Monday, June 27, 2011

What would you say?

Would you say that god is omnipotent? Would you say that god knows everything from start to finish? Beginning to end? Would you say that god knows everything before it happens? Is everything predetermined by god? Is there nothing that man can do to change gods plans? THEN WHY DO WE PRAY? If everything is predetermined and things are going to be carried out according to gods plans, then what good is prayer? Can pray change anything? And if prayer can change things, then it can only change that which god has already preplanned to be placed into action, therefore, prayer makes no sense regardless.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Who am I?

I was lying in bed, wondering, do people really understand who I am? And why I do the things that I do? It is really complex, I must say. Perhaps I should give a little more insight. People may think that I come off as arrogant or greedy or unthankful, not that it matters or that I care what others think. However, I am not arrogant, greedy or unthankful.
I am a fighter. I stand firmly in my beliefs. I am confident that I hold many crucial answers and ideas that can make a difference in this world. I am not superficial and I do not shy away from any subject. I do not fear.
I realize how blessed I am as a person. I have an amazing life and an amazing family. But it’s difficult to be in the place that I am in. It is hard for me to understand how I have been so blessed while others are in so much pain, destroyed by poverty and lack any chance of life and equality. I do not understand. It’s true that I want more, I will fight for more. Not because I myself want more, but because I want more for others. I suppose that I am a modern day Robin Hood. I do not understand how people sleep at night with excess, knowing that the world is full of people in need. I cannot comprehend how CEO’s, doctors, lawyers, politicians, athletes and so many others justify their wealth and power. What do they tell themselves? I do not understand the importance of a system that sets some up with power and control. I do not understand how those on top of the pyramid speak as religious saints, knowing of their own hypocrisy and lies. How do we justify materialism and slavery?
People even misunderstand my passion for nursing. I am not in nursing for the money. When you think about it, when it all is said and done, nurses are not “making-bank.” I am passionate towards nursing to make a difference in this world. I am a caring individual and I hate the thought that anyone on this planet has to live their life in excruciating pain that can easily be resolved. I will do all I can to provide for my family, but I also see the world outside.
People have asked me why I want to “jump from one fire into the next.” In relation to my leaving the corruption involved in corporations and going into another corrupt field of healthcare. First off, regardless of the cost, I see improving someone’s health or relieving someone’s pain a little more important than selling materialistic goods to people who can’t afford them and do not even need them. Second, health care is at a pivotal point. With socialized health care in the works, we have the opportunity to cut a large portion of fraud from the equation and we also have better chances of advancing medical technology and coming up with cures for major illnesses. I hope to be an individual that can make big things happen in the healthcare industry. I want to be the person who fights so that the health of an individual no longer depends upon the money in a person’s pocket. Everyone deserves healthcare.
I will vote on any given day for those who show compassion, I will vote for those who care, I will vote for those who want to save lives, I will vote for those who do not see an individual based on the color of their skin, their religion, their sexuality or social class. I will vote for those not controlled by greed. I will vote for those without hypocrisy or blind faith.
You can call me infidel, left-wing, liberal, hippie and socialist.
Or you can say I am anti-conformist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist, anti-war and anti-establishment.
That will suit me fine.


Let me also leave you with an interview of my new current hero... rap artist Immortal Technique. He is an intelligent person and I admire all that he does. I love how he isn't even signed to a label, yet he built and funds an orphanage in Kabul, Afganistan and he visits all over the world and helps in disasters.





Tuesday, June 21, 2011

What is just?

When a child is born with mental retardation or a terminal disease, is this due to a genetic (evolutionary) mishap or is it due to a mishap in God’s creation process? I am curious to hear Christians answer such a question.
 If we are made in the image of god, why are some created less fortunate than others? Or why didn’t a perfect god create a perfect world? Can you think of anything more narcissistic than creating something incomplete so that it has to rely upon and worship you?
So what essentially is Christianity? I found a great definition…
Christianity- The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove a force of evil from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree… yeah, makes perfect sense! Right?
It blows my mind that people become so offended if you do not believe in something that there is no evidence of. I have to laugh when people say that it isn’t as radical as it seems or when they discount the things of the old testament as being symbolic because they cannot even back up its absurdity but yet they cling on to the new testament. Well, a virgin birth, walking on water man of miracles is just as ridiculous as a talking snake or living inside a whale. Believing in Jesus would be no different than believing in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny or Big Foot. There is no proof of any of them. So, how is it that you know Jesus exists? What evidence do you have? What have you experienced that you are convinced god is real? If you believe you have had any contact with something beyond the realm, you are nuts!
Do Christians not understand that there are thousands of religions in which followers truly believe their own doctrine?  For example, how do Christians discount Islam? There is not more evidence for Christianity than Islam, so what makes Christianity right and Islam wrong? There’s just as many people that truly believe Muhammad is the true profit of god. Are they just less intelligent? The same goes for all religions and beliefs. The difference is that people cling to what they know. People are comfortable with what they are familiar with and this holds true for religion. Your religious views are based on where you are born and raised. Christians believe and fight for Jesus because they only have been taught of Jesus. Muslims cling to Mohammad because all they know is Mohammad.
Which brings me to my next point… Shouldn’t all people have the same chance at salvation? Then what about the 8 year old boy in china that gets hit by a bus before learning of Jesus? What about that 3 month old child that passes away? What about those infidels that are never taught about Jesus? Do the just automatically go to hell? Or do they get a free pass? How is god just?
If there is any god, it would not be a Christian god or a Muslim god, etc. What I’m trying to say is that the only way a man can be both intelligent and believe in god is if he is a deist. There have been many intelligent men throughout history, like our founding fathers who were either atheist or deist. What makes deism intelligent is that it doesn’t require evidence, like atheism doesn’t require evidence. Because deists realize that there are no miracles, there is no communication beyond reality. There is no doctrine of truth. In fact, deists believe in naturalism and reasoning. They didn’t believe in prayer and often they “worshipped the sun.” So what do you believe?

