Skeptic: A Love Story

Blogger is not uploading right now, sozzz howzzz about a replacement picture. It's Cleo. I still miss my dead flat cat even tho it has been so many years. Will I ever 'let go'.

 "They shared a stage at Disneyland five days a week for nearly three decades and died within a day of each other (Ass. Press)."

The headline says it all, "Longtime Disneyland Duo Die A Day Apart." Death is always sad and if ya add the story, which I will in a sec, then it becomes heartwarming and touching. Betty "Slue Foot Sue" Taylor and Wally "Pecos Bill" Boag both died this weekend, a day apart. They preformed for nearly three decades, together, in Disney's Golden Horseshoe Revue. In 1955 "Pecos Bill" started taking the stage, three times a day (aprox 40,000 performances) and a year later "Slue Foot" joined the revue and she logged in nearly 45,000 shows. Both performed together for decades and both retired in the 80's.

Really, Blogger isn't uploading pics right now but...Kitten on Keys I heart you.

Ya know, I could go all Team Skeptic and over analyse, or really just debunk, The Duo dying one day apart...but not today. I think it's sweet, well, as sweet as two people dying can be. They played on stage sweethearts and they did the same job for decades, together. There was love there. I know it in my heart. As know it all skeptics we can totally debunk thingies like when people die a day apart, or when a husband or wife die on the anniversary of the others departure, or a birthday, anything. I will not do that today. There was love there.

I heart you Espresso Metro. I really do.

What does it take to do something like a play or a Disney production year after year with the same person/people. They must have loved what they were doing and loved the people they were doing it with. We should all be envious of that. In today's world of mobility and short attention spans, the world should applaud people like this-people with love in their life. I can only imagine the trials, the sacrifice and the forgiving (I'll say it again, the forgiving) that they must have gone through. You can't do something that long and not do any of those three things mentioned, over and over again, and last that long. For that, again, the world must applaud these people.

I heart you too slutty Halloween costumes...and damn you Blogger you're messing up my serious post about love.

Ya know, when I say "we" should applaud them, I'm really saying that I should applaud them. What they did is tremendous and quite frankly, I'am touched (and I'm quite touched a lot lately-verrrry emotional, anyways...) by their achievement, I'am touched by their hearting-their love. What they did is not any different than doing anyother job. Can we....no, can I do the same? (These past couple of weeks-months-it doesn't seem like it)

I always (joke but not joke) say that I'am a hunky piece of brown kind and gentle tantric lover, but my thoughts, esp this last week, say something totally different. In fact, looking back I think I've always been like this. I'm not a lover, I'm a hater. As I look at all the peeps that have loved me throughout my life I can honestly say that I did not return their love...and when it came time to forgive...I did not. That is why I think Pescos Bill and Slue Foot Sue are so amazing: decades and decades of forgiving, and forgiving leads to the hearting, the love. What is not to like about that.

Joan...Joan (?).

Last week for me was the worst week of my life, really. I can't recall such a horrible horrible week because I haven't had one like that...but I'm still here. So what can we learn from The Duo, no...what can I learn (this is about me). Why did they have longevity, and even tho I know nothing about what actually happen on the stage production The Golden Horseshoe Revue, why did they have so much hearting, so much love.

You don't want to be friends anymore, OK, I think I can understand that (now). I still love You tho, that will never change.

What does it take to do that? (I guess) It starts with forgiving oneself, errrr, myself and others-the thingy that I'am totally not good at, just ask my parents*. Then...begrudgingly, it takes letting go. The believers, when their back is against a wall-like me right now, always say at some point you just let go and let Gawd do his thing. Well, I'm not going to let them hijack this one, this time. We can all let go, errrr, I can let go too (I haven't before, but I will now-or at least I'm gonna try). Who am I to judge. Why should I even feel that I'm in any kind of position to do that...I'am not.

From the ashes...the Phoenix arises...but we are not there yet. I'am not there yet-'we' are still in the ashes part. But how do I get there? It is really hard for me to say this, and it's gonna be even harder to do this...but I will let go (because I love You) and my hope is...that it will lead to forgiveness. Right now all I have is hope...and I'm gonna cling to it (wish me luck peeps).

RIP Pecos Bill and Slue Foot Sue, if anything...you have inspired me. Thank you,

Kriss



Article

A Blog Post About A Book That Is About A Blog

Well, it looks like it is time to start saving my nickels and pennies (as if...) so sometime in the near summer reading future, I can get me this one. “Devil’s Ink: Blog from the Basement Office,” Elon University professor of religious studies Jeffrey C. Pugh is a book about a blog from, he's hardly ever mentioned anyomore-poor guy, Satan. Yes, in this new book the devil himself modernizes and to stay relevant joins Team Blog(ger).

