Okay, this is pretty dumb: Chat with God Online
I don't really think it's God on the other end.
EDIT:
Oops! Spoke too soon. I just went back and God remembered my name. Gulp!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Ben Goldacre on Skeptic Zone
If you followed the Ben Goldacre - Jeni Barnett - LBC - Legal Threat saga a couple of weeks ago, you may be interested in this week's Skeptic Zone featuring an interview with Dr Goldacre where he discusses the incident in some depth.Go to Skeptic Zone for the download. You should check out other episodes while you're there.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Ugly religious opportunism
Christian World News claims that the Victorian bush fires have started a faith revival of sorts. Of course they would. God supposedly allows over 200 people to die the most horrid deaths imaginable and people turn to him for forgiveness. Makes perfect sense to me.
One of the oddest comments in the report comes from a pastor whose house was saved from the flames:
Ken Van Eden runs Challenge Ministries whose slogan is "spreading the flames of revival".
But the same report also shows us just how arbitrary God can be in these situations:
Pastors Conrad and Ruth Halleyburton lost both their home and their church in the inferno that roared through Marysville where nearly 40 people lost their lives.
[...]
Conrad Halleyburton believes God allowed them to lose everything, so that others might see that they still have hope.
So why did he save Van Eden's home? Don't the people in his region need hope.
Maybe it's just me but it looks like a case of "if it burnt down it's because God wanted it to and if it didn't then that's because God didn't want it to." and the fact that something either burnt or didn't burn is just evidence of God's intent. They really can't lose with logic like that.
I am really struggling to see how anyone can call this god a loving god and also happily picture him sitting up above carefully selecting who will survive the firestorm and who he'll leave to burn to death or suffocate. If this God is real and if he does possess the powers his followers claim for him then it would seem Richard Dawkins got it right when he described God as "... arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully."
Meanwhile, Danny Nalliah, the pastor who blamed God's petulance for the fires, now claims the fires are good for business:
When you want to put out a fire, you don't call the arsonist or the disinterested onlooker.
In related news, it seems Nalliah is now praying to his god for rain. A little late I would have thought but I guess the odds are more in favour of rain than they were a couple of weeks ago - especially since the 7-day forecast for the region includes showers.
It's going to rain here tomorrow. Perhaps God got the coordinates wrong.
One of the oddest comments in the report comes from a pastor whose house was saved from the flames:
Pastor Ken Van Eden showed CBN News where the fires near his home in Melbourne engulfed his fence, his shed and part of his deck.
In his neighborhood six homes burned to the ground, but he believes God allowed the flames to come only so far at his home.
"I just shouted in fact, fire to stop at the boundary in Jesus name," he said.
What a shame he didn't shout sooner, while the flames were busy flattening other the people's homes (and taking lives elsewhere). Surely he was at least praying for God to intervene and stop the madness but, if he was, those prayers were ignored - and then some.Ken Van Eden runs Challenge Ministries whose slogan is "spreading the flames of revival".
But the same report also shows us just how arbitrary God can be in these situations:
Pastors Conrad and Ruth Halleyburton lost both their home and their church in the inferno that roared through Marysville where nearly 40 people lost their lives.
[...]
Conrad Halleyburton believes God allowed them to lose everything, so that others might see that they still have hope.
So why did he save Van Eden's home? Don't the people in his region need hope.
Maybe it's just me but it looks like a case of "if it burnt down it's because God wanted it to and if it didn't then that's because God didn't want it to." and the fact that something either burnt or didn't burn is just evidence of God's intent. They really can't lose with logic like that.
I am really struggling to see how anyone can call this god a loving god and also happily picture him sitting up above carefully selecting who will survive the firestorm and who he'll leave to burn to death or suffocate. If this God is real and if he does possess the powers his followers claim for him then it would seem Richard Dawkins got it right when he described God as "... arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully."
Meanwhile, Danny Nalliah, the pastor who blamed God's petulance for the fires, now claims the fires are good for business:
"I believe it's the greatest opportunity for the church right now, because we need Jesus in this hour."
When you want to put out a fire, you don't call the arsonist or the disinterested onlooker.
