On Jerry Coyne's recommendation, I rented "Never Let Me Go" and watched it last weekend. Jerry had written of this movie, "You’ll either love it or think it’s meh." My initial reaction tended towards "meh"; I thought the film was well acted and beautifully shot, but it didn't have much emotional impact on me at the time. In the days since I watched it, though, scenes have been replaying themselves in my head, a sure sign that it worked its way into my consciousness even though I wasn't giving it my undivided attention. (That happens a lot when I watch movies at home—too many distractions.) The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro (who also wrote "Remains of the Day"), and now I want to read the book to more fully explore ideas that were only briefly touched on in the film.
Some words and images hit you immediately: Racial or sexual epithets directed at you, or someone you love. Photos of a coed screaming as she crouches over the body of a fallen student, a man in a white shirt blocking the progress of a line of tanks, a Y-shaped trail of smoke and debris from an exploding space shuttle. Other inputs seem to need a while to sink in: Seemingly offhand remarks that don't trouble you until late at night in the quiet darkness, when your mind is mulling over the day's events. Images that were viewed only briefly but intrude on your thoughts hours or days later, demanding your attention. You can't escape them; you will deal with them, or they'll keep dealing with you.
As I watched "Never Let Me Go" a second time this evening, two lines from the school song that the students sing at the beginning of the movie—"When we are scattered afar and asunder, parted are those who are singing today"—took on an entirely new meaning. Now I understand that this film will be with me for a long, long time.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Making Enlightenment Work
I love this quote from Annie Laurie Gaylor (who, along with her husband Dan Barker, is co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation) about the FFRF's latest billboard campaign in Raleigh, North Carolina:
If you are a nonbeliever who's not out, though, give it some thought. If you were raised in an area (like most of the US) where some kind of religious belief is assumed but you've broken from the pack and acknowledged your lack of belief to yourself, it's probably because you place a high value on truth and reality. How better to demonstrate that value than to show your genuine self to the world?
H/T to Hemant at Friendly Atheist
It worked for the gay rights movement. It’s time for atheists and agnostics to come out of our closet...Many faces make enlightenment work. We know many people in North Carolina have never knowingly met an atheist or unbeliever, much less someone who is proud to advertise their nonbelief. We are so proud of our North Carolina members and participants.The decision to "come out of the closet" (sexually or spiritually) is a highly personal one. Even in situations where the culture and/or the legal system offer some protection, coming out isn't a safe option for everybody. I wouldn't urge someone to be open about their atheism (or agnosticism, or humanism, or "Brightism," or whatever label they prefer) if that would endanger their livelihood or essential relationships. Even if you don't face those risks, you don't have to be an "out" atheist just to satisfy the FFRF, Richard Dawkins, me, or anybody else. Maybe you're just the private type, and only share your sexual preferences, taste in TV shows, or beliefs about religion on a need-to-know basis. It's your call.
If you are a nonbeliever who's not out, though, give it some thought. If you were raised in an area (like most of the US) where some kind of religious belief is assumed but you've broken from the pack and acknowledged your lack of belief to yourself, it's probably because you place a high value on truth and reality. How better to demonstrate that value than to show your genuine self to the world?
H/T to Hemant at Friendly Atheist
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Loving IT
My iPad 2 is here. I think I'm in love. After using it for a few hours, holding one of my iPod touches feels like holding a toy, like switching from an oversized coffee mug to the thimble-sized plastic cups that little girls use at tea parties for their dolls. Still, the iTouches fit easily into a pocket or purse while the iPad has to ride in the zippered pouch on the outside of my laptop/messenger bag, so I won't be getting rid of the iTouches anytime soon.
