Thursday, November 16, 2006

Schizoid Much?

Public Service Announcement


One of these days, I'll forget the “L”, when I'm typing that, and look like I'm trying to be funny. Actually, to forestall that, I'll have the typo appear below. Get all that immature laughter out of your system now, and we can continue to more worrying matters.


Pubic Service Announcement


1)Hahahahahahahahahahaha.

2)Done? If not, repeat step 1.


The sad thing is, they exist. Ever seen an ad for “ladies discount day” at the Adult fun superstore? Yeah, close enough. MOVING ON!


The Scary Stuff


I read an article in the latest New Scientist, and I have to say it worried me. It wasn't about how human activity is harming the planet today, nor the latest species to be driven from its habitat (although stories on each were included, and I'll talk about those later). This was about events in motion that could be a serious challenge to those issues ever being addressed, at least in or by the United States. As if there weren't enough of those already, eh?


There is growing pressure from Evangelicals in the US for religious children to be home schooled, in accordance with a more, shall we say... FALSE knowledge of how science works. From what I read in the article, the books are awful. If you think a politically correct science book is gimped, thank your lucky stars that it is at least a science book. Evolution goes, radiocarbon dating is deemed 'unreliable', and the Grand Canyon is written off as a result of the biblical flood. It's amazing how people comfort themselves with such flagrant lies when the truth scares them. The worst part is that there are educational booksellers who profit from the sale of these lies to students.


It is scary that God doesn't exist. I may not be able to prove that He/She does not, but I won't use “if”. God does not exist for me, because I do not believe. If it were proven that an omnipotent being does indeed exist, that being would not be God per se. God is a concept you believe in, and an omnipotent being is Q In Star Trek, Q was more a Greek deity than anything else, although it is open to interpretation how much his desires and emotions were acted to facilitate human comprehension. That's not the important point. I do not believe in God, and I don't want to believe in God. As Sartre says, however, it is “distressing...that God does not exist”, which is true. Personal responsibility is such a great burden, that it would be nice to know that Mr/Mrs/? Big had everything under control. If I were to believe, I would be hurting myself, though. I accept that my successes and failures are my own, and that I must try to solve things, and not trust all to faith. You may disagree, but then that is your right.


I don't have a huge problem with faith. It is impossible to prove or disprove God. Faith is therefore of little consequence when it comes to scientific conflicts. As I have noted in the past, many great scientists had faith themselves. What I don't like about Religion (apart from past issues. Read back to find those, I don't want to repeat myself) in this case is that it has a new power: A college to groom them for jobs in the White House. Sooner or later, these brainwashed, backwards bible belt bullies will be after science, sexual freedom, religious freedom...maybe not all at once, but theocracy will be bad news, should it come to pass. I may be exaggerating, but why run the risk?


I figure, of course, that this threat will pass. If it doesn't, I'm gonna put my money on science. After all, it has been abused for millenia to produce better and better weapons. What's one more?


I really hope it never comes to that, though. It is astonishing that humanity survives its evils, and its folly. I don't know how much longer the luck will hold.


I Am A Cynical Bastard


So shoot me.


So someone – and that's ALL you get – tells me that he's engaged. “Someone” is younger than I am, for the record. Plans to move, and everything. There's only one way to talk about this....


Loud's Rational Mind (LRM) : It's rushed, and that's enough to sound alarm bells. People should get to know each other, and see how things go over time. A hotter fire runs out of fuel faster.


Loud's Emotional Mind (LEM) : The “someone” is happy now, let them have this moment, even if it lasts no longer than that. I've been in that state of mind, and there is no greater purpose to life.


LRM: 'Cause procreation imperatives are soooooo romantic.


LEM: Leave the physicalism out of this! Love is a real feeling, no matter what causes it.


LRM: Fair to say, but you know what happens after a while. Things can get strained, and if “someone” is moving there, it's too much of a risk, personally and financially to take without a lot more time invested in the relationship first.


LEM: We had plans once, if you remember. This is no different. I know, I know, you'll tell me how waiting until 18 or more would be the better way...it's no less rushed at 18 than at 16.


LRM: Touché. I think the problem is that these kind of plans are whimsical, but not to the planner. Maybe they're harmless in the end, but what if it goes too far, and doesn't work out?


LEM: That could be said of any plan, and where would we be if it was always heeded? Not anywhere fun or interesting.

LRM: I'm all aware that it's “someone's” choice, and it is not for us to burst their bubble...but at the same time, the experience you cite makes it tempting to point out the pitfalls.


LEM: One assumes they'll read this, so we've done our part. Let them decide


All: Our minds are yours to heed or discard as you will. There are only two people of significance in this affair, and we are neither. Decide, and we'll abide, for whatever comes, you will have tried.


Exeunt Omnes.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's 6. You left awhile ago... But the whole religion thing keeps cropping up everywhere and making me think. What do you believe? Yourself? Your friends? Your (non-existant?) religion or faith? And I blame you for when I try to hug someone today and fall asleep on thier shoulder. Just so you know.

Anonymous said...

Bah. Ok it's 5:30. My bad.

Anonymous said...

religion/faith is personal... just because you are of a certain religion doesn't make many things certain to be a common view...

and really, to each their own... I just want my friends to watch their steps, but walk the path they want to.

Anonymous said...

oh, and as for the issue of the homeschooling? The majority of Christians don't listen to the Evangels, and are smart enough to realize that carbon dating AND God can co-exist... evolution? the way god created his creation, so that it could care for itself. "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome." Evolution lives like that phrase. Not all make it, but most will.

Christians just need to become more vocally opposed to the very vocal minority.

Anonymous said...

That's the key phrase, isn't it? "Vocal minority." People like to blame things on a vocal minority. It can't possibly be the fault of the institution if it's only a few people voicing the opinion.

But frankly, the institution is to blame. If only the extreme minority of the movement/religion/party can be heard, who do they imagine will be listened to?

I agree with you completely that the majority of Christians need to become more vocally opposed to the vocal minority, in the same way that teh majority of Muslims need to be opposed to their extremist minority, in the same way that the Democratic party *is* opposed to the militant environmentalist nutjobs on the extreme left. It is the responsibility of everyone to oppose their vocal minority.

I apologize for going on about this, but it bothers me that people are so very willing to blame things on extremists, but are happy to allow the extremists to have the soapboxes of the world to themselves.

Loud said...

I read a book about the militant environmentalist movement, called "Green Rage". The "nutjobs" you describe are great bargaining tools, allowing moderate organizations to look a *lot* more sensible in their demands. A lot of forests were saved, because the Sierra Club would settle for maybe half of what the extremists wanted, and that was more than they could ever have expected without the "help" of the radicals.

The Vocal minortiy makes the majority look a lot more sensible, and that's why such groups are tolerated.

Anonymous said...

That's an excellent point, and one I hadn't thought of. It's also from among the organization I listed as doing a good job of being opposed to its extremes. It's only when the moderates are silent that the minority is a problem.

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