Dear AlterNet...

You piss the living hell out of me.

When you published a piece gushing on Rupert Sheldrake I was just only mildly offended. Here was essentially the Left's version of Creationists/ID advocates like William Dembski and Michael Behe. People with fringe ideas that have been justly marginalized by the scientific community, heralded as being champions of a new revolution (for Goodness, ostensibly) by people who have absolute zero knowledge of what they're talking about.

...Sheldrake's theory of "morphic resonance" -- a complicated framework of ideas proposing that nature relies upon its own set of memories, which are transmitted through time and space via "morphic fields". The theory holds that these fields, which operate much like electrical or magnetic fields, shape our entire world. A panda bear is a panda bear because it naturally tunes into morphic fields containing storehouses of information that define and govern panda bears. The same with pigeons, platinum atoms, and the oak trees on Hampstead Heath, not to mention human beings.

Do I even need to reflect on the complete incredulity of this claim? What next - is he going to try to prove this "theory" by constructing a light saber?

"Science is the last unreformed institution in the modern world today," he adds in a matter-of-fact rather than harsh tone. "It's like the church before the Reformation. All decisions are made by a small powerful group of people. They're authoritarian, entrenched, well-funded and see themselves as a priesthood."

Reflecting a blatant ignorance of the scientific process and the way science is carried out. Yes, the scientific community is socially and fundamentally flawed in many, many, many ways, but to "democratize" it is just a fantasy dreamed up by people with a vision of how the world should work that is just as ludicrous and dangerous than people with a similar vision who want to turn science into a branch of the Pat Robertson Church of Christianity.

Hey guys. Ever remember the Sokal Affair? You guys are more than happy to dredge up all of recorded history to prove your points (as noble as they may be) and are yet completely forgetful of the lesson Dr. Alan Sokal taught you a scant ten years ago when he exposed your superficial, and insufferably arrogant high-horse 'PoMo' bullshit for all the world to see.

Anyway.

Now you guys decide that it's perfectly okay to shit all over other people religions in the name of Free Speech.

So then what gives you the right to moan about all of the things that The Right say in the press? You talk about how Free Speech should be a right for everyone but you're only lying to yourself and to others by posturing yourself in such a way that the only Free Speech that counts is YOUR Free Speech. Sounds a little familiar, eh?

I know you guys hate us. I know you guys would be more than happy to group the Religious Left along with Dobson, Falwell, and Robertson, shove us all into a rocket, and blast us off into the sun. But sorry guys. We're here and we're here to stay. We're not going away. When you offend other religions, you alienate a potential source of powerful support; academics, intellectuals and activists who use their religion and their faith to support the causes which "The Left" so eagerly falls over itself to support.

When you offend them, you alienate them along with the other fundamentalists. And do you really think you're too good for our support? By supporting those cartoons You're automatically saying to ALL Muslims that it doesn't matter if you're with The Left. You're part of some stupid silly cult which likes to crash aeroplanes into buildings and follows some bearded guy who died thousands of years ago.

So you think you don't need the "Religious Left"? you can do just fine and dandy without us? Look at you guys. Bush won a second term in office, in spite of everything that was done to stop that. So who do you guys blame? The religious guys. Naturally.

I only wish we had more people like Sokal to expose your arrogant self-righteousness.

You guys are the very definition of the term "asshat". While I still consider myself part of the "Religious Left", you make me more proud of being "Religious" than "Left".

Until you guys finally grow up, I don't think you deserve a government any better than the one you've got just now.

Detestably Yours,
justin