A to Z Challenge: Objective Outing of Ouija (O)

Objective (subjective) morality – addresses the source much more than the moral standard. The objective implication is that morality comes from a god, is fixed, and therefore objective. When someone concludes that there are no gods and rejects all religion, the assumption by some is that morality is no more. That is not correct. Only the source changes from scripture to conscience, culture, law, or agreement. Given that slavery, The Spanish Inquisition, war, physical mutilation of children, and hate (9-11) can be scripturally supported yet easily rejected, objective morality is not valid. One does not have much of a moral unraveling when one abandons religion. The fluidity of secular morality makes it subjective, and therefore more adaptable, realistic, and useful.

Out of the closet (atheist) – means we no longer hide something about us. Sexual preferences, political opinions, and religious beliefs are examples. Atheists frequently hide their conclusions regarding the probably of existence of deities, gods, or spirits of any kind. This is to avoid persecution from family, friends, strangers, government, employers, supervisors, plumbers, electricians, painters, small children, teenagers, college students, evangelists, and people in places where most others believe atheists are evil and are people doomed to be damned forever by said non-existent deity.

Religious ministers of any kind, politicians, members of fundamentalist religious families, and Hobby Lobby employees will intentionally hide their lack of religion and belief in any gods for their own protection and that of their families. Others may be semi-closeted by not disclosing or by behaving in cooperation with others as a keep the peace gesture. My personal experience is that I prefer to be out for many reasons. But I keep the peace and suffer severe cognitive dissonance headaches because of it.

Ouija board – is a game that I have not enjoyed playing in many years. Out since the late 1800s, it is played with a board containing an alphabet, a yes and no, a maybe, and goodbye. While I reject divination, spiritualism, and the paranormal, I find such things fun (it is a game). However, in the occult sense it has been blamed for many psychic and psychological disturbances and is often rejected for that reason (as is the game D&D).

So why the answers? That is from the ideomotor effect. The players really do force the planchette (three-legged thingy) over the letters and answers, whether they know it, admit it, or not. Play blindfolded and see (chuckling). Also, good people harbor indecent subconscious, or dark side, thoughts which may be revealed playing the game. If it bothers or frightens you, don’t play.

Occultism – includes alchemy, magick, divination, incantations, magic formulas, and other mumbo-jumbo and woo-woo that people (sadly) believe provide hidden powers for some to control both the natural and supernatural worlds. More BS. At the basic level, this is no more or less nonsense than any religious belief.

A to Z Challenge: Noah’s Natural NDE in Neverland (N)

Natural (and unnatural) – is not good. Unnatural is better. Who is the skeptic now? Try this: dying of cancer is natural. Injecting deadly chemicals into your body so you might live longer is unnatural.

Things present in or produced by nature are natural. Cows making milk when unnaturally inseminated is natural, but humans sucking said milk from cow’s teats and drinking it is unnatural. According to Dr. Scott Peck (The Road Less Traveled) peeing in your pants is most natural.

Natural is not always good, safe, or healthy. Salt is natural but people avoid it like the black death (also natural). Much homeopathic medicine is unnatural but claims to be natural. Anything supernatural is unnatural and you need something like a god for that. Fighting is natural, turning the other cheek is not. Google all natural (space) and what do you get? Soap, makeup and foundation, deodorant and anti-perspirant, dog food (without natural tree bark), face wash and more soap, food and coloring, foot powder and on and on, all of it unnatural. Yet all of it made with natural ingredients. Do you recall the scandal about high fiber bread with saw dust in it? It was natural wood. Fleas on dogs is natural, flea collars are not. This can go on, but that would not be natural.

Near-death Experiences (NDE) – are an interesting phenomenon. I had surgery last year and recovery from anesthesia was panicked and wild for me. They semi-restrained me until I became conscious. I asked what it was that caused my panic and the anesthesiologist told me not to worry, that it was normal and happens often. He did not answer my question. It was not a NDE, but had it been, it sucked. I think it was the medication to bring me to consciousness (shocking?).

