CALLING BULLSHIT

There are people alive today who believe they are the Messiah (and they have their own churches, as well!). There are people alive today who believe God has given them a mission to destroy certain "kinds" of people. There are people alive today who believe the planet will be ‘saved’ by Divine or alien intervention. There are people alive today who believe Queen Elizabeth is an alien. There are people alive today who believe that women are of inferior intelligence and self-control, and must therefore be obedient to men. There are people alive today that believe that if your skin is a different color, you are not quite human. These people do not live far away from you; they are your next-door neighbors. This is not happening in another country or another time. It is happening in your country, on your street, right now.

If someone walks up to me and tells me he is an alien, I would ask him, “How can I know what you say is true?” And it’d better be a darn good proof. Special effects showing that Queen Elizabeth is actually a reptile are not going to do the job. That's what I call "Calling Bullshit."

If someone walks up to me and tells me he is the Son of God, I might be tempted to ask the same thing, except my background would probably show through; “How can you allow such injustice?” And it’d better be a darn good proof. Talk is not going to do the job, nor sleight-of-hand, nor unempirical miracles.

And if someone walks up to me and tells me he’s found all the secrets of the universe, he’d better have more than obscure/inexplicable mathematics as proof.

Every generation since the idea of an apocalypse was first thought of has sincerely believed itself to be the “last generation.” History is replete with examples of people who’ve predicted the end of the world or the arrival of aliens, and these all have one thing in common; uh…nothing happened. Anyone who asks me to sell everything and meet them on any kind of “landing field” is going to face some pretty serious questions from me.

MY PERSONAL *RELIGIOUS* BULLSHITOMETER:

1. Do I have to take someone else’s word (or interpretation) for it, or is there physical evidence anyone can see?** Corollary: If I have to take someone else’s word for it, how do I know they can be trusted?
2. Will it work even if I am a skeptic, putting out negative vibrations?
3. Is it cohesive? That is, does it contradict itself, or is it consistent?
4. Does someone profit (in dollars or fame) from my belief? (We’re all trying to make a living…)
5. Is it open to question, revision, change, accountability?
6. Is it sane? That is, does it match with reality?
7. Is it noble and good, or does it hurt people (or their rights)?
8. Can it be repeated?
9. Does it change anything (to know about this)?

Regarding Resurrection: There’s as much evidence for The Resurrection as there is that Elvis is still alive. If you believe in one, why not both? I call bullshit on that.

Miracles: In many cases the miracles performed by Yeshua are copied almost word for word from the miracles of other (Old Testament) figures. Even bringing the dead back to life was a re-run.

Given their track record, I might also add “Does it have anything to do with crop circles, Easter Island, the Nazca lines, Nephilim, or the magic properties of crystalline rocks?” Because I’m getting quite weary of those. Also, beware: the fact that there is internet footage available of the “latest discovery,” does not make it true. Look to reliable sources (such as http://www.newscientist.com or http://www.archaeology.org) before you believe it.