Thanks To The Internet

      I remember before there was such a thing as the internet....back when kids played outside during summer..and fall...and winter.  . . ...and spring. I'm not going to say those were better times for a couple reasons. The first reason is because it makes me sound old, The second reason is because they weren't necessarily better, they were just different. So I grew up without the internet, using 'the long way' to do division and 'working it out on paper' whenever algebra wanted me to figure out how fast a truck was going if it traveled 13 times as fast as .36% of the speed of sound while driving in circles on a boat moving at 17 knots.
   Then came....THE INTERNET! Sure the internet was pretty weak when it first came out, but back then it was the shit. BBS or Bulletin Board Systems were the social media and it was all formed from characters and choosing Y, N or 1, 2, or 3.
   As the years have passed things have changed and as I look at the box on my desk which reads "Microsoft MS-DOS Operating System Version 4.01" I thought it would be fun to list some of the things that have been great and not so great about the internet.


    Porn- I never dreamed while I checked out the porn mags in my parents garage that one day the same kind of smut would be so widespread. Now it can be found in literally every room of the house. The Adult Bookstore down the street used to be like an Egyptian tomb only instead of clumsy drawings of cats people and bugs there were videos of women using every orifice they had to practice sex. And there were some with men doing the same thing! If you wanted to watch some woman get it on with a donkey a midget and a lava lamp (don't ask) you had to drive down to the adult book store and either rent a VHS tape at $8 a day ($10 a day if it was returned late)  drive all the way back home and watch a crappy quality tape(it probably had 5000 plays on it) and hope you didn't get herpes from touching the box. Or you could buy the tape for $296.00   These days? You can watch that shit on a laptop in the kitchen while you make hamburger helper dinner for the family !! Not that I would suggest you do so, but you could.       
Porn is everywhere on the internet and if you have half a brain you can get all the smut you want for free. you can even watch a person get naked in real time from half-way around the world!
  As for the adult book store, now they line the walls with a vast assortment of vibrators, dildos, something called a pocket pussy ( why you would keep a cat in your pocket in beyond me) and blow-up dolls. There are a few DVDs for sale in displays in the center of the store but they have been there a while. NOTE: I don't know about the bookstore from firsthand knowledge, I hardly even know where it is.

    Music- After being ripped off for years by the music industry we finally have our revenge by way of the internet. It is sad that some musicians got caught in the cross fire (not you metallica, you suck and its amazing anyone wants to listen to your music these days, even for free) They reality is, the music industry could have kept most people from stealing music if they had really been interested in what the customer wanted instead of what they wanted from the customer. They didn't so war was declared on them, they lost bad, and the musicians got caught in the cross-fire. Collateral damage...let's take a moment of silence...............ok next!

    Knowledge Base-The vast array of information available on any subject you could imagine and a billion others you never could. I'm not even kidding about this one. The knowledge available is mind-boggling. No more will people need too buy those 'World Book Encyclopedia'  sets that took up so much space it had to double as a guest bed. Now it's peck, peck, peck, click. The world at your fingertips

    Reunions-Getting in touch with old friends. It's been awesome being able to find those people you never would have seen again if it wasn't for the power of the internet. When you think about the number of marriages that have been broken up because of finding an 'old flame' it really gives you an example of the power of the net. And we never would have had the chance to meet with our old buddies for beers and adding them to facebook only to end up blocking them because they were just as annoying/stupid/crazy as ever if it were not for the good old internet.

     Email- No more writing letters. I hated writing letters, it sucked. My handwriting looks like somebody's last will and testament that they wrote 15 minutes after they died. It's bad and I have never been able to care enough to improve it. One time I wrote a letter excusing my kid from school and the cops came to my house asking why in my letter I was threatening the principal in french. Now it's peck,peck,peck,peck and click send. Now it's painfully easy to get the cops to come over and ask me questions about valid threats in emails.
    Customer Complaints- Have you ever bought a chocolate bar, opened it and found the chocolate to be covered in a white dust powder? I think that happens because the candy has sat around so long that enough dust particles have been able to penetrate the wrapper to make it a dust covered health threat. They have that number on the wrapper  to call and complain but most people don't have the balls to make that call. They have the address so you can write and complain but that means getting a reply and maybe a coupon for a free candy bar which will have arrived about 10 years after you reach retirement age.
               I bought some Oreos the other day. The quality was for shit (another blog on that coming up) so I went to the website listed on the package and let those Oreo con-artists have a piece of my mind. I got a coupon for free cookies mere weeks later. I bought a California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizza from the store. It tasted like I had drawn a pizza on some old dirty, dusty cardboard put it in the microwave for 4 minutes and put it in my mouth. What did I do? I went to the website. What did I get? A free coupon for the same shitty pizza. Sure, not the best remedy but at least there was a nice letter from the company saying they would look into the concerns I had.

