Tag: knowledge

How Much Do You Know?

Seems the less you know the better

In the 80’s Thomas K Landauer conducted a study—and factoring a 70 year life span, how much you learn versus how much you forget versus what one is able to recall, it turns out individually we don’t know very much.

The averaged human has a seemingly unlimited capacity to absorb knowledge, take in their surroundings and memorize bits of interest, but so much we are remembering eventually gets pushed off the end of the tape. And the information we are scanning turns into mere bullet points—fuzzy highlights of the unordinary we encounter any particular day. Our radar typically remembers the anomalies, not the familiar of the daily drive.

What someone was wearing or the details of a boring drive is not recorded sufficiently to know it. We scan for danger—and a typical day goes by without recollection. What day was that anyway? I use to do some fairly high level math—now I can’t understand my own notes. It went away when I left its utility.

The typical belief does not have enough facts to support it. It isn’t just religion either, but flat earthers, round earthers, scientists, politics, etc. This is why the world is enamored in belief—we can’t remember enough to know much of anything. Most belief is habit in the safety of routine. And yes, interpretation is full of conjecture as well.

Turns out at the climax of life the average person knows about 1 gigabyte +\- of information.

That isn’t much. It’s less than a low-end USB thumb drive. You know about $10 worth of digital memory. What we do have in our favor though is our ability to collaborate and share. This is where we get the power to do anything we collectively put our efforts to.

That is what forces us to tolerate each other. Watching the “Alone” series it dawned on me how working and living alone, the foremost experts in the field basically had a competition to see who would starve to death last. Nobody thrived. It takes a village of skill sets and beliefs to thrive.

Remember that post I did about the inverse square law of physics? It was one of my all-time favorites, yet I don’t remember much of what it said. I do remember Dave in the comments. Dissipated Energy

The Pursuit of Ignorance

The pursuit of high quality ignorance

That science has this vast body of knowledge we draw facts from is a misconception. Science is really about promoting ignorance, but good quality ignorance is what we need—of the curious kind

There is a misconception that science has it mostly figured out. That simply is not the case (not oven fractionally close) because every discovery only compounds the number of questions, but that is really the point. If we accept science has arrived at anything, how will we know what questions to ask?

I think we all know what happens to a body of people when they claim to know the final truth. Rooted, stunted, immovable, and waiting for that truth to unfold—is at odds with the nature of everything. True knowledge is temporary and raises more questions than it answers.

Science is currently the best means we have to improve life by focusing on a narrow band of discovery, drawing from a well of facts where there is always another bucket. But to think we know…that would be the a travesty. Discovery generates more ignorance—and this is the type of ignorance that we celebrate, not willful ignorance of belief, but skillful ignorance of curiosity.

Excerpts and photos from this excellent TED by Stuart Firestein—The Pursuit of Ignorance

Aphorisms on Faith

Can mankind transcend the limitations of religious belief?

Faith is an attachment to formative persuasions—an idea anchored by self doubt initiated by that same persuasion.

Faith is being directed into contemplating an idea, simply from hearing the questions.

Faith is pride in self deprecated belief absent of independent thought.

Faith is a solidified by the hormonal response, comforting human insecurity and the propensity to be easily deceived.

Faith is a comforting hope that elevates esteem without intellect.

With faith we build barriers between exaggerated reaction syndrome and acceptance. It allows us to blend rather than confronted with raised eyebrows—A state of beliefing though verbal and superficial physical obeisance. The idea of obedience supplants behavior.

Faith is merely stubborn pride repackaged as a virtue. Thought convictions played on insecurity without substance. Really nothing to fight over, but since beliefs are now the pinnacle of human intellect, challenging belief has become an affront to character.

Faith is a tightly held imagination your hope is true—then defending that right to hope with an argument.

Faith is what you resort to when you can’t reason your beliefs.

Faith is a state of mind that allows mediocrity to supplant achievement.

Faith is the result of fusing human limitations into cultural mediocrity. Since there is nothing a believer can do to un-fall this fallen world. Acquiescence defaults to hope.

Transcending belief mode and its limitations will be the key saving humanity. Faith allows the world to end on hope where action is needed.

By choosing a prearranged faith, dogma substitutes authenticity with platitudes.

Faith in your belief turns hope into intellectual and spiritual starvation.

Faith is the evidenced in human stagnation—clinging to the past and the failure to live in self confidence

Mule stables, Fort Spokane—1880

The Smudge Test—Irreligious Dolphins

Simultaneously the smartest and the dumbest animal—the mediocre humanity

“The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity—William Butler Yeats

Illusory superiority

Each passing modern generation assumes we are the smartest we’ve ever been—the strongest, fastest and most advanced, intelligent civilization ever to grace the little blue dot.

Enter religion

Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies—Nietzsche

In mirror tests with dolphins, each member of the test group was exposed to their reflection. Each dolphin was then later smudged with a sharpie, then reintroduced to the mirror. The dolphins recognized the smudge and gestured in ways of disapproval and attempted removal. Awareness of self, is a sign of high intelligence. Recognizing yourself in the mirror happens at about the same time in humans as dolphins, around 2 years of age.

