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• Thursday, November 20, 2008 08:56 AM

  Taliesan

  Thanks for the explication. It's much more clear to me this time, and I honestly don't know whether that's just because the words worked better or I'm more clear this time, or what. It doesn't matter, really. I hear you. I also think we're more in agreement than not, but I get the distinct feeling (from you, but more from some others) that nothing less than absolute agreement/conversion (deconversion?) will allow us to exist side-by-side, because somewhere there are a bunch of religious non-thinkers who have posited a "god", and if anyone believes in any sort of First Cause then they have, to some extent, bought into that hoary "god" figure, which I have not.

  There's no reason to try and explain to you what I do believe is so, no obligation, either, as it is not only a highly personal (to me, anyway) issue, but it is also a waste of your time and an intrusion into your "closet" (I also have one of those where I generally think my perverse thoughts about being and nothingness; of course this here is a discussion forum, so I figure a little discussion can't hurt. Wrong!).

  "A curse on both your houses" is probably accurate, if not what I had in mind when I set out. I don't even know why I set out, as this really is a too-personal area to discuss at random this way. I think someone is right when they suggest these articles may in fact be land mines laid for us, since we probably get along fine in terms of art, politics, etc. It's some kind of a plot to get us at each others' throats, and how better to dive head first into the shit than to, in effect, say "A curse on both your houses." You're right about that. I'm sure you knew that already, but I also feel it's right for me to acknowlege that.

  None of this makes me a different person than I was before we launched into this, and one of this makes me less inclined toward the spoodles arguments in general (although some parts you deconstruct very skillfully).

  "God" is a word that means almost nothing to me, except insofar as what a lot of people think it means, which is a terrifying, nightmare image of Zeuss run amok. However, I do acknowlege the universe in which I live and move and have my being. Maybe I even worship the universe, in a sense, simply by my affinity for its sustaining my molecular structure and all the crazy "ideas" and "thoughts" that spawns while I'm here, in this particular space-time construct.

  I'm not being sarcastic. I'm speaking about being in another way that's less sentimental than how I actually feel about my "life", which is something I love dearly. For me, that is all the meaning there is: I am.

  There, I went and did it anyway. My apologies. Somehow I think maybe it's best left there, though. I don't think it hurts the discussion.

  On the other hand, I do rant, rather tirelessly, against the religious right, left, and even, much of the time, the center, because I think they've got everything all wrong. I may not be able to join The Club (nor do I want to at this time), but I do like the idea of trashing the kiosks of the money changelings and of "Jefferson's Bible", things like that. OK, I'm just rambling now.

  At any rate, I got it and it's a lot more clear today, and I know there's room in my heart and mind for you, and I hope the reverse may also be true. I don't care what you believe (or don't) about the origin of species (and the Creationists are, just for the record, certifiably insane).

  There. I need to put a cork in it. Thanks for responding and for paying attention, and especially for the "curse you both" thing, as that does leave a lot of loose ends hanging out. I stand corrected.

  I hope the weather is to your liking wherever you are. The Big Ball of Gas is at least burning brightly here today, and that's better (for me) than dark and cold.

  —AJCalhoun Read AJCalhoun's other letters
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