I've been feeling down as of late. It might be lack of sun or some vitamin I'm not getting, but this uneasiness has caused me to come back to this blog after yet another long hiatus.
As I sit here typing, my second monitor is displaying a picture of my daughter when she was a newborn. The auto-slideshow just changed it to her playing her drumkit when she was three. That seems like yesterday. She'll be starting school very soon; leaving the house for hours out of the day when neither me nor her mom will be with her...
And I'm scared.
Good Ol' Days
It's becoming more obvious that I'm slowly losing her to the world. As parents we can fight all we want but we can't win that war. We can't shelter them forever, nor should we, for the sake of health. But still, as a parent you want to keep them all to yourself, safe in the cave. I knew this day would come and I know that other, even harder days will eventually come too. But I still can't help but be scared.
The world I'm giving her to seems to be a frothing, bubbling cauldron of chaos. Mass shootings, out-of-control law enforcement, governmental quagmires, corporate megalomania, destabilizing climate, ubiquitous vapid entertainment, and eroding common sense are a few of the things I can't help but spot as my eyes scan the horizon for danger before letting my cub out of this cave. I just saw there was another shooting in a movie theater yesterday. You used to not even think about being scared to go out and watch a movie, but now it crosses my mind every time I step into one. I'm always planning ahead, running "what-if's" in my head in an attempt to be ready for anything, not just at a movie theater but everywhere I go. Maybe that's been heightened since I became a parent...I'm sure all parents do that to some extent. I'm watching out for my little girl whenever I can.
But she's growing up faster than I can think. She'll be going off to school -- another place that used to be safe.
Didn't it?
It's easy to think that the world is going to pot. I hear people saying that things have gotten worse, throwing around the old "used to not have to lock the front door" argument. I have to catch myself and remember to be rational when I hear these things. Because in point of fact, things have been and continue to be better. Statistically, we're safer than ever, and crime has been in steady decline. Through technological advancements, the world is becoming better and better each day. But it's hard to miss the big stories and headlines. But it's a product of our modern world. If not for our ability to get 24/7, instant notification of nearly anything we want, it wouldn't seem like everything is so bad. It's all in how you look at it.
Bad things happen every day. Bad things have always happened every day, only now we know about them faster, so it seems like it's getting worse than it used to be. But it's not.
It's easy to think that before Columbine, school shootings where "just something you didn't ever see". But that phenomenon it didn't start in 1999. Ever since there have been guns and schools, there have been school shootings. A man entered a school in Pennsylvania with a gun, shot and killed a teacher and nine kids. That could be a report from any day in the last decade -- but it happened in 1764. And things like that have happened ever since. Look up the number of deaths from school shootings in the US since 2000. The number fluctuates from 19 one year to 4 to the next; from 38 to only 3. Now granted, every single one of those are tragedies and I don't think I'd give a good goddamn that crime has dropped in this country if my daughter were one of those cold statistics. "I know she's gone, but there were only 3 this year...it's actually getting better!"
We're better informed about the news of terrible events (if not informed, at least aware -- hell, we can know there's a shooting taking place before we even know how many people are pulling triggers), but we're at a loss for the reasons why some of these things happen. Of course each is it's own issue and a blanket statement is both belittling to those issues themselves and a non-sequitur of any kind of approach to dealing with them, but nevertheless I hear a rather loud majority unfolding their favorite blanket: religion.
(I'm going to digress into preachy mode now...this is my atheist blog by the way)
Can't Reconcile Fact and Faith
We don't have enough of it, they claim. We've "turned away from God" and "taken the Lord out of" every facet of our lives, so it shouldn't be such a shock when someone shoots a building full of innocent people.
Indeed, why would an all-loving, infinitely powerful force lift an invisible finger to help us if we hurt its feelings?
This is not going to be a post about tearing that argument apart. You've probably already done that before reading this sentence. Instead, I'm more interested in a larger and clearer problem. And it stems from this: I agree. Religion is likely the problem.
But it isn't because we are not as fundamental as the fundies want us to be. On the contrary; it's because people believe in it, and it's hard to believe in, even for the believers. I think that a majority of people are good, decent and loving. We all want our kids to be safe and happy, and we all don't want to die just because we're in close proximity to a crowd of others. This is true no matter your country of origin or background in life; it's universal. But believers been suckered into thinking that they need religion in order to be decent and loving -- that in fact those qualities come from religion itself. (Each religious and "spiritual" person will have their own exact deity or force in the end, but for the sake of argument we can lump it together here.) And those who believe that must reconcile the world we all live in with the claims their religion makes.
If you believe in some kind of loving God, you have to try to rationalize the problem of evil, there's no way around it. I'm just arm-chairing here, but I think that doing so causes so much cognitive dissonance that it leads to detrimental effects. I don't have the clinical knowledge to even begin to really talk about such things, but to me, it seems an easy sell.
I say that because of personal experience; I've been there. I know what it's like to have that internal struggle...that "crisis of faith". I also know what it's like to think I have beaten that, to keep thinking that God loves the world while horrible things keep happening...that there's a "reason for everything". I know the arguments and the bible verses. I get how comforting religion can be whenever these bad things happen. And now, as an atheist, I can't call upon a sense of love and safety in a deity. But by facing the truth that I'm alone in the universe (theologically speaking) I've found out how to be on my own. I know now how to find true, real hope. I've reconciled personal fears about death, for myself and others. It's something everyone has to do for themselves...I don't have a guide for that. But I can say that I feel healthier and more at ease for understanding the world around me now that I'm not trying to fit a God in there somewhere.
Many people claim we need religion for comfort. But when I have to watch someone I love die slowly, it's comforting to know that it's not because of some supernatural Shakespearean drama between magical forces. When my grandmother died, I found it comforting to know that there was no outside force that failed to save her, and that there was no outside force that caused her demise. She wasn't "called home" and she didn't die because we failed to pray hard enough. To me, it's more painful to think one or both of those things is true than to look Truth in the eye.
And in the end, I think that's what make most people uneasy. Maybe that's a reason for a lot of the behavior of people, from rebellious pre-teens up to mass-murdering adults. They're stuck on the problem of trying to get an answer out of an unanswerable question, like trying to squeeze blood from a stone.
Not everyone will take the time or effort as I have -- either through a lack of personal ability or overwhelming apathy, or something else entirely --- to sit down and think about all this "God stuff". A lot of people I've talked to are on the fence when it comes to religion. There's too much misunderstanding and stigma attached to the "'A' Word" and people wind up being "just spiritual" or "agnostic" in the wrong sense. We don't like to challenge our own thoughts.
As an animal, we seek to minimize pain. This includes mental anguish. Therefore, I don't find it surprising that humans take comfort in religion rather than tackle the hard parts of life (including questioning said religion). And I understand that having to deal with those feelings when you realize religion is empty of real hope can seem daunting. It takes more work, but you get real, tangible, substantive joy from it.
Ditch Faith, Find Hope
When we were burying my grandmother, we stood for the preacher's final words before departing the cemetery. Then he said something along the lines of, "Without Jesus there is no hope...for everlasting life." The ellipsis there represents a pause he took, a pretty important pause. If he had ended his sentence before then, I'd have probably made a scene right there my grandmother's funeral. Not only do I hate having to sit through religious funerals where we are mostly there for church and not to remember the one we've all lost, but then to be told I have no hope on top of that...
But he did finish the sentence. And honestly, he did a good job with the service overall. It was more about her than church (although just barely). I only bring it up now because of that one incident.
He is right, ya know; without believing in Jesus you can't pretend you'll live forever. Well, unless you're one of those "spiritual" folks. If you are, try talking to someone. Preferably to someone who doesn't believe the same things you do. Challenge everything you believe, not just religion or "spiritual" stuff. Ideas are either strengthened or forgotten by challenge.
[To all my loyal readers who come to this blog for concise, well-written posts: forgive this rambling mess as I try to re-enter the blogosphere. I've got some rust to knock off.]
-STA
Showing posts with label atheist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label atheist. Show all posts
Friday, July 24, 2015
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Reasons for Everything
My mother is fond of saying, "Everything happens for a reason." I agree with her, but not in the way you'd think.
She, unlike myself, is a theist. The "reason" she attributes everything to ultimately boils down to nothing short of a divine plan authored by some all-knowing being. As a loud, snooty man on Fox News is fond of saying, "the sun goes up and comes down", and that's enough to ascribe an invisible father figure to it all.
I'm somewhat of a determinist. Now I don't think there's an ultimate plan for anything -- I'm no fatalist. But I do think things happen for reasons we can either explain, or can't (yet?). Say, casting a handful of dice. Natural forces determine how the dice will fall; everything from the strength and angle of your hand, to its height above the table, to the material makeup of the dice and the surface, to air pressure, to the tilt of the earth, and any number of other factors. But that does not mean that it's written somewhere ahead of time "On March 21, 2011, STA will throw a 2, 4, and 5 on 3d6." We can't really process all the factors in a seemingly random event, like a dice throw -- that's why we use them to determine random outcomes. If we really could process it all, it wouldn't seem random.
Therefore, I don't really believe in randomness. We might not know or understand all the circumstances for an event, but I don't think we can accurately say a thing just randomly happens. Even quantum mechanics might have some extenuating circumstances that lie beyond a certain complexity boundary for its seemingly random goings-on. I see randomness as a label that we put on too-hard-to-calculate events.
Sure, things happen for a reason. But those reasons have reasons themselves, and they've nothing to do with gods or magic. There may be a reason for everything, but it's just a whole lot bigger than you or I can comprehend...without the need for God.
