The Saviors of God

The creative power (god) has taken shape the way we are shaped. The most imperative venture is to preserve this gift of life elsewhere should something go wrong—keeping us in play should cataclysm strike.

Whatever the case, space travel is a way to save god—to insure that life, awareness, and perception in the universe live on forever.

“The theologians have myths, the scientists have theories—and both ends in mystery and ignorance”, Ray Bradbury

Either way space travel is an insurance policy of continuity—to insure that human life continues unbroken. To save god in its current image is our only legacy. Can we pull it off in time to beat the day of doom?

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What is God and Why It’s Not

Sacredness is not a relationship with belief. This is a categorical error. Beliefs are simply ideas we like to think on then entertain out of preference—then wrongly cling to out of credulous insecurity. Belief is needed because it is not real. Quantum Theory is the closest thing to real that the general population has been exposed to. It demonstrates what is unseen by the senses—this is god.

Highly charged emotional states or chemically enhanced experience may at times give one a glimpse into the hidden portions of reality. This is no more spiritual than your normal existence—it is only different. Calling it a deity is supposing that anything outside our normal perceptions is god, when in reality the process of evolution has not seen fit to expose more than the needed perceptions to eat and reproduce.

That the ground of being is some kind of entity is a fundamental mistake. There may be something underneath it all but it is not a being, it IS being. It is the way things grow or become—no-thing knows how it is done or that it is doing it. Like how you grow your hair or raise your hand. You just do it never knowing how. This is god, if there is such a thing, which I just explained is not a thing.

The idea that god is a being is a projection from our individual aspects of form, which is not too far off the truth. Not as individuals but as apertures of the whole. Every bit is meaningful to us because every bit is the one thing.

Driving with the top down at the speed of life can get a little messy. Getting a glimpse now and the can be rewarding but not meaningful—it doesn’t do anything and is at odds with evolutionary fitness. Plus there is actual thrill in not knowing—this is what makes the Great Mystery meaningful. What point would actually be meaningful if there was no mystery?

If there are entities that know more than we, this is god until we realize they only have different evolutionary hacks and perceptions, a different peep hole into the objective reality that we see vey little of. To see 10% more may very well overload the circuitry and distract evolutionary fitness as we know it.

What we don’t see may or may not be more advanced or better, but simply outside our sensory perceptions and immiscible. We would be as much a mystery to them as they are to us—unless they have evolved to see things they cannot interact with, like watching tv.

Deb Schell, Missouri

Rambling on the Religion of Ego—

It all comes down to what one would rather believe. Maybe life is just too dissatisfying without a belief to succor one’s ego.

Religious beliefs are like a skillfully edited film—and the preacher is the editor. What lies on the floor of the editing room is messy. But life without makeup is amazing.

Regular is beautiful. Maybe if we put our faith efforts towards our own specie we could really do something special?

When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other—An empty head is not really empty; it is stuffed with rubbish. Hence the difficulty of forcing anything into an empty head—Eric Hoffer.

If something is real it is not necessary to believe in it. To unbelieve is to approach the ground of being—that primordial state from which all things rise and fall. Belief is merely a self employed decoy, perpetuating the unknown by the same belief that holds our attention.

The Element of Illusion

First let me preface, I am an atheist. There are arguments for “something else”, but I don’t know what that means. I am not protective of my atheism (finding what people call god would be a prize winning effort) but I do struggle with the term and how it’s been defined beyond the reach of understanding.

Life itself is some type of illusion (deceived by our own relativity?) What you see on the surface seems so real and tangible (mass) yet is hardly anything tangible at all but energy (what is that?) and According to Einstein, energy and mass are equivalent (that’s the message of E=mc2) But our interpretation of how solid an object is purely relative. How would we know any different than what we are relative to our surroundings (insert puddle analogy) It seems so “there”, but is only a form of energy, which we know little about.

In physics, the kinetic energy (KE) of an object is the energy that it possesses due to its motion. KE= 1/2 mv2. In emergency medicine, we alway want to know how fast the car was going, etc, so the severity of injury and patterns can be predicted. Stopping that motion releases a lot of joules, and how quickly it stops is the difference between life and death.

Earth is energy in form, hurling through orbit at 66,000 mph and spinning—and the energies accumulated to reach that speed it still possesses.

Ideas on the other hand, have no energy. Life has evolved into the lazy mans game, gaining 90% of our knowledge by opinions and papers, instead of experience. There is little horse-sense applied to solving problems, but persuasion turned to belief rules the culture. While utility inspired the idea, now the idea has a life of its own. Man, now disconnected from his environment lives in a life of barriers—and through opinion develops ideas on how to master that environment.

Since the idea has no mass, the end of arguing over beliefs would drown without a whimper—no explosions or mass casualties. It would be like cancelling church during a pandemic. Would anybody have even noticed if it weren’t for a few showmen insistent on keeping there ideas alive for cash flow?

Anyway, Christian influence has the world at odds—because of belief (everyone is compelled to take sides) The appeal to faith also uses no energy, but is the path of least resistance where belief now trumps utility—now the way of the world. The nature that evolved the man no longer exists. There were more sustainable philosophies, but it appears to be too late for that. We are now in the puddle of belief, and for most of the world it’s a perfect fit.

