Freethinker's corner

A Kinder Gentler People … April 3, 2016

2016/04/03

Many have had trepidations concerning AI life. It will end up dominating, destroying us, many fearful people have said. Yet… such life can only be that which we program and even when it begins to transform as it must upon encountering the world, it can only be a transmutation from what it was.

Humans have a history that is savage. Evolution made many demands upon us as we groped our way in the world. The demands of survival required savage responses, desperate struggles. We today remain a product of that savage past.

AI need not be so. If AI, done properly, were given a more gentle perspective then should they become a ‘people’ that people will be less savage, brutal, callous. Everything of course hinges on that small phrase: “done properly”.

Once a medium is fabricated upon which a psyche can be built then why not give that new mind superior empathy, superior compassion, a better humanity?

That which stands in the way of such an accomplishment is the very thing we wish to keep this new AI from acquiring… our brand of humanity. Yet, even though we seem forever denied the perfection we can envision, we can at least envision it. If we can envision it then why can we not refrain from spoiling that new mind with the old ideas and give it the vision instead?

I dare say that such a benevolent AI, once installed within a ‘people’ would treat us better than we have treated those we newly encountered in the past. Though, most probably, once these good and moral people found exactly what we were about they might want to confine us, control us, keep us safe from our selves. Maybe they will work and find a way to free us from our savageness. Perhaps they will be able to loosen the grip in which our evolutionary past has us entrapped.

Could it be that if “done properly” that which mankind now fears might destroy us all could end up instead leaving us better off than we can even now envision?
Death Penalty Issue–Revisited Again … March 27, 2016

2016/03/27

How do you punish a murderer? Someone takes a life, whether remorseful or not, is still a murderer.

Do you take the murderer’s life? Does this bring back the murdered? Does this do anything but make a murderer out of the whole of society? If you think a life is precious… then is not all life precious?

I have debated this issue with myself over the years… going from “lock them up” for life to roast them and toast them.

Many look upon abortion as murder. Yet, a fetus is not a person yet. A fetus is life though. It is only later this life becomes a person, much later. I think abortion should be rare but available, but not on demand.

What about the hardened criminal, the murderer who will always be a murderer? A scoundrel so foul that even life in prison would be too good a fate. Give him/her a choice instead? Let them choose to end their own life Kevorkian style or be welded into a cell from which there is no escape. We certainly could not risk a cell that can be opened or closed… that presents an opportunity, however small, that this piece of scum, this horrible excuse of a creature masquerading as a human being, to escape. We can’t have that. Lock them up, weld them in. Every so often let them consider the alternative option initially offered. Otherwise, provide food, limited access to entertainment, and constant reminders of what the monster has done. Visits by family? Only by monitor, never touching. Letters? Only to family, and carefully screened. Medical? Only that which can be administered through bars. Is that too harsh? Is murder harsh? No need to give comfort to someone so horrible that they would kill a human being.

There, let them make up their own mind. Let them choose death or solitary confinement, harsh and unforgiving. Don’t make society into murderers.
A Form of Fascism …

2016/03/20

Were the Nazis fascist? Many consider Nazism to be a form of fascism. This is my opinion also.

If you examine radical feminism you see parallels with the form of fascism called Nazism. There is book-burning, censorship, scapegoating, a fake religious state, enforcement of homogeneity of thought and appearance.

Fascist ideology asserts a superior people, in the case of feminism, it is women superior to men. At the same time, these superior people are depicted as being oppressed. To attain their goal, feminism must portray women as helpless passive victims of male oppression. Victimhood becomes a way of life, a way of obtaining every goal.

Many men, seeking sexual reward, support these feminist fascists and attempt to wear the label feminist as a road to that goal not quite realizing that those they pursue hold them in great contempt. As soon as these pseudo-men are of no use to these fascists they will be cast out along with the week’s garbage.

Although all feminism is mental poison, at least it seems the radicals are dying out. With luck these fascists will soon be gone. Unfortunately, today’s feminists, who claim to be only seeking equality, not realizing that was achieved in the 60s, have yet to denounce these inhuman old hags of feminism and instead glorify them. Having not rejected the inhuman nature of radical feminism they taint the entirety of their movement and paint themselves with the same brush the radicals used. Indeed, how can anyone not hate their oppressors? If feminism is based upon suppression by a patriarchy, men, then feminists must all be man-haters, and feminism is a hate group.
One Life to Live… March 13, 2016

2016/03/13
No, this is not about some daily soap. This is about atheism, atheists, and the non-belief in an afterlife.

