My Atheism, Science, Ghosts, and the Soul...

I'm occasionally asked about my opinion on religion or to explain my atheism. Before I explain my own, personal, beliefs... Let me include these two short lists.

Atheism is NOT...

• Atheism is NOT a hatred of "God"
• Atheism is NOT a rebellion against "God" or Religion
• Atheism is NOT a Religion of its own making
• Atheism is NOT the Absence of Conscience

Religion is NOT or DOES NOT...

• Religion DOES NOT provide a provable or even probable explanation to any naturally occurring event found in existence today or ever.
• Religion IS NOT a compass for moral integrity
• Religion DOES NOT provide a reasonable outlook upon the world for the ethical treatment of our fellow men, woman, children, or the Earth itself
• RELIGION DOES NOT have the ability to defend itself against its own fallacies or contradictions

For me, Atheism is simply the ability to live life independently of (any) religion. It is the ability to do what is right simply because it is right and not for the benefit of following stigmatic dogma or socially accepted expectations. 

With that said, I'll move on to both Science and the Soul. I do not believe that believing in one automatically excludes the other from your life. On the contrary, I believe that Science may one day explain the Soul. I also believe that Einstein already touched upon it. After a little bit of research, this idea (which I'll explain in a little more detail momentarily), I formed my opinions and personal beliefs around some of Einstein's. I won't pretend to have researched enough to know that all of the quotes I found were genuinely his and, therefore, I will not share them. What I will share, however, are the beliefs that I, myself, hold.

Yes, I believe there is a Soul. However, I do not believe it is quite the same as what most religions preach. It is a known fact that our minds can be defined and described quite literally as a set of electrical impulses that flow through our Nervous System. That mind is that one thing that genuinely sets us all apart from each other and is what I would consider the Soul. Now, keep in mind (no pun intended) that our minds are ELECTRICAL impulses. Electricity is a form of energy. As we know, or have yet to disprove, energy CAN NOT be destroyed; it can only change form. So, when we find ourselves departed, what happens to that energy? If it can not be destroyed, then it has changed form as all energy does. Who is to say that we have discovered all the existing forms of energy? Our bodies eventually can no longer support our minds; we die and the energy is released. If there is an Afterlife, I believe it is whatever the mind/soul experiences in its new form.

Do you believe in Ghosts? I do. I do and it is because this theory brings another to point to be made. If our bodies are holding in this energy, then our bodies are natural, biological conductors and storage mediums. Let that sit a moment and remember that different forms of energy can be measured in various frequencies and wavelengths. I believe that we many consider to be "ghosts" are the residual (whether conscious or not) energies of those who have passed on before us. Our bodies must operate at a very specific frequency or other spectral measurement to contain our Souls. I think that people who see ghosts are individuals who have physically passed through the residual or conscious energies of another, whose energies may have been of a similar frequency of the living individual who experienced the phenomenon.

One final thought... for the sake of argument. Who is to say that some of these energies can not be collected or otherwise accumulated? Dancing more in the terms of fiction... who is to say that a conscious energy can not collect or otherwise empower it's self with the residual energies around it? And if so...if this being can become stronger in doing so, could it manifest itself more properly to those of us still live? Would there be a limit to the power it can manifest? If these were to be proven real, could these "ghosts" become "demons?"

Yes. My beliefs come with questions. That is a good thing. Without questions, we have no learning.

Ishy's Misadventures: Bare-assed

Ishy Note: I have a HORRIBLE sense of time, so I can't give dates to the stories I sharing under "Ishy's Misadventures." I promise they're always true, though I'll only share the best of them, so there aren't too many. I'm just going to share one at random here and there.

Ishy's Misadventures: Bare-Assed

The title says it all...mostly. A few years ago, I use to party in Greenwich, New Jersey. Sadly, things have happened since, so I no longer associate with that group of people, but here's one of the semi-funnier stories from those nights.

So there was a time in my life where just the right amount of alcohol mixed with a serving of bad ideas, a hint of suggestion, and a whole lot of 2Shizzied...served with ice...would bring out some of those Ishy moments that I wish either never happened or at least blacked out from memory. This particular event would involve half a case of Natural Ice (yeah, it was bad) and miscellaneous rums or vodka. (Note: Don't try this at home, kids.)

Some time, in the middle of the night, the party broke into it's usual separate groups and micro-cliques. And I, being the Social Mothra that I am, would swoop down from group to group to terrorize the titties, uh, I mean people. In my defense, half the girls we hung out with, at the time, would whip them out at the drop of a dime anyway, so I was just trying to make sure that I motorboat'ed, I mean... "made" the most of the show(s).

Anyway, somewhere in my drunken rage, I decided that (after some subtle suggestion from a friend) it would be a GREAT idea to climb to the top of this tall antennae on the property. I got maybe three quarters of the way up before the party noticed and warned me down. I didn't want to come down, but they insisted and I'm nice like that, so I dropped down to the roof of their garage, where we often hang out on anyway.

