Letting Go Of Mythology

Really peeps, I'm sooo trying to be an everyday atheist blogger...it's just that, well, the shit don't work like that (thanks bullshit depression). Anyhoo. I've been reading a very entertaining 5 part series, on the mighty Slate, about my beautiful Philippines. The author, I ass-u-me a round eye, is doing killer ass shit in the islands (and I'm fucking jealous).

Father of The Worm has a shanty roadside bar where they serve Rainbow burgers.

Hella years ago one of the many volcano's erupted (Mt. Pinatubo I believe), killed hella peeps and fucked up some shit. So this author has a great idea of scaling one of the remaining active volcano's (I dunno why) and the adventures come after.

This one is totally funny and tragic at the same time. In one of the red light districts he comes across (you'll never guess) Dennis "Freekin" Rodman's father. Of course our Atea skinned father left his rainbow colored hair son when he was like three and maintains that he didn't leave The Worm, he left his mother. But alas, this is the Philippines, so your next wife and your next 28 children are never, and I shake my head and wipe my tears, never...NEVER fucking far away (that is the tragic part).

Looks peaceful now. but...

So this dude goes on this adventure, the kinda adventure that Filipino Americans (at least the ones that care) like me, in MY Islands and it sounds totally sick. Here's that part I really wanted to talk about. My beautiful Philippines is the most awesome place in the world and dagnabit, I wanna help...but as the sayin' goes, "You halfta help yo'self." 

...howz about nowzzzzz.

There are these people in the Philippines called the Ateas, and for lack of better words, they are black: black skin and afros. Now, I'm not blaming these particular Filipino's, but it is this kinda philosophy that is holding the Islands back. Filipino peeps, we need to advance, not cling to old ass superstition. Oh, woe is me, woes is me. Perhaps, one day...beautiful Philippines.

Is it totally prejudice of me to automatically think of that scene from the original Airplane where the white dude shows the "native" how to play basketball and the very next scen the "natives" are doing double crossovers and lay ups-n-shit.

"The eruption, when it finally came, was a surprise to everyone. Or almost everyone: Many years earlier, an Aeta storyteller had given a stark warning about Pinatubo, but his message remained hidden until a few years ago. (The typescript, discovered on dusty microfilm at the University of the Philippines, was first published in the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, and cited in Clive Oppenheimer's book, Eruptions That Shook the World.) Recorded in 1915, it describes a fearsome, fire-breathing turtle that retreated up the mountain after fighting with another mythical creature. For three days, the turtle burrowed into the summit, shaking the earth and spraying pieces of rock, mud, and ash with a deafening roar. "Now you do not see smoke coming out of the Pinatubo mountain," the storyteller concludes, "and many believe that the terrible monster is already dead; but I think that he is just resting after his exertions, and that someday he will surely come out of his hiding place again."

* Slate

The Ultimate Answer Is...I Dunno Know

Who has the "answer" to the ultimate question(s). What happens after death, real death not near death (and I still haven't written about my NDE here, yet, but I will, I promise) and even before that, what happens at birth, or the infamous how can something come from nothing?" I'll tell you who...no one.

First a little side trackin'. Much ado has been made about Richard "Papa Bear" Dawkins in his recent debate with, I believe it was Rowan, when he claimed the true. Papa Bear said he is not 100% atheist and there is a little tiny part of him that is open to the evidence, that is the evidence of something more than this material world and evolution thru natural selection, better and easily known as "God did it."

In the religious magazines and newspapers that I go to (daily) the believers see Papa Bear's admitting the truth, as a point for their side, a victory. "See that, militant atheists, even your very own prophet said so." Not so fast arrogant believers, not so fast.

First of all can the ultimate question ever, and I mean ever, be answered in it's entirety. I believed the most honest answer to that is a definite...no way Jose. Lemmie explain. You got your Joe average priest (molester or not) sayin' that "fo sho there is a God (now gimmie your money...and your boys...young ones)." End of argument. Hell, I dunno fo sho, but does William Lane Craig believe without a doubt that his particular and specific Christian evangelical God exists. Again I dunno fo sho, but my guess is yes. Is that honest or not (not). Ask lil' old me, Team Atheist member, and I'll say," I'm not 100% sure but history tells me that (blank blank) is true.

OK, now some God in the Gaps theory. At one time religion had all the answers: how are people born, why are there erff quakes, what happens after we die and how did the universe we live in come to be (after all it is highly improbable-and that is a truth). Well, then here comes beautiful, critical, honest and scientific...err, science. The common human birth at one time was explained with "God did it." Then scientific/medical knowledge about how reproduction really happens explained those  birds and bees that peeps keep talking about. No one doubts that now. Why do people get sick with colds and flues. Before it was an imbalance of chi, or you angered the god(s). Now...you caught a virus and simple thingies like washing your hands and not touching you face can help in the preventing of catching a virus.

Where "God did it" was the ultimate answer at one time for everything, now we have scientific knowledge that is peer reviewed and independently tested, over and over again. Each time science answers a question, the God of the Gaps gets smaller and smaller (1). One side claims to have all the answers all the time, while the better looking and sexier side claims that Gawd honest truth can change when new and better evidence appears. That is honesty.


