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Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
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Imagine how awful a world without God would be. Better yet, just watch this video!
Mar 3, 2009 3:31 AM
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
Yes, that's right! Act now and you TOO can become a heathen! Just send me $29.95 and I will send you my instructional DVD demonstrating how you, that's right, YOU, can help make God disappear forever!
Operators are standing by!
Operators are standing by!
By: poolaka
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
You do realize that Edward Current is a satirist, don't you? He's an atheist.
By: chronomitch
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
While initially I too suspected the first guy didn't know it was sarcasm, after you provided Edward's name I went and checked out another one of his videos. Now I also think he's a douche so I now have to wonder about the first guy's comment.
By: gerrywastaken
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
Current is not a douche. he is a child of god.
By: buttPLuG
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
i agree. this guy does more harm than good
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
I was raised in a fundamentalist church and attended religiously for 19 years, went on missions, passed out tracts at bars, the whole nine yards.
For the record I no longer believe any of the things i so devoutly followed but I can definitively say that neither the tone nor content of Current's messages are productive.
Contrary to popular belief most Christians (or other religious) are not stupid, (they know when they're being satirized) just very very scared at the thought of death ( i speak for myself and others I have known on this). I recovered from my dogmatic thinking by having open, honest discourse with pragmatic minded people whom, after the fact I found out despised much of religion, but beforehand approached the topic very gently and inoffensively.This led me to explore my own reasoning and belief system, and I would often have discussions with these friends that seemed to not have an agenda (like destroying this belief system for me). However whenever I did meet someone that approached the topic with contempt, resentment, or sarcasm I would find myself becoming defensive and immediately reverting to the down-pat defense of the Bible.
Current falls in this category and every Christian out there knows it. His tone and demeanor seethe with a kind of holier-than-thou and condescending attitude and will immediately turn off any kind of open dialogue that might occur between a religious person and a non-religious person.
By saying that he does more harm than good i mean to say that he is widening the rift and potential conversation that could occur between those taking part in the online world and creating more enmity. The only way to help someone let go of dogmatic ideals is to discuss it with them gently and with a friendly attitude (when they are ready to of course). Christians think that they might be in the process of converting someone (planting seeds as they refer to it)when they talk about Jesus, but often they will 2nd guess a ridiculous thought structure after they hear themselves utter it, not someone else.
Anyway, I honestly think current should stop making these videos as they only serve to steep the religious in their trenches of belief, not bring them out. If he doesn't stop then he should at least change the style to make it more palatable for others. Hearing that the entire life you led was based on a falsity is a hard pill to swallow.
For the record I no longer believe any of the things i so devoutly followed but I can definitively say that neither the tone nor content of Current's messages are productive.
Contrary to popular belief most Christians (or other religious) are not stupid, (they know when they're being satirized) just very very scared at the thought of death ( i speak for myself and others I have known on this). I recovered from my dogmatic thinking by having open, honest discourse with pragmatic minded people whom, after the fact I found out despised much of religion, but beforehand approached the topic very gently and inoffensively.This led me to explore my own reasoning and belief system, and I would often have discussions with these friends that seemed to not have an agenda (like destroying this belief system for me). However whenever I did meet someone that approached the topic with contempt, resentment, or sarcasm I would find myself becoming defensive and immediately reverting to the down-pat defense of the Bible.
Current falls in this category and every Christian out there knows it. His tone and demeanor seethe with a kind of holier-than-thou and condescending attitude and will immediately turn off any kind of open dialogue that might occur between a religious person and a non-religious person.
By saying that he does more harm than good i mean to say that he is widening the rift and potential conversation that could occur between those taking part in the online world and creating more enmity. The only way to help someone let go of dogmatic ideals is to discuss it with them gently and with a friendly attitude (when they are ready to of course). Christians think that they might be in the process of converting someone (planting seeds as they refer to it)when they talk about Jesus, but often they will 2nd guess a ridiculous thought structure after they hear themselves utter it, not someone else.
Anyway, I honestly think current should stop making these videos as they only serve to steep the religious in their trenches of belief, not bring them out. If he doesn't stop then he should at least change the style to make it more palatable for others. Hearing that the entire life you led was based on a falsity is a hard pill to swallow.
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
He's just adding some spice to the stew. His videos provide entertainment to people who already agree with him, and something to think about for people who almost agree with him. They might drive away or even enrage fundamentalists, but there's a whole world of other stuff to speak to all the different people.
When someone derides religion, it can cause polarization, as you describe, but it can also cause religion to become less socially powerful, by making it unhip. The effect is more on the potential audience, and not so much on the preachers. He's not talking to people who really do think like the character in the video, they're not listening.
I do think is he should stop making the lame ones though. This one was pretty funny.
