"common human laws and interests and emotions have no validity or significance in the vast cosmos-at-large... To achieve the essence of real externality, whether of space or time or dimension, one must forget that such things as organic life, good and evil, love and hate, and all such local attributes of a negligible and temporary race called mankind, have any existence at all... [W]hen we cross the line to the boundless and hideous unknown—the shadow haunted Outside—we must remember to leave our humanity and terrestrialism at the threshold."
If you will just take the special pills I've provided, I show you my theory, rather than tell.
and, boy howdy.
She's gunna be pissed when she wakes up.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
In response to last Post's comment section:
The Council of Nicea is a fine example of "Religous Knowledge" and its capability to change. Back in 332 AD there was a decision on the status of Jesus as the Son of God as well as being God and also the being of "holy Spirit" getting into the mix, thereby establishing the Holy Trinity as it is roughly known today.
While this stands as a good example of the doldrum pace of change (seeing as this is a tenant of the faith for most Christian sects to this day) it also shows that Religious knowledge is flexible and dynamic. The Old Testament is full of Imagery from the Caananite religious tradition, co-opted no less, and yet the Isrealite people were admonished for partaking in their religous ceremonies on a regular basis.
These ideas were also taken from the Babylonians, and the Ancient Egyptians... sheesh, they stole from everybody. Romans co-opted the Greek Pantheon... and so on.
If we refer back to the idea that religion is used for social engineering or "Social Control", it can then be justified (perhaps) to argue that religion has to be adaptive and changeable. (In so much as the ability of people for change.)
Now here comes the fun part. All of this discussing of ideas is all based on knowledge obtained from sources that vary in their reliability from .99 to .01. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the book-learnin' stuff was on the low end of the spectrum but the ideas in my head may be closer to that. Point, though, is that this is all knowledge that can and will change as well. I spouted off the stuff about the early origins of god without really knowing that information for certain, just going off of what I've read and heard from sources that have the appearance of being reliable. As a professional skeptic, these are only there to be proven untrue.
Isn't that what life is about? Proving it untrue?
While this stands as a good example of the doldrum pace of change (seeing as this is a tenant of the faith for most Christian sects to this day) it also shows that Religious knowledge is flexible and dynamic. The Old Testament is full of Imagery from the Caananite religious tradition, co-opted no less, and yet the Isrealite people were admonished for partaking in their religous ceremonies on a regular basis.
These ideas were also taken from the Babylonians, and the Ancient Egyptians... sheesh, they stole from everybody. Romans co-opted the Greek Pantheon... and so on.
If we refer back to the idea that religion is used for social engineering or "Social Control", it can then be justified (perhaps) to argue that religion has to be adaptive and changeable. (In so much as the ability of people for change.)
Now here comes the fun part. All of this discussing of ideas is all based on knowledge obtained from sources that vary in their reliability from .99 to .01. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the book-learnin' stuff was on the low end of the spectrum but the ideas in my head may be closer to that. Point, though, is that this is all knowledge that can and will change as well. I spouted off the stuff about the early origins of god without really knowing that information for certain, just going off of what I've read and heard from sources that have the appearance of being reliable. As a professional skeptic, these are only there to be proven untrue.
Isn't that what life is about? Proving it untrue?
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Scientific thoughts resumed
With the inductive reasoning trick, the ability to explain events of the natural world with accuracy and also harness the forces therein becomes similar to a cake walk.
Religious persons with a faith-based though process tend to retreat to the myth or lore of the religious texts (in the Judeao-Christian religions at least), which if scholarship is to be believed tells us that the origins of these texts are from oral tradition which eventually became a written tradition as well.
The method for obtaining an understanding of the world was essentially the same, there was a lacking in the passing of knowledge gained. (or something, the Ancient Egyptians built huge monuments and we only have relatively accurate answers as to how they did it.)
Anyway. The process of humanistic scientific thought is the same as the process religious-istic scientific thought. They are both trying to answer the same sorts of questions but through different filters and from different starting points. To take it back to the Science vs. Religion thing, I say that they are working toward the same goal which is an understanding that eliminates or lessens the fear of the unknown. I don't have to fear because I understand.
