Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Focus

I've come to believe that the questions one is asking determines one's focus, and thus one's outlook and direction in life.  The questions we ask are very, very important, and we need to pay close attention to exactly what it is we're asking ourselves.

Today, it occurred to me that Zen has a question (well, at least one), and that it determines one's focus:

What is happening right now?

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Skepticism in 14 Easy Steps!

Step 1: Wonder how so many people (meaning: non-Christians) can be so wrong about religion. Ask: if Christianity is real, why isn't it obvious?

Step 2: Wonder, if so many people can be wrong, perhaps we can be wrong.

Step 3: Wonder, can everyone be wrong?

Step 4: Observe wackadoo religious friends. Make powerful negative associations with them.

Step 5: Make atheist friends. Realize that not everyone is wrong: some people are just willing to change their minds in light of reason. Make positive associations with these discussions.

Step 6: Read Waldrop's Complexity. Discover Scientific Pantheism.

Step 7: Fall in with wackadoo Scientific Pantheists.

Step 8: Form powerful negative associations with "fellow" wackadoo SciPans. Stop associating with them.

Step 9: Watch Bullsh!t.

Step 10: Watch Mind Control With Derren Brown.

Step 11: Read Derren Brown's Tricks of the Mind. Develop total man-crush. Hear, for the first time, the term "skeptic" used to describe a subculture.

Step 12: Subscribe to the Bad Astronomy blog. Hear references to "skeptics" often. In particular, the "Skepchicks".

Step 13: Develop healthy crushes on (all of) the Skepchicks. Especially one.

Step 14: Change one's website, Facebook page, and taglines to mention "and skeptic" among one's traits.