Consider Humanism Ad Campaign

The American Humanist Association has released a series of ads, and they're relying on donations in order bring them to air [link]. So, donate if you can ─ else spread them on the web. Any populist movement deserves a lot more cred, if they can take their message viral.

Carl Coon

Consider Humanism - Ambassador Carl Coon from American Humanist Association on Vimeo.

Robert Ingersol [wiki]

Consider Humanism - Robert Ingersoll from American Humanist Association on Vimeo.

Richard Dawkins [wiki]

Consider Humanism - Richard Dawkins from American Humanist Association on Vimeo.

My Atheism

Image Via Wikipedia

You worship 1 god that is 3 gods; not as water has 3 states, because your god is Father, Son and Ghost simultaneously. And you offer me a choice of 2 gods, that may be 3.

The first is a god that is love, compassion, benevolence, beneficence, understanding ─ this god is my reward, if I believe, worship, sacrifice, abstain all just right, as you proscribe.

The second god is vengeful, ireful, capricious, vindictive, ego driven ─ this god is my punishment for not believing, worshiping, sacrificing, abstaining all just right, as you proscribe.

If the second god is the God, then god is a tyrant undeserving of worship. If those 2 gods are truly 1 god, then your one god is a schizophrenic tyrant, undeserving of even a passing thought.

If the first god is the God and there is truly one god, and I am a product of her creation, an integral piece within her ineffable plan, then we have issue.

I have to question why you're attempting to alter my thoughts, my beliefs by converting me to your ways. There are so many of you, with so many differing practices and beliefs. Which alone gives me pause to doubt, at the very least, that you're worshiping the right god in the right way. Which in turn inspires doubt that there is a god. I suppose the difference is, you focus on the commonalities, but I would suggest, that only makes god and religion banal concepts.

I have to wonder, too, if there is a god, of whose plan we are all part, why you see fit to tinker in it. A mortal, a sinful creature of limited capacity. Can you really know god's will? You shrug pain and suffering off as unfortunately necessary but ultimately mysterious parts of the plan, while claiming that you know the plan well enough to know that I need to believe and behave as you do, because it is in the plan for me to do so, altho I may have freewill in the matter and my atheism may, in fact, be part of the plan.

I think, the god I could believe in, would care more about my character ─ that I am fair, just, rational, skeptical, compassionate, actively living, pursuing some purpose, experiencing the marvels of creation, and enjoying this life and this world which was created for us, than that I worship the correct way or even that I simply believe.

This is an essential fact, I believe you've missed: appreciating and embracing life celebrates your god's creation and thereby your god, more than the platitudes of prayer or prostrations of faith.

As to hell and heaven. If hell exists, the schizophrenic-tyrant god is the God and I would prefer the freedom of hell. If the god of love and compassionate-understanding is the God, I will have my place in heaven, because I will have lived a good and just life, I will have been marveled and humbled by all that exists and all that I have experienced. God being omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent would know the truth of my soul and being a god of love and compassionate-understanding, could not deny me entry for my atheism. This last god then, is not your god, but a product of my mind.

We end with the truth. I am an atheist. I am content with naturalistic explanations for existence, while my morality is defined by beneficence, liberty and equality. I have read your bible; I could defend my atheism from scripture. I could defend my atheism from scientific literature. I do not write in order to dismiss you or your belief, but share my perspective and hopefully foster understanding.

Review: The Invention of Lying

The Invention of Lying has the feel of a British comedy, led by Ricky Gervais but supported by an altogether American cast. Perhaps because Gervais was co-writer & director, the supporting actors somehow have a fish-out-water feel, meanwhile the lone Brit is the only character that seems solid within the movie's alternate reality.

Within that reality, the human race lacks the ability for creative abstraction- lying. Most strikingly, this means there's no religion and no concept of fiction. That's as far as the concept is taken, because ultimately, the film isn't about our ability to imagine or tell lies. Taken to a fully literal and logical end, you'd have to wonder at the fact the human race was able to spread and develop to the same technological level we have, without the ability to first imagine something that doesn't presently exist.