Religious persons with a faith-based though process tend to retreat to the myth or lore of the religious texts (in the Judeao-Christian religions at least), which if scholarship is to be believed tells us that the origins of these texts are from oral tradition which eventually became a written tradition as well.
The method for obtaining an understanding of the world was essentially the same, there was a lacking in the passing of knowledge gained. (or something, the Ancient Egyptians built huge monuments and we only have relatively accurate answers as to how they did it.)
Anyway. The process of humanistic scientific thought is the same as the process religious-istic scientific thought. They are both trying to answer the same sorts of questions but through different filters and from different starting points. To take it back to the Science vs. Religion thing, I say that they are working toward the same goal which is an understanding that eliminates or lessens the fear of the unknown. I don't have to fear because I understand.
* * * * *
Completely different note. I am finishing up the last few chapters of No Man Knows My History and I must say that the issues that I feel like I'm dealing with on a personal level as a citizen of this country (economic, religious, and political on the national/international which have an impact on my daily life, i.e. gas prices, coffee shop discussions, "income status," etc...) are things that are universal. There were political scandals since the days of politiking began. It's all just a huge game. Just one big game. I don't want to play anymore.
Monday, April 24, 2006
A brief pause
Someone has a link to this site and I "browsed" over to it today. One of the headlines caught my eye. After reading that one article I went to their economic articles archive. I only scanned headlines but it's more than overwhelming for me to even comment.
This is all stuff that seems to be undercurrents that I can feel on a daily basis. I say feel because I'm not keyed in on it with laser-accurate precision but I have a sense of impending doom. Like when I have gone spelunking. There's always been a phantom in the back of my mind convincing me that there will be an eventual collapse.
"Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall and you go out."
(I'll get back to the science thing, I swear)
This is all stuff that seems to be undercurrents that I can feel on a daily basis. I say feel because I'm not keyed in on it with laser-accurate precision but I have a sense of impending doom. Like when I have gone spelunking. There's always been a phantom in the back of my mind convincing me that there will be an eventual collapse.
"Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall and you go out."
(I'll get back to the science thing, I swear)
Friday, April 21, 2006
Science on stage again
I wanted to say some stuff about the cost of health care but that'll have to wait. Health care isn't cheap anymore because of Malpractice suits and "advancing tecknological developmental research."
I wanted to continue with this exploration of scientific knowledge/religious knowledge.
I drove to Platteville yesterday and thought about the comment left on the post labeled Science. I didn't have a good answer until this afternoon which comes closer to what I think I was getting at. Scientific knowledge is only a form of understanding of the world around us through inductive reasoning except the conclusions are more acute in their resolves. Religious "faith-based" scientific arguments offer a different resolve based on a different "interpretational" apporach to the outcome of ((process) on an (object)). (Which would be a form of the scientific method.
Essentially Scientific Method is set up like this:
Process (P) is used on Object (Q) -- (P on Q)
Perform (P on Q) and obtain result (R1).
Repeat (P on Q) and obtain result (R2).
Repeat (P on Q) and obtain result (R3). etc...
Analyze data set (R1:R?) and interpret results.
So what we have is a way to understand or to more accurately predict an event or outcome.
More to come later
I wanted to continue with this exploration of scientific knowledge/religious knowledge.
I drove to Platteville yesterday and thought about the comment left on the post labeled Science. I didn't have a good answer until this afternoon which comes closer to what I think I was getting at. Scientific knowledge is only a form of understanding of the world around us through inductive reasoning except the conclusions are more acute in their resolves. Religious "faith-based" scientific arguments offer a different resolve based on a different "interpretational" apporach to the outcome of ((process) on an (object)). (Which would be a form of the scientific method.
Essentially Scientific Method is set up like this:
Process (P) is used on Object (Q) -- (P on Q)
Perform (P on Q) and obtain result (R1).
Repeat (P on Q) and obtain result (R2).
Repeat (P on Q) and obtain result (R3). etc...
Analyze data set (R1:R?) and interpret results.
So what we have is a way to understand or to more accurately predict an event or outcome.
More to come later
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Science
I don't have the patience to put up links right now but yesterday I was reading some different articles concerning the issue of science "debunking" religious beliefs and also religious beliefs being upheld or found to be true through science.
It doesn't sit well with me, partly due to the language of each side, that of conviction in the accuracy and certainty of what they "know" so desperatly to be true, and also partly because I study religion and philosophy and have a mind that's agile enough to understand scientific concepts as readily as metaphysical ones.
I don't have any answers at this point. It's just something that's been bothering me, or, maybe what I'm trying to say is that, Science isn't the end-all be-all of knowledge just as much as Religion isn't the end-all be-all of knowledge.
I'm reminded of an idea that I came across in my personal studies. Some people take the wide path through the pass on their spiritual journey through life, some people choose to take the path that offers more spectacular views, and yet very few opt to take a path that is not yet set by anyone.
I've been interupted in my thought process so I'll leave it at this,
Science or Religion, either way you slice it, it's only an approach to ease the uncertainty of living. To decry one on bahalf of the other is to assume that one is correct and the other not. Pragmatic thinking would suggest otherwise.
It doesn't sit well with me, partly due to the language of each side, that of conviction in the accuracy and certainty of what they "know" so desperatly to be true, and also partly because I study religion and philosophy and have a mind that's agile enough to understand scientific concepts as readily as metaphysical ones.
I don't have any answers at this point. It's just something that's been bothering me, or, maybe what I'm trying to say is that, Science isn't the end-all be-all of knowledge just as much as Religion isn't the end-all be-all of knowledge.
I'm reminded of an idea that I came across in my personal studies. Some people take the wide path through the pass on their spiritual journey through life, some people choose to take the path that offers more spectacular views, and yet very few opt to take a path that is not yet set by anyone.
I've been interupted in my thought process so I'll leave it at this,
Science or Religion, either way you slice it, it's only an approach to ease the uncertainty of living. To decry one on bahalf of the other is to assume that one is correct and the other not. Pragmatic thinking would suggest otherwise.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
A small "semantics" issue
I was watching Adult Swim last night and was throughly disgusted by what I saw.
Saved By the Bell is NOT ANIMATED. It is not entertaining. It just plain sucks.
Fuck Cartoon Network!
Pardon the language but if it's not animated, then they should be showing it on some other crappy Turner network. Even as much as I would like to Mr. Show episodes re-run during adult swim, I feel that that would be lying under oath to program only shows that remain and will always be animated. Saved By the Bell was dead before it even ran.
I do have one brief kudos to dish out though. The bump with the embossed Jessie Spanno dancing and singing "I'm so excited" over and over again as she breaks down all played in slow-motion was great. But it was modified to be considered animation (Almost) and in a forgiving sort of way that blurs the line between "Waking Life" and "The Lords of the Rings Part 1" (the old-school animated deal) (and if you want links, to bad, I aint doin it.) (Parenthetical asides aside)
I miss the days of rolling my eyes at Baby Blues and having to sit through an entire Sunday evening of re-run Oblongs and Big O only to have to struggle to keep my eyes open to watch Home Movies. I won't be staying up late to watch re-runs of Saved By the Bell. I've seen 'em all and making me watch them again isn't going to make me want to get the DVD's. The same holds for The Friends. Terrible programs.
The end.
Saved By the Bell is NOT ANIMATED. It is not entertaining. It just plain sucks.
Fuck Cartoon Network!
Pardon the language but if it's not animated, then they should be showing it on some other crappy Turner network. Even as much as I would like to Mr. Show episodes re-run during adult swim, I feel that that would be lying under oath to program only shows that remain and will always be animated. Saved By the Bell was dead before it even ran.
I do have one brief kudos to dish out though. The bump with the embossed Jessie Spanno dancing and singing "I'm so excited" over and over again as she breaks down all played in slow-motion was great. But it was modified to be considered animation (Almost) and in a forgiving sort of way that blurs the line between "Waking Life" and "The Lords of the Rings Part 1" (the old-school animated deal) (and if you want links, to bad, I aint doin it.) (Parenthetical asides aside)
I miss the days of rolling my eyes at Baby Blues and having to sit through an entire Sunday evening of re-run Oblongs and Big O only to have to struggle to keep my eyes open to watch Home Movies. I won't be staying up late to watch re-runs of Saved By the Bell. I've seen 'em all and making me watch them again isn't going to make me want to get the DVD's. The same holds for The Friends. Terrible programs.