Had the dolphins been raised with a smudge, their first exposure to reflection would appear normal to them. All the more reason to smudge your kids early with religion. Such early exposures and continued discomfort will reflect as a normal part of life. Attempted removal will be less likely if the subject is unaware that any manipulation has taken place.

“The key to any successful psychological groping is to be certain the victim is unaware (s)he has been manipulated” Jim–

For those that escaped juvenile indoctrination, testimony and select scripture is step two. Assure the subject they are already marked, and without the teaching and acceptance of Jesus they are nothing.

Living It Versus Believing It

Casual observations provide evidence that faith is essential to gospel longevity, while applying the precepts of faith will be its undoing.

Faith in god and the traditions that come with religion creates a powerful testimony and deep convictions that what you believe is true. Many of us believed the gospel message and lived it, then, when bewilderment replaced anticipated joy we began our investigation. We encountered the contradictions and fallacies but continued to embrace the importance of faith to navigate the world with security, hope, and perspective, leading us to ultimate inner peace and joy—we doubled down. Prayers and scripture study became more intense while doubt mounted against our efforts. We lived it and gave our all—then left it because nothing added up to cover the horrors, excuses, vagaries, evidence, contradictions, and failings of prayer.

Reading this week in CS, IB, CT and various others including comments from MW and JB, I had a profound epiphany of sorts—we that lived it with all our devotion wound up leaving, while they continue preaching it’s effectiveness and truth because they have yet to live it. Their strong belief has not field tested the words they speak and write—convincing words and writings that they have heard and read without application. They are virulent and rude, cocky and smug, which is not the gospel at all, whether it’s authentic or not. The hypocrisy and guile of these bloggers is an embarrassment to their faith, and a poor representation of every day Christians that I know. Those “believers without knowledge” that are good people, would be good people even without religion.

  • Good people that believe what they are told, live the gospel well.
  • Good people that live the gospel very well and gain knowledge—leave.
  • Those that profess the truth through faith are the most vile and toxic of them all, and the only reason they still believe it is because they’ve never lived it. It is obvious they only know the words.

Plug and Play Religion

Forget about your natural instincts and curiosities. You don’t need to work anything out in regards to your own spirituality, someone has already figured that out for you, but the choices are limited.

Each person is born unique and curious. Flowers, trees, rocks and streams are all natural wonders to be learned anew to each generation—just watch a toddler play in the dirt, interact with wildlife, pick flowers or gather pinecones. They are fascinated with the newness of life and the natural world, but the first thing everyone religiosos want to do is rush them into a belief system with christenings, baptisms, circumcisions, and blessings before they even know what the hell is going on. Heaven forbid if they would bring their own fresh perspective and possibly add their own inspiring vision of life. Only when they are older can they be loosened and encouraged to think outside the box—the box that has already been closed and tied with a neat bow—a box called conformity, unconsciously hamstringing potential for the rest of their life. The best of the best will continue to forgo their greatest chance for opportunity and learning, not of any choice of their own, but by cunning ignorance of parents and preachers.

In a world where the importance of bloody manners and cultural etiquette are the standard of moral behavior, they continue chipping away at potential breakthroughs because it may be different, or as if those things are morally important, trapping our children in their formative years into becoming believers. Not only in religion, but in society’s systemic conditioning that what lies on the surface is merely to camouflage the real you, and you must wear it at all times in the name of morality. This is the crime of religious influence.

Christian culture is a facade. On the surface is where we are pressed to live, openly displaying who we are not, our lives are spent hiding who we really want to be. Out of constant fear of judgement and prejudice we perjure ourselves and whither inside as the life in us passes by like a dream. Only after learning to conform are we allowed to further education, where the same schools of thought are taught all over the world. Religious diplomas to the ministry keep hammering away with slight variations of the same worn out inscrutability. And the university, the last, great bastion of free thought where 90% of the students and faculty all vote the same way, where in reality there is a third way—a better way. A new system yet to be discovered and embraced because of unwittingly conditioning our children to conform. Only then comes the tried and true standard of learning which continues to elude greatness at every turn. Religion is the pillar of tried and true failure. Our societies are laced tighter than a Victorian corset with religion. After thousands of years of failure I’d say it’s time to move on. But alas, we get plugged into a system the minute we are born and learn through predetermined fear how to live our lives like everyone else.

Buckminster Fuller

Buckminster Fuller impacted my life. I just didn’t know it at the time. Some short lessons — I AM NOW CLOSE TO 88 and I am confident that the only thing important about me is that I am an average healthy human. I am also a living case history of a thoroughly documented, half-century, search-and-research project designed to discover what, if anything, an unknown, moneyless individual, with a dependent wife and newborn child, might be able to do effectively on behalf of all humanity that could not be accomplished by great nations, great religions or private enterprise, no matter how rich or powerfully armed”.

