Christopher Hitchens dies at age 62

Here is something he said about death, something I could not have said and that's probably because I am young, still always wanting more.... 


“The only position that leaves me with no cognitive dissonance is atheism. It is not a creed. Death is certain, replacing both the siren-song of Paradise and the dread of Hell. Life on this earth, with all its mystery and beauty and pain, is then to be lived far more intensely: we stumble and get up, we are sad, confident, insecure, feel loneliness and joy and love. There is nothing more; but I want nothing more.” --Christopher Hitchens,13 April 1949 – 15 December 2011

Skepticism on Minnesota Public Radio

Last week I was listening to the afternoon news portion of 89.3 The Current, which is a part of Minnesota Public Radio and an excellent, EXCELLENT radio station (you can stream them online and you should!). I didn't catch the whole story but they were talking about the recent flooding in the south, and one woman made news because her house was not damaged, and I guess she stated that it was prayer that saved her and her home. The two radio hosts told this story and then one said, "And that always brings up the question...." and the other host jumped in and said, "If prayer saved her house why didn't it stop the flood?" And both radio hosts agreed and then quickly moved on.

The moment was quick and the question was simple, but I think it is a very important question and I'm glad the hosts brought it up. For me, skepticism (atheism, whatever you wanna call it), isn't about pushing an agenda but about asking questions--if there was a solid answer with evidence as to why prayer could save the woman's house but not stop the flood (hell, if there was solid evidence that prayer saved the woman's house to begin with), of course I would consider it and use it to draw conclusions, etc. But until then..........

poem for all truth seekers

Came across this yesterday in my Complete Poems of E. E. Cummings, and it's too lovely to not share. And in case you're wondering, there's no title because most of his poems are not titled except for a number, and that number goes by the order the poem comes within a collection. So this is poem 3 of 73Poems:

seeker of truth

follow no path

all paths lead where

truth is here

"What will you tell your daughter?"

J and I have been asked this a few times by people who are very concerned when they learn that we are not raising Evelyn in any religion or to believe in any god. It's an awkward question, and it's been asked in an accusing manner, as if we're somehow failing her by not telling her what she should believe. Before she was even born, we knew that we would raise her to be aware of all the religions of the world, and also to be aware that religion and belief in a god is not necessary to be happy, that, in fact, there is so much right here and now to be happy for and find inspiration in.....and to trust her to make her own lifestyle decisions when she is old enough to fully comprehend what religion and life even are (how thankful I am that I was never told what to believe).

I was thinking about this today when we were at the Minnesota Children's Museum. It was so fun to watch Evelyn explore her environment, to watch the curiosity and wonder in her eyes as she ventured through the exhibits of art, science, culture, earth, life.... And I realized that answers to the question "What will you tell your daughter?" were all around us:

We are going to tell her to pursue her creative instincts....

....to study world history, to appreciate art...

....to have an open mind and the ability to consider multiple perspectives at once, to have compassion, understanding, and respect....

....to explore the physics of the universe and the wonders of Earth and its elements....

....to never stop learning....

....to never cease being amazed.

Taslima Nasrin - Poet, Feminist, Humanist

This morning I've been reading through The Vintage Book of Contemporary World Poetry, and I've come across a woman whose story and work I have to share with you, especially since I had very little to post on International Women's Day (hopefully I can redeem myself here).

Anyway, Taslima Nasrin was born in Bangladesh, where her novel Shame was banned by the government, where fundamentalists called for her execution for blasphemy, and where conservative mullahs offered rewards for her murder (McClatchy, 401). She eventually fled to Sweden, where she continues to live and write.

On her website Nasrin defines herself as "a physician, a writer, a feminist, a human rights activist, and a secular humanist." And indeed, she's received much support from the International Humanist and Ethical Union, and in 1994 the European Parliament awarded her the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. In other words, she's damn cool, and her poetry definitely reflects that.

Here's a poem from her site, titled "Mosque, Temple":

Let the pavilions of religion
be ground to bits,
let the bricks of temples, mosques, guruduaras, churches
be burned in blind fire,
and upon those heaps of destruction
let lovely flower gardens grow, spreading their fragrance.
let children's schools and study halls grow.

For the welfare of humanity, now let prayer halls
be turned into hospitals, orphanages, universities,
Now let prayer halls become academies of art, fine art centers,
scientific research institutes.
Now let prayer halls be turned to golden rice fields
in the radiant dawn,
Open fields, rivers, restless seas.