Most NDE research and reporting is badly tainted with one-sided interviews intended to imply life after death – heaven or hell. Out of body experiences (OBE) are often folded in. While I don’t question that these people indeed had experiences, I do question how it proves anything since the phenomena is easily explained by neurochemistry. It’s not a god and not a demon. It is biochemistry.

Noah’s Ark – is a myth, pure and simple. When I taught Genesis in Bible Study, I was often asked by skeptical believers if I believed the story, and if it were possible. I thought it a myth then and think so now. I also know that it is a common myth in many ancient religious texts/beliefs, along with a flood of the entire Earth. Floods certainly did happen, but there is a specific amount of water on earth and it never changes. Evidence of the wooden ark has been sought for almost 2,000 years with no success. But I love the Unicorn song and how it explains their absence. See video below to hear it.

Nihilism – is a philosophy many anti-atheists (believers) insist is the only possible choice for one who happens to conclude that an invisible man in the sky is unlikely. Most atheists I know not only reject nihilism but claim the exact opposite about life and its purpose being of high value with little likelihood of an afterlife. I know many believers who wish to expedite death, Armageddon, and a second coming. You must be evil if you don’t see that as being pretty god damn nihilistic.

A to Z Challenge: Magick Marfa Miracles (M)

Magick – is not the same as magic, which is usually the art of conjuring and legerdemain (sleight of hand). Richard Dawkins has another definition in The Reality of Magic, with which I agree. But magick contends to cause physical changes by nonphysical means. It’s associated with paranormal and the occult (astral projection, chakras, ESP, and psychic healing).

Some religious associate this with Satan and call it black magic. To the same folk, if associated with a god, it is white magick or miracles. I consider it appealing in some ways, interesting in others, but mumbo-jumbo in any case. I do like to explain things which I cannot logically explain with the exclamation of pure fucking magic (PFM). These are not bad words, and outside of religion they can be fun and entertaining, for example the Magic Kingdom Theme Park at Disney, or Magic titled songs by ONJ and groups like Pilot, America, Queen, and others. I even wrote a sonnet to magic (read here).

Marfa lights – are included because I have been there at night and looked for them. I did not see them, but I believe that there are lights. About ten miles east of Marfa, Texas, is a viewing area. The Marfa lights, something of an unwanted art culture, and Peter Reading’s book Marfan (also his one-year of residence there) are what the town of about 2,500 is known for. The lights are not caused by ghosts, swamp gas, radioactive bursts, ball lightning, or navigational lights of alien space ships. They are car lights from U.S. Highway 67 in the Chianti Mountains, which is why I did not see them – no cars when I was looking.

Miracle – is a word I try not to use (except in sarcasm). Others use it often without considering the meaning. It has become trite, especially in song. The meaning of miracle is seldom considered. Miracles are supernatural events caused by a god of some sort by defying the laws of nature.

Weather phenomena are not miracles, nor are they punishment for humans being kind to each other regardless of color or sexual preference. Jesus’s face on toast is just toast. Toilet water dripping from a statue is piss water, no matter who drinks it.

Generally, these miraculous events are considered good. Equally amazing but also BS phenomena are things sometimes attributed to the occult. Interesting and weird stuff happens all the time. If you can see it, it’s not supernatural (or you couldn’t). America beating Russia in ice hockey was awesome, but it was not a miracle. It was great hockey.

A to Z Challenge: Nessie and Lycan float under full moon (L)

Levitation – is ascending into the air and floating, defying gravity. Spiritual masters or fakirs (good word) are depicted doing this. I have some respect for spirituality, but none for chicanery and trickery. Shit floats. People don’t. Stamp this one BS.

Lunar effects – can get me into trouble. Yet, I passed up lucid dreaming for this one. I like full moons and I enjoy all the stories and myths. The gravity of the moon physically affects Earth with things like tides. Any effect on humans is unproven, despite numerous studies. The phase of the moon (it is always there) probably has no effect on murder rates, car wrecks, calls to PDs or FDs, wife beating, birth rates, suicide, prison violence, the coocoo’s nest admissions, the demented behavior of nursing home residents, or sleep walking. The list goes on and on.

