Have you ever seen the TV series, Bones? It is based on books written by an actual forensic anthropologist, Kathy Reichs (who based the main character on herself). The main character, Temperance Brennan, is nicknamed "Bones" because she (and her crew) examines bones to determine what happened to the person. Fine. The show portrays Dr. Brennan as "the smartest person in the world" by her own estimation and, most often, by those around her. Her husband (whom she met, worked with, and eventually married in the course of the show) is an FBI agent and a Catholic, something they bring out often in the series. Why? Because the smartest person in the world, of course, is a "logical atheist". She has examined all the evidence (which is, after all, what she does) and considered all the facts and has concluded that the evidence shows there is no God.
I am often reminded that television is fiction. I have to tell myself when a character does something totally stupid, "He didn't do it because it was real; he did it because the writers wrote it that way." Writers determine what will happen, not reality. Indeed, in most "reality shows", writers determine what is "real". Thus, it is those behind the show, not the characters on the show, who are pulling the strings and making the statements. And the writers of Bones have an axe to grind.
The topic comes up often -- almost weekly. As an example, in a recent episode the religious husband wanted to talk his atheist wife into taking their daughter to church. "Why would we want to expose her to lies like that?" was the gist of Brennan's objection. He was stumped. Because, of course, her sheer logical approach overwhelmed his "warm feelings" toward God. Later, he tried a rational approach. "You know," he said, "studies have shown that there are health benefits to attending church." She parried, "So, are you going to teach her about the evils of the Crusades and the Inquisitions as well?" Ooh, shot down again. Because she was so much smarter than he was. The message was clear. Any intelligent person would know that God is a myth and the history offered by "unbiased" sources on the subject prove it.
What is absolutely essential here is that the viewer does not actually engage the brain. The "smart" character, Brennan, argues often in crime investigations, "We must follow the evidence and not jump to conclusions!", but she never offers any evidence of her conclusion that there is no God. Don't think about that. The facts that 1) the Crusades are horribly misrepresented by most in public discussions, 2) a person or group of people who follow a course of action opposed to biblical Christianity cannot rightly be used as an example of Christianity, and 3) no evidence is offered in support of the anti-theist position will be a problem if you think about it too much.
Now, I'm not offering a review of a TV show. That's not my purpose here. What I'm trying to do is make you aware of a strategy. Note the approach. 1) Diminish the perceived character of the one who holds an opposing viewpoint. 2) Elevate the perceived character of the one who holds the viewpoint you're supporting. 3) Hold up to ridicule (not examination) the point of view that disagrees with yours. 4) Do not at any point actually examine the evidence, logic, facts, or reasoning. You will see this strategy with some regularity. It was, in fact, Satan's original approach in the Garden. We live in a world hostile to God (Rom 8:7). Don't expect otherwise. And don't get fooled by irrational assaults.
(P.S. See if you can figure out the meaning of the title of this piece.)
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