Famed atheist vlogger Pat Condell, whom I count among my friends, is just so, so important. He doesn't have any position--he's not a president or prime minister. But Pat may be more important than all world leaders combined.
Astonishingly, just as I am working on a new book that emphasizes our freedoms as holy tenets, here comes Pat spelling it all out in a most brilliant manner. Pat has just made himself the high priest of the most important religious movement ever to hit planet Earth: Freedom.
I have taken the liberty of transcribing the juicy bits most appropriate for my current project. Regarding the obscene and blasphemous attempt by Islamists to criminalize criticism of their cult by their "defamation of religion" U.N. resolution, Pat remarks:
Now, to defame something, first of all you have to say something untrue about it. So, for example, if I say that religion is the art of sugar-coating a turd and selling it as a donut, well, that's not defamation because of course it is absolutely true.
The only actual defamation I can detect here is defamation of humanity by religion, because religion is bearing false witness against us to our detriment - and that is defamation. Religion is telling us a poison story about ourselves, because it doesn't want us to like ourselves one little bit. So it denigrates us from the moment we're born, as unworthy, unclean and stained with sin, persuading us that there's something that we need to be saved from. And indeed there is: The curse of religion, which for its very survival depends on keeping us enthralled to a view of reality that's so childish, so stunted, so utterly and transparently false, it amounts to nothing less than a malicious assault on our very identity as human beings, which I believe makes religion a crime against humanity.
I claim free speech as my religion. Yes, I'll have a slice of that pie too, thank you, along with all the attendant rights and privileges, of course. Because I can assure you that I venerate free speech as highly as anybody on this planet venerates their god or their scripture or their prophet, and any attempt to suppress free speech is deeply insulting and grossly offensive to me on a personal level. I feel violated to the very core of my being, which seriously hurts my feelings. Whenever I hear free speech being comprimised or restricted - or even heavily criticized - I take that as a grave personal affront and as a grotesquely insensitive attack on my most cherished values: Freedom of thought, freedom of speech, freedom of identity - this is my holy trinity. Each one an intrinsic aspect of my god. Freedom, the holiest of holies. Yes, it bloody well is. It is absolutely sacred and inviolable beyond any negotiation or compromise now and forever. Amen.
Amen indeed. Be sure also to see my blog post from 2006 concerning the U.S. Constitution and the freedoms it represents: A Truly Sacred Scripture.
8 comments:
"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
We are all slaves. Some of us know it and some of us don't.
Paraphrasing Freud- If man were allowed to be truly free, like the animals, he would cease to exist as a species because he is irrational and prone to violence. Therefore, man can never be free, and can never truly be happy. "Man is the worst of the species," said Freud. That is the human condition.
So, what should we think? How should we behave? The only solution I can think is to try to transcend our lower selves- ego- and accept our common fate.
Seneca, the ancient Spanish philosopher, lived in Rome during the time of Nero. In fact, he became Nero's mentor when Nero was just a boy. He tried to resign several times for fear of the young psychopath but we was always refused. Seneca knew his fate. He knew that Nero would one day have him killed. He couldn't change that fact. The only thing he could change was his attitude toward his fate. So, when Nero finally sent word for Seneca to kill himself he did exactly that. Seneca transcended his fear, sadness, and anger through acceptance of fate.
I wish things were different but in fact little choice, if any, is left to the common man concerning freedom. The only freedoms we truly have are our attitudes toward fate. Defeatist? I don't thinks so. I think it's rather realistic.
-John
Note: I am not a spokesperson for the site I am about to mention but for more information on Seneca and other philosophers go to onlinedocumentaries4u dot com and search the video series "Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness."
Freedom or slavery is never a thing as such. To be free we need to be free from some or other restriction. To be enslaved we need to be enslaved by whatever. The irony in this matter is that those who preach freedom through religious observance or other worldviews are usually the same people who want to severely restrict all those who do not share their view.
Even though we may be involuntary slaves of the socio-economic boundaries set by the society we find ourselves in with regards to our actions, we always retain the potential for mental freedom and as can be observed from the past, there have always been those who remain trapped by their socio-mental environments and those who break free from it and openly express their views. In the past such free and verbal thinkers were usually quickly silenced by the keepers of whatever dominant ideology. It is only recently that more people who want to live and act outside the confines of tradition have been given the opportunity to do so and to me it seems to be because a larger percentage of people are breaking away from the typecast ways of thinking. This is noticed by those who seek to control the whole of society through their preferred channels as it poses a severe threat to their authority.
