The Wonders of Science, or the Wonder of God?

The fact is, the Christian god is a limited deity. By the reasoning of these worshippers, god is a very personal god, one who has no center of calm, who jumps down a person's throat with the swiftness of a major temper, who cannot tolerate any kind of independent thought, whose omnipotence and omniscience is stifled by his own petty jealousy and fear that his adherents will seek out "forbidden" knowledge against his will.

But it's not just the Christian god who holds such limited power--many, many other gods, of one culture or another, seem to have similar shortcomings.

If there were indeed some "deity" that existed, I would never put faith in anything less than the creator of our universe, and any others that might exist. Such a creator would not be confined to planet earth or its environs, but who would continue on its infinite journey, perhaps unaware of who or what it has created along the way.

But it doesn't matter. Whether we choose to believe in something beyond our own borders in the galaxy, the fact remains: science and the knowledge we acquire through it, beats any kind of conscious thought, even if its that of an alleged deity.

Look--there's a rainbow! Beautiful, isn't it? The visible spectrum, fresh and lovely, it shines only after the rain ends, and holds us in its grasp even if it's limited in how long it lasts. Do you feel more awe believing that a god created it, or if there is a scientific explanation for it? Isn't it more hypnotic knowing that it can be repeated, and isn't just a "miracle" that a god created on a whim?

The aurora borealis, a sunset, the green earth, flowers, Grand Canyon, or a tree--the science behind each of these things makes it not only repeatable, but also taken for granted at times. But science knows that all these things, from a rock to a living creature has an origin, and has an explanation for its presence.

There is no hand of god working magic, there is no simple beginning shrouded in mystery. The god is something that ancient cultures created because they could not relate to deeper and more complex origins. If there was a storm, the gods were angry. If someone got killed by lightning, they had been wicked. If someone had "displeased" god, they would end up dying relatively soon.

But there was no science to explain why a storm starts, why lightning strikes, and why someone could have a heart attack, suffer a stroke, die from cancer, or even be pummeled by a brain aneurysm. Medicine was, at that time, and for a long time afterwards, be limited to battlefield first aid, and little else.

I have heard people talking about "god's miracles" and felt uncomfortable thinking someone has more awe of what a gpd might create, than what science has helped to define.

A "fingerprint of god" fills me with less wonder than knowing that I can enjoy something over and over again because I understand how something occurs, and how often I can be assured that it won't be the last time I see that wonder.

Atheism vs. New Atheism

Until a couple of days ago, I had never known that term. But after I heard it, I had to research it. Appears the term relates to the more recent line-up of atheistic writers--Hitchens, Harris, Dawkins and Stenger--and their more aggressive, in-your-face style of trying to discount all religion, and pretty much trying to make those who believe in some element of faith in their lives, and with the intent to tell everyone to grow the fuck up, and get rid of religious practices altogether.

Okay, so I'm an atheist/agnostic. I've been one for years now, and that was something I talked about with few people until I joined FB. And while I despise the radical religious right, the luddites who want to believe that the earth was created 10,000 years ago, who choose to believe mega-church preachers will be welcomed with warmth through the pearly gates, my focus has never been to disarm people of their inherent right to believe in whatever they want to believe, as long as they don't try to make their beliefs the beliefs of a country, try to teach hare-brained ideas to children that cripple their fruitful brains, or harm anyone, I could give a rat's ass as to what someone believes.

I have many friends who worship quietly, without pushing anything on others. And I try to respect that aspect of our freedoms. I find the thought disquieting to be as extreme as the hard religious right, but on the opposite end of the spectrum. I think calling anyone who has religious beliefs to be "off their rocker" (except for those mentioned above) is going way beyond the rules of etiquette and decorum, and is, just incredibly nasty.

A friend of mine once told me that she believed that everyone is here for a reason--everyone's life--or death--is a calling to, as she said, a "higher power." I personally feel she might be right in some ways. For this friend, I know the last seven years of her life were spent with the fervent hope that her terminal illness resulting from sleep apnea could help someone else avoid the problems she had. She used her faith to advocate for an action on the people she met. With some people, they believe their lives are destined to move in one direction, and not another. She never preached her faith, but showed people that her beliefs lead to something good, something she could actually relay to people.

Religion isn't really about who your god is, how to pray to him or her, or even how to follow the faith. It's about interpretation, and how a person views the world as a result of whatever connection they have to others, to themselves, and to their lives. If you believe in a god, and were raised within a belief system, it's one of the ways you practice what you've been taught. Depending on what value system you have, you will learn how to respect others, acknowledge their ideas and ideology, and become a worthy person. But once you begin to believe that you're better than someone else because of your belief system, you end up hurting someone, and you become a person who can't see others for themselves.

New atheism is a crock--a vehicle--as bad as the values of the radical religious right, or as bad as any group that chooses to put themselves first, and others second, and last.

Petulant Pubs need to grow up

While it's been obvious for awhile now, Pugs are babies
I think we need to do a few things in the next month or so to make changes to their behavior.

Johnny B needs a new pacifier to make him stop his bawling all the time.
Little Eric needs to be given a "time out" in the corner to stop his aggression. I think his parents have to take his checkbook away from him so he's not trying to bid against his own country and get away with profiting from it.

Young Michelle B needs to be getting more homework if she can't read the material she is supposed to already know. Pop quizzes might help, but she might have to take summer school. And tell her that it's definitely bad manners when her husband talks out of school about things he hasn't even studied yet.

Miss Sarah P is bullying some of the other kids already. She's going to be in detention for quite some time if she doesn't get in line.

Mitchie M has been caught in a few whopping lies, and he's going to be sent to the principle's office for it. He could be suspended if the principal thinks the charges are grave enough.
Ricky P is another bully. I suggest someone give him a few raps on the knuckles for corporal punishment seeing how eager he is to allow capital punishment.

Little boys and girls like these are not mature enough to be allowed to speak for the country. If we don't punish them for their behavior, I have to wonder what kind of grown-ups they are going to be.

I don't know how these people can pose as adults, seriously. The only problem is how so many of our citizens are just as immature. They aren't falling for it so much as identifying with it.

I think most Americans are emotionally crippled, stuck in their whiny years for the rest of their lives. I think there has to be some punishment for these people, but I'm afraid we would end up with collateral damage on people who are acting like the real adults.