From Practices to Beliefs—The Fatal Shift

The hebetude of religious belief, even the fervor becomes pure boredom as the wait sets in. With nothing to do but believe (or watch your favorite mega-preacher rake in cash) what is the mind to do—practice your tongues?

Years ago religion was a practice. Indigenous ritual and practical application accompanied the shaman as a person of utility, knowledge, and healing arts that surpassed the European physicians of the time. The ritual produced something—a far cry from today’s phony sacraments and preachers who merely pile on more robes, pomp, and pop music to cover the inadequacy of the Christian theme. It has to grow more and more unattainable as the subject matures in faith (lest his integrity outwit his belief) restricting the believer to endless need, never passing initiation phase.

“The distance shit falls is equal-to, or less-than the potential splash-back”

Applying yourself into The-Way© meets with more of the same mind—deeper, spoon-bending, concentrated belief, unashamed of the gospel through conditioning, isolation, and surrounding yourself with other “we” believers, ready to wipe up the mess of contradiction with explaining (tissue, standing by)

A useful religion would prepare adherents for the rigors of life—to cut you loose with knowledge to take on the world with the greatest understanding, not a perpetual codependency—the believer out of need (the churches fall horribly short producing enlightenment) and the religion in need of the believers cash.

The monotheistic stall has humanity hamster-wheeling, each generation farther from the last in practical utility. Arriving at belief is less than accomplishing anything, yet the churches pretend it’s the ultimate destination.

Philosophizing God

If believing in god is enough to imagine him into existence, then god is equally diminished by the arguments against him. The seesaw effect, back and forth, god, no god, poof, there he is, then gone again. There is no advantage to believing because of a cleverly worded argument that can be dismantled by reason. The real existence of a god would be an irrevocable surety. It is not, therefore he is not.

If god were real, no argument would be needed. Take any of the popular arguments for god and at first glance—quite clever. But, that’s about as far as it goes. A genuine treatise shoehorning the existence of god would in fact, be evident without persuasion, manipulating word games, sermonic hormones, and overcoming doubt, which doubt in itself should be a red-enough flag.

The bottom line is this; Religion has the audacity to think it can outwit nature. Accepting this natural order takes the fear out of life and negates the threats of death with endless suffering posed by religion. It also restores the esteem to man taken by religion. Atrophy and decay is a normal part of this experience and getting that little fact takes the decision to fear from our hands and tosses it out—the decisions surrounding death is made for you. Indigenous types all over the world accepted it as the natural course of things. Even in men’s ignorance or brilliance it mattered not. It just is and is nothing to fear. Understanding that keeps one from getting suckered by religious threat and seekers of power.

Accepting the fact we don’t know what happened before this life or what happens after is truly the only thing that could possibly excite an infinite being like myself, infiltrated with all encompassing consciousness in his natural state.

Things have lived and died long before the Abrahamic visions of the monarchical boss. For millions of years species have came and went long before “the fall”, just as the earliest hominids lived and died out, so will we. So what? Oh those poor souls for all those years before Jesus.

What it Means to Believe

“The true meaning of belief is to powerfully imagine“.

Humans have great imaginations and will consider criticism of such supernatural/religious fantasy as an affront to character. If you cannot imagine what they imagine at a ridiculously high level, you are not fit for the kingdom of god.

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”—Mark 9:24 / ie; Lord, I can imagine that; help my imagination!

Finding the right things to imagine is the key to strong faith. “In my fathers house there are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you“. Notice he never explains what it is like in heaven, but lays it at the feet of your imagination—the most powerful tool in the playbook.

Imagine that! Belief/imagination/religion is to pretend that the question trumps the answer and the search is the true meaning. A philosophical approach that sets “I don’t know” to wordplay. There are answers, but few want to know much beyond feeling good by believing in a system with no substance.

Now we are at an impasse. I am supposed to imagine the unimaginable, and believe that select humans have a personal relationship with it. The masterful play on human psychology—to pretend substance comes through belief and arrival rests on the pinnacle of imagination.

Meanwhile, we imagine a Saviour, someone to come down out of the sky to fix our wastefulness while we remain a greedy people and rationalize human destructiveness by waiting it out—but belief in god will not save us. That is up to us to address reality.

To the True Churches

Years ago when I was a True Believer © (AD, DDa, AWOB), I purchased a piece of property for farming. It was 20 acres below the high-line canal and approved for flood irrigation. It had a swale in the middle sloping down a bit to one side and had to be leveled. Three or four days on a tractor and a laser—or embarrassingly, maybe I could just hold up my hand and command it in the name of Jesus!

—It didn’t work.

After a few days of dozing I came to my senses—I didn’t believe hard enough…God was testing my faith.

It is said that all churches which are founded in error and imposter will come to a shameful end. But if Jesus Christ intends to say that he has established a society of followers who will not fall either into vice or error, these words are absolutely false, as there is in Christendom no church, no society, and no sect which is not full of errors and vices viruses [sic] especially the Roman church though it claims to be the purest and the holiest of all. It was born into error, and even now is so full of delusions which are contrary to the intentions, sentiments, and doctrine of its founder (Paul, P-peter) Because it has contrary to his intention, abolished the laws of the Jews of which he approved and which he came himself and said to fulfill them, not to destroy. It has fallen into the errors of idolatry of paganism, as seen by the idolatrous worship which is offered to its god of death (and child abuse)

And nobody’s is moving any mountains.

