'God' is our tool

All the time you hear it, "You need God in your life!". Shouted in churches, maybe even the occasional annoying guy who comes to your front door, bible in hand. "I need God?", i often say rhetorically. They tell me i do, assuring me that it will bring me everlasting eternity in a golden city, several virgins, or as a frog in the next life. What i am sure you never hear, is that God needs you. You heard right, God really does need us humans..assuming he existed. I once asked a believer what was the point of a God creating us, why not just make all suffering and death go away..he loves us INFINITELY, afterall? The replies varied from, "he was lonely" to, "God has no purpose if there is not evil, or death". Of all the responses i have heard, this one intrigued me the most. Not because it made me believe in God, but because it made me believe in God (or gods) even less.

If there was no suffering, no pain or death..no need for us to pray to God or ask for salvation. God would have absolutely no purpose. The notion that God created us because he was lonely, is ridiculous..and knowing that God has no purpose without us, makes me feel just a bit better about myself. The next time a christian throws out some bible verses claiming we are mere humans compared to Gods oh so great glory, i will tell them that if there is a God, he needs me. If God exists, i will tell him personally, "No, YOU listen up, you need me...i dont need you..i made it without you all these years, and so did everyone else." Imagine a being, with infinite knowledge, love, and just about everything there is. Now, imagine being that thing, what is your purpose here? You create some humans, to show you have power, your bored, lonely or just want to show you have some pretty good engineering skills. We are told to worship you, to fear you, to love you and honor you. We are told that you have a never ending love for us, and we are told that you will send away to burn for eternity for doubting your existance (Depiste the fact that if such a being existed, he would have known before hand we would be going to hell..and made us anyway. Strange idea of love.)

Now take away the humans, take away the creation. What are you left with now, a being that knows everything there is to know..everything there is to fathom..he/they even knows his/their own thoughts before he/they think them. (How could this being have freewill anwyay? How could he think, it is a temporal process..god is atemporal right?) The apologist christian may argue that if this is true, then we also need God to have a purpose. If this is true though, i am no longer mere man, i am your purpose. A tool, created for our use by us humans based on our current needs. Without a human, that tool lacks purpose. Is it possible, that perhaps, we created God? That, to know if we did not exist..God would not exist either? I know that we can exist without God, because i do not believe in God, and i know that if he does exist, he does not do anything. Prayer, some say, is how he helps us...i personally believe that nothing fails like prayer, and to prove that doing something is more powerful than speaking to a supposedly infinitely powerful being, take the following in to mind. I challenge every Christian who is alive to pray that a rock, placed in a flat enclosed room..will move on its own, 100 feet in the opposite direction, within 10 earth days..no human intervention. I then challenge a single atheist to pick that rock up and move it 100 feet and place it down. I guarantee you, that the praying...will fail. Having faith it will move, is nothing at all compared to actually doing something..or accepting reality.

Why can God not move this rock to the other side of the room? Why would this prayer fail, and why would the atheist succeed? Because no one is listening. Ask yourself now, what is the difference between praying that your child is cured of cancer and this rock? What makes you think that this rock will not be moved by "God" but that your child will be cured. Of course, the christian would say after his son is cured (ignoring the fact that he was treated with real life medicine) that God did this. This is the same situation as the rock, it was moved by the human..not a God. The believer would say that the rock was moved by god if a camera was not placed in the room..or eyewitnesses available. So, realizing my change in topic..ill leave you with this short and to the point few words of wisdom. Don't pray, act.

Fade, reality

I decided to write a very short story of fiction. Enjoy, and be brutally honest in your comments:

In an all but precarious manner, he knew it would not come back. Her dress, smelling of fresh lilacs picked from the garden, worn, yet still keeping its brilliant aura of white from the days her mother, and hers before had worn it. Almost an exercise in futility, holding on to a time – even though it stayed with him in his mind, it was being taken from him. Drawing farther and farther away, almost as if it were directed at him. Not in a manner that could be taken to call him narcissistic, but sincere. She stepped out of the lowly lit room, others opening the rough oak door, one wondering foolishly if it had been made recently. Her long gowns tail slew behind her, as she walked ahead, as would a queen to her peasants. Her gown was her peasent, but one to seek its own reward, in all a manner that was possible for an object. He watched her, he was not nervous as most had been, and he knew she was neither. The two had been waiting for this moment all their lives, since teenagers. Before the thought could again run through his mind, bringing him peace, if only temporary in this harsh world – he was shaken from his day dream. “Get up now!” The man shouted, not wasting a breath. The people in the city were on guard, always. “What is going on, are they back?” Jack replied, the memory of his wife faded, reluctantly. “Yes! No time – go now!” The long sleepless nights, the constant alarms, this befriended Jack.

