Well guess what? Mr. Nugent was entertaining, funny, and not at all extreme. He makes very bold statements and he likes to say things like "slap some sense into'm" but he really isn't as narrow-minded or as wild eyed as I expected. We both want many of the same things for America, we just disagree on the best way to get there in many instances. One interesting moment came when a Viet Nam vet got up to ask the first question of the night and rather than asking a question, called Ted a coward and draft dodger (very loudly and at length). Ted handled himself very well. I may disagree with his answers but I admired the way he stuck to his guns and answered all questions. How 'bout that shit?

The University of Wisconsin has something called the Distinguished Lecturer series. Tonight (OK last night, whatever) they had Howard Zinn as the speaker. Here is a link to his wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Zinn

He is an historian, a professor emeritus at Boston U. in the Political Science department and the author of numerous books including "A People's History of the United States" which I read this past summer. He talked about a number of things including the futility of war and he also mentioned that he thinks we should strive for a world without borders. Howard is a bit of an idealist.

Tomorrow night (by my reckoning) Ted Nugent will be appearing on the same stage. He is not a part of the Distinguished Lecturer series. It will be interesting to hear how completely different Mr. Nugent feels about some of these subjects. I'm thinking he sees a world with not only borders but fences, to keep everyone out of "his" America. Or maybe he's not as right-wing extreme as I've heard. His lecture is titled "God, Guns and Rock and Roll". Good thing it's free.

It's getting late but I want to get at least something down tonight. I'm sure people wonder why anybody would want to be an atheist. Well for me it's not about wanting to be one, I just am one. How could I not be. If it was about what I wanted I would do what most people do; sift through all the different theories and beliefs of various people and religions and cobble something together that works for me. I'm pretty sure that's what I did for the first twenty years or so; I was raised a catholic with all the guilt and fear (and love, right) and sort of emphasized what made some sense to me and downplayed the stuff that seemed really off (like Limbo for unbaptized babies and original sin and oh yeah, how about transubstantiation, that one is out there) and figured that I was a believer in my own way.

Well that was OK for a while but at some point I was inspired to dig deeper, to really confront what I professed to believe. This point came when I engaged in a spirited, ongoing debate with my one atheist friend. I found myself having to defend a position that I really wasn't sold on myself. A lack of faith? Perhaps. But why should faith have anything to do with it? Why couldn't I support my position with facts and evidence (like he could his)? This was the beginning. (more to come)

The Ten "Commandments"

Number one: I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have other Gods before me.

Who is? Show yourself.

Number Two: (Summarizing) Thou shalt worship no graven images, etc...

Again, says who?

Three: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain

Ditto

Four: Keep holy the Sabbath

Why? What's the sabbath and what's special about it. And who are you?

Five: Honor thy father and thy mother.

OK That one I'll do (or try very hard)

Six: Thou shall not kill.

Make it murder instead of kill and I one hundred percent agree.

Seven: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Easy one for me; OK

Eight: Thou shalt not steal

Again, I agree whole-heartedly

Nine: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor

Beautiful, I agree again

Ten: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife

Hmmmm.... What means "covet"? And what if she's encouraging me? Gonna have to think about this one.

Eleven (yes there's actually eleven, didn't you know?): Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors goods

Whatever

Or how about this one:

Be Nice!

All right, it's time for me to make something clear. I'm an atheist. Hate me if you must. (Ya can't though, can ya?)

The word atheist, as I see it, means one who believes in no god. I think you can take that two ways and I think that if you think it through you see it as one way, really.

I must now point out that I know the difference between belief and knowledge. Knowledge is that which I can prove (well, somebody anyway); belief is, essentially, my opinion. You don't have to believe what I believe and I don't expect you to. I don't even necessarily want you to. About this or anything.

More to come...