If you’d like more click HERE

“From now on you need never await temporal attestation to your thought. You think the truth. You do not have the right to eliminate yourself. You do not belong to you. You belong to Universe. Your significance will remain forever obscure to you, but you may assume that you are fulfilling your role if you apply yourself to converting your experiences to the highest advantage of others”.

“I live on Earth at present, and I don’t know what I am. I know that I am not a category. I am not a thing—a noun. I seem to be a verb, an evolutionary process—an integral function of the universe.”

God for a Day

My old medic partner won “CEO for the day” contest of a billion dollar company. It got me thinking, what if I could be god? What would I be, and what would I do? Well, I only have one day here every few thousand years. I can’t be everywhere and I’ve got a hundred million galaxies to take care of. I care about my creation and it would be nice to take the best care of it, so I would leave good instructions. Hiding out for no good reason would get pretty old.

The first thing to do, is have my tech guys fix the transmitter. Clear communication to everyone free with online support and a top notch customer service team. I would have a worldwide live news conference and spell out line by line without ambiguity of what was to be expected for civility and fairness and love to all people. This would take about 10 minutes. It would also eliminate the middle man (preachers) but I have something else for them. 🔥 I would not monitor everyone’s sex lives, but warning, the earth is only so big. Easy now. There’s still cause and effect and consequence. Nothing I can do about that. You know who I’m talking to!

Hour number two, food distribution to the hungry. Here goes, “Let there be food to all the hungry”. And it was good. I would end the waiting and answer the prayers that the other guy has been ignoring. I’m not a big fan of prayer anyway, so we’ll add extra support staff that you can actually see and count on, and just have a good life. No more games.

Childhood cancer, and all other cancer and disease…Gone. Poof. I am all powerful, and I don’t see a need to inflict misery on people to prove a point they don’t understand.

I would end animal cruelty and using animals for food. Then I would teach you alternative options to provide safe, heathy and delicious food without having to slaughter everything that moves. They should be able to enjoy their lives too.

I would end pollutive technologies and show you safe alternatives to even cooler stuff.

I would eliminate all taxes and healthcare would be free. I have ways to show you this is totally possible, and actually quite enjoyable. I have ways to look at things you haven’t thought of, so I’d get you up to speed.

Lastly, I would tell the catholic guys they misspelled a word. The word was “CelebRate”. With an R.

It is hard to talk about being god, without using the word “I” a lot. Is this a display of his narcissism, or is it just me?

And as for that question why do all this trouble? It’s just always been this way. I’m no different than you. “If” there was a god, why the game of hide and seek and misery? Why not just be really cool?

Apologist Answer Ratings Chart

Dedicated to those who keep trying, even though they’re wrong.

Loosely interpreted scripture, tightly bound comments, and microfibrical folicular linguistic divisions (hairsplitting) has caused gastro-apologist scientists to develop a groundbreaking new ratings system to analize [sic] the words of apologetics budding superstars.

Macroscopic analysis of answered questions leads scientist to believe only comfort points are ever addressed, while the truly damming portions of obvious facts are left underserved or proctacally [sic] ignored, resembling answers given in diagram seven, where only bits and pieces of even philosophical arguments are allowed to enter the discussion.

While the acclaimed apologists feel like the image type 4, the disparity between feelings and fact are a unique christian problem, where truth rarely comes into play in their belief system, as this Box of bible facts illustrates.

Frequency and regularity have been consistent in the pastors blogging, allowing for continued observation of the stall tactics mentioned. And, as electronic data is easily tracked and difficult to wipe clean, the pastors words are readily available for examination.

Health department officials have recommended the above “full” facility be pumped and renovated into a two-seater to accompany fellow blogger and church spokesman Juan BrainYawn for prolonged verbal consultations.

How are they doing? Your feedback is important to us. Please rate apologists Mel and John using the Wong-Baker pain scale above, 10 being a bad job, and 0 being a good job, and include any helpful tips or comments.

Thrib Nigriv

Thrib Nigriv is the opposite of virgin birth. This is commonly known as copular denial. “I don’t know how this happened, kind of denial. Ketamine induce sexual activity brain altered denial. Denial is a clever way one maintains innocence through excuses and unlikely tales. But it also causes problems. If you give up your virginity before it’s time, remember, your cover story may change the course of history. We don’t need any more of that.

The Second Oldest Profession Is Lying About It

No Wrong, No Doubt

Honesty and Christian apologetics is the fifty first shade of grey. Advancing the lords work requires the utmost skill and knowledge, and serious fudging of the truth from time to time. “I don’t know” is an ok answer, but confirming any personal doubt or lack of knowledge is not the apologist way. No chink in the armor of god can be displayed.

As I can only speak for myself, here is why I immersed myself in apologetics–Doubt, Doubt, Doubt! Doubt is what puts you into apologetics. After many years of innocent faith you investigate below the surface and come to the crossroads of doubt. Next, spend the rest of your life trying to prove you’re not naive and gullible. I spent 20 years reading Qumran, Nag Hammadi, Dead Sea scrolls, and miles of Bible commentary and scripture trying to find proof and validation. I never did. But in Christianity the conversion process is to “believe” before you know the details, then apologetics takes the rest of your life wading through cleverly worded arguments trying to prove yourself right. Faith, them knowledge, then doubt, is the fuel that keeps Christian apologetics alive. And doubt is inevitable when there is no substance but supernatural hearsay.

