Episode 12 of the OpenAir@theistPodCast will air this wednesday 10/19/11 at 4:30pm PT with special guest Kate Fahr aka ''BionicDance'' on YouTube. Kate is a very intelligent atheist communicator on YouTube and it is my delight to have her on the show. Ms Fahr is also a talented web comic artist, ''The Adventures of Kanira Baxter'' and like me some what of a product of the 1980's. Kate and I will be discussing various subjects of importance on this wednesday's show and plan on taking a few Skype calls. If you are interested in being a caller please send me ''OpenAirAtheist'' an add request no later than 12 hrs prior to show time. Thanks
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Wishful thinking for wishful suckers!
Many times I have watched my fellow skeptics, atheists, freethinkers, realists, struggling to convince believers that their cherished beliefs are false. I of coarse have and still attempt to persuade believers all the time. As a pro active realist, atheist, agnostic I want people to embrace reality for all that it is and not for what they want it to be. I have seen the great destruction faith has caused throughout history and have witnessed the appalling "us and them mentality" that religion causes.
Back when I was a Christian street evangelist (open air preacher) I was habitually engaging in debates with persons from all walks of life, opinions and views. I was always getting in debates every where I went. At coffee shops, restaurants on street corners, a college campus (Uc Davis CA) Huntington BH CA, Hollywood CA (The walk of fame) and yes even churches (when I thought my fellow Christians were being inconsistent with the teachings of the NT). I was intense! I was a sincere believer and I was on a mission, and just because I am now an unbeliever doesn't mean my mission has ended! Truth was important to me back then just as it is now. These were never formal moderated debates but more like apologetical encounters.
I have learned much from those types of verbal engagements....I have learned proof doesn't necessarily equal persuasion!
There are indeed many reasons for this but I will only give you the ones I feel are most important.
1 Not everyone knows how to think for themselves or reason properly. (Not everyone has taken a basic critical reasoning class)
2 Many people assume or decide the truth a head of time (faith) instead of actually seeking it. If A is true then that implies X. I don't like X,(or X makes me feel uncomfortable) therefore A is not true.
3 Many people are willing to critically examine other people's beliefs (world views) but not their own. Rarely if ever do they question the assumptions that make up their world view they just embrace them uncritically.
4 Many people could careless about reality/truth their just looking for an escape! They are so emotionally attached to their Sky daddy and life after death fantasies that they will filter any person or idea that contradicts them and only allow reinforcements of their beloved fantasies. They are the definition of closed mindedness.
Can we blame them? I mean who wants to accept the reality ( with the information I have thus far) that even the dead friends and family we love the most won't be waiting for us in some heavenly theme park in the sky? Who wants to embrace the reality(with the information I have thus far) that life is but a mere speck in space, floating in a vast and seemingly endless ocean of deadly radiation and chaotic destruction of stars. That all of our lives and accomplishments will be ultimately gone and forgotten? Do I blame these escape artists? yes!
I do not respect or admire cowardice nor will I pretend to! Don't get me wrong I feel for these people and I understand where their coming from. I just disagree.
I am not under the dilution that I can de convert anyone, nor am I naive enough to think that believers are believers merely due to a lack of evidence/proof. People are more complex than many of us realize.
The best one can do is put forth the most coherent logical argumentation as they can with respect compassion and sincerity.
Sincerely James TheRe@list
Back when I was a Christian street evangelist (open air preacher) I was habitually engaging in debates with persons from all walks of life, opinions and views. I was always getting in debates every where I went. At coffee shops, restaurants on street corners, a college campus (Uc Davis CA) Huntington BH CA, Hollywood CA (The walk of fame) and yes even churches (when I thought my fellow Christians were being inconsistent with the teachings of the NT). I was intense! I was a sincere believer and I was on a mission, and just because I am now an unbeliever doesn't mean my mission has ended! Truth was important to me back then just as it is now. These were never formal moderated debates but more like apologetical encounters.
I have learned much from those types of verbal engagements....I have learned proof doesn't necessarily equal persuasion!
There are indeed many reasons for this but I will only give you the ones I feel are most important.