Monday, June 20, 2011

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians, Your Christians are so unlike your Christ" - Ghandi

Just a quick thought, how is it that conservative Christians are capitalists rather than socialists? Would Jesus be a CEO, politician or a millionaire? Would Jesus favor the power given to the few greedy men on top of the pyramid? Would Jesus play part in Wall Street? Would Jesus be materialistic and support corporations and technology abuse?
Or would Jesus want all humans to have an equal chance at healthcare? Did Jesus favor the poor? How did Jesus feel about greedy men? How did Jesus feel about compassionless men of power?
I find it interesting that businessmen, rich republicans, conservative Christians preach an American Dream that opposes the views of Jesus himself. I simply find this unbelievable. This proves how brainwashed our nation has become and how religion has been used as a tool by politicians and those on the top rung to manipulate and push their agendas. So tell me, what about capitalism is Christ-like?

Death

Death by Adam Kincaid

This is your last day; This is your last breath
Hearing voices; Deep within your head
Angels calling; Spirits dance around your bed
Demons begging you to pray; You are sure as dead

The fear is haunting; The fear is taunting
The end has been written on the palm of your hand
The black river starts flowing through your veins
You’re screaming internal as you drown in pain

Watching your body shake as you grip the fray
The dizzy room is spinning as you start to pray
The end is the beginning according to what you believe
But the end is still the end; No matter what you see

The Breakdown
A spiritual person is dying and they see supernatural things as they take their last breath. But dying isn’t a spiritual experience (there are no angels and demons) but death is a natural experience (on the palm of your hand/ the black river).  The last paragraph just says that you can believe what you want out of fear, but that doesn’t change the fact that no one knows what happens when they die.
This is the last writing I will pull from the "vault" from now. I remain shocked as I go back and read things I wrote years ago that I had the same outlook on life then as I do now. The only difference is that I was forced to mask my ideas then out of fear of judgement. Today, I just realize that there is no shame in knowledge and wisdom. To put it simply, I don't care what ignorant people think.

Frozen

Frozen by Adam Kincaid

Ice crystal sky; Smoke vapor breath
Frozen deep inside; Slow steady step
An empty sky high; Right above my head
Broken morning dawn; An internal death
The sun did not rise; With each step I climbed
My feet want to slip; Tossing pebbles from the cliff
As the wind cuts my lip; In a slow steady kiss
Hands hiding deep inside; In my pocket frozen fists

As I near the summit; A fire is just steps away
But as I stumble closer; The burning flame dissipates
Harsh is the mind; The illusion it creates
Captivating eye focus; On unobtainable fate
Destiny’s call echoes; Through the canyon below
Granting a false hope; Seducing to my soul
In the end it has destroyed me; Within it I placed my trust
Soon became my downfall; What once would lift me up
The battle of the mind; Became the fatal cut
Lying on the ground; Dying trying to get up

The Breakdown
This was written a few months after Collision in the Sky and my main goal was to expound on the idea of how religion lifts you up and tears you down in a cycle. The first half of the poem describes the journey of an individual that has recently given up his faith (empty sky high). The characters journey isn’t easy, but he is a fighter (frozen fists) and he is proving that religion isn’t needed to fight through hard times. He feels like giving up (my feet want to slip) but he remains courageous and continues on.
The second portion shows how the character begins forming ideas in his mind that something exists that can save him, something that seems so real, but isn’t even there. The character is being fooled by illusions of his mind and this false reality ultimately destroys him.

