The Purpose of Life – Religion and Hardwiring.

Posted on by Opher

I believe that to an extent religion is hardwired into our brains through evolution. We have evolved intelligence. Our success is our ability to see patterns and solve problems. There is a purpose to everything. That works great with hunter gathering. It enables us to work with the patterns of seasons and weather, to see the patterns of behaviour in predators and prey, to find water, to seek out fruits, berries and plants, to make tools, invent things and develop knowledge and technology.

This problem solving ability has enabled us to become masters of science and technology to the point where we are actually not only the predominant species but we are actually changing the whole planet. This is now the Anthropocene. Science and technology, stemming from our intelligence, our ability to see patterns and solve problems, has brought us control over our environment and all creatures. It has brought us agriculture and civilisation and enabled us to prosper in huge numbers – now pushing 8 Billion.

It falls down when confronted with the big questions that there are no answers for. Such as what is this immense universe? Where did it come from? What is life? Where did it come from? Am I immortal?

As I said at the beginning – we are hardwired to provide answers. We do not have answers to these and other such questions. They are too immense for our puny brains. Those brains have evolved to solve more mundane, practical problems. But that does not stop us from searching for answers and providing answers.

Early man was subjected to the vagaries of nature. If they could not find food through hunting or their crops failed because of unseasonal weather they starved.

They worshipped things such as the sun which gave life. They thought they could control it, appease the god they had created and performed rituals to please her. They performed rituals to produce rain, to have a good hunt, to harvest crops, for fertility, health and prosperity. They had holy men who could converse with the gods they had created. They invented explanations for the world, the sequence of life and death, creation myths and morality stories. They created reasons for when things went wrong and how they could put them right. They created fascinating tales of the afterlife to remove fear of death – death that was so prevalent.

They held great ceremonies, pageants and developed elaborate sacrifices and costumes. They built pyramids, temples and powerful spectacle.

The bigger and more lavish the greater the ease in believing in the story.

Through time these religions grew in sophistication and adapted as our knowledge of the universe and life grew. We see this with Christianity. In the beginning Hell was under the ground, Heaven was just above the firmament, the heavens were a dome. The stars chinks in that dome letting through the light of god, the sun rotated around the earth. As our knowledge grew these concepts were changed. We no longer look for hell under the ground or burn people for saying the earth goes round the sun.

We still cling on to the supernatural explanations though. Our minds have evolved to require answers. We still need to believe there is a purpose. Even in the face of no evidence we cling to the supernatural answers we find satisfying. They give us the assurance of order, purpose and answer our questions. They are much more psychologically satisfying than to accept there are no reasons, no order and no purpose. The universe just is. Life is an accident. We have a life and that is it. The only reasons we have are the ones we sort out for ourselves.

But I reckon that it is best to face up to the truth and accept it as it is. I see no evidence of god, an afterlife or a purpose for life.

Best to get on with it and enjoy it while we can. All we have is now. Let’s try to make this wonderful experience as good as we can make it, wring as much love, fun, creativity and pleasure out of it as we can and make the planet as good as we can make it for everybody else and all living things. That’s fulfilment enough for me.

Christian Priests, Muslims and Sex Abuse – What does it tell us?

Posted on by Opher

Barely a day goes by without a story of sexual abuse from one religious group or another in all parts of the world.

Seemingly a large number of Catholic and Protestant clergy have been involved in the systematic sexual abuse of children for centuries. It has been going on with the knowledge of the community and it has been hidden up.

What does this tell us? It produces more questions than answers.

Are paedophiles attracted to the clergy? Do they worm their way in to gain access to young children and have power over them?

Why is there a condoning of this activity by the hierarchies of the church?

Why did they all try to cover it up?

Why did they all enable it to continue?

Why did the community and victims not speak out louder?

It seems that every time this wicked abuse came to light the guilty parties who carried out the crimes were merely moved somewhere else where they were free to continue their abuse on a new set of victims.

If these religious people were so convinced in the bible and god; if they believed – they truly believed they would be judged by god and punished for their sins why did they commit such heinous sins?

One must assume that they did not believe the scriptures they were peddling – and neither did the hierarchy who covered it up! They were using their congregations.

It is the same with these supposedly Muslim men who have systematically groomed young vulnerable girls. How religious were they?

Did these abusers really believe in the teachings of the Koran? Did they believe that these vulnerable young girls were asking for what they got? Or does the Koran condone the rape of young girls?

