Freethinker's corner

Do You Relate? … November 1, 2015

2015/11/01

There is more to relating than simply understanding the spoken or written word. There is more to relating than simply understanding the message. The intent and attitude behind the words is also part of relating. The concepts, the ideals expressed… the morality. It is true that the written word is less capable of relating than the spoken word. The spoken word is more capable of relating when you can see the expressions of the person speaking.

The reason behind this post is my apparent difficulty in relating to a considerable number of people. The issues about which I have difficulty relating are many. To be clear… the difficulty is not in understanding what they say. The message is for the most part quite clear. The difficulty is in understanding why they believe what they do. The difficulty is in understanding how they could possibly believe what they do.

Some of the issues with which I have consternation are:

■ Pornography

■ Religion

■ Polygamy

■ Feminism

■ Law and Order

■ Public Education System

■ This Politically Correct Progressive Thing (SJWs)

I am sure there are more and I will add them later as they occur. These are an adequate start in illustrating my puzzlement.

Let’s start with pornography, a dirty eleven letter word.

Just the other day I had an argument with an individual about this issue. The way he promoted it you might think he was promoting mom and apple pie. He could not see my point that to dwell on porn was to reduce yourself to animalistic levels. He pointed out that there is no porn in nature. Well, then perhaps instead I should have insisted that to dwell on porn was to reduce yourself to your carnal base level. Having such thoughts forever at the forefront of your thinking will reduce your ability to concentrate upon any other thing. An eternal fetish would no doubt develop. Evil does exist in the mind of humans. In fact that is the only place it does exist.

I see no reason for ever making pornography legal. In fact, we have too much available now in that arena. We could use a bit more censorship here. I sincerely hate watching a movie or program and then the scene ends up in someone’s bedroom. A bedroom should be private… I wouldn’t want anyone looking over my shoulder.

Nope, I really do not think you can determine if you will become hooked on porn, and therefore recommend everyone abstain.

Religion… This is the year 2015. Our constitution guarantees that everyone has religious freedom. It also directs a wall of separation between church and state. (Not in those words, but it is clearly directed) In this year we have very good medical technology as well as many other technologies. It seems as if every time we turn around some new thing comes along. Over the last century god has been chased from one thing to another as actual reasons replaced faith. Yet… belief persists. Fear of death seems to be the biggest factor. The promise of life after death hooks many. Despite the fact that there is no proof a heaven exists, or even a hell, people believe they are either bound for one or the other depending on how they believe. Some think they must do good works, others that you just believe. The second group guarantees that you will go to heaven as long as you accept and believe right up to the end, even after a life of crime and murder. I imagine the organized crime families have faith in this and the power of a priest to forgive upon confession.

A disease created by Christianity: Sin, so they can offer the cure: Salvation. A snake oil salesman had nothing on these folks.

Polygamy… I went around and around with some fellow who said that monogamy was BS. He never stated any legitimate reasons why polygamy was advantageous, only that he desired it. I told him I though polygamy was BS and that was when he got angry.

I have been in my marriage for over 3 decades and a half. I have never desired anyone else in that time. I feel that marriage is a commitment that should not be broken. A little work and it will last.

The fellow would not let go and went around and around with ad hominems and insults till I finally sent him on his way.

Feminism… What good feminism if you have all the rights a man has? None. But they continue on… what else could they be seeking other than control. This is what all fascist groups desire and I honestly think after much thought and study that all feminist groups are fascist.

Law and Order… I think very highly of the police. No, I do not think them better than the average bloke, and they have proven that frequently, but I admire anyone who goes to work and braves the onslaught of crime issuing forth from humanity. They are not paid enough.

On laws… why have a law if no one obeys it? Speed laws especially were made for a reason… and no one obeys them, not even the police. I don’t know how many times I have been behind a police car doing 10 to 15 miles per hour over the speed limit to only watch them stop for a traffic light. (I have seen a number of them texting, by the way) Jay walking? Sometimes it’s all you can do to keep from hitting people crossing the street at any point. There are a host of laws that seem made for times when the coffers are low and no other time as they are enforced only then. They could pull you over for anything under the sun, yet refrain when the city has abundant funds to pay their salaries.

Public Education System… The public education system is presently being used to program children in the new politically correct progressive social mores which seem under constant alteration and production. This is why I predict that eventually the public schools will fail and only private schools will remain. I personally will never vote for another public school tax issue.

This Politically Correct Progressive Thing… The SJWs do not even mean well. They think everyone should conform not only their actions to the desires of the present progressive idea but their thoughts as well. If they so much as find that you think differently they will hound you out of your job and career. Presently, feminists are using this technique to rid the world of men in high University positions or government. Many have lost their jobs, careers, and consequently families…. some have committed suicide.

I would describe myself as a conservatively moderate somewhat liberal atheist. My views on issues span the gamut. While I am conservative on many issues, I am moderate on others, and liberal on some others. Those in the conservative, moderate, or liberal sphere detest me. I do not conform to all of the ideological beliefs they have developed in their respective groups. I have found that even atheists develop ideological beliefs or accept them, when they form groups. There are very few that are as independent as myself, and those few, I call my friends.

This was hastily thrown together, so I reserve the right to change, or correct any aberrations later.
It Takes A Special Kind of Monster…

2015/10/31

It must take a special kind of monster to be a member of the Republican Party. Such a monster must believe that Social Security, a program that people pay into all their lives, is a charity to which no one is entitled, and all are selfish to accept. Such a monster must look upon with glee as thousands of seniors are deprived of their incomes and must reenter the workforce no matter their age or infirmity. These horrible creatures, not really human, would rather those who are infirm or old walk the streets or live under bridges, and accept the help of charities that serve the various ignorant beliefs of our time.

Many of those monsters that look upon with happiness to see thousands of older people, who have worked hard to earn their meager Social Security, turned into the streets as that safety net erected by their own efforts is removed so that more war and protection for the rich can be had instead, belong to a religious cult called Christianity. These arrogant self-righteous bigots who are the foundation upon which the corporations and businesses rely are so under the control of their puppet-masters they will tear down the very institution that will support them into old age. They literally stab themselves in the back.

Granted, it is not just the ignorant religious that are under the thumb of the big business monoliths, it is also a group of people called libertarians. These idiots think that for some reason business will negotiate with them to provide a living wage, that government is too big and must be shrunken… to hell with the environment, a living wage, and dignity.

Perhaps it is time to go to buy that firearm I keep talking about. Perhaps it’s time to prepare for the anarchy that will reign should the benevolent institution of Social Security be repealed. Perhaps it’s time to sound the warning that only a bullet to the middle of the forehead will remedy the idiocy that is called Republican.
They Do Not Appreciate…..

2015/10/25
Are You Sitting in the Park Enjoying the Ambience, or Are You Loitering? What Constitutes Loitering? Why Is It Illegal? … October 25, 2015

2015/10/25
Black’s Law Dictionary defines loitering as remaining “in a certain place for no apparent reason.”

The Freedictionary defines loitering:

loi·ter

(loi′tər)

intr.v. loi·tered, loi·ter·ing, loi·ters

1.

a. To stand idly about; linger without any purpose.

b. Law To violate a law or ordinance that prohibits persons from remaining in a given location without a clear purpose for an extended period of time, especially whenbehaving in a manner indicating a possible threat to persons or property in the vicinity.

2. To hover over or remain near an area: Fog loitered over the mountains. A jet loitered in the sky near the airbase.

3. To proceed slowly or with many stops: loitered all the way home.

4. To act slowly or with leisure; take one’s time: “The organist loitered over the keys, making sure of his mastery of the coming Sabbath anthem” (O. Henry).