In related news, it seems Nalliah is now praying to his god for rain. A little late I would have thought but I guess the odds are more in favour of rain than they were a couple of weeks ago - especially since the 7-day forecast for the region includes showers.
It's going to rain here tomorrow. Perhaps God got the coordinates wrong.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Suing for Christ
Oh, this is just too precious for words. Two supposedly Christian ministries in a lawsuit with each other over copyright...
"The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday ordered Australian-based Creation Ministries International into arbitration with Answers in Genesis over copyrights and control of affiliates in other countries. Answers in Genesis had asked for arbitration."
Of course, it's all about spreading the word of Christ, not money or anything.
Thanks to Questioninggeller on JREF for the tip.
"The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday ordered Australian-based Creation Ministries International into arbitration with Answers in Genesis over copyrights and control of affiliates in other countries. Answers in Genesis had asked for arbitration."
Of course, it's all about spreading the word of Christ, not money or anything.
Thanks to Questioninggeller on JREF for the tip.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Feel sorry for Britain Day: March 6th
Oh dear, the financial crisis is just going to make life difficult in so many ways, not all of them financial. Skeptical bloggers are in for a busy couple of years I suspect.
Next month, the Poms are going to be asked to take part in Faith of Britain Day - and it's not what you might think...
With over 80 million people concentrating their mental energies at the same time on the same day, we will unleash an irresistible psychic force that will, quite literally, make our dreams come true.
Well, the population of Britain is actually a little over 60 million, not over 80 million, and around 10 million of them are likely to be either too young or too old to reliably wish for Britain's economic recovery. Of the remainder, many would likely use this unique "grant your wish" opportunity to wish for things completely irrelevant to the nation's recovery, like a pony or a date with Helen Mirren, and others will wish for things absolutely at odds with what others are wishing for.
If 5 million wish for the ruling party to lose office and another 5 million wish them to remain in office now and in the future (for the good of the economy of course), whose wish gets granted?
"It is a proven scientific fact that thinking about something often causes it to happen. Some call this quantum physics. Others simply call it "faith.""
I call it "thinking about something then doing something about it" like when I think, "I wish I had a cup of coffee", then I ask my wife to make me one and she does.
On that note, though, I think they've messed up. Here's how they explain the chosen date:
"March 6th has been chosen as Faith of Britain Day because March is a time of seeing light emerging from the darkness of Winter, therefore emphasising hope in an unsure world. Numerologically this date is symbolic because the 3rd month, the 6th day and the 9th year are all multiples of 3 which is about balance - which is what we strive to achieve as humans."
But here's the thing - June 3rd also qualifies for the multiples of three and when written in standard British format 03/06/09, it has the added benefit of a forward progression which can only reinforce the positive outcomes the organisers are hoping for. On the other hand, 06/03/09, the chosen date, is all over the place and will ensure Britain is plunged deeper into recession before it can recover simply because the FOBD mob didn't do the numbers.
June is also in Summer when the light is at its strongest. Why couldn't they see this?
I also think they should have held it at 2am to avoid the divisive nature of the number 11 which takes the powerful effect of the number two and splits it, thus weakening it and possibly setting people at odds with each other instead of having them work together. This will virtually ensure the political dichotomy I mentioned earlier will come to fruition and that little Sally of Birmingham won't get her pony and Helen Mirren won't be surprising anyone with a date.
Seriously, it's all looking like a lost opportunity.
My spirit guides, however, have warned me that too many Brits will accidentally focus on doom and gloom on this Make a Wish Day and the British economy will suffer even more as a result.
Originally spotted on Pharyngula
Next month, the Poms are going to be asked to take part in Faith of Britain Day - and it's not what you might think...
With over 80 million people concentrating their mental energies at the same time on the same day, we will unleash an irresistible psychic force that will, quite literally, make our dreams come true.
Well, the population of Britain is actually a little over 60 million, not over 80 million, and around 10 million of them are likely to be either too young or too old to reliably wish for Britain's economic recovery. Of the remainder, many would likely use this unique "grant your wish" opportunity to wish for things completely irrelevant to the nation's recovery, like a pony or a date with Helen Mirren, and others will wish for things absolutely at odds with what others are wishing for.
If 5 million wish for the ruling party to lose office and another 5 million wish them to remain in office now and in the future (for the good of the economy of course), whose wish gets granted?