Collision in the Sky

Collision in the Sky by Adam Kincaid

Good Morning Sunrise; Peaceful is all nature
Weather controlling moods; Burning with desire
The Sun battles Luna for control of the sky
But Luna soon wins by seducing the Sun’s burning eye
She is a goddess dressed in silver
Screaming divinity is mine
Intercourse occurs in dawn and dusk’s mind
A sacred cosmic act when darkness and light collide
Mixing in brilliant colors; Constellations of the sky

I’ve seen the face of god; Bright in the light of the rising sun
I’ve seen a goddess; Dancing in the reflection of the moon
Birthing many stars; Forming constellations
An artistic painting; Of burning sensations

Search for the answers; Try to find the secret
Tell a self-consumed ear; Anything it wants to hear
Trust not what you feel; Or the comfort of a tear
The human mind slowly emits signals of fear
Let not immortality fade from your thought
Or frailty for that matter as well
A painted picture of heaven; But looks much more like hell
Draped outside it’s frame; A disaster makers tale

Don’t let it get you down; Beyond the shadow of a doubt
Make most of what you have; Someday time will soon run out
An hourglass running down; Sitting beside Buddha on your mantel
Search for wisdom in the trees; Kneel before your melting candle
If the sun is attracted to the earth; Drawing closely as a magnet
Creation will never know the truth; Creation can never tell
But if this were an occurance; We would all burn in hell

The Breakdown
I wrote this poem back in 2007 when I had made a decision that religion was not the answer to life’s questions, but rather nature had more comfort to offer. The first half of the poem describes the beauty of celestial bodies and tells of the enlightenment I had reached. I had found more solace in “worshipping” the tangible, visible power of the sun rather than the chaotic search for truth in religion. This was written nearly the same season of my life that I had a sun god tattooed across my shoulder.
The second portion of the poem discusses how I had decided to remain silent of my new conversion. I would have to continue to appease those in authority or the oppressors within the Christian faith to resist judgment. The poem leads into a discussion about how I would have to “keep my eyes open wide” and remain cautious of both good and evil.
The final paragraph of the poem discusses in confidence that the world will undoubtedly end but by natural means rather than religious causation. This also reminds that as time runs out, we should still search for wisdom and truth but by means of nature and science. Not that we will ever find definitive answers, but knowledge is essential to our species. Also note that the reference to Buddha is not in a negative sense, but rather that Buddhism offers useful wisdom and knowledge for us to live our lives by. Not as a god, but as a teacher.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Welcome to America

I never knew this, Paul Revere warned the British. That’s right, here’s the quote from Sarah Palin “he who warned, uh, the, the British that they weren’t gonna be takin’ away our arms, uh, by ringing those  bells, and, um, making sure as he’s riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that uh we were gonna be secure and that we were gonna be free.” That’s the word-for-word quote.
Now, here’s the kicker. Three days later, after Palin had time to actually learn 3rd grade history, Fox News brought up the subject in a Palin interview to allow her to justify her stupidity and to share a clearly rehearsed history lesson on television. Palin actually claimed that “I know my American history” and she stood by her Paul Revere account and stated that “ya know, I didn’t get that wrong.”
I’m sorry, but someone’s recollection of 3rd grade history is not a “gotch kinda of question.” And if I have to hear you say “gotcha kinda question” or “hopey-changey” or any other childish phrase I am going to die from the embarrassment of coexisting in the same country as this dumb illiterate bimbo that even had the chance of becoming vice president. What an embarrassment for our nation. Celebrities are becoming politicians and people are voting for an inexperienced hockey mom because she is “down to earth” which translates to… “she is no more intelligent than the average dumbass.” These fans of Palin are on the brink of mental retardation, which is why they like Palin. These hillbillies, rednecks and brainwashed Christians love Palin because she appeals to their mental condition. Palin being elected president would be like a special needs class electing their class president.
There’s a great video that I am going to try and post along with this blog. Palin was going to sign books at a local store and fans were waiting out on the sidewalk. An individual asked these people about why they think Palin is a great candidate and the video is a recording of their responses. As you watch the video, pay attention to the type of people, what they are wearing, how they speak and their answers.
This woman was a politician for 2 years, 2 YEARS, in Alaska, ALASKA! And people find this illiterate dumbass capable of running our country?
Watch the following video.... the whole video is good, but I am referring to 3:40 on.