Atheist Blogroll and the Scarlet Letter

Image via Wikipedia

My Blog, "Figuring it Out," has been added to The Atheist Blogroll. You can see the blogroll in my sidebar. The Atheist blogroll is a community building service provided free of charge to Atheist bloggers from around the world. If you would like to join, visit Mojoey at Deep Thoughts for more information.


Ahem... Canned intro out of the way, here's why I've joined the Atheist Blogroll and added the scarlet A to my blog. My reasoning all comes down to 2 words, community and awareness. In Babylon 5, the point is made that humanities strength comes from the fact we build communities- the concept seems trite and high-minded, but there is some truth in it.

Atheists are perceived as interlopers within our predominantly christian, typically religious society. Even by non-theists, including agnostics, atheism is seen as a defect of character- the conceit of pride. We are, in many ways, shunned from participating within our communities. To be an atheist in America, is to live closeted, pandering to christian ideologies.

I see 2 ways through this, not mutually exclusive. The first is to establish our own communities. I'm not referring to the trend of "atheist churches," or somewhere establishing an atheist state/nation. No, an atheist community should exist, primarily as an academic community. Atheism is, after-all, an incidental trait, a by-product of healthy scepticism, not a defining characteristic of our being. The second is to spread awareness of atheism and who exactly these atheists are- to become a ubiquitous group within our existing communities, so that it becomes acceptable, if not common, to live a rational life.

Joining the blogroll, is part of my effort to join that community, on the web. Linking to the both the blogroll and Richard Dawkins' Out Campaign are part of my efforts to spread awareness.

Skepticism

How can one know what to believe? What is truth? What is reality? The fact is, we take a lot on faith. We accept a lot, simply because it's common, maybe even mundane within our experience, and it's safe within that familiarity. But, we also choose what to believe (I think more typically) by rejecting that which runs counter to our expectations or experiences. Ideologies, philosophies, foods, memes, brands, people, etc. etc. are all rejected, because they're alien entities within our framework of the familiar.

It takes effort to move beyond rejecting that which runs counter to expectation. Skepticism is required and unfortunately, I don't believe skepticism is an innate human trait. Rather, it must be cultivated in children. Practiced and honed by the individual.

Not a part of the plan

This wasn't part of the plan. I stood up, alone in a white walled room, maybe 25 feet square. The only apparent exit was a square opening, far above my head; light entered through it. Perhaps daylight, if so, I'd been in the white room for at least 12 hours.

I considered myself. I was hungry and thirsty, not starved or dehydrated, it was just time for a meal. Although, there was a medicine aftertaste lingering on the back of my tongue, a slightly metallic taste when I licked my lips. Maybe, I'd been fed and drugged. Maybe it had been a daily event, for weeks or longer. Within the White Room, there was nothing to mark time.

Essay: The God I'd Believe In

For this essay, I've expounded on the themes in the last story I posted.  It's tempting, as an author, to keep my personal beliefs private, thereby leaving my writing open to interpretation.  However, there's also merit in intellectual honesty.  People will find their own meanings regardless, that's just how language works, particularly in it's written form.

I came to atheism thru Christianity and a flirtation with Buddhism. Altho it's perfectly accurate, there is a fundamental flaw in that statement, which might undermine my arguments if I don't point it out. This flaw being, that it appears I've put atheism on the same plain as religion, when Naturalism is the equal of religion.

Still, it was Christianity and Buddhism that led me to atheism, which in turn led me to Naturalism. This is more than quibbling over semantics, Naturalism is a belief in a natural origin of the universe and life; it is the foundation of scientific thought. Atheism is a stance on a si
ngle subject (god) which does not address the fundamental of the universe and does not eliminate spiritual or supernatural perspectives on reality. And I, personally, wrestled with concepts of god, before I gave in to a Naturalistic perspective.

The God I'd Believe In

The day I met the Angel, was altogether unremarkable. Breezy & warm while I had been at work, all that giving way to a calm chill and the freedom of evening. It was too nice to stay in, a quick stop at home to change into me, then I was out for the evening. I rode my bike downtown, local coffee shop, town's favorite and mine, a band was playing, standing room only. So, I got a tea to go, Darjeeling.

On the way out, I recognized a face, no name came to mind, I gave a half-smiling nod.

“Hey,” she waved, “can I bum a cigarette?”