    Public Comment- Now everybody and their mother has a facebook page, including companies and even network news programs. The other morning on ABC overnight news one of the anchors said something that I thought was unfair and irresponsible. What did I do? I looked up the facebook page for the show, clicked 'like' and posted a sarcastic yet insightful comment about his statement. The next day he had replied to my comment. His reply was weak so I sent him a private message explaining why what he had said was unfair and explained that even though I found him entertaining I couldn't let that pass. Today a bunch of news vans parked along the freeway caused a traffic back-up. I went to the facebook page for the news program and left a thanks for nothing comment for them. Never in the history of mankind have we been able to bitch and complain directly to the source of our discontent like we can due to the internet.


    Radio Broadcasting/Podcasting & Blogging- The number of people I have reached with my big mouth and pecking fingers amazes me. Thanks to the all-knowing internet someone who wouldn't have ever known I existed before can listen to my radio show and send me an email about what they think of it. Just like the last email I got, it said- Your show is far to long Why do you have people on your show when they don't have a radio voice. I have tried to listen to your show several times but you don't stay on the subject. Can't you do a more professional show? Yep, never before could I have had the chance to entertain people like that.
      Blogging has given anyone who has a keyboard the perfect way to say any kind of crazy made-up crap they want and put it on display for the world to read and comment on. It has also given some very good writers a way of offering their articles and stories so that those who would never had the chance can read them.

And here is the list of not so good things about the internet
    SEE ABOVE & Kiddie Porn

Peter Popoff- The Profit

My newest friend Peter Popoff has sent yet another envelope. And wouldn't you know it, he wants to help me some more. I don't know why,out of all the people who really need help, Peter has latched on to me. 
  And I don't know how but Peter seems to know things about me that I was not aware of. One of which would have the effect of scaring the livin shit out of me if I was a believer. What is the one worst thing here on earth? What is it that religious people place blame on when something happens that is so terrible, so ugly, so sad and evil that god couldn't have possibly made it, done it, or supported it? That's right  SATAN! 
  I bet some of you suspected what Peter Popoff knows for a fact....SATAN is opposing me. That's right, SATAN is causing me some real demonic opposition. You naysayers can READ IT IN THE LETTER. On page one Peter lets the cat out of the bag. I almost fainted when I read it. This would explain why, when I make cookies they always burn, and why it's always so damn hot in this house! The flies I thought were getting in because I don't have a screen door? I was wrong...SATAN brought 'em.
 The mixture of relief from finally knowing the reasons all these things happen mixed with the terror of knowing that I had bought those fly strips for nothing and I dropped the letter to the floor, too weak to grasp it any longer....
   When I had recovered my strength I bent to pick up the message and saw something had come out from between the pages. It was what Peter called The Aaron's Breastplate Medallion. Luckily for me god had reminded Peter to send it. From what I understand Peter had the medallion in his office for me beforehand. The thought of Peter Popoff taking time from his busy, busy day of meeting with god and praying to pick up small gifts for me brought a little tear to my eye.
  I guess the Aaron's Medallion is pretty damn special cause Peter goes on about it for some time and includes a chart to help explain what kind of assistance I can expect from it.
  According to Peter my worries about SATAN  are for nothing. My new good friend has my back. Not only that but 12 miracles are going to happen to me in the next 4 months!
  A thought occurs to me...my life is much more dramatic and exciting than I realized. I thought my life was pretty much normal but all kinds of strange, exciting and scary stuff is going on at my house. Thank god, or whoever Peter had brought this fact to my attention I may have slept through it all.
 Peter goes on for a few pages, and to be honest, he is kinda a buzz killer talking so much and repeating himself most of the time.

Aaron's Breastplate Medallion- Couldn't be to good at protecting from the occasional sword thrust. It is made of paper..guess that's enough to stop Satan though.

Chart that explains something....I'm not sure what but god is involved so it must be important.

Finally I reach the end where another incredible fact is presented. PETER POPOFF IS ALSO A PROPHET!! Wow could I get any more lucky in finding a friend with the endless abilities Peter has? I think not.
  My high is suddenly squashed, like a teenage pot head whose mom just took away all his chips. Peter needs $28.29 or $56.58 in order to get rid of SATAN and to get god to give me my 12 miracles. Son of a bitch! I just sent my last $3.65 to Peter so he could supernaturally remove all my debts.
 If anyone has any extra cash or change keep me in mind would you? I'm going to go hit up my neighbors for a couple bucks. I know that god's will will help me get the money so that I can send it to Peter to give to god so that that jerk SATAN will go over to my ex-girlfriend's house and I can enjoy my miracles while eating unburned cookies in a cool house with no flies. I know it will happen because I have Peter Popoff backing me up and he's a profit!

