tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90121946660881204722024-03-05T17:23:06.859-06:00Atheists and Agnostics of WisconsinThe official blog of — you guessed it! — Atheists and Agnostics of WisconsinRichard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-34569520786402424562015-04-04T17:14:00.001-05:002015-04-04T17:14:38.599-05:002015.04 Feature: The Easter ChallengeDan Barker, former child evangelist and now co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, has a simple challenge for Christian believers: “What happened on that very first Easter morning?” To answer, they must use <b>only</B> the accounts found in the gospels of the New Testament, but they must use <b>all</B> of them — no cherry-picking — to compose a complete, coherent narrative.<br />
<br />
You’d think that this would be a trivial task for anyone working off a book supposedly inspired by an omniscient, infallible deity, and that ardent Christians would be leaping at the opportunity.<br />
<br />
To see why they’re not, I've prepared a 4-page columnar document which lays out the 4 gospel accounts of the “resurrection” side by side. It's too complex for me to render here on this website, but a PDF copy of it is available to you upon request to <a href="mailto:RichardSRussell@tds.net">Richard S. Russell</a>.<br />
<br />
And now, the "Redundancy of the Year" Award:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AARq_gEAqrXRGGN9W6CCbtT8Od5Ff7wUzTmbOk04mH_UNUGXHXCDC56TbYMcktMR7QFOiocfDOVOuvl5TTxtnuH1opUJBuWWHAFKkaM-9ktApOGSaItBcsj0WiC3Jr6zhX2byS_pypg_/s1600/Christian+Fiction.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AARq_gEAqrXRGGN9W6CCbtT8Od5Ff7wUzTmbOk04mH_UNUGXHXCDC56TbYMcktMR7QFOiocfDOVOuvl5TTxtnuH1opUJBuWWHAFKkaM-9ktApOGSaItBcsj0WiC3Jr6zhX2byS_pypg_/s1600/Christian+Fiction.JPG" /></a></div>Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-70932772702240939132015-02-13T14:19:00.001-06:002015-02-13T14:19:48.464-06:002015.02 Opinion: Not My Kinda GuyThis is a heartfelt personal message from Richard S. Russell.<br />
<br />
I am an atheist.<br />
<br />
So is Craig Stephen Hicks, who on Feb. 10 murdered, execution style, 3 young students at the University of North Carolina, ostensibly because he hated religion in general (and Christianity in particular) but for whatever reason felt compelled to take it out on Muslims.<br />
<br />
Let there be no mistake about my own reaction to this:<br />
• I respect the <b>right</B> of anyone to believe any damfool piece of cockamamie horse manure they want.<br />
• This does not mean I have to respect the people who believe it.<br />
• It certainly doesn't mean I have any respect for the horseshit itself.<br />
• But under no circumstances should anybody ever, ever, ever go out and bully, harass, discriminate against, torment, threaten, harm, or kill anyone else because of their beliefs. Never! Always wrong!<br />
<br />
I condemn the despicable actions of Craig Hicks in the most emphatic terms possible.<br />
<br />
He does not speak or act for me or any other atheist I know.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-62464093964604420582015-01-16T14:06:00.000-06:002015-01-16T14:06:07.962-06:002015.01 News: Charlie Hebdo Gets 1st Zumach Award(Washington, DC, 2015 Jan. 15)—The American Humanist Association is proud to announce the establishment of a new award, the Henry Zumach Award for Freedom From Fundamentalist Religion, to recognize individuals and organizations that have taken a stand against religious intolerance and bigotry. The award, generously funded by Henry Zumach of Stoddard, Wisconsin, has pledged $10,000 (€8,467) to its first recipient, Charlie Hebdo, the French satire magazine recently attacked by Islamic extremists for its cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad.<br />
<br />
“The purpose of this award is to fight against religious fundamentalism and promote reason and equality for all people,” said Henry Zumach, who is also the founder of the La Crosse Area Freethought Society. “With its continuing commitment to freedom of expression in the face of extreme religion-based hostility, Charlie Hebdo exemplifies the essence of this award.”<br />
<br />
