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Diffstat (limited to 'thoughts')
| -rw-r--r-- | thoughts/txt/midwit.txt | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | thoughts/txt/solution-to-social-media.txt | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | thoughts/txt/textfiles.com/affirmative_atheism.txt | 400 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | thoughts/txt/why-i-like-tech.txt | 5 |
4 files changed, 6 insertions, 405 deletions
diff --git a/thoughts/txt/midwit.txt b/thoughts/txt/midwit.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a52abf --- /dev/null +++ b/thoughts/txt/midwit.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +I have yet to encounter a smart person that uses the term +"pseudo-intellectual" diff --git a/thoughts/txt/solution-to-social-media.txt b/thoughts/txt/solution-to-social-media.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3a51a1b --- /dev/null +++ b/thoughts/txt/solution-to-social-media.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +Social media should be run by the government. + +Primarily, because it will make it boring and no one will ever use it +again. diff --git a/thoughts/txt/textfiles.com/affirmative_atheism.txt b/thoughts/txt/textfiles.com/affirmative_atheism.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4d8d1af..0000000 --- a/thoughts/txt/textfiles.com/affirmative_atheism.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,400 +0,0 @@ -Atheism: An Affirmative View (1980) -Emmett F. Fields -What is Atheism that it survives? - -Every religion, from earliest times, has hated and condemned those who -could not believe whatever it was that those old religions happened to -believe. Throughout the ages there have been the 'intellectual outlaws' -who have questioned the "unquestionable," and doubted even the very -existence of the gods. And those individual thinkers have been hated, -hunted, persecuted, and murdered by the religious believers. Yet the -Atheists and doubters are very much with us today, but those old -religions, and the gods they created, have long since ceased to trouble -the thoughts of mankind. - -If Atheism is considered to be a religion, then it is easily the oldest -living religion in the world. Properly stated, Atheism is truly "that old -time religion" that the Baptists keep singing about. - -Atheism is a difficult subject only because of the slander and -misrepresentations preached and published against it. Even the information -that is available in our most trusted and respected reference books is the -distorted and prejudiced view presented by religion. Just as in Communist -countries, where the articles on Capitalism, democracy, politics, etc., -are always written by Communists and from the Communist point of view, so -in Christian dominated societies, such as the United States, all articles -on Atheism, Rationalism, Freethought, etc., that are to be found in -encyclopedias and other reference books, are written by theologians, and -from the Christian point of view. - -The article on Atheism in the current edition of the Encyclopedia -Britannica was written by a Roman Catholic Jesuit Priest, Rev. Cornello -Fabro, Professor of theoretical Philosophy, University of Perugia, Italy. -In the Encyclopedia Americana the article on Atheism was written by Roger -L. Shinn, a professor at Union Theological Seminary. It seems that -religion, like Communism, can survive only when it can control the -information about conflicting beliefs. - -This system of writing the most trusted and basic reference and -information books from the point of view of the dominant ideology in every -society has the dangerous effect of further polarizing and isolating the -peoples of the world within their own narrow beliefs, and of creating -contempt and distrust for all others. - -America was not established to have any dominant ideology, The United -States was meant to be 'a free marketplace of ideas,' where every opinion -could be heard and considered. Today we must consider the various ideas -and opinions as they are presented in great newspapers and reference -books. - -And so it is of the utmost importance that these ideas and opinions be -presented honestly, by the people who accept them, believe in them, and -are convinced they are the best answers to the problems under -consideration. Then, and only then, will people have any real opportunity -to make an intelligent decision about the beliefs they are investigating. -The American people have a right to know that in Atheism there is a moral, -sensible, and scientific alternative to religion. - -There can be no doubt but that the people of this nation must be among the -most deceived and brainwashed in the world, at least, at very least, in -the area of religion. As an Atheist I have a very special reverence for -truth, real truth, truth with fact and proof behind it. And it is -infuriating to me when I go into a public library and read the lies and -misrepresentations that are being fed to the eager, active, and searching -young minds that use our libraries in their quest for truth and -understanding. - -The first step, then, in understanding Atheism is to disregard all the -lies and propaganda that religion has spread against it. Atheism is more -than just the knowledge that gods do not exist, and that religion is -either a mistake or a fraud. Atheism is an attitude, a frame of mind that -looks at the world objectively, fearlessly, always trying to understand -all things as a part of nature. It could be said that Atheism has a -doctrine to question and a dogma to doubt. It is the human mind in its -natural environment, nothing is too holy to be investigated, nor too -sacred to be questioned. The Atheist Bible, it could be said, has but one -word: "THINK." Atheism is the complete emancipation of the human mind from -the chains and fears of superstition. - -There is absolutely nothing negative about Atheism; truth can never be -negative. The Atheist demands proof, or at least reasonable evidence, and -simply rejects whatever does not meet the basic requirements of common -sense. Throughout history all progress in society has come from doubting -and rejecting old ideas, old customs, and old beliefs. The tree of human -knowledge dies as it grows, with new growth growing out of the dead and -dying parts, and replacing it with better and truer beliefs. The -Theologian is an owl, sitting on an old dead branch in the tree of human -knowledge, and hooting the same old hoots that have been hooted for -hundreds and thousands of years, but he has never given a hoot for -progress. - -Morally speaking, Atheism has a great advantage over religion. The great -failure of religious morality comes from their illusion of a morality -above right and wrong. The religious mind has always known it is wrong to -murder and torture, wrong to persecute and hate, wrong to force its -beliefs upon others. Religion has always known these things are wrong, but -the religious mind suffers from the illusion of a "higher morality," and -because of that illusion all history runs deep with innocent blood. In the -name of their "god" and a "higher morality," Christians have waged holy -wars of extermination, have plundered, tortured and murdered those who -could not agree with their religion, or who had never even heard of it. In -the name of this "higher morality" Christians have hated, hunted, -persecuted, and burned alive the "heretic," the "infidel" and the -"atheist." - -And today, as always, when the religious person does a thing that even he -recognizes as being wrong and immoral, his illusion of a "higher power" -and a "greater morality" allows him to perform some ritual, confession, or -prayer, and presto, miraculously, "all his sins are taken away", and he is -free again from all pains of conscience and regret. - -Such foolish illusions do not comfort the Atheist mind. The Atheist knows -there is no morality above right and wrong, and no escape from the pains -of conscience and remorse. Murder is murder, and robbery, hate and -persecution are all crimes against humanity. Morally speaking, it is -better to be murdered than to be the murderer; better to be robbed than to -be the robber, and better to be hated and persecuted than to be among -those who hate and persecute. Morally speaking, then, history tells us it -is better to be an Atheist than to be a Christian. - -Religion claims that immorality always springs from a lack of religion, -but the facts prove just the opposite. Christianity has never been -stronger than it is today, Christians have churches in every community, -they monopolize radio and television time with religious propaganda, they -have forced their religion into our government, our laws, and into our -schools. They have done these things against the Constitution of the -United States, and against the most basic and sacred rights of all other -Americans. Like a sinking ship, with water rushing in and filling every -compartment where it was not supposed to be, so religion has attacked our -nation, rushed in where it was not supposed to be, where it has no -business to be, silencing all opposition, all opposing views, poisoning -the wells of our knowledge, and endangering the very roots of our nation. - -Christianity is that strong today, and yet we have not achieved any -respectable amount of morality in this country. Nowhere is the failure of -Christian morality more evident than in America. During the same time that -Christianity has been growing ever stronger and ever richer, over the past -thirty years or so, the use of harmful drugs has became a national -scandal, the crime rate has been climbing ever higher and ever faster, the -divorce rate has skyrocketed, and during that time our nation has been -embroiled in more wars and international conflicts than in any other -similar time period in its history. During that time, our nation was also -getting its 5000 or so weird religious cults, a byproduct of Christian -indoctrination. Right to-day we have the highest narcotics abuse rate, the -highest crime rate, the highest divorce rate, and the highest 'religion -rate' that we have ever had in the history of this nation. What does -Christianity say about these facts and how to cure them? They tell us we -need more religion and they are determined to force it upon us. -Christianity feels so strong today that it is moving into politics to try -to force its failing morality upon every American through a Christian -Dictatorship and a new Dark Age. - -Once Atheism is achieved, and the mind has escaped entirely from the -religious fears and beliefs that are put upon us from earliest childhood; -and once we can look at religion objectively and impartially, it becomes -entirely obvious that religion has all the characteristics of a form of -insanity. To one degree or another the religious mind must accept, and -believe in, another world; a supernatural or unnatural world, a world -filled with all sorts of imaginary beings called gods, devils, angels, -saints, demons, etc. These imaginary creatures are talked to, asked for -favors, guidance, "signs," or miracles, and then blamed or thanked for -natural events that follow. Except for the cloak of religion, such beliefs -and actions would otherwise cause an individual to be judged insane, and -committed to an institution for treatment. - -The study of history will further justify the theory that religion is a -form of insanity. No sane and healthy minds could have waged the bloody -religious wars and crusades where the conquered were slaughtered, men, -women, and children, even infants, all were put to the sword simply -because they were "infidels" or "heretics." The dungeons and torture -chambers of the Holy Inquisition could not have been run by sane and -healthy minds. And it had to be the insane mind, the religious mind, that -would tie a woman to a stake, pile wood and fagots around her and burn her -alive for the impossible crime of being a witch. No sane person could read -of the horrors, rape and slaughter in a savage book and call that book -"the word of God." And the Jesus myth, about a god who must become a man -and be murdered before he can forgive mankind, is the most insane of all. - -Today, Christianity chooses to ignore, or to hide and deny, its own bloody -history and to claim that it is the very foundation of our morals, and -even of our civilization. Religion also claims to be our only hope and -guide for the future. In view of Christian history these claims are, in -themselves, sheer insanity. - -But Christianity is not the only form of organized insanity in the world -today. The Atheist, being an individual who stands outside all belief -systems, is well aware that there are other religions and beliefs that are -equally insane and dangerous. Christianity is simply most dangerous to the -United States; to our government, our freedom and our future, because it -is here, it is powerful, it is wealthy, and it is entirely unscrupulous. -In addition to its illusion of a morality above right and wrong, I must -add, and emphasize, that it also has an illusion of a "higher allegiance" -to something above truth, above justice, and above America and national -patriotism. It does not require that a person be an Atheist to be aware -that Christian Fundamentalism is today the greatest threat to our nation -and its freedom. - -Communism is by far the worst thing that has happened to the world in the -last two hundred years, but it is also the best thing that has happened to -Christianity since the plagues. During the plagues the churches received -great wealth from people who gave their possessions and land to the church -in the hope that God would spare their lives, and the lives of their loved -ones. And so today religion is again growing rich and powerful from our -modern-day plague; Communism. - -Christians are constantly using Communism as a club to beat down all -opposition to their religion, their power and their schemes. Anyone who -disagrees with them, Atheist or not, is denounced as being a "Communist." -Religion implies that there is an inseparable connection between the -political-economic dictatorship called Communism, and the freedom from -religion called Atheism. Religion chooses to ignore the fact that Atheism -is older than Communism and Christianity put together. - -Even the fear and hate that religion is preaching against Communism is not -aimed at the political-economic ideology that is the cause of our trouble, -but at the "atheistic" aspect that is not the problem. - -Let us consider very carefully what the connection is between Atheism and -Communism in Russia. There can be no doubt but that Atheism is the reason -for the success of Communism. Atheism is the force that brought the -Russian nation up from being one of the most backward, primitive and -religious nations in Europe in 1917, to the point of being one of the most -advanced, scientific and technological, nations in the world today, -Whether we like it or not, we must admit that Communist Russia is a -powerful modern force, and a very dangerous potential enemy. Communism is -an external threat to our nation, and to our very world, that is of great -concern to all Americans, Atheists and Christians alike. - -It must be admitted that Atheism is the engine and the thrust behind -Communism that has allowed it to move forward into the modern world in -such a short time. Atheism is the engine and the thrust, but it is not the -steering wheel. The dominant, controlling ideology in Russia is the -economic-political dictatorship known as Communism. Even the