"It is a proven scientific fact that thinking about something often causes it to happen. Some call this quantum physics. Others simply call it "faith.""
I call it "thinking about something then doing something about it" like when I think, "I wish I had a cup of coffee", then I ask my wife to make me one and she does.
...06/03/09, the chosen date, is all over the place and will ensure Britain is plunged deeper into recession...Anyway, I'm being facetious. Two of the women involved in this thing were "scientists" - it says so in their biographies - and one is a master of The Law of Attraction, so we know it has to work. They've got psychics and The Secret working together - plus, they've used numerology to select the date and time so they can't possibly miss.
On that note, though, I think they've messed up. Here's how they explain the chosen date:
"March 6th has been chosen as Faith of Britain Day because March is a time of seeing light emerging from the darkness of Winter, therefore emphasising hope in an unsure world. Numerologically this date is symbolic because the 3rd month, the 6th day and the 9th year are all multiples of 3 which is about balance - which is what we strive to achieve as humans."
But here's the thing - June 3rd also qualifies for the multiples of three and when written in standard British format 03/06/09, it has the added benefit of a forward progression which can only reinforce the positive outcomes the organisers are hoping for. On the other hand, 06/03/09, the chosen date, is all over the place and will ensure Britain is plunged deeper into recession before it can recover simply because the FOBD mob didn't do the numbers.
June is also in Summer when the light is at its strongest. Why couldn't they see this?
I also think they should have held it at 2am to avoid the divisive nature of the number 11 which takes the powerful effect of the number two and splits it, thus weakening it and possibly setting people at odds with each other instead of having them work together. This will virtually ensure the political dichotomy I mentioned earlier will come to fruition and that little Sally of Birmingham won't get her pony and Helen Mirren won't be surprising anyone with a date.
Seriously, it's all looking like a lost opportunity.
My spirit guides, however, have warned me that too many Brits will accidentally focus on doom and gloom on this Make a Wish Day and the British economy will suffer even more as a result.
Originally spotted on Pharyngula
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A shakeable belief in God?
Catherine Deveny, in today's Age newspaper, questions just how fragile some people's faith must be if a proposed Australian atheist billboard campaign represents a threat to it.
In relation to a national advertising company's refusal to post atheist billboards, even after the message has been watered down (from something close to water to begin with), Deveny rightly says:
"Fancy advertising taking the moral high ground. Since when has the advertising industry worried about offending women by sexually objectifying them, Muslims by advertising alcohol, vegetarians by plugging meat and anyone even remotely interested in the environment by promoting petrol-guzzling four-wheel-drives as a fashion statement. This rejection of what is free speech and falls clearly inside the guidelines of taste seems odd. Perhaps, dare I say it, discriminatory?"
Boobs, bums, booze, "Russian Babes" and even the suggestion of piano-playing penises, are all okay for nightly TV but you can't mention on a billboard that some people might not believe in a god, in case it offends someone.
Oddly, I've seen ads for various religions on billboards over the years and don't recall street riots resulting from them, so why would anyone be any more offended by the fact that some people don't believe in any of the gods on offer?
In relation to a national advertising company's refusal to post atheist billboards, even after the message has been watered down (from something close to water to begin with), Deveny rightly says:
"Fancy advertising taking the moral high ground. Since when has the advertising industry worried about offending women by sexually objectifying them, Muslims by advertising alcohol, vegetarians by plugging meat and anyone even remotely interested in the environment by promoting petrol-guzzling four-wheel-drives as a fashion statement. This rejection of what is free speech and falls clearly inside the guidelines of taste seems odd. Perhaps, dare I say it, discriminatory?"
Boobs, bums, booze, "Russian Babes" and even the suggestion of piano-playing penises, are all okay for nightly TV but you can't mention on a billboard that some people might not believe in a god, in case it offends someone.
Oddly, I've seen ads for various religions on billboards over the years and don't recall street riots resulting from them, so why would anyone be any more offended by the fact that some people don't believe in any of the gods on offer?