This was Jacks life now, why it would not fade as his precious memories would confused Jack, and he tucked his anger away, waiting for it to grow. Jack did not want to be angry, he tried converting it to sadness, but quickly realized this would only turn others off. Jack knew that his story was only one of many, but not the worst. “Who can judge which memory is worst” Jack often thought to himself, but now, Jack was worried, for the first time in many years, he was truly worried. For ahead of him, lay something he was not kin to, something strange and odd, unfamiliar. Jack could no longer hold himself in, he ran for cover, tripping over the numerously scattered rocks, bruising his already cut knee. It had turned a purple color, but enough medical supplies had been found to keep him from getting an infection. What lay ahead of Jack, was no machine, but an army. An army to take the city they had so long fought for. The resistance was not yet over, although the many men who gave their lives fighting for this city, in hopes of their children receiving it would not die in vain, in many of the men’s minds.

Jack never believed in this, he knew that the dead men could not be honored, nor could they be disgraced, only their memory – kept alive by those who knew them and read of them, could be tarnished. For as Jack saw it, “How can one continue to feel sorrow, after the sorrow has been destroyed, ironically, only causing sorrow among others?” He knew he and his men could not fight this resistance any longer, they were after all, outnumbered 10 to 1, from what he could see. “What can we do, is all we have fought for since, only to be destroyed for the purpose of primitive goal seeking?” Jack thought to himself, loudly, it undulated in his thoughts, lasting briefly, and coming back again. He quickly thought of a plan, and shared it with the remaining rebels throughout the city. They gathered their weapons, surprisingly not lacking in firepower, due to the fact they had taken their dead enemies rifles from them. “We are the righteous, we shall prevail!” Jack offered the men one final rallying speech, he knew the science behind it, nothing magical, simple chemicals that fired in order for the men to fight stronger, think clearer – to win.

He ordered the offensive, hoping to take the enemy soldiers off guard, knowing that defense would only last in the wounded suffering longer. He paced quickly through the streets, his feet in perfect harmony with one another, he had one final time to think of his wife. Her beautiful white dress, the after party in which his friend has spilled punch on the newly bought carpet at their home. He remembered being angry with him, but he mostly remembered his wife. He saw her eyes, green – with a sparkle so unique he could not let them escape him now. Jack thought only for a moment – perhaps, afterall – there is a certain spirit in the world, perhaps there is something more. Jack felt something he had never experienced before, so strange to him. His thoughts became jumbled, he knew not of his distant past any longer. Jack lay in the street, cold, with blood on his relatively new- atleast new to him- jacket. Jack flailed his arms, he did not know what had happened, was he perhaps going to heaven, he thought in his mind, these rare and alien thoughts invaded his thought process. Jack wanted to remember his wife, he wanted to see her again, he drew with all his might, a truly final glimpse of their best day together.

But her dress, once so white, so aromatic, now lay in ruins in his dying mind as his sanity escaped him. She pushed open the oak door, her dress, stained of yellow. The aura was nowhere. She came to him at the altar, to say their vows. But Jack was unable to speak now, and the room went dark, then light, then dark again. Such a fate does not belong to a man of such magnitude, such vigor. Jack had not been shot, his hand lay in the blood of his wife, at their home. Jack looked up at the crowd of party goers – of rebels, as he had seen them. Jack lay down at the feet of his new wife, her eyes no longer retained their color – their sparkle. He could not even recognize her – Jack wished now more than ever, that he could return to the world which he once thought took him away from his wife, he did not know it to be truly the escape, from reality. Before the thought could again run through his mind, bringing him peace, if only temporary in this harsh world – he was shaken, and he longed for his war torn city, his escape, his peace once thought to be his nightmare. If only it would fade away, but the reality did not. The brutal truth remained, what had happened rang true to him, and it would not escape him now. Only fading was the thought, when he had – if only for moments – escaped his reality, that there was indeed no great spirit, and Jack would not be seeing his wife in heaven. For to see his wife in heaven, would require heaven to be there. Even if it were, would Jack want to meet the one who let her die. Even if all was well when he arrived, would he worship the one who let him suffer – if only for moments? Jack closed his eyes, and accepted his reality, he knew that the dead did not suffer – but those who kept their memory, did.

