(5-2) ASSIGNED READINGS: Truth Lies

Every time I read Nietzsche I get into this Nihilistic mood. In this collection of writings the madman of mustache grooming touches on the subjects of self, religion, right, wrong and the usual shtick he’s known for. I don’t dislike Nietzsche I just dislike the mindset he’s placed on people. To the normal person who takes anything at face value they just see the man preaching the tenants of “the dude”. Big Lewbowski references aside, Nietzsche was doing far more than that and if anything this reading confirms that.

It would seem that Nietzsche’s main problem is not religion, or society as a whole or any of that conformist anti-conformist rhetoric we hear college students spout off about. What he’s getting at is that humans live too much in both the past and future. While knowing the past is swell and hoping for a better future is ace, it’s not worth a damn in the long run. It’s what we do now that matters and has any actual impact. What we do today will be looked back on while still affecting the future. We refuse to cast religion and ideologies aside so that we can have some sort of nostalgic connection to past and future. We delude ourselves and our humanity.

(5-1) EXPERT LECTURE: John Polkinghorne

John Polkinghorne is a former theoretical physicist and a long-time Anglican Priest. While the man is quite learned in his field he loses credibility by his unyielding stance on the world’s most famous storybook magician, Jesus. Throughout the lecture he points out fascinating things about our universe and then adds in “but you know God must have had a hand in that.” His constant disregard for actual science is off putting and a bit arrogant.

The second half of his lecture delves into religion as a whole and how it’s connected with the world. His view is that in some way his Christian God must have had a hand in everything because that’s his faith and that’s what he believes. That’s all and good, if you’re an ignorant old person. The man is supposed to be a scientist; he’s supposed to be logical. Instead what we get is some man who went far in his field and then refused to let go of the belief in a dying religion. It’s pathetic.

(4-5) CRITICAL THINKING FILM: Thakar Singh and the downfalls of gurudom

These 6 or so videos did nothing but piss me off. Thakar Singh is a piece of pedophile garbage that deserves to have his teeth kicked in. One of the worse things about cults is always the similar cases of the leader having intercourse with anything they can get their hands on. It sickens me so much that people have the ability to fall for the lies and deceit these mad men preach. Is having some sort of purpose really that necessary? Why do humans always feel the need to be more than just what they are? Why must they always feel this need to be part of something greater? Why not live just to live?

This man, this walking abortion is vile and he sickens me so damn much. Every single cult leader on the planet always has some sort of ulterior motive. I just, I just wish death on this man. If there is one thing I hate more than anything on this planet it is those who sexually abuse children and women. It just…it angers me.

(4-4) CRITICAL THINKING FILM: Sai Baba

I’m not sure how to expand on this since its cut and dry. What we have here is a man using sleight of hand to trick his followers into thinking he has some sort of divinity. He pockets some sort of trinket in one hand and then does some hand movements then leading to him displaying it in the other. It’s classic street magician stuff to be honest.

I guess what I’m to be getting from this is that it’s easy to trick people into believing anything if you can do some fancy tricks. In a way it’s similar to the miracles of Jesus in how mundane they are. Most magicians have been able to replicate his miracles with ease so if anything this is something worth noting. Magic makes people act stupid.

(4-3) ASSIGNED READINGS: Fubbi/Gakko

My hatred of cults is far greater than my dislike of religion simply because a cult has the ability to become a religion if not stopped soon enough. Cults are very fascinating for this reason; they can end up becoming the catalyst that will change many events to come. It’s very rare that this will happen but Scientology seems to have already gained some sort of footing, it would be interesting to see what will become of it in 200 years, if it’s even still here.

This article speaks on one cult in particular, Paul Twitchell’s Eckankar religious movement. The whole store concerning you and your various happening with them was quite interesting. It outright proves the lengths many of these whack jobs will go in order to preserve some semblance of power.

(4-2) ASSIGNED READINGS: Edgar Cayce

Opium makes people feel wonderful and forget about all the troubles they have. Cocaine makes you feel like a million bucks and like you’re on top of the world. Yeah drugs are horrible and can lead to really bad problem, but shouldn’t we focus on how good it’s made people feel? To not do so would be quite a disservice and really step on those who have benefitted emotionally from these drugs. This is basically the article but instead of drugs it’s using mysticism and the paranormal. It constantly defends Cayce by touting Cayce because he made people feel good. I’m sure China Town Massage parlors do the same but we still look down on them.

The main point of this article seems to be that comfort and complacency far outweigh the absurdity of conning people and giving them a false sense of hope. I understand that what this man did may have made people feel just swell like they never had before but the point still stands he did it at the cost of their dignity. Living is blissful ignorance may be okay with some but in truth it’s an affront to the human mind. We are creatures built to learn and think. This man spit in the face of people and took them for a ride. Sure they felt good but it was false, it was a sham and a dirty lie. To be ignorant is to already ready yourself for the grave.

(4-1) EXPERT LECTURE: Professor Mark Juergensmeyer

Mark Juergensmeyer in his lecture makes some obvious observations of religious terrorism. If there is one common link in religion and faith, it’s that humans will fight at any cost to preserve their belief. Like it or not religious terrorism has existed since the first man killed another over which belief was true. In this post 9/11 world we live in the definition for religious terrorism seems to be only applied to those of Middle Eastern decent. The truth is that religious terrorism exists as soon as a person believes that they are murdering another human in the name of a deity. I can’t help but think of all the soldiers who say they are doing the work of the Christian God. What’s funny is that the other side is praying and worshipping to another fictional entity in hopes of winning. No matter how you look at it some sort of terror is being implemented via faith.

While I agree with Juergensmeyer on his observation it’s his other viewpoints that baffle the mind. Even after admitting to the harmful effects and the cost of religion he tries to rectify the path of the faithful. He makes claims that religion has helped people and if utilized properly could help many more people. This is such a cop out and frankly reeks of playing nice. The whole argument of what if should not matter because it can be applied to almost anything and everything. If everyone watched 12 Angry Men they might become Spencer Tracy fans, it akin to that. Instead of making excuses for a religion it should be judged accordingly and fairly. Although some good has come from it, the simple fact is that religion has caused humanity more suffering than any other invention of man. The justification of the justifier of mutilation is foolhardy at best.