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Skeptic Zone again
I've been really slack in keeping up with Skeptic Zone but this week has been big in the skeptic world so I figured it was time to see what the producers of this podcast have been up to.This week's episode, number 17, features discussion of the bush fires in Victoria. Topics include homeopathic burns treatments and Danny Nalliah's incendiary remarks about God's complicity in this tragedy. Dr Rachie also talks about Ben Goldacre's brush with Jeni Barnett and LBC.
Go to Skeptic Zone for the download. You should check out other episodes while you're there.
You can also check out many of the stories on the Skeptic Zoners blog.
This is quality material by some very dedicated people. Thanks to everyone involved.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Religious Nutters, please join the Far Queue
I received two emails early this week purportedly from the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), a hate-filled ensemble who picket the funerals of US soldiers whilst waving placards declaring that "God hates fags". The emails I received included fliers condemning Australia and claiming the Victorian fires were God's handiwork.
I held back on blogging about it because I was unable to authenticate them as the email address from which they were sent was marginally different to that which comes up in Google searches. That changed tonight as the fliers are now available on Westboro's own website for download.
WBC blame every possible thing that can or does go wrong on homosexuality. It seems that everyone who isn't a paid-up member of their select group is either a "fag" or a "fag enabler". That list includes entire nations, like Australia. No one escapes their wrath.
The first flier declared that God hates Australia as it is a land of false prophets, many of who are fags or fag-enablers. It thanks God and calls for more of the same.
The second flier casts a wide net and even blames Heath Ledger's portrayal of a gay cowboy for upsetting their omnipotent God. We deserve everything we get if we go to the movies.
Oddly, despite claiming a direct line to God, they don't mention Victoria's abortion laws. Pastor Danny Nalliah assured us earlier this week that the abortion laws were what upset God. And Danny didn't say God actually caused the fires, just that he couldn't be bothered preventing them. WBC insist that God actually sent the fires as punishment.
Both quote scripture to support their positions.
Obviously there's some disagreement here. God is apparently telling different stories to different people - unless, and I can't begin to imagine this possibility, they're all just making it up.
Like Nalliah, the WBC seem to have missed the obvious point that, while these fires are notable for their ferocity and unprecedented loss of life, they are not especially unanticipated. Indeed, they were predicted by fire authorities last year.
In Australia, we put up with fires, floods, droughts, cyclones, sharks, venomous snakes, deadly spiders, killer octopus, cone shells, skin cancer, stingrays, the world's deadliest jellyfish and more. Things are queueing up to kill Australians and it's always been that way. It is absolutely tragic when it happens, whether one death or two hundred.
No amount of anti-gay or anti-abortion legislation is going to stop nature throwing everything it has at us. And, just as God was unable or unwilling to prevent someone setting fire to WBC's own church in 2008, he will remain completely unwilling to lift finger to make life in Australia (or anywhere else) 100% safe.
List of links for Danny Nalliah, abortion, fires.
EDIT: I've deleted the images of the flyers. I found them too depressing.
I held back on blogging about it because I was unable to authenticate them as the email address from which they were sent was marginally different to that which comes up in Google searches. That changed tonight as the fliers are now available on Westboro's own website for download.
WBC blame every possible thing that can or does go wrong on homosexuality. It seems that everyone who isn't a paid-up member of their select group is either a "fag" or a "fag enabler". That list includes entire nations, like Australia. No one escapes their wrath.
The first flier declared that God hates Australia as it is a land of false prophets, many of who are fags or fag-enablers. It thanks God and calls for more of the same.
The second flier casts a wide net and even blames Heath Ledger's portrayal of a gay cowboy for upsetting their omnipotent God. We deserve everything we get if we go to the movies.
Oddly, despite claiming a direct line to God, they don't mention Victoria's abortion laws. Pastor Danny Nalliah assured us earlier this week that the abortion laws were what upset God. And Danny didn't say God actually caused the fires, just that he couldn't be bothered preventing them. WBC insist that God actually sent the fires as punishment.
Both quote scripture to support their positions.
Obviously there's some disagreement here. God is apparently telling different stories to different people - unless, and I can't begin to imagine this possibility, they're all just making it up.
Like Nalliah, the WBC seem to have missed the obvious point that, while these fires are notable for their ferocity and unprecedented loss of life, they are not especially unanticipated. Indeed, they were predicted by fire authorities last year.
