I Could Have Never Known

Well, that was exciting!  For any of you who missed it, the past three days of my life have been jam-packed. Honestly, I’m still a bit overwhelmed. I started Monday by checking my blog stats and was 2 views away from 1000. Having been averaging about 50-60 hits a day, I was thrilled and proud of what I had accomplished.  I planned on celebrating later by writing a 'thank you post' to all my readers, whether they offered support, criticism, or both. I was excited about breaking the big 1000, but what was about to ensue blew my mind; I could have never known. 

I went through a normal day of classes…kinda. I left my mac in my room as motivation to pay attention in physics, not that it really worked. The rest of the day was filled with more classes, an apartment visit, and a great evening discussion with the UC Provost and UC Dean of Graduate Studies about various topics from science education, theology, and synthetic biology. Pretty cool, right?!  It was wonderful to have an open and friendly discussion about ‘The Big Questions’ of life even though, for the most part, we cordially disagree. I’ll remember this meeting for a long time, as it was very encouraging, enlightening, and the direct predecessor to the most exciting night of my life thus far.

Arriving back at my dorm, I hopped on my computer for the first time since morning. While surfing the web as usual I came across my blog stats, did a double take, and literally about passed out! An unprecedented 800 page views and counting for the day! What the hell happened!? Ken Ham happened. After reading a few of the many new comments, I was directed to Ken Ham’s facebook page.

For those of you who don’t know, Ken Ham is the founder of Answers In Genesis and builder of The Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky. He is also working on a new Noah’s Ark Exhibit that will attract 1000s of children and their families from all around. From my perspective, Ken Ham is one of the greatest con men and deceivers alive, as he is one of the largest advocates of the intelligent design movement- a group solely devoted to teaching a literal view of the Bible and a 6-day creation of the universe by the Christian-Judeo god.

So why did he post my blog to his facebook? Well, for one, we know each other. As I’ve mentioned before, whenever he was in the states Ham attended the same Baptist church as I did while growing. He was a celebrity, a hero; always giving guest lectures on ‘creation science’ at my school and church. Furthermore, Ham decided to make a demonstration of my deconversion story as the terribly sad path a great number of my generation is taking- the path away from God.  A trend he has written a book about called Already Gone. However, I couldn’t have cared less what Ham thought of my deconversion; I was getting hundreds of blog hits! Any publicity is good publicity, right? And as it unfolds, that statement holds true. Ham merely sparked the flame, and for that I owe him.

Fortunately, I didn’t take the opportunity for granted. I immediately tweeted all of my favorite skeptic and atheist youtubers and bloggers with the news. PZ Meyers retweeted:

“Congratulations! You made Ken Ham cry! RT @BMEJake: KEN HAM Put a link to my blog on his twitter and facebook! http://tiny.ly/IawB”

as did some other big name tweeters. The blog views continued rushing in and I soon became completely and totally overwhelmed, all I could do was laugh and pace around my room with excitement. That is, until I caught wind of the comments on Ken Ham’s post put forth by his groupies. As if my rejection of Christianity wasn’t hard enough on my parents, many of Ham’s minions blamed them for my deconversion, causing them much undeserved pain and upsetting them greatly. I had intentionally written a beautiful disclosure to my parents to ward off any flack they might receive in the crossfire. I know my deconversion wasn’t their fault, but try telling that to someone who’s hero (Ken Ham) just announced all over the web that their firstborn is an example of a degenerate trend in society. I know it hurt(s), but there was nothing I could do but reassure my undying love for them. Rarely have I felt more helpless than when my actions or words cause my parents unintended and unwarranted pain.

 All in all, I have met many great people throughout the past few days. Much of the conversation has been constructive, and that which hasn’t only further drives my passion for science education. I’m amazed at how many people don’t comprehend the basic concepts of biological evolution and build mountains of assumptions and arguments off a false premise. The same goes for atheism. I received many comments accusing me a joining a ‘group of hate.’ The truth is I was never more hateful than when I was a Christian. I hated gays. I hated evolutionist. I hated liberals. I was racist. I even hated other Christians. I harbored more anger throughout high school than two men should in their entire lives. My peers may confirm this if they like. However, I do know that not all Christians are hateful, and a lot of my anger was due to the wretched environment I was caged in for so long. So, please, don’t throw that comment at me. I don’t think all of Christianity is a petri dish for contempt; some Christians are very capable of compassion and respect. I thank and commend those of you.

