REFLECTIONS

HUXLEY SAID IT
The prominent biologist T.H. Huxley (1825-1894) said and wrote many witty and perceptive things, among which is:
The only good that I can see in the demonstration of the truth of “Spiritualism” is to furnish an additional argument against suicide. Better live a crossing-sweeper than die and be made to talk twaddle by a “medium” hired at a guinea a séance.
Aldous Huxley, (1894-1963), an English novelist and critic, was a grandson of biologist T.H. Huxley, and though he dabbled in spiritualism and other such foolishness, he also wrote:
You never see animals going through the absurd and often horrible fooleries of magic and religions. Only man behaves with such gratuitous folly. It is the price he has to pay for being intelligent but not, as yet, intelligent enough.
Right on, Huxleys!
From the James Randi site

Invocation upon the self -
"Let these eyes of mine which had no pity upon your eyes be blinded, let these hands of mine which had no pity upon your hands be stumped, let these legs of mine which had no pity upon your legs be crippled!"

-Nahum of Gamzo

Meta- student

All is change.
I never step into the same river twice with Heraclitus.

Know thyself.
I question with Socrates.

Enjoy the garden, help others, find happiness.
My friend is Epicurus.

Keep the covenant, do justly.
ancient fathers & mothers made covenant with the unknown.
... following Moses into the desert.

Attach to nothing, be at one with all
caring for the hurt the Buddha saw.

Following what is love
leaving hate behind
sitting at the feet of a friend to the forsaken...Jesus.

Searching the wheat in all teachers
blowing away the chaff
speaking out against what is not divine,
agreeing "I do not know."
focusing on bettering humankind / respecting the earth we call home.

I am student.

-Warren Thompson 11/23/07

WE GIVE THANKS THIS DAY
For the expanding grandeur of creation, worlds known and unknown, galaxies beyond galaxies, filling us with awe and challenging our imaginations: We give thanks this day.

For this fragile yet enduring planet earth, its times and tides, its sunsets and seasons, and the magic of gratitude for an abundant harvest, an unfurling flower, a child's delight and a puppy's exuberance: We give thanks this day.

For the joy of human life, its wonders and surprises, its hopes and achievements: We give thanks this day.

For the despair of human life, and especially for those who companion us as we learn our lessons and regain our strengths: We give thanks this day.

For our wider human community, our common past and future hope, our oneness transcending all separation, our capacity to work for peace and justice in the midst of hostility and oppression: We give thanks this day.

For human liberty. . . for opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and choose: We give thanks this day.

May we live not by our fears but by our hopes.

#512 in UU Hymnal readings (significantly adapted) original by O.Eugene Pickett

$7 SEX

A Florida couple, both well into their 80s, go to a sex therapist's office.
The doctor asks, "What can I do for you?"
The man says, "Will you watch us have sexual intercourse?"
The doctor raises both eyebrows, but he is so amazed that such an elderly couple is asking for sexual advice that he agrees. When the couple finishes, the doctor says, "There's absolutely nothing wrong with the way you have intercourse." He thanks them for coming, he wishes them good luck, he charges them $50 and he says good bye.
The next week, the couple returns and asks the sex therapist to watch again.
The sex therapist is a bit puzzled, but agrees. This happens several weeks in a row. The couple makes an appointment, has intercourse with no problems, pays the doctor, then leave.
Finally, after 3 months of this routine, the doctor says, "I'm sorry, but I have to ask. Just what are you trying to find out?"
The man says, "We're not trying to find out anything. She's married and we can't go to her house. I'm married and we can't go to my house.
The Holiday Inn charges $98. The Hilton charges $139. We do it here for $50, and I get $43 back from Medicare.
- from a friend & former co worker

Open Letter To Kansas School Board
I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. I think we can all agree that it is important for students to hear multiple viewpoints so they can choose for themselves the theory that makes the most sense to them. I am concerned, however, that students will only hear one theory of Intelligent Design.
Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. It was He who created all that we see and all that we feel. We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him.
It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories. In fact, I will go so far as to say, if you do not agree to do this, we will be forced to proceed with legal action. I’m sure you see where we are coming from. If the Intelligent Design theory is not based on faith, but instead another scientific theory, as is claimed, then you must also allow our theory to be taught, as it is also based on science, not on faith.
Some find that hard to believe, so it may be helpful to tell you a little more about our beliefs. We have evidence that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe. None of us, of course, were around to see it, but we have written accounts of it. We have several lengthy volumes explaining all details of His power. Also, you may be surprised to hear that there are over 10 million of us, and growing. We tend to be very secretive, as many people claim our beliefs are not substantiated by observable evidence. What these people don’t understand is that He built the world to make us think the earth is older than it really is. For example, a scientist may perform a carbon-dating process on an artifact. He finds that approximately 75% of the Carbon-14 has decayed by electron emission to Nitrogen-14, and infers that this artifact is approximately 10,000 years old, as the half-life of Carbon-14 appears to be 5,730 years. But what our scientist does not realize is that every time he makes a measurement, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is there changing the results with His Noodly Appendage. We have numerous texts that describe in detail how this can be possible and the reasons why He does this. He is of course invisible and can pass through normal matter with ease.
I’m sure you now realize how important it is that your students are taught this alternate theory. It is absolutely imperative that they realize that observable evidence is at the discretion of a Flying Spaghetti Monster. Furthermore, it is disrespectful to teach our beliefs without wearing His chosen outfit, which of course is full pirate regalia. I cannot stress the importance of this enough, and unfortunately cannot describe in detail why this must be done as I fear this letter is already becoming too long. The concise explanation is that He becomes angry if we don’t.
You may be interested to know that global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are a direct effect of the shrinking numbers of Pirates since the 1800s. For your interest, I have included a graph of the approximate number of pirates versus the average global temperature over the last 200 years. As you can see, there is a statistically significant inverse relationship between pirates and global temperature.
In conclusion, thank you for taking the time to hear our views and beliefs. I hope I was able to convey the importance of teaching this theory to your students. We will of course be able to train the teachers in this alternate theory. I am eagerly awaiting your response, and hope dearly that no legal action will need to be taken. I think we can all look forward to the time when these three theories are given equal time in our science classrooms across the country, and eventually the world; One third time for Intelligent Design, one third time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, and one third time for logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence.
Sincerely Yours,
Bobby Henderson, concerned citizen.
P.S. I have included an artistic drawing of Him creating a mountain, trees, and a midget. Remember, we are all His creatures.