In Australia, we put up with fires, floods, droughts, cyclones, sharks, venomous snakes, deadly spiders, killer octopus, cone shells, skin cancer, stingrays, the world's deadliest jellyfish and more. Things are queueing up to kill Australians and it's always been that way. It is absolutely tragic when it happens, whether one death or two hundred.
No amount of anti-gay or anti-abortion legislation is going to stop nature throwing everything it has at us. And, just as God was unable or unwilling to prevent someone setting fire to WBC's own church in 2008, he will remain completely unwilling to lift finger to make life in Australia (or anywhere else) 100% safe.
List of links for Danny Nalliah, abortion, fires.
EDIT: I've deleted the images of the flyers. I found them too depressing.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
God hates Australia. So there!
If we are to believe Pastor Danny Nalliah, God has spat the dummy, thrown a tantrum and taken his bat and ball and gone home.
An initial reading of the latest media release from Nalliah's Catch the Fire Ministries, could leave one thinking that Nalliah is saying God set Victoria on fire to punish people for allowing abortion laws to be passed. In fact, what he's really saying is that God has turned his back on Australia, especially Victoria, so that he's now refusing to protect us from harm (I don't know how we explain all the fires and deaths that occurred while we had that cloak of protection. Free will or "mysterious ways" I assume).
Nalliah knows this because he had a prophetic dream last October in which he saw flames and received a message telling him God would lift his conditional protection from the state. This week's media release contains what is described as "an excerpt from the dream which was published in the article.":
“In my dream I saw fire everywhere with flames burning very high and uncontrollably. With this I woke up from my dream with the interpretation as the following words came to me in a flash from the Spirit of God."
The story also reminds readers that Nalliah publicised this dream back in November last year. Indeed he did. A media release was issued from CTFM on November 7 last year, five days after The Herald Sun published a story by Peter Rolfe raising the concerns of fire fighters that Victoria was in for one of the worst bush fire seasons ever seen. While Nalliah claims the dream occurred in the previous month and was discussed at a prayer meeting, I'm not aware of the dream being publicised prior to the November media release.
Even if we accept that the dream did occur and that it was discussed in October, we still have a news story in November in which a bad fire season is predicted, with no suggestion that fire fighters had received their information from God or anyone who claims to be in contact with God. Basically, conditions were such that it had become apparent any summer fires could be tragic.
I've already dismissed the notion that predicting bush fires in Australia is prophetic but there's something else seriously amiss here.
Nalliah wants us to believe his dream was delivered from God. Presumably a perfect God. But if you read the first media release, the dream is described just a little differently to the way it is described in this week's article. In November last year, Nalliah claimed:
“I saw a man firing randomly with a weapon at people on the streets and many were falling dead. I was very disturbed and was crying. Then the scene changed and I saw fire everywhere with flames burning very high and uncontrollably."
Compare that prediction with this week's quote above. Spot the difference? It's subtle but I think you'll get it.
No one went on a shooting rampage prior to these fires.
Was God tricking Nalliah? Did God play the wrong dream then quickly change discs? Did God just get it wrong or change his mind? Who knows?
Whatever the reason for this glaring omission, Nalliah's dream does not match current reality. The dream was no more prophetic than pathetic. If there is any prophecy in that dream, then these fires are not the realisation of it and therefore, have nothing to do with abortion laws, regardless of your religious inclinations.
Media release: Nov 08:
Read more opinion at The Orstrayhun
4BC's Michael Smith is ready to vomit
Family First senator, Stephen Fielding, distances his party from Nalliah
On a separate note: Peter Costello's rather scary Australia Day message to CTFM
And Crikey want to remind Peter Costello about Danny Nalliah.
Even Christian organisations think Nalliah might be a bit off the mark.
The Uniting Church thinks Nalliah doesn't know the first thing about the REAL God.
The Age's religion editor weighs in on Nalliah's Christian ignorance.
The Millenium Project comments on Nalliah
List of links for Danny Nalliah, abortion, fires.
An initial reading of the latest media release from Nalliah's Catch the Fire Ministries, could leave one thinking that Nalliah is saying God set Victoria on fire to punish people for allowing abortion laws to be passed. In fact, what he's really saying is that God has turned his back on Australia, especially Victoria, so that he's now refusing to protect us from harm (I don't know how we explain all the fires and deaths that occurred while we had that cloak of protection. Free will or "mysterious ways" I assume).
