Human Adaptation/Evolution

Here is a quickie, evidence that humans are adapting to high altitude life. From my understanding geographic isolation is one of the ways that evolution goes into the fast track. From National Geographic

Something to tide over the masses

While I try to post something everyday it's hard while your religious parents are home. So while I am getting an extra couple days of work, here is something great to tide you over...

This song is addictive and great

Garfield minus Garfield

I found this site there is as funny as it is depressing. They took the Garfield out of the comic strip.

Fear of coming out

I have a fear of coming out to my family. The funny thing is I usually have no problem telling strangers or most friends that I am an atheist. I have told a couple people at work and some of my friends know. I think this is the fear of the unknown, the fear that what we don't know is infinitely worse than what we do. I can't say for certain that telling my parents will have any negative repercussions. I think that my dad wouldn't care all that much, my mom is a different matter, she is heavily entrenched within her church. Sometimes I even go with her when I am in town to see the people I grew up with. My inlaws are a different matter, while my father in law is really quiet, he is very religious, my mother in law is very vocal and petty. I know that if they found out there would be some consequences. I don't know what nor do I want to find out. I don't know...So far coming out to my wife has been the toughest leap so far. We never really discussed religion all that much before hand (only in the context of future kids and private/public school). I am glad that I came out to her... it allows me to be who I am with absolutely no pretext.

I still tend to hold onto my truth pretty closely, today I was helping my neighbor and her girls build a snowman, we were talking about christmas traditions. (I already knew they go to church every sunday) I said that growing up we would go to church on xmas eve then come home and make tacos. I told her that we didn't go to church, that I was raised episcopalian while my wife is catholic.

Ive noticed in writing this that I tend to use language carefully, "I was raised" points to the past and says nothing about current beliefs. These thoughts tend to weigh heavily on me, especially around this time of the year.

Were covered in snow, how about you?

We are covered in snow. Not a surprise to anyone I'm sure, but for Seattle this is more snow since 1996, and if it keeps up who knows what record we are going to beat. Right now I am just dreaming about The Bahamas
I am not planning on going any time soon but 80 degrees sounds about right...*loud sigh*

"Think for yourself, question authority"

Why do you think the way you do? Why are you (non) religious? Why are you monogamous? If you are an agnostic/atheist/secular humanist etc... why? Were you just raised godless or was it an evolution of thought? Why?

One of the things that got me to where I am today was to examine every belief that I have held. I do not believe in a god because there is no proof, existence is better explained in man inventing god instead of god inventing man. Pain and horror are easier to explain in a godless world, shit happens; it has always happened and it will continue to happen. Good and bad things happen to both good an bad people.

As a skeptic and an atheist I feel the driving need to constantly question everything around me. Why is the most powerful word in the human language.

A break from Detroit Unions

Apparently the Screen Actors Guild is discussing whether or not to Strike. They have big names on both sides, the two biggest from different sides are Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson. Tom Hanks is taking the view that striking and depriving working actors of money while they supplement their income as baristas and waiters is unfair given the current economic crisis. While Gibson and lot are looking to get their residues from internet and "new media" revenue. From the New York Times article 90% of the SAG actors live on less than 28,000 a year. One of the option from the Hanks camp is that everyone should sign the contract and wait 3 years until the economy has hopefully picked up. That way the actors who aren't filthy fucking rich can continue to survive.

I don't see how anyone in this climate could think about striking at this time. While I don't care about the financial well fare of actors of the caliber of Hanks and Gibson, I can empathize with the working actors who have to work multiple jobs to do what they love. To quote the petition signed by 130 of the biggest names in Hollywood

"We support our union and we support the issues we’re fighting for, but we do not believe in all good conscience that now is the time to be putting people out of work."

Prop 8 (A month later)

The enormous (and obvious, at least to me) backlash against Proposition 8 is one of those moments that while it may give you hope at its strong reaction, should not have happened in the first place.

There has been everything from a short film musical Prop 8 the Musical and a call in "Gay" day, to a back and forth between a New York Times add proclaiming that mobs of gay people were attacking Mormons, and an add countering that from a NY gay advocate group Truth Wins Out that ran a counter add in the Salt Lake City Times showing the hypocrisy of the people who were responsible for the New York Times add. One of my favorites and probably most powerful arguments for the repeal of prop 8 was MSNBC's Keith Olbermann's strong reaction.

I know a few gay people. None that are really in my life on a constant basis (parents of an ex girlfriend). I don't know how ANYONE at all, religious or not, could deny basic rights from an individual based on a seemingly unimportant thing like sexual orientation. Who people are attracted to should not have anything to do with tax benefits, estate planning benefits, government benefits, employment benefits, medical benefits, death benefits, family benefits, housing benefits, consumer benefits, and a myriad of other random benefits.

My hope is that hopefully this backlash will create a fire storm that would bring another round of civil rights to yet another group of people that in a "land of the free"don't seem to be a part of.

Critical Control Point

My idea with CCP is that along with the vague "my path to atheism" I will also look at how religion and other conservative or outdated ideas are shaping our world for the worse. I will be looking for the critical point where things will change for good or bad. I am not sure if this will just be news articles I find, or stories I hear from real people, but probably a combination of both.

My evolution of thought

I think I can directly attribute the evolution of my thoughts from ultra jaded Christian (vague idea that if god did exist that the church has done its best to defame him/her/it) to an agnostic viewpoint to a true atheistic viewpoint. Here it goes...

Ironically it started at Christmas last year, I got an ipod by my fairly religious in-laws. I started getting into podcasts, particularly science based podcasts. I started off with TEDtalks (www.ted.com) then moved into the skeptical arena. I started off with skeptoid hosted by Brian Dunning. This consisted of short (5-15 min) blurbs about various science, pseudoscience and paranormal phenomenon. This took me to skepticality hosted by Derek and Swoopy. Their podcast is about an hour and is filled with everything skeptical. I think the highlight of the podcasts are the interviews, with everyone from Niel DeGrass Tyson to James Randi to atheist rapper Graydon Square.

Through the journy I was exposed to many views and people that I had not heard about. Michael Shermer, James Randi, Phil Plait, The Skepchicks, and many more. I learned about and purchesed Julia Sweeny's "Letting Go of God".

Lately I have gotten into a routine of keeping up to date with the podcasts I enjoy as well as reading science based nonfiction. I am currently reading "The Science of Good and Evil" by Michael Shermer. It takes a look at individual and group morality from an evolution standpoint, including the origin of religion and the role it played to our ancestors.

My goal with this blog is going to put my thoughts out there for ridicule and praise, to share what I am involved with, what I've learned and what my short comings are.