mike says things sometimes

Well, another new year is upon us. Before moving on, I’d like to take a minute and look back.

This last year was definitely a year of change and self discovery. I became involved in communities I never thought I would be a part of, and it has reinvigorated me musically. While Rhyme Torrents and Nerdcore has its issues, I found myself creating music and performing again for this first time in quite awhile. This has led to numerous new friendships, musical collaborations, and very productive year, with 2 EP’s and an Album released, and 2 more albums already at work in the lab with the help of TyT.

And I also spent the year doing quite a bit of soul searching. I tried christianity, judaism, deism…but frankly, none of it really made a whole lot of sense to me. Then I got turned on to the Skeptics Guide To The Universe. (thanks Ham-Star)

I discovered a world or rational thought, of common sense and critical thinking that I never knew was out there. And from there I discovered Skepticality, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, and of course James Randi. It was like someone flipped a switch and light flooded over something I knew was always there, but didn’t know how to find in the dark.

I am a skeptic. And I am an Atheist.

And with that said, will come a new purpose for the site. Blueglowy will no longer exist as a record company per se (since it never really was one anyway) other than as for something to put on my kunaki cd’s. What this will be, is my place to share thoughts on skepticism, atheism, and living as an Atheist in Sin City.

I may not post every day. I may not stick to these topics, because life is full of variety, and it should be enjoyed rather than put off in hopes of a better life somewhere else. So let’s see where this goes.

Sometimes, I can be pleasantly surprised in this town.  It doesn’t happen often, but it did today.  I decided after dropping my laundry off to head on over to Borders, and see what books by Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris or Christopher Hitchens were there.

Now at Borders, the Atheism books at smack dab between Christian Fiction, and Judaism.  So as you can imagine, it can be slightly uncomfortable, because you’re there looking for books that deny God in the middle of God central.  I noticed one gal who was nearby also in the section, but didn’t happen to see what she was reading.  I figured that in typical fashion it was a God person picking up Left Behind or some other such typical thing.  I saw Christopher Hitchens book “The Portable Atheist” down at the bottom of the shelf, so I kneel down and am taking a look at it.

As I’m checking it out, this lady walks up from behind me, excuses herself and puts that exact same book back on the shelf, points out “God Is Not Great” (also by Hitchens), and says “that’s a great book” and heads out.

Always a pleasant surprise to find another critical thinker where you least expect it.

A headsup courtesy of the Friendly Athiest: Help the Secular Student Alliance by Watching a Movie 

If you watch the four-minute movie below until the end, the Secular Student Alliancewill get a small donation from the producers! It’d be nice if those cents could add up. Only views that occur before December 23^rd will count!

What is the movie? It’s called Heart of the Beholder:

Heart of the Beholder is based on a true story of religious censorship, intolerance, and political corruption. Heart of the Beholder was written, produced, directed, and funded by Freethinkers from around the world and has won more Best Feature Film awards than any other independent movie ever. The producers tell me that due to the controversial topic, distributors are afraid to pick the movie up.

 

More information on how this arrangement works is here and here.

If you like what you see, link to the video and help the promo video spread! The SSA’s percentage will go right back to supporting secular campus groups across the country.  And if you’re feeling particularly generous, you can always donate straight to the SSA by going here 

 

I feel I must confess, in true livejournal fashion.  I am an Atheist.  I don’t believe in God.

It’s not for a lack of trying mind you, I’ve spent the last year or so trying to find a dogma I could roll with, but I’ve come to the conclusion that I cannot logically accept any of them.  It just doesn’t make sense.

Now that’s not to belittle those that do.  The majority of family is very christian, and they are very good people.  More power to them I say.  But I  just cannot roll with magic sky guy, anymore than I can honestly believe in unicorns or the Flying Spaghetti Monster (may you be touched by his noodly appendage).  For the existence of God creates more problems than he solves, and frankly seems to reduce the greatness of what the universe has created.  The Universe fills me with far more awe and inspiration to know that it was the process of billions and billions of years of slow change, that we are all made of star stuff, and are a piece of whats all around us.  That’s a far deeper truth than to believe were magically put here as is, taking all the wonder out of just what nature can do.

A QUESTION OF ETHICS:

We do not need God or religion to be good people.  Rather, we are good people IN SPITE OF Religion.  The Bible, The Quaran, The Torah, these books do not tell us how to be good and decent human beings, rather – as Richard Dawkins put it – the Zeitgeist of the times tells us our ethical truths.  And these truths change as we as people change.  Not so long ago, women couldn’t vote, the races were segregated, and the theory of a superior white race was the norm.  Abraham Lincoln himself stated that the white race was superior, even as he freed the slaves.  And he stated it because it was the Zeitgeist of the era, but it is one we have since moved away from.  Yet those who would say we take our moral standing from the Religious texts choose to be blind to the fact that these same books encourage Racism, Sexism, and incredible amounts of violence and sadomasochistic behavior.

So we choose to be good in spite of what the text tell us, rather than because of what the texts tell us.

I am an Atheist, and I’m proud of it.