so don't ask if you don't want to know
Posts tagged skeptic
Truthseekers Podcast and ME!
Apr 12th
My friend Dani finally tied me down and had me on her podcast. Hers is one of the few I still listen to so I’m like, absolutely! I thought we’d disagree more, but it seems like we feel the same on just about every issue. The Truthseekers podcast is mostly about politics in general and Arizona’s politics in particular.
Apparently I’m in two parts so part I is up and next week the rest. And we recorded in my living room so you can hear traffic in the background.
So go listen.
TS98: It’s Hard Out There For A Thinker
A week. No, “A” Week!
Mar 22nd
(Didja ever notice the more you type week the more wrong it looks?)
This week is “A” Week. Raising
awareness of how many are ‘Good without God’. I’ve seen comments from Atheists disparaging this effort, calling it slactivism. I don’t agree. Just like any other quiet minority, people need to know they’re not the only ones so advertising your non-belief makes the group stronger. And a strong base will make those changes we want to make even easier. People are less likely to stand up for themselves if they think they’re alone. So I’m using this as my avatar on Facebook this week.
Speaking of Facebook, I’ve been posting more and more atheism links there, probably making my christian and other religious friends feel like I’m attacking them. Kind of like WE feel every time we’re expected to say “under god” in the pledge, every time we’re expected to bow our heads in prayer when we’re not in church, every time some politician/sports star/actor tells us god is providing them with bonuses like they’re better than everyone else.
One of my favorite atheism sites is Friendly Atheist. It’s pretty passive and low-key, just pointing out interesting stuff. Not like r/atheism where they’re mean and spiteful and seem to be in attack mode all the time, except when they organized a charity fund raiser last December beating out the r/christians and r/islam members by a long shot. The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) often calls atheists to action, either writing your politician or signing petitions. I also love Skepchick, of which atheism is just a small part, and my friend George Hrab’s podcast where he calls out the Religious Moron of the Week.
It seems atheism is on the rise, or at least people are feeling stronger about admitting it. There is a way to do it without attacking those who decide to stay with the invisible sky monster of their choice.
Just so you know:
- Atheists don’t eat babies. If they did, there wouldn’t be any babies around.
- Atheists aren’t trying to change your mind, they just want you to use it.
- Atheists don’t want to stop you from your worship of choice, we just want you to keep it to yourself. Keep it out of our public schools, our government and our military.
- Atheists are decent, caring, moral, generous, loving human beings, because it’s RIGHT to be so, not because we expect some reward in the next life. THIS is the only life you have.
I honestly don’t understand why people believe in a deity. If you read the bible, you’ll see so many things wrong with it! Try this site. And if you don’t believe in the bible, why do you believe in god? You almost can’t have god without the bible and the bible is bullshit written by power hungry leadership x-amount of years ago to keep the sheeple in line.
Think. Use your brain. Question. Don’t just go along because that’s what mommy and daddy expect, what you’ve always done. Really research WHY you are willing to put your life in the hands of something that can’t be bothered to prove itself.
Let me end with this:
OMD! I forgot the latest Mr. Deity! Enjoy:
If you want to you can comment why you’re an atheist or why you believe in some sky daddy. Let me know. I’m up for conversation as long as it doesn’t swing too far towards conversion.
The Skeptical Deck
Jul 19th
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…
Do I LOOK woo-woo to you?
Jul 7th
I finally stopped in to my insurance broker’s office this morning to clear up their mistake. (Casey got his own insurance last FEBRUARY and somehow I’m still covering his car.) I’m sitting there with Della (the ditz) and she’s going on and on about this weekend, the full moon, some sort of eclipse and the power of writing out your life goals THIS VERY MINUTE while everything is aligned. Very important to write these goals in red. Dunno why. And then gushing about her new pink crystal something bracelet and the power of earth’s rocks…
“So what are you doing this weekend?” she bothers to ask.
Oh, I’m attending a skeptics conference in Vegas. You know, some of the top scientists and skeptics in the world get together and try very hard not to laugh at the woo-woo people.
But did I say that aloud? Nope. Not when she’s in control of my automobile insurance needs.
“Goin’ to Vegas!”
"V"ing and being a skeptic
May 12th
I watch “V” and I often think to myself that I’d be too skeptical to believe the aliens are benign. I’d definitely be a Fifth Column type person. I think there’s a lot in that show that isn’t portrayed as realistic. Would the entire world roll over and show their belly just because a bunch of ginormous spaceships appear all over? I think there’d be a lot more dissent. Humans are portrayed more like sheep than we really are. And those people that assume an advanced society wouldn’t have evil intent are naive.
Am I wrong to think an advanced alien species would act like humans? Humans as a group are seldom that altruistic. Sure, we’ve found less advanced societies here on earth and given them things, but what was the true intent? To buy their cooperation usually.
And then I think of all the other skeptics I know. They are all very scientific people. Would their excitement over advanced information availability over-ride their skepticism? As in don’t look a gift horse in the mouth? Would the scientists welcome an advanced alien for what they could learn without questioning the alien’s intent?
I don’t know. The whole easy healing stuff might buy me. Instantly curing my asthma and making me healthy would go a long way towards dampening my natural skepticism. But I’m pretty sure I’d still be “thank you, but…” about it.
So skeptics, which side would you lean towards? The oh-goody-lots-of-new-stuff-to-learn! side or the what-happens-when-the-other-shoe-drops? side.
Cut or Uncut?
May 8th
I responded to a discussion on Skepchicks, one of my favorite sites. The gist of the discussion is The American Academy of Pediatrics creating a loophole for female genital mutilation to be permitted. Essentially, they say it’s better to do a small ceremonial nick to mollify weird religious parents than to say no and perhaps they go to someone who does the whole barbaric ritual of cutting and mutilating the clit on babies.
Cringe, gasp, and yes it’s a common practice in certain sects.
Anyway, the conversation eventually shifted towards circumcision on boys and blah blah blah. And I said:
The only reason I had both of my sons circumcised 20-odd years ago is because I preferred sex with a circumcised man and I figured their future partners would too. And my new DIL says thanks for thinking a-head!
Apparently these people don’t appreciate my sense of humor. The various replies were as you’d expect but the one that interests me is if I thought about my sons’ pleasure. No I didn’t. I have no idea whether a man feels better pleasure when cut vs. uncut. So I have a couple questions for you:
- Do you know any man who has had a circumcision as an adult, and has had sex before and after to compare?
- Women, which do you prefer?
Making fun of bible people again.
Jun 11th
This is funny. So don’t bother to go there if you’d rather not. I’ll never know.
Sam Harris, Skeptic's Caltech Lecture Series
Jan 3rd
“If you believe that saying a few lines in Latin will change your breakfast cereal into the body of Julius Caesar, you have lost your mind. But if you believe the same thing about a cracker on Sundays, you’re very likely to be perfectly sane, and maybe perfectly intelligent, you’re just almost certainly Catholic.”
“This I actually think is quite dangerous because it allows people en mass by the billions to believe what only lunatics or idiots would believe on their own.”
“Faith is nothing more than the permission religious people give one another to keep believing things strongly when reasons fail.”
Do Atheists blow up abortion clinics?
Do Atheists strap bombs to their chests and blow up government buildings?
Do Atheists aim commercial airplanes at buildings?
Do Atheists try to take the rights away from others?
Are there more scientists or more priests reported molesting children or starting cults or asking for your financial contributions for their cause?
Pat Robertson hears voices in his head and it’s okay, because it’s God.
And I’m wrong. Sheesh.