On to the next issue…. The media is pounding it into American’s heads that “big government is bad.” First off, how is a political figure going to run a campaign against government? That is a contradiction in itself. Second, the people in control (CEOs, lawyers, doctors, etc. – those people funding particular politicians) do not want the governments hand in health care, trade balance and banking systems. These people do not want the government to control fraud and abuse of the system, so they use the media to scare Americans about “big government.” That is why the republicans do not like Health Care Reform, they cannot exploit the system. That’s why republicans do not want trade balance, because they are benefiting from CEO’s and corporations and pushing their agendas.
Republicans want to cut programs for the poor to fix the problem rather than attacking the problem itself. The problem is our trade deficit, but the ones who benefit from the trade deficit are those who are in control. They do not care about the American people, they just want to use the media to manipulate the American people into further pushing their agenda. They can attempt to fix the economy by further cutting the throats of the lower and middle class, but this will only drive the dividing line between the rich and the poor even further. Instead of making cuts in health care programs for the poor, medicare, Medicaid, social security, etc…. fix the trade deficit, which will support the American economy, open the factories back up and create more jobs. At that point, we will have a thriving economy and it will not hurt to show compassion to those less fortunate through government aided programs. Go after the problem itself! Don’t just try to find ways around punishing the CEO’s, doctors, politicians for what their greed has brought upon the nation.
The average Americans are cutting their own throats. They buy into the media and push the agendas of those who are going to turn around increase the dividing line. There is a lack of compassionate and humanitarian politicians. And what happens when a compassionate man becomes a politician? We allow him to be ripped to shreds.
We claim that he is Muslim, when he is not! But what difference would it make if he was? Does the Constitution not state freedom of religion? It shouldn’t state freedom of religion because Christians think they control this country!
We claim he is not from America and we demand to see his birth certificate. Obama was the first American President that was asked to display his birth certificate into the media. And why did we do this? Because he is black.
We buy into the lies of the media and we grow hate towards someone for no reason. This man took on the job of cleaning up the mess that Bush made while in office. Things have not gotten worse and no man can fix this mess of a nation over night. Barack Obama cannot change the immoral hearts of the republicans and their raging greed. He is a man that knows what it is like to be on the lower rung.
When it’s all said and done, I am sure that years from now, Barak Obama will be blamed unjustly as he is today for so many things. But when my daughter starts asking questions about Obama as mentioned in her history book, I can say… he was a smart, humble and caring man. I can tell her not to believe a word that she hears because he did all that he could do to fight those in opposition, but our nation wasn’t ready to give up it’s immoral ways and the ignorance of the people.
 This nation is destined for failure, regardless of it’s central leader. The game is not fair and the table is tilted. We have allowed greed of men to run rampant unchecked. We have allowed technology and media to spiral out of control. We have become compassionless and immoral. Uncharitable and ignorant. We have not fought, but have rather digressed. And capitalism, like any other system is destined to fail. Capitalism is no better than socialism when those in control are immoral users. That’s the same reason why people believe socialist countries are bad, because socialism becomes bad when immoral men are in charge.  Yet somehow, The U.S doesn’t earn a spot in the Top 10 List of Happiest Countries, but a lot of Socialist countries sure do. The Happiness of a nation is measured using the following aspects: Life Satisfaction Score, Debt, Employment Rate, Healthcare Access, Average Work Hours, Disposable Income, Educational Attainment and Life Expectancy.

It’s amazing what a country can do without war and greed. The American Dream is nothing more than bullshit. You are just a piece of the puzzle, a working cog for those at the top of the pyramid. They want you to think you can be the next big businessman, sports star, rapper, billionaire, whatever…. But you won’t and your children won’t. You are born into this nation and you are shaped to perform a certain duty for those on top of the pyramid. You do not choose what you will do, but rather your environment decides what job you will perform. You work that job until you are 65 years old and you “retire.” Which means that you are no longer an asset for work and after 65 years of age you are just in your dying phase. You work your ass off towards this American Dream and you do not take time to enjoy life, because you are a slave for that almighty dollar. Then, you finally have the chance to enjoy life when you’re body is decaying and you are no longer a useful tool for those on the top rung.
Welcome to America! Where our politicians are in favor of tax cuts for oil companies and the rich, but against healthcare availability for all. Welcome to America! Where stupidity reigns.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

My Favorites.... So Far

Top 20 Music Artists
Brand New
Brett Dennen
Bruce Springsteen
The White Stripes
Kevin Devine
Jack Johnson
Manchester Orchestra
John Mayer
Goo Goo Dolls
Jars of Clay
Wilco
Jason Mraz
Tristan Prettyman
Matchbox 20
Green Day
Kanye West
Iron and Wine
Alanis Morissette
Derek Webb
Bright Eyes

Top 20 Albums
The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me - Brand New
The Rising - Bruce Springsteen
Elephant - The White Stripes
Brett Dennen - Brett Dennen
Good Monsters - Jars of Clay
21st Century Breakdown - Green Day
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Nightmare - Kanye West
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco
Sleep Through the Static - Jack Johnson
Change - Sons of the Desert
Loverboy - Brett Dennen
Simple Math - Manchester Orchestra
Continuum - John Mayer
Twenty-three - Tristan Prettyman
Be As You Are - Kenny Chesney
Lemonade - G. Love
Daisy - Brand New
No Name Face - Lifehouse
Mad Season - Matchbox 20
Dizzy Up the Girl - Goo Goo Dolls

Top 12 Songs
Iris - Goo Goo Dolls
Heaven - Brett Dennen
Carnival - Kevin Devine
Boy with a Coin - Iron and Wine
What Matters More - Derek Webb
Vices - Brand New
Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Waiting on the World to Change - John Mayer
Sunny Days - Jars of Clay
Simple Math - Manchester Orchestra
Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson
Baba - Alanis Moissette

Top 5 Guitarists
John Mayer
Jack White
Tom Morello
John Fogerty
Johnny Lang

Top 5 Songwriters
Brett Dennen
Kevin Devine
Bruce Springsteen
Jesse Lacey
Derek Webb

