The Power of Pity

Many atheists and humanists are angry. We've been ostracized and left out. Hardly surprising, since, in America, as much as 80 percent of the population claims to be religious. But it isn't the mere presence of these people that incites anger. It's the way they use their religions to influence politics, laws, and the economy. And the costs of those societal controls are difficult to reconcile.

Next time you find yourself in angst because of something you hear in the news or when Jane at work tells you "she'll pray for you", try this: pity. Instead of trying to convince them their ways are flawed or instead of fighting fire with fire, try expressing pity that they needed to result to childish magical thinking to handle a real problem. But it is important that you do this publicly.

For example: I feel sorry for my stepmom, who is so insecure about her abilities as a parent that she pretends to believe "God had a plan" when anything bad occurs or when I actually needed her to be there. I pity her because, although her intentions may be good, nothing defeats I child's sense of security more than emotionally unavailable and incompetent parents.

Share your stories of pity in the comments below, I promise it will make you feel better.

Gabe

Religious business directories

Here is a fun exercise: go to a search engine and type in "religious business directory". Did you get tens of millions of hits like I did? Try something more specific like "Mormon business directory". I get around ten millions hits.

In many ways, this would seem to go against the canon of many religions, particularly those that "reject" capitalism, materialism, and commerce in general. Think of the ascetics or the monks that survive on nothing but the bare essentials and subsistence farming. So what does worship and holiness have to do with getting your nails done or tire changed by someone whom you chose solely on their religion? I guess these are futile questions and I only ask them rhetorically to make a point. Afterall this only scratches the surface of things religious people do that don't seem to match their stated goals.

Gabe

Humanist Bible

I have been reading the Humanist Bible on my way to work (I take public transit). To be honest I had no idea what to expect when I started reading. It is very poetic and well written... almost mystical. The chapters are presented as sets of verses - just like other religious texts - each one presenting a complete thought or natural statement.  I'll try to include some of my favorite verses on twitter and on this blog.

"what feeds the stars? Time and ages must otherwise eat all things away, except that nature's laws infallibly rule that nothing returns to nothing."

Humanist Bible Ch.5 verse 4

I like the idea that it is impossible for something to die in vain: everything eventually serves as food for something else, and even the stars "feed" on other matter in order to exist. Everything must eat to survive. Therefore, given finite space, eventually everything must be eaten. Out with the old in with the new. The genesis for many religions is grasping the meaning of death. For me, I can come to terms with the fact that, since I've lived and grown by feeding off other matter, I owe the universe that matter back.

Gabe

11-1-11

I joined my university's secular/freethinkers club. I found the club while researching how to start my own Humanist group. I have to say, I'm a little disappointed, as the club seems to mostly be dormant. I posted a few things on it's site but received no replies thus far, and given the lack of events or other communication on there, I doubt it will have much to offer. Too bad because there are a few other people who just recently joined but the leaders of the group don't seem to be very active. Nonetheless, I'll keep trying. You never know, maybe if I keep at it and keep posting, something will stick or someone will reach out.

I have had luck with meetup.com and the Phoenix atheist and Humanist groups. These two groups have extremely active members and they do lots of cool stuff. I'll definitely do my best to meet up with them as much as possible.

Also, I've added this blog to a Humanist blog webring as well as started a twitter account (the twitter feed is to the right). Please follow me if you can. My username on twitter is humangeist.

"Knowledge is freedom, freedom from ignorance and it's offspring fear; knowledge is light and liberation"

Humanist Bible Ch.2 verse 11

Gabe