Monday, December 30, 2019
Diary of a Kenyan Atheist: RELIGION, THE NOBLEST OF LIES
Diary of a Kenyan Atheist: RELIGION, THE NOBLEST OF LIES: Hello readers!! Welcome back to the wonderful, weird mind of your friendly neighborhood atheist. As usual I have been spending my time in ...
RELIGION, THE NOBLEST OF LIES
Hello readers!!
Welcome back to the wonderful, weird mind of your friendly neighborhood atheist. As usual I have been spending my time in the crevices of the information superhighway trying to figure out the important questions in life; and I have found the answer! It is definitive, beer is the best alcohol out their bar NONE!
However, on the less important matters of the meaning of life, God(s) and religions, my ideas are still somewhat murky and unknown. For those of you who don't already know me, and somehow didn't read the title of my blog; I am an atheist. I do not believe in God(s). However, despite my entirely convincing arguments and depth of wit... religions continue to thrive.
This is one of the primary questions that prompts me to continue to traverse the internet in search of so-called knowledge. One of the most common arguments I have found for both the existence of religions and justification for their goodness is the concept of "The Noble Lie" (I know philosophers come up with the weirdest names for their thoughts).
The ancient blogger Plato is credited as one of the first people to detail this argument, although for him, the argument was more of a political nature. He believed, that certain myths, though untrue could serve an essential purpose in driving societal unity and development. In his famous work "The Republic" he breaks it down as such;
My own interpretation of this is that a myth though untrue, that helps people accept their children as they are (maybe even those born out of wedlock), then society would be better as a whole than if the society followed only the truth.
This argument is not limited to philosophy; I personally have had this argument in different forms in different settings and by a variety of people. If it is true, then it would mean that individuals are so foolish or self centered that if it were not for religions, society would break down, or at least not function as well.
Freidrich Nietzsche, famously worried about this problem in his seminal work, Thus Spake Zarathustra;
In this instance, Nietzsche felt that with the intellectual revolution, beliefs and myths will die out to be replaced by pure logic, but then "Must we not ourselves become Gods?"; must we not evolve some higher morality create our own commandments. Or alternatively, if we stay human we are doomed.
Indeed, I would think that the "Noble Lie" was an essential part of societal history; some of the greatest events of human history were driven by religious ideals. Religion, if a lie, gave us great governments, wars, architecture, stability and such.
However, this lie, being a lie can only be justified if it is, on the whole beneficial. Is it necessary today to have religion as a noble lie?
This is a difficult question for me, and I can't say my mind is made up one way or the other, but I can say this; at least in the modern world, several countries have shown that you can have stable, prosperous and moral societies WITHOUT the belief in God. China, the best performing large economy in history, is officially an atheist country. The Scandinavian countries, widely heralded as providing the best standards of living for their citizens are highly irreligious and many identify as atheists.
It remains, do we need a noble lie now?
For me, I think in some instances it is warranted....
Welcome back to the wonderful, weird mind of your friendly neighborhood atheist. As usual I have been spending my time in the crevices of the information superhighway trying to figure out the important questions in life; and I have found the answer! It is definitive, beer is the best alcohol out their bar NONE!
However, on the less important matters of the meaning of life, God(s) and religions, my ideas are still somewhat murky and unknown. For those of you who don't already know me, and somehow didn't read the title of my blog; I am an atheist. I do not believe in God(s). However, despite my entirely convincing arguments and depth of wit... religions continue to thrive.
This is one of the primary questions that prompts me to continue to traverse the internet in search of so-called knowledge. One of the most common arguments I have found for both the existence of religions and justification for their goodness is the concept of "The Noble Lie" (I know philosophers come up with the weirdest names for their thoughts).