Peter Popoff- God's LoanShark

Got debts? Do you owe money to someone? Can't figure out how to out from under that mortgage payment? Would you try ANYTHING to relieve yourself from those damn bills?

 Well some people will. And other people, like Peter Popoff, will do about anything to help pay their bills too. Anything in this case includes ripping off people who can afford it the least.

  As the television murmured in the background I was working at my desk editing a podcast. Suddenly a booming voice came across the room " I HAVE BEEN ANOINTED BY GOD TO RELIEVE YOUR DEBTS SSUUPPEERRNNAATTUURRAALLYYYYYY!!!" 

  I jumped and was instantly pissed off, what the hell was that racket? Looking at the TV I watched as Peter Popoff spoke (and yelled) at a lady sitting across from him. He was telling her god wanted to release people from their debts, he knew this because god had told him. I vaguely knew of Peter Popoff. I had heard about James Randi giving him a quick hard kick in the pants on the Tonight Show. Other than that I hadn't seen anything of him, until now. 

 On the screen the shot had changed to a line of people taking turns holding a microphone. If I had to guess I would say about 90% were African Americans, the other 10% made up of various other races. 95% were women. 

  They took turns walking up and telling their story of how god had eliminated the bills which had been piling up around them. Every person who stepped up to speak had an incredible story of some kind. One lady was about to lose her home but she had got a check in the mail for exactly the amount needed to keep her home just in time to avoid foreclosure. Another had finally managed to find a job but her car had broken down. Without the car she wouldn't be able to take the job...but wait.....YES! A check had come to her also. The amount was enough to pay for the car repairs. THANK GOD!!! 

  I watched and the more I watched the more sickening the whole ordeal became. Peter would come on and stare into your eyes promising the love of god would solve your money problems. It was as if he was staring at his prom date telling her whatever was needed to get his hand up her dress.

 Quite a number of people were giving testimonials. I watched closely to see if there was any indication they were not being honest, I didn't see anything obvious, but that didn't mean a whole lot.

  This back and forth between Peter Popoff and the people who had taken god's money to pay bills went on for about 45 minutes. Occasionally a booming voice would cut in and tell you how to get your own bills paid by god.

 I figured what the hell. I was curious exactly what it was that Peter Popoff was up to. I went to the website and applied for a windfall of cash from god himself , then I made a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. I ate the sandwich while I waited for my new friend Peter to use his connections and relieve me from debt. 

  About a week and a half later I got a envelope from Peter Popoff. I scanned the contents so you can see what it contained with out being put on Peter Popoff's  mailing list. Some of the pages were too long for my scanner but you should be able to get a pretty clear picture of what is going on.-

Atheist......Christian

    I have been having what a lot of you would consider a typical discussion with a christian.  Since there must be at least a few readers who have not had this type of interaction I thought maybe posting the conversation thread would be an interesting read. So, here it is. As the conversation continues, the blog will grow. When it becomes redundant, abusive, or boring, it will end. 

 The christian posts will be orange. My replies will be in blue and narrative in black.

It's been appointed for a man, once to die and then the judgement. Heb 9:27. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Mat 6:27 and more and more if I were to go into the psalms and proverbs. It's tragic in the sense that death always seems to take most by surprise. But it never takes God by surprise, because it was appointed, it's always appointed. There are no accidents or coincidences where God is concerned. If they were Christians, they are rejoicing in Heaven. Paul tells us in the scriptures that "to live is Christ, to die is gain". This is not supposed to be your best life now...if it was, what would there be to hope for?

The first thing I'd like to know is why you can't just answer me like a human being.
Now ...did I say anything about the quality of their life? No I did not.
The second thing is in the blog, but your un-answer covered it.
The issue I have is with the WAY they died. It is amazing you don't even seem to be able to realize the horror those people went through before they fell 317 feet.And what about the people who had to sit and watch? Are you telling me that god couldn't find another way? And it doesn't bother you that the being you want to spend eternity with causes unneeded suffering?
This event is wrong on so many levels for you to just shrug your shoulders and not at least apply some type of common logic is disturbing.
If you choose to answer me back please try to follow the conversation and not muddle it up with explanations to things that were never in question. I find it both annoying and unproductive. The subject is complicated enough already.
Allow me to ask you a direct question. What if they were Atheists? Where do you think they would be now,or is that one of those things only god knows?

Reap,

You ask me a direct question, I'll provide you a direct answer. God has established his moral law for his people to obey. Since he is God, he alone is right in deciding their fate, which for some will be heaven, and for some will be hell. SO - in rejecting God's law, we reject God himself. So - my answer is that anyone who rejects God and his moral laws will be punished. But the real question is, why would anyone who rejected God, want to spend eternity with him anyway?

