tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58855916911210120772024-03-19T07:58:37.410-05:00Liberal Atheist HippieLiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-36805665485094484422016-11-06T23:02:00.000-06:002016-11-06T23:02:23.019-06:00There and Back Again or Something Like ThatI was going through a drawer and happened upon a business card with the web address for this blog which I had long forgotten about. <br /><br />Apparently, it's been more than three years since I blogged for myself. Oops. I was kind of afraid to read what I had written. I tend to embarrass myself when I read my past writing but I was pleasantly surprised to find it all coherent and fairly well-written. Yay, me! Phew!<br /><br />So, we're on the cusp of a historic election. A good friend is dying. My life has gone a bit haywire. I've made a lot of art, made some music, made new friends (and lost a few). I've started and quit two freelance writing gigs. I've started two businesses which tend to give back as much as I manage to put into them. My heart is heavy and my mind is chaotic so I was thinking maybe I'd revisit this space and talk to myself and whoever wants to listen a bit and maybe try to find and possibly share a little peace and clarity.<br /><br />Initially, I had dedicated this thought-space to politics and religion because I'm just fun like that but I might just make it a "me" space. Or I might forget about it for another three years. Who knows? But I'd be lying if I said the thought of getting back to writing wasn't getting me at all excited.<br /><br /><br />
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LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-53695465123540223722013-07-15T13:05:00.001-05:002013-07-15T13:05:26.314-05:00Things I am LearningI knew I was a slacker but didn't realize quite how long it had been since I blogged anything! Sorry about that. I'll try to do better.<br />
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Anyway, as some of you know, I have recently been participating in the musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. This experience seems to be becoming one of those "pivotal life moments" we so often hear about. With much gratitude, I have learned quite a bit about myself and the world I live in through this experience.<br />
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<b>Lesson 1: I can do hard things.</b><br />Almost every moment of participating in this has been forced. The initial decision was a whim and was not entirely serious. When I first said, "Yeah, I'm gonna try out for this", I didn't mean it and I didn't believe it. I am fat and have health issues that are often painful. I am not especially pretty or talented. Then I started to really think about it. More than almost anything, I love to sing. I wanted to sing. Badly. In the past, I was held back by anxiety and fear. I don't like being looked at and I am always worried about being judged negatively. This was another chance and maybe, just maybe, I would be good enough; not great, but good enough. If I really wanted to sing, I would have to get past a lot of personal baggage. I auditioned, I accepted a role, I accepted an even bigger role, I practiced, I went on stage and <b>I sang</b>! Even though I had to push myself, hard, through every single step of auditioning from the moment of filling out the audition request form to stepping on stage, I did it. <i><b> I</b></i> did it. <b><i> I did it.</i></b> <br />
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<b>Lesson 2: My poor self-image is generated internally and I can change that.</b><br />
I often think poorly of myself; that I have nothing of value to offer. I assume that others agree because, well, <i>isn't it obvious</i>? Turns out, not so much. My friend, Missy, encouraged me to audition. My friend Laura and my husband's cousin, Leah, gave me audition and performance advice. My husband and son gave up countless hours of their own time and took on huge responsibility so I could rehearse. My friends Ori, Mary, Cyn, Andy and Elaine encouraged and supported me through every single step. Many friends and family members bought tickets to come and see me. The cast and crew helped me through some things that were very difficult for me to learn and do and worked with me to help me do better. All of these people had my back. They steadied me when I stumbled. They lifted me when I started to fall. They believed in me. I know these people to be smart and honest and they saw value in me. This made me realize that maybe my image of myself does not match what others see. I am learning to let go of who I was and the mistakes I have made. I am learning that people are more forgiving than I give them credit for. I am taking the lesson from them that my mistakes are just that - mistakes - and they are not the sum total of my existence. I am learning to see myself for who I am and to forgive myself when I am not perfect.<br />
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<b>Lesson 3: Tolerance of differing views.</b><br />
Through my associations in real life and on-line, I have isolated myself. Though I know things are seldom black and white, when you spend a lot of time with people of a particular mind-set, you tend to "other-ize" those who are outside of your ideals. The theater group is comprised of an amazing variety of people from all ages and walks of life. Some of them are conservatives or libertarians. Some are evangelical Christians. Some are cheerleaders or frat boys. Most of them are a lot...well, not like me. Despite this, we have a common thread in our love of music. This has reminded me that we have many common threads. Our similarities are greater than our differences. People have differing perspectives and that's okay. There is room for tolerance and peace.<br />
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There is more that I want to say but it's not in words yet. It's still just an amorphous jumble in the back of my brain. When I get it sorted, I'll try to not be such a slacker and maybe make another post.<br />
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I don't know what is next. I don't know where I go from here. I <i>do </i>know that I will make every effort to take these lessons to heart and apply them to my life going forward. I am more grateful than I can express to everyone who has taken this journey with me. <br /><br />Take risks. Love each other. Love yourself.LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-50168514866966935812012-04-24T18:50:00.001-05:002012-04-24T18:56:26.341-05:00I'm an A$$hole.<br />
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This weekend I received an e-mail. Well, several actually but most of them were spam. But at least one wasn’t; it was very personal and full of emotion from someone I have known for at least 10 years and it said “Wow. You really are an asshole.” No explanation, no clue to what might have set it off, no links, nothing (well technically it also spread the love to my husband but that’s irrelevant in the context of this post); just that single glaring indictment. <br />
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An asshole. Me. Huh. At first I felt really hurt. I had not even had contact with this person recently and I could not imagine what I had done to garner such a hateful statement. I struggle with low self-esteem after enduring decades of bullying and it has long been my weakness to try to gain people’s acceptance so most people think I’m “really nice”. I often play the role of door mat because I am trying so damn hard to not upset anyone so for me to be an asshole, I must have really done something awful. <br />
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I got to really thinking about it. Do other people think I am an asshole? <i>Am</i> I an asshole? I guess first we have to define “asshole”. Several qualities come to mind when I look at my own definition; selfishness, spite, arrogance, closed-mindedness, rudeness, vulgarity, hurtfulness. I looked for those qualities in my thoughts and actions. I checked the e-mails I had recently sent to people and my social networking posts but in the past month found mostly music, science and kittens plus a post on atheism and a post promoting a friend’s business. I thought about my thinking process. I look for ways to help and to give. I forgive. I remind myself not to judge others. I reconsider my positions when new information is presented. I respect other people for who they are and I figure I should leave most people alone most of the time because I don’t want to bother them unless I have something important to say or something to share that I really think they’ll like. After review, much to my relief, I came to the conclusion that while I am human and undoubtedly make many mistakes, I do not fit the definition of “asshole”. Phew! Thank goodness!<br />
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But what would make someone say such a thing? Perspective. I know, intimately, the intent behind each action I take and each word I utter. I know how hard I try to do good for people, society and the planet. I know the minutiae of each detail of each decision I make. I know how much I agonize over wording things neutrally so as not to offend. No one else knows my motivation. So from the outside, what might someone without that insight see? In my infrequent contact, they might see someone who doesn’t reach out much or doesn’t care. In my voicing my political and religious opinions, they might see someone who pushes their ideology onto others. In my advocacy for atheism, they might see someone whose beliefs are a direct affront to the beliefs they hold near and dear. In short, they might see an asshole.<br />
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I cannot control the perspective of others. I can only try to explain when I am misunderstood. I cannot make them believe me. I cannot make them like me. I feel badly for people who consistently find offense where none was intended; people who think that every statement out of line with the dialogue in their heads is a direct attack on them. But you know what? I can’t fix that either. <br />
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In the end, the best I can do is be true to me. I can speak up against what I think is wrong and I can advocate for what I think is right. I can do so vociferously if I feel there is a need. I can show compassion and respect for others without having to fit myself into the mold they hold up for me. And sometimes, for some people, that is going to make me an asshole and now that I understand, I am okay with it. I would rather be an honest, ethical, misunderstood asshole than a carbon-copy “nice person” who destroys themselves to make others happy. Looking at it that way, I think we would all be better off if there were more assholes in the world. <br />