...the earth, as being their mother, delivered them, and now, as if their land were their mother and their nurse, they ought to take thought for her and defend her against any attack, and regard the other citizens as their brothers and children of the self-same earth...While all of you, in the city, are brothers, we will say in our tale, yet god, in fashioning those of you who are fitted to hold rule, mingled gold in their generation, for which reason they are the most precious—but in the helpers, silver, and iron and brass in the farmers and other craftsmen. And, as you are all akin, though for the most part you will breed after your kinds, it may sometimes happen that a golden father would beget a silver son, and that a golden offspring would come from a silver sire, and that the rest would, in like manner, be born of one another. So that the first and chief injunction that the god lays upon the rulers is that of nothing else are they to be such careful guardians, and so intently observant as of the intermixture of these metals in the souls of their offspring, and if sons are born to them with an infusion of brass or iron they shall by no means give way to pity in their treatment of them, but shall assign to each the status due to his nature and thrust them out among the artisans or the farmers. And again, if from these there is born a son with unexpected gold or silver in his composition they shall honor such and bid them go up higher, some to the office of guardian, some to the assistanceship, alleging that there is an oracle that the city shall then be overthrown when the man of iron or brass is its guardian
My own interpretation of this is that a myth though untrue, that helps people accept their children as they are (maybe even those born out of wedlock), then society would be better as a whole than if the society followed only the truth.
This argument is not limited to philosophy; I personally have had this argument in different forms in different settings and by a variety of people. If it is true, then it would mean that individuals are so foolish or self centered that if it were not for religions, society would break down, or at least not function as well.
Freidrich Nietzsche, famously worried about this problem in his seminal work, Thus Spake Zarathustra;
God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?
In this instance, Nietzsche felt that with the intellectual revolution, beliefs and myths will die out to be replaced by pure logic, but then "Must we not ourselves become Gods?"; must we not evolve some higher morality create our own commandments. Or alternatively, if we stay human we are doomed.
Indeed, I would think that the "Noble Lie" was an essential part of societal history; some of the greatest events of human history were driven by religious ideals. Religion, if a lie, gave us great governments, wars, architecture, stability and such.
However, this lie, being a lie can only be justified if it is, on the whole beneficial. Is it necessary today to have religion as a noble lie?
This is a difficult question for me, and I can't say my mind is made up one way or the other, but I can say this; at least in the modern world, several countries have shown that you can have stable, prosperous and moral societies WITHOUT the belief in God. China, the best performing large economy in history, is officially an atheist country. The Scandinavian countries, widely heralded as providing the best standards of living for their citizens are highly irreligious and many identify as atheists.
It remains, do we need a noble lie now?
For me, I think in some instances it is warranted....
Thursday, June 4, 2015
THE RELIGION OF FOOTBALL
Most, if not all atheists at one point or another have heard the phrase "you have to believe in something"; and dismissed this as an ignorant statement devoid of any truth. I can say I have been guilty of the same several times; and it was only recently that an innocuous statement by a more-than-tipsy friend of mine led me to rethink this position.
My friend and I were as per ritual, witnessing the serial disappointment that is post Ferguson Manchester United, (bear with me non football fans the references don't get too footbally); and he pointed out that when the fans sing "Glory Glory Man UNIIITED!!!!", he felt exactly as he did as a child in church during the more passionate praise and worship sessions. Although I believe his intention was to remind me that he had actually been to Old Trafford, the hallowed home of our beloved Manchester United, the parallels still stuck.
As I sat to think about it, the similarities grew stark. This delusional following of some foreign system brought upon us by some colonialists; which we have taken, maybe with more fervor than the originators themselves. This description fits both the Church and the English premier league.
So is there a need, somewhere deep in human psychology to believe in something? Am I, a self declared rationalist basically fulfilling my deep religious need through football? Have I made my God football? My religion Manchester United? My messiah Sir Alex Ferguson?
Manchester United has millions of followers around the world, some more fanatic than others. Some who would kill themselves and others in the name of Manchester United (true story). We have anthems that are sung as hymns across the world, people who cry and laugh and get married under United colors. We revere our saints; as they revere St. Paul so do we remember George Best. The league history is our Bible, with a new (EPL) and old testaments.
Like all religions we look up at recently prominent sects as being less genuine, as the Catholics and Anglicans look upon the charismatic 'modern' Christian sects as ingenuous, so do we look down on the Chelsea's and Manchester City's as being plastic, and lacking true followers.
We maintain delusions like all religious people, and like all religions we have the more delusional than others. As the more cultist Christians believe the world is perennially about to end so do the more delusional Liverpool fans believe they will win the league next year.
Just as religions with major faults whose followers seem too overlook, so it is with we football fans. As Christians will gloss over some Father raping young boys or some 'televangelist' exploiting the very poor, so do we look over the faults of our leaders. Did he bite another man in the neck? Naaaah. Did he call his fellow professional a dirty, black cunt? It was a one time thing. Did you bribe top officials for the opportunity to host a World Cup to enrich a small clique of people? Well football has blessed him (see what I did there?).