While there, I came to an epiphany..."they should all kiss my ass." You're probably asking how I would get that going with so many people around...and you'd be right to ask. It was simple, really. I yelled out at the top of my lungs for their attention and waited until the whole party was ready...and immediately mooned the entire party in one shot. I'm talented like that. However, there is one talent that I do not have...balance! As I turned to laugh, pulling my pants up, I slipped and landed bare-assed down the roof's slanted top.

I still remember the feeling of sliding down that rough, shingled rooftop...and the landing after I slid clean off the edge; barely missing my friend's wife's car. It... It wasn't fun. Not at all. I could barely sit or walk right for a couple of days and it would be months before they left me forget it.

Moral of the Story:

1. Watch how much you drink.
2. Don't listen to your idiot friends.
3. Don't climb things you shouldn't.
4. Mooning isn't always funny.
5. Neither is falling off the roof.
6. Ishy4Shizzy gets a little 2Shizzy sometimes.

Stephen King is mastermind.

I feel like I'm breaking...

I'm really not feeling life right now. It just seems like every aspect of life that I have been looking at lately is breaking or broken... Fading away or wasn't there to begin with. Health? Crap. Education? Too late. Work? What work? Relationships? Strained at best, in most cases. Even with friends, I feel alone; like I'm just following the routine.

Then there's another feeling... This dreadful emptiness. I can't even properly express it. I don't know where it comes from. I felt it before, but I thought it was long gone. My eyes tear up for no apparent reason and I just want to lay down, sleep, and never wake. And the worst part? I no longer have the motivation to know why or fix it.

Only one thing really makes me feel more complete anymore, but it's not fair for me to interrupt her living her life right now. And she so far away, anyway.

And there's my back. It's acting up again. Pretty badly at that. It hurts to stand, walk, sit, lay down, even to breathe in too deeply. I'm pretty sure it's just a sprain, but it's really putting a wedge into trying to move on past these other feelings.

I don't know anymore. I've been holding this in for a while now. I just needed to get it out before it's too late to think about it. I just don't know...

Invigorated...

Coming soon... "Ishy's Misadventures"

Just a reoccurring subject for posts sharing some of my more entertaining misadventures.

Sisters...

Some friends may not be aware of this, but I have seven siblings. With this post, if you've read the title, I'll be concentrating on my sisters; of which there are four. I won't mention names, but the oldest of them just finished her BSW and is on her way to doing well for herself. The next is finishing high school and is a new mother. I have my reservations about that, but what's done is done and my job now, as her brother, is to be supportive when she needs me.

Next, I've been going in age order from oldest to youngest, is the black sheep. I don't personally hold her to that, but that's the role she's been given. It's a shame. Underneath her rough exterior, she's got quite a heart in her, but when she tries to show it, she's shunned for stepping out of character by those who shouldn't matter and the ones who should matter most treat her like her softer side is just a charade. One day, she'll get to break out of her shell and I plan on being there to welcome her to the world.

The last one is the "baby." Mind you, she's in high school (and doing VERY well), but she's the youngest and will always be the baby of the family. She's the natural sweetheart, but she's not the angel she tries to be. Then again, who is? I certainly am not. If you knew what I don't type, you'd probably never read my thoughts again.

The funniest thing about these four sisters is their distinct personalities. And the changes in those personalities as individuals over the years. Because of the distance between us (we live in different states), I haven't been part much of a part of their lives as I would like to have been, but it's been a pleasure to watch them grow up and become whoever they decide to become.

Girls, if you come across my blog, just know that I love you all and I'm proud to call you my sisters.

Staind - Something To Remind You (Lyrics)

Of Monsters and Men - Human (Official Lyric Video)

Words

Some of my biggest problems can be solved with just a few words. That's what she does for me. She gives me meaning. She gives me hope. And she soothes my heartache with just a smile. Our NOT being together involves words that I can not share... Not even here. However, one day... One day...

Until then...

And afterward...

She is my world and I will not live without her...

And so, I will keep waiting...

She's worth the wait.




PS
AGDLR... that... that is a lot of initials.

...

Speechless.

Dumbstruck.

Inexpressible.

Shattered.

Heartbroken.

Destroyed.

Broken

Alone.

Dead. Slow, torturous death.

Coming soon...

Friday nights... What they mean to me.

Thanks Obama - Shaving

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Singular Focus/Obsession/Love

In terms of socialization, what is the difference between "Singular Focus," "Obsession," and "Love?" Seriously... How do we know the difference? And can either really be considered wrong? I hold a special someone in mind nearly every conceivable moment I can recall. Keep in mind that while we've both confessed a mutual love for one another, we are very far apart and can not truly be together at the moment. So perhaps it's simply the longing in the distance that keeps her there. Not to say that it isn't Love... That much, I assure you it is. I suppose that's just my way of claiming it isn't obsession, which I feel has a very negative connotation. Either way, really, I can't get her out of my thoughts... And I don't want to.

I'll keep waiting.