Do we have the power?

I saw an extremely interesting video in Film Theory that I have put a link to below. It discusses existentialism; a theory that I subscribe to. I believe the points raised in the video would make for a very interesting class discussion.

Atheist Videos

When browsing youtube.com for some videos that may inspire discussion, I found a Fox news clip mocking atheist ads posted on buses. I found this an excellent opportunity to mock fox news back, and show their supreme conservative agendas in terms of broadcasting news totally biased.

Watch Fox News attempt to show "fair and unbiased" news:

Athiest Cartoon

So the other night, I was utilizing the oh so wonderful StumbleUpon tool for Firefox and seeing all that the internet had to show me. I had told the tool that I was an atheist at an earlier date, and now almost every time I log in, it shows me a new form of "atheist" cartoon. I thought that the blog would be the best place to share this with the class so as to analyze it as fully as possible.

http://www.atheistcartoons.com/?p=288

The Myth of Pure Evil

This is just a quick response to part of Tuesday's discussion. I want to quote a few parts of The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt, a professor of psychology, that seem relevant and insightful.

Most psychopaths are not violent (although most serial murderers and serial rapists are psychopaths). They are people, mostly men, who have no moral emotions, no attachment systems, and no concerns for others. Because they feel no shame, embarrassment, or guilt, they find it easy to manipulate people into giving them money, sex, and trust. (p. 137)

Haidt cites studies by Cleckley, 1955, and Hare, 1993, to support this statement.

In Evil: Inside Human Cruelty and Aggression, [social psychologist Roy] Baumeister examined evil from the perspective of both victim and perpetrator. When taking the perpetrator's perspective, he found that people who do things we see as evil, from spousal abuse all the way to genocide, rarely think they are doing anything wrong. They almost always see themselves as responding to attacks and provocations in ways that are justified. They often think that they themselves are victims.  (p. 74)

According to Baumeister, we "have a deep need to understand violence and cruelty" through what he calls "The Myth of Pure Evil." (p. 74)

The Myth of Pure Evil

• Evildoers are pure in their evil motives (sadism and greed)
• Victims are pure in their victimhood (they did nothing to bring about their victimhood)
• Evil comes from outside (a group or force that attacks our group)
• Anyone who questions this moral certainty is in league with evil

The myth of pure evil is the ultimate self-serving bias, the ultimate form of naive realism. And it is the ultimate cause of most long-running cycles of violence because both sides use it to lock themselves into a Manichaean [good vs. evil] struggle. When George W. Bush said that the 9/11 terrorists did what they did because they "hate our freedom," he showed a stunning lack of psychological insight. Neither the 9/11 hijackers nor Osama Bin Laden were particularly upset because American women can drive, vote, and wear bikinis. Rather, many Islamic extremists want to kill Americans because they are using the Myth of Pure Evil to interpret Arab history and current events. They see Americans as the Great Satan, the current villain in a long pageant of Western humiliation of Arab nations and peoples. They did what they did as a reaction to America's actions and impact in the Middle East, as they see it through the distortions of the Myth of Pure Evil. However horrifying it is for terrorists to lump all civilians into the category of "enemy" and then kill them indiscriminately, such actions at least make psychological sense, whereas killing because of a hatred for freedom does not. (p. 75)

The four main causes of Violence and Cruelty

Obvious causes

1. Greed/ambition (violence for direct personal gain)

- Explains only a small portion of violence

2. Sadism (pleasure in hurting people)

- Explains an even smaller portion of violence

Biggest causes

3. High self-esteem

- Unrealistic or narcissistic self-esteem is easily threatened by reality

- In reaction to those threats, people often lash out violently

4. Moral Idealism

- Good vs. Evil (your violence is a means to a moral end)

- The ends justify the means

The major atrocities of the twentieth century were carried out largely either by men who thought they were creating a utopia or else by men who believed they were defending their homeland or tribe from attack. Idealism easily becomes dangerous because it brings with it, almost inevitably, the belief that the ends justify the means. If you are fighting for good or for God, what matters is the outcome, not the path. People have little respect for rules; we respect the moral principles that underlie most rules. But when a moral mission and legal rules are incompatible, we usually care more about the mission. The psychologist Linda Skitka finds that when people have strong moral feelings about a controversial issue - when they have a "moral imperative" - they care much less about procedural fairness in court cases. They want the "good guys" freed by any means, and the "bad guys" convicted by any means. It is thus not surprising that the administration of George W. Bush consistently argues that extra-judicial killings, indefinite imprisonment without trial, and harsh physical treatment of prisoners are legal and proper steps in fighting the Manichaean "war on terror." (p. 76)

Source:

Haidt, Jonathan. The Happiness Hypothesis. New York: Basic Books, 2006.