Pugh takes a page from C.S. "I admit that I'm an amateur apologist, just wish my fans would realize that" Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters." Literally. In TSL, Lewis' character writes a series of letters. What Pugh does, through his Mephistopheles character, is write a series of blog posts.

“You may wonder why I am starting a blog. The fact is, my colleagues, we must be flexible and innovative or we risk losing influence, and if there is one thing that I fear, it is losing influence.”

The Devil calls himself "Grace" in the book and addresses topics like desire, terrorism, GITMO, the Book of Job and one of my favorite topics the politicizing of the church. And ya know what, when there is modernizing to do, what can be more modernizing than starting a blog. Really, all the cool kids have one.


“I debated whether to start a Facebook page, but there are so many who are doing the heavy lifting for us there it would be merely redundant,” Pugh’s protagonist writes. “I am also thinking of a Twitter account, but am still trying to figure out what the point is.”(What's the point of Twitter...atheist hotties all over the world. Dugh)

The book critiques church culture and sin as “an exploration of the ways that evil embeds itself structurally in human life." The Facebook's and the Twitter's are those details that peeps keep talking about, ya know, where evil lives. Pop culture, somehow-I haven't read the book yet, is more evil-y than Las Vegas.In fact there is a passage where the Devil chooses Disney World over Las Vegas.

“I love Disney World. No, seriously, it is one of my most enjoyable places on the planet,” he writes. “It has given them so, so much: illusions, fantasy, Britney Spears. One small thing I have always enjoyed about it is the nuance and deception on display. Take Vegas, for instance. There we don’t have to concern ourselves with working hard. ... But Disney World is even better because we can still fleece the rubes, but this time we use their most precious possession to do it, their children.”

Ah yes, the delicious children. Dam, I'm hungry...hungry to read this book. Oh yea, there is a blog about the book of the Devil's blogs, here called Devil's Ink. There are a bunch of real reviews-n-stuff there so check it out. I've been really behind in reading and the summer reading season is upon us (even tho summer is not) and this one is deff. on the list. With all the talk of there being no hell (thanks Rob Bell) we can't forget Satan now...can we.


RNS

The Choice Of No Choice and the Religious Left?

Ayn "rhymes with 'mine'" Rand.

Oh Lawdy (rhymes with 'toddy') they are at it again. One of the million gazillion reasons why peeps become atheist is control. Religion wants so badly to control: believe our specific, particular God and not others, only certain sex is allowed-with certainly no sexual freedom, women can not make their own choices about their own bodies, and now...don't believe the ideals of a writer if that writer is an atheist (GASP).

Recently certain Republicans have embraced the writing of Ayn Rand and specifically the book "Atlas Shrugged." This is a total "no, no" to liberal Christians. They believe that House Budget Committee Chairperson, Paul Ryan's budget is too Ayn Rand-y and not bible-y enuff. This is not about the specific details of the proposed budget as much as it is about bad 'ol religious thought control. Read the actual budget here, but I'm a gonna focus on religions attempt, this time liberal Christianity, to make the rules and to tell individuals what choices to make.



The title of this Youtube clip says it all. "Paul Ryan Refuses Bible From Faithful American." Believe what the collective believes or else. I guess Ryan's Catholicism is not devout enuff for this young man and/or that he publicly has embraced some (deff. not all) of Ayn Rand's ideals and philosophy. The controlling nature of religion is what creates more and more members of Team Atheist.

"...you can follow Ayn Rand or Jesus, but not both." Eric Sapp. He continues, “You’ve got a guy who is a rising Republican star, and who wrote the budget, saying he’s read her books and Washington needs more of her values,” said Eric Sapp, executive director of the American Values Network, which produced the video. “If you’re a Christian, you’ve got to ask some serious questions about what’s going on here (RNS).

Likewise, if you are a normal peep, one that does not attempt to control others, you have to ask WTF. Why can't dude read and believe who and what he wants...is it because she's an atheist(?).The makers of the video, American Values Network, object to Ayn Rand's philosophy co-wink-a-dinkaly called, Objectivism.

