20130524

勇敢的無神論者

美國中西部在五月中有連環龍捲風,多處地方損毀嚴重,受到最大破壞的是奧克拉荷馬州小鎮摩爾Moore)。CNN 新聞主播 Wolf Blitzer 到摩爾採訪,當然少不免訪問倖存者,其中一段訪問播出後在網上廣傳,因為 Blitzer 替自己製造了一個尷尬場面。

Rebecca Vitsmun 抱著歲半的兒子接受訪問,她的房子被毀,幸而一家三口安然無恙;她在鏡頭前沒有愁眉苦臉,態度看來頗樂觀。訪問內容沒有甚麼特別之處 --- 除了最後二十多秒:



Blitzer 問:「你一定要感謝主了,對嗎?你感謝主嗎?」(“You’ve gotta thank the Lord, right? Do you thank the Lord?Vitsmun 的回答是:「我其實是個無神論者。」(“I am actually an atheist.”)這個答案令 Blitzer 感到尷尬,有點不知所措,看來他是假定了 Vitsmum 是信神的,料不到她竟然會這樣回答。

Blitzer 為何會假定 Vitsmun 信神?因為那裏是奧克拉荷馬州,在所謂的 Bible Belt 內,還是一個小鎮,居民絕大部份是思想保守的基要派基督徒。也許 Blitzer 假定的不是 Vitsmun 信神,而是沒有人會在這樣的一個地方敢公開說不信神、不感謝主。在這樣的一個地方,無神論者,就像同性戀者一樣,是不會隨便暴露身份的,因為一旦給鄰居、同事、或不太熟絡的朋友知道了,便可能給他們排擠或歧視。Vitsmun 答的時候有點遲疑,但也算答得直截了當;她明知自己面對鏡頭,答案給錄下,大有機會在電視新聞播出,那等於是公開了自己的無神論者身份,卻仍然這樣回答,真是勇氣可嘉

對美國不熟悉的讀者可能會認為我言過其實,不相信在二十一世紀的美國會有人因為不信神而受歧視或排擠。以下是幾年前的一個實例,也是發生在奧克拉荷馬州,一個少女因為表露了無神論者的身份,遭受同學及老師的無禮及不公平對待,最後因為忍受不了而退學;看到短片裏她哭訴時的激動,很難不相信她受到的心理傷害相當深:



此外,Vitsmun 的訪問播出後,有人發起一個名為Atheists Unite的籌款運動,表揚 Vitsmun 的勇氣,籌錢幫助她重建家園;原定的目標是六十日內籌到五萬美元,但不足十七小時便籌到此數。假如在 Bible Belt 內公開承認是無神論者是輕易和尋常之事,便不會出現這樣的情況了。

30 則留言:

  1. 風暴生還下感謝神同感謝殺你全家的兇手唔殺你一個冇分別。

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    1. 我一向話災難無事後感謝神恩﹐其實同多謝菩薩保祐無咩大分別
      不過多謝菩薩保祐邏輯上比多謝神更合理
      因為至少風暴唔係菩薩搞出來的﹐但神是全能全知的唯一神
      如果祂的神力能你沒事﹐即祂也可令其他人無事﹐甚至令這場風不發生
      到你問神點解唔阻止災難發生﹐你又話神自有旨意﹐即係點﹖
      所謂被災難整死的人都係抵死﹖(爆)

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    2. 話時話,人或人生是否廷續之一章?

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    3. 對唔住
      我完全唔知你想講乜。(額)

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  2. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2073593275/the-outcast-of-beauregard-parish-a-documentary-fil

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  3. A tiny step of the Pope:
    Heaven for atheists? Pope sparks debate
    http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/23/heaven-for-atheists-pope-sparks-debate/?iref=allsearch
    Hope the other Christian denominations and other theist religions do the same.

    Better yet: Just claim that there are no heaven and hell.
    Even better: Claim that they don't know if there is God.
    --zpdrmn

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    1. What about agnostics? Do they go to hell too?

      Sigh. How come the Pope is like me this time: Whatever I say doesn't count.
      Well, I am pretty sure I'll meet them in hell, because they are pretty sure I'll go to hell.
      --zpdrmn

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  4. I mentioned this before: Some scientists, especially for those in or from the Bible Belt, believe in God.
    In case someone try to argue with me like last time I mentioned it: It's not my opinion, I've met some of them. If it's an opinion, it's their own. --zpdrmn

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  5. //因為一旦給鄰居、同事、或不太熟絡的朋友知道了,便可能給他們排擠或歧視。//
    My personal experience from the Christians I've met in two Bible Belt states: Some of them don't ask you about your religion. Some of them do. When they find out you aren't one of them, the first thing they (most of them) do is trying to convert you. When they fail, some of them may keep themselves away from you. (I've failed them all the time. I guess that they think I'm going to hell for sure.)
    Unless you keep your friends (and neighbors...) from getting in your home, they will find out that you aren't a Christian by looking around in your house. Probably just look around in your living room will do. They will see there's no cross, no picture of Jesus or whoever, no alter, no nothing. (Maybe I should glue my copy of Bible on the wall, Lol.)
    --zpdrmn


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    1. It should be: the Xtians I met in 3 Bible Belt states. Not 2.

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    2. 恭喜你﹐唔洗經過紐倫堡﹐你都可以直接落地獄
      又係時候播one-way ticket啦~~(閃)

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    3. 我不入地獄,誰入地獄? --zpdrmn

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    4. 聽完文少播的one-way ticket,再要聽陳伯強的喝采http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBFIdywghB4

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    5. zpdrmn:
      認真﹐
      其實傳教呢個行為本身就好荒謬
      上次都好似講過
      既然聖經話「因為這是神在基督耶穌裏向你們所定的旨意」
      我呢世人唔信耶穌﹐亦必是「是神在基督耶穌裏向你們所定的旨意」
      根據耶教教義﹐信唔信本來就係命定gala﹖
      傳教根本就係多舊魚。

      至於陳百強﹐我最愛是《等》
      莫道你在☆★人﹐人亦能☆★你
      公平﹐原沒半點偏心(爆)

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    6. 文少
      //其實傳教呢個行為本身就好荒謬//
      Like what I said above, they try to convert me but I fail them.
      //I guess that they think I'm going to hell for sure.//
      // I am pretty sure I'll meet them in hell, because they are pretty sure I'll go to hell. // Judging or hoping that people are going to hell by itself* is a good enough reason for going to hell. (*) What kind of thinking is that?
      What's so 荒謬? 傳教--> go to hell! Or 信教--> go to hell! --zpdrmn

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  6. //It's important that our community shows that we have your back when you come out publicly as an atheist.

    Let's show the world that you dont need to believe in a god to have human compassion nor does all charity fall under the banner of religion.

    Let's get this courageous woman and her family back in their own home. - ‘Atheists Unite’//


    Do you agree with these statements?

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  7. 自家無傷亡就要感謝主?難道不能因為他人傷亡而不感謝主嗎(就算被訪者信主)? 這主播的想法太狹隘了.

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    1. 直接怪主播不太妥當. 重點在於那個地區絕大多數民眾都是基督徒.

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    2. kfw﹐

      抓爆頭﹐那個地區絕大多數民眾都是基督徒﹐
      便等於你想當然地假定受訪者也是基督徒﹖
      這是哪門子的新聞從業操守﹖

      重點從來都是﹐
      一個新聞從業員﹐無神神問倖存者是否感謝某個宗教的神﹐
      這行為本身荒唔荒謬先﹖
      正如香港之前單海難﹐若記者無神神問對方會否返去燒香還神﹐
      你唔覺得有問題﹖
      如荒謬﹐無論那地方有多少人信某種宗教﹐那都是無關宏旨的。

      又﹐這條問題除了假定對方信某個教
      亦是逼對方講出他/她自己的宗教觀
      問題是他/她信不信耶教﹐或完全不信教
      跟這事連個屁的關係都沒有嘛﹖

      匿名﹕
      //難道不能因為他人傷亡而不感謝主嗎//
      錯﹐你自身無傷亡要感謝主﹐即使你自身傷亡了也要感謝主
      其他人傷亡了﹐你也要感謝主
      因為「凡事謝恩;因為這是神在基督耶穌裏向你們所定的旨意。」
      【帖撒羅尼迦前書5:18】
      死未~~(爆)

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    3. 凡事皆可謝恩,不是凡事必須謝恩。XD

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  8. (接上)那不是等於對上帝的信任比對同類的憐憫心重要?
    humanity placed lower than religion?

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  9. 勇武的王者

    Wan Chin
    陳雲:只有王者或貴族,才會憐憫一個國家,例如中國。香港沒欠中國什麼,中國欠香港的,我們也不應計較,但請不要說,香港人因為日子過得好,就要對中國負疚,對中國有責任,甚至要贖罪。香港人沒有這個義務。至於我自己,我是憐憫中國的,救了香港之後,我是要救中國的,不是因為我有什麼義務,而是因為我是王者。儒家說的,以王道拯救天下。

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    1. 阿雲,唔好再鬼食泥的呼叫,完全冇point,回你的王者或貴族家吧!

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  10. Lived in Indiana for a few years... felt the same...

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  11. Religion is artificial.
    God? God knows. Wait, he's still alive?

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