Gratuitous Common Sense

Living Forever is the subject of the current poll, on the right side of this page.

In 1900, the life expectancy for newborn babies in the United States was 46 for males and 48 for females. By the year 2000, life expectancy had increased by an average of 64% to 74 for males and 80 for females. Even a modest increase at half that rate over the next century would put average natural life expectancy above 100 years of age. If our civilization continues at the current rate, it will be over 125 years by the year 2100.

With the exponential growth of scientific advancement over the last half century, we might even expect an increase in that rate. Some scientists are saying that the first person that will live to see 200 is alive today. Some are saying we’re on the brink of flat out reversing the aging process. Crazier ones are purporting that the scientific discoveries and possibilities offered by gene/DNA manipulation will allow us to live as long as we want.

But what kind of social consequences does that have, if we just won’t die? How long would you want to live? 200 years? 500 years? 1000 years?

If you think our current life expectancy is ‘just right’, then what do you think the people alive in 1900 thought? What age will the first generation of the 22nd century think is ‘just right’?

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“The doctrine of the movements of the earth and the fixity of the sun is condemned on the ground that the Scriptures speak in many places of the sun moving and the earth standing still… I think that in the discussion of natural problems we ought to begin not with the Scriptures, but with experiments and demonstrations.”

- Galileo Galilei

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In 2006, the American movie industry used the date of 6-6-06 to shamelessly promote a movie called, The Omen - a remake of a 1970’s film by the same name. The date, however arbitrarily determined by the gregorian (or solar) calendar, was given significance because its corresponding numbers are the so-called mark of the beast, 666. Of course they ignored the fact that the devil’s number has been devalued to 616.

Anyway, now it’s 2007. And it’s time for some more Armageddon fun with the calendar. As you may or may not have noticed, it’s July, which can only mean one thing. It is the 7th month. And July has a 7th day, on which the date will be 7-7-07. Jesus is Coming!

Please pray on 777 (Saturday July 7 2007) with millions for what will become the World’s Greatest Christian Prayer Day! Let’s help everyone focus on the Light of the world and his return. Expect the Spirit of God to be powerful on 777 because of faith and unity never before witnessed.

Surely, two Armageddon-esque dates so relatively close on the never-ending calendar are a sign of the apocalypse, the end of days, end times, the second coming, salvation, rapture. Fear!! or Pray!! Because the national day of prayer does not provide enough unity to be witnessed.

We beleive (sic) that the Almighty has planned and prepared this day, 777 from the beginning to continue his end time scenes.

Of course, the 777 that occurs in the 21st century is the one he has planned and prepared, not the one in the first century (as a literal reading of god’s word might lead you to believe), or the one in the 8th century .

But a christian page encouraging prayer would not be complete without an innocuous passive-aggressive chapter-and-verse threat…

Faithless people may start getting a little nervous about 777. This is why and in the Lord’s own words

40. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

but don’t let the comedy dissuade you. They eventually get around to what “The Manchild Team” really believes:

Yes there is a tribulation coming, but more importantly, is the fact that there is going to be a deliverance from the tribulation. Most protestant religions call this a rapture. The ManChild Team would like to fly to heaven but we think that this is more of an escape from what’s coming kind of rapture. The Ark that the small few chosen escaped in during the first world judgment and punishment for the wicked is a message and example of how we shall be given safety. The Israelites made a little Ark called the “Ark of the Testimony” which had great Godly powers like in Raiders of the Lost Ark. This symbolized Noah and more importantly the Ark we are all getting in or going to. We believe it may be in a mountain valley of some sort in Canada or the hollowed out of a mountain. When all the fireworks or tribulation is over we come out and start a new world. This time we will be led into the Ark by Christ and led out to prosper the new world as it will be called for approximately a thousand years. This will be a world that is not based on sports heroes, celebrities, politicians or the greed of money. It will be based on righteousness and only righteous honest decent people will be honored. Tell cold heartless American TV, Bye.

I love how he cites Raiders of the Lost Ark, then says to “tell cold heartless American TV, Bye,” as if the movie industry creates any less idolatry. Love it!!