1 Not everyone knows how to think for themselves or reason properly. (Not everyone has taken a basic critical reasoning class)
2 Many people assume or decide the truth a head of time (faith) instead of actually seeking it. If A is true then that implies X. I don't like X,(or X makes me feel uncomfortable) therefore A is not true.
3 Many people are willing to critically examine other people's beliefs (world views) but not their own. Rarely if ever do they question the assumptions that make up their world view they just embrace them uncritically.
4 Many people could careless about reality/truth their just looking for an escape! They are so emotionally attached to their Sky daddy and life after death fantasies that they will filter any person or idea that contradicts them and only allow reinforcements of their beloved fantasies. They are the definition of closed mindedness.
Can we blame them? I mean who wants to accept the reality ( with the information I have thus far) that even the dead friends and family we love the most won't be waiting for us in some heavenly theme park in the sky? Who wants to embrace the reality(with the information I have thus far) that life is but a mere speck in space, floating in a vast and seemingly endless ocean of deadly radiation and chaotic destruction of stars. That all of our lives and accomplishments will be ultimately gone and forgotten? Do I blame these escape artists? yes!
I do not respect or admire cowardice nor will I pretend to! Don't get me wrong I feel for these people and I understand where their coming from. I just disagree.
I am not under the dilution that I can de convert anyone, nor am I naive enough to think that believers are believers merely due to a lack of evidence/proof. People are more complex than many of us realize.
The best one can do is put forth the most coherent logical argumentation as they can with respect compassion and sincerity.
Sincerely James TheRe@list
Saturday, September 10, 2011
My ''Re@lism"
The word ''atheist'' doesn't tell anyone what I believe! but merely that I lack belief in God(s). It tells you nothing about how I see the world. My ''Atheism'' isn't a world view! I will define a world view in the following manner '' a net work of presuppositions which are not tested by natural science and in terms of which all experiences are interpreted''. This is how Dr Greg L Bahnsen defined ''World View'' and I hold to this definition.
The word ''atheist'' tells you nothing about my morality or how I treat others...My ''Atheism'' isn't an ideology or even really an ism! An ''ism'' is a distinctive doctrine, system ,theory , or practice. -according to Dictionary.com.
The word ''atheist'' says nothing about what I value most or my continuous quest for truth and knowledge. Neither does it speak of my loyal embracing of reality for all of its ugliness, beauty, and pain. The word ''atheist'' has nothing to say about my high standard of evidence. However there is a word that does and that word is...''realist''!
The following is my short definition of the word ''realist''. ''A person who tends and or seeks to view and represent things and persons as they really are and reality/existence as it actually is as accurately as possible''.
Let me tell you about my ''ism''....My ''Realism''! My ''Atheism'' isn't my ism it's merely my lack of belief in God(s)! As a realist I strive for self consistency, for the willingness to admit when I'm wrong and to admit when I don't know something instead of plugging my favored fantasy into my gap in knowledge. This allows me to be more intellectually honest than the theist or believer. In my experience many theists have the tendency to ignore and or dismiss facts/evidence when it contradicts their dogmatic fiction, and or wants, wishes or desires. However to be fair I think this is part of the human condition and I think we should admit when we find our selves doing this and try to be self correcting.
Faith and dogma is deciding what is, before you actually know!
The ''realist'' strives to always welcome facts/'evidence in spite of undesirable implications. A ''realists'' goal is to see and understand reality as it actually is.
Theism is a system of indoctrination and control! Theism is static and merely pretends to account for, and or explain anything and everything! Theism pretends to know and or be the TRUTH its self!
''Realism'' embraces truth and reaches for more. Many theists say something like the following ''this is true because my holy book says so!''. A realist says something like this ''with the information I personally have thus far thus and such seams or appears to be the case''.
With the information I have thus far....faith isn't a path to truth but the surrender of it!
Many theistic apologists try to make my ''lack of belief in God(s) into an ''ism'' no matter how many times I correct them! When they do this, it exposes their blatant dishonesty!. Instead of just admitting their is more than one ''Atheism'' they ''straw man'' my Atheism by attacking someone else's as though it were my own. Many Theists' also tend to confuse Atheism with Naturalism, Humanism and of course Evolution which is a scientific fact lol. If you want to attack my actual, ''ism'', then you will need to attack my '' REALISM''!