Nalliah knows this because he had a prophetic dream last October in which he saw flames and received a message telling him God would lift his conditional protection from the state. This week's media release contains what is described as "an excerpt from the dream which was published in the article.":
“In my dream I saw fire everywhere with flames burning very high and uncontrollably. With this I woke up from my dream with the interpretation as the following words came to me in a flash from the Spirit of God."
The story also reminds readers that Nalliah publicised this dream back in November last year. Indeed he did. A media release was issued from CTFM on November 7 last year, five days after The Herald Sun published a story by Peter Rolfe raising the concerns of fire fighters that Victoria was in for one of the worst bush fire seasons ever seen. While Nalliah claims the dream occurred in the previous month and was discussed at a prayer meeting, I'm not aware of the dream being publicised prior to the November media release.
Even if we accept that the dream did occur and that it was discussed in October, we still have a news story in November in which a bad fire season is predicted, with no suggestion that fire fighters had received their information from God or anyone who claims to be in contact with God. Basically, conditions were such that it had become apparent any summer fires could be tragic.
I've already dismissed the notion that predicting bush fires in Australia is prophetic but there's something else seriously amiss here.
Nalliah wants us to believe his dream was delivered from God. Presumably a perfect God. But if you read the first media release, the dream is described just a little differently to the way it is described in this week's article. In November last year, Nalliah claimed:
“I saw a man firing randomly with a weapon at people on the streets and many were falling dead. I was very disturbed and was crying. Then the scene changed and I saw fire everywhere with flames burning very high and uncontrollably."
Compare that prediction with this week's quote above. Spot the difference? It's subtle but I think you'll get it.
No one went on a shooting rampage prior to these fires.
Was God tricking Nalliah? Did God play the wrong dream then quickly change discs? Did God just get it wrong or change his mind? Who knows?
Whatever the reason for this glaring omission, Nalliah's dream does not match current reality. The dream was no more prophetic than pathetic. If there is any prophecy in that dream, then these fires are not the realisation of it and therefore, have nothing to do with abortion laws, regardless of your religious inclinations.
Media release: Nov 08:
Read more opinion at The Orstrayhun
4BC's Michael Smith is ready to vomit
Family First senator, Stephen Fielding, distances his party from Nalliah
On a separate note: Peter Costello's rather scary Australia Day message to CTFM
And Crikey want to remind Peter Costello about Danny Nalliah.
Even Christian organisations think Nalliah might be a bit off the mark.
The Uniting Church thinks Nalliah doesn't know the first thing about the REAL God.
The Age's religion editor weighs in on Nalliah's Christian ignorance.
The Millenium Project comments on Nalliah
List of links for Danny Nalliah, abortion, fires.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Abortion to blame for Victoria fires!!!
I just saw an "Abortion Causes Fires" story at podblack's blog and couldn't let it go without comment. It is vile, disgusting and while many things are randomly described by politicians as "un-Australian", I think this one takes first, second and third prize in that competition. Did I mention that it's vile? It's vile.
(NOTE: I wrote this story late last night and realise now that it might appear I was calling podblack's commentary vile and disgusting. That is certainly not the case. Podblack was simply commenting on a media release which I find vile and disgusting.)
When I began following the skeptical blogs around the world, it became obvious that the US has a major problem with fundamentalist Christianity (largely in the guise of Creationism or the synonymous Intelligent Design). While I was reading the tales of idiocy that occur over there, it seems I was blissfully unaware of just how pervasive fundamentalism is - and that we have our own brand of it right here in Australia.
In the latest media release from Catch the Fire Ministries, Pastor Danny Nalliah blames the passing of abortion laws in Victoria for the devastating fires that have so far claimed over 180 lives, with counting continuing...
I almost wish I was still blissfully ignorant of this stuff happening in my own country but I've lost the cork from that bottle so, short of a frontal lobotomy, there's no hope of regaining my naivete. I'm stuck with knowing this nonsense exists and the only way I've found to try and deal with it is to shout about it - here.