From now on, let religion's other name be humanity.

-------------------------------------------------------------

And another, titled "Happy Marriage":


My life, like a sandbar,
has been taken over by a monster of a man
who wants my body under his control
so that, if he wishes,
he can spit in my face,
slap me on the cheek,
pinch my rear;
so that, if he wishes,
he can rob me of the clothes,
take my naked beauty in his grip;
so that, if he wishes.
he can chain my feet,
with no qualms whatsoever whip me,
chop off my hands, my fingers,
sprinkle salt in the open wound,
throw ground-up black pepper in my eyes,
with a dagger can slash my thigh,
can string me up and hang me.

His goal: to control my heart
so that I would love him;
in my lonely house at night
sleepless, full of anxiety,
clutching at the window grille,
I would wait for him and sob;
tears rolling down, I would bake homemade bread,
would drink, as if they were ambrosia,
the filthy liquids of his polygynous body
so that, loving him, I would melt like wax,
not turning my eyes toward any other man.
I would give proof of my chastity all my life.

So that, loving him,
on some moonlit night
I would commit suicide
in a fit of ecstasy.

------------------------------------------

She has lots more on her website, which I highly encourage you to visit.

Doctor Doesn't Always Know Best

This post kind of stems off of my super long post that probably no one read, in which I did my best to give a snapshot of the history of Christianity, patriarchy, and women's health. Don't get me wrong, there are some brilliant doctors out there. I personally haven't had the best experiences (again, see my super long post), but Evelyn's pediatrician, for example, is wonderful. But our society still puts too much unquestioning trust into doctors - sometimes its almost like we think they're gods and goddesses or something, ruling over us in their clean white coats (not all doctors wear white coats, but that's the undeniable image of an American doctor). And while advancements in medicine and medical technology have no doubt improved and saved the lives of many, we have to remember that doctors are humans, mortals. They make mistakes, too. Some commit crimes even. Some really sick, medieval-seeming crimes. The folks from Masters in Healthcare have asked me to share with you some of these excerpts from their blog:

Dr. Jan Adams is most famous for performing the breast augmentation surgery on Donda West, Kanye West’s mom, that resulted in her death in 2007. But that’s not the only blemish on his record. In a malpractice suit against Adams, a previous patient claimed that she didn’t receive proper preoperative or postoperative care, leading to an infection that needed two more surgeries. What’s more, one patient claimed he got her drunk after a surgery and impregnated her, and another claimed a surgical sponge was left inside of her after a breast augmentation. Adams, who attended Harvard University, never received his diploma despite apparently completing his academic requirements. He’s also not a board certified plastic surgeon despite claiming to be one.

The notorious Dr. James Burt was exposed for his harmful and downright bizarre practices in the late 1980s when numerous former patients came forward and initiated lawsuits. Beginning in the late 1960s, Burt took it upon himself to perform "love surgeries" in which he altered his patients’ vulvas without their consent. He justified his work in a book he authored in 1975, explaining that "Women are structurally inadequate for intercourse. This is a pathological condition amenable by surgery." He stated the procedure turns them into "horny little mice," though in reality, many of them suffered sexual dysfunction, infection and required corrective surgeries as a result. A $21 million suit was filed against Burt that couldn’t have come close to covering the physical and emotional damages endured by the at least 40 women he hurt.

As a fertility doctor, it was Dr. Cecil Jacobson’s duty to assist women in conceiving, and in the 1980s, it appeared he was doing a pretty good job. His patients reported high success rates due to his use of hCG, a hormone released during pregnancy that causes the typical bodily changes. During the supposed pregnancies initiated by hCG, he would identify the fetuses during an ultrasound, but they would usually "die" after about three months. Patients who suspected something was amiss informed a local television station, which investigated and exposed Jacobson. In the process, they discovered he used his semen to artificially inseminate patients who were told they were matched with an anonymous donor. Genetic testing later showed that he was the biological father of at least seven of his patients’ children. Jacobson, who won the Ig Nobel Prize for Biology in 1992 and claimed to have successfully oversaw the impregnation of a male baboon in the 1960s, was stripped of medical license and sentenced to five years in prison.

Ingrid Paulicivic certainly won’t be recommending Dr. Alinsod given what occurred during her June 2009 hysterectomy. According to Paulicivic’s lawsuit, while putting the finishing touches on the surgery, Dr. Alinsod decided to brand his work by using an "electrocautery device to carve and burn" her name into her removed uterus. Alinsod claimed the move was necessary to ensure he wouldn’t confuse the uterus with others. Paulicivic became aware of the branding during a follow-up visit in which she complained of the resulting burns on her legs.

