Lovin' Like A Christian

The school prayer that hung in Cranston High School West asked god to give students the desire to be kind and helpful to classmates, and to help them be good sports and give them the ability to smile when they lose. Yet when Jessica Ahlquist, a 16 year old student at the Rhode Island high school, challeneged the legality of having a school prayer, they turned on her like a pack of wolves. Heck, a pack of starving wolves would probably have shown more restraint. There was an outpouring of hate on Twitter and Facebook directed at her and nasty doesn't even begin to describe many of the comments.

Jessica Ahlquist had shown enormous courage in speaking out against the unashamedly blatant Christian message in strongly Catholic Rhode Island. She knew that the school was not doing the right thing by promoting the Christian faith over all others and asked the administration to take the prayer down. She said that the prayer was divisive, offensive to non-Christians and made her feel ostracized. It was only after the administration refused that she approached the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to reason with them. But as is so often the case, when god knocks on your door, reason leaves through the window and the ACLU did no better than Jessica. The issue eventually went to court with Jessica as the plaintiff represented by the ACLU. The lawsuit -- which had no raison d'être in the first place if the school administration had shown even a modicum of rational thought -- was presided over by Judge Ronald Lagueux, a Reagan appointee.

In what was an open-and-shut case, Judge Lagueux said that the prayer was without a doubt religious in nature. He said that it was a government endorsement of religion and therefore unconstitutional. The Constitution of the United States calls for a separation of Church and State and having a Christian prayer displayed prominently in the school is a clear violation of the law. He ordered that the prayer be taken down immediately and decided that the legal fees should be provided to the plaintiff. The school officials had the chutzpah to argue that the paryer is secular and its purpose was more traditional and motivational than religious. But it's clear as day that a prayer when it starts with 'Our Heavenly Father' and ends with 'Amen' is nothing but secular. That being the case, any unbiased layperson can clearly see that it violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Like a testimonial to Christopher Hitchens' book, God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, the abuse flowed soon after Jessica took issue with the constitutional violation. Even if you have the stomach for vitriolic comments, the vile nature of many of those the so-called children of Jesus hurled at Jessica will make you do just that -- hurl. Abuse from her peers, though inexcusable, can be attributed to a lack of maturity, but when adults in her city who are supposed to be more reasonable and rational stoop to such low levels, it is utterly disgusting. She was constantly harassed, insulted, belittled and ostracized for doing nothing more than standing up for the constitution. It is shameful that fighting against a blatant disregard of the law can leave you fearing for your own life.

State Rep. Peter Polombo called her "an evil little thing," a "clapping seal" and a "pawn star" on WPRO, a radio station station in Providence, RI [1]. Other students in school threatened to beat her up. Somebody who obviously knew her posted her home address on the Internet in the hope that other haters, aka Christians, would harass her. The comments on the Internet range from 'I want to punch you on the face' to 'getting shit thrown in her face' (her classmate). Somebody even said that god is going to f**k her in the ass with the banner.

JesusFetusFajitaFishsticks took screenshots of this appalling behavior. You can read some of those here, but be warned, it will make you cringe.

This widespread 'love' shown by Christians in Cranston, Rhode Island, the United States and probably the whole world is a perfect example of the hypocrisy that is rife among followers of Christ. Even us godless 'immoral' atheists couldn't bring ourselves to abuse a 16 year old girl. If this is the Christian definition of the word 'moral', I'd rather be immoral, thank you very much. When the god they so love causes them to do such abhorrent things, how do they expect atheists to even want to believe in him?

Bodily harm, rape and death threats are what Christians wish upon Jessica. So much for the love and tolerance that they preach. They are tolerant of rapists and murderers who repent and come back to Jesus, but will spit on an atheist no matter how good they are. It is a sad but true fact that many Christians think they have carte blanche to do whatever they want, break any laws as long as they do it in the name of Jesus or god. I'm not saying that all Christians participated in the abuse, but a majority did and that is absolutely sickening.

Hemant over at the Friendly Atheist has started a fundraiser for Jessica Ahlquist's college education. You can read more about it here. According to Hemant the proceeds will be given to the American Humanist Association. Please contribute if you can.

