Zeitgeist/Zeitgeist/Zeitgeist
Now hush little baby
Don't you cry
You know your Daddy
Is bound to die
Go play this new game called Moronville, Moronville 2 will be out soon
Look at page 3, follow the sport, talk amongst yourselves, DO NOT LOOK UP, never ever look up!
Whats Jordan doing today?
Divorce number 8 so the papers say
DO NOT THINK, never ever think
For yourself. For you're selfish.
Cash is in the attic will be on soon
Jeremy Kyle will be on soon
TELL THEM THEY ARE ALL WRONG JEREMY!
We'll all be under attack soon
Go get your energy from the sun
Energy from the Sun
Obituary in The Sun
Peace & Love
Mike (Angry, despondent, sad) x
Monday, 15 April 2013
Monday, 31 December 2012
Thank (insert superstition here) we're still here!
As we end one year and enter another, blah, blah...
We don't need one day to decide to improve ourselves or to make the lives of those around us more tolerable, but as our lives are so neatly squashed into neat little blocks (days, weeks, months, years) I shall summarize 2012 and possibly express my thoughts on the year to come.
On a personal note, 2012 was a hectic year with a ton of ups and downs.
It saw the end of Storm Of Ashes after 5 hard working years. After which I considered putting drums to bed, before being offered the stool in the Death Ray Cats, which was more fun than I could have possibly imagined and reignited my joy of playing.
Death Rays took a break in August and is currently on the tip of reforming and playing some local shows in 2013.
In September 2012 I was asked to join another band, Arjento. A metal band once again and a challenge at that, as drumming has most definitely taken a back seat in my life as I approach my mid 30's. We should be gigging plenty in 2013 however.
2012 also saw the biggest challenge I have ever set myself. In August I was browsing the Open University website and rather than think and think about it again, I just decided to take the plunge and enrol myself into an honours degree course. In October I began my combined social sciences degree and I can safely say it is the the most rewarding venture I have ever involved myself with. Not without its problems however. I still work a full time job 6 days a week, drum for 2 bands, have a long distance relationship with Lucy (2 years now x), as well as trying to see family, friends and have some kind of social existence outside of my books. My only wish is that I had done it sooner, however I guess that is just how my life has panned out and at a younger age I would not have had the discipline I do now to study and focus myself to the task.
The final quarter of 2012 bought with it a lot of heartache and loss. But in its wake, communities were reunited, hatchets were buried and a new appreciation of the present was realised.
Rest In Peace John Compton, 'Punk' Ben Fletcher, Kyle Thompson and Paul Seeley x
2013 brings with it the continuation of my degree and the completion of my first module in May. I am yet to decide upon my speciality however, so June onwards will see my study take a different course.
Along side my study I will continue to find more satisfying and settled employment.
Arjento and Death Ray Cats will be back on stage at some point, so bring ear plugs and beer!
Cheers x
We don't need one day to decide to improve ourselves or to make the lives of those around us more tolerable, but as our lives are so neatly squashed into neat little blocks (days, weeks, months, years) I shall summarize 2012 and possibly express my thoughts on the year to come.
On a personal note, 2012 was a hectic year with a ton of ups and downs.
It saw the end of Storm Of Ashes after 5 hard working years. After which I considered putting drums to bed, before being offered the stool in the Death Ray Cats, which was more fun than I could have possibly imagined and reignited my joy of playing.
Death Rays took a break in August and is currently on the tip of reforming and playing some local shows in 2013.
In September 2012 I was asked to join another band, Arjento. A metal band once again and a challenge at that, as drumming has most definitely taken a back seat in my life as I approach my mid 30's. We should be gigging plenty in 2013 however.
2012 also saw the biggest challenge I have ever set myself. In August I was browsing the Open University website and rather than think and think about it again, I just decided to take the plunge and enrol myself into an honours degree course. In October I began my combined social sciences degree and I can safely say it is the the most rewarding venture I have ever involved myself with. Not without its problems however. I still work a full time job 6 days a week, drum for 2 bands, have a long distance relationship with Lucy (2 years now x), as well as trying to see family, friends and have some kind of social existence outside of my books. My only wish is that I had done it sooner, however I guess that is just how my life has panned out and at a younger age I would not have had the discipline I do now to study and focus myself to the task.
