Malevolent Design
The Death of a Loving God
Biological
What
kind of god would make an innocent baby homosexual knowing full well that
its holy books contain divine commandments to murder such individuals?
Leviticus 20:13 says:
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
That’s pretty clear
language! If a man engages in homosexual activity it is morally permissible to
kill them both! Thou shalt not kill, unless they happen to be a gay couple!
Lesbians are not spared, either, as they are mentioned in Romans 1: 18-32, along with male homosexuals, again:
For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for
God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because
that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful;
but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of
the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds,
and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to
uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies
between
themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and
served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For
this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did
change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the
men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward
another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in
themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did
not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of
envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God,
despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things
are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have
pleasure in them that do them.
Several things must be discussed here. First, it says that everyone should know better because it’s just so gosh darn obvious that this particular god, out of all the possible deities, is the right one. They are without excuse. That small section is the justification for believing that even those peoples who had never heard of Jesus or his Daddy, for example: Native Americans before the European invasion would have gone to Hell, anyway. Second, these verses clearly indicate that, as a punishment, God made people into homosexuals. He “gave them up unto vile affections.” By this logic, homosexuality, at least in this context, can be considered a curse. What was their crime? Well, they worshipped men and animals as gods and goddesses. It’s a direct indictment against other religions that existed at the time, especially those that were polytheistic. Third, after linking homosexuality with a long laundry list of offenses, one of which, ironically, is murder, it goes on to say that they are worthy of death. So again, why would a loving god ever make a baby gay?
Usually, theists will argue that homosexuality is a choice and therefore not the fault of their god. Sure, that can be the case, the experimental teen girl comes to mind, but there is a marked difference between seeing what the other side is like, out of curiosity, and never being attracted, at all, to the opposite sex.
Science has shown that homosexuality is,
indeed, largely a matter of genetics. In 1991, neuroscientist Simon LeVay found
that the hypothalamus, which is involved in sexual behavior, was smaller in
homosexual men than in their heterosexual counterparts. Around the same time a
study was published, in the December issue of The Archives of
General
Psychiatry, on homosexuality and twins:
“We found 52 percent of identical twin brothers of gay men also were gay, compared with 22 percent of fraternal twins, compared with 11 percent of genetically unrelated brothers," said J. Michael Bailey, an assistant professor of psychology at Northwestern University in Evanston, "which is exactly the kind of pattern you would want to see if something genetic were going on." 9
In 1995 Odenwald and
Zhang of the National Institute of Health were able to create a bisexual fruit
fly through genetic manipulation of a single gene. They inserted a normal copy
of a gene known as “white” (called this because a specific mutation in this gene
cause the fly’s eyes to change from red to white), whose job it is to produce a
protein that allows cells to use the amino acid tryptophan, in such a way that
it is activated in every cell. This caused a tryptophan shortage in the brain,
as every cell was sucking it out of the blood. This shortage, in turn, lowered
the amount of serotonin, a very important neurotransmitter, that was able to be
produced. The scientists hypothesized that it was this drop that changed their
sexual behavior. In 2006 a study was published by Anthony Bogaert from Brock
University in Ontario, Canada that showed a correlation between the number of
older brothers a boy had and his chances of being gay. This is known as the
fraternal birth-order effect. He found the link only existed when they all
shared the same mother. His hypothesis for the mechanism behind the effect he
calls “maternal memory.” This is where, with each progressive male birth, the
woman’s body begins to see the male as “foreign” and therefore mounts an attack
which, essentially, feminizes the brain of the fetus. In 2007 David Featherstone
and coworkers, of the University of Illinois at Chicago, discovered that a
mutation in a fruit fly gene known as “genderblind,” or GB, caused the flies to
be bisexual, as well.
Now, in 2008, a theory has been put forth called sexual antagonism, which holds that a gene can be reproductively harmful to one sex as long as it's helpful to the other. It aims to explain four curious patterns and answer the question: Why, if homosexuality is genetic, hasn’t it died out?
