Wow and I do mean WOW. It appears that our efforts for world peace thru a secular society is making headway. The super awesome Pew Research Center has come out with another survey that states that evangelical influence is...waning (yippee). Congrats New Atheist and all who battle for a secular and fair public square.
“There was a time when there was a Ten Commandments in every classroom, there were prayers in public places,” he said. “So having gone from that position of considerable influence, even though we might actually have more influence than churches in ... other parts of the world, the sense is that it’s slipping from our hands (Thanks RNS, I really do heart you)."
To win the war, you must win the tiny battles. Sometimes it seems really petty every time an atheist or an atheist foundation wants to take prayer out of school, or take all the stupid religious relics out of the public square, but ya know what folks, that shit adds up. So much so, evangelical leaders are going poo poo in their biblicaly literal pants. Where their influence is on the decline here in the states, it is on the uprise in thirdworld countries. Fret not dear New Atheists, one battle at a time-that is how we win this one.
Of all the evangelical leaders surveyed, 92% said that secularism is the reason for the minimizing of their influence. What does that mean? Well, what I hope it means is that peeps are realizing that they should not take the bible literally (which is the main part of evangelical belief). Stories like the Exodus, the Great Flood and even the Resurrection can be interpreted as symbolic stories to learn from (just like any folklore), but when evangelical leaders are asking, no demanding, that peeps believe these stories to be historically true (the Road to Damascus, really) then I think that is where we got them.
Our efforts, together like a team should be, is getting the word out there and I believe that thinking adults are catching on. The bible is not a historical document, it is a collection of stories, many of which were borrowed and stolen from previous cultures (dying and rising Gawds anyone, Pagans, Mediteranians etc...). A man that walked here on erffs was part of a trinity (a man, a ghost and part God) and he will literally come back to erffs to save a certain segment of the population that guessed correctly and practices the one correct belief out of a million gazillion beliefs. A thinking adult is supposed to believe that shit. Apparently the rest of the population is catching up to us...The Mighty Team Atheist.
Let's not celebrate yet, tho. To win one battle out of many is not to win the war. When I was playing competitive Jr College Tennis and I had a lead the coach always said "step on his neck." What that means is that when you get the lead, when you get the upper hand, then go in for the kill, get in there and finish this thing. The New Atheist are at that point right now. I never believed that in my lifetime that I would see a truly secular and fair society for everyone, perhaps it is time to change my mind.
Sure our efforts are reaping benefits...right now, but we have to keep the petal to the metal. Now is not a time to let up. We have Mitt "The Moron" Romney running fer president (sheez, what is more fake than Joseph Smith's fakey fake religion, nothing). Not only that, we still have the Barracuda and the new danger in town, Michele "Crazy Eyes" Bachmann in the mix. The last two believe in end of times. They believe that an established Israel is a sing (sine?) of the end of the world. They believe that he is coming back in their lifetimes. I do not want their fingers on the button.
Let's celebrate this particular victory and pat ourselves on the back...for now, for today and tonight. But when tomorrow comes let's get back to work (esp. me, I've been slacking), let's put our reasonable, rational noses to the grindstone. and ultimately...let's step on some neck. I can't do this alone, and neither can you, but together, like a real team...we can do this.
Team Atheist forever.
* Religious News Service
* Pew Research. Check this one out. So awesome.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar