I don't normally link to the World Nut Daily, but I could not resist this story. 22-year-old Jesse Kilgore killed himself. His family and friends blame a college biology course and the Richard Dawkins book 'The God Delusion'. They claim Kilgore was an passionate Christian apologist who lost his faith. They point to his blogging as proof of his faith.
"Three people told us he had taken a biology class and was doing well in it, but other students
and the professor were really challenging my son, his faith. They didn't like him as a Republican, as a Christian, and as a conservative who believed in intelligent design," the grief-stricken father, Keith Kilgore, told WND about his son, Jesse.
According to a witness, the ‘only other Christian’ at Jefferson Community College suggested that the biology course and The God Delusion were enough to cause Kilgore to loose his faith, which ultimately lead to his suicide.
Kilgore’s father places the blame on the public school system. He suggests that the only rational course of action for Christians is to abandon public schools. Of course, the father does not accept any responsibility for the influence he might have had on his son. What… with his being a fundie nutball retired military chaplain, and apparently is completely steeped in the ‘Christian are under attack” rhetoric so common to fundies these days.
How about this instead. Jesse Kilgore killed himself because of, mental illness, depression, drugs, girls or maybe boys, guilt, poor grades, or… maybe because he just woke up one day without faith and realized he could not confront his overbearing father. Perhaps the environment in which he was raised was not welcoming to rational thought…
And one last thing, The God Delusion put me to sleep. Why would anyone kill themself over a book.?
Hat Tip: StopTheMormons
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Jesse · 851 weeks ago
I sent the author an email this morning.
Dear Mr. Unruh,
I am writing in regards to your WND article, "Dad links son's suicide to 'The God Delusion'," in which a kid named Jesse reads Richard Dawkins' book, loses all hope, and commits suicide. I have several problems with this article, but the most obvious one is that I'm a 23 year old named Jesse and I recently abandoned my faith, because it didn't hold up under scrutiny. If my parents, who are Christian conservatives, read this article, they may become seriously depressed.
You might say, "should I not report on the truth?" I would respond that that is what people like Dawkins and other atheists like me are doing. We think Christianity is an incorrect view of the universe, and writing about it is part of our quest for truth, which is also a Christian goal.
One thing that this article could have had is a dissenting opinion. Suicide is horribly tragic, but is seldom linked to only one factor. An article whose object was the truth would have been more indepth and had an investigation into the other possible factors going into the suicide.
The realization that there may be no god, no soul, and no afterlife can be depressing. I have to say, however; that it strengthened my resolve to live, because this life is all I'm going to have. If I were to die, I would lose my wife, my family, and my friends. Also, I would be inflicting pointless suffering on everyone I know by committing suicide. To imply there's a necessary link between atheism and suicide is not accurate.
Also, in regards to hate crimes, I thought conservatives were against them since they punish thoughts as well as deeds? Why then do you quote the bereaved father as saying, "Here's another thing," he continued. "If my son was a professing homosexual, and a professor challenged him to read [a book called] 'Preventing Homosexuality'… If my son was gay and [the book] made him feel bad, hopeless, and he killed himself, and that came out in the press, there would be an outcry." I feel for his loss, but I disagree with him. Should it really be criminal for a professor to provide a dissenting opinion in regards to the origin and nature of the universe? I don't want it to be illegal for a college professor to share his beliefs with a student, religious or non religious. Do you agree?
Sincerely,
Jesse
Keith Kilgore · 851 weeks ago
I am Jesse's Father, It is interesting to me that instead of addressing the point, you call me a "fundie nut ball." You suggest that my late son was a drug abuser, a homosexual, or that he suffered from an overbearing father. How can you say that, you don't even know me or my son?
My objection is not about Theism Vs. Atheism. The status of that debate is in the same place it has been since Prometheus. Even Richard Dawkins says that there is "almost" certainty that God does not exist, that is a pretty big "almost".
(continued)
Keith Kilgore · 851 weeks ago
My objection with the school is that the crisis of faith is a significant and traumatic event in the psychological life of a person. If a school is going to purposely precipitate such a crisis in the lives of students like my son without thought of consequences, then that is negligent, unethical, and unfair. (continued)Jesse and I both agree that if a person cannot attend an institution of higher learning without being able to handle ideas you find disturbing, then you have NO business being there, ASSUMING you have a level playing field of ideas. My son did not have that. Today, I have received phone calls from other students of JCC who are people of faith and they tell me how hostile and one sided the environment is in that school. (continued)
Keith Kilgore · 851 weeks ago
In your post you refer to me as a fundie, although derogatory, I own it. I do hold to the five historic fundamentals of the Christian faith. Can you name one? Which one(s) that I hold do you find so objectionable?
Jesse was his own man, and I have never forced anything on him. Before you judge me, and become so intolerant of me, then you may want to read my sons blogs and read his website.
The Bible says God has given mankind evidence (a hint) if you will of His existence in nature, by observing nature (a scientific endeavor) we can see his handiwork (design). Great Scientists from Newton to Behe understand that our universe is ordered, fine tuned, and bear the marks of design therefore through the scientific method, we can discover, learn, and invent. (continued)
Keith Kilgore · 851 weeks ago
I once had a soldier come to me and say, "Chaplain, I don't believe in God anymore because of all the evil in the world, like what Stalin did." My reply was, "if there is no God, then what is wrong with Stalin did?" Can you answer that one? What hope and comfort do you have to offer me in our grief? What meaning and purpose for life do you offer?
