Secularism A Short Film

Posted on March 24, 2012March 24, 2012 by bach

A Short Film by David M. Beadle. Robert G. Ingersoll wrote this essay in 1887, the message is as urgent today as it was 127 years ago

Complete essay by Robert G. Ingersoll (source)

SEVERAL people have asked me the meaning of this term. Secularism is the religion of humanity; it embraces the affairs of this world; it is interested in everything that touches the welfare of a sentient being; it advocates attention to the particular planet in which we happen to live; it means that each individual counts for something; it is a declaration of intellectual independence; it means that the pew is superior to the pulpit, that those who bear the burdens shall have the profits and that they who fill the purse shall hold the strings. It is a protest against theological oppression, against ecclesiastical tyranny, against being the serf, subject or slave of any phantom, or of the priest of any phantom. It is a protest against wasting this life for the sake of one that we know not of. It proposes to let the gods take care of themselves. It is another name for common sense; that is to say, the adaptation of means to such ends as are desired and understood.

Secularism believes in building a home here, in this world. It trusts to individual effort, to energy, to intelligence, to observation and experience rather than to the unknown and the supernatural. It desires to be happy on this side of the grave.

Secularism means food and fireside, roof and raiment, reasonable work and reasonable leisure, the cultivation of the tastes, the acquisition of knowledge, the enjoyment of the arts, and it promises for the human race comfort, independence, intelligence, and above all liberty. It means the abolition of sectarian feuds, of theological hatreds. It means the cultivation of friendship and intellectual hospitality. It means the living for ourselves and each other; for the present instead of the past, for this world rather than for another. It means the right to express your thought in spite of popes, priests, and gods. It means that impudent idleness shall no longer live upon the labor of honest men. It means the destruction of the business of those who trade in fear. It proposes to give serenity and content to the human soul.

It will put out the fires of eternal pain. It is striving to do away with violence and vice, with ignorance, poverty and disease. It lives for the ever present to-day, and the ever coming to-morrow. It does not believe in praying and receiving, but in earning and deserving. It regards work as worship, labor as prayer, and wisdom as the savior of mankind. It says to every human being, Take care of yourself so that you may be able to help others; adorn your life with the gems called good deeds; illumine your path with the sunlight called friendship and love.

Secularism is a religion, a religion that is understood. It has no mysteries, no mumblings, no priests, no ceremonies, no falsehoods, no miracles, and no persecutions. It considers the lilies of the field, and takes thought for the morrow. It says to the whole world, Work that you may eat, drink, and be clothed; work that you may enjoy; work that you may not want; work that you may give and never need.

The Independent Pulpit, Waco, Texas, 1887.

Christopher Hitchens, thank you for what you were..

Posted on December 16, 2011December 16, 2011 by bach

Because someone has to put the Left, the Right, the religious, the extremists, Mother Teresa, Henry Kissinger, Bill Clinton, the Pope, bob Hope, and the Lord Our God in their place.

Christopher Hitchens

Image courtesy

Ophiuchus – the 13th Zodiac sign

Posted on January 16, 2011January 20, 2011 by bach

Ophiuchus will be in newspaper columns soon! Are you worried? Did you lose your sleep over it, yet? Do you feel betrayed that your whole life you were told about (yourself) and now you are not! Actually I don’t give a rat’s ass on this new change in zodiac, just that I need to convey few long pending victory laughs, to those friends who called it part of Astronomy. Eee Ha ha ha (Amrish Puri style)!

Right, back to the topic. This is what happened recently: Few astronomers finally found some time to have a look at this stuff called Astrological (the non-science part of stars, constellation stuff) zodiac signs. They found discrepancy and their calls on Astrology are:

a) Zodiac constellations (news paper ones, not scientific) were designed by Babylonians based on placement of constellation couple of thousand years back, and earth axis changed since then making the whole Zodiac system inaccurate. So, could you please correct it? Enough fooling people!

b) Are still stuck in 12? We told you 13 is the number for the boundaries. So now, add it. The name’s Ophiuchus, “The Ophiuchus”. And to embarrass you, for making him wait 3000 years to get into the committee, he will have a strange sign, wrestling a snake between his legs! (Really! what kind of pervert can come up with that!)