   Yes, that is the real question. My answer would be- I don't. I am good with my morals. My mindset makes the world more tolerant of people. I accept people for who they are, as long as what they do does not cause harm to others or themselves. My definition of harm is not provided by a text written 2000 years ago when life was NOTHING like it is today. Haven't you ever wondered why god wouldn't come to us today in a way people could not dismiss? 

  Obviously more and more people are coming to the conclusion that the god of the bible does not exist. Now would be a great time for god to provide some guidance, yet he does not. Why is that? He has done it before? And if everything is already destined to happen because god planned it out what is the point in living at all? If that is true our lives are meaningless and if everyone truley believed that then the world would be a much more 'evil' place. 

   You are a intelligent person (most of the time) It troubles me that you do not continue to learn about all aspects of the world not just the bible but science and other cultures/beliefs. To say god will only accept Christians is just stupid. Think mabout how many people lived before Christianity even existed. Wouldn't god have AT LEAST told human he existed right from the beginning? The Adam and Eve thing does not fly. That would mean humanity was born of incest.
   Your beliefs are not fair to others. Your beliefs hurt other people and effect their quality of life negatively. People have lived and died in sorrow not because "this life was not meant to be good" it is because people like you caused it to be bad all because of your egotistical attitude. You judge people. Your statement saying "if they were Christians they are in heaven" is passing judgment on everyone. You are not that good, sorry.       

  Your excitement at spending all of eternity with the god you describe reminds me of the kids in school who would hang out with the gang members because it was the safest thing. They didn't get beat up and they did whatever they wanted to the other kids. They made fun of fat kids or any others who were different, stole from lockers and anyone who wasn't part of the gang was less of a person. I never became part of that crowd. I helped the kid who just got beat up by them get up.
   If you think hurting other people while they are on this earth because they don't follow your interpretation of what you think 'god's morals' are is right and just, then that speaks to the kind of person you are. If you are comfortable with that, fine. I could never be that kind of person I don't like to see others suffer.
    Read the blog again Joshua I related my feelings best I could.
Your god will have me burn forever as punishment. Keep that in mind while you are enjoying heaven will you please?

You say you have morals. Logically describe where they came from. Logically describe who decides that they are correct, or universally more advanced than anyone else's. Then consider your use of the word 'fair'. You say my views aren't fair. Logically, what is fair? Who decides fair? Was it fair your child has a disability? Was if fair that you do not have a disability? All the things you describe are rooted in moral relatavism and humanistic argument with no absolute standard of justice or fairness. that's not a value judgement, just an observation using logic. If you can't prove that your morals are absolute, or that they have an absolute, universal standard, it cannot be said that they are moral. To be moral, by definition is to not be relative...Reap...I've not even started talking about the Bible. These are just logic errors that we all have before we become aware of who God really is...I had them, just like you do. I've said alot of the same words as you. Your thoughts?

What about gay people? What about thinking that only christians are going to heaven? Joshua do you understand that when you say things like 'only christians are going to be saved' you have indicated that christians are somehow above everyone else.Even if you don't treat non-christians any different the possibility that others who think like you will is very high. Non-christians are lesser and the lesser class historically does not fair well.
My morals come from my parents (who were not religious) and from the little voice in my head. I am pretty good at putting myself into another person's shoes so I can better understand how and why they feel a certain way.
My son's disability is not 'fair' it seems he should have had the chance to live a full life and I should have been able to better share our lives. That is how life works. I can do nothing about the circumstances. I can however do my best to make sure others treat him fairly and do not take advantage of his condition or use it to treat him with less respect than they would other people. There is a huge difference between what fair is and how we can have an effect on it.
No I can not prove my morals are right. All I can do is observe the results of treating people in a way I consider morally correct. The vast majority of the time my interactions with others are positive. If I were to play out the same scenario instead using the morals of some (not you necessarily) religious believers, the results would be different and one party would not leave the exchange happy. I have watched a thousand times as a person's religious beliefs cause discrimination against another group. I would agree to say whether anyone's morals are absolute in any way is impossible. If you pay attention then you can tell if one way causes people to be treated in a more 'fair' way than another.

      Reap, this is exactly the point. Try to listen carefully to what you just said. "I cannot prove my morals are right, true or correct. I use a subjective measure 'the voice in my head' and training 'my parents' to prove that my choices are correct. Furthermore, I feel enabled to judge others based on those perceptions when they infract my relative moral law IE: religious people discriminating against non-religious people". I'm not putting anything into that, or putting a value judgement on that. I'm just briefing back to you, using non-emotional logic, what YOU just said. SO - the point would be, why is your subjective means of moral adherence superior to an objective one? Is that possible? 