Religion in Government Bad?

Throughout this class I have really learned a lot about the conflicts of different religions and the many different perspectives on them. I have come to the conclusion that everyone needs to just take a few deep breathes and stop being so obsessed that their opinion or viewpoint is the right one. Everyone needs to be more open to various ideas even if they don't agree with them. This whole idea came to my mind when I came across a video on youtube about atheists. I watched the video and didn't really know what to think. In a way it made many valid points on how the seperation of church and state lacks in many ways. It is obvious that our government isn't perfect when it comes to keeping religion and government completely seperate, but does it need to be. Aetheists argue and complain that religion is bad and that our Constitution is supposed to be about seperation of church and state. The majority of Americans follow some sort of religion though. It seems perfectly fine to me that government allow a little combination of church and state as long as the majority of citizens are okay with it.

"This is, after all, the only modern society in the world in which it is possible for a presidential candidate, when asked to cite the philosopher whose ideas had the greatest impact upon him, to respond by naming Jesus Christ. When Americans need to come together, as they did in the aftermath of the attack of September 11, it is religious buildings that they will turn." (Wolfe 247)

It is true that our country is supposed to keep government and religion completely seperate so that ones freedom of religion isn't imposed upon. I just don't see how it is so bad that the government allow a little religion in it. Nobody's rights are really being violated. This all just brings me back to my original opinion. In my opinion it seems dumb that everyone gets so hostile over little details when it comes to religion and or politics. People need to just be a little more open and relax. Watch this video on this atheist who needs to relax a little bit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1ImMtHrrKo&feature=related

Batman and Morality (Informal Post)

During one of the last classes, I brought up the end of Dark Knight when the Joker and Batman are discussing the morality of the people of Gotham City.

The first youtube clip shows the part of the movie where the inmate takes the mechanism to blow up the other ship and tosses it out the window, while the regular citizens on the other boat all want to blow the inmates up, but don't have the guts to do it.

The second clip is the discussion between Batman and the Joker. Batman talks about how the residents of Gotham were ready to believe in good, but the Joker knows that they'll break after they see the corruption of Harvey Dent. Harvey Dent, the White Light of Gotham, was symbolic for the idea that people need something to believe in - one of the primary reasons many of us believe religion exists.


First Part
Second Part


Does religion give people everything they need to believe in? If not, what else is there?

And what happens when religion fails to fulfill this goal?

Faith, Religion, and Winnie the Pooh

Hey, this is Dan Merrill again.

In my first post I didn't really mention anything about my own experiences with and views on religion, so I'd thought I'd take a few minutes to do that now with another informal post. 

I was raised Catholic. For most of my life, I was a very earnest and devoted Catholic. I'm also gay, so that created some conflict. I have an awful lot to say about this experience, but that can wait for another time. Long story short, I've learned the value of thinking for myself. 

Right now, I'm not really able to sort out what my religious views are. I don't want to slap an atheist/agnostic/Catholic/believer label on myself because I understand the merits of those different perspectives and the logic behind them, and I vacillate between them.

There are some things I'm not very fond of when it comes to the debates between the secular and the sacred. I hate when people lean too heavily on the Bible or any other religious text. I do not think the Bible is the word of God so much as it is a library of different books written for different reasons that has been horribly abused over the years by people who close their eyes and follow it blindly. Whoever it was that wrote "On the first day God made this, on the second day God made that," probably was more influenced by the need for poetic coherency than by some divine insight into the origins of the universe.