I think this latest move by those who wish to restrict our freedom to express ourselves in whatever fashion we choose is only the beginning of a surge to retain control and this trend will increase in the future. I predict that those who stand to loose most will gather together and we will see former opposing parties unite in their stance against free expression under the pretense of working together for sustainable peace and stability. I do however think this will be good since it will undermine their separate efforts to maintain supremacy in the realm of believes and once they start to accommodate each other their integrity and "clout" will diminish in the eyes of their separate followers. I personally hope this will reach critical mass and that the whole town of card houses will come down much quicker than will be the case if they just meander along their separate ways glaring at each other and definitely better than them all going to war on each other and the rest of us.
Although I admire Pat's stance, especially his humorous counter moves along their own lines of thinking, I do believe the voice of reason will at this stage in history be drowned out by the emotional manipulation of the masses of ignorant people led by these tyrants of mind.
DJL
I couldn't agree more strongly with your "Freedom is my religion" video (which, oddly enough, you closed by saying "peace") & couldn't disagree more strongly with your pro-soldier stance. The fact is, the State is force and soldier's do the bidding of the State. Soldiers are the teeth of the State. I strongly believe that no person in his right mind or that has a shred of humanity would ever put on the uniform. My feelings on the subject mirror Einstein who said, "To my mind, to kill in war is not a whit better than to commit ordinary murder." As for these unfortunate fellows "fighting my wars," what utter nonsense. I never authorized these arrested adolescents to spill blood in my name. Not today, last year, in the last decade or at anytime in history would I allow such a horrendous act be done in my name. The blood of millions murdered by soldiers through the centuries is on your hands; not mine.
I love Pat.
Acharya, the email that was sent to me about (and linking to) this article showed up as, "Pat Condell, Dead...'
I nearly bummed hard. Then I opened it to find that it was Pat Condell, Dead Sea Scolls'...
Whew.
Acharya, the email that was sent to me about (and linking to) this article showed up as, "Pat Condell, Dead...'
Omigosh! I never thought of that. So sorry for the fright - that would majorly bum me out as well.
I'll have to keep that mind next time.
Unrelated, but fun:
http://english.pravda.ru/society/stories/12-03-2009/107229-buddha_jesus_christ_ukraine-0
the little horn
Saturday, March 28, 2009
destroying the limit of death
Since the prophecy of Nahman was fulfilled in August 2001, I have witnessed the
continuing destruction of the infrastructure of the United States.
The ole axe of Mendacles has fallen in
fact if you google the axe has fallen, it actually comes up over 23, 000 times. Alot of axes
trying to knock this constitution down. The people of the United states are being catagorically robbed of
their real property of their constitutional rights, of everything that came to be
America for them. America is being ground to a halt. Good men do nothing. The
indifference of the masses is astounding.
I've got my gun. Do you have yours?? They will come in the middle of the night to take what
is left of your life after they have taken your homes, your front porches, your lawns, and your
tents. They will raise your taxes and tell you, you are lucky to live here. They will press your
children into mandatory national service. When will you get up off of your asses and take to the
streets and cry enough is enough?? How long will you tolerate this?? Isn't this the reason you
have had to tolerate the diversity here? So that they can throw anything in your face and
you will say "I'm progressive I accept that?" They have thrown heinous acts into your face,
and still you are not insulted?
America is on her knees. Her middleclass taken to the cleaners. Her middleclass is gone.
All that is left is an automaton society, the mass of sheeple who will be in compliance as
this government institutes the new world order.
They have to do it fast. What happens when death is no longer the key?? What happens when
they can no longer institute the death penalty?? What happens when no more war can be
waged?? This is why the time has come for the Sodomites to step up their plans to take over
the consciousness of mankind. What would happen if you were released from the limitations
of the flesh and experienced life, as the everyday waking state, the state we call dreams, and
the bardo state (static state of consciousness we call death?? This is what is going on. The
barriers between flesh and spirit started melting away in 1904 with a simple word,
Abrahadabra. With the correct annunciation, the abyss was opened, maybe for only a split
second, but the whole world of the bardo state was seen in that split second. And there is
no going back. The truth will be revealed. Men wish to rule this earth by making all of the
sheeple fear the limit we call death. They need the sheeple to fear the limit of death, this is
how they get and control the earth. From this stance of tyrrany men have come to this earth
to rule over it by rationalizing and justifying taking those not of their 'image' to the limit we
call death. It is time to destroy the limit of death. Death is a lie perpetrated upon the masses
since the beginning of 'time'
No more abortions, no more war. This is a cry unto the ears of God Almighty. We the people
who you awarded this incredible mandate are in squalor, we are on our knees, we have let
the promised land slip through our fingers. We did not diligently protect the constitution.