   You think in terms of right and wrong, fair and unfair...I tell you plainly, you cannot objectively determine either! I'm not saying you're wrong in all cases, I'm simply saying that by manner of reason and logic you cannot presume superiority or accuracy in your judgements because you have nothing but your 'feelings' to base them on. Frankly...I feel different...we can't both be right....can we? How would one come to the end of that dispute on a matter as important as life and death?

    Joshua, this is where YOU need to listen closely. You base your life and the way you treat others on the belief in a being that behaves in a manner which even you would describe as insane if it were a person. And yes I behave in a way that I feel is correct because I can directly observe what effect my actions have on others and the world. I think the results are positive because people are not being told what comes natural to them is wrong and/or evil and they are treated with the same consideration no matter how different from me they are.

    We come back to how your beliefs effect others. If you are happy with the results and think people react positively to the manner in which you treat them, then there you go.

Now before we go any further would you please tell me your opinion on gay people? Are they going to hell and should they be entitled to the same treatment as anyone else?

     RE: Gay people. I don't see any reason to discriminate against any person for any reason. Of course, this assumes that all characteristics of people are proven to be innate and not behavior choices. For example, I think I have every right and will vehemently discriminate against theives and robbers from entering my home and nor do I think myself less of a person for doing so. I suspect you would agree. Yet If science can PROVE that a sexual persuasion is genetic, then when will it be proven that sex with boys and little girls, or animals, or dead people is also, genetic and not a choice? 

   This of course will seem preposterous to you, since you judge those behaviors as choices, but homo and heterosexuality as not choices, and sex with little kids as definitely choices. Regarding how I "treat" people. I help anyone in need. I will give money, lend my time and offer my ear to anyone. I will love my brother as myself. And I will love my enemies and pray for them. To do anything different is to not be a Christian. You've seen many forms of false christianity. Many of your claims are against those people...and not me.. This is of course my opinion. Does that help?

I'm curious - why do you care if gay people or any other person is going to hell? I thought you didn't believe in God or hell, or absolutes?

  Ok, last question 1st.

     I do not believe in hell, my curiosity is about your opinion,not for my own doubts. You still have not answered whether you think gays will go to hell and I have asked you a couple times now.

I find your view on gays strange. Doesn't the bible say that homosexuality is a sin? Slavery is also ok if I remember correctly,right?

   As to behavior and the brain. I'm not sure most extreme behavior can be attributed to choices. Can a man who gets pleasure from killing people be considered evil? Not if his condition is a result of chemical imbalances or brain injury. As a society we must of course hold him accountable for his actions but we know that some behaviors are a result of differences from 'normal' brain functions.

    This is exactly what I am talking about why would a god seem to use us as playthings? This brings to mind another question. Why would god give us, say around 80 years (if your lucky) to learn about him, accept him, and follow his rules when there is no way anyone can know for sure what belief is correct? I mean when the rules are not fair, the playing field not level then sometimes those who have done their best will still lose.

I guess we have come to the point where this conversation is no longer useful.

I was about to ask you why you do not apply the same logic you do to your everyday life to your religious beliefs. I expect you will answer that god is above that type of consideration. To that logic I can not argue because it is impossible to reason with an unreasonable person.

I know you are very secure in your faith. Take a look around at the tremendous suffering put on people everyday. Think about the children with cancer who are going to die only after they go though horrible treatments and pain. Babies who are born only to die, the only memory they take from this world is one of suffering and sadness. Not to mention the sorrow felt at the loss by the living. If god were real and would allow that to go on it is a sick sadistic thing. I think the fact that it goes on and on day after day is because that is the way it is.

If you are a christian then you must follow the bible. If you do not follow the bible you are not christian. No where in the bible does it say "Read this and change whatever parts you like to mean the opposite"?

