5.19.2006
Shannon is in the Mix
A message from my friend Shannon:
"Just to be clear, do you consider yourself an atheist, or are you agnostic? It seems like being an atheist requires some measure of faith (that there is/are absolutely no God or Gods). Agnosticism seems like a kind of spiritual shrugging of the shoulders. I wonder if there are any aggressive atheists, as in the door to door variety ("hello madam have you heard the good word--there is no God! Might we leave you a brochure?"). I can't imagine even the most fanatical atheist doing much damage ("I bomb this temple in the name of no one!!! Die non-infidels!!!"). Perhaps I'm into monkey-shines (tm) territory. I promise to post if I have an actual opinion.
Oh, and one more thing... I heard a theory on NPR a couple of weeks ago: the normally fiscally responsible right-wing officials are less responsible of late because...they believe in the "end of days". Yikes!! Could Patton Oswalt be right? Does Bush really think he is going to be the guy that takes us into the apocalypse?"
Answers/thoughts:
1) I'm a hopeful athiest... I don't know if that makes me an agnostic or not. My rational mind dictates to me that there is no way there is any sort of benevolent deity that is watching over me. However, my romantic, wishful mind says "There MUST be something more. How can you rationalize doing ANYTHING if nothing you do has significance in the end?" Which causes my head to explode. I have to hope for some type of higher purpose, some sort of afterlife, or afterthought. Without that, there really is no reason to do anything... And no reason not to do whatever the hell you want.
2) I love this idea. In fact, I may put on a suit this weekend and go door to door to preach the word of No One. I wonder what the neighbors will think.
3) Blowing stuff up in anyone's (or No One's) name is NOT COOL!
4) I can only hope the right wing conservatives who are normally fiscally responsible are truly throwing caution to the wind and blowing their loot. Perhaps they'll spend their caches of riches and lose their power and some sane people can get some control in the government. I'd pray for this to happen, but No One doesn't listen.
5) I think that maybe Patton Oswalt is God... (Awww, hell Chewbacca!)
"Just to be clear, do you consider yourself an atheist, or are you agnostic? It seems like being an atheist requires some measure of faith (that there is/are absolutely no God or Gods). Agnosticism seems like a kind of spiritual shrugging of the shoulders. I wonder if there are any aggressive atheists, as in the door to door variety ("hello madam have you heard the good word--there is no God! Might we leave you a brochure?"). I can't imagine even the most fanatical atheist doing much damage ("I bomb this temple in the name of no one!!! Die non-infidels!!!"). Perhaps I'm into monkey-shines (tm) territory. I promise to post if I have an actual opinion.
Oh, and one more thing... I heard a theory on NPR a couple of weeks ago: the normally fiscally responsible right-wing officials are less responsible of late because...they believe in the "end of days". Yikes!! Could Patton Oswalt be right? Does Bush really think he is going to be the guy that takes us into the apocalypse?"
Answers/thoughts:
1) I'm a hopeful athiest... I don't know if that makes me an agnostic or not. My rational mind dictates to me that there is no way there is any sort of benevolent deity that is watching over me. However, my romantic, wishful mind says "There MUST be something more. How can you rationalize doing ANYTHING if nothing you do has significance in the end?" Which causes my head to explode. I have to hope for some type of higher purpose, some sort of afterlife, or afterthought. Without that, there really is no reason to do anything... And no reason not to do whatever the hell you want.
2) I love this idea. In fact, I may put on a suit this weekend and go door to door to preach the word of No One. I wonder what the neighbors will think.
3) Blowing stuff up in anyone's (or No One's) name is NOT COOL!
4) I can only hope the right wing conservatives who are normally fiscally responsible are truly throwing caution to the wind and blowing their loot. Perhaps they'll spend their caches of riches and lose their power and some sane people can get some control in the government. I'd pray for this to happen, but No One doesn't listen.
5) I think that maybe Patton Oswalt is God... (Awww, hell Chewbacca!)