The similarities go on and on and on. I concluded that football is a religion;
1. It is an irrational set of beliefs, (my club is better than yours, is the bestest ever),
2.Supported by a large number of people, mostly from poorer backgrounds,
3.Very few people get very wealthy off it while the majority spend a larger part of their income and believe more than the elite,
4.There are extremists who cause violence and mayhem based on what is in theory a uniting and loving endeavor,
5.There is a heavy use of symbols, congregation, camaraderie, music and idol worship to create allegiance,
6.Switching clubs/religions, even where valid reasons are available is considered the height of treachery.
Football definitely is a religion; so i will choose to mutilate a Marx quote as my conclusion,
"every man must believe in something, I believe Manchester United will win the league next season!"
Thursday, October 9, 2014
ARE WE KENYANS?
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie strikes at the heart of tribalism when her character in the award winning novel , Half a yellow Sun, declares,
“I am Nigerian because a white man created Nigeria and gave me that identity. I am black because the white man constructed black to be as different as possible from his white. But I was Igbo before the white man came."
The events of the 2007 post election crisis brought the deep philosophical tribulations of a ficttional Nigerian man much closer home. Suddenly we are made aware that our 'Kenyaness' is an illusion, when sh*t hits the fan, we fall back into our tribal nations, we evoke great systems of warrior youth long thought lost to raid murder on our fellow citizens. We are all Kikuyu, Luo, Nandi, Marakwet and what have you.
Our politics is a game of nation against nation, the two most political nations and their affiliates fight for cheiftancy. The Kikuyu nation emerging paramount mostly because of a great majority and accumulation of a wealthy elite. We see their leaders passing on 'national chieftancy' to their respective sons either by fault or design; Oginga to Raila, Kenyatta to Uhuru, Moses to Musalia and so forth.
Some would advocate that we ignore our various ethnicities and forge a new country based on patriotism, but where do we get this patriotism? its is not some national switch to be turned on. We did not have the favor of a Nyerere whose vision foresaw this exact scenario, so now ethnicity is at the very heart of our politics, our military, our churches and even our schools. What can we do?
I believe the only solution is to create a larger state than Kenya. I believe the formation of the East African Federation will be the only major event capable of extinguishing the hard held stereotypes that people maintain over other ethnicities. If Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda form a union then no single community will have the numbers to support a tribal candidate. Indeed due to the novelty of the system the east African President and according officials are very likely to win a majority.
Your thoughts?
“I am Nigerian because a white man created Nigeria and gave me that identity. I am black because the white man constructed black to be as different as possible from his white. But I was Igbo before the white man came."
The events of the 2007 post election crisis brought the deep philosophical tribulations of a ficttional Nigerian man much closer home. Suddenly we are made aware that our 'Kenyaness' is an illusion, when sh*t hits the fan, we fall back into our tribal nations, we evoke great systems of warrior youth long thought lost to raid murder on our fellow citizens. We are all Kikuyu, Luo, Nandi, Marakwet and what have you.
Our politics is a game of nation against nation, the two most political nations and their affiliates fight for cheiftancy. The Kikuyu nation emerging paramount mostly because of a great majority and accumulation of a wealthy elite. We see their leaders passing on 'national chieftancy' to their respective sons either by fault or design; Oginga to Raila, Kenyatta to Uhuru, Moses to Musalia and so forth.
Some would advocate that we ignore our various ethnicities and forge a new country based on patriotism, but where do we get this patriotism? its is not some national switch to be turned on. We did not have the favor of a Nyerere whose vision foresaw this exact scenario, so now ethnicity is at the very heart of our politics, our military, our churches and even our schools. What can we do?
I believe the only solution is to create a larger state than Kenya. I believe the formation of the East African Federation will be the only major event capable of extinguishing the hard held stereotypes that people maintain over other ethnicities. If Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda form a union then no single community will have the numbers to support a tribal candidate. Indeed due to the novelty of the system the east African President and according officials are very likely to win a majority.
Your thoughts?
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
MATARAJIO 2013
Its the 2nd of January actually... felt like its the 4th... happy 2013 everybody!!
Where were we fans???