A query for the faithful

   Life is strange to say the least. My last blog was questioning whether god was really watching over us until we landed on the game-board space labeled 'that's it for you!'
 I listen/watch/read at least some of the news every day. Today a story came over the radio. I was involved in putting down some bathroom tile at work so I didn't hear the whole story. "Searching waterfall for missing hikers" was what I did hear, this seemed a bit odd. what were the hikers doing ? Were they hiding in a waterfall? I continued my tile job......
  A bit later the story was repeated. Listening to the news so often, where most of the news is bad, I know calluses have formed on some of my brain cells. Often horrible stories are considered, then served with a deep sigh and a shake of the head, life goes on.
   This is what I heard today
 A group of friends are at Yosemite. The heavy snowfall has made for incredible run-off and waterfalls this season. The friends gather with no worries of school or work, those burdens cast off and replaced with summer freedom. As will sometimes happen when friends gather, a feeling of immortality runs alongside them. The friends see that some other vacationers have crossed over the barriers. A man and his 2 children are laughing and taking pictures in the fast moving water.  If a father and two kids can do it why not them? While laughing and posing for pictures, a girl slips on a rock and falls in the water," Her friend, grabs her hand, then he slips and falls in too. He reaches behind him and tries to grab something. A witness describes his eyes as wide and aware the circumstances are not in his favor. The pair do not find anything to stop them. Another of the friends goes to help the pair, he too is swept in by the uncaring water. The couple are holding each other as they go over the edge of the falls. A woman runs screaming along the shore as the 3rd immortal vacationer is also pushed over the 317 foot edge.
  Yosemite is quite busy this time of year and a large group of people who also thought they had left behind the most negative things about life watch as the scene plays out.
  After the accident one man was quoted as saying "Right as they went off the edge I grabbed the girl I was with, covered her eyes and called 911.The fear of death in a man's face as he is about to die is not something I've ever seen before and I don't want to see again. Not just that family was damaged, but all of us who had to watch those people die are damaged."

  I didn't make this story up the account I have given you is from the people who saw 3 friends,  Ramina Badal, 21, a nursing student at the University of San Francisco, Ninos Yacoub, 27, of Turlock (clinging to each other as they were carried over) and Hormiz David, 22, of Modesto, after reaching for them and slipping himself, swept over the edge.

  I have seen the comments from many people. Some reacting with anger at the irresponsible behavior. Some making the mandatory 'Darwin'  comment, something I have done many times myself.
 Something about this story got past the calluses in my brain. A wave of sadness washed over me as the scene played out in my head. Most likely because I had just been considering the fact that god isn't watching over us.
  The story of 3 friends who were swept away from the rest of their lives on a warm sunny summer afternoon won't have much effect on most of the people who hear it. But should it?
   I wonder if the people who justify the 317 foot fall by calling the friends stupid have ever been just as stupid under different circumstances....I wonder if the ones who chuckle as the name Darwin burts out of their mouth really have a good grasp on what 'survival of the fittest' really means. And I also wonder how many people who believe god is watching over them consider the fact god was watching over those people too.
  I'm going to send a link to this blog along to a few of the religious people I know and ask them to share whether a story like this has any effect on their faith.
I don't mean to put them on the spot but I would like to hear the process they use when something like this comes to their attention. I would invite any readers to do the same. 

  Put yourself in the same position as those people for a moment. Imagine traveling towards certain death clutching the person you love most 2 minutes after you were making faces at a camera so you could relive the memory again and again with a fond smile on your face. Or imagine watching your friends die as you do the same cold and alone. For anyone who believes in a creator who takes an active part in our lives how can this possibly have any divine purpose? Let's not forget the 175 or so people(including children I would assume) who got to watch, what about them?
  Will it be blamed on satan? Do we have to overlook the way those people must have felt as they were washed away and keep our faith even though the cold hard truth is we all will be washed over a waterfall of some type eventually, as god watches. Is the way this makes no sense if god is defined as the believer would have us believe something we should overlook completely? Or maybe the why is none of our damn business.

  Even as I type this the story is told again in the background and I hear the talking head say "A preacher who has close ties to the victims says he is praying for a quick recovery of their bodies"
  Then I hear a deep sigh as I shake my head.




UPDATE: As the details become more clear I have learned the 3 people who died  were at the park as part of a church group......... 

god's unplanned plan

    I was listening to some religious programming on the radio today.... Some dude was telling a story about Peter being woke up by an angel and thinking it was a dream...."only it wasn't a dream" the host keeps telling the audience. The radio tells me it was a real angel and as the angel led Peter around doors opened by themselves as well as all kinds of other magical events.
  This all takes place just before Peter is due to be executed and the host starts talking about what he would be doing the night before if he were scheduled to be executed.....He would be praying.
 He would be praying for god to keep watch over him as he does all of us. Yep god watches over us  and protects us from harm because he loves us.....only that isn't exactly true is it? I can't tell you how many times I have heard a preacher or person talking about or asking for god to watch over someone or something in order to keep it safe and sound. And it seems to work.....until it doesn't.
  Add to the list another obviously mistaken perception and an example of religious blinders being worn.
  Now if we think about it god has a 'plan' right? This plan is not meant to be or simply can not be understood by us humans. The reasons for this are also unknown, to the best of my knowledge.
  So god knows when we are gonna bite it, but until then he watches over us to make sure we don't get killed or some event doesn't occur that would interfere with his plan? It's his plan, how could it be altered? And if it could be altered what force could be strong enough to alter it? I know religious believers would tell me I have answered this question already when I described god's plan as unknowable by us but COME ON!
  If you are a person who is religious allow me to share one small thing with you... I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN THINK THIS WAY AND STILL FUNCTION IN SOCIETY.
  I know that all believers are not complete idiots. I know it for a fact. The majority of the people I enjoy talking to or have respect for also have various degrees of belief in a god who can or does take an active role in people's day to day lives. But, as I said above, the disconnect between the logic they use in day to day life and the logic applied to religious belief is huge.
  I won't proclaim to have all the answers. I  don't, and I am well aware of that despite the fact SOME people say I am not. But I do have some of the answers. And from those answers I see nothing that would compel me to think there is a force watching over me judging my actions. A force that expects me to figure out the correct manner to live my life from a book that has been fucked with by so many men it reads as though it has some type VD that has driven it insane.
  This disease has progressed to far. The humane thing to do would be to provide a quick death using the best technology science can provide.