By the way, Leo, congratulations on getting past your former way of life.
When someone derides religion, it can cause polarization, as you describe, but it can also cause religion to become less socially powerful, by making it unhip. The effect is more on the potential audience, and not so much on the preachers. He's not talking to people who really do think like the character in the video, they're not listening.
I do think is he should stop making the lame ones though. This one was pretty funny.
By the way, Leo, congratulations on getting past your former way of life.
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
I really don't think that you can say he does more harm than good. For one thing, as Dawkins and others have argued, a devoutly religious person probably CANNOT be argued out of his or her beliefs, no matter how gently the argument is made. If that's true, then Current couldn't really be doing any harm.
Likewise, you can't really argue that his arguments do no good, since you are only extrapolating from your own limited experiences. His arguments might not sway people like your former self, but by your own admission, you were unusually devout, therefore you cannot assume that the majority of theists would have the same reaction. Even if his arguments are only likely to sway fence-sitters, they still have some value.
This all assumes that he is even trying to convert anyone... I don't know him, but I don't think that is necessarily his expectation.
Likewise, you can't really argue that his arguments do no good, since you are only extrapolating from your own limited experiences. His arguments might not sway people like your former self, but by your own admission, you were unusually devout, therefore you cannot assume that the majority of theists would have the same reaction. Even if his arguments are only likely to sway fence-sitters, they still have some value.
This all assumes that he is even trying to convert anyone... I don't know him, but I don't think that is necessarily his expectation.
By: quisph
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
That is my point exactly, that a deeply religious person cannot be argued out of his position. This is why, in my opinion, these videos serve no function (other than a negative one). The dialogue needs to be honest and straightforward, yet unoffensive. If you have any experience with local politics or public conflict resolution, you know that to achieve best results, a disposition of friendly neutrality gets results. The first step is to build a relationship with the opposing party. When people poke fun positions harden and dialogue turns nasty.
The argument against this is that religious people are unreasonable and are NEVER willing to form relationships with unbelievers, but this is simply not true, they are just not willing to form relationships with hostile unbelievers (who wants to form a relationship with a hostile?).
Heres my logic (it's inductive).
An aggressive anti-religious campaign probably will fail (as it only strengthens resolve).
An friendly, sincere discussion probably will fail (as religious folks are hard nuts to crack).
But at least the second one was friendly, relationships will have been built, and that's how ideas spread.
Call me crazy, but Ive had way better luck talking sense to a friend than an enemy (or a total stranger for that matter).
I obviously don't expect current to stop making these because of my comments or for anyone to stop watching these because of my comments. But I think at least one person should note that some things are productive and some things aren't. Coming from the position of having been devout, I would say that videos like this delayed my recovery from a narrow mental framework.
The argument against this is that religious people are unreasonable and are NEVER willing to form relationships with unbelievers, but this is simply not true, they are just not willing to form relationships with hostile unbelievers (who wants to form a relationship with a hostile?).
Heres my logic (it's inductive).
An aggressive anti-religious campaign probably will fail (as it only strengthens resolve).
An friendly, sincere discussion probably will fail (as religious folks are hard nuts to crack).
But at least the second one was friendly, relationships will have been built, and that's how ideas spread.
Call me crazy, but Ive had way better luck talking sense to a friend than an enemy (or a total stranger for that matter).
I obviously don't expect current to stop making these because of my comments or for anyone to stop watching these because of my comments. But I think at least one person should note that some things are productive and some things aren't. Coming from the position of having been devout, I would say that videos like this delayed my recovery from a narrow mental framework.
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
I'm glad you're saying this, Leopold.
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
I like your pun. Hard nuts to crack. Hehe.
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
I sincerely disagree. You can't fight willful ignorance with direct argument. You can only put it in context. So give 'em another crazy spouting obvious nonsense. It's easy to hi-jack the Christian (or any) dogma and use it to your own ends. What's great is that Current's arguments are obviously bullshit, while maintaining a solid root in "the Gospel." Haha, give 'em hell, you crazy cannibal bastard.
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
And so do I. Currents making an argument. Take it or leave it.
By: meat
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
he makes a very valid and educated assumption that we'd suffocate. mindblowing...
By: buttPLuG
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
I like the idea that there are 2 Gods. Those Gods being : Mother Nature and Father Time.
Any thoughts on that one ? Is it a bad thing to believe ? and i'm not a hippy if that is your first thought.
Any thoughts on that one ? Is it a bad thing to believe ? and i'm not a hippy if that is your first thought.
By: D3NIS
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
How about Mother Earth, Father Sky? That's a prevalent Native American theme.
Re: Edward Current: What if God Disappeared?
Get real and face reality. Stupid video!!!!
By: jsburns
