Okay, maybe that's not great alliteration. Oh well. It's early.
The most recent effluvia from the Americhristian Fascist Association is plugging evangelist Tim Todd's The Truth for Youth comic-book Bible for teens, which Tim is offering to send a free copy of to any teen willing to give it to an "unsaved" classmate. Todd is, as you may have guessed, one of those extra-sleazy evangelical ambulance chasers who latched onto school-related tragedies like Columbine to promote his ministry. In the breathless words of the AFA email,
"The Truth for Youth" consists of the entire New Testament in the God's Word version, along with powerful full color comics that are packed with "absolute truths" regarding issues young people are faced with, such as: Evolution, Sexual Purity, Homosexuality, Abortion, Pornography, Drugs, Drunkenness, Peer Pressure, School Violence and Secular Rock Music. God's wonderful plan of salvation is incorporated into each of the stories.
Ironically appropriate that they place the words "absolute truths" into quotation marks, since, whenever Christians start prattling on about "absolute truths" about whatever evil secular subject is obsessing them, they're almost certainly about to start lying out their flabby butts. The evolution material will be nothing but the usual idiotic creationist canards that have been lying in ruins for ages; the homosexuality material will be plain old hate; the stuff about "secular rock music" will fall on deaf ears.
In any case, it's amusing that they think trying to go the Jack Chick route will be an effective tool to minister to teens, but the sad thing is it could well be. What I'd like to see is the NCSE or the Dawkins Foundation assemble a Basics of Evolution or The God Delusion for Youth, to make available to high school students for free as well. The best way to combat the propaganda of Christian "truth" is, of course, with true truth — you know, that which is supported by such tiresome things as scientific research, reason and evidence. Not that which is backed by just another narcisstic, money-grubbing fundagelical who believes he's the appointed ambassador of the magic invisible universe-creating space pixie. For every copy of The Truth for Youth foisted on a poor unsuspecting student who ought to be learning facts instead, they could offer sensible, even witty counter-arguments to reveal Todd's brainless misinformation for the self-serving, deceptive religious hucksterism it is. Heck, as a former comics industry professional of nine years' experience, I'd even volunteer my time!
Sorry this is off topic, Martin, but Dan Marvin just showed up at my latest post without so much as a fake identity. It's really one of his worse showings, which is saying something.
ReplyDeleteJust thought you might like to know.
Yes, Dan still tries to get past the bouncers here too. Whatever.
ReplyDeleteHe tried to get in no fewer than three comments just yesterday, and the one on your blog could have been one of them. (The main benefit of prohibiting anonymity is I can click "Delete" on his crap without wasting time reading it.) His already feeble mental store of "arguments" has been so drained that he can't even come up with his own stuff. I see on your site he's still floundering with the same pathetic cutpasted blather he attempted here while under his last anonymous sockpuppeting binge. He posts some cutpasted dreck from one of his favorite bottom-feeder apologetics sites, Bronze Dog and others refute him, he responds with another cutpaste. Lather, rinse, repeat. Sad, truly. And he really thinks he has to behave like this to win people over to his god. Classic mental illness.
Dan's still just a pathetic manchild, desperate for attention, and he just can't get the concept "I'm banned" through his tiny skull. I have to confess it's funny that he's still obsessed with us (or with me, I think) while we give him little thought at all, beyond "Oh, him again" whenever he pops up here like the proverbial bad penny.
>he responds with another cutpaste.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't think it's a huge problem for someone to look for a solution in what others have thought/said to something they don't know the answer to, the sheer amount of requoting that occurs on the mainstream apologetic side is astounding. At some point I really do have to stop and say: Do you not get that you seem to be unable to think for yourself or defend what you are calling "your" belief?
If I have to continually turn to others to defend _my_ belief--on what level can I even call it, honestly, "my" belief? _I_ don't know--don't understand--what _I_ believe?
That's a little odd.
As far as the comics--I think it would be great to put out an atheist youth series (maybe books rather than comix)...ACA?
The best way to combat the propaganda of Christian "truth" is, of course, with true truth — you know, that which is supported by such tiresome things as scientific research, reason and evidence.
ReplyDeleteOh. So not atheism, then.
Atheism is the rejection of belief in God, based on the fact that no believer has ever provided sufficient compelling evidence to justify belief. So in that regard, atheism's got reason foursquare on its side. I was, of course, referring more towards Todd's disinformation on the subjects listed — evolution, homosexuality, etc. — claims which can be refuted by the evidence.
ReplyDeleteIf you have evidence of God's existence, please share. Or are you just another troll who's got nothin'?