Top 25 Movies
The Wizard of Oz
Mirrormask
The Departed
Max Payne
Four Brothers 
Shooter
Donnie Darko
Easy A
Moulin Rouge
Repo: The Genetic Opera
The Hangover
Dogma
Bickford Schmeckler's Cool Ideas
Saved
Chicago
Across the Universe
The Slammin' Salmon
Watchmen
Almost Famous
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Aeon Flux
The Invention of Lying
Juno
Batman: The Dark Night
The Notebook

Top 12 Animated Films
Toy Story 3
Tangled
Lilo and Stitch
Over the Hedge
Ice Age
Barnyard Animals
Coraline
Surfs Up
Monsters vs. Aliens
Open Season
Tinkerbell
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Top 12 Actors
Mark Wahlberg
Matt Damon
Patrick Fugit
Leonardo DiCaprio
Ben Affleck
Zach Galifanikus
Jake Gyllenhaal
Ben Stiller
Johnny Depp
Robert Downey Jr.
Ashton Kutcher
Ricky Gervais

Top 12 Actresses
Olivia Munn
Arielle Kebbel
Emma Stone
Alyson Hannigan
Scarlett Johansson
Zooey Deschanel
Eliza Dushku
Mandy Moore
Amy Adams
Julia Stiles
Mila Kunis
Hayden Pantierra

Most Underrated Actor
Patrick Fugit

Most Underrated Actress
Olivia Munn

Most Underrated Films
Mirrormask
Repo: The Genetic Opera
Wristcutters: A Love Story
Bickford Schmeckler's Cool Ideas
The Invention of Lying

Top 10 Television Shows
Family Guy
Everybody Loves Raymond
How I Met Your Mother
My Life As Liz
Gray's Anatomy
True Blood
Attack of the Show
The Daily Show
Real Time with Bill Maher
The Colbert Report

Top 10 Children/Teen Shows
Spongebob Squarepants
Doug
Garfield
Boy Meets World
Icarly
Victorious
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Max and Ruby
Catdog
Hey Arnold

Top 5 Documentaries
Capitalism: A Love Story - Michael Moore
Sicko - Michael Moore
One Percent - Jaime Johnson
Religulous - Bill Maher
Zeigiest: The Movie

12 Most Influential People
Barack Obama
Jon Stewart
Michael Moore
Bill Maher
Ricky Gervais
George Carlin
Steven Colbert
Jaime Johnson
Brett Dennen
Kevin Devine
Bruce Springsteen
Jesse Lacey

Great Activists
Brett Dennen - The Mosaic Project
Dan Haseltine - Blood Water Mission
Olivia Munn - PETA / Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Jon Foreman - Swithfoot Bro Am
Jack Johnson - Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation

Top 5 Books
Suck It Wonder Woman: The Adventures of a Hollywood Geek - Olivia Munn
Wicked - Gregory 
The Tenth Jutice - Brad Meltzer
It Ain't No Sin to Be Glad You're Still Alive - Bruce Springsteen
To Own A Dragon - Donald Miller

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Yeah, Our Nation is Full of Brainless Idiots

Why is that nobody even mentions balance of trade as the main issue of our nations economic problems? Is it because CEO's rule our country and own politicians? Are we afraid of pissing off other nations? I don't get it!
 
Go to the website below and take note of where the US sits on the list of trade account balance as listed by IMF. Map out and notice the nations on top. Also realize the nations in the middle do not import or export much at all. Keep in mind that we import more from China than anywhere, which is why China sits on top. Also notice that the US sits (that's right) on the bottom. Why are the people of our nation so ignorant? It doesn't take Albert Einstein to see what is going on, perhaps 90% of Americans are mindless!

How is it that no one is asking questions about this? I haven't heard one person mention the balance of trade to solve our economic crisis. But this is what Americans get for being to ignorant and uninformed on the facts. People just simply don't care and do not think about what is important. Every one who votes republican and spends every last dime at crooked corporations.... you deserve no less than to be robbed and destroyed. You didn't have the balls to stand up. You didn't have balls to ask questions. You just believed what you were told by a lying hypocrite and you didn't care to confront them. America, you are a nation of rubble.

If we forced a balance of trade, our factories would reopen, our jobs would increase, and CEO's and big business would be forced into promoting our country, not some foreign country. There's no need to import everything from another country for cheap labor, so that CEO's and corporations can gain enormous profits. AMERICA, THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE! SAY NO TO IMPORTATION AND YES TO TRADE BALANCE AMONG NATIONS! OR SINK LIKE A STONE!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cumulative_Current_Account_Balance.png