-STA
She, unlike myself, is a theist. The "reason" she attributes everything to ultimately boils down to nothing short of a divine plan authored by some all-knowing being. As a loud, snooty man on Fox News is fond of saying, "the sun goes up and comes down", and that's enough to ascribe an invisible father figure to it all.
I'm somewhat of a determinist. Now I don't think there's an ultimate plan for anything -- I'm no fatalist. But I do think things happen for reasons we can either explain, or can't (yet?). Say, casting a handful of dice. Natural forces determine how the dice will fall; everything from the strength and angle of your hand, to its height above the table, to the material makeup of the dice and the surface, to air pressure, to the tilt of the earth, and any number of other factors. But that does not mean that it's written somewhere ahead of time "On March 21, 2011, STA will throw a 2, 4, and 5 on 3d6." We can't really process all the factors in a seemingly random event, like a dice throw -- that's why we use them to determine random outcomes. If we really could process it all, it wouldn't seem random.
Therefore, I don't really believe in randomness. We might not know or understand all the circumstances for an event, but I don't think we can accurately say a thing just randomly happens. Even quantum mechanics might have some extenuating circumstances that lie beyond a certain complexity boundary for its seemingly random goings-on. I see randomness as a label that we put on too-hard-to-calculate events.
Sure, things happen for a reason. But those reasons have reasons themselves, and they've nothing to do with gods or magic. There may be a reason for everything, but it's just a whole lot bigger than you or I can comprehend...without the need for God.
-STA
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
The Future Looks Bright
Greetings friends! Due to enumerable setbacks, including family emergencies, computer trouble, house-hunting, and the preparations for a new addition to the family, I've been unable to contribute anything of value as of late. But do not fear...family members' members are mending, computers have been upgraded, and houses have been located, and after a few more days I will be able to post more, make more videos, and continue to educate and discuss all things atheist-related. Thanks for your patience and understanding, and don't forget to read the back-catalog to keep yourself sated on STA.
And here's a fantastic video to ease your sorrow:
And here's a fantastic video to ease your sorrow:
-STA
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
There Goes Another Decade
Well, there goes another year -- and another decade. Wow. It's hard to believe it's been ten years since Y2K. A lot's happened to me in this decade. I got married. I realized I don't believe in God. I started this blog and started learning how to think.
While I think it was an okay year, I'm hoping this coming year will be a little better. I'm also hoping this coming decade will see rationalism, skepticism, and most importantly atheism expand and thrive throughout the world, as this decade saw the atrocities of the fruits of faith (though I think it's getting better). As far as resolutions go for myself, I'm hoping to get back into writing and debating more. I'll attempt to get back into the Gather.com community, and make a more videos on YouTube. I'm also going to continue to slowly step out of the closet, perhaps by speaking up a bit more and not letting bigoted, ignorant things go unchallenged.
As always, thank you so much for your support, emails, and comments on this blog and all my endeavors. The interaction is what keeps me going; I can listen to myself talk any time. Now I'm off to spend time with friends and family. I'll see you next year!
-STA
While I think it was an okay year, I'm hoping this coming year will be a little better. I'm also hoping this coming decade will see rationalism, skepticism, and most importantly atheism expand and thrive throughout the world, as this decade saw the atrocities of the fruits of faith (though I think it's getting better). As far as resolutions go for myself, I'm hoping to get back into writing and debating more. I'll attempt to get back into the Gather.com community, and make a more videos on YouTube. I'm also going to continue to slowly step out of the closet, perhaps by speaking up a bit more and not letting bigoted, ignorant things go unchallenged.
As always, thank you so much for your support, emails, and comments on this blog and all my endeavors. The interaction is what keeps me going; I can listen to myself talk any time. Now I'm off to spend time with friends and family. I'll see you next year!
-STA
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Day In The Life: Accused
I just have to share this because I'm jazzed about it.
Many of my regular readers will know that while I'm very outspoken about my atheism on the web, I'm still a mostly-in-the-closet atheist when it comes to my immediate family members. (I know, I'm working on it; these things take time.) Said family members were have their Thanksgiving celebration yesterday, myself included. I love our Thanksgiving. I mean, sure, I still like going to the houses of parents' and grandparents' of extended family for the holidays, but nothing can beat the spread, quality, and atmosphere of having Thanksgiving at home (and Mom's food is always better). They're not an overtly religious bunch. None go to church regularly and holidays have always been about family and food and togetherness, never about Jesus or other religious hogwash. So there I was, sitting at the dinner table in the house that I grew up in, stuffing my face with...well, stuffing, when one of my grandmother's many brothers walked into the kitchen with his southern boisterous ululations.
"You god-damned atheist!" he roared.
I froze, heart thumping.
"With yer bumper sticker saying 'The hard work of one does more than the prayers of millions'! I'm gonna go get Brother Jack and we're going to send you straight to hell!"
I nearly choked on the turkey -- with laughter. "Well, send him over!" I quipped. My mother chuckled.
