Torture Memos and Such

I just finished watching this week's Real Time with Bill Maher and one of the topics for discussion was the past administration's support for torture. I love to see the 'publicans go from saying we don't torture, to then saying there were a few bad apples, to now saying "Well... we did torture but at least it worked." I imagine there have been times when torture did work. In fact, I would guarantee it. But unfortunately it's just not worth it. The saddest thing was to find out the frequency with which it was done. I mean waterboarding somebody once would be bad but waterboarding them hundreds of times is absolutely shameful. If it didn't work the first time, it probably isn't going to. I agree with something Howard Dean said on the show, he said that without America being a country of high moral character, where's the arguement that we are saving people from bad dictators under bad conditions? If we torture and do the same thing those dictators do, then we aren't liberating people, like the citizens of Iraq for instance, we are just conquering them, and that's something the United States shouldn't be in the business of doing. I also find it funny that a party that prides itself on its moral underpinnings the way the Republican party does, it's awfully hypocritical for them to then go out and condone something like torture. 

I think Obama should release any and all documents, videos and memos on the subject so the people can see what the last administration thought was right. Of course more than half of the populace knows or we would have McCain in the White House, but I'm hoping that maybe some people who believe themselves to be moral and also Republicans see the videos and realize that their party is much less righteous than they had once believed and maybe they'll quit supporting those criminals.

What Would Jesus Do? He would be a Democrat and elect Barack Obama. 

My Atheist Way of Life

I'm an atheist. I don't believe that a god exists. I think it is an obvious conclusion to make based on all the factors in play on the Earth at this and all previous times. I wouldn't say that there isn't a set of circumstances or instances that could come into play to change my mind, all I can say is as of yet, I am an atheist, and a strong atheist at that. A strong atheist doesn't just say that there's no proof either way on whether or not a god exists I say that there is proof that one doesn't. My proof is based on thousands of personal experiences, readings, thoughts, attitudes, conjectures and late night finger biting sessions and would be impossible to sum up or even provide an excerpt that would be sufficient. I would never be able to fully express my feelings on this particular question because naturally if I were able to do so everyone would come to the same conclusion I did. I can however speak a little about it to give you a better idea and you can decide for yourself. 

I'll start with one of my favorite questions that more science-initiated christians usually ask me. They ask, "Do you believe that Newton's Laws can be circumvented? That matter can be created out of nothing?" They are of course referring to the idea that since matter can not be created nor destroyed then there must have been some sort of magic for the universe to have popped into existence from the Great Void or whatever. Well, this question is my favorite because it's so easy to answer. The answer is, there was no beginning. You have to first realize that as humans we can only ask questions that come from our own experiences. We interpret the world through our eyes, and since there is a beginning to a human life, birth, we believe concurrently that there must have been a beginning to the universe's life. There wasn't. Since matter cannot be created nor destroyed it means it has always existed. There was never a time when it didn't. It is just like looking at the symbol for infinity. Where is the end of the line of an infinity symbol? The universe is just like that, no beginning and also, no end. On a side and more complicated note, you'll remember Einstein figured out that space and time are one thing. There can't be one without the other. So had there been a great void, time wouldn't have existed so when time "began" it was with matter already there. There isn't a "before" time. There either is time or there isn't. 

I'd also like to address another one of the religious' more inane utterances. This idea that they see "god" everywhere. The beams of light that show through clouds and look like a stairway to heaven, or the beauty of one's own newborn baby. They say the see god's handiwork everywhere and this is proof of his existence. I like to answer questions like these evolutionarily. Meaning, I try to ascertain why something like this would make an animal more suited to continue to produce offspring in a world that is very competitive and the strongest have to survive. I will begin to answer this question with a question of my own. Would it make sense for an animal to be created that when it began its life and everyday there after hated the looks of everything he saw? That every tree, speck of dirt, the sky, other animals and every human being looked displeasing or disgusting? Would it make sense to create an animal that hated everything and was miserable all the time having to look at things he hated twenty four hours a day? I think that pretty much sums it up. It only makes sense that we see beauty everywhere. It is a great adaptation and a beneficial one that we love our environment, that we are pleased when we see a rainbow or a snowflake. It's part of why we are such a successful animal and at the top of the food chain that we love novelty and are curious about exploring all the sights and sounds and that wonderment is found everywhere. I also think it curious that the things we think are ugly are creatures that are far away from our animal family. We love the looks of most other mammals, cats, dogs, sheep, mice, and dolphins but scowl at insects like spiders and flies and worms, and reptiles like alligators, crocodiles, snakes, lizards and many other animals outside of our mammalian family. You have to think hard to think of an ugly mammal. Um. . . . vampire bats. There, I thought of one. I think these answers are self-evident and if you have any questions feel free to email me at jamesdawkins@gmail.com and I'd be happy to answer any of your questions or read your comments. 

-James D.