Home > Uncategorized > A perfect combination: it’s blasphemy day and I have the flu

A perfect combination: it’s blasphemy day and I have the flu

September 30, 2009

Today is International Blashpemy Day, named in honor of the publication of those infamous cartoons of Mohammad back in 2005. 
It’s a serious thing: there are people who would, if they could, limit your freedom of speech, and by extension your freedom of thought, because of a relationship they have with an invisible being.

Here in America, it’s a little different, at least currently.  You won’t realize the pervasiveness, or the presumptuousness of religion unless you are non-religious.  Or more specifically, non-Christian.  Or heaven forbid (apparently), atheist.

There’s a tradition on our campus that I like a lot: people can write on the sidewalks in chalk, telling about events or promoting a point of view.  I will always defend this freedom, even if I disagree with the ideas being expressed.  As is the case with this example, part of a chalk-writing blitz from the Neuman Catholic center next to campus:

Oh, the basic sentiment is nice enough; it’s the unexamined corollaries that piss me off.  For starters, the assumptions made about atheists by the chalk artist.  And you know what they say about assuming…

Try changing the word “atheist” in that sentence to “Muslim” or “Jew” or even, “metallurgist” and ask if it isn’t just the least little bit presumptuous and condescending and insulting.  You think metallurgists feel lonely and unloved?  Really?  Certainly some people in any group do, but… as a defining characteristic of that group?

Stop and think before you chalk, people.  Why is it OK for you to write this about a diverse group of people?  Suppose a Baptist wrote;

“Catholic?  You are not alone, b/c ppl are praying for you.”

There was a long period in US history when Catholics were an out-group, untrusted and blamed for many of society’s ills. There’s an important lesson in that, which you seem to have missed.  We atheists are currently an out-group; the body politic has made it clear that we are invited to change and become like them.  Why would you assume that we need to be “prayed for”?  You think we arrived at disbelief in a Christianity-saturated culture without having to think about it?

Here’s another:

Oh, you do, do you?  Really?  How? How did you get them?  How can I verify those answers are correct?

I often hear statements like; “Science tells you what, but religion tells you why”. But they never say “how” religion tells you “why”. If pressed, they’ll fall back on the authority of scripture, or some sort of feeling they have about the deeper nature of the cosmos.  Which bears a striking resemblance to the culturally-approved dominant religion in which they grew up.

You may not like that religion is a private thing but until you can show me that your god exists, it’s yours, not mine.  The trouble is, like an invasive species escaped from someone’s fish tank, your religion doesn’t stay in its boundaries.  Your organization’s parent church spent millions of your donation dollars this year interfering with the lives of gays in California, and now they’re working on Maine and Iowa. 

You can pray for me all you want; nobody’s listening. Unfortunately, it seems impossible for me to reason for you.

NOTES:

  • There were a lot more chalk messages, including some that let me know the source of this message.  You can see the collection here: “Religion”.

  • Apparently an atheist campus group in Alabama tried some sidewalk chalking. It didn’t go well.  Surprised?
  • Cuttlefish wishes us Happy Blasphemy Day! With his/her inimitable verse and a wonderful illustration by Michael McRae. 
  • The earliest flu-shot appointment I could get was the 5th of October.  Guess that wasn’t early enough. Not that having the flu makes anyone more likely to blaspheme, but… well actually it does.  Really, don’t expect me to be nice today, especially to your imaginary god.
  • International Blasphemy Day website
  • Atheists are the most untrusted group in America. 
    From a telephone sampling of more than 2,000 households, university researchers found that Americans rate atheists below Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups in “sharing their vision of American society.” Atheists are also the minority group most Americans are least willing to allow their children to marry.

  • The sidewalks aren’t really this dirty on our campus; I ramped up the contrast to make the words easier to read.
  • I’m just picking on Catholic chalk today because they’re the most recent group to chalk up our campus.  We also get Gideons handing out little green New Testaments, whacked-out preachers spewing hellfire, and abortion protesters with gruesome pictures.  Another recent group informed us that their church is “Not your grandmother’s church!  I’d pick on them but it rained before I could get a good picture.
Categories: Uncategorized
  1. flynn
    September 30, 2009 at 16:44 | #1

    Ah, chalking, one of the things I miss about universities! Thanks for sharing. I would the “Atheist? You are not alone…b/c someone is praying for you” is a takeoff on the freethinker bus sign campaign with a similar message (without the part about prayer)—it’s discussed here:

    http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/08/oooooooffffeennnnssiiiiiiivvve.php

    And, yes, religion does tell us “why.”
    “Because I said so!”