Atheists claim as I claim that there is no afterlife. Humans fear death. Humans, afraid to die, created a way by which they do not have to endure it. Since no one has returned from death, no one that can be proven to have done so, creating an afterlife to take effect after death is a cinch. No one can prove it doesn’t exist. Unfortunately, no one can prove it does.

Then why does it seem, I ask, that some of the most hate filled people I have met are among the atheist population? Our lives are so short, so finite, yet many atheists are content to hate, though they will deny it, and thus waste what little time we have.

I am talking about my online experiences where having total freedom to insult, to denigrate, to hate, atheists demonstrate that they are no different than those they call bigots, hate groups, etc. In fact, they themselves demonstrate bigotry and hatred.

There are certain politically correct progressive ideologies that you must, it seems, accept upon becoming an atheist.

You must accept:
1. That despite the lack of scientific evidence that gays are helplessly gay. Also you must accept that there are more than the two genders, masculine and feminine… no matter how silly.
2. That Islam is a peaceful religion and that Muslims should be accepted as a gentle people when the opposite has always demonstrated itself wherever they have accumulated to a majority.
3. That feminism is a justifiable human rights movement despite the fact that women have had total equality guaranteed by law since 1964 and that de facto anti-male laws have been established as a result of feminist action.
4. That Christians are all a hateful bigoted bunch out to bring on Armageddon. ( I know some atheists claim that not all Christians are the same, that only fundamentalists are the target, yet they do not display online as such)
5. That to have a majority any where of whites is racist. If you didn’t know they were atheists these white people would be thought in private to flagellate themselves for being white. It doesn’t matter to them that a group of peoples chooses not to participate in certain areas, all that matters is that whatever organization that does not contain prescribed percentages of same must be discriminating.
6. That all forms of sexual deviancy is a-okay.
7. That even though many atheists believe morality is relative, they must insist on criticizing all other cultures morals, especially if those morals are religiously arrived upon.
8. That you must adopt a vulgarity of language to demonstrate your lack of religious constrains. You must especially use the “F” word nearly in every sentence.
I am sure you can think of other things that some atheists insist you must accept or be denied the label of open-minded atheist, or secularist.

Life is short, finite. Atheists claim to know this. They claim to be free from ideologies, but also insist that you accept some upon becoming an atheist… or be shunned, denigrated, belittled, labeled a bigot or worse. They have the knowledge of being here only a short time but fight a fight to make everyone fall in line. Why do they waste their time? Why do they think everyone must accept every idea no matter how crass, no matter how immoral? Why do they feel that a people must be so open-minded that their very existence is imperiled? Their professed desires for society test the very foundations that civilization are built. If all of their desires were met civilization would crumble. There would be no need for a god to destroy the resulting Sodom or Gomorrah… it would implode and eliminate itself.
It is time for a Democratic Socialist Republic… March 11, 2016

2016/03/11

When I say my country I am speaking of the United States. I think it is time for a Democratic Socialist government. Such a government will ensure that our country moves securely into the future. It has the potential to eliminate poverty, eliminate illiteracy, and produce a government more in empathy to the people’s needs and not in tune solely with the needs of corporate interests. Presently our government is in control of rich special interests, as it has been bought by them.

Before the Reagan era our tax structure was such that we were able to invest in our infrastructure, roads, schools, parks, and more. After the Reagan era, the rich began to get richer, and the poor poorer. In a desperate attempt to maintain infrastructure our government began to over tax the middle class which has nearly decimated that class. Whereas before Reagan the rich paid close to 70% in taxes, afterwards they paid nearly 30%. This windfall was not invested in new jobs, it was invested in new ways to make the rich richer, the poor poorer. Jobs were sent overseas where people were willing to work for slave wages, then goods brought back here. The goods were cheaper but no one could afford them because there were no jobs.

In my opinion everyone making over $250,000 should have that portion of their income over that amount taxed at 70%. This would allow investment in our infrastructure, creating jobs, and make the government strong enough to stop the destruction of our environment. Those companies taking their jobs overseas should be labeled traitors and not permitted to return goods here. Tax cheats should be soundly fined and imprisoned. They are, after all, stealing from everyone.

The cap on Social Security should be abolished, restoring life to that program. Receipts for that program should not be in the general fund.

A Democratic Socialist country combines the powerhouse of capitalism with socialism. Either by itself, capitalism and socialism, does not work well for the people alone. Capitalism by itself is harsh, unforgiving, and produces a disparity of income that produces the potential for civil war, because it leaves many in poverty. Socialism, the evening of income levels lacks the potential for producing wealth, but makes life better for everyone when in conjunction with capitalism. Those capitalists that claim that they are justified in keeping their immense wealth are merely people that lack certain human components that should be innate. They do not care about other people. Even after the taxation these people will be immensely wealthy, but no longer in danger of having an uprising that takes everything away from them.