Thow shalt not, became I have a right to. And we abused it, we repent. We send up a cry
to the highest and beg god to bring judgement down upon the great and the small.
We must realize that only God should be able to judge. Men care not for god. They only care
about power, and the belief in the limit of death. This is why they continually justify and
rationalize going to war, so that they can kill. The only way to stop this is to free ourselves
from the limit of death. That means following the law. Even if it kills us. The field of megiddo
is continually prepared, because it is the mental plane of the mass consciousness of mankind
where they can go and play out their scenarios to keep the limit of death real and ever
before the sheeple.
Remember fear not the powers of men. Fear not those who can take your life, but those
who will take your soul. The hour draws near when the full knowledge of consciousness
will awaken many many souls. It will be catastrophic for some, and euphoric for others
simply because Nirvana and Samsara are the same. It will depend on how much you have
lived in the 'spirit' as opposed to putting all your eggs in the empirical basket. I pray for
all mankind. But I pray continually for America. She is standing at the abyss, her identity
about to expire. Instead of a torch burning from the golden cup, we see blood pouring
down upon the earth because of her.
Oh mother of exiles, the woman of the wilderness, when did you become the whore of
Babylon?? Don't you know the sodomites are out to destroy you?? You have become a
haunt of every unclean thing, because the sheeple have been steered into obeyance. The
people have learned to tolerate, while the rich have robbed them of everything. The great red
dragon has prepared a morbid feast, and you will be the main course.
It's time to stand up. It's time to take this democracy back. Be not afraid to stand up for
your rights. Because you don't your rights are disappearing. There is revolution in the
air. Write to your senators, to your congressman, and put a teabag in the envelope.
No taxation without representation. This is what needs to go forth. Do not pay your taxes,
they are already earmarked for the rich. The banksters will feign poverty so that the government
will continually steal from the poor and give to these people who only have their own bad
interests at heart.
It's time to get rid of the Banksters, and it's time to take back america.
So buy alot of tea. Send a teabag to your senator and your congressman. Tell them you are
angry and you will not take it anymore. tell them you will only vote independent, it's time to
rid this country of the two party system, as we see that they all are owned by the Central
bankers, the ruling bloodline of the crooked kingdom of Edomites.
God Bless America.
highpriestess
castdcas@aol.com
Posted by highpriestess at 12:50 PM 0 comments
Labels: Give me liberty or Give me death
http://highpriestesss4u.blogspot.com/
Freedom of speech does not meen dick without the right to enforce it in a court of law. I accuss the British Columbian, Canadian and United States governments of dening me my rights and violating laws. They break the laws by not addressing these issues in a court of law. So what good is my freedom of speech?
http://stuartsonofal.multiply.com/journal
To Mr. President Barack Obama; March 20, 2009
Mr. President Obama, if a simple fool like me can figure out all these laws and rights, I am sure a learned constitutional lawyer like you should have no problem understanding them at all.
Mr. Ex-president Bush and the Secretariat of the North American Free Trade Agreement on Labor Cooperation have breached the agreement. Correct me if I am wrong but I do believe Canadian manufacturers can take actions against the United States government for violating the agreement. Their lawyers may take legal actions to retrieve money sent to the United States. Failing to enforce my rights is a violation of the agreement.
The British Columbian and Canadian governments have not enforced my rights under the following labor laws, governed under the Workers Compensation Act of British Columbia. The non compliance with those laws, I believe entitle me to compliance with sections 9, 10 and 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement on Labor Cooperation. The following Workers Compensation laws of British Columbia have not been complied with by the British Columbian and/or Canadian governments.
Articles 173, 174, 179 subsection g, 111, 107 and 108.
It is safe to assume that United States citizens would prefer that Canada pay all legal costs rather then Canadian Manufacturers applying for their money back do to an illegal breach in the agreement by the United States. It is Canada who is the main perpetrator of the crimes here. However it is not unreasonable that Mr. Ex-president Bush and the Secretariat are also held accountable. I think it would be proffered by United States citizens that United States addresses these issues rather then becoming a part of the conspiracy.