After all, it was my ''Realism'' that eventually killed my theism/faith!
I'm James the realist and I call it like I see it whether you like it or not!
KEEP IT REAL! and whatever you do don't die!
The word ''atheist'' tells you nothing about my morality or how I treat others...My ''Atheism'' isn't an ideology or even really an ism! An ''ism'' is a distinctive doctrine, system ,theory , or practice. -according to Dictionary.com.
The word ''atheist'' says nothing about what I value most or my continuous quest for truth and knowledge. Neither does it speak of my loyal embracing of reality for all of its ugliness, beauty, and pain. The word ''atheist'' has nothing to say about my high standard of evidence. However there is a word that does and that word is...''realist''!
The following is my short definition of the word ''realist''. ''A person who tends and or seeks to view and represent things and persons as they really are and reality/existence as it actually is as accurately as possible''.
Let me tell you about my ''ism''....My ''Realism''! My ''Atheism'' isn't my ism it's merely my lack of belief in God(s)! As a realist I strive for self consistency, for the willingness to admit when I'm wrong and to admit when I don't know something instead of plugging my favored fantasy into my gap in knowledge. This allows me to be more intellectually honest than the theist or believer. In my experience many theists have the tendency to ignore and or dismiss facts/evidence when it contradicts their dogmatic fiction, and or wants, wishes or desires. However to be fair I think this is part of the human condition and I think we should admit when we find our selves doing this and try to be self correcting.
Faith and dogma is deciding what is, before you actually know!
The ''realist'' strives to always welcome facts/'evidence in spite of undesirable implications. A ''realists'' goal is to see and understand reality as it actually is.
Theism is a system of indoctrination and control! Theism is static and merely pretends to account for, and or explain anything and everything! Theism pretends to know and or be the TRUTH its self!
''Realism'' embraces truth and reaches for more. Many theists say something like the following ''this is true because my holy book says so!''. A realist says something like this ''with the information I personally have thus far thus and such seams or appears to be the case''.
With the information I have thus far....faith isn't a path to truth but the surrender of it!
Many theistic apologists try to make my ''lack of belief in God(s) into an ''ism'' no matter how many times I correct them! When they do this, it exposes their blatant dishonesty!. Instead of just admitting their is more than one ''Atheism'' they ''straw man'' my Atheism by attacking someone else's as though it were my own. Many Theists' also tend to confuse Atheism with Naturalism, Humanism and of course Evolution which is a scientific fact lol. If you want to attack my actual, ''ism'', then you will need to attack my '' REALISM''!
After all, it was my ''Realism'' that eventually killed my theism/faith!
I'm James the realist and I call it like I see it whether you like it or not!
KEEP IT REAL! and whatever you do don't die!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
The OpenAir@theistPodCast on iTunes and talkshoe.com
For those of you who don't know OpenAirAtheist is not only a YouTube Channel and a blog ,but is now a PodCast as well. You Can listen to the OpenAir@theistPodCast on iTunes and Talkshoe.com as well. I will be recording episodes of the podcast every Friday at 8pm CA time and will be taking your skype calls. While I am recording the podcast I will also be broadcasting live via OpenAirAtheist.LiveStream.com. If you would like to be a guest caller please contact me on Skype ,my skype name is of course OpenAirAtheist. This Friday 8/12/11 YouTube user "Chattiestspike" will be a guest on the OpenAir@theist PodCast. The topics will be on evolution denyiers and their silly fallacious arguments. Watch the episode live on liveStream.
Friday, July 29, 2011
The Ship is sinking!
Picture your self on a cruise at sea. It's a beautiful sunny afternoon as you stand on the deck of a gigantic cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. You gaze deep into the distance and see absolutely no land in sight. You glance down at the side of the ship and to your shock and horror you see a massive hole on the port side of the cruise liner. You quickly alarm everyone with a loud frantic voice" We're sinking! THE SHIP IS SINKING!" You even tell every crew member you can find. You tell the captain about the massive hole but the captian says "sorry there can't be a massive hole otherwise we're all gonna die!" and then goes on about his business as though you had never said a word.