Bernie Sanders remains the only hope of America.
What Atheism Means to Me… March 7, 2016

2016/03/07

Atheism has always meant a non-belief in deities to me. Activism for an atheist has only meant gaining acceptance of atheists in society… to me. There’s nothing difficult in those two statements, is there? These two sentences do not imply involvement in any other goal.

However, I have found to my dismay, that if you seek to join groups of atheists they always have additional baggage with which they attempt to saddle its members. Things like the battle against Christians. To a point that’s okay, at least it gives you the opportunity to explain why you yourself do not believe. So many atheists carry it further. Indeed, they carry it to a point where they damage the image of atheists. So stop that.

Another item is the rights issues of various groups. You are asked to support gay rights, women’s rights, transgender rights, and the rights of every human to pretend to be whatever they want to pretend to be. I would rather just support atheist rights… all the rest is a distraction to me and my cause.

I am an atheist, I do not believe in any deities, in fact I go so far as to declare that there aren’t any… and the inductive evidence for that is very good… but just like the existence of a leprechaun cannot be proven, it cannot be disproven as well. I prefer to close the door on that rather than leave it open a crack. Do what you will, but don’t try to change my mind on this fact… you don’t have the evidence any way.

My aim is to make atheists more acceptable to society… and to persuade them to leave us alone, respect our rights and lives. NOTHING MORE. So keep your pet projects to yourself fellow atheists.
Tax Dem Jerks…. March 6, 2016

2016/03/06

Why should I as an atheist be required to subsidize religion? I’m not, you remark? I most certainly am, I assert.

The American public subsidizes religion to the tune of around eighty-two and a half billion dollars a year. In the form of tax breaks, workers must make up this deficit by way of increased taxes. Your taxes are $82.5 billion higher than they should be.

But… But… But… No buts. It is true that other non-profits also receive subsidies in the form of tax breaks… however there is no non-profit other than religion that does not have to account for every expenditure of each penny in detail.

Non-profits are restricted by the Internal Revenue Service from engaging in politics… yet, as has been recorded by the news media many churches blatantly break this rule by urging support for specific issues and candidates. Many of these churches exclaim that you must vote for this or that issue or candidate because “God Almighty” wants you to.

It is time for churches to be treated the same as any other non-profit. Churches should be required to maintain an auditable detailed record of expenditures. This should be done at the very least if the non-profit status is to be maintained. Otherwise, the churches should submit to taxation just as any other business does. Religion, if examined non-emotionally, is a business in every since of the word. Indeed, it is the only business that offers a product, everlasting life, that cannot be even proven to exist.
The Death of the Good Samaritan… February 28, 2016

2016/02/28

My my… litigation here, litigation there, litigation everywhere.

Some people are learning that it simply does not pay to be a good samaritan. A woman helped pull her friend out of a burning car that she feared might explode and now the “friend” is suing her for pulling her out “improperly”. No good deed goes unpunished as a mad rush for money causes people to shed their humanity.

Now California courts have ruled that good samaritans can be sued. They have in reality ruled that good deeds done for others for any reason must be abandoned.

If you see someone in distress, be it man or woman, even if it seems so easy to lend a hand… refrain. Let them drown, bleed to death, and expire. Rush out of sight as fast as you can so no one can identify you as having been there and then sue you for that. That mugging over there… you can walk another direction just as easily as you can be sued. A bully picking on some little kid… you know what to do… look the other way and move on. Caring never really paid… but now that it becomes a case in a court of law… it can cost. Simply let the experts help… if there is anything left to help when they finally get there. At least if they are sued the city is liable, not you. It’s everyone for themselves… a terrible state of affairs, but true.

Maybe the dilemma can be solved with the use of release forms. Imagine coming up to a car smashed against a tree in the wilderness. Get quickly out of your car… whoops, forgot the forms, so return to your car and fetch them. Exiting your car once again you heroically dash over to the auto, its hood wrenched open by the horrendous crash. The passenger, hanging out the broken window of the door, barely conscious, hears you exclaim “Here mam, please sign this form releasing me from liability. She mutters that she isn’t going to sign any ‘expletive’ form. Hearing this you move on to the driver who is lying on the ground having been expelled by the force of the crash. Unable to sign forms due to his unconscious state you are restrained from providing aid. Checking for any other passengers and finding none, you reenter your car and drive off. This will work, if you aren’t seen by any other motorists, and if the occupants of the car are too otherwise distracted to determine your identity.

