p><p>This is where we can heighten our influence because typically, very few people attend these events, and even fewer speak up. When we both show up and speak up, we drive home the point that we are committed and involved.&nbsp;</p><p>And when the candidates see the work that we do, they respond favorably because they not only need our votes, they also need people like us to work on their campaigns.&nbsp;</p><p>Many Atheist activist groups are already good at organizing events and performing outreach at the local level. Those skills are transferrable to election campaigns.&nbsp;</p><p>We can extend our influence even further by working directly on behalf of candidates who are aligned with our values and will represent us best.&nbsp;</p><p>When we find candidates that we can support, and have the means to do so, we should work for them and contribute our time and money, even when they aren’t Atheists themselves.&nbsp;</p><p>Limiting ourselves to openly Atheist candidates would be counterproductive and short-sighted because a candidate’s religion should not matter.&nbsp;</p><p>Our founders wisely included a clause in Article VI of the Constitution that says, “… no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” Today, however, there is a de facto religious test for office that stands as a barrier against real religious liberty.&nbsp;</p><p>We must commit to eradicating this barrier. Religion should be irrelevant in public policy and law-making, and we should consider supporting any candidate that is committed to that principle, no matter what their personal religious beliefs may be.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Openly Atheist Candidates</h2><p>Once we have done the work to make ourselves a visible political force, it will be possible for more Atheist politicians to be candid about their non-belief. I have met with closeted Atheists in the Alabama Statehouse, and if I can find them there, we can find Atheist officeholders everywhere.&nbsp;</p><p>That they don’t currently have the political capital to be open is not their fault—it’s ours. We can fix that by taking the actions I’ve mentioned above.&nbsp;</p><p>And because we, ourselves, can run for local office, many of us can also be the openly Atheist candidate. What about those closeted Atheists now in office? What can we learn from their success as politicians?&nbsp;</p><p>They ran on issues, not their Atheism. Keep in mind that to be successful, candidates must have a clear platform and message. We must commit to making religion irrelevant, but running as the Atheist candidate with no clear platform is counterproductive.&nbsp;</p><p>We need to run as candidates with solid platforms that happen to be Atheists. Candidates must start using Article VI to defend their refusal to include their church membership or faith in their campaign messages.&nbsp;</p><p>But they won’t stop until we communicate to them that it is unnecessary, unimportant, and un-American. We must point out that their religion is irrelevant—unless they intend to use that religion to legislate. And if that’s the case, then they are not worthy of holding public office.&nbsp;</p><p>When an Atheist candidate is questioned about faith, their answer should be, “Yes, I am an Atheist. So what? Article VI of the United States Constitution says that no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office. Now let’s talk about the real issues.”&nbsp;</p><p>Atheists inclined to take office should consider the many opportunities to reverse the undue influence of religion in public life. Just for starters, thousands of seats on local and state school boards become open every year.&nbsp;</p><p>Imagine a political environment where, instead of trying to prove which of them is the most Christian of all, politicians rationally discuss and debate important issues and make decisions based on facts and well-informed opinions.&nbsp;</p><p>I can see the day when openly Atheist Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, Independents, and Republicans debate issues and arrive at laws and policies the way the founders of our pluralistic democratic republic envisioned. With you onboard—at any level—we can make that vision a reality.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Related:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/vote-as-an-atheist.html"><b>My Vote Doesn't Count: A Bigger Myth Than God</b></a></span></li></ul><p></p><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></div><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: -37.7953px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCv6CP9VGYcBOQepACmSc3PYamEQwLoQvKozGtE0SpJG4u3awcXVmhqcvZEop2vejAZBCzxOfFimULE9KPuGgIRJAXce_j3irCIPwZXBXMLQMOcDSjjMOrRDvDBMJlkr_rMFWP-w4mfuAvqLGJ8BEf14jq-DxpoDn8AZ_p4ZU_oQpdv1nKCZTz0iKm8Q=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Charles Miller" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCv6CP9VGYcBOQepACmSc3PYamEQwLoQvKozGtE0SpJG4u3awcXVmhqcvZEop2vejAZBCzxOfFimULE9KPuGgIRJAXce_j3irCIPwZXBXMLQMOcDSjjMOrRDvDBMJlkr_rMFWP-w4mfuAvqLGJ8BEf14jq-DxpoDn8AZ_p4ZU_oQpdv1nKCZTz0iKm8Q=w144-h144" title="Charles Miller" width="144" /></a></div><p>By <b>Charles Miller</b></p><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;">Charles Miller is a secular activist and consultant from Idaho.</span><div><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;"><br /></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Endnotes</span></h3><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Voter Turnout in 2014 was the lowest since WWII,” by Jose A. DelReal, Nov. 10, 2014, <a href="http://WashingtonPost.com">WashingtonPost.com</a>.&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">“U.S. Voter Turnout Trails Most Developed Countries,” by Drew Desilver, May 6, 2015, <a href="http://PewResearch.org">PewResearch.org</a>.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Voter Turnout in the United States Presidential Elections,” Wikipedia.org.