Miss Idiot

   Ladies and gentlemen !!! Step right up and experience something that will leave you trembling in terror. The need to run as far and fast as you can will wash over you like a tidal wave,alas there is no escape it spans the nation.
  Get ready for the scariest thing you've seen all day....

Miss USA answers question- Should evolution be taught in schools?

I could write an hour about why almost all these women are not the brightest bulbs in the chandelier and it would only scratch the surface.
  I will limit myself to the top two things which bug me.
 1) Evolution is constantly equated to religion. Evolution IS NOT A RELIGION OR RELIGIOUS BELIEF
 2) You can't teach 'EVERYTHING' in school, and even if you could, that does not mean you should.

I'd like to thank Miss California for not making us look like a bunch of stupid twits. 

Bat-Shit Bachmann

Just in case anyone was considering supporting Michelle 'bat-shit crazy' Bachmann for the next president.....I thought maybe after watching this video you would change your mind. If you still would like to see her become the next president follow these instructions please-
1) Go to the phone
2) Dial 911
3) Report yourself as brain-dead and unresponsive.
Thank You.

Does This Donation Make My Atheist Look Good?

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF BEND, OREGON
Located in Central Oregon at the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Bend is an energetic city with a growing population of over 76,600. Bend is noted for its scenic setting, year-round recreational activities and growing economy. At an elevation of 3,625 feet, the city covers 32 square miles.

     
    In other words, they say "Bend is blah". Some of you may enjoy it but I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about the teenagers.  Having been a teenager at one time I can recall doing some things that would possibly have made the national news on numerous occasions if they were to be done today. My past idiotic behavior does give me some insight into things sometimes. 

  The Friendly Atheist posted a blog about a church that had been vandalized You can read his blog here.  

Please note: this is in no way indicating I think the Friendly Atheist blog sucks or have a problem with him in any way. This is an opinion formed from the response to his blog. That's all

     In his blog you find a call to arms asking for people to donate. It has a widget showing $1955.00 had been donated at the time of this posting. Readers are encouraged to post the widget on their web sites. The first, the VERY FIRST comment is from a painter  

"Revyloution Says:

June 14th, 2011 at 10:28 pm I live in this town, and I’m a painting contractor. I sent out an email to the churches as soon as I heard what was happening, volunteering my equipment and time to get this fixed.

I was checking here, Hemant, to send you a note about this. Thanks for being so on top of it!"

     Now that is action, positive action. I think this guy offering his time and equipment is perfect. I mran what more could the church hope for? If the painter would refrain from telling anyone he is an Atheist until his work was done that would be even better. While the congregation was thanking him he could say  "Yea, some say I'm the best Atheist painter in the area"  

     Maybe someone could call the local paper and tell them about the baby-eater who donated to help the church and the city by removing the work of some punk teens. Wouldn't that have covered it? Church helped- Atheist give lesson in how to  lead by example- City thinks about providing more activities for teens. Everyone wins. 
   Now what? Hmmmm I heard about a church that needs a new roof cause god struck it with a bolt of lightening, let's help them now!

     A lot of people seem to not have a problem with giving money to the church and if they wish to do that,  fine. I think it is important to do something showing most Atheists do not condone putting the letters FSM and associated symbols on a church or on any building without permission. A public statement such as this one from Bobby Henderson, 

"Last night, vandals spray-painted “Praise the FSM” and pirate-fish on two Christian churches in Bend, Oregon.

This is not ok. This is counter to everything we stand for and acts like these only set back our cause. I don’t know who did this, but I will try to find out."

   Blogs by Atheists that condemn such actions are a good way of showing how most of us feel.

But IMO that is enough. Now the cause has raised over $1,900. Was the goal to provide enough money for church picnics through the summer too?

   I know this was a well-meaning gesture but there are so many other people who need help and don't feel comfortable going to the church because they are Atheists. The problem is the church is the only place that offers the help they need.  I think we need to do something about that.  As Atheists we can't hope to remove the hold organized religion has on people and not expect to fill the gap that will open if we are to succeed. 