First, male homosexuality occurs at a low but stable frequency in a wide range of societies. Second, the female relatives of gay men produce children at a higher rate than other women do. Third, among these female relatives, those related to the gay man's mother produce children at a higher rate than do those related to his father. Fourth, among the man's male relatives, homosexuality is more common in those related to his mother than in those related to his father. 10
The answer is simple:
The gene for male homosexuality persists
because it promotes—and is passed down through—high rates of procreation among
gay men's mothers, sisters, and aunts. 11
It has been conclusively proven that
homosexuality exists in rest of nature, as well. These are no isolated
cases. This blows away
the usual theistic assumption that to be gay is to be
something “unnatural.” According to Bruce Bagemihl in his 1999 book,
Biological Exuberance: Animal
Homosexuality and Natural Diversity,
homosexual behavior has been documented in 450 species! There are gay penguins,
gay gulls, gay dolphins, gay monkeys and most notably gay chimpanzees. The
bonobo, also known as the pygmy chimp, has been known for quite some time to
engage in such behavior according to an infamous article that ran in the New
York Times in 2004:
The open discussion of homosexual behavior in animals is relatively new. "There has been a certain cultural shyness about admitting it," said Frans de Waal, whose 1997 book, "Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape" (University of California Press), unleashed a torrent of discussion about animal sexuality. Bonobos, apes closely related to humans, are wildly energetic sexually. Studies show that whether observed in the wild or in captivity, nearly all are bisexual, and nearly half their sexual interactions are with the same sex. Female bonobos have been observed to engage in homosexual activity almost hourly. 12
This observation says much about the human species! If one of our closest evolutionary relatives behaves in such a way without any sort of outside influence, it seems pretty obvious to me that we are actually restraining much of what comes naturally, not forcing something unnatural.
“Making love” has its share of
malevolence. How many sperm, all living beings, die in the effort to fertilize
a single egg? Millions? Billions? Trillions? That all depends on timing and
the fertility of both trying. Yes, their purpose for living is this very task,
but it is still death, nonetheless. A female’s egg, conversely, also
dies if not fertilized. How many sexually transmitted diseases are currently in
existence and what is their toll on the world’s population? The CDC states that
there are over 25 organisms that cause 18.5 million new infections
in the United
States and 340 million worldwide! Here’s a short list of some of the STDs that
are lurking in wait for even the most pious believer: 
chlamydia, gonorrhea,
genital herpes, HPV, HIV, LGV, syphilis, trichomoniasis, hepatitis B and C,
bacterial vaginosis, chancroid, genital warts, granuloma inguinale, molluscum,
scabies, pubic lice and pelvic inflammatory disease which can be caused by any
number of organisms but is usually caused chlamydia and gonorrhea. It’s a
general term that refers to an infection found in the reproductive organs of
women, such as the uterus or fallopian tubes. It can lead to infertility,
ectopic pregnancy, abscess formation, and chronic pelvic pain.
Pregnant women are not spared from being
infected with STDs, of course, and the consequences are multiplied due to the
fetus living inside them. They can get cervical and other cancers from viruses,
such as HPV which has been conclusively linked to cervical cancer, chronic
hepatitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility (for future pregnancies),
early onset of labor, rupture of the membranes surrounding the baby and
depending on which organism we’re talking about transmission to the baby in the
womb, after conception and even through the breast milk. The baby can suffer
from “stillbirth (a baby that is born dead), low birth weight (less than five
pounds), conjunctivitis (eye infection), pneumonia, neonatal sepsis (infection
in the baby's blood stream), neurologic damage (such as brain damage or lack of
coordination in body movements), blindness, deafness, acute hepatitis,
meningitis, chronic liver disease, and cirrhosis.”
Shall we take a closer look at what makes
these nasty diseases so special? Do remember, that if there be a god or a
goddess or even an entire pantheon, then it is he/she/they who, analogous to a
human engineer sitting down at his desk or computer, designed these down to the
individual atom. I think I’ll start with chlamydia, such a pretty sounding name
for something so gruesome – like a name a father would give his daughter in
ancient Rome. Its scientific name is Chlamydia trachomatis and it is a
bacterium. It can be transmitted through vaginal, oral and anal sex. It can
also be transmitted to a baby from an infected mother through vaginal
childbirth. Many do not have any symptoms. If one is to have symptoms, though,
they will appear between one and three weeks of infection. For women, the
symptoms may be abnormal vaginal discharge, burning sensation when urinating,
lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse and
bleeding between periods. A cervical infection can spread to the rectum.