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">ElectProject.org/home/voter-turnout</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Presidency.USCB.edu/data/turnout.php</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">“How Religious Is Your State?” by Michael Lipka and Benjamin Wormald, Feb. 29, 2016, <a href="http://PewResearch.org">PewResearch.org</a></span></li></ol></div></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/how-atheists-can-expand-their-influence.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggkVQj4_p9lk23HbsX7dnIj8-W64bksj-U1UMdG1kE1-82iGqCy94iqLEjEuOn1RofwmZnGHe-ZP3uK-PziaGV7G-FvpthIqzqgystgZkmyeste8mRFg1Drlhmevoap7ZTt6R_O0JT2cNvm4RMDik-rDY_31EHeZa7QUSUeotRN11WbENau7_bmn167A=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-5641620163547715111</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:23:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:23:13.291-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Christianity</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">LGBTQ</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Opinion</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Social Issues</category><title>The Power of Coming Out As An Atheist</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhge6L1LK9JHRHiok093TCtTZmrN_2I4-ShyEfWm-Bsv3g6N6TJXGKiNTirKDgLOa0ZdlWx-WIWZZd-9gKjfl7gRnGcMeFfmrR3ugLgSSZaoQiSpHsN3GLYPVUk03T26wW3tvzmGlAu4HusDWPYh8PaVALUSeUscCoH-WjbMjoF2Dot7NtOnRLqPWWJQQ=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Coming Out As An Atheist" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhge6L1LK9JHRHiok093TCtTZmrN_2I4-ShyEfWm-Bsv3g6N6TJXGKiNTirKDgLOa0ZdlWx-WIWZZd-9gKjfl7gRnGcMeFfmrR3ugLgSSZaoQiSpHsN3GLYPVUk03T26wW3tvzmGlAu4HusDWPYh8PaVALUSeUscCoH-WjbMjoF2Dot7NtOnRLqPWWJQQ=w640-h360" title="Coming Out As An Atheist" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">It’s hard to come out of the closet. This is, of course, largely how Christianity maintains itself: "through fear"</h1><div>I like arguing about god’s existence. I think it’s productive and, I hope, I’ve gotten pretty decent at it over the years. But I often get emails from people lamenting their inability to effectively argue, and they wonder what they can do.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>There are a lot of answers to this question because there are about a gajillion things a person can do to further the Atheistic cause.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>But there is one thing you can do which, I think, is more powerful than all the others. Come out of the closet. The words, “I’m an Atheist,” in the right circumstances, can be a more powerful argument than anything I have ever written.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Faced with a person who thinks Atheists are pathological to the extreme, it will take the best debater time and years of developing their skills to get that person to budge.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>But that same person may not be able to think that their own son is wicked, or their daughter, or their parents, or their friends.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>This is why the coming-out movement for the LGBT community has been so effective. With gay people being encouraged to come out of the closet, many Americans are realizing (many for the first time in their lives) that not only do they know gay people, but that they like, and often love, gay people.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a power to alter minds that is unavailable even to Richard Dawkins, but which potentially rests in the hands of swaths of non-believers. I know, it’s hard to come out of the closet.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Believe me, I know. This is, of course, largely how Christianity maintains itself: through fear.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>You can see it all along America’s highways. How many billboards do you see promising an escape from hell (or threatening unbelievers with hell)? Lots. How many do you see saying, “Come to our church, we have evidence!”?&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>None. But fear is not merely how Christianity exerts control over its own followers, it is also how it exerts control over Atheists.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Fear of hell doesn’t work on Atheists, but fear of social consequences does. It is no secret that many Atheistic teens live terrified of being ostracized from their families, of having their tuition revoked, even of being booted out of their homes should their parents discover that they do not believe a Canaanite Jew rose from the dead.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Adults fear mistreatment in the workplace or even termination, should it come to light that they do not share the same myths as their coworkers. It’s hard to come out of the closet. I know you’re likely afraid if you are faced with this choice.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>You should do it. Realize that part of the reason it is so hard for you is that generation before you stayed quiet. With every Atheist who makes their disbelief known, more religious people are forced to confront the negative notions of Atheists that have been pounded into them and reinforced by other believers.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Think not only of yourself but also of the young people growing up right now who may one day face the same social consequences.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Do for them what you wish would have been done for you. This is what you can do to support our movement.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>In the end, this is what we will have to do in order to gain equality in the minds of other Americans. Your life belongs to you.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Those close to you are fortunate that you are sharing it with them. If you love them, do not share a lie. If they are to love you, let them love you. Let them love somebody who trusts them with the truth.