Ray Worships the Sun

I thought I knew all of Ray's bits, so when he began Like the Back of my Hand with putting aside the origin of the hand as ID or evolution and proceeded into a discussion of the hand, I just knew it was going to be an argument from design -- that he would conclude it's just too complex and useful. It was a shocker, though. He calls for us science literate folks to...

...fall at its wondrous feet in absolute homage. We should praise and adore it, and live in admiration of its power and ability. We are morally obliged to fall in worship, for its goodness in giving us the awe-inspiring gift of life. It is only right that we love evolution with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength.

Are you kidding me? This is what qualifies for worship? If it has amazing power and ability; that it gives us life? But, he is a fool who has said in his heart: there is no evolution. As such, he worships God (though the two aren't mutually exclusive). What if he stopped being a fool and accepted evolution? By his logic, he would fall to his knees and worship the biological process? You know what other biological process forms your hands, has vast power and ability, and gives you life? Sexual reproduction. Surely you have not been the fool who has said in his heart: there is no sex (though, I suppose that is one of the aims of your religion). If it weren't for sexual reproduction, you would not be here; it created you. You should worship it by your logic, then; however, you have chosen to blaspheme it by urging people to abstain from it, and to purge it from their thoughts...

And you know what else has vast power and ability? The Sun. If it weren't for the Sun, we wouldn't be alive. It gives us the "awe-inspiring gift of life." It gives us heat to feel, light to see, and energy for life. Surely, Ray, you have not said in your heart that there is no Sun. It's only right, then, that you love the Sun with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. You wouldn't be the first one, though. In fact, the sun worshipers is where you get Christmas from.

Besides, Ray, you wouldn't want an atheist like George Carlin to be the last one to worship the life-giver, the Sun, would you?

I decided to look around for something else to worship, something I could really count on. And immediately, I thought of the sun. Happened like that: overnight I became a sun-worshipper. Well, not overnight, you can't see the sun at night. But first thing the next morning. Several reasons: first of all, I can see the sun, okay? Yeah, unlike some other gods I could mention, I can actually see the sun. I'm big on that. If I can see something – I don't know, kind of helps the credibility along, you know? So every day I can see the sun, as it gives me everything I need: heat, light, food, flowers in the park, reflections on the lake – an occasional skin cancer, but hey. At least there are no crucifixions, and we're not setting people on fire simply because they don't agree with us. Sun worship is fairly simple. There's no mystery, no miracles, no pageantry, no one asks for money, there are no songs to learn, and we don't have a special building where we all gather once a week to compare clothing. And the best thing about the sun, it never tells me I'm unworthy. Doesn't tell me I'm a bad person who needs to be saved. Hasn't said an unkind word; treats me fine. So, I worship the sun. But I don't pray to the sun. Know why? I wouldn't presume on our friendship. It's not polite. … You know who I pray to? Joe Pesci.

---

Others on this topic:

* Of Microbes and Men