This short story is in some ways analogious to many theistic arguments.
Example 1 (Blah) must exist or there is no objective morality.(Whatever that is)
Example 2 (Blah) must exist or there can be no objective meaning,purpose.(Again whatever they mean by objective)
Example 3 (Blah) Must exist or there is no freewill(and yet again whatever they mean by that!)
Example 4 if (Blah) doesn't exist then life is futile because in 4 billion years the sun is going to destroy every living thing on this planet ,therefore Blah(god) exists.
I hope you can see the fallaciousness of such arguments! For example even if without BlahWeh(God) there was no objective morality or universal ought doesn't mean either of them exist!
Reality/truth/existence is indifferent to what you want to be the case. It is what it is regardless of your desires and feelings.
Instead of wishing on a star or some sky dady ,I think it better to embrace existence for all of its ugliness and beauty! And to be humbled by our true place in the universe instead of living in a dream land. Perhaps if the Captain had been honest with himself about his plight ,he could have done something about it.
This short story is in some ways analogious to many theistic arguments.
Example 1 (Blah) must exist or there is no objective morality.(Whatever that is)
Example 2 (Blah) must exist or there can be no objective meaning,purpose.(Again whatever they mean by objective)
Example 3 (Blah) Must exist or there is no freewill(and yet again whatever they mean by that!)
Example 4 if (Blah) doesn't exist then life is futile because in 4 billion years the sun is going to destroy every living thing on this planet ,therefore Blah(god) exists.
I hope you can see the fallaciousness of such arguments! For example even if without BlahWeh(God) there was no objective morality or universal ought doesn't mean either of them exist!
Reality/truth/existence is indifferent to what you want to be the case. It is what it is regardless of your desires and feelings.
Instead of wishing on a star or some sky dady ,I think it better to embrace existence for all of its ugliness and beauty! And to be humbled by our true place in the universe instead of living in a dream land. Perhaps if the Captain had been honest with himself about his plight ,he could have done something about it.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Defining Atheism
What is Atheism? 1 Atheism isn't even an ism ! 2 Atheism isn't a religion just as not collecting stamps is not a hobby. 3 Atheism is a mere lack of belief in god(s). 4 Atheism isn't a world view! Dr Greg Bahnsen defines a world view as follows.'' A world view is a net work of presuppositions which are not tested by natural science and in terms of which all experiences are interpreted''. Ones Atheism may be a result of ones world view or even your world view a result of ones Atheism. But Atheism is not a world view! All to often is Atheism confused with philosophical naturalism and methodological naturalism by the religious. 5 NO! Atheism isn't even an ideology !
We all begin our lives as atheists. Infants are atheists in the sense that they don't believe in god(s) due to ignorance of any god hypothesis and have yet to be subjected to indoctrination (brain washing). We are all born ignostic as well ,due to the fact that infants lack the ability to comprhend any god hypothesis.
As an adult I am an Atheist Agnostic.
The difference is that now I am an atheist because I lack any real evidence for the existence of any god (deity). I have examined the god hypothesis and rejected it on rational grounds. The difference is an informed and conscious rejection. I have examined much so called evidence for god(s). I find many arguments for the existence of god(s) to be arguments from ignorance etc. However one can be an atheist for rational and irrational reasons. Think for your selves don't die!
We all begin our lives as atheists. Infants are atheists in the sense that they don't believe in god(s) due to ignorance of any god hypothesis and have yet to be subjected to indoctrination (brain washing). We are all born ignostic as well ,due to the fact that infants lack the ability to comprhend any god hypothesis.
As an adult I am an Atheist Agnostic.