The final quarter of 2012 bought with it a lot of heartache and loss. But in its wake, communities were reunited, hatchets were buried and a new appreciation of the present was realised.
Rest In Peace John Compton, 'Punk' Ben Fletcher, Kyle Thompson and Paul Seeley x
2013 brings with it the continuation of my degree and the completion of my first module in May. I am yet to decide upon my speciality however, so June onwards will see my study take a different course.
Along side my study I will continue to find more satisfying and settled employment.
Arjento and Death Ray Cats will be back on stage at some point, so bring ear plugs and beer!
Cheers x
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Charity begins at home. So give whatever you can.
Every single person reading this will be either directly or indirectly affected by one of 3 things during their lives.
1: Cancer.
2: Heart conditions of one type or another.
3: Mental health issues of one type or another.
I have at times found myself confronted by such ludicrous comments as 'It doesn't affect me' or 'I can't afford to give them my money' when referring to charity's.
It affects all of us and donating is either helping yourself or your own family & friends.
Below are links to some charity's that are close to my heart for various reasons.
Check them out. Nobody has to donate. Nobody has to do anything do they?
And what a world that attitude could create.
Thank you x
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Atheism continued.
Today I shall respond to a particularly interesting and thought provoking reply to my original atheist post after I shared the link on my personal Facebook page.
The following text is the response I received from a long term agnostic friend of mine.
"Great first piece! Not sure about putting things on a pedal stool though. Personally I like to put things on pedastals ;)
I'm not sure your blanket views on agnostics is accurate though. There is a massive agnostic spectrum, ranging from those who are simply not sure (those on the fence), through the philosophical theologists such as myself (curious, unknowing, but unable to say that as man we can't say something does not exist just because we can't prove it - philosophers, especially in the scientific world, have faced this for thousands of year), through the those who verge of atheism, who don't believe in particular deity/group of deity/religion in general, but still can't be sure.
On paper having faith is an important part of being human, whether its faith that if we're good boys and girls we'll go to heaven, or that when we die we simply rot in the ground and that's the bed of it. Some people's minds can't cope with the latter. They question the point of a life in which so many lessons theare learnt, if the lessons are not meant to be practice in another life. Whether this is correct or not will be a lesson for the after-life (if there is one), but seeing as there is only way to find to find out for sure I think I'll be patient and see for.myself...
With regards to the origins of religion, I'm starting to agree that all sightings of gods and angels in human pre-history were aliens, but the only for early man to process what they were were as gods. This further supports my view that religious text are all vague historic texts, richly written and passed on by word of life, but not accurate enough to prove anything. Fables with guidance by which to live your life, but not to be take literally in the modern world.
I think that having faith in your beliefs - whether religious, atheist, or agnostic - if important. It gives your mind a sense or purpose, and makes you human. But going to war for such beliefs is unecessary in the modern world. One's faith should be a private matter, one built on respect for the views of others (as directed in one of the most contradictory books of all time, The Bible, and most other religious texts for that matter. Religion only fails when used to bolster a zealot's own views."
Firstly I would like to thank my friend for pointing out my failing at the use of the term 'pedal stool'....Yet upon referring to my trusted dusty old dictionary, I was amused to find that she had also spelt it wrong. The correct spelling being pedestal and my original post now updated and grammatically correct.
Now to the first point on my views on agnosticism.
Definition of agnostic as defined by Collins Gem English dictionary: one who holds that we know nothing of things outside the material world.
Whilst I agree that the agnostic spectrum is a broad one, my point at the time and today is that there is simply far too much evidence available to sway people towards atheism. I understand that agnosticism doesn't only encompass proof of God's, but that it is a point of view regarding belief in souls, afterlife, angels, demons and various other such myths and legends as well as widely accepted and supported scientific theory upon matters of the immaterial.
And when you look at it like that, one could be forgiven for suggesting that agnosticism is the blanket view. We know nothing outside of the material world.
This is in itself a very broad sweeping and ignorant statement.
Lets take science theory for example.
Definition of theory as defined by Collins Gem English dictionary: A coherent statement or set of ideas that explains observed facts or phenomena, or which sets out the laws and principles of something known or observed; a hypothesis confirmed by observation, experiment etc.
Now lets take the meaning of agnosticism and theory and discuss the scientific theory of gravity.
Whilst the existence of the force we call gravity, is considered a theory and not a stone cold fact, despite conclusions through theory being as close as we will ever get, therefore negating all proposed reasoning or otherwise offered up by agnostic's or believers, I offer this simple response.
When was the last time any of us dropped an apple, for us to see it float to the ceiling and not to drop to the floor?
The point here is simple. Whilst completely agreeing that belief and faith are pivotal and vital to human existence and well being, it is only fair and right that our conclusions come from supported theory.
I have faith and belief in many things. All based on the tangible and explainable.
The weight of evidence against the existence of any supernatural phenomena, God's and other unworldly beings is so great and this is what baffles me with the agnostic point of view.
Whilst everybody is able to disregard the ancient nonsense offered up by religion, due to the fact that we know religion is a man made construct and that God was created in the image of man and not vice versa, if they so wish of course..... Nobody is able to disregard the theory's that science offers, purely because there intellect cannot fathom what is being offered. To disregard hundreds and thousands of years of investigative endeavour by a continuously open minded scientific community is ignorance in it's highest regard.
That said, I again repeat my point from my original post that I am not claiming and neither is science to be right. But with the evidence on offer, and if only the world had the time to read more, then whilst none of us may be right, the acceptance of a belief based upon exploration and evidence is surely the only fair one.
As for the part about religion being given to us by alien life, a conspiracy so mind bending as to beggar belief ( no pun intended ) as always I offer the challenge of evidence.
There is a persistence in religious text that demonstrates to us just how man made it is. With it's arrogant, self serving, self centred leanings.
Everyone is entitled to their own points of view on all matters. That is a fundamental human right. As for those points of view being respected? That is where some distinctions need to be drawn.
1: I respect peoples right to their own points of view.
2: I do not respect everybody's point of view.
If a point of view is born from a stance that is lacking in clear thought and patient consideration then I cannot respect it. I will discuss and debate it with people, but respect it I can't.
That doesn't mean that because I don't respect certain views that I'm going to do anything to attempt to stop that point of view persisting. This is not an exercise in extremism or fascism.
Never the less people should always have freedom of speech.
And finally. The suggestion that religion only fails when in the hands of zealots?
I'm sure that holds little consolation to the hundreds of thousands of children abused across many faith's by men in highly regarded religious positions.
And as this response was inspired by a female friend, perhaps consider the uncensored green light across many sections of the bible for the torture, rape and repression of women.
Religion fails daily and in so many ways.
Simply read again if you will both the Old and New Testament's. They offer such horror and justification for it that were a movie be made of it's guidance and suggestions, it would surely never see release.
Now I am in need of tea.
Happy reading one and all. Feel free to comment and discuss.
Peace x
Monday, 16 July 2012
Just prose?
“These are not books, lumps of lifeless paper, but minds alive on the shelves.” ~Gilbert Highet.
Friday, 13 July 2012
...And Tea For All
Here for your enjoyment is some fine English breakfast tea, as made by Twinings and enjoyed by myself.
Brew yourselves a tasty cup of relaxing warm joy as I raise my cup to those of you who have read and received my first blog with such good grace.
Cheers x
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Atheism. My point of view.
This is a difficult topic to explain to some people and it is quite a task knowing where to start, so please if you can, read ahead with an open mind.
I guess a good place to start would be to explain why and how I came to be an atheist.
Firstly I think it's fair to start by thanking both of my parents for raising me free from the shackles of religion. I was always encouraged and more importantly allowed to think for myself and to discover my own way of figuring out my world view for me.
Religious indoctrination in children is, in my opinion, psychological child abuse. I am of the view, as are many prominent atheists such as the late Christopher Hitchens that the progress of the human race has been blighted by the indoctrination of children for generations.
Religious indoctrination stifles free thought, logic, reason and the sense to think for oneself. Even once into adulthood, I doubt that many ever truly recover intellectually from a religious upbringing.
Don't get me wrong, I took part in religious education at school and did my fair share of religious studies, so as to know the subject enough to form my own opinions and to also be able to debate the points I feel most passionately on.
But it was thanks in part to the freedom I was allowed to think for myself when growing up, that gave me the space to become a proud and passionate atheist today.
And passion is where I will turn next.
Some atheists, including myself are accused of having a dogmatic approach.
Definition of dogma as defined by Collins Gem English dictionary: article of belief esp. one laid down authoritatively by church; body of beliefs.
Now whilst I am intensely opinionated and passionate on many subjects, including atheism, it would be wrong to accuse me of being dogmatic.
For me atheism is about my opinions about our origin's and the origin of our universe, not beliefs or a lack of them based on a finite set of rules handed down to me.
A Christian will be heard to say: I believe in God and I believe he created the universe.
I would say: I have no belief in any God nor do I believe a supernatural being created the universe. But I am open minded to all logical explanations for our existence and phenomena, through examination and due process. I would consider myself a scientific atheist. Science does not profess to know all of the answers, but it has some of them and it endeavours to search for more and can accept when it is proven wrong. That is the point of science. That is the point of finding evidence to support something.
Religion, a man made institution of such power, force and fear across our globe offers up no evidence what so ever.
Where science will confess to not knowing everything, religion has to accept that it knows nothing.
And the argument that religion gave us morals, laws, made us kinder and more compassionate etc is an intellectually infantile and vacuous one. Morals, laws, knowing how to behave, knowing the difference between right & wrong come from human evolution. Man created religion, not the other way around.
Atheism does not behave in a dogmatic manner. It simply says: I do not believe in any God.
Atheism gives people the space to make their own minds up on the subject, without taking the route of religion and forcing it down someone's throat or asking for your money so we can build an arena from which to preach our dogma across television channels across continents. Admittedly I cannot speak for all atheists, as behaving in a dogmatic manner is simply very often human nature. We yearn to be right. Hence the attraction of religion and it's closed eyes & ears. Religion means we can assume to be right without thinking for ourselves.
I am not saying I am right. I am not saying atheism is right. I am saying it makes the most logical, intellectual sense. Saying that you disagree and with reasoned argument is not dogmatic behaviour. If a fellow who has spent his life living by a code of open mindedness, proof through evidence and rational thought is confronted by the often close minded argument of a religious thinker (Or non-thinker) then through frustration can come the appearance of arrogance. This is not atheist dogma. Simply a by-product when face to face with such belligerent ignorance as is presented by religion.
People should not be afraid to announce that they disagree with something, if they have valid reasoning for it.
Religion has been held upon a pedal stool for centuries, protected by laws, defending it from logical questioning and debate.
In an internet age of wonder, technology and unparalleled access to information and evidence, I am still astounded that anybody can hold faith in ANY form of religion, in ANY form of deity.
Belief in something for which there is no evidence is an intellectual failing and one which I personally cannot fathom in the adult mind. It makes as much sense as leaving school at 16 and still believing in Santa Claus, The Tooth Fairy, The Boogie Man, Harry Potter or Jedi. Fun escapism yes. Truth about our origins and a reason to start war? No.
As I said earlier, I'm not saying I am right. We know very little as a race. But to be on any side of the fence other than the one with the vast majority of the evidence & answers so far, is lacking in common sense, hence my abhorrence of agnosticism. Yes I do not know that God in any written version does not exist. But the likelihood of his existence is so minute that to sit on the fence on the matter is absurd.
Present to me evidence of a God, any God and I shall accept it as proof until a more advanced point of view is given.
Until then I shall remain a happy, moral, loving atheist with all the respect for our planet and nature that a mind open to wonder can give.
Peace x
P.s. I shall be writing further blog's in the near future on the subjects of abuse of power & position within the construct of religion and presenting solid scientific evidence to assist in debunking certain so called religious phenomena.
I guess a good place to start would be to explain why and how I came to be an atheist.
Firstly I think it's fair to start by thanking both of my parents for raising me free from the shackles of religion. I was always encouraged and more importantly allowed to think for myself and to discover my own way of figuring out my world view for me.
Religious indoctrination in children is, in my opinion, psychological child abuse. I am of the view, as are many prominent atheists such as the late Christopher Hitchens that the progress of the human race has been blighted by the indoctrination of children for generations.
Religious indoctrination stifles free thought, logic, reason and the sense to think for oneself. Even once into adulthood, I doubt that many ever truly recover intellectually from a religious upbringing.
Don't get me wrong, I took part in religious education at school and did my fair share of religious studies, so as to know the subject enough to form my own opinions and to also be able to debate the points I feel most passionately on.
But it was thanks in part to the freedom I was allowed to think for myself when growing up, that gave me the space to become a proud and passionate atheist today.
And passion is where I will turn next.
Some atheists, including myself are accused of having a dogmatic approach.
Definition of dogma as defined by Collins Gem English dictionary: article of belief esp. one laid down authoritatively by church; body of beliefs.
Now whilst I am intensely opinionated and passionate on many subjects, including atheism, it would be wrong to accuse me of being dogmatic.
For me atheism is about my opinions about our origin's and the origin of our universe, not beliefs or a lack of them based on a finite set of rules handed down to me.
A Christian will be heard to say: I believe in God and I believe he created the universe.
I would say: I have no belief in any God nor do I believe a supernatural being created the universe. But I am open minded to all logical explanations for our existence and phenomena, through examination and due process. I would consider myself a scientific atheist. Science does not profess to know all of the answers, but it has some of them and it endeavours to search for more and can accept when it is proven wrong. That is the point of science. That is the point of finding evidence to support something.
Religion, a man made institution of such power, force and fear across our globe offers up no evidence what so ever.
Where science will confess to not knowing everything, religion has to accept that it knows nothing.
And the argument that religion gave us morals, laws, made us kinder and more compassionate etc is an intellectually infantile and vacuous one. Morals, laws, knowing how to behave, knowing the difference between right & wrong come from human evolution. Man created religion, not the other way around.
Atheism does not behave in a dogmatic manner. It simply says: I do not believe in any God.
Atheism gives people the space to make their own minds up on the subject, without taking the route of religion and forcing it down someone's throat or asking for your money so we can build an arena from which to preach our dogma across television channels across continents. Admittedly I cannot speak for all atheists, as behaving in a dogmatic manner is simply very often human nature. We yearn to be right. Hence the attraction of religion and it's closed eyes & ears. Religion means we can assume to be right without thinking for ourselves.
I am not saying I am right. I am not saying atheism is right. I am saying it makes the most logical, intellectual sense. Saying that you disagree and with reasoned argument is not dogmatic behaviour. If a fellow who has spent his life living by a code of open mindedness, proof through evidence and rational thought is confronted by the often close minded argument of a religious thinker (Or non-thinker) then through frustration can come the appearance of arrogance. This is not atheist dogma. Simply a by-product when face to face with such belligerent ignorance as is presented by religion.
People should not be afraid to announce that they disagree with something, if they have valid reasoning for it.
Religion has been held upon a pedal stool for centuries, protected by laws, defending it from logical questioning and debate.
In an internet age of wonder, technology and unparalleled access to information and evidence, I am still astounded that anybody can hold faith in ANY form of religion, in ANY form of deity.
Belief in something for which there is no evidence is an intellectual failing and one which I personally cannot fathom in the adult mind. It makes as much sense as leaving school at 16 and still believing in Santa Claus, The Tooth Fairy, The Boogie Man, Harry Potter or Jedi. Fun escapism yes. Truth about our origins and a reason to start war? No.
As I said earlier, I'm not saying I am right. We know very little as a race. But to be on any side of the fence other than the one with the vast majority of the evidence & answers so far, is lacking in common sense, hence my abhorrence of agnosticism. Yes I do not know that God in any written version does not exist. But the likelihood of his existence is so minute that to sit on the fence on the matter is absurd.
Present to me evidence of a God, any God and I shall accept it as proof until a more advanced point of view is given.
Until then I shall remain a happy, moral, loving atheist with all the respect for our planet and nature that a mind open to wonder can give.
Peace x
P.s. I shall be writing further blog's in the near future on the subjects of abuse of power & position within the construct of religion and presenting solid scientific evidence to assist in debunking certain so called religious phenomena.
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