Sir, the mass of documents that I am providing you with is absolutely over whelming. No citizen should have to go to this extent to support safety in the work place, especially in regards to life threatening issues. Included with this letter is a computer disk that contains large masses of letters and documents that show my attempts for enforcement of the laws on these issues. It now has an introduction followed by a table of contents.
On the internet at; http://stuartsonofal.multiply.com/journal you will find an excellent introduction to the enclosed CD-R as well as the CD-R and over 50 forwarded email transmissions. I am sure they will be quit helpful. Addresses to additional postings and updated can be found at; http://stuartsonofal.multiply.com/
I am rather curious Mr. President. Why do so many with so much want to deny a person with so little?
Sincerely yours,
Stuart A. Parker
From the Workers Compensation Act of British Columbia
Incidents that must be investigated
173
(1) An employer must immediately undertake an investigation into the cause of any accident or other incident that
(a) is required to be reported by section 172,
(b) resulted in injury to a worker requiring medical treatment,
(c) did not involve injury to a worker, or involved only minor injury not requiring medical treatment, but had a potential for causing serious injury to a worker, or
(d) was an incident required by regulation to be investigated.
Investigation process
174
(1) An investigation required under this Division must be carried out by persons knowledgeable about the type of work involved and, if they are reasonably available, with the participation of the employer or a representative of the employer and a worker representative.
(2) As far as possible, the investigation must
(a) determine the cause or causes of the incident,
(b) identify any unsafe conditions, acts or procedures that contributed in any manner to the incident, and
(c) if unsafe conditions, acts or procedures are identified, recommend corrective action to prevent similar incidents.
(3) The employer must make every reasonable effort to have available for interview by a person conducting the investigation, or by an officer, all witnesses to the incident and any other persons whose presence might be necessary for a proper investigation of the incident.
(4) The employer must record the names, addresses and telephone numbers of persons referred to in subsection (3).
Article 179
(g) require a person to produce within a reasonable time records in the person's possession or control that may be relevant;
Section 111: Board's mandate under this Part (summary)
Under Part 3, the Board has a mandate to:
- undertake inspections, investigations and inquiries on matters of occupational health and safety and occupational environment;
- cooperate and enter into arrangements with governments and other agencies and persons on matters relating to Part 3;
- inquire into and report to the minister on any matter referred to it by the minister;
Purposes of Part
107
(1) The purpose of this Part is to benefit all citizens of British Columbia by promoting occupational health and safety and protecting workers and other persons present at workplaces from work related risks to their health and safety.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the specific purposes of this Part are
(a) to promote a culture of commitment on the part of employers and workers to a high standard of occupational health and safety,
(b) to prevent work related accidents, injuries and illnesses,
(c) to encourage the education of employers, workers and others regarding occupational health and safety,
(d) to ensure an occupational environment that provides for the health and safety of workers and others,
Application of Part
108
(1) Subject to subsection (2), this Part applies to
(a) the Provincial government and every agency of the Provincial government,
(b) every employer and worker whose occupational health and safety are ordinarily within the jurisdiction of the Provincial government, and
(c) the federal government, every agency of the federal government and every other person whose occupational health and safety are ordinarily within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada, to the extent that the federal government submits to the application of this Part.
(2) This Part and the regulations do not apply in respect of
(a) mines to which the Mines Act applies,
(b)[Repealed April 1, 2004]
(c) subject to subsection (3), the operation of industrial camps to the extent their operation is subject to regulations under the Health Act.
(3) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, by regulation, provide that all aspects of this Part and the regulations apply to camps referred to in subsection (2)(c), in which case this Part and the regulations prevail over the regulations under the Health Act to the extent of any conflict.
From the North American Free Trade Agreement on Labour Cooperation;
Section 9- Government enforcement action (Article 3) – each Party shall promote compliance with and effectively enforce its labor laws through appropriate government actions.
Section 10- Private Action (Article 4) – each Party shall ensure that persons with a legally recognized interest under its law in a particular matter have appropriate access to administrative, quasi-judicial, judicial or labor tribunals for the enforcement of the Party’s labor law.
Section 11- Procedural Guarantees (Article 5) – each Party shall ensure that its proceedings for the enforcement of its labor law are fair, equitable and transparent;
Post a Comment