In a slight departure from the normal theme of this website I want to talk about sci-fi. I recently watched the final episode of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica. The four year run of the Sci-Fi Channel’s remake of the 1970’s hit show came to its climactic conclusion. As a sci-fi fan I had watch every episode and was eagerly waiting for all of the loose ends to be tied up. The Sci-Fi Channel had promoted the event with the slogan “You will know the truth.” Well the truth came and exploded with the impact of a supernova across this atheist’s brain. Their “truth” was: God!

—Spoiler Warning—

For those that have no idea of what I’m talking about, Battlestar Galactica was an experiment in television. It was, in my opinion, one of the most violent, graphic, engaging and mysterious adventures in television history. The plot lines at times made episodes of “Lost” seem like a Disney movie. The show was about the last survivors of the human race fleeing from a robotic race that they had created, the Cylons. The Cylons had turned on their creators and destroyed the 12 planetary worlds of the humans and were now pursuing the lone survivors. The humans were trying to reach a mythic “13th tribe” that according to legend split off from the rest of civilization thousands of years prior. The home of the 13th tribe was called Earth.

In addition to all of the special effects, dramatic plot lines, very adult themes and all of the other things made the show exciting; BSG was heaped in lots of mysticism and religion. I realized this from the start but because the production value was so high and the plot was so good I watched anyway. Besides almost everyone (humans) practiced a polytheistic religion so I didn’t take it too seriously. Some of the main characters were atheists, so I was content. As the show moved on there was an increasing amount of emphasis on prophesies and the idea of destiny. All of this was mixed with healthy skepticism so it really didn’t bother me. Well in the end, they answered all of the impossible to answer mysteries they had created over the past four years with one answer, “It was the will of God.”

Instead of even attempting to describe any of the unanswered questions and crazy story lines they had created, they pretty much invoked a deus ex machina and had the main characters literally say, “It was in God’s plan.” I dug around and found an interview with Ron Moore, the executive producer and found these interesting comments:

“I sort of assumed that the Colonials would have a belief system and figured it would probably be polytheistic, that seemed to be what they referred to in the original… “But it wasn’t really until relatively late in the game that I sort of randomly gave the Cylons a belief system.” …”I was in the middle of creating the characters and I was working on some lines for Number Six (a Cylon character) and I thought it was interesting if she professed a belief in God, in a single God.”
…”There came this notion of this outside monotheistic belief of the one true God that could not tolerate others, that started to drive out pagan worship and that fit very nicely with what we were doing with the show.”

Ron Moore, executive producer

The end of the series also promotes the idea of Intelligent Design. We (modern-day humans) are descended from a Cylon-Human child that was part of the original landing party on Earth 150,000 years ago. In other words we didn’t evolve – at least not on Earth. We are also shown that this has been a cycle that had been going on for quite some time and that maybe this time the cycle will be broken. Yes, there are many elements of Eastern Hindu – Jainism – Buddhism in there as well. The idea that humans were “planted” on Earth in accordance to a plan is just a bit much for me to swallow. I love sci-fi, and BSG will always remain one of my favorite shows. But I’m disappointed and feel a bit let down with final episode. Once again, something that was so wonderful has been riuned by religion. The theists will probably have a field day with this one – and I can’t blame then. In the sci-fi world of Battlestar Galactica, God reigns supreme:(

I was talking with someone who told me they gave up chocolate for lent. I like chocolate so I got the idea that perhaps I could offer up my services to to consume their chocolate for them. In fact, why not offer to consume all of the items that Catholics give up for lent. We non-theists do not believe in sacrificing the things we enjoy for some non-existent imaginary friend. So, this would be our way of reaching out to our religious friends and showing them we are good people who want to help them. If we all did this every year it might bring us closer to together and ease tensions between theists and non-theists. Just an idea.

Today the United States officially endorsed the United Nations declaration that calls for the decriminalization of homosexuality. What does this have to do with Atheism? The Vatican and all Islamic countries opposed it. They opposed it because it goes against their silly superstitions. The declaration sends a message that religious dogma should not dictate public policy. Whether you approve or disapprove of homosexuality, your opinion should not be based on religious rhetoric.

Trinity College of Hartford Connecticut has released its American Religious Identification Survey for 2008. The results have been posted all over the internet in one form or another. For those who haven’t read it, the link to the actual report is below. Yes America is becoming more secular! Atheists and Agnostics have increased more than any of the religious groups – 6.8%. The biggest losers were mainline Protestants with a reduction of 5.8%. Specifically, the report categorized Atheists as having a presence in the United States of 0.7%, or 1,625,000 people. Those listed as none/no religion (which includes Atheists) is a whopping 15% of the population, or 34,169,000 people!

