Anda Clark speaks to Darrel Ray before she introduced the speaker
Roughly 200 people attended Darrel Ray’s The God Virus lecture at Reed College on October 7th. During the event, Dr. Ray made the case that religion is indeed a virus-like phenomenon, as it infects individuals and societies. Drawing heavily from Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and memetic theory, Darrel Ray argued that the idea of religion has a strong impact on our minds, and thus, upon our actions as members of society.
Darrel Ray speaks about his book
During Ray’s talk, the speaker went to great lengths in detailing the deleterious effects of religion. Not only does religion prey on human feelings of inadequacy, it also guilt trips humans into believing that they must worship x deity, or else they are destined for Hell. In short, a religion like Christianity necessitates its own cosmology by having an answer – Heaven through belief – to guilt of its own design.
Center For Inquiry event organizer, Kurt Johansen, looks on from the crowd
Although the lecture was interesting, it was met with objections by many Reed students. According to an audience member, Ray was downright “inflammatory”. “What are you trying to accomplish,” the student asked, “by being offensive?” Another Reedie wondered why the speaker was invited, given that he had the temerity to make jokes at the expense of religion.
Darrel Ray tells about a virus in rats that needs to infect a cat
“I was disappointed by the sheer volume of jokes against religion,” event organizer, Leslie Zukor, said after the talk. “I expected the lecture to be provocative. However, I was hoping for a more serious presentation of the evidence.” Zukor also wished for more cultural explanations for religious phenomena. “He used memetics and biology at the expense of all else,” Zukor, an Anthropology major, explained.
Darrel Ray presents his case
Although some Reed students were critical of Dr. Ray, the off-campus attendees were satisfied with his presentation. Audience members comprised “recovering” Catholics, fundamentalists, and Jews. They were all enthused by the speaker’s rhetoric and were looking for more connections with the Portland freethought community. Darrel Ray vowed to start a “recovering religion” group in the Portland-area.
The large crowd for Dr. Darrel Ray
Despite the talk’s provocative nature, Darrel Ray offered a human solution to debating theists about religion. “When people talk about the human problems that have led them to accept Jesus,” he explained, “Be a friend to them. Don’t try to argue with their emotional conclusion with rational evidence.” According to some audience members, the conclusion felt out of place.
Darrel Ray connects with the audience
“How can you be a friend to religious people, when you mock and make fun of their beliefs?” audience members wondered. Despite all the criticisms from Reed students, the Center For Inquiry members who showed up were pleased at the crowd, Darrel Ray’s talk, and the information presented that religion is indeed a virus that infects our lives and culture.
We hope you will attend our next talk with Harvard Humanist Chaplain Greg Epstein.
Sounds like a fun talk. Great photographs. Nice to see the old lecture hall hasn’t changed a bit. Colin Purrington ’88
What I can say about Mr. Darrel Ray, he is first apsolutly Professional in hes Job and Religionscritic! He talking expli
cit about Religionsmanipulation in the Churchs! And he
know exactly, what he talking! He dont, has imaginer
Friends als most Christians! Engels, Demons, Satan
or Jesus! He is not Cheat, as many, many christian
Priests, Pastors and a same Liars!
I liked him, because he talking a truth!
Atheist!
I must say,…
I liked him to much! He is another Nietzsche! He is a Thinker! He is a biggest Thinker in U.S.A., and round the World! He is
first one honestly Person, He is an Atheist! He do not need
Jesus, because Name Jesus is a Name of Charlatanism!
Bible is a criminal Charlatanism, criminal Book for Psychopats.
Realy, I cannot understand, He is an American! Because, a
most Americans are religious stupid. America as Country can
will be proud on Mr. Darrel Ray!
He is a great, because He talking truthlich, He is not Charla-
tan as a most christian Priest round the World on Television!
He don,t talking about Demons, about Engels and Jesus, or
fantastic sick Biblestory,s. I am not American, but to much
time in Internet I looked his DVD, because He is not chris-
tian corrupt Person. He is a Socialist first, He is a Huma-
nist, and Empatist!!!
Therefore, He is an Atheist to! I didn,t see him in T-Shirt
with “Atheists for Jesus”. ( Richard Dawkins )
Mr. Darrel Ray, He is very, very, very today especial – few
Person. Christian stupid America need to much Mr. D. R.
Atheist 100%
Darrel Ray!
One Men from U.S.A. I cannot believ, because U.S.A, is extremly christian stupid Country! With very strong Ra
cism in South evangelical States! U.S.A. need one Dar
rel Ray for President, and all World can sleeping in the Peace!
Darrel Ray is a biggest Thinker in U.S.A. Mr. Barack O.,
he must learning to much from Mr. Darrel Ray. Is a bet
ter one Hour by Darrel Ray Teaching, as in fucking and
stupid Church!!!
Mr. Ray is the best Teacher know in U.S.A.
Mr. Ray has the best Ideology of Atheism and Logic in U.S.A.
1. What is a Atheism, nothing more, as Philosophy of Logic!
2. What is a Philosophy, nothing more as a Science!
3. Therefore is a Mr. Ray one Thinker!!!
Realy, first time, we have good News from U.S.A.
1. This is a Teaching from Mr. Darrel Ray!
2. First time U.S.A. show us, one big Thinker: Mr Ray!
3. I don,t need Martin Luther King, or Mr. Obama, or Kennedy!
4. No, realy not! I need Mr. Ray! Because he is honestly Atheist
5. and Thinker to!
6. He is not Lier, as Martin Luther King, or another Biblepresi
7. dents! He talking about american sick christ. Nation!
8. Americans are a sick, and not only Americans!
9. He talking about religiuous Virus in the Bible!
10. He talking about Virus in Trijicons Industry!
11. He talking about religious Manipulation on TV and Churchs!
12. And this is a great by Mr. Darrel Ray!
The more you know about religion the more likely you are an atheist…
I know, I know exactly, why I liked Mr. Ray. Because he talking
a Truth 100%. I feel exactly! But not verybody has a min for
Atheism, Logic and Philosophy. The Bible is a most criminal
and unsound book of the World! The Priest are a same
drop, and talking a same drop to!
Atheist 100%!