And those are only four of the ten listed on the site. I mean, really, wtf is wrong with people? These doctors must have been on huge power trips. Or just psychotic. I have no other explanation. But no, this post is not to scare you or bash the medical industry. Just sharing some information that was brought to my attention.

In other news, it's Friday! I love Fridays. Thanks for reading my rambles.

P.S. I just remembered: I watched the latest episode of House last night, and when he was asked if he would convert to Judaism if he and Cutty (sp?) get married, he said, "I'm an atheist." How many times to you even hear the word "atheist" on prime time television? Yay (again, see this post) Dr. House! (although, I'm finding more and more things wrong with the show, but that's another post).

Toy Story - Atheism Update

One of my dear readers and the author of the blog Inspiration Strikes. In the Kneecaps, has pointed out an interesting article that reviews Toy Story as an atheist parable. Check it out!

Toy Story Review.

Atheism explained in Toy Story terms

When Evelyn and I got back from grocery shopping this morning, her doll was on the living room floor, right where she left it. She screamed "Baby!" and was excited to get back to playing. I replied, "Yup, there's your baby, right where we left it," and I was reminded of the movie Toy Story and how the toys come to life when the humans are gone. I imagined all of Evelyn's toys coming to life and laughed to myself. Then it got me thinking . . . this can be used to explain atheism in very simple terms:

There is no evidence for me to believe that the toys came to life while we were gone. The only reason I might even think of the possibility of toys coming to life is because someone told a story about it. Am I going to live my whole life based on a story someone else came up with from who knows where? You'd call me crazy!

I could write more, of course, but Evelyn just woke up and is calling Mama . . .

Blizzard, (No) Lunar Eclipse, Dawkins, etc. etc. etc.

Well obviously the lunar eclipse still happened last night/early this morning (depending on your time zone and all), but here in Minnesota we had more snow and thus a sky full of clouds. The clouds did have an orange tint to them, though, which was probably some diffused light from the eclipse.

So it's officially winter, and I am already ready for spring (I have been for about a week). But at the same time, I try really hard not to wish myself somewhere else from where I am - remember the quote from Richard Dawkins:

"We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because there are never going to be born. The number of people who could be here in my place outnumber the sand grains of the Sahara. If you think about all the different ways in which our genes could be computed, you and I are quite grotesquely lucky to be here . . . the number of events that had to happen in order for you to exist, in order for me to exist . . . we are privileged to be alive, and we should make the most of our time on this world."

So it's winter. It's cold. Big fucking deal - how do I make the most of it? Wishing for spring is not making the most of it. It's just that we've had snow on the ground since November 16. And we'll probably have snow on the ground until March 16. That's close to half a year of snow! Maybe if I was more athletic, then I could enjoy the winter sports. But I have no interest in participating in winter sports, and I have a one and a half year old (exactly 18 months today!) who can barely walk in snow pants and boots (she looks like Ralphie from A Christmas Story). So, we make the most of it by playing inside and being together (the photo is of how she "helps" me cook).

Which reminds me, in a week from right now I will be at the airport, checking my bags and preparing for takeoff to Vermont . . . .
. . . . my nerves feel static.

And another appropriate quote:

"This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

God Must Hate Me!

I planned a birthday party for myself because

1) We've been meaning to have a party at our place for a while
2) I haven't had a birthday party in years
3) On my 21st birthday I was pregnant and writing final papers all week
4) On Jason's 21st birthday we were in the emergency room because I had a kidney and bladder infection (his birthday is in July, but it's still a good reason to have a birthday party)
5) Parties are fun! And when it's at your own house you get to pick the food and music :)

But it's blizzarding outside! There's already a 2 ft drift on the deck again! So even though people don't live super far away, I am afraid the party might be a no go. Hopefully the snow tapers off in the evening, like the weather report said, but it'll still be windy. Gah.

We never have parties! I haven't had a birthday party in years! God must really hate me for being an atheist. This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it's December in Minnesota.

Atheism on Prime-Time Television

The only show that J and I keep up with on a weekly basis is House. We started getting really into it when I was pregnant and we didn't have much else to do (actually, to be more accurate, I was big and tired and didn't want to do anything!). Now we watch the new episodes on Hulu once a week - we can't watch when it's really on on Mondays at 7 because Evelyn is till awake and we only have a TV in our bedroom and Evelyn is not allowed to watch TV and yada yada yada.