[NEXT POST: 'God' is our tool]

"Personality is lacking"

Forgive me for my lack of any recent posts, i have many things written down in my notebook but i feel they lack real substance. I have realized that although my posts may, in my own mind, be written well, they lack personality. I know that people do not rely on information written by the village idiot, or pseudo-scientists, (well, maybe creationists do) but at the same time what keeps them reading is a sense of some kind of personality. Rather than simply present pure facts, or my own philosophy on life without much personality, i will make an attempt to include such things. I find it to be a difficult thing for me to do, as i consider myself a meticulous writer and would never publish anything that i do not feel meets a high standard. (which explains - in part, my lack of posts) I will make a true effort to simply post what is on my mind, whether or not it is written great, or simply shows off my personality, with of course, information people care about. (I never will post anythindg about what i did that day, as if anyone truly cares.)

If it is not known by now, i am an atheist. I lack belief in anything supernatural, whatsoever. I have been told that i would be interested in extropy, or transhumanism. While i am still not exactly sure of the philosophy entirely, i have a simple understanding. More though, than the common man on the street (some may digress). I understand it to be, in the simplest of terms, a progressive philosophy. A set of ideas in which you hold true that a person should actively work to progress his society for the better. While simply stating "for the better" is a very vague phrase indeed, i think it includes whatsoever increases a mans freedoms and rights. To be truly free, and an America which follows its own rules, as stated in the constitution, is what it seeks.

I am for seperation of church and state, as a theocracy is very obviously a bad idea. I do not care what your religious beliefs are. What you believe, should remain just that, what you believe. Keep your religious beliefs personal, and respect all others. Do not impose your beliefs on others, and do not try to make the government enforce your personal religious beliefs. It benefits no one when you force these kind of things on people, your rules. It is not much to ask for, just uphold the law. Seperation of church and state is most certainly in the United States constitution, to disagree is not on the basis of the law but rather formed by your religious beliefs. What else is there to ramble about, i want everyone to have a small taste of my own self(albeit, lacking real organization or order...atleast in this post). What goes on in my head, sometimes i do not even know.

I am a somewhat disorganized person, something i really do not like about myself. I find it difficult to concentrate but easy to jump from topic to topic. I do not see this as a weakness, though, i see it as something i can take advantage of. As i am used to thinking about so many things at once, every now and then i focus conciously on one of these thoughts. I write down exactly what i think, when i write, often times almost no effort at all is excerted. If i could always focus, i think i would never stop writing. I just want to let everyone know im still alive, if anyone cares or still reads this thing. This post, while it may lack the "spice" of other posts, will still get you to think, or atleast debate with me (which i love to do).

"Goodbye Cruel World!"

It saddens me to know there are those among us whom wish to end their life or couldn't care about when their final day comes to take them. Although their reasoning for this is that the world is a horrible, wretched place in which they wish to leave. I say unto these people with stark reverence for them and their mind - change it.

If the world is a horrid place, a desolate canned flatland of horror to be shunned and looked down at - change the world! I say that to the person whom cares not about his life or the world in which we live in, do something to change that which you live! If not for yourself then for the ones who will come after you, for I cannot imagine a person who would wish an innocent one to share the horrible fate of life.

Doing nothing guarantees that your home, the earth and its neighbors wil never be taken for full use of future generations to come. Even if you view your home as the enemy that brought you here, as a captor - know that if you do nothing to better it for the good of another whom does not exist yet, but is soon to come, that if you choose to do nothing- alas, you are their captor. Something in which you cannot escape once you close your eyes to rest for the last time

Goodbye cruel world...hello unborn child, can i say that I have made your world well? Did I do everything in my power to better the life of you, and your children to come? Did i think only of myself, or those whom will come later? Your answer, it will tell of the person you truly are, and I hope the unborn child, the existenceless human, does not endure by your hand, for you certainly are a heartless person. May you live long! And endure the fate you knowingly passed on by doing nothing.

[Original title: "If you don't like it, change it!"]
[NEXT POST: T.B.A.]

Mirror Neurons and The Holy Spirit

Sometime this year or last, mirror neurons were discovered in Macque monkeys, what they do is make it possible for two beings to understand one anothers emotions correctly. Not surprisingly, though, humans also have these aptly named, "mirror neurons".

Researchers believe that autistic individuals lack these neurons and therefore cannot understand others emotions correctly, (they often guess or mimic those around them) although they lack them they are usually not completely without. I believe these to be the cause of the "presence of God" as some claim it to be. (some even use this as proof of Christianity, or pentacostalism in particular)

Sunday morning, the preacher is yelling for God, to God, "Praise be to the Lord, almighty, oh i can feel his presence here today!". Followed by the echoing of the crowd, ready to receive God. Some are running about wildly as they are certain God himself has taken control of their body and mind, many go as far as speaking out loud, claiming that, yet again, God himself is speaking through them. Some fall down, scream, or speak in tongues. Now, let us examine this situation.