I’m preparing for the lord, as we speak. You think some wine is in order? A nice Chianti with some pasta? Nah, he’ll probably just need some water.

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I took a week off, and I get tagged. So, it happened. CHADMAC has tagged me with the eight random facts thing. This is how it works - I post the following rules and then post some random little facts about myself. First, the rules:

• We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
• Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
• People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
• At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
• Don’t forget to leave them each a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Second, the facts:

1. I hate tagging memes with a passion because they seem to be a severe waste of time and (save any ulterior pageranking or link-whoring motives) only serve as fodder for someone who has nothing else to post about at the moment.
2. I have nothing else to post about at the moment.
3. I am God. Don’t believe me? Check out my email address: god@ccannizzaro.com.
4. Speaking of being God, I’m a control freak. I’m not a backseat driver, and I’m not one to get agitated and irritable, but it will burn on the inside if I see someone doing something that I know can be done in a better, faster, or more efficient way.
5. This blog is an experiment, meant only to serve my curiosity and love of learning. My blog has a finite lifespan, and, as God, only I know when it is predestined to end. At that point, all your links to my blog will lead to one of two places: 1) to nowhere (fitting for an athiestic site) or 2) to rather unattractive or uninteresting pictures of me and my family, friends, and dog.
6. Speaking of my dog, his name is Darwin, but not for the religio-scientific Charles-inspired reasons that most people assume. We actually chose it because of its intrinsic meaning, which is “good friend, dear friend, or friend”. We thought it a fitting name for our dog.
7. I’m weird and obsessive compulsive sometimes. I consciously avoid stepping on cracks on the sidewalk, but just the natural unplanned cracks, the seams that are supposed to be there don’t bother me. Not for any superstitious reasons, just because I don’t like to. I also flush the toilet in a public restroom with my foot, including the urinal, where I am forced to use my flying dragon ninja kick. I also have the highest possible frequent flyer status on two different airlines, I’ve flown hundreds of thousands of miles, and still have never seen the inside of an airplane bathroom. And if I have my way, I never will.
8. I have arachnophobia. I know… how can God be afraid of spiders? but it’s true. As you know, I’ve never claimed to be a rational or reasonable entity.

Bonus fact: I’m not much for following the rules. I have a general disdain for authority, especially undeserved authority. And I typically learn the hierarchy of an organization or system only so I know how to subvert it when necessary.

So I’m not tagging anyone with this meme. The buck, as they (yes, that they) say, stops here.

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Another gem from the “Impossible to Predict” Department…

Are we through with this mess yet? Are we really going to endure this “evaluation period” for 3 more months?

It never ceases to amaze me how much our president reminds me of a 6 year old. He’s been told to stop playing the video game, repeatedly. “5 more minutes,” he negotiates without taking his eyes off the screen. And Congress, like the pushover parent that should’ve bent him over her knee a long time ago, acquiesces. No doubt, his threat to throw a presidential-sized tantrum made the passive parents avoid the confrontation.

But now he’s been told to stop again, this time by some (republican) parents that he usually respects. Will this make him stop?

Can we please stop using our troops as some sort of cover that’s supposedly keeping the terrorists from coming here?

Can we please stop putting them in harm’s way just for the sake of having them in harm’s way?

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It’s about time! Finally, someone has offered to help the seriously afflicted, like Jackie Chan, and Margaret Cho, and maybe part of Soledad O’Brien (who knows? I mean, really).

Thankya Jeeesus!

“Curing” Ted Haggard in three weeks, instead of the usual 4.5 years, has emboldened Christians, and they now have the balls to think they can counsel the genetics right out of you. I can’t wait to see the first success story!

Actually, to be honest, the billboard above was probably changed to illustrate the fact that homosexuals don’t choose to be gay any more than Asians choose to be Asian. Both people who read this blog are already aware of that fact, so I’ll refrain from pulling out the multiple sources that show it’s a natural ‘phenomenon’. That’s a moot point anyway.

