The Power of Belief

Michael Shermer at TED, talking about the power of belief.

It's "Hug an Atheist Day"

Hooray for me! Someone give me a hug!

Noah's Legacy

A poetically ironic thought crossed my mind just now after reading a plethora of scathing rants after Al Gore's interview on 60 Minutes.

All of the hateful, condescending, poisonous rants are being spat out by these ignorant meat puppets upon the very people who are sacrificing so much in an effort to help these very same lowlifes.

While reading these spasmodic and oft incoherent ramblings about how Gore and us liberals are all crying doom and gloom when our agenda is really to suckle on a new and different corporate teat, and that there's really nothing wrong with blackening the skies, ripping out the guts of the Earth, and poisoning our waters, because that is the better way to suck off corporations, I was reminded of an ancient parable. Noah and his ark.

As I recall the myth, Noah slaved away and sacrificed his time, his family, and all that they had in order to save not just humanity, but all manners of life (except for unicorns). In doing so, he was constantly ridiculed and harassed by his neighbors, and told he was basically full of shit, and that they were just going to keep on screwing, fucking off, getting drunk, and living off the sweat of others.

We all know what happened to them.

What makes this ironic to me is that, while I am an atheist, I did spend plenty of time in Bible school. Although I don't actually believe in the Biblical account of Noah, I know the same right-wing-nut assholes that disparage folks like me who actually devote time and make sacrifices to improve the planet to help me and to help them in the long run do believe in the Bible. That's what is ironic. The very story of Noah that they should have all learned from may just perhaps become their eulogies.

Ironic. Poetic. Beautiful.

Expelled from Expelled

The irony kills me!

They singled me out and evicted me, but they didn't notice my guest. They let him go in escorted by my wife and daughter. I guess they didn't recognize him. My guest was …

Richard Dawkins.

He's in the theater right now, watching their movie.

Tell me, are you laughing as hard as I am?

Yes. Yes I am!

(Thanks for sharing, Scamper!)