Forte Étude

The Seat of Power

2008-11-06T12:48:00.004-06:00

by Jack Ohman, The Oregonian
Thursday November 06, 2008, 5:00 AM

Bad blogger

2008-10-23T10:01:00.004-05:00

I just can't blog any more. Maybe it's burnout or bad time management or lack of ideas or just plain laziness. I dunno. When I started this new blog I was energized, but lately I haven't had much to say. I'm sorry, especially this is the second time I've quit blogging.

This pic will stay up until at least election day. Then we can start in on Pelosi...

I love you guys.

McZilla!

2008-10-20T09:42:00.003-05:00

The fate of a nation on his shoulders

2008-10-16T08:28:00.004-05:00

This is from an Obama meetup post, and the caption is, What must it feel like to carry the hopes and dreams of an entire race of people on your shoulders? I think the more relevant question is, What must it feel like to carry the fate of an entire nation, one that's been run into the ground by the reckless and irresponsible decisions of the past eight years? Go here for the story.

Sometimes you just have to tag yourself

2008-10-15T12:30:00.002-05:00

I've seen this meme going around the tubes and decided to tag myself.

Can You Remember The Day That You Officially Became An Atheist?

No. It was around the time I read Dawkins' The God Delusion a few years ago. Prior to that, I was on the fence. Just reading and sitting down to actually think it through, how religion is only man-made, helped me to finally let go of the delusion.

Do you remember the day you officially became an agnostic?

No. I had agnostic leanings - off and on - prior to becoming atheist.

How about the last time you spoke or prayed to God with actual thought that someone was listening?

Let's see, I'm not sure when that would have been because for along time my prayers were more of the "If anybody's listening" kind.

Did anger towards God or religion help cause you to be an atheist or agnostic?

I think it helped me to question more in the beginning. Now, I realize that was just one stage of grief over losing a much-loved imaginary friend.

Were you agnostic towards ghosts, even after you became an atheist?

I was agnostic about ghosts before becoming atheist. Now, I'm open to any demonstrable evidence of such things, just as I am to, say, Santa Claus. :)

Do you want to be wrong?

No! I mean, can you imagine what it would be like if the gods and goddesses of ANY religion actually existed? Scary!

If anyone wants to answer this, feel free to rip it off and tag yourself. That's what I did. :)

New! Atheist Blogroll

2008-10-14T08:39:00.003-05:00

Forte Étude has been added to The Atheist Blogroll. You can see the blogroll in my sidebar. As of today, it contains nearly 800 blogs. Check out a few (or all of them, if you don't have a life.)

The Atheist blogroll is a community-building service provided free of charge to Atheist bloggers from around the world. If you would like to join, visit Mojoey at Deep Thoughts for more information.

Put a Republican label on it to get elected

2008-10-13T11:58:00.007-05:00

Why isn't this out there, right now, front and center, in the MSM? (Rhetorical...)

Of particular interest:

Our current governor, who I mentioned [in] the last conference, the one we were hoping to get elected, did get elected, Sarah Palin. You should infiltrate - I know that the Christian Exodus is in favor of it [seceding from the United States]. The free state movement is in favor of it. Put the Republican label on it to get elected. That's all there is to it. -Dexter Clark, Vice Chairman, Alaskan Independence Party

And:

The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred of the American government, and I won't be buried under their damn flag. -Joe Vogler, founder, Alaskan Independence Party

Sarah Palin attended several of the AIP's conventions, and spoke at one of them. Her husband became a member in 1995, but resigned the year she ran for governor.

By the way, she was "palling around" with these people as an adult, not when she was eight years old.

The religion of one age is the mythology of the next.

2008-10-11T10:58:00.008-05:00

The religion of one age is the mythology of the next. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

You've probably heard the following statement before and you may have wondered exactly what it meant:

I contend we are both atheists, I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours. -Stephen Roberts

Here is a list of gods (and goddesses) which illustrates its meaning. You'll see a long list of gods and goddesses, the divinity of which both you and I dismiss.

It is important to ask yourself, why do you dismiss all of these purported divine beings?

I don't know why you do, but I can tell you the main reason I reject them is because there is no rational basis to believe in magical fairy tales, such as ...

The second being of a divine trinity decides to save the world by being born human, after which an angelic being warns that an evil king wants to find and kill him after hearing a prophecy that the child will overtake his kingdom, all while the prison cavern is filled with a bright, divine light, then the prison gates magically open and the holy family is instructed, in some versions by the angelic being, and others by the newborn babe itself, to make haste to another part of the country before the evil king can find them (Krishna);

The only begotten son of god is born in a cave, his conception having been announced to his mother and foster-father by angelic beings, his birth is witnessed by shepherds and heralded by a star in the east, he later performs miracles such as stilling the seas and raising the dead, and his birth is celebrated annually at the winter solstice by parading a child in a manger through the streets (Horus).

