*yaaAAAAAaawn*

So I am tired this morning, and a bit annoyed, but what can I say...

A few things about traditionalism popped through my mind. And also some more thoughts about the importance of a secular society.

When does Liberalism become conservativism? Or when do new ideas become tradition? It's something that was brought up during a humanities class discussion a few weeks ago... "The Liberals of the sixties are the conservatives of today" which isn't obviously entirely true; after all, we still have Ted Kennedy, don't we? It's an interesting idea. Once someone's liberal wishes have been fulfilled, they do not want to change them, do they? Do they wish to go on with what they pursue? Of course the new ideas do spring up with every generation, but the older generation thinks things are fine the way they are.

My opinion is that society should always be scientifically progressive ... so that we may constantly gather knowledge about ourselves and about our surroundings. Moral restrictions should be lifted if they are irrational. For instance, Stem Cell research is only condemned because of the destruction of a few human embryo cells. Science explains how these embryos can be used to save other human beings. Religion explains how these cells could become possibly another human. Science is reason. Religion is faith. Science offers a naturalistic explanation for our world and the surrounding Universe. It's the only thing which can explain who we are, where we came from with empirical fact.

"staying the course" as a traditionalist might say, might work for a while, but in the end, we'll always have to evolve with the times. If we stick to an ideology, yet still posess knowledge that could make us a beter society in the long-run, then what is the use of humans even existing at all? This is double-think. It's irrational to hold onto false information when you know that there is a better way to approach something. To make humanity better as a whole isn't just a secular idea, it is the general goal of most faiths as well. The problem is indeed traditional ideology. We can't stay the course, we have to keep moving and picking up new tricks along the way. If it works, then we will keep using it until we find something better.

This merges now with my rant about secularism...

it's important to work for the common good of humanity rather than self-interest. But it can't be denied that in order to work for the good of humanity, you have to be good yourself. What is good? Is it in an all-knowing book, or in some prophet somewhere? Does it lie in history, do we even know what it is? I believe it lays in society. The United States is what it is because of the laws which define it. Japan is who it is because of the laws which define it. This can be said with every country on earth. The UK has some of the most advanced technology on the planet. They also have one of the most progressive societies, always taking on social issues with leaps and bounds of human understanding. For example, compared to the United States, there is lesser and lesser discrimination of minority groups. Because there is little propaganda pushing for their social discrimination.

Why is this discrimination so popular in the United States? Because gays are against the bible. because women have always been the maid of the house. because Mexicans haven't done a damned thing for this country. Because Blacks commit the most crime out of anyone. It's ideology, traditional ideology, that will not go away because we won't let it. We can't be a scientifically innovative country if we don't let the fact go that the Earth is NOT 6,000 years old! That the increase of the Black population isn't the cause of more crime! This too is another example of Double-think. To know that there is evidence against something you think is fact, and yet having no evidence yourself, and still holding on to that belief. Of course, that is faith, and everyone is entitled to that....... in their own home. But this kind of ideology being posessed on a national level is dangerous. So dangerous that people are killed from it. Not only through discrimination, but because the potential to save other human beings' lives is lost completely ... just because someone said "Stem Cell research is wrong", and that someone told a friend, who believed him. It's not right to let such information travel through the ears of people and have them believe it without question. People have the right to know the truth, and that's exactly what traditionalism deprives of people. Organized religion is traditionalism ... we could do without it.

class is about to end, so I cut this rant short.

maybe more later..... maybe not
~David~

The war on Christmas

Christmas time ... again ...

Well... I'm an Atheist, and frankly, I am a bit annoyed when some pious person comes up to me, and persistantly tries to buzz around my ear explaining to me about Jesus and how December 24ht was his birthday, and that's the reason we should celebrate.... but that does not happen when someone tells me "Merry Christmas" any more than when someone tells me "Bless You" ... no, this is just a corporate tactic to get more people into the stores this holiday so that they will buy more of their crap. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't care if "Merry Christmas" OR "Happy Holidays" is said, as long as I can open my stupid presents on Christmas eve and Christmas day, and get this whole stupid season over with!