Many Christian sites have been crying that a more secular America means a decline in values. Far from it! This is wonderful news. I would argue that the United States is becoming “more moral,” rather than less. A more secular America means more people are accepting the reality that this life is the real and only life they will ever have. So, perhaps they will take better care of it instead of vesting most of their time fantasizing about an after life that will never come. A more secular America can lead to less hatred, prejudice, repression and all of the other “gifts” that religion bestows upon humankind. More and more people are leaving mainline religions and questioning the very concept of a personal god. Most importantly, more and more people are realizing that they do have control over their lives. They need not be slaves to ill-conceived superstitions written thousands of years ago by barbaric tribal elders.

http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanReligionSurvey-ARIS/reports/p1a_belong.html

When I read this I did a double take. It’s kind of hard to believe. The House of Representatives of the Oklahoma State Legislature is trying to pass a resolution that they disapprove of Evolutionary Biologist Richard Dawkins and the teaching of evolution:

…NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 52ND OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives hereby expresses its disapproval of the current indoctrination of the Darwinian theory of evolution at the University of Oklahoma and further requests that an open, dignified, and fair discussion of this idea and all other ideas be engaged in on campus which is the approach that a public institution should be engaged in and which represents the desire and interest of the citizens of Oklahoma.

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representative strongly opposes the invitation to speak on the campus of the University of Oklahoma to Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published statements on the theory of evolution and opinion about those who do not believe in the theory are contrary and offensive to the views and opinions of most citizens of Oklahoma…

(From House Resolution 1014)

  
This is a perfect example of why there is so much conflict between science and religion. The State of Oklahoma Legislature, apparently completely scientifically illiterate, is wasting it’s time bashing scientists and science in general. It sounds like a deliberate attempt to get science removed from public schools. Oklahoma has a long history of trying to get religious doctrine imposed on its residents. By formally denouncing science and scientific discussion they are just proving to the rest of the world how backward and archaic they truly are. The next step will probably be to formally support creationism as an “alternative” to science in the classroom! The University invited, and most likely paid for, Dawkins to speak. Hopefully the students that are privileged to hear Dawkins speak will be empowered to run for public office and replace the morons currently running their state. In the mean time, I will add Oklahoma to Kansas, Tehran, Islamabad, and all of the other places I shall never visit.

Cardinal William Levada, head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said today that the Catholic Church does not impede scientific realities like evolution. He further went on to say that even though evolution is a reality, it does not prove there is no God. Levada said atheists like evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins were “absurd” to think that evolution disproves the existence of God.

The good Cardinal obviously has it slightly wrong. Evolution disproves the “need” for a god. With the forces of evolution guiding our development, there would be nothing for a god to do. Besides you can not disprove something that does not exist in the first place. However, at least he made a very clear statement that the current Catholic Church supports the Theory of Evolution. Levada also said that intelligent design is “unscientific” and should not be taught along side of evolution in school classrooms (Fundamentalists take note). Of course we have heard this all before and then the Vatican reversed it’s position.

Four Southeastern Wisconsin public high schools and a public community college are planning to hold their graduations at a church. Brookfield East, Brookfield Central, Mukwonago High School, New Berlin Eisenhower High School and Waukesha Country Technical College are all planning on holding their graduation ceremonies at the Elmbrook Church in Brookfield Wisconsin. This clearly violates the rights of the students at these schools. The Elmbrook Church is a Christian church complete with a large crucifix and plenty of Jesus signs and banners. Public schools that are funded by our tax dollars cannot choose to endorse one religion over another. The Supreme Court has ruled on this several times. School officials have claimed that graduation is not mandatory and that if a family is offended they need not attend. We’re talking about graduation, one of the biggest milestones in a child’s life. “Not to attend” is not an acceptable option! This is so unfair and irresponsible that I implore everyone reading this to please write to these school districts and ask them to reconsider their choice of locations for their graduations. Our children deserve far better than this.
Below is the contact information for all of the school districts.

