If only it was this simple…

I was watching the extras on The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy DVD last night. Included is the second half of the Guide entry about Babel fish that describes how irreducible complexity proves that God doesn’t exist. The logic is just about on the level of that used by Intelligent Design morons. Actually, I take that back. It’s at least several thousand times more advanced (okay, I’m just being snarky :) Can we apply this reasoning to eyeballs or flagella as well, plz?

Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that anything so mind-bogglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see as a final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God. The argument goes like this: “I refuse to prove that I exist”, says God, “for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.”

“But”, says Man, “the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn’t it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don’t. QED.”

“Oh dear”, says God, “I hadn’t thought of that,” and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.

Ah, Douglas Adams… He was very much ahead of the times.

But, wait. Nevermind. Intelligent Design has nothing to do with God, religion or faith. It’s a good thing, because if they screw up one of these days and accidentally stumble upon some real facts or evidence, it would denigrate their presupposed beliefs to the level of despicable, despicable science…

[EDIT]: Okay, well. Ack. Douglas Adams was ahead of his time, and is probably also rolling in his grave. I’ve seen people quote the passage above to make fun of Intelligent Design before, but a Google search reveals that these IDiots are also using it as an allegory to demonstrate their argument (they really don’t know a joke when they see one, huh). Asshats. Hands off! You have your Good Book, and I have mine.

Also, they struggle with the very issue DNA pointed out. What is God without faith? And OMG! What would happen if Intelligent Design actually did prove God! Wouldn’t that undermine Christianity? There are more than a few people out there that think this, and if they’re going to believe something stupid anyway, I fully support this viewpoint, because at least they’ll stop bullshitting about science. Because seriously. Proof is dangerous! Belief that isn’t based on irrational superstition doesn’t count, because faith should be enough, they say. And I’m sorry, but once I’m given facts, they’re going to take precedence over everything else. Therefore, evidence for ID would prevent me from ever having faith, and probably condemn me to hell. They don’t want that, do they?

Yeah, I’m not going to read any more about this right now. I hate the “we don’t need no steenking facts” argument. This is why run away from preachy religious types. Even if you finally get them to accept that there’s no way they’re going to convince you of anything without facts to back things up, and to admit that they really don’t have any facts, they just start ranting about how you’re being stubborn and shallow to require them in the first place. And how do you argue with someone who’s essentially saying “Hi! I’m full of shit, and I’m better than you because of it!”

I have to return that DVD now, anyway.

4 thoughts on “If only it was this simple…

  1. You may take comfort in a fictitious story but it’s a total straw man argument. For God never said: “I refuse to prove that I exist”, says God, “for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.”

    God doesn’t need our faith or belief in order to exist. Quite the contrary.
    If there were a sudden loss of all believers God would simply create more:

    Matthew 3:9
    “and do not think to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

    So you see God has given you the choice to have faith or not. Not for God’s benefit, but yours.

  2. You may take comfort in a fictitious story but it’s a total straw man argument. For God never said: “I refuse to prove that I exist”, says God, “for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.”

    God doesn’t need our faith or belief in order to exist. Quite the contrary.
    If there were a sudden loss of all believers God would simply create more:

    Matthew 3:9
    “and do not think to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

    So you see God has given you the choice to have faith or not. Not for God’s benefit, but yours.

  3. I was obviously being serious.

    For somebody who doesn’t care whether or not anyone believes in him or not, though… he sure goes to a lot of trouble to threaten people into it.

    Also, that verse doesn’t really say that “if there were a sudden loss of all believers God would simply create more”. It doesn’t say anything about believers at all! John is saying that “children of Abraham” aren’t automatically all that special because of their bloodline — they’re a dime a dozen to god, and therefore they don’t automatically have a place in heaven. If they don’t want to burn in hell, they’d better damn well repent and bring forth good fruits and such. It also implies that the “vipers” he’s talking to already believe in god. At least, I’d have to assume so, since they’re there to be baptised. So even if I believed a word of that particular book, you don’t really make your point there. Try harder next time. I should note that since I don’t believe in god, I can’t possibly believe in the authority of that book. Therefore quoting it is not going to prove anything to me. You’ll have to make your points using a rational basis instead (and I’d like to see you try).

    Either way — I maintain that god needs our belief in order to exist just as much as Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Invisible Pink Unicorn, because he’s equally imaginary.

  4. I was obviously being serious.

    For somebody who doesn’t care whether or not anyone believes in him or not, though… he sure goes to a lot of trouble to threaten people into it.

    Also, that verse doesn’t really say that “if there were a sudden loss of all believers God would simply create more”. It doesn’t say anything about believers at all! John is saying that “children of Abraham” aren’t automatically all that special because of their bloodline — they’re a dime a dozen to god, and therefore they don’t automatically have a place in heaven. If they don’t want to burn in hell, they’d better damn well repent and bring forth good fruits and such. It also implies that the “vipers” he’s talking to already believe in god. At least, I’d have to assume so, since they’re there to be baptised. So even if I believed a word of that particular book, you don’t really make your point there. Try harder next time. I should note that since I don’t believe in god, I can’t possibly believe in the authority of that book. Therefore quoting it is not going to prove anything to me. You’ll have to make your points using a rational basis instead (and I’d like to see you try).

    Either way — I maintain that god needs our belief in order to exist just as much as Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Invisible Pink Unicorn, because he’s equally imaginary.

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