One of the most antique & over used arguments for god or religion is that without it we would have no morality. From a practical point of view many can easily see how this is wrong. They may know an atheist that is moral & just.

In Freud's "The Future of an Illusion" & he said, " If the sole reason why you must not kill your neighbor is because God has forbidden it and will severly punish you for it in this life or the next life- then, when you learn that there is no God and you need not fear His punishment, you will certainly kill your neighbor without hesitation, and you can only be prevented from doing so by mundane force. Thus either these dangerous masses must be held down most severely and kept most carefully away from any chance of intellectual awakening, or else the relationship between civilization and religion must undergo a fundamental revision." page 39
Freud seems to be using morality & civilization interchangeably,so if they can't be separated from religion... you better keep the masses in ignorance because you will be the next neighbor to be killed.

No Arks Needed After Governor's Prayer
A Republican politician asks God to change the weather.
http://www.humaniststudies.org/enews/?id=323&article=0

The World's Need
So many Gods, so many creeds,
So many paths that wind and wind,
When just the art of being kind
Is all this sad world needs.-- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Blind man
HumanistNetworkNews.orgNov. 7, 2007
Two nuns were ordered to paint a room in the convent, and the last instruction of the Mother Superior was that they must not get even a drop of paint on their habits.After conferring about this for a while, the two nuns decided to lock the door of the room, strip off their habits, and paint in the nude.In the middle of the project, there was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" called one of the nuns.*"Blind man," replied a voice from the other side of the door.The two nuns look at each other and shrug, deciding that no harm can come from letting a blind man into the room. So they open the door."Nice boobs," said the man. "Where do you want me to hang these venetian blinds?"

D.M. Bennett
THE FOUNDER OF THE "TRUTH SEEKER".
THE DEFENDER OF LIBERTY, AND ITS MARTYR.
THE EDITOR TIRELESS AND FEARLESS.
THE ENEMY OF SUPERSTITION,
AS OF IGNORANCE, ITS MOTHER.
THE TEACHER OF MULTIDUDES
THE FRIEND FAITHFUL, AND KIND.
THE MAN HONEST AND TRUE
RESTS HERE
THOUGH DEAD HE STILL SPEAKS TO US AND ASKS
THAT WE CONTINUE THE WORK HE LEFT UNFINISHED

WHEN THE INNOCENT IS CONVICTED,
THE COURT IS CONDEMNED.

DEMONSTRATED SCIENCE MAY BE REGARDED AS THE ONLY TRUE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE. WHAT IS CALLED REVELATION IS A SNARE, A DELUSION, A FALSEHOOD. THOSE WHO CLAIM TO SPEAK FOR THE GODS SIMPLY SPEAK THEIR OWN THOUGHT. THE GODS DO NOT SPEAK, THEY ARE AS DUMB AS THE ROCKS, THEY ARE AS SPEECHLESS AS THE GRAVE. WITH NATURE IT IS NOT SO. TO KNOW HER IS TO KNOW THE TRUTH, AND TO STUDY HER IS TO BE WISE.

THE OBJECT OF OUR LIVES SHOULD BE TO MAKE THE WORLD AS BEAUTIFUL, AND OURSELVES AND OUR FELLOWS AS HAPPY, AS IS IN OUR POWER. I CAN HARDLY YIELD MY CONSENT THAT THIS IS THE LAST OF OUR INDIVIDUALITY; AND I FONDLY THINK THAT FATHER AND MOTHER NATURE ARE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE BEST, GREATEST, AND MOST DESIRABLE OF ALL PROBLEMS – A CONTINUED INDIVIDUAL EXISTENCE. BUT I AM BORROWING NO TROUBLE ABOUT IT.

I BELIEVE IN THE ETERNAL POWERS AND PRINCIPLES OF NATURE, IN THE SUPERIORITY OF GOOD LIVES, IN ACTS OF KINDNESS TOWARD OUR FELLOW-BEINGS, AND IN EFFORTS TO SPREAD THE LIGHT OF TRUTH OVER THE DARK SPOTS OF THE EARTH. EACH PERSON MUST BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GOOD OR ILL HE DOES. HERE IS OUR DUTY, HERE IS OUR ALLEGIANCE, AND NOT IN THE SKY ABOVE US. WE MUST MAKE OUR HEAVEN ON THE EARTH, AND NOT IN THE AIR.

SOURCE: D.M. BENNETT THE TRUTH SEEKER by Roderick Bradford 2006

"The closest we will ever come to an orderly universe is a good library."
-Ashleigh Brilliant