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I’ll go first.</div>LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-10741663213569271832012-04-04T10:18:00.001-05:002012-04-04T10:20:38.206-05:00Murder for a Saint: An Example of Immoral Religion<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.55pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;"></div>A family in Mexico is <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46919631/ns/world_news-americas/#.T3xlhvBumO4">alleged to have murdered </a>a woman and two young boys in ritual human sacrifice related to their fanatic belief in Santa Muerte, or ‘Saint Death’. The murders were said to have been committed so that the saint would grant them protection. While the Catholic church has condemned the saint as superstition (which would seem to be a pot/kettle situation to me), followers do not seem to be deterred by the church’s stance. According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Muerte">Wikipedia</a>, many of them have become disillusioned about the church’s ability to help them and have turned to this hybrid of Catholicism and traditional belief to attend to their wants and needs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Muerte statues. Photo from <a href="http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1676932,00.html">Time.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1676932,00.html"></a> One must wonder, had they given up religion altogether instead of moving on to worship of a loosely-related character which still allows them to consider themselves religious followers (i.e. “good people”), if much tragedy might have been avoided. It is possible that their religion is one of the things they cite as keeping them from committing bad deeds but I think a lack of belief would be vastly less likely to lead to murder for its own sake.LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-38507642672981035832012-03-29T15:11:00.000-05:002012-03-29T15:11:53.943-05:00The Reason Rally, Part III: Conclusion and Take-Away<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So after hours on a bus and hours of sitting in the rain, communing with other people because we, as Tim Minchin said, “all don’t think something similar”, in the end, what can we take away from this gathering? <br />
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As Reason Rally speaker and blogger, Greta Christina stated, “We are not angry because something is wrong with us; we are angry because something is right with us.” I think many non-believers have been made to feel that there is something wrong with them. After listening to the speakers at the Reason Rally, I know that Greta Christina is correct and all secularists should aim to keep that in mind. We are the ones whose conclusions are based in fact.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Z3xweUqnsvAyIBB1kI16QFRTd4-tnkb__S6rPNnWtitZmlCWbmRc-y9opqRvMEDGQF4l985rCgblzieGtSbnCpmR8UbzE_8BtOyveHpSviFGIDQ_1J5rPbrS_gw9oTpmwbNLaT62zLlk/s1600/Atheist+A.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Z3xweUqnsvAyIBB1kI16QFRTd4-tnkb__S6rPNnWtitZmlCWbmRc-y9opqRvMEDGQF4l985rCgblzieGtSbnCpmR8UbzE_8BtOyveHpSviFGIDQ_1J5rPbrS_gw9oTpmwbNLaT62zLlk/s1600/Atheist+A.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
I have considered myself an atheist activist for several years now. I started a secular parenting group; I am an assistant organizer for an atheist meet-up; I have volunteered for skeptic organizations. I have donated money to numerous secular organizations. I have blogged and I have conversed and I have argued. Despite all of that, I often feel like my efforts do no good. I am one fish in an ocean and most of the other fish are swimming the other direction. I lose my hope. The Reason Rally restored a good deal of it. It restored my belief that all of these things I am doing are the right things to do. I have renewed confidence in my country and in the possibility that it can be the kind of place I want my child to grow up. <br />
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I feel inspired to speak out, to refuse to hide, to never let false information go unchallenged. I feel empowered that I can make a difference. I can help pave the way for genuine progress. I can make the world a more peaceful, more loving, freer and more <b><i>reasonable</i></b> place.</span><br />
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</span></div>LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-23527486073764957332012-03-29T15:00:00.000-05:002012-03-29T15:00:47.450-05:00The Reason Rally, Part II: The Main Event<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The line-up was a stellar list of speakers running the gamut from scientists to comedians and the planning put into the event was readily apparent. My deepest appreciation goes out to those who worked so hard to pull this all together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A short while into the day’s events, a military ceremony was performed honoring non-believers in our armed forces. I found this to be quite meaningful and I while I do not know if it did anything to dispel the notion that there are “no atheists in foxholes”, I hope it at least let our brave service people know that there are many thousands of people who respect and appreciate them and who understand that gods are not necessary for honorable service to one’s country.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Military Ceremony at the Reason Rally</span></td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We were then led in the Pledge of Allegiance in its pre-1954 form which did not include the words “under God”. This moment was unexpectedly moving for me. Every time I am present during the pledge, I feel excluded from my country despite the fact that I love this nation. Hearing tens of thousands of people in a single voice saying, “One nation, indivisible” literally made my chest swell with pride and love for my countrymen. If we are to thrive as a people, we must <i>be</i> indivisible and not allow religion to fracture our bonds with one another. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hemant Mehta, a blogger at The Friendly Atheist was one of the first speakers of the day. His was the first atheist blog I followed and it helped me initially navigate the waters of being an atheist so I was really looking forward to what he had to say. His focus was on being involved in society by running for office. Having watched the infiltration of our government by the religious right and now seeing the effects of that, I have long been saying that secularists need to do the same thing. His talk reminded me of the importance of being actively involved. Running for office is not on my radar in the near future but it is something I would consider at some point down the road. In the meantime, I will hold on to his words as a reminder to be involved where and when I can. I hope that many were similarly inspired and that at least some will take on the challenge.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVemDmG2O1uq8ZNUwWApzcgFUIgl027abgsGZVk_Ug_58UaUYJC7F-Ff1HSaFPyuD8CiEso2kMEX6MFaPgLTEaeKZe5mtVtqgY8-Jtu77bmPYdCbDnycROxdfmNGAz42FZPK3sjop4vSAH/s1600/Hemant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVemDmG2O1uq8ZNUwWApzcgFUIgl027abgsGZVk_Ug_58UaUYJC7F-Ff1HSaFPyuD8CiEso2kMEX6MFaPgLTEaeKZe5mtVtqgY8-Jtu77bmPYdCbDnycROxdfmNGAz42FZPK3sjop4vSAH/s1600/Hemant.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hemant Mehta of <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/">The Friendly Atheist</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The next speaker was Jessica Ahlquist, a 17-year-old student who won a case against her high school regarding a Christian prayer posted on the wall at her school. What an amazing young lady! When I was in high school, I was so busy oscillating between being a rebel and trying to fit in that I doubt I would have even noticed such an infringement much less had the strength and wherewithal to challenge it. This girl conducted herself with such poise and grace and spoke with such honesty and conviction, one could not help but admire her. She was presented on stage with a scholarship for $62,000, all collected from non-believers and supporters of the separation of church and state which I am sure she will put to good use. Young people like her are what allow me to retain a hint of optimism for our future. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAom7OX1YMi0Hn5kNRcy079orBMz-wiR-kN7oJUdZnV-oTQDgj6UlttiaUEx6CG40M1cqWpgRKDrxjDhZBEY7FwoG_ip7kD9KYinhho0vLi77IRGiUmbASZ9kPRnbuBAF7jtX796z6ldQV/s1600/Jessica.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Jessica Ahlquist, Student Activist</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAom7OX1YMi0Hn5kNRcy079orBMz-wiR-kN7oJUdZnV-oTQDgj6UlttiaUEx6CG40M1cqWpgRKDrxjDhZBEY7FwoG_ip7kD9KYinhho0vLi77IRGiUmbASZ9kPRnbuBAF7jtX796z6ldQV/s1600/Jessica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another speaker was Adam Savage from the show “Myth Busters”. Not having television, I had never seen the show and didn’t know much about him. His talk was a pleasant surprise and he was one of my favorite speakers of the entire event. His talk (transcript of which can be found <a href="http://blog.skepticallibertarian.com/2012/03/26/adam-savages-speech-at-the-reason-rally/">here</a>) was straightforward and eloquent, easily articulating what it means to have reason and why having it is important. He highlighted the societal and technological advances which the application of reason has allowed us to enjoy. He spoke of facts including the lunar landing, global climate change and the age of the earth which some have tried to convince us are not accurate. He spoke of beliefs such as the absurdity of the drug war and abstinence-only sex education, our duty to take care of each other and the origins of individual morality with all of which, I heartily agreed. Then he spoke about his conclusion about God:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“And finally, I have concluded through careful empirical analysis and much thought that somebody is looking out for me, keeping track of what I think about things, forgiving me when I do less than I ought, giving me strength to shoot for more than I think I am capable of. I believe they know everything that I do and think, and they still love me. And I’ve concluded, after careful consideration, that this person keeping score is <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; orphans: 4; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;"><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-image: initial; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">me</span></em><span style="orphans: 4;">.</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I found myself nodding in absolute agreement with each statement. It is so comforting to hear one’s own thoughts being spoken by another; to know that we are not alone.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrR-diEdCZ6aA0lSvuR7tisM2-jkKHLvN0ReMv-JFk9R6lCawuPo3k5_9jHnLIdkUrAhja2Ab1p67XQOCkHfdMgpvsnEWx9MiIsCOVwm0DubxJmVClHL_eddFwtwDjECAG3C9zRfH3LuuH/s1600/Adam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Adam Savage of Myth Busters</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrR-diEdCZ6aA0lSvuR7tisM2-jkKHLvN0ReMv-JFk9R6lCawuPo3k5_9jHnLIdkUrAhja2Ab1p67XQOCkHfdMgpvsnEWx9MiIsCOVwm0DubxJmVClHL_eddFwtwDjECAG3C9zRfH3LuuH/s1600/Adam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Around 12:30, we were treated to a few songs by Australian performer, Tim Minchin. Having stalked him semi-professionally in the past (in a good, friendly “Thanks, Tim, I love your work” way, not a scary “I’ve got rope and duct tape in the trunk and I’m driving cross-country in an adult diaper” way), I couldn’t resist making my way up to the front of the non-VIP section with my friend, Mary. Tim seemed energized and despite comments to the effect of wishing he didn’t have to be there, really seemed to be feeding off the vibes from the audience which, at least up front, were nothing but big squishy love vibes.<br />
