What if Obama wins the election?

Instead of an Atheist Thought of the Week, and since this is my blog, I would like to ask a question. I have read an article or two on the consequences of Obama losing the election, with a hint there may be some rioting in some or all of the major US cities. That would certainly be a less than a favorable outcome under this premise. In one article it was put as perhaps being like the rioting after Rodney King was beaten by police. But what if he won? And then some ignorant, deep south, raving racist lunatic from perhaps Mississippi or Louisiana, though not limited to just those two states, managed to kill him. What kind of rioting would come of that? One can only hope it won't come to that. But I fear, though we as a nation have made great strides in learning to live together as civilised peoples, it has not been so long as to be certain there is not one or more determined racist that will not brook a black man as President.

The premise just outlined to you is not original with me. A friend who has more time to think of such things as I do put this in my head. It is something to wonder about and prepare for if only somewhat minimally however you may think you should where you live. Where I live I doubt anything will happen as I live in a very rural area of Middle Georgia, but the Cities of Macon and Atlanta a little north and just a bit farther north of me respectfully could see some outcries of injustice. And let's not discount the power and ability of Jesse Jackson and Louis Farrakhan to exacerbate any situation to deadly proportions.

As it gets closer to November we should all think about this and prepare accordingly. Hopefully the election will go smoothly and the loser will be graceful and nothing else will come about as a result either way. But chance favors the prepared mind and perhaps that is all I am really saying here.

Good night, Gracie!

Atheist Thought of the Week

I've been thinking about Atheist Quote of the Week and have decided to change it to Atheist Thought of the Week. I've done this to emphasize that I'm not merely trying to present a quote by an atheist writer or thinker, which is what I am doing precisely but, I do this more for the hope anyone reading the offer would also think about what is being said.

This week's offer comes from Sam Harris. It is from his book "The End of Faith." Amazon.com Choosing something by Harris was difficult. He has many interesting thoughts and insights throughout his book but I am forced to parse and paraphrase somewhat in order to get the idea across here but in fewer words than Sam used in his book. It is not to say that he is long winded but rather that the kernel of the thought I wish to get across here doesn't need the entire 300 words of the paragraph he used, hence the late posting here, usually on a Thursday has taken me into Friday this week. So without further ado, here's Sam with an interesting thought about religion and how, and why, it affects us all.

"Our situation is this: most of the people in this world believe that the Creator of the universe has written a book. We have the misfortune of having many such books on hand making an exclusive claim as to its infallibility....All are in perverse agreement on one point of fundamental importance, however: "respect" for other faiths, or for the views of unbelievers, is not an attitude that God endorses....Intolerance is thus intrinsic to every creed....Certainty about the next life is simply incompatible with tolerance in this one." Page 13, Paperback Edition, Copyright 2004

The ellipses indicate I have skipped an entire intervening sentence to get on to the more supportive statements made. It is worth your while to acquire the book and read the whole of it, the book that is, and not just the paragraph.

The Epitome of Stupidity

Wow, I mean, wait a minute. Let me catch my breath. Folks, I just learned something that may shock you. Yes, when I first learned of it I could not breath for a full 12 seconds.

I just learned that atheism is the epitome of stupidity and, from no less a scholar than Ray Comfort at that. It seems that when Ray witnesses to atheists it is demeaning to him to have to do it since he has to resort to such a low intellectual level in order to reason with the twits. This is just earth shattering news. I only hope I don't misspell any words in reporting this to you, my dear readership. For the whole nine yards you may read the entire intellectually demeaning article on Ray Comfort's blog here.

Atheist Quote of the Week

In a post at Pharyngula, titled 'Matthew Cobb and Jerry Coyne write a letter,' a letter written to Nature magazine is sported with a link to the article. The last sentence of the letter is this weeks quote and is highlighted by Mr. PZ Myers himself as a distinguished sentiment and I concur.

And here she is:

"In reality, the only contribution that science can make to the ideas of religion is atheism."

So much for reconciling science with religion.

A Little Short Story

I sat down at a table in the back of the bar. The waitress, a curvy young girl and dressed seductively, came up to the table and stopped so that I when I turned my head to speak to her I looked right into her cleavage. I really liked what she had and she knew it, too. When I finally looked up to her face she was already smiling at my look of disbelief.

"What'll you have, Honey?"

"I'd like a Sam Adams lager unless you haven't any or may recommend something."

"A Sam Adams lager it is."

She smartly turned around and I was hopelessly lost in lust as she walked away toward the bar, her ass and my eyes bouncing the whole way until she disappeared in shadow. I could still make out her white short shorts but only vaguely. After a few minutes she returned with my beer. I paid with a ten and she gave me five back after I told her to keep the change.

"I haven't seen you in here before. Is this your first time here?"

"Yeah, I usually just stay home and read or surf the Internet or whatever. I live across the street at the Marlborough Apartments. I was bored a little and thought maybe I should stop in for a while."

"I live at the Marlborough, too. Apartment 235.

"Apartment 204. I've lived there for over a year. How about you?"

"Just a couple of months. Say, I've got to get busy or Mike will have a cow. Maybe you could stay a while. Only two hours till closing. We should get together after."

Maybe you'd like something to eat. There's a Waffle House just a block away."

"I'd like that. I haven't eaten out in a long time."

I sat there for two hours. I only had one more beer, slowly sipping them. I almost couldn't finish the second one it was so warm. I didn't want to get drunk. I've never liked being drunk and tonight was my first alcohol in several months. I'm not against drinking alcohol, just being drunk. Since I was in a bar and I do enjoy a beer, I drank a couple. Slowly though. I didn't want to become drunk for two reasons. One, I hate being drunk and two I figured...I suddenly realised I don't know her name yet, and she doesn't know mine. Oh well, after she is off work we'll get to the introductions. Oh, and two, I thought maybe she had seen her fair share of drunks.

Occasionally over the two hours she would stop by for a second and wink at me or ask if I needed anything. I just shook my head no and she would whisk on by. I thought to myself maybe she doesn't drink on duty as a lot of bar waitresses learn to do, especially strip bars. This bar wasn't a strip bar but it sure had a lot of very good looking, young and seductively dressed young ladies as waitresses. I saw a few of them drink from a glass from behind the bar, but I never saw her doing it. Besides, when we did get to the Waffle House, a first date sort of, I didn't want her to be turned off by me being drunk. If she was a little tipsy it wouldn't mean so much to me as I thought me being drunk might mean to her.

I had to wait outside for the bar to close. It was a fair part of town. I wasn't afraid of being mugged so much as being arrested by the cops for hanging outside a closed bar for whatever reason they might imagine. Anyway, I wasn't arrested and she came out with the rest of the crowd of employees after just ten minutes.

I recognised her only by her figure. She had changed clothes, as did everyone before coming outside, but I could tell it was her even in the jeans and light black jacket she had over her tanktop. I offered her my arm and she took it pulling my arm close to her tightly. I could feel her shivering. And I could feel the warmth of her breast on my arm. It was a bit cold for an August morning in Atlanta, but I began to feel a rush of warmth come up my chest into my face. I wondered where the night may go, and if she would be a part of it with me unto morning.