OK back to something from nothing and Papa Bear. In his super awesome book The God Delusion, Papa Bear made a 7 point scale of atheism. If your are a 7, then you are undoubtedly, unquestionably, and infallibly, atheist. If you are a one, then the opposite. Papa Bear declared him self a 6 point something (I forgot). He left the door open for evidence (cause he is honest). What believer journalists want you/me/us to believe is that by being honest, Papa Bear is showing weakness. No, it is the exact opposite. 


The smart believers, the ones that have participated in the conversation and know the basic in's and out's of the debate, un-smartly claim that because we (Team Atheist) do not know how something can come from nothing/how the universe began, then we must be totally wrong about everything else and guess what...God did it (create the universe) so shove him in the gap. Forget that history shows that science in its very short existence has answered great question after great question, making the God in the Gaps smaller and smaller. Forget that believers full of faith at one time arrogantly proclaimed that "God did it" when attempting to explain how earthquakes happen, or how babies are born.

An honest person regardless of which side they fall on can only conclude that they/we/us do not know the answers in totality.  How did something come from nothing, or how did the universe begin. Well science said the Big Bang and after that evolution thru natural selection, but what about before the Big Bang-how did something come from nothing. Them=God, Us=I dunno...yet.

Not only do I dunno, no one knows. The difference between the two sides is that one side, the side of belief, arrogantly claims "God did it," while the better looking, sexier and smarter side claims "we do not know as of yet, but we are looking."

Who do you believe? There is one side that says they know without a doubt, but time and time again, their explanation of "God did it" makes less and less sense as peer reviewed and materialistic knowledge becomes available. Simultaneously the other side, the side of science and critical thinking skills says, "we do not know as of yet, but thru cosmology, astronomy and physics, it is our hope to find out."

Here's the breakdown. One side says fo sho they know all the answers all the time and even forever, while the other side says, honestly, we dunno, but let's find out together (and we have been correct time and time again, so trust us).

Who do you believe?


(1) When science is wrong, it corrects itself. That is the beauty of science and that is the arrogance of belief in God did it. God did it never changes, it is the answer for everything everytime throughout the three existences of time (arrogance). The non-arrogance (beauty) of science is that it corrects itself (i.e. ulcers). This honesty is perceived as a weakness to the average believer, but in reality, the ability to change and admit one was wrong at that time...is awesome sauce; while claiming to be correct all the time, but coming up short time and time again is arrogant...and wrong-ville.


* Buddhism, Cosmology and Evolution

* Richard "Papa Bear" Dawkins 


* God of the Gaps Theory

Heathen Is A Religion? Who Knew

OK, I wuz gonna write about that horrible, super horrible killing/death of that poor 9y/o girl (Savannah Hardin) but all I could come up with was trailer trash, possible drug abuse, absentee parents and step parents, a grandma in her 50's and this is a great reason for contraception (all of this could have been avoided if the rubber love glove was used...but that is what white trash is, right) and contraception is the debate du jour. Fuck that...Odin is in the house.

Yes, the father of the god of Thunder, Thor, and even his mischievous 1/2 brother, Loki, are all up in the six pack blog today. Over a year ago I accepted a interview request at a religious site and it went epically well. Check it out here if you want to be awesome. The person running the site has great intentions and is giving religious and nonreligious a platform to express views and beliefs. She has interviewed all the denominations of believers and nonbelievers (like me and James Randi). Today she interviews Galina Krasskova who is a practicing...Heathen.

I know right...I/we thought heathen was something that believers called us when not subscribing to their specific and particular American Christian God. Little did I know it was an actual religion. many think that atheists like me hate religion, but that is not true. I think religion is very fascinating and important, it's the extreme followers and interpretations that i do not like. To me, Odin, Thor and Loki were characters in Marvel Comics. Fo sho I knew that they are also from white mythology, but honestly as a kid i read way more comics than ancient mythology.

Heathen is also a metal band. Hey guys...it's 2012 not 1987. I know, I was there...and here.

The site ask's the same questions of all the participants (including me) and it IS a great way to learn about someone and their religion. Do you believe in reincarnation, does everyone make it into your heaven, is your religion sexist and homophobic (my wording, but the same message), etc....

Galina Krasskova is a Heathen priest and Northern Tradition shaman. She holds a Masters in Religious Studies from New York University, and is currently pursuing a second MA in Classics. She also has certification in interfaith ministry through The New Seminary. As both a shaman, a devotee of Odin, and a fervent ancestor worker, Ms. Krasskova’s primary focus is on reclaiming Northern indigenous spiritual traditions and furthering devotional practice within her community. She is the author of several books, including “Exploring the Northern Tradition,” and “Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner.” She may be contacted at krasskova@gmail.com. 

Hey angry and militant atheist (yea, you), learn about other peeps and their beliefs and you will be a better person.

Awesomeness.

* Current interview You, Me and Religion w/ Galina Krasskova.

* Myyyyyy super epic interview where I represent the New Atheists like a fuckin' champion. Champion I tell ya. Champion. right frackin'...here.

