The Atheist Blog

A Morailty Questionnaire

I came across this excellent post over at Possum Momma (a.k.a Atheist in a MiniVan) and though it would be fun to answer the question, and provide a brief commentary on the questions, here.  I’d thoroughly recommend you read the fill post, the questionnaire is from a Sixth Grade “Science” project.

Question: Do unchristians make less moral choices than Christians?

Hypothesis: The Bible is the perfect guide to life that shows us how to be moral people. Without believing in the Bible you can’t know God and he can’t guide you and give you rewards for being a good person. I think people who aren’t Christian will be less successful.

Experiment: I will interview thirty people and ask them if they are Christian. I will give them the same questions so I have a control sample. I think they are immoral if they score lower than 15.
Questions I will ask. There are 20 points available.

1. Have you ever spoke the name of our Lord in vain? - Our Lord?  I don’t have one, so no.  Score 1!  (good start, let’s keep this up).
2. Have you ever killed another human being? - If I answered yes to this, I’d have bigger problems than failing this morality test.  No.  Score 2.
3. Have you every lied? - When I was 6 I told someone God was real.  It was a cruel joke.  Yes.  Score 2.
4. Have you ever had relations before marriage? - Hasn’t everyone?  My mother is one example of a relation, and I’m not married.  Yes.  Score 2
5. Do you go to church every Sunday or once a week? - Good one.  I’d rather rub salt into my eyes.  No.  Personally I think this should gain me a point, but that’s probably not what the author had in mind.  No.  Score 2.
6. Do you wish you had more stuff? - I wish I had more Bibles.  Oh, that’s a conundrum.  Yes.  Score 2.
7. Do you gossip? - Why?  What have you heard?  Yes.  Score 2.
8. Do you give to charity? - Yes, so long as said charity has no religious affiliations.  Yes.  Score 3.
9. Do you listen to rap or heavy metal music? - I definitely don’t listen to Brave Saint Saturn, if that’s what you mean. Yes.  Score 3.
10. Have you ever had an abortion or been pro-choice? - Well I’m a man, so that’s abortion out of it.  But am I so morally decrepit that I’ll try and force my views on other people?  No.  So, in this twisted logic that translated to a Yes.  Score 3.
11. Have you ever read Harry Potter or Spiderwick Chronicles or the Golden Compass? - It’s funny that I can get a point for this even though I’ve read numerous atheist books, such as The God Delusion.  No.  Score 4.
12. Do you see movies with unwholesome content? - I usually see movies with my Girlfriend.  Yes.  Score 4.
13. Do you pray every day? - I prey every day, does that count?  No.  Score 4.
14. Do you believe that God is the creator of heaven and earth? - Well I don’t believe heaven exists, and I’m sure that if some entity did create the earth they would have done a better job,  Like intelligently designing people to be clever enough not to be religious, instead of relying on the intelligent amongst us to evolve to such a state.  Hell no.  Score 4.
15. Are you overweight because you eat too much? - No I’m overweight because God is punishing me for hom not existing.  No.  Score 5. (I’m overweight because I don’t exercise enough!)
16. Do you take pride in accomplishments other than service to God? - I don’t take pride in anything.  I love apathy.  No.  Score 6.
17. Do you put God and Jesus first? - Er, I can’t put two things first.  That’s like asking someone to dedicate themselves 110% to something.  Can’t be done.  Sorry.  No.  Score 6.
18. Do you view pornography? - View?  or interact with?  No.  Score 7.
19. Do you practice temperance in every thing you do? - Such as my fanatical following of a religion? No.  Score 7.
20. Are you quick to anger? - Not according to the judge.  Actually, I take pride (damn!) in the fact that I’m very calm, logical and diabolical un-flappable.  So no.  Score 8.

So I got an eight.  Better than I thought I would.  Admittedly I had to use some pedantic interpretations of the questions, but that’s ok in my book.

In all seriousness though, this questionnaire and it’s author can’t really be criticized.  It all comes down the the parents who have ingrained this belief in the child that you can only be “moral” if you are a Christian.  Note that you can’t achieve the “pass mark” unless you get at least some of the Christian exclusive activities right.  It’s asking a question that only has three outcomes.  Either you’re a Christian and moral, or a Christian and not moral or an unmoral non-Christian.  There’s no fourth option.

How did you do?

   Misc    4 Comments

A Video, and Some Questions

I came across this video (embedded below) on Richard Dawkins.net today and, well, WOW.  This is a video made with the clear intention of scaring impressionable individuals, specifically school children, into either converting to Christianity, or if they are already Christian, evangelizing to their friends.  I watched the entire thing, giggling throughout.  At the end, I found myself asking some questions, some questions that seem really obvious to me.

1. This is a letter written by a fictitious person?  So it’s a fictitious letter and scenario then?  I’m just glad the Christian religion has never tried to pass off a piece of fiction as fact before now!  Wait a minute…
2. How does the dead guy know what burning brimstone smells like? It’s hardly common.
3. Once again we see that believing in God is enough.  Despite the fact that it appears the two central characters (with names plucked straight from the 90’s) were together and partaking in the same acts, the one who believes in God would get to go to heaven?
4. Why is there a corridor in hell?
5. Would you rather be in hell with the burning brimstone (I hear it smells like fish) or in heaven with the despicable people who made this video?
6. Do any Christians out there actually believe that an Atheist friend of theirs would blame them for not trying hard enough in converting them to Christianity?  What a ridiculous idea.  Yes, of course it’s the Christians fault that the Atheist chose not to be brainwashed by a cult.  I mean, really.  Typical Christian self-importance.

Did I miss anything?  And don’t forget, I wish you were here…

   Propoganda    1 Comment

Idiotic, Absolutely Idiotic

There’s a story in Time (from 1970) about a couple who have had to give an a child they adopted because they “Do not believe in a supreme being”. The judge who made the decision did so on the basis that the child should be allowed to worship freely.

Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but being an Atheist does not mean you will actively prevent people from worshiping what ever God, or Supreme Being, they chose to believe in. However, if this child was sent to a Christian couple, they would be prevented from worshiping any God other than the Christian God. After all, a Christian Couple are not going to willingly let a child they have adopted break one of the commandments.

Quite frankly, this is one of the most idiotic decisions I’ve ever seen. One one level, the judge would rather the child be without a stable home than living with a couple of atheists. On a whole other level the Judge seems to have some fundamental misunderstandings of the tolerances of each community. Those who are religious are completely, and unashamedly, intolerant of all other religions. Atheists are not bound by such obvious self serving rules.

I think the question judges should be asking is, “Should a religious couple be allowed to have children?”. This seems a far more valid question in my eyes. While an atheist couple will present facts and evidence to their children, a religious couple will use age old brain washing techniques to perpetuate the ignorance.

Are we still confronted with such ludicrous situations?

   News    Add a comment