Following from http://definitions.uslegal.com/l/loitering/

The following is an example of a state loitering statute:

“A person commits the crime of loitering if he:
1. Loiters, remains or wanders about in a public place for the purpose of begging; or
2. Loiters or remains in a public place for the purpose of gambling; or
3. Loiters or remains in a public place for the purpose of engaging or soliciting another person to engage in prostitution or deviate sexual intercourse; or
4. Being masked, loiters, remains or congregates in a public place; or
5. Loiters or remains in or about a school, college or university building or grounds after having been told to leave by any authorized official of such school, college or university, and not having any reason or relationship involving custody of or responsibility for a pupil or any other specific, legitimate reason for being there, and not having written permission from a school, college or university administrator; or
6. Loiters or remains in any transportation facility, unless specifically authorized to do so, for the purpose of soliciting or engaging in any business, trade or commercial transactions involving the sale of merchandise or services; or
7. Loiters or remains in any place with one or more persons for purpose of unlawfully using or possessing a dangerous drug.”
This is an example of a Massachusetts statute which deals specifically with loitering in areas of public transportation:

“Whoever without right enters, remains in or loiters within a station, waiting room, or terminal of a public transportation facility, or upon the platform, stairs, grounds or other premises of a public transportation facility, after having been forbidden so to do either by notice posted thereon, or by the person who has the lawful control of said premises, or by a railroad, railway or railway express officer or by any police officer, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars and may be arrested without a warrant by such officer and kept in custody in a convenient place, not more than twenty-four hours, Sundays and legal holidays excepted, at or before the expiration of which time he shall be taken before a proper court or magistrate and proceeded against according to law.”

Our freedoms have been attenuated. You cannot sit in the park after certain hours, you cannot sit even on a bench without suspicions that you are up to something.

My brother and I stopped to eat a bag lunch at a roadside rest years ago and this was too much to bear for a local constable who came up, gun in hand wondering why we were sitting there.

Do not stand and look or think, just move along and be somewhere else, but when you get there, do not stay there, just move along and be somewhere else. Are there any places on this earth where people can go unabated, wander and think without suspicion? Is there any place where you can go and sit that some reprobate will not consider you a public threat? A squirrel, a rat, a stinking skunk, has more freedom to wander than a human being. Don’t be caught at night looking up at the stars some twit will think you are planning some treachery. If you simply must stretch your legs and hike the woods you must look serious in the endeavor or be suspected of some devious thought. Don’t go here, don’t go there, you are not welcome any where. No trespassing, no looking, no thinking allowed. Lock yourself in your house but be sure to send in each day a report of what your activities are therein. 1984 is here, the fallout of 9/11, every dark imagined outcome of big brother and big sister looking over your shoulder at everything you do. Trade your freedom for a bit of security. Die young from the stress of constant surveillance. Did you break a law? How could you know, there are so many. You ate four crackers instead of the mandatory maximum of three. You have thereby condemned some unknown starving person to yet another meal-less day. You ran over a darting chipmunk and destroyed the environment in the process. In a world gone mad and filled with busybodies yelling at every moment what you should and should not do. If only they would shut up for two seconds perhaps some sanity would return. Every politician shouting they will change things and direct the country to safety, but instead, every elected hypocrite ends up guiding the country on the same course. They’re all the same it seems. Madness reigns. I will go sit in the park, I guess, until someone notices.
The Tragedy of a Late Realization… October 18, 2015

2015/10/18

It is tragic when the idealism of youth begins to fade away and die. When humanity is revealed for what it is rather than what you thought it was the disappointment can be paralyzing. That one word now encompasses the entirety of my view of human society: disappointment.

More tragic is the disappointment you feel when you have carried such idealism longer than most. The hopes that are finally abandoned. The feelings at realizing your naivety.

I carried until recently the naïve belief that the diversity of wildlife on this earth as well as their habitat could be saved, preserved, from human destruction… usually called erroneously: development. In my youth the wildlife agencies that pleaded for donations to save this or that animal or wildlife refuge were still pleading for donations to save those very same animals or preserves, or in many cases reporting the demise of said animal or preserve, today. What a fool I have been. I contributed money to those groups thinking, foolishly, that the money would go to more than salaries and producing more advertisements for donations. To say these agencies were ineffective is to use too mild a word. Needless to say, I have stopped all donations to such groups. Instead I have given money to zoos, the last… real… refuge of soon to be extinct animals.

To be sure, it isn’t just my naivety about the environment that has been lost. It is also my opinion about the general honorable nature of humans that has been cast aside. That sense that humans are a noble species is a victim of my loss of naivety. I had held so much more hope for human beings. I had thought that humans would eventually see what they are doing to this planet and would take action. Well, they took action alright. Over the last fifty plus years I have been cognizant of what has been going on I have seen the destruction under the guise of “development” continue and accelerate.

Ignorance supported by many means has permitted the continued growth of human population. Those that come after, never having seen what was before, see what remains and proclaim “we’ll just use what we need to build our homes and make what wild remains fit for what is left” never realizing that each generation before and after does and will do the same. Those of the older generation, like me, that have been alive long enough to see the carnation wrought by at least two generations are pooh-poohed, and ignored. Even those who say they support nature seek out new places to build that dream home tearing down forests rather than renovating old structures, or tearing old structures down to rebuild in a spot already cleared. What can I say? Even my generation is guilty of this.

I imagine the limits of this earth will prevent a situation where we will be standing elbow to elbow with no room to move. The poisons we create will be enough to suffocate us before then as well.

The “most intelligent life on earth”, what a nice epitaph that will make.
Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished? … October 11, 2015

2015/10/11

►Commentator: Our distinguished panel of experts will debate this controversial topic.

First on my left is that all-powerful, all-seeing, all-doing, all-around powerful entity, let’s welcome Jehovah. (Applause)

Second we have have that guy from down under, and I don’t mean Australia, that majestic fallen angel, Beelzebub. (More Applause)

Lastly we have a representative of humanity, that animal from earth, that simian wannabe, Alfred E. Neubaum.

Today gentlemen we will debate the topic of the death penalty. This punishment has been used to punish earthly criminals and dispatching them to whatever destination awaits them, hell or heaven.

As the all-mighty lord, Jehovah, please lead off the debate with your thoughts on this topic.

Well, Jerry…

►Commentator: Wait, I haven’t given my name….

Jerry, Omniscience, remember, ha ha ha, well Jerry… I have always considered an eye for an eye to be a satisfactory inducement for people to obey my laws. So, of course, if someone were to commit murder I would dish out the same to them…. seems only fair, yes…… (audience giggles) It has worked as a deterrent for the good to stay good, of course there are those who are simply incorrigible, they will commit acts without thought as I did not give them a conscience.

►Commentator: You didn’t give them the very thing they needed to assess good from evil? How can you condemn them then? Aren’t you culpable on that mark?

◘ A crack of lightning just misses the commentators head, instead, just singing his hair and eyebrows. It smashes the sign on the wall advertising the debate, sending it to the floor.

►Commentator: No offense, my lord, simply assessing the situation, perhaps I was a bit hasty. Perhaps we should go to our next guest, Mr. Beezlebub, please give us your thoughts on this issue.

Yes, Jerry, I pretty much agree with big daddy on this one. These people are my people and the sooner I have them home with me, the merrier. Don’t you think? I mean, commit the crime, do the time, in this case… hahahaha, the time being eternity.

►Commentator: I have another question in that direction, Beezle, ol bub, but first let’s get that puny human’s perspective on this topic. Alfred, it’s your turn, try not to stutter or get tongue-tied, I know you’re small potatoes compared to these giants, but for some unfathomable reason you have been invited, so I guess you should say a few words…

My humble opinion is that the death penalty is a product of a barbaric past and is ineffective as a deterrent to murder, or any other crime. It is more of a punishment to confine an individual for life, rather than extinguish a precious life.