Christians, -if they could be taught to hate a little less, and think a little more, -would have to admit that. - -Atheism is, has been, and will continue to be, the force for progress -throughout the Communist world, it is the powerful engine that powers an -evil ideology. Today we are in a desperate race for our very survival. -America and the free world cannot win that race if we continue to allow a -primitive, medieval superstition to hinder our progress. Because of that -superstition we have lost our lead, and because of that superstition we -may lose the race. - -What is the difference between our own Christian dominated society, and -the Atheist-oriented society in Russia? What is it that will make such a -great difference in the future progress of these two societies? According -to a special report in 'Science 80' Magazine concerning the Communist -threat, reads: "This challenge is expressed not only in growing military -strength but in a bid to outpace the United States and other Western -nations through an educational "mobilization" program designed to prepare -all Soviet youth to participate fully in an advanced technological -society." The article goes on to say "The Soviets have put massive -resources behind their assumption that a decisive advantage is to be -gained by raising the level of scientific literacy and numeracy of their -population." - -And what are we doing in the United States to keep up with the Communist -efforts to advance even further their scientific and math education -systems, systems that are so very important to any modern technological, -military society? At present we have a great push by Christianity to have -their primitive "creation" myth hidden under the guise of -"Scientific-Creationism," taught in our public schools on an equal basis -with the well established and accepted modern theory of organic evolution. -This is the same battle that was fought in the courtroom during the Scopes -"monkey trial" in 1925, a trial which made this country the laughing stock -of the modern world. It is the same war that has been raging between -Christianity and the modern world since 1859 when Charles Darwin's 'The -Origin of Species' was first published. For over one hundred and twenty -years Christianity has tried to prevent us from making any progress in -this basic science. The truth is, of course, that Christianity has always -fought every fact of science and modern knowledge that did not conform to -its primitive Bible, written and copied, as it were, by ignorant, -half-civilized nomads some four thousand years ago. - -How can we hope to survive as a nation, keep our freedom and remain a -force in the modern world unless we cast aside the superstitions of -primitive times, and adopt the scientific, technological, "Atheistic" if -you will, society that reason and common sense demands? It is time, and -long past the time, for Atheists in America to come out of their libraries -and defend our modern world and our nation against religion and Communism. - -Today we live in a world divided and tuned for war; tuned for a war so -unlike any previous war that wisdom can only shudder at the thought of it. -This is a world always fearful that the other side may strike first, and -thus gain some decisive advantage. It is fearful also to strike first -itself, lest it fail to devastate the enemy completely, and leave him able -to retaliate with devastation. Thoughtful people all over the world -realize that the situation is more dangerous than the enemy. That each -side has a tiger by the tail, and both sides are afraid to let go, or even -to lessen its grip, lest that side be utterly destroyed. Intelligent -people all over the world are working for an easing of tensions, a -lessening of armaments, and are searching for a common ground upon which -both sides might find some point from which to begin establishing a -working relationship. A relationship that would lead to a progressive -lessening of the threat of a nuclear holocaust, and the eventual -establishment of a peaceful and lasting coexistence. - -Intelligent people all over the world are working for these things, but -Christian fundamentalists are not. Christians are shouting "No coexistence -with Godless Communism" and "Atheistic Communism must be destroyed." This -is indeed the final proof that religion is a form of insanity. We must -judge Christianity by what it has done throughout its history, and it has -never been a force for peace. We must judge what Christianity is doing -today in preaching hate against that part of our world that has outgrown -and rejected Christianity. And we must judge what chance we have for -survival if our part of the world continues to be held back by religion. -Atheism has brought the Russian nation great progress in scientific and -technological advances, and has made Communism a powerful force in the -world. But Atheism could have been doing great things for us also, if we -had allowed our society to lay aside, through education, the foolish old -beliefs that are hindering our progress, our defense, and our very -survival. - -Where do we begin our long journey back to reality, back to sanity? I -would start with an 'International