Asymmetric Religion and Philosophy

"When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything."
- GK Chesterton

My friends at Magnasquids (the movie is here) brought to my attention a conspiracy movie claiming to show that all religions, including Christianity (but not Islam, oddly), descend from the ancient zodiac. Basically, the Patriarchs used the Egyptian god Horus, himself a personification of the ancient zodiac, as inspiration for their own theology and God origin. The movie, not content with a mere academic discussion of religious origins, however, goes on to discuss how we were all fooled by Bush and Co. during and after the Twin Towers attack of 2001 (the lying "9/11 Truth" movement) and even bring up that old chestnut, the Federal Reserve Bank.

I was immediately skeptical for a couple of reasons. First, just like I wouldn't buy a car from someplace called "Honest Jack's Car Emporium" I immediately distrust any movie that claims "everything you know is a lie, UNTIL NOW." Yes, an internet movie will set us strait. Second, in order for such claims to be true, we'd have to live in a more evil world than anybody could imagine. Our president would have had to murder 3000 people to please... I don't know... his bothers from the Skull and Bones who now run the Reserve Bank who just lent money to Halliburton.

I must admit that I wasn't prepared to discus the religious aspects of the film. The movie begins by listing coincidences between the different religions: that all ancient religions have virgin-birthed gods who later acquire twelve disciples, are killed, and are resurrected (anybody you know?). Their list of gods is impressive from the aforementioned Horus to Dionysus, to Mithra and Vishnu and even a god that they made up themselves called Virishna.

The list of similarities took me aback. I thought that if they were true, it would be a solid case against religion in general and Christianity in particular.

But, it turns out that the movie is one big, fat lie. In one of my most interesting internet experiences, a site called Unexplained Mysteries has such a devastating debunking that I almost felt embarrassed for the movie makers- until I realized that these people are spreading the most disgusting lies and generating unjustified fear- very sad. The thread is very much worth your time.

Some thoughts:

Follow up:

1. According to anti-religious people, religious leaders lie to their followers in order to control them or to take their money (some do, by the way). The question is, then: why do non-religious people, like the either delusional or mendacious producers of Zeitgeist, lie? What do they gain from fooling us? For that matter, why do people like Michael Moore and Noam Chomsky lie? Do they also want to fleece their flock? Power? is it a psychological defect? (Michael Moore lies and Chomsky lies as if you ever doubted).

It's the most sad irony of our time that the people who most often claim that everybody is being lied to are the ones who believe the most provable untruths. In other words, the lie is that the majority is being lied to (of course, people lie-I'm not a gullible idiot. I'm talking about the Oz-like "man behind the curtain," or the Chomsky-like "everything you know is wrong" lies).

2. Why do some people desire to believe that they live in an evil country? It's one thing to point out legitimate problems, but why pile-on with lies?

3. If the United States is as corrupt as people say and we're stolen from and deceived to such a great degree, then it must not be such a bad thing. Even with "them" stealing from us, we have more stuff than any society in history. I mean, I'm not rich and I still have more junk than I could ever possible use. Even with "their" attempts to spy on and dominate "us," I never walk around scared, especially of our government (circus clowns, yes-that's different).

4. Most non-religious people and most liberals aren't dumb, wouldn't be taken in by these ridiculous movies, and don't disparage those with whom they disagree, but some of the more extreme or disturbed are, would, and do. In fact, in some ways, they're more credulous than the "religious nuts" (who do exist and whom we should shun) they criticize. Responsible religious people admit that, ultimately, their belief system requires faith and, thus, don't claim the ability to physically prove every aspect of their religion. The anti-religious Zeitgeist defenders on the bulletin board (Sunofone, check him out-hilarious) accept the most scandalously unreasonable assertions without any proof at all as well as argue in the most illogical, emotional, and offensive manner-(typical of many far left sites that I sometimes make fun of. )

5. If you look at the thread I referenced, Conspiracy Clothes, The Doctor, and Elgin provide a model of logical, honorable argument. Kind of inspiring, actually.

6. The end of the movie presents an apocalyptic end-of-the-world scenario, the kind of thing people make fun of Christians for. Global warming is another end-of world scenario claimed by some, (but not in the Zeitgeist). Conclusion: People like to think about the end of the world.

7. Wasting time on conspiracy theories distracts from real problems and prevents legitimate solutions.

Zodiac. oooh, scary

Cat flushing Zeitgeist

scarier than