The difference is that now I am an atheist because I lack any real evidence for the existence of any god (deity). I have examined the god hypothesis and rejected it on rational grounds. The difference is an informed and conscious rejection. I have examined much so called evidence for god(s). I find many arguments for the existence of god(s) to be arguments from ignorance etc. However one can be an atheist for rational and irrational reasons. Think for your selves don't die!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
BlahWeh of the gaps
Do you feel lonely and empty inside ? Thats because you got a Blahweh sized vacuum in your heart. Are you addicted to drugs and or alcohol ? That's because you need to get in touch with your higher BlahWeh. Broken heart? Broken marrage? Awwe you poor thing. You need a little BlahWeh in your life! What's that your an amputee ,well sorry that's one problem BlahWeh doesn't address.
Do you struggle with the origin of life and the cosmos? That's ok instead of just admitting you don't know, just say BlahWeh did it. Do you fear death and dying? Well then just say these magic words and muster up enough sincerity and BlahWeh will grant you an eternal blah type of existence after death. What's that? If the earth is only 6 thousand years old then why do we have fossils much older than that? Well BlahWeh did it to test your faith and to fool those who ask too many questions instead of just believing that BlahWeh did it. Those stupid fools! They should have just started with the assumption that BlahWeh did it. What's that you want to know what BlahWeh is? BlahWeh is not material.
BlahWeh is non visible.
BlahWeh exists no place ,and yet is omni present.
BlahWeh exists no time.
BlahWeh has no needs.
BlahWeh is simple.
BlahWeh is with out begining or end.
What? No! I'm not talking about non existence! How dear you doubt the existence of the great BlahWeh!!! The fool says in his wicked little heart there is no BlahWeh. The proof of blahweh's existence is that with out BlahWeh you couldn't know any thing. In order to argue against BlahWeh you must first presuppose BlahWeh. How can you look at all that BlahWeh has pulled from nothing and not believe? Thats crazy! Sorry don't have enough faith that everything came from nothing! BlahWeh loves you but if you don't believe he is gonna stick pine cones in your ass for all eternity! Remember that piece of candy you stole when you were 4? Well BlahWeh must punish you for that unless you believe! BlahWeh is love ,but BlahWeh is a perfectionist and even though His Blahness created you ,it's your fault for being born imperfect!
Do you struggle with the origin of life and the cosmos? That's ok instead of just admitting you don't know, just say BlahWeh did it. Do you fear death and dying? Well then just say these magic words and muster up enough sincerity and BlahWeh will grant you an eternal blah type of existence after death. What's that? If the earth is only 6 thousand years old then why do we have fossils much older than that? Well BlahWeh did it to test your faith and to fool those who ask too many questions instead of just believing that BlahWeh did it. Those stupid fools! They should have just started with the assumption that BlahWeh did it. What's that you want to know what BlahWeh is? BlahWeh is not material.
BlahWeh is non visible.
BlahWeh exists no place ,and yet is omni present.
BlahWeh exists no time.
BlahWeh has no needs.
BlahWeh is simple.
BlahWeh is with out begining or end.
What? No! I'm not talking about non existence! How dear you doubt the existence of the great BlahWeh!!! The fool says in his wicked little heart there is no BlahWeh. The proof of blahweh's existence is that with out BlahWeh you couldn't know any thing. In order to argue against BlahWeh you must first presuppose BlahWeh. How can you look at all that BlahWeh has pulled from nothing and not believe? Thats crazy! Sorry don't have enough faith that everything came from nothing! BlahWeh loves you but if you don't believe he is gonna stick pine cones in your ass for all eternity! Remember that piece of candy you stole when you were 4? Well BlahWeh must punish you for that unless you believe! BlahWeh is love ,but BlahWeh is a perfectionist and even though His Blahness created you ,it's your fault for being born imperfect!
Monday, July 25, 2011
BLAHWEH DID IT !
