I've been reading the countless homosexuality-related debates sparked by Phil Robertson's comments in GQ.
A few people--passionate, well-lettered, seemingly intelligent people--have responded to Phil's use of Bible verses with some version of: "I choose not to believe in a God who...."
Do the logical ones in the crowd now understand my use of "seemingly intelligent"?
Yikes, people.
First off, it's very difficult--maybe impossible, though that's up for debate--to "choose" to believe anything. Want me to prove it? Concentrate hard, right now, and try to make yourself believe the sky is green.
Don't burst a blood vessel. Got it? ...Not quite? Maybe a few years of meditation and you'll have it.
But that's not all that's wrong here. Let's say you were actually ABLE to make yourself believe the sky is green. Would you be right?
Unless the sun's rising or setting in spectacular fashion, no. Empirically, no.
Does the universe care what we believe? If I choose to believe there's a million dollars in my bank account, will I be happy when I check?
Of course not. Whether God exists or not, he is supremely unaffected by our belief or disbelief in him.
Saying you don't believe in God, just because you don't like his politics, is every bit as childish and ineffectual as sticking your tongue out at him and blowing a raspberry.
That is all.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Young Marriage
Obviously my decision to start a blog wasn't random. I need to use my logic valve immediately.
Today I read the third or fourth anti-young-marriage Facebook post I've seen in the last week.
Surprising how each poster thinks he's in the overwhelming minority, like the whole world's against him and his ideas. And yet a day later, another post rears its ugly head.
Ok, there are some pretty bad arguments out there against marrying young. Most don't even merit the trouble of rebutting; a few of my personal favorites: "You don't know who you ARE yet." "You need to date around, kiss strangers, live it up." "Get a career first. Get stable." Yikes, people.
Then there are some better arguments. Like the higher divorce rate for younger couples.
Let me respond to that one real quick. All you anti-young-marriage-content-creators out there who favor this argument, lend me an ear, and think on this. Ready?
Read this next paragraph carefully.
Do you think there's a higher divorce rate among young marrieds because marrying young is a bad idea? Or--bear with me--because the kind of person who would marry young is more likely to be the kind of person who makes rash decisions, and is therefore more likely to get divorced no matter his age?
If there's even a CHANCE (which I think you'll agree there is) that the second explanation accounts for part of the statistic, then what good is a Facebook post against young marriage gonna do? Why not write a post urging people not to make rash decisions, no matter their age?
Oh...is that not controversial enough for Facebook?
Darn.
For that matter, what good will a Facebook post against young marriage do anyway? No more good than this blog! If you have to vent by posting things to the internet...at least be honest, and admit you're venting.
That is all.
Today I read the third or fourth anti-young-marriage Facebook post I've seen in the last week.
Surprising how each poster thinks he's in the overwhelming minority, like the whole world's against him and his ideas. And yet a day later, another post rears its ugly head.
Ok, there are some pretty bad arguments out there against marrying young. Most don't even merit the trouble of rebutting; a few of my personal favorites: "You don't know who you ARE yet." "You need to date around, kiss strangers, live it up." "Get a career first. Get stable." Yikes, people.
Then there are some better arguments. Like the higher divorce rate for younger couples.
Let me respond to that one real quick. All you anti-young-marriage-content-creators out there who favor this argument, lend me an ear, and think on this. Ready?
Read this next paragraph carefully.
Do you think there's a higher divorce rate among young marrieds because marrying young is a bad idea? Or--bear with me--because the kind of person who would marry young is more likely to be the kind of person who makes rash decisions, and is therefore more likely to get divorced no matter his age?
If there's even a CHANCE (which I think you'll agree there is) that the second explanation accounts for part of the statistic, then what good is a Facebook post against young marriage gonna do? Why not write a post urging people not to make rash decisions, no matter their age?
Oh...is that not controversial enough for Facebook?
Darn.
For that matter, what good will a Facebook post against young marriage do anyway? No more good than this blog! If you have to vent by posting things to the internet...at least be honest, and admit you're venting.
That is all.
The Purpose of This Blog
I'll be honest. The purpose of this blog is to vent the frustration which builds somewhere in my jaw muscles whenever I see dumb opinions, bad logic, or goofy perspectives plastered across the internet, particularly social media.
I'll be even more honest. I'll probably be writing these things, hoping in the worst part of my mind that the creator(s) of whatever stupid content currently requires rebuttal, will read this blog and learn the error of their ways.
The rational part of my brain knows humans don't work that way. But it's the irrational parts that require a vent...so I won't tell them if you won't.
By the way, my goal here is to be totally, brutally honest with myself (for example, as I wrote those words, the thought that went through my brain was: "More honest than most of my readers are rationally or creatively capable of being").
See?
Enjoy.
I'll be even more honest. I'll probably be writing these things, hoping in the worst part of my mind that the creator(s) of whatever stupid content currently requires rebuttal, will read this blog and learn the error of their ways.
The rational part of my brain knows humans don't work that way. But it's the irrational parts that require a vent...so I won't tell them if you won't.
By the way, my goal here is to be totally, brutally honest with myself (for example, as I wrote those words, the thought that went through my brain was: "More honest than most of my readers are rationally or creatively capable of being").
See?
Enjoy.
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