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Why do so many Americans believe in ghosts? Why do so many American adults believe in miracles? Why do so many Americans believe in: astrology, in psychics, in witches, in friggatriskaidekaphobics or in paraskevidekatriaphobia?"
Why do so many Americans believe in God?
I know why.
It's eye-opening to suddenly discover why so many people claim to believe in the precepts of the Christian religion. After puzzling over the seemingly ludicrous principle of accepting on faith the rightness of the biblical command to love, obey, and unquestioningly serve an unseen but all-knowing and all-powerful 'deity.'
It is because the great majority do not even know what the actual precepts of their individual congregations are. They believe, not what is presented to them (who listens to Sunday sermons?) but what they see inside their own minds -- their own inner concepts of what their God 'should' be, and should be requiring of them.
According to the Dictionary, to judge means "to discern, to distinguish, to form an opinion, to compare facts or ideas, and perceive their agreement or disagreement, and thus to distinguish truth from falsehood." Therefore, when we say that a much-lauded evangelical preacher is a "godly and righteous person," we are passing a judgment (forming an opinion) just as much as when we proclaim that a serial killing pedophile is a "sinful and loathsome person."
The true Christian knows "in his heart" that the above-mentioned preacher, should immediately upon his passing, be joyfully joined with the Lord God up in Heaven. And the murderous pervert should descend to Hell and suffer the damnation of perpetual pain and suffering for all eternity. Therefore, since those are the results that 'should be,' those are the results that the bible teaches. Even though it does not.
The difference between what the bible propounds and what the masses of egocentric Christians conclude are two quite different things.
Note: egocentric means confined in attitude or interest to one's own needs or affairs.
Joseph Campbell said, "God is a metaphor for that which transcends all levels of intellectual thought. It's as simple as that."
I have stopped my daily readings of the A+ atheist blogs. Taslima is tiresomely stuck in the men are merciless monsters mindset; Greta has become a meditating, kinky sex addict and latest style-fashion maven. PZ Myers has become boringly predictable. I have taken all three of them off my favorites list.
After all, as I've written many times before, I am NOT (and never have been) an atheist, nor do I even call myself an agnostic. I am, however, a confirmed skeptic and definitely a non-Christian. I do not believe the childishly ignorant writings and handed-down word-of-mouth musings first proposed by unschooled shepherds thousands of years ago.
What do I believe? I suppose you could say that I believe in a different kind of Intelligent Design.
What do I believe? I believe that some unknown and probably unknowable entity somewhere or somewhen somehow could have initiated a process that resulted in the eventual formation of the planets, the stars, the galaxies, and maybe even the entire universe. This entity could be considered (by human beings) as a God, but not the recognized 'personal' God who is interested in or is even minutely aware of the planetary infestation of incidental biological life.
Does that mean that I believe human life is meaningless? Well, on a universal scale... yes. This does not mean that life has no meaning in human terms, in social interaction. Not at all. Man should strive for progress within his community. Seek excellence. Go forward.
And all that jazz.
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TRIVIA
Oak trees do not produce acorns until they are fifty years of age or older.
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HISTORICAL EVENT
Manson stayed out of the Polanski house on the night of the crime and didn't take part in the LaBianca killings either. However, he would later be charged with murder on the grounds he had influenced his followers and masterminded the crimes. He is currently serving a life sentence in a California prison.
Manson was denied parole for the 12th time on April 11, 2012. It was determined that Manson would not be reconsidered for parole for another 15 years, at which time he would be 92 years old.
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WORD FOR TODAY
precept
noun
1. a rule or principle for action
2. a guide or rule for morals; maxim
3. a direction, especially for a technical operation
A precept is a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action.
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CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
(born August 9, 1944)
Sam Elliott is an American actor. His rangy physique, thick horseshoe moustache, deep, resonant voice, and Western drawl lend to frequent casting as cowboys and ranchers.
(born August 9, 1968)
Gillian Anderson is an American actress. After beginning her career in theater, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. Her film work includes The House of Mirth (2000), The Mighty Celt (2005), The Last King of Scotland (2006), and two X-Files films, The X-Files (1998) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008).
(born August 9, 1942)
David Steinberg is a Canadian comedian, actor, writer, director, and author. At the height of his popularity, during the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was one of the best-known stand-up comics in the United States. He appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson more than 130 times and served as guest host 12 times, the youngest person ever to guest-host. Steinberg directed several films and episodes of many of the most successful television situation comedies of the last twenty years, including Seinfeld, Friends, Mad About You, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and more than 35 episodes of Designing Women.
(born August 9, 1957)
Melanie Griffith is an American actress. She was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe for her performance in the film Working Girl (1988). She is the daughter of actress Tippi Hedren, and the wife of actor Antonio Banderas.
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Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.
--Napoleon Bonaparte
NASA TV
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