Brain damaged children...

[varwoche]

... become brain damaged adults (who, incidentally, vote).

I have a theory-in-process that by force feeding children The Big Lie -- literal beliefs in preposterous religious texts -- that a form of brain damage occurs. And that when a child's mind is warped this badly, that he/she is from then on incapable of discerning reality.

Lying inferences such as "Saddam is connected to 9/11" pale in comparison to The Big Lie. The damaged brain has no problem lapping up this little piece of Orwellian nonsense -- it's not even paranormal.

The enemy is fundamentalism -- Islamic, Christian, or otherwise. And from this moment forward, I am on a counter-jihad. I am going to alert children to the brain damage being inflicted on them by their well intended, brain damaged parents.

 

[AtheistArchon]

- Last week I would have called you reactionary. Even rash. But not now... my own journey from happy skeptic, to disillusioned skeptic, to outright cynic has come to an end.

- It's not the sudden realization that there are fundamentalists in power... that's old news. It's not the knowledge that they seek power, it's the realization that, apparently, most Americans want fundamentalists to be in power.

- If what you say really is true then we're worse off then I thought, because real change will only happen on a generational timeline, not in the next four (or even eight) years. And if we don't break the spell of fundamentalism at some point, real change happens never.

- I'm currently changing my website; its theme and content, in order to be able to properly vent my spleen during the next four years. I might make it a blog, but blogs are so.... bloggy. We'll see.

 

[varwoche]

- Last week I would have called you reactionary. Even rash. But not now... my own journey from happy skeptic, to disillusioned skeptic, to outright cynic has come to an end.

Taking some rhetorical liberties, because I do not actually view my brain-damage theory as a conspiracy per se, here's something truly rash and reactionary:

It's like the christian right is a wasp and children are its prey. The wasp stings the child and sucks out the brain. But it can only suck out the brain if the sting is sufficiently potent. No problem, a few supreme court appointments down the road we will be "under god", prayer in school, creationism in science class, voila, done deal, a population of brain-damaged zombies.

I hope you will share a link to your site once it's done. I intend to write a children's book. Because I doubt a publisher will publish it, I imagine it will end up as a web site.

 

[varwoche]

The more educated/advanced the society, the more severe the brain damage, because the brain must warp in order to deal with the conflicting "realities".

A child in Afghanistan doesn't learn about evolution. The Big Lie is the only thing this child is taught. It's a different pathology versus a child in a 1st world country who is exposed to reality (as best known).

 

[rebecca]

It's like the christian right is a wasp and children are its prey. The wasp stings the child and sucks out the brain. But it can only suck out the brain if the sting is sufficiently potent.

Holy crap, do wasps do that??


Bug girl??

 

[AtheistArchon]

Holy crap, do wasps do that??

- Hey, their side has talking donkeys and snakes, our side can have sucking wasps. At least we're speaking metaphorically.

- Damn you Varwoche, you've introduced a danger to my cynicism. It's true that education is the broad fix for the problem. Fortunately for my newfound cynical nature, public education sucks and Republicans appear to be on the god track in that area as well, further poisoning the minds of children. Ha! Additionally, xian homeschooling and compounding and religious schools appear to be on the rise as more and more brainwashed parents choose mythology-based learning over reality. You may be taking your life into your own hands by publishing a childrens book attempting to dispell the myth... you christian hating bigot.

- Ha! I'm a good cynic.

 

[bignickel]

I've been silent. I've also become extremely pissed off.

The middle America hicks have given Bush this election, and just to make the point, they're taking away gay rights in a whole mess of states, including my own.

They then turn around and say they are 'defending' marriage, when in reality it is they who are always on the attack. They constantly talk about 'anti-god' media, while their religion is all over the airwaves (Xtian channels, 'Touched by an Angel', 'Joan of Arcadia', etc, ad infinitim, ad nausiam).

But I've been silent, except on the web, where I can be anonymous. Who dares speak up enough without risking their ass getting fired from work? I haven't for that reason. I have bills to pay: house, car, gas, electric. I'm single, and so can't coast on a partner paying the bills til (or if) I got work again.

Before this election, I was considering moving. Out. Of America. Maybe Ireland. Just somewhere else where I could stop paying money to George Bush so that he could use it to get people killed.

But now I'm just mad. Really mad. Really really pissed off. At the religous bigots in this country who made Bush's victory possible. Pat Buchanan was right: there is a Culture War in this country. And they started it, no matter how much they whine to the contrary. I'm just wondering how far it's going to go.

 

[varwoche]

I've been silent. I've also become extremely pissed off.

But I've been silent, except on the web, where I can be anonymous.