I'm no left-leaning, liberal, pro-choice, women's rights activist. I take no side in the abortion debate because, frankly, I think it sucks that any woman or couple should ever be faced with making that decision. BUT, the anti-abortion nonsense included in the CTFM media release is beyond parody. The basic premise is so ridiculous it's difficult to believe it isn't a Poe.
So how does Nalliah conclude this disastrous event to be God's handiwork? Well, he had a dream. This isn't your Martin Luther King "better world" kind of dream. No, this is more like a TV psychic kind of dream - the sort of thing you see in a "my predictions for the coming year" segment. It's prophetic nonsense that's so vague it could hardly fail to come true.
In this dream, God supposedly told Nalliah that he was lifting his "conditional protection" from Australia, especially Victoria. I'm left wondering how useful that protection ever was? Abortion or not, Australia suffers from bush fires. Almost every state, almost every year, almost without fail - and people die as a result.
Western Australia had a bad fire a few weeks ago with three homes destroyed in Bridgetown while another fire burned at Yanchep. This weekend there was another at Bunker Bay in the south west. Bushland in Perth's Kings Park has been set on fire three times this summer. It would be something of a miracle to have an Australian summer WITHOUT fires.
But what message is God sending to Western Australians? What do we have to stop doing so as to never experience bush fires again? Something tells me Pastor Nalliah has no better answers than any other religious zealot with a political axe to grind.
It's apparent that the people who make the laws ignored Nalliah's dream so if he wants to be taken seriously in future (and please don't suggest to me that anyone of importance considers them seriously already) then he's going to have to do better than a Sylivia Browne impression. We need specifics. Give us times, dates, locations and death counts - before the event. Without that, anyone can predict bush fires in Australia and, as more and more people move away from the cities, we can also reliably predict we will continue to see people die in those fires.
I'm neither psychic nor religious and I can tell you now, there will be some devastating bush fires (and floods) in Australia next year.
“Can we stop the fires? Yes we can! But it will take God’s children to rally together and repent and cry unto Him as in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (The Holy Bible). We at CTFM have seen this happen several times in the past in Australia, which was also covered by many mainstream media outlets.”
What a shame the "Chrisitan spirit" discussed in the first part of the media release is more than wiped out by the ugliness that follows. Vile. Disgusting. Un-Australian.
Nalliah is a previous Senate candidate for the Family First party.
In the news:
Peter Costello is a friend to CTFM and features regularly on their website (they want him to be our next PM) but even he is disgusted by Nalliah's callous commentary. Disgusted or not, if he is in any way associated with this group, my vote will not go anywhere him should he ever lead his party to an election.
Derryn Hinch is NOT happy.
Sean the Blogonaut points us to a media release from Australian Skeptics
Richard Dawkins is on the case.
List of links for Danny Nalliah, abortion, fires.
(NOTE: I wrote this story late last night and realise now that it might appear I was calling podblack's commentary vile and disgusting. That is certainly not the case. Podblack was simply commenting on a media release which I find vile and disgusting.)
When I began following the skeptical blogs around the world, it became obvious that the US has a major problem with fundamentalist Christianity (largely in the guise of Creationism or the synonymous Intelligent Design). While I was reading the tales of idiocy that occur over there, it seems I was blissfully unaware of just how pervasive fundamentalism is - and that we have our own brand of it right here in Australia.
In the latest media release from Catch the Fire Ministries, Pastor Danny Nalliah blames the passing of abortion laws in Victoria for the devastating fires that have so far claimed over 180 lives, with counting continuing...
CTFM leader, Pastor Danny Nalliah said he would spearhead an effort to provide every assistance to devastated communities, although he was not surprised by the bush fires due to a dream he had last October relating to consequences of the abortion laws passed in Victoria.
He said these bushfires have come as a result of the incendiary abortion laws which decimate life in the womb. Besides providing material assistance, CTFM will commence a seven day prayer and fasting campaign for the nation of Australia tomorrow Wednesday the 11th February.
CTFM has called upon all Australian Bible-believing God-fearing Christians to repent and call upon the Lord Jesus Christ for His mercy and protection over Australia once again.
