This is what religion looks like . . .
Showing posts with label satire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label satire. Show all posts
Sunday, 16 March 2014
Sunday, 14 July 2013
The Unicorn Delusion
Who has the burden of proof for an extraordinary claim? Those who make the claim or those who challenge the claim?
At first, it is quite reasonable to give benefit of the doubt to a man who makes a claim, such as "I have a unicorn in my garden". After all, we have not searched his garden and have no proof that he has no unicorn, and it seems reasonable to take the word of a man who has not been shown to lie. So reasonably, we take his word at face value and allow that he may indeed have a unicorn in his garden.
When we visit his home, we are interested to see the unicorn, but when asked the man says he has a big garden and the unicorn isn't around the house at the moment, but it is there nonetheless. We're disappointed, of course, but we have no reason to disbelieve him.
Later the man makes a moral judgement about our behaviour, such as "it is wrong to eat wheat on a Wednesday", and when asked why this is so, the man replies that his unicorn told him so. We are irritated by such judgement, and surprised that not only this man claims to have a unicorn, but that it can speak also. So we ask to see this unicorn and ask why it is wrong to eat wheat on a Wednesday. We search the garden with the man and find no unicorn, but have no proof that none exists. When challenged to produce the unicorn, the man now claims that the unicorn is invisible, and is in all parts of the garden at the same time.
Now the man's claim is looking extraordinary for a number of reasons:
1. We have never seen a unicorn, and they are popularly believed to be fictional;
2. We have never heard an animal speak, and most people accept that only humans speak;
3. The man changed his story to suit his needs as we enquired further about his talking unicorn;
4. We have never had experience of invisible animals, and invisibility has never been demonstrated; and
5. The concept of something being everywhere at once appears contradictory.
So we conclude that on the balance of probability, the man's claim is bogus and put the onus on him to prove the existence of his unicorn.
We tell the man not to be so silly and judgemental about our wheat eating habits, and go about our business, trying to avoid aggravating someone who appears not to have a firm grasp on reality.
Then we find that the man is a teacher is our children's school and is telling them that his unicorn is real, that they should not eat wheat on Wednesdays and other rules about how to live their lives which he cannot substantiate, other than by claiming his invisible unicorn told him so, and the children must believe him.
So now we are angry that our children are being indoctrinated and ask the school to stop him. When we find that the school governors are unicorn believers too, that none of them can prove the existence of unicorns either, but fully support the indoctrination of our children, we are outraged. We speak to local politicians and media, and mount a campaign to stop this silliness. But then the government, many members of whom turn out to believe in pixies or leprechauns, equally without foundation, object that we are trying to restrict people's right to believe what they choose to believe, and criticise us for being arrogant and intolerant.
We hold our heads in our hands, wondering how these people can be so deluded, and how we can have our children taught math, English and science, without all this mumbo-jumbo. We realise that it is we who are in the minority, and the world deluded.
At first, it is quite reasonable to give benefit of the doubt to a man who makes a claim, such as "I have a unicorn in my garden". After all, we have not searched his garden and have no proof that he has no unicorn, and it seems reasonable to take the word of a man who has not been shown to lie. So reasonably, we take his word at face value and allow that he may indeed have a unicorn in his garden.When we visit his home, we are interested to see the unicorn, but when asked the man says he has a big garden and the unicorn isn't around the house at the moment, but it is there nonetheless. We're disappointed, of course, but we have no reason to disbelieve him.
Later the man makes a moral judgement about our behaviour, such as "it is wrong to eat wheat on a Wednesday", and when asked why this is so, the man replies that his unicorn told him so. We are irritated by such judgement, and surprised that not only this man claims to have a unicorn, but that it can speak also. So we ask to see this unicorn and ask why it is wrong to eat wheat on a Wednesday. We search the garden with the man and find no unicorn, but have no proof that none exists. When challenged to produce the unicorn, the man now claims that the unicorn is invisible, and is in all parts of the garden at the same time.