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I could sit down and reason with those you love to the fullest of my abilities for days on end, and perhaps never sway them one inch closer to the fact that Atheism does not corrupt people.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>But you, in one sentence, might be able to do more than I ever could. This is the power of honesty, and it can change the world.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I know this may result in losing the love of a lot of people. But if they love a character that you are playing for them, if they love someone who isn’t you, then that love is already dead. I know that’s horrible to hear, and a part of me feels cruel typing it.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>But it’s the truth. There are people in the world, closer than you think, who will love you for who you truly are.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>We have Atheist communities in pretty much every town and city in this country now. Coming out may be difficult, but hop on Meetup.com or attend an Atheist conference; it will quickly become apparent that you will not have to face this choice alone.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>There are even people sitting next to you in the pew who share your dilemma, but don’t have the bravery that you have to face it. They are waiting for someone like you to be their example. And, if you are out of the closet, don’t consider your work done.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Reach out to the closeted Atheists you know and support them. This is how we change minds. This is how we change the world.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Must Read next:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/coming-out-as-atheist.html">Why Coming Out As An American Atheist Is Worth It</a></span></b></li></ul></div><div><p><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis9ZwnOl8i2YcSrKU6qWJKbh9PSNyNyfgtrc8Ah0NsXB24yrTbjumz4S_5-cyrc5FZB-vs_67wtODYvltJWC8ghpBRSC9wxuG96jAL8lwzw6Kn5dSTNhShoLg5nXTMBKCQ_Mzjnx0oGaGxZ4m7Av2oqptTcp-ps9tzLizO5r5MrgbWE1IY4HoJXb8=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="J.T. Eberhard" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis9ZwnOl8i2YcSrKU6qWJKbh9PSNyNyfgtrc8Ah0NsXB24yrTbjumz4S_5-cyrc5FZB-vs_67wtODYvltJWC8ghpBRSC9wxuG96jAL8lwzw6Kn5dSTNhShoLg5nXTMBKCQ_Mzjnx0oGaGxZ4m7Av2oqptTcp-ps9tzLizO5r5MrgbWE1IY4HoJXb8=w152-h152" title="J.T. Eberhard" width="152" /></a></div><p>by&nbsp;<b><a href="https://www.patheos.com/blogs/wwjtd/author/jberhard/">J.T. Eberhard</a></b></p><p>J.T. Eberhard is the co-founder of the Skepticon conference and served as the event’s lead organizer for its first three years. His blog, What Would J.T. Do?, is at&nbsp;<a href="http://Patheos.com/Blogs/WWJTD">Patheos.com/Blogs/WWJTD</a>.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">More from the author:</span></p><p></p><ul><li><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/charity-and-religion.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">What Charity Could Be If It Weren't For Religious Faith</span></a></b></li><li><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/the-sneaky-threat-of-pascals-wager.html"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Sneaky Threat Of Pascal's Wager</span></b></a></li></ul></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/the-power-of-coming-out-as-atheist.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhge6L1LK9JHRHiok093TCtTZmrN_2I4-ShyEfWm-Bsv3g6N6TJXGKiNTirKDgLOa0ZdlWx-WIWZZd-9gKjfl7gRnGcMeFfmrR3ugLgSSZaoQiSpHsN3GLYPVUk03T26wW3tvzmGlAu4HusDWPYh8PaVALUSeUscCoH-WjbMjoF2Dot7NtOnRLqPWWJQQ=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-8098650729518548382</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:22:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:25:59.980-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Children</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Editors Pick</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">EDUCATION</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Long Reads</category><title>What If We Taught Students That Religion is Absurd?</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGpexkTOFGqy8ZU5soNRa5EaF1njV0InRIJSIOW6GfWkfTtzAI9LzSrcL5haNDEeePOG2lEEGFA7fGlQg1uzpOkxLdhHJHsJdzHTWzUZ9Nn56rk6bQ4H84QoH4dwuIA67FSMXHPc4zJRwDRUOFcQSeu1XbTIWOLx81OAnIn19eI6CGIgj22Y5OfSX53A=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What If We Taught Students That Religion is Absurd?" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGpexkTOFGqy8ZU5soNRa5EaF1njV0InRIJSIOW6GfWkfTtzAI9LzSrcL5haNDEeePOG2lEEGFA7fGlQg1uzpOkxLdhHJHsJdzHTWzUZ9Nn56rk6bQ4H84QoH4dwuIA67FSMXHPc4zJRwDRUOFcQSeu1XbTIWOLx81OAnIn19eI6CGIgj22Y5OfSX53A=w640-h360" title="What If We Taught Students That Religion is Absurd?" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Teaching Children The Absurdity Of Religion In School</h1><p>The religiosity of America fascinates me. I am intrigued by the idea of millions of people in an advanced nation believing that they have a “relationship” with an imaginary friend and believing that this imaginary friend is answering their prayers.&nbsp;</p><p>In the United States, something like 76% of the population believes in God, and seventy percent of the population identifies as Christian.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span>&nbsp;</p><p>Three-quarters of the U.S. population believes that the Bible was at least inspired by God, and 28% (more than 89 million people) believe the stories in it are literally true.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span>&nbsp;</p><p>Why would anyone today believe that the Christian god is real or that the story of<a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/07/all-problems-with-noah-ark-story.html"> Noah’s ark is true</a>? My goal here is to advocate that we, as a society, start an active campaign to make religion irrelevant to human civilization. In the same way that there have been active campaigns to eliminate diseases like smallpox and polio, we should start a similar campaign against religion.