Encyclopedia of Information,' written -by those who believe the ideas and from their point of view. Imagine an -American going to a library and learning what Atheism is, instead of what -it is not. Imagine a Russian going to his library and learning what -Capitalism is instead of what it is not. Imagine people all over the world -going to their libraries and reading the same histories, truthful -histories, histories that will not need to be changed when ever there is a -political or religious power change. Let Communism write what it believes, -let Capitalism write what it believes. Let both work together to write a -universal history, and if they can't agree about the facts of history, let -them both write their view of history and let them be published side by -side, and let the reader be the judge. The purpose of a history or an -encyclopedia is education, not propaganda. - -After all, it was the Encyclopedia, the French encyclopedia of Diderot and -others, that was so instrumental in bringing Europe out of the Christian -Dark Ages during the Renaissance. There is every reason to believe that a -universal source of basic information would be a great step toward ending -much of the distrust and confusion that is at the very root of our trouble -in the world today. - -There is no part of the world where the people are all bad, and another -part where the people are all good. When nations go to war, people go out -and kill people. People who, under different circumstances, might well be -their honored and trusted friends. Christianity has never prevented a war, -but has been responsible for many wars because of its prejudice against -all other religions, and especially against Atheism. - -Some time ago I prepared "An Atheist's Message to America." I have read it -at other talks and meetings. It reads: - -"The overabundance of religious propaganda in this country would lead us -to believe that the primary purpose of this nation is the preservation and -expansion of the Christian religion. But that is not true. - -Our nation is not, and must not become, the battleship of the Christian -religion. Our struggle in the world is in defense of LIBERTY. To preserve -our own, and, if possible, to help others gain and keep theirs. - -This nation is not fighting "Godless Atheism" nor "Atheistic Communism," -nor any other group or nation that has had Christian hate terms applied to -them. - -We, as a nation, are opposed to Communism because Communism, like -Christianity, is an ideological force that is destructive to human rights -and freedom. It is, in fact, none of our business whether another nation, -or another individual, believes in a god or not. Our only concern is that -every individual must have the liberty to decide just what he, or she, can -and will believe. And have the freedom to express, publish and pursue -those beliefs in perfect safety. - -In short, our only concern in the world is exactly those ideals that this -great nation of ours was originally founded upon." - -And so after all this, let us look again at our original question: "What -is Atheism that it survives?" - -Atheism is the world of reality, it is reason, it is freedom, Atheism is -human concern, and intellectual honesty to a degree that the religious -mind cannot begin to understand. And yet it is more than this. Atheism is -not an old religion, it is not a new and coming religion, in fact it is -not, and never has been, a religion at all. The definition of Atheism is -magnificent in its simplicity: Atheism is merely the bed-rock of sanity in -a world of madness. - -July 20, 1990 - -The above talk was delivered at the Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church in -Louisville, Kentucky on Sunday, October 19, 1980, and was published in the -July-August 1981 'American Rationalist' magazine (P.O. Box 994, St Louis, -MO. 63188.) and has been sold as a pamphlet by them ever since. - -There has been a great change in the world situation during the past year -and a half. The dangerous situation discussed in the above lecture has, at -last, been broken. But it was not done by Christian love or by any -believer in a god. It was an Atheist, Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev, who had the -intelligence, courage and leadership to move his country, the Soviet -Union, in a direction of peace and understanding. By Mr. Gorbachev's -wisdom and action, and his alone, the tensions have been greatly reduced. -But already Christians are claiming that the achievement was the work of -their god, and, I am sure, in future issues of our Encyclopedias the -credit will, somehow, (as always) be given to Christianity and its god. - -Nothing changes history like the Christian Historian. - -Emmett F. Fields diff --git a/thoughts/txt/why-i-like-tech.txt b/thoughts/txt/why-i-like-tech.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c489abe..0000000 --- a/thoughts/txt/why-i-like-tech.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5 +0,0 @@ -My fundamental interest in the history of computing, software, and the -internet really boils down to one question. - -How did we arrive at a place where the world is governed by technologies -that few, if anyone, understand? |