“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them—Mark 11:23

I didn’t doubt it, or I wouldn’t have done it. —Enter Explanations

Every Christian thinks the other are doing it wrong. In this I agree.

Commanding the Elements—Thy Will Be Done

What manner of man is this that even the wind and the seas obey him? Matthew 8:27

A lucky one

Commanding tornados in the name of Jesus gets attention year after year. But, is commanding the weather a miracle, or just timing—and luck? (bad luck for the recipients of such commands).

Anyone that watches the weather can see two things; there’s a calm before the storm then, just when things are plum mad-dog mean as they can get—it quits. While truthfully there is a third option as well. We can all attest that no one recorded the miracle that day, nor were any of the writers present. It’s a story.

Things aren’t always what they seem, even after they seem like it.

Storms come and go, rivers crest, then fall—for all shit rolls downhill right until the miraculous moment it hits the bottom. All bleeding eventually stops and with enough people guessing, commanding in Jesus name someone is bound to be right.

Take two.

A month ago Ark was chastised and Jesus name was invoked—proving this miraculous promise. In his name ya know, believers can cast out devils. Here’s an excerpt—

I am speaking not to you but the spirit of the anti-Christ living inside of you and I command it to leave in the name of the resurrected Jesus Christ…But its all up to you to accept.

So, which is it, Jesus name or freewill? The fact is no signs follow them that believe. No devils are cast out, no seas are calmed by the faithful—hence all the shipwrecks in the history of sailing. Every single one had the prayers of the faithful muffled out by the sound of drowning. It either works or it doesn’t. Ark would be a Bible totin’ believer now, if it were true.

How egotistical for one to believe that god will alter the laws of nature and physics to satisfy self preservation. No life is more important than another, except the one living it, of course.

Raising the dead and casting our demons is relegated now to science and pharmacology. Signs truly follow them that study medicine, physiology, and resuscitation techniques. There are no true believers© on planet earth. Either the preterist are right, or no signs follow them that believe—ever.

Even With Gods—Haiku Challenge

I Write Her weekly photo challenge with Susi Bocks. Photo—Ash D Soloman—Lucid Being

#1—Sinful God

In the Gaelic wind—

God repents a wistful glance—

At earthly pleasure—

#2—The Unfolding

Impetuous acts—

Reveal true characters—

Confronted by strength—

#3—Strength

Thunder recoils—

As the hedge-witch reposes—

Confronting spirits—

And one bonus haiku at no extra charge—

#4—Weakness

God himself travails—

Broken from his own restraint—

To glimpse wild beauty—

————————————————–

The image of god caste by the writers as a ‘perfect innocent’ of any wrong doing is in fact a type and shadow of the men of power. Who but the aspiring and entrenched ‘men of words’ can declare their innocence time and again from the same breath that inflicts? Who but god (the writers) can tip their hand in blood and horrors and and call it good? Even very good—Taking a stand against this entrenched deception is in fact the absolute morality the religious seek.

Bending your mind to appease a nefarious belief and honoring atrocious behavior through faith is an obvious sleight of hand played on the trusting minds of humanity.

New Ways of Seeing

Back in the day I had every explanation there was to show how god did it. I could mend and coerce any thought into a bible verse and show the connection to gods love. I’m quite puxxled and alarmed by the process now, but what religioso today is interested in research when it counters his presupposed, indoctrinated upbringing—opening that mind to legitimate answers doesn’t really go hand in hand. The answers come through unbelief, not the other way around.

Abraham had it easy. He was tested to see if he would kill his only son in a time of brutality. A violent sociality that was already laden with superstition. He heard voices, and followed the (accepted by the day) promptings, and at the last second had woken from his trancelike state and withheld his hand. So what? In a time where little was understood about disease or science, the gods accounted for everything from illness, rain, floods, lightening, and drought and movements in the earth. Gods were interwoven into the psyche and dreams of everyone for every thing. His perceived command to kill his son was difficult, but acceptable to him as a means to appease a god. We know enough now to get help, or offer it when things like this manifest.

I would say emphatically, no! Get someone else to do your evil, but mental illness has no limits when left untreated. Can one truly be tested, not knowing it’s just a test? Of course. That’s what makes Abraham all the more worrisome. The father of many nations, revered by all abrahamic faiths, was willing to kill his son by a hallucinatorial perceived command. How is this heroic?

Ah…it’s a type and shadow of the Christ. A metaphor of the sacrifice to come— shinbexamoke alutarristaskas—which is tongues for spectral evidence, spiked with ergot poisoning, famine, draught, superstition and temporal lobe seizures. Noitanicullah is tongues for hallucination spelled backwards, but no matter how you spell slice it (foreskin and all) today Abraham would’ve been committed, not celebrated.

