God?

If God is willing to prevent evil but not able, then He is not omnipotent.

If He is able but not willing, then He is malevolent.

If God is both willing and able, then whence cometh evil?

If He is neither able nor willing, then why call Him God? -- Epicurus 341 B.C.E. - 270 B.C.E

Mass Manipulation

My favorite quotation regarding manipulation is by Herrman Goering, Nazi and president of the Reichstag from 1932 to 1945.

"Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship. ...voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to "the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

I've witnessed the use of this principle in U. S. politics. By the way, my point here is not about war but about methods used to keep the public that has questions quiet.

Funeral Postponed

Hantavirus didn't develop. Funeral postponed. Whew!

Cognitive Dissonance & Apologetics

Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort one feels when one's beliefs are in conflict with information that brings one's beliefs into doubt. The theory suggests that the believer will look to apologetics in order to maintain a belief to which there is considerable evidence debunking the belief.

Cognitive dissonance and apologetics are partners in keeping the sheep faithful most notably in politics, family, and religion.

Religious Affiliation

As I have often said, one's religious affiliation has more to do with geography than theology. Those born in India are likely to be be Hindu, those born in Europe are likely to be one of the Christian denominations, etc. This concept is ridiculously obvious but so undervalued by the practitioners of various mythologies it makes me shake my head.

A Personal Mystery

I have a history of a certain disconnectedness that I don't really fully understand myself. I feel certain that it has something to do with some aspect of emotional maturity that has not fully developed in me but I can't really identify exactly where to look for the missing pieces. Where is the key to unlock the door to my personal mystery?

Tenuous Connections

One of the characteristics of the human brain is to make connections between things. This ability to make connections is significant to our ability to excel as a species. However, it has downside. Specifically, this tendency is the primary factor in our finding connections where none really exists. For example, primitive people believe that natural disasters are somehow related to human behavior. The volcano erupts to punish the behavior of those living in its shadow. The tsunami kills guided by the intelligence of a vengeful god. The job offer didn't manifest itself so "it was not meant to be." Prayer cures the deserving.

Part of understanding our perceptions is being aware of our "wiring". That awareness can save us from grasping at fantasies we use to explain the unexplainable random occurrences of life.