Lycanthropy – is the delusional belief that you have turned into a real animal. The opportunity exists for role playing a werewolf or any other form of Lycan online, if you want. Also, vampires, elves, and fairies can be assumed. Have fun. All cultures seem to share this nonsense.

Loch Ness monster (Nessie) – is a 1,500-year-old mythical creature that has contributed to a multi-million-dollar tourist industry complete with multi-media centers, internet cameras, and submarine rides in that part of Scotland, kelpies and unicorns notwithstanding. As with religion, belief in the myth is good for business. Fine, just don’t ask me to believe in or donate to either one.

A to Z Challenge: Karma and the Disappearing Wang (K)

Karma – is the consequence of all the good and evil accumulated during a person’s lives. Hindus, Buddhists and others believe the amount and type of karma will determine your state when you’re reincarnated. The sum of the shit you did in previous lives determines your current one.

There is also group karma, family karma, and national karma. Some New Agers and Neopagans also believe in a form of Karma, but generally restrict it to a person’s current lifetime. Very much in the everything happens for reason realm of logic. It’s woo-woo, but a nice way to believe that life is fair and just. Fits with much religious manipulation, Santa Claus logic, and other reward and punishment behaviorally related he’s watching you crud.

Kinesiologist – is how applied kinesiology quackaroos refer to themselves. Applied kinesiology is not the same as the professional discipline and academic area of kinesiology, which is the scientific study of the mechanics and anatomy of human movement. At A&M, the PE Department morphed into the Kinesiology Department when I blinked.

Koro (shook yang) – is a phenomenon I call the cold-water syndrome. This disorder is of male penis shrinkage and retraction into the body accompanied by panic and fear of dying. The delusion begins with Chinese metaphysics and brain washing. Apparently, the cause is abnormal sex: prostitutes, masturbating, wet dreams, anal, or whatever disturbs the yin and yang of the horney male equilibrium. According to a Singapore newspaper, koro has been caused by eating pork from a pig inoculated against swine flu. So, behave or your bod will suck your poker in, and you’ll die.

A to Z Challenge: Junk and Four J’s (J)

Junk Science – is an expression used to describe scientific information considered spurious or fraudulent (fake). The concept is often invoked in political, legal, and religious contexts. The term became popular in the 90s. Recently, it has been invoked to criticize research on the environment or public health effects of corporate activities, and occasionally in response to such criticism. There are books on this. One is by Dan Agin, who in his book, Junk Science, harshly criticized those who deny the basic premise of global warming. It is somewhat different from pseudoscience and fringe science.

Jesus Christ – may have been a (perhaps mythical) Jewish male who allegedly performed miracles to prove he was a god or the son of one. His mother was a virgin or was impregnated by the Jewish god. Christ is rumored to have been killed by Romans at the encouragement of some Jews by crucifixion, an unpleasant form of legal execution common about 2,000 years ago. Maybe the largest religious belief in the world today. The original source of the term zombie, since he was supposed to be dead and then walked around and visited old friends before he went physically to heaven with a promise to return soon. Has been seen with Elvis.

Jamais vu – The opposite of déjà vu, which is a feeling of recollection. Jamais vu is when an experience feels like it is the first time even when the experience is a familiar one. This occurs in certain kinds of amnesia and epilepsy.

Jinni – I wrote about these last year. These spirits of demonology make many appearances in the Koran.

Jogini – are women who are forced into prostitution by a religious custom known as devadasi in India. While this was banned in 1988, that law is not enforced in all parts of India.

A to Z Challenge: Insanely Incredulously Intelligent (I)

Incredulity is the quality or state of being incredulous = disbelief. Such a big word applies to little old, seriously old, me. Synonyms: disbelieving, distrustful, doubting, mistrustful, negativistic (say it’s not so!), questioning, show-me, skeptical, suspecting, suspicious, unbelieving.