Me too. I live in WA, the (official) least religous state. And all I can say is, Ed help the rest of the country, because religion sure as hell is prevelant here. I live in a small community and have been silent (except anonymously) because I didn't want to hurt my kids by offending their friends' parents. No more.

The only way I can tolerate living in this country is by devoting my life to counter-jihad.

 

[corplinx]

This entire thread is hilarious.


You realize the condescending attitudes expressed here are part of what energize the faithful? I grew up in their midst. They feed on your sneers, you disses, your smirks to fuel their us versus them mentality.

 

[jj]

Told you so, all of you.

 

[Sane]

Please Don't Drink and Post.

 

[varwoche]

This entire thread is hilarious.

You realize the condescending attitudes expressed here are part of what energize the faithful? I grew up in their midst. They feed on your sneers, you disses, your smirks to fuel their us versus them mentality.

Yes, I realize that. However, to recognize that a large percentage of the population is confused, to put it mildly, is to recognize reality, and is not neccesarily condescending.

My book is going to consist of "plain-spoken" facts, hold the incendiary rhetoric. In the meantime, I'm guessing that not many of the faithful you refer to are participating here on this skeptical forum.

 

[varwoche]

Please Don't Drink and Post.

Meaning?

Do you think that brain washing children into believing fairy tales is a good way to develop critical thinking ability?

 

[varwoche]

Mind you, this is a theory in process. I'm all ears if someone cares to explain this:

Nearly seven in 10 Americans believe it is likely that ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was personally involved in the Sept. 11 attacks

And this:

The poll also found 75 percent of Bush backers believe Hussein substantively helped al-Qaida, and 55 percent incorrectly think the 9/11 Commission came to the same conclusion.

Clearly, the population has a problem discerning fact from fiction when it comes to the critical issue of the day -- to a profound extent.

 

[corplinx]

Clearly, the population has a problem discerning fact from fiction when it comes to the critical issue of the day -- to a profound extent.

I hate to say this but those "No Blood for Oil" protestors weren't exactly the bastion of scientific reason and logic themselves.

Being faithless does not make you a critical thinker. I'm guessing a good many of John Kerry's supporters also "believe" in things though not necessarily god.

This sneering at Bush's supporters as a group of wacky woo-woos doesn't address the fact that people like Mike Moore weren't out recruiting critical thinkers with F911.

Here the deal. Kerry lost, barely. You and others who opposed Bush are upset. Being upset is natural when we don't get what we want. Don't turn into a tool over it though. Mind you, if I had to hear Patrick gloat to me I would be raising hell too. But I'm a big fat hypocrit like that.

 

[jj]

I hate to say this but those "No Blood for Oil" protestors weren't exactly the bastion of scientific reason and logic themselves.


Well, there are idiots on all sides. On the other hand, do you still think they were wrong about the oil part?


Being faithless does not make you a critical thinker. I'm guessing a good many of John Kerry's supporters also "believe" in things though not necessarily god.


But not, I think, in King George II


This sneering at Bush's supporters as a group of wacky woo-woos doesn't address the fact that people like Mike Moore weren't out recruiting critical thinkers with F911.


Would you settle for "some of Bush's supporters"?


Here the deal. Kerry lost, barely. You and others who opposed Bush are upset. Being upset is natural when we don't get what we want. Don't turn into a tool over it though. Mind you, if I had to hear Patrick gloat to me I would be raising hell too. But I'm a big fat hypocrit like that.

So, we're supposed to "be nice" while the fundamental ideas and policies that made this country great are undermined and destroyed, then?

 

[varwoche]

I hate to say this but those "No Blood for Oil" protestors weren't exactly the bastion of scientific reason and logic themselves.

Being faithless does not make you a critical thinker. I'm guessing a good many of John Kerry's supporters also "believe" in things though not necessarily god.

No argument here. But first, the ripe, low-hanging fruit.

 

[corplinx]

No argument here. But first, the ripe, low-hanging fruit.

You've got a point there.

 

[Sane]

Meaning?

Do you think that brain washing children into believing fairy tales is a good way to develop critical thinking ability?

I think electing Bush and concluding that the US is going to turn into a radical fundamentalist society (or already is and that's why he was elected) is a fallacy.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Mind you, this is a theory in process. I'm all ears if someone cares to explain
...Clearly, the population has a problem discerning fact from fiction when it comes to the critical issue of the day -- to a profound extent.

Yes, they do. First you complain about the "Big Lie" tactic, then you engage in it yourself. Why didn't you actually link to the poll, instead of a misleading article about the poll? You have called much less from Bush a "lie". I guess the criteria change depending on which side is doing it, huh?