Adam Savage gave a talk at Harvard where he beautifully laid out the logic of a godless universe. Here’s a short sample, but really, it’s worth reading the whole thing:

The idea of an ordered and elegant universe is a lovely one. One worth clinging to. But you don’t need religion to appreciate the ordered existence. It’s not just an idea, it’s reality. We’re discovering the hidden orders of the universe every day. The inverse square law of gravitation is amazing. Fractals, the theory of relativity, the genome: these are magnificently beautiful constructs.

The nearly infinite set of dominoes that have fallen into each other in order for us to be here tonight is unfathomable. Truly unfathomable. But it is logical. We don’t know all the steps in that logic, but we’re learning more about it every day. Learning, expanding our consciousness, singly and universally.

As far as I can see, the three main intolerant religions in the world aren’t helping in that mission.

There’s something else really interesting going on at that link. When I give a talk about being godless, it’s no big deal; it’s what everyone expects, and nobody who knows of me is surprised by what I say. In his television work, Adam Savage doesn’t talk up atheism at all…so there are a lot of semi-shocked responses in the long list of comments, and also a lot of pathetic proselytization. Like this:

I have watched and admired Adam Savage for his intellect for years on his show. I may not be as eloquent as Mr. Savage but I am always a bit saddened to lose that bit of respect when I hear someone try and explain how complex the universe is and then say God couldn’t exist.

I am civil & intelligent. I will agree to disagree. But if you start find life a bit empty Adam Reconsider the “relationship” between you and God. Not the religion.

You may not believe in Him but He believes in you.

We just don’t get comments here that often that hit all my buttons like that. Complexity doesn’t equate to god or design; I don’t care if you’re ‘civil’; there is no relationship with the nonexistent; I despise the attempts to divorce gods from religion, since half the people will be arguing that god is good, religion bad, and the other half will be telling me the virtues of religion; and that last cliche…where’s the hook, drag that bozo off the stage.

Anyway, great speech, but also if any of you are looking for fresh goddist meat to snack on, there’s a new hunting ground. Just read Savage’s closing remarks, though — that cheesy snack food isn’t so good for you.

You’ve got to read this interview with Nawal El Saadawi. I like everything about her.

She still refuses to tone down her work. “I am very critical of all religions,” she says. “We, as women, are oppressed by all these religions.” It is religious extremism, she believes, that is the biggest threat to women’s liberation today. “There is a backlash against feminism all over the world today because of the revival of religions,” she says. “We have had a global and religious fundamentalist movement.” She fears that the rise of religion is holding back progress regarding issues such as female circumcision, especially in Egypt.

In a bid to address this, she has helped to found the Egyptian chapter of the Global Solidarity for Secular society. She believes religion should be a personal matter, and approves of France’s ban on all religious symbols, including the hijab. “Education should be totally secular. I am not telling people not to believe in God, but it should be a personal matter which should be done at home.”