Spontaneous Recovery!

I believe that I am the perfect example of just how possible it really is to spontaneously recover from a non-organic delusional disorder.  

A delusion, as you might know, is defined as “a persistent false belief held in the face of strong contradictory evidence.”  Well, I can certainly say that as a child I had some highly unusual beliefs about the world around me.

I believed that there was an invisible being who watched my every move and who was also simultaneously everywhere at once.  This being loved me and cared for me, but if I didn’t believe that he was real, then upon my death this being was going to send me to a horrible place where I would burn for the rest of eternity. 

I believed that I could telepathically communicate all of my wishes and regrets to this invisible being and he would then grant me my wishes so long as they were consistent with his overall plan for me. 

I believed that this invisible being could protect me and my loved ones from harm and/or illness.  Whenever someone close to me died a slow agonizing death, I used to believe that it was all for a special purpose.  This was something that I had no way of understanding but it was also something that I wasn’t supposed to question. 

I believed that if I gave this invisible being money each week then he would take even better care of me.  I used to get frustrated when life got rough, but I never questioned it.  I just assumed that it was all a part of some larger plan that this being had in place for me.

I also had a lot of other unusual beliefs involving such things as a talking snake, a worldwide flood, people rising from the dead, a person walking on water, and so on.  These beliefs were the result of selected stories inside a special book that this invisible being bestowed upon all of us humans.

As I look back, I can’t help but wonder how I allowed myself to believe such nonsense.  What could possibly have caused me to hold such unusual beliefs?  A rational person such as myself should know that these beliefs are unusual and impossible.

Well, fast forward to the present day…these delusions no longer persist.  I am glad to say that one day I came to my senses and realized these were simply that: delusions.  Since that realization came to light, I have not had any more delusional episodes.  I now see the world the way it is.  It functions the way it does due to natural laws and not because of some invisible being who, like a puppeteer, manipulates the world around us.

Thanks goodness for spontaneous recovery!

Questions for Christians...

1.  Why did Jesus “cast out demons” when in fact the people that he cast them out of were probably suffering from now known neurological disorders (such as Epilepsy, Tourette’s, or MPD)?

 

2.  How can the bible have any moral, spiritual, or historical value given the number of times it was edited, changed, modified, interpolated, and mistranslated?

 

3.  Why would god send a decent, non-believing man to hell?  Why would he send a despicable believer to heaven?  Is this really a god worthy of worship?  Is this really the work of a "just" god?

 

4.  God himself admits that he is the creator of evil (Isaiah 45:7).  Why would a perfect god do such a thing? 

 

5.  If evolution is untrue, why has it not been falsified yet?  How can so many different fields of science all arrive at the same conclusion (that evolution is real) using different means to arrive at those conclusions? 

 

6.  Christians like to try to “disprove” evolution (which, of course, has yet to be done) thinking that, in doing so, they will prove creation (or intelligent design).  I’d like to know what proof they have for their assertion that we did not evolve, but were in fact created. 

 

7.  If god is real, then why am I so much happier now that I am no longer a believer?  My morals have not changed and I have done nothing different other than to abandon my belief in god.  Don’t you think god would make me less happy instead of providing me with inner peace (an inner peace that I never had as a believer)?

 

8.  Why is the bible so vague and inconsistent?  Shouldn’t a book that was “inspired by god” be a little more specific, clear, consistent, and inspiring?

 

9.  Why do most, if not all, Christians worship their god but not follow his teachings?  Most have not read the bible and are not even aware of all the ridiculous laws they are supposed to be following.

 

10.  How is it possible that people of different faiths each claim to have personal experiences of their own god?  Does that mean that there are several gods?  Or that maybe it is nothing more than a psychological phenomenon?

 

11.  If god is real then why is there even any question as to whether or not he exists?  Shouldn’t his existence be obvious to everyone?  Despite what Christians say, there really is no legitimate reason why he would have to hide from us.

More Reasons for Not Believing…

1.  The Bible implies that the earth is only 6-10 thousand years old.  However, we know from many different scientific fields that it is much, much older than that.  Either the Bible is inaccurate or Christianity has a lot of explaining to do.  If Christianity is wrong about the age of the earth, then what else is it wrong about?

2.  Evolution can be falsified in a number of different ways…yet it never has been and never will be.  Why?  Because evolution is a fact.