 While wrapping this post up I’d like to give a special thanks to PZ Meyers and Ken Ham (lulz) for the traffic flow. PZ has long been one of my heroes and the simple retweet was an incredible honor. To everyone that spread my blog, THANK YOU! Overall, I was graced with over 2000 page views this week and broke 3000 all-time page views this morning. I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read, whether you support me or not. I’m really looking forward to getting more involved in this niche of a community and would appreciate any help you can throw my way. If you have blog topic suggestions, I would love to take them in for consideration. Also, if anyone is good with blog design, I could really use some guidance, as I’m totally lost when it comes to html.

You will be noticing some changes to my blog over the next few hours/days. I have decided to change my blog name from The World As I See It, a complete rip off Einstein’s book (also the first science-related book I ever read),  to From Giants’ Shoulders. I pulled this title from my favorite Isaac Newton quote: “If I have seen any further it is only by standing on the shoulders of Giants” This quote means a lot to me as I feel it sums up the essence of science and knowledge. We are all building off of someone else’s ideas. It is the ‘Giants’ we owe so much to. I’m humbled every time I see this quote as I’m reminded that I could never have arrived at this stage of my life if it weren’t for the better men, women, scientist, philosophers, and truth-seekers before me.

Thank you all so much.

With love and respect,

Jake

Ode To The Human Spirit

I had the strange urge to start clapping while sitting by myself the other day. I had just finished J. Craig Venter’s A Life Decoded and became overwhelmed with admiration. The book , an autobiography, bears witness to the strength of the human spirit; our addiction to surviving. In A Life Decoded Venter masterfully recounts his childhood adventures as a beach bum and takes the reader through his service in Vietnam as a medic to his humble beginnings as a scientist. You then find yourself overwhelmed with excitement as you see Venter complete the first map of the human genome, beating out his publicly funded foes, and ensuring that his name will go down in the books as one of the most accomplished scientists of all time. Still yet, Venter pushes what were assumed the limits of biology in his attempts to synthesize life in the laboratory and change the world for the better, again.


I idolize Venter - and for obvious reasons. Coming from nothing, he has managed to build an enormous not-for-profit science institute, the J. Craig Venter Institute, dedicated to unraveling the mysteries held in our DNA and further applying that knowledge in ways that directly benefit humanity. Patient-specific gene and drug therapy that could virtually eliminate disease and mutation are on the tips of our fingers, but even that is not our end goal. Venter dreams of a world where a scientist will be able to sit at a computer and ‘program’ the DNA of an organism that has never before existed. I am woefully ignorant of the vast majority of implications this ability would bring upon our world, but I can think of a few. Imagine a world where all of our waste is sent to refineries that use novel organisms to digest the waste and excrete ethanol or another biofuel as a by-product. This, being one of the simplest applications, would have revolutionary effects on energy consumption.


As we prepare to celebrate our planet surviving yet another successful revolution around its star, I’m reminded of our humble origins as a species. It’s impossible to comprehend all the feats we have accomplished since leaving the plains of Africa, but if one could, it would be evident that throughout the drastic evolution of our species one thing has yet to change: We humans have spirit. We are addicted to survival, and as long as this unwavering spirit remains, we will continue to prosper and better ourselves. It is my goal to continue to make us better. It is my dream that we all share the same goal.


Venter inspires a new generation of scientist; my generation. As if the thrill of discovery wasn’t enough, my generation will see humankind transformed in ways unimaginable now. I dream of a world without wheelchairs. A world where an average male can expect to live well into his 100’s and see his great-great grandchildren, all while being an active member of society. A world where our respiratory systems aren’t plagued with smog and other airborne toxins. A world where no man or woman views another as if they were of less worth. A world where in hindsight, these were petty things to dream of looking back on what was accomplished.


With love and respect,
Jake

Bigger Than Us

"The universe is a pretty big place. It's bigger than anything anyone has ever dreamed of before. So if it's just us... seems like an awful waste of space."

