Hergest Ridge

As my opinions on faith based convictions have already been well established, anyone with basic familiarity of the US political climate knows which party I wish to come to power. When it comes to the parties on the ballot, the word “choice” is a bit of a misnomer.

For all with a scientific understanding of the universe, the only option are the Democrats (a lousy option, the alternative far worse.) Those with a supernatural view of the universe will vote Republican.

Majority of those getting through life without the urgent need for heavy medication will share the world view of the household into which they were conceived. The apple travels but a short distance from the tree that bore it, it’s only hope for improved geography an animal in search for tomorrow’s meal. And since the fundamental beliefs are made for most voters by fate, at birth, the vote decision is as much choice as the offer from the dear leader upstairs, the one where we all supposedly have a choice not to follow him.

All of this brings me to Sarah Palin, John McCain’s vice-president candidate. In place of a long winded paragraph, I invite you to witness for yourself as Palin swiftly carves her own name in the Great Wall of Ignoramus: Part 1 | Part 2

Overall a boring speech, but well worth watching in full. The end gets interesting, with a crying prayer from the church founder, hands swaying hypnotically in the crowd under the camera and a god good overview of Palin’s roots deeply planted in ignorance, dogma, and a substance with a distinct smell of bullshit acting as fertilizer.

Based on his age, the Social Security Administration website calculates a 10% death chance for McCain in his first term, 27% should he get to a second.

One of the few qualifications for the most powerful world positions has become the ability to fit in with the average Joe by being an average Jane. The 21st century is much of a disappointment indeed.

Many folks are quick to admire with vigour and detail at par with the particularity of a nuclear reactor blueprint. Personally, I find such admiration a tad bit, shall we say, radioactive? Yes, I think radioactive is a good description for it all makes me a bit morbific.

Having moved away from eastern Europe and the relative vicinity of Chernobyl, I am avoiding the nuclear kind of radioactivity fairly well, thank you. It’s this other kind of radioactivity that is consistently and constantly challenging my well being.

Most of my symptoms have root in the absolutism and assumptions which often accompany deep admiration. In the presence of admiration, absolutism and assumptions are often present and inseparable. They become quite evident when the claim “she always takes care of the needy” is made - the assumption being that even when the person is seen by none, their behaviour remains unaltered and noble, while the “always” absolute clenches the prize for “let’s run our nails down the blackboard.”

What I am trying to say is that maybe if we cease putting others on high pedestals, we’d better understand the importance of ordinary folks doing good things. If we stopped believing in supermen (and women!), we’d sooner roll up our sleeves and do the hard work ourselves without waiting for heroes to come around.

And with a little less admiration, we can have better relationships with more realistic expectations. Fewer people believing the best on imaginary or inflated grounds means less damage when someone does a dance with something pointy and dangerous. Surely something this chancy will cause less damage when we’re all standing on solid ground.

It’s been too long, and I’ve decided on a spontaneous entry. It’s sort of unfair, because you’ll only get to read it if it succeeds. Anyway, as long as I remember, I’ve been thankful that the world is not a fair place. Can you imagine the things we’d have coming to us had the world been fair? Every wrong coming back like a boomerang? No, I’ll super-size my unfairness please, thank you very much.

The morning business meeting brought about a line - no doubt from some over hyped, empowerment pushing ’self-help’ book - along the lines of ‘your thoughts create your reality’. (The quotes around self-help are a nod of agreement to George Carlin’s ‘if you read about it in a book, folks, it ain’t self-help’. Leave it to George to state the damn obvious that few are capable of recognising.) For me, the reality quotation was an instant reminder of George Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’, and I said as much. Sounded like maybe two people got it, but so early in the morning one never knows what constitutes a positive, yet alone intelligent reaction.

Speaking of the morning member meeting, I think I may have lost a new member application. Oops. I debated pawning off the issue on someone else - “I handed it to Daria during the last meeting” - and it would have been believable too, seeing the amount of paperwork going back and forth. In the end I decided on the more cautions, honest, and very terminal “Daria, did I already hand you the app? No? I must have left it at home.” No way I can go with the other plan now. But, I looked everywhere… well, obviously not.