Last I left were we wafting through amazonian jungles? Were searching with native Inca peoples for the dangerous poachers who hunt the elusive deadly and strikingly beautiful King of the water, the anaconda?
I forget... were we in a deep passionate adventure, with my female followers, with mysterious, sensual journeys of the mind, and the glorious bounty of sex that lies in the core of our imaginations?
Maybe we were enthralling ourselves with imaginative debates on the future of constitutionalism; of the wave of personal information wafting through the internet and its one on one conflict with the so called "right to privacy." Were we fretting over the continuous emerging debate of the Socialization of the world from East to West...
Dear readers, were we looking at the socialization of our own country, a wave of workers unions triumphing over executive and private sector agglutination of power?
Now my hungover is clearing up;
I am starting to remember...
I remember what we were talking about. We were still discussing whether or not we should continue to follow religions created by our oppressors designed to rape and enrich a cruel few. We still argue over whether the dogmas, instilled in our grandparents through the whip and yoke of colonialism, should be discarded with speed.
You feel that disputed literature aging a couple of millenia, that was used by your masters to enslave you, then when slavery ended even they abandoned it, should not only be used by yourselves for your mindless rituals in eating your Christ, but also should guide the public education of our youths and even tile the beauty that is our constitution?
I had hoped in my drunken stupor that Kenyans had abandoned the religions of the foreigners, to reach on the shoulders of the only true giants who will be remembered in all history, the Newtons and Einsteins And Darwins of the world. To discard religion and learn from where our forefathers so desperately failed against the British; Science and Technology.
Hmmmmph... Maybe tommorrow, maybe tomorrow you will open your eyes.
Last I left were we wafting through amazonian jungles? Were searching with native Inca peoples for the dangerous poachers who hunt the elusive deadly and strikingly beautiful King of the water, the anaconda?
I forget... were we in a deep passionate adventure, with my female followers, with mysterious, sensual journeys of the mind, and the glorious bounty of sex that lies in the core of our imaginations?
Maybe we were enthralling ourselves with imaginative debates on the future of constitutionalism; of the wave of personal information wafting through the internet and its one on one conflict with the so called "right to privacy." Were we fretting over the continuous emerging debate of the Socialization of the world from East to West...
Dear readers, were we looking at the socialization of our own country, a wave of workers unions triumphing over executive and private sector agglutination of power?
Now my hungover is clearing up;
I am starting to remember...
I remember what we were talking about. We were still discussing whether or not we should continue to follow religions created by our oppressors designed to rape and enrich a cruel few. We still argue over whether the dogmas, instilled in our grandparents through the whip and yoke of colonialism, should be discarded with speed.
You feel that disputed literature aging a couple of millenia, that was used by your masters to enslave you, then when slavery ended even they abandoned it, should not only be used by yourselves for your mindless rituals in eating your Christ, but also should guide the public education of our youths and even tile the beauty that is our constitution?
I had hoped in my drunken stupor that Kenyans had abandoned the religions of the foreigners, to reach on the shoulders of the only true giants who will be remembered in all history, the Newtons and Einsteins And Darwins of the world. To discard religion and learn from where our forefathers so desperately failed against the British; Science and Technology.
Hmmmmph... Maybe tommorrow, maybe tomorrow you will open your eyes.
Friday, July 20, 2012
PROOF THAT GOD IS STUPID
I had to put up a strong headline to get my fans back!!
Now always it is good to look to the other side... I have decided to plagiarise a plagiarism of proofs of God's existence; most of these I have heard from friends and pastors and the like;
ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN, a.k.a. GOD OF THE GAPS, a.k.a. TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (I)
(1) Check out the world/universe/giraffe. Isn’t it complex?
(2) Only God could have made them so complex.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
ARGUMENT FROM BEAUTY, a.k.a. DESIGN/TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (II)
(1) Isn’t that baby/sunset/flower/tree beautiful?
(2) Only God could have made them so beautiful.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
ARGUMENT FROM MIRACLES (I)
(1) My aunt had cancer.
(2) The doctors gave her all these horrible treatments.
(3) My aunt prayed to God and now she doesn’t have cancer.
(4) Therefore, God exists.
MORAL ARGUMENT (II)
(1) In my younger days I was a cursing, drinking, smoking, gambling, child-molesting, thieving, murdering, bed-wetting bastard.