The winner of the Henry Zumach Award for Freedom From Fundamentalist Religion was chosen by Henry Zumach and the American Humanist Association. The criteria for the award recipient, which can be an individual or organization, includes a history of activism and compassion that exposes the threat of fundamentalist religion and a bolstering of secular, progressive alternatives to fundamentalist religion, such as education. Charlie Hebdo was chosen as the recipient of the award for its bold stance against extremist ideologies, even after facing an attack by terrorists on January 7, which left twelve people dead, including the magazine’s editor Stéphane Charbonnier.<br />
<br />
“Religion shouldn't be protected from criticism, and Charlie Hebdo exemplifies the principle of free speech through its poignant satire,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “Humanists are proud to stand in solidarity with Charlie Hebdo, and we’re grateful to Henry Zumach for working with the American Humanist Association to establish this award.”<br />
Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-88847751042050172002015-01-12T19:07:00.000-06:002015-01-12T19:07:08.129-06:002015.01 Art: Je Suis Charlie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuO4E_tAGb6j5lOvxxbur4yet70qxRcKz1jBlku-fxgKZtH6RHxSbArWfbA0MfXVDZs20ds6ZN9M6PWnvsDJ0eWlGov-IqlnVUU7b1IY0c6JdqQ3KpX0AwyS2Fl-3fwDv_02U4XUeRBvy/s1600/Je+Suis+Charlie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuO4E_tAGb6j5lOvxxbur4yet70qxRcKz1jBlku-fxgKZtH6RHxSbArWfbA0MfXVDZs20ds6ZN9M6PWnvsDJ0eWlGov-IqlnVUU7b1IY0c6JdqQ3KpX0AwyS2Fl-3fwDv_02U4XUeRBvy/s1600/Je+Suis+Charlie.jpg" /></a></div>Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-75849060475185135252014-09-01T15:52:00.002-05:002014-09-01T15:52:25.548-05:002014.09 Opinion: The Value of Critical ThinkingProf. Charles Negy evidently had a lot of pushback in his first class on “Cross-Cultural Psychology” and took the time to write <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/16/charles-negy-reddit-letter-to-students_n_1789406.html"><u>an open letter</u></a> to his student body (University of Central Florida) about it.<br />
<br />
Excerpts:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>One characteristic of the critical, independent thinker is being able to recognize fantasy versus reality; to recognize the difference between personal beliefs which are nothing more than personal beliefs, versus views that are grounded in evidence, or which have no evidence.<br />
<br />
Last class meeting and for 15 minutes today, we addressed “religious bigotry.” Several points are worth contemplating:<br />
<br />
Religion and culture go “hand in hand.” …<br />
<br />
Students in my class who openly proclaimed that Christianity is the most valid religion, as some of you did last class, portrayed precisely what religious bigotry is. Bigots—racial bigot or religious bigots—never question their prejudices and bigotry.</blockquote>Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-65584934577539504892014-08-03T16:52:00.001-05:002014-08-03T17:03:48.357-05:002014.08 News: Sunday Assembly Coming to MadisonThe first formal gathering of <a href="http://host.madison.com/news/local/a-church-for-atheists-yes-one-is-coming-to-madison/article_36facc73-312d-54e5-8cf5-566f44732976.html"><u>Madison’s Sunday Assembly</u></a> won’t be until Sep. 28, but this afternoon there was an introductory potluck picnic hosted by the organizers of the Sunday Assembly at a city park near the Prairie Unitarian Society. Organizer Robert Park reports that "About 25 of us attended, with great food and conversation. "Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-25961372659792542402014-08-02T16:29:00.001-05:002014-08-02T16:31:59.723-05:002014.08 News: "Nones" Now a Plurality among MillennialsSkip over the part in <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/28/1219803/-More-Republican-demographic-death-spiral-No-religion-a-plurality-among-Americans-18-30?detail=email"><u>this article</u></a> which gloats about the political implications of the now unmistakable shift of the younger generation away from organized religion and just look at the numbers for the 18-30 age cohort:<br />
• 29.5% Protestant<br />
• 27.3% Catholic<br />
• 1.1% Jewish<br />
• 11.2% Other<br />
• 30.9% None<br />
<br />
This is just the latest installment in a trend that's been evident for decades: The younger you are, the less likely you are to adhere to a formal religion.<br />
<br />
