Hemant Mehta's Blog, page 1831

The Other Half of Franklin Graham’s Tweet About AirAsia Flight QZ8501

I know what Franklin Graham means to say in this Tweet he made yesterday, but it’s still important to point out the implications of his statement, because it goes to the heart of what’s wrong with his brand of faith:

Sure, he’s referring to the dozens of passengers of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 who were known to be members of a particular Christian denomination. He’s thankful because he believes they’re in Heaven now.

But the flip side of that statement — the thing that even he knows not to say out loud in a time of tragedy — is that everyone else on that flight, in his opinion, is now burning in Hell for all of eternity because they didn’t worship the same God as him.

Millions of Christians feel the same way. It’s a deplorable way to think about anybody, much less people you’ve never even met.

And it’s perfectly acceptable in the name of religion.

(via Christian Nightmares)

Could Bill Maher Be Making Religulous II?

During his (now annual) winter trip to Hawaii, Bill Maher met up with Larry Charles, the director of Religulous, and hinted on Twitter that a sequel could be in the works:

It’s possible he was only joking, but the idea isn’t that far-fetched. (Plus, Religulous: Resurrected would be a pretty damn catchy title.)

The 2008 documentary cost under $3,000,000 to produce but took in more than $13,000,000, making it one of the most successful documentaries of all time.

If anything, Maher has only cemented his status as one of the most recognizable atheists on television since then, especially after his blunt criticisms of Islam on Real Time last season.

A movie that focused on the pernicious effects of religion in the world today — rather than just how silly it all is — would certainly create controversy, generate its own publicity, and (most importantly) draw an audience.

Of course, it would likely draw a lot of criticism, too. His first movie was even panned by a lot of atheists because they felt he took too many cheap shots in the film. Though those critics who claimed the jokes at Christianity’s expense were like shooting fish in a barrel often ignored the fact that Creationist thinking infects millions upon millions of Americans. (Including politicians, as Maher noted in the film.) It wasn’t like Maher found the fringiest of all Christians and held them up as representative of all believers everywhere. He found people whose beliefs are held by the masses, whether you want to admit it or not.

(He’s been having a similar battle with Islam on his show. His critics accuse him of equating the beliefs of a small group of radical Muslims with the much larger group of moderate ones, while his response has been that many of the extremist beliefs he criticizes are held by far more Muslims than people are willing to admit.)

Another common criticism was seen in reviews like this one by Sonny Bunch in the Washington Times:

It’s fair to say that I’m a member of “Religulous’” target audience, an agnostic who takes issue with most forms of religious extremism. Nevertheless, by mocking American Christians for more than an hour while treating radical Islamists with kid gloves for about 15 minutes, Mr. Maher seems to have his priorities all wrong.

I don’t see a problem with pointing out how religion impacts the U.S. specifically. (Though a second film could easily focus on Islam.)

The one criticism I’ve seen that I agree with is that the movie did far more to “excite the base” than it did to change minds. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, and Maher’s whole schtick is to mock silly beliefs. But I hope he’s aware that simply ridiculing religion (again) will make a lot of people even more defensive about it instead of eager to change their minds. Maybe there’s no way for him, with his style of comedy, to avoid that, but I hope he keeps that in mind. Then again another movie in the same vein as the first could at least spur more serious discussions about religion in other venues.

9 Reasons to Talk About Atheism

The video below, part of The Atheist Voice series, discusses 9 reasons to talk about atheism:

A rough transcript of the video can be found on the YouTube page in the “About” section.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the project — more videos will be posted soon — and we’d also appreciate your suggestions as to which questions we ought to tackle next!

And if you like what you’re seeing, please consider supporting this site on Patreon.

Mike Huckabee Leaves Fox News Channel to Focus on Potential 2016 Presidential Campaign

On Fox News Channel last night, former Gov. Mike Huckabee announced that he would be leaving the network in part so that he could focus on making a decision to run for President.

“There has been a great deal of speculation as to whether I would run for president,” Huckabee said. “If I were willing to absolutely rule that out, I could keep doing this show. But I can’t make such a declaration. I won’t make a decision about running until late in the spring of 2015, but the continued chatter has put Fox News into a position that is not fair to them nor is it possible for me to openly determine political and financial support to justify a race. The honorable thing to do at this point is to end my tenure here at Fox.”

…

In his 2008 campaign, Huckabee, a Southern Baptist minister, parlayed his connections among the strongly religious voters in Iowa’s start-off caucuses. He won seven other contests, mostly in the South, but ultimately lost the nomination to Arizona Sen. John McCain.

That just makes no sense at all. Huckabee doesn’t have a chance to win in 2016, so I’m not sure what exactly he’ll be doing over the next few months in gauging a possible candidacy.

The GOP may have had a resounding victory in the 2014 midterm elections, but they did it by avoiding culture war issues. When it comes to LGBT rights, for example, popular support for gay marriage has only gone up since Huckabee last ran, and there’s no sign of that trend reversing:

Huckabee is notoriously anti-gay marriage. He’s proud of his bigotry. Does he think people are going to magically be okay with that in a couple of years when it’s possible gay marriage could be legal throughout the country?