13th sign of the Zodiac: Ophiuchus

image source

c) Could you please (I added this) stop linking these constellation with personal traits? We know you pulled this stuff from your ass.

This was the story, and there was panic from every corner of the world. It’s fun to watch J

General public feeling betrayed. Let me remind you, betrayed people tweet in block letters! Astrologers panicking, planning on how to pull together some “personal traits” for this new Ophiuchus guy. It’s been a couple of thousands years since they did something like that.

Indian astrologers must be in bigger dilemma, not sure if they plan to copy the Zodiac system from west once again, which wasn’t synced since they first copied it from Greek. Sure its going to be fun to watch astrologers come up with excuses, they need to answer for all the marriages they broke and made based on Zodiac.

Once again, from my fav comic ape not monkey

a-new-astrological-sign

Chakras and Enemies of reasons

Posted on November 16, 2010July 19, 2020 by bach

I was watching “Enemies of Reason” of Richard Dawkins yesterday, again. In the second part he explores the possibility of Chakra’s being logical. He doesn’t, that’s why he calls them enemies of reason. His point is, If there is any logic in it, why don’t any of these chakra experts prove it to scientific community and get a Nobel Prize as bonus? For some reason they want to keep it as pseudo science and keep publishing books for those who don’t ask!

I recall we showcased chakras in opening ceremony of commonwealth games 2010 Delhi. A yogic structure rises from underground and his chakras get enlightened. Now, I feel they shouldn’t have done this; Chakra is not one of the things we should be showcasing, just like Chinese do not highlight their heritage medicine made by “tiger bone”.

An image form Commonwealth games 2010 Delhi

electricchakras

image via lifeinabedandbreakfast

Babri Masjid, iterations and stuff

Posted on September 25, 2010 by bach

“Babri Masjid – Ram Mandir” issue is definitely not going to get resolved for next couple of centuries, as long as religions exist, or as long as people seriously follow religions. A Court verdict is not going to change anything. Either one of sides will to play victim card or appeasement card. Even if court gives a perfect verdict, religions won’t accept them, they can’t, because they are not supposed to!. Remember, these religions (or interpretations, if you want it that way) mandate follower to destroy existing structure and build their own, whenever applicable. It could go for infinite loop, but hey! Religions can’t give up!

Babri Masjid issue is still young, it just going through second iteration! We have bigger examples, one with with seven iterations! Somnath temple! Both Domestic and Middle Eastern Muslim kingdoms kept destroying it, and Indian kings kept building it. Seven iterations are silly and painful! But hey, they are religions – just see what they make people do.

Iterations: Read Wikipedia for more information

Initial construction is in mythology. If history is considered first one was built by the Yadava kings of Vallabhi around 649 AD.

1st: In 725 Junayad, the Arab governor of Sind, sent his armies to destroy the second temple. Gurjara Pratihara king Nagabhata II constructed the third temple in 815.

2nd: In 1024 A.D.the temple was destroyed by Mahmud Ghazni. Rebuilt by Paramara King Bhoj of Malwa and the Solanki king Bhima of Gujarat between 1026 and 1042.

3rd: In 1296 A.D., the temple was destroyed by Sultan Allauddin Khilji’s army. Rebuilt by Mahipala Deva, the Chudasama king of Saurashtra in 1308 A.D.

4th: In 1375 A.D the temple was once again destroyed by Muzaffar Shah I, the Sultan of Gujarat. About 1400 A.D. it was reconstructed by the local public.

5th:1451 A.D the temple was once again destroyed by Mahmud Begda, the Sultan of Gujarat. reconstructed again.

6th In 1701 A.D the temple was once again destroyed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb built a mosque on the site of the Somnath temple. Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore rebuilt the temple in 1783 A.D adjacent to the mosque.

In 1947 newly formed Indian government moved the mosque to nearby location and built currently existing structure.