I Ching (Book of Changes) – is ancient Chinese text with 64 hexagrams, which is the number of possible combinations of six broken or unbroken lines that represent two primal cosmic universal principles, yin and yang. Six is curious because five would be the more favored number by Chinese. However, theories supporting six are reasonable if not solid. Those in tune with the tao (path or way) have deciphered meanings to come up with some good fortune-cookie wisdom, but little has changed world-wide. Much more than what one can learn in a book or two apparently requires extensive philosophical study.

Illuminati – was a secret society founded in 18^th Century Bavaria with a political agenda which was to happen through subterfuge, secrecy, and conspiracy. Paranoid conspiracy theorists (PCTs) believe the Illuminati still exists. PCTs, and other similar groups, believe we are nearing the end of civilization as we know it. They are closely tied with religious fundamentalist and UFO/alien cult groups. If I named names, you would recognize some. What people believe is scary.

Intelligent design (ID) – is a process by which creationists attempt to stake a scientific claim to prove god exists and created everything. It is, of course, a metaphysical claim. Sadly, many people think that evolution and natural selection (and if you like, chance) disprove, or are attempts to disprove, god. While the arguments can be made, such arguments do not logically say that the existence of god is precluded by natural selection. Both are possible. A god could have designed natural selection. ID is weak despite its many advocates (see junk science).

Insanity – is when a person suffers from a serious delusion. When many people suffer from a delusion, it is called a religion. (Robert M. Pirsig)

A to Z Challenge: Holy Ho Ho Ho, Homeo (H)

Holistic and Homeopathic Medicine – Two potentially harmful forms of alternative health practices that often reject science. Common forms that are worth $200-million in the USA and are quite popular in Europe. One lady I know checked with her alternative expert to see if what her bladder cancer doctor was doing was ok. When she asked her MD about what the alternative expert had prescribed, he told her that mixing the two medications could be deadly, a pharmaceutical fact of which the alternative expert was unaware.

Houris – is what the 72 beautiful black-eyed virgins (or, depending on the translation, raisins; or whatever) that are waiting for you in Paradise are called, if you happen to be of the religious/political persuasion (presumably male) and a terrorist who commits murder and suicide in the name of Islam or Allah. Picture Jeff Dunham’s Achmed the Dead Terrorist sitting there holding raisins, “Holy shit. I blew myself up for a bunch of f-ing raisins?”

Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic states – are the mental transition states of semiconsciousness that is for some people a time of visual and auditory hallucinations. The first is between being awake and falling asleep (log tripping time for me). The second is between sleeping and waking up. The latter is also the time when sleep paralysis occurs (a real thing often occurring in people with narcolepsy) and alien abductions tend to happen (maybe not so real, but the condition is associated with them).

Holocaust Denial – Many factual historical events are denied. This one is on the same plane with denial of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Both revolting denials for selfish political and fascist reasons.

Holy Shit – is neither. Why do we call amazing stuff holy when it has nothing to do with the meaning of the word? Like holy cow, holy smokes, and I’ve heard holy fuck (blessed intercourse?). These exclamations remain in constant use. While we all know exactly what is intended, the choice of phrase is illogical. Holy-moly.

Who’s willing to tell him that he is 30 short?

A to Z Blog Challenge: Good God of Glossolalia’s Ghost (G)

God or gods – are:
(1) In Christianity and other monotheistic religions, the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.

(2) In certain other religions, a superhuman being or spirit worshiped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity, goddess, divine being, celestial being, supreme being, divinity, immortal creator, a demiurge or godhead; maybe an image, idol, animal, or other object worshiped as divine or symbolizing a god.

(3) An adored, admired, or influential person.

(4) A word used for emphasis or to express emotions such as surprise, anger, or distress, such as, “God, what did I do to deserve this?”

God of the Gaps – is a religious argument presented to fill scientific gaps of knowledge. This fallacy assumes that an act of God is the explanation for an unexplained phenomenon, which is a variant of an argument from ignorance fallacy. It’s nuts, but it gets worse.