</p><p>The tool I propose for religion’s elimination is across-the-board education in critical thinking. But first, let’s step back for a moment and ask, How do we find ourselves in this position as a species? There are many interesting things that human beings do.&nbsp;</p><p>Music, math, tools, cooking, science, engineering, art, and language all come to mind. But religion ranks up there as perhaps the most interesting.&nbsp;</p><p>Religion stands out because it is so irrational and bizarre. Billions of people on this planet believe in their various imaginary beings so firmly that disagreements about religion often escalate to violence and warfare.&nbsp;</p><p>We, therefore, must ask two questions: What would cause such firm, bizarre beliefs, and what can be done about them? The fact that believers are often indoctrinated from birth and immersed in a highly religious culture certainly comes into play.&nbsp;</p><p>The fact that some religious beliefs are quite comforting is also a factor. For example, believing that you live on after death and get to reunite with dead friends and relatives is certainly appealing.&nbsp;</p><p>If you ignore the fact that these beliefs are&nbsp;nonsensical from a scientific standpoint, it is easy to accept them. If you never bother to learn any science or critical thinking, it is easier still.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p><p></p><blockquote>Why would a person believe that god is answering prayers, given the observations that anyone can make in the real world?</blockquote><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p><p>Let me propose another idea: The widespread belief in prayer is important to fuel the religious fire that burns inside many people.&nbsp;</p><p>Tantalizing verses in the Bible encourage Christians to pray. Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”&nbsp;</p><p>Matthew 18:19 says, “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” John 14:14 says, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.&nbsp;</p><p>You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” If a critical thinker ponders prayer, it is quickly obvious that prayer is purely a superstition. Any unbiased person who looks at the evidence critically can see that every “answered prayer” is a coincidence.&nbsp;</p><p>After all, if we pray to God to heal an amputee, nothing ever happens, despite several verses in the Bible to the contrary.&nbsp;</p><p>And if our prayer concerns an ordinary event, the outcome always follows the statistical patterns we would expect. It is not as if thousands of faithful Christians all pray and win the lottery simultaneously.&nbsp;</p><p>Atheists win the lottery at the same statistical rate as praying Christians. But billions of Christians believe otherwise. How can that be? Why would a person believe that God is answering prayers, given the observations that anyone can make in the real world?&nbsp;</p><p>How can the belief in the power of prayer be so ubiquitous? This is where things get interesting. A variety of biases and fallacies underpin the belief in prayer.&nbsp;</p><p>The belief in prayer shows us that these mental derailments dominate the thinking process unless a person is trained in critical thinking. Then why do so many highly educated people believe in the power of prayer?&nbsp;</p><p>Even if someone makes a living by thinking rationally and critically (doctors, scientists, engineers, lawyers, actuaries, and statisticians all come to mind), compartmentalization can prevent them from taking an analytical approach to prayer.&nbsp;</p><p>Critical thinking is never allowed into the religion compartment. Another big problem is confirmation bias, which is the selective acceptance of new information that ignores all contradictory evidence. This explains how someone can make special notes of the prayers that work while ignoring all of the failed prayers.&nbsp;</p><p>This occurs, for example, when a praying Christian beats cancer or survives a car accident. They will shout about their answered prayers to anyone who will listen.&nbsp;</p><p>Survivors sometimes get tremendous media attention, as in the case of Petra Anderson, a victim of the 2012 mass shooting in a Colorado theater during a showing of the latest Batman movie, The Dark Night Rises.&nbsp;</p><p>Petra survived her life-threatening injuries because a pellet from the shotgun missed hitting any of her brain's blood vessels or major structures.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">3</span>&nbsp;</p><p>In a blog post about the incident, the pastor of Petra’s church said that when god was creating Petra, he arranged the blood vessels in her head so that they would miss the bullet that he knew would be fired at her in the twenty-third year of her life: “In Christianity, we call it prevenient grace: God working ahead of time for a particular event in the future.&nbsp;</p><p>It’s just like the God I follow to plan the route of a bullet through a brain long before Batman ever rises. Twenty-two years before.”<span style="font-size: xx-small;">4</span> Twelve other people were not so lucky, but we’ll never hear from them about their failed prayers because they are dead.&nbsp;</p><p>There was no prevenient grace for them because the idea of prevenient grace is nonsense. The post hoc fallacy is another way that people can be fooled into thinking that prayer works.&nbsp;</p><p>A post hoc fallacy misattributes causation. In the mind of an untrained thinker, the fact that event A follows event B means that event A was caused by event B.&nbsp;</p><p>So a Christian thinks, “I prayed to God for X, and it happened. Therefore, God answered my prayer!” This fallacy combined with confirmation bias is a powerful force. Add to that the placebo effect or the regression fallacy in the medical realm, and belief in prayer can go off the charts.&nbsp;</p><p>And there’s also groupthink, where a group of people compels their members to toe the line on shared beliefs—or else.