www.twitter.com/ohyouthinkso
Friday, May 29, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Religion is like a Football Team
I support Chelsea and my Mecca is Stamford Bridge. I made my pilgrimage when I lived in London and it was the site of much adoration.
Each week, all over the world, people go to these sites and chant, sing, stand up, sit down, praise and denouce as a group. After the 'ceremony' they will discuss the events of the day and what needs to be done to make things better for their chosen idols.
When confronted with a member of another faction, who believes they follow the correct team, they will argue and fight and quote and bicker. Each has several reasons for believeing why THEY are correct and
the other is wrong. Any negative point brought up by the opponant, is discounted, disregarded and ignored.
When something goes wrong with their team, it is someone elses fault, when it goes right it is because they are the best.
All of the above statements can be applied to Football or Religion.
BUT
Few wars are started over Football
No laws are passed to support the views of the most popular team
People are not tortured because of Football
I support Chelsea. I know it is only a game. I don't live my life by it. Pity the same is not true of Religion.
www.twitter.com/ohyouthinkso
Each week, all over the world, people go to these sites and chant, sing, stand up, sit down, praise and denouce as a group. After the 'ceremony' they will discuss the events of the day and what needs to be done to make things better for their chosen idols.
When confronted with a member of another faction, who believes they follow the correct team, they will argue and fight and quote and bicker. Each has several reasons for believeing why THEY are correct and
the other is wrong. Any negative point brought up by the opponant, is discounted, disregarded and ignored.
When something goes wrong with their team, it is someone elses fault, when it goes right it is because they are the best.
All of the above statements can be applied to Football or Religion.
BUT
Few wars are started over Football
No laws are passed to support the views of the most popular team
People are not tortured because of Football
I support Chelsea. I know it is only a game. I don't live my life by it. Pity the same is not true of Religion.
www.twitter.com/ohyouthinkso
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Ramblings
I have nothing in mind as to what this blog is about as I type here. I haven't blogged for a while, a lot has happened since I last typed, personal things. I am not going to go into them but they have made me reassess my life and how I live it.
The priorities in life can sometimes get completely out of whack. You can be focussing your energies in the wrong areas. The superficial areas getting too much attention. I am very lucky and I have loads to be thankful for, a loving wife, 2 beautiful children, a house and a job (regardless of how often I complain about it).
The only thubthumping I will put in this blog is that at no point in my past few weeks did I ever seek solace in God or any other imaginary being. My issues and my life are just that...MINE! I think it is a cop out to try to suggest that what happens to you is inevitable and part of a plan, and also to seek a solution by sitting on your arse and waiting until God sees fit to help you.
Rely on yourself. You have the power and ability to change yourself and help change those around you who need your help. You do not need divine intervention to do something. You also have the power to ask your loved ones for help. They will be of much more benefit than a deity.
Too often when we have a problem we focus FAR too much energy on finding excuses for ourselves or scapegoats so we can absolve ourselves of responsibility. And far too often we want a quick and easy explanation or solution to our problems.
Well here it is folks....life is hard and getting through it is hard work. Get your head out of your ass and get working. There are no easy answers. If your "As Seen On TV" solution seems too good to be true...it is.
I hope I am over the worst of my situation and I hope I come through it. But what I know for sure is that me and only me can be the driving force behind it. God isn't going to be my too good to be true solution.
The priorities in life can sometimes get completely out of whack. You can be focussing your energies in the wrong areas. The superficial areas getting too much attention. I am very lucky and I have loads to be thankful for, a loving wife, 2 beautiful children, a house and a job (regardless of how often I complain about it).
The only thubthumping I will put in this blog is that at no point in my past few weeks did I ever seek solace in God or any other imaginary being. My issues and my life are just that...MINE! I think it is a cop out to try to suggest that what happens to you is inevitable and part of a plan, and also to seek a solution by sitting on your arse and waiting until God sees fit to help you.
Rely on yourself. You have the power and ability to change yourself and help change those around you who need your help. You do not need divine intervention to do something. You also have the power to ask your loved ones for help. They will be of much more benefit than a deity.
