March 17, 2015

The funny thing about people that think the country is founded on "Judeo-Christian" values.

Moses ambled down from the mountain with ten laws, right?

"You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make idols.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet."


Two of which are illegal 99% of the time. One that is illegal in court. And those aren't unique. Its not like all cultures were stealing and murdering with impunity until they came across this. In the first half the lord sounds like a bad boss.

Look also at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5- 7). Too long to reproduce here, but it also doesn't have that founders feel.

Because what so many people seem to forget is that the founders were not a homogeneous group. They disagreed and fought, especially about the scope of the state. That's why the constitution is a secular document, with specifically no religious tests and the very first freedom in the first amendment in the bill of rights is against an establishment of religion.

The one founding document that does express a creator is the Declaration of Independence, and that is very nonspecific. As I understand the idea of a creator was more akin to the idea of the watchmaker. As a watch implies a watchmaker, a universe implies a universe-maker. Also, I forget where in the Holy Book the fact that we are granted life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness comes from. It's closer to the formulation from John Locke about "Life, Liberty, and Property," but the Founders couldn't say that when they owned people as property.

March 13, 2015

Not Nigeria Anymore. 419 Scams Live.

Something tells me that people only do this because some people reply. Who replies?

"God Bless You,

My name is Mrs. Blessing Akuzuomahu from Cote d'Ivoire , I am 59 years old, I am suffering from a long time Cancer of the breast. From all indication my condition is really deteriorating, and my Doctors have courageously advised me that I may not live beyond next month, this is Because the cancer stage has reached a critical stage. I was brought up in a Motherless baby home, and was married to my late husband for twenty years we have only one child his name is Samuel. My husband and I are true Christians, but quite unfortunately, he Died on the 2011 presidential election in our country.

Before his death we were both born again Christians. I decided not to re-marry, My husband Deposited the sum of $9.5 million dollars here in Cote d'Ivoire Presently, this money is still with the bank i want you to use this money to take care of my only son and also invested the money into charity organisation, the poor and the motherless baby as, orphanage Homes and widows around. I must let you know that this was a very hard decision, But I had to take a bold step towards this issue because I have no further option.

I hope you will help see my last wishes come true.

Best regards,
Mrs. Blessing Akuzuomahu"

March 12, 2015

Goodbye, Terry.

It looks like we lost a great writer as Terry Pratchett met his creation today.

It feels like losing a friend. I never met the man, but the grief was real and genuine. The last time a stranger died and I felt this was was about a decade ago when we lost Vonnegut. There's no way to really classify the loss of the potential joy that you would have had. There's also the weird enjoyment of new discoveries of the posthumous works. But those are never the same, and cannot be enjoyed in the same light.

On the other hand, the authors that we spend so much time with are strangers and they are not, a weird dual both / and and neither / nor position at the same time that takes quantum phyiscs to explain, and even then we all know we're bullshitting ourselves.

So mourn the loss, yet rejoice that we are here to mourn.