3.  The Bible is filled with inconsistencies, scientific errors, historical errors, absurdities, and useless information.  There is even a whole field of study (called apologetics) devoted to explaining all of these errors and discrepancies.  Why would a “perfect book” inspired by a “perfect god” need apologetics to clarify all of these problems.  Shouldn’t a book as “perfect” as the Bible be clear, consistent, and accurate?

4.  There is no afterlife.  The soul does not exist.  Our memories, thoughts, ideas, and emotions are all the result of physiological processes.  Once the body dies and the brain no longer functions, there are no more of these processes taking place and we simply cease to exist.  We go to the same place after we die as we were before we were born.  There are no memories, no thoughts, and there is no pain.  There is nothing…and that’s okay.

5.  The whole story of creation, original sin, and salvation simply make no sense.  I mean seriously, think about it.  All three of these concepts are utterly ridiculous.  Can anybody really preach these concepts with a straight face and expect others to believe them? 

6.  Prayer doesn’t work.  It’s called “confirmation bias.”  People acknowledge prayers that “have been answered” by attributing it to god’s grace.  But when prayers are not answered, they are simply written off as “not part of God’s plan.”  In the bible it says that all prayers will be answered if asked in the lord’s name.  If that is the case, then why didn’t I ever get that puppy I prayed for as a child?  Prayers are only “answered” at the same rate as chance.

7.  The god of the bible is not worthy of worship.  He sends good, non-believing people to hell even if they had led good lives and he sends horrible people to heaven if they simply accept him as their savior.  Say what?  So god either sends people to the best place imaginable or to the worst place imaginable…hmmm.  That makes no sense.  Luckily, there is no heaven and there is no hell…they were each created by early church leaders to manipulate the masses. 

8.  Religion is just a crapshoot.  Roll the dice on a religion and hope you pick the correct or “only true” one.  If you are wrong…guess where you will go for eternity?  It is much more likely that NONE of the religions are true.  Science is where we should turn to for answers.

9.  Churches intentionally shield known scientific facts from its members and instead teach “facts” which have long been disproven by science.  They insist that the words of ancient desert wanderers are more accurate than those of our current day scientists.  Sadly, many church-goers buy into it.

My Own Thoughts and Quotes about Religion and Faith

“Delusions are still delusions, whether they are socially acceptable or not.”

                                                                                                           

“The early church leaders purposely created a God that is unfalsifiable.”

“You can’t disprove an invisible, quiet God that allows evil, unless of course, you do so with common sense.”

“There’s a certain level of confidence that goes along with asserting the truth.  Call it arrogance if you want, but I prefer to call it confidence.”

“Religious belief is an escape from rational thought – a magical place where those in need of something can find exactly what they are looking for.”

“The “moral wisdom” of the Bible has been far outdone by current thinkers not claiming to be ‘inspired by God.’”

“It isn’t God that inspired the Bible, it is belief in God that inspired the Bible.”

“I am absolutely astonished at the number of individuals who actively engage in the mass delusion called faith.  Religion is perhaps the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on mankind.”

“There is something seriously wrong with the individual that uses faith instead of evidence to form the basis of their beliefs.  To do so is a demonstration of ignorance at the highest level.” 

Science holds those that challenge it in high regard, while religion holds those that challenge it as evil or blasphemous!  Now I ask…which has more integrity?

To me, faith is sort of like the opposite of being “in denial.”  Instead of “denying” something for which there is plenty of solid, concrete, and/or obvious evidence, a person of faith instead “accepts” something for which there is a complete lack of evidence.  Both individuals reject what is obvious to the outsider and instead believe what they need to believe, regardless of the evidence.

Designed? I Don't Think So...

My naturalistic view on life...

Okay, so there are probably going to be a lot of people who disagree with me on this topic, but that isn't going to stop me from saying what I want to say.  It is, after all, MY blog, right?

To sum up my overall view on our existence, I would have to say that there is a natural explanation for everything we see, feel, and experience around us.  Earth, animals, memories, plants, beautiful sunsets, pretty landscapes, and yes, even Spam (the wonder-meat!) are all products of nature.

