Advocatus Atheist

Ever since Randal Rauser kicked me off his blog three years ago, I have rarely gone back. This year my book The Swedish Fish, Deflating the Scuba Diver and Working the Rabbit’s Foot , a response to Rauser’s The Swedish Atheist, The Scuba Diver and Other Apologetic Rabbit Trails was released. Soon after, I was directed to a post on his website in which a reader asked if he’d respond to my critique of his book. Needless to say Randal acted as I have come to expect from him, childish, overly defensive and not very professional. He went on to disparage me by slinging not one, not two, not three, not even four, but FIVE ad hominems against my character for the initial comments that got me banned three years ago. Even so, I couldn’t help but venture over to Randal’s blog again when an interesting April 9, 2015 blog post came up in my Disqus news feed simply titled “Mocking Atheism.” I read Randal’s comments, in which he basically sets out to defend atheis...

Intro My wife married a god fearing Christian and to her great relief an atheist emerged shortly thereafter. I count myself among the lucky--that my prior faith--and so too my subsequent crisis of faith--played a minimal role in my relationship with the woman I love. In the end, I think it all really depends on how open minded both couples are--and how honest they are with one another (as well as themselves). If one of them turns out to be completely religious--and the other is not--there will undoubtedly be some friction. This friction can be smoothed over by the simple agreement not to talk about religion in the home--like the one my Japanese wife and I had when I was a raging, proselytizing, missionary for Jesus save em' all Christ. Lesson 1: Family comes first. If you and your significant other share opposing worldviews, be it religious or political, don't talk about religion and/or politics in the home. It will save the both of you a lot of wasted breath...

In Saudi Arabia, there is an Islamic organization called the CPVPV which proclaims itself the executive arm of enforcing Sharia law . Sharia law, for those that don't know, is ridiculously absurd. That's all you need to know about it. I won't waste my breath even talking about it any further than to say--anyone who practices Sharia law is immoral and needs to learn how to respect their fellow human beings better. Women are people too. Imagine my utter dismay when I read an article in USA Today stating that the CPVPV is now demanding that Muslim women cover, not only their heads, not only their entire bodies, but now their eyes too! Why? Because their eyes are, apparently, too attractive. Attractive in this context means sexually stimulating--because simple beauty is not a crime. Arousing a man's carnal desires, however, is--in Islamic countries which practice Sharia. What this tells us is that Muslim men who practice Sharia are without honor. They cannot muster...

An ethnic slur, or ethnohaulism as it's technically called, is when a term or combination of terms are used as insinuations or allegations about members of a given ethnicity or to refer to them in a derogatory (critical or disrespectful), pejorative (disapproving or contemptuous), or insulting fashion. More simply put, an ethnic slur is a term or word(s) used to insult someone on the basis of race, ethnicity, or nationality. Recently I was watching a debate about the pejorative term "towel-head" and whether or not the term is racist. Personally, I do not know the history of the usage of this term, but according to The Oxford Dictionary of English , the term is classified as informal/offensive. Not informal/racist. The term, however, is commonly used as a term of abuse for a Muslim or Arab who wears the style of headdress, either a turban or keffiyeh , which looks like a wrapped up towel atop of a person's head. I personally would never use the term "towe...

God is love . (John 4:16) Quite often these days I see religious folk posting quaint little blurbs like the above on the Internet.  It makes me really question whether they have thought through their beliefs--because if they post the above sound bite because they actually "believe" it--then all they have done is show how fallacious their beliefs really are.  The above quote is not only a contradiction in terms--but it is also blatantly false. Only a person who has NOT taken the time to think about what the words are saying would be under the impression that the above sentiment is somehow agreeable. It's not, for reasons we shall soon discuss. So from now on I have decided to rebut stupid theology anytime I see it--in a series fittingly called Stupid Theology --just to show why its not only categorically wrong to hold such beliefs--but ultimately such types of belief(s) prove false. I suppose you could believe it if you so wished--but to me this would only amount to...

Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll is fast becoming one of my personal heroes with regard to style and whit. I now must classify him in the same league of extraordinary gentlemen as Mark Twain, Bertrand Russell, and Kurt Vonnegut when it comes to witty rebuttals and savvy critical commentary of religion. In 1878, the revivalist, old Mrs. Van Cott accused Colonel Ingersol of being "a poor barking dog." When asked if he knew her personally, Colonel Ingersol replied, "I have never met or seen her." The Colonel's interviewer asked him, "Do you know the reason she applied the epithet?" Ingersoll's reply was thus: "I suppose it to be the natural result of what is called vital piety; that is to say, universal love breeds individual hatred." The Express , a New York newspaper published out of Buffalo, asked Ingersoll whether he wished to respond to old Mrs. Van Cott's crude accusations. Of course, he had already taken the liberty of doi...

Sad news, I am afraid. As some of my readers know, I live in Japan. My city is called Kumamoto. Yesterday, a religious man took his mentally ill daughter to a monk to have an exorcism performed. The exorcism is part of a water cleansing ritual where a person is dowsed with water. The water is usually from a natural waterfall, but a makeshift waterfall device, sort of like a manual pump rigged to flood gate showering device, is available for ritualistic purposes. The process entails having water poured down onto you from about three meters. I've seen this practice done in real life at a beautiful scenic outdoor location with a beautiful waterfall. During the occasion I witnessed this ritual, the gathering only consisted of monks cleansing themselves. They would jump under the water, let it pelt them, and then scream chants. The idea is that the weight of the water, along with the cleansing properties (i.e., washing oneself clean), will wash evil spiri...

Burnt Up Bloody Fools Disclaimer: Although I predict that some of my views will be considered controversial, these are sensitive topics involving highly sensitive issues and emotions, and I will do my best to keep an open mind and be reasonable. Personally, I am for peace, cultural tolerance, and developing healthy worldviews. End of disclaimer. The Story of an Idiot, a Fool, and a Clown If you’ve been following the news, you’ll probably have read a snippet or blurb about the antics of Florida based pastor Terry Jones, head of the Christian congregation at Dove World Outreach Center, whose recent burning of the Muslim religious book the Qur’an triggered Muslim riots in Afghanistan that led to the deaths of 21 people. Mob riots incited by the burning of the Qur'an lead to attacks on a U.N. compound in Mazar-e Sharif, killing seven U.N. employees, and on Saturday, related protests in Kandahar left nine dead and more than 90 injured. In a recent essay on his blog The Oxonian call...