Why did the authorities take so long to act?

Was it fear of being called racist?

Was it an attitude towards these girls from difficult backgrounds that they were making choices and deserved what they got?

As an antitheist, who believes all religion does more harm than good, all of this serves to strengthen my views that many people use religion to gain power and wealth and are total hypocrites.

These abusers – Christian and Muslim – are scum. They need locking up. They speak volumes for the hypocrisy of the religions they supposedly represent.

No wonder the power of the church is declining.

Is there a God? Some thoughts and questions.

Posted on by Opher

Is there a god who created the universe? Perhaps one who created the big bang and then left it to get on with things? Or one who created the universe and life and is involved with how it develops?

Now that is the nub of the matter. Put aside all the religious books that were so obviously (to me) written by man and one still has the major questions about creation. How did the universe come out of nothing? That is something that is beyond our comprehension (not surprising really with our tiny brains and limited intelligence). Did god create it? Is there a god?

For me it is obvious – there is not.

For me the very idea of a creator is such a human concept and merely kicks the can further down the road. It creates more unknowns than it answers:

We humans cannot conceive of something coming from nothing.

We solve this by having a superbeing who is capable of creating everything from nothing.

What does that solve? Nothing as far as I can see!

How logical is it? Not logical at all to me!

Is there any evidence for this superbeing? None whatsoever in my view.

We still have a universe created out of nothing.

We now have a superbeing who has come from nowhere with the ability to create whole universes. How much more incredible is that than what we had in the first place? It just poses a whole series of other questions:

Where did this superbeing come from?

Who created him?

Did he arise out of nothing spontaneously?

He has to be even more incredible than the universe doesn’t he? How can that happen? – – The spontaneous creation of a amazingly complicated god with stupendous powers out of nothing?

Or has he always been there forever? Just think about that for a moment and see if that makes sense.

What was his motive in creating the universe?

Where was he before the universe was created?

It certainly doesn’t make any sense to me. It sounds like a human construct to explain the unknowable, nothing more.

What do you think?

Burkas and Boris!

Posted on by Opher

It is rare for me to side with Boris – no actually unique – but I think I agree with him on this. His words may be offensive but what is wrong with offense? Can it be Islamophobic if the Burka and Niqab are not Islamic? Certainly seeing a person’s face is an integral part of Western civilised behaviour. In my view these clothings are oppressive and misogynistic.

This is a precis of what Boris said:

Mr Johnson said that schools and universities should expect students to remove face coverings if they turn up ‘looking like a bank robber’. He wrote: ‘If you tell me that the burka is oppressive, then I am with you. ‘If you say that it is weird and bullying to expect women to cover their faces, then I totally agree – and I would add that I can find no scriptural authority for the practice in the Koran. ‘I would go further and say that it is absolutely ridiculous that people should choose to go around looking like letter boxes.’ But he said a total ban would boost radicals who claim there is a ‘clash of civilisations’ between Islam and the West.

What do you think?

Niqabs and Burqas?? Was Boris right??

Posted on by Opher

Well Boris with his usual bumbling has opened up a debate by comparing women in Niqabs and Burqas to letter boxes and bank robbers.

Well to start with it was rude and offensive. But I don’t mind offense.

Was it Islamophobic??

Possibly.

Personally I find the wearing of such garments completely offensive. They are garments that shriek to me of male domineering misogyny from cultures long ago and I don’t think they have any place in a civilised country. They offend my sensibilities. When I interact with someone I interact with their face. The whole of the human face is expressive. Not to have that contact seems wrong. I can understand why people find it threatening.

I find it absolutely wrong for men to be walking around in comfortable, cool Western clothes while women are wearing such cumbersome and unpleasantly claustrophobic attire. Mind you, I find some of the costumes some men wear utterly unsuited for the British climate and almost as bad.

A number of countries have gone so far as to ban these niqabs and burqas as not being compatible with society. I would agree that they are not compatible with a modern society based on equality.

But I wouldn’t ban them. I would oppose any laws that dictated what someone should or should not wear. However, I do think that if a person is working with children or the public, where face to face is so important, these, like crash-hats, balaclavas, masks or any other facial covering, should not be worn.

These garments are not even Islamic. There is no mention of them in the Koran. They date back to days well before. So why are some Muslim women insisting on wearing them?

Surely Muslim women in Britain should exercise their right to freedom and show unity with their sisters in those countries where these things are compulsory?

What do you think?

