"All the idols made by man, however terrifying they may be, are in point of fact subordinate to him, and that is why he will always have it in his power to destroy them."
“I believe it is time to bring impeachment proceedings, not against the politicians, but against the ordinary people who are not living up to their obligations to see to it that their children do not live under tyranny.” Butler Shaffer
I’ve written some about atheists in the past. To summarize, I believe there are two versions of these thinkers. One is the individual who considers all his available information and rationalizes they he presently sees no proof of a God/Supreme Being/Creator (GSBC). Fair enough. I call these folks, Doubters.
The other kind (what I call the Fundamentalist) not only does not believe in the existence of a GSBC but unequivocally and categorically denies any possible existence of such a being. [Please note: this discussion is not examining the accuracy, validity or content of any religious dogma that claims specific knowledge of a GSBC.]
Though professional logicians will claim that you CAN prove a negative (though never 100% conclusively), the Fundy’s claim of absolute infallibility in this particular case (involving the existence of an entity somewhere in the universe) would require an individual have all the knowledge of the universe. The only reasonable claim they can make is that made by the doubters- who see no evidence of a GSBC within the parameters of their existing knowledge, perception and reason.
Why bring this up? Recently I viewed this video offered by The League of Reason: I find it ironic that the fascinating facts about the universe presented in this video originate from an atheist organization. Why? Because at least a couple of these facts should give atheists (particularly, Fundys) reason (no pun intended) to pause and reflect.
Less than 5% of all material and energy is directly detectable.
Yikes! As I understand it, all material within the universe is either matter OR energy. In other words, if this fact is true, we cannot presently detect (let alone see, measure or quantify) 95% of the universe! Mankind is completely clueless about 95% of the universe, yet boldly makes absolute claims about what and what does not exist? How is that rational?
Less than one octillionth of the electromagnetic spectrum is visible to our eyes.
Yikes, again! The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation- radio waves, microwaves, terahertz radiation, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and gamma rays. According to Wikipedia, “EM radiation carries energy and momentum that may be imparted to matter with which it interacts.”
Obviously, EM provides a lot of information regarding the design and physical characteristics of the universe. Since virtually all of it is not visible to the eye, it appears there’s a lot of measuring and data interpretation yet to do before man can even begin to understand the nature, complexity and relevance of this phenomenon.
Cosmogony challenges the limits of human understanding.
I’ll say. So wouldn’t it be prudent to maintain an atmosphere of humbleness and modesty when making such universal, all-encompassing claims? Do Fundys really want to risk being cast as flat earth/earth-centric pre-Copernican misfits after any future, mind blowing discoveries? Shouldn’t Fundys at least pen a small asterisk after their incredible assertions when their admitted knowledge of the universe is the equivalent of a fart in a hurricane? Shouldn't Fundys base their unbelief, in part, on faith- as any honest believer in a GSBC does?
Even more mind blowing is this fascinating video:
Not only does man know virtually nothing about a universe he can’t even come close to adequately examining and measuring- but it turns out that there may be multiple universes (multiverses), including parallel universes just out of reach of our senses and perception. If these theories prove to be true, what fascinating discoveries await? What new knowledge will be gained to revolutionize our understanding of matter and energy? What new possibilities will arise? What theories, hunches, and past “superstitions” may be proven correct? What previously held dogmas (secular and religious) will be proven false? How will the very reality of our existence be changed?
My advice- by all means, continue reaching for the stars. Continually question and seek and formulate your personal truths. Just don’t allow your assertions or convictions to become unalterable dogma. Keep an open mind, feed your head, and prepare yourself for possible revelations of facts that may surpass your imagination.
You may have seen this video posted recently at the LRC Blog. It shows a self-described Marine Corp vet speaking to his congressman at a town hall meeting about health care. Although his assertions concerning the Obama plan and Nancy Pelosi’s ignorance about Nazis are accurate, the gentleman seems characteristically confused about the US Constitution.
He claims he “swore an oath to defend my Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.” He also claims to have “kept his oath.” The gentleman seems to have a very selective memory as pertains to his participations in illegal, unconstitutional war(s). The gentleman also seems completely unaware that, as a slave of the military, he has absolutely no power, constitutional or otherwise, to “defend” that useless piece of paper.
By his participation in the US military, he voluntarily and actively defended this very same rouge regime that he now whines about interfering with his health care! I guess things look a little different from the other side of the gulag fence.
The truth is, it is his participation in the enforcement wing of the tyrannical US Government that offers them the protection to project their illegitimate power (in this case, health care) over unwilling subjects. The truth is, the gentlemen voluntarily (along with others) defended this regime as it daily violated the US Constitution. The truth is, this gentlemen willfully followed all orders from his civilian and military masters as they trampled upon the constitutional rights of their “constituents.” This is “keeping his oath?”
I’ve never written book reviews on this blog in the past, but I think I’ll start. One of my summer projects was to read “The Creature From Jekyll Island” by G. Edward Griffin. This is Mr. Griffin’s well researched history of the Federal Reserve. Read a 600 page book about banking? No need to worry. Mr. Griffin writes in such a way as to keep your interest in the history and personal stories involved in the creation of this monster and the read never becomes tiresome or dry, as many books on banking do.