I knew I'd be using the iPad to read eBooks, and oh my, they look gorgeous. Yeah, I know, the Kindle's "E Ink" is legible even in sunlight and the device has a great battery life, but since I spend as little time outdoors as possible and am rarely far from a power outlet, the ability to read in bed without a clip-on booklight is far more important to me. What I hadn't anticipated is that the iPad with the Smart Cover "rolled" into a triangular shape fits perfectly on the console of my treadmill. I can read while walking, something I could never do easily with "real" books. Hardbacks won't lay flat unless the spine's been cracked, and paperbacks are just too light to lay flat without being weighted down. Most magazines are so big they cover the controls on the treadmill, and the font size is usually too small for me. The iPad fits nicely between the treadmill's elevation and speed controls, though, and the font size (using the Kindle app) can be adjusted up to the point that I could almost read without glasses. I was so happy that I actually bought a book on Amazon.com yesterday (Any Human Heart by William Boyd; so far I'm enjoying it as much as the dramatization that was on Masterpiece Classic last month) after years of downloading just freebies. And if I don't feel like reading, there's the NetFlix app, and a keyboard big enough that I could actually type while walking (at my usual leisurely pace, anyway), and who knows what else.
My productivity at work was nil yesterday after the package showed up, so it's a good thing that the iPad was a gift/bonus from my boss. I can blame him for being distracted!
I knew I'd be using the iPad to read eBooks, and oh my, they look gorgeous. Yeah, I know, the Kindle's "E Ink" is legible even in sunlight and the device has a great battery life, but since I spend as little time outdoors as possible and am rarely far from a power outlet, the ability to read in bed without a clip-on booklight is far more important to me. What I hadn't anticipated is that the iPad with the Smart Cover "rolled" into a triangular shape fits perfectly on the console of my treadmill. I can read while walking, something I could never do easily with "real" books. Hardbacks won't lay flat unless the spine's been cracked, and paperbacks are just too light to lay flat without being weighted down. Most magazines are so big they cover the controls on the treadmill, and the font size is usually too small for me. The iPad fits nicely between the treadmill's elevation and speed controls, though, and the font size (using the Kindle app) can be adjusted up to the point that I could almost read without glasses. I was so happy that I actually bought a book on Amazon.com yesterday (Any Human Heart by William Boyd; so far I'm enjoying it as much as the dramatization that was on Masterpiece Classic last month) after years of downloading just freebies. And if I don't feel like reading, there's the NetFlix app, and a keyboard big enough that I could actually type while walking (at my usual leisurely pace, anyway), and who knows what else.
My productivity at work was nil yesterday after the package showed up, so it's a good thing that the iPad was a gift/bonus from my boss. I can blame him for being distracted!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Choosing My Words Less Carefully
A few weeks ago I discussed my efforts to stop using expressions that refer to religion or superstition, such as "oh god" or "bless you." Rebecca Watson at Skepchick has responded deftly to a correspondent who challenged her to stop using "phrases such as 'Oh, my God', 'Christ, or others that are direct or indirect entreaties to a god":
Stop making direct entreaties to Thor. Every time you use the word “Thursday” it honors the ancient, well-debunked concept of a man who lives in the sky and throws lightning bolts. Try using “fourth day of the week” instead, or perhaps “fifth day of the week” depending upon when you consider the week starts.Rebecca makes a valid point. I've realized that it's no big deal if I let an occasional "oh god" slip out, and I'm relieved that I'll no longer have to consult Bartlett's to determine if the saying I want to use is from Shakespeare or the Bible. (I have so much trouble keeping those two straight!) I mean, I could live without the expression "the land of Nod," which I don't think I've ever actually used, but without "pearls before swine," I'd have nothing pithy to say to friends who hold doors open for me!
For that matter, stop honoring Tyr, Odin, Frigg, Saturn, the Sun, and the Moon.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Wishing For a Speedy Recovery...Or Not
Two names that are well known in skeptical circles have been in the news recently for medical reasons. Outspoken atheist Christopher Hitchens, author of God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything and Hitch 22, has been battling esophageal cancer since last year and has now enlisted the help of Francis Collins, a prominent Christian scientist. And from an article that sounds like a press release from her publicity agent, we learn that "world famous psychic, author" Sylvia Browne had a heart attack last week and is recovering in a hospital in Hawaii.
Other than the obvious jokes like "I guess Sylvia didn't see this coming,"1 I can't work up much emotion about her illness. Unlike those who pay big bucks for her "readings" or "salons," I don't think she has any "psychic" talents whatsoever. In fact, I consider her downright harmful because she hands out "medical" advice that's she's in no way qualified to dispense, and she spews both false hope and unwarranted grief to those seeking news of missing loved ones.2 A heart attack in a woman in her seventies who smokes and has used a wheelchair (offstage) for years is no big surprise, and while I'm not hoping for her death, I do hope that she's sidelined for a good long while. She's caused enough pain to others already.
