Why people hate atheists..

I get a general feeling that many people (i.e. believers) hate atheists. In fact, atheists are the most hated group in america, and atheists are probably one of the most open-minded and accepting groups in america (ironic, I know). I'm a strong believer that anger is a response born out of fear. And it's no mystery as to why believers would be afraid of atheists. The fear is caused by the already existing doubt in the minds of believers. Believers fear that there is no god, and consequently, that atheists are right about their assessment of reality. Atheists often are unable to wrap their heads around this. We don't have any beliefs that we need to protect. In fact, I would say the vast majority (probably all) atheists would change their stance (on anything) if evidence is made available. Not to stray off too far, but it seems that the beliefs atheists hold are much more flexible than that of a religious believer. A lot of lines could be drawn to reflect the underlying psychological effects of religion...effects that harden a person's worldview, and generate a paranoia against all others. I remember when I was a catholic, I used to have very negative views towards believers of other religions. This paranoia was spoon fed to me in Sunday school and church. A worldview based in fear isn't open to new information, and this is why I believe atheists are hated and feared like they are. I could ramble on all day about this, but I'll leave this post with the following thought....

If fear and irrationality were people they would be more than JUST friends.

Facebook messenger down for maintenance July 11 2011

This site is awful. It's been down for about 2 hours so far, and in the error pop-up window it says "it will be back shortly" or some nonsense like that. This isn't the first problem I've had with messenger, it always seems buggy to me, and it's no where near Yahoo Messenger for reliability. I'm seriously thinking about checking out Google +. 

Texas will be drinking their own piss/shit soon.

http://news.yahoo.com/texas-plant-turn-sewage-drinking-water-205103974.html

Isn't this hilarious? The irony, while perhaps only existing in my head, is terribly ironic. 

so the stockmarket is crashing....

And a lot of rich people are losing their "hard" earned money :(

Mindfulness is essential for good mental health.

Mindfulness is an incredible tool that the vast majority don't utilize. I believe we, as a society, are addicted to a reliance on autopilot—mindfulness is the enemy of autopilot (and vice versa). Mindfulness cannot be done automatically. In other words, our autopilot cannot learn mindfulness, but it can learn to remind us to engage in mindful behavior. Before I go any further, let me explain what mindfulness is. 

Mindfulness is an intentional focus on being aware of the present moment. A good way of doing this is to just step back, appreciate the moment with the senses (listen, see, taste, touch, smell), and also be aware of the thoughts that pass through awareness without pushing them away or encouraging them (just let them flow by). Play around with mindfulness, perhaps do some research on it if you don't feel that you have a good bead on it. 

When a person is mindful the brain correctly labels thoughts as being thoughts, and doesn't get all tangled up in them (a person that is aware of the present moment is able to easily see that a thought is just a thought, and not a threat). 

The ability to be aware is like a muscle, use it or lose it. And if you want to overcome things like depression and anxiety, awareness is literally the key (autopilot programming is by far the biggest cause of stress, anxiety, and depression).

If you have any questions about mindfulness, feel free to ask. Poor cognitive behavior is at the root of so many psychological problems, and mindfulness is amazing at getting people back on track (even though it takes a ton of discipline, it is very effective). I believe mindfulness is the kind of behavior that we are suppose to be engaged in—but in the age of information, we are overwhelmed with worry-provoking stimuli. The body in its natural state wants to relax, it takes worrying with a lack of awareness of the present moment (both go hand-in-hand) to stoke the proverbial fire. 

Atheists have the best beards?

http://www.facebook.com/atheistshavethebestbeards

I thought this Facebook page was funny. And yes, atheists do have the best beards (sorry Muslims). 

"Atheists Cannot Account For Emotional Feelings Brought On By Creation"

"Atheists Cannot Account For Emotional Feelings Brought On By Creation"

Not all people feel pleasant emotions while in the woods (I do, but some people hate being in the woods). Emotions come from within, they are not proof of anything other than the self. You (whitedragonawa) find the woods to be relaxing, therefore being in the woods will create a relaxing sensation in your body. It's not the woods itself that is doing anything, it is your body's reaction that is creating the effect. Some people are afraid of the woods, and if they were to go into it they would probably feel terrible. In other words, the woods does not have magical properties that make people feel good, it's all psychological. I don't believe it is important to believe that a god created everything with magic to be able to appreciate wildlife. For me, believing that all of the lifeforms in the woods are a product of billions of years of evolution is even more inspirational (more than some being just *poofing* it into existence). Anyways, it's just ridiculous to claim that atheists cannot account for your "feelings" (remember, 'feelings' come from within).