Country↓ CCAB, bn↓
Japan 2,747.943
China 1,521.887
Germany 1,047.328
Russia 613.978
Switzerland 596.977
Netherlands 523.055
Saudi Arabia 451.337
Norway 444.011
Taiwan 365.121
Kuwait 346.713
Singapore 309.727
United Arab Emirates 257.365
Sweden 232.236
Venezuela 191.734
Hong Kong SAR 188.310
Belgium 186.513
Algeria 159.451
Libya 156.081
Malaysia 145.888
Qatar 145.276
France 111.443
Korea 111.264
Iran, Islamic Republic of 89.331
Finland 85.127
Brunei Darussalam 69.732
Denmark 44.564
Luxembourg 42.328
Angola 33.466
Iraq 26.315
Trinidad and Tobago 24.640
Nigeria 20.751
Oman 19.866
Azerbaijan 19.229
Austria 14.919
Gabon 14.558
Turkmenistan 11.673
Botswana 11.427
Bahrain 10.510
Uzbekistan 7.358
Indonesia 5.690
Namibia 4.519
Timor-Leste, Dem. Rep. of 3.943
Papua New Guinea 3.829
Yemen, Republic of 1.623
Kiribati 0.074
Vanuatu -0.096
Tonga -0.201
Eritrea -0.320
Solomon Islands -0.384
Samoa -0.430
Mongolia -0.505
Bolivia -0.523
Comoros -0.628
São Tomé and Príncipe -0.645
Gambia, The -0.800
Swaziland -0.921
Suriname -0.951
Djibouti -0.963
Guinea-Bissau -1.059
Dominica -1.098
Bhutan -1.139
Liberia -1.150
Haiti -1.370
Cape Verde -1.383
St. Vincent and the Grenadines -1.462
St. Kitts and Nevis -1.481
Nepal -1.562
Belize -1.571
Afghanistan, Rep. of. -1.768
Central African Republic -1.829
Seychelles -1.836
Grenada -1.852
Tajikistan -1.937
Equatorial Guinea -1.959
Kyrgyz Republic -1.981
Sierra Leone -1.985
Syrian Arab Republic -2.079
Burundi -2.104
Maldives -2.163
Antigua and Barbuda -2.220
Barbados -2.245
St. Lucia -2.414
Mauritius -2.476
Togo -2.980
Cambodia -3.377
Lesotho -3.396
Fiji -3.637
Paraguay -3.678
Congo, Republic of -3.729
Montenegro -3.746
Rwanda -3.782
Guyana -3.799
Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of -4.094
Malawi -4.110
Moldova -4.251
Mauritania -4.376
Malta -4.520
Niger -4.580
Mali -4.666
Armenia -4.712
Guinea -4.789
Egypt -4.936
Benin -5.111
Lao People\'s Democratic Republic -5.322
Myanmar -5.981
Albania -6.005
Uganda -6.009
Zimbabwe -6.476
Burkina Faso -6.663
Uruguay -6.933
Cameroon -6.995
Ukraine -7.381
Slovenia -7.412
El Salvador -7.723
Chad -9.263
Ethiopia -9.296
Ecuador -9.435
Bahamas, The -9.610
Georgia -10.373
Honduras -10.519
Madagascar -10.547
Kenya -10.721
Bangladesh -10.805
Zambia -10.846
Côte d\'Ivoire -11.475
Morocco -11.552
Panama -11.614
Kazakhstan -11.712
Jordan -11.714
Congo, Democratic Republic of -11.894
Israel -11.943
Philippines -12.597
Senegal -12.791
Ghana -13.439
Bosnia and Herzegovina -14.037
Jamaica -14.095
Cyprus -15.262
Belarus -15.527
Dominican Republic -15.594
Tanzania -15.639
Estonia -15.963
Mozambique -16.335
Costa Rica -17.266
Nicaragua -19.224
Thailand -19.586
Sri Lanka -20.541
Tunisia -20.623
Guatemala -21.948
Iceland -21.983
Chile -22.794
Latvia -23.392
Lithuania -25.820
Serbia -26.927
Croatia -30.039
Slovak Republic -34.588
Vietnam -34.599
Bulgaria -41.185
Peru -41.389
Ireland -46.067
Czech Republic -47.131
Pakistan -50.424
Lebanon -51.530
Sudan -53.294
Colombia -53.379
Canada -56.757
South Africa -69.912
Argentina -72.486
Romania -89.819
Hungary -91.720
New Zealand -95.316
India -137.796
Poland -182.901
Portugal -187.217
Turkey -192.089
Brazil -220.506
Greece -249.371
Italy -262.901
Mexico -263.667
Australia -529.031
United Kingdom -695.155
Spain -773.443
USA -7,335.869                                       

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Jesus, the Capitalist Part II

What is the grandest endorsement? Microsoft? Apple? Nike? Hollister? The greatest endorsement is stamping Jesus Christ on something. We see Christianity used as a business everywhere. Do you think that the pie you bought or the local business down the street let's you know they are "Christian owned" for you benefit or to generate business to increase profit? Do you think that $23 dollar tee shirt with that cheesy Christian slogan actually cost over $10 dollars to make? Do you think that $150 Bible translation with a commentary actually cost more to make than that $20 Bible next to it? Do you think Christian music artists are selling their albums at $17.99 to spread the word of Christ? Do you think Christian stores sell products to spread the word or to make money?

Shouldn't truth be public domain? 