Was Bumbling Boris right to be so rude?

All Answers Are Contained Within – A Poem

Posted on by Opher

All Answers Are Contained Within

 

Mosques, Cathedrals, Temples and Idols,

Rituals, Prayers, Sacrifices and Adornment.

Holy Books, Psalms, Offerings and Pageant.

Indoctrination, Incantation, Lessons and Ceremony.

All falling well short of the mystery;

Not coming close to capturing the essence;

Not explaining the unexplainable;

Not shedding any light on reality;

But arrogantly asserting that all answers

Are contained within.

 

Opher 1.8.2018

 

 

Every religion claims to have the answer. Seemingly it is only contained within their holy books and rituals. All other religions have got it wrong.

My God is better than your God.

Yet the mysteries go on untouched by the words in the holy books.

There are no answers to be found – but lots of questions.

So Oph Why are you so angry about religion?

Posted on by Opher

So Oph Why are you so angry about religion?

I am angry at anyone or any doctrine that causes young baby girls to scream as their genitals are mutilated with blunt razor blades.

I am angry over any doctrine that brainwashes young kids.

I am angry because I hear of brutal sadistic Shia thugs torturing and slaughtering Sunni’s in the name of God.

I am angry because I hear of brutal sadistic Sunni thugs torturing and slaughtering Shia’s in the name of God.

I am furious that Islamist barbarians hacking off the heads of innocent Christians.

I am furious because I hear of pogroms, crusades, inquisitions, and genocides in the name of fictitious Gods.

I am furious every time I see women in sacks, with no rights, not able to vote, drive or go out of the house. I am angry at the misogyny in all Abrahamic religions forcing them into being second-class citizens.

I am furious when I hear of people talking about an after-life as if it were fact when there is no evidence of any God, after-life or religious purpose. It is all farcically fanciful.

I am furious when I think how much progress has been held back by the idiocy of religion.

I am furious when I think of Persia – the seat of civilisation, agriculture, writing and maths – stultified into the dark ages for 1500 years because of religion.

I am angry at the way religion is used to promote violence and hatred.

I am infuriated when I hear bigoted immigrant newcomers to my country telling me my ways are wrong and that they want to impose what I consider to be primitive barbaric laws on me and my family.

I am furious when I hear of primitive cultures, hidebound, bereft of ideas, rejecting all western values and progress, yet quite happy to use western products such as Kalashnikovs, high explosives and electric lights when it suits them.

I am indescribably incensed by the idiocy of religions promoting large families and opposing contraception when the world population is 7 billion and growing, swamping ecosystems, consuming finite resources at an alarming rate, creating mass extinctions and altering the whole balance of the biosphere.

I am furious at the thought that people can be persecuted, threatened and even tortured and killed for daring to speak out against the insanity of religion.

I am furious at the way TV evangelists cheat the gullible of their paltry earnings while they themselves live in luxury.

I am angry at the hypocrisy, arrogance and mindlessness of people who take archaic texts literally.

I am furious at the way religion is used to gain power, exploit people and control them.

Religion – My views

Posted on by Opher

I share 99% of my genes with chimps and gorillas – so do you!

I do not set out to promote hatred or disrespect. I set out to promote debate and stand up for freedom, equality and tolerance.

If you are of a religious persuasion and are easily upset by the outspoken views of a devout atheist and antitheist who believes all religion is medieval superstition then this is probably not your scene. If you proceed you will be offended. My advice is to stay out!

However, if you are religious and open-minded you may want to enter the debate.

If you are an atheist, antitheist, agnostic or couldn’t care less then you might find this interesting.

I wish nobody harm and would support your right to believe in whatever you want.

The one thing I know is that if there is a god then it must be me. I am the only thing I can be 100% sure exists.

If I had been born in Pakistan I’d believe in Mohamed, in Louisiana it would be Jesus and in India I would have believed in Shiva, Ganesh and the rest.

Fortunately my parents did not indoctrinate me with their views. I am sceptical about everything. As far as I’m concerned all religion is based on superstition. All religions will die away. We’ve already forgotten Baal, Isis, Zeus and a hundred thousand others that were all equally believed to be the answer.

We create religion because we are trying to understand the wondrous universe, our short lives and to come to terms with death. We are programmed to try to understand and find answers.

There are no answers. There are not even any questions.

The Earth is not flat; it is a sphere.