I also don't really like when atheists state that they'll believe anything, no matter how ridiculous, so long as they're presented with proof, and that they won't believe in God until he proves his existence. I don't think this is illogical, but I think it shows some ignorance of humankind's relationship with God and the nature of faith. If there is a God, I think it might be better for him not to provide us with proof of his existence. What would life be like if we knew with absolute certainty that God exists? 

Wouldn't we be a lot weaker? 

I think it's cool that Nick mentioned the Tao of Pooh, because I'm also going to use Pooh to explain a bit about religion. One of my favorite Disney movies as a kid was Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin. When I watched it again more recently, I noticed that the movie seemed to have religious overtones. One of the central themes of the story is faith, and the movie does a really neat job of showing its value. 

The movie begins by showing Pooh's complete love for and dependency on Christopher Robin. If you watch this song, "Forever and Ever," notice how it seems to reflect the relationship between a devout Christian and Christ. 

"I want to be with you, forever. I want you right here, beside me, forever."

 - Pooh

Christopher Robin asks Pooh what would happen if they were separated, and Pooh says he wouldn't be able to go on. Christopher Robin tells Pooh that he's braver than he believes, stronger than he seems, and smarter than he thinks. He says even when they're apart, they'll always be together, and the next day he disappears.

Pooh and his friends ask Owl to read the note Christopher left behind, but Owl misinterprets it, saying Christopher went to Skull instead of school. I think Owl's song, "Adventure is a Wonderful Thing," might be similar to what God would have to say if we could ask him why he left us alone in this life. 

"Perhaps you could join us?" 

"No, no, you go ahead."

 - Pooh and Owl

Rabbit believes with absolute certainty that the map Owl gave them is infallible and will guide them straight to Christopher Robin. This song, "If It Says So," is the movie's most obvious bit of allegory. I think it's a brilliant satire of people blindly following the Bible.

"Never trust that thing between your ears. Brains will get you nowhere fast, my dears. Haven't had a need for mine in years. On the page is where the truth appears."

 - Rabbit

The group ends up lost, and Pooh's faith wavers.

"I need you to come here and find me, cause without you I'm totally lost. I've hung a wish on every star. It hasn't done much good so far."

 - Pooh

Later, Pooh falls into a pit at the bottom of a cave and is trapped there alone. He talks to Christopher Robin, telling him how his friends were so brave, strong, and smart on their search for him. Then he remembers Christopher saying that they'd still be together, even if they were apart, and Pooh realizes that Christopher would always be a part of him.

The movie ends with Christopher Robin returning from school and finding the group. He talks about what it was like being separated from his friends and then tells Pooh that he'll have to leave again the next day.

There may or may not be a God, but if there is one, I think it might be wise for him to let us live apart from him (though my thoughts on the concept of eternal damnation are another issue). I don't think it's foolish for people to believe in him without proof.

My younger sister is handicapped with Rett Syndrome. She cannot walk or talk, and she has seizures regularly. We love her very much, but it takes a lot for my family to take care of her. It puts a lot of strain on my parents, and their faith is one of the reasons they're able to cope. Their religion is a tremendous source of strength.

When Pooh is separated from Christopher Robin, he learns that he is braver than he believes, stronger than he seems, and smarter than he thinks. He wouldn't have learned that if he didn't have to spend some time alone.

Informal Introduction

Hello, my name is Nick Wright. I am not exactly sure of my religious beliefs. They are always changing. I was not a churchgoer at youth and was never interesting in sitting down for extended periods of times. However, my buddies introduced me to a Christian "youth group". It was some of the best times of my life. We would eat pizza, play games as a group, and talk together about stories of the bible and of moral values.

One day at youth group, the leader told me how to alleviate my sins. He said all that I had to do was accept Jesus as my savior. I did. I was happy.

Then I started to hear about the corrupt things certain religious people were doing. Two examples on the top of my list were the Catholic priest molestation ordeal and the rising prejudice I saw between religious groups after 9/11. This scared me. I lost faith in organized religion. I was atheist.

After this I started to think atheism was too cynical and a grim way to live life. My friend gave me a wonderful book called the Tao of Pooh, and I read it. I loved it and became a Taoist, which is basically like a more chill version of a Buddhist. I got bored of that too eventually. I didn't really no what I thought. So, I became Agnostic.