Christianity is a business, Christianity is a tool. It's used to make revenue, gain votes, and to create jobs for lazy individuals. Look at the price tag of Christianity, it's not there for your benefit, but for someone else's gain. 

If you had created an elixir that saved lives, would you want to get it into the hands of those who need it as easily and cheap as possible? Or would you try to turn a profit from your new creation? Any person with pure intentions would want to help others without cost in mind.
Now, let's look at Christianity. Christians claim to have the answers, they claim that your lives can be saved from eternal damnation. Wow, eternal damnation.... This is some pretty important stuff. Why is it that Christians are trying to turn profit rather than save souls from eternal damnation?

Shouldn't the truth be public domain? You see, we have corrupt, greedy individuals at the top of every pyramid. The Christian community is not set apart from capitalism. 

What about politics? Do you think politicians display their Christianity for your benefit or theirs? Do you think politicians can be true Christians in the first place? 

What about preachers? Do you think that preacher gives sermons on Sunday and Wednesday nights for the sake of your soul? Or for the money to provide for his lifestyle?

Oh foolish and blind followers of Christianity. Do you not have eyes or ears? Do you not have a functioning brain?

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Zeitgeist and Beyond

I was reading a forum earlier today, as I have been researching religion and capitalism and various theories involved with religion and monetary systems. I was reading about the Zeitgeist film and I found that the only argument critics had against the 3 parts of the film including the falsehood of religion, the hidden agenda of government and the  destined failure of capitalism. The major arguing point is the falsehood or validity of Christianity, but I especially found that portion of the film to be exceptional. Though supporters of the Zeitgeist movement are over 6 million strong, the public disagrees with their beliefs because they are "infidels" who hate Christianity. How is it so easy to argue that something exists when there is no evidence that can prove it actually does? You can't give evidence that something doesn't exist, but you should be able to give evidence when something does exist.

For example: 
Me: Bigfoot is real
You: Then prove it
Me: No, why don't you disprove it
You: Well, the only evidence I have is that no one has seen him
Me: But that doesn't me that he is not real.

That is what Christians sound like. The only evidence of their god is a book that says a child was conceived by god, water was turned to wine, two loaves of bread fed thousands, bread fell from the sky, the red sea was parted, a donkey spoke words, a man healed others with divine powers, etc. I could go on all night. People actually believe that these ridiculous things actually happened. Some believe they still go on today and others believe that they don't happen today because god no longer needs to perform miracles. Right?!

If the book itself isn't ridiculous enough. The creation of the book itself is not as it seems either. Essentially, the stories of the Bible were written during different time periods and a group of "scholars" sat around a large table and chose what writings go into the Bible and the order of the different passages. But my bad, God has watched over his word and I'm sure that he watched over this collective meeting of scholars. My question is, why does god even watch over his word to keep it in context when there are thousands of denominations that have different concepts of the interpretation of the holy scripture. Somebody is not doing their job. 

The truth is that the stories in the Bible were formed from older ancient mythology. There are so many Greek and Indian gods that predate Christ that involved the same scenarios. For example, I had written a paper on the similarities between Christ and Dionysus, which is posted as an earlier blog. Others like: Horus, Mithra, Osiris, Krishna and Attis had similar stories and all predate the story of the Christ. Personally, I believe these ancient myths influenced the stories of Jesus, as well as the use of constellations and distortion of sun worship. 

Back in 2007, I got a tattoo of a sun god on my arm. On the first warm day of spring I went and got the tattoo as a symbol. A symbol to mark the ending of a long cold winter in my life and my adoration for the one visible, tangible thing that is sure to be faithful when all else fails. Not a cross, or a symbol of Christianity because they are not visible, tangible or real, but the sun is the closest to a god that I have ever found. This also disproves the gossip that I changed overnight or that I allowed someone else to sway my thinking. I have disagreed with majority of Christianity from the start. Which can be followed by my writings since the early 2000's, but that's a whole different subject. Anyway,  I found it odd that as I watched part I of the Zeitgeist movie, they mentioned the same adoration for the sun in ancient times and how this "power" of the sun and the stories of constellations were distorted over time. The film gives an excellent theory of the creation of Christianity. 

Anyway, back to the forum on the Zeitgeist film. I find it odd that one Christian called Zeitgeist followers delusional and crazy with a lack of understanding. Is someone who follows their senses, living in reality and only acknowledging scientific proven facts delusional? Or is someone who believes in something that they can't see, hear or touch delusional? Is someone who believes the red sea was parted and a donkey spoke delusional? Is someone who believes prayer effects outcomes delusional?
Now the lack of understanding is another point of mine. The majority of Zeitgeists are people who were once involved in Christianity and advocates of capitalism that researched the issues and could see through hidden agendas. What I find humorous is that Christians are the ones who lack understanding and the proper information. The leaders like to keep it this way. Do as your told and ask no questions.

