2007 in review RANTS. [Bring it.]

darth_josh
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2007 in review RANTS. [Bring it.]

Third and final FESTIVUS airing of the grievances.

2007 has been my most ‘eye opening’ year. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I have paid much more attention to the rest of the world than ever before.

I have gained, lost, and kept heroes. Brian, Rook, Kelly (et al) of the RRS have almost completely reassured me that there are still heroes to have. Although, I’m not sure when they will become ‘old’ heroes since I’ve known OF them for years now. Despite adversity in their personal lives, they have maintained the original ideals of the RRS as explained to me by Brian two years ago. Richard Dawkins followed through on his attempt to keep the discussion in the public eye AND is the only ‘HORSEMAN’ that did not disappoint. Brian Flemming is still a great read despite gaps in the blog. I consider him to be the most entertaining blogger on the net.

And now… I press on in my examinations. WTF happened to some of the atheists that I liked in 2006? Ahhhh, I remember. The Blasphemy Challenge happened. It separated the lions from the lambs (metaphorically). Some of the most ardent internet atheists became as meek and demure as an abused teenage goth chick that lashes out at those like her. Some became ‘militantly tolerant’ of religion. They know who they are and I will not single out one from the veritable herd of wishy-washy assholes that to-this-day walk around cursing religion under their breath while abjuring our ‘fundamentalist atheist’ agenda loudly. Two words for the miserable… ‘Fuck’ and ‘You’. I am no closer to comprehending this hypocrisy. A 2008 resolution is to simply quit trying to understand the untenable position they have chosen.

Despite the fact that I admire Hitchens for his candor, I cannot fucking stand the man throwing ‘zeitgeist’ into every conversation he has. No longer droll to me, it is relegated to blase. I thank Harris, Dawkins, and Hitchens for reminding the world that there are dictionaries readily available for use. Note: Am I the only one that laughed out loud when Hitchens used the word ‘extirpate’? I haven’t heard that word since the 6th grade spelling bee in Indiana. The judges spent five minutes trying to use it in a sentence. Hitchens won me over for his ‘eulogy’ of Falwell, but lost me on his politics and his apparent reluctance to see the end of religion because he wouldn’t have anything to argue against then. Time to diversify, Chris old boy.

Dawkins remains one of my favorite people. He reminds me of how splendorous scientific examination can be. It takes me back to the time in my life when everything old was new to me. However, I want to task Mr. Dawkins with aiding the expansion of the public interest in science into places such as the Southeastern United States.

2007 saw the fairer sex burst onto the atheist scene. I was dumbstruck when I counted blasphemy challenge videos based upon my most objective demographic analysis. Women actually had a distinct presence. Roughly 45% of the videos had a female in them whether it was a couple or single female. Not only in numbers, but also in HAWTNESS did the godless girls rule the net. Truly, feminine power was displayed with elegance and effect. Of course, there will always be such trite as the ‘Ghetto Eden’ series to remind us that some things are far too much to ask of the more refined female ideologues with which we share the net.

Death, scandal, hypocrisy, and stupidity plagued Christendom this last year. Nothing new there. However, it seemed as though the ‘rise’ of atheism hit most Christians where it hurts. They pushed back as hard as they could, but I have seen no gain come of it. Unless one was to count HR 847 IH which elevates the christmas holiday above all others, a clear violation of the intent of the first amendment. The vote was 372 to 9 with 50 abstaining. Unfortunately, Rep. Dennis Kucinich(D-Ohio 10th) voted ‘AYE’ on this resolution and in so doing LOST my support in his run for the presidency. Too bad. I had considered sending money to his campaign when the check came. His voting record charmed me initially and damned him upon further analysis. Oh well, more for the RRS activism.

Well. Enough with the ad homs/pro homs. I give this section to the meager accomplishments, multiple failures, and abject hopes that was ‘Josh 2007’.
My children are healthy and becoming well-educated young man and women. The daughters have turned in exemplary grade reports on a consistent basis. The son continues to amaze me with his understanding of complex concepts and machines. Fascinating conversations with a 12 yr. old means one of two things. Either he is ahead of my expectations or I am behind. In any case, logic will not be a stumbling block for him when he becomes a man. However, homework will always be a nemesis of his. He questions the need for it until I show him a practical application of the skills taught. It truly gives an insight as to why some parents become apathetic with regard to their children’s education. It also acts as a motivational impetus for me.

Consequences of old mistakes have come to fruition. However, what I had always thought would happen did not come to pass. Instead something far worse than imagined happened. Precious money that was to go to my family was ripped away from me in the proverbial night. I’m supposed to be getting it back and more, but they aren’t in any hurry to return the return as it were. No matter. I have persevered. On Dec. 27th, I will be back to the position I was in when it happened without the return of my stolen ‘show cards’. Triumph over adversity? To me, yes. To others, I will have the stigma of being ‘anti-merican’ until I die. No fucking problem. I am and am willing to bet that you are too in more ways than you’ll openly admit. My mind wanders back to the story of Hale’s protagonist, Philip Nolan. He cried in regret over his sentence in the book. I would rejoice. I ask, “Who are the ‘true’ ones anyway?” Be careful. I have stopped short of looking for the Scotsman here and so should you lest our discourse become accusatorial.
Perhaps while analyzing myself for hypocritical behavior, it came to me. A good memory coupled with a distaste for duplicity (even my own) makes for a good position in the world. Analyst of Hypocrisy. I view it as astounding that humanity has both the ability to see hypocrisy and willfully ignore it. While I revel in discovering hypocrisies(word?) (even my own), there are others who despise me for finding theirs. I am rededicating myself to exposing duplicitous behavior wherever found. I will begin by finishing my examination of funerary rituals and their rationally deficient nature. I will submit it as an irrational precept to the RRS boards for peer scrutiny. I will also finish my examination of the ridiculous nature of the uninsured dollar and capitalism’s future. I’ll also be taking suggestions for future studies as Kelly has though I will not be as prolific nor as thorough a writer as she.
Which brings me to my next issue. I have not helped as many religious people as I have in past years. I’m asking of myself to help no less than 20 new freethinkers escape the throes of religious entrapment this year. The bar is set relatively low compared to the monumental successes of my fellow ideologues in the past. However, past accomplishments are no guarantee of future achievements.
We shall see.

ADDENDUM I got one of the aforementioned checks after I wrote this, but I felt the need to leave that part alone.

ADDENDUM TO THE ADDENDUM
I got the other two checks the day that I posted this originally and sent out money to the RRS today.


Suck it, jesus belief!