On the other hand, I wish Christopher Hitchens all the best with his new treatment. I guess there's supposed to be some irony in the fact that one of the "four horsemen" of the "new atheism" movement3 has turned to a doctor who's an outspoken Christian,4 but an atheist going to a Christian doctor isn't news; that happens every day. Depending on where you live and/or what your insurance covers, you may not have a lot of choice in healthcare providers, and while my insurance company's web site has a "search" feature that lets me look up doctors by specialty, gender, or language, there's no option to search by their religion. This hasn't been a big deal for me personally (probably because I so rarely go the doctor in the first place), but I'd be willing to put up with things like Christian magazines in the waiting room or "Have a blessed day" from the front-desk clerk so long as the doctor knew his/her stuff.5
The real news in the Hitchens/Collins story isn't that Hitchens and Collins disagree about religion. They both knew that already; they've debated each other about religion in the past and are now friends. The real news is that Dr. Collins' team tested Hitchens' DNA and found a mutation in the cancerous cells. That mutation is known to respond to an existing drug, so Hitchens now takes one tablet of the drug daily instead of enduring other, more grueling treatments. If the drug works, as I sincerely hope that it will, I trust that Dr. Collins will take some credit for that and not play down his own efforts by declaring any success to be "a miracle from God."
1 Browne has written that she's "not psychic about [her]self."
2 For details, visit the StopSylvia.com web site created by Robert S. Lancaster. It's a bit out-of-date due to Robert's own health issues but has plenty of examples of the kind of havoc that Browne wreaks.
3 The other three "horsemen" are Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris. As far as I'm concerned, "new atheism" (often referred to disparagingly as "Gnu Atheism" by Jerry Coyne) is the same as "old atheism" except that we "new" atheists tend to be more open about our lack of belief.
4 Francis Collins is the former head of the Human Genome Project, the current director of the National Institutes of Health, and the founder of the BioLogos Foundation, "a group of Christians...who are concerned about the long history of disharmony between the findings of science and large sectors of the Christian faith."
5 What I couldn't tolerate—and I've no idea how often this actually happens—would be a physician who deliberately withheld relevant information because it conflicted with his/her personal beliefs. For example, I suppose that most teenage girls have heard of emergency contraception (the "morning after pill"), but there must be some who haven't. If one of those unlucky girls had unprotected sex (because a condom broke, or because of rape, or whatever) and went to a healthcare professional, she'd have the right, in my opinion, to know that emergency contraception exists, even if she had to go elsewhere to get it. Whether to take it would be her decision, not the doctor's, but she'd be entitled to know all her treatment options.
Other than the obvious jokes like "I guess Sylvia didn't see this coming,"1 I can't work up much emotion about her illness. Unlike those who pay big bucks for her "readings" or "salons," I don't think she has any "psychic" talents whatsoever. In fact, I consider her downright harmful because she hands out "medical" advice that's she's in no way qualified to dispense, and she spews both false hope and unwarranted grief to those seeking news of missing loved ones.2 A heart attack in a woman in her seventies who smokes and has used a wheelchair (offstage) for years is no big surprise, and while I'm not hoping for her death, I do hope that she's sidelined for a good long while. She's caused enough pain to others already.
On the other hand, I wish Christopher Hitchens all the best with his new treatment. I guess there's supposed to be some irony in the fact that one of the "four horsemen" of the "new atheism" movement3 has turned to a doctor who's an outspoken Christian,4 but an atheist going to a Christian doctor isn't news; that happens every day. Depending on where you live and/or what your insurance covers, you may not have a lot of choice in healthcare providers, and while my insurance company's web site has a "search" feature that lets me look up doctors by specialty, gender, or language, there's no option to search by their religion. This hasn't been a big deal for me personally (probably because I so rarely go the doctor in the first place), but I'd be willing to put up with things like Christian magazines in the waiting room or "Have a blessed day" from the front-desk clerk so long as the doctor knew his/her stuff.5
The real news in the Hitchens/Collins story isn't that Hitchens and Collins disagree about religion. They both knew that already; they've debated each other about religion in the past and are now friends. The real news is that Dr. Collins' team tested Hitchens' DNA and found a mutation in the cancerous cells. That mutation is known to respond to an existing drug, so Hitchens now takes one tablet of the drug daily instead of enduring other, more grueling treatments. If the drug works, as I sincerely hope that it will, I trust that Dr. Collins will take some credit for that and not play down his own efforts by declaring any success to be "a miracle from God."
