Freethinker's corner

The Walls Have Ears… June 24, 2013

2013/06/23

130620

Dear Diary:

I received a package this morning, out of the blue. I don’t remember ordering anything, wasn’t expecting anything. I am hesitant to open it, its source and contents unknown.

130622

Dear Diary:

My curiosity is growing, the box on my kitchen table remains unopened. I am going to open it today.

130623

Dear Diary:

Methinks that this box is not supposed to have come here. Inside I discover a smaller box containing a small machine. It looks like some sort of insect, a fly, I think. Another envelope contains some sort of wiring and a thin membrane of plastic. No instructions.

130624

Dear Diary:

Wow. I think I’ve figured this thing out. The membrane fits on my glasses almost to a T. When I plugged the small platform into the wall socket, the tiny bug seated itself on it. It must be a charging station. I have found that the bug operates with the slightest eye movements when I wear the glasses. This is incredible.

130625

Dear Diary:

Decided to take my little friend out for a spin. I have found that it has audio capability that feeds into the tiny hearing aid type receiver that came with it. This will be a hoot!

Unknown to Larry Bizzecki and his new found toy, members of the cabinet of Homeland Security are frantically searching for the whereabouts of their tiny surveillance mechanism. The company that produced the machine mistakenly shipped it in the public mail system rather than by courier. Inadvertently they also added the wrong zip code. The rest of the address being similar to Larry’s address, and the postal carrier’s eyesight diminished by age, the package ended up in Larry’s care.

Lunch with friends, always a nice occasion. Mike and Bob have always been good friends of Larry’s acquaint. As Larry seats himself Mike and Bob do not notice the transparent membrane attached to Larry’s right eye glass, neither do they note Larry’s unusual eye movements as he controls the robotic fly to a position on the back of Bob’s chair.

“Hey Bob, Mike, what’s happening?”

Cordial greetings go round the table. Menus are observed, selections made.

“I’ll be right back, guys, have to go see a man about a horse.”

Larry makes his way to the restroom all the while listening intently to his two friends via the wonders of modern technology.

“When are you going to make that proposal to him?” starts Bob, as Larry listens.

“I’m not sure he will buy it. He may be smarter than he looks.” answers Mike. “If he does we can pack our bags and head out to parts unknown with plenty of cash, his cash.”

“I really hate doing this to him,” Bob interjects, “After all, he has been our friend for years.”

“Yea, but not that good of one. He’s always a downer.” Mike responds.

Meanwhile a black limousine streaks through the streets of downtown Boston. Inside two agents of Homeland Security, sweat on brow, travel hastily to the location where they have tracked the signal emitting from the insect machine.

“The best we can hope for,” speaks one of the agents, “is to arrive before the worst happens. That thing isn’t nicknamed the assassin bug for nothing.”

Larry, listening to his friends discuss their nefarious plan, grows more and more angry. His eyes begin to dart frantically back and forth, oblivious to the transparent screens new readout appearing. A countdown has begun.

Outside in the busy coffeehouse his friends turn at the sound of scurrying feet and see two suits and ties headed their way.

Then downtown Boston shakes with the fury resulting from an explosion very much out of proportion to its source. The coffeehouse, its contents, the people, are obliterated. People outside in the street brought to a standstill, cars, trucks, all manner of vehicles immobilized with windshields cracked or blown out. Sirens begin in the distance.

Larry, protected by the restroom walls, built to withstand both storms and earthquakes, yet even so, must crawl out from beneath the debris.

The next time you wish you were a fly on the wall, stop and consider, you may not like what you may hear.
Dead Again … June 17, 2013

2013/06/16

He/she died years ago, yet, today they died again. They didn’t die before I am told, yet I remember clearly the day they did, die before, that is.

I know Mandala died long ago, yet then, he was freed, died again, and is now in recovery. Celebrities, politicians, it doesn’t matter who, I have heard the obituary more than once.

Do you know of a famous person, or quasi-famous, having died? Years later you hear they have died… again?

Is this evidence for the existence of some sort of time machine? Individuals going back and changing the time-line. Somehow then some residual memory of the past timeline yet remains, for I remember several people dying, and then dying again.

Should we just ignore this evidence, this glimmer of memory, and chalk it up to the flawed and so very human brain? Humans, I think, are most fantastic creatures in many ways. It would be foolish to dismiss that the human brain might perceive time-line changes even in the most Déjà vu respect.

There is no evidence of such powers, of course, so until there is, such speculation is fiction.

Perhaps you just assumed they died because of their absence from the world stage. Perhaps there is a time-traveler somewhere that hopes you will make that assumption.
Tight Circle … June 10, 2013

2013/06/09

Cliques, a small exclusive group of people. You can be pseudo friends to these people individually, but when the group gathers, you … disappear.

Have you ever had a friend, someone at least that you thought a friend, who, when you are talking to them alone was as much a friend as friend could be, but when one of their “clique” friends approaches, that friend begins to talk to them exclusively? Sometimes they even close up together where you find yourself looking at your friend’s back. You check to see if perhaps you have become invisible, the fabric of which you are made having become transparent. You might as well have popped into another dimension where you could see them but they could not see you.

Cliques made up of exclusive friends, cliques which close you out. Impenetrable fortresses of individuals occurring in organizations of various types. No matter where you go unless you are part of a dominant clique your opportunities are diminished. Some places you have to know one of these “beautiful” people to even get in the door. Usually, though, even if you manage to get in the door you find yourself still excluded, and opportunities you might have had as part of the clique, are denied. The “beautiful” people, as some have labeled them, have benefits beyond the isolated “lone wolf”, protecting them from being fired, laid off, or even reprimanded. They get the easiest positions, positions of little risk. They zoom past you, elevated to high positions despite the fact they lack the necessary qualifications, expecting you to make it work for them.

It’s not just business where these cliques of special people exist. It matters not where you go, you will find them.

Common threads align these beautiful people. They develop bonds amongst themselves, looking out for one another. If there is some advantage to be had, or some prize to distribute, some honor to bestow, they look at one another and not upon those who are outside the group, no matter how skilled or deserving someone else might be.

Ever been a part of a discussion group wherein you made a comment, a sensible pertinent comment, only to have the group stare at you in silence or mutter some incomprehensible remark, change the topic, ignoring the relevance of your offering? Then, later, one of the “beautiful” people make the same comment and a lively discussion ensues. I have. It’s most demeaning.

Your talents can be of the highest caliber, you could have attended the finest school, you might have the most stupendous of recommendations, but unless you are one of the “beautiful” people don’t hold your breath waiting for recognition.
What’s in a Name … June 3, 2013

2013/06/02

A label, let’s add a label to it. Everything needs a label. Without religion there would be no need for the label ‘atheist’. Without religion there would be no label ‘christian’. Without religion there would be no ‘belief’.

When an individual does the adequate research and declares he or she does not believe, he or she assumes the label ‘atheist’. This label changes nothing. The person is the same after the label is applied as before. If they were good people they will still be good people. If they were bad people they will still be bad people.

When an individual falls for the monumental hoax of all time and declares he or she is a christian, he or she assumes the label ‘christian’. This label changes nothing. The person is the same after the label is applied as before. If they were good people they will still be good people. If they were bad people they will still be bad people.

No miraculous transformation occurs. The only changes that do seem to occur is that the atheist seems more relaxed than when an internal battle was being waged and the christian seems more frantic as they must live up to impossible ideals.

The pressures to live up to the impossible ideals presented by the pastor’s interpretation of the bible must be horrendous. Relaxation must be a task in itself. They dare not relax their guard and violate some small edict of the lord knowing they will feel so guilty for days afterward. Unknown to them, guilt is what the pastor wants them to experience. Guilt, mixed with fear, is what keeps the faithful faithful. Gee, perhaps the people who are bad and assume the label ‘christian’ become the pastors, preachers, ministers, and priests?
Vulnerable … May 27, 2013

2013/05/26

A quote attributed to Francis Xavier is often used to describe the molding of a child into the type of adult desired: “Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man.” Small children are very vulnerable. Children are disposed to trust and believe everything their parents, or other adults placed in charge of them, tell them. This has been bred into them by evolution. Children who do not listen to and do not obey their parents usually meet dark fates. As a result, evolution has selected for trusting, obedient children. It is not only that. Children resist anyone who tells them anything that contradicts information given to them by the authority figures in their lives, even if that information is overwhelming.

This trust in the information that their parents have told them stays with them into adulthood. All in all, most information provided by the parents is useful to retain. Some parents, however, think that their young should believe in their God and so proceed to instill that belief. Unfortunately, where God is concerned, the trust placed in parents is eventually transferred to an invisible being whose desires are unknown and unknowable. The vulnerability of childhood is in that way perpetuated. God, the father, is always there. Adult responsibility is forgone and placed in the realm of the God.

Dictators have found this trait useful in the population. If the dictator appeals to them by using their belief system then that dictator can persuade the masses to do his bidding. Hitler expressed the belief that he was doing the work of God by oppressing the Jewish people. He referenced his faith in many speeches. “Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.” –Mein Kampf.

The fact that Germany was facing economic hardships eased Hitler’s job in persuading the people to his cause, but without appealing to faith and enlisting the power of the church behind him, his cause may never have been supported by the German people. Of course, once he had taken over the government, suppressing dissent was more easily managed.

The point is that faith in an invisible uncommunicative deity leaves one vulnerable to manipulation. No one can know what that God wants, so you have to accept the authority of someone that claims to know. The fact that one is acting on one’s beliefs, however, does not release one’s responsibility for one’s actions. Also, despite the German people having been misled, they are still responsible. They cannot dismiss their culpability by expressing the sentiment that they were merely following orders, just as Christianity cannot dismiss its responsibility for the Inquisition and other miseries it has inspired over the centuries.
When Christianity Ruled … May 20, 2013

2013/05/19

Although Christianity is presently threatening the personal freedoms that the citizens of the United States enjoy, the threat is not near as terrible as it would be if Christianity actually had power here and were able to void the Constitution. If the various sects of Christianity were to present a united front and end bickering among themselves, it would not be long before power would be theirs. No doubt there would be a great deal of dissent which would be quickly crushed, by the greater numbers which they represent. Once again, at least in the United States, we would descend into our own little dark age.

Just how bad was the Dark Ages, which, despite the contrary protestations of Christians, was the result of Christianity’s rise to power? Science was brought to a halt. Education was not just stopped but also portrayed as adverse to God. A few quotes will dispel any thought that Christianity was not to blame.

From the time of the Inquisition:

“The layman must not argue with the unbeliever, but thrust his sword into the man’s belly as far as it will go.” –Inquisitor Bernard Gui.¹

There was no dissent allowed, no contrary view, only the Church’s understanding of God was permitted.

“anyone who attempted to construe a personal view of God which conflicted with Church dogma must be burned without pity.” –Pope Innocent III ¹

Many exclaim that should Christianity be in charge again the world would be set right. That the United States would be under the protection of God. I assume they would also assert that natural tragedies would abate and milk and honey would flow from every fountain. Power is a corrupting thing. No matter your good intentions no one group or world view should be given the mantle of power.

For example: Inquisitors of the Dark Ages were only answerable to the Pope. With this power the Inquisitors became very rich. The wealthy paid bribes so as not to be accused of heresy, a power which the Inquisitors used lavishly to quell dissent, to put fear in the hearts of the peasantry. Harsh sentences were meted out to any who dare not confess to whatever crime they stood accused. Burning by fire was a typical sentence, it was that or die in prison. Of course the cruelest form of tortures were also used to compel the sinner to confess. Under the auspices of a Godly cloak there was nothing that the Inquisitors could not do.

Wherever the explorers (like Columbus) went there was carried with them the baggage of the Church, its cruelty, its requirements. Natives of the lands they arrived upon were soon either converted by force or decimated. The Inquisitors did not confine themselves to Europe but soon set up shop in the Americas and perpetuated their horrors.

Slavery was a big ideal of these barbaric people. The Bible backed them with its scripture:

“The slave should be resigned to his lot, in obeying his master he is obeying God…”-St. John Chrysostom.

They believed the Biblical line fervently.

“The king has every right to send his men to the Indies to demand their territory from these idolaters because he had received it from the pope. If the Indians refuse, he may quite legally fight them, kill them and enslave them, just as Joshua enslaved the inhabitants of the country of Canaan.” – Encisco 1509

“…for good people to do evil things, it takes religion.” This has been repeated many times since it was spoken by physicist Steven Weinberg. Religion in power can do evil things indeed.

An example of the present day mentality of the Christian at large was given by George H. W. Bush in response to question by reporter Robert I Sherman:

Sherman: Surely you recognize the equal citizenship and patriotism of Americans who are atheists?

Bush: No, I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.

What of Pastor John Hagee who says atheists should leave the country, that no one would miss them? (Read more here) Well, perhaps there should be a call for Christians to leave the country and go to Israel en masse. After all, the founding fathers were very careful to separate Church and State and would be appalled at statements like John Hagee’s.

There are many more statements like these including those that come into the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s headquarters monthly. Do not doubt for a moment that if given the opportunity to expel all who did not believe exactly as they do that the Christian population would hesitate.

1. The Dark Side of Christian History pages 76-77
What an Amazing World This Would be Without Belief in God … Special

2013/05/19

If there had never been religion by now you might be skimming along in your flying car. Maybe the light barrier would have been broken and you would be visiting relatives living on a world light years away, for the weekend.

Wars might be a distant memory. Perhaps there would never have been any wars, no vast cemeteries full of “heroes” dying in useless wars, lives cut short.

The imagination unbounded humanity might have accomplished things we could not imagine ourselves at this point in time with so many afflicted with the stupefying and virulent religions. What heights might humanity have reached, perhaps we might have reached a level of civilization where we could move asteroids out of their flight paths thereby shielding our earth from harm. Perhaps we could move stars.

Instead, even now in this century, this millennium, we yet face the possible extinguishment of humanity in some religious conflict. Instead, even now, over two thousand years after the fabrication of the most horrendous hoax perpetrated upon humanity, we remain hamstrung, unable to free ourselves from the tendrils of an affliction that reaches out from antiquity. We desperately need to free ourselves, yet so many cling to the false hope offered by bronze and iron age goat herders who really didn’t know their hind ends from a hole in the ground.

The next time you look at your television set and watch helplessly as yet some new conflict is ignited by some bleary-eyed religious fanatic, a zealot, imagine what an amazing world this would be, free of such nonsense, a world where humans helped each other without regard to their affiliation with an ancient ignorant philosophy. A world where education and reason are celebrated instead of ignorance. A world where people’s minds were free of the cobwebs of unfounded irrational belief.
Imagination … May 13, 2013

2013/05/12

Odin and Zeus as well as many other gods have been reduced to fairy tales. Each was believed in at one time in history. They were succeeded, possibly even demoted to myth, by newer gods as they have come along. Reducing gods to myth is a good thing, only thing is, the new gods have lingered, forgetting to die.

Now, it seems, there comes along a threat to the established gods of our time. That threat is called science. At each challenge it is the god who steps away and science that triumphs. The only niche truly left for such gods to fill is the absolute niches which science has yet to explain away. They are reduced to the very beginnings, the establishment of the universe, perhaps the starting “ball-roller” in the origin of life’s basest creatures. I think soon they will only have the universe.

Imagination plays a role in both religion and science. Its utilization is different in both. Effects are observed by the religious and causes are derived from the imagination. Imagination guided by emotion drives religion. Science observes and reasons. Imagination in science is directed by observation, reason, and fact. Science drives imagination.

Lightning, when observed by religion, becomes an effect of god. Zeus was responsible for lightning bolts as well as other phenomena. Science disarmed gods. Now we know it is simply a matter of potential between cloud and ground that causes the discharge to occur. We know that the loud boom we hear is air rushing to fill the void created by the bolt. The myth was created by ignorant people who knew nothing beyond what they could imagine. The myth was destroyed by thinkers who took on the task, ignoring others who said they already knew the cause.

The effect science has had on the believer is evident everywhere we look. Many Christians exclaim that abortion is murder, a defiance of god’s will, and a disregard of the sanctity of human life. These same people who cry so loudly about the sanctity of life most often are those who support the death penalty for a murderer. These same people that proclaim that abortion is a defiance of god’s will, get in their cars and buckle their seatbelts, defying god and also expressing doubt about god’s ability to protect them from harm. Actually, the only ones to express true belief are the parents who let their children die rather than seek medical help. We sure don’t need people like that.