That’s it. I’m bowing out before endless editing settles on me like a cold, damp fog, and the whole entry is butchered and skinned over hours and hours that could instead be used to help save hungry children in Africa. Eh, maybe I’m aiming too high? How about I get a kitten down from a tree - dead or alive okay with you? Even more realistic is a half an hour devoted to cleaning out Emails announcing, reminding, and offering discounts on Bob Proctor’s appearance in town. Gawd, how about I use the money to pierce my tongue instead? Much, much wiser investment.

Magnetic car ribbons are a pet peeve of mine. It wasn’t always like this. There was a time where the odd ribbon here or there, tacked onto the back of a car was a nice accent, a reminder for something special. These days, everyone has one of those things on their car, and the only theme not yet covered is “Potty Trained Baby on Board” (do not get me started on the ‘Baby on Board’ signs).

Give it up already!

Why do I get so worked up by the ribbons? It likely has to do with the limited ‘activism’ the practice encourages. People buy a freaking magnet, stick it on their damn car, and think they’re making a positive change - they figure because they have a “Support the Troops” slogan on their car, that they’ve done their share; that it somehow absolves them from the real responsibility. The insanity doesn’t end there. “Rest in Peace John Paul II”, “Keep my Husband Safe”, “Support the Earth”… how about “Will You Be My Brain Donour” instead?

Added to the insult is the total lack of creativity in expressing a message. Bumper stickers have the potential to be clever, or funny. Here, we have a cookie cutter solution, where the action stops. The ribbons are a placebo, where often a real cure is needed.

Please, do your part and move all ribbons from the back of your vehicle, to the home refrigerator. When you’ve done that, consider an action that makes a real difference, before you feel all fuzzy and warm inside.

Pray: To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.
Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary

Several years back, in my hands I held a binder that belonged to a relative. The binder was covered with the phrase PUSH neatly scribbled in many sizes and styles. Had the acronym not been spelled out along side - Pray Until Something Happens -, I’d likely have forgotten the whole episode. Having recently seen the phrase again, armed with science, psychology and philosophy I dissect the phrase loved by so many Christians.

PUSH really brings out the benefits of religion, better than any other phrase I’m familiar with. First we have the psychological satisfaction and feeling of doing something about an issue, the psychological equivalent of crying¹. Second, we have a powerful message that every church loves for their members to believe - “Only God has control, and we are your best conduit to Him.” Third is the absolution from negative consequences - “Blame yourself not, for if you prayed and things went bad, such was God’s will.” As with most of religion, that’s just all too convenient, isn’t it?

Christianity often sees science as the forbidden fruit, the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden who’s fruit we humans mustn’t taste. Christianity’s advice is not to understand and counter or encourage an effect, but to leave it all up to man upstairs - to resign yourself to the natural course, to PUSH. Indeed, so far as I can remember, there is not one word in the Gospels in praise of intelligence.²

Hypocrisy is one of the nicest labels I can apply to the practice. We all line up for the benefits of a pill that cures everything from a headache to an infection, the convenience of planes, trains and automobiles, the dentists that keep our teeth from rotting in our mouths, the blood transfusion after an accident or operation, the comfort of a phone call with mom, dad, child on another continent… yet some of us are pompous enough to walk around proclaiming PUSH?

I’ve yet to meet a Christian that chose to pray for a safe trip home in place of learning the rules of the road. You might choose to do both, but when it comes to life and death, prayer alone will seldom do, even for a fundamentalist. On the other hand, most individuals armed only with the rules of the road and logic get home just fine, and do so in exact same proportions as those that do pray ahead for a safe trip. Prayer has no effect on the external reality. Our actions are what brings by change.

PUSH is a cop out mentality. The only reason you and I can sit and discuss its values and the lack thereof is due to the many men and women whom accepted the burden of reality, as should we. If actions speak louder than words, no one really believes that prayer is a realistic solution to anything. That being the case, I urge all to stop perpetuating the myth.

 
NOTES

¹ Crying is still a scientific mystery where theories abound and research is ongoing. The psychological release and feelings associated with it are but one proposition and factor of many on offer.

² Bertrand Russel