Too often when we have a problem we focus FAR too much energy on finding excuses for ourselves or scapegoats so we can absolve ourselves of responsibility. And far too often we want a quick and easy explanation or solution to our problems.
Well here it is folks....life is hard and getting through it is hard work. Get your head out of your ass and get working. There are no easy answers. If your "As Seen On TV" solution seems too good to be true...it is.
I hope I am over the worst of my situation and I hope I come through it. But what I know for sure is that me and only me can be the driving force behind it. God isn't going to be my too good to be true solution.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Open & Fair Debate (& Alternative Medicine)
Last night I was on Twitter and I had a very interesting converstaion with a fellow twitterer. I won't give that persons name as it is irrelevant to this blog but I will post the tweets here.
The conversation annoyed and bothered me because although I felt I was being fair and open, but was voicing a differing opinion (against Alternative Medicine), I received agressive responses and was mocked by this other person (who I will call XYZ from this point on for simplicity) because I disagree with her.
This 'conversation' started when XYZ sent this general tweet. It was a link from the Respectful Insolence blog.
Why are people so threatened by alternative medicine? - Huffington Post criticized for "anti-vaccine nonsense & quackery": http://is.gd/w9Zj
Fair enough I thought. I voiced my own opinion as follows..
@XYZ I don't think it's fair to say people are threatned by Alt Med just because they discredit it.
I expeced a response, and got one..
@locaoimh Why do they try to discredit it if they are not threatened by it? I'm currently being treated for Pleuritis homeopathically--
This was one half of the response but as I had not noticed the '--' to indicate 'more to come' I responded with the following tweets.
@XYZ They discredit it because it has no scientific evidence to support it and success are no better than placebo.
@XYZ Alt Med is dangerous because it risks doing harm when it purports to being doing good. And it ain't cheep.
@XYZ Why use an alternative to medicine when you can have medicine.
The rest of XYZ's tweet was this..
@locaoimh --by my Eastern medicine doctor, with perfect success. So, forgive me if I find naysayers quite foolish.
And then in response to my tweets..
@locaoimh That is actually untrue. You should research acupuncture and acupressure; you might be surprised.
As one of the main issues with Alternative Medicine is that they have no studies or more importantly, clinical trials to back up the claims, the successes are subjective and anecdotal. People are aware of the success THEY had, but are completely unaware of any failures other have had. Their own success is more than likely due to the placebo effect or often as a result of their body healing itself. The successes of Alt. Med. are coincidental and not corelated.
I replied, in as friendly a way as I could..
@XYZ I'm very happy u have had success. How many people have had none with that same doctor?
The tone changed at this point. I have all too often see it happen (you'd think I'd learn!!) that when someone who holds a belief (and I use that word specifically as Alt. Med. is more based on belief than on science) and that belief is questioned, they respond agressively. I usually attribute this to the fact that they find themselves in a situation where they can't defend the position they have taken but will not concede. I also wonder is it because they have doubts about it themselves and do not like to be faced with them.
@locaoimh That's a terribly ignorant question.I refuse to debate this with someone who calls themself a "flippin idiot" in their own profile
I should have stopped at this point. If someone changes the point of focus from your disagreement and begins to make it personal, not only have they admitted defeat, but have given up the right to respectful deabate. (On a side point my Twitter Bio is this "Reader, Thinker, Flippin Idiot.")
I responded..
@XYZ It's at the heart of Alt Med. People are only aware of their own experience. My profile is humour and irrelevant. ---
@XYZ --- it seems to me that you are the one feeling threatned. But I will drop it now. I can discuss again whenever u like.
XYZ's response was..
@locaoimh I always feel threatened by people who start debates with strangers. If people are only aware of their own experience,--
@locaoimh --why are you even questioning mine? My Doctor has only satisfied patients. Can a traditional MD say so much?
Then she sent a general tweet..
I seem to be a magnet for combative idiots. Either that, or I'm just too flippin' controversial. Which do you think it is?