(2) That all changed once I became religious.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
ARGUMENT FROM INTELLIGENCE
(1) Look, there’s really no point in me trying to explain the whole thing to you stupid atheists; it’s too complicated for you to understand. God exists whether you like it or not.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
ARGUMENT FROM UNINTELLIGENCE
(1) Okay, I don’t pretend to be as intelligent as you guys — you’re obviously very well read. But I read the Bible, and nothing you say can convince me that God does not exist. I feel him in my heart, and you can feel him too, if you’ll just ask him into your life. “For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son into the world, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish from the earth.” John 3:16.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
ARGUMENT FROM EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL
(1) God loves you.
(2) How could you be so heartless to not believe in him?
(3) Therefore, God exists.
ARGUMENT FROM AMERICAN EVANGELISM
(1) Telling people that God exists makes me filthy rich.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
ARGUMENT FROM CROCKERY
(1) Pots don’t go around giving orders to the potter.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
ARGUMENT FROM LONELINESS
(1) Christians say that Jesus is their best friend.
(2) I’m lonely, and I want a best friend.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
ARGUMENT FROM CREATIVE INTERPRETATION
(1) God is:
(a) The feeling you have when you look at a newborn baby.
(b) The love of a mother for her child.
(c) That little still voice in your heart.
(d) Humankind’s potential to overcome their difficulties.
(e) How I feel when I look at a sunset.
(f) The taste of ice cream on a hot day.
(2) Therefore, God exists.
ARGUMENT FROM MUSIC / ART
(1) You like classical music.
(2) Classical composers wrote for God.
(3) [Non-believer points out that they had to compose for the Church or they would have been executed.]
(4) But they wrote for God and you like the music.
(5) Therefore, God Exists.
ARGUMENT FROM FREE WILL (II)
(1) If God gave us evidence of His existence, we wouldn’t have free will to believe in Him.
(2) That would be bad, and we would lose the need for faith.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
DERRYK’S ARGUMENT FROM GOOD TIMES
(1) Times are good.
(2) God must be rewarding me.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
DERRYK’S ARGUMENT FROM BAD TIMES
(1) Times are bad.
(2) God must be testing me.
(3) Therefore, God exists.
Myth of Monogamy
I am at work, chilling; not that I have nothing to do but I am way tired. A bit hungover and with a strange craving for oranges and downing water like a fish (do fish even drink water?).
Anyway while not believing in God I realised that I have not entirely lived up to my blog *understatement*, and decided today I will write something, no matter how boring, bad, drab... I just yawned myself.
Now being a 'diary' and all it seems I have shared very little personal stuff with my millions of fans around the blogosphere; and on the suggestion of a girl I know and want to.... one day (see I can be personal but telling all would seriously hamper my chances to....) I am going to blog about atheist sex/love.
Firstly I would like to make it clear to everyone, boys, girls, men, women and Arsenal fans; its all about sex the shi.. ummm talk about love is all hullabaloo that should be left in Twilight movies and the marketers of dry cut flowers.
Now before all of you Spanish-soap-drenched girls start protesting, and a couple of guys too; what is the end point what is the climax (no pun intended) of so called relationships? There are no relationships out of sex that are romantic; some may try to delude themselves into sex-free relationships but its a ruse they will have sexual contact but just limit themselves to no vaginal-penile action (by Jesus I hope my relatives don't read this!!) but that's for another day.
I want to move to the title determining paragraph; the myth of monogamy.. yeah I said it (In Chris Rock's funny ass rabbit voice)!!! It is a myth like any other myth with full characteristics to match; no one knows the origin, it serves to maintain some quasi-moral societal norm and it actually isn't true (I read somewhere that in Kenya around a third of all children are raised by their non-biological fathers who don't even know the children aren't theirs!).
Now legally a man cannot marry two wives unless he marries them under African customary law, which might be discriminatory to non-Africans who are not allowed to, or under Islamic law. Now the vice versa is unheard of women cannot marry two men (in certain communities women can marry other women but I digress).
If one marries two women under neither of these exceptions he commits the crime of bigamy (and it is he not she!!!); what is the rationale behind this? Is it constitutional? is it a waste of public funds to investigate and prosecute such cases? In the end what is the point? I propose a free system of marriage anything goes... whoever wants two wives or seven, a communal marriage whatever they want goes; why not?
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