Could it be that a Creator who was powerful enough to so fine tune the Cosmos designs it so that the only way we can come to God is by faith thereby preserving our freedom to obey or not to obey, to love or not to love? It would also preserve God's right to hold us accountable for our actions
I have found that most atheists hold their position not on the strength of their arguments, but rather to cling on the licentiousness their position offers their lives.
Sincerely
Keith Kilgore
Chk555@aol.com
Dave2 · 851 weeks ago
It is insane to blame Richard Dawkins for your son's suicide: all Dawkins did was write a book arguing for atheism. 99.99999% of people who read this book do not commit suicide. Other (perhaps unknown) factors explain your son's suicide.
Moreover, it is insane to blame the school for not presenting "a level playing field of ideas". First, I've seen no reason to think the school was being unfair, and there's certainly nothing unfair about a school favoring some ideas over others (e.g., heliocentrism over geocentrism). But more importantly, even if your son was indeed exposed to a one-sided learning environment, again, 99.99999% of people exposed to a one-sided learning environment do not commit suicide. If you have a complaint about the one-sidedness of the school, then by all means make that complaint. But don't blame your son's suicide on it, because that's simply crazy.
Please think about this campaign you're on before continuing it.
For the record, your claims about theism and atheism are unconvincing. Great scientists (like Newton and Boyle) who accepted a design argument lived before Hume and Darwin. People like Behe are not great scientists. Your suggestion that morality makes no sense without God flies in the face of the Euthyphro dilemma. Your pronouncements about the personal motivations of atheists are unbecoming of a fair-minded adult.
Brandon Malave · 850 weeks ago
Granted there could be tons of variables involved in the suicide but it seems like a pretty compelling case that his suicide is due to his loss of faith and not being able to handle such a transition. Seems like there is evidence of that through those emails that are being helpd as evidence, seems like it was really difficult for him to cope with the drastic change in worldview.
Obviously I do not think Richard Dawkins is to blame on this matter, but if he was experiencing a lot of external pressure from the teacher to see how his faith is flawed then obviously that is not very objective of the teacher in teaching a biology class. I am sure there is more to this story than what is stated, but I do think it is correlated with simply him not being to adapt to a new world view after basing his whole life around one world view for so long.
Brandon Malave · 850 weeks ago
Edwin Jose Palathink · 850 weeks ago
David · 846 weeks ago
I'm sorry to hear about your son Keith. Don't listen to these bumbling idiots. They're never wrong and everyone else is wrong. That is their mentality and that is how they were brought up. Don't feed the trolls. They know that ID is gaining the upper hand day by day.
John · 846 weeks ago
You are a damned soul, David. I doubt God will be as merciful as the people you would have murdered!
Jake · 846 weeks ago
Eltardo · 846 weeks ago
Eltardo · 846 weeks ago
mikespeir · 846 weeks ago
You "found" this? Dang! Where did you look?
BlackSun 75p · 846 weeks ago
David · 846 weeks ago
Craig · 846 weeks ago
David · 846 weeks ago
Yeah, sure you did. Even if you did, how long were you dead? You have to be dead for a certain amount of time before you have any experience of any kind. I was brain dead for 24 minutes when I had the experience. It felt like an eternity. I remembered the experience vividly as I am awake now. Even my friend, Michael Shermer, is unsure what happens after death.
Don't try to argue with me. I pretty much know the atheist/skeptical model of argument, so resistence with me is futile. Go ahead and make fun of me, ruin my reputation as a blogger, call me all sorts of names.That's what I did 10 years ago to anyone that dared questioned my beliefs in atheism/darwinism. Nothing you do or say will affect me in any way! Have a safe holiday season!
David · 846 weeks ago
Obviously you did not take the time to read my entire post. You immediately label me as a Christian which I am not. Christianity and religion is as much fairy tale as atheism/darwinism. Anyone who believes in atheism is smoking some serious crack as anyone who believes in religion. Pot smokers!
One more thing, about your NOTE TO MOJOEY, I don't know which country you're from but in the United States of America there is something called Freedom of Speech. Oh...since you are an atheist, then you're probably from a Communist country where there is no intelligent designer, no free will, etc. Keep basking under the red and yellow flag you atheist/communists.!!
James · 846 weeks ago
David · 846 weeks ago
It seems I am arguing with someone whose IQ is lower than mine. It's disheartening to know that atheism/darwinism is shoved down people's throats in communist countries. Evolution, no free will, blah, blah, blah, etc. Please do your homework and become surprised at what you find. There's no argument that you can come up with that can refute that! You all can speak all you want but it is clearly evident! You and your leaders in the atheist movement (Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, etc.) will always come up with a counter-argument. I can't believe that I once upheld communism in my own country. How shameful! :(
Bob · 846 weeks ago
David · 846 weeks ago
Go ahead and make fun of me all you want. Please read my above posts. Why is it that proponents of evolutionary theory call themselves atheists as opposed to a believer in a God? HUH?
Rebecca · 846 weeks ago