Blurring The Line - Religion Vs. Science

Disclaimer: The following post contains strong scientific and religious references.  If you are easily offended by the facts of science I would recommend not reading on.  I must also mention that I have been fairly blunt regarding Christianity in relation to actual facts and the lack thereof in biblical mythology.  You have been warned.

I was raised a Catholic girl.  I went to church, prayed before Sunday lunch and was scared into honesty by my mother telling me that God knew when I was lying.  I went to a Catholic school - 5 of them in fact.  Although I wouldn't call myself an active member of the Catholic community I wouldn't go so far as to say I am an Atheist.

Despite my strong religious upbringing I have always been a student of science.  From my first science experiment in grade 2, where we grew peas in the dark or in a fridge, I have been in love with science.  I love the fact that some things are governed by set rules that are set in stone, so you always know where you stand.  Like gravity.  It has never let me down.  If I jumped from a building I can be certain I would not float into space.  Gravity is a handy science explained phenomenon.

I support the belief that not all things in religion are made to be taken literally and that science and religion are not necessarily mutually exclusive. However, I do have a real problem when children are taught a completely biased version where religion is infallible and that science is made up by atheist scientist types.  This is true especially considering the power religion has shown to have when attempting to control and manipulate the masses (see - the crusades, witch burning and the recent rapture, the last of which I felt was less torturey and much more pleasant than predicted).

A confidential informant of mine has provided me with information that a high school in Brisbane is teaching Creationism in science.  'Big deal', I hear you say.  At first I felt the same way.  Let me show you why I have since changed my mind...

Looks innocent enough, right?

It starts out like any old school book.  At first you don't really notice the bias towards Creationism and against Evolution.  But once you start to see it, you can't stop finding it...

This little gem is a good sign of things to come...

And even on the same page - did you notice this?

Almost slipped by me...

Strange... As my anonymous source put it 'I thought evil was a concept created by man, rather than an actual fact'.  If anyone can submit a paper or any kind of evidence other than voodoo tarot card mumbo jumbo PROVING the consciousness of God I will eat my words. Or my shoes. Hell, I would even eat an elephant taco, make up any kind of crazy thing and I will eat it because I will be in too much shock to argue.

Keep in mind this is only the first page.  I don't have time to show everything, which is truly a tragedy.  This stuff is blogging GOLD.

This book is very quick to dismiss any kind of evidence supporting Evolution.  It goes on to say that the Peppered Moth Theory is complete and utter bullocks because they had to pin some of the moths to trees to take photos of the quick little buggers.  I guess you could argue that it isn't an ideal experiment.

Only problem is no where in the book does it allow for criticism of any aspect of Creationism where there are several pages purely dedicated to the limitations of science and they theory of Evolution.  Apparently because the theory of Creationism is based on the word of God (well, mostly on people who claimed to hear the word of God) it is infallible and literal.  In a book that says love thy neighbour etc ad finitum but in the bible (where all their reliable information is sourced) they are sure are quick to pull this one out: "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death." 1 Cor 6:9 and yet they say not to kill and to love one another.  No wonder people get confused, damnit. Make your frigging mind up!

This page is very telling...

The highlighted section in the above picture is a nice way of showing them gently guiding the students towards what they 'observe' rather than what science can prove.  On this page you will notice that it has a long paragraph explaining why evolutionists believe what they want to believe and do not consider the presence of a God, but I think you will find a blinding absence of the examples of how Creationists do not even consider Evolution because the book told them so.

I am not normally a big fan of using the word 'prove' when talking about science as it is more technically correct as the general consensus is that science doesn't prove, it supports.  But I can say that there is a lot of evidence that VERY HEAVILY supports the Earth being older than a few thousand years old.  This next picture shows the evidence that dinosaurs were on earth with people. Oh, yes. It gets better.

I have seen Behemoths in Fallout and they are totally not dinosaurs...

Apparently Adam and Eve would have shared the Earth with dinosaurs.  Now I KNOW if they shared the Earth with velociraptors they would have gotten eaten.  They may have been good, but they are not Jeff Goldblum.  We aren't sure why dinosaurs died out but this book at least rules out drowning in the great flood.  I bet Noah had fun trying to stop the compsognathus couple from lunching on the squirrels...

This explains a lot.  Actually...

Now it is one thing to say these things about what they believe in.  That is fine, religion is all about putting your beliefs to the test.  But the next image is just plain crazy.

Who did the research for this bloody book?

No where does it say in the theory of Evolution that God does not exist.  It simply says that God did not create the earth as is today around 6000 years ago.  It never says that he does not exist.  It also never mentions that there is no life after death.  Gee, way to make Evolutionists look like boring and pessimistic bastards.  Actually, that may be the very point.

