This is an Ad Ignorantiam argument.
Only Cartesian Materialism would predict such; a model where there is a ‘final draft’ of consciousness. In contrast, a working alternate is a ‘multiple drafts’ model.

Atheist-materialist Dr. Steven Novella is confident: all of our experiences and awareness arise from brain matter. There is no soul, no immaterial mind, separate from the brain itself.

Not only does this statement, if accurate, agree with what I think, it also cuts right to the heart of religion’s creaky foundations. All “great” monotheisms are sex-obsessed death cults. Believers simply cannot tolerate the idea that upon their inevitable demise nothing of them will remain in some animated form. The idea of complete oblivion is utterly unacceptable. I find this odd, since the billions of years that transpired before my birth didn’t trouble me in the least, so why should the time following the cessation of my bodily functions be something to distress over? Of course, I am not an arrogant narcissist convinced that the universe exists for my benefit and that my eternal well-being is a cause for concern to an unimaginably powerful and intelligent, yet undetectable superbeing who seems to get his panties in a wad whenever boys kiss each other and scientists get out their petrie dishes, so you can see why I have a problem with absurd claims about everlasting souls and the dichotomous options of either heaven or hell.

If people would simply come to terms to their own mortality, religion would wither and die, and the clerics know it. I really don’t think its too far-fetched to imagine most people reconciling themselves to nothingness. That’s where I am, and I feel like I’m a better person for it. I’m not eager for my death to get here, and I shall follow my survival instincts as long as I can, but I’m not afraid of it either, which is why I have no problem telling believers to piss off and to take their precious goddamned beliefs with them. They can “know” themselves, in the Greek sense, if you take my meaning.

Also, I love the DI’s assertion that ideology is more precise than science. It’s taken up permanent residence in my brain, like Parelaphostrongylus tenuis. If I were a goat, that is.

And yes. Obey the hypnotoad.

HJ

I’ll keep coming back. I appreciate what you do.

~d~

I’m glad you enjoy the blog. Helping others survive the radical right is why I’m here.

Thanks for the blogroll addition on your site, and thanks for letting me know about Happy Jihad. I somehow managed to miss him. I’m flattered that you think this blog is as good as his. On your site, you said:

I think Ron Britton may well be Happy Jihad’s long-lost twin.

I have to disagree. Happy Jihad is Bay of Fundie on LSD. For any readers out there who haven’t visited it, go check out this article on HJ’s site. I am not worthy.

I managed to find you through Blue Gal today, and I’ve spent about an hour just reading. Thank you for doing what you do. Have you met Happy Jihad? I think you would get along together quite well.

If you don’t mind, I have blogrolled you and subscribed to your feed. I’m looking forward to having your commentary in my life on a more frequent basis. Sorry I’ve missed you over all this time!

DI is just absolutely crazy. I’m waiting for their press release denying gravity.

You’re right about the dualism. In fact, I think that’s what they’re all about. All I hear them complain about is the materialist scientists, but they never say what the alternative is. Apparently it’s dualism. They think there’s a materialist half and a magic half to everything.

“Something else?” Have a hypothesis? Evidence? Anything? Bueller?

That’s the exact same line as ID. Can they at least attempt to come up with an original thought or two?

Just “something?” Nothing specific? No experiments attempting to discover what this “something” is? Hello?!