<br />
He began with a song called “Confessions” which points out that regardless of our species’ intellectual superiority and lofty ambitions, in the end we are products of our evolution who retain the most basic of instinctual ties to our long-ago ancestors. He next performed one of my favorites, “Thank you, God”; a song about (not-so-) miraculous healings, attributed to divine intervention instead of the dozens of much more likely natural explanations. Next up was “If I Didn’t Have You” which is a song about love…or “maths”…I don’t know but he effectively compares love to bigotry, guinea pigs and bananas and that alone is worth a few points in my book. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8rWryOVcQYtzCEAym8Cg_sF1kpgnGUPOfgbHt2Pvz5bCm-YsTdU4mCbEL08oZs50Xkwfe7XrZv9La3VITxLFiAI02D-HUrKrKMduWWtKd9u41X4Eiopy1kvHWt8EPhCFnjLi70hB47ZN/s1600/Tim.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8rWryOVcQYtzCEAym8Cg_sF1kpgnGUPOfgbHt2Pvz5bCm-YsTdU4mCbEL08oZs50Xkwfe7XrZv9La3VITxLFiAI02D-HUrKrKMduWWtKd9u41X4Eiopy1kvHWt8EPhCFnjLi70hB47ZN/s1600/Tim.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim Minchin</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Controversy seems to follow Tim around and the rally offered no exception when he opted to perform the “Pope Song”; it essentially says that if you’re more offended by expletives than by the church covering up child-rape, your priorities are a bit screwy but it throws in 70 or 80 “F-bombs” to illustrate the point. Unfortunately, there are many people who do get so hung up on the language, I’m not sure they even hear the point of the song. A shit-storm is developing, even amongst the godless and of course, detractors have seized on this as an example of atheists’ disrespect and nastiness in order to overshadow the much more important story that our ranks are growing. I hate the way things get twisted but it does strike me as funny that these people complaining have completely missed the fact that they are the people he is talking about in the song. He finished with a flawless performance of his anti-alt med beat poem, “Storm” which was a perfect close to his set and was clearly enjoyed by the crowd.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeoF2OGZh2ajkmHJt01kNRkC8H3nCgqLaHvWbbpZxzRBt5vxCWiMdE7Ey-Zi-xHERKjP6N7kZlX4C8bEeIhCmMaR6lDE1IftrIeoWMQ_HRl0M6-Nl11FUlYszTpfDcCnjwgIzGUKvU4Gx/s1600/pope.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeoF2OGZh2ajkmHJt01kNRkC8H3nCgqLaHvWbbpZxzRBt5vxCWiMdE7Ey-Zi-xHERKjP6N7kZlX4C8bEeIhCmMaR6lDE1IftrIeoWMQ_HRl0M6-Nl11FUlYszTpfDcCnjwgIzGUKvU4Gx/s1600/pope.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pope</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Later in the day came a talk by Nathan Phelps, the estranged son of Pastor Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church, famous for picketing funerals of U.S. service members with an anti-gay, anti-military message. They also picketed the Reason Rally. Nate was my favorite speaker of the entire event. His talk was so honest and so moving that I found myself at one point brought to tears. He recounted how he left the church and his journey to atheism. As he said it, “They called me a rebel. For years, I wore that name with shame until I realized that, confronted with the god of my father, rebellion is the only moral option.” </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdvY1V_9mjlnGjmgt3bfpk1J1KCniWoCPgSfmqXDAr5-5DUq-1HtLE6vFr6yl7W5NHdGofeysPLc3FeCLzFaGZi5VoZj9PMgBSskHJaflAO_7QR1ubHysOSwvyALQ8p_YD0O_yJAlLMy9/s1600/WBC.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdvY1V_9mjlnGjmgt3bfpk1J1KCniWoCPgSfmqXDAr5-5DUq-1HtLE6vFr6yl7W5NHdGofeysPLc3FeCLzFaGZi5VoZj9PMgBSskHJaflAO_7QR1ubHysOSwvyALQ8p_YD0O_yJAlLMy9/s1600/WBC.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Westboro Baptist Church<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He spoke about how he fervently tried to find a loving God and how, on September 11th, 2001, he became completely disillusioned. He addressed the hate taught by his family and instead of returning more hate to them, instead of encouraging others to hate them, he expressed only sadness that they should waste their lives on it. Then he spoke of hope; his hope for a nation that honors reason and his hope, looking out on the crowd, that we might yet attain that. Nate Phelps is a class act. He is someone I will keep in mind as a picture of who I strive to be and I believe others should do the same. </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpFJgmaWWGoN4YWn_nx6bWm7G-y1HWLqOYnJNPK7TxKx0PZK2tFG0JJzBoHfHASUPQmhSsZbND0qM6hsLKoqXvPTC5fofTBeoMPCqVilelKyredMzbDqFT3x0a7SMkkDifE83jBmHbM4C/s1600/Nate.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpFJgmaWWGoN4YWn_nx6bWm7G-y1HWLqOYnJNPK7TxKx0PZK2tFG0JJzBoHfHASUPQmhSsZbND0qM6hsLKoqXvPTC5fofTBeoMPCqVilelKyredMzbDqFT3x0a7SMkkDifE83jBmHbM4C/s1600/Nate.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nathan Phelps</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In all, every speaker did a spectacular job of conveying the purpose of the rally and articulating the sentiments of those in the crowd (a few sentences here and there not withstanding). It was an honor and a pleasure to have the opportunity to participate and I am so glad that I did not allow my concerns to keep me from attending. It was a thought-provoking experience which encapsulated more solidarity, love, and rationality than I ever expected.</span></div>LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-26406122805013789522012-03-29T13:53:00.001-05:002012-03-29T13:57:20.412-05:00The Reason Rally, Part I: Getting There<div class="MsoNormal">Last Saturday, I had the wonderful privilege of attending the Reason Rally in Washington, D.C. For those who may not know, the Reason Rally was a gathering of atheists and other non-believers to show solidarity amongst us. It was a coming out party for many who had never before let their lack of faith be known, a celebration of our lack of belief and our common humanity and a statement to our politicians, friends, families, neighbors and co-workers that we are part of this society, we expect reason-based policy instead of theocracy and we will not be dismissed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbqRVkXpnkQdBQVGfT9v1IHckcKaNTDnWjVNhpF_x2JKh9-fuKgGckUnhm5vc1T8yIj1rBbZ8IxofPHH3RtGZxAAl51k64H55Uz2weS3HZmtMTBijDFdBpXhjX5AKRODG_2dBryqlLvFQ/s1600/Reason+Rally.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbqRVkXpnkQdBQVGfT9v1IHckcKaNTDnWjVNhpF_x2JKh9-fuKgGckUnhm5vc1T8yIj1rBbZ8IxofPHH3RtGZxAAl51k64H55Uz2weS3HZmtMTBijDFdBpXhjX5AKRODG_2dBryqlLvFQ/s320/Reason+Rally.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have been trying to devise a way to briefly summarize the rally but after several days, I realize that there is just too much involved to be easily summed up. Instead, I would like to take time to review a few of the highlights and give my thoughts on certain aspects of the day.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Up until it was too late to get a refund on my bus tickets, I seriously debated whether I should go. I had many concerns going into it. Could I really afford to do this financially? I haven’t had an oven since December and the cash going into this trip could have remedied that. Could I manage this physically? I have severe joint issues and 28+ hours round-trip on a bus in combination with lots of walking and standing was not likely to improve matters. Could I handle this mentally? I have a fair amount of anxiety when it comes to crowds and public transportation. Would I be safe? There are plenty of people who think atheists are “evil”. What if one of them decided it was a perfect opportunity to make their world a better place? After much internal torment, I decided that this was important enough to take those risks and deal with each situation as it came. If I were to be the person I think of myself as, I must go. I must stand up for what I believe to be right and true. I needed to be a part of this. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkh104NWvDVADvTQ5lJJLWJxPRT3nxDcvQaKEZh90_JuzUdcTrQGjPmaASK4ldbfXlxTfM7TMzwvxFeyMLYFT5i4-2WO2ZBkppP1yFubgX0AE2Nd1UjUY99DNFMviFM7QyHo0v97_lrxG/s1600/Good+without.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkh104NWvDVADvTQ5lJJLWJxPRT3nxDcvQaKEZh90_JuzUdcTrQGjPmaASK4ldbfXlxTfM7TMzwvxFeyMLYFT5i4-2WO2ZBkppP1yFubgX0AE2Nd1UjUY99DNFMviFM7QyHo0v97_lrxG/s320/Good+without.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The first moment that really struck me was on the bus that would take us from Chicago to Washington. Everyone was so friendly and kind and the conversations going on around me were simply awesome (these were themes that prevailed throughout the day. There was never a moment that I did not feel I was among friends). I suddenly thought how incredible it was that I was on a bus filled with people who do not believe in God; a whole bus full of people who had come to the same conclusion as me – a conclusion which had caused me to be excluded and made to feel like there was something wrong with me and which was now the criterion for inclusion. I was glad I had come.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We arrived a bit early which was nice since it allowed me to get my bearings a bit. The first thing that stood out was the backdrop of the Washington Monument behind the stage. Looking at it, I felt a deep connection to my country and the freedoms that the Founding Fathers envisioned for our nation. I pondered how we could have gotten to this point where reason is shunned and freedoms are willingly forfeited for the sake of comfort. I was even more glad I had come.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">The next thing that began to sink in was the growing size of the crowd. Atheists have long been maligned in our society and many are afraid to let others know of their lack of belief. Many, myself included, have lost friends, family or jobs because of their non-belief. To look around and realize that everyone in that space was a non-believer and that all of them felt it was important enough of a matter to come to our nation’s capitol was one of the single most empowering moments of my life. We are many and we are everywhere.