CIRQUE DU SO-LAME

"Pseudoscience is embraced, it might be argued, in exact proportion as real science is misunderstood..."
--Carl Sagan ("Demon-Haunted World")

"Not only in peasant homes, but also in city skyscrapers, there lives alongside the twentieth century the thirteenth. A hundred million people use electricity and still believe in the magic powers of signs and exorcisms . . . Movie stars go to mediums. Aviators who pilot miraculous mechanisms created by man's genius wear amulets on their sweaters. What inexhaustible reserves they possess of darkness, ignorance and savagery!"
--Leon Trotsky




When I first heard about Evangelical Christians "speaking in tongues" at revivals my teenage mind thought it was a joke. I really could not fathom that someone would believe--much less attempt--such a practice genuinely. But when I saw the footage on television (I think it was on the Trinity Broadcasting Network) it became clear to me that such people exist.

Later I found that my own religion, Mormonism, taught something similar: the gift of speaking in tongues. Most often this "gift of the spirit" is attributed to Mormon missionaries who go to foreign countries and learn the native language in order to preach more effectively. Never mind the 2-3 months of language training before even entering the country and the countless hours of daily study and practice with natives throughout the 2-year mission; if god wants thousands of highly motivated, collage-aged young adults with a first-world education to learn languages not dissimilar to the language of their up-bringing, through thousands of hours of individual and group study, he will make it so.

Similarly, when I saw Evangelical preachers "heal" frail and infirmed people on live television through the power of Jesus Christ, my reaction was one of amazement that anyone could take such a circus act seriously. And, yet again, I came to find that Mormonism taught a similar principle, which at the time I had to assume was more authentic to miracles performed by Christ than the "bastardized" version essentially being sold by charlatans to presumably sincere suckers.

While the Mormon version of faith-healing is much less flashy and more intimate (laying hands on the head of the sick and praying that god will heal them, usually in a small group), it is every bit as misguided and scientifically unsupported as more theatrical versions of the practice.

It seems that on some level many religious people know that science and medicine are more reliable in healing the sick than a sincere prayer. My own father, who was both a Mormon bishop and a Family Practitioner during my childhood, taught me that when sick one should pray and follow doctor's orders. Apparently, god requires both since he "helps those who help themselves" (I failed to find this little quip in any canonized scripture). Well, I could just as easily claim that Joe Pesci helps those who help themselves; or, for that matter, my half-empty can of Mt. Dew.

But as Russell Glasser of the Atheist Experience inquires, if one is to take an aspirin and say a prayer for a headache, and the ailment subsides, how do you know the prayer actually did anything? The scientific literature shows that aspirin is effective in relieving headaches by itself, so what exactly does the prayer contribute?

On its own, can prayer relieve headaches with the same level of consistency and effectiveness as aspirin? If so, why bother spending money on aspirin? If you had to choose a single method to relieve a headache, aspirin or prayer, which would you trust to get the job done in a timely manner?

What about cancer treatment? Amputees? How many prayers did it take to eradicate small pox?

How many people does god require to sincerely pray and die before he will "inspire" doctors and scientists with a cure for HIV and AIDS? If god inspires doctors in this way, as I have heard religious people claim, thereby giving god all the credit for scientific advancements, of what use is the scientific method? It seems to me that the only way to verify that a scientist is so "inspired" by god is by testing their "inspirations" through scientific experiments. Without scientific verification, such revealed wisdom falls within the realm of magic rather than science.

In what way is god actually helping anybody?




BONUS MATERIAL:

Comedian George Carlin on religion (and Joe Pesci) (warning: explicit):

I have posted this before, but its too good not to post again: Benny Hinn letting the bodies hit the floor:

And one with light sabers:

SCARED STRAIGHT

"All children are atheists--they have no idea of God."
--Baron D'Holbach

"Sort of" is such a harmless thing to say. "Sort of". It's just a filler: "sort of". It doesn't really mean anything. But after certain things, "sort of" means everything. Like after "I love you". Or "you're going to live".
--Dmitri Martin





Today I went to church (sort of). I mean, it wasn't actually at a church and I went in a supervisory role for work; but I went just the same. The service was supposed to be for troubled Mormon teens, but quickly became a proselytizing recruitment seminar for those who were not Mormon.

