Leroy

The attic was dusty and Leroy coughed as he reached for the string, cursing. The bulb flashed. Figures, he thought. He turned on his flashlight and ascended into the piles of boxes and antique furniture. Looking through this place always gave him the creeps, as if it were haunted. He just wanted to get this over with. He had to find it.

It was an antebellum home and this room benefited from several generations of storage. He walked slowly through the picture frames, lamp shades, and Chia Pets. He had seen it all before. It was a routine he didn't look forward to. But, these days, he thought, he didn't seem to have much to look forward to anyway. He had looked so many times, he didn't think he'd find it. He figured if past performance is any indication of future results, he was already doomed to failure. Something he thought often. But, he could think of worse things he could be doing.

As Leroy carefully moved the small beam over the rubble he saw a glimmer from behind a pile of ammunition. Funny, he thought, all these years and he had walked right by without having seen it. It was an ornate, wooden chest adorned with what appeared to be gold. If it was gold, he thought, it would be the most valuable thing up here. So, he knelt down to take a closer look. From the side, his flashlight revealed the carving of a woman carrying some type of instrument. He blew to remove any dust and was surprised that there wasn't any. He had lived in the house alone for a decade, he thought, it must have always been here.

A glow creeped through the crack as he started to open it. He held it barely ajar for several moments unable to lift higher, but also unable to close it. Gradually the curse of curiosity overpowered his slight terror and he garnered enough courage to continue. By the time the cover was all the way back his cheeks and forehead were bright with the reflection of its contents.

Leroy never considered himself much of a judge of beauty, but he imagined that if there was such a thing, this was it. Perhaps he had seen such things in his dreams, but he might be giving his dreams too much credit. He didn't like to obsess over stuff. He had always had this feeling that the more you wanted something the less likely you'd find it. But, he knew, somehow, that this particular thing wasn't going away. If you could call it a thing.

He slowly closed the box and the room became dark other than the dim beam of the flashlight. Leroy walked back to the attic's entrance, wondering what he had been looking for. He was amused that moments earlier he figured a box could be the most valuable thing in the room.

Frank

An albino ptarodactyl is not just a rare sight in the Americas or the northern hemisphere, but the entire planet to be sure. Not only because reptiles seldom if ever exhibit the albino genetic mutation, but because Pterosaurs, like dinosaurs, have been extinct for 65 million years.

Frank pondered this, turning his head to examine the one perched next to him. He studied it while munching on his combo meal outside McDonalds. It was a peaceful and stunningly beautiful bird. He held up a fry as an offering, but the animal sat still on the concrete ledge, disinterested, adjusting its wings. It seemed to have a purpose, just resting still for a moment in silent preparation for the continuation of a long, arduous flight. There was a subdued fear...the kind that accompanies the presence of majesty.

As quickly as it had arrived, it shook its head, shuffled its talons, extended its enormous wings and escaped into the evening sky. Its shadow drifted past the full moon in the distance before disappearing altogether.

This was neither the first nor the last time Frank would enjoy the company of his mysterious bleached reptilian companion, and he knew it. Curious, he considered asking if anyone else happened to see a giant albino ptarodactyl drifting among the night sky, but thought better of it. He secretly wondered if everyone else was thinking the same thing.

Militant Atheism

Interesting stuff

I do recognize that one risks an immediate loss of credibility by defending any attribute of religion. If this is you, I suggest you turn your head or bury it in the sand if possible.

Here's my Lutheran upbringing coming through... I really don't get the conflict between intelligent design and science. If something can be proven to exist through science, isn't that part of God's creation? (Forgive my use of "God" - it's not accurate given today's general definition, but necessary to demonstrate my point). If we were created in God's image, with a capable intellect, isn't it our responsibility to use our brains to interpret ancient text appropriately with consideration for what we know of the properties of our universe? Doesn't science give us a more accurate picture of age old truths and allow us to re-consider those that have been perhaps interpreted incorrectly? Seems pretty easy to resolve the contradictions - always in the favor of both scripture and science, and never at the expense of either.

Of course, this is really all about the bible thumpers who insist the earth was created 6000 years ago. I propose it is this stubborn approach to scripture, and not science, that is most effectively destroying religion.

Through refusing to remove their heads from their asses, such individuals are discrediting the legitimate religious institutions and belief systems that fully recognize and encourage all scientific understanding. Who are we to judge whether the big bang was part of God's design? All we know is...it happened, and those people who have staked their lives and reputations on the conviction that it didn't are preserving their own necks at the expense of not only their own credibility, but the credibility of associated spiritual institutions; nowadays all religion.

In other words, there can be no contradiction, only a fuller understanding of both as they are necessarily dependent on one another regardless of career-saving rhetoric.

Now, to turn the coin. With all due respect for the brilliant Mr. Dawkins, I insist there are several practical and logical reasons to resist an all out assault on religion.

As tempting as it sounds given the militant droves of "God doesn't want me to think," "I've never picked up a Bible and read it" church goers, "attacking religion as a whole" requires attacking the basic philosophical understanding integral to western civilized society. So, if religion is absolutely dependent on science/facts, how is science dependent on religion? As odd as it sounds today, civilized conditions permitted through the advance of religion have been critical to the advance of science.

Take the principles of individual liberty for example (Adam Smith, Lord Acton, Thomas Jefferson). It only requires the fact that individual liberty was accepted by the extremely Christian colonies in 1789 to demonstrate the compatibility of the two. But, more to the point, there would be no civil liberty if there were no Christ or Christianity - not because the ideas didn't exist among the literate - but because the majority of people would never have understood them properly otherwise (ironically, a situation similar to today, and the cause of our problems).

I expect most of the scientists at the TED conference are fluent in the rational justification for civilized behavior - or submit to living that way simply to accomplish their goals. Either way, such individuals will themselves benefit less from religion. What is important is that Christian scripture demonstrates very complex ideas in a way accessible to people without twelve degrees. It is a powerful force for civilization that anyone with life experience can identify with the value of graceful interpersonal behavior so eloquently stated in a book several thousand years old that appeals not only to reason, but also to human emotion.

But, just like a scientific thesis, no one can comprehend the value of a text they have never read. And today, I propose the rampant misunderstanding of Christianity is dangerous to science, and therefore civilization. On the other hand, I wonder how easily most atheists have dismissed Christianity based on its unsavory public appearance rather than its philosophies. I would subscribe to a militant educational approach to restore the proper understanding of Christianity, and refute its internal enemies, but it would involve massive upheavals of ideas now ingrained in thumper thought. I consider myself a Christian, but not the type you're familiar with, and would be intimidated by the thought of dealing with the completely unreasonable (more so than dealing with most Atheists).

Most crucially, I don't believe one ought to assume any sort of higher power without considering the justification and reviewing the materials carefully. Christians should know this. Assuming that one can coerce rather than persuade another to adopt the same conclusions is itself contradictory to Christian principles.

At any rate, a discussion about religion is so mired in false perceptions and assumptions on both sides any point is diluted by its mention. Sad.

ALF

Okay, how bout this one...Just because you understand evil doesn't mean you can do anything about it; on the contrary. The fact you understand it means you are less capable of doing anything about it. Not unless you can somehow rewire another person's brain. Not unless you can rewire your own brain. And that requires a mighty confidence in your ability to identify it; much less know the proper solution; much less your brain surgery skillz. Ever have the suspicion that the understanding of evil itself could be the only requirement necessary for its perpetuation? That the ability to recognize its source is the very thing that allows us to confuse other things with it, and therefore its primary proponent? Ever feel like all well-intentioned actions, including your own, are possibly contributing to global strife? That even if they could do some good in theory they are misinterpreted as evil? That preventing yourself from evil on the most minute scale is a full time job? Are world leaders susceptible to this? From watching the debates they seem rather confident this sort of thing doesn't bother them. Maybe they know something I don't. Maybe they are made of a finer clay than the rest of us. Like Bono.