◘ The audience gasps, boos the man into silence. The commentator pounds a wooden hammer on the podium to quiet the crowd, sips a glass of water, and continues…

►Commentator: Well, I can see that the man from earth is not the darling of this crowd. Let’s go back to Jehovah and get his reaction.

Jerry, we have to realize that Alfred is an atheist. He’s on his way to hell, but doesn’t know it, doesn’t want to believe it. He wants to stay right where he is… on the corporeal plane. He says he doesn’t fear dying, but by god… wait that’s me… he must fear it. For some reason he thinks his moral heading is higher, that he savors life, that life is precious and should not be diminished. Believe it or not, I have watched this man and he seems genuinely to be enjoying life. I know he’s not, I can’t believe he could, yet… there he is. Another thing… I think he just says these things to disagree with me, that he really doesn’t believe them.

►Commentator: “You think”, “You can’t believe” … I thought you were Omniscient Lord all-mighty… why do you not know these things…?

◘ Another flash of blue light and yet again the wall behind the commentator falls victim.

►Commentator: (pulling himself up off the floor to the podium) Good god, must you do that… whoops, sorry, uh, uh, let’s go to Beezlebub for his comments.

Hey, there was a time I would agree with the pitiful earth creature, but times are tough and I need more bodies in the sulfur mines. We are nearly always running out of brimstone. The aroma with the flames jumping up at the knees of the damned just makes me giddy.

►Commentator: Another question Beezlebub, my old friend, one that came into my mind with the last interchange… Since the humans couldn’t possibly have free will, that being due to the fact that god knows everything, and couldn’t if there were free will, then is it just to hold them responsible for their actions? Aren’t they merely puppets of their destiny?

Well, Jerry, God insists they have free will, you know. If they didn’t they couldn’t choose between him and little ol’ me. Seriously, I have a good thing going here, Jerry, and would rather not make a big deal of the incongruities associated with an all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful god figure.

►Commentator: Well, there you have it folks. We have a majority here, of two to one in favor of the death penalty. Please tune in next week when we discuss the merits of abortion, and why god almighty just hates that word, unless of course, he’s doing the aborting… good night.
Life or Death? Make Your Choice … October 4, 2015

2015/10/04

Which is the greater crime? Which act is most immoral? Choose between murder and rape.

Life, existence, is better than non-existence, death, in my opinion. If your other choice is to be murdered what would you choose? What if choosing life also meant that your attacker would rape you? Would you change your mind and choose death instead? Could you convince yourself that non-existence, the never-ending nothingness, was better than being raped by your conqueror? Wouldn’t it be better to live and hope for a future wherein you escaped your captor?

Murder, I assert, is worse than rape on the scale of crimes and possible suffering. With murder there is no hope, with life, despite its possible negatives, there exists hope.

It is always exclaimed that the Christian Bible is full of misogyny. Yet, within its pages one sees men being murdered by the hundreds of thousands while women are not so much, and are instead chosen to be the mothers of a new generation of the conquering peoples.

For this reason I proclaim that even though misogyny exists within the pages of this ancient tome, the real crime revealed therein is massive misandry. The Bible is by far more misandric than misogynistic. Men, as in life now, are depicted as expendable, disposable quantities.
Human Inhumanity … September 27, 2015

2015/09/27

Despite the fact that humans possess the capacities of sympathy and empathy and the resultant compassion there have been and continue to be atrocities committed by humans on humans.

How do these humans continue to function knowing what they are doing to their fellow human being. The answer seems to be a disconnect. If you can reduce them to less than human you can commit the atrocity without the attendant feeling of sympathy. This was successfully done by the German Nazis during World War Two. The Jews became less than human in the minds of many Germans. The propaganda machine of Adolph Hitler was very successful in its goal of creating a monster against which to struggle.

