tekHedd – the blog

Wanting a thing to be true does not make it true. We all know this innately, we know it even in the depths of self-delusion. Tell it to anyone and they will agree with you, because nobody wants to be thought of as insane. So, it always amazes me when I have a discussion with a religious friend, because most of their talking points sound, to my ears, like “I really hope it is true because I’ve invested so much into it.”

And then, as if in contrast, they tell me that it does not matter whether their religion is true. Of course I know where the conversation is going at this point; “it doesn’t matter” is a lie. It’s part of selling the last resort of the evangelist: “it makes you a good person.” Which, if you think about it, is usually coupled with the aforementioned lie, making it somewhat humorous, if not downright ironic.

Now, don’t think I start these discussions; it always starts with some attempt to convert me. I’m not interested in convincing them of anything, but if you start up a conversation I’m glad to share my point of view and explain it in great detail. It’s based on these things called “facts” that are fairly easy to verify. Whereas their beliefs are based on this thing called “faith”, which is verified, apparently, by ignoring facts.

After a brief discussion, my friend will see that I’m unconvinced that self-contradictory, unverifiable bronze-age scripture is holy truth. Since the evidence is made of facts, they are unable to hear my half of the conversation, so usually they give up trying to convince me that their faith is true. Inevitably there is the ridiculous claim that faith without evidence is a virtue. And then comes the it-doesn’t-matter lie: “even if it is not true, religion makes people better.”

I have yet to meet one person who believes in a religion solely because it makes you a better person. Let’s ignore that for the sake of discussion.

Somehow, it is a virtue to believe in lies, because it gives you a basis for morality. It is claimed that without religion, there is no morality. It is best that you believe in a religion, even if it is a lie. Otherwise you will have no reason not to do evil things. Without faith you are evil.

Surely anyone can see the huge problem here: If your religion is a lie and your god is false, then believing in it, and following its commands, is not moral. You are the one whose morality has no basis. Your ethics are based on the commands of a power that does not exist. You are believing, no matter how sincerely, in a lie. Since your moral code comes from a lie, following your moral code is not morality, it is literally immoral. You aren’t being good, you are being obedient.

If you are not entirely sure of your faith, your “morality” will be optional. Your faith can be used to justify the same passive aggressive acts as any other set of rules, rules to which you are not morally bound. And,if your prejudices run the same way as your faith, you can use it to justify acts of evil great or petty, and feel superior about it afterward, as a bonus. Of course, this holds true, even if you are a true believer.

And this is why the truth does matter. If your religion is a lie, your morality has no basis. The claim that “even if it is not true, you can not be good without religion” is entirely wrong. If your religion is not true, you can not be good with it.

Happy Solstice, everybody! As we all know, all life, love, and all things good come from our all-powerful lord, the Sun! While you are tipping back a few and enduring your relatives this year, don’t forget the real reason for the season: long nights and short days. Let’s keep the Sol in Solstice!

However, many different religions exist that follow the sun, most of them sadly neglected, and all slightly different. At Solstice time, we know that our worship is an essential part of bringing the sun back to life and therefore ending winter, but we aren’t sure exactly how that works. So, we celebrate the death and rebirth of the sun joyously, but with some confusion. And with cookies. Because we aren’t sure exactly what we’re supposed to do. With the recent dominance of non-sun-based religions, the world may even be at risk of sinking into endless winter. But that hasn’t happened yet, so I suggest we deal with an even more important issue.

Holiday cookies: what gives?

Yes, it is true that simpler cookies remain good throughout the holiday season. Brownies are still choclatey, sugar cookies are still sugarey, and so on.

But there is also this obsession with spicy cookies. Too many otherwise great cookies are ruined by the addition of mint or strange eggy flavors. Cheap colored sprinkles can transform a great butter cookie into a mediocre one. Nuts and spices can turn your brownie into a brownie…with nuts. Way to ruin a perfectly good brownie.

It is too much trouble to drop individual cookies onto a sheet, so some people make bars. They’re sort of vaguely like cookies, except without the shape or texture. To make the bar decision seem intentional, there may be some cheap frosting spread on the top.

And, finally, there is pumpkin. Pumpkin is a squash. If you say you like pumpkin cookies, what you are really saying is that you like cinnamon cake cookies. The simple truth is that squash-based cookies or cakes taste like whatever you put in them to cover the flavor of squash. It’s not necessarily a bad flavor, it’s just not pumpkin flavored. OK?

So, last night, I’m just having a nice conversation on the phone, and I have an insight that I think is actually interesting, maybe even worth blogging about. (Although probably not worth reading.) And I think to myself, “wow I’ll have to write that down later”. And I make a mental note of it and go on talking.

And now it is today. Where is that thought? It seems to be gone! I can’t find it anywhere. Doesn’t my brain remember how insightful it seemed?

Where do these “mental notes” go? There must be a matching “mental shredder” that my brain puts these notes into, after which they are “mental confetti”.