If you must have a god, at least have one that has done something for you. Mother Earth has supported your existence from birth. Father Sol, our star, has given energy to drive Mother Earth’s systems. Prayers are not needed, they don’t hear them anyway. Both are part of the natural forces from which we came. Treat Mother Earth well and encourage others to do the same. It’s the only home we have right now.
Creators Blame Creation … May 6, 2013

2013/05/05

Just not good enough. No one can say they didn’t try.

Throughout history there have been many attempts to eliminate any evidence which might contradict the Biblical story. Also, there have been many attempts to insert fraudulent information into the Bible. However, the attempts were so clumsily carried out that many were found out. Eusebius, a Roman, a supposed historian, seeing that Jesus did not have any history, made him some. He wasn’t the first, and no doubt, will not be the last. All of them, the Christians who will do and say anything to promote their faith, past and present, were liars for Jesus.

If only they had been more careful, organized in their efforts, we all might be believers now. Or would we?

Unfortunately for Christianity, the ineptitude of past and present Christians isn’t the only thing that made atheism inevitable. There is the matter of the origins of Christianity. The plagiarizing of even older religions is easy to discern within the pages of the Bible. The New Testament is merely an extraction of the Old. Old and New Testaments were obviously modeled on other religions in existence at the time, or shortly before. Tired, old, worn out stories, even people at the time complained about the plagiaristic stories. “Nothing new” was the complaint. This complaint was dismissed by claiming that the devil had planted those previous religions knowing what was to come. Is Satan all-knowing?

As if the origins were not enough, then Darwin had to come along and threaten Christianity’s existence with his talk of evolution and natural selection. The story of evolution in and of itself, with the loads of evidence to back it, including modern genetic discoveries, have brought many a Christian to reality. They really have nothing to counter it.

Now we have a growing percentage of the population either claiming no religion, or making the bold step of declaring atheism. And who is to blame?

The Christians blame the atheist. They blame his/her stubbornness, foolishness, and adamant adherence to facts and logic. If only the stubborn atheist would listen, try to understand, they might be turned. The Christian tries so hard to inculcate their own youth from an early age, before reason and common sense are available to stand in the way. Darned atheists must have had bad parents, that must be it.

They blame atheists, but they really should look harder at themselves. Christians are blaming atheists for their own carelessness and inefficiency in hiding the truth.
Peace Be With You … Sort of…. April 29, 2013

2013/04/28

Islam is a religion of peace. Have you heard this before?

Ask Salman Rushdie about the peaceful intent of Islam’s adherents. Ask the Danish if Muslims are a peaceful lot. Ask the British.

Perhaps Islam isn’t violent. Perhaps it’s a case of “Islam doesn’t kill people, people kill people”.

Just as in any religion, the potential for mayhem exists. When Christianity was in charge of things its followers worked feverishly to force everyone to obey its edicts. From hanging to burning, nothing was too good for the unbeliever.

The problem is not the religion itself, though by itself it is barbaric. The problem is that there are some that will take advantage of the fact that belief in the non-existent leaves you vulnerable. That which does not exist cannot speak, so therefore, others must speak for it. If a madman, or simply a crazy person, can support his/her ideas via religion he/she can persuade its adherents to do some crazy stuff.

Regardless of the mad men and women of the world, how is it that sane normal people can be persuaded to do their bidding? It is because the tomes from which all three major religions originate have barbaric and violent teachings within them. Christianity and Islam exhort their followers to spread the message far and wide. The Koran, Quran, or however you want to spell it, has over a hundred verses calling for violence against non-believers. As is observable in the world today, wherever Islam is in charge, or has a great number of followers, bedlam results. It’s not enough that they come to a country that allows them the freedom to exercise their beliefs as they see fit, they feel everyone must be forced to obey the directives of Islam.

So there’s the kicker… the reason these people claim to be peaceful. There will be peace but only after the sword has been used to eliminate or subjugate everyone. When everyone is the same, there will be peace.