Jessica Ahlquist is a hero for defending the Constitution in the face of such brutality. She has shown immense courage in standing up to these monsters. Her strength of character will hopefully be an inspiration to other young atheists to speak up. After witnessing this torrent of abuse, the more humane among us stood up in support of Jessica. Here is a sampling of some of those heart-warming comments:

Now if anyone tells me I have the courage of a 16 year old girl, then I'll be flattered because of @jessicaahlquist
     - Paul Anskat

@jessicaahlquist If my daughter grows up to be half as strong as you, I've succeeded as a father. Well done.
     - Eric Thornber

@jessicaahlquist Tune off the disgruntled souls, you upheld the constitution. You should be handed a medal, not death threats.
     - Celeste Rousselot

There's a tag for letting @jessicaahlquist know that her efforts are appreciated. Thanks, Jessica! #ThankYouJessica
     - Patrick May

@jessicaahlquist You're a hero, these people sending insults will only be remembered for showing the world what "christlike" really means!
     - james boggs

Jessica Ahlquist, we are proud of you. Don't let those damned Christians say anything else.



[1] http://cranston.patch.com/articles/ahlquist-fight-over-mural-despite-harrassment-threats-worth-it

Pakistan's Quest for Truth

After Rick Santorum's advocacy for procreation-only sex and the pope's anti-gay comments, it gladdens me to learn of the Pakistan Atheists and Agnostics (PAA) group. In a country known for it's strict anti-blasphemy laws, where Islamist militancy has been on the rise in recent times, the PAA is a sign -- small, but nevertheless a sign -- of hope. Their goal is to let other atheists in Pakistan know that they are not alone.

Huzrat NaKhuda founded the Facebook group a few months ago and membership now stands at over 800. His name is obviously a pseudonym, for revealing his identity might mean death. In Pakistan, blasphemy is a crime that calls for life imprisonment. But many a time, a person accused of blasphemy ends up being murdered by fundamentalists. Take the case of Salmaan Taseer, the former governor of the Punjab province in Pakistan, who was assassinated for criticizing the blasphemy law. He didn't blaspheme. He merely criticized the laws and supported Asia Bibi who was sentenced to death for blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad. And for this, he was shot and killed by his own bodyguard. In the face of such extremism, you have to commend Huzrat NaKhuda and all the other atheists in Pakistan for taking such a courageous step.

In an interview with The Commentator, Huzrat NaKhuda said that the battle for reason needs to be fought with urgency in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, countries that are steeped in intolerance and backward thinking. He laments the lack of development in Pakistan and blames it on the adoption of a religion as the country's identity. He believes that progress is stifled whenever any country does this. He quotes the example of Mohammed Abdus Salam, the Pakistani theoretical physicist and the country's first and only Nobel laureate. Though a devout Muslim, Abdus Salam was discriminated against and shunned in his own country because he belonged to the Ahmadiyya sect, a group that was labelled non-Islamic by Pakistan.

"The nerve to claim one specific religion and one specific God out of hundreds as the real God, and rejecting all others merely because ones parents asserted so, seemed too presumptuous. That is when I started rejecting and accepting ideas based on arguments rather than scripture. Once you start doing that, it is only a matter of time."

NaKhuda thinks that the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan is only partially responsible for the growing number of atheists in his country. While it has not directly increased the number of atheists/agnostics, the effect of fundamentalism has been to make closet atheists come out. But he does think that Islamic extremism in the country might have had a role in people beginning to question their own beliefs. But the biggest factors influencing the rise of atheism in Pakistan, he explained, is the Internet and social media. "People in small towns in Pakistan can listen to lectures by Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens", he says. They become more aware of the reality of the universe as opposed to outdated Islamic teachings.

In a country where children are brainwashed right from the time they are kids, where madrassas are aplenty, where honor killings are still commonplace, it is amazing and comforting to see that people have slowly but surely started to question what they see as outmoded practices and views. Some of the women in the group have rebelled against the Quran's (and most religions') discriminatory stance against women. They believe that religion is nothing more than a tool for men in power to assert control. Yet others cite injustice and disillusionment as factors that lead them in their quest for truth.

The path towards atheism, or even skepticism is a perilous one. Almost every member uses a pseudonym. Most members haven't even come out to their parents or friends. Free expression is not a birthright in Pakistan and many Muslim countries. Bodily harm, torture and even death are common punishments for unbelievers.

Most people in Pakistan don't know that there is an option to not believe in god. Three quarters of the people think that apostasy should be punishable by death. Pakistan also has very strict blasphemy laws that calls for life imprisonment or death. Huzrat NaKhuda and the PAA want to change all that. It is a journey fraught with danger. But on behalf of all rational thinkers, free thought proponents and atheists, I wish all of them the very best. Nothing would make me happier than seeing Huzrat NaKhuda and his group achieve their goals and inspire other such groups in similar radically conservative societies in the world.