That’s not to say I’m rooting against him. I want him to run. I want him and Rick Santorum to win their primaries, make Jeb Bush look like a weak candidate, and drag the Republican Party even further into the abyss. People like Huckabee are great for the Christian base, but awful for just about everyone else.

If the next election is all about social issues, which Huckabee won’t be able to avoid, I’m optimistic about what the results would look like.

You Thought You Knew the Story of Samson and Delilah. You Were Wrong

DarkMatters2525 continues telling the story of Samson by focusing on the bizarre tale of his time with Delilah in Judges 16.

I thought I understood the basics of this story. I had no idea it was this messed up. This is just a brilliant video that shines light on the complete nonsense contained in the Bible.

Don’t forget to check out Part 1 and Part 2.

Doubting Jesus’ Resurrection Book Free on Amazon

Several years ago, Kris Komarnitsky wrote a book questioning what happened between Jesus’ crucifixion and his supposed resurrection. Was there an explanation that didn’t require invoking anything supernatural?

The Kindle version of that book, Doubting Jesus’ Resurrection: What Happened in the Black Box?, is currently available for free on Amazon:

I can’t testify as to how good the book is (or how plausible his theory comes across to scholars), but… it’s free! So go check it out.

(Thanks to Brian for the link)

Ken Ham Responds to the Secular 10 Commandments… with the Bible

After Young Earth Creationist Ken Ham heard of the Secular 10 Commandments contest that recently wrapped up, he put out a devastating response on the Answers in Genesis website. And it’s sure to sway any wayward non-believers who chance upon it, because he’s unleashed the big guns: the Bible!

He begins by comparing the atheists involved to the Devil (not even joking here):

The authors of a new book on atheistic living held a contest in which they invited secularists to submit their suggestions for “10 Atheist Non-Commandments.” (By the way — isn’t it interesting that they are doing what the devil has been doing since Genesis 3: trying to counterfeit what God has done?)

Throughout the piece Ham seems to struggle with the fact that the “non-commandments” are a tongue-in-cheek way to put forth some good principles and not actual attempts at unifying “atheist law.” But it is impossible, he declares, for atheists to have morals without the “absolute standard” his Bible provides. How else could we derive our morals, after all, if not from the God who, through a literal reading of Ham’s favorite book, has sanctioned slavery, decided that rape victims must marry their abusers, and committed and sanctioned a host of genocides — not least of all, the Flood?

But before getting into his debunking of the 10 non-Commandments, he bemoans how “aggressive” atheists are these days (with a handy Bible verse, of course!). The real fun starts when he quotes and answers the commandments, though

1. Be open-minded and be willing to alter your beliefs with new evidence.

Romans 1:18–23 tells us that everyone — including atheists — knows that there is a God, but that many suppress this truth in unrighteousness. These atheists need to have their eyes opened to see the truth that is clearly evident in all that God has made — there is a Creator, the God of the Bible.

Put another way, the Bible says atheists believe the ultimate claim of the Bible; therefore, the Bible is true.

2. Strive to understand what is most likely to be true, not to believe what you wish to be true.

Second Peter 3:5–6 says that no one is an unbiased seeker of the truth but, rather, that those who reject the history of the Bible do so willingly: “For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.”

It would be difficult to tell your followers that you shouldn’t believe what is true when you are selling them a package of divine truth. Ham’s approach, then, is to reassure his followers that it’s okay to seek to validate their beliefs… because you know you’re right, and atheists and their facts to the contrary are just willfully denying our truth.

And so his piece continues, with a Bible verse and/or some pious reflections for each point. “[T]he scientific method is not enough to understand the world around us because there is a spiritual reality,” people don’t have the right to control their own bodies (“Second Peter 2:19 says it all, ‘While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption…’”), and so on. Points that Ham doesn’t find objectionable are simply “borrow[ed] from a biblical worldview.”

He concludes that

These 10 Atheist Non-Commandments are meaningless in an atheistic worldview because they are not grounded in anything. … Only in a biblical worldview does morality make sense!

Ham’s view of morality is less morality and more “rules from a divine dictator that we dare not break, for fear of eternal torment”… there is simply no room in that worldview for a code of morality that actually, demonstrably benefits people, or morality that is influenced by reason and fact. Morality is to do what one is told, purportedly from on high; nothing more and nothing less.

Ham’s view of morality is better suited to a well-trained dog or a well programmed robot than a moral being: “goodness” to him comes in following the orders of an authority figure, regardless of the nature of those orders. For my part, I’ll take my groundless atheist morality, where I have to actually consider the real impact of my actions, any day of the week.

(Image via Shutterstock)

Conservative Columnist Seriously Wonders Why Christians Are Turning Into Atheists

Sometimes, Christian journalists miss the elephant in the room with their stories. Like this one in Charisma Magazine asking “Why Are So Many Christians Turning Into Atheists?”

Speaking of pastor-turned-atheist Ryan Bell, editor Jennifer LeClaire (above) writes:

… How do you move from accepting a call of God into full-time ministry only to turn your back on him and decide to exchange a close relationship with God to a “closer relationship with reality”?

