Spiritual Hunger

As I've mentioned before, I stand at the agnostic/atheist crossroads. There are several things that keep me from taking the plunge to atheism - and one of them is the topic of this post - spiritual hunger. In my journey from post-adolescence to adulthood I've realized that most of the people in the world are not happy. It's as if they know there is something more, and they don't have it. People try to fill this sadness with things like drugs, alcohol, sex, food,fundamentalism, hell, even golf. Unfortunately, trying to find your happiness from these things might work temporarily, but ultimately leads to more emptiness. So what is this emptiness? Is it something to do with evolution, always wanting more to achieve the best you possibly can for your genes/gene pool? Or is it the sense that there is a bigger realm -an immateria that you are thisclose to, but can't quite reach?

Many Christians would give their right arm to hear an atheist talk about emptiness - what an opening! But here's the problem, none of the Christians I know are any happier than any of the Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, or agnostics I know. If Christianity was truly about "the peace that passes all understanding" I would convert tommorrow.

There is one group of people I've met that actually seem to have an inner joy. These people belonging to all different faiths and cultures have one thing in common - they have decided to be joyful, to be satisfied, to be grateful. It shows in their lives, and while no one really knows but them, it seems that they have found a way to rid themselves of the aching emptiness that so many feel and create for themselves true, lasting happiness.

So what's your secret to happiness?

Music...

It has been a while since I have really talked about music with friends. As I don't really know everyone here, I thought I would ask everyone to reply with five of the songs, albums, or artists that you listen to most frequently.

Bush, Jesus, and America

This is an older video of Bright Eyes, aka Conor Oberst singing "When the President Talks to God" live, but Kate and Adam mentioned they hadn't seen it, so I thought I'd share:


On that same note - check out David Bazan's (Pedo the Lion) "Backwoods Nation". I couldn't find a video but here are the lyrics:

Calling all rednecks to put down their sluggers
Turn their attention from beating the buggers
Pick up machine guns and kill camel fuckers

Backwoods nation...

Calling all doctors of spin and the smoke screen
To whip the new hate riots into a frenzy
Of good versus evil ignoring the history
Of the Backwoods Nation

Ain't it a shame
When due process
Stands in the way of swift justice

Calling all frat' boys
To trade in their hazing
Their keggers and cocaine
And casual date raping
For cabinet appointments
And rose-garden tapings

Backwoods, backwoods, backwoods......nation

Apartment for Rent... Maybe

Shelly and I are going to look at a condo tonight. If we like it (and if it's half as cool as its pictures we will love it) we may put in an offer before too long, which leaves us with a dilemma. That would be our current place. We have about 4 months left on the lease.

First: any tips? How should we handle the situation with our landlord?
Second: anybody know anybody that needs a really nice apartment. Our place is killer and we love it, but would also love to own our own place.

So yeah. I'm all ears (and a little giddy if you can't tell... I'm not giddy often).

Face of the Future

I know I do a lot of linking, but come on... there's some interesting stuff on the interwebs.

Check this out. It lets you upload a photo of yourself and see what you might look like in different renderings (if you were a manga cartoon, for instance). I kinda hope it's wrong, because here is me as I am and as it projects me to be in the future as an "older adult". Scary.


And for fun (and so you don't have nightmares) here is me as an El Greco:


Ok, so maybe that didn't do much for your nightmares. Oh well, try it anyway.

Don't ask, don't tell?

NPR had a piece on Morning Edition today about Congress revisiting the famous "Don't ask, Don't tell" policy of the military. It's okay if we send homosexual troops off to die for our country, but they can't have the same rights as heterosexual troops? What does this say about our society as a whole?!? A hearing was held yesterday on whether or not this policy should be repealed. Marine Sgt. Eric Alva, who lost his leg as the first casualty of the Iraq war testified,"...I realized that I had fought and nearly died to secure the rights for others that I myself was not free to enjoy. I had proudly served a country that was not proud of me."

Yesterday was also the 60th anniversary of the desegragation of the military. Colin Powell spoke at the hearing, as well as Vance Coleman, a straight retired African-American Army major general. Coleman compared the current policy toward homosexuals in the military "to the segregation he encountered enlisting in 1947". It was incredibly powerful, having one minority, from a group whom it is not longer socially acceptable to be prejudice against, defend another minority group, whom society says it is okay to ostracize, selflessly, without any hope for personal gain...I was telling Kate about it at work today and I actually started crying (crying at work = not awesome)because the change that could be made by people like Coleman speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves is enormous. Homosexuals currently serving in the military cannot speak for themselves because they will be immediately fired, and so straight military women and men and retired openly gay women and men (like Navy intelligence Capt. Joan Darrah)are the ones who truly have the power to make a difference. I am so grateful for Vance Coleman, Joan Darrah, and people like them. It makes me hope that my (possible future)children will grow up in a world where it will not be okay to judge someone or treat them differently based on their sexual preference, race, or sex.

Obama in Berlin

Great speech, I thought.

It made me think though. You know all the fundies are gonna start labeling him the anti-Christ. I mean, come on, if people other than Americans like someone, clearly they must be a servant of the beast. Flashing back... fundy school... Bob Grey... arrrrrrrgggggggg

Political Quiz

If you're like me, [shudder], you probably love a meaningless political quiz to tell you what you believe. This one operates with 4-axes, which is a little different than any I've taken before.

I scored, on a scale of 0-12:
Conservative-12-Progressive (so I scored fully progressive)
Capitalist Purist-12-Social Capitalist (so, yeah, basically a socialist)
Libertarian-2-Authoritarian (I think I got knocked down a couple notches because I'm against outsourcing jobs)
Pacifist-0-Militarist (No big suprise)

Dark Knight

It is hard for a movie as overly hyped as the Dark Knight to live up to expectations. However, the movie, which Meg and I enjoyed in IMAX form, succeeded on every level. It was not the best movie I have ever seen, but it was one of the best movies of the comic genre ever made.
It goes without saying that Heath Ledger will probably win a posthumous Oscar for the performance. I also think that Maggie Gyllenhal will get a nod. Ultimately, as a comic book nerd, I appreciate the way that Chris Nolan has resurrected the franchise. He has done a great job giving batman the humanity that makes him such an interesting character. My one complaint about the movie is that the IMAX has no previews, which means that I did not get to see the Watchmen trailer.

After the movie, I had a conversation with a fellow comic nerd about which remaining comics we would like to see turned into movies. The only one left, for me, is Neil Gaiman's The Sandman.
If you have never read The Sandman, I would encourage you to go and pick up the first book as soon as possible. Not only do I think it is the best comic ever written, it may be one of the best pieces of literature written in the last 100 years.

What else is the Constitution good for really?

Over at Feministe they are discussing Bush's latest plan to make birth control illegal. The post is well written, but I am still laughing hysterically over Lauren's footnote. And I quote:

"Some of Bush’s recent attempts of wrestling media glory away from Obama and McCain appear to be pretty transparent attempts at reclaiming his legacy. It’s way better for the future of his vainglorious presidential library if he can be remembered as an evangelical, lady-killing rock star by his base, instead of being remembered as the man who wiped his ass on the Constitution, abandoned thousands of citizens in crisis, abused the good faith and young bodies of his troops, and waged an unnecessary war to avenge the name of his father."