Sources:

To read the full interview with Huzrat NaKhuda in the Commentator: http://www.thecommentator.com/article/782/the_rise_of_atheism_in_pakistan

Pakistan Today article about PAA: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/09/being-pakistani-and-atheist-a-dangerous-combo-but-some-ready-to-brave-it/
Huzrat NaKhuda's journey to atheism: http://www.wikiislam.net/wiki/Hazrat_NaKhuda_(former_Muslim)
The PAA website: https://e-paa.org/

Hitch, You Will Be Missed.

It is shocking how that one facet of our species that has enabled us to rise above all other, is the one that is hardly appreciated. Christopher Hitchens died on the 15th of December, 2011. As the news spread across the world, I was deeply disappointed that none of my friends, bar one or two, even cared. I have seen lesser people get far more profuse eulogies. Far more comments on social media websites. Hitchens was one of the finest minds of our generation. But nobody cares.

Christopher Hitchens was a man of reason. He was brilliant; he was courageous. When I first heard the news of his death, I was devastated. I had hoped he would get better. That I would, one day, be able to watch him speak, shake his hand and tell him what an inspiration he had been to me. Alas, that day will never come. But to show respect to the man, it would not do for me to mourn his passing. Rather, I must do my best to celebrate his life and carry on his vision. As CNN International Senior Editor David Clinch tweeted, "Christopher Hitchens is probably saying all this RIP stuff is bulls---..something like "I'm not resting...I'm dead!".

His trenchant comments and acerbic wit delighted me. He made me think. He made me laugh. Hitchens had an extraordinary mind - he was able to pull quotes and incidents out of his memory at the drop of a hat. Everything he ever read or saw or heard, he remembered and he could use them in conversation as easily as a 'how do you do'. Highly opinionated, he infuriated and inspired at the same time. Never one to back down from a challenge, Hitchens was like a raging river. He could drag opponents down into the current of his rhetoric. He could snap their spines like twigs. Jeff Jarvis tweeted, "If there is a God, I'm not sure who I'm more frightened for: Him or Hitch." Such was his aura. Many Christians were hoping, rather nastily, for a death bed conversion. I daresay, if there was a priest at his bedside, Hitch would have converted him.

He was a prodigious writer, and an excellent one at that. Even if you don't agree with him, his works are worth a read. His effortless wit coupled with his rational clarity and biting opinions made him a great writer. A genius linguist, he was one of the best of our generation. A reviewer of his book, God Is Not Great, wrote "Hitchens often delivers his ideas like he's trying to splash his martini across your face at a party". He was provocative. His book was sub-titled, 'How Religion Poisons Everything'. The chapters include, 'Religion Kills', 'Is Religion Child Abuse?'. Yet, those were not merely cries for attention. He dissected religion and god with clear, crisp facts. He made god tuck tail and run. He had the courage to speak his mind. There was nothing diplomatic about him. Nothing was half-baked. Hitchens was not afraid to offend, and he did that with vitriol and panache.

"Beware the irrational, however seductive. Shun the 'transcendent' and all who invite you to subordinate or annihilate yourself. Distrust compassion; prefer dignity for yourself and others. Don't be afraid to be thought arrogant or selfish. Picture all experts as if they were mammals. Never be a spectator of unfairness or stupidity. Seek out argument and disputation for their own sake; the grave will supply plenty of time for silence. Suspect your own motives, and all excuses. Do not live for others any more than you would expect others to live for you."

Hitch was a champion of free speech. He abhorred censorship of any kind. When a fatwa calling for the death of his dear friend, Salman Rushdie was issued by that excuse for a human being, the ayatollah of Iran, Hitch defended Rushdie through and through. If the Satanic Verses was offensive to Muslims, then the Quran is offensive to atheists and homosexuals. Why not ban that as well? He hated the double standards of the religious right. I remember watching a video of his debate about the Danish cartoons depicting Mohammed. Muslims raised a hue and cry over that, yet in Saudi Arabia and many other Muslim nations, any artifact from other religions are desecrated without a second thought. Such was the kind of double standards he so detested.

Last night, the hashtag #GodIsNotGreat was trending on Twitter. There were religious nutbags threatening violence on whoever started that hashtag. Those people just proved the point of his book by the same name. Such was the irony that Hitchens would have loved. Unfortunately that hashtag didn't trend very long. It seems that Twitter pulled it off the worldwide trending list because it was offensive to god believers. Yet they still allowed #ReasonsToBeatYourGirlfriend to trend. I'm ashamed, Twitter.

Christopher Hitchens stood for reason and truth. He believed in a less oppressive world, a world where we are not subject to the whims of lunatics from hundreds and hundreds of years ago. He will be sorely missed. His heart may have stopped, his voice may have fallen silent, but his words still live on. Here's to you Hitch, a glass of Johnnie Walker Black.