But, on the atheist's column there is one additional god, Yahweh, that is dismissed by atheists but not by most people in Western culture. Why do you suppose atheists dismiss this one?

Take Heart

2008-10-10T13:14:00.003-05:00

Obama will be one of the greatest (and most loved) American Presidents

-Frank Schaeffer, Huffington Post

Religious Child Abuse

2008-10-09T18:31:00.004-05:00

Another case of religious child abuse.

This three-year-old girl was recently appointed a "living goddess" by Hindu and Buddhist priests, with the approval of Nepal's president, and her family.

How was she selected for this "honor?" After her body is examined and found to be free of defect or imperfection, and her horoscope is studied, she is left overnight in the dark, alone, in a room full of the slaughtered heads of goats and buffalo. If she shows no fear, she is chosen.

This child was then taken to a temple in Katmandu, where she will live in almost complete isolation until she reaches puberty, when her "divinity" expires. Can you imagine that? A toddler, taken by strangers from her home and mother and father, to a strange new place and kept in isolation, taken out only on special occasions and carried around in a chariot for religious festivals.

She will be returned to her family at puberty, when a new "living goddess," or "kumari," will be selected to replace her.

The girls often struggle to readjust to normal lives after they return home.

No shit?

Nepalese folklore holds that men who marry a former kumari will die young, and so many girls remain unmarried and face a life of hardship.

Oh well, as long as the gods and goddesses are appeased, it's for a good and holy cause, right?

Anyone have combat experience?

2008-10-08T21:07:00.000-05:00

I'd be especially interested if you or someone you know served in WWII. I need someone to read a chapter where one of my characters is describing a traumatic event he went through in WWII. What I need is for someone who's "been there" to tell me if it sounds credible. It's not a combat scene, per se, but an accident involving mortar rounds. I pulled this scene out of my, um, head, and have no idea if it's something that could happen as I've described it.

(I did manage to find via email one gentlemen who served in the Battle of the Bulge, which is the setting of my character's incident, and he said I didn't need to change anything, but ... I'm not really sure how lucid he was, and he did say that he had tried to forget more than remember, which of course is quite understandable.)

Thanks!

When Theocracies Collide

2008-10-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

Here's a link to a post entitled, The Unmentionable Aspect of the Financial Crisis.

Now dammit, why didn't I think of that?!

October surprise?

2008-10-07T15:34:00.004-05:00

In shadowy diplomatic corners, some Arab intelligence operatives believe the US is quietly cooperating with Iran to quell violence in Iraq.

Click the headline to read the story. The Daily Beast asks, Is Iran this year’s “October Surprise”?

Remember how the GOP denied making a deal with Iran not to release the hostages during Carter's term?

Remember Iran-Contra, years later, which proved that at least some deals had been made?

Now, think back to "the Surge."

And how recently, after years of stonewalling, Dumbya's administration reversed course over talking to Iran.

Coinkydinks?

Okay, time to get some perspective

2008-10-07T00:01:00.002-05:00

Obama widens lead in new poll.

Do Something Worthwhile

2008-10-06T10:11:00.004-05:00

Do something worthwhile and piss off the religious right at the same time!

Go here and donate to Planned Parenthood IN HONOR OF Sarah Palin. You can donate as little as $5.00, but I'm sure more would be appreciated. Here's the best part: They'll send her an acknowledgment! (They're getting close to $1M so far.)

Be sure to make your gift IN HONOR OF Sarah Palin.

Ask that acknowledgment be sent to:

SARAH PALIN
McCain for President
1235 S. Clark Street, 1st Floor
Arlington, VA 22202

A Movie for Rationalists

2008-10-05T22:21:00.008-05:00

Bill Maher speaks with Harry Smith about his new movie.

Finally! Bill Maher brings us "a movie for rationalists." We've all seen The Ten Commandments, The Robe, and many have seen The Passion of the Christ. Why not round it out and see Religulous, a movie "for the tens of millions of us who are afraid that the Sarah Palins of the world are going to be taking over."

In theaters now.