How to Separate the Facts from the Myths?

Some excellent points from Ark in yesterdays post, and some unanswered questions from Mel, who is not taking a fundamental approach to believing the Bible, such as the Adam and Eve story or Noah’s ark, but we are to believe in the virgin birth and the resurrection. Other than some place names in the Bible that we know exist, how can we determine which is fact and which is fable?

MLK was Right for the Wrong Reasons (maybe)

Martin Luther King said “our scientific power has surpassed our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men”. I was using that as a rally cry to abandon faith, recognizing that faith has been passed for good reason. Faith is a go nowhere stagnation that requires all your devotion for a lifetime of wishing. But King had some noteworthy insights in this short article that are thought provoking and unifying to humanity.

Dr Seggy and I were chatting on a previous post and he had some positive insights about this topic. His sister is literally terrified of the science. He said “I think it is slow (the change) because it’s that important. We can’t undo thousands of years of indoctrination with a few decades of scientific discovery that easily. So we need to work hard at promoting more critical, more logical and scientific thinking and yet be patient still”.

So it’s full speed ahead but with patience. Remember it took nearly 900 years to relinquish the beliefs in the Greek Gods at sometime in the 9th century. Most likely the last of them were converted to monotheism at the Mani Peninsula near Greece. So we have a lot of work to do to transition the religious to science. About 700 more years. We’re still in the pioneering phase. I would even venture a guess that this is just the evolution of the process.

1820 Apostate Memoir

Unknowingly an innocence of my own doing struck calamity to my congregation a fortnight ago. To me it was a most natural of decisions that caused all of the fuss, but to them it was tears of the grandest sobbing heartache. When I no longer believed, it was the only logical conclusion to leave faith behind and make my own way in the world.

Reasons for my departure were no less than two small things that glared an ominous stare into my logic for two score and two years. The first being the inefficacy of prayer, and the other being the ambiguity of the book and the conjecture of the preachers.

How many offered prayers have disappeared into the vastness of space in behalf of me and my kin? How many silent mumblings have I uttered, calling upon god to walk with me and enlighten with his counsel? Hundreds of days I dare say (with a hint of current embarrassment) have distracted me from focusing on other tasks laid before me. Waiting as I did for the almighty to give me a clear hint of inspiration, I’m sure a year or two of days was spent on such matters. And not one time in all my efforts did he make himself known to me. I addressed the issue with my current and former ministers and each encouraged me to continue on, that god’s ways were at best difficult to know, and nearly impossible to understand. I relented. Acquiescence is a terribly wasted life in my opinion as of now, although being the faithful type I did “give in and let God”, as they say. Let god do what, dare you ask? That is a good question and presume at this point you will hear my answer.

At ten minutes per day of prayer and a brief study over 40 years equals 2433 hours. Just a hundred days of my life. But if that were all I would be content. I attended faithful mind you, and also kept the building at times and performed various duties on the lords errand.

Classes to be taught and monies to count and meetings and conferences to attend to. On average I would venture a modest guess at about 7-10 hours per week. Even as a boy there was labor and classes and seminaries to attend. On the low side of 7 hours per week I could safely render an accurate guess of about 806 full days including my morning and evening rituals and not including travel.

And at what point might you expect the lord to show himself in some subtle, fantastic way? Day 807? No. That is the day I had a moment of clarity, skipped meeting and went to the river. It was over. Not one thing had worked as promised, though faithful I had continued all those years. In my mathematical studies I can most frequently determine answers of the most perplexing kind. In religion, no answer given is sufficient to cross the void of truth or evidence. Faith is a manipulative ploy with no end to measure. I will let god proceed and continue what he always favored. Nothing at all. Good day! Jim-TCA

Science Basics, Religion Basics

I could tell you how many times we’ve heard this week that atheists have faith too, but I’d have to re-sift through a mile of apologetic comments to make a count. Contrary to what continues to be parroted, most of science is based on reproducible fact that is no longer theory. Although some of the more advanced ideas are currently in developing phases, most science is provable on a daily basis. Water boils at 212f or 100c at sea level. Every time. Objects fall at 9.8 m/s squared. Every time with wind resistance calculated for mass. If I jump off the 325 foot bridge by my house I will fall 4.49 seconds and travel 81.4 MPH at impact releasing 77,616 joules, since I weigh 75 kilos. Every time. If I want to have my buddy in Norway cast a bronze statue, I can send the alloy formula to him based on a variety of aluminium bronzes of differing compositions and he will make the exact alloy I could make here in Washington. All lab testable for density and purity. Human life requires a tightly controlled pH level in the blood of about 7.4 and during illnesses we can regulate it pretty well with interventions. We also know how the body maintains this homeostasis in great detail. I could go on, but the point is almost everything in our lives today is explainable by science. Pretty good odds someone is getting it mostly right. Except one point. So now it’s your turn. Let’s show some proof on prayer and some proof it works. Ready…..go! If that’s too hard pick another topic. Revelation, faith healing, authenticate your creation story, find some evidence of the Exodus. Ok …go again. Just one. Why is it so hard for religiosos to admit prayer doesn’t work? They all know it doesn’t work! (Except when casting tornados into adjacent neighborhoods) Also, as a side note, religion is also testable for density

Here is a great article researching the efficacy of prayer in a medical setting. Be sure to read to page 2 as it really sums up some of the psychology which prayer may actually be harmful in clinical settings.