Over time, though, I got sick of not knowing, or knowing, or wondering, or worrying about my religious beliefs. I consider this apathy to be realism, so that must make me a Realist. That is what I consider myself now. I don't care about where I came from or where I'm going. I'm happy to have this chance to live. But of course, I am taking the Sacred and the Secular, so I must reevaluate yet again...

Informal Post

Hi!

I'm Matthew Milewski and I grew up Christian. I went to Sunday School pretty much every Sunday until some point in high-school. I also attended a Youth Group every Friday and participated in weekend trips. As I became older I started to realize a lot of things about religion that were not very apparent to me in previous years.  Things my parents turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to so they could continue their faith with no questions asked. For me the concept of religion is not troubling, it the faces that sit behind it. Our world needs religion, however religion has become such a lifestyle to many that life without it, or lived without the practice of a particular religion, seems very odd to many. When it becomes a scenario like that of a high school cafeteria where everyone is sitting within there own identified cliques talking smack about people at other tables that's when the food fight starts. When things get ridiculous in real life, people get mocked, shunned, peer pressured, and even killed over something as controversial as who's God really exists. I'm not saying there is no God or believing in God is not viable. When people act like idiots because something going on in the world contradicts their beliefs that are written in some ancient text that who really knows who wrote it. I believe religion is a way to pacify the masses, and that's not a bad thing. I guess it just depends on whether or not you believe. 

I'm neither for or against it, I guess I'm a sort of skeptic.  

I think there is some sort of a higher being or knowledge, I just don't think he's very happy that his son has become a marketing ploy for religious faith. 

Matt         

First Post: Religion and its Negativity

The exposure to religion I've received throughout my life is what I've seen in the world, and what my parents have exposed to me at a young age. My father was born Jewish, his family followed adamantly to the religion, however he considers himself an atheist. My mother was adopted as an infant into a semi-strict catholic family. My father practiced his religion when he was younger as requested by his parents, just as my mother practiced catholicism when she was younger, however they both strayed away from their religions as they got older and continued in their family and professional lives, eventually meeting someday. Infrequently my mother would think in a catholic mindset, around the religious holidays or during a time of loss. While my father still stands on a void of religious faith.
As I've grown, I thought I was religious, but I never really was. I found out later I was just going along with what I thought my parents believed in; and that was my mothers religion. I thought I should believe the same because I celebrated Christmas, and was baptized too. I thought I had it all figured out. But then, I'm not sure when, sometime during high school when I developed a brain perhaps, I created my own personal views on religion. Which coincides with my fathers, simply remaining agnostic/atheistic.
This life-long new belief stemmed from all the negativity associated with religious practice around the world, which I detest. The violence, killings, disputes, arguments, wars, swayed beliefs, and any other ways to describe the negatives from the religious realm captivates my distaste of it. It's hard to believe in my mind that so many people apply their lives and beliefs to a circle, that to me doesn't seem worthy. It could be that my mind perceives life and the world in a highly logical and scientific viewpoint, and therefore cannot accept religion as a means of thought. I consider myself to spiritual at times, but not religious as I don't practice any segment of it, nor profess any devotion or commitment to any other exterior realm outside of my own mind and perception. I just think this way because my brain thinks this way, logically, and because I was brought up to think what I want for myself. Also mainly because the negative impacts that religion inflicts on the world as a whole, which to me is not worth nor equate the good it inflicts. Spirituality, friends/family, and one's own mindset, thoughts, and beliefs can suffice for me at least, the position for religion.
I don't hate on any religious supporter, if that's something that works for you, and is something thats beneficial in your life, then by all means do what you need to do. It just doesn't prove to be anything positive or necessary in my life, as I also see it as creating more harm than good in the world anyway.

Informal Post - Evan Burrill

Hey guys, this is Evan Burrill,
I'm pretty interested in where this course is going to go. I was raised Catholic which meant going to church and CCD every Sunday as a kid. Even though I'm not that religious anymore, i still have a little knowledge about the Christian religion that i could apply to course work or discussions. But hopefully we'll be learning about different religions , I was never really educated about any of the other ones and want to know more about them.