Ghosts (poltergeists) – are alleged disembodied spirits of dead persons. A poltergeist is (literally) a noisy spirit. People believe ghosts exist, but they don’t. The idea is fun, the stories are scary (fun), and Casper serves a purpose. But the reality is there are no ghosts. Sorry.

Glossolalia – is speaking in tongues, which is semantically and syntactically unintelligible speech. If one is schizophrenic, it is called gibberish. If one is a charismatic Christian (including some Catholics) it is called the gift of tongues. I think it is crap and many believers agree with me. Mumbo-jumbo which fails to rise to the more respectable level of woo-woo. The trick is to maintain one’s composure when one of them starts this crazy shit.

A Sunday Morning Letter (Not A to Z)

Ya know what?
I want you to think of me, sitting here, thinking of you.
I am writing this and wondering about who’s reading it.
That’d be you. Where are you?

Did ya watch the video on farting yesterday. The wife
nearly busted one. Then she found four more on line.

I am sitting on my back porch in a double chair, an outdoor loveseat thingy.
Got on an aggie ball cap with mossy oak on top.
I don’t often wear camo or this, but
two bucks at Tuesday Morning, it works. Better ‘n bald.

Wearin’ old shoes, soft on bottoms so I can walk quiet.
They’re battered and worn stringy deals with counters I’ve walked down
cuz I’m lazy – unofficial slides.

My shorts match the ball cap.
Also got a white tee undershirt thingy,
kinda my Brando look.
It’s been a cool rainy day here in central Texas.

I looked up a while ago, and a fucking pole cat (skunkaroo)
was charging me from across the grass –
headin’ my way, a friendly Pepé Le Pew comin’ to say Howdy.
He heard me
and skedaddled back yonder toward the neighbor’s house.
Dang it! Wanted a selfie with old Pepé.

Do any colleges use pole cats or skunks as mascots?
I know a while back
McMurry U. in Abilene, TX was NCAA forced to quit bein’ Indians.
Apparently it upsets folks who want to be called native Americans
or something. But not Indians, so why it matters?
Anyway, McMurry Pole Cats, we’ll spray your ass.
Honest Injun.

I think McMurry got a new one (War Hawks).
It’s a Methodist affiliated bunch. 1,500 studs.
I would not be offended if they named it after me (Billy Goats?).
The hawks don’t care, and it sounds kinda Indian name-ish anyway.
The University celebrates native heritages every year.
Maybe someday all the kissin’ up will get some love.

I took a lot of classes at TCU (Disciples of Christ) to get a Master of Public Administration.
They got the government’s money, but I quit going.
They wouldn’t let me smoke and drink beer in class, so I found a friendlier bar with better music.
Fuck the Horny Toads! Cool purple though.

I lived near Baylor for a while.
One frat night the studs invaded my local Coonass Bar there.
Ya gotsta love ‘em Southern Baptists. We don’t drink (or dance, or have sex, or vote left).
“Oh, no sir. We don’t go to Baylor. County Junior College. That’s us.”

Ima wearing a hoodie thingy, light weight with Air Force patch.
Wife or daughter steals it sometimes. It was cool earlier,
but rain’s gone now, and it’s warming up around here.

Wife just came and asked if I wanted to go for a burger, beer, and fries.
I get silly questions like that all the time.
I’ll be back, but I ain’t gunna stop thinking about cha.

I’d give ya a big hug, but Ima Demo and thinkin’ bout runnin’ fer prez, and you know – Joe.
He’s from Scranton.
We almost hoodies, me and old Joe.
No mo’ touchy-feely shit until after the Inauguration.

We back. It was some mighty fine eats and good old Red Poppy ale.
I cleaned my plate.
Ain’t cha proud?
The place was great in all areas I review on restaurants and bars.
I did not check out the boy’s room.
Never been there cuz wife read a bogus review and x’d the joint until now.

Then we went to Wally World to bra shop.
I got lost somewhere else so as not to confuse the natives.
I was thinkin’ about you. I hope yer having a good weekend.
Tomorrow is G-day on A to Z.

Cheers, Bill