You'd probably have to know the man to appreciate it all. He's known for that type of language, but I was surprised to hear it and being in the form a joke softened it a little. But the fact was there...I was called an ATHEIST in front of my whole family! Holy shit! I'm sure because of me not objecting to the term and congenially welcoming the attack was in a way a coming out of sorts. At least I'm sure it will aid in the real event, should it arise in the future. It was great. In one instant I essentially made the topic accessible. Call me an atheist, I don't mind.
I assume that my family suspects at least something's up. I mean, they realize I stopped going to church. And I have that bumper sticker and an EvolveFish on my truck. And I made the priest who came into my hospital room when I had my cholecystectomy leave immediately. And I sent my mom a reply linking to this blog when she forwarded me a stupid email. And some of my kinfolks and related-in-law already know for sure, through either direct conversation or finding me on the internet (no telling who they talk to). So I think at least some of my core family members might get the picture, although they're not aware of all the details.
My great uncle was joking, of course. He meant no ill toward me, though I'm not entirely sure he'd be so cordial if I had stood up and said, "yeah, I'm a soulless, faithless, godless atheist...so what?!" And I was all ready to defend my position. This is it, I thought. Oh well, perhaps for the better; it may have ruined the festivities. But at least my uncle can joke about it. He was raised in a tough Catholic school way back in the days where they would beat your hands with rulers for not obeying their strict requirements. He hates nuns now.
Anyway, I'm still all goosebumpy over it even though it literally was one sentence and nothing more from anybody. I never thought I'd be (semi)outed by one of own family. Being called an atheist, just out in public like that, was exilerating.
I hope it happens again.
-STA
Many of my regular readers will know that while I'm very outspoken about my atheism on the web, I'm still a mostly-in-the-closet atheist when it comes to my immediate family members. (I know, I'm working on it; these things take time.) Said family members were have their Thanksgiving celebration yesterday, myself included. I love our Thanksgiving. I mean, sure, I still like going to the houses of parents' and grandparents' of extended family for the holidays, but nothing can beat the spread, quality, and atmosphere of having Thanksgiving at home (and Mom's food is always better). They're not an overtly religious bunch. None go to church regularly and holidays have always been about family and food and togetherness, never about Jesus or other religious hogwash. So there I was, sitting at the dinner table in the house that I grew up in, stuffing my face with...well, stuffing, when one of my grandmother's many brothers walked into the kitchen with his southern boisterous ululations.
"You god-damned atheist!" he roared.
I froze, heart thumping.
"With yer bumper sticker saying 'The hard work of one does more than the prayers of millions'! I'm gonna go get Brother Jack and we're going to send you straight to hell!"
I nearly choked on the turkey -- with laughter. "Well, send him over!" I quipped. My mother chuckled.
You'd probably have to know the man to appreciate it all. He's known for that type of language, but I was surprised to hear it and being in the form a joke softened it a little. But the fact was there...I was called an ATHEIST in front of my whole family! Holy shit! I'm sure because of me not objecting to the term and congenially welcoming the attack was in a way a coming out of sorts. At least I'm sure it will aid in the real event, should it arise in the future. It was great. In one instant I essentially made the topic accessible. Call me an atheist, I don't mind.
I assume that my family suspects at least something's up. I mean, they realize I stopped going to church. And I have that bumper sticker and an EvolveFish on my truck. And I made the priest who came into my hospital room when I had my cholecystectomy leave immediately. And I sent my mom a reply linking to this blog when she forwarded me a stupid email. And some of my kinfolks and related-in-law already know for sure, through either direct conversation or finding me on the internet (no telling who they talk to). So I think at least some of my core family members might get the picture, although they're not aware of all the details.
My great uncle was joking, of course. He meant no ill toward me, though I'm not entirely sure he'd be so cordial if I had stood up and said, "yeah, I'm a soulless, faithless, godless atheist...so what?!" And I was all ready to defend my position. This is it, I thought. Oh well, perhaps for the better; it may have ruined the festivities. But at least my uncle can joke about it. He was raised in a tough Catholic school way back in the days where they would beat your hands with rulers for not obeying their strict requirements. He hates nuns now.
Anyway, I'm still all goosebumpy over it even though it literally was one sentence and nothing more from anybody. I never thought I'd be (semi)outed by one of own family. Being called an atheist, just out in public like that, was exilerating.
I hope it happens again.
-STA
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Scribble in God
For those who aren't in the know, Scribblenauts is the current smash hit game for the Nintendo DS. The game allows you to write down words and it creates objects in the game world. The game includes a huge dictionary of objects (over 22,000 words). What does this have to do with this blog?
Type "atheist" and a white-haired professorial looking fellow appears. Then, type "god". The stereotypical white-bearded god is made. That's right, you can create God in the game, even though the guidelines for writing objects include being "actual, physical" things. Put the two together, and the atheist gets scared and runs off.
I think it's funny. Hey, at least it recognizes the word. And I guess I'd be pretty freaked out too if I saw the Abrahamic God.