First of all, the majority of the teens attending the meeting were not Mormon, so I kind of understand why they took that approach. However, I was confused that the presiding Bishopric (local clergy members) were so willing and eager to have so many non-Mormons take the sacrament (communion). You see, according to Mormon scripture, partaking of the sacrament before you are worthy and baptized is a damnable offense. This is what Jesus (allegedly) said on this matter in the Book of Mormon:

"28 And now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it;

 

"29 For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him.

 

"30 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the Father, in my name; and if it so be that he repenteth and is baptized in my name, then shall ye receive him, and shall minister unto him of my flesh and blood." [emphasis added]

 

Now, the common practice in the Church is to ignore this bit of scripture since it is often off-putting to those sincerely looking into the Church. But it is there nonetheless, and I can recall several instances where this very passage was used to make my peers and myself fearful of violating this tenet lest we be damned. This is religious fear-mongering.

The second point I want to address is part of the lesson which began with a 10 minute video on Joseph Smith's vision of god and Jesus, anachronistically portraying Joseph and his father citing Mormon scripture at a time before the supposed discovery of the Book of Mormon--the source of the cited scripture. The discussion which followed evolved into how one can know that a given proposition is true. In this context they were discussing the truth of religious claims primarily.

However, the Bishop conducting the lesson emphasized a particular passage of the Book of Mormon which says: "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things". That's right: "ALL things". I have discussed this passage before, but I usually gloss over the "ALL things" part--but not this Bishop. He stressed the word "ALL" as if to imply that the Holy Ghost really is the arbiter of all knowledge, through which one can know literally anything just by asking god.

Naturally, this got me thinking. With such a powerful source of useful knowledge eagerly awaiting requests from an infinite database, why hasn't anyone used this method to uncover the cure for AIDS? This would surely save the lives of millions of people around the world, in particular in southern Africa. And the scriptures say time and time again if you ask god in faith for a righteous thing, he will give liberally. What could be more righteous than sparing millions of people the insufferable pain and impending death caused by HIV and AIDS? Not to mention cancer.

As Christopher Hitchens inquired, if Jesus could heal a blind man, why not cure blindness? Why such callous non-responsiveness from a god who is said by his followers to want to help mankind, if we simply ask? Why such a condition in the first place, and has no one tried this? If prayer works, why hasn't this already occurred?

Why did it take scientists hundreds of years to develop an effective germ theory of disease in order to rid the world of small pox? What did prayer do for the discovery of the polio vaccine? Which scientific theories were brought about through prayerful consideration rather than methodological naturalism and the scientific method? Why the long silence from heaven?

Furthermore, the Bishop described in detail the "burning in the bosom" experience which is supposed to confirm the veracity and historicity of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith's story, as being either a "warm, joyful" sensation, or a confirming thought randomly popping in one's head. And this is his proposed method for knowing the truth of all things? Growing up in the Church I never realized how silly this proposition actually sounds. But hearing it from the mouth of a true believer was a stunning experience. If you feel good about it and you think to your self it is true, then it is a fact!

What reckless and fallacious reasoning to be telling already troubled teens. If such a concept as sin exists, I believe this Bishop's actions today would qualify.



