Score One For The Skeptics!

[joreth]

I don't know how many of you who read my journal have also viewed the various evolution vs. creationist YouTube videos (I referenced them once, but I don't remember where now), but I just found the video in which VenomFangX had to apologize to Thunderf00t!

A little backstory, VFX is one of the most arrogant and ignorant of the creationist apologists and makes YouTube videos spouting his effluvia of creationist bilge. Thunderf00t is a proponent of evolution and has a quite remarkable series entitled "Why Do People Laugh At Creationists".  In some of Thunderf00t's videos, he takes on VFX personally and debunks many of his claims.  VFX took exception to this and filed false (and hence, illegal) DCMA takedown notices (which are, very simply put, a charge that someone is violating copyright laws and a demand for YouTube to remove the video).  Thunderf00t obtained evidence that these charges were false and, not only got his videos put back up, but got the most awesome retribution ever! 

Because what VFX did was a felony charge, Thunderf00t legally had the right to sue the pants off of him and press charges.  Instead, what he did was require that VFX publicly apologize and spell out exactly what he did wrong and why it was wrong, including a statement of relief and gratitude for Thunderf00t's handling of the whole situation.

Thunderf00t has just made my list of personal heroes.

Comments

my 2 cents

[(Anonymous)]

Hello there. How are you? I hope well!

I noticed your creation vs. evolution post on one of the plaxo updates. Just thought I'd check it out as these debates interest me.

I'm sure its obvious to you that I am at least trying to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and I truly believe He is God. That being said, I believe in ID. I will not go into the reasons for my belief here as you have not asked me for them. Instead I'm commenting on the verbal abuse that is used in many of the videos that bash Christians.

Most Christians I know aren't calling atheists "stupid" or belittling them as human beings. Anyone can call themselves a Christian. The same person can also call themselves a giraffe. You know what a giraffe looks like. The Bible says you'll know true Christians by the fruit of the Spirit. Those fruits are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Every Christian makes mistakes. The concern is if they keep in the behavior with an unrepentant attitude after its brought to their attention by the Spirit (personal conviction) or their brethern.

On the other hand, most atheists I know speak with seething hatred toward Christians. Why? If Christians are really as stupid as we are called, should we not be pitied rather than bullied? The Apostle Paul said "if only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men" and "...if the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." The Christians he spoke to were severely persecuted, disowned by their families, tortured, barbecued, etc.. as is still the danger in some countries (see Voice of the Martyrs.)

If Christians are so mentally ill that they would devote their lives to an "imaginary" savior, where's the sport in bothering with them at all? Why not let them carry on cooking in the soup kitchens and taking care of the sick? Are they not happy to do this and don't we all benefit from their charity?

I'm married to a man who claims to be an athiest. He says he wants God to be true, but he has no faith. Of course I hope one day this will change. In the meantime, we have a happy marriage regardless of our different views. He has the security of knowing that I put his needs before my own and I would never betray him. These are traits I acquired from Christianity and he benefits greatly from this. He had a happy childhood with Christian parents. Most of the people he likes and trusts are Christians. Even though he doesn't understand what we believe, he does not complain about us.

I do wonder how an entirely atheistic society would regulate morality? If everyone's just "dancing to their DNA" then what's the value of morality anyway? Consider how much money we already spend just trying to protect ourselves from each other in locks, security systems, guns, knives, martial arts, police, missiles, etc... Right now, in a time when some people still feel shame after they commit a "crime" and change their behavior.

There's a growing number who don't have shame, defy the law, and say "you can't judge me." If there is no divine authority, they are correct. "The law of the land" and the common will of the people has no value either. If there is no true right and wrong, then anything goes. This includes rape, murder, theft, racism, sexism, etc. There remains only the individual instincts.

How do you regulate between the instincts though, especially the herd instinct and the self preservation instinct? Who determines which one is more valuable? This in itself would be an entirely relative perspective. Perspectives would be worthless, a scientific anomaly. The only society possible would appear to be one of force and oppression of some of the people and their insincts. Those people would have no voice because they just happen to be weaker and there is no court of right and wrong for them to appeal to.

Anyway, these are just my thoughts and questions...

Have a lovely evening and sorry for any spelling or grammatical errors!

Re: my 2 cents

[joreth]

For your questions about morality ... morality is not decided by religious belief. That is merely one mechanism for assigning authority. And considering all the atrocities committed in the name of "morality" and religion, frankly, I would feel much better living in a society whose rules and regulations were decided on a rational and reasonal basis as opposed to superstition and theocratic power. You are completely wrong about how atheists and rationalists see society and it's one of the most common misconceptions by religious people. You are telling me more about yourself than about me.

For instance, you are basically telling me that if you did not have a big sky-daddy threatening to spank you if you misbehave, that YOU would be out there raping, murdering, theiving, being racist, sexist, ect. because you assume no one is capable of self-regulation without these constraints. Fortunately, atheists do not require the threat of punishment to know that it is in our individual and collective best interests not to do those things in addition to our biological imperative not to behave so.

Read Greta Christina, for she spends a lot of time discussing these very issues and I, frankly, don't have the patience for dealing with people who see humanity as so vile, so worthless, so selfish, and so hateful as to assume we need to be watched all the time like naughty children or monkeys with loaded guns. Also, read tacit, specifically , for why the world is actually more awe-inspiring and more wonderous without a god.