Women and men having anal intercourse can experience rectal pain, bleeding and
discharge. Those who engage with oral sex will get infected throats. For men,
the symptoms may include discharge from penis and a burning sensation when
urinating. Burning and itching around the opening of the penis might also be
felt, as well as pain and swelling in the testicles. It is the most common
sexually transmitted bacterial disease in the United States. In 2004, there
were 942,462 reported cases! The CDC estimates that the actual number is
actually around 2.8 million per year, as people are usually unaware they are
infected and those who are treated for their symptoms are not tested.
Does this seem like a good gift to give your “children?” I’m sorry, but I’m scratching my head as to where the love comes in. Am I missing something? As a father of three, I look at these organisms in horror. Not only can it spread from adult to adult, but it will also infect an innocent child coming into the world. It reminds me of the old Atheist question aimed at the popular brand of theism in this country. Why do Christians have health insurance? I mean, really, why do they bother? If there protector deity exists, loves them and is constantly looking out for their welfare in every aspect of their lives, then having something like health insurance, would be completely unnecessary! They should walk around beaming, literally glowing, in fact, with enchanted genitals that not even the hardiest pathogen could affect. Their teeth should be gleaming white, never needing to brush, floss or deal with the hassle and pain of the dentist.
This brings up an interesting point. From
the theistic standpoint it would appear, would it not, that there is malevolence
to be found in your very mouth? How are cavities formed? Bacteria break down
the sugars and starches that cling to the teeth and excrete acid as a byproduct
of their metabolism. These acids include lactic, acetic, propionic, succinic
and formic. All of these combine to break down the enamel of the tooth. It
doesn’t stop here, though. The acid continues to eat through the tooth until it
hits the nerve. At this point the bacteria begin to attack the soft meat found
inside. This can lead to the formation of an abscess, which is a collection of
pus. From here it can spread to the rest of the body. This is where tooth
decay, one of the most common of all diseases, can become fatal. Just recently,
a 12 year old Maryland boy died from complications from just this very problem!
Countless others suffer from gingivitis, periodontitis and tooth loss across the
globe.
These acid producing bacteria would have
to have been specifically designed this way with the destruction of our teeth in
mind. Add to this the
fact that a big fat nerve, known to dentists as the
dental pulp, is packed inside it. This nerve, though, detects absolutely
nothing until the cavity has penetrated all the way through. Talk about your
defective alarm system! It’d be like having a system that only picked up an
intruder when he was stabbing you. To be fair, though, the nerve is actually a
generative organ that is responsible for the formation of the
tooth. When our teeth are first forming, the outer layer of cells form the hard
structures. Detecting the pain of invading pathogens is secondary.
Nevertheless, detecting pain is one of its functions and since the pain only
begins after the completion of the cavity, its purpose couldn’t possibly
be prevention.
Isn’t their god supposed to insure their safety? Isn’t this a recurrent theme in religion? As a former Christian I remember this aspect very well. You just expected Yahweh and/or Jesus to be looking out for you. Psalm 91: 1-16 illustrates this belief in great detail:
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
This chapter shows
precisely how believers feel about their god. They see him as an entity that
should be guarding them, always. He is their “refuge,” “fortress,” “shield,”
“buckler,” “habitation.” There is a verse that jumps out at me, though. It is
especially applicable to what we’re speaking of here. It is verse 10: “There
shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy
dwelling.” Does not a sexually transmitted disease like chlamydia both
qualify as an “evil” and a “plague?” It surely does in my mind!
Perhaps in the age of science, though,
considering a week’s course
of antibiotics will kill it, it just isn’t bad enough. Perhaps it’s time
to move onto a disease that’s a bit worse.
Hepatitis
B is a serious, and potentially fatal, liver disease caused by the hepatitis B
virus. In 2004 an estimated 60,000 people were infected, 5,000 die each year.
You can be infected not just by having sex, but having any kind of exposure to
infected blood where it could enter yours, such as shaving with their razor or
even sharing their toothbrush. Sometimes a person will be infected and have no
symptoms. If symptoms do show up they may include yellow skin or yellowing of
the whites of your eyes (jaundice), tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea,
abdominal discomfort, dark urine, grey-colored bowel movements, or joint pain.
Babies born to infected mothers need to be vaccinated as soon after birth as
possible. Some people can develop chronic infection and this can lead to
further complications such as cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. About
15-25% of this group will die. There is currently no cure for chronic HBV
infection, only treatment.
