[off-topic] Neil deGrasse Tyson on Twitter: "Imagine a world in which we are all enlightened by objective truths rather than offended by them."

I had a few problems with Tyson's actions here. He's no Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens. Seems like he was just being a troll.

""On this day long ago, a child was born who, by age 30, would transform the world. Happy Birthday Isaac Newton b. Dec 25, 1642"

People wonder why this tweet upset people. It's because it's a bait and switch tactic. Oh, wait, you thought he was going to talk about jesus? Nope. He could have easily have tweeted "Did you know Jesus and Newton have the same birthday?" But that wouldn't have the same "thumb your nose at religion" vibe that resonates so well. Don't expect people to be understanding when you poke them in the face first. Yeah it's funny, but he's preaching to the choir (no small irony there) and not really trying to build bridges with people of faith here. He knows that as well as his core audience.

Then he comes back with this second tweet after getting the outrage from the first....it's disingenuous to claim he was surprised. He knew his tweet would generate outrage. Then he comes back to hold the philosophical high ground. Look at these stupid Christians. Lol.

Look, picking on faith is shooting fish in a barrel. It's too easy, but dang it's a great way to score points and curry favor with dogmatic atheists.

This reminds me of something that happened to me as a kid, I was on a church bus on my way to a vacation bible school. On the way there I was reading a biography of Stephen Hawking (The quest for a theory of everything...yeah I was a strange kid but weren't we all?). One of the older kids in the youth church, you know, the 'perfect Christian kid' came back and ask me if I was reading a great book. I told him enthusiastically it was about the history of the universe, how much I admired Stephen hawking. He just looked at me and told me he hand another great book I should read...it's called 'the bible'. I put my book down until he left, but I was pissed off. Here I was, reading something I enjoyed, that gave me peace, and he felt compelled to tell me I should be enriching myself another way. The nerve of some people.

The kicker is he went up to the front of the bus and was praised for his courage by one of the youth pastors. He basically ruined my joy for a pat on the head.

How is that any different than Neil deGrasse Tyson's tweet?

Note that I'm just pointing out disagreement here. I'm not SJW calling for his head on a plate or that he should be fired or whatever. Also I'm not anti-science and I rather enjoy the spirited rebuttals of religion by Dawkins and Hitchens et al. Just color me in with C.S. Lewis if you want to know what I believe and why. I don't accept that the world is completely rational, or that there is nothing beyond human perception. That doesn't make C.S. Lewis a moron and myself either.

Anyway that's all I got to say about that.

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