Fairly, on one side, the season is indeed a strongly Christian one. People should say "Merry Christmas" when they are so inclined to do so, and they should not be blasted off the earth from it. On the other, these corporations want to bring in as many people to buy more of their crap than the last year... how are they going to keep this bureaucratic government runing if none of the Atheists, Jews, Muslims, or Buddhists are going to their stores!? It's the corporation's decision, let them make the decision as they want to, AND JUST BE HAPPY OUR COUNTRY ALLOWS US TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CELEBRATE!!!!

Happy Holidays to all of us. Doesn't offend anyone really, that's the reason that these corporations made the decision to put "Happy Holidays" on the banners. And honestly, it's not a new phrase. People have been saying "happy holidays" for decades. Why is it just now that people realize, "hey, it doesn't say CHRISTmas?!?!?!?!?" it's a pathetic thing to fight for. If you want to celebrate Christmas, go ahead. If you wish to celebrate Hannuka, go ahead. If you want to celebrate "Christmahannukwanzica" you may do that. But to keep everyone around you happy, do it in your own homes. That's the secret of keeping everyone happy. Nobody's religion is better than the others, so there's no reason to be trying to push yours to the top.

And the people who are actually PUSHING for this politically correct language to include everyone should keep it down. "OMG IT SAYS CHRIST ON IT!!!!!!" no, moron, Merry Christmas is no more a religious saying these days than "Bless you" is. There is no goal in saying "happy holidays" ... it's a way for a corporation to get more money every year than their competitors, and nothing more. Leave it up to these rich bureaucrats to make that decision, because you're just adding uneeded gas to the flames. You're being just as intollerant as the people pushing for "CHRISTmas"

The government should also enforce its secular ideas by saying "happy holidays". unlike the corporations, the government SHOULD include everyone without excluding anyone.

Since I am a good secular, Atheist American, I have to say to you all;

happy holidays!

Well... I'm at school, and this idea of creating an official blog has kind of popped in and out of my mind as of recently. I was convinced today when I searched for someone who allegedly owned a spot here. So I said, what the heck. I was quite surprised that the school had not blocked this website from being viewed. So kudos to them.

What will I do now? Well, I ask myself this question now, and I come up with the answer, whatever. Probably my political thoughts more than anything. Nobody is interested in my social life, because I don't have one. But anyway, I am in my last year of high school, and I have many thoughts about the Universe, the world, our region, this country, the state, the local government, and sometimes my school. It would be nice to have a place where *everyone* can look to this place when they want to know what's on my mind. So that's my justification. That said, please keep all comments appropriate for public viewing ~.^

this isn't like my LiveJournal ... so yeah.

currently, I am bored, and listening to music, and browsing wikipedia, and thinking- as I do all the time.

here's a broad idea passing through my mind:

what I am thinking about has relevance to what my wikipedia window has displayed upon it --> History of Bosnia and Herzegovina. More specifically I'm reading about the Bosnian war, where several thousands of people were killed off by the government while the lot of them tried to flee for their lives. It's interesting to read, however very tragic, to think about how such an act can be justified by a government. Power corrupts, but behind each and every power, there are people who feel just as the people they rule over.

sigh

that such power is atainnable by anyone is the precise problem, yet there is no conceivable way to hold back that power. Essentially, one would need power to suppress power. And that would mean power would have to be given to that supressive power to hold back the opressive power. Quite confusing to think about. The essential question then is: do we just let these different levels of power live, through a bureaucracy perhaps? The other choice of course is to try to rid ourselves of it altogether. I perrsonally believe that this can be acheived with Socialism ... where everyone holds equal power, and no one but the document which supports it (constitution) has absolute power.

If only people were more willing to work for the greater good...
They would be, of course, if there wasn't so much temptation in the world today. Everyone must have this, they must work for this and this only, they will not work for anyone else because then they might get this before them. No, I could possibly not imagine a greater Utopia in my mind than one in which all human beings are cooperating to help each other ... if I just close my eyes and imagine it... perfect.

now 20 minutes left of class ... I think I will go now.

see you later :)