What is Reality?

I forget the exact words of my friend’s conversation with me. It must have been after one of her trips to Austin for a Deepak Chopra thingy. At the time she was New Age and I was trying to be a practicing Roman Catholic. She did not criticize my religion, but I am sure she thought it wrong (as did evangelicals, Lutherans, and the anti-organized religion crowd, and me today). Something she said led me to a question.

I asked, What about reality? She said, don’t be negative and depressing. I was surprised by her dim view of what she considered reality. Indeed, she’d had a shitty life for the most part, being married to a hopeless misogynistic alcoholic. But my friend’s negative view of reality and her refusal to consider it still troubles me years after. Hers was not a unique way to see the world.

Many people deliberately shun all forms of reality. And in my opinion, the same goes for human nature and truth. That was not the only time she assumed she knew my thoughts and motives. The discussion of reality stopped.

Some years prior to that, a professional therapist looked at me and said, “We each have our own reality.” I understood her comment as a mental health professional, considering how individual psychological perspective effects behavior. While I may have bought it at the time, I was skeptical then and don’t agree with her now. Schizophrenics and hypochondriacs may think they live in their own reality, but that reality is part of the illness. It is not part of physical reality, except to them. It is not true (voices or illnesses).

What is imagined does not necessarily exist, although the discussion goes on and on. Because hallucination is a real thing does not mean what is imagined physically exists.

Apparently, reality in the sense of the real physical world is not as simple as many of us see it. However, most of us only deal with our immediate surroundings—the reality we live within. The reality we can sense.

Few of us are philosophers or physicists in the professional or technical sense. Most of us claim to have some form of belief in a god/higher power/supreme being, or some form of yaddy yadda woo-woo, whatever. That belief often goes beyond the point of I think god is real to there is a god. It’s okay to believe (own reality) whatever, but belief or faith does not make it real.

Said belief is either fun, gets one laid, or makes one superior to others. Equality is wonderful. But we seem to want to feel superior to others and to have them acknowledge our better-than-you-ness. The accoutrements of beliefs and corresponding religion make for problems which too many believers are in denial of or blind to (but not all).

In order to solidify objections, we want to engage in the demonizing of others. This is done at every level from the presidency (not just this one) and the popes and virtually all religious leadership, down to the most ordinary of people, some not even practitioners of any religion.

Reality is real stuff. Real people, places, and things. It is not an idea, not a may-or-might be, or any possibility. Reality is what is. You can see it, taste it, feel it, smell it, and hear some of it. If you either want to, or for some reason must, believe something else: fine. It’s not real.

Bill

Why Do You Believe?

A lady who phoned the internet show, The Atheist Experience, said, “I cannot imagine how anyone could be an atheist.” Despite a long and patient discussion with the show’s co-hosts, she never really changed her view, outlook, or conclusion of what it means for someone to identify as atheist. She saw atheism as the rejection of an existing god, of her own personal spirituality, and the exact opposite of what she believed. She saw it as the flip side of the same belief coin that she applied to herself. When the hosts would try to explain her error, she would interrupt with defensive or attacking arguments. It’s entertainment.

Watching the show is a good lesson about human nature and communication. It is educational. However, for many believers, the puzzling question is indeed how anyone could not believe.

When callers identify as believers, they are usually invited to explain why they believe in a god, have some specific metaphysical world view, or follow a certain religious tradition or dogma. This is usually when there are silent pauses on the part of the caller. That’s understandable.

In day-to-day life, believers are seldom challenged to explain or show how they arrived at some theistic view, so they are ill-prepared to logically present salient facts regarding their belief (often a certainty to them) and how or when they came to such a conclusion as there must be a god. The internet is replete with arguments defending belief or faith. Those I have read are fallacious illogical tripe that eventually falls to pieces before melting into a just because it’s true and I have faith defensive stand. Or worse, because the bible says so.

I like to hear people explain why they believe in a god, a higher power, an invisible force or energy, or whatever it is that causes them to conclude that the high and mighty one exists. It reinforces my own conclusions. However, I do find most honest explanations refreshing for two reasons. One is that, while I’m comfortable with what I think, honesty and sincerity feel good. The other reason is that I get to listen to someone talk through what they believe. So, here are some of my favorite reasons why people do believe in god.

I don’t know why. I just do.
Ninety-five percent of all people believe, so I must be right.
God personally spoke to me or showed himself.
Things exist (universe, people, magic). The only possible explanation is a god.
I define god however I like, and that is what I believe in.
I prayed for something and it came to be, thus proving to me that there is a god (what else?)
It is beneficial within our society for me to say I believe and to act that way because it brings social privilege, economic gain, and personal protection.
It is what I was taught as a child. I have always been a believer.
Everyone will hate me if I do not say that I believe in god. I would be rejected and ostracized, as I have done to others. (That could also be a closeted atheist.)
I don’t want to spend eternity in Hell and I’m afraid of dying and other things.
It is just obvious that god exists. What else could it be?
I’m hedging my bets. If there is a god, I win. If not, I’ve lost nothing.