&nbsp;</p><p>How can a middle-class Christian believe that God answers her trivial prayers while also allowing billions of people on the planet to live in devastating poverty? Doublethink makes this possible. It allows uncritical thinkers to believe two opposing ideas simultaneously.&nbsp;</p><p>The problem is that these poor thinking patterns are not limited to the religious sphere. They inevitably leak out to other activities. For example, people who lack critical thinking skills also vote. Their inability to think clearly leaves them vulnerable to confirmation bias, the post hoc fallacy, groupthink, doublethink, and many other derailments encouraged by political campaigns.</p><p>This is why society will greatly benefit once critical thinking is made a part of the curriculum starting in elementary school. Imagine this as a course title for a new compulsory high school class: “The Belief in Prayer is a Superstition: An Introduction to Critical Thinking.”&nbsp;</p><p>Or what about this in middle school: “God is Imaginary: Using Critical Thinking to Understand the Real World.” Or this in elementary school: “Some Things are not Real: How to Tell the Difference.” In these classes, we would give students the critical-thinking tools they can use to separate fact from fiction. These tools will help them in many other areas of their lives as well.&nbsp;</p><p>The core idea underpinning this approach to education is simple: Religion, in large part, is a side effect of ignorance. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">5</span> Lack of critical thinking is definitely fueling the widespread belief in prayer and many other religious tendencies.&nbsp;</p><p>One reason why religion generally diminishes in richer, more educated societies is that the idea of religion becomes absurd to people who are better educated.&nbsp;</p><p>Once they can understand and eliminate fallacies and biases, religion looks silly to many. Anyone who removes the compartmentalization that often protects religion from critical thinking will understand that religion is filled with nonsense and impossibility.&nbsp;</p><p>Religion is rife with contradictions, which makes the whole notion ridiculous to someone who exposes religion to critical thought. Therefore, to eliminate religion, our task is straightforward.&nbsp;</p><p>We need to educate our children and teenagers to the point where they can think critically for themselves and can easily see and understand the absurdity of religion.&nbsp;</p><p>The good news is that once someone’s brain is at this level of comprehension, a great many positive side effects occur. Life would be much better for everyone if everyone in our society is educated to the level where they understand that religion is absurd.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiW3wRM3w6LQCpydh94A7I6IJFxuVk7W4ktu6_a0XXTySKyE6OU4plKs1aobvtVyEMRc52GzINsqTz-3sGpHtA0RY1s1xiHk-SQZBq0Nqx9Tp0PCnXjhZQJwrjco-wlt5Ucs1SrfAkbY6sfKpbAIr-hxLfzkJ4PPczsCFNpHsl9qlEsFTZkDHveaiJcwg=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Marshall Brain" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiW3wRM3w6LQCpydh94A7I6IJFxuVk7W4ktu6_a0XXTySKyE6OU4plKs1aobvtVyEMRc52GzINsqTz-3sGpHtA0RY1s1xiHk-SQZBq0Nqx9Tp0PCnXjhZQJwrjco-wlt5Ucs1SrfAkbY6sfKpbAIr-hxLfzkJ4PPczsCFNpHsl9qlEsFTZkDHveaiJcwg=w178-h178" title="Marshall Brain" width="178" /></a></div><p>By <b><a href="https://marshallbrain.com/" target="_blank">Marshall Brain</a></b></p><p><span style="font-family: Architects Daughter;">Marshall Brain is the author of How God Works: A Logical Inquiry on Faith and the founder of HowStuffWorks.com. He also writes extensively on several topics at MarshallBrain.com.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cover image by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kuanish?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Kuanish Reymbaev</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/kids?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Read more:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/07/why-you-shouldn-teach-religion-to-your.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Reasons Why You Shouldn't Teach Religion To Your Child- by Hemant Mehta</span></a></b></li></ul><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Endnotes</h3><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>"America’s Changing Religious Landscape,” PewForum.org, May 12, 2015.&nbsp;</li><li>“Three in Four in the U.S. Still See the Bible as Word of God,” <a href="http://Gallup.com" target="_blank">Gallup.com</a>, June 4, 2014.&nbsp;</li><li>“Shotgun Pellet’s ‘Miracle’ Path Spared Aurora Victim’s Life,” <a href="http://USNews.NBCNews.com">USNews.NBCNews.com</a>, July 26, 2012.&nbsp;</li><li>“A Miracle Inside the Aurora Shooting: One Victim’s Story,” <a href="http://BradStrait.com" target="_blank">BradStrait.com</a>, July 22, 2012.&nbsp;</li><li>“Falling Away: How Education Makes People Less Religious—and Less Superstitious, Too,” <a href="http://Economist.com" target="_blank">Economist.com</a>, October 11, 2014.</li></ol><p></p></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/teaching-about-religion-in-school.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGpexkTOFGqy8ZU5soNRa5EaF1njV0InRIJSIOW6GfWkfTtzAI9LzSrcL5haNDEeePOG2lEEGFA7fGlQg1uzpOkxLdhHJHsJdzHTWzUZ9Nn56rk6bQ4H84QoH4dwuIA67FSMXHPc4zJRwDRUOFcQSeu1XbTIWOLx81OAnIn19eI6CGIgj22Y5OfSX53A=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-29117962263193894</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:22:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:22:51.431-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">History</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Philosophy</category><title>Sin Saves The Universe: The Unexpected And Tragic Return Of Collective Guilt</title><description><h1 style="text-align: center;">Medieval 2.0</h1><h4><blockquote>And can you then impute a sinful deed To babes who on their mothers’ bosoms bleed? Was then more vice in fallen Lisbon found, Than Paris, where voluptuous joys abound? Was less debauchery to London known, Where opulence luxurious holds the