1 Browne has written that she's "not psychic about [her]self."
2 For details, visit the StopSylvia.com web site created by Robert S. Lancaster. It's a bit out-of-date due to Robert's own health issues but has plenty of examples of the kind of havoc that Browne wreaks.
3 The other three "horsemen" are Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris. As far as I'm concerned, "new atheism" (often referred to disparagingly as "Gnu Atheism" by Jerry Coyne) is the same as "old atheism" except that we "new" atheists tend to be more open about our lack of belief.
4 Francis Collins is the former head of the Human Genome Project, the current director of the National Institutes of Health, and the founder of the BioLogos Foundation, "a group of Christians...who are concerned about the long history of disharmony between the findings of science and large sectors of the Christian faith."
5 What I couldn't tolerate—and I've no idea how often this actually happens—would be a physician who deliberately withheld relevant information because it conflicted with his/her personal beliefs. For example, I suppose that most teenage girls have heard of emergency contraception (the "morning after pill"), but there must be some who haven't. If one of those unlucky girls had unprotected sex (because a condom broke, or because of rape, or whatever) and went to a healthcare professional, she'd have the right, in my opinion, to know that emergency contraception exists, even if she had to go elsewhere to get it. Whether to take it would be her decision, not the doctor's, but she'd be entitled to know all her treatment options.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Forsaking Their Future
The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) has had a special hatred for Oklahoma since somebody in McAlester slashed the tires on the family's minivan during their protest at a local soldier's funeral. WBC has used that hatred to justify picketing the funerals of not only Oklahoma's fallen soldiers, but Oklahoma's fallen children. On Thursday, WBC members (who were vastly outnumbered by area residents) protested at the funeral of a young man who'd died in a motorcycle crash. And although they didn't show up as promised, they'd also planned to protest at the funeral of a young woman who died in the same crash.
I already knew that WBC and its founder Fred Phelps have no regard for children. According to Nate Phelps, who fled from the family literally the moment he legally could, his father Fred regularly beat and emotionally abused him and his siblings. I don't know what goes on inside the Phelps' family compound in Topeka, but I can and do judge them from what they display to the public, namely children smiling as they hold signs bearing hateful slogans:
It's like watching a child who's sick with a disease that's beyond our comprehension. We're disgusted by the symptoms of the disease, as we'd be disgusted by oozing sores, projectile vomiting, or explosive diarrhea, but if any WBC kids ever read this, I hope they understand that our disgust is outweighed by our compassion for them. If they can overcome the intellectual and emotional holds that their elders have on them, we can overcome our abhorrence of the things they were forced to do as children.
Their fanatical elders have done their best to infect them with hate. Let's hope that didn't take, but their parents' toughness did. Whether the kids stay with the family or flee, they're going to need every bit of backbone they can muster.
I already knew that WBC and its founder Fred Phelps have no regard for children. According to Nate Phelps, who fled from the family literally the moment he legally could, his father Fred regularly beat and emotionally abused him and his siblings. I don't know what goes on inside the Phelps' family compound in Topeka, but I can and do judge them from what they display to the public, namely children smiling as they hold signs bearing hateful slogans:
It's like watching a child who's sick with a disease that's beyond our comprehension. We're disgusted by the symptoms of the disease, as we'd be disgusted by oozing sores, projectile vomiting, or explosive diarrhea, but if any WBC kids ever read this, I hope they understand that our disgust is outweighed by our compassion for them. If they can overcome the intellectual and emotional holds that their elders have on them, we can overcome our abhorrence of the things they were forced to do as children.