I don't swear much. I'm not perfect by a long shot but I reserve my swearing for circumstances where it is usually accepted, or expected. I decided when I started this blog that it would not include expletives since they rarely add anything to an argument that can't be added by better writing. I am struggling to stick to that rule as I read and comment on this media release. It is vile. It is disgusting. It's un-Australian.I almost wish I was still blissfully ignorant of this stuff happening in my own country but I've lost the cork from that bottle so, short of a frontal lobotomy, there's no hope of regaining my naivete. I'm stuck with knowing this nonsense exists and the only way I've found to try and deal with it is to shout about it - here.
I'm no left-leaning, liberal, pro-choice, women's rights activist. I take no side in the abortion debate because, frankly, I think it sucks that any woman or couple should ever be faced with making that decision. BUT, the anti-abortion nonsense included in the CTFM media release is beyond parody. The basic premise is so ridiculous it's difficult to believe it isn't a Poe.
I'm neither psychic nor religious and I can tell you now, there will be some devastating bush fires (and floods) in Australia next year
So how does Nalliah conclude this disastrous event to be God's handiwork? Well, he had a dream. This isn't your Martin Luther King "better world" kind of dream. No, this is more like a TV psychic kind of dream - the sort of thing you see in a "my predictions for the coming year" segment. It's prophetic nonsense that's so vague it could hardly fail to come true.
In this dream, God supposedly told Nalliah that he was lifting his "conditional protection" from Australia, especially Victoria. I'm left wondering how useful that protection ever was? Abortion or not, Australia suffers from bush fires. Almost every state, almost every year, almost without fail - and people die as a result.
Western Australia had a bad fire a few weeks ago with three homes destroyed in Bridgetown while another fire burned at Yanchep. This weekend there was another at Bunker Bay in the south west. Bushland in Perth's Kings Park has been set on fire three times this summer. It would be something of a miracle to have an Australian summer WITHOUT fires.
But what message is God sending to Western Australians? What do we have to stop doing so as to never experience bush fires again? Something tells me Pastor Nalliah has no better answers than any other religious zealot with a political axe to grind.
It's apparent that the people who make the laws ignored Nalliah's dream so if he wants to be taken seriously in future (and please don't suggest to me that anyone of importance considers them seriously already) then he's going to have to do better than a Sylivia Browne impression. We need specifics. Give us times, dates, locations and death counts - before the event. Without that, anyone can predict bush fires in Australia and, as more and more people move away from the cities, we can also reliably predict we will continue to see people die in those fires.
I'm neither psychic nor religious and I can tell you now, there will be some devastating bush fires (and floods) in Australia next year.
CTFM are now planning to plead with their beloved arsonist to set things rightBut why would God choose to burn to death these 180-plus people, and only these people, when the vast majority of them have probably never had or planned to have an abortion and when it's just as likely a good many of them disagree with the procedure. If God is so displeased with Victoria, why not wipe the entire state off the map? And I mean that literally. One snap of the fingers and Victoria no longer exists, on Earth or on maps of it. Gone. Finished. Problem solved.
“Can we stop the fires? Yes we can! But it will take God’s children to rally together and repent and cry unto Him as in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (The Holy Bible). We at CTFM have seen this happen several times in the past in Australia, which was also covered by many mainstream media outlets.”
“In our prayer and fasting campaign, we are particularly repenting for the passing of the ‘Decriminalization of Abortion Laws of Victoria’ in addition to other unrighteous, ungodly, and unjust laws and practices which have seen a holocaust of some of the most helpless members of the human race, the unborn.
So, to make matters worse, CTFM are now planning to plead with their beloved arsonist to set things right. They are actually expecting people to cower in subservience to their vengeful god who, if we are to believe he's responsible for this tragedy, has shown little sign of compassion for humanity.What a shame the "Chrisitan spirit" discussed in the first part of the media release is more than wiped out by the ugliness that follows. Vile. Disgusting. Un-Australian.
Nalliah is a previous Senate candidate for the Family First party.
In the news:
Peter Costello is a friend to CTFM and features regularly on their website (they want him to be our next PM) but even he is disgusted by Nalliah's callous commentary. Disgusted or not, if he is in any way associated with this group, my vote will not go anywhere him should he ever lead his party to an election.
Derryn Hinch is NOT happy.
Sean the Blogonaut points us to a media release from Australian Skeptics
Richard Dawkins is on the case.
List of links for Danny Nalliah, abortion, fires.
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