throne? -&nbsp;</blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">—</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Voltaire, “Poem on the Lisbon Disaster,” 1756</span></div></h4><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieEpXFjSgw4_LX_aA2eFfDZg5dTl0Rb7CZMk2HkYHbS0YOu-6FSTOoCtWrreHQ5ire2ePUx8RC84vDOS585xdM4uyoLe5uKwjWHtEZUJViiXzQfG0fwoBik7GrrliTiZuVcs8raHK5FHufC3BQi_GmCfpYZQpJUW4yGU6JNvVA09vYiUrxlxl4VyisUA=s1280" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Medieval 2.0: The Unexpected And Tragic Return Of Collective Guilt" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieEpXFjSgw4_LX_aA2eFfDZg5dTl0Rb7CZMk2HkYHbS0YOu-6FSTOoCtWrreHQ5ire2ePUx8RC84vDOS585xdM4uyoLe5uKwjWHtEZUJViiXzQfG0fwoBik7GrrliTiZuVcs8raHK5FHufC3BQi_GmCfpYZQpJUW4yGU6JNvVA09vYiUrxlxl4VyisUA=w640-h360" title="Medieval 2.0: The Unexpected And Tragic Return Of Collective Guilt" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Photo by&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.pexels.com/@cottonbro?utm_content=attributionCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=pexels" style="text-align: start;">cottonbro</a><span style="text-align: start;">&nbsp;from&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-black-jacket-and-pants-sitting-on-concrete-wall-4888469/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=pexels" style="text-align: start;">Pexels</a><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>When Voltaire wrote of the devastation caused by the Great Lisbon Earthquake, it was still widely believed that, as part of god’s perfect plan for the universe, the innocent must occasionally suffer horrors.</p><p>This was solid, mainstream theology with an august pedigree stretching back nearly a millennium and a half. Voltaire and his comrades sought to end it and, thanks to their unique genius and wit, they were successful.</p><p>That is, until recently.</p><p>From Katrina to Aurora, AIDS to 9-11, SARS-COVID19, the notion that it is acceptable and just for god’s wrath to be visited upon the innocent has resurfaced with an alarming rapidity and veracity.&nbsp;</p><p>How has this happened, and how can our knowledge of its first appearance guide us in responding to its current reemergence?&nbsp;</p><p>In 410 CE, the Eternal City of Rome, which had resisted invasion for eight centuries, fell to Alaric I, and in the ensuing orgy of murder, destruction, and rape, it was the job of the theological community to explain how god had allowed all of this to happen just thirty years after the empire adopted Christianity.&nbsp;</p><p>The need produced Augustine’s City of God, which stood as the definitive answer to why god permitted the innocent to suffer and die in such overwhelming numbers.&nbsp;</p><p>He had counsel for everybody. For the starved and starving: “Those whom famine killed outright it rescued from the ills of this life, as a kindly disease would have done; and those who were hunger-bitten were taught to live more sparingly.”&nbsp;</p><p>For the violently slain: “Of what consequence is it what kind of death puts an end to life, since he who has died once is not forced to go through the same ordeal a second time?”&nbsp;</p><p>And for victims of rape: “Neither those women then, who thought over-well of themselves by the circumstance that they were still virgins, nor those who might have been so puffed up had they not been exposed to the violence of the enemy, lost their chastity, but rather gained humility; the former were saved from pride already cherished, the latter from pride that would shortly have grown upon them.”&nbsp;</p><p>Really, then, the sacking of Rome, by Augustine’s account, was the best thing that could have happened to everybody involved—a free lesson in frugality and humility, courtesy of the almighty, and all it cost was the brutal death of one’s loved ones and the repeated, savage violation of one’s own body.&nbsp;</p><p>It all sounds entirely horrid to our modern ears (mainly because it is horrid), but there was a system of theological reasoning behind it that marched under the banner Sin Saves the Universe. It was Sin, according to this tradition, not Virtue, which turns the wheels of creation towards perfection.&nbsp;</p><p>The thought, as it was assembled by Isidore of Seville, Thomas Aquinas, and others over the succeeding centuries, ran something like this: If we are to obtain blessedness on our own merit, we must have Free Will.&nbsp;</p><p>But, if we have Free Will, there must be a path away from blessedness if our choice to be good is to be meaningful.&nbsp;</p><p>Therefore, god endowed us with a capacity for sin and permitted that we use it, and since he is Very Clever, this&nbsp;permission must be part of some larger and perfect plan.&nbsp;</p><p>But if sin is allowed with all of its ill consequences, it must be an exceedingly important part of that plan, and so each sinner has more than purely individual significance.&nbsp;</p><p>Therefore, by medieval reckoning, each act of sin can’t be an isolated and independent act by a deranged mind: it must have an impact that ripples across the community and a purpose beyond the individual sinner.&nbsp;</p><p>When the sinners sins, it affects the innocent as well, with just perfection the result. By bringing chaos, the sinner allows the Good to overcome it and show their righteousness. By persecuting the true believers, he allows for the creation of glorious martyrs.&nbsp;</p><p>By suffering torments for his wicked acts, he serves as an example. And, by bringing destruction to his city, he provides the gateway for the redemption of all. This is Augustine’s point in its final evolved form: that sinners and the destruction that god brings through them are necessary so that The Elect might grow and perfect themselves.&nbsp;</p><p>As the authors of the Malleus Maleficarum put it in 1484, “If there had been no sin, . . . then there never would have appeared what debt of grace in good works is due to God, ... and many other things without which the universe would suffer great loss.”&nbsp;</p><p>It took the eighteenth century’s revolutionary conception of justice to chip away at this monument to the beauty of catastrophe, this love song to suffering.