What is it They Want?

“I shall speak forth my sentiments freely, and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the house I consider as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfil the great responsibility which we have. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense?” –Patrick Henry-

How long must we bow to the untestable, ambiguous, immoral, misinterpreted, oft quoted pseudo knowledge of divisive fable of a god that is created to control minds of the superstitious and believed by the gullible masses? How many prayers must be offered into the vacuum of space without a hint of reciprocity before we can open the minds of those masses and reach meaningful human potential?

If sensible people don’t have a sensible discussion, stupid people will have a stupid one.

The Gospel Behind Apparitions

TCA News Podcast Script 1a

2-2-2018

Apparitions caused quite a stir in out last segment, so let’s follow up with some explanations. Our first caller stated “The only reason I converted to Christianity in my teens was because I saw the face of Jesus in a tortilla”.

I wasn’t sure if the caller was being sarcastic or not, so we’ll address this on a serious note. “Your welcome. Was it a corn tortilla or flour? Tortilla de maíz or “corn tortilla” would signify Christ as a Latin American figure, while flour has a broader range of ethnicities and we could justify a white Jesus using that logic. Was the tortilla already cooked? Post resurrection apparitions are demonstrably more prevalent in cooked tortillas, whereas uncooked could have a range of 33 years to work with and could be a juvenile apparition ranging up to the bearded version we see the most. I’m happy you had such a spiritual encounter.It is remarkably as justifiable as any other I’ve heard”.

Other factors come into play here, but as the caller took the answer off the line, I’ll have to assume a few follow up questions here. Was the tortilla an authentic variety or store bought? Store bought tortillas are uncommon for verifiable apparitions second to a strict assembly line structure. Authentic hand-made are more common as the transfers of belief systems can spiritually influence the potential outcomes. For the atheist homes, use a hot iron type press to maintain apparition free tortillas.

The Gods are Doin Their Thing

I’m a little upset with Boreas today. Snow is too wet and trees are down all over the property. Hoping all of my Dryads are safe and sound. I checked my Yggdrasil and it is doing ok. Yggdrasil is my immense mythical tree that connects the nine worlds in Norse cosmology.

And the turkeys came for a visit while I was cutting two trees off the road to the house. They love dinner rolls.

Thank Artemis they are good. Today I am a god. The god of snow shoveling.

Where is the Insane Asylum??

This must be the new go to argument against atheism. Twice in two days. I just learned from A bit of Orange that because I don’t eat my young I have already rejected atheism and I’m ready to be saved. Don’t bother checking his site as he blocks any comments he can’t answer. Here ya go.

“I don’t doubt that you and your family love each other. I merely point out that atheism offers no basis to give value to love or priority to your duties as a parent or spouse. On atheism, there is no good and evil, so the difference between loving your children or killing and eating them differs only in the normative evolutionary path our species has taken thus far, and the moral code AGAINST killing one’s children forced on western culture by the Biblical worldview. Other animals eat their young, why should YOU not do so if we are merely animals as Atheism claims?

Also, your love for each other is merely chemical brain states, such as being hungry. When you tell your children you love them, then if they were REALLY atheists, they ought to respond, “Oh, you are?”

Here’s my point- if you love your family and know that loving them is BETTER than killing and eating them, then you have already rejected Atheism. I believe you do love your family. I just want you to see that you are already rejecting atheism. After that, you may see that you have a heavenly father who loves you, and is waiting for you to come home”.

#JesusLovesYou

And JB poses this beauty only in order to sidetrack the conversation as he does. “Where do you get the idea that Christians shouldn’t kill natives”? Because of evolution and atheism we we would actually justify the stronger spaniards in killing pacifist natives that don’t comprehend killing. It wasn’t natural for them, and he can’t see that it is unnatural to use a law/bible to justify slaughter.

He doesn’t really know that it is mostly natural to not kill. Only a law splitting Christian can master that.

Why would anyone reject a humanist view that protects life and promotes freedom better than religion?

i would like to explore a solid answer to these thoughts though.

H.G. Wells

“Investigations into the beginnings of religion have accumulated steadily throughout the past half century. It is only by great efforts of censorship, by sectarian education of an elaborately protected sort, and the like, that ignorance about them is maintained.”