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQFRj0dOlVto71gJBdA-pErc1YA0gZ0ZKIB-MOO08DkJXK84fBHjIqe-tW1Zdmw8FeuEh58w92RmfgENeeTw6UUPmYBbwvaGvWa33Zzhs9COFobrPRGvS2AXIhpEd6yMt186tzEWRSbxn/s1600/Crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQFRj0dOlVto71gJBdA-pErc1YA0gZ0ZKIB-MOO08DkJXK84fBHjIqe-tW1Zdmw8FeuEh58w92RmfgENeeTw6UUPmYBbwvaGvWa33Zzhs9COFobrPRGvS2AXIhpEd6yMt186tzEWRSbxn/s320/Crowd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-91732340967718043762011-03-17T17:46:00.005-05:002011-03-18T09:48:55.704-05:00Does Religion Diminish the Meaning of Good Deeds?With the nuclear disaster occurring in Japan, people worldwide have opened their wallets to lend a helping hand. I feel that supporting each other emotionally, materially and financially in difficult times is the most basic of things we should be doing. I know that many religious charities are contributing their help to the situation and I got to wondering about motives.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0ejrfpb0saGuGajDESM9a29GC4eq-j_Gj0iLl2roe7eWhxgRGo4ZUWfzSKZgp-oCNkrLPhO246ubvi3BeD5PUavWPULnvg8oqhnHsA5dssVYX4Aj2LvJam3_unj8LQGBwDozPHqz9lE3/s1600/Dollar+Sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0ejrfpb0saGuGajDESM9a29GC4eq-j_Gj0iLl2roe7eWhxgRGo4ZUWfzSKZgp-oCNkrLPhO246ubvi3BeD5PUavWPULnvg8oqhnHsA5dssVYX4Aj2LvJam3_unj8LQGBwDozPHqz9lE3/s1600/Dollar+Sign.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Undoubtedly, everyone donating believes it is the right thing to do. I was compelled to donate for a couple of reasons. Life on earth is seldom easy. Every day we face threats from the environment and from each other. There is always suffering happening in greater scope than we can possibly imagine. Fortunately, we have the ability to help alleviate that suffering sometimes. We can make things better for each other. I cannot offer the people of Japan a room in my home or a meal or a change of clothes but I can send money to organizations which will help meet those needs. My second motivating factor is more selfish. If I am ever in a catastrophic situation, I want to know that other people around the world will have my back. I live in a tornado-prone area which lies between two fault zones and there are two nuclear reactors within 50 miles of where I live. I know it could just as easily be me.<br />
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Some people however, are donating for different reasons. Certainly most Christians feel compelled as I do to help their fellow humans but many are donating solely because their church or house of worship has told them they should. Some might even think it will help them get through the pearly gates when their number is called. My first thought on this type of donation is that it is a meaningless act and may even be considered to be an act of cowardice. Do they think that God would not know that they were not donating out of the goodness of their hearts? Is it only ultimately out of fear of Hell that they do good deeds?<br />
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Of course, in the end, motive doesn't matter. The important thing is getting help to those who need it. It is also possible that many of these people would not donate without a mandate given by their religious institution so regardless of reason, the bottom line is that it probably helps in the long run.<br />
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So what do you think? Does religious giving diminish the meaning of good deeds? Do you think it matters?<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">Those interested in making a donation to help the citizens of Japan in their current crisis or any other humanitarian need should consider the following organizations:</span><br />
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<a href="http://foundationbeyondbelief.org/"><span style="background-color: white; color: #c27ba0;">http://foundationbeyondbelief.org/</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://donate.richarddawkins.net/donations/new?cause=nbga&country_code=US"><span style="background-color: white; color: #c27ba0;">http://donate.richarddawkins.net/donations/new?cause=nbga&country_code=US</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #c27ba0;"> (Non-Believers Giving Aid)</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.redcross.org/"><span style="background-color: white; color: #c27ba0;">http://www.redcross.org/</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.unicef.org/"><span style="background-color: white; color: #c27ba0;">http://www.unicef.org/</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/"><span style="background-color: white; color: #c27ba0;">http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/</span></a>LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-64291646005971439392011-03-15T21:40:00.000-05:002011-03-15T21:40:40.716-05:00FeedbackWell, I'm ten posts in now. Seventeen Facebook friends gone and two people already stopped following the blog so it seems as good a time as any to see if I can elicit some feedback from you fine individuals!<br />
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Any commentary on post length, subject matter, frequency, ect. would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading and thanks for your thoughtful consideration!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLM1RK2tsEcvnI8a59ENB0k3vQIgnyc9iT8WfPahvKtbvUEPQGkzPS8k8dLbhAYrjWRMpoInO5sx1MupAQbj8Y_7NnE5J9hhNu41P6Y-lJbEMbGx1T_LIT_PoncW13J052saqtYnQL7VA/s1600/Peace+Sign.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLM1RK2tsEcvnI8a59ENB0k3vQIgnyc9iT8WfPahvKtbvUEPQGkzPS8k8dLbhAYrjWRMpoInO5sx1MupAQbj8Y_7NnE5J9hhNu41P6Y-lJbEMbGx1T_LIT_PoncW13J052saqtYnQL7VA/s1600/Peace+Sign.png" /></a></div>LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-89583606643721618582011-03-14T18:53:00.000-05:002011-03-14T18:53:19.465-05:00What Is It Like To Be an Atheist?"Being an atheist is a lot like being the only sober person in a car full of drunk people and they refuse to pull over and let you drive" - author unknown<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjJoAfBGcCOSqkRr3fkTx6ER4kvATrwn24tgeq-xGkNyMI3y50U7cyV438PGkDQqykMZ0sk-GDfb9Yx8w3ghM7-xOBHPLicD9GSip_AbWWB6VJs2FiOpuq44ixwzVVGzKPLfMOc4_iUAB/s1600/Atheist+A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjJoAfBGcCOSqkRr3fkTx6ER4kvATrwn24tgeq-xGkNyMI3y50U7cyV438PGkDQqykMZ0sk-GDfb9Yx8w3ghM7-xOBHPLicD9GSip_AbWWB6VJs2FiOpuq44ixwzVVGzKPLfMOc4_iUAB/s1600/Atheist+A.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So what's it really like to be an atheist? Well, while there are frustrations akin to the quote above, but for me, most of the time, it's just kind of weird. It often feels like I live in a different reality than 90% of the world and now that I think about it, that is probably true. While I certainly cannot and do not speak for all atheists, there are some commonalities among us and many I have spoken to have echoed some of the peculiarities I have highlighted below. <br />
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Being an atheist in the USA today often puts one in an awkward position. Our society is saturated with religion. It is not unusual for me to encounter some kind of religious propaganda or speech several times per day. When you are an atheist, you never know how people will react if they find out that you are a non-believer so responses need to be carefully measured. I have been called lots of names. I have been told I am evil. I have been preached to by those trying to "save me". I've lost friends. Everytime I encounter religion, there is an internal battle in my head as to whether I should be myself and be honest or just stay quiet. I speak in code a lot so I can say what I think without jeopardizing anything.<br />
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When I drive my son to school in the morning, I typically see 10 - 20 cars with the little "Jesus fish" magnets on the back. I wonder why these people feel the need to wear their religion on their bumpers. It seems conceited to me; like they're making sure everyone knows they're in the special "club". Do they expect that other Christians will be more likely to let them in when they merge? <br />
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Almost without fail, I will hear the phrase "God bless you" when someone sneezes at some point during the day. This seems kind of strange to me, too but I generally figure that people are just trying to be polite. I never know how to respond when it's directed at me. "Thank you" doesn't feel genuine. "Thanks, but not likely" seems a bit rude. "There is no God" is pretty much out of the question. I usually just go against my thoughts and say "thanks" and then I feel like I've been dishonest or hypocritical.<br />
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At least once a week, someone will tell me about some facet of their church; the spaghetti dinner, their youth group, their choir. Sometimes they tell me about how moving the service was. Again, I am at a loss for how to respond. Especially to the Catholics. I don't understand how they can support an institution responsible for destroying so many lives. I look for positive things in the story that I can comment on but it's difficult. I smile and nod while wishing the conversation would end.<br />
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Sometimes, people will tell me about how God was watching out for them or how God helped them with a personal struggle or difficult decision. I want to ask these people if helping them with their decision is the reason that God wasn't available to save the kids who just died somewhere in a car accident but I don't. If this were any other topic on which I thought they were mistaken, I would speak up immediately and let them know the facts I have learned. I try to filter out the God aspect and respond to the underlying issues they are speaking about. Sometimes I only get as far as "Well...hmm".<br />
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Once I get home, I usually check in on my Facebook page. There is usually a post somewhere on my wall asking me to pray for someone. If it is something personal to someone I know, I will usually offer some personal consolation or an offer to help if there is something I think I can do. If it is for a disaster or a general cause, I will usually post a link to the cause and/or send a donation because I believe that prayer is a way to feel like you are helping without ever actually doing anything whereas donations and word-of-mouth are real help.<br />
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I sometimes post atheist-related material on my Facebook Page. The first time I did, I received a message asking if I knew it was there. When I said I did and that I was aware of what it was and had put it there intentionally, I was immediately "unfriended". When I put up a link to my first blog post, I lost fourteen friends within an hour. <br />