“To continuously evaluate whether a being is good requires moral judgment, which requires moral autonomy
8. Therefore it is not possible to continuously evaluate if a being is good while also worshipping it
9. Therefore, worshipping necessarily requires abandoning one’s moral responsibility, which is immoral
10. Therefore, no being is worthy of worship”—James Rachel “God and Moral Autonomy”—Quote mining officially through the offices of TheCommonAtheist™️ and its subscribers, with special thanks to JZ (2018)

Mountains, Devils, and Gods

Since only about the past 3 centuries have mountains been explored and climbed. Historically, in them dwelt the gods, God, or devils and monsters. Folk lore is rich with misunderstandings of geology and what lay in the high places—including lore of the Bible.

“And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.” Exodus‬ ‭20:18‬ ‭KJV

We can all easily imagine all these descriptions are that of a volcanic process, but what about the trumpet? For thirty days prior to an eruption in Hawaii, these sounds were recorded (there are others as well) that describe the high pressure venting of gasses pressing through fissures. But like any good preacher, the Moses character takes advantage of the crisis.

“And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.” Exodus‬ ‭20:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

If the people survive this, he has the control over them for a lifetime. If not, meh, the dead never write nor have much to say. That technique has enslaved billions for millennia in multiple civilizations. It was a bold play on primitive ignorance.

Today mountain climbing is merely a hobby and studying them is a profession. We routinely climb the once forbidden domains of god without fear of meeting him face to face, because it is an imagínate being. It always has been a superstitious misunderstanding of the natural world that has empowered the men of words. Thank you geologists!

Gremlins and Fairies

I have a plan when I return to Panama. My neighbor up the way has gold buried in his yard. Yep, real gold buried years ago to hide it from the Spanish. He has sworn me to secrecy, but pretty sure y’all could never trek to his spot in the jungle.

One day he came by the house to borrow my metal detector (I think it’s the only one in Panama) to see if he could get to the treasure before the gremlins move it…again. Every time he locates a spot, they shift it away from the hole faster than he can dig. Every time we’d get a good tone, by the time he digs deep enough, all we find is a clavo de concreto or some other iron junk and the gold is gone…Mostly the gremlins would leave a nail. Superstition is deep in the interior. Old ways are slow to die, especially with these oral superstitions passed on like a religious legacy. I have a plan…

Maybe I’m too cruel, but I’m fashioning a few these small doors to cut into some trees on his property. You think he’ll appreciate my sense of humor?

—The Observers

Through luck, genetics, and circumstance of just one astute individual, test group A had became aware early in the experiment…by employing natural psychology and manipulating the foibles of human nature, exploiting group B would be a cinch. Though a simple idea, subjugation would occur on their own terms—with a willingness and endurance unseen in the history of humans.

Creating a god for all to believe while secretly excluding themselves, they would grow in power, wealth, and control while the rest of humanity stagnates in endless debate over choices that are neurotic imaginations—and easy as fear-teaching to a child. They now sit back and just laugh, having no idea at the time just how successful they would become. They would control the world for millennia, all on the choice of the enslaved, while their own pretentious facade of faith would guarantee unfettered loyalty and support.

“I would have to say the early missionaries did quite a number on the world, especially the preachers and priests who accompanied people like Marco Polo, Columbus, de Gama, Cook, Cartier, etc. They spread their lies to almost every corner of the world, and now we are paying the price—rawgod

The syndrome is so bad that prophets imposters pop up from time to time claiming new contact and information coming directly from the illusion itself. A powerful psychosomatic response we’ll be lucky to survive as a species.

Freedom and Religion – Another Oxymoron

To think that christian peoples of all denominations demand complete freedom and autonomy while at the same time adhering to a religion that dictates to them in every phase of their life, proves they are the very ones that need strict liberal governing. In fact, they demand it, unable to imagine that another may live life peaceably and kind without their specific set of rules. Point number ten trillion where what they say does not match with what we observe. “The idea of the sacred is quite simply one of the most conservative notions in any culture, because it seeks to turn other ideas—uncertainty, progress, change, into crimes—Salman Rushdie

Sunset last night eclipsed by layers of smoke. The end is near

The depths of religious anxiety is a choice to remain in fear. Fear of an afterlife, fear of hell, fear of knowledge, fear of other ways of life, and fear of dying, for fear spawns hope, and those disposed to superstition cannot live happily without hope.

They demand freedom and in the next breath cast it away with a subscription to a god that monitors their every move—Contradictions 3:16

Plug and Play Religion

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

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

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

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

Spectral Evidence

Spectral evidence was used in court during the Salem witch trials. If someone (which they did) testified that they saw the shape of a person in their room at night in a dream, it was as good as them actually being there. The council then determined that the shape of a person was the same as a person, even though they had alibis and were miles away. Also, if one had a dream with a black cat or a wolf, that too could be used as evidence against the persons spirit proving they had connections to witchcraft based solely on an accusation. This is still the mindset we are up against.

Believing you saw something that might be a vision, might be historical, might be god, might be true, can be shared with others and accounts as hard evidence to Christians everywhere. It doesn’t matter that it can be explained neurologically, or that it can be explained naturally as a bump in a road, or that it can be debunked with updated methods or knowledge, to superstitious believers of gods that is irrelevant.

