RagingRev

Last Thursday my wife and I were in the midst of an argument. Nothing major of course, she was stressed out and when she is stressed she screams at me for a while until she feels better and then usually everything is all good. During our argument we saw a little head bobbing around through the window on our door…there was the pastor that performed our wedding ceremony standing there.

I’m not sure who sent him or if he had even been sent at all, this was the first time I had seen him in the three years since we were wed so the visit was quite peculiar. When my wife and I were in the process of getting married we both still believed though we had our doubts about Christianity, nonetheless the pastor found himself easily impressed by us and our resolve to remain virgins until our wedding night, so as far as he knew all was well with our faith at that time. I can only assume that he had gotten some wind of my fall from grace, this is a small town and I am very much an Out atheist, but regardless this is how our conversation went:

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I’ve always been a relative extremist, somewhere in my genetic code is the overwhelming desire to be right and to make my correctness known to mankind. This explains the evangelical nature of my Christian faith, as well as the nature of my atheistic stance. Ever so slowly I have recognized the folly of extremism and attempted to reconcile my competing worldviews with a more balanced position. I’m nowhere near perfect at this,  I still consider myself a strong atheist and feel a moral obligation to make reason a more acceptable worldview. Balance has defined my politics for longer than it has my views on theism however.

When I was 18 I joined the Democratic Socialist Party after reading the Communist Manifesto in combination with the  Acts of the Apostles (I realize now a bit better about the communal nature of the early Christian Church, so lets not turn the comments into that). My ideals still hold that above all things people should be free, fed, healthy, and informed – something I do not believe capitalism will ever provide. I have also dabbled greatly in the world of conspiracy theory and the underground occult which shaped my worldview during the Bush administration as a member of the 9/11 Truth Movement (again, not debating that here). Through that movement I noticed all the conspiracy nuts (of which I don’t think I belong any longer) rooting for the Presidential campaign of one Dr. Ron Paul. Through Ron Paul I discovered the roots of the Republican Party, I began to realize that the GOP was  not what theocrats  like Jerry Falwell had made it out to be and instead was about individual freedom, self guiding markets, States Rights, and policies that did not cause havoc in the lives of the people of sovereign nations. Not a list of things that I agree with 100%, but I find them to fit a political ideal that is realistic. When Ron Paul didn’t get the GOP Nomination I voted for Barack Obama as opposed to having Sarah Pahlin anywhere near the White house. Currently my political views are a strange conglomeration of Socialist, Communist, Republican and I consider myself a lover of freedom. I strive to explore  all sides of a debate before I make any commentary or form a strong opinion and I think that is how I came to be such a plethora of political contradictions.

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Let me first say that the intent of this blog is not politics…I care about politics, I happen to love politics, but the purpose of this blog is religious freedom and the whole Christian to Atheist mindset..and other stuff of course.Political times, however, will call for more politically minded times and thusly my posts may take the occassional political twist, so I am sorry if that bugs any of my regular readers, I still value your time and will be back to the normal routine shortly.

Yesterday I got all sappy about Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony. Yesterday history was made and I am eternally greatful to have been alive to see this day. There is a time though when you have to get down to business, and that day is today. Today, we must talk policies and we MUST see Change.

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At Noon today something will occur that I never thought I might see in my lifetime. A dream deferred will become a present reality. We may not be at the mountaintop, but finally now it will be something we can actually see.

Where I grew up, in Middle Georgia, nigger is a word I hear every single day of my life. It is a word that makes me cringe to hear or type. For some reason  white people in the south do not realize the pain and exclusion that such a word can hold for a group of people. Today I feel like finally, even though it won’t silence those people,  those people are a minority in this world and the kind of ignorance and hatred they represent is dying out with them. Maybe it’s the fact that I grew up here that suprises me so much about Barack Obama winning the Presidency, living here makes it seem like having an equality mindset is a rarity, but I never thought I would actually see this…it gives me great hope that there are more people like myself and my wife whom hate all the racism and ignorance that we have grown acustomed to in the society we have had to grow up in. Both my wife and I have always been ones to stand up against this inane attitude, but more often than not it is like talking to a brick wall about how we are all essentially the same inside…this is our chance to feel like we are no longer the underdogs in a fight like this…like maybe the things we have always believed in us are simply being proven now to the rest of society.

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Russ, a Christian and Minister in the Missouri Synod of of the Lutheran Church, and I have been chatting with a certain frequency…for some reason it always lands on the subject of morality…we hit other subjects some times, but morality is one thing that we ALWAYS end up getting back to. Maybe I am not authoritative enough on the subject of morals (I don’t know why not), but I can’t seem to say things in a way that satisfy Russ…so we chat and I explain my side, challenge his side a tad, try to explain why god is not necessary in the moral dilemma that we face daily…and for some reason it just never gets across, I have no doubt that I am using some sort of logic that seems circular but I just don’t know any other way to put it. The thing is, Russ knows that I am not an immoral person, he admits that…He understands that a godless person like myself can still have morals but that they may not have a basis. Usually after going over this a few times we start to do a bit of name calling and then kiss and make up, because Russ is a really nice guy and I am too if I must say so myself (usually we only prod one another, I think he knows I am just picking with him). I guess I just want to know from the Atheists and the Christians (or anyone else for that matter) where I am messing up my explanation of this thing. So what follows is a portion of one of our more recent conversations (edited to make it easier to read, no other edits made) from Gtalk.  Afterward I am going to try to explain my view (which as far as I know is well accepted, but I base it entirely on my own understanding of history and my observations of the human race) Tell me what I can do to improve my understanding or explanation of this, is there a precedent on this argument that could help me?

