Before I start my first UK Atheist editorial I would like to offer my sympathy to the victims of the terrorists that attacked the World Trade Centre & the Pentagon and also to the passengers and crews aboard the four planes that were hijacked. I was shocked and deeply touched by the sadness & by the heroism of many of those involved.
After some consideration I have decided to base the first "UK Atheist" E-Zine editorial on another originally published at my Science Fiction website "Planeteer Resurrection" in March 1999. The editorial was a landmark one for me as it was written just after my first serious foray into the twisted and deluded world of so-called "scientific creationism" and led to my first attempt to support science and its supporters in the form of "FIST" and "Evolution Armoury".
I don't know if it is true or not but I have heard it said that at any point in time there are some 250 conflicts occurring around the world. A few of these are wars, some are tribal conflicts, some are "police actions" ... whatever they are they are true representatives of human nature. Humans fight! If they can't fight a war to defend their country, they'll do it to defend their religion, their culture, to gain something of value and if they are not doing that they argue, they disagree, they fall out with their neighbours. Humans fight, they enjoy it, it is (to my mind at least) what we are built to do! At its finest such conflict can be a highly intellectual and often rewarding debate, at its worst people, lots of people, die! But that is human nature ... we were built to be competitive!
Humans do good things too (quite apart from debates over things of real value). Wherever you look, despite our basic combative nature, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers are trying to teach their siblings that there has to be a better way than conflict. There's art, love, beer (very important), music & literature (but I suppose you could classify that as art) and then there's what we know or have found out about the universe, what we have gleaned about our reason for existing and our purpose in life.
Now some believe those answers are found in religious texts (as billions of people have for thousands of years) but to me and others like me it means open-ended investigation of the universe in which we live, it means research without pre-conclusion of the world around us ... to put it bluntly it means science!
Humans have always been curious about the world in which they live but it seems to me that it is only in the past century (perhaps two) or so that we have really progressed in our understanding of the nature of the universe ... and a great deal of that understanding seems to have come about through and in parallel with Darwin's Theory of Evolution.
Ever since Darwin proposed his remarkable, epoch making, theory religion has been in decline. Whereas before Darwin mankind was perceived to be a special creation since it we are seen as no more special than any other animal except in our apparently superior ability to reason (though some of us show precious little of that). And this, of course, is right & proper as we are technologically (and I suppose culturally) more advanced, advanced to a point where we should by now have no need of superstition and supernatural gods & goddesses. By the early to mid-nineteenth century science had kicked religion on to the backburner or so it thought ...
You are, no doubt, aware that scientists carry out research with the aim of discovering various facts & empirical data about the world around them? But as individuals they are not perfect and anyone who claims otherwise is mistaken. Like anyone else they are human and have been known (consciously or unconsciously) to bias experimental methods and data to suit their own ends and theories but I'd guess that most scientists are normal hardworking individuals trying to find out things that no one, so far, knows. Nevertheless they are still motivated by other things such as status & awards, funding, personal financial reward and petty jealousies but that (despite fundamentalist claims to the contrary) is unimportant. There are, millions of scientists striving in their chosen field of specialisation and whilst they sometime cooperate they also compete to be first in that field. Research that is flawed (either by bias or error) will be exposed (one has only to look at historical examples of Piltdown Man, Lamarckian evolution, cold fusion and others to see sciences self-correcting nature) because all of science is constantly subject to peer review. What I am saying is that there are checks and balances are built into scientific research that prevent the kind of errors that fundamentalist groups claim have been perpetrated upon us and it is with some confidence that I am able to state that whilst the current database of scientific knowledge may not be correct to an absolute degree (in fact the tentative nature of science denies this) it does represent our best current understanding of the universe around us.
Scientists, of course, recognise that there are gaps in our knowledge (something often raised by fundamentalists as a pathetic attempt to support the existence of their god), huge vistas as yet unexplored but a number theories are no longer questioned and those that do are ridiculed in such a fashion that it would be easy to mistake such confidence for dogma. But it is not because of dogmatic thinking that such ridicule occurs but, quite simply, that though those theories are still under constant attack (in fine if not in gross) they are generally understood to be so heavily supported by the available evidence that they are no longer in doubt and are accepted as de facto proven by science as a whole and it is not the fact that no religion can claim to be supported by that much evidence it is the fact that no religion has any supporting evidence at all that cannot be explained more rationally in an alternative fashion. It will come as little surprise to the informed reader that Darwin's Theory of Evolution is one of those theories that is supported by such a huge weight of evidence.
Ever since Darwin published his Theory of Evolution it has remained, despite many challenges, undefeated and has gone on to influence other sciences so much so that the Earth and the Universe themselves are now referred to as "evolving". But such support for major scientific theories does not eliminate the possibility of challenge to mechanisms within or even to the theory as a whole ... show science & scientists properly acquired evidence to dismiss evolution and support another theory in its place and science will admit the error of its ways and individual scientists will, quite possibly reluctantly, embrace the new theory or theories. That is the way of science.