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I see articles on the internet telling me that atheists are America's most-distrusted minority. This seems completely backward to me. The atheists I know are some of the most ethical people with whom I am acquainted. Overall, they have an extemely strong sense of right and wrong and are more likely to act on things they feel are wrong or to stand up for what they think is right. I feel that as an atheist, there is no forgiveness for me at the end of my life so I damn well better get it right the first time. Forgiveness comes from those I have wronged. If I mess up and that person does not forgive me, I have to live with that. On the other hand, there is no divine punishment. My punishment happens in the here and now when I have to live with and face the consequences of the choices I make. For this reason, I am very careful in my decision-making.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-sfoWu6rhnJoeFkcYLItSV60XhMo9rhlvp97OCSNB4dX-869O31b3n-HXYf2LkIkkFMH_aZZBpL0M4bgvJYo8U_nfJev2ZctWyo_upGTCYcsjAC8F515RLKZXKNuPN1Trpqeuczxp9tg/s1600/Atheist+Surly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-sfoWu6rhnJoeFkcYLItSV60XhMo9rhlvp97OCSNB4dX-869O31b3n-HXYf2LkIkkFMH_aZZBpL0M4bgvJYo8U_nfJev2ZctWyo_upGTCYcsjAC8F515RLKZXKNuPN1Trpqeuczxp9tg/s320/Atheist+Surly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Image courtesy of Surly-Ramics at </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/surly"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">http://www.etsy.com/shop/surly</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>So yes, my lack of belief sometimes makes things awkward which is bad considering that I am somewhat socially awkward to begin with but there is an upside to it, too. First and foremost, I have freedom of thought. I do not have to worry that the things in my head will be counted and judged. I am free to question and explore as far as I can conceive. I can look for truth and accept it when I find it.<br />
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I do not need to hold onto fear of death. There are no worries about Heaven or Hell. I have come to terms with it as a natural process. I am not rushing to welcome it but I no longer need to fear it. When I suffer the loss of someone I love, I can understand it. It is painful but I know that it is part of the package deal when we get to experience life. I do not need to worry about whether or not they were "saved". I do not need to wonder why God thought he needed them with him more than I needed them here.<br />
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I have come to truly appreciate every moment of life on this earth. I understand the likelihood of me being here was extremely small and yet here I am. I am one of the lucky ones who is here today to marvel at nature's beauty and I have a brain that has evolved enough to understand my good fortune. I get the privilege of staring up at the sky and wondering at the stars. I get to watch history being made. I get to watch our understanding of the universe unfold. I get to learn. I get to love. I get to sing. I get to dance. Life's impermanence makes each day, each moment, so incredibly valuable.<br />
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My life has become unbelievably rich. My atheism has led me to explore many scientific disciplines and I have discovered that I have a true love of astronomy and biology. On more than one occasion, I have looked through a telescope and been moved to tears because of the beauty of it. I have been amazed looking through a microscope thinking about all of the processes that led to what was seeing. I am blown away by the beauty of natural processes and humbled by the immensity of our universe.<br />
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I have also had the pleasure and honor of meeting many wonderful, caring, like-minded people through the internet and through local meet-ups who have taught me much, engaged me in thought-provoking conversation, shown me books and videos which have expanded my understanding of the world and who have shared their friendship with me.<br />
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I have a confidence in myself and a clarity of thought that was inconceivable before I gave up my belief. Because my conclusions have come to me after much thought and study, I can be more certain of their correctness. Much of the material I store in my brain upon which I build my worldview is now backed by evidence-based knowledge instead of the emotional "knowing" of things taken on faith. It is a concept that is immensely hard to convey to anyone who has not gone through the process of losing their faith through applied skepticism. It is an entirely different way of processing information. Sometimes, though, this benefit works against me such as when I have to deal with the frustration of not being able to get someone to understand the faults in their logic. In fact sometimes, it's kind of like...being the only sober person in a car full of drunk people who refuse to pull over and let you drive. LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-68814871365056829932011-03-12T13:10:00.000-06:002011-03-12T13:10:39.937-06:00Why You Should Love Tim MinchinTim Minchin is the sort of guy who can insult your religion, your country and your kid with a smile on his face and make you feel like he just might be right and you should thank him for pointing out their flaws. He is able to gently convey a brutal honesty about our world and our lives, keeping us laughing at the absurdity of it all the while. And, as Alan Alda said, "When people are laughing, they are generally not killing each other." Yeah, so spread the laughter, ok?<br />
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Here are a few of my favorites. Enjoy! (NSFW):<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ESFANzZTdYM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div> LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-18327334144556330872011-03-11T14:14:00.025-06:002011-03-11T16:09:09.728-06:00Democracy Is DeadNo words can really convey my feelings going into this post. The most adequate attempts of "infuriated", "outraged" and "incensed" can only provide a small window into the depth of my anger at what is being done to my country. By now many of you have heard that the Wisconsin Republicans rammed through their bill stripping rights from union members. It made me physically ill when I read the headline. They have effectively managed to destroy democracy in Wisconsin and the ripples will be felt nationwide. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnRDhkLWij88yveVJwQ-OW3jPbpmwbGYEXLwJ5JHp_h25O-UFVqdZ3Ln3l_QSh463CK85_aTd7HPY9itk8msIbbSFF2iWNfAD763KlEV8BGOyu7Mg3cFgDf2bSWRzDtU79ggN4JoRgHqB/s1600/Liberty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnRDhkLWij88yveVJwQ-OW3jPbpmwbGYEXLwJ5JHp_h25O-UFVqdZ3Ln3l_QSh463CK85_aTd7HPY9itk8msIbbSFF2iWNfAD763KlEV8BGOyu7Mg3cFgDf2bSWRzDtU79ggN4JoRgHqB/s320/Liberty.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The big spin on this is that it has to be done to "balance the budget". Echoes of the same are being heard right now in more than a dozen other states including Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, Indiana and Georgia. Folks, make no mistake, this has nothing to do with the states' budgets. This is about corporate power and wealth concentration. The cornerstones of democracy - education, independence and freedom - might not yet be completely dead but these unwanted kittens are dangling over a river and corporations are holding the bag.<br />
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Destruction of our democracy by cutting funding is a clearly stated long-term plan of the Republican party. They believe that big business or "the market" should be the ultimate authority. They don't advertise it but it's certainly not a secret. And it is going to get much, much worse. Once they are done breaking the unions, we will continue to see them actively pursue their goal of tearing apart our democracy. All the while, they will institute steps to curtail voting among minorities and young people and anyone else likely to vote Democratic to remove any threat to their power.<br />
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We will have a front row seat to watch them dismantle any programs that rely on the federal government such as Social Security, HeadStart programs, Medicare and Medicaid, public education, the EPA, public broadcasting, family planning, public health, food safety, heating assistance for the poor, job training and college grant programs and it will all be done under the banner of "Balancing the Budget". The attack on these services is already well underway.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFYH1BVVbx044MKwDGYSjxusIgbVyF4sbHB03mM0s10sLIbcjAD-J8RCHUsSbT1bA9zFXMJF4ww7ZuuPUah9hlyLW-v_65kxVwNtv7vUAYbrMNVncBhYUt-s0aRyDR-UEOHScaq9IaG_I2/s1600/knife+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFYH1BVVbx044MKwDGYSjxusIgbVyF4sbHB03mM0s10sLIbcjAD-J8RCHUsSbT1bA9zFXMJF4ww7ZuuPUah9hlyLW-v_65kxVwNtv7vUAYbrMNVncBhYUt-s0aRyDR-UEOHScaq9IaG_I2/s320/knife+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>They will strip away these programs and at every step, most Americans will sit by and deny that there is a problem. Some will even defend the cuts. They will say that we are broke. They will say that we <em>must </em>eliminate the debt. We <em>must </em>get rid of the deficit. They will say we are living beyond our means. Bullshit. Our country is <strong>not</strong> broke, it is <em>broken</em>. Money that should be going to help those in need and to efforts to strengthen our society is instead routed toward big business. No matter, these steps will still be justified as "necessary" and the downward spiral will continue. <br />
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We are funnelling money to the ultra-rich at a faster and faster pace through initiation and continuation of massive tax cuts. Corporations are paying little to no tax; billionaires pay at the same rate as people making tiny fractions of what they earn and new ways are constantly being created to help them pay even less. The money given up in those tax cuts is needed. It has to come from somewhere but it's not going to to come from the rich and the corporations; it will come from the programs essential to the middle and lower classes.<br />
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</div>We will watch them destroy every program that benefits the vulnerable; the poor, the elderly, the under-educated, the underprivileged and the chronically ill. Defund and destroy, defund and destroy; marginalize the working class and kill off the poor. This is their strategy. They will take all of the power away from the citizens and hand it to corporations. We are about to become slaves.<br />
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<em>WAKE UP!</em><br />
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<strong>Wisconsin:</strong><br />
