Fight the Amoral Fight

Hurray!
On the drive home last night, the announcer on a radio station said (iirc), "Cheer up! It's almost over. And you have a gift receipt."
LOL

Weather was perfect. Drive out to Beaumont was a dream, family was in good spirits, food was great, drive back was okay, home in time to eat some goodies brought home and play video games before bed. Not a bad day :)

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LC - Santa Bender and his little elves ... that's what the season is all about! LOL

Bogon - well, that about sums up the problem, lol.
Atheism is a statement of belief regarding the existence of god(s). You can call yourself anything you like, of course, but your assertion that you do not believe in God means that you are an atheist by definition.
Agnosticism is a statement of knowledge, ultimate knowledge of the existence of god(s). Most atheists are agnostic. So are most theists.

The reason I used "framing" in the intro to that bit of randomness is because the word "atheist" has been used as a pejorative by those with religious authority in order to discourage public discussion of god-belief. Very effectively, I might add. It really isn't that big a deal, though.

Until I was about six years old I believed in the tooth fairy. Not only was I told that the tooth fairy existed by people I trusted, but I had evidence to support this belief, so I knew that the tooth fairy existed.
I was a toothfairyist with certain knowledge.

Later, I found a simpler and more reasonable explanation for the phenomenon of money-for-teeth, and for my parents' telling me the little lie, and I became an atoothfairyist. Do I know that the tooth fairy does not exist? Technically, I am agnostic in this regard. Perhaps the tooth fairy really does exist. I cannot prove the non-existence of the toothfairy. But, I do not believe in the tooth fairy anymore, and live my life accordingly. Well, not really. I did perpetuate the lie with nieces and nephews when they happened to lose a tooth while visiting with me. Hedging my bets? ;)

One of the ways that the word "atheist" has been abused, even by some atheists themselves, is by associating it with other forms of skepticism, which not an appropriate use of the term. Atheists are not necessarily skeptics as regards supernatural claims other than deities. There are atheists who believe in ghosts, ESP, alien visitation, Big Foot, past lives, and many other unsubstantiated oddities. There was even one prominent atheist who believed strongly, until the day he died, that the invasion of Iraq was necessary and good (one of my several disagreements with the man). Go figure.

It's a fun topic and I appreciate the spark :) and welcome others to continue the conversation - but I guess I'll stop now. It was a long day yesterday and I'm sleepy.

And I need to go get milk :-/

Oh. Nearly forgot this year.



I suppose I will forget, eventually. Certainly many of the countries who pledged billions of dollars in aid forgot very quickly, as usual.
That's sad. Let's try this ...

I was listening to a new Tim Minchin song last night on youtube - it was cut at the last minute from a Jonathon Ross show, despite having been vetted ahead of time (that's enough for you to find it but don't do it if you're easily offended by religious satire) - and then listened to "White Wine in the Sun" which was wonderful. I had been thinking, while enjoying the company of my family, about the line "these are the people who make you feel safe in this world", which always chokes me up :) So, here it is, LIVE with Professor Brian Cox!



Yeah, the sound isn't great, but it's cool to see those two together.

Okay. Done, now, I think :)

Thanks, bf! Backatcha :)
Tomorrow always looks good, lol

Bogon - from your wikipedia link about Martin's story -
The story originally appeared in the June 1979 issue of Omni.
This explains everything! I almost certainly read that story ;) Heck, I probably still have the mag in a box somewhere.
That line you quoted, though, is similar to what I have actually heard and seen written by religious apologists and I'm sure Martin has noticed that. I think I understand it but I don't like it. Faith is not a virtue, in and of itself, and ignorance is not bliss, it's painful and deadly. But, hey, that's just my opinion. If folks kept their faith private and separate from community issues I wouldn't care one whit. Well, maybe one, just because I'd like to see folks free to think and feel and be as happy as possible. But, I know that can be frightening.
I keep adding to this and should stop now or I'll be here all day, lol.

I tell you what, though - Tebow almost has me believing. This is what happens when one uses God's name for the sake of vanity!
Cue Charlton Heston!
(I looked, briefly, but couldn't find a clip, lol)

Sorry. That was irreverent. Oh, wait ...

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It's a beautiful day for hiking, beach-going, yardwork, or just hanging out in the sun. So, naturally, I've been stuck inside working on the computer! Later, I will be getting a permanent crown installed. Oh, joy.
Actually, it will be great to have that done. I've been afraid to floss around the temp, not wanting to pop it off, and it's driving me nuts! LOL

seewu :)

I have a new tooth!!! I can floss again!!!
LOL
Did you know that until about a hundred years ago dental problems were the number one cause of death in the western world? I know that, in another time, I'd have been dead years ago from the initial problem with the tooth that just got crowned. Actually, I might not have been born, as my dad had his own tooth problems (yea, genetics!) and might not have made it to age 32 (his age when I was conceived).
So grateful for modern dentistry and the science behind it.

Well, there's one random thought for the day, LOL


I was just at B&N looking at eBooks, Books, DVDs, audiobooks ... I got a gift card and can't decide how to use it. Which is silly since, if I hadn't received a gift card, I'd just get whatever I want, whenever I want it. The gift card is exerting pressure on my psyche! Hey, maybe that was the purpose to the gift - she intended it to drive me batty!
Anyway, there is a book I want to listen to that is not in audio format at b&n or audible. A few, actually. No surprise - pop science probably isn't that pop, lol

That's two ... can I make it a threefer of dull random thoughts? I think I can!

I was wandering youtube last night, watching knitting/crochet videos, and learned that there had been a bit of a vlog war between crochet people. Yes, that's right. Crochet videographers got into an argument so bad that it split the community of crafters. It gets funnier - the issue was religion! Apparently, Good Christians cannot have their names associated with certain Others (was not even an atheist - just a different faith), even on a crochet group on youtube. ROTFLMAO! It never ends!
I'm not a part of any of those groups so, for me, on the upside, I didn't like her vids, anyway, and found new folks to watch as a result of chasing down the story.
On the downside, I was surfing those channels to relax, dangit, not to watch a battle of any sort.
Luckily, most of the youtubers in that genre are not involved in any of that, so it was easy to tune it out :)

TaDah! Nailed the threefer ;)

Weather is fine. Work is fine. Everything is fine. Boring ;)
The rest of the week looks good, weather-wise (hey, where is WxWyz?), and I may go into the big city to see the dinosaurs, finally. Or GPO. Haven't decided - it's a lazy week between :)

I think we've got a good chance at significant rainfall in January. Not just climatologically (yikes, what a word! Oh, it isn't one, lol) but looking at how the pattern seems to be shifting. What do you think?

Feeling a little Tau-er today. That's a pun, haha.

.....

When the people of the world
live in accord with the subtle Way of the universe,
horses are used for agricultural purposes.

When the people of the world
do not live in accord with the subtle Way of the universe,
then horses, even pregnant mares,
are driven into the battlefield and bred there.

There is no greater calamity for a nation,
or for an individual,
than not finding contentment
with one's own sufficiency.

There is no greater mistake for a nation,
or for an individual, than to be covetous.

Hence, when one is content within one's own nature,
one will always have enough.


The Complete Works of Lao Tzu
Tao Teh Ching & Hua Hu Ching
Tao Teh Ching Verse 46
Translation by Hua-Ching Ni

.....

I feel for people who don't have enough. Those who are always looking for something to be a part of that doesn't actually include them, instead of being content with their own sufficiency, their own nature, and the wonder of our connection to the world as it is, and the people, and all things that are real, that we depend on and are so joy-full. They seem so sad, to me, so lost in this wonderous universe. It's so important to them to be right, to have the answer for everyone, not just themselves, but they have no answers. They're just grasping, covetously, for some imagined ideal, when the ideal is the real, and it surrounds them, and, blinded by what is supposed to be, they cannot see.

Top of the head, stream of thought, probably offensive to someone, LOL

It's a beautiful day - seewu :)

Hey WTS! Good to see you!
I have been very surprised at the overall feistiness of crafters since I started looking at their blogs and vlogs. Yikes. I just lurk and learn, lol

Darn. I keep forgetting the world's going to end again. I should make a sticky note.

So, I love the nice weather, but sympathize with those who'd like some rain and I hope I'm right, too! I should check the forecast ... harhar
Definitely want to see a green February - the too-early greening of the hills here is fading fast!

Happy New Year to you and yours! :)

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Speaking of crafts ... I found a youtube channel that other knitters might like. The handle is newstitchaday and that's all it is - very clear and brief tutorials. I like it. Haven't checked their website, don't know what/if they sell, not trying to sell for them, just like the vids and wanted to share. I'm like that, lol

In other knitting news, I had that really uncomfortable itch to buy yarn yesterday, so, I did. It's practice yarn - I'm going to knit a sweater. So sick of hats and scarfs, LOL, but must knit. Must. It's sad and I expect an intervention is in my future. I'll make cookies.

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Fantastic sunset yesterday thanks to Venus and a crescent moon shining fuzzily through the veil of shapely, sunlit clouds. Nothing quite like it :)

I guess tomorrow is New Year's Eve. As I have likely said before, I feel like the new year begins at the solstice, it just makes sense to me, but I know how to read a calendar, and may not be here over the weekend, so ...

Happy New Year!!! :)

Happy New Year, everywu'n!
We've had a great weather start, here :) Although it was crazy windy in SP yesterday, I wasn't here, so it's okay, LOL I was in Arcadia for a meet-n-eat with family and, somewhat ironically, there was no wind. Just sunshine and darn-near-hot. Wonderful.
I saw plenty of detritus from the windstorm they had there, though, including piles of not-yet-disposed-of trees and one trunk off to the side that seems to have been forgotten. Overall, the area looked really good, though.
I had a terrific day :)

Today is definitely beyond breezy but not as bad as yesterday, I think, or even last night, when the house was occasionally shaken by a gust.
Let's all keep our fire contained, shall we?

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shore - sincere thanks for the time-sink ... er ... the Gaiman link ;) Tons of good stuff there!
Happy New Year to you, too!

Karen - another piece of pictorial art! The imagery is perfect. Thanks much and Happy New Year!
Hope the fog has cleared - I'm not paying attention, as you already figured out, lol
I've recorded the parade. Just doesn't feel right to sit and watch it straight through on the 2nd. What did you do with yourself, without the parade to watch?

calpoppy - It's okay! I saw it! :) That's exactly where the snow should be - in a pretty picture, LOL
I have one of your snowy desert pics on my screensaver - it looks like the Joshua trees are covered in gooey marshmallow cream - and sometimes when it comes up it actually makes me shiver!
I'll do my best to savor every moment of the current warmth and try not to be too whiny, and to be happy for you, if a cold storm comes in :)

mush! Thank you and Happy New Year to you!

gg - time to read is the key, for sure. I was showing off my nook to the fam yesterday (they asked for a demo) and was reminded of just how many books I have there and on my to-be-read shelf. I've been knitting instead of reading (except for the audiobooks but those don't clear the shelf!).
I bought my calendars a few weeks ago because last year I couldn't find any I liked (and they were completely out of the pocket calendar I prefer :( ) and ended up with kittens on my wall calendar. Sure, they're cute, but ... not every day, LOL
I do like your idea of getting the gigantor craft book on sale ... :)

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A trip to the bookstore sounds pretty good. I don't have much work today and I should be shopping sales this afternoon. I kind of feel like not doing that, though. It's quite nice to be sitting here quietly with the windows open and no place I have to go ...

I could try to come up with a new blog entry, LOL!

Okay, I am going to refresh the blog soon. But, I wanted to post a few things here, since they are "in context" with other bits in the comments. And politics is always in context, here.

This video will tell you one version of the "Atheist Agenda", as seen by a former Senator from Maine, and current something-or-other for the Richard Dawkins Foundation.
Now, you may not be interested in that and it is 37 minutes long, but the first 5 minutes will give you an idea of where his heart is (and he's a little snarky to start - warming up the crowd, I think - but mostly settles down as he goes on), and is worth listening to, regardless of an interest in those silly atheists.

If you do listen to the entire thing, please keep in mind that atheists (agnostics, secularists, humanists, freethinkers, yadayadayada) are by no means a politically uniform block. He treats them as if they are, and as if they are all liberal progressives, but, it just isn't so. Many atheists (etc.) are very heavily Libertarian and will extol the virtues of John Galt until you want your own head to explode. They vote Republican, generally, despite the obvious disconnect.

This is pointed out by Susan Jacoby in her last Washington Post column titled, "American atheists must define themselves, not be defined by the religious" although that point is not the main point.

There must be something in the air in this regard because in November a blogger from Alaska, Jim Wright, also wrote about the insanity of Ayn Rand and those who think her science fiction novels constitute a scholarly economic treatise. It's funny and snarky and well done (with some fine scifi references) and quite different from what you'll find at the previous links, but, still related.

I got there from butterfliesandwheels where I saw this quote from that blog entry:
"Given a choice I’d rather be forced to sit with a hemorrhoidal badger in my lap through every single George W. Bush and/or Al Gore speech ever recorded than to have to read either Atlas Shrugged, or please God no Anthem, ever again."
And had to go read it. Clearly a kindred soul, LOL In truth, I tried reading Atlas Shrugged as a novel, long before I knew anything about the political/economic uses, and could not force myself to finish. Got maybe halfway and it was so bad - awesomely boring story, poorly written - I couldn't understand why it was so well thought of. It was many years before I figured that out.

Please note that this blogger, Wright, uses language that some will find offensive.
Also note that butterfliesandwheels is not about butterflies, nor wheels, as I have said before, but I think it's a good idea to repeat that.

So. Now I have all those links in one place :)
Hope someone else finds my link-hopping adventures interesting!

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I'm loving summer-in-winter :) I do wish we could get some summer-in-summer but, hey, I'll take what I can get!
It's over 80 degrees. I'm out :)

I've read Ross Douthat a bit. I always misread his last name ... there's a "c" in there, somewhere, or ought to be.
Sorry - I'm not normally given to name-calling ;)

Thanks, Bogon, for your input. We can carry on in a new blog (if you even see this, since I posted the new entry before typing up this comment - or I'd never get it done!).

There is some practical advise in the Bible. They do say to keep your kitchen well away from your water source - that's good thinking. They also say not to wear fabrics of different types - like wool with linen. Don't know what that's about. I asked a preacher last week and hope he'll get back to me, since he couldn't think of a reason either but promised to check it out.