H. G. Wells

The Finite Human Mind Cannot Comprehend

I’ve heard this one before, but I just want to know who gets to determine what I can comprehend? I think we’re ready now. Go ahead. Explain it.

Now I know how few people depend on Answers dot com for their religious questions, but this did get 7200 confidence votes from a guy named fowl1. Good job. Thanks for the material Christians.

Why Fasting is Important

The first Sunday of each month the LDS have fast and testimony meeting. Members fast 24 hours as a general rule. Typically you would have dinner the night before, skip two full meals, than have dinner again the following evening. Somewhere between the 15-20 hour mark you’d have your testimony meeting. Mormons tout the health benefits and spiritual awareness of fasting, but rarely is the caveat considered. Fasting alters brain chemistry and sugar uptake Opening brain fazes to a more programmable state. During this drowsy state of weakened physiology you listen to 20 or so people tell you they know the church is true, and other anecdotal Mormon doctrine and testimony. The science of Physiology works! So does monthly brainwashing.

Half Is Not Enough! Game of Acquiesce

Staring at me every day is a couple of glaring missteps in the religious model. Hearsay and opinion are the driving force of modern faith, and you only need to know the key points. But the devil is in the details. The text is incomplete and the revelations too vague. The origins are muddied with folklore and fable, and mythology is mixed with faith and canonized doctrine overrun with philosophy. The TV preacher will say, “see how god has done this”. No, sir, you have done this! The world has rejected reasonable good sense to pursue charlatan promises about a half read book with a large comment section, while most of the text is kept hidden away from public knowledge

Imagine any philosopher, or physicist or anything deciding they had learned all they needed to know halfway through freshman year quitting before fully comprehending anything! Religion is a kid that just got his yellow belt and wants to show off his karate. He doesn’t know enough to know he doesn’t know enough. But like most faithfuls he will quit the lessons and go on doing roundhouses in front of his buddies. Theist have a bible. An incomplete book of fragments and copies mixed with myth and folklore and a little paganism just to make it friendly. You read through it with a few friends, hear their testimonies and Boom! That’s all you need to know to start preaching. And usually a lot less. This is the wisdom that creates a klan. That is a dangerous juncture to start wielding the sword of righteousness judgement. That is zeal without knowledge. The other side of the coin is the “rather be safe than sorry approach” of Pascal, which is actually a game of acquiesce. You lose your fight and thirst for knowledge when you accept something reluctantly without protest and just give in to it. Just because. They make it too easy. All you have to do accept the free gift. Have you ever gotten a free gift with no forms, no obligation, no strings? No brainer, right? Click here and give your life away along with thinking for yourself. But that’s the way it is. I guess anything worth doing is usually just too hard. And learning takes time.

The LDS system turns kids out to proselytize before they can say boo. But they’ve memorized the key points. They get you into the temple to make lifelong covenants, without even telling you what you will be promising. Then as a large reverent group full of family and friends all raise your hand and make the oaths. If you won’t do it, you stand to be dismissed in front of the group. Who does that? They have to agree before they know what they are agreeing too. Total bullshit. Should be illegal honestly. But that’s the way christianity works. Get everybody to buy into it before they have the knowledge.

These columns are approx 4 light years tall from the vantage point of the Hubble. Awesome!

Religious Evolutionary Atheists

The transition from religion to atheism was incredibly easy for me. Roughly 80% of Mormons who leave the faith become atheist and never align with another belief system. Made me wonder why. I knew that as a Mormon from my own way of thinking, that if I wasn’t LDS, I wouldn’t be anything. After a few years of atheism now think I figured out why. It is probably the most materialistic world view of any other religion.

Mormon theology teaches three basic principles about where we came from, why we are here, where are we going, and also how to get there.

1. Where we came from– LDS doctrine teaches that we existed before the world was created. That we were intelligences of fine spirit matter. Energy. Spirit offspring of god, and that matter has always existed but some is more pure or fine. But matter nonetheless. That the gods organized existing matter to form the worlds. We are eternal beings living in a mortal existence capable of progressing, evolving, if you will, in a cosmos completely filled with matter. There is no empty space, but all is comprised of matter according to the doctrine.

2. Why are we here? Ultimately the goal is to become like god. Man is as god once was. He is part of the same matter that makes up man. Not separate from it. He is governed by the same natural laws that we experience, only he has perfected it. He was once a man, and though multiple progressions or cycles of learning he was able to achieve godhood. That when you die, you don’t go straight to the highest heaven, but you progress to become more through training and experiences and obedience. Essentially Mormonism was directing me on a concise , focused program to progress (evolve) to the highest life form. Just different wording.

3. Where are we going? Mormon doctrine teaches that when you die, you continue on in spirit form for a time, then after resurrection you have a body of flesh and bone in its perfect form. Then judgement comes and those that are most worthy progress to the highest level. Not as gods, but ready to become such. To continue on the path. To take your place in the expanding universe. (Hubble Deep Space) This is the LDS version of natural selection or, evolutionary exaltation of the fittest or most worthy. The best get to continue on. The other are not damned to hell, but damned as in a halt to their progress. Unknown if those get another chance.