&nbsp;</p><p>After Voltaire wrote Candide, it was no longer possible for a theologian to say the phrase “the best of all possible worlds” without provoking knowing laughter from all sides.&nbsp;</p><p>By deflating the concepts of Sin and its handmaiden, Disaster, as the positive guiding forces of humankind’s destiny, the Philosophes also rescued the sinner from the epicenter of god’s divine plan.&nbsp;</p><p>The caprice of Nature and man’s as-yet-unrealized sense of responsibility towards his fellow man more than explained the travails of the human race without recourse to claims of perfection that beat against common sense and experience.&nbsp;</p><p>The debate was, to all appearances, definitively settled. So it remained until the ignition of the Culture Wars.&nbsp;</p><p>First, we heard of AIDS as god’s punishment for homosexuality and vice. Pat Robertson saw Katrina as god’s retribution for America’s abortion policy, while Generals International was somehow able to twist the BP oil spill into a sign of god’s disfavor with our treatment of Israel.&nbsp;</p><p>More recently, we have witnessed an unhinged youth kill a dozen moviegoers in cold blood, and that too, according to Truth in Action spokesman Jerry Newcombe, is a result of god visiting upon innocents what the immoral in society have wrought.&nbsp;</p><p>It’s the thirteenth century all over again. Or is it? For the better part of twenty years, we’ve been employing Voltaire’s techniques in the attempt to fight back the rising tide.&nbsp;</p><p>You even see Candide quoted from time to time on the internet chat boards where these debates get thrashed out, but to no avail. We are treating this as a rematch of a fight we won before, and that is precisely why we aren’t making the impact we think we ought.&nbsp;</p><p>As we’ve seen, the punishment of the innocents evolved by the church theologians of the Middle Ages had as its central thesis that disaster and sin were brought into the world to serve an ultimately higher-good purpose, one that had an aim beyond the suffering of those involved.&nbsp;</p><p>To combat such an idea, highlighting the arbitrary, malicious, and deeply unjust structure of nature and the world worked well. This new wave of collective guilt enthusiasts, however, works from a different starting point, even if they arrive at the same conclusion.&nbsp;</p><p>The assumption is not that innocents suffer because the world is secretly perfect and that free will works towards that perfection, even (perhaps especially) when it falters.&nbsp;</p><p>Rather, innocents suffer because the free will was a mistake, and people have doomed themselves and their civilizations beyond redemption by their use of it.&nbsp;</p><p>The goal is not to make people better, even by St. Augustine’s perverse notion of “better,” and punishment is not something undergone on the way to the bigger point god is making. Punishment is the bigger point; it is the last stage of The Big Plan, a dress rehearsal for the glorious day when Everybody Who Isn’t Of The Elect is going to be dragged down for eternal suffering.&nbsp;</p><p>How does one argue with people coming from such a dark place? The medieval Scholastics thought their beliefs to be reason-derived, and so they at least could be approached through reasonable argumentation.&nbsp;</p><p>Voltaire and company, by using reason to demolish the machinery of the old theological system, effectively drove the successors of the Scholastics onto the shoals of Faith, where we find them still today.&nbsp;</p><p>It is axiomatic that you can’t argue against faith any more than you can box with a spider web. But perhaps you can find out why that faith is so important, and offer something better in its stead.&nbsp;</p><p>If, as appears to be the case, this new generation is concerned that our use of Free Will is heading us towards disaster and away from the principles of Good Living, then maybe it is not in abstract moral argumentation, but in the potential of modern life, that we shall find our answer to them.&nbsp;</p><p>We need to show how the secular turn, and the freedom of action and variety of choice it has brought with it, allows everybody to live closer to the best ideals of their notion of morality.&nbsp;</p><p>Just as Humanists are better Humanists than they have ever been, so too are Christians now better able to live their most cherished (or at least most publicly proclaimed) principles than at any time before.&nbsp;</p><p>They can offer the hand of <a href="https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/11/charity-and-religion.html">Christian charity without wrapping it in the iron glove of dogma</a>, and so approximate the principles of their founder in a way that a thirteenth-century missionary could never understand.&nbsp;</p><p>They will most likely never be bouncing and bonny Atheists like ourselves, but perhaps by recognizing what modern humanity offers them, they will grasp what they, in turn, have to offer it, and we may all get over the notion that anything—in this world or beyond—justifies the suffering of another living being.</p><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></div><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: -37.7953px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━━━━━━</span><span face="&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ecf3f7; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">━━━</span>&nbsp;</p></div></div><p>By <a href="https://thehumanist.com/contributor/dale-debakcsy/#:~:text=Dale%20DeBakcsy%20is%20the%20author,The%20Illustrated%20Women%20in%20Science." target="_blank">Dale DeBakcsy&nbsp;</a></p><p>Author of the weekly Atheist webcomic <i><a href="http://www.the-vocate.com/" target="_blank">The Vocate</a></i>, co-author of <i>Frederick the Great: A Most Lamentable Comedy</i>, contributor to <i>The Freethinker</i>, and former editor of the online <i>Rivets Literary Magazine</i>. By way of feeding his children, he is also a physics and mathematics teacher.