  2. September 30, 2009 at 22:00 | #2

    I too miss those chalked messages giving me something to think about or blaspheme about on the way into work. They annoyed the crap out of me, but I never stopped to think about the underlying importance of having them there. Freedom of speech.

    Over in what I call “heaven”… okay… Iowa, there was a stink about an Atheist group putting up a bus ad. Got the Governor, whom I appreciate, to come out and talk about how terrible of a thing it is. Kind of sad really when it was just a simple bus ad. I go back to this every time I think about it.

  3. October 1, 2009 at 10:10 | #3

    Ah, religion.

    Maybe someday someone will explain to me why it frightens religionists so much that there are people who do not share their superstitions.

    And don’t tell me it’s altruism, because it certainly is not.

  4. October 1, 2009 at 15:58 | #4

    Is it OK if I meditate “for you”?  Don’t worry, it’s Zen, so there’s no content. :)

  5. October 1, 2009 at 17:04 | #5

    Jerry, you have put your finger on it: fear.  I have a theory that there are only two fundamental emotions—fear and love.  I am not sure why but with a significant number of people, fear expresses itself as anger, and when that anger is of a sufficient level and character, it can manifest itself as a drive to control others.  Religion perverted is one type of control, and doctrine can be used as a dressed-up tool for control.  The person(s) exercising the control can then feel some sort of twisted satisfaction. 

    This is one reason I practice Zen, as for me it helps me shed the illusions of duality and form, to help me directly experience reality.

  6. October 1, 2009 at 23:52 | #6

    I sorry u haz flu!  [Insert cute kitten picture here].  I hope it goes away quickly and quietly – nasty stuff. 

    Ah, lovely free speech.  I like the fact that in this country, people are allowed to open their mouths and prove beyond all doubt they’re idiots (even if they’re kindly idiots, in some cases), and we’re allowed to fire back.  Best part of the Constitution, in my opinion. 

    As far as the not being alone because people are praying for me… here’s what I’d chalk in return if I didn’t have to travel 2,000 miles to do it: “Really, I’d rather be alone.  KTHXBAI”

    Those kinds of prayers just seem awfully arrogant to me.  You’re not praying because you care, you’re praying because you’re trying to force your world view on others – and telling everybody how awesome you are for doing it.

    Didn’t Jesus say something about keeping your prayers in the closet?

  7. Tamra Raiche-Skibsted
    October 2, 2009 at 22:56 | #7

    Hey guys, I think the concept in regards to religious groups is the Great Commission that states that until all has heard, then Christ won’t return. And in today’ world, that would be a huge thing to have happen, to say the least.
    Also, isn’t it all supposed to be one big Party? I mean in heaven or what ever you choose to call where we go when we leave this body we have right now? and if we go somewhere, then I guess when we get there than we’ll have all the answers… right? So in the mean time, why not just be nice? Fear and intimidation never got a good response with me, but I do believe in the feelings I have. as I’m sure everyone else does as well. It’s the fight or flight type of feeling that gets our hairs to stand on end and it’s that fear of where we are going that causes others to find out a simple answer.
    What I dislike is the fact that each group says it’s the only way to live… well, well, well, that’s a deep subject.
    And to make matters worse, I’m sure it will be one heck of day when we get to where we go and see those that we thought would never have gotten there and it will be amazing to see who didn’t make it… although, I guess that would depend on where you end up I suppose…
    So if you have good thoughs, prayers or meditations for others, what’s the problem? But I don’t see the need to get all up in someone over it either… Who hired Webster anyway?
    Just my 2 cents, well 1cent because of inflation…
    Oh, and I’m praying for you atheists to get a clue… to what I’m not sure but it sure sounds good… and for all of you Christians that have no tolerance, take the plank out of your own eye and maybe, just maybe I’ll find the splinter in my own that you put there when you were picking at your plank…

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