Now, of course, the $64 question is what happens to that cohort as it grows older. Does it <b>replace</B> the older, more devout citizenry, or does it <b>become</B> them?Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-51004021549365097622014-06-12T13:51:00.001-05:002014-06-12T13:51:38.501-05:002014.05 Humor: Frequency of Miracles<img src="http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/frequency-of-miracles.png">Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-90323329695082774742014-05-29T17:09:00.002-05:002014-05-29T17:09:33.298-05:002014.05 News: Spring Family Picnic June 1The Humanist Union of Madison invites you to the Nonbelievers of Greater Madison Spring Family Picnic 2014 June 1 (Sunday), noon to 2 pm. Bring your own beverage, and food to share potluck style. If the current weather holds we'll meet at the picnic shelter at <a href="http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/parks/park.cfm?id=1246"><u>Marlborough Park</u></a> in southwest Madison. Here's <a href="http://nonbelievers.madisonwi.us/map.htm"><u>how to get there</u></a>. If the weather is threatening or wet, we'll say so <a href="http://nonbelievers.madisonwi.us"><u>here</u></a>. The rainy-day indoor location is the nearby Prairie UU Society Meeting House at the corner of Crawford and Whenona Drives. Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-32187981040118711242014-03-19T04:05:00.001-05:002014-03-19T04:10:10.891-05:002014.03 News: Humanism at Work Coming CloserFoundation Beyond Belief, the nation's largest humanist charitable organization, is holding its first national conference, "Humanism at Work", 2014 July 18-20 at the <a href="http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/illinois/hilton-rosemont-chicago-ohare-ORDHRHH/index.html"><u>Hilton Rosemont</u></a> in Chicago, Illinois.<br />
<br />
This conference, the first of its kind in the freethought community, centers on how nontheists can put their compassionate humanism to work for a better world. It will include TED-style presentations on philanthropy, volunteering, and community building, as well as practical workshops, panels, and hands-on volunteer opportunities.<br />
<br />
Speakers include:<ul><li>Evidence-based giving expert CAROLINE FIENNES</LI>
<li>Nigerian humanist and human rights activist LEO IGWE</LI>
<li>Atheist homelessness activist SERAH BLAIN</LI>
<li>HEMLEY GONZALEZ, a humanist at work with the poor in Calcutta</LI>
<li>Atheist authors HEMANT MEHTA and GRETA CHRISTINA</LI>
<li>Social psychologist DR. BRITTANY SHOOTS-REINHARD</LI>
<li>THE PATHFINDERS, four humanists just returned from a year of global service</LI></UL>To register, go to the <a href="http://humanismatwork.org"><u>Humanism at Work</u></a> website. The organizers have tried to keep the conference affordable at $129 before April 15 and $149 after that date. Included in that price is a formal dinner at which Heart of Humanism awards will go to those who have put humanism into action in their local communities and around the world.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-52769078985232485192014-03-08T15:48:00.001-06:002014-03-08T16:03:04.412-06:002014.03 News: Depends on What the Meaning of "Know" IsRepublican presidential aspirant, former Arkansas governor, right-wing TV personality, and ordained evangelical minister Mike Huckabee assured CPAC that <a href="http://youtu.be/Dw6aq0GQgAU"><u>he "knows" there is a God</u></a>. He also "knows" many similar things (like, say, "Benghazi!") thru the assistance of similar levels of evidence, reason, and his diamond-bright intellectuality.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-36790435920099432042014-03-01T16:57:00.000-06:002014-03-01T16:57:01.864-06:002014.03 News: "Nones" Now a Plurality among Young AdultsAmerica continues its long, arduous struggle at freeing itself from the irrationalities of religion. As in so many other ways, young people are taking the lead, according to the <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/28/1219803/-More-Republican-demographic-death-spiral-No-religion-a-plurality-among-Americans-18-30"><u>latest survey of religiosity</u></a>, spun of course to political ends by The Daily Kos.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-39552608035460910962014-02-26T14:49:00.004-06:002014-02-26T14:50:28.164-06:002014.02 News: Freethot Festival 3 Open for BusinessAs of today, the website for <a href="http://www.freethoughtfestival.org"><u>Freethought Festival 3</u></a>, on the University of Wisconsin Madison campus April 11-12, is in operation. <br />
<br />
If you've never been, it's an amazingly good time.<br />
<br />