God is Shrinking

Denying evidence has the Christian god stuck on a Tilt-a-Whirl going round and round. The more science deniers deny, the smaller the gaps that give room for any god at all. Their god is shrinking. Science doesn’t know everything, but it does know quite a lot. Data continues to grow, and as it does, false premises and pseudoscience themes are stuck in first gear on a round pedal car track, re-explaining themselves over and over, honing the wording to satisfy religious sophistry and maintain fear in its loyals.

When worn out explanations keep repackaging themselves, never coming out of immaterial spirit (what is that) mode and dualism to explain the explainable when perfectly viable research and answers in neuroscience grow steadily year after year, the religion that has bound the minds of men for millennia is finally making its way out the door. Soon. Very soon.

The Bible cannot be taken literally any longer. It is far from inspired truth and those that cling to its allegorical power too will fade. Soon the Bible will only be found in the mythology section along side the rest of the immortals that have gone missing.

Self Awareness

You may not be what you think you are. You may not be as clever or adept as you think you are either. According to this study done at Cornell, people with the worst skills in the different areas of the study thought they performed the best, while those with the highest skill levels were also more accurate at estimating their ability. The mere fact that you are seeking and evaluating yourself as an individual, is a good sign that you may be a little more savvy than the average joe.

As an atheist, as well as most atheists I am aware of, we have gone through critical phases of self evaluation. We all wondered if we were crazy for doubting, crazy for believing, and sought answers to difficult dilemmas in contradictions of the gospel, then sought information outside of our indoctrinated upbringing.

Breaking away from the numbing effects of acquiescence when so many are rolling along in a near stupor of acceptance of a thousand things that add up to zero. Zero evidence that god is good, god is love, god is merciful, or god is in control. When compared to what is seen in the real world the opposite is true, “if” there was a god. Microanalysis of prayer to seek a smidgen of answers adds up to pure rationalization for its ineffectiveness, then we accept a non answer as gods will. What is gods will? Well, nobody really knows, but a lifetime of indoctrination leads us down the path of excuses.

The study concludes that all hope is not lost if you are one of the trouble spots. With education the numbers changed to a noticeable improvement, but how do you get someone stuck in the trap to look outside of what they already know, which apparently isn’t much when it comes to knowledge outside what they want to believe.

“It didn’t even help the poor performers to be given a benchmark. In a later study, the most incompetent participants still failed to realise they were bottom of the pack even when given feedback on the performance of others”.

Most of us have lived the religion side and learned enough to walk away. Maybe it’s time they walked in our shoes to determine if our views have merits, instead of hand waving and discrediting the reality that there is no god.

Horace Eye

Although this is fairly new to me, I thought this quite interesting to think on, and wondered if anyone else has run across this. Deeply inspiring or convincing someone in such a way to cause conversion by apparent supernatural means, appears to have been understood by the Egyptians prior to our time. Conversion takes place when the senses are overloaded, and a feeling, many times indescribable, causes belief, faith, understanding or enlightenment. This can be done in several ways, through truth, through deception, lies, and medications, during emotional and traumatic experiences. Not sure if you’re aware of this, but there is a completely different realm of enlightenment associated with this, and it may be the sole source of spiritual awakening, thought, and inspiration. The Horace eye is nearly identical to the hippocampus of the human brain, and is composed of the five senses surrounding the pineal gland, which interprets light and darkness and houses serotonin as a precursor to secrete melatonin to regulate sleep patterns. Surely can’t cover all of this in a few minutes, but when thought of in this manner, spirituality takes on an entirely new spectrum. Rene Descartes believed the pineal gland to be the “principal seat of the soul, and the Egyptians used this story of Horace and the symbol to remind where enlightenment comes from, When activated, the pineal gland causes a sensation of euphoria and oneness, or wholeness. I have thought for some time now, the power that is called god, and the ability to spiritualize ourselves, likely comes from within. Neurotheology advances will surely be including this deep seated and mysterious part of the brain. In modern times, pineal calcification and atrophy are believed to be more advanced than in earlier times. Prior to pineal atrophy, I’m just imaging what might have been, when our pineal glands were larger and possible healthier. Still a lot to learn.

“Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good” 1Thess 5:21

It’s not the churches. I can tell you Christianity is a calculated, money making machine that will say Anything to keep you on the rolls. Scientifically calculated music and lighting, voice roll speeches and lies from the pulpit to induce trance-like positive feelings and call it the spirit.

Most of you know my story, and I put this scripture to the rest. Not one thing works as it’s presented. Ambiguous beliefs and morality coupled with endless attempts to validate faith, and bogus prayer that is a waste of time. It was even in the dogma. “Pray like everything depends on god, work like everything depends on you”. Do yourself a favor….just skip the first part and go to work. The entire church experience is a propped up shell game of non answers and conflicting “beliefs” from every denomination. Nothing can be verified, and nothing works as it is supposed to. So go ahead. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”Don’t feel guilty for looking.

