The End of the World

You know when they talk about self-fulfilling prophesies? And you know how the Christians believe the End is just around the corner, as well as the Muslims, and the people who think the Mayan Calendar names the very day and year the End will be upon us? And you see how we're all going to war over who God likes best and gave a certain little piece of shitty land to? And how all the Christians say there's no such thing as Global Warming and that it's just a hoax to glean money from people? And how they pretty much think Obama is the Antichrist? And how education is thought to be a tool of Satan? And how they're rewriting history to make themselves look good?

A couple hundred years ago, you could escape the insanity of your country by fleeing across the oceans or walking across arid deserts to, as yet, undiscovered lands. You could set up camp and live there without any real fear of being found or harassed. I'd very much like to escape America, but the other countries don't offer much better (even with their Universal Healthcare). Besides, gaining citizenship is never an easy process. And, honestly, I just feel like the cancer will spread at some point, in some form (whether it's Islam, Christianity or Scientology) if these religions aren't handled. How do I know this? Past behavior is a good indicator of future outcomes. I mean, it's not like we're jumping to conclusions by saying Christianity will bare its fangs again once it's given enough leverage; it's already happened before!

The point is, I want to escape but there's no where to go. A have a knot in my stomach right now, which comes from my own mother's idiocy. There's a poll on Facebook asking if Obama should get parental consent to address "our" children, and I voted "no". He's the President of the United States, for crying out loud! I can't tell you how many random speakers came to my school without my parents ever even knowing! If they didn't have to have permission, why should the President?!! My mom says it's because he's beginning to spread the propaganda and lies; he's going to brainwash kids into believing there's some value in taking care of the poor or underprivileged. He's probably going to turn them into Nazis, right?

I heard Michelle Obama address some girls in, I believe, England. She was encouraging them to pursue an education so they could become informed citizens who change the world and have a voice in society. It was important to Michelle to empower females specifically. Sometimes I wonder about Obama, but I've never heard him SAY anything I don't agree with. What he says seems too good to be true, but I want to believe him. It sickens me that it's his MESSAGE Christians and Republicans have a problem with, not whether or not he's lying. It makes me nauseous that they come at him from every angle, like accusing him of not being a citizen of the USA. It's very distressing to see the kind of bigotry that actually lives and breathes within this country.

You know, when I was a Christian, I fully believed it was the Christians who were being subdued and persecuted, but I never realized how much power and sway they actually held; I never realized they were the ones who were subduing and persecuting! Like all Christians, I disassociated myself from such things as the Crusades and the Inquisition, using that age-old excuse that they weren't "truly Christian". What I've found, on this side of the argument, is that Christians behave in a very predictable fashion down through history up into this very day. I'm sure this is no big surprise to most people on this site, but it's been upsetting, for me, to discover Christians are the biggest threat to our Freedom.

I'll blame people like my own mother for allowing the government to dictate what god, if any, is to be honored in public spaces. I'll blame people like my own family members for stripping homosexuals and women of their "God given" rights. I'll witness that it's the people who I became close to and went to church with who violently repress education and free-thought. They so blindly cling to their beliefs that they'll sacrifice anything and anyone who gets in their way, even the ones they love. I can't even express the frustration inside me when I think of this; the deep desire to cut and run before it gets worse. I feel like those who are religious are getting scared (per Fox News' fear mongering) and are about to reassert their control before Atheists even get a chance.

I hope I'm wrong. I just feel like there's nowhere to run and that they'll get their End of the World if things continue as they are. Part of the relief of sloughing off religion was that I no longer had to fear the Apocalypse, but reality has shown itself to be a new kind of nightmare, brought on by those who are still sleep-walking. I was so relieved to be out of that non-reality, but I can't believe how much power those who are within it have. This fear could be partially brought on by what superstition has already been ingrained in me from my religious upbringing, but... they still scare me. There's nothing more frightening than irrationality holding a gun.

It just blows my mind that, in the fear of of having their freedoms taken, they steal the freedoms of others... and lose theirs anyway.

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Comment by Billy Zachary on September 5, 2009 at 4:38pm: well said!