Oh, and it's free. They do ask that you register, tho, to aid in planning.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-46798276206861564682014-02-25T17:03:00.005-06:002014-02-25T17:03:47.799-06:002014.02 News: Atheists Disinvited from Conservative ShindigAmerican Atheists wanted to reach out to political conservatives and so reserved a table at the upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference. Then the CPACkies had <a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/25/cpac-reverses-decision-will-not-allow-atheists-at-conservative-conference/"><u>2nd thots</u></a>: "Not so fast there, you heathens!"<br />
Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-15000598487393937182014-02-24T23:04:00.001-06:002014-02-24T23:04:11.481-06:002014.02 Quiz: Is Your Religious Liberty under Threat?Thanks to the Huffington Post and essayist Rev. Emily C. Heath, this simple <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-emily-c-heath/how-to-determine-if-your-religious-liberty-is-being-threatened-in-10-questions_b_1845413.html"><u>10-question multiple-choice test</u></a> will tell you in under 2 minutes whether your religious liberty as an American citizen is in danger.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-78813112574541888232014-02-16T18:16:00.004-06:002014-02-16T18:16:40.078-06:002014.02 News: Snake-Handling Preacher Dies of SnakebiteRev. Jamie Coots took literally the Bible's assurance that TBs could freely handle serpents and the like with impunity. He even had a reality show called <I>Snake Salvation</I> to demonstrate how confident he was.<br />
<br />
Surprise! The Bible was <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/16/us/snake-salvation-pastor-bite/index.html"><u>wrong yet again</u></a>.<br />
Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-35328443073926532922014-02-12T14:39:00.001-06:002014-02-12T14:40:59.068-06:002014.02 Opinion: Good News about Acceptance of EvolutionIn an <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-america-evolving-on-evolution/"><u>essay</u></a> in the latest <i>Scientific American</I>, UW-Madison's own leading light of evolutionary biology, Sean B. Carroll*, notes that the latest data about the level of acceptance of evolution shows that it's much higher among young people than older Americans, and that this bodes well for the future. He chalks it up to 2 main factors: the diminishing level of religiosity among the young and enhanced science education in the schools and media.<br />
<br />
<small>––––––<br />
*as distinguished form the equally accomplished, articulate, renowned, and dedicatedly atheistic physicist, Sean <b>M.</B> Carroll of Caltech.</small>Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-21263707724932490462014-02-11T16:29:00.000-06:002014-02-11T16:30:25.035-06:002014.02 Humor: "22 Messages from Creationists" Translated by Science LoversAfter the debate between Bill Nye "the Science Guy" and young-Earth creationist Ken Ham, BuzzFeed asked 22 creationists to write down questions they'd like to ask scientists or others who accept evolution and the leading scientific explanations for it. They posted the pictures without comment, but that didn't stop other folks (at The Science of Sarcasm) from providing some commentary masquerading as "<a href="http://deadstate.org/buzzfeeds-22-messages-from-creationists-gets-translated-by-science-lovers-and-the-results-are-hilarious/"><u>translations</u></a>" of the original comments.<br />
<br />
Remember, these are nice, smiley people, and you'd probably really like them in person. They just happen to believe astoundingly stupid stuff. That doesn't make them bad people. Funny, tho.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-72821299028685846172014-01-24T12:49:00.000-06:002014-01-24T12:52:59.516-06:002014.01 News: BIble-Minded Cities in America<i>Time</I> magazine reports <a href="http://nation.time.com/2014/01/22/godless-cities-in-america/"><u>results of a recent survey</u></a> on the extent of "Bible-mindedness" in America's biggest cities.<br />
<br />
To save you having to squint to read the small gray type, here's where Wisconsin cities (really metro areas) ranked out of the 100 areas rated:<ul><li>76 Milwaukee</LI>
<li>79 Madison</LI>
<li>85 Green Bay / Appleton</LI> </UL><br />
Also of interest:<ul><li>44 Quad Cities</LI>
<li>53 Des Moines / Ames</LI>
<li>74 Chicago</LI>
<li>75 Minneapolis / Saint Paul</LI>
<li>96 Cedar Rapids / Waterloo</LI> </UL><br />