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Power of Reason

Reason can answer-

Designed deceptivities-

Opulent excuse-

“Early night sky”

TheCommonAtheist 2018

“Wild Turkey”

TheCommonAtheist 2018

Mau Goddess Bastet

I believe the Egyptians were on to something when they acknowledged the cat (Felis silvestris catusas) as a god. Bastet, a half human and half cat, is the closest representation in Egyptology to the Christian god YHWY. Cats toy with their victims who never know why, and the mouse, inferior physically, has to submit and quietly wonder what it all means. Never having to explain “why” and inflicting and allowing misery on those that don’t understand, is the YHWY way. The warring nature of Bastet is a shoe-in that would fit nicely into Christian history.

Reducing Religion Dream Act 2018

The IRS, the FDA, and the APA, are taking what it calls a “historic first step” toward eliminating religions’ addictive properties and concerns of mental health longevity by seeking comments on the impact of lowering non provable belief levels, how lowering of these levels might be accomplished, and whether doing so might have unintended consequences. Non-Profit status of churches and the ongoing mental health threats have forced the IRS and the FDA to combine efforts with the APA in combatting addictive, propagandized religious benefits.

The agencies said that they would eventually propose faith reduction as part of a comprehensive overhaul regulating religions’ unfounded claims. Today’s announcement came in the form of an advance notice of proposed rule making — essentially, a document designed to elicit comments and show what direction the agencies might take if it were to require higher provability levels, and setting a “burden of proof” standard of passed-on and written information. Given the combination of toxicity, divisiveness, addictiveness, prevalence, and the effects on nonusers, religions are in the category of damaging belief that causes the greatest of public health harm,” said James Zell, Director of the APA.

“Religion is the only legal entity that when used as intended will reduce the intelligence and mental wellness of the lives of all long-term members prematurely,” he said, adding, “We’ve known for decades that religion is highly engineered and designed to get users addicted, and euphoria at these levels are regulated in every other industry”. The FDA said it envisions “the potential circumstance where piety levels in faith do not spur or sustain addiction for potential converts. This could give addicted believers the choice and ability to quit faith more easily, and it could help to prevent experimenters (mainly youth) from initiating regular attendance and becoming regular attendees.”

Agenda as follows:

1. Harmful short and long term effects of early indoctrination.

2. Mental illness stemming from guilt, peer pressures, and counter-intuitive learning.

3. Contradictory learning. How giving the obviousness of credulity stunts academic reasoning.

4. How resources and time could be focused on actual fact-based scholarship.

5. Recommendations on faith based non factual learning materials. Fiction/Nonfiction advisory labels and age restriction guidelines.

6. Possible taxes or fines to be levied against churches for compensation to deconverts to assist in recovery efforts and long term psychological therapy.

in a joint meeting next Friday, leaders from all three camps will implement an emergency discussion called “cessation session” to create formal documents to present to Congress. (Hey I can dream, Right?)

TCA Newsflash 3-16-2018

Washington State

TheCommonAtheist

God’s Disguises or NeoPolytheism

With all of the different gods that have ever ruled the minds of men, never has the same god appeared twice to us. Or has he? Since the conversion to monotheistic belief, god has had to do some wardrobe work. It’s as though he’s incognito to blend into each part of the world, and between costume changes and polymorphing into different entities behind the curtain, lies a loving father that just doesn’t know the difference between confusing doctrine and cross dressing.

Our latest version is depicted as a hippie sage in a robe and sandals and he has been seen primarily in the western countries. Long hair and a beard and robe is cool, but hardly inconspicuous these days.

His wardrobe changes as often as his wisdom and is as consistent as his cruelty. In India he dresses the part of his mood for the day. I can’t explain it, and pictures are worth the saved text.

In the Middle East and Africa, Allah is not depicted in photos, but as Abraham, then Muhammad are central figures; more robes. And knives.

In China we get four of the “top ten” Chinese folk religion motifs

And then there’s the Buddha.

So, depending on where you are from, god plays the part and blends to local culture and custom. And since we know there is only one god, he obviously has a quite a wardrobe team behind the scenes.

Political Science Experiment 1980 Who Can You Trust?

Exactly who, and what can you trust? I was a senior in high school in Issaquah, Wa in 1980. My teacher had us take a test to decide if we were liberal or conservative, democratic or republican. He told us to be very observant of his behavior during the semester, and at the end we would take a short survey. At the end of term, he asked us each to write what we thought his political views were. We each cast our votes and Mr Johnson revealed that he was a lifelong democrat and was politically active. Here’s where it got interesting. Every student in the class thought he was the same party as them and their family. Virtually split down the middle. Students of republican families thought he was a conservative, while the others thought he was a democrat. We have to be very careful to see life without strict confirmation bias. While nearly impossible to separate yourself from your upbringing, self awareness and acceptance of other viewpoints, and seeing past stereotypes is a good start to finding balance. Only then can we maybe see the world as it really is, or how it could be.

Seeing the good in religion is easy when you been raised in it and told your whole life what a blessing it all is. Identifying the harm it does requires you to step outside of yourself and consider other views are possibly more valid than your own indoctrinations. Facts can be uncomfortable, but the facts of religion are disastrous and incompetent. It would be nice to move past the superstitions and wasted, time consuming debate over “which god” and how great he is, and move on to solving some teal problems. Religions have promised a multitude of blessings, but in the end you make your own way in the world anyway. There’s nobody there. Religion only makes you think someone is watching. Differing religious views are two sides of the same coin. Heads I win, tails you lose is a very old trick. Trust your own observations of real evidence. Faith is a cop-out of reality and it takes no discipline or achievement to obtain it. And that’s the way they want it.

