September 8th, 2008

Ever noticed how, when you say something mild and middle-of-the-road you get pummeled from both sides of the issue? For example, say something issue-neutral like "There is no evidence to confirm the existence of God" and be prepared to bleed. I mean, that really is a completely matter-of-fact statement, but it's not ever going to be treated that way:

When you say something like that the zealously religious will attack you with spittle-flinging diatribes about how the very fact we are here is evidence of God, or how we need to have faith and ignore evolutionary "clues" that test our faith, etc. They will talk about Heaven and Hell and all that God (in whatever name) has done for me. They will use guilt, a sense of obligation, appeal to my sense of fairness and honesty, or incite me to violence even—if they think that might do the trick. If you let them, they will talk you ear off long and loud and then ask you if you "get it" now. But they don't care about your answer because they are really just pausing for breath so they can launch into another giant tirade about creationism, faith, morality, etc.

But when you say something like my "no evidence of God" statement above, the scientists (who have the courage to speak up at all) will use your statement as a launching point to intimate (and sometimes just come right out and say) how silly and regressive religious belief is. They won't just leave that statement alone, they will attach to it the conclusion that there can't possibly be a God, since there is so much evidence in the world and universe that there isn't a God. Further, they will misinterpret and therefore completely minimize any of your emotional expressions as being mystic and religious, not "real" and not "scientific". There is as much a culture of bullying among scientists as there is among the religious zealots, and the only reason we all aren't scientific by default is that only the religious kill you for not thinking along their lines; many scientists are almost as bad, though, by belittling, marginalizing, and de-humanizing you based on your religious beliefs.

And, sticking with the example, the statement has nothing beyond its face value, yet you've been attacked from both sides.

Though we may have no opinion, we can't express our lack of opinion, since it exposes both flanks to strong attempts at recruitment from either side of whatever spectrum that we are straddling.

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