I think it's funny that Christians know nothing about other religions or gods. They cling so tightly to their beliefs without having any knowledge of the other side of the story. I watched a documentary where Christians were inquired about other religions. They had no answers. A research study in the form of a questionnaire asked Christians and atheists on various levels of education about different religions. Atheists scored enormously higher than Christians and a correlation was also found between the level of education and religious beliefs. The higher the level of education, the least likely the individual was to cling to a certain religious doctrine. Also, the atheists knew more about the Bible than the Christians themselves.

For Christians, this lack of cultural and religious knowledge is a problem. It is human nature to cling to what one knows. Therefore, the American way is to shove a form of Christianity down ones throat without knowledge of universal religions or scientific facts. People are clinging to the doctrine because it is all they have heard or know. That's why a child clings only to it's mother for the first months of it's life. It's human nature to cling to what you are familiar with. However, people should be given all the information they need to make an informed decision on their own. There is no way for a human to logically argue with evolution. Science holds the ability to be proven or disproven, whereas Christianity cannot be proven or disproven because their is no evidence either way. So which will you choose? Logic or faith?

Do you have all the information you need to make an informed decision on your religious beliefs? I suggest that people study alternative religions, scientific beliefs and other theories. If after doing so, you feel Christianity is the truth then more power to you. By studying other religions, more than likely you will not convert, but you will see their ridiculous beliefs or their similarities with Christianity and you will see through the stories of the Bible. To see how informed you are of alternative beliefs, here are a few basic questions. What is deism? Atheism? Buddhism? Hinduism? Judaism? Taosim? Islam? What is eastern mysticism? What is new age belief? What is The Big Bang Theory? Do you know how evolution works? Do you know the more important mythological gods and goddesses? Also make note of the  creators and leaders of each of these religions and the time periods of each. Also, realize the influence and similarities of one to another.

So, what do I believe? I cannot expound too much at the time because it is currently 2 a.m. but I will give you the basics. I believe in evolution, because it is scientific and makes complete sense. I believe this for alot of reasons, but my belief in evolution was confirmed by watching the division process of cells on a microscope during clonal selection, as well as studying the mutation process. I also had the opportunity to study various skeletal system of different animals and humans, but as stated earlier I have numerous reasons. I discount Christianity completely. I have found it to be completely irrelevant in today's society and mostly harmful. I believe that biblical stories were derived from ancient myths mixed with distortion of sun worship and constellations. Jesus Christ may have lived, but he had no supernatural experiences. I believe that Buddism is a good way to live by. Not as a religion, because Buddhism was never intended to be a religion, but the ideas can have a great outcome on ones positivity. I also believe the basics of Taoism, as well. We are all both good and evil, but that doesn't mean the we shouldn't strive for excellence. I do not believe you should exalt any particular god or leader of any religion though. I understand why people adapt to many forms of new age belief and I believe that each individual could be considered a "god," but I believe that it is most important to know oneself. I think it best or each individual to live life with dignity an integrity rather than grasping belief systems. Like Buddhism, live in each moment with positivity, love and integrity and you cannot go wrong. Also, helping others in need is important and a  necessity. 

My next study session will include the idea of karma. Though I want to believe the universe is balanced by good and evil and that justice is served on earth, I do not currently believe in karma. However, I want to learn more about karma than what The Secret has taught or what I have heard.

On to what kick-started the creation of this blog. Apparently, Michelle Bachmann received confirmation from her Christian god that h is "called" to run for president in the next term. Where do I start? First off, I am afraid that anyone who has low enough mental capacity to believe they have direct communication with god is far from capable to run our country. This is complete insanity. But as mention many times in the past, leaders use religion as a tool and they use Christianity strategically in America to push their agendas. 

Let me explain to you what will go down. Sarah Palin as I have stated multiple times will not run for president. Her stupidity has already cost her that opportunity and she knows that she is too inexperienced and that she doesn't have the intelligence to be voted in. However, Palin will push for Michelle Bachmann's presidency to push the agenda of the Republicans and to gain glory and attention. Like Palin, Bachmann is tossing out Christianity early in the election to gain votes, but early enough to be ignored later during her campaign. Disgusting, but true. What voters need to understand is that Christianity and morals are not synonymous. In fact, quite the opposite. Instead, Christianity is a good tool to use in a nation of ignorance. I think it is funny how transparent Bachmann, Palin, Trump and other republicans are being in their actions. The use of Christianity for personal gain should be considered as blasphemy to Christian groups, but rather it is esteemed highly. However, these are the same I do idiots that have ignored Palin's attendance to a "tongues speaking" church. Now these two (Palin and Bachmann) are delusional. 

Lastly, I have to mention a documentary that I am halfway through. Everyone needs to see the documentary titled One Percent. It was created by the family member (son) of the owner of Johnson and Johnson. This young man made this film against the wishes of his family. He discusses how his family is a part of the one percent that owns the rest and his feelings towards his own involvement. His own father told him not to fuck up his life of riches by making the film, but the boy deems morals more important than greed. It is an eye opener for sure. I also suggest that people watch the films Sicko and Capitalism: A Love Story by Michael Moore.