The end comments on the article are interesting. I wonder if other religion’s believers will see a correlation, say, in this country.
On 3 March 2008, in a popular TV show, Sanal Edamaruku, the president of Rationalist International, challenged India’s most “powerful” tantrik (black magician) to demonstrate his powers on him. That was the beginning of an unprecedented experiment. After all his chanting of mantra (magic words) and ceremonies of tantra failed, the tantrik decided to kill Sanal Edamaruku with the “ultimate destruction ceremony” on live TV. Sanal Edamaruku agreed and sat in the altar of the black magic ritual. India TV observed skyrocketing viewership rates.
[…]
After nearly two hours, the anchor declared the tantrik’s failure. The tantrik, unwilling to admit defeat, tried the excuse that a very strong god whom Sanal might be worshipping obviously protected him. “No, I am an atheist,” said Sanal Edamaruku. Finally, the disgraced tantrik tried to save his face by claiming that there was a never-failing special black magic for ultimate destruction, which could, however, only been done at night. Bad luck again, he did not get away with this, but was challenged to prove his claim this very night in another “breaking news” live program.
Great job, Mr. Edamaruku!
#21 – julieb
Love those flowcharts. 🙂
#13
I can see your point about scientific evidence not always open to revision. Scientists who have discovered something tend to resist interpertation to anything of the contrary (espcially if they are making money off of it). But religion is no different, if not completely closed minded about anything being “diffrent.”
Technically the scientific method is “supposed” open to support, or contradict since debate about theories and test results are argued constantly all the time.
But it’s the same thing with religion. Why are there so many diffrent religions, if there’s really supposed to be only one god? Even among the same religions (ahem, Christians) there’s literally thousands of different types with their own little spin on the bible, as to why they exist. Most of these off-shoot churches exist because someone had a “different” idea than what’s cannon, and they were excomunicated.
My point it’s we are talking about human nature, truth vs. bullshit. Not religion vs. science.
The fact that we live in a time where we get to instantly debate things worldwide… is new, relatively
I love reading the comments on this post, such intellectually stimulating thoughts racing across land, sea and air. Passionate speaches and humorus quips. All signifying squat.
In the end it all turns to dust, in the wind.
(Sorry about the “in the wind” part, couldn’t help myself)