Belief

I am an Atheist. A true believer in the fact that there is no god and that the bible is an interesting book of fables that may or may not have interesting lessons to teach. There are many things I believe. I believe in evolution. I believe in science. I believe in reality. I believe that my life may not have some kind of grand purpose, but that that's okay. Some people think that the thought of aimlessly meandering through life without a purpose is depressing and even frightening, but I think that we find our own purpose. I may not have been put here on this earth for any reason, but we find our own reasons to live. I believe in equality. I may get bogged down with petty judgments in the grind that is daily life but I know in my heart that I believe in true equality. I believe that believing in god is a huge leap of faith that many are willing to take, and many are not, but we all believe in something. As humans we constantly question our teachings and our surroundings, we constantly evaluate and re-evaluate, and that's what makes us alive. To blindly follow and not question is to not live up to your potential as a human. To be so self-centered as to think that your way of believing is the only right way is to mistake what it really means to believe. Belief should not be a horse blinder blocking out all other points of view. It is a huge, ever changing and transforming force that should bring people together, rather than violently drive them apart with scorn for not following the "rules." Belief should be always adapting, always learning, never stagnant. We all have various events, people and things in our lives that make us who we are, and it is extremely foolish to try to jam all personalities into a one-size-fits-all mold of organized religious values.

So there are many things that I believe, and there are many things that I value, and it just so happens that none of them really have to do with going to heaven or hell or Jesus or whatever reasons religious people may have for justifying their faith. These are my reasons for justifying mine.

It's just, I've heard so many times - mild-mannered christians who wonder - "what do those atheists have against us?? We don't try to force our religion on them. We're not bad people." It's not about condemning every Christian believer, because despite what they want you to believe christianity is not a monolithic front. Personal belief from person to person is a very different thing from the bigoted, tyrannical and downright oppressive actions of the corrupt organized religion whose name they still happily claim. And then they come out with some patronizing statement about how they "feel sorry and sad for atheists," etcetera,  or that atheists "just don't know better." That's another thing I believe: that I don't like to be talked down to and/or patronized.

I wish I could be more eloquent about this. I just. Argh.

huarghgh. Religion. Those petty judgments I was talking about? Sometimes religion just makes my blood boil.

You know what? Maybe one day the heavens will open and Jesus will come and whatnot and take the believers or whatever he is going to do and then I'll stand utterly corrected. Until then, I'm pretty happy as I am.

Teh Googlez

Dr. Google really does make everything better. Don't know what you're talking about? Google it. I can tell you to Google as many things as I want because it's not trademarked as a verb. Google that.

I have noticed my growing reliance on Google in all situations, which comes as an added bonus to having a smartphone addiction, I think.

Don't know how to get to Midtown? Google it (you've been there a thousand times, you should know by now. Also, somehow NO ONE ON THE INTERNET KNOWS THE HOURS.)

Don't know how to tell if a mango is ripe? Google it (It's comparable to feeling out the ripeness of a peach or pear).

Don't know if you should drink alcohol with your specific antibiotic? Google it (You probably shouldn't).

Paranoid about mixing certain cold medicines even though the doctor told you you could? Google it anyway (it's safe to take ibuprophen, acetaphetamines, and suphedrine together as long as each one doesn't have any traces of the other).

Don't know what that little hole in the top of your iPhone is next to the headphone jack? Google it (it's a mic, don't stick any foreign objects in it, for christ's sake).

Don't know whether the Indian shooting the star on a Tootsie-pop wrapper rumor is true or not? Google it (either way, still not sending it in).

Don't know what the sudden change in behavior of your beloved pet is all about? Google it (he's probably sick and/or just messed up).

Don't know what magna cum laude means? Google it (for MICA it's 3.75).

Want to know what Denis Leary looks like outside of Suicide Kings - in which he's totally smokin' by the way? Google it (meh).

Don't know how to spot knockoff headphones? Google it (you should have thought about that before you ordered them).

Wondering what Harold Camping's doing after the failed rapture? Google it (returned no juicy results).

Don't know what a D&C is? Google it (really wish I hadn't).

Wondering when The Guild season 5 comes out? Google it (NOT SOON ENOUGH DAMMIT).

Your iPhone thinks it's connected to a mystery accessory and drives you up the wall by turning itself on every thirty seconds? Goooooooggggggglllleeeeeeee iiiiittttttt.

(you got water in the connector, you dum dum)

see? SO MANY ANSWERS. Answers to everything I could ever want.

agarg.

I think Christopher Walken is one of the hottest men of all time. Is that weird? He kind of makes me all tingly and stuff.

Shave-a-lot

When I was at Save-A-Lot earlier this semester, I got in line with a couple things behind an elderly black man with a shopping cart full of food. He told me to "go ahead, miss," and waved me ahead of him in line. I hesitated, but accepted because I wasn't sure what to do. As the lady rang me up, I said, "Thank you, you didn't have to do that."

"I don't have to do a lot of things," he said, shaking his head. "Some people privileged, some people ain't. That's how the world works." I shook my head yes, not knowing what to say to that true but uncomfortable statement. I paid for my food, told him to have a nice day and thanked him again, and made my way back to my apartment. This happened a few months ago, but it still pops up in my head and strikes me as particularly poignant.

some people privileged, some people ain't, isn't that the sad, sad truth.





on a funnier note,


a friend and I were in Save-A-Lot earlier this week and were trying to decide between Tostidos brand tortilla chips or the Save-A-Lot brand Senora Verde.

"We should probably just get the cheap Senora Verde kind, they probably taste the same," I said.

Without missing a beat, the employee stocking shelves next to me goes, "Hey. Senora isn't cheap - she may be easy, but she's certainly not cheap!"

I bust out laughing, pointed the chips at him, said "Touche," and walked away.

Oh, Save-A-Lot.