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</div> <strong> Michigan:</strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Oq8OS5F5a40?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <strong>Ohio:</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/sK6Rzk2kFhY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <strong>Indiana:</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/82Xv8r5zv28?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <strong> Idaho:</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5HMBRjMgW9I?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <strong>Georgia:</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/81kV9kVGfn4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">Knife photo: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=404</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">Liberty photo: <p><a href="</span><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net%22%3eimage/"><span style="color: #999999;">http://www.freedigitalphotos.net">Image</span></a><span style="color: #999999;">: FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a></p></span></div><span style="color: #999999;">Piggy Bank photo: </span><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=691"><span style="color: #999999;">http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=691</span></a>LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-22618345632591770502011-03-09T19:48:00.001-06:002011-03-09T20:31:49.682-06:00So, What Do Christians Really Believe, Anyway?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I had a discussion recently with a fellow non-believer in which he said that he didn’t think Christians truly believed as they say they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found this to be an interesting assertion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is something I have actually considered before and the conclusion that I came to was that yes, people do truly believe but they don’t necessarily believe in what they say or even what they think they do.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZmsc41xn7Fqmk4HKRzAkTDukVs3tdGZkpaDh2UyRIksjl7iAyenikgo_LFVXtjwODn7MixUSF46ih1UCAR4YxPgI47RLHVJ59LzZBx1-v3H2GskwxyTsYtJi3HzdYkxRf1fzL45ywif5/s1600/Prayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZmsc41xn7Fqmk4HKRzAkTDukVs3tdGZkpaDh2UyRIksjl7iAyenikgo_LFVXtjwODn7MixUSF46ih1UCAR4YxPgI47RLHVJ59LzZBx1-v3H2GskwxyTsYtJi3HzdYkxRf1fzL45ywif5/s320/Prayer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <span style="color: #999999;"> Image courtesy of graur razvan ionut via freedigitalphotos.net</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 295.5pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Let’s begin by looking at the basis of Christianity, the Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two ways to interpret the Bible; literally and non-literally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In following a literal interpretation, one can be consistent but must perform a fair amount of mental acrobatics to make it work within the framework of society’s knowledge as it stands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to be willing to deny all evidence in the world around you to maintain that faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be consistent with literalism, one must believe that the world is flat, the sun goes around the earth, light was created before the sun, billions of critters fit on a boat and eight people were able to care for them and other statements that defy logic including reconciling the many inconsistencies that exist within the Bible itself.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Literalists believe because it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">simply must be true</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They cannot accept that they could be wrong; nor do they even allow themselves to consider the possibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They know in their hearts that God loves them and that if they follow his laws, even when they contradict the laws of man or are hurtful to others, they will be rewarded in the afterlife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some feel their faith so strongly, that they are willing to deny all logic and reason and accept all of this in the name of faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would go as far as to say that I think these people are living in a state of delusion where God is the final answer to every question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems to me that these people have the most sincere and consistent beliefs but also the most illogical and least in line with reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Those who follow a non-literal interpretation are able to apply their logic to varying degrees but lose the consistency of their belief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I often wonder if these people have even read the entire Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They seem to choose which pieces to believe based on their own personal biases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, many choose to believe that homosexuality is wrong but eating shellfish and getting tattoos is fine or might accept that the earth is vaguely spherical but believe in divine creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might believe that God is loving and forgiving but not remember the parts that say he is vengeful and jealous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bible offers no guide as to which passages should be taken literally and which might be up for interpretation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do these believers know that they have chosen the “right” rules to follow?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These individuals may believe deeply but they fail to recognize the way they compartmentalize their thoughts in order to allow their religion to conform to their knowledge of the world and the rest of their beliefs.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Some non-literalists will go as far as to say that the Bible is simply a collection of stories to live by; a guide for how to act humbly and charitably.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might even recognize that many of the stories such as creation, the flood and Christ’s death and subsequent rising are themes that have been repeated for many millennia in hundreds if not thousands of cultures differing only in names and specific details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am particularly baffled by these people because I do not understand, if one does not believe that the Bible was divinely inspired or that God has a personal interest in their lives or that Jesus died for man’s sins, how one can possibly call oneself a Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It has been my experience overall (with a few notable exceptions) that the Christians I know are incredibly good people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are honest, caring, thoughtful and generous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They want the best for those they love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They want to help others and improve the world around them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They think that it is “good” to believe in God because believing in God makes them “good people”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They believe that God is taking care of them and that he listens to their prayers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They believe that God gives them comfort and guidance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They believe that it is arrogant to think that there is “nothing greater than ourselves”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they believe that their goodness will be rewarded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To stop believing would mean they were immoral, they and those around them would suffer and they would be left powerless and unloved.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">What they do not allow themselves to see is that the things they consider to be “good” are coming from within themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If belief in God were the only thing making people “good”, then we should see those who de-convert resorting to all kinds of immoral behavior but this just doesn’t happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Atheists are not running rampant, a stream of crime following in their wake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would these believers really stop caring for others if they gave up the sacred or would they continue to care for those in need because it is the right thing to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would their loved ones fall apart if the prayers of the faithful were not bestowed upon them or would they continue to experience the ebb and flow of life with its triumphs and tragedies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would they feel alone or would they realize that as human beings, we are all in this together and are inherently connected to one another?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would they really think that there is “nothing greater than ourselves” or would they find themselves incredibly humbled by the vastness of our universe and our place within it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I submit to you that they would come to understand that being a “good person” does not require God.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So while many people call themselves Christians, the space between different Christian’s belief systems is often not just a jump but a chasm with some teetering on the brink of Godlessness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some believe that the Bible is communication direct from God, some view it as a divinely inspired guideline and some just believe in belief. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that the ones who fall off of that brink may find that the drop isn’t too far at all. <br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #666666;">If you enjoyed this post, please consider clicking the "Follow" button!</span></div>LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-36658877809772971122011-03-08T20:48:00.001-06:002011-03-08T20:56:56.807-06:00Educate Women, Save the WorldToday is International Women's Day so I thought I would take the opportunity to mention a few inspirational women, their impact on the world and the need to continue in their footsteps.<br />
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When discussing influencial women, we often hear the names of such heroines as Marie Curie, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony or more contemporary women like Sandra Day O'Connor , Sally Ride or Madeline Albright. I would like to mention some amazing women of whom you might not be aware:<br />
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Maria Agnesi (1718 - 1799) - Wrote the first math book by a woman and became the first female math professor at a university.<br />
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Emily Davies (1830 - 1921) - Founded Girton College, Cambridge University, the first college in England to educate women.<br />