Bonus:

2008-10-04T18:58:00.005-05:00

Biden looked relaxed and in calm command during the debate, didn't he? I thought his tone and demeanor toward Palin was perfect. Palin did well in a more strident way, managing to get in all her soundbytes while avoiding direct answers to much of anything. My hubster got Bingo! twice during the debate, doggonnit. I would have had a Bingo! if she had only said "bad guys" or "gosh." She did manage a "you-betcha," a "heck," and of course a "doggonnit." And, did you notice the way she pronounced nuclear? Seriously? About five times! Did no one on her team catch that during the rehearsals, or did they just let it slide, preferring to pick their battles in what little time they had to prep her? Just wondering.

Palin came to our fair city on Saturday for a $1K a plate fundraiser. There were 1K diners. You do the math. Oh yeah, she got lots of what Big D is known for. What was unexpected, though, was a protest. As one local newscaster put it, "How often have you seen a Republican VP candidate's visit to Dallas prompt a Democratic news conference?" We were about 400 strong (I wish it had been more), and we were outnumbered (this *is* Dallas, after all), but the good thing is that our side was perfectly situated because we were directly across the street from all the diners arriving for this affair (wow - look at the trophy wives!), AND, unlike the Palinistas, we could be seen and heard by the motorcade. So ... tons of press coverage + Palin had to have seen and heard us = Mission Accomplished.

I just have to make an observation here. Most of the people in both camps, and I mean like 98%, were white. While our side occasionally chanted, "Equality for All!" I couldn't help but ponder the fact that we were facing a line of mostly Black cops. Isn't that something? I remember a time when Blacks couldn't have gotten on the force in Dallas. Yet here they were, Black men and women in uniform, keeping the peace while a bunch of liberal white people demonstrated for equal rights. Whoddathunkit.

The truly strange thing to me were the number of Palinstas holding homemade signs with the Virgin Mary on them. Okay, was that the usual anti-abortion thing, or were they somehow - please no - equating Palin with the Christian goddess? Again, just wondering.

Just one month 'til the election. So instead of focusing on the economy or the war or healthcare, Palin's going after the important stuff. Yep, Obama's terrorist connections. Will it work?

UPDATE: This from The Back Forty:

Palin’s final quote was from Ronald Reagan, warning that without vigilance, “you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children, and our children’s children, what it once was like in America when men were free.”
In fact, Reagan was not warning about a general lack of vigilance about freedom, he was warning what would happen if Medicare was enacted.

Please circulate far and wide.

Don't Worry, Palin's Imaginary Friend Will See Us Through

2008-10-02T07:57:00.011-05:00

Yes, friends, if McCain wins the election and sometime during his term Palin succeeds to the Presidency, we need not worry at all. You see, it doesn't matter that Palin doesn't have a working knowledge of history, foreign policy or even domestic affairs, because - well heck, let's hear from one of her many supporters, who said it best:

Having mass amounts of ‘information’ pale in comparison to the Godly character Sarah Palin has & how that character would bring her through any challenging situation.

Source.

That's right, Sarah Palin's pretty little head doesn't need to be filled with yucky old 'information' because it's already stuffed to capacity with her imaginary friend, a/k/a "God," who will bring her through any challenging situation! Like, say, fucking world war three.

Don't worry! She'll be fine at tonight's debate because even if Joe Biden "wins," he loses! He'll either be a wimp, or the mean old man beating up on this sweet, godly little gal.

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Bonus reading: Michael Moore's letter on how to fix the Wall Street mess

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I fixed the comment enabler thingy, so now everyone should be able to comment without having to sign up for whatever.

Welcome!

2008-10-01T17:35:00.002-05:00

Welcome to Forte Etude, Study of the Strongest Point. This name came about because the theme of my stories (and my life) is fortitude. This was unconscious at first. Heh. Sneaky subconscious.

I envision this blog having a slightly harder edge than Chapterhouse. I held back posting certain thoughts and images there concerning my atheism for fear of offending more sensitive readers. If you're religious, be forewarned that some content will be offensive. You may want to look elsewhere on your daily round through the blogosphere.

Atheism is truly the last closet. More and more of us are coming out, heeding the call of "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" to keep silent no longer after 9/11. I feel I've been too quiet for too long. The election's coming in just over a month, with polls showing an extremely tight race. It is conceivable that a foaming-at-the-mouth Fundie could wind up being President of the United States sometime in the next four years, and she could be far worse than Dumbya, the dry drunk who switched from booze to Jesus endorphins.

My blog won't change a thing one way or another about the election, but at least it's a place where I can express myself more fully.

"I say quite deliberately that the Christian religion, as organized in its churches, has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world." - Bertrand Russell

(Of course, this was a pre-9/11 observation.)

We've already seen the "morality" of Dumbya's reign, and boy did the Fundies eat it up. McCain's scary enough, but imagine what could happen if Palin took the highest office.

Oh wait; someone has: