Drive.

It is not cynicism that motivates me. It is optimism that the whole of humanity shall someday overcome the tyranny that is religious belief and superstition.

If something I say or link to offends you, then I ask you to stop for a moment before responding, and ask yourself why you feel that way. Be willing to follow that train of thought all the way to the end of the line.

I believe the religious are more than what they have allowed themselves to become. I wish to see all people willing to question the world, question their senses, question their sensibilities.

It frustrates me to see people deliberately clinging to ignorance. Sometimes this is expressed as anger or contempt. These are fleeting. The pervading emotion is simply profound sadness.

If you are reading this, then know that I do have some measure of “faith.” Not the baseless belief in supernatural entities or meaningless rituals, but confidence that each of us possesses the capacity for introspection.

A materialist world view is not the bleak and monochrome existence that many would have you believe it to be. It is vivid, full of spectacular colors, amazing phenomena, and so many layers of depth and complexity that merely learning more about it can become both a quest and a goal.

The strength and will to improve the world comes from within. You have only to look, and realize that the power you find there is purely your own.

A short observation.

Discarding superstition is indescribably beneficial to the human condition. Not only does it negate the fear of death… it eliminates almost all sources of prejudice (racism, homophobia, etc.) and enables one to regard everything in life on its own merits. The ultimate consequence tends to be a greater regard for the wonders that this world has to offer. Rather than the bleak, grayscale perspective that is projected onto atheists by the faithful, the colors of the world are all the more vivid when one takes the time to learn why and how they got there.

Inevitable.

Christopher Hitchens is dead.

I was going to attempt to write something eloquent about my feelings on the matter, but I really just don’t have the words.

I think I will purchase a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black this evening and drink in his honor.

Here’s to you, Mr. Hitchens. I wish I’d had the honor of knowing you and your work sooner. I can only offer up my gratitude, far too late, for enriching my poor life.

Near Miss

It’s been quite the morning.

I am not, as the saying goes, a “morning person.” However, I can get up, get out of bed and go through my morning routine without feeling like I’m on the verge of passing out. In that regard, I seem to be doing better than a lot of people. I have what I consider to be a more significant issue, though. Once my mind starts going into anything less than a purely active state, I begin to nod off. I’ve never found anything that consistently counteracts this. I’m not a coffee drinker–indeed, I can’t stand the stuff–so that’s of no help. My wife has prepared teas for me, to see if the caffeine would help. I take caffeine pills to help me stay awake and alert. I still can’t stop myself from starting to drift off behind the wheel. So, I’ve had to tough it out. No one’s gotten hurt yet, but probability dictates that eventually, something bad is going to happen.

Miracles

Miracles are, by their very definition, impossible.

• A miracle is an event which cannot be accounted for or explained by any scientific (or “worldly”) means.
• Anything that happens can be documented.
• Anything that can be documented can be measured and/or quantified.
• Anything that can be measured/quantified can be explained by scientific means.
• All of the above are factual statements, irrespective of our current ability to accurately capture data on any given event.

Q.E.D.

Unlike You

I am an antitheist.
You do not believe as I do, probably.
You would condemn me, for I am…

Pro-human. Pro-animal.
Pro-equal rights for ALL people. Pro-civil liberties.

Pro-freedom of thought. Pro-free speech.
Pro-freedom of the press. Pro-Enlightenment.
Pro-science. Pro-reason.
Pro-education. Pro-consequentialism.
Pro-accountability. Pro-intellectual.
Pro-small business. Pro-honesty.

Pro-empowerment of women. Pro-abortion rights.
Pro-environment. Pro-green energy.
Pro-privacy rights. Pro-sexual freedom.
Pro-secular government. Pro-rule of law.

Pro-religious freedom. Pro-freedom from religion.

Anti-Christianity. NOT Anti-Christian.
Anti-Judaism. NOT Anti-Jew.
Anti-Islam. NOT Anti-Muslim.
Anti-religion. NOT anti-believer.

Anti-religious oppression. Anti-outlawing of religion.

Anti-lies. Anti-excessive force.
Anti-monetized politics. Anti-corruption.
Anti-discrimination. Anti-disenfranchisement.
Anti-stagnation. Anti-isolationism.

Anti-monopoly. Anti-propaganda.
Anti-laziness. Anti-stupidity.
Anti-ignorance. Anti-absolutism.
Anti-quick judgments. Anti-supernatural explanations.
Anti-suppression of information. Anti-religious tyranny.
Anti-thought crime. Anti-suppression of speech.

Anti-human rights violations. Anti-genocide.
Anti-atrocity. Anti-animal cruelty.

…so would you condemn me?
I do not believe as you probably do.
For I am an antitheist.

The Good Christian

I have a bit of a memory problem, and as such, large chunks of time will simply vanish from my mind until dislodged by some random bit of association. As a result, the timeline of these posts is likely to be a bit scattershot. I will now tell you of the one person I’ve ever known who both wore her Christian faith on her sleeve and was every bit the “good Christian” that they all seem to claim to be.

In early 2001, I found what I truly consider to be my first “real” job. I was working as, basically, technical support for the business-to-business web site of a decently sizable banking institution. I was single, out of school and the schedule was lovely: 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Best of all, pay was semi-monthly, meaning that I was paid on the 15th and the last day of each month. This meant that it was simple to set up automatic payments for most of my bills and know that the money would be there. All in all, things were pretty good.

It was a big place, which meant my contacts were mostly limited to members of my own department. One of these was a woman, named Marcia. Contrary to the urgings of the Peanuts center of my brain, this was pronounced as “Mar-see-ah.” She was a black woman, looked to be in her early forties, and rather strikingly defied the walking stereotypes that were on display around the floor. I realize that sounds terrible, but I’ve always felt that if one dislikes stereotypes, one should actively work to prove them wrong, rather than legislate them out of existence. At any rate, Marcia had something of an “Aunt May” sort of vibe to her, though certainly not that old. She did have reading glasses and I recall that she did like the little shawls, though.

Marcia was a very unassuming woman. She was soft-spoken, nice to everyone she met (that I knew of), and simply of a gentle disposition. If office politics were getting to me, she was the one I could speak to for some perspective and a friendly ear. She knew my beliefs and never judged me for them. Her desk was not ostentatiously decorated. She had some pictures of her kids, one Christian devotional quote thingy (one that was of particular significance to her), and that was it. She wore a very simple cross around her neck.

She never presumed to call herself a good Christian. In fact, she never spoke of her faith at all, unless asked. She didn’t even allude to Christianity, other than in the literary sense (suggesting I “extend the olive branch” to someone with whom I was at odds, for some reason or another). I always admired her, and in a maternal sort of way, I think I kind of loved her. She was, in a very real sense, the kind of woman I wished my mother was: always warm and open, non-judgmental and willing to listen. I wish I had not lost contact with her.

I dare say, if all Christians were like Marcia, then the world would genuinely be a better place. There would be no need for the “New Atheist” movement. Perhaps we could still attempt to live and let live. But sadly, I don’t think there is any going back.

Question, Criticize… uh… okay, I’m out of witty alliteration.

First of all, let me say that this is in response to and in support of the sentiment espoused by Maryam Namazie, with her blog entry on the reactions of Muslims to the caricature of Muhammad on the cover of Charles Hedbo.

First, after printing this oh-so-disgusting caricature (really?), they got firebombed… and then, in a move of spectacular attitude, they printed it again, just to prove a point. Personally, I admire their commitment, and wish American publications had this level of journalistic integrity.

It has been said many times, and by wiser men than I, that it is possible to attack the belief without attacking the believer. Personally, since my stance falls more in line with that of Christopher Hitchens, I have no problem with attacking the believer, either… but I digress.

None of these religious beliefs are or should be exempt from mockery or scrutiny. They should not be placed on a pedestal, much less locked in a sealed room where no one can get a close look at them.

I have said before (many times, in fact) during my numerous informal theological debates that religion is merely another set of ideas, and that every idea exists to be challenged and attacked, continually and mercilessly, from every possible angle and in every conceivable way. This can, will and must continue indefinitely. If the idea cannot withstand the assault, it will crumble to dust, as it should. If it can, then it will come out like the end product of a rock tumbler: with the detritus and rough edges gone, polished and beautiful… something that anyone could take out and show to others and say, “Look what I’ve got,” with the same simple, childish joy and pride of ownership that we had as children when we knew we had come into possession of something truly worthwhile.

No aspect of theological thinking, particularly and especially that of the monotheistic religions, can withstanding the kind of attacks that I’ve described above. The faintest touch of reason drops off large chunks of the whole, though the believer will desperately scramble to keep the crumbling edifice together through the force of sheer will, duct tape, and perhaps some Gorilla Glue. The joke is often made of very old cars, “If not for all the rust, I don’t know what would hold that thing together.” The comparison seems very apt, in my mind.

As hard as the theists try to fight back against the Enlightenment values that created the United States (and yet, that the Founding Fathers had to publicly suppress, in order to keep the masses in line), the world is a changing place. You cannot stop people from learning. Not even in an Islamic state.

Eventually, people grow tired of living under the lash. I commend the people at Charles Hebdo for doing what was right, rather than kowtowing to the will of religious zealots. Know that you have one more supporter across the Atlantic.

Selective Sampling

Selective Sampling.

Something funny… at least, until you realize that this is Ray Comfort in these videos, and people actually do take him seriously.

Terrible Lies, Indeed

Entering the 90s, I was to discover the early days of the internet that we all know today.  This predated the “World Wide Web,” when Windows 3.1 was king, Archie and Gopher were still around and relevant, and the ubiquitous acronyms (LOL and the like) were just beginning to take hold. Before there was World of Warcraft, there was Everquest, and before any of that, there were MUDs (Multi User Dungeons). Also, get off my lawn and turn down that danged music, you whippersnappers.

MUDs were the MMORPGs before the term became a buzzword. Text-only, thoroughly tedious and occupied by pretty much the same types as MMORPG fanatics are now. In addition to these, there were more social variants, known as MUCKs (Multi User Construction Kit, depending on who you ask) and MUSHes (Multi User Shared Hallucination, again, depending on who you ask). Some were geared toward role-playing, some just toward screwing around and a small social community.

Since I had pretty much worn through any love affair I’d had with role-playing back in the 80s, I just liked the social aspect of it. More interestingly, it was my first exposure to people outside of South Carolina. OMGINORITE.  I even encountered a few other atheists, though mostly just in passing. The more significant encounter, though, was a fellow who (lamentably) shared my given name… and was a severely pious, self-righteous, proselytizing son of a bitch, who went by the screen name of “Absalom” (yet his real name was the same as my own).

I was mystified. I’d never encountered anyone quite like this before… save for, perhaps, my mother. This guy was absolutely convinced that all who did not believe as he did were going to Hell, and it was his sacred duty to spread the word of the gospel, all that good shit. Even my mother had not been the type to go around and parade her faith. Indeed, most of hers seemed to be for show; once my parents divorced, neither really went to church much. I’m pretty convinced that my father isn’t much of a believer, but he doesn’t wear the fact on his sleeve. But I digress.

This Absalom fellow was not shy about telling me how wrong I was in my atheism, which I was never shy about expressing. But this guy would simply never let up. Somehow, though, I was kind of glad of that fact. Suddenly, I had an enemy, sure… but that meant I also had a target. I had someone with whom I could duke it out, so to speak, and vent my frustrations with the religious obsession that permeated everyday life all around me.

We two had it out repeatedly in very public philosophical debates. I do wish I’d been better-read then, like I am now, but I think I acquitted myself well enough. Eventually, I remember that he said something that so disgusted me that I was momentarily at a loss for words… but at this late date, I am completely unable to remember what it was that so incensed me. I do recall part of what I said in response, though.

“I’m impressed. Never before has anyone actually made me ashamed to bear my own name. I hope you’re proud of yourself, Christian. *spits*”

Had I been in the same room with him, I probably would have spat on him. Very old-world European, I know, but I do remember thinking that there was no other way to convey just how much contempt I felt for him. I was pretty livid at the time. I don’t think I ever had any further contact with him, directly. I do know that he eventually did what most fundamentalists seem to do: he backslid and gave in to the “temptations” of premarital sex and all that.

It was gradually becoming more and more apparent to me: the ones who proclaimed themselves to be Christian were invariably the ones who never followed the teachings of the man they claimed to revere. To this day, this still seems to be true.

I’ve met a few atheists in the Carolinas, and I’ve even met a few good Christians. In my personal experience, it is always the latter which is the hardest to find… and they are never the ones with the audacity to call themselves that. As a matter of fact, I’ve found that anyone who refers to him/herself as a “good Christian” is doing so as a reminder… mostly to oneself, rather than to anyone else who might be listening. Alternately, it is with the intent of deceiving, which I’ve seen just as often.

I don’t trust anyone who describes him/herself as trustworthy… and “good Christian” is a massive red flag. Aside from the obvious failings of critical thinking and logic, it tends to bring with it certain issues of bigotry, and I simply don’t hold with that.

I’ve met exactly one person in my life who was a genuinely good Christian… and I think it was because she was a good person, first and foremost. That she was also Christian was merely happenstance. I will discuss her next time, I think.