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul 

numbers about 950,000 in some 132 countries worldwide, whose members operate through "conferences". A conference may be based out of a church, community center, school, hospital, etc., and is composed of Catholic volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to help those in need in their community. Non-Catholics may join with the understanding that the society is a Catholic organization.

   
Can Atheists pull something like this off? If the Catholic Church were to go under tomorrow and take the Society of Saint Vincent down with it would non-believers be able to help those in need?

 I got an email in response to the Angry Atheist podcast, it said -

"Why is it if I get beat up by christians I am given help and understanding and kudos, but if I am a long standing atheist who has helped others and given to others for many years, and me and my children are at great risk of losing our lives, we are ignored by the very people who are always screaming for more humane treatment, for helping each other? Read more about it here 

   
   This is not the first time I have heard people saying Atheist don't help people as often as they should considering they generally consider themselves to have more compassion for people than the brainwashing organized religions do.

   Besides the cause above there are other ways to help. Here are a couple of links  for charities that don't force you to read a bible or talk to jesus in order to get help and the problem they address are bigger than some bored teenagers with a can of paint. Now that we've taken care of the tax-exempt church that takes donations constantly from it's members, and wants people to believe god needs their money........let's help somewhere else.

Responsible Charity.

Atheists Helping The Homeless 

 

Economic Cookie Crumbs

I have often joked  that the price people pay for a box of Nilla Wafers is directly related to the current status of our economy. The price is an economic indicator. And although I was just kidding when I thought of it, it's kinda turning out to be more accurate than a lot of other opinions. The 'Nilla Indicator Theory' as I have come to call it does seem to come out on top most often when compared to other supposedly accurate formulas.
   The price of Nilla wafers has been high ever since the last time gas prices went up like a rocket, remember that? Overnight the prices would jump so much that you thought maybe that stop to get fueled up in the morning was just a bad dream soon to be smashed by an equally bad alarm sound. I wondered at that time why no one seemed to see the timing between a downward turn in the economic reports after the rise in gas prices had time to trickle down.
  The price of gas went down enough to appease most people and allow them to get back to worrying about where they were gonna live after foreclosure instead of worrying about how they were gonna manage to drive themselves off a cliff because it was impossible to survive this economic climate.

 At the store I began to see prices like what is shown to the left. The unemployment  rate was dropping in most places, we had killed bin laden, and the Chinese didn't seem interested in repossessing every property they owned here. All we needed to do was get rid of those republican morons and it would be close to utopia.
 Then the gas prices went up again, and again no one said anything. Sure they had some meeting with the oil executives in D.C. but nothing came of that. Big fucking surprise that was. Meanwhile the oil companies were seeing record profits and quietly giggling while trying to say 'supply and demand' out loud without laughing so hard they soiled their own pants.
 Sure enough Nilla wafers have seen a price spike. About 3 weeks after this hike, the news started talking about another stumble in adding jobs and another recession was on it's way.
 This caused me to get excited because my Nilla Indicator Theory was still valid, it also caused me to become a bit depressed. I don't want to live the rest of my life listening to republicans and democrats talk about how I should feel guilty for leaving my grandchildren some bills to pay. If I start to pay those bills down now, it isn't gonna kill them to pay a little too, look at what they are gonna get when  it's all paid off.
  If your parents have a million dollar home (only really worth about $300,000 now) and they have been paying on it for 20 years. Let's say they burst into flames on a nice summer day while standing in the sun too long at the race track. You are left the house on which they still owed $7,809.94. You pay the remainder of the balance and the home is yours. Seems like a good deal to me. 
   In case you didn't know it, there is another thing that has a huge effect on our economy.......us. Our perception of how good/bad the country's economy is doing is what causes the stock market to trend up or down. I in no way can claim to understand all the ins/outs of our system and I know there are other events that do have an obvious effect, but most other factors are a result of unforeseen or unforeseeable events. An earthquake, a housing bubble which was in plain view yet no one saw it, or the incredible greed of the oil companies (should have seen that comin too)
   Kinda reminds me of a puppy chasing it's tail. The puppy can have a good time running around and around as long as it doesn't take the game too serious, after all how serious should you take running in circles? But, if the puppy concentrates and gets mad, determined to catch that fucking tail at any cost then it probably will. The pup will take a snap at it's tail, hard as it can and BAM! The dog will start howling rolling around on the floor in pain. That's us. If we take ourselves too seriously when it comes to polls and news reporters askin random people what they say about how the economy's health looks, we are gonna end up rolling around on the floor. Most of those people are like me....They may have a cool theory with an even cooler name but, at the end of the day, they don't know any more than what they read on a box of cookies in the cupboard.

Up Next......Nabisco Oreos- friend or foe?