The good news? Even America's most devout city, Chattanooga, barely climbed over the 50% mark for Bible-mindedness.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-3035648203770345442014-01-20T13:38:00.002-06:002014-01-20T13:38:42.530-06:002014.01 News: Kid Killer Exemption in the News AgainBelieve it or not, some Wisconsin legislators aren't content with just letting parents starve or beat their kids with impunity if done for "good" (read "religious") reasons, they want to extend so-called "rights of conscience" still further. Fortunately, other lawmakers are working to rein in Wisconsin's statutory exemption from the child-neglect and -abuse laws. Read more <a href="http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/health_med_fit/health-sense/health-sense-faith-healing-debate-timely-again/article_cb68b0de-c5ab-57e9-b11c-13fbc8edf16c.html"><u>here</u></a>.<br />
<br />
In all likelihood, nothing will happen the remainder of this legislative session one way or another, which means that religious zealots in Wisconsin will still be free thruout 2014 to maltreat their kids and get away with it.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-74697746666564558912014-01-15T15:58:00.002-06:002014-01-15T15:59:06.324-06:002014.01 News: Christian School 4th-Grade "Science" QuizIt was only a 2-page quiz, and here are <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/26/1205102/-South-Carolina-Christian-School-Fourth-Grade-Science-Test"><u>actual pictures</u></a> of it.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-60447277854028986362014-01-13T13:43:00.001-06:002014-01-13T13:43:52.611-06:002014.01 Opportunity: Survey of AtheistsResearchers from the University of Tampa and Iowa State University would like <a href="https://iastatepsychhci.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_aV05npFsGBmK2hL"><u>your opinions</u></a> for a study. Their survey looks at the perceptions and attitudes of both affiliated and unaffiliated nonbelievers, concerning the functions and activities of secular, freethought, humanist, and atheist organizations, and also the conduct of individuals and groups in the broader atheist movement/community in general. It'll take about 10 minutes, and you need not answer every question.Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-39771695218851773792014-01-09T05:13:00.002-06:002014-01-09T05:13:43.357-06:002014.01 News: Pastor Decides To "Try" Atheism, Loses 3 JobsFor some reason, Rev. Ryan Bell's employers at various ardently Christian institutions came to doubt his commitment and sincerity when he announced that he was going to try spending a year living as an atheist to see what it was really like. Their general attitude? <a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/08/pastor-learns-the-price-of-atheism/"><u>Don't let the door hit you on the hinder on your way out.</u></a>Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-63909653048812440432014-01-05T13:59:00.000-06:002014-01-05T14:06:27.295-06:002014.01 Education: Social Awareness QuizOver at CNN.com's Belief Blog the commenters are having a swell time with today's story "<a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/04/after-a-schism-a-question-can-atheist-churches-last/"><u>After Schism, Can Atheist Churches Last?</u></a>". This comment in particular seemed to stand out above the crowd:<br />
<br />
A quick 10-question quiz might help explain why young Jews and Christians are deserting religion in droves. The core problem the priests, ministers, and rabbis face is the Internet. Suddenly they no longer have a monopoly on what they tell these kids while they are too young to know any better. The kids can fact check themselves and, of course, religion is soon exposed as having a lot to explain. So:<br />
<br />
<b>Q1.</B> The completely absurd theory that all 7,000,000,000 human beings on the planet are simultaneously being supervised 24 hours a day, every day of their lives, by an immortal, invisible being for the purposes of reward or punishment in an “afterlife” comes from the realm of ...<br />
(a) bad science fiction<br />
(b) children’s fairy tales<br />
(c) hallucinogenic psychology<br />
(d) religion<br />
<br />
<b>Q2.</B> What is the only thing capable of making 40% of the country utterly stupid enough to think the entire Universe began less than 10,000 years ago with one man, one woman, and a talking snake?<br />
(a) a horrid mental disease<br />
(b) a failed educational system<br />
