Belief and Reality

AMEN!

I notice the majority of folks categorize atheists by

using the joke that "God doesn't believe in atheists,

and therefore atheists don't exist."

ha!

Problem being, it's a fundamental oversight of

the science of how things work.

Atheists (typically) discover there is no proof

of a god, and then determine that he/it

does not, therefore, exist.

The existence isn't put into question by

the lack of belief. The fact predates the belief.

But the converse is true for 'believers';

religious sorts do in fact 'make

god real' (at least for their own

purposes) by virtue of simply believing

it to be. The belief predates the 'fact.'

And woe to any who would point out

that belief is not the same as reality.

***

Redux

(Gotta use this one again!)

I'm sitting at the public library, which is, of course,

rife with its own risks and exposures.

Upon viewing my page (nosey bitch!), the women

who sat next to me starts in with the "THANK YOU,

JESUS!" running commentary to herself.

Now, her stupidity is her concern,

but given the dire outcome of most religious zealots,

I take shit like this as terroristic act....

as a pissing contest wherein territory is marked

and intentions are claimed.

She and her husband (accompanying her)

could have been loony anti-gay killers.

So after the third or fourth Hallelujah chorus,

I asked just how much help she needed with

her computer. Which of course prompted her

frazzled, privileged "How dare he?" look of

confusion, and a new round of even louder and

more constant 'praising' and calling on the "most

powerful god."

Egad. Is it 2012 or not?

What is wrong with people?

I probably should have avoided conflict, but

this sense of self-importance that floods these

dipsticks annoys the heaven out of me.

I do not need to know what you think.

It is offensive.

If I went around shouting "Praise Vagina"

or "I call upon the power of hairy balls," it

would not be allowed.

It really isn't any different.

Keep it. To. Yourself.

***

A Child and Their Ideas, None-too-Soon Parted

I had a child (teenager) who wanted to shriek and rail

against me recently because I believe as I do.

(Again, merely existing is considered 'attack'

against the ridiculous mythology of religion.)

When I didn't change my story or apologize

because she was upset, she screeched at me

"Well, everyone has their opinions."

That's somewhat true. But children don't.

An opinion--or at least, the only kind that matter

or count...informed ones-- are gained in one way.

Research, introspection, investigation, comparison,

survey, education, experience, and then, after

thoughtful consideration, an opinion.

Children just regurgitate what's been taught them

by those they wish to impress.

They know no better. They likely don't even know

there's an alternative to what they were taught.

They certainly don't know that they have a choice in the matter.

*****

There is No Battle

(Atheist response to erroneous yet popular online anti-atheist rhetoric)

Proponents of religion seek to 'discredit' atheism

by lying about

the essence and intention of the 'belief'

and those who hold it.

No such counter-measures are necessary, since

religion provides ammunition enough to discredit itself.

My question is;

If you believe in an omnipotent, omniscient,

prayer-answering, personally available,

looking-over-your-shoulder Sky Daddy....

why do you need to argue your points?

Or force them into legislation?

And who appointed you the defender

of the realm? You'd think a tyrannical

and magical warlord could

govern things for himself.

Hmm.

***

"You Got to Keep it Separated"

Pretty self-explanatory,

but it bears repeating endlessly.

The love affair with this country and

religion is a sick one, and the need

for these folks to spread their sickness

around so freely is the equivalent of

not covering your mouth while

coughing.

I don't have it,

and I don't want it.

Yes, keep it to yourself.

Why is it acceptable to promote

and accept and revere these fictional gods,

but my aversion to them/him

is considered anti-social

and unsavory?

Let's flip this mother.

***

Defining, not limiting

Thinking it Through

Equality

That Shit Never Gets Old

Pat Robertson, ye old speaker on all things

ridiculous and moronic, has once again decreed

his total embrace of idiocy.

After the deadly tornadoes this week,

he declared on his money-maker TV show

that if enough people prayed for the

stop of the tornadoes, baby fictional

Jesus would have surely stopped them.

This is only the latest remarkably unreasoning,

oblivious statement from the inventor of ideas

like "gays and abortionists caused 9-11"

or other such nonsense.

He also went on to state that 'god' wasn't

to blame, and similar to his Hurricane

Katrina diatribe, blamed the poor people

who built or bought houses where a

tornado was likely to land.

In addition to the stupidity, the recklessness,

the heartlessness of these comments, the

real danger is that susceptible people will believe

this joke because they are desperate to believe

in something and because he is being broadcast on TV.

Trust me, if prayer worked, this Bozo would have

keeled over decades ago.

Guess there's no such thing as karma, either.

***

Differentiate

Unbelief--

free thought--

is not a crime,

even if you are

treated like a criminal

for expressing or

indulging in it.

Know the difference.

***

Much ado about nothing

religion is not merely

a 'bastardized

form of god'.....

rather,

'god' is a construct of religion...

(a ridiculous, self-serving

source of its own

answers and support)

***

Discovery

Asking questions

is the sign of a keen,

strong, clear mind.

The smartest people

know how little we know.

Blind faith

is a dead end street,

divorced from reality.

****

Crying Wolf: Deflection as Sport

To attack religion and its use is not to abjectly
attack all people who wield it. Some are simply
hapless, trusting sorts who need a leg up in this
world of challenge and trickiness.

That does not change the unbelievable nature
of the crutch--promoting that the user is lame.

Many have asked me, defensive and hurt, why
I would choose to 'attack' something (religion,
belief in 'god,') that has 'brought so many joy!'

This presupposes that it's joy which has been
brought, as opposed to compliance and repression
(The slave is always taught to revere its master.)

It also fails to address the turnaround, the oft-over-
looked legitimate and incisive query regarding
religion's true nature;
Don't all the 'well-meaning'  followers of religion feel
bad about all the innocent lives they have harmed
through promotion of false belief, wasted time,
suppressed spirits, guilt, shame, judgment, reduced
quality of life, exclusions, self-hate, excommunications,
violence, racism, sexism, homophobia, and so much more?

Avoidable, unnecessary horrors that they, by default,
and their religion, by extension, have caused?

Take your own inventory.

The predator often smiles and bears charity.

****************************************

Fear of Unification

The concept of "one" people on earth is

demonized by most every religion; the

only means of achieving unity for them is

by being inculcated with their thoughts

(and joining won't transpire until after

this world.)

But oneness is not about conformity or

conglomeration. It is the reducing of all

unreal barriers of the mind, such as race,

skin color, creed, orientation, etc.

It is a dispersement of all the hate

accumulated and manifested by

tribal mentality; the forced notions

of separateness that have plagued all

peoples for so long.

*****

Respect Your Neighbors