</p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;">First published on American Atheists Magazine 2012 (4th quarter). Republished on Fadewblogs courtesy to the author.</span></p></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2021/12/medieva.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieEpXFjSgw4_LX_aA2eFfDZg5dTl0Rb7CZMk2HkYHbS0YOu-6FSTOoCtWrreHQ5ire2ePUx8RC84vDOS585xdM4uyoLe5uKwjWHtEZUJViiXzQfG0fwoBik7GrrliTiZuVcs8raHK5FHufC3BQi_GmCfpYZQpJUW4yGU6JNvVA09vYiUrxlxl4VyisUA=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840883490537563440.post-7781544400873928621</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:22:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-06-27T05:22:35.352-07:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Beliefs</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Islam</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">News</category><title>Study Finds People In the Middle East Are Rapidly Changing Their Minds About Religion</title><description><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjY9ZG2jf7TerEpWWEu4HvSKotGdyiea8BKWKhp0W1QOPRcmzhmIS9O_smjoBTcYFQB5W_W-WJqmbhaaUv2S0qZ2CWAV2DkiZFmOKkaELUrLBex4ghqUCbI42cas_j4fJnGs6wIJfAtYU-B4TFH6gfgr9U0LHtmUCJCas4epuqkU1_NVbWzoViFk_H2g=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rise of secularism in the middle east" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjY9ZG2jf7TerEpWWEu4HvSKotGdyiea8BKWKhp0W1QOPRcmzhmIS9O_smjoBTcYFQB5W_W-WJqmbhaaUv2S0qZ2CWAV2DkiZFmOKkaELUrLBex4ghqUCbI42cas_j4fJnGs6wIJfAtYU-B4TFH6gfgr9U0LHtmUCJCas4epuqkU1_NVbWzoViFk_H2g=w640-h360" title="Rise of atheism in the middle east" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">Is the Middle East Drifting Away From Religion?</h1><p>There are religious institutions in the Middle East, which are very important to locals. These organizations also play an important role in running some states. However, data from several studies suggest that religious importance is declining more rapidly in some middle eastern countries than ever before.</p><p><b>{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}</b></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Lebanon</h2><p>Based on data from interviews with more than 25,000 people, The Arab Barometer reports that Lebanon's rate of religious practices has declined by 43 percent at the individual level in the last ten years, adding that only one-fourth of the country's population claims to be "religious" even though no native citizen can be officially secular in Lebanon, but the Arab Barometer study suggests that religious practices on the personal scale are declining.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Don't count Iran off</h2>A study by GAMAAN (the Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in IRAN) collected data by talking to 40,000 people. The results say that 47% of participants said they were once religious, but now non-religious, which means they no longer are performing religious practices. 78% of the participants, however, believe in God, 22 percent do not agree with any particular religion, and 9 percent are atheists.<div><br /><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Why this change</h2><div>Professor of Religious Studies, Puan Tamimi Arab, thinks education and urbanization are playing a major role in this change. In addition, the trend of economic development around the world has also changed the perception of traditional families, so what was done earlier at the family level has now changed. In this case, the Internet also considers it a big 'factor'.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Government data and reality...</h2><div>According to official data, 99.5 percent of people in Iran are Shia, but the study says otherwise. According to the GAMAAN study, 78 percent of participants identify themselves as God-believers, but only 32 percent identify themselves as Shias. 5 percent say they are Sunni Muslims. 7 percent are spiritual and 6 percent are agnostic/atheist.</div></div><div><br /></div>According to sociologist Ronald Inglehart, based on various studies on religion in 100 countries, the rapid rise of secularism is not a reality in only a few Middle Eastern countries, but in several of them.<div><br /></div><div>Agreeing with him, Tamimi Arab elaborated, "these people who do not agree with any particular belief, their numbers are also increasing in countries like Morocco, Iraq, and Tunisia."</div><div><br /></div>The attitude of the state towards religion is associated with how religious the people are. According to Professor James Dors, this characteristic difference can be understood by comparing Saudi Arabia with the United Arab Emirates.&nbsp;<div><br /></div><div>On the one hand, drinking is not forbidden in the UAE. Unmarried men and women can live together there. In Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, atheism is known as a form of terrorism. The attitude of the state can determine how religious the citizens of a country are.</div><div><br /></div><div>By&nbsp;<b>Jennifer Hollis</b>, contributor.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Data source:&nbsp;<a href="https://p.dw.com/p/3oxXY">https://p.dw.com/p/3oxXY</a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;">Cover image's background by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/@anastasia-shuraeva?utm_content=attributionCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=pexels">Anastasia Shuraeva</a> from <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/girls-sitting-on-a-carpet-while-in-video-call-8748717/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=pexels">Pexels</a></span></div></description><link>https://www.fadewblogs.eu.org/2022/01/atheism-in-middle-east.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjY9ZG2jf7TerEpWWEu4HvSKotGdyiea8BKWKhp0W1QOPRcmzhmIS9O_smjoBTcYFQB5W_W-WJqmbhaaUv2S0qZ2CWAV2DkiZFmOKkaELUrLBex4ghqUCbI42cas_j4fJnGs6wIJfAtYU-B4TFH6gfgr9U0LHtmUCJCas4epuqkU1_NVbWzoViFk_H2g=s72-w640-h360-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item></channel></rss>