I once had a gentleman (that I didn't know) ask me how I could believe such a thing.  We were drinking a few beers on a boat off the coast of Cabo San Lucas and taking in the beauty of the ocean, which included some amazing rock formations.  He gestured towards our surroundings and commented that this was all too beautiful NOT to have been created by an intelligent designer (obviously he was referring to his own personal version of God).  I told him that it was indeed beautiful and certainly impressive, yet I reminded him that despite all of the beauty that was before us, there was an equal amount of ugliness in the world...and I wasn't just talking about the woman who served us our beer! 

I reminded this man that he was probably in Cabo because of the beauty.  I'll bet he wouldn't have been so impressed with his God's work had we been sitting in a Volkswagon and looking out at the vast frozen tundra while traveling through Northern Canada.  Or how about if we were having a picnic in one of the drought-ridden tribal areas of Central Africa?  Would his God have appeared as spectacular if we were floating on a log in the middle of the Florida Everglades?  My guess is...probably not.

My point is simple:  The same "God" that created all of the beauty in the world also created some pretty terrible things.  We never talk about the tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, mental illnesses, diseases, birth defects, or droughts that this supposed Creator has bestowed upon us.  We never mention the crime, hunger, or wars that he has allowed to occur.   We fail to recognize that the great majority of our "well-designed" planet is actually inhospitable to humans (or is it more accurate to say "Humans weren't designed to live on a great portion of this planet"?).

I guess I get frustrated with people that ignorantly assert the "fact" that we were all  "intelligently designed!"  I use the word "ignorant" to describe the specific people that I have discussed this issue with because it is out of ignorance that they take their stance.  Not even one of the three people that I have discussed this topic with has ever picked up a book that discusses or explains evolution.  The response to my suggestion to do so was simply, "I don't need to know about evolution to know that it is wrong."

Huh?  Is that so?  Let's use a little analogy here:

Let's suppose that last night the best team in the NBA played the last-place team in their division.  Let's also suppose that you score some tickets and end up enjoying a night out at the game.  The next day you decide to call me up to tell me about how exciting the game was.  You then go on to tell me that the last-place team ended up winning the game in overtime!  I refuse to believe you because "there's just no way that the last-place team could have won."  I don't believe you because your statement defies "common sense."  You insist that you are telling the truth then suggest that I watch the news or pick up a newspaper to verify it...but I won't do it because "I already know that it isn't possible for the last-place team to have won."  I therefore go about the rest of my day believing that it was indeed the first-place team that won.  End of story.

This is exactly the same logic that the majority of Creationists (IDers) use when they ignore the FACT of evolution...they refuse to even "look into it" even though the evidence speaks for itself. 

I, too, used to believe the story of Creation.  I was told as a child that that is how the world (and all the life on it) began.  I had no reason to question it...that is, until I acquired a level of reasoning equivilant to that of a third-grader (I was probably in second grade!).  Since then, I knew there was something more to our existence...but I never took the time to investigate.  I have started doing so recently and I must say that I have been truly intrigued and fascinated by what I have discovered.  I recommend that everyone do the same thing.  After all, knowledge is better than speculation.

Evolution vs. Ignorance...where do you stand?

I Have Been Saved!

That’s right!  After 30+ years of accepting and conforming to the illogical teachings of my inherited faith, I am finally free!  I have truly been saved!

I have abandoned the shackles of Christianity and decided to embrace logic and reason.  My beliefs are no longer based on ignorance, misinformation or superstition.  I no longer feel guilty for seeking out the truth about the world around me.  There’s no longer a need to blindly accept as truth the obvious falsehoods taught by the church.  I will never again feel pressured to engage in silly ritualistic behavior for the sole purpose of demonstrating my devotion to a god that almost certainly doesn’t exist.  I no longer need to consider myself a “sinner” simply because some prehistoric woman made from a man's rib chose to eat an apple off of a tree after being convinced to do so by a talking snake (what’s that all about?).  I no longer feel the need to believe in a magical world where angels and demons fight for the salvation of mankind.  I can chuckle at the thought of “burning in hell” for the rest of eternity because I know that hell is nothing more than a scare tactic invented by early church leaders to elicit belief in the god that they themselves created.  I no longer need to believe in the silly, impossible stories that are told in the Bible…most first-graders are smart enough to realize that the story of Noah’s Ark simply could not have happened.  I no longer have to get up early on Sundays (and miss football) in an effort to “keep the Sabbath holy.”  I’ll no longer need to answer questions about life and the universe with “God did it.”  I can instead give logical explanations that are based on scientific evidence…and if I don’t know the answers, then I can seek them out on my own without feeling “blasphemous.”  I can now take personal responsibility for my actions without believing in the false notion that they are being controlled by “some higher power” (God/Satan).  I now realize that I don’t get a second chance at life…that this is the only one I get and I must do what I can to make it as fulfilling as possible.  I know that I need to be a good person…not because I have an invisible sky-daddy looking over my shoulder 24/7, but because it is the right thing to do (that makes my good character even more genuine!).  I am no longer in blind servitude to the ancient and outdated beliefs and traditions that religion continues to promote...in an age when people should know better.  I'm an Atheist now…and it feels good to be saved!

Why I Dislike Religion...

1.  It divides people.

Religion brings people together much like racism brings people together.  It creates an “Us vs. Them” mentality that divides people…leading to discrimination, fighting, and even war.

2.  It misrepresents scientific facts and gives people a false understanding about the world around us.

3.  It brings about unnecessary guilt and shame.

Christianity teaches us that we are all “born sinners.”  That is a bit of a burden for some people to have to carry.  It also teaches us about the concept of “sin” which makes us feel guilty and/or shameful for doing such non-harmful things as lusting after someone, engaging in premarital sex, masturbating, and missing church on Sunday…not to mention a whole host of other trivial matters. 

4.  It stifles progress.

The Dark Ages…need I say more?  If we just answered all of the “unknowns” with “God did it” then we would never have any reason to seek out the true answers to those questions.

5.  It gives unscrupulous people something to hide behind.

Certainly nobody would suspect that a “man of God” would be capable of doing something inappropriate, immoral, or illegal…right? 

6.  It uses fear (hell) and the promise of rewards (heaven) to keep its followers.

The good news:  There is no hell.  The bad news: there is no heaven either.  Some people just can’t accept the fact that when they die there will simply be nothingness…just like before they were born.

7.  It gives people false hope.

It makes people think that their prayers will be answered and that after they die, they will be reunited with their loved ones.  It promises “eternal life” to those that believe, yet there is no evidence that this is the case.  In fact, science has pretty much squashed the idea that a “soul” even exists.  You can’t really have an eternal life if you don’t have a soul!

8.  It interferes with people’s personal lives.

If two consenting adults want to have premarital sex, then let them.  It isn’t any business of the church to tell them that they are “sinners” for doing so.  Religion also prevents consenting adults from doing a lot of other things that are none of the church’s business.  The Catholic Church’s insistence that its members abstain from using condoms/birth control makes it responsible for overpopulation and the spread of AIDS in poor countries, such as in Africa…what a great legacy!

9.  It makes people believe strange things.

Religion makes people believe that they have guardian angels looking after them, that the earth was created in 7 days, that “man” was created from dirt, that heaven and hell are real…not to mention a lot of other hokey things!

10.  It tries to force its questionable morals onto the rest of society.

Not everybody agrees that homosexuality or same-sex marriage is wrong, or that assisted suicide is wrong, or that abortion is wrong, or that birth control is wrong… 

11.  A certain number of people become obsessed with their religion and do crazy things as a result.

…like 9/11, killing of abortion doctors, honor killings, etc.  Remember Waco and Jonestown?  Ever talk to a “Jesus Freak?”  I’d rather speak to a schizophrenic; at least they have an excuse for their delusional beliefs.

12.  It cheapens life.

As an Atheist, I value my life more now than I ever did while I considered myself a Christian…because I know that this is the only life I get and that I need to live it to the fullest, leaving no unfinished business.  Believing that there is an afterlife cheapens the one and only life that we actually get.

13.   It confuses people.

So why did God have to send Jesus to earth to be killed so that he could save us from him?  Also, the Bible is so full of contradictions that I can’t imagine most Christians really know what is truly expected of them (of course, most Christians haven’t read the Bible so maybe that’s irrelevant).

What Religion Taught Me...and What Atheism Made Me Realize...

Religion taught me…that the Bible is the word of God.

Atheism made me realize…that the Bible is the word of ancient scribes who knew nothing of a man named Jesus.

Religion taught me…that I am a born sinner in need of salvation.

Atheism made me realize…that I am basically a good person, but certainly not perfect.