I think that it is sad that it seems like some Christians feel that Evolutionists are out to make people disbelieving sinners and that there is no way the two can co-exist.  I know this is probably a small fraction of Christians who share this biased and unforgiving view of how the world came to be, most people I talk to who identify as Christian welcome the thoughts of evolutionists and see it as a more likely start to the world.  No one ever said that the world wasn't created by God.  I just think that Evolution is how life came to be as it is now and that there is no way Noah could have handled himself with a velociraptor on board, regardless of the forces at work...

Some Words With Friends*

Everyone is so into their phones at the moment. If it isn't that idiotic Angry Birds (where birds are launched into the air as small feathered bombs and missiles... yes, I know you probably know what is about because you play it, but I just wanted you to see how stupid it actually sounds to other people) then it is this new game called Words With Friends.  Apparently it is the new thing.  I even jumped on and have started a couple of games.  It's like scrabble over the interwebs.  Sounds awesome, no?

I beg to differ.  Sure, it is an easy, intellectual way to interact with your friends and family BUT it showed it's true colours this morning. What the hell? I can't play a game this rubbish.

*Some words not included, sold separately (apparently)

4 Reasons Why Pants Are Overrated

Pants. Biggest overrated piece of clothing I have ever had the stupidity to waste my hard earned cash on. Ok, maybe in winter they are necessary. At least in public.  But do people seriously wear them at all when no one else is around?  Our house seems to have a pants optional policy, but then it is just my boyfriend and I. 

When we first moved out it was pants are banned. In fact most clothes were banned but that is just because when you first move out of home - and I mean really move out, with no housemates - you revert back to being a 3 year old.  We ate cereal at night, when the cutlery ran out we ate with chopsticks and pants were banned.

Pants in themselves are a pain.  I talk to a lot of people who agree that pants are overrated.  Just so you know, I am typing this pantsless.  I must clarify that by pants I mean the trouser/jean things, not nickers (because that would be plain weird). 

1. Pants are the first sign you are getting fat.
I have been trying to ignore the growing size of my rear for a few months now.  It's nothing massive but I am only small and every increase seems to be so much more obvious than on average sized people, at least to me.  For the past few weeks I have been doing my pants-dance to get my favourite jeans on.  I blamed it on the dryer shrinking my clothes. That was until my pants-dance couldn't even get my jeans on past my thighs.  Pants are overrated anyhow.

2. They are just more clothes to iron.
I hate ironing.  It is no secret.  I once accidentally ironed myself on the stomach (please don't ask) and it has been all downhill from there.  I did a pile of ironing today. It is still huge.  Either I forget about ironing my cute summer dresses or I ditch the pants.  Hardly a decision.

3. I always have to get them altered.
Do you have any idea how much it costs to get pants altered? $25 a pair. When I went to America I found these awesome jeans and they came in that short size, you know, for shorties like myself and you know something? They are still 2 inches too bloody long.  Apparently I am shorter than the average short person. Poo on you pants.

4. You only have to take them off again.
Self explanatory really.

MIA

I would like to start by apologising for my prolonged absence. I was going to make up a bunch of excuses about how I have been busy and how I have been meaning to write but I know you guys don't really care why.  To make up for it here are some things you missed while I was gone. Who knows, I might even write a post about them when I stop being so damn lazy...

I went to America. It was awesome. New York was poo.

I became a registered nurse and I started my new job. I FREAKING LOVE IT!!!

I prestiged again in CoD. Drinks all round!!!

My baby brother started crawling.  He is such a ratbag!!!

I spent all of my first paycheck on alcohol, clothes, food and random kitchen goods. Money well spent, I wish I could do this every paycheck!!!

I will try to write something worth reading sometime soon.  Thank you to the people who continue to read this blog despite its clear lack of structure or substance.  Unfortunately, this is how it is so don't expect any improvements!

Ham xx

Spammers, I am disappoint.

Some of you may recall that I have already written a post on spam in May.  At the time of that post I decided to make things interesting.  I disabled the spam blocker on my blogger account in the effort to attract more spam to deal with.  Actually, to attract any spam, since the only ones I have had so far were from Kristen and Lac who are not actually spam-bots.

Spammers, what the hell? Not a single spam entry since I disabled my spam safety net.  I know I am not the biggest blog... and in fact only have 18 people who follow me, but actually and very literally I AM BEGGING TO BE SPAMMED.  It is an open invitation and so far I am having a party with just me and the tramadol laced inheritance cake.  You will never get an easier target.  I won't even delete your spam, and instead display it proudly for all to see.

