Basement Office

Scripture spam

In a thoughtful move designed (intelligently, no doubt) to fall near my birthday, a group called CityReachers will be distributing a quarter-million bibles with the Sunday Post-Gazette in a manner similar to free soap or snack food samples.

I’m not sure what Jesus would say about such a waste of resources, but it probably wouldn’t be very encouraging. I emailed the group to see if the Good Book is recyclable. I hope they answer my call.

One can’t fault the Post-Gazette’s decision to distribute the book, as it should bring the newspaper over $100,000 if the figures in the story are correct.

However, it’s fun to imagine what the response would be if a FSM sticker, an Atheist tract, or, even better, a copy of the Qur'an was sent out with every Sunday paper. Xenophobia abounds.

Clarifying my position

PZ Myers, unarguably the most famous UMM internet celebrity, nails down in half a sentence the very same thing I was thinking about as I got ready for work this morning:

…when Christians back off and don’t make their ridiculous superstitions a prerequisite to participation in politics and everyday life, they are entirely tolerable.

To which I may add my thoughts on the aforelinked stories on prayer to deter crime and lower gas prices: as a means of personal comfort, or even as a vehicle to assemble and inspire people to action, prayer is fine, if sometimes a bit humorous. Whatever floats your boat.

But to cede personal responsibility and thought to the workings of a supernatural force – such as believing that prayer will save an 11-year old girl from “spiritual attack” – is lazy, dangerous, and, in this example, perhaps even criminal.