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Elizabeth Blackwell - In 1849, became the first woman in the United States to hold a Medical Degree.<br />
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Raden Adjeng Kartini (1879 - 1904) - Advocated for women's rights in Indonesia and vocally criticized the lack of education for women.<br />
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Begum Ramayana Liaquat Ali Khan (1905 - 1990) - Pakistani activist who organized a women's nursing and first aid corp despite intense pressure against women working outside the home. Also arranged a women's conference which resulted in the formation of the All Pakistan Women's Association, an organization for the educational, social and cultural betterment of women.<br />
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All of these women have one thing in common: they fought for education for women. In today's western world we often take women's education for granted. Unfortunately, this is not yet the norm in other cultures where women are still heavily oppressed and are kept from working outside of their home. What many may not realize is that the oppression of these women affects all of us, world-wide.<br />
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Poverty in developing countries contributes to deforestation and habitat destruction for many species, the tragedy of human trafficking, the spread of diseases and over-population on a planet with finite resources.<br />
Educating women is the single most important step to lifting people out of poverty. Per Wikipedia:<br />
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<blockquote>" Empowering <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://www.blogger.com/wiki/Women" title="Women">women</a> has helped some countries increase and sustain economic development. When given more <a href="http://www.blogger.com/wiki/Rights">rights</a> and opportunities women begin to receive more education, thus increasing the overall <a href="http://www.blogger.com/wiki/Human_capital">human capital</a> of the country; when given more influence women seem to act more responsibly in helping people in the family or village; and when better educated and more in control of their lives, women are more successful in bringing down rapid population growth because they have more say in <a href="http://www.blogger.com/wiki/Family_planning">family planning</a>."</blockquote>Educate women, save the world!<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">If you enjoyed this post, please consider clicking the "Follow" button!</span><br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty</a>LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-2022310407690116082011-03-08T06:41:00.003-06:002011-03-08T06:49:41.180-06:00Children, Atheism and ReligionWhen my son came home a few days ago and announced, "Charlie's* an atheist like me!", I felt my chest tighten. After a deep breath, we had a short discussion about personal beliefs and why some people might get upset with him if their beliefs are different from his and then I reminded him that he is still learning and suggested he might want to hold off discussing religion at school.<br />
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Then the guilt came. Had I just made him feel bad for expressing what he thinks? Why was I trying to talk him out of being confident? Why should he not look for bonds with other children whose families might be similar to ours? Why should he be asked to not discuss his family's beliefs? Would a child raised in Christian or Muslim or Hindu tradition be told not to bring up such topics? My first reaction should have been one of joy for him that he had found someone with whom to empathize but instead I shut him down.<br />
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My husband and I make a tremendous effort at teaching our son tolerance. He is well acquainted with stories from the Bible, and knows the basics of Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Pantheism, Deism, Judaism, Wicca and more. We tell him what we believe and why and encourage him to ask the same questions of others. We want him to make an informed decision when he decides which beliefs will ultimately be his own. Having done a fair amount of religious study myself, I am at least somewhat aware of just how much he doesn't know yet and it bothers me to hear him call himself an "atheist" because he cannot possibly have enough information to make that decision for himself. He is placing a label on himself out of familiarity. I don't like to hear children being labeled in the traditions of their parents because they do not have the cognitive abilities to fully understand what those labels mean much less the greater implications of being associated with those labels. But labeling himself prematurely wasn't really what had bothered me so much.<br />
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The truth is that I told him to keep quiet out of fear, selfishness and shame; fear that others will use the difference to shun or bully him, selfishness for not wanting the other parents to look at me "that way" and shame because I have been conditioned to believe that there is something wrong with being an atheist. Many of us have it drilled into our brains from a young age that atheists are "bad people" and it is troubling to realize that despite <em>knowing</em> this to not be the case, I still have that reaction within me.<br />
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So how do I teach my child to be proud of his family while being cautious of intolerant people and navigating my own inconsistencies? How do I teach him that we are good people? How do I let him know that whatever decisions he makes about who he is, if he comes to them honestly, are good decisions? How do I let him grow up being ok with himself?<br />
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For now, I just have to keep reminding myself that he has some advantages in the game. He does not carry the baggage of being raised in a religious home and deciding to leave his traditional beliefs behind. He has not been taught that thoughts can be "bad" or that he is always being watched and judged by an omnipotent, omnipresent father figure. He is still innocent and has a clean slate to build on. He is not me. <br />
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I can also assure him by showing him daily what I know to be true; that atheists can be <em>good</em> people. Our family treats others fairly and with kindness. We help where there is need. We are honest and ethical and caring. I can encourage him to speak with others openly and respectfully. I can teach him through example that there is no shame in choosing rationality over tradition or superstition by not letting myself, or him, be held back by who I used to be. <br />
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*Not his real nameLiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-15738722013045338592011-03-06T19:13:00.003-06:002011-03-06T20:38:15.434-06:00VirtuesI<em> love</em> books. My house is practically overrun by them. There is something almost magical about them; someone's thoughts condensed and polished and sandwiched between two covers for the purpose of sharing one's mind with others. My son's school, like many, hands out periodic Book Club flyers offering children's books at a discounted price. My son gets new books and the school gets credits toward books for the classroom; it seems like a perfect set-up.<br />
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We normally get two flyers with names like "Dragonfly" or "Bumble Bee". This time, we received a third flyer, "Virtues". It only took a second of reading the book titles; <u>Noah's Ark</u>, <u>Show God's Love</u>, <u>Bible Stories for Girls</u>, <u>The Lord's Prayer</u>, <u>Baby Angels</u>, etc. before I realized that we weren't talking about "virtues" like patience, kindness and charity. We were talking about <em>Virtues </em>like following the laws of the Bible, going to Sunday school and saying prayers before bedtime.<br />
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My Humanist pride was wounded but I still wanted to see what they were offering inside the flyer for Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist kids. We sometimes buy books from varied perspectives in an effort to teach our son about the world around him. I was surprised (but should probably not have been) to find that there were none; not one single non-Christian "virtues" book. There were some non-religious books in the collection but all of the religious ones were explicitly Christian. This is a problem. What is the implication of a flyer entitled "Virtues" which includes only a Christian perspective? That non-Christian children are of a lesser moral quality than those raised as Christians. It sets the stage for these children for a life-long status of "less than". No child should ever be made to feel that way and the fact that this was given to first graders makes it even worse.<br />
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Most non-theists are well familiar with the challenges of living in a majority-Christian society and the discrimination that can often be a part of that. Many of us have lost friendships, jobs, even family, over the disdain others hold toward us for our lack of belief in a deity. You just never quite know how people will react once they find out. We are often stuck with a choice of standing up for ourselves at the risk of being shunned or keeping our mouths shut and receiving decent treatment. And sadly, when we do choose to stand up for ourselves, sometimes people elect to extend their discrimination to our children. I spent a few restless nights worrying about what was the right thing to do.<br />
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So what's an atheist mom to do? Because my son's school has stated repeatedly that they place a high value on tolerance, I decided it was worth a go to bring the issue to their attention. I figured in a best-case scenario, at least I could get them to stop including the "Virtues" flyer in <em>our</em> mailbox. I typed a carefully-worded e-mail explaining my point of view and then obsessively reviewed it multiple times looking for any trace of whining tone or "angry atheist" sentiment. Then I saved it as a draft without an address in the "To" line and waited until I felt brave. I sent it to a friend who works in education and she gave it her seal of approval. Still not feeling completely confident, I sent it to Dale McGowan, author of <u>Parenting Beyond Belief</u>, and asked for his thoughts which he graciously provided. After incorporating a couple of his edits, I swallowed my fear and clicked "Send" and waited to discover whether or not I had just sealed my son's fate as school pariah for the next five years.<br />