(c) a successful al-Qaeda plot to undermine academic advancement in the USA<br />
(d) Christianity<br />
<br />
<b>Q3.</B> Complete the following sentence: “It is not uncommon in many parts of the world for a young man to strap a suicide vest to himself and blow up himself along with members of a rival __________.”<br />
(a) corporation<br />
(b) university<br />
(c) street gang<br />
(d) church<br />
<br />
<b>Q4.</B> It is only acceptable as an adult to believe Bronze Age mythology like talking snakes, the Red Sea splitting, manna falling from the sky, a man living in a whale's belly, a talking donkey, superhuman strength, a man rising from the dead, and angels, ghosts, gods, and demons in the field of ...<br />
(a) history<br />
(b) literature<br />
(c) anthropology<br />
(d) religion<br />
<br />
<b>Q5.</B> I have convinced myself that gay sex is a choice and not genetic, but then have no explanation as to why only gay people have homosexual urges. I am being obstinate and closed minded due to my ...<br />
(a) heterosexuality<br />
(b) DNA<br />
(c) nationality<br />
(d) religion<br />
<br />
<b>Q6.</B> I honestly believe that, when I think silent thoughts like “Please God, help me pass my exam tomorrow”, some invisible being is reading my mind and will intervene and alter what would otherwise be the course of history in small ways to help me. I am ...<br />
(a) a delusional schizophrenic;<br />
(b) a naive child, too young to know how silly that is<br />
(c) an ignorant farmer from Sudan who never had the benefit of even a 5th-grade education<br />
(d) your average Christian, Muslim, or Jew<br />
<br />
<b>Q7.</B> Hundreds of millions of Catholics believe that bread and wine turns into the actual flesh and blood of a dead Jew from 2,000 years ago because ...<br />
(a) there are obvious visible changes in the condiments after the Catholic priest does his hocus pocus<br />
(b) tests have confirmed a divine presence in the bread and wine<br />
(c) now and then their god shows up and confirms this story<br />
(d) their faith tell them to believe it’s so because that’s what the priest said<br />
<br />
<b>Q8.</B> The only discipline known to often cause people to kill others, whom they have never met, in its furtherance is ...<br />
(a) architecture<br />
(b) philosophy<br />
(c) archeology<br />
(d) religion<br />
<br />
<b>Q9.</B> What differentiates science and all other intellectual pursuits from religion?<br />
(a) Religion tells people not only what they should believe, but what they <b>must</B> believe under threat of “burning in hell” or other divine retribution, whereas science, economics, medicine, etc. have no “sacred cows” in terms of doctrine and go where the evidence leads them.<br />
(b) Religion can make a statement such as “God comprises the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit” and be totally immune from experimentation and challenge, whereas science can only make factual assertions when supported by demonstrable, repeatable evidence.<br />
(c) Science and the scientific method are universal and consistent all over the world, whereas all religion is regional and a person’s religion, no matter how deeply held, is clearly nothing more than a matter of upbringing.<br />
(d) All of the above.<br />
<br />
<b>Q10.</B> If I am found wandering the streets flagellating myself, wading into a filthy river, mutilating my child’s genitals, or prostrating and abnegating myself in the belief that an invisible being is somehow reading my innermost thoughts, I am likely driven by ...<br />
(a) demons<br />
(b) an irrational fear or phobia<br />
(c) a severe mental degeneration caused by years of drug abuse<br />
(d) my religious beliefRichard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9012194666088120472.post-84275915435716055182013-12-30T10:03:00.001-06:002013-12-30T10:05:13.091-06:002013.12 Humor: Really, It's ALL Made Up, You KnowClick to enlarge:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-P1zN6szVkVHTXSK2SU1LZsNhdmKu8lz6SGUuZIpEsSy9PcuXo8DiqMv1QtKk-UmvO6Y0ORCGVO9j5xL6K0i2HTb9XQpQBwAaJg6k-kZQGBi9PFq3hOeeBSlf52hSuSerDUqiyF81ToK/s1600/Rudolph+the+Red-Nosed+Interloper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-P1zN6szVkVHTXSK2SU1LZsNhdmKu8lz6SGUuZIpEsSy9PcuXo8DiqMv1QtKk-UmvO6Y0ORCGVO9j5xL6K0i2HTb9XQpQBwAaJg6k-kZQGBi9PFq3hOeeBSlf52hSuSerDUqiyF81ToK/s320/Rudolph+the+Red-Nosed+Interloper.jpg" /></a></div>Richard S. Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105320341501657476noreply@blogger.com0