Anyway, last night's episode featured a patient who was severely deluded and believed that crucifying himself would cure his daughter's cancer. He'd made a deal with God, of course. Well, his daughter's cancer went away (after she was treated with chemo), but now he was sick and going to die if he didn't let the doctors treat him. I'll save the rest in case you want to watch it (click here), but Dr. House, an atheist, made some great comments to the patient, which were undoubtedly the highlight of the episode. My favorites:

When asked if he believes in God, House responds with, "I did. Then I grew my curly hairs."

"Causal determinism: we are hard-wired to find answers. A caveman who heard a rustle in the bushes and checked to see what it was lived longer than the guy who assumed it was just a breeze. The problem is, when we don't find a logical answer, we settle for a stupid one. Ritual is what happens when we run out of rational."

"There is no God."

The actor who plays House is Hugh Laurie, an atheist, and also an executive producer of the show. I wonder if he just inserted his own thoughts into the script. Pretty cool.

I thought Evelyn was going to nap but after bouncing around in her crib forever she is now yelling for me. Crabby toddler, here I come.

A Non-generic Thanks

Everyone says they are thankful for their friends and family, and that's good. But I always want to know what else people are thankful for. It can say a lot about a person. Here is what I have for my Facebook status today:

....is thankful for Jason Fedie&Evelyn Jane; Mom & Dad; Bro and Sis; more family, friends, and college roomies; good wine, cheese, coffee, and food in general; this quiet house; books; poems; secular thinking; Netflix; science; feminism; recycling; the snow on the ground; the president; Earth; Google; Winona, MN; laughter; thinking; writing; flowers; and the sunlight filtering through the icy naked trees.

You see, there is this rumor that atheists don't appreciate what they have, that they are insensitive to the beauty of this world. One of my professors even once said that there is no way an atheist could be a poet! Wrong wrong wrong.

And who am I thanking for all of these things? No one. Myself. You. Being thankful doesn't mean you have to thank someone or something. It just means you take the time to stop and appreciate everything around you.

Oh, and I really am thanking you, dear readers and blogger friends. It wouldn't be as fun to write without you.

Saturday's Quote: Dawkins

Long quote today, but one of my ultimate favorites. This is from the ending of the documentary The Virus of Faith. When I first read this quote, I had one of those aha! moments, where someone else says what I've always thought but was not able to find such eloquent phrasing for.

"We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because there are never going to be born. The number of people who could be here in my place outnumber the sand grains of the Sahara. If you think about all the different ways in which our genes could be computed, you and I are quite grotesquely lucky to be here . . . the number of events that had to happen in order for you to exist, in order for me to exist . . . we are privileged to be alive, and we should make the most of our time on this world."

Dawkins Passage I've Been Obsessing About

So I've started reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (I've read excerpts before/heard him read parts, but the full experience is way better), and I came across this eloquent passage I cannot fully stop thinking about.

"An atheist . . . is somebody who believes there is nothing beyond the natural, physical world, no supernatural creative intelligence lurking behind the observable universe, no soul that outlasts the body and no miracles - except in the sense of natural phenomena that we don't yet understand. If there is something that appears to lie beyond the natural world as it is now imperfectly understood, we hope to eventually understand it and embrace it within the natural. As ever when we unweave a rainbow, it will not become less wonderful." (my emphasis)

Feel free to discuss. If you're a regular reader who's never commented, I encourage you to share your thoughts. :)

New Books!

Little One is in bed already, Papa is still at work, and I still have the applications to continue working on, but I want to share the three new books I bought for myself today. I usually don't buy brand new books because I can find them online for a lot cheaper, but I somehow found myself in a Borders bookstore today, and it's pretty much a crime for me to leave any bookstore without at least one book (but who am I kidding, it's never just one book). My new books:

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

Oh, and I guess I bought four books, because I also bought The History of Love by Nicole Krauss, but it's for a friend (I already have a used copy). I don't know when I'll have time to read these, but I do know that I will somehow find the time (I actually just read the preface to The God Delusion, ha!) Maybe soon I'll share some lines from my new reads :)

Writing in Purgatory

I've been invited to do a guest post at the blog Laughing in Purgatory--check it out! It's a longish personal narrative piece, something I haven't really done on my blog and probably won't do again for quite some time. I know you're just dying to read it now, right?