The sole purpose of this creation and the universe is for all of gods creatures to have joy and find happiness and reach their full potential. It feels to me that Mormons transition to atheism easily or naturally because when no longer believing in god or religion, a evolutionary alignment with an atheist worldview is a switch flip. Making the world a better place and for everyone to find the most happiness and joy. Personal happiness and human potential. Also, Matter/Energy cannot be created or destroyed but can only change forms. It can evolve to a higher form given time. Very materialistic view incorporating different forms of matter and potential life cycles.

Desperation

raging ragged desperation keep the charade alive, stoke it fan it stay in overdrive, never sleep oft repeat the same words that you heard, soon you must prove but your proof is absurd, and waning thoughts need fresh blood to pump energy to the veins of the craft, when all else fails turn out gullible youth to prove your tales-the best remedy not always true and tried, but new with lies that have felt the heat of a perfectly staged revival without real knowledge can keep the flame alive.

Sell it by zealot!

Closet Arsonists

Mom died a few years back, and at 80 years old my dad remarried. His new wife is a very devout Mormon and her testimony is so powerful. She said, “I just know what I know. I don’t know why, but I just know this church is the true church, and when I know something I just know it”. Let me tell you something else this big, bright, child of god knows because she learned it at church. She knows that “gay men are closet arsonists”. That’s right. Arsonists! “They may not always start fires, but they want to, and that’s why they’re called “flamers”. LDS Relief Society teaching manuals may not carry the message, but it may even be worse that the faithful can have these ideas and beliefs on their own! Big problem with belief vs fact and reason. So, what do you call a fat pompous know-it-all bigot? Well, sometimes you call her mom. Everyone has someone in their life don’t they?

Selling What We Already Have

I have laid low these past few years since my deconversion. My mind works like a good stew, and then it’s ready to go. I generally take my time with things, especially after being controlled by those I thought I could trust for so long. Essentially duped by the duped. Funny now, but wow! Having just finished a couple of good books by John Zande these past few weeks, my mind has been working out a concise summary of what struck me profoundly. So without giving too much away, here is one point I have milled in my mind to a chiseled point. Every element from hydrogen to uranium, every molecule and atom, every cell and creature is in a naturally constant state of anxiety. Each one is desperately trying to stay together, to hang on for another day. It is this drive and desire that pushes to new boundaries. Defenses continue to mount and stretch the elements ability to cope and survive. To grow. To evolve. Every bit if matter has this inherent drive to hang on. Hope is the card that religion plays. And they play it well. Hope for eternal life after death. Hope to continue on. Hope things get better. But hope is something we already have. It is in us already. So why do we need to buy it? Fear. Abrahamic religions attach fear to something that is natural and unavoidable. Then they offer the solution. Meanwhile everything in this state of panic is dying and death, struggle and change, and anxiety. Pure, perfect evil if you would. And when you are done with this struggle for existence you die. Miserably decomposing and holding on till another day, but the final outcome is without question. When we observe this creation it is fair to assume the mind and disposition of this perfect creator. If there is a god and this is his doing, then he is enjoying the suffering and delights himself in the misery of all of the elements. Including man. I choose not to believe in deities. The evidence is compelling that no good god would have done this. He is either incompetent or he is malicious. There is much, much more to be taken from Mr. Zande in these two books, and I highly recommend these for every avid learner that wants to challenge what he thinks he knows. It is a fresh look that flies in the face of “god is good”, and has compelling evidence and good supportive reasoning and science. But the conclusions will be left to you.

Radical Atheistology

Four things or five you need to start deconverting from any invisible mythical sky god religion.

1. Read. Read more than just the official versions your church allows. You’ll be surprised what they hide from you. If you all ready know? Shame on you and skip to step 2. Stop apologizing for them. Read something contrary. You’ll be surprised at the common sense kindness of the atheist community. Smart, accepting, and reasonable. Not for power, not for money, not for control. For a free mind and acceptance. For peace. Really!

2. Observe. Even the simplest observation on your own time can easily overturn the miles of apologetic writing your church has split hairs to write. Don’t forget to look around you. Take a hike in the canyons. The earth is older than that. Cmon man! And there’s more!

3. Critical thinking. For instance, the jesus story has been told almost verbatim by several ancient civilizations long before Christianity. Virgin birth, half man, half god, dies to save everyone, celebrated at Christmas time and they were gods. But hey! This time it’s for real. Right! Think about it. Look it up. It’s all out there. Just peek outside the box. You’ve been duped! And there’s more!! Way more.

4. Whiskey. Relax. The world is not coming to an end. No one is coming out of the sky to save or rapture you. It’s up to us to fix our situation. So let’s put away the waiting for Jesus and praying for the end to come soon and get to work. We’re wasting time. A lot of time. Enjoy life and be brothers and sisters. Religion divides what otherwise would be whole. Try it. What is there to lose. What you’ve been doing is not working. Give it a chance! Peek!