Religion taught me…that God answers prayers.

Atheism made me realize…that “hoping” is just as effective.

Religion taught me…to have faith.

Atheism made me realize…knowledge is better.

Religion taught me…that God created man from dirt.

Atheism made me realize…that man evolved from lower life forms over billions of years.

Religion taught me…that I have an eternal soul.

Atheism made me realize…that my brain is the basis of my consciousness.

Religion taught me…to fear hell.

Atheism made me realize…hell is just a scare tactic created by early church leaders.

Religion taught me…that it is wrong to miss church on Sundays.

Atheism made me realize…it’s okay to sleep in and watch football on Sundays!

Religion taught me…to turn the other cheek.

Atheism made me realize…people need to be held accountable for their actions.

Religion taught me…that the earth is between 6-10 thousand years old.

Atheism made me realize…the earth is over 4.5 billion years old.

Religion taught me…to love and worship God above all else.

Atheism made me realize…it is a waste of time to love and worship something that doesn’t exist.

Religion taught me…that I am nothing without God

Atheism made me realize…that I am nothing without my family and friends

25 Reasons Why I Reject Christianity (and Religion in General):

1.       The God of the Bible is evil, cruel, unjust, tyrannical, deceitful, petty, and unworthy of worship.

2.       No Christian apologist has ever satisfactorily answered the question “Who created God?”

3.       Religion is based on tradition and has a cultural/geographical component to it.  If a Mormon were born in Saudi Arabia, then that Mormon would now be a Muslim.  Our religious affiliation is usually related to our geographical location.

4.       The character of Jesus is nothing more than a composite of previously worshipped pagan gods.  He shares many of the same characteristics as Osiris, Mithra, Krishna, and Horus (plus many others).  Jesus was simply an updated version of these gods for the Christians to believe in.

5.       Prayer works at the same rate as chance.  Even people of other faiths that pray say that their prayers are answered…yet they pray to a different god.

6.       The bible is filled with scientific errors.  If it was truly inspired by God, then I doubt he would allow for all of these inaccuracies.

7.       Heaven and hell are not real.  These concepts were created by early church leaders to manipulate people into following their teachings.

8.       There is no afterlife.  Once our brain dies, there is no longer a capacity to store or experience thoughts, memories, emotions, or any other brain function.  We simply cease to exist, just as we did before we were born.

9.       The Bible contains absolutely no information in it that wasn’t already known to the ancient men who wrote it.  If god had inspired it, don’t you think there would be a wealth of information in it that would be at least a little bit more impressive? 

10.   There is absolutely no reason for God to hide from us.  If he were real then we would know it and we wouldn’t have to speculate about it.

11.   Too much evil exists in the world for there to be an all-powerful, all-knowing, benevolent God.  Either god is not all-knowing, not all-powerful, non-benevolent, or he simply doesn’t exist.

12.   Evolution is real and there is an overwhelming amount of evidence for it.  Intelligent Design is not real and there is not one shred of evidence for it.

13.   It is more likely that matter always existed rather than a highly complex creator. 

14.   There is a complete lack of reliable evidence for the existence of God.

15.   There are too many different religions, all claiming to be the “one true religion”…it’s more likely that none of them are “true” and all are false.

16.   According to the Bible, the second coming of Jesus was supposed to have already happened…yet it has not (and never will).

17.   The accounts of Jesus (from the first four books of the New Testament) were not even written until at least 40 years after his death.  None of the accounts are from eyewitnesses.  These accounts are nothing more than hearsay.

18.   There is not even one writing in existence that is attributed to Jesus…not one.

19.   The Bible is full of tall tales.

20.   Original sin makes no sense.

21.   Christianity talks so much about “sin” yet most of what it considers a ’sin” is not even harmful or hurtful to anyone else.

22.   “Personal experiences” of god are nothing more than psychological or physiological experiences that have nothing to do with God.  People of every faith (even atheists) have these experiences…they can be explained naturally.

23.   The Bible is morally reprehensible.  Sure, there is a lot of good stuff in the Bible, but it is scattered amongst a lot of terrible stuff.

24.   The story of creation makes no sense…how could God have created light before he created the sun and stars?  Did he create artificial light first?

25.  Archeological evidence has never been found to support many of the supposed events in the Bible…evidence that should be found quite easily.