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Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is simply the absence of belief that any deities exist. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which in its most general form is the belief that at least one deity exists.
More about atheism later, including some of my own thoughts on the subject. I am neither an atheist nor a theist.
I am merely one human being trying to figure it all out.
And not having much luck.
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WORD FOR TODAY
atheism
noun
- the doctrine or belief that there is no god.
- disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.
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BORN ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
Born Jan. 7, 1963
Age 49 years old
Age 49 years old
Randal Howard "Rand" Paul is the junior United States Senator for Kentucky. He is a member of the Republican Party. A member of the Tea Party movement, he describes himself as a "constitutional conservative" and a libertarian. He is the son of former Congressman and 2012 Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul of Texas. Paul first received national attention in 2008 when making political speeches on behalf of his father. Rand Paul is the first United States Senator in history to serve simultaneously with a parent in the United States House of Representatives.
Born Jan. 7, 1956
Age 56 years old
Age 56 years old
David Stephen Caruso is an American actor and producer. His most prominent role is the portrayal Lieutenant Horatio Caine on the TV series CSI: Miami. He has also appeared as Detective John Kelly on the ABC crime drama NYPD Blue.
Born Jan. 7, 1957
Age: 55 years old
Age: 55 years old
Katherine Anne "Katie" Couric is an American journalist and author. She serves as special correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, This Week and primetime news specials.
Since September 10, 2012, she has hosted Katie, a syndicated daytime talk show produced by Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Ms Couric has anchored the CBS Evening News, reported for 60 Minutes, and hosted Today and reported for Dateline NBC. She was the first solo female anchor of a weekday evening news program on one of the three traditional USA broadcast networks. Couric's first book, The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives was a New York Times best-seller.
As of May 2012, Couric also has a web show for ABC News, entitled Katie's Take, airing weekly on Yahoo.
Born Jan. 7, 1964
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Nicolas Cage (born Nicolas Kim Coppola) is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona (1987), The Rock (1996), Face/Off (1997), Con Air (1997), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), Adaptation (2002), National Treasure (2004), Lord of War (2005), Ghost Rider (2007), The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), Kick-Ass (2010), and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012).
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The very idea of carrying my memory into eternity devastated me, and I took refuge in atheism.
--Taylor Caldwell
Dear Gene, I trust that you know -- because you have witnessed by way of some of what I write -- that for a long while I've been busy searching for what I believe about myself and about my relationship to a universe I am not capable of defining, much less understanding. I've tried talking with flowers (not with my tongue, lungs and larynx, but with poetry in mind). I've studied the Tao (a contradiction in terms, that). I've considered the concept of soul as an inadequate way to describe an innate interconnection amongst human beings. I've read backward and forward and upside down. But as I am now living my life's final chapter, I deem it important to record my conclusions. I am indeed an atheist, and inside myself I've known that I always have been so. I've been struggling -- scribbling notes, re-reading the thoughts of people much more intelligent than I am, etc. -- to decide just how I want to lay down this track in writing. Soon, maybe soon enough, I will stop procrastinating and just write and post the damned thing. You, dear friend, because you write about your parallel journey, are more courageous than I.
ReplyDeleteAnthony,
DeleteIf the flowers have remained aloof within your mind perhaps their responses are written instead upon the multi-hued walls of your own poet's shining soul, awaiting sure eventual translation and acceptance.
You have been re-reading the thoughts of people much more intelligent than you? Ha! You, my friend, can sometimes make me laugh, too.
(I am smiling at this very instant.)
Courage? Who me? Well, thank you, but I have a better word for it. I will blog about that word at a later time.
When you are ready, do write and post the damned? thing, Anthony. I and so many others are eagerly awaiting its appearance.
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DeleteVery clever title-
ReplyDeleteMissed it the first time
Thanks, but it's not original. I first heard it spoken by George Carlin.
Delete