Try "scientist". He doesn't run from God. You can also type in "devil" with god around, but god always kills him without much trouble. Makes you wonder...
The "priest" is apparently indestructible. Nothing kills a priest in the game. Not even a zombie -- he just makes the priest a zombie!
There are all sorts of fun tongue-in-cheek things you can do, like make the Large Hadron Collider. It creates a black hole (which kills everything, even God).
-STA
Type "atheist" and a white-haired professorial looking fellow appears. Then, type "god". The stereotypical white-bearded god is made. That's right, you can create God in the game, even though the guidelines for writing objects include being "actual, physical" things. Put the two together, and the atheist gets scared and runs off.
I think it's funny. Hey, at least it recognizes the word. And I guess I'd be pretty freaked out too if I saw the Abrahamic God.
Try "scientist". He doesn't run from God. You can also type in "devil" with god around, but god always kills him without much trouble. Makes you wonder...
The "priest" is apparently indestructible. Nothing kills a priest in the game. Not even a zombie -- he just makes the priest a zombie!
There are all sorts of fun tongue-in-cheek things you can do, like make the Large Hadron Collider. It creates a black hole (which kills everything, even God).
-STA
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
What to Give Up for Lent
The season of Lent begins tomorrow, and even if you're not a Catholic I challenge you to give up one (or all) of the following for the next forty days (or for as long as you live).
-STA
- Superstitious thinking - Maybe you're the sort of person that thinks walking under ladders or breaking mirrors is "bad", or maybe you own a lucky sock, penny, shirt, or animal foot. Perhaps you're afraid of certain numbers, or think something will happen on a given day just because of the numbers in the date. Maybe you think crackers can become human flesh, or that talking to yourself can help you find your car keys or cure your cold. For the next few days, attempt to willfully break yourself of whatever mental habit you have that can be labeled superstitious. Put away belief in magic and learn about the laws of nature.
- Credulity - If you're the kind of person who accepts things you're told without checking into the details, try for the next month to instead check into what you hear. Think about something you feel you know and actively check it out. For many faith is a virtue, but for these next few days, let it be a defect. Instead seek to back up claims you hear or ideas you come up with. The key point here is that you learn the what a reputable source is. The best sources are backed up by evidence. Gullibility won't get you as far as you think in this world.
- Apathy (especially towards the "god question") - If you'd rather not ponder on the existence of a Supreme Being, over the coming days I urge you to do so. A lot of people are apatheists; they don't care or just don't ever think about their position on theism. For this season of Lent, take some time and gather your thoughts on this matter. It's important to understand what you think about theology, because if there is no such thing that could be called "God", millions of people are wasting their lives (and hurting the lives of others). But if there is a god, it's the most important thing for us all. If you've already made up your mind on the matter, again toss aside apathy and speak out about it. If you haven't approached the question before, take the next few days and just think about how you feel. Do you really believe in God?
-STA
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
But I Got PERSONAL Experience
Nine times out of ten -- after all their arguments are laid bear, torn apart, and scattered on the ground, soaking in the tears of the theist who produced them -- a believer will resort to one of two (or perhaps both) arguments left to defend his beliefs: "I just have faith!" which we've covered here before; or "I have personal experience".
Very Superstitious
The uselessness of that argument should be clear to see because anyone can say anything about anything. We can't just take someone for their word. And calm down; I'm NOT saying you're lying. I think you really believe what you're saying. The issue is that people can be fooled.
It's no surprise that a lot of magicians are atheists. Guys like Penn and Teller or Jamie Ian Swiss or Steve Shaw understand how easy it is to fool our senses; to make people think that experienced something that can't happen. Magicians have intimate knowledge about the tricks and nuances of human perception, and the better ones know how exactly to work them.
So why is it that whenever you see a magic trick and you exclaim "Wow...how did you do that?", you are never satisfied with the answer "It's magic"? Don't won't you accept that as an answer? Probably because you know that magic isn't real...you understand that there must be some explanation for it. Saying "it's just magic" is equivalent to saying "invisible card-changing pixies did it", or "supernatural forces altered your perception of reality", or "God did it".
It's Always Personal If You're A Person
Not only can you not always trust your senses -- especially if your brain is experiencing some kind of trauma -- but other people can't always trust your judgment either. Again, it's not always that you're actively lying. Maybe you saw/heard/felt something you didn't. Maybe your mind was/is in a state that interpreted the actual event unfaithfully. Or maybe you really experienced something.
There's no doubt that experiences can have profound effects on a person's life. Many people have religious experience, and it changes their life. But this doesn't have to mean that the experience was real. Read that sentence again.
It is very possible to have experiences that are not real. Think about this scenario: Sally Sue spends the night in a house that she's told is haunted by evil spirits. She believes in ghosts, but she doesn't know exactly what they are or how they got there, etc. Her personality drives her to seek out strange things like haunted houses, but she's never actually seen a ghost before. She hopes she will tonight. As Sally is creeping around the dark upstairs hallways with her partner (come on, no one in their right mind would stay alone in an old abandoned house!) they exchange stories of the murders, suicides, and tortures that went on in this old house, all the while "building the suspense".
Ever been in a situation like that before? Where you psyche yourself up? Ever notice how fragile and easy-to-spook a mind can get when its in that hairpin-trigger state? Anyway, back to the scenario...
Sally Sue's mind is busy conjuring up images and sounds of these horrible stories, when a sudden "pop" breaks the darkness. Sally and her ghost-hunting partner freeze and look each other in the eyes. Suddenly, Sally feels something brush her arm, and she screams and starts to run. Another loud popping, cracking sound rings out, but Sally is running full-tilt toward the stairs. Other sounds echo from seemingly all around her as she turns back just in time to see her friend disappear through the floor. An instant before she rounds the corner, she swears she sees a face or a figure in the dust through her tears.
Years later, Sally still remembers the night her friend died. They said the rotten floorboard gave way and she fell through, embedding herself on a large piece of wood. Perhaps she could have survived if someone had been there to help her. Sally's life was changed.
Ya Know, I've Learn Something Today...
Look, I don't want to make this some kind of moral lesson, but I do want to convey the way in which our perceptions alter reality FOR US. Let's take an honest look at the story.
Here we have a girl who's hoping to see ghosts. She believes they're real, and wants to have an encounter. So, her emotionally-charged is fueled by ghost-stories (anyone ever had this experience as a kid around a campfire?) and by her friend. We scare easily, but even more-so when we're with someone. We scare each other in a back-and-forth, domino-effect kind of way. When they heard something, they looked at each other -- something common to all humans and a lot of animals. It's how we gauge what's going on when we're clueless about something. We watch each other for signs of how we should act. Should we run? Do you know what it was? Are you afraid? Should I be?
By this time, Sally's nerves are bristling. One touch -- could be an insect, a spider's web, or even just the air moving mites around on her skin -- was enough to start a chain reaction of scare-me-scare-you. Her brain was telling her what she wanted it to; what she had conditioned it to. But what about that face in the dust? Was it the figure of an evil ghost killing her friend? Or was it the way the light played off the dusty hallways and refracted against her tears? Or is it something her mind filled in later, after the fact?
I hope none of you are actually thinking to yourself, "maybe it was a ghost...you don't know". I do know. I made it up. If you're really trying to reason it out to be an actual "ghost attack" you might be too far gone in the realm of fantasy to ever hope to understand the lesson here. That lesson is this: Sally's life was changed. Her experience actually had a real, life-altering effect on her. But her experience wasn't real (not just because the story is fake). She lost a friend and suffered serious emotional trama.
So the next time you claim "You can't say God isn't real because I've had an experience that changed my life!" or something along those lines, think about Sally and think about how I can't take your word about experiences I didn't have. You try telling Sally it wasn't a ghost!
-STA
Very Superstitious
The uselessness of that argument should be clear to see because anyone can say anything about anything. We can't just take someone for their word. And calm down; I'm NOT saying you're lying. I think you really believe what you're saying. The issue is that people can be fooled.
It's no surprise that a lot of magicians are atheists. Guys like Penn and Teller or Jamie Ian Swiss or Steve Shaw understand how easy it is to fool our senses; to make people think that experienced something that can't happen. Magicians have intimate knowledge about the tricks and nuances of human perception, and the better ones know how exactly to work them.
So why is it that whenever you see a magic trick and you exclaim "Wow...how did you do that?", you are never satisfied with the answer "It's magic"? Don't won't you accept that as an answer? Probably because you know that magic isn't real...you understand that there must be some explanation for it. Saying "it's just magic" is equivalent to saying "invisible card-changing pixies did it", or "supernatural forces altered your perception of reality", or "God did it".
It's Always Personal If You're A Person
Not only can you not always trust your senses -- especially if your brain is experiencing some kind of trauma -- but other people can't always trust your judgment either. Again, it's not always that you're actively lying. Maybe you saw/heard/felt something you didn't. Maybe your mind was/is in a state that interpreted the actual event unfaithfully. Or maybe you really experienced something.
There's no doubt that experiences can have profound effects on a person's life. Many people have religious experience, and it changes their life. But this doesn't have to mean that the experience was real. Read that sentence again.
It is very possible to have experiences that are not real. Think about this scenario: Sally Sue spends the night in a house that she's told is haunted by evil spirits. She believes in ghosts, but she doesn't know exactly what they are or how they got there, etc. Her personality drives her to seek out strange things like haunted houses, but she's never actually seen a ghost before. She hopes she will tonight. As Sally is creeping around the dark upstairs hallways with her partner (come on, no one in their right mind would stay alone in an old abandoned house!) they exchange stories of the murders, suicides, and tortures that went on in this old house, all the while "building the suspense".