Elmbrook School District
Superintendent Matt Gibson
13780 Hope St.
Brookfield, WI 53005
Fax: 262-901-0056
Email: matt.gibson@elmbrookschools.org

Mukwonago School District
Superintendent Paul A. Strobel
423 Division St.
Mukwonago, WI 53149
Fax: 262-363-6272
Email: strobpa@mukwonago.k12.wi.us

New Berlin School District
District Administrator Dr. Paul Kreutzer
4333 S. Sunny Slope Rd.
New Berlin, WI 53151
Fax: 262-786-0512
Email: paul.kreutzer@nbexcellence.org

Waukesha County Technical College
President Dr. Barbara Prindiville
800 Main St.
Pewaukee, WI 53072
Fax: 262-691-5593
Email: bprindiville@wctc.edu

Today is the two hundredth anniversary of the birthdays of both Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln. Two men who changed the world in very important ways. Both men created sweeping paradigm shifts of values and knowledge that continues to affect us today.

Here in the United States Lincoln is looked at as the epitome of honesty and integrity – the very essence of what being and American is all about. He was the emancipator of an entire race. His words are quoted as much as, if not more, than any other president. However, Lincoln was also a non-Christian deist. In fact, he was more agnostic than anything. It was Lincoln that said,

“The Bible is not my book and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long complicated statements of Christian dogma,” and “My earlier views of the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of salvation and the human origin of the scriptures, have become clearer and stronger with advancing years and I see no reason for thinking I shall ever change them.”

Whereas Lincoln was a man of little faith, Darwin actually studied religion at Cambridge to become a priest. He later changed his mind after his trip aboard the Beagle. Darwin gave the world a working mechanism to explain the diversity of life we have on Earth. But he did far more than that. Darwin got rid of the last process that theists could claim as belonging to a god. By explaining how life came to be, Darwin eliminated the need for a god altogether. Darwin’s shift in thinking was one of the most profound in all of history. All of the great deists and agnostics that came before him (including Jefferson, Adams, Paine, Franklin, Ingersoll, and even Lincoln) would have been atheists if they had read Origin of Species. Thomas Paine and Robert Ingersoll, in particular, made some of the most scathing and penetrating attacks on Christianity in all of literature. Yet they could not let go of the idea that there needed to be some type of “creator” for there to be life. Darwin eliminated that need.

We owe both these brave and brilliant men our admiration and gratitude. Happy Birthday!

Today President Obama announced the creation of a new faith-based office at his National Prayer Breakfast. The new office will be called the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Obama claimed that religions, as well as, the non-religious would be represented. It has also been rumored that he met with the Secular Coalition of America this morning too. However the SCA website does not have a favorable take on the news. I’m wondering if he presented his plan and the SCA opposed it. Obama claims that he is not endorsing any specific group or excluding any group either. But to give federal money to any religious organization is dangerous at best. Obama believes that by welcoming all religious groups, and non-religious groups, he is not breaking the First Amendment. Is it just me, or he sliding down a very slippery slope? So far Obama’s actions indicate that he is trying to unite EVERYONE. But some of us do not want to unite with hateful, divisive, prejudiced, uneducated bigots. Religion has no place in government, period! I acknowledge what he is trying to do, but I do not think I will be able to support it.

Like most, I was listening to President Obama’s inaugural address feeling uplifted and inspired by the “call to arms” for the rebuilding of America. Unlike most, I was also waiting for some acknowledgment that this new administration would reach out to the twenty-some million Atheists, Agnostics, Humanists and other Free Thinkers that have been purposely excluded from the American political process. I had no expectations because I am used to being discriminated against. But a small part of me hoped that maybe this once I would get an acknowledgment. Maybe Obama would do the unthinkable and acknowledge my existence. He did! In his words:

“For we know that our patchwork heritage is strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and nonbelievers.”

It’s not much, but it’s enough. For the first time, in a long time, “non-believers” have been mentioned as part of the country. George Bush, the elder, said “… I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots.” Obama, in contrast, acknowledges the fact that we are every bit a part of the United States as Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Hindus. It was a great event that I shall not soon forget. I will tell my grandchildren someday what I was doing when the president of the United States first said that non-believers are part of the nation. It even made up for the nauseous feeling I got from Rick Warren’s bigoted, discriminatory, inane nonsense and the three times Obama said the word god. (BTW Rick, half of the world and over 30% of this nation does not even think your bastard-child savior even existed) But that’s okay. The future is all about mending bridges and working together to overcome challenges. People like Rick Warren who would castigate others do not have a place in this country’s future. Today African Americans have had a huge victory. Along with their victory, we non-theists have had our own small victory as well. America, as a whole, has had a massive victory against prejudice and is on the correct road toward a better future. Our road is going to be a rough one, but thanks to you Mr. President, it perhaps just got a little bit easier.