In fact Darwin's Theory of Evolution has changed over time so much so that there are those who claim it is no longer the same theory and possibly justifying the use of the term neo-Darwinism to account for such change. In my opinion however, an opinion shared by many others in science, the Theory of Evolution remains, broadly speaking, the same as when it was first proposed. Moreover Darwin's Theory of Evolution remains the only theory that in any way adequately explains the available evidence and the huge diversity of life we see around us today.
Understandably, I suppose, god, Jehovah, Allah (to name but a few) and their respective followers are not happy ... few highly educated and reasoning individuals retain an absolute belief in such absurdities and the number of educated people is increasing daily (I once saw an interesting statistic that fewer than 5% of hardened believers and something like 40% of atheists were graduates ... it may not be true but it sounds it)! Many of the cult religious groups seem to have made it their aim to destroy Darwinism and everything that it represents and are frequently headed by fast-talking, persuasive & charismatic individuals whose sole aim (in my opinion) seems to be the acquisition of power & wealth.
The objection to Darwinism, and other aspects of science, revolves around the fact that their scriptures (every word apparently divinely inspired and absolutely factual) claim the world and people upon it to have been created by divine act of their god and usually within relatively recent history (the christian god apparently managed this awesome feat in an impressive 6 days and started the monumental task on Monday, July 4th, 4004 BCE ... a date particularly beguiling to Americans). In some ways I can understand such objections ... after all if I (as my mother & father before me and all those before them) & all those before me had been "good christians" conscientiously working my way through life towards my ultimate ticket to heaven I might be mighty irritated if some damn fool scientist came along and implied (if not directly told me) that my beliefs were supernatural hogwash & that I neither I nor my family had ever or would ever find a place in heaven as it didn't actually exist.
Part of the problem of creationism (to my mind) is the insidious methods by which the information is imparted ... it is really scary stuff. I was raised a rat catcher (a derogatory term used by Church of England protestants for Roman Catholics ... we had our term for them too) and the penguins (nuns) who taught at my schools and the preachers (more often than not young, evangelistic and Southern Irish) constantly told us tales of the fiery brimstone pits of hell, its associated devil and what would happen to us if we didn't do what they said was right! Even today, 30 years after I abandoned catholicism and nearly 4 years after finding a cynical lack of belief I am finally comfortable with, I still feel echoes of the terror those monsters inspired in me. After my childhood experiences I wonder why it is that religion in general and christians specifically are perceived to be a good thing? It seems to me that we, both individually & collectively, are incredibly naïve.
For as long as I can remember I've believed it to be up to me what I decide to believe in or not but no, these guys say I can think what I like but imply that if I do dare to think anything other than that prescribed in the book representing the absolute word of their god then I'm damned to an eternal (& somewhat painful) punishment in the fiery pits of their hell! Call that freedom to think? I don't!
As I said above, according to the christian book of Genesis (the first book of its Old Testament) the world was created in 6 days. Adam (the first man) was, it is claimed, created from mud and Eve, the first woman, created from one of Adam's ribs. Despite staggering amounts of demonstrable evidence to the contrary there remain large numbers of people who continue to insist that the world was, quite literally, created as stated in their scriptures. And such thinking doesn't stop with the fundamentalists, despite other's insistence that the more moderate religions (e.g. the UK protestant movement) are more moderate than catholicism (which I'll concede) many of their quite average members continue to accept that only through belief in their god can they be saved and that those who don't will, quite literally, be plunged into fiery hell forever. I find that shocking … how can any atheist seriously contemplate a cordial relationship with one of these idiots when, probably quite unconsciously, they condemn you to such a fate?
These are just some biblical "facts" (and I am led to believe that other major religious texts are equally misleading) ... "facts" that oppose science and everything the free and rational mind stands for.
Perhaps you don't think they oppose science? A few days ago I went to the American Atheists website and followed a link of a picture of a Dr. Shaikh with some writing over it ... it led to the Free Dr Shaikh page where I learned that in Pakistan a highly educated man (a medical professional involved in the "Rationalist Movement") had been imprisoned for nearly a year and then, under Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws, tried, convicted and sentenced to death for allegedly making insulting remarks about the islamic prophet Mohammed! In the US various creationist/fundamentalist factions mount what seem to me to be barrage of court cases intended to prevent the teaching of Darwinism and teach either equally or instead the wholly religious (i.e. non-scientific) concept of divine creation ... it shocks me that that can happen in a country as technologically advanced as the US particularly when they have a constitutional separation of church and state! Also in the US there is a man who has, apparently, founded a private college to train people to be politicians and members of governmental organisations ... nothing wrong with that is there? No, nothing until you find out that the only entry qualification required is a 2000 word essay entitled something like "Me & My Relationship With Jesus!"