Ever been in a situation like that before? Where you psyche yourself up? Ever notice how fragile and easy-to-spook a mind can get when its in that hairpin-trigger state? Anyway, back to the scenario...
Sally Sue's mind is busy conjuring up images and sounds of these horrible stories, when a sudden "pop" breaks the darkness. Sally and her ghost-hunting partner freeze and look each other in the eyes. Suddenly, Sally feels something brush her arm, and she screams and starts to run. Another loud popping, cracking sound rings out, but Sally is running full-tilt toward the stairs. Other sounds echo from seemingly all around her as she turns back just in time to see her friend disappear through the floor. An instant before she rounds the corner, she swears she sees a face or a figure in the dust through her tears.
Years later, Sally still remembers the night her friend died. They said the rotten floorboard gave way and she fell through, embedding herself on a large piece of wood. Perhaps she could have survived if someone had been there to help her. Sally's life was changed.
Ya Know, I've Learn Something Today...
Look, I don't want to make this some kind of moral lesson, but I do want to convey the way in which our perceptions alter reality FOR US. Let's take an honest look at the story.
Here we have a girl who's hoping to see ghosts. She believes they're real, and wants to have an encounter. So, her emotionally-charged is fueled by ghost-stories (anyone ever had this experience as a kid around a campfire?) and by her friend. We scare easily, but even more-so when we're with someone. We scare each other in a back-and-forth, domino-effect kind of way. When they heard something, they looked at each other -- something common to all humans and a lot of animals. It's how we gauge what's going on when we're clueless about something. We watch each other for signs of how we should act. Should we run? Do you know what it was? Are you afraid? Should I be?
By this time, Sally's nerves are bristling. One touch -- could be an insect, a spider's web, or even just the air moving mites around on her skin -- was enough to start a chain reaction of scare-me-scare-you. Her brain was telling her what she wanted it to; what she had conditioned it to. But what about that face in the dust? Was it the figure of an evil ghost killing her friend? Or was it the way the light played off the dusty hallways and refracted against her tears? Or is it something her mind filled in later, after the fact?
I hope none of you are actually thinking to yourself, "maybe it was a ghost...you don't know". I do know. I made it up. If you're really trying to reason it out to be an actual "ghost attack" you might be too far gone in the realm of fantasy to ever hope to understand the lesson here. That lesson is this: Sally's life was changed. Her experience actually had a real, life-altering effect on her. But her experience wasn't real (not just because the story is fake). She lost a friend and suffered serious emotional trama.
So the next time you claim "You can't say God isn't real because I've had an experience that changed my life!" or something along those lines, think about Sally and think about how I can't take your word about experiences I didn't have. You try telling Sally it wasn't a ghost!
-STA
Monday, February 4, 2008
Jesus Thinks I'm Hot
I saw a tee-shirt last week that said something like “Jesus Thinks I’m a Hottie”. The teenage girl it was wrapped around seemed like your typical, average Southern middle-class Jesus-freak teen. But what drew my attention was not the girl, of course, but the style of the message.
Personal Jesus
Practically any person can have their own, personal Jesus. Conservatives have the holier-than-thou, take-no-shit, obey-or-burn Jesus; the hippies have the shaggy, peace-and-love Jesus; and now the teens and ‘tweens have the boy-band Jesus.
Man or Myth?
There were historians at the supposed time of Jesus, and none of them mention him either. There is a mention in a document by Flavius Josephus, but it is a known forgery (some Christian followers went in long after he had written, and stuck in some drivel about everyone worshiping Jesus). There are only a few other first-century historians (Tacitus, Thallus, Suetonius, and Pliny the Younger), but they don’t say anything about “Jesus”, but instead mention “the Christ”, and there were several people running around in that time calling them selves “the Christ”. These historians’ writings provide no independent confirmation of the events of the New Testament. At the very most, they provide evidence of Christians living in first-century
My Kind of Christ
-STA
Thursday, January 24, 2008
STATube
Sorry I haven't been posting here very much. I'm juggling between this blog, Gather.com, and now my YouTube channel. All that, and I still gotta work!
Come check out my videos at youtube.com/smalltownatheist
I'm also available at my stickam.com account, so drop by and chat me up. My stickam player is now at the bottom of the blog, so now anytime I go live, you'll be able to see it here!
We'll hit a Fallacy Friday tomorrow. Hope to see you soon, somewhere!
-STA
Come check out my videos at youtube.com/smalltownatheist
I'm also available at my stickam.com account, so drop by and chat me up. My stickam player is now at the bottom of the blog, so now anytime I go live, you'll be able to see it here!
We'll hit a Fallacy Friday tomorrow. Hope to see you soon, somewhere!
-STA
Friday, January 4, 2008
Same Shit, Different Toilet
Now that the holiday breaks are over, it's time to get back to the grindstone. I hope you all enjoyed your time off with friends and family, and I'm sure some of you have made your resolutions for the new year.