What really needs to be done is to get people to stop thinking solely in terms of sexual activity when it comes to homosexuality, as if that’s all that matters in a homosexual relationship. A lot of people, especially those that have a problem with it, think of it as a kind of hedonistic orgy of rebellion and sexual hegemony, but never bother to consider any other kinds of attraction that two people can have between each other. Their problem with homosexuality isn’t that two people are emotionally, psychologically, and physically attracted to or in love with each other. Their problem is that they act on it, like any heterosexual couple would, by having sex.

In other words, it’s okay for two men (or women) to love each other, as long as they don’t have sex (or get “married” in the eyes of the state). Sure they’ll find a euphemism for their motive, like “traditional family values”, but to those that have a problem with it, it’s all about the sex. And as long as that is allowed to continue, homosexuality will be brushed off, subjugated, and easily classified as less genuine than heterosexual relationships. And people like those in the Truth Ministry will continue to think it’s something to be cured.

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Cannot… compute… head… hurts…

This is one of many questions from a survey by Newsweek, conducted June 18-19, 2007. Yes, 2007! The people who answered this question are over 18, and part of the voting public.

Yes, that’s a warning.

Not only are 41% of people completely ignorant, but that’s up 5% since 2004.

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“The United States of America have exhibited, perhaps, the first example of governments erected on the simple principles of nature; and if men are now sufficiently enlightened to disabuse themselves of artifice, imposture, hypocrisy, and superstition, they will consider this event as an era in their history. Although the detail of the formation of the American governments is at present little known or regarded either in Europe or in America, it may hereafter become an object of curiosity. It will never be pretended that any persons employed in that service had interviews with the gods, or were in any degree under the influence of Heaven, more than those at work upon ships or houses, or laboring in merchandise or agriculture; it will forever be acknowledged that these governments were contrived merely by the use of reason and the senses.”

- John Adams, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America

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Question #2:

Who was Cain afraid would kill him when your god put him out of the Garden for killing Abel? I mean, the entire population of the planet consisted of his mom, dad, brother and himself at the time.

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If my South African and Tierra Del Fuego-an readers will excuse me for a moment, it’s June 21st, the Summer Solstice. It’s the beginning of summer in the Northern hemisphere, because, well… The Earth begins tilting back in the other direction today (at least in relation to the Sun). Rumor has it that it actually happened at 6:06pm GMT, which is about the time this was posted.

Today is a religious holiday (Litha or Midsummer) for modern Pagans. No doubt many of them gathered at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England this morning to watch the sunrise in alignment with its axis. Much to their delight, I’m sure, this is one of the few Pagan holidays that Christians have yet to commandeer, re-brand, and re-package for consumption by the masses. That is, unless you count the feast day of St. John the Baptist on June 24, in which case the Christians did a particularly poor job of re-branding when you compare it to the monumental success of Christmas. But then again, that is Jesus’ day.

But Pagans aren’t the only ones to hold this day in high regard. Native American tribes had many celebrations, and harvests, and feasts related to this day.

Probably the most famous Native American homage to the Summer Solstice is The Bighorn Medicine Wheel near Sheridan, Wyoming in the Rocky Mountains. It’s one of many wheels, most of which are located in Canada. At Bighorn, the center of a small cairn (which is external to the main wheel) lines up with the center of the wheel and the sunrise. It really has little to do with Medicine though. The term “medicine wheel” was invented by Pilgrims. “Medicine” was a term used to describe anything native that white people didn’t understand.

Ancient Romans were also fond of this day. The festival of Vestalia was held in honor of the Roman Goddess of hearth, Vesta, and it lasted from June 7^th to June 15^th. During this time, married women were allowed to enter the shrine of Vesta, whereas during the rest of the year only the vestal virgins were permitted inside.

Not to be left out, Ancient China had their own Summer Solstice ceremony, during which they celebrated the Earth, the feminine, and the yin forces. This complemented the Winter Solstice which celebrated the heavens, the masculine, and the yang forces.

So don’t discriminate, pick your favorite, and go out and celebrate today! And if you don’t like all this religious and mythological mumbo jumbo, that’s okay… it’s also World Humanist Day! See? Something for everyone.

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