One reason I don’t believe in the bible is that whole Adam and Eve thing. Not that Adam and Eve matters, since nobody is a descendant of either of them. Wouldn’t we all actually be descendants of Noah? Everyone else died in the flood. Not that it matters because it’s all bullshit anyway.

But there’s something I’d really like to understand about evolution but that I’m too damned lazy to research.

If the theory is we evolved along with monkeys/apes from a common AGENT-X did it all happen in one area and then humans wandered the earth and set up communities or did it supposedly happen all over the planet within a certain time frame?

Eskimos look the way they do because they’ve physically adapted to the constant cold. American Indians or Aborigines or all indigenous people all have physical characteristics for the most part because of where they are on the planet.

So that means all over the planet humans spontaneously (well, as spontaneously as in within maybe a few thousand years) evolved from the muck with the physical characteristics they needed to survive in their region or humans evolved in one place and then wandered for a while and set up shop and those that survived did so because they – over time – physically adapted to their environment?

Really, how did that all work? They didn’t really go deep into evolution in my schools.

I know it’s crazy but my theory of aliens planting us here sounds much more plausible. Look, they could have genetically altered people’s DNA to ensure their survival in different climates and dumped a few here and there. Maybe their planet was dead and they wanted to start over on our beautiful planet. Makes much more sense to me.

I’ve called myself a skeptic, but I haven’t actually acted on it until my recent visit to TAM8. There are many different ideas of what a skeptic truly is and many panels focused on how to be a skeptic while still being open minded/tolerant of other people’s choices. As in how can you call yourself a skeptic and still believe in __________?

I see skepticism as a deck of cards and you deal yourself the cards you choose through experience and/or study.

The Ace is (of course) the biggest, Atheism. Most skeptics have this card in their deck and cannot understand how or why everyone doesn’t. I definitely have this card in my hand. Though I often disparage those who don’t, I’m trying very hard to be tolerant of people who choose otherwise.

Let’s say the king is vaccinations. I’ve chosen to add that card to my skepticism hand, but I can somewhat understand how new parents can be confused and easily led into the misguided belief that vaccinations can damage their child.

We all laughed at the moon landing conspiracy guy, but he – along with the 9-11 conspiracy people – are completely convinced they’re on to something. The fact that he spent the money to be at TAM8 just to ask that question tells me how strongly he felt, and maybe someone smarter than me should have sat down and discussed the proven facts to him instead of us all just smirking. It took a lot of courage for him to get up in that crowd and express his opinion. Let’s make government conspiracies the queen.

Then there’s intelligent life out there in the universe. I don’t have that particular skeptical card in my deck. I believe there is, and maybe they’ve landed here in the past or could in the near future. Regardless of the in-depth panel I was instructed to attend. I guess that makes me the joker.

There are so many things to be skeptical about. We all have to pick and choose the cards we believe, or rather disbelieve.

10 – I don’t believe in ghosts

9 – I don’t believe in astrology.

8 – I don’t believe in telepathy.

7 – I don’t believe in psychic/faith healing – though it would be nice to get rid of this asthma thing.

6 – I don’t believe in homeopathy.

7 – I don’t believe in whatever the special power of rocks and minerals is called.

I’m still on the fence about genetically altered food. It’s not that I don’t think the science is good, I just don’t necessarily trust corporate greed and changes that might not be completely tested. I already think all those chemicals we’ve surrounded ourselves with can’t be good, and may be why there are so many cases of asthma, sensitivities and allergies. Sure, each chemical might be testing as safe but is there anyone testing average consumers vs. combinations?

Alt-medicine is still iffy for me too. Acupuncture has been around for centuries. It must work for something, right? I don’t know enough about it to completely poo-poo it, but I’d never accept it replacing real medicine.

I’m naturally gullible. And yet, still a cynic. So I don’t have a strong opinion until I’m completely convinced, but knowing my gullibility keeps my mind open. Wishy-washy? Absolutely. My method is to surround myself with intelligent people and lean on their (dis)beliefs.

Science works, bitches! But then again…

Okay, I’m alone just not in this particular subject.

I caught an episode of Ancient Aliens (History Channel) last night at Casey’s. Finally, actual scientists – MIT people even – agree there could be a chance that aliens have visited this planet before and possibly there is a genetic connection.

I’ve always found this idea a lot more palatable than either the whole God theory or even the more scientific evolved from muck/monkeys idea. I’ve always thought those ginormous etchings you could only see from the sky, the pyramids, the Mayan culture, and the fact that all over the globe individual societies believed in the same sort of God from the sky all lead towards alien influence. Atlantis? Could have been some alien ship. Stonehenge. Druids.

Don’t laugh.

All theories are laughed at until they’re proved. You never know.

Maybe alien breeding is the missing link?

Oh shaddup. It’s not like I’m out there looking for proof. It’s just something I find more believable (and more interesting) than the other options.