Showing posts with label Sam Harris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sam Harris. Show all posts

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Do Atheists Misinterpret The Bible?

"Well this is a common criticism – the idea that the atheist is guilty of a literalist reading of Scripture no better than the reading of fundamentalist. And that it’s a very naïve way of approaching religion, and that there’s a lot more sophisticated and nuanced view of religion ______ and the atheist is disregarding that. A few problems with this. Anyone making that argument is failing to acknowledge just how many people really do approach these texts literally or functionally – whether they’re selective literalists, or literal all the way down the line. There is a . . . there are certain passages in Scripture that just cannot be read figuratively."  

Click on the link below for a 7-minute video by Sam Harris that helps to clarify this literal vs figurative disagreement regarding how to interpret the Bible.

Monday, December 14, 2020

Religion Is Failed Science

 "I view religions as essentially failed sciences. I mean religion was the discourse that we had when all causes in the universe were opaque. We didn’t know . . . We didn’t know the basis of anything. We didn’t know why we were here. We didn’t know how diseases spread, or what disease was. We didn’t know how people . . . why people died early, and why others flourished. We don’t know what’s causing thunderstorms, or what’s causing crops to fail. And we very naturally . . . As a cognitive and behavioral imperative, we formed descriptions of the world, and we tried to figure out what’s going on. We tell ourselves stories about our origins, and about where we’re going, and about causes in the world. And those stories, given our just pervasive ignorance and our disposition to see agency in the world . . . to see, you know . . . to feel ourselves in relationship to the world, these stories entail being in relation to invisible friends and enemies. And so we have this parent figure in the sky who’s gonna take care of things if you live rightly. And we have other demonic presences that we should be really worried about. And gradually, what you see happening is that religion . . . As rationality and dozens of specific sciences were birthed in the human conversation, you see religion on a hundred fronts losing the argument with science. And then we see it on the front of human health and disease. Religion . . . You know, it used to be that you could get a diagnosis of demonic possession. That was a, you know, a reasonable thing to believe you had if you were having seizures. You know, but now we have a science of neurology, and we have a science of epilepsy."

"Science" is from the Latin for "Knowledge." Knowledge has greatly expanded since the world's major religions began and evolved. Why would anyone accept the claims from such an ignorant period of time in humanity's history over present-day science findings? Sam Harris clearly and succinctly exposes the truth about religion.

Click on the link below:


Tuesday, June 16, 2020

The Erroneous Thinking Of Sam Harris

One of the most known personalities in the promotion of atheism and science-based thinking is Sam Harris. I follow him semi-regularly and appreciate his work. However, I can no longer stay silent in the face of his continued bias as represented in this recent podcast. Following are examples of this erroneous thinking:

He supports the Alt Right's Intellectual Dark Web.” He believes that Islam is the only reason for 9/11, but ignores Israeli terror on the Palestinians. He accepts the discredited racial pseudoscience of Charles Murray. He doesn't accept the reality of systemic racism or unconscious bias. He is not accepting of the full spectrum of evidence regarding police violence. (link(link) (link) (link) (link(link(link(link
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11/27/2020 - UPDATE: This link debunks him regarding his claim that "the police used more deadly force against white people—both in absolute numbers and in terms of their contribution to crime and violence in our society."

12/10/2020 - UPDATE: This link shows his continuing "blind spot."

1/15/2021 - UPDATE: This link focuses on his whataboutism/false equivalency regarding the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6th.
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Thursday, December 5, 2019

Looking At Yourself In The Third Person

If you are like me, you tend to ruminate over negative thoughts. Science shows that such thinking only makes your well-being worse. Following are some links supporting the concept of habitually looking at yourself objectively when confronted with a person, idea, or situation that evokes negative emotions:

Speaking to Yourself in the Third Person Makes You Wiser

To De-stress, Talk to Yourself in the Third Person

Sam Harris and Mindfulness

This strategy can also be helpful after a religious person turns away from such, in conjunction with formal therapy perhaps (link).

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Reza Aslan Exposed

This person is an apologist for Islam, a particularly virulent version of religion still awaiting some attenuation from science-based thinking. These two videos clarify his stance and its dangers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckfd4MpUh0g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9RmAo6XVAA&feature=youtu.be

Monday, April 16, 2018

Dear Liberals: Being Critical Of Islam Is Not Racism

On my Facebook page today I had to deal with one of these types of Liberals.  He's gone, and you will also be gone if you can't accept the reality of Islam and the nuances of politics and the social sciences.  Someone analyzing scientific research on ANY topic, and coming to conclusions and policy opinions with which you or I would argue, but that person is still supporting human rights for all IS NOT A RACIST. I hope that reasonable people will realize that "racism" is being used against anyone who disagrees with this Illiberal left.

It is time that the left remember its principles, and stop castrating debate and free discourse.

(Getty Images)

Sunday, April 15, 2018

Ayaan Hirsi Ali And The Political Left

My last post essentially was a criticism of someone who I respect and admire, Sam Harris. Although we disagree on the question of the influence of genetics on IQ, we do agree on most topics, including this one.


Saturday, April 14, 2018

Sam Harris VS Ezra Klein Regarding Genetics & IQ

One of my favorite podcasts is Sam Harris' Waking Up.  I have known for years that he is controversial for some of his conservative views. But, he really is difficult to pin down politically. That said, there is a major firestorm going on after *he and Ezra Klein debated recently. The topic of controversy was regarding the role of genetics in IQ: Harris supports the significant influence of genetics and Klein does not.  What is the truth?

Here are several links presenting research in this area: link; link; link; link; link.  In studying the topic, I have come to the conclusion that, if genetics do play a role, it is minor compared to the role of history and environment/culture in which humans evolved.  Thus, I do not accept Sam Harris' view of the importance of genetics and IQ.

(*The debate was over the writings of Charles Murray and Richard J. Herrnstein in their book The Bell Curve.  This article challenges the sources of its data, and this link to Wikipedia presents more criticism of the book and its findings.)

 

Sunday, February 4, 2018

A Simple Exercise In Mindfulness



Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, philosopher and best-selling author. Before he was recognized for these accomplishments, he spend a great deal of time studying and practicing meditationThis is a 9-minute podcast giving you the experience of such.  If you think it is helpful, great.  If not, so be it.

Thursday, December 28, 2017

The Science Of Meditation

Sam Harris is one of the most thoughtful, educated persons I can think of. Among his long resume, he is known for his personal experience, study and research on the subject of meditation.  This podcasts is an in-depth look at this activity.

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Friday, September 30, 2016

Changing One's Opinion In Light Of Evidence Is A Strength

"Every religious community must interpret its scripture and adjust its traditions to conform to the modern world. Western Christians used to murder people they believed were witches. They did this for centuries. It’s hard to exaggerate the depths of moral and intellectual confusion this history represents. But it is also true that we have largely outgrown such confusion in the West. The texts themselves haven’t changed. The Bible still suggests that witchcraft is real. It isn’t. And we now know that a belief in witches was the product of ancient ignorance and fear. Criticizing a belief in witchcraft, and noticing its connection to specific atrocities—atrocities that are still committed by certain groups of Christians in Africa—isn’t a form of bigotry against Christians. It’s the only basis for moral and political progress."

What Hillary Clinton Should Say about Islam and the “War on Terror”

Sunday, September 11, 2016

The 9/11 Sermon All Need To Read

"Whatever else may be wrong with our world, it remains a fact that some of the most terrifying instances of human conflict and stupidity would be unthinkable without religion. And the other ideologies that inspire people to behave like monsters—Stalinism, fascism, etc.—are dangerous precisely because they so resemble religions. Sacrifice for the Dear Leader, however secular, is an act of cultic conformity and worship. Whenever human obsession is channeled in these ways, we can see the ancient framework upon which every religion was built. In our ignorance, fear, and craving for order, we created the gods. And ignorance, fear, and craving keep them with us."

Yes, we must destroy al Qaeda. But humanity has a larger project—to become sane.

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Choose how you look at reality wisely. Yes, it is a binary choice.

Choose how you look at reality wisely. Yes, it is a binary choice.
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SCIENCE JUSTIFIES ITSELF

SCIENCE JUSTIFIES ITSELF
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