Many folks, looking to understand the state’s tyranny and how to resist, will think there are better topics to spend time learning about than central banking. However, as Mr. Griffin explains, it is the Federal Reserve System which is at the root of all problems created by state intervention in the lives of free individuals:
“The chain of events begins with fiat money created by a central bank, which leads to government debt, which causes inflation, which destroys the economy, which impoverishes the people, which provides an excuse for increasing government power, which is an on-going process culmination in totalitarianism.”
The state increases in power by taking its subject’s wealth. However, it can only get away with so much taxation of its subjects before they revolt. Therefore, a central bank, and the monetary mechanizations it provides, is created to allow the state to create as much money as it needs. This is the only way the massive welfare/warfare state can support itself.
Mr. Griffin provides a detailed explanation of the Mandrake Mechanism- the process by which the Fed converts debt into money. The end product of the Mechanism “is an artificial expansion of the money supply, which is the root cause of the hidden tax called inflation.”
The author list seven reasons to abolish the Federal Reserve System:
1) It is incapable of accomplishing its state objectives. 2) It is a cartel operation against the public interest. 3) It is the supreme instrument of usury. 4) It generates our most unfair tax. 5) It encourages war. 6) It destabilizes the economy. 7) It is an instrument of totalitarianism.
This book gives an accurate assertion why all these reasons are true and then some. Understand the root cause of the state’s threat to your liberty. Read this book.
"There is no way I will deploy to Afghanistan. The occupation is immoral and unjust. It does not make the American people any safer. It has the opposite effect."
This is a quote from one of the more recent US soldiers who refuse to deploy and fight in the growing list of US created wars. Quite by accident I came across this recent article that reveals a number of small ways soldiers are resisting in addition to going AWOL, refusing orders and even suicide. The concept of “search and avoid” is new to me and an ingenious way to stay alive. Hiding out in Iraqi houses and drinking tea is another good one. The piece is well worth a read.
“The US government’s attacks on foreign financial institutions are one more means by which the US is slowly establishing controls that will prevent the populace from escaping their indentured servant status here, or just escaping, period. One of the effects of these attacks will be, to some extent, to lock American assets into American banks and keep funds here, onshore, where they are readily controllable, seizable and debasable. These attacks are a way of closing the borders, are the makings of a banking ‘Berlin Wall.’” Jeff Snyder
“Opponents of the State must have faith in their fellow human beings - that they will not let them stand alone against the physical force of government; that they will stand together and risk individual physical injury in order to prevent collective injury to their social freedoms.”
Carl Watner
“Cassandra’s curse was to always tell the truth about the future, but never be believed. If you add to that curse that she would be ridiculed, derided, and shunned for making her predictions, you have a pretty fair approximation of what it feels like to be a libertarian.” John Hasnas, Associate Professor of the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University
“You can’t overthrow the laws of economics. You can’t borrow your way out of debt. You can’t consume your way out of poverty. If you could, then you have created the economic equivalent of the perpetual motion machine. It’s not going to happen.” Michael Barnett
“The similarity of arguments against the abolition of slavery and arguments against the abolition of government (as we know it) should shake the faith of all Americans who still labor under the misconception that ours is a "government of the people, by the people, for the people." From where I stand, it looks distressingly like an institutional complex that rests on the same shaky intellectual foundations as slavery.” Robert Higgs
“If Obama is doing nothing wrong, why would he worry about peaceful armed people in his presence? Politicians should be harmless enough that no one would want to kill them or do them harm. If they are not, it is an indication that they have overstepped their authority and have become a threat to the people who are forced to live with the results of their "laws". It should be a wake-up call to back off and straighten up. Instead it will be seen as an excuse to further illegally expand the power and authority of the state.” Kent McManigal
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From the Darkness:
"If left unchecked, the Taliban insurgency will mean an even larger safe haven from which al-Qaeda would plot to kill more Americans." Barry Obama, defending his Afghanistan Crusade
"When you bring a loaded gun, particularly a loaded assault rifle, to any political event, but particularly to one where the president is appearing, you're just making the situation dangerous for everyone." Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
“So it seems we aren’t going to have a second Great Depression after all. What saved us? The answer, basically, is Big Government.” Paul Krugman, a so-called economist
"Last fall, our financial system stood on the brink of a collapse that threatened a depression. The crisis required our government to display wisdom, courage and decisiveness. Fortunately, the Federal Reserve and key economic officials in both the Bush and Obama administrations responded more than ably to the need. The United States economy is now out of the emergency room and appears to be on a slow path to recovery."
Warren Buffet
“The president, I think, has surrounded himself with some of the most brilliant choices. Dr. Holdren, I don’t want to embarrass you but I sometimes refer to you as walking on water.” Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV speaking to Obama science czar, John P. Holdren
"Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you."
"If you and I are having a single thought of violence or hatred against anyone in the world at this moment, we are contributing to the wounding of the world."