Mirror neurons interact with the others in the room, effectively amplifying the adrenaline rush brought on by the music and emotional preaching, and the pyschological effect of thinking you are closer to God, now, more than ever. This effect moves on to another crowd member, another, and througout the crowd. The effect is greater in a believer as they are already convinced and therefore willing to allow this already present adrenaline to magnify. Not only are they willingly allowing the effect to magnify because of their neighbors emotions, but they are creating their own dosage of adrenaline. That combine with the psychological belief God is near, and vualua, instant "God in a box"!

The crowd is obviously fueled by the preacher, the preacher must be very emotional and very near yelling, i can not imagine a quiet, shy preacher to bring about this feeling of the "holy spirit". What is commonly called "God" or the "holy spirit's" presence is merely adrenaline being massively amplified - the bigger the crowd, the higher the emotions, the more "God. You can achieve this same effect, this feeling supposedly sent from heaven down to earth, in any large pumped up crowd (a concert for example).

Speaking in tongues is just a way for the body to cope with this massive adrenaline rush (the same way a crowd of concert-goers feels the need to scream or jump up and down) and the psychological effects of the church goer deep belief in God, or the hope to be touched by God, is what this is. This is in no way God, it is adrenaline, psychological effects, and ignorance of the situation at hand and what is going on biologically.

I would expect some hostility by some religious people, but I welcome challenge. So there we have it, the feeling at church and the holy spirit, (the so called proof of christianity) is simply an exaggerated, yet normal, emotion. To quote Friedrich Nietzsche, "God is dead"... i killed him.

[NEXT POST: "If you don't like it, change it!"]

The enemies, real and abstract

What i tell myself again and again is against my own self. My inner "demons" tell me how worthless I am or anything I say is ridiculous, trivial or stupid. Something in me tells me never to write or say anything I think because in the end no one will care and I can accomplish nothing anyway. Certain People in my life remind me of these abstract, yet real "enemies" in my head.

Time and again I am told that there is not an answer to everything and any such a search is futile, if not down right immoral or somehow against God himself. I am confident though, that my search, if sought after with enough vigor, will certainly not leave me empty-handed (and even in a failure scenario I still have learned something, so I win either way). I refuse to let the chains and attacks on me brought on by others - myself included, to in any way continue to hinder me or handicap me, for am I not above that?

Thoughts come and go for most, and while some may truly be magnificent - they are not written down, but forgotten. As the seasons stay with us a short time only, so too will our greatest inspirations - if we do not write them down, anyway. I hope to inspire those with similiar enemies in their life to break free and let your thoughts and actions be together for the first time, afterall: "Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration".

I seek never to hinder a person with a thought who hopes to take action (so long as this is within reason, of course). I feel as though our main hinderance, our main enemy of free-thought and action is that of organised religion and extremists (both religious and political alike). While a belief based within the realm of reality, possibility and supported with facts is fine. It is when these people hold other down and drown them in ignorance do they become a danger to society and the evolution of our society as a whole. I ask you not to hinder another because of your beliefs, rather, share facts and discuss a topic without yelling at one another. In the end, if you look through the glasses of reason and fact, i can tell you who will win everytime, the one with the facts.

[NEXT POST: "Mirror Neurons and The Holy Spirit"]

On my first post..

That was my first post, intentionally dramatized for all the makings of an interestingly catchy post!

Fight For Reason

The danger I sense from faith itself is becoming more evident by the day. What is a man of reason - of science, to do when almost every other citizen relies upon their emotions and hopes for answers, afraid and unwilling to search for them, even going as far as calling those who do search evil or in grip of the devil. How can we, as humans, possibly combat this ever increasing ignorance and utter lack of knowledge and understanding? It is certainly evident that our society as the majority is failing socially, It is a place where science is dark and hidden or frowned upon my many-when really, it is the only light we have! The dangers of religion are now upon us, even in this age of science and technology.

I say verily and with utter urgency that for the sake of science, reason, logic - humanism, we must fight this enemy that puts faith over facts to avoid further indoctrination of the masses. This inclination i feel to do something is only hindered by those who look down upon me for my lack of faith. While I may lack faith in the sense of blind emotion, I certainly do not lack it in the area of tested and supported insight.

I call upon you, man, woman of both reason and science, you must do something despite what they say or how they feel about you. I am sure reason will prevail in the end only if we push stronger than ever, now. Our darkest hour may re-capture the earth as in the ages of theocracy and church run states who quickly silenced any such reasoning or questioning of a highly flawed religion. A world in which no kowledge or reason flourish, but are frowned upon and the thinkers looked on as if a demon has possessed them. I part you now to begin this fight of mind - reason be with you, because I do know this, faith alone will not change this world.