The end.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Economic musing
There was an interesting article in the New York Times yesterday about the rising disparity in income and economic mobility of the Japanese. It is becoming more common for a Japanese young person to be stuck with fewer options in regards to employment due to their parents income because they can't afford to attend an expensive private school or a cram school which will more likely guarantee them enterance into the most prestigious universities.
Today on the radio I was listen to a program with an economist who teaches at Wheaton University in Boston and he was talking about almost the exact same thing happening in America. The topic wasn't centered around the education disparity (give it time with this education reform from the No School Left Standing) but there is a noticeable line drawn between rich and the favors they get and the rest of us poor and destitute. For example, the tax cuts that were supposed to jumpstart the US economy were doled out at $.95 per day for poor or not even poor but just middle class and the upper 10% were getting roughly $185.00 per day. Now I know that some people will argue that these people who got more back earned more and had to pay more taxes but my response is, "What percentage of their Income did they have to pay in taxes?"
Anyway. I don't like to get too in depth politically and I'm less likely to talk about economics. My specialization is in religion and abstract ideas. It just makes me a little more disgusted with the state of this "great nation" of ours. Look to your left, look to your right. "They Give no Fuck. Just as long as there's enough for them."
I should just move back to Montana and start my freelander cult.
Today on the radio I was listen to a program with an economist who teaches at Wheaton University in Boston and he was talking about almost the exact same thing happening in America. The topic wasn't centered around the education disparity (give it time with this education reform from the No School Left Standing) but there is a noticeable line drawn between rich and the favors they get and the rest of us poor and destitute. For example, the tax cuts that were supposed to jumpstart the US economy were doled out at $.95 per day for poor or not even poor but just middle class and the upper 10% were getting roughly $185.00 per day. Now I know that some people will argue that these people who got more back earned more and had to pay more taxes but my response is, "What percentage of their Income did they have to pay in taxes?"
Anyway. I don't like to get too in depth politically and I'm less likely to talk about economics. My specialization is in religion and abstract ideas. It just makes me a little more disgusted with the state of this "great nation" of ours. Look to your left, look to your right. "They Give no Fuck. Just as long as there's enough for them."
I should just move back to Montana and start my freelander cult.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Good fer nuttin'
So this evening I'm suddenly feeling a little more awake. It's hard to say why. Could probably be the full moon. The werewolves are about tonight. They do exist in southern Wisconsin if you listen to anything Travis has to say. Most people don't.
I finally got my stupid state taxes out the door. I've been sitting on them for a month and a half now, or rather, they've been sitting on the floor of my truck waiting to get into the mail. Ugh.
I also had a surprise serve tonight. I went to a trailer park to serve two evictions at one address only to discover that I actually had been given three evictions at two addresses. The sweetest thing was that I made $35.00 instead of $20.00 for the same amount of work. And I don't have to drive back there two more times to post and mail their asses out of their trailers.
I also FINALLY got that stupid picture scanned in from the Ben Folds concert. (Only a month now.)
Peace out for now
Or as Ms. Bell used to write in her Diary. I like Ben better than Zach.
I finally got my stupid state taxes out the door. I've been sitting on them for a month and a half now, or rather, they've been sitting on the floor of my truck waiting to get into the mail. Ugh.
I also had a surprise serve tonight. I went to a trailer park to serve two evictions at one address only to discover that I actually had been given three evictions at two addresses. The sweetest thing was that I made $35.00 instead of $20.00 for the same amount of work. And I don't have to drive back there two more times to post and mail their asses out of their trailers.
I also FINALLY got that stupid picture scanned in from the Ben Folds concert. (Only a month now.)
Peace out for now
Or as Ms. Bell used to write in her Diary. I like Ben better than Zach.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Lethargy
I've been so tired this week, I swear that I got Lyme's Disease from Basho. I did get a really nasty case of poison ivy from Mindy when we went up to Door County. Last night at the gym was the worst workout I've had since I got my membership in November.
On the flipside, my new monitor will be in on Friday. Hell Yes!!! I'm doing my thing, I'm moving my legs, Please Enjoy this, Hell Yes!!!
