2006-02-04 Pox-ridden houses

2006-02-04 Pharyngula PZ Myers \Muhammad/cartoon riots http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2006/02/poxridden_houses.php Pox-ridden houses &ldquo;So on the one hand I see a social problem being mocked, but on the other – and here comes the smug godless finger-wagging – I see a foolish superstition used as a prod to mock people, and a people so muddled by the phony blandishments of religion that they scream "Blasphemy!" and falsely pin the problem on a ridiculous insult to a non-existent god, rather than on the affront to their dignity as human beings and citizens.&rdquo;  So on the one hand I see a social problem being mocked, but on the other – and here comes the smug godless finger-wagging – I see a foolish superstition used as a prod to mock people, and a people so muddled by the phony blandishments of religion that they scream "Blasphemy!" and falsely pin the problem on a ridiculous insult to a non-existent god, rather than on the affront to their dignity as human beings and citizens. Religion in this case has accomplished two things, neither one productive: it's distracted people away from the real problems, which have nothing at all to do with the camera-shy nature of their imaginary deity, and it's also amplified the hatred.   