I Googled "lol cats babies atheist"

And lastly...the probability that there is a specific God, of the million gazillion different denominations, a God that is active and not passive, the one that answers your prayers and where one can see results where you would say "my prayers have been answered" and the best explanation is belief, God then...

...git your head outta UR butt, open your eyes and if you are Asian (like me), open your super weird, squinty, slant eyes and know...straight up know...the probability that an all loving, active God exists is super and super duper low I tell ya.

Any Who v. Anyhoo And Butt Juice Amongst Other Things

Really, if Team Believer wants Team Atheist to stop making fun of their silly beliefs, then as the sayin' goes...stop having silly beliefs. If the GOP desires to NOT be perceived as extreme and foolish, then put a candidate up there that conservatives can support and that liberals would accept as worthy. Butt Juice (Rick) is the opposite of all of those thingies.

Booty Juice this past week went all, the president is not a Christian, referenced Hitler and Nazis (because no matter what side you are on, you can call the other side "Nazi" and that is an automatic insult. Sorta feel sorry for all the good German peeps.) and brought back the most ridiculous of the ridiculous of believers' beliefs...Satan.

Don't forget Satan...you can blame everything on Satan. The Prince of Darkness did it. Beezulbub (did I spell that correctly). Pure Evil did it. In fact, whatever went wrong, everytime, it is Satan. You the human, will never halfta accept the responsibility of your own freekin' actions and always pass the blame,.. but if good happens, then that's God (why, not because of evidence, because that is/was what we're told to believe and never question that, mere human).

We've talked about this before, peeps, but before we called it the presidency and the End of Times Scenario (American Jesus Christianity needs the establishment of Israel for the 2nd coming to happen), but it is still the same formula. Do we want a president that believes in, fuck I dunno how to even say it, he believes in an actual being/entity of some sort, that is pure evil, he can possess you and make you do the wrong. And this being is in direct opposition to your particular sky father, son, ghost combo, that you and your splinter group follows, therefore enemy-ville (because it was interpreted by modern day millionaires that often pray with the president and other politicians when not putting on their show at a mega church-25,000,000-ish)...that means everyone else in the world that does not subscribe to your specific and personal interpretation is going to that hell that the religious spokespeople we keep talking about (Bill!), but before that shit, you are my enemy and I'm gonna send you to hell...American Christian hell, boy!!!! Just kidding, having a little fun. I'm gonna kill you. Anyhoo...

 Me personally...I think "it's" going down this year at that one hot spot...you know what I'm talking about (1). Anywho...What if a super weirdo like Rick "Butt Juice" Santorum become the freekin' next president of the United States. First of all, I'd feel sorry for all the women. Fuck. Secondly...fuck. Look at the world and why there is division. I'll go really simple simple-stein on this one, I halfta go to work soon....

This last year we saw the evangelical pastor evolve his religion to NOT include hell. Rob Bell's Christianity is without that pesky and uncomfortable, and probably very stinky, hell. Gone, bye-bye, and don't let the door hit ya on the way out. There were some Christian denominations that split from the mainstream group to allow gat marriage and/or female clergy. Statistics show that radical lefty stuffs like contraception, premarital sex and LGBT issues is so "old white man" because the 'church' may be conservative, but the ladies in the congregation know what is up with reality (their bodies, their choice).

Then there are guys like Butt Juice (2). What if this dude won peeps. Imagine that the prob-lib crowd sat this one out claiming that "there is no way that they can win. Those guys are idiots (and that would be a true statement, I'm just sayin'...watch the fuck out.)." People, Butt Juice has brought back Satan. No one ever talks about Satan fucking shit up...it's always God-hurricanes, tornadoes, erff quakes...

I forgot why I saved this one.

Kriss' Equation of Death

Belief in a one third man, ghost, god (Rick's Catholicism) accompanied with the belief in an entity that for better words...is pure evil, PLUS, control over a huge military accompanied with the belief that your specific God made this exact situation for you (dominionism, American exceptionalism), EQUALS...

...It equals we better not let this shit happen. If the GOP had a 'contender' that was sound and reasonable, I would totally give credit and that would be a good thing. Heel, I would celebrate that. The way it is now is it is a race to see who is the best douche-bag to lose in the upcoming election against the awesome Black Prez. Religion has been a part of this thing the whole time (we knew it would be, right. wink wink) and week in week out...it continues to be a part of it.

I don't care if a person believes in that Satan that extreme, fire and brimstone, believers believe in because it doesn't matter and I don't care                                          That is until it does matter (err, like the presidency, yo), then, then with uber extremist believers (don't forget the American Taliban, peeps) in charge of the military and with their American Christian God loving finger on the bomb button...then I care.

* Washington Post On Faith

* Keywords: frothy, fecal, butt, juice, Rick the presidential candidate, hates and fears those awesome homos (just the awesome ones), I guess drink, drink can be a keyword, mmmm, beer-n-shit.

* Evolution of the style I call bro-speak. I will now spell "any who" like this "anyhoo." I think it's funnier the second way (this is the kinda thing i think about in the quite of my day in my head). Anyhoo....

(1) The one we have all been waiting fer...

Update: Caturday Book The Death Of Satan.