BONUS MATERIAL:

This kind of manipulation of young minds reminds me of a documentary (available on Netflix, last I checked) called "Jesus Camp". Here is the trailer:

And here is a rather disturbing clip from the same film:

And here is the Atheist Experience talking with someone who was at Jesus Camp, part 1:

Part 2:

OUT ON A LIMB

One of the most important principles in Christianity and Mormonism is prayer. It is supposedly our direct line to god. Whenever we are in trouble or need help, just ask god. If you are ill, ask god to guide the hands of the doctors that you might be healed. If you want to know that god exists, just ask him and he will tell you himself. Let's look at some of the scriptures in the Bible and the Book of Mormon concerning prayer (emphasis added):

Matthew 21:21-22

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Mosiah 4:21

21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.


Enos 1:15

15 Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.

Alma 7:32

23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

2 Nephi 4:35

35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

Moroni 7:26

26 And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his name; and by faith, they become the sons of God. And as surely as Christ liveth he spake these words unto our fathers, saying: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you.

Matthew 17:20

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Luke 17:6

6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

In no uncertain terms, these passages mean to tell the reader that if they ask god for something, god will give it to them. Some passages qualify it with stating that for this to work the person asking needs "faith as a grain of mustard seed" lest they should ask frivolously or for something evil. But it is clear, if you ask for something good or righteous, believing that god will answer, you will recieve it. They even give examples of this working:

Ether 12:30

30 For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove—and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith.

This is not mere hyperbole or metaphor, it is supposed to be literally true. If you have the faith of a mustard seed you can move mountains. But this is not limited to simply manipulating inanimate objects like mountains and sycamore trees. The scriptures are also clear that through faith people can be cured of various ailments. Jesus did this numerous times, as have many prophets, according to scripture. It is even a common practice in the Mormon Church to give blessings to the sick, and I have heard many first-hand accounts of people being cured of things like cancer. Yes, CANCER.

There are, in fact, many such accounts for cripples walking, the blind receiving their sight, and tumors vanishing in a matter of days. The interesting thing is that such accounts are not limited to Christians, or even those who pray! For instance, cancer remission, although unlikely, happens regularly. As Stephen Hawking has said, the universe is so vast that improbable things happen all the time. Let's say that the chance for remission is about 1% for a particular type of cancer. The chances of an individual going into remission is very slim. But if there are 1000 people in the US with this cancer, 10 of them will go into remission naturally. Does this make it a miracle? Does it happen only to those who pray? Were the patients who went into remission the only ones who prayed? Were they the only ones with faith like unto a mustard seed? If prayer really worked in this way, why would a believer go to a doctor in the first place? Clearly god's success rate should be higher than that of a mere radiation oncologist or surgeon. If you have enough faith, you could save a lot of money from medical costs.

Remember, according to Alma 7:32 we are to ask for spiritual and temporal needs, so these are not minor cases. And this is not some ancient account by an anonymous author--this happens today! Miracles are supposed to be one of the ways to tell who is on god's side. And, allegedly, god has not ceased to be a god of miracles:

Mormon 9:15

15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.

It may be possible that only the truly faithful and penitent are healed "miraculously." Perhaps, cancer remission really is simply an answer to prayers. OK, then why doesn't god heal amputees? If god can move mountains, cause the blind to see, and cure cancer, surely regenerating a limb should be in the repertoire of an omnipotent being. Surely, amputees have just as much faith as cancer patients. Why such discrimination? And what about people born with down syndrome? Or an IQ of 50? Why doesn't he cure babies born with AIDS? Why is it that every legitimate and consistent cure we have is brought about through science instead of religion? If god can cure any disease, why did we have to eradicate small pox on our own?

Here is a very interesting website which explores this thought further: whywontgodhealamputees.com

A couple of side notes: As I was researching scriptures on faith and prayer, I came across the following passages in the Book of Mormon.

Alma 32:21

21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

I remember discussing this scripture as a teenager with my family. Even then I thought it was a bit of a contradiction. My father clarified that you cannot have faith in something that is not true, as this scripture indicates. But without knowledge how can you say something is true?  By this definition, how can you say you have faith without knowledge that it is true? Wouldn't such knowledge make faith unnecessary? I still hold it to be a contradiction.