In the first verse of the Hebrew bible it reads '' In the beginning God (whatever that means) created the heavens and the earth ''. When I say the word ''create'' I am not meaning that as though I am actually making existence. When humans use the word create in a meaningful way, we are talking about taking things that are already existent and shaping, molding and arranging them to accomplish our desires. However this is not the way the word is used by Theologians. When they say that God created all things, what they mean is that God who they can't even conceptualize or define did it. They never tell you what they mean by God or creation in any meaningful way, or give any coherent explanation. Think about it not only do they attempt to tell you what God (blah) is, by negation they also say God did it from nothing. Can you picture something coming out of nothing? Of course you can't ! If nothing is not something and if something is coming out of nothing then its not nothing. If you could conceptualize or picture nothing it wouldn't be something. In the past I have heard a Christian open air preacher (Chad Williams aka Rationalresponder on YouTube) accuse atheists of believing that everything and all its complexity popped out of nothing, then loudly proclaims ''I don't have enough faith to believe that!". Funny because thats exactly what he is saying when he says ''God did it''. There claim is so utterly non sensical it can't even be imagined or conceptualized. Think for your selves don't die! Sincerely James T Stillwell 3
Friday, July 22, 2011
The great blah in the sky .
I have some thing in my hand. It's not a spoon it's not a fork ,it's not a gun ,it's not an American flag. It's not a bible ,it's not paper or plastic and it's not any type of metal. I could go on for days telling you what isn't in my hand but that wouldn't tell you what is. Therefore you have no choice but to remain agnostic about what I mean when I say something is in my hand. So it goes with the word God! When I ask Christians/apologists/theologians what god is they say he is spirit, and when I ask what spirit is they say immaterial. Non existence is non material because non existence doesn't exist! They try to define god by saying god is good loving all powerful all knowing 3 persons in one ontology (being) ,but that doesnt tell me what they mean by being. Talking about character doesn't define existence. Since they can't tell me what god is, I can't even asses the probability of their claim. In fact their claim is no more meaningful, logical, or explanatory than "blue sleeps faster than Wednesday". Their claim is no more sensical than saying " there is a great blah in the sky!".The Christian orthodox concept of deity isn't really a concept because it's not conceptual. Many say that it is possible to conceptualize something that doesn't exist, but they are wrong! They say that unicorns are conceptual, but the problem with their assertion is that horses exist and horns exist and all one is doing ,is taking two diferent concepts of two physical objects and calling them a unicorn. Every conceptualization is a mere compilations of physical objects. When we create a person in our minds all we are doing is taking some physical characteristics that we have seen in the past and scrambling them all together to make a new arrangement. So even in that sense we are not conceptualizing anything non existent or immaterial. Everything we know and can conceptualize (with any level of certainty) is merely the result of sensory input into our physical brains. Saying something or someone is immaterial is meaningless to me because everything in my personal experience has only been physical (energy or matter). Thanks for taking the time to read this post and may the blah be with you whatever that means lol .Please leave a comment. Sincerely James T Stillwell 3.
Monday, July 18, 2011
OpenAirAtheist
Hi my name is James Theodore Stillwell and this is my first Blog, so please be understanding. I have a YouTube channel entitled OpenAirAtheist where I refute a plethora of religious claims and assertions and show that faith isn't a path to truth, but the surrender of it! The title is Open air atheist because I am a former Christian open air preacher. Back in May 2010 I found myself preaching in Huntington BH CA with Ray Comfort, and other well known open air preachers, and spoke with Kirk Cameron about TAG vs evidential apologetics. Life is strange and full of surprises, and for me the person I least expected to become, is who I have become. I'm ok with that. It has been my experience that when someone is a sincere seeker of truth their position must change with the facts. For those who are interested in my former theology, when I was a Christian open air preacher I held to the London baptist confession of 1689 and shared almost the exact theology as C H Spurgeon and Dr James White. For those interested in my education on the subject of religion, I am self taught in Koine Greek, apologetics, philosophy, critical reasoning, church history etc. In 2009 I open air preached in old town Sacramento CA, Marysville CA ,Yuba City Ca, Salem OR at the corner of Court Street and Liberty avenue with Paul Keizer (Reformed evangelist on YouTube and well-known street evangelist) Ryan Dozier and a few others. In May of 2010 I received a free schalorship to Ray Comfort's (living waters /Thewayofthemaster) Ambassadors Academy. Many like to ask about my de conversion and how I lost my faith and perhaps I will address this in detail in a future post but for now let me just say for the moment. I lost faith in faith!
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