I laid out under the stars again tonight. This is quickly becoming my new favorite hobby. I sprawl out on a poolside chair with a pillow, an old blanket, and a wondering mind. After taking note of how many more stars were visible tonight and imagining my own constellations my mind took perch on the above quote. I love to think about other life and am fascinated by the thought of expanding our horizons as a species. I feel as the great Carl Sagan did- We humans are capable of greatness. Remembering our incredibly humble beginnings as a species, our short reign here on earth has been marvelous. Just over a hundred years ago flight was scoffed at, and in a blink of an eye we have launched ourselves into space. It's magnificent.

 To think of the ways life has evolved in other atmospheres and conditions is mind boggling. Natural selection on another planet would most certainly select things bizarre and amazing to us. Billions of possibilities. And the chances of them being within 5000 technological years of us is roughly 0! It's a bit unnerving to think that if we are visited by unfriendly beings, human annihilation is inevitable. But it is understandable. Our natural resources are dwindling and we too will eventually have to leave, in a search for a new home. I almost wish I were alive during a later generation where these events unfold. Oh, what I'd do to see, smell, feel, and hear another planet.

Here is one of my favorite graphics of all time: http://io9.com/5510801/what-to-do-if-youre-the-first-human-to-ever-make-contact-with-aliens

I teased a friend in high school for wanting to study astronomy. Admittedly, it was very immature. Sorry, Ben. :p I don't fully blame myself, though. I was never in an environment conducive to scientific speculation. Imagine being told from the day of your birth that we are alone in this universe - that dreaming about the cosmos was pointless because "I believe we will be raptured before you graduate!" Thanks, unnamed teacher. You're delusional. This universe is so much bigger than us! There is so much to be learned and science is the gateway to discovery! How depressing it is to look back at how many great minds were wasted and how many kids could have been enlightened by science if given proper stimulation. Science ignites passion in people no other subject can. Nothing is more exciting, driving, and respectable than discovery and understanding.

Going into my second year at university, I feel like I am still playing catch-up in science classes. All my engineering friends took AP bio, AP Chem, AP Calc, AP Stats, etc. in high school. I was not even given the opportunity to learn Darwin's theory of biological evolution. In fact, I was told Darwin was merely satan's pawn. How ridiculous. Being a little over halfway through 'On The Origin Of Species' I find such statements incredibly offensive. It doesn't take long for one to realize how special Darwin was with his attention to detail and fluidity of thought. He was a truly remarkable man driven by the search for truth and understanding. There is a reason his work changed the scientific community forever... I take my first legitimate biology class this upcoming quarter and 'excited' doesn't do my anticipation justice.

 I thank god (insert sarcasm) for my skeptical mindset and the willingness to learn. I mean, how can you truly appreciate the complexity of a cell and its environmental interactions if you believe it just poofed into existence? The struggle for life is beautiful and it is unsettling to think a fraction of our young minds are being polluted with ideas akin to an 8000 year old universe and "billions of dead things buried in rock layers all over the face of the earth". What I would do to go back and have the opportunity to study biology in high school. I'd like to think the passion I feel now would have been sparked back then, but perhaps I wouldn't have fully appreciated the subject without being deprived of it my whole life and having to discover it myself. 

Maybe that is the case. Maybe it was the deprivation of science that made me want to teach myself evolutionary biology and other sciences alike.  For me, the discovery of these sciences was spectacular. If my mind were fireworks it would have put WEBN to shame. So many dots connected and unrequited questions answered. Life is much more fulfilling and meaningful. I feel fortunate to have come out of the intellectual wilderness of blind acceptance and bigotry. So fortunate, in fact, I plan to devote a great deal of time to educating those who are in need. I know I would never have made it through the de-conversion sane without caring people asking thought-provoking questions - leaving a bread-crumb trail for me to follow.

 I know I have barely touched on my experience and much of this may be brand new information to many of you who know me. I may have to devote a blog entirely to my de-conversion experience. I may have to devote a few. But know that I am not at all the same person I was in high school. I am wildly obsessed with science and not afraid to say it. I am a nerd to the core. Maybe I always was a nerd, but at least now I am a nerd with ambition and direction. 

I hope this blog was better than the last and I hope they continue to be more fluid and thought-provoking. I am finding, only on my second blog, that I enjoy writing and it helps clear my mind. So, thanks again for reading.

Jake

P.S.- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTumUJq0CfU

RIP Carl Sagan.