  

Moroni 7:42

42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

This is just absurd. Faith and hope are not the same thing and are not dependent or contingent on each other. One can hope that god exists, for example, without believing or having faith that god exists. You can even have faith that god exists but hope he doesn't! Besides, there are lots of things which people hope for which do not require faith. Going back to the cancer example, if the best treatments give a patient an 80% chance to survive, they can have hope that they will make it, and have science on their side, making faith unnecessary. Furthermore, faith is useless when applied to things that are likely to occur. I don't have faith that my car will start when I turn the ignition.

Faith is useless.

BONUS MATERIAL:
 

Here is a video about god not healing amputees:

Here is the Atheist Experience talking about the failure of prayer:

And one more on believing parents...

COMFORTABLY NUMB

"As I was riding along the road on my mule I suddenly noticed a very strange personage walking beside me. His head was about even with my shoulders as I sat in my saddle. He wore no clothing, but was covered with hair. His skin was very dark. I asked him where he dwelt and he replied that he had no home, that he was a wanderer in the earth and traveled to and fro. He said he was a very miserable creature, that he had earnestly sought death during his sojourn upon the earth, but that he could not die, and his mission was to destroy the souls of men. About the time he expressed himself thus, I rebuked him in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by virtue of the Holy Priesthood, and commanded him to go hence, and he immediately departed out of my sight..."
--Excerpt from Spencer W. Kimball's "Miracle of Forgiveness" (pg. 127-128), quoting David Patten's account of meeting Cain:



I once asked someone why they believe in Mormonism. The response was an hour-long testimony which amounted to two primary reasons: upbringing, and comfort. This may be an over-simplification, but this is what I got out of it. And frankly, I was surprised that I didn't get the usual Mormon response of a "burning in the bosom." All in all, it was a good conversation and it is clear to me that this person gets great comfort from the idea of a god and an afterlife. I think I can appreciate this, despite not finding the argument very convincing. It may even be said that believing something because it makes you feel good is enough justification to hold the belief, if it is otherwise harmless. What harm could belief in Bigfoot cause? Or Santa Clause? Surely, these things bring people happiness or satisfaction.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a video is worth a thousand eye-witnesses. Objective evidence is almost always more compelling that subjective, anecdotal accounts. In recent decades, the use of DNA research has exonerated many people who had been convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Consequently, this has saved the lives of hundreds of innocent people. But how many more people have been wrongfully executed? Perhaps more importantly, how many murderers have slipped through the cracks of our justice system as someone else takes the fall?

Whenever an innocent person is convicted for someone else's crime, the real perpetrator walks free and can strike again. Contentment with a wrong answer generally means a halt on further investigation. This is the inherent problem with believing some false conclusion, even if you are comforted by it, as I'm sure the families of murder victims are comforted by the closure of a conviction.

In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church suppressed scientific studies defying established dogma, which has likely set us back several centuries. Imagine the advances in cosmology and space travel we could be enjoying right now if various Popes hadn't killed and exiled scientists for heresy, like Galileo Galilei. Imagine the types of devices which could have sprung from Michelangelo, if science could have kept up with his vision. Imagine a working flying machine in the 1500's. Imagine Christopher Columbus teaching the Native Americans how to harness the power of electricity. Imagine an immunization shot for AIDS just a few months prior to Freddy Mercury's death. Imagine if all this had occured before the Inquisition! Where would we be if those in power, not being content with unjustified assertions, had put reason and evidence above faith and dogma?

If you believe that you really did see Bigfoot, then you will likely miss the fact that it was a man in a suit. If you believe that Santa gives you presents, then you might not appreciate all the work your parents put in to give you a memorable Christmas. Similarly, if you believe in the biblical creation story and that god created the universe--without any justification--then you might dismiss discoveries in physics which show how a universe can come from nothing, or how life can come from non-life through abiogenesis, or how evolution accounts for the diversity of the millions of species surrounding us.