What is it They Want?

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

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

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

Believers and Make-Believers – Is there a difference?

Believers in Make-Believe were congratulating themselves after two hours of debating and attempted grandeur. Is it possible to “win” a debate when all if your evidence is complete horse shit and smug showmanship? I read where John Lennox “wiped the floor ” with Dawkins. With what? Make-believe? The pluralistic ignorance of religion is strong. has some sweet history of success in other arenasNorth Korea is the current leader several Muslim countries all tied for 2nd place. Keep moving and agree. It’s safe there. But nowhere on earth can beat the USA in pluralistic ignorance about biblical histories that have been debunked years ago. Accepting fraudulence is a way of life for make-believers. Remember the story that broke about gold plated chariot wheels found in the Red Sea. “What they found strewn across the bottom of the reed sea has shaken the religious and scientific community,” says Rood. “Cameras mounted on remote-controlled submarines revealed coral-encrusted chariot parts, horse and human remains strewn like battlefield wreckage on the bottom of the reed sea.” Years later they are still working the story which was fake news. Snopes. But there are new stories still on the web pushing this. Is it only here you can “be all that you can be” by hanging on to the disproved and claim a cover up is hiding the truth. Only in Christianity can you quote gospel commandments as gods law given to a prophet that didn’t exist. If you’re wondering “am I the only one?” No. You’re not!

Gods Morals versus Humanist Morals

“The greatest insult to humanism is that man needs a god in order to have a moral framework. The moral framework that comes from god is always tested against mans own morals and the idea that we don’t know right from wrong. But then we have to take it from words dictated from a rather hot-headed neurotic desert tribe is just insulting” -Stephen Fry. It’s so easy even a comedian gets it!

The humanist morals compared to the morals of the nomadic tribe? Hmm

Secular humanism. “The philosophy or life stance of secular humanism embraces human reason, ethics, social justice, and philosophical naturalism while specifically rejecting religious dogma, supernaturalism, pseudoscience, and superstition as the bases of morality and decision making”.

It is painstakingly ridiculous to sift through an archaic and divisive text dictated by a cruel nomadic desert tribe thousands of years ago to determine which is moral or immoral for our time. Theirs was an immoral and violent time that would not pass any litmus test of decency today.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” ~Albert Einstein

But imagination with knowledge……Unimaginable–TCA

Why do Hard When Simple is Hard Enough?

I used to write a lot of songs and they just kept getting more and more complex, when finally my buddy said, “why do hard when simple is hard enough”? Musicians have made great music with two and three chord songs. Simple is beautiful. Perfecting simple is outstanding.

It is easy to get mired down in the weight of all the information trying to sway you this way and that. Try this: Go someplace quiet. Throw all your preconceptions and indoctrinations in a big pile and burn it. Think what it would be like to face everything you ever learned about religion was a lie. It’s a pill that needs to be swallowed. Think how easy this is without someone trying to influence you in order to validate themselves. Try to show a little self awareness and open your mind. You don’t need convincing circular conjecture and apologetics to know the truth. The truth rarely needs a footnote, or, an explanation to an explanation. You can’t justify one iota of doctrine, or one miracle or prayer unanswered without rationalizing the deficiency of god or being outright deceived. The cliches don’t solve your problem. They are these; “You pray in your time, and god answers in his time”. “We can’t imagine the wisdom of god”, or “He is testing your faithfulness. We just can’t comprehend god”, or “he wasn’t meant to be healed because god is testing his faith”. Why would god need to do that? These are some of the most common excuses for god, passed on from generation to generation. When you look at the objectives there is nothing here but excuses and ambiguous text of archaic language allowing for multiple interpretation and confusion. By design.

I know. I was in it for 50 years and nothing added up. I had several “spiritual” experiences that were based on lies. Positive emotion is not the holy spirit testifying to you. Feeling good by passing off your responsibilities to another entity is psychological feel good. Nothing more. Nothing has changed but the feeling someone is watching over you. They aren’t.

You don’t have to know the science behind it. I didn’t. All you have to do is face the reality that you might be wrong, and look at the failures of religion openly and honestly. It’s about three things. Power, control, and money. Every institution is corrupt. You think religion has escaped unscathed? Hell, they’re the ones that initiated all the corruption. Pointing fingers, deflecting and distracting. The devil has no horns. That is the trick. The devil wears a suit and tie and holds a microphone. Quit making excuses for gods and failed preachers and let’s start working towards something productive instead of wasting millennia of time running in circles chasing hidden meaning of ancient writing that doesn’t come true.

Why do hard when simple is hard enough? Life is pretty peaceful since dumping the hope of an invisible being that instills guilt and racism and has a history of mass destruction and murder. Why do hard when simple is where you find true peace. That is a motto to live by.

Really?

