Daily Dose - Analysis

I've completed my month long journey of documenting the religious background noise in my life.

Here are all the Daily Dose posts:

Day 1
Prayer Rug
Weekend Edition (1)
Third [actually fourth] Installment
Prayer Email
Memorial Day Weekend Edition
Last official Post

I set this up as a month long project but it doesn't quite feel done to me yet.

I was fully expecting to discover that the level of religious background noise in my life was not as high as I originally perceived it to be. I suspected that because I'm so sensitive [or I thought I was...] to uninvited religious intrusion that as I looked more closely I would discover not a huge quantity of dogmatic noise but just a few loud holy cankers.

Holy buckets was I wrong! I am exposed to a ton more religiousness than I ever dreamed in every single aspect of my life AND I've been subconsciously tuning most of it out!

There is so much more that I didn't even post about: phone calls with family always ending with "God bless you" (which I, for some reason, always parrot back "God bless you too"), people on TV saying "it was a miracle" or "by God's grace" or "first, I'd like to thank JC", seeing cross jewelry on people and in big box stores, watching the guy on the bus read the bible, seeing cross-shaped clouds in the sky...

I now feel inundated in a religious culture the weight of which is suffocating and I'm appalled at how drastically I've been tiptoeing around strapped with animal fur Jacob/Isaac-style to trick everyone into thinking I'm a member of the family so I can get their blessing.

I need to keep doing this Daily Dose thing for a little while longer; there's more to learn here.

Interestingly, PhychoDiva (in the UK) is having a hard time finding any religious background noise to document. I'm very interested to hear her concluding thoughts when she finishes her version of the daily dose project.

Daily Dose - Weekend Edition

My goal of documenting the background level of religion in my life continues...

I, of course, come across many religious vehicular adornments - most of which I'm too slow to catch on film, so I'll let this photo represent for the rest.



Some of my religious exposure is less than reverant.





A stranger gave my best friend this pendent.



At my niece's birthday, my husband and I were accosted by my aunt wanting to know our baptism dates and church for her genealogy research. We also waited awkwardly through a long prayer as the only ones not in "Prayer Formation" (head bowed, eyes shut, hands folded, feet shoulder width apart). I secretly nabbed this shot of some art in their house to document the experience.



These two churches are both located along the last leg of my running route. A pretty genius location I must admit; if I were ever to resort to prayer it would be within that last 1/4 mile.





Another church/landmark I frequently encounter: the Basilica.

This Week's Athiests Talks in Review

I went to two events this week sponsored by the University of Minnesota's Campus Atheists and Secular Humanists.

Talk #1 Panel Discussion of Religion and its Effects on Women's Rights

This panel contained an impressive smattering of faiths including two atheists, a Hindu, two "Women of Virtue"* (i.e. Christian), two Muslims, and two Baha'i. But the great disappointment was that no one actually talked about the topic of the effects of religion on women's rights.

All sorts of religious rhetoric spewed forth completely unconnected to whatever intelligent question was posed: quoting scripture, citing accomplished religious women, and random personal testimonials. The atheists were just as guilty of giving ranting, self-indulgent, poorly constructed answers.

Heres an example.
The Question to Panelists: "Define what feminism means to you"
Answer from a "Woman of Virtue:" "I was gay before I met the Lord but now thanks to Jesus I've been delivered."

What the heck does that have to do with anything?!? Thats kinda how the whole talk went - at least the part I stayed for.

*The Women of Virtue have a pretty scary description on their website:
Women of Virtue is ministry that helps college-aged women understand and embrace the important biblical role women play in their families and society. The far-reaching consequences of modern feminism adversely effect many aspects of society. Our desire is to see women restored to true biblical femininity and for them to bring this restoration to a world that awaits this precious and vital dynamic.

Talk #2 Hemant Mehta talks about Selling His Soul on Ebay

Hemant is a good speaker with a clean conversational style. His talked focused on publicity - how he got it, how atheism is a hot topic, and that atheists shouldn't try to get press by insulting the religious folk.

He makes a good point that many Christians are not extreme evangelicals, actually want separation of church and state, have no interest in dictating anyone else's rights, and are therefore our allies. However, I think religion is granted way too much protection from criticism in our culture and therefore being "nice and friendly" while not compromising rationality is a mighty tricky thing.

Imagine a really rich and politically powerful group of people who are highly offended by the fact that the sky is blue because they have swept their fear of mortality under idea that the sky is green, and that will somehow save them from death. Do you just pretend that it makes no difference (as long as they don't want to force you to believe the sky is green too) because their money and power are valuable enough to contort reality in order not to offend?

It just seems wrong to act like its OK for religion to make stuff up.
More "why be nice?" discussion on the Hemant's Friendly Atheist Blog.

Lastly, my two most dreaded meeting situations occurred at this meeting. I was approached by a member of the group because I was young, and "as I could see there were a lot of grey heads" and they need more young people AND I got hit-on by a guy using the old "This is my first time at one of these meetings and I'm new in town" approach. Even though Hemant was a good speaker and the event was well conducted I think it would take a lot to get me to go back to a MN Atheist meeting.

Sam Harris vs. Andrew Sullivan

There is a great email debate between Sam Harries and Andrew Sullivan (a gay moderate christian with his own blog) going on at RichardDawkins.net

Sam Harris is a great writer with a very tight debating style. I haven't been such a fan of anyone since my pre-teen obession with New Kids on the Block. I'm afraid Andrew Sullivan is getting his butt kicked.

Here are some clips from Sam:

"You spend the first two paragraphs of your last essay taking offense at something I did not say, culminating with, "spare me the thought that you know it [fundamentalism] better than I do." I did, in fact, attempt to spare you that thought when I wrote:

'First, many moderates assume that religious "extremism" is rare and therefore not all that consequential. Happily, you are not in this camp, but I would venture that you are in a minority among religious moderates. As you and I both know, religious extremism is not rare, and it is hugely consequential.'

Indeed, this was one of several places where I sought to communicate that I do not view you as a run-of-the-mill religious moderate. I was extending an olive branch, of sorts, and you have gone and poked yourself in the eye with it. What's a well-intentioned atheist to do?"

"I am, of course, unconvinced by your response. But this can hardly disappoint you, as it was not intended to convince me. You simply wrote to inform me that you have never doubted God's existence, cannot account for how you came to believe in Him, and are well aware that these facts will not (and should not) persuade me of the legitimacy of your religious beliefs. I now feel like a tennis player, in mid-serve, who notices that his opponent is no longer holding a racket."

There is much more substance in the debate than I'm quoting. These litte jabs just amuse me.