If you’re still here this might be for you. I have a secret surprise I’ve waited for the end, and this is very typical of the folks I’ve met. They are liberated from guilt and they are happy. They have a high moral standard based on natural laws and consequences and we love the earth. A true deep desire to preserve the world. Our way of life

Follow some atheist books and blogs. The basics will get you by, but there is a world of good reading and real knowledge out there.

I was a follower for 50 years I’m sorry to say. I’m actually a little embarrassed by it. I walked away a few years ago from the mind games, guilt, ambiguous doctrine, cover ups, brainwashing, poorly translated mythology I was supposed to analyze and work out my salvation. If I guess wrong? Oops. Sorry jim. You’re going to hell. It was all a trap to keep me payin and prayin and obeyin. Believing a stifling dogma has consequences that restrict growth of the mind and well being. And I defended it!

respectfully–jim, the common atheist

Did I miss anything?

Sometimes a Stranger is Fiction

I got a flat tire last year on a remote gravel road, and as I was changing my tire an old blue sedan came barreling up the road. I called to my dog but he was so engrossed in a hunt for field mice he wouldn’t hear me. Right as the car approached my dog bolted my way across the road and bam! The car never slowed down or stopped. My dog laid in the ditch. He was dead. I sat there. I think most of you have lost a pet before. No explanation can tell you how devastated I was. I cried. I prayed. God help me. After a little while had passed I collected myself enough to finish my tire, and just as I was about done my dog licked the back of my neck. I was in shock. In complete joy. How? No way! As I held Roger I saw a man hurry across the road and down a steep embankment. I shouted “hey”! I ran to the edge where I last saw him and he was gone. Nothing. I knew what I had seen. I knew my dog was now alive and not a scratch on him. God had sent his holy angel to help me. Thank you Jesus thank you Jesus. God hears our prayers, and in our most desperate times he is here for us. To comfort. To heal. To help.

Should I post this story on Facebook and ask for likes, amens, or shares. I could strengthen testimonies with a story like this. The problem is … it is just a story. Total fabrication. While most church stories contain a wee bit of truth, I’ve seen first hand how they grow bigger and better with time.

The churchers and their preachers embellish nearly everything they say to tug at your emotions then attribute it to god. And I’m not even close to exaggerating here. Just last week god the father and the son and the Holy Spirit visited a friend of mine in the form of three hummingbirds! What the hell do you say to that? If people are looking for miracles, they’ll get them. Or see birds. (Below is the area where none of this occurred)

Dammit Jim

Finally they named a beer after me. They must have talked to an old station manager of mine. I used to hear this 10 times a day when I would go off script and ruin his reputation. But he and I used to have some long talks about religion before he fired me. He was an atheist and I was a (cough cough) Latter Day Saint. My favorite one liner to his comment that “you can’t know this stuff. You can believe it, but you can’t know it”. I told him, the reason you can’t know it is because you don’t believe you can. He’d say “Dammit Jim”. Then he’d go on to tell me what an idiot I was. Bob, you were right. I was an idiot. Rest In Peace old friend.

Now when I see this ridiculous circular reasoning as an outsider of the faith, I remember not so long ago how I was that way. Faith is an unreasonable guide. It commands that you believe a lot of nonsense. Just wish my beer had a better rating.

Smug if by Faith

Recently looking at a little bit of Mel Wild, and just ran into this comment thread where John Z got gamed by this dude up above (in his own mind). He claimed victory several times, ignored questions, and was generally wrong about everything, but he backed it up with the hard, solid evidence of faith. He smugly won the day, and no amount of reason could sway his internal victory as the checkmates rolled off his keyboard. As instructed in the thread, I have prayed about it in Zande’s behalf. I also took the liberty to bless his food. I got the answer I desired by randomly opening the Old Testament, and in miraculous, ambiguous fashion from forgers inspired by god I was made to see the light. The post and comments is exactly why children don’t play ball in the men’s league. No matter the score, we can all claim victory! This was a painful display of zeal without knowledge. I could only guess, but is Banyon from the US where hanging on to disproved myth is a badge of honor? I have a relative that just knows what she knows. No amount of overwhelming evidence can shake that. No sound reasoning can spoil it. “Be humble. You might be wrong” only applies to the faithless I suppose.

ps.. I would link the thread but is just too painful. If you missed it, lucky you.

Jesús Viene

(Jesus is Coming) According to a coworker of mine, almost every local, national, or world event is opening another seal, or relates to 1 of 4 horseman or a prophetic fulfillment. I believe him a lot because of the TBN podcasts he listens to all the time. And I mean all the time. So he really knows. He’s actually super smart, and he wrote a letter to president Obama, and now Trump. Still waiting to hear back but his warning about the coming apocalypse needs to be heard by the higher ups. Why does he do this? Two reasons. God spoke to him. The train blared its horn right when he said amen to a prayer he was offering. That was a sign. And 2, he’s worried about us. He’s not worried for himself because he is going to he taken up. Miss the whole thing. But really, what a nice guy.

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started