Why did their prayers go unanswered? The character of Jesus said in Matthew 21:22, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Really, is that so? Then how is a believer to explain all the unfulfilled prayer requests? Millions die yearly from all manners of disease, praying their hearts out -- and there is still no cure. The mountain of rotting corpses, when they were amongst the living, all asked and did not receive. How high must the mountain grow? What possible excuse can be made? Not enough faith? I believe! I believe! If my belief were any stronger I’d lose my grip on reality and start hearing your voice giving me genocidal commands like in Deuteronomy 20:16 where you said to “save alive nothing that breatheth.” I learned to hate them all like your son commanded in Luke 14:26 and even left my family for you! I killed my nonbelieving neighbors for you like you requested in Deuteronomy 13:6-9! Not enough brown nosing? You’re the best! There’s no deity better than you! You’re the almightiest! Not enough burnt animal sacrifice? Should I start killing and burning the “clean” animals like Noah did in Genesis 8:19-21 after the flood waters receded? You loved the “sweet savour,” after all!
Maybe it’s just a case of favorites.
Maybe he just values the virus over humans, nonliving over the living. Maybe
he’s quite proud of this one. Have you ever seen a Hepatitis B virus? It has
such a beautiful geometric shape! It's what’s known as an icosahedron, a twenty
sided polygon made of equilateral triangles. If you’ve ever played Dungeons &
Dragons you’re familiar with this shape, already!
There’s another icosahedral virus, this
one with glycoprotein spikes, even better known, in fact, and much more deadly.
It’s the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or yes, HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
The spikes serve the purpose of acting like keys to get into the door of its
main target cell, the T-lymphocyte, a type of white blood cell. The
protein spikes on the surface of HIV must bind to the CD4 receptor and either
one of the CCR5 or the CXCR4 co-receptors. Once it does
this it is granted access inside of the cell. After a complex process
involving fusion, reverse transcription, integration, transcription and assembly
it reaches the stage called budding, when the newly formed virus leaves its host
to find another cell to invade.
The disease itself does not kill anyone
directly. After the virus disables our immune system, we are open to any
manner of opportunistic infections. It is analogous to stripping off your
armor in the middle of a battlefield. There are currently 26 clinical
conditions, almost
all opportunistic. Some will develop those cancers that are caused by
viruses, such as cervical cancer and Kaposi's Sarcoma.
HIV/AIDS is now 26 years old, it was first reported here in 1981, and our infected tally has reached 1 million. The global count of those infected is now up past 30 million! There is currently no cure.
It went by a different name back then. It
used to be called GRID or Gay Related Immunodeficiency Disease and was often
referred to as the “gay plague,” especially by joyous fundamentalists who saw it
as divine punishment for the homosexual lifestyle. Jerry Falwell, a
foaming-at-the-mouth Baptist preacher famous for his anti-gay rhetoric, in fact,
is credited with being the
coiner of that term. It’s from a hate speech he
delivered July 5, 1983 as reported by the Associated Press:
Herpes, AIDS, venereal diseases ... are a definite form of the judgment of God upon a society," Falwell said. "If the Reagan administration does not put its full weight against this, what is now a gay plague in this country, I feel that a year from now, President Ronald Reagan personally will be blamed for allowing this awful disease to break out among the innocent American public. 13
Jerry fully believed in Malevolent Design. Obviously, for him, this didn’t change anything about the character of his god. He’s still just as just and loving as ever – even though he believed he created STDs to torture and kill us. I guess the killing of those even he considers innocents, such as babies and the wives of cheating partners for example, doesn’t disqualify one from being a wonderful father. Thanks “Dad!” It’s no more moral than poisoning the drinking water of an entire nation or hey, drowning the entire world save a few that are deemed worthy of salvation.
At least, though, those examples are only individual crimes. Sure the death tolls are immense, but they’re still just single acts of terrorism. Creating nature the way it is, if any of the mythologies be true, well, that would have taken an enormous, coordinated effort. That is malevolence on a planet wide scale. From the smallest virus to the largest predator: every toxin, every spike, every claw, every tooth, every proboscis, every stinger, every fang, and every venomous cocktail would all have to be designed, implemented and fit into an interactive environment. It is this environment, in all its hostility, that will be the subject of the next chapter.
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