Other than that same ol, same ol. Wrote a decent guitar riff last night after I pulled some stuff out of the garage and put it into the newly accquired storage space. I'm sure that it won't turn into a song the way it is right now. Travis will hear it and hate it and then I'll not like it. Yeah.
On the flipside, my new monitor will be in on Friday. Hell Yes!!! I'm doing my thing, I'm moving my legs, Please Enjoy this, Hell Yes!!!
Other than that same ol, same ol. Wrote a decent guitar riff last night after I pulled some stuff out of the garage and put it into the newly accquired storage space. I'm sure that it won't turn into a song the way it is right now. Travis will hear it and hate it and then I'll not like it. Yeah.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
An extra 10 inches
There's something about sleeping. There's something about sleeping in my bed. There's something about sleeping in my bed now. There's something about sleeping in my bed now that I like.
An extra 10 inches.
I put it on stilts so that I could fit some rubbermaid storage tubs underneath it. It's suddenly my new favorite place in the house.
Putting it on stilts did involve going to Home Despot. Sure, I could have gone to Menards but I know HD layout a lot better. I know that the dowells are in millwork. I know that glue is in paint. I know that cleaning supplies are in indoor garden. Maybe working for that evil corporate monstrosity wasn't so bad in hindsight.
"I could get a straigh job. I've done it before. I don't mind working hard, it's who I'm working for"
An extra 10 inches.
I put it on stilts so that I could fit some rubbermaid storage tubs underneath it. It's suddenly my new favorite place in the house.
Putting it on stilts did involve going to Home Despot. Sure, I could have gone to Menards but I know HD layout a lot better. I know that the dowells are in millwork. I know that glue is in paint. I know that cleaning supplies are in indoor garden. Maybe working for that evil corporate monstrosity wasn't so bad in hindsight.
"I could get a straigh job. I've done it before. I don't mind working hard, it's who I'm working for"
Monday, April 10, 2006
A Silver Ribbon with a Band of Gold
I have nothing to say today. I cleaned up my room a bit this weekend. Got some more storage space freed up. Bought some wood and may make a new dresser. Finished another song from the sessions with my sister. The other sister wants to record with me. She's hounding me about visiting her again.
I'm tired from Travis' Birthday. Dave said that I have a crush on him. Dave's a dick. He's just trying to drive a wedge between Travis and myself in order to bring us down. Where the I Divides is way better than Know Boundaries. Hands down.
I'm tired from Travis' Birthday. Dave said that I have a crush on him. Dave's a dick. He's just trying to drive a wedge between Travis and myself in order to bring us down. Where the I Divides is way better than Know Boundaries. Hands down.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Sleeping the future
I had this dream last night that was really strange.
I was spending time with the Edwards Clan and they had me participate in some weird video game type adventure. Anyway. After that was over, I don't really remember how it ended, but there were lots of ladders and climbing up different ladders to get to the top floor of this building to have some sort of RPG final battle deal and there was object collection involved as well... so anyway.
After that was over, Where the I Divides was supposed to take the stage, because there was a stage that appeared, but Joe was nowhere to be found. We had a drummer, some younger guy who I didn't recognize or know but no singer. So naturally, Travis says that he'll sing. The response from the crowd was luke-warm and I wasn't really surprised. That's the natural tendency of these things at local bars or wherever the hell we were playing. Usually people don't care about the band as much as they care about their Miller Lite and Shots of Yeager.
Speaking of Shots of Yeager, the Godfather of Green Bay is an entertaining look at Northeastern Wisconsin folk. A lot of those stereotypes are true (grain of salt in hand.) The movie wasn't that great nor does it make my "strongly urge you to go see this movie" list, unlike Adam's Apples and possibly Amu, but it does have a few scenes of Mark Borchardt who is endearing regardless of how much you don't like him.
I had a DejahVou at work this week where the copier had been moved to where it is now. At the end of that dream, I ended up back in Montana.
Who want's to predict the future?
I was spending time with the Edwards Clan and they had me participate in some weird video game type adventure. Anyway. After that was over, I don't really remember how it ended, but there were lots of ladders and climbing up different ladders to get to the top floor of this building to have some sort of RPG final battle deal and there was object collection involved as well... so anyway.