Objectivism is a philosophy defined by the Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand (1905–1982). Objectivism holds that reality exists independent of consciousness, that human beings have direct contact with reality through sense perception, that one can attain objective knowledge from perception through the process of concept formation and inductive and deductive logic, that the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or rational self interest, that the only social system consistent with this morality is full respect for individual rights, embodied in laissez faire capitalism, and that the role of art in human life is to transform man's widest metaphysical ideas, by selective reproduction of reality, into a physical form—a work of art—that he can comprehend and to which he can respond emotionally (Wiki)."

The part that confuses me is that many on the right embrace and promote Ayn Rand's ideals, like small non intrusive government-even tho she is an atheist. The Repub-Right is known for intolerance, not so much the Religious Left (I didn't even know that there was a religious left) Such famous righties include Rush "bro, score me some pills" Limbaugh, Teabaggers in general, Alan Greenspan and Supreme Court Justice Clarence "yea I'm black and have a blond wife with a big booty, so sue me" Thomas. Are the liberal Christians just blindly against anything Republican, because that would be dookie. That is what we are supposed to say about them. Does it come down to "we are the true Christians and you are not."

"Rand’s anti-religious views, however, are not as well known as her novels. By highlighting them, Sapp and liberal Christians hope to discredit the GOP budget, and drive a wedge between the conservative Christian and Tea Party wings of the Republican Party (RNS)."

Divide and conquer is classic and great military strategy, and it looks to me that the religious are doing the work for us (thanks Team Belief). The choice of no choice is one of the many reasons why Team Atheist is growing, while Team Belief is shrinking. Liberal Christians don't like Ryan reading and believing in an atheist writer when he is supposed to make all his decisions based on the bible.

I think it's about being able to separate one's political beliefs from one's religious beliefs. Surprisingly, it is the religious left that is bible thumping this time, traditionally the domain of the religious right. 

* I frackin' quit. I've been writing this for four hours-shoulda done it in half an hour. Howz that for focus and concentration...NOT. Oh well, have a great weekend everyone. I think I'll take a blog day off tomorrow. Le sigh.

Heart, Kriss

Like A Lover

OK. You don't want to be friends anymore. I will respect that. I want so much for you to be happy. The previous two days, even in the midst of depression/anxiety, I had happiness for you. It brought me great joy, the only pleasure in months, to see you so strong and confident. Thank you for all the help and encouragement the past couple of days-I would not have done 'it' without you. I'm so sorry that I didn't support you after all the support you gave me.

I wish nothing but good things for you. Goodbye my love.

Heart,

Kriss

ps I wrote this for you a couple of years back...

Her

I will not tell you the color of Her eyes. Perhaps they are blue, green or hazel, depending on the color of what she is wearing. I will tell you that Her eyes engulf me whole, not like windows, but like a doorway, a passage into the universe where there is everything and nothing at the same time. Some say a pretty girl is like a rose. Darling, You are the garden, You are the sun that kisses petal soft faces, the water that nourishes infinite flowers in unlimited gardens. That is why You caught my eye-keep it it gives me reason to call you and think about you.

She is the wind and unfortunately, I am a rock. I am stationary to Her movement. All I can do is wait, wait for Her to come by again and kiss me with Her coolness. It is hot here. I am hot here. Come soon.

I thought that You were a tree, but now I realize that You are the forest, that is how in awe I am, that is how simple I am to You. Your every niche is shelter to life that surrounds and gravitates to You. We live in Your elegant branches, eagles nest in Your hair and creatures kiss Your feet...and I, I wait and wait patiently, my thoughts are about You.


Darling, I hope to see You soon.

Court Cases Against Harold "The Profit" Camping

I'd have a dejected look also if I lost my inheritance to a doomsday (false) profit.

Dear Freedom From Religion Foundation,

Hey it's me Kriss. Soooo anyways, have I told you lately that I Heart you...baby, it's because I do.

Heart, Kriss

Well thank (nonexistent)Gawd that there is such a thingy as the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The Dynamic Duo of Dan and Anne (where's my atheist cutie) are currently asking the California Attorney General to investigate "how many innocent people may have suffered financially, emotionally and physically due to Pastor Harold Camping's $100 million campaign predicting Armageddon on May 21 (FFRF)."

In case ya don't know, FFRF is an awesome nonprofit that is "going to bat" for all the peeps that want and believe in a secular society. They are one of the groups that fight, in court, to get prayer out of public schools and out of things like official civil functions (board meetings, council sessions and such). I believe they were established in 1978, known as PNE (pre New Atheists) and have 16,500 members. Awesome sauce.

Matt got it sort of correct.