Perhaps your unsupported beliefs are more comforting, but missing out on the majesty and awe of reality is tragic. Isn't it better to know the truth than to enable a delusion? Wouldn't you like to know if you are wrong about god? Wouldn't you like to be able support your beliefs with reason and evidence instead of inserting faith?












BONUS MATERIAL:

Here is Neil Degrasse Tyson discussing how Islam screwed up math and cosmology for the rest of us:

THIS IS AFRICA

"You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, it increases the problem."
--Pope Benedict XVI on condom use as a means of mitigating the spread of HIV in Africa (2009)


In the 80s, HIV and AIDS scared the piss out of everyone. No one knew what it was, how it worked, how it spread, or how to save yourself from it. Public restrooms were viewed as death traps. It was even potentially unsafe to kiss your lover. Now things have mellowed a bit, as we have a good understanding of HIV and AIDS. We know how it spreads, which allows us to take measures to prevent exposure. We even know of many treatments which can prolong life; although, we don't have a cure, yet. Most of the world is still developing and has limited access to proper education. But the most effective methods of preventing the spread of this disease are easy to teach and easy to understand. So why are 1 in 5 people in southern Africa infected with HIV?

Religiously, Africa is split into two factions: Muslims and Catholics. The northern region, being Muslim, has strict penalties for adultery and premarital sex; namely, death. This is quite an effective deterrent. As a result, the entire population is forced into abstinence before marriage and fidelity during marriage (at least, for women). The southern region is mostly Catholic, and, although, they do not employ capital punishment for sexual promiscuity, they do also advocate abstinence and fidelity. Yet, the south is plagued with HIV, while the north is not.

In the fight against HIV/AIDS, there is a motto among doctors and nurses, known as the ABC's: Abstinence from sex, Be faithful to your partner, and Condom use. These three things are universally accepted by health-care professionals as the most effective methods against the spread of HIV. Abstinence and Being faithful are pretty straight forward, and both Muslims to the north and Catholics to the south agree on these two methods. But condom use has been condemned by the Catholic Church for as long as there have been condoms.

Catholic opposition towards contraception stems from the same line of reasoning they use against abortion and masturbation. They hold that all life is precious, and that semen is, in a sense, the beginning of life. I apologize for the crude way I put this, but according to Catholics the only appropriate place for a man to ejaculate is inside his wife's vagina. Anything short of this is a sin. Furthermore, some have said that AIDS is god's punishment for transgressors, as if the threat of Hell wasn't despicable enough. They also say that children born with this disease carry upon their heads the sins of their fathers. Now, there's a just god.

As I quoted at the top, the current Pope is against condom use; since most people in southern Africa are Catholic, they adhere to his advice. The Pope has even said that condoms make matters worse, and people have taken this to mean that condoms will actually increase your chance of contracting HIV. Africa is one of the most poorly educated areas in the world, making people there susceptible to lies and superstition. Nothing could do more harm than telling an ignorant, superstitious group of people that if they use a condom they will die. But this is the message of the Catholic Church. As a result of this utmost evil preachment, HIV is rising. In some areas, like South Africa, HIV rates are as high as 36%. That's as high as the Black Plague!

Tell me, Pope Benedick, how is the prevention of "spilling semen" more ethical than doing everything you can to save the lives of millions of people?

Teaching Abstinence and Being faithful as the only methods of preventing the spread of HIV has failed; this technique seems to only work, perhaps ironically, upon threat of death. The only thing left to try is proper use of condoms. Until the Catholic Church stops spreading lies and changes their stance on condom use, HIV will continue to kill millions of people every year in Africa. As Christopher Hitchens said, during a debate with an African Catholic Cardinal: "...I think it will one day be admitted with shame that it might have been in error to say that AIDS is bad as a disease--very bad--but not quite as bad as condoms are bad. Or not as immoral in the same way."