…

What is going on? Is the church doing something wrong? Or is the culture wooing once-saved Christians to the godless side? Or both?

LeClaire offers her own answer:

I believe it’s a sign of the times and may be part of the Great Falling Away. About two years ago, I asked the question: “Is the Great Falling Away Already Underway?“. Jesus said that in the last days, the love of many would grow cold because iniquity will abound (see Matt. 24:12). When a God-fearing pastor becomes a godless champion for faithlessness, love has grown cold.

Ah, yes… the End Times are near and we’re all just fulfilling biblical prophecy. Makes perfect sense.

Here’s another thought.

People are taking a look at certain brands of Christianity and realizing they want nothing whatsoever to do with it. And when they back away from one form of Christianity, they realize there’s no reason to stick with the other forms of it, either.

For example, just look at a sampling of what LeClaire herself has written in the past couple of years:

Gay NFL Players Should Stay in the Closet.What if NBA’s First Gay Player Jason Collins Renounced Homosexuality?She claimed that there was some wacky Atheist Agenda to “woo born-again Bible believers to the dark side.” (To which I say: How did you know?)She wrote that prayer in public schools would have prevented the Sandy Hook massacre.She thinks atheists are “trying to stir up witches against” her.

Like I said, that’s just a sampling.

There’s this anti-gay, anti-reality, anti-science, conspiratorial mindset that plagues conservative Christianity. Even progressive Christians are ashamed to share a label with that group, pushing some of them to shed the “Christian” label despite believing in Christ’s divinity.

I wish we could take credit for the demographic shift. But we can’t. Not entirely.

Conservative Christians have done so much more than the New Atheists to get people over to our side. Not directly, of course. First, they get people to realize how awful the Bible actually is, since all their beliefs stem from it. How? By putting their beliefs into action through public policy, causing even more ill-will and damage to their brand. Toss in a pinch of Westboro Baptist Church for good measure. And once people are willing to admit the Bible isn’t the “Good Book” they always thought it was, it’s not very long until they reject its authority altogether.

Really, we all owe Jennifer LeClaire a thank you for answering her own question.

Why are so many Christians turning into atheists?

Because of people like her.

After Plagiarism Charges, Atheist Blogger Removed from Freethought Blogs Network

After the overwhelming amount of evidence suggesting rampant plagiarism on his site, Avicenna Last has been removed from Freethought Blogs.

Ed Brayton explains:

It is with great sadness that I announce that Avicenna Last of the A Million Gods blog has been removed from Freethought Blogs as a result of a long track record of plagiarism that we just became aware of…

…

Facts are facts, yes, but ethics are also ethics. I have strongly condemned such behavior on the part of Mark Driscoll, Chuck Missler and others and I have refused to accept the excuse that they were merely careless about attribution. And if it is wrong for others, it’s wrong here too. And with all the criticism I aim at those in the atheist community who behave tribally, applying different standards to those we consider our enemies than we do to our friends, I would be a highly unethical hypocrite if I did anything other than what we’ve done.

As I said, I am very sad about this. Despite all of this, I will continue to believe that Avicenna is a good and decent man who does more than his fair share to help other people. And I will continue to read what he has to say. But he cannot say it here any longer. Ethical consistency demands that much.

Ed and his committee took quick action on this once they realized the extent of the problem and I commend them for that.

And, once again, the credit for uncovering these instances of plagiarism goes to various commenters at the Slymepit forum.

(Image via Shutterstock)

Christian Megachurch Pastor Casually Says “Nigga” During Christmas Eve Sermon

I know Christian pastors aren’t coming to this site for advice on how to give sermons, but I’ll go ahead and toss this little nugget out there:

Don’t say the word “Nigga” in a sermon.

Especially not when you’re a white pastor trying to sound hip. During a presumably crowded Christmas Eve service. In South Carolina.

Especially not after you just explained to your congregation (at the 28:20 mark) that your wife, who has a black-sounding name, is really white (“I have to say that because we have new people [in the church]“)… because that’s a clarification that you really need to make.

In other words, don’t do what NewSpring Church Pastor Perry Noble did:

Despite the video evidence, the church released a statement saying we all just misheard that thing we all totally heard:

In regards to your question about the ‘N’ word, Perry doesn’t use that word and doesn’t address anyone in his life by such a word. He did not use that word in his message and what you perceived as him doing so was [a] matter of words getting jumbled as can happen with anyone who is speaking.

Sure it was… they just didn’t bother to explain what he intended to say.

By the way, I’m not suggesting Noble is intentionally racist. Stunningly ignorant on this front, perhaps, but not worse. For a guy who speaks to thousands of people every week to drop a word like that so damn casually into a story is astonishing. Using a racial slur as a joke is pretty much Rule Number One of what you’re not supposed to do in a sermon. And given the nature of his storytelling and how easily it rolled off his tongue, I have a hard time believing he’s never said it before.

The smart thing to do would be to apologize, even if it was, as his people claim, a misunderstood stumble.

(via The Museum of Idolatry)