Comment by Reggie on September 5, 2009 at 5:16pm: I want to escape but there's no where to go.

I empathize with that sentiment. But since we have no better place to live than this planet inhabited with "these" people, I figure to take a different approach. "These" people are you and I. We all share in our humanity, for all the good and the bad. Unlike our immediate family, which we can flee at a certain age, we are stuck with this "family" and all of it's dysfunction. To continue on wishing that there was a place to escape to makes no more sense to me than praying that a person will be healed of some affliction or another. My preference is to set my mind to making the world a better place.

Carl Sagan's passion for science and cosmology was something spectacular and awe inspiring. Many people went unaffected by his passion for knowledge and he did not eradicate the darkness of our demon haunted world. I suppose Carl knew that this would be a self defeating goal if he set out to to just that. However, what he accomplished and what makes his legacy so dear to many is that he added brightness to that flickering flame. He instilled desire in many of today's scientists and will undoubtedly continue to posthumously inspire future scientists through his works. Not only did he add to the flame of knowledge, but so do the scientists and critical thinkers he inspired. The world remains shrouded in darkness, but we can see more of it now than before and that is what Carl wanted to accomplish.

We will continue to be surrounded by the religious and other deluded people for the rest of our lives. There is no escaping it. God won't appear to let everyone know he does not exist, unfortunately. I think it is best that we take Sagan's approach and work to add to this flame of knowledge to light humanity's way to a better, more reasonable future. I'll never discover Higg's Boson or develop a vaccine for HIV. And to note, no single person may ever make such a break through again giving the sophistication level that many scientific fields have attained. But someone may work on the problem and add to that flame that illuminates great discoveries. Someone that may have not had their curiosity smothered as a child because I encouraged their questioning nature. Someone who saw that I was a good and thoughtful person despite my lack of belief in a god or gods may find that they need not their delusions to be moral. I may never and probably will never personally know if the way I live my life and the ideals that I strive and fight for will ever add to this growing flame. I won't have that satisfaction any more than Carl will never know the joy of finding extra-terrestrial life. He had hoped, but he knew the odds were not very good. Yet he did not give up and run from the problems. He dared not trust that others would tend the flame well enough from being extinguished and giving over to the demons. He worked passionately to maintain it as if he alone were the keeper of this tenuous light. In the process, he added to it greatly.

I think we can all add to the growing enlightenment of our species, a steady ascent towards reason and rationality, and not be discouraged by the occasional backsliding that will eventually be overwhelmed by this upward trend.

Hopefully that didn't come across as pompous, self-righteous, or whatever. It is, however, how I feel about the things that I value. They are worth fighting even a losing battle for.

Comment by CJoe on September 5, 2009 at 5:30pm: Thanks Reggie :). It didn't come across negatively at all; I think it's what I needed to hear. I've been really discouraged lately, especially now that I'm near home again. I just think I'm still adjusting to this Atheist thing. Even though people didn't like hanging out with me when I was a Christian (and, I think that problem was magnified in my mind more than it was actually true), I didn't fear them knowing I was a Christian. Now, after reading how badly Atheists are treated, I don't know what to expect if people do find out.

*sigh*

I do want to make a difference though. Thanks for inspiring me again!

Comment by Doug Reardon on September 5, 2009 at 11:33pm: Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.

Comment by CJoe on September 6, 2009 at 3:24pm: Hmmm... I would have to disagree with that. I think freedom means you have everything to lose, ironically. Freedom is being able to have access to your highest values; if you lose those values, you lose what's most important to you, i.e. everything.

Comment by Reggie on September 7, 2009 at 3:10am: Thanks Reggie :)

You are very welcome! I get discouraged from time to time as well, but I try to stay positive as best as I can. When you are feeling blue, just remember to ask yourself "what would Carl Sagan do?" WWCSD. Actually, I need a bumper sticker with that and Carl's likeness on it.

Comment by Reggie on September 7, 2009 at 3:11am: Reggie, sounds like you are inciting a "smoke out" of the Christians. Ha!

Smoke 'em out of their holes of ignorance. Seriously, I could go on and on with these metaphors all day or until someone pleads, for the love of all that is good, to stop.