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Lunatheism
This is where I once put a feverish rant which lasted almost a week before I took it down. I have found that sometimes when I rant about deep, intense, radical feelings, my arguments come off as didactic at best, and arrogant or condescending at worst. This article was apparently in "the worst" category. I didn't mean to set such a tone, but I have made such mistakes before and so I trust friends when they give me such feedback. I got such feedback.

Someday I might put up a similar rant here, toned down a bit, of course. But right now I don't know if that's possible, given the subject matter. I don't think there is any way to tell people that I think religion is a mass delusional disorder without sounding condescending. But that's the way I feel and I've found others who feel the same way, so I figured I'd make a word for it and get loud on the soapbox with my new word for a while.

But the word lunatheism doesn't work, really. It's too easy to find other connotations. The definition is confusing when you just try to piece it together from the parts. What does it mean? Moon worship? The gods must be crazy? A similar word for Discordianism? I'm nuts about religion? (You can answer that last question; I can take it.)

So, ultimately I have to come up with a better word and a softer style. And maybe I should just keep these ramblings to myself, but that is going to be very, very difficult. Many of my ever-evolving thoughts on big issues in life beg to be discussed, sometimes the moment I come up with such thoughts.  I need to hear other people's counter arguments, otherwise I might get nowhere.

I'll leave you with these links to other articles, and a few song lyrics that are going through my head right now.

Yours in sanity,

John

Further reading


Imagine


 Imagine there's no heaven,
 It's easy if you try,
 No hell below us,
 Above us only sky,
 Imagine all the people
 living for today...

 Imagine there's no countries,
 It isn't hard to do,
 Nothing to kill or die for,
 No religion too,
 Imagine all the people
 living life in peace...

 Imagine no possessions,
 I wonder if you can,
 No need for greed or hunger,
 A brotherhood of man,
 Imagine all the people
 Sharing all the world...

 You may say I'm a dreamer,
 but I'm not the only one,
 I hope some day you'll join us,
 And the world will live as one.

— John Lennon


The Logical Song

When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful,
A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical.
And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily,
Joyfully, playfully watching me.
But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible,
Logical, responsible, practical.
And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable,
Clinical, intellectual, cynical.

There are times when all the world's asleep,
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man.
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am.

Now watch what you say or they'll be calling you a radical,
Liberal, fanatical, criminal.
Won't you sign up your name, we'd like to feel you're
Acceptable, respectable, presentable, a vegetable!

At night, when all the world's asleep,
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man.
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am.

— Supertramp


Losing My Religion

Life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much
I haven't said enough
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Every whisper
Of every waking hour I'm
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up

Consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this
The slip that brought me
To my knees failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
Now I've said too much
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream
 
— REM

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Gloves off April 2005
Gloves back on May 2005