Eileen Heuwetter's recently deceased aunt left the bulk of her estate to Harold Campings stupid radio station. In 2009, according to IRS records, Family Radio took in 18 million, that's 18 million geenbacks, yo. Heuwetter consulted a lawyer but they determined that they had no legal foot to stand on in court. This is the worst part...yes it get's worse.

"She would have been devastated," Heuwetter said. "Listening to him say things would be better in paradise made her feel better -- she totally believed she would leave this world on May 21, and she needed to believe that (CNN Money)."

If there is a silver lining in this it is that the aunt, Doris Schmitt, passed away before she could see the error of her ways. Reports say that she lived a tuff life, battled alcohol addiction, lost two children to drugs and was not a rich woman. Her every waking hour she had Harold Campings stupid radio station on and it brought her comfort. It's not much of a silver lining, but Schmitt passed away before the failed Rapture of May 21st.

Hopefully the attorney's working with the attorney general and FFRF can find enuff peeps that got swindled out of their money and build a strong case against The Profit. Hopefully.

* Dan Barker of FFRF debating the existence of Gawd. This is the newest one that I have seen, but I haven't seen it, yet. Oh, hey Dan, does Anne have any sisters. Awesome buddy.

Ladies and Gentelmen...The Religion of Peace

I was crying anyways (thanks depression/anxiety/obsessive and excessive worry) and now I'm absolutely crushed. I wish I could find the quote, but it goes something like this...What brings people to do such evil things, what gives them the excuse, religion. Something like that. I can't comment on the torture of 13 y/o Hamza al-Khateeb any better than Al Jazeera.


"The child had spent nearly a month in the custody of Syrian security, and when they finally returned his corpse it bore the scars of brutal torture: Lacerations, bruises and burns to his feet, elbows, face and knees, consistent with the use of electric shock devices and of being whipped with cable, both techniques of torture documented by Human Rights Watch as being used in Syrian prisons during the bloody three-month crackdown on protestors. Hamza's eyes were swollen and black and there were identical bullet wounds where he had apparently been shot through both arms, the bullets tearing a hole in his sides and lodging in his belly (Al Jazeera)."

The Arab Spring has given both hope and despair to the oppressed Arab world. Sure they are fighting for freedom and democracy, but old religious tensions have reared it's ugly and violent head. Just ask the Christian minority. I don't know that this particular case was a direct result of religion, I just know that for people to do evil things, really bad, horrible things...often times religion is the excuse.

Oh yea, they also broke his neck and cut off his penis.

Hey God...STFU. Thanks, Kriss

I can't believe it. she looks sort of normal here...sort of.

 "All you have to do is claim that God spoke to you and you can say or do just about anything (Friendly Atheist)."

If there is a God (not), then I wish he would stop talking. This is because everytime he speaks, something goes wrong. He spoke to Bush Jr. then the world went to war. When he speaks to Glen Beck...well, I'll just leave it at that.

This time he spoke to 'ol Crazy Eyes, Michele Bachmann. What did he say...run for president. Nooooooo. It's true. The Great Surveillance Camera in the Sky has given Crazy Eyes the OK to run for president of the united states. Which is just what we need, a believer in end of times with her finger on the button.

"Bachmann: Well, every decision that I make I pray about as does my husband and I can tell you, yes, I've had that calling and that tugging on my heart that this is the right thing to do and because it's such a momentous decision, not only for myself, my husband and our 28 children, it is a momentous decision (Huff Po)."

When I read thingies like this it makes me want to reconsider my accommodationist position and become a full fledged angry, militant atheist (and there is no shortage of the angry in me right now). When seemingly normal peeps say things like "pray on it" I can't help but shake my head. Are we to believe that if there is an all powerful, all knowing God that he answers your wishful thinking.

If that is the case then God needs a personal assistant because dude doesn't have his priorities straight. So he takes time to answer Crazy Eyes, but he ignores all the starving children in the world. Really, if there is a God, then he is one cruel dude.

He works in mysterious ways is a dookie answer because it doesn't answer anything. There is no reasoning and no rational to that."We mere humans cannot understand the mind of God." Dookie. If that is the case, then why do his believers keep telling me/us how to live. Those are childish answers for an unthinking person. I don't believe that crap for one second...why? It doesn't makes sense.

That super Friendly guy (and he's single ladies...and wants a baby. #springfever) says it best.

"God is just used an excuse for saying whatever it is you’re already thinking.We have to keep pointing out how crazy the God Excuse sounds. Maybe, at some point, they’ll start taking responsibility for their own thoughts and actions (FA)."

* Wa Po article on God endorsing political candidates, or not according to this guy...and normal people.