We live on a tiny planet in an outer spiral of a small galaxy called the Milky Way. Our sun is one of trillions of stars in our small galaxy. There are trillions of galaxies many of which are much bigger than ours.

I find it a trifle arrogant to suggest that anyone is part of a small tribe that God chose to speak to and created the whole universe for their benefit. That is clearly bollocks. Though to the indoctrinated it makes perfect sense.

I believe that the setting up of religious schools, madrassas and any other means of indoctrinating children is child abuse.

I do not attack your faith – I attack your religion.

Ode To A Fundamentalist – a poem that satirically send up extremism.

Posted on by Opher

Ode to a Fundamentalist

 

If he had a woman she’d not be allowed to think

He’d keep her shackled to the kitchen sink.

When not popping babies she’d clean up the house

Then sit looking pretty as still as a mouse.

She’d have to obey his every whim

For as is obvious she’s not really equal to him.

 

And as for the faggots and those perverted by porn

He’d have them rounded up to be shot at dawn.

The wanking police would be knocking at your door

Checking for spills so they could give you what for.

 

Those that were guilty of teaching sex ed

Would be tortured and maimed until better off dead.

And as for the commies, those who crave equality

Death is too good for you, them and me.

 

And as for the stoners – those that get out of their head

There’s another group who’d be better off dead.

So round them up with the queers, sluts and wogs

Kick ‘em and lash them

They’re worse than stray dogs.

 

When he was all through and had cleaned up the perverse,

Using archaic texts in Arabic verse,

He’d proclaim the world free of perversion and sin –

Herald a new age and usher it in.

 

He would be King of the whole damned world

And all nature would die as his plans unfurled;

For the scientists all lie – there’s no extinction rate

And as for the climate – that’s going just great!

 

He knows that god wrote the words from his realm up in space

And gave them to us cos we’re such a disgrace.

So stone all the women and bash out baby brains,

Wage war on the infidel who are obviously insane.

They believe the wrong words from the wrong book

So bomb them to bits and hang them from hooks.

 

But the new age is the past in his universe

Where superstition rules with lessons so terse.

Rules that were written thousands of years gone

Now applied to the letter to right every wrong.

In his universe it’s all white and black

You do as you’re told and don’t dare answer back.

 

For in the new age we’ll all be white male

With a society like that you just cannot fail!

No room for inferiors or the depraved

They’ll all be wiped out or rightly enslaved.

They’ll be no point in arguing – no ifs and no buts

But fortunately ….. we all see …….. that he is just nuts!!

 

Other 17.6.2018

 

 

I wrote this for a particular religious nutcase who writes on a forum I contribute to. It is an accurate picture of what the guy believes. These people actually manage to get themselves in positions of power where they inflict their horrendous fundamentalist views on the rest of us.

Their misogyny, homophobia, racism and religious intolerance is scary.

This is the type of thing Margaret Atwood wrote The Handmaid’s Tale about.

They are real.

More But Not Enough – A poem for religious fundamentalists.

Posted on by Opher

More But Not Enough

 

More galaxies than grains of sand on every beach.

More stars than can be counted or imagined.

More time than has ever been.

More space than can be crossed.

More dreams than can fill a head.

More awe than we could ever wonder at.

More than enough mystery to last forever.

Yet not enough life to even risk a guess.

 

Opher 9.6.2017

 

 

I wrote this after watching a programme about the beginnings and beliefs of the Islamic Death Cult of ISIS and their literal acceptance of selected texts from the Koran. They interviewed one of their Jordanian architects. He recited texts and called them the word of Allah.

He disgusted me.

He sanctified slavery, butchery and torture using words from the Dark Ages. He claimed, unflinchingly, that they were god’s instructions and superior to any laws of man, that humanity and compassion counted for nothing.

I wondered how any mind can accept these words without doubt as to their origin. I wondered at what brainwashing had taken place to create such blind acceptance.

The Koran, Bible and all other religious texts are artefacts from an ignorant, uneducated age. Those books were written and compiled by people, not god. They come from cultures who were misogynistic, nomadic and tribal and it shows.

The world is full of mystery. It is an adventure of great wonder. To use moribund texts from the Dark Ages to justify misery and horror is obscene. Life is short. It should be a journey of love, music, happiness, friendship, dance, art, nature and writing, not of hatred, division and violence.

These people, Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu and whatever, who put their faith in relics from the past are missing the mystery of life. Theirs is a waste of a life; a journey of death. True meaning lies in discovery and wonder.