I think most people who believe in supreme beings and spirits make their claim for cultural reasons. Those reasons are based upon social and educational factors (indoctrination), not on intuition or logical analytical thinking. Therefore, many fundamentalist religious groups want to teach intelligent design as science and religion in public schools. Apparently, they agree with me about the indoctrination part. May I suggest additional required courses in argumentation and basic logic?

Bill

I Don’t Know

If my grandson were to ask me if I believe in God, what answer should I give? My choices would be: yes, no, maybe, or I plead the Fifth (I refuse to answer on the grounds that if I tell you, it might be life-changing for both of us). He has not asked, and I have not asked him what he thinks. If he would simply ask me if there is a god, I could say I don’t know.

If my father had ever asked me if I believed in God, I would have said yes. Today, that would be a lie, but it would still be my answer. One does not have deep metaphysical discussions with an Archie Bunker type, especially an angry one. I try to choose my battles carefully. I would probably tell my mother the truth, well…maybe, but I don’t know if I would. More on her another time.

I cannot recall the last time anyone asked me if I believed in God. Most people seem to assume I do, and I did used to act as though I did. I only recall one time when someone asked me if I was atheist. It took me two days to answer. While I knew what I was, I felt the need to ponder my response. I had to decide if I wanted to admit it to anyone (especially to me). Prior to that, I had only implied it to one workmate, but I disguised my comments as dismissals of religion. The elephant in the room (belief in a god) wasn’t questioned. I think he assumed I did not believe because of what he said about his father, a long time Mormon convert who never saw the light, vis-à-vis my statements.

When atheists lie about it, it’s euphemistically referred to as being in the closet. It is not telling the truth, so it’s lying. Millions of people all around the world do it every day for good reasons. Most of those reasons are more defensive than deceptive, but often are not without regret and guilt.

This is not about truth and lies. It’s about role playing for your own good and the good of others. I think it’s better to be out of the closet because the cognitive dissonance (guilt) associated with trying to live a dishonest life is troubling and wearing. It feels better, but there is almost always some price to pay for that kind of honesty.

In a scene from the movie The Big Sick (a good, dramatic but light romantic comedy from 2017) where the main male character, Kumail, (finally) confronts his Pakistani parent’s religion, culture, and traditions; his father, a Muslim, asks him “Do you not believe in Allah?” To which Kumail answers, I don’t know what I believe. I have not prayed in years. I don’t know what I believe. I find that answer courageous, and I see his father’s response as controlled and reasonable. (I could not find a clip of the scene.)

Movie character or not (it’s based upon a true-life story), my thought was, not prayed in years and confused beliefs, He’s atheist. Just because he will not say it, that doesn’t mean it’s not the case, right?

Saying I don’t know has to do with knowledge. Agnosticism does also. It’s simply saying I don’t know or I’m uncertain. In a way, it’s pleading the 5^th without saying what one believes. Either you believe something, or you don’t. Who knows? Nobody!

It’s also why I don’t know should be an acceptable answer. I like to say there are no gods, but I would not say I know there are no gods. Yet, the latter is what many people think I said. It is simply what I think or believe to be the case, based on the lack of evidence. Few would ask why I doubt any god’s existence. But they would challenge me to prove the negative.

There are times when I am asked questions, and I pause before I answer, often for so long that the questioner begins to lose patience with me. I always want to be sure I can give my best answer. Well, not exactly always.

Sometimes, if I have been sipping some of nature’s finer spirits, I will answer any question immediately, with confidence and authority. One could correctly say I am full of shit, but it’s alcohol. Sober, I am more likely to say I don’t know.

One other answer I like to use either sober (or perhaps while wondering what kind of THC that was) is: I don’t care. That is truly my favorite, although I find ways to dress it up at times.

Bill

A to Z Challenge: Zoro’s Zion Zealots (Z)

Zealots (religious zeal) – are uncompromising fanatics in pursuit of their religious or political ideals. They are diehard activists, maniacs, ultra-extreme nuts. Not moderates. Members of an ancient Jewish sect aiming at a world Jewish theocracy. Glad we don’t have any religious groups like that today, aren’t you?

Zion and Zionism – Zion is a specific hill in Jerusalem. It’s the place from which God rules the world. Zionism is the belief that God’s covenant with the Jews is linked to Palestine and Jerusalem and that said land is rightfully theirs (Jews). Why would that upset anyone? When I say that religion is responsible for many of the problems in the world, throughout history, and today, this is one example of why. There are no gods, so it’s all bull shit, and people die every day because of it.

Zoroastrianism – is the religion founded by Zoroaster about 3,500 years ago. It reformed ancient Persian polytheism into a one god belief system. However, Zoroastrian is considered dualistic since it has a good god and an evil god. This religion influenced Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, specifically in the concepts of heaven and hell, resurrection of the dead, final judgment, and many other concepts which the Abrahamic followers think they invented. Freddie Mercury’s family faith was the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism

And that concludes the 2019 challenge of the alphabet. Shalom.