There was many gulags where humans became more or less animals and were treated the same. Starvation and disease was rampant at such facilities. The final solution was ready at hand. The immensity of the moral crimes was greater than many wanted to or could imagine.

Who knows what great minds were burned up in Germany during these horrible times. I imagine many an atheist arose among the Jewish population as the prisoners realized… no god was coming to stop the nightmare.

The mentality that possessed the Germans to do these horrible deeds at the behest of a madman still exists today. All you have to do is look at the latest war machine racking up bodies. I imagine that possessing the will to pull the trigger on another human being could be necessary at times. I think though, that those that have had to do it are permanently irreparably damaged by the need. How can you turn off such an ability to disregard the empathy which tugs at your conscience and not be messed up. How could such a person ever be allowed back into civilized society? How much therapy, if there is appropriate therapy in existence, would someone need? How would you ever know that a person has been rendered normal and trustworthy once more?

I grant that a pacifist would not long last in this world. Isn’t that the problem, after all?
The United Nations Must Go! … September 25, 2015

2015/09/25

There are many reasons that the United Nations must leave our shores. It has become a foe of the United States, as those in charge are our enemies. Our enemies eye the successes of the United States and wish to feed upon the fruits of those successes.

Within the United Nations there have been calls for an end to sovereignty of nations… yes, a one-world government has been suggested. Also, private land ownership is frowned upon, and those who wish to establish this one-world government wish to nationalize all property.

The United Nations have had many dealings with feminists. Including the nefarious Emma Watson who called upon men to help women. Since women have all the rights men have, in fact men having at least five less, the only thing she could be asking is for men to help women take power, strive for supremacy. In fact, to carry out their plan to make a one-world government, men everywhere must be disempowered, made unable to resist. Many women just follow the center of feminism not knowing that the advertised goals are not the real goals.

I used to laugh at these conspiracy theory type scenarios until I dug deeper and found out they were not as far-fetched as they seem.
The Expendability Factor … September 20, 2015

2015/09/20

Just finished watching a documentary about WWII. It proposed the possibility that FDR knew about the impending attack of Japan upon Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and not only that but had taken steps previously to provoke the Japanese into attacking.

Over 2000 men died at Pearl Harbor. If the documentary was correct and there was much evidence indicating it may be, then this is a direct example of the nature of the expendability that society places upon the lives of men. In recent times it is suggested that Bush knew there were no WMDs and simply wanted the U.S. to take down Saddam. Another blatant case of asserting a number of men are expendable.

Society has been always gynocentric in orientation favoring female lives over male lives. As everyone is aware the classic call when a ship is sinking is “Women and children first”.

Perhaps when life was difficult and population scarce this gynocentric tilt was justifiable. Now… not so much, as the population is exceeding the capacity of the earth. The loss now of female lives will not impact humanity as it once did. Perhaps it’s time to look upon the female of our species as a little more expendable?

Rather than increase female expendability let’s instead decrease male expendability. That is, if you are into this equality thing. Let the women take responsibility for their privileges as men have had to take all along. If you want to vote, drive, work for the government, make women sign their names on the dotted line down at selective service also. Let them face the horrors of the many wars our careless politicians engage our country in. I guarantee you that if Daddy’s little girl, little Suzie, had to go to war… there would be considerably fewer wars.

The trouble with that idea, of course, is created by instinct. It is a man’s instinct to protect women. So instead of an asset to the military on the battlefield, women will become a liability that must be protected … resulting in more men dying than before. So, let’s propose to make them sign up for selective service and then draft enough to make an entire battalion composed only of females and send them onto the battlefield. Let them put their lives where their mouth is, on the line, earning the rights men have always earned.

Another solution is to more carefully select our presidents making sure those that take that office are proponents of peace, rather than war. Ensuring that the president has no other master than the people would go a long way towards this objective.