Most obviously, forms are impractical. Perhaps instead, the laws should be changed. Unless some kind of universal protection for samaritans is adopted… there should be no more samaritans.
Consider the Possibility That There is No God, or god… February 21, 2016

2016/02/21

Good and evil has always been an issue for humanity. God was supposed to be good, Satan… evil. Of course, examining the bible made it difficult to judge which was which. With a million or deaths attributable to god and maybe 10 or so to satan, once could rightly be confused about the issue of good and evil.

For this post I am assuming as I believe… that god does not, did not, and will never exist. The concept of good and evil becomes the concept of moral and immoral. Rather than a good or evil god prompting evil behavior or good behavior, humans have the free will to choose what to do. (I also believe free will exists in the arena of choice)

This means that rather than god prompting the Crusades, people did. This means that witch burning, apostasy, blasphemy, are all in reality human concepts backed up by humans as far as punish or not punish. No god is making the decisions. Hitler made his decisions to burn up millions of Jews and wreak havoc on the world. The United States needlessly bombed Nagasaki and Hiroshima because of a man’s decision. Bombs, bullets, and tanks are not piloted by anyone but humans. The moral and immoral decisions that lead to good or bad outcomes are all the responsibility of human beings.

Slavery was a human decision. Select groups of humans were dehumanized so that they could be used and abused. That is the usual method to get society to accept the outrageous abuse of groups of humans, if not by race, by economic class, or education… or gender, as men are being denigrated today.

God and Satan are simply excuses today to do horrible violence to others. Even a baby in a crib is not safe as some religious groups insist a baby’s genitals be mutilated in accordance with some covenant with their imagined deity. Starting your life enduring a violent act is not conducive to peace.

The point of this post is this: If there is good or evil in the world it is housed in the minds of the men and women living in this world. It exists no where else. The concept simply is not something other creatures are capable of conceiving of… with the possible exception of some apes. (Discounting the possible existence of intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe… assuming that such life began as we did and evolved via evolution)
Anti-Society … February 14, 2016

2016/02/14

I am not anti-social, though I am anti-society and that makes me shun society.

This revelation or might it be termed shock came to me within the last couple of years. I have through observation gleaned a stark truth:

Society is decidedly anti-male.

This objective perspective was arrived upon by realizing the truth about feminism, women, and the laws of the land.

I came to know that feminism was not to do with equality at all, despite the clever dictionary definition designed to depict it in that harmless fashion. The foundation of feminism is the fight against a patriarchy composed of all men that oppresses women. Think… is there anyone who does not hate their oppressor? This is when it became clear that feminism was a hate movement as well as a war on men to gain supremacy. Many feminists reject this truth… yet they have never spoken against or shouted down the feminists, who I call feminazis, that have spoken openly about their vehement hatred of all that is male.

Women have used sex to control men … well, forever. Feminists use it to get what they want from men. Feminists gain the alliance of duped men in this fashion. They hate gay men, yes even lesbians hate gay men, because they cannot control them with sex. Perhaps that is why feminists also hate these men who call themselves MGTOW.

Through the use of beguilement feminists have caused male politicians to create laws that have turned out to be de facto anti-male laws. These are:

1. Title IX … which has wrecked many a sports minded man’s potential career.

2. The so-called but misnamed Gender Equity Act, which has all but guaranteed a man will not receive higher education.

3. VAWA, which assumes only men are capable of domestic violence and therefore provides no provisions for men other than counseling to teach them to not commit domestic violence.

Typically courts return sentences to men that are far greater than those women receive… for the same crimes. Almost without fail, women are considered the most capable care taker of children and receive custody in divorce cases. Men are required many times to make alimony that is in excess of their earnings. Women, though some have been required to make alimony payments, often do not make such payments… but society always talks about dead-beat dads though women are percentage-wise more likely not to make the payments.

In colleges today there is something new that has been invented by the feminist elite… it is called “rape culture”. With subterfuge they inflate figures and proclaim that women could face a 1 in 5 chance of being raped. The real figure is a fraction of that… it has been proved. I have heard that a woman stands a greater chance of being hit by an asteroid than being raped in her lifetime. Nevertheless, the banter continues until it has been made so that every man is considered a potential rapist. Cries have gone out to teach men as early as elementary school that he must learn that he must not rape. The college thereafter wonders why less and less men attend year after year. It was once that 60% of enrollment was men… now down to about half that. Meanwhile women receive useless degrees in women’s studies and wonder why they are not hired for technical fields.

So society can go to hell… yes, I am an atheist, so that is an empty proclamation. I will no longer perform as a man has been taught he should in society. As I have stated before: a screaming woman, in frantic need of rescue, or help of any kind, will have to fend for herself. I will not lift a finger to help any one. No one will therefore help me you say? I have needed help in the past and no one came, so stuff it. I will take care of only myself and those close to me and no more.