A to Z Challenge: Vampire Victims Vital to Vastu (V)

Vampires – bite people on the neck, thus making more vamps, drink human blood, cannot endure sunlight, and seem to be distant relatives to zombies. Let’s not forget the effect of a crucifix, or a stake in the heart. These fictitious beings used to be evil and ugly, but Hollywood has worked hard to make them cute and cleaver and all cuddly like, except when the vampire hunter is the protagonist in the fictional story. Fun stuff, but not real.

Vastu – is India’s version of feng shui. It may also be known as vedic architecture, sthapatya ved, vastu vidya, and vastu shastra. The goal is architecture in harmony with nature (sounds good to me). However, apparently, that can only be done with astrology and numerology. If your house is not aligned, you ostensibly get sick. Sure, poor workspace design can cause stress. But your west facing front door? Nah.

Last year a real estate agent explained to me that people with these beliefs do not want to buy homes with kitchens on the southwest side (as mine was). It could lead to divorce or a bunch of maladies. It’s woo-woo but not the exclusive superstation of people of India.

In a similar way, a German cemetery in New Braunfels, TX has the oldest graves canted about fifteen degrees to the right of the property line (newer gravesites don’t do this). This was done so that when Jesus comes again from the east, the graves will be properly aligned directly perpendicular to due east, for resurrection purposes. They wouldn’t want to be missed. This factual explanation is posted with the history of the cemetery at the visitor’s station.

Victim souls – are people who suffer pain or sickness for other people. The logic is a clear reference to Jesus as a scapegoat. But people believe this of other people, and it is supposed to be a good thing, in a martyr-ish kind of way. More popular in the 18^th and 19^th centuries than today. Audrey Santo (Little Audrey) was a victim soul.

Vitalism – is the metaphysical doctrine of a nonphysical inner force of energy. It goes by chi, qi, rana, ki, orgone energy, and animal magnetism (vital force). Many kinds of alternative health practices (or energy medicine) are based on a belief that health is due to this alleged energy. It focuses on good juju – not science.

A to Z Challenge: Tarot True Theist Telepaths Talisman (T)

Talismans – are objects held or worn to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortunes. Simply put, they’re lucky charms. Requires belief otherwise it is jewelry. I have worn Saint Christopher, Miraculous (Mary) medals, crucifixes, and scapula in my life. They were talismans. What I might wear today is jewelry.

Tantra – is a type of Hindu or Buddhist scripture, or the rituals and practices described therein. They deal with meditation and sexual techniques. More fun.

Tarot Cards – are used in fortune telling. Fun, but woo-woo.

Telepathy – is mind reading, as in mental. Read anyone’s thoughts with ESP?

Teleportation – Beam me up Scotty (he never said that). Don’t we wish? Someday, maybe.

Theists (theism) – are persons who deny that gods do not exist. I say there are no gods. Most agree with me in every case except one. Close, right?

True-believer Syndrome – is a wow. It’s very real. Many continue to believe in the reality of the paranormal despite overwhelming evidence of fraud. People still follow psychics, religious charlatans, phony channelers, faith healers, taro card readers, and other phony mediums despite proof they are fake. (Political figures?) No amount of logic or evidence can shatter their faith, which is why such fakes are as abundant as ever.

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 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 to Z Blog Challenge: Divine Druid Dreams (D)

Divination (fortune telling) – is nonsense. It is an attempt to foretell the future or discover occult knowledge by interpreting omens or with supernatural powers.

For example: anthropomancy is by reading organs of newly sacrificed humans, bronchiomancy is reading the lungs of a sacrificed white llama, cephalomancy is from reading a donkey’s head, cromniomancy is onions, haruspicy is reading the guts of sacrificed animals, hepatoscopy is specifically their liver, astrology, dowsing, myrmomancy is watching ants, necromancy is talking to the dead, omphalomancy is from the belly button. There are also dreams, bird flights, tea leaves, or cheese holes, reading bubbles of piss, and finally (one that makes sense) divination by wine. There are many more.

Sounds crazy, but are these are no more looney than thousands of people believing a man or woman when they say, God spoke to me. I don’t think fortune tellers are making a killing reading belly buttons these days but give them a deck of cards and a glass ball—Lady Wanda-woo-woo is divining all the way to the bank.

Druids – actually existed as a group. They exist today as a way of looking at human life within nature. Ancient druids were the wise men (and women) of the Celts. They were written about in different ways by ancient Roman writers and may have been a religious group in some way. However, little information is known other than they predated the Celts in the British Isles because the practices were private and there are no real temples or written traditions.

Druidry was integrated with Celtic culture and Druids were held in high esteem apart from the warrior class as judges, prophets, soothsayers, wise men and keepers of the collective memory.

I like the tie to nature and have few issues with groups that hold nature in high esteem. I do too, but not as gods or a religion. There is no proven historical link between ancient Celtic druidism and modern-day Wicca, but the claim has been made.

Dreams – are normal. Other animals also appear to dream. Making important real-life decisions, or foretelling the future with dreams may be fun, but it is unreliable woo-woo and may be dangerous. Much too much in the way of (conflicting) books and articles have been written about dreams over the years for me to dive too deep here. I have never believed that any god talks to any animal or human through dreams. It came to me in a dream. In your dreams. Dream on, dream on, dream on…. I like music about dreams.