"Only in America" we tend to say over here but there are increasing numbers of creationists & evangelists here ... it is very scary, it is very anti-freedom of thought and speech and it is very anti-science!
As far as I am concerned (and even as a young catholic I felt this way) religion is a matter of personal faith. Whilst I do not respect the beliefs themselves (that would be like agreeing with someone who said that superhero's or UFO's were real) I have no problem with faith and even respect everyone's right to believe in whatever they wish ... why shouldn't I? So why do I care ... and why should you? Because it usually doesn't stop at faith!
Because fundamentalists tend to declare their viewpoints as declarations of fact and then that person or group of persons tries to force non-empirically based viewpoints down the throats of others! That's why I care, that's when I become concerned!
Creationists, and whilst I specifically refer to christian creationists I remain aware that there are other types of religious zealot, have grouped together and formed into ministries, institutes and other organisation ... one such organisation is the Institute for Creation Research (ICR). Now "research" is an interesting word ... it implies attempts to find out that which we do not yet know, the investigation of new fields and new possibilities ... the wondrous vistas I mentioned earlier. But the ICR (and institutes like them) are not dedicated to such high principles ... their "research" is destructive, aimed only at defeating anything that contradicts the divine word of their god as represented by their bible. Unlike most "research" establishments they aim not to promote free thought but to restrict it. They have issued, and continue to issue, books and papers by so-called "creation scientists" that, on the surface, seem every bit as genuine, reliable and credible as their true science counterparts. What is not so obvious is that they, as inevitably as the sun rises in the east, contain lies. Oh there's truth in there but it is presented side by side with lies ... lies of omission, distortions of the truth, unsupported assumptions and untenable conclusions and pre-conclusions. Real data may be presented but there will be something missing, a conclusion may be drawn but it will be subtly twisted and all of it will be destructive, aimed purely and simply at destroying theories that oppose the claim that their bible is the divinely inspired word of their god. And that's only one angle of attack.
Time and time again, as mentioned above, the US courts have had to sit in judgement on appeals from the creation & religious movements aimed to force religion into a more prominent position, to prevent the teaching of demonstrable scientific theories (such as evolution) without an equivalent level of "creation science". Time and time again, even when such laws have been passed at state & county level, these appeals have been rejected and overturned at the national level.
And with good reason! Religion is a matter of faith ... it is not now, and never will be, a science. Those that believe that creation should be taught on a par with evolution are playing games with your mind they aim to persuade you that their non-validated and non-verifiable scriptures are right and that you have no choice but to believe in their every single word. Their "evidence" is based on authority (that their scriptures are the absolute truth, the divinely inspired word of their god), miracle and appeal to the supernatural. Most of these "righteous" cults oppose excess of any kind ... if these people get what they want, you and your children will not be allowed your current freedoms. You will not be allowed to drink, to be promiscuous, to swear and woe betide you if you dare to be socialist or gay.
I'm married and I have two children. I don't know about you but we have tried to bring up our children up to be open-minded. If they express a view we try to express an opposing one, no matter that it be something we don't personally believe in. We want them to think for themselves and so far I believe we've had some success. My oldest daughter, like me, accepts evolution but, until recently & unlike me, she still believed in a god ... now I find it a matter of concern that she is adopting my viewpoint without reasoned cause and I stress this point to her!
But I'm proud of my daughters, I'm proud that they think for themselves, proud that they don't see me as threatening, proud that they don't necessarily agree with me, proud that they look at the universe and take pleasure and feel awe in viewing a world shaped by natural forces. Why? Because if people like the creationists get their way no one will be able to believe anything but what they say you can. Science will suffer, reason & freethought will suffer, homosexuals will certainly suffer, anyone believing in alternate or pagan religions will suffer, everyone will suffer. Science (in fact most normal peoples everyday activity) is, at root level, about free thought, the right to believe and think what you will but you wouldn't be able to do it under hard-line creationism.
Perhaps this seems melodramatic to you but I am of the opinion that there is a war going on! It's a war that won't stop until either science & freethought or these cult religions, their unproven claims of creation and everything they stand for are thoroughly and absolutely destroyed. The war is a war of ideologies, a war of fact and empirical evidence against lies, deceit & twisted truths, a war of good against evil ... it's a war of science against religion.
I know there are those of you out there who will think my views make me a dinosaur but it is interesting to note that my family and my friends (even though they think I'm somewhat obsessed) consider me one of the least devious persons they know (they say "I have no side to me") and whether I am right or wrong I believe what I say ... why wouldn't I? I wrote it! Ultimately one and only one thing is really important to me and that is that I don't want my kids or anyone else's kids brought up in the world, the second Dark Age, that creationist control would bring about!