Their fanatical elders have done their best to infect them with hate. Let's hope that didn't take, but their parents' toughness did. Whether the kids stay with the family or flee, they're going to need every bit of backbone they can muster.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Skating To Work
Somebody named Rob Bell is making a splash on the interwebs. He's written a book (which I haven't read) in which he claims that his god truly loves us and wants us to be happy during our lives and our afterlives. I guess if you're going to believe in a god (and an afterlife), that's the kind to believe in, but Bell is being criticized by some conservative Christians who think he's a "universalist," someone who says that ultimately, everybody gets "saved" and nobody goes to hell. Bell denies this but says that modern Christians put a lot more emphasis on hell and damnation than Jesus did.
I've got no horse in this race so I find it amusing to stand back and watch the bickering. It's like a group of kids debating which comic book superhero is more powerful, and it only emphasizes the fact that the label "Christianity," by itself, doesn't mean much. Which Christianity? The Catholic version? Orthodox? One of the many flavors of Protestantism, or something else? Denominations, even individual churches, have split over differences of opinion on abortion, same-sex marriage, the role of homosexuals and/or women in the church, and on and on. Wikipedia's list of modern English Bible translations contains more than 50 entries, and even groups that can agree on a particular version of the Bible may interpret it differently. Even if I wanted to be a Christian (and I don't, so don't send tracts!), I'd have no idea what kind.
I've encountered a few people who considered themselves "Christians" in the "followers of Christ's teachings" sense rather than the Jesus-as-Messiah sense, but they were the exceptions. Most Christians around here take the "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life" stance, and take it very seriously, with emphasis on "the [only] way [to escape eternal damnation]" and "the Truth [with a capital 'T']." It's perfectly reasonable to ask those who make such extraordinary claims to back them with some extraordinary evidence, but that's not been forthcoming. Jerry Coyne at "Why Evolution Is True" has blogged recently (here, here, here, and here) about what kind of evidence might convince him and other prominent scientists/freethinkers of the existence of god(s). Something that might convince me that Christianity contains a grain of truth would be all its many adherents agreeing on what they actually believe. An end to the infighting and the "s/he's not a true Christian" finger-pointing. All the sects and denominations and movements and cults coming together under a common leadership, with common doctrines for all Christian churches everywhere. No more Catholics or Baptists or Mormons or Lutherans or Seventh Day Adventists or anything other than "Christians." Just Christians.
And on that day, Satan will be skating to work.
I've got no horse in this race so I find it amusing to stand back and watch the bickering. It's like a group of kids debating which comic book superhero is more powerful, and it only emphasizes the fact that the label "Christianity," by itself, doesn't mean much. Which Christianity? The Catholic version? Orthodox? One of the many flavors of Protestantism, or something else? Denominations, even individual churches, have split over differences of opinion on abortion, same-sex marriage, the role of homosexuals and/or women in the church, and on and on. Wikipedia's list of modern English Bible translations contains more than 50 entries, and even groups that can agree on a particular version of the Bible may interpret it differently. Even if I wanted to be a Christian (and I don't, so don't send tracts!), I'd have no idea what kind.
I've encountered a few people who considered themselves "Christians" in the "followers of Christ's teachings" sense rather than the Jesus-as-Messiah sense, but they were the exceptions. Most Christians around here take the "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life" stance, and take it very seriously, with emphasis on "the [only] way [to escape eternal damnation]" and "the Truth [with a capital 'T']." It's perfectly reasonable to ask those who make such extraordinary claims to back them with some extraordinary evidence, but that's not been forthcoming. Jerry Coyne at "Why Evolution Is True" has blogged recently (here, here, here, and here) about what kind of evidence might convince him and other prominent scientists/freethinkers of the existence of god(s). Something that might convince me that Christianity contains a grain of truth would be all its many adherents agreeing on what they actually believe. An end to the infighting and the "s/he's not a true Christian" finger-pointing. All the sects and denominations and movements and cults coming together under a common leadership, with common doctrines for all Christian churches everywhere. No more Catholics or Baptists or Mormons or Lutherans or Seventh Day Adventists or anything other than "Christians." Just Christians.
And on that day, Satan will be skating to work.
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