Quote of the Day: Religious Opinion Deserves No Respect

Henry Louis Mencken was an American journalist, essayist, magazine editor, satirist, critic of American life and culture, and scholar of American English.  He was sometimes known as the "Sage of Baltimore", and is regarded as one of the most influential American writers and prose stylists of the first half of the twentieth century.  He is also remembered for his satirical reporting on the Scopes trial, which he dubbed the "Monkey Trial" and he commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians and contemporary movements.  He was no friend to blind faith religion and the idiocy and ignorance it fosters.  With Pope Francis blathering about not criticizing religious belief, these words of Menchen are worth remembering:

One of the most irrational of all the conventions of modern society is the one to the effect that religious opinions should be respected. [ … ] This convention protects them, and so they proceed with their blather unwhipped and almost unmolested, to the great damage of common sense and common decency. That they should have this immunity is an outrage. There is nothing in religious ideas, as a class, to lift them above other ideas. On the contrary, they are always dubious and often quite silly. Nor is there any visible intellectual dignity in theologians. Few of them know anything that is worth knowing, and not many of them are even honest. 

Individuals are free to believe what they want, but that does NOT mean that the rest of us are bound to show them respect or accept the ignorance and discord they peddle under the guise of religious dogma.  Ignorance and bigotry need to be called out for what they are and the harm they do in the world.

H/T Bob Felton

Top Scientists to Media - Stop Providing Cover for Climate Change Deniers

Many wrongs go on in America and many bad policies are allowed to happen because the media fails to report the true facts and/or gives deference to those who do not deserve it.  Part of this latter phenomenon is when the media allows hate merchants like Tony Perkins or GOP Neanderthals like Sen. James Inhofe to state their views unchallenged even though there is nothing to support them other than toxic religious belief or, in Inhofe's case, idiocy.  Several dozen scientists have had enough of the media's tacit support of lies and groundless beliefs and have called on the media to stop giving cover to climate change deniers, most of whom are Republicans and Christofascists.  Think Progress looks at the matter.  Here are highlights:

Four dozen leading scientists and science journalists/communicators have issued a statement urging the media to “Please stop using the word ‘skeptic’ to describe deniers” of climate science.

The 48 signatories, Fellows of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), include such luminaries as Nobel laureate Sir Harold Kroto; Douglas Hofstadter, Director of The Center for Research on Concepts and Cognition at Indiana University; physicist Lawrence Krauss, Director of The Arizona State University Origins Project; and Bill Nye “the Science Guy.” Full list here.

The scientists and journalists were motivated by a Nov, 10, 2014, New York Times article “Republicans Vow to Fight EPA and Approve Keystone Pipeline” that referred to Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) as “a prominent skeptic of climate change.” They note that same week, NPR’s Morning Edition called Inhofe “one of the leading climate change deniers in Congress.” The signatories note, “These are not equivalent statements” and the two terms should not be conflated.

“Proper skepticism promotes scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims,” the letter reads. “It is foundational to the scientific method. Denial, on the other hand, is the a priori rejection of ideas without objective consideration.”

Inhofe has never been able to provide even ordinary evidence for his absurd conspiracy charge. “That alone should disqualify him [Inhofe] from using the title ‘skeptic’.”

The signatories end by explaining:

As scientific skeptics, we are well aware of political efforts to undermine climate science by those who deny reality but do not engage in scientific research or consider evidence that their deeply held opinions are wrong. The most appropriate word to describe the behavior of those individuals is “denial.” . . . . We ask that journalists use more care when reporting on those who reject climate science, and hold to the principles of truth in labeling. Please stop using the word “skeptic” to describe deniers.

Physicians, cardiovascular scientists, public health experts and others all agree smoking causes cancer,” the report said. “And this consensus among the health community has convinced most Americans that the health risks from smoking are real. A similar consensus now exists among climate scientists, a consensus that maintains climate change is happening, and human activity is the cause.”