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Hawkman
05-21-2012, 06:45 AM
Back in the day, an administering angel was good at blue sky thinking, in fact, blue skies had been her idea. She’d thought them up during a planning meeting of the universe steerage committee, Sol One, Solar System Division of the Act of Creation Directorate. It didn’t matter that in the larger scheme of things within the Big Bang Corporation’s development arm, this little solar system was pretty insignificant, the idea had got her noticed and the Seraphim in charge had commended her inventiveness.

“What an imagination!” he’d said, “You’ve got a future,” he’d said, and they’d given the third planet a blue sky.

Of course, angels, even administrative ones, are sexless, which causes them some irritation when they get bored and fancy a bit of a cuddle. Heavy petting stimulates urges that they are unable to fulfil, being ill equipped for the task, and that’s when the occasional meteor gets chucked about. More than one population of Dinosaurs owes its demise to a severe case of sexual frustration.

However, being beings of a patriarchal deosphere, anyone higher up the food chain than you is inevitably referred to with a masculine pronoun, whilst those below you are assumed to be female. This can get really confusing as it naturally follows that everyone, except the big I Am, is both male and female at the same time, although they are completely deprived of the wherewithal to enjoy the potential benefits of this condition. As everything, and I mean everything, exists merely as an idea in the mind of god, when god needs a new angel he just thinks one up. As far as he is concerned he can’t allow angels to get busy breeding uncontrollably amongst themselves.

No, that won’t do at all.

Too many gophers and administrators just gum up the works and everything goes to hell in a handcart. Instead of being occupied with the subcontracted minutia of designing the cellular structure of trees and coming up with new and exotic kinds of fish, they spend eternity wrangling about their pay-grades and squabbling over visiting rights to the executive washroom. Lucifer had been a case in point. Administrative angels have to be constantly reminded of their place within the greater scheme of things, and moved around a lot to prevent them establishing a power base.

This is why the administering angel who was good at blue sky thinking got moved to the waterworks after having been noticed. She was given oceans to do, and naturally, they came out blue too. It was his favourite colour. Given the perceived preferment bestowed upon him, the administrative angel in charge of algae came up with some fairly clashing colours to spoil the effect. She was missing the big picture though. Oceans are much bigger than algae and it was exhausting trying to make enough of the stuff to have a significant impact on the overall design of planetary water distribution. She did manage to ensure that some green blooms (blue and green should never be seen) were large enough to cause localized inconvenience and some of the red ones, although complimentary, caused large scale die-off in the populations of aquatic flora and fauna, which didn’t endear her to the fish and seaweed departments.

They complained and the seraphim in charge had her demoted to atoms, which showed a remarkable lack of foresight on his part because she came up with uranium, which was going to cause no end of trouble later on.

After the Lucifer debacle, god assigned administrators, guaranteed not to get along, to a committee for the task of designing an indigenous population for Australia. The kangaroo was the result of combining designs from the angel who’d invented the gerbil and one who’d given significant input to herbivores like sheep and antelope. It is uncertain where the idea for marsupials came from, but it might have had something to do with the works department, who liked to keep their tools in pouches strapped to their stomachs with belts.

Monotremes, like echidnas and platypuses, are variously constructed from the designs of hedgehog, duck, beaver and otter manufacturers, and are a clear example of the dangers inherent in allowing a committee to plan anything, even if it does prevent war in heaven. One can only assume that the devising of those venomous reptiles and arachnids peculiar to Australia, was given over to a couple of specialists, doubtless sulking over a mild case of sexual frustration and who needed to take it out on someone.

That sexual frustration is prevalent amongst those angels who are in charge of planet earth is amply illustrated by the occurrence of venereal disease. If VD isn’t a huge “Up Yours!” from a cynical and disillusioned administrator, I don’t know what it is. Just imagine what it must be like watching the population of an entire planet rutting away through eternity, when all you can hope for is a platonic kiss. I’m damned sure it would piss me off.

I have given considerable thought to the physical diversity apparent in the human population. Size, colour of skin, shape of eyes etc. etc. The only reason I can come up with is that there was a hope that we would control our own population by being constantly at war with each other. Birds of a father flock together, or so it’s said, and outsiders represent a threat to the natural order of things. Consequently we are designed to despise and hate difference, which is a good excuse for a scrap. Well, this works, up to a point, but I can only assume that the sexless divine completely failed to appreciate the sex drive of the mundanely mortal and the natural perversity of the human race, which has a habit of crying, “vive la difference,” even whilst killing each other.

One is left pondering the conundrum of the universe, desperately trying to find some order, some divine plan amidst the chaos which surrounds us. Some hope. If god and the angels don’t know what’s going on, how the hell can we ever figure it out?

cafolini
05-21-2012, 01:12 PM
We are making progress. Intelligently designing liberation from this crutch.

Hawkman
05-22-2012, 01:03 PM
Thanks for reading, cafolini :) I'm afraid that, as a piece of writing, it isn't particularly well structured, but I think the humour comes through.

Live and be well - H

DocHeart
05-22-2012, 02:13 PM
I enjoyed this so much that I actually intend to read it out loud to a certain someone tonight. Thanks, Hawk!

On another note -- what is the genre name for this kind of text? It reminds me of something you'd read in a newspaper or magazine, a regular humourous column, sometimes inspired by current affairs but not necessarily. There's a name for it in Greek -- but what is it in English?

Hawkman
05-22-2012, 03:13 PM
Hi Doc,

Thanks for reading and I'm delighted you enjoyed it. As for your query, the most accurate description of this sort of piece would be that it is an essay, I suspect. The only other thing, I can think of to call it, would be a blog - lol. What's the Greek word?

Best as always, H

DocHeart
05-22-2012, 03:59 PM
The Greek word is efthimografima, which literally translates into English as "a record of good cheer".

Interesting that there is no English equivalent.

(Which reminds me -- I need to contribute to that thread about insults in various languages... I've got some good ones.)

Cheers,
DH

Hawkman
05-22-2012, 07:27 PM
There are some great words in Greek! I hope you will let me know how the recipient of your reading of my little skit (I forgot about this word but it is generally applied to theatrical/TV comedy sketches) reacted to it - lol.

Live and be well - H

Jack of Hearts
05-23-2012, 12:39 AM
Inherently hilarious, ripe with petty commentary and interpretations of biblical elements to fit somebody's subversive agenda? In American English, the word for that is FOX News, which literally translates to ***********.


Great piece Hawk!







J

MANICHAEAN
05-23-2012, 03:22 AM
Dear Hawkman

I normally communicate with the Angels through a speaker located in my office, but in your case am obliged to use this forum as a medium. The adverse assumptions in your thread relating to angelic sexuality, (or should I say asexual aspects), has caused deep concern with; Cameron, Drew & Lucy. Assistant Cherubim Bill Murray, well to be honest, I’m not quite sure which way he swings!

I presume you are conversant with “Charlie’s Angels Full Throttle,” which grossed over $264 million at the box office. In it you will kindly note:

1. Seraphim Diaz in a hot hot hot bikini.
2. Cherubim Drew emerging from the Thin Man’s room clad in a bath towel.
3. Guardian Angel Lucy engaged in oriental foot massages on a Fallen Angel.

If you find the tone of this rebuke distasteful, kindly accept as a conciliatory token a copy of the following angelic tunes from the aforesaid film:

1. "Got to Give It Up " by Marvin Gaye
2. "Ya Mama" by Fatboy Slim
3. "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" by Wham.
4. Smack My ***** Up" by The Prodigy
5. "When Angels Yodel" written and arranged by Frank Marocco

Best regards
Charlie.

NOTE: ***** equates to a female canine.

Hawkman
05-23-2012, 05:36 AM
Thanks Jack, Glad you enjoyed it :D By the way, how do you pronounce *********** ? ;)

Live long and proper - H

Hawkman
05-23-2012, 05:38 AM
Dear Charlie,

Much as:-

Sorry, I’m finding it a bit hard to concentrate with the bloody choirs singing their heads off in me right lughole: SHUT UP, YOU LOT! GIVE IT A REST FOR GOD’S SAKE… That’s better – eh, what? Hang on a minute, Metatron’s trying to tell me something… Oh, really? Well I never knew that!

As I was saying: Much as I hate to disagree with one so eminently connected with cinematic and televisual success as you are, I can’t help pointing out that your angels seem to be a bit short in the wing department. Charming and attractive they may be, but I fear that they don’t really qualify as angels, not in the strict sense of the word. I think I might more accurately classify them as vigilantes.

Now I am reliably informed that Seraphim tend to spend a lot of time hanging around the boss and chant “Holy, holy holy,” a lot, and when not doing this they provide lighting services in heaven. Cherubim are a bunch of know-it-alls who may (or may not) look like sphinxes. Now your girls may be foxy, but I wouldn’t say they were sphinx-like.

Your guardian angel would technically have to be an Archangel, ‘cause they’re the ones who get lumbered with protection detail for popes, bishops and other VIPs. But the thing about angels, is that, as divine beings, they are sexless. So, if they’ve ingratiated themselves with you on the casting couch, you’ve been sold a pup – well three pups to be precise, and by singing out so loudly in their defence you’ve kind of exposed yourself to a charge of gullibility, thus making you a mark for every half-way presentable grifter on the planet with access to the cinema, TV or interweb. So you might want to consider this a “heads up.”

As for Bill Murray, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that he bats for the other side, if you know what I mean. Make a good Demon, Bill would.

Now if you’ll excuse me I seem to have been tasked with finding The Last Scion, which is a bit of a pain because there’s no prophet in it. Hope you get your speaker fixed soon.

Best Wishes,

Hawkman.

PS, thanks for the music, but I prefer Bat out of Hell, to be honest. ;)

AuntShecky
05-24-2012, 02:53 PM
On another note -- what is the genre name for this kind of text? It reminds me of something you'd read in a newspaper or magazine, a regular humourous column, sometimes inspired by current affairs but not necessarily. There's a name for it in Greek -- but what is it in English?

The New Yorker, a magazine which has consistently published quality humor since 1925, used to refer to these pieces of prose as "casuals." The great humorist, S. J. Perleman, whose fine work often graced those pages, wrote humorous articles called "feuilletons." (Haven't the foggiest as to its pronunciation.)

And as for your own "feuilleton," Hawk-it's a pretty clever premise.While Stanley Elkin depicted heaven as a theme park, your narrator likens it to a big cosmic corporate headquarters, with the largest Suit--God--as CEO and the angels various levels of middle managers. Incidentally, you are absolutely correct in depicting angels as more or less gender deprived. The conventional wisdom places them squarely between God and humans--just as you imagined, squarely in the "middle." They are supposed to be God's messengers, ambassadors between the celestial and the earthly realm. Since they're not human, though, they lack what we know as corporeal bodies; hence no need to procreate and therefore they lack desire.

The part of naming the Australian animals is cute, though not, I'm sorry to say,original. Bits of running dialogue in the movie "Oh,God"-- the original starring George Burns in the title role-- referred to the strange creatures inhabiting this earth and how they came to be created.

But as I say, the piece is amusing, and fun to read.

Hawkman
05-24-2012, 06:18 PM
Hi Auntie,

You are of course correct that the premise of design by committee is not exactly original in concept, and I have seen Oh God, though many years ago - more than I care to remember if I'm honest. I believe it was written by Avery Corman, and I have the book in my library somewhere, but I haven't read it since about 1982. Consequently, I don't really recall the details.

As for the sexuality of angels, I believe the apocrypha make reference to angels incarnating as males to have sex with human women. They don't tend to adopt human form as females for some reason :D Must be a patriarchal thing ;)

Anyway, thanks for reading.

Live and be well - H

MANICHAEAN
05-24-2012, 08:10 PM
Dear Aunty & Hawk

I find the whole subject of angels fascinating, especially their interrelationships with us mere mortals. Of special interest is the extent to which angels, (presuming that is, you believe in them), assume more than just human appearances and actually engage. It seems to be widely accepted by most of the main religions that one of the significant characteristics of angels is that they are “spiritual” beings or “intelligences” of heavenly residence, employed by God as the ministers of His will.

But in all the wide range of literature available, it also seems to apply to “human” messengers as well. Let me give some examples:

1. In Malachi 2:7 it is invariably interpreted that a priest or a prophet is a messenger of the Lord of Hosts.

2. In the Book of Revelation the Elders of the seven Churches of Asia were called angels.

3. In Hebrews 13:2 the words, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

4. In the Jewish “Yesodei ha-Torah” angelic hierarchy we have:
(a) Ranked 8th; Bene Elohim “Sons of Godly Beings.”
(b) Ranked 10th; Ishim “Manlike Beings.” (See Daniel 10:5)

5. Similar to this in the Kabbalah, we have ten archangels each commanding one of the choirs of angels and corresponding to one of the Sephirot. They include:
(a) Hayot Ha Kodesh; “Holy Living Ones.”
(b) Elohim; “Godly Beings.”
(c) Ishim; “Persons.”

In all of these mentioned, we are not referring to heavenly, asexual phantoms, all bathed in light, wearing wings and carrying masculine names. And so it seems, we have a different interpretation, or should I say expansion, from, Genesis 1:26-27, "Let us make man in our image. after our likeness ... So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him: male and female created He them," & in Genesis 6:1-6 where we are told that man's position is lower than the angels.

Then of course we get to the more controversial bits:

"And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”

Were “the sons of God” angels, or is it just Genesis as a book of genealogies—a book of the families? The sons of God are perhaps the godly lines who have come down from Adam through Seth, and the daughters of men belong to the line of Cain.

Whatever, it’s interesting how the theme was used by D.H.Lawrence in his book, “Women in Love.” Chapter 23.

“She looked at him. He seemed still so separate. New eyes were opened in her soul. She saw a strange creature from another world, in him. It was as if she were enchanted, and everything were metamorphosed. She recalled again the old magic of the Book of Genesis, where the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair. And he was one of these, one of these strange creatures from the beyond, looking down at her, and seeing she was fair.”

Hawkman
05-25-2012, 04:42 AM
Hi Man,

I'm not sure that I can claim the same degeree of fascination with the nature of angels, that you profess, for myself. However, although it is quite a number of years since I've read it, I was interested in the way early references to God or Divinity were handled in Genesis. There is probably someone out there who can quote the relevent passages verbatim at the drop of a hat, so I hope they'll forgive me if a put the odd foot wrong, but I'm fairly cetain that there are times when there are references to early humans talking to their gods (plural), who actually walked among them. Now I've always thought this strange in a monotheistic religion. I mean God is God, right? Other people's gods were false gods, right? Their priests were conjurers, right? Then again, with so many words and euphamisms for god things can get a bit confusing. If the lord can be god and when a lord can merely your boss or fuedal type overlord, it's not hard to imagine the senses getting mixed up. Do I hear you claiming that if the lord is god he gets a capital L? Well there are plenty of scribes on this forum who either accientally or by design throw a capital letter into the mix when it isn't warrented. I've done it myslef. Add translation into different languages and you open the door to all sorts of interpretations.

The word Angel is derrived from the Greek word Angelos, which means messenger. The closest I can come to this in Hebrew is shaLI'ah which means emmissary, which also seems to share a root with shalLIT meaning ruler or master. I'm afraid I make no claim to be a Hebrew scholar, in fact I'm still trying to find my way around my Hebrew-English dictionary, and niether to I have a copy of the Tora, so I have no way of knowing what the words actually used, are.

However, whatever they are, we have priests and theologians to tell us what they mean, and they don't always agree, as doubtless you have noticed.

The Nine Choirs of Angels, together with their grades and duties, as listed by Catholic online, can be found at:

http://www.catholic.org/saints/angels/angelchoir.php

although the source I used was this one:

http://www.paranormality.com/celestial_hierarchy.shtml

As for Angels taking human form and breeding with women there would seem to be an argument in favour of this:

Gen. 6:1-4, "Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown."

According to Wickipedia:" The Nephilim (plural) are the offspring of the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men""

I have also seen it postulated somewhere that the flood was designed to wipe them out, though I can't cite a reference for this.

I've never considered DH Lawrence a reliable source for theological reference myself, but each to his own :D

I wouldn't consider myself particularly qualified on this score either if it comes to it. I am no theologian, though I do have some skill in humour and satire.

Live and be well - H

MANICHAEAN
05-26-2012, 12:49 AM
Dear Hawk
One should always be a little improbable & therefore I invariably find it more refreshing to look at religious topics from the viewpoint of writers such as: Lawrence, Graham Green & Dostoevsky, unrestrained as they are by the constraints of dogma imposed on priests and theologians.

On your item regarding the big fella having a big “L” or a little “l,” the jury is still out. I tend, as a matter of prudence in my advanced years to go for the biggy. It is a form of insurance if you like for when we meet, and i am therefore circumspect regards both my manners & any potential consequence of giving offence.

Concerning any sexual connotations associated with Noah’s flood, I must confess to being aware of the gossip, but a natural prudence in my nature previously held me in check. The theory goes back to Sodom and Gomorrah being a story of God’s judgement against; homosexuality, promiscuity and other kinds of illicit sex. Or was it? It has been alternately argued as an account about the danger of having sex with angels which would lead to death and destruction. In the Noah story, God sends the flood to exterminate the offspring of “the daughters of man” (human women) and “the sons of God” (angels?) God razes Sodom not because its male inhabitants are having sex with each other, as so many contemporary ministers preach, but in part because the men of the town intended to rape angels of God who were sheltered in Lot’s house. And when the Apostle Paul tells women to keep their heads covered in church, he’s issuing a warning against inciting angelic lust: “The angels might be watching.”

Finally I must conclude on your skill in humour & satire, which would be generally acknowledged even if you rewrote the Book of Job!

Best wishes
M.

Hawkman
05-26-2012, 06:09 PM
Rewrite the book of Job... Mmmm, you know you shouldn't be giving me ideas like that - I might just take up the challenge :) Watch this space, or at least keep an eye on an adjoining one

:cheers2:

Live and be well - H

MANICHAEAN
05-26-2012, 08:13 PM
If its anything like the Shakespeare thread, it will be top drawer.
Regards
M.