Now the man's claim is looking extraordinary for a number of reasons:
1. We have never seen a unicorn, and they are popularly believed to be fictional;
2. We have never heard an animal speak, and most people accept that only humans speak;
3. The man changed his story to suit his needs as we enquired further about his talking unicorn;
4. We have never had experience of invisible animals, and invisibility has never been demonstrated; and
5. The concept of something being everywhere at once appears contradictory.
So we conclude that on the balance of probability, the man's claim is bogus and put the onus on him to prove the existence of his unicorn.
We tell the man not to be so silly and judgemental about our wheat eating habits, and go about our business, trying to avoid aggravating someone who appears not to have a firm grasp on reality.
Then we find that the man is a teacher is our children's school and is telling them that his unicorn is real, that they should not eat wheat on Wednesdays and other rules about how to live their lives which he cannot substantiate, other than by claiming his invisible unicorn told him so, and the children must believe him.
So now we are angry that our children are being indoctrinated and ask the school to stop him. When we find that the school governors are unicorn believers too, that none of them can prove the existence of unicorns either, but fully support the indoctrination of our children, we are outraged. We speak to local politicians and media, and mount a campaign to stop this silliness. But then the government, many members of whom turn out to believe in pixies or leprechauns, equally without foundation, object that we are trying to restrict people's right to believe what they choose to believe, and criticise us for being arrogant and intolerant.
We hold our heads in our hands, wondering how these people can be so deluded, and how we can have our children taught math, English and science, without all this mumbo-jumbo. We realise that it is we who are in the minority, and the world deluded.
~ Mark Beard
Sunday, 8 July 2012
Monday, 12 December 2011
The US - getting in the Christmas spirit . . .
Peace on Earth. Goodwill to Men
(As the saying goes)
Merry Christmas America - Enjoy your presents!
Friday, 18 November 2011
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Friday, 7 October 2011
Monday, 19 September 2011
Sunday, 18 September 2011
A thought for Sunday church-goers
"The most powerful being ever created a universe of over 100 billion galaxies, each with over 100 billion stars, which existed for 14 billion years, and then picked one of the 100 billion galaxies and picked one of the 100 billion stars in that galaxy, and picked one planet revolving around that star, and of the million species on that planet he picked one animal member of all those species and said: ‘I’ve really got to tell that guy to stop gathering sticks on the Sabbath’.” ~ Michael Nugent
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Monday, 29 August 2011
Rare Bible on eBay
"You are bidding on an extremely rare copy of a "THE BIBLE." written by. Jesus, et al.
What makes this copy so rare is that it is autographed by JESUS CHRIST himself!!! It appears he has signed it using a royal blue Expo marker...which makes it even more valuable.
Book is 'like new' with some slight use. I'm not pointing fingers at Jesus or anything, but someone has included some crudely drawn PENISES on a few of the pages.
I'm not sure there has been any other Jesus autographs to hit the auction markets, so this is your ONE AND ONLY CHANCE!!!
*** PLEASE NOTE ***
AND THIS IS EXTREMELY EXTREMELY EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.... The VHS copy of "The Fly" is NOT included in the auction sale. Thank you!"
Starting price only $1,000,000.69
This is going to really SOAR!
To bid go to:- http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-BIBLE-Autographed-JESUS-CHRIST-himself-RARE-/160642753290?pt=US_Fiction_Books&hash=item25670de30a
Saturday, 20 August 2011
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CLERGY, MISSIONARIES & CHRISTIAN FRIENDS
Dear believer in Jesus,
Only out of common courtesy do I tolerate your efforts to share the Invisible Man in the Sky gospel with me. I know that much time and money has gone into your efforts; way out of proportion to the success rate of people actually accepting your delusional teachings. Therefore, I feel it only fair that first I reciprocate by sharing something important with you.
Before I consider your teachings I ask you in all honesty, Are you indeed “a True Christian?"
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Friday, 15 July 2011
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Monday, 9 May 2011
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