It’s not even a very good hoax. Who is it that leaves all their sensibility at the door for a poorly written hearsay of a long ago past? It is now the grown equivalent of a massive federation bureaucracy driven by incoherent laws with rogue outposts crying “lo here” and “lo there”. Their making this stuff up! The only thing keeping it afloat are the gullibles that won’t look at real knowledge to change it, and the other passengers that are driving the ship with the zeal of a half eaten library book. Just the way it was planned.

Sunday I have a very special post that would appreciate your input. Thanks so much.

Believers and Bernoulli’s Principle

Misapplied evidence of god. An old friend from school was in an accident a couple of days ago. I have to share this thread and comments.

“With everything I’ve endured the past 3 yrs. I was beginning to wonder “WHY” oh Lord is ALL this happening to me!!!!!! Questioning where is God in all of this. For those who know me, my faith has never wavered in these trying times, until this accident. I’m at my breaking point!!! Asking “why me Lord” what the hell have I done to deserve ALL of this shit!!!!!! Until this morning…..I was sitting on our front patio looking@our water feature,which has 3 staggered height rocks and there sat 3 hummingbirds, yes 3😲 3 male hummingbirds, for 1 they are extremely territorial and always chase each other off, but there they all sat drinking the water for what seemed like an eternity!!!!! My mouth was wide open@this amazingly beautiful, spectacular reminder that the Lord is ALWAYS with me through EVERYTHING❤️For me, the 3 hummingbirds was such an obvious sign of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, right there in plain sight, just for me!!!!!! It was the most spiritual experience that I will forever hold onto💞 Here’s some comments– I commented in Latin “SanctaeTrinitatus ad Avem“. (The Bird Trinity). She replies “oh Jim, that’s beautiful”. Hehe.

Asimov shares an example of misapplied. This from The Ratliff Notepad is part of the old Asimov speech. We are the stagecoach people. We can show the obvious, but the tales are memorized from childhood, and they should have never left it. Why does this matter? This codependent behavior with god hamstrings the faithful and stunts their progress. She has the power to take control of her life. Her situation has not changed, but her attitude has. How much time wasted, waiting, hoping, that god will come fix this mess, when we have the power to do it ourselves?

Jesús Viene

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

The Superstitious Panamanian Divorce Effigy

I was driving to Cambutal, Panama to visit a favorite beach with my family, and over the road from a high tree was a hanging in effigy. I asked my neighbor lady what that was all about and she said very matter-of -factly, “when your husband leaves you if you hang a scarecrow outside the house dressed in his old clothes, he will have misfortune in his new life, and when the clothes are weathered and ruined he’ll come back to you sorrowful and faithful”. Another version is a neighbor will hang it for her to taunt her. She’ll eventually burn it down if he does not return before the clothes rot away.

Depending on where you were born will determine which superstitions and folklore or “old wives tales” you believe to be true. Here is a look at one regional hocus-pocus superstition of the Panama/Catholic culture.

Panama is a non politically correct country. You can say anything about everything, banter back and forth and be better friends because of it. Very refreshing having come from the land of “watch everything you say” America. A fat neighbor lady of mine has the nickname “gorda”. Fatty in English. She even has “Gorda”for her Facebook nickname. No fake outrage, no worries at all. Each person is proud of who they are and hold nothing back. Imagine that! Gay, fat, trans, woman or man, there is no need to hide who you are. Fatty is also a twin, so if the locals have back pain, they see her so she can use her left foot to massage out the pain. She and her twin sister also use other means to help men or women, and for $5 they’ll rub out anything you want. When they work together it’s $5 each. Anyway I regress. Back to the effigy.

This particular superstition, as do most of the rest, have natural outcomes that are to be expected. Men in rural Panama hold infidelity in high esteem. Many frequently cheat and often go on walkabout. They know where home is, but because of economics (the women rarely have the resources to go anywhere else) they wander around shagging new tails until they run out of money. Broke, dirty clothes, and now repentant, they return home. In the eyes of the woman, the effigy worked, and her despondent man will take up a job again.

This part of Panama has a grande Arabic influence. Very proud men. Very capable and strong adulterous men. Mountain girls are pretty and raised to serve. Rarely will the returning man be rejected. In what is otherwise a very beautiful life, in a very beautiful place with very happy people, this is one injustice that is traditional and tribal and accepted.

Depending on where you were born and to what family, you might be catholic, jewish, muslim, hindu, and so forth. If you were born in Utah after 1870, chances are very good that you know the one true and authorized religion of the one true god, and be mormon. We all have our qwirks now don’t we?

The ability to think for yourself is hamstringed by the region and traditions we were indoctrinated in. I am happy for this writing community of free thinkers to help the world make a little less biased sense!

Here are some favorite Panama superstitions and their silly counterparts.

1. In the land of barefoot people, if you don’t wear socks in the house you’ll catch a cold.

2. Don’t get rained on. 80 degree rain on an 80 degree day will make you sick, but getting sprayed by the fire truck in the heat of carnaval will not.

3. If you walk barefoot in the mud you’ll get worms in your skin, but barefoot constructing a house or farming is ok.

4. If your children don’t go to sleep at night, a white faced witch will look in your window. That’ll keep their eyes closed!

¡Que tenga buen día!