After that was over, Where the I Divides was supposed to take the stage, because there was a stage that appeared, but Joe was nowhere to be found. We had a drummer, some younger guy who I didn't recognize or know but no singer. So naturally, Travis says that he'll sing. The response from the crowd was luke-warm and I wasn't really surprised. That's the natural tendency of these things at local bars or wherever the hell we were playing. Usually people don't care about the band as much as they care about their Miller Lite and Shots of Yeager.
Speaking of Shots of Yeager, the Godfather of Green Bay is an entertaining look at Northeastern Wisconsin folk. A lot of those stereotypes are true (grain of salt in hand.) The movie wasn't that great nor does it make my "strongly urge you to go see this movie" list, unlike Adam's Apples and possibly Amu, but it does have a few scenes of Mark Borchardt who is endearing regardless of how much you don't like him.
I had a DejahVou at work this week where the copier had been moved to where it is now. At the end of that dream, I ended up back in Montana.
Who want's to predict the future?
Friday, April 07, 2006
Musing in the Past
When I first moved to Montana, my friends would ask me if I was moving out there to start a cult. Sure, a freelander cult with religious overtones. That's what I said I was going to do.
The nature of a cult is getting people to believe that what you are saying is true. That's about it.
Now, Joesph Smith has become even more fascinating to me becasue of the sheer absurdity of his claims. People bought his words, staked their lives on it, and even to this day, they hold to it.
We could talk about Dianetics and Scientology but that's just a bullshit fake religion about having stuff and healing yourself with your mind and stupid shit like that. The reason why it appeals to celibrity is because it's about having stuff. And who has more stuff than them?
David Caresch (?) wasn't allowed to take his ideas nationwide. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young weren't either but they went to where there was no opposition, i.e. Missouri and then Utah. They found a way to preserve the "church" without having to fight massive opposition from neighbors.
One more thing. When I say "on the road." I'm talking about working my ass off instead of sitting in classrooms pouring acids onto blocks of stone.
The nature of a cult is getting people to believe that what you are saying is true. That's about it.
Now, Joesph Smith has become even more fascinating to me becasue of the sheer absurdity of his claims. People bought his words, staked their lives on it, and even to this day, they hold to it.
We could talk about Dianetics and Scientology but that's just a bullshit fake religion about having stuff and healing yourself with your mind and stupid shit like that. The reason why it appeals to celibrity is because it's about having stuff. And who has more stuff than them?
David Caresch (?) wasn't allowed to take his ideas nationwide. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young weren't either but they went to where there was no opposition, i.e. Missouri and then Utah. They found a way to preserve the "church" without having to fight massive opposition from neighbors.
One more thing. When I say "on the road." I'm talking about working my ass off instead of sitting in classrooms pouring acids onto blocks of stone.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
A dusting of faith
I've been "on the road" the last few days. Lots of thinking and window time. I've also been reading, "No Man Knows My History," by Fawn Brodie. See, I have this weird fascination with Mormons. This worldwide religion managed to get up and running and continued on past it's shaky inception regardless of the what should be obvious absurdity of it's doctrines. So I've been thinking about what people will think about Joesph Smith in 300 years. The Gospels of Jesus were all written a good 30-100 years after his death/not death/world-salvation, long enough for a generation to not know the man personally and have dinner with him and his gang. This is a goodly amount of time to forget stuff about stuff, and they didn't have the internet either.
Ummm.... point... yeah...
So this religion started 150-200 years ago and the driving force of the religion was the Charisma of Joseph Smith. There are many religions that start with a charismatic leader but dwindle as soon as the leader is gone because most people see the person only as a person. Somehow Joseph Smith managed to have divine dustings, Communique with God, and despite the crazy of that, people still went along with it.
Alright. I'm losing focus. I need to get back to the road.
Ummm.... point... yeah...
So this religion started 150-200 years ago and the driving force of the religion was the Charisma of Joseph Smith. There are many religions that start with a charismatic leader but dwindle as soon as the leader is gone because most people see the person only as a person. Somehow Joseph Smith managed to have divine dustings, Communique with God, and despite the crazy of that, people still went along with it.
Alright. I'm losing focus. I need to get back to the road.
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