Mine is simple: be a little more open with my stance on religion. Now I'm not one to go around trying to "de-convert" anybody, or preemptively engage in theological conversation. Indeed, it's a matter of tact. But I'll shorten my threshold for tolerance when it comes to theists assuming that I or everyone else in the room (or the country) thinks like they do.
The plan for the new year as far as the blog goes is to, well, keep going. I haven't posted very much in the few months that this blog has been up to begin with, so expect to see more of the same. We'll talk about the daily grind of being a non-believer in a sea of mind-diseased theists, continue to discuss logic and reason with Fallacy Friday, study the Unholy Bible (and perhaps other works of fiction), review movies, and educate you--the reader--on the thoughts of being a Small Town Atheist. And of course I'll cover events in the media that pertain to theism or lack thereof, though I highly encourage you to read the blogs and sites listed at the bottom right of the page. Those guys always do better than I could.
All in all, I look forward to the new year. Before I go, I'd just like to say: fuck the Pope, and fuck Mitt Romney.
Oh, and pick up one of these with your extra holiday cash...they're great!
-STA
Mine is simple: be a little more open with my stance on religion. Now I'm not one to go around trying to "de-convert" anybody, or preemptively engage in theological conversation. Indeed, it's a matter of tact. But I'll shorten my threshold for tolerance when it comes to theists assuming that I or everyone else in the room (or the country) thinks like they do.
The plan for the new year as far as the blog goes is to, well, keep going. I haven't posted very much in the few months that this blog has been up to begin with, so expect to see more of the same. We'll talk about the daily grind of being a non-believer in a sea of mind-diseased theists, continue to discuss logic and reason with Fallacy Friday, study the Unholy Bible (and perhaps other works of fiction), review movies, and educate you--the reader--on the thoughts of being a Small Town Atheist. And of course I'll cover events in the media that pertain to theism or lack thereof, though I highly encourage you to read the blogs and sites listed at the bottom right of the page. Those guys always do better than I could.
All in all, I look forward to the new year. Before I go, I'd just like to say: fuck the Pope, and fuck Mitt Romney.
Oh, and pick up one of these with your extra holiday cash...they're great!
-STA
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Hello (Godless) World
WTF? Who are you?
It's tough harboring dissenting opinions, especially when everywhere you turn you see the opposing majority. I know. I'm the Small Town Atheist. I'll be using the handle STA for now, simply because my identity is not important. Those who need to know will know me, but I intentionally remain obscure for the basic purposes of this blog: I know what it's like to be a minority (a very, very minor minority), and I want to be able to represent and connect with others and help out where I can. That's what I'm doing here.
So, Why A Blog?
This blog is a place for me (and you) to rant about theism and the like, share viewpoints, and help spread the good word. I'm aiming is at my fellow freethinkers, but if you are a person of faith, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
What's the plan?
In these next couple of posts I'll cover "Atheism 101", just to have a place for those less familiar with my position to get their feet wet. In future posts I'll cover the basic defenses of my viewpoint with a few critiques of religion in the process. In other posts I'll talk about books, movies, and events pertaining to atheism, religion, etc. I'll share my comments on events in my own personal life and try to relate it to the larger picture of atheism in America. I'm not sure if there will be a schedule to my posts (I've been unsuccessful with those in the past), but I will try to post at the very least once a month, but probably many more if something sticks in my craw.
That's all for now. My apologies for this hurried and drab intro. Future posts will be a bit more exciting, I'm sure. I hope you enjoy your time spent here, and if nothing else, learn something. I'll try to address every comment (worth a response) and answer any question I can. Change starts with thought.
-STA
It's tough harboring dissenting opinions, especially when everywhere you turn you see the opposing majority. I know. I'm the Small Town Atheist. I'll be using the handle STA for now, simply because my identity is not important. Those who need to know will know me, but I intentionally remain obscure for the basic purposes of this blog: I know what it's like to be a minority (a very, very minor minority), and I want to be able to represent and connect with others and help out where I can. That's what I'm doing here.
So, Why A Blog?
This blog is a place for me (and you) to rant about theism and the like, share viewpoints, and help spread the good word. I'm aiming is at my fellow freethinkers, but if you are a person of faith, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
What's the plan?
In these next couple of posts I'll cover "Atheism 101", just to have a place for those less familiar with my position to get their feet wet. In future posts I'll cover the basic defenses of my viewpoint with a few critiques of religion in the process. In other posts I'll talk about books, movies, and events pertaining to atheism, religion, etc. I'll share my comments on events in my own personal life and try to relate it to the larger picture of atheism in America. I'm not sure if there will be a schedule to my posts (I've been unsuccessful with those in the past), but I will try to post at the very least once a month, but probably many more if something sticks in my craw.
That's all for now. My apologies for this hurried and drab intro. Future posts will be a bit more exciting, I'm sure. I hope you enjoy your time spent here, and if nothing else, learn something. I'll try to address every comment (worth a response) and answer any question I can. Change starts with thought.
-STA
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