About the same time as my spam filter disabling, the forum where I spend a lot of my time upped its spam measures and I now have not disapproved any spam since MAY.  I am having withdrawals.  I might even make one of the tags for this post 'spam me damn it'.  Do you think that would work?  Or saying words like Canadian Pharmacies and Viagra? 

Spammers! Oh delightful morning on the Internet market.  Why you ever need flaming language for best possible? Post here Canadian pharmacy and best cost only Tramadol without prescription!  Freedom for posting and happy guarantee!

Please?

I am what I am from my childhood.

I think the reason I am such a strange character is clear from the stories of my childhood.  I was never very normal or straightforward, which I think is pretty obvious once you see the finished product. 

A prime example is of my sister's first birthday.  I was almost four and getting into all sorts of trouble in my grandmother's sewing cupboard.  At this stage I had just started sewing (But I still needed Grandma to thread the needle for me) and I wanted to make something to wear to her party.  A little over ambitious? Probably.  Likely to end up as an embarrassing photo for the whole wold to see? Most definitely.  Unfortunately instead of going for a modest dress or a nice dress suit I went with a bikini.  Why my parents allowed me to attend my sisters birthday party wearing a strip of fabric covering my nipples and a loin cloth I will never know.

Due to a lack of photographic evidence at this time this illustration will have to do.

Another issue of my childhood was that I was born without the instinct of stranger danger.  While my little sister would eye people off and keep her cute little mouth closed I would be blabbing my head off to some poor unsuspecting stranger.  To this day I have no concept of this very important survival instinct.  On the upside it means that it is easy for me to meet people and make friends.  On the downside it can get you into all kinds of trouble.  I have had several people of the male persuasion think that my lack of stranger danger means they can follow me home or stalk me at work.  I am slowly learning the importance of keeping my mouth zipped.

Being afraid of the dark is another throw back from my childhood.  I know, Hambo the zombie slayer afraid of the dark?  Don't ask me how or why, I just am.  I am ok as long as I don't realise I am in the dark.  Going to the toilet in the middle of the night is ok as long as my brain doesn't work.  I remember being only about nine years old and totally freaking myself out.  I had somehow convinced myself that there was a leopard in my room, crouching by my closed door just staring into my soul.  I couldn't blink.  In the end I managed to throw myself from my bed to my little sisters and fall asleep with her.  When I woke up in the morning it turned out that the 'leopard' was actually my school bag and I was a giant sissy.

Dream Job?

As some of you may know, I am about to graduate from a Bachelor of Nursing.  This is pretty freaking awesome and I can't wait to be freed from the shackles of student oppression and be freed into the paid workforce.  People ask me if I have always wanted to be a nurse and if it is my dream job.

Let me start by saying that I didn't realise I wanted to be a nurse until recently.  Looking back it all makes so much sense, but that is the beauty of hindsight.  HOWEVER. Nursing is not my dream job.  Who in their right mind would think: 'Yes. It has everything I could ever want in a job!'  Don't get me wrong. I totally love it.  The satisfaction and happiness I get from the care I give people when they need it most makes my heart sing.  But who in their right mind is totally happy that they have to deal with every gross bodily waste known to man? There are at least 5 jobs I would rather do instead of nursing.

'Why,' I hear you ask 'Don't you pursue those dream jobs?' Because real dream jobs don't actually give you any money and, in reality, they are probably things you would end up paying someone so you could do it.  Here is my list of top five jobs I would do if it were possible. I don't think it will take you very long to realise why no one would pay me a wage to do these...

1. Professional At-Home Sleeper
If someone paid me to sleep I would be a millionaire in no time.  I am the kind of person that can sleep anywhere, anytime.  I have slept through new year's parties (with no alcohol involved.  I once fell asleep halfway up the stairs (some alcohol may have been involved...).  I once had a nap where my torso was on the couch and the bottom half of me on the floor... You get the point.

2. Casual Cake Taster
The reason it says casual is so I can choose my own hours and cut them back when I start to put on the cake inner tube.  Imagine the kinds of cake I could eat... *drools* Piece of cake.

3. Dog and Cat Snuggler
Does your beautiful pooch or sweet kitty need an extra cuddle during the day? I am totally your person.  Also available for rat snuggling.  Grumpy owners and animals with attitude need not hire me.

4. Zombie extra
Do I even need to need to list why this would be awesome?

5. Video Game Tester
As long as I don't have to test kids video games like Dora the Explorer or some rubbish I could do this full time plus.  I would never need to leave the house! Sunlight? I don't need that, I have vitamin D pills.

Any of these jobs would be great.  I could even do them part-time after I finish my nursing shifts. Actually, you don't even need to pay me.