I'm certainly thankful they aren't carting my family and friends off to death camps yet. Or released some "good will" virus that kills off everyone without a certain "good person" gene in their particular strand of DNA. What I mean is, I'm glad they aren't significantly impeding my ability to exercise my ability to contribute to the "good" - whatever that means for me (and doesn't harm anyone else). In their attempt to help they take 50 percent of my income. It could very well be these days that the less you accomplish the less damage you have done. What happens when every employee, every business owner, and every politician has some sophisticated ulterior motive dedicated to screwing everyone else to a greater net degree than they are being screwed themselves? What kind of enlightened philosophy is this based on? What the hell is really going on out there? And then people go and join the Animal Liberation Front - is that just a veiled protest against humanity? Is it justified?

Here's what I mean...you work as some well paid grunt consulting a huge American corporation that sells technology to another company that builds special top secret radioactive weapons for Blackwater. At the same time your tax dollars are going over seas to fund the safety of a suicidal hoard of barbarians as a humanitarian cover to secure the oil fields because we can't figure out how to become energy independent.

Are we really so hard up and afraid of "radicals" that we need to play their game by their rules? (Wire tapping, suspension of Habeas Corpus, etc.). What are we afraid of? Do we really think they hate us because we're rich? We (America) must identify with that somehow. We must think if another country were far richer than us that we would be capable of strapping bombs to our chests. I think that's preposterous. Maybe the rabid cut throat politicians who have clawed their way to the top drool over money and power like that, but we certainly don't have such petty, superficial values. Seems to me we're not fighting with our brains as much as our insecurities.

The Professor

The professor's library was a shamelessly ostentatious display of books, degrees, and awards. He did not allow himself to value mere appearances, so he did not see a problem with it. The room was orderly; each book neatly situated alphabetically and by subject. He placed his pipe on its stand, arose from his leather chair and walked across the room to enjoy the warmth from his roaring fireplace.

A doctor of physics, he pondered the peculiar way the logs were burning. He crouched and observed the vibrant blue and green flames dancing from the side of the charred wood. "Fascinating" he thought. Glowing magenta smoke escaped into the chimney and the logs crackled sparkling dust against the interior stones. A truly fantastic example of nature, he thought, mesmerized by the display. He pondered the chemicals in the wood that might cause such an effect and worked out some calculus in his head to rationalize his hypothesis. "I'll have to test that in the lab tomorrow."

He ascended and strolled over to the thermodynamics section of his stacks. He held his hand inquisitively in the air, examining the titles. "Ah there it is," he mumbled. Without hesitation, the classic volume naturally floated from its snug position, resting against the palm of his hand. It levitated for a moment before the professor grasped it, nonchalantly, feeling it's weight.

He strolled back to his favorite chair, sat down, and opened the book. He looked up at the storm which raged on the other side of his little window. He did not move for fifteen hours.

Secrets

Ever feel like there is a mysterious universe of intertwined artistic and literary influences all inspired by the same thing? Perhaps some secret so powerful, that in order for it to be communicated with any accuracy requires careful encryption by seemingly innocuous and entertaining distractions - like munchkins or psychedelic rock music.

Maybe the secret is so complicated no one knows it completely. Maybe an artist only requires a small sliver of the secret to frame and inspire a lifetime of work. And in doing so, brings a portion of it within earshot of a small percentage of listeners who's particular situation allows them to stumble upon the artist's true meaning. Perhaps this is how the secret is spread.

Maybe the secret is so devastatingly persuasive that no rational person could possibly refute it. So accurate and influential that only those who seek it can understand it well enough to put it to good use. Something this powerful could not be taught, only learned, and would be easily misunderstood and misdirected. I predict there is realm of truth who's essence can only be communicated through the veil of art. And I think it's around us all the time - we just need to take notice.