I know I've hurt my neighbors' feelings talking about it. But we also had a religion argument in which I tried to go all Occam's Razor and the response was, "if there wasn't a god, we would already know everything." I wasn't trying to talk them out of religion, they were trying to talk me out of atheism. I said, "wait, if there wasn't a god, we'd know everything...why?"

"Because we'd know."

Then I tried to explain begging the question, which didn't go over well.

At that point, my head exploded and I understood how people end up mumbling to themselves while wheeling around a grocery cart full of cardboard and bits of string.

So God is like The Man, keeping us down and not letting us be omniscient? That's not very nice.

So God is like The Man, keeping us down and not letting us be omniscient? That's not very nice.

That fucker.

Back when I was a kid, I thought one of the coolest things about getting into heaven is that then you'd know everything. Even the most trivial detail of your life you'd suddenly know all about. And everything would just make sense. Hmm... I wonder what that says about me....

There's no secret to The Secret. The book and movie simply state that your thoughts control the universe.

Personally, I'm glad my thoughts don't control the universe. If they did, I'd have a lot of embarrassing explaining to do, the human population would die like unto mayflies, and I'd keep accidentally destroying everything before I got my coffee in the morning.

I just keep wondering why so many people are susceptible to things like The Secret, or The Rules, or any sort of self-helpery that demands Captain Logic and First Mate Reason leave the building.

It's like suspension of disbelief 4EVAH.

I just keep wondering why so many people are susceptible to things like The Secret, or The Rules, or any sort of self-helpery that demands Captain Logic and First Mate Reason leave the building.

Captain Logic and First Mate Reason have been known to frighten people from time to time....

Well, it's pretty tempting to have something like a manual. Y'know, "If you just follow these rules everything will be fine, and if it's not it's because you didn't follow these rules." It's unpleasant to think that shit just happens and sometimes you can't do anything about it and there's no one right way to be and we're all just blind and groping.

Doesn't really bother me all that much.

A friend's sister keeps preaching The Secret at me via email. I want to send her to this whole conversation. Except then she'd be here and I am very protective of the b.org.

It's unpleasant to think that shit just happens and sometimes you can't do anything about it and there's no one right way to be and we're all just blind and groping.

Yeah, sometimes the propeller shaft breaks for no reason and the tugboat goes over the waterfalls and smashes on the rocks, despite the best efforts of Captain Logic, First Mate Reason and the rest of the gallant crew.

Well, it's pretty tempting to have something like a manual. Y'know, "If you just follow these rules everything will be fine, and if it's not it's because you didn't follow these rules." It's unpleasant to think that shit just happens and sometimes you can't do anything about it and there's no one right way to be and we're all just blind and groping.

This strikes me as the basis for most philosophies and religions. All to the good unless misused.

The notion of moving forward with nothing to cling to for reassurance and no reason to try moving forward (i.e. faith that doing so will make a difference) is how a lot of people end up on my couch. Or in bad straits.

I get the argument about logic and reason...and while I don't see anyone rejecting the benefits of optimism and motivation...I'm afraid one without the other is a flawed equation.

I may lalala too much for some, but if I did not employ some of the ideas that are so easily rejected because they can't necessarily be scientifically proven...and forgive the drama here...but I'd have ended up murdered by my violent alcoholic pedophile father...married to someone just like him...dead from drugs or something other.

I see value in focusing on what one would prefer to see in one's life...and putting the practical muscle of work and responsibility behind it...much more so than the 'it all sucks so why bother' rejection of possibilities I can't readily explain.