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Relatively speaking 2008 has actually been one of my better years, 2004 kicked my behind because of issues with my family..2005 was a frustrating year working for the bank and getting paid jack for it and the whole buying this wreck of a house thing, that and I was a very frustrated virgin on the verge of losing my mind to get some of that snatch (Wink at Monica) 2006-2007 just sucked because I was emotionally and spiritually inept and more confused than ever, plus my wife and I were constantly broke and one thing after a nother just kept screwing up or someone was screwing me over. Not that people haven’t been doing their fair share of screwing me over this year…but something changed this year.

2008 was the year I came out of the closet of doubt…I was not only able to admit to myself and the world that my doubts were completely justified, but that I could indeed live a life without a need for God. With that admission came alot of initial bitterness, which I have to say I am very proud of myself for dissipating most of that within about 6 months…(thanks to you folks that bore with me during this time, I’m sorry I was such an ass…seriously) After that bitterness subsided I just started feeling something very strange—completely and totally unprevoked happiness! Coming out of the darkness of confusion I was for once able to smile because there was no majickal man in the sky telling me how to live and directing my path, for once in my life it’s all up to me. 2008 is the year that I became the God of my own destiny. I think I have finally learned how to not be the victim anymore, but to be the causal property in my own equation-How powerful does that feel!

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I can now say that I am so glad to be wrong.

My prediction was that, if Obama didnt win in a landslide electoral victory that McCain would snatch it up. MY understanding of this whole thing was that McCain was only fighting for plausible deniability.

There are alot of things about Obama that I am not in love with- I just don’t trust politicians, but maybe, just maybe his goals and aspirations are true. Maybe his CFR connection won’t be his first priority. Maybe the troops will come home. Maybe we can be diplomatic again with other nations. Maybe we won’t be drafted to invade the Just and Good people of Iran. Maybe the Patriot Act will be repealed.

Maybe Americans, especially those in my more direct vicinity will begin looking past skin tone and religion and just begin to love other people. Maybe we can see each other as people again. Maybe I will never have to hear the N word again.

Good Luck. Bush will leave you with a mess that rivals anything history has ever seen…and he has 3 more months to make it even worse.

So, heres to Hope, Change, Freedom, and Progress!

I know this is off of my normal topic…but I think this is important

From the NY Post:

Joe Biden wonders whether Barack Obama is qualified to be commander-in-chief.

“Mark my words,” Biden warned Sunday at a Democratic fund-raiser. “It will not be six months [after the inauguration] before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy.”

Then he added, “Watch. We’re going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.”

Now, here’s where it gets scary.

Obama’s “gonna need your help to use your influence within the community to stand with him. Because it’s not gonna be apparent initially, it’s not gonna be apparent that we’re right.”

He’s going to need help?

Terrific.

What’s particularly disturbing is Biden’s Kennedy analogy.

For those who don’t recall, it was a scant five months after JFK became president that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev took his measure.

Kennedy had just bungled the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, then went off to a summit in Vienna – where Khruschev determined that the rookie chief executive could be had.

Two months later, construction began on the Berlin Wall, precipitating a crisis that nearly led to a US-Soviet shooting war in Europe.

And 14 months after that came the Cuban Missile Crisis – when nuclear Armageddon was only barely averted.

Is Biden saying that America’s current enemies – sorely aware of Obama’s inexperience – plan to test a President Obama with similar crises, to see what he’s made of?

Sure seems like it.

But what if Obama is still on the wrong side of the learning curve when this major international crisis hits?

More important: What if he makes the wrong decision – as even Joe Biden suggests he might?

After all, Obama was wrong about the troop surge in Iraq.

And he was wrong in his initial response to Russia’s invasion of Georgia – when he urged the victimized nation to “show restraint.”

And he was wrong when he said he would gladly sit down unconditionally with people like Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – the very people his own running-mate now says are planning to “test” him.

As John McCain said yesterday, “We don’t want a president who invites testing from the world . . . The next president won’t have time.”

Little wonder, then, that Biden later admitted that he “probably shouldn’t have said all this.”

But why not, Joe?

It’s doubtless all true.

And it’s much better to get it all out now – rather than wait until it’s too late to do anything about it.

Does this disturb anyone? I think he is right, but who is generating this crisis? Comment, DIGG the story and stumble PLEASE!

THE STARE OF DEATH!

OK ok….I……well….

ok, i havent watched the dang thing yet…….but what i am reading from others was that it was pretty much a tie…at least from the democrats i am hearing this from, and the republicans are claiming victory (as usual…)

it’s on my DVR though, and I’m gonna watch it…if I can handle it…

I really think that presidential debates should be truly Lincoln Douglas style…and there should be a panel of entirely independant judges there giving points and announcing winners and losers….or even better…myself and my buddy (and Debate partner) Ronald Daniels should be judges at policy style debates between the candidates…I’d love to see McCain answer a Terrorism Blowback DA on a Resolution that we should win the “war” at all costs…what would that be? Moral Obligation?

damn…I am feeling really nostalgic right now

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Future Leaders of this country...we are doomed

So John McCain wants to cancel the debate for tonight and postpone it until the day the VP debate is scheduled.

so the question is:

Is McCain afraid of Obama’s much better ability to speak and convince (teleprompter or not, he sounds a hell of alot better than McCain) ?

OR

Is McCain afraid to let Palin open her big mouth and embarrass him again?

comment and tell me what you think!