Posts in: Religion

BORN AGAIN is the story of Director Markie Hancock’s evangelical upbringing and her 20-year struggle to get out.  Excerpts from Hancock’s journals, home movies and student films reveal the strong grip of fundamentalist religion.  As a child, she revels in the security that promises of eternal salvation bring to both her and her family.  Hancock only slowly begins to question the narrow path she has fervently followed when she falls in love with a woman.  It is in Berlin when she finally begins to free herself from religion and from the family she loves.  Ultimately, BORN AGAIN asks, at what price do we believe what we believe and how do we live with others who believe differently?

“You should at least have the decency to respect the beliefs of others!” I hear this quite a bit.  I feel that, unfortunately, too much respect is paid to the various religions in our country and their beliefs. I doubt that many Christians or Muslims, for example, can take that same approach when it comes to respecting my decision in choosing not to believe in their respective gods.

One of the intense debates that still rears its ugly head here in America is the old Creationism VS Evolution argument. Personally, I see no conflict between these views. That may be because I tend to view things just a little bit differently than Fundamentalist Christians as well as some atheists that have not actually researched the material. First, I will try to explain why I see no conflict between the two. Then, we will take a look at the misleading representations that creationists put forth.

I remember the first argument for religion (namely Christianity) that I encountered when I was younger like it was yesterday. At the time, it seemed quite foolproof and logical. Here is a breakdown of the argument:

(1) It is possible that the Christian God exists and it is possible that the Christian God does not exist.
(2) If one believes in the Christian God then if he exists then one receives an infinitely great reward and if he does not exist then one loses little or nothing.
(3) If one does not believe in the Christian God then if he exists then one receives an infinitely great punishment and if he does not exist then one gains little or nothing.
(4) It is better to either receive an infinitely great reward or lose little or nothing than it is to either receive an infinitely great punishment or gain little or nothing.
Therefore:
(5) It is better to believe in the Christian God than it is not to believe in the Christian God.
(6) If one course of action is better than another then it is rational to follow that course of action and irrational to follow the other.
Therefore:
(7) It is rational to believe in the Christian God and irrational not to believe in the Christian God.