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I received a reply that evening. I looked at the e-mail sitting in my in-box several times without opening it. At long last, I decided it was no use putting it off any further. When I finally worked up the nerve to double-click, I was prepared for just about anything. Much to my surprise and relief, I really didn't need to be so worried. The response was overwhelmingly positive. The administrator understood my concerns and was in agreement that the flyer should not have been sent out. She said she planned to contact the Book Club to find out if it was meant for parochial schools and was sent in error or if it was meant to be included and if it was intentionally included, <em>she would discontinue their relationship with the Book Club</em>. Wow. I had to read her reply twice to make sure I had read it correctly. This was a far better outcome than I had even hoped for!<br />
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I am so glad that I did not let my fear hold me back. If I had decided not to speak up, I would have been left wondering - wondering whether the teachers and administrators were bigoted, wondering if I shared their values as much as I thought I had, wondering whether in fact, this was the right school for my child. But now I know. And I can sleep soundly until the next challenge comes along.LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-33045500242234554962011-03-04T15:24:00.000-06:002011-03-04T15:24:19.367-06:00The War Against Workers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/njG7p6CSbCU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
Like many Americans, I have been watching the anti-union legislation being pushed in several states over the past couple of weeks. Despite being framed as a budget issue, I fail to see how anyone can call this anything but union-busting. With Wisconsin being at the forefront of this battle, Wisconsin Governor, Scott Walker maintains that these steps are necessary to balance the state's budget. Clearly, a balanced budget is an ideal that all states should strive for but Governor Walker is not being quite honest about the situation.<br />
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It is seldom mentioned that the governor started his term a few months ago with a surplus. What happened to that surplus? It was given away in the form of tax breaks to wealthy multi-national corporations. Now the middle class is being asked to pay for those tax breaks. The union members have already agreed to lower pay and decreased benefits. They have said that they would concede even more if only the right to bargain collectively were left intact. Collective bargaining allows workers to ensure that they work in a safe environment, receive proper training, fair wages and work in a good general environment. Loss of collective bargaining gives all of the power to business which apparently, is right where Governor Walker thinks it belongs. <br />
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Unions do something else, too. They get out the vote. And not generally for Republicans. If Republicans can break the unions, they stand a much higher chance at retaining and gaining seats in the legislature. Their goal is a permanent Republican majority. It is widely known that the Republican party largely supports big business and vice versa. A permanent Republican majority is a fast pathway to a pure corporatocracy, also known as fascism. <br />
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So what does the America of a permanent Republican majority look like? We hear from them constantly that they just want to cut governmental "waste, fraud and abuse". This "waste, fraud and abuse" includes such things as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, public education, college grants, food safety and environmental regulation. Cuts of this nature will lead to an America filled with poor, ignorant, uneducated, unhealthy workers who have no say in their own lives. But that makes us oh so much easier to control now, doesn't it?<br />
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Even more interesting is the way they are able to pit public employees against the privately-employed. Union rights are framed as something "taken" from the rest of us; an unfair advantage. I am continually surprised at the number of people who actually believe this. Public employee pensions and health care are not a gift paid for by taxpayers. David Cay Johnston at Truthout.org explains:<br />
<blockquote><div class="rteleft">Out of every dollar that funds Wisconsin' s pension and health insurance plans for state workers, 100 cents comes from the state workers.</div><div class="rteleft">How can that be? Because the "contributions" consist of money that employees chose to take as deferred wages – as pensions when they retire – rather than take immediately in cash. The same is true with the health care plan. If this were not so a serious crime would be taking place, the gift of public funds rather than payment for services.</div><div class="rteleft">Thus, state workers are not being asked to simply "contribute more" to Wisconsin' s retirement system (or as the argument goes, "pay their fair share" of retirement costs as do employees in Wisconsin' s private sector who still have pensions and health insurance). They are being asked to accept a cut in their salaries so that the state of Wisconsin can use the money to fill the hole left by tax cuts and reduced audits of corporations in Wisconsin.</div></blockquote>Unions in the United States are responsible for the 40-hour work week, worker safety, minimum wage, child labor laws, overtime pay and weekends. The fact that unions can bargain for a fair wage means a decent living wage for the rest of us. Unions are not the enemy. They are not taking anything from us. They are fighting every day on the front lines of the People vs. Corporations and they deserve our support.<br />
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<a href="http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/Misc/2011_01_31Vos&Darling.pdf">http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/Misc/2011_01_31Vos&Darling.pdf</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.truth-out.org/really-bad-reporting-wisconsin-who-contributes-public-workers-pensions68225">http://www.truth-out.org/really-bad-reporting-wisconsin-who-contributes-public-workers-pensions68225</a>LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885591691121012077.post-3315471822686547902011-03-03T15:31:00.001-06:002011-03-03T16:39:42.875-06:00Liberal Atheist HippieSo, as it turns out, the things I enjoy talking about most, religion and politics, are things which one is apparently supposed remain mum on in polite conversation. I've never been obsessed with being polite but I do like to maintain my friendships and I think it is really nice when family members retain me as a Facebook friend so it seemed a blog was the next natural step to holding onto my loved ones and my sanity simultaneously.<br />
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I am unapologetically, as the title states, a liberal atheist hippie. My politics are often in flux but I currently consider myself to be a Democratic Socialist, most closely aligned with the Green Party. I advocate evolutionary progressive change toward socialistic goals via a democratic process. In the words of the Democratic Socialists of America from <a href="http://www.dsausa.org/about/index.html">http://www.dsausa.org/about/index.html</a>:<br />
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<blockquote><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, Swiss, SunSans-Regular;">We are socialists because we reject an international economic order sustained by private profit, alienated labor, race and gender discrimination, environmental destruction, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo.<br />
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We are socialists because we share a vision of a humane international social order based both on democratic planning and market mechanisms to achieve equitable distribution of resources, meaningful work, a healthy environment, sustainable growth, gender and racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships.</span></i></blockquote>Although I do consider myself a progressive, I will listen respectfully to the viewpoints of others (this does not necessarily mean I will hold any respect for any particular opinion). I have, on occasion, even found myself in agreement with conservatives. I am willing to consider other points of view but if I think you are wrong, I will tell you and I will tell you why. I expect the same from others.<br />
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With regard to my atheism, it is a conclusion I came to after a long and exhaustive search for truth. I was raised in a Methodist household but began to question in my late teens. I remained a Christian still for several years. I read the Bible cover-to-cover twice and realized that I had been misled in a number of ways. I spent some time studying comparative religions and made an effort at Buddhism, which seemed to most closely reflect my values and beliefs. In the end though, I found that even Buddhism did not really ring true for me. After much research and deep thought, the only honest conclusion I could come to was that there is no God and there never was and that religion, as an oppressor of truth, freedom and equality was not something of which I would ever again be a part.<br />
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And yes, I am a hippie. Or so I am told. In my teenage years, I became very interested in history, politics and political activism. I found myself greatly inspired by Beat authors Kesey, Kerouac, Ginsberg, Burroughs and Cassady which led to learning about sixties counterculture. The messages of equality, feminism and peace resonated with me and hippie history became <em>my</em> history. As one would expect, that road eventually ran past the Grateful Dead and I didn't just get on the bus, I wanted to drive it. I followed them around the USA on various tours from '89 - '95. I long considered the Dead and the culture surrounding them to be my people and my home and in many ways, I still do. When Jerry Garcia died in 1995, it was a devastating loss for me. As most of us do with our losses, I eventually found a way through it and I now consider the jam band scene to be my musical home. Some people choose to apply the "hippie" label to me, some tell me the hippies are all gone and that I can only be a "Deadhead". Whatever. I'm fine with either (or both).<br />
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So this is where it begins. It has been many moons since I last did any writing outside of e-mail and what's required of me at work and it feels really good. I am looking forward to seeing where this path leads. If you enjoy reading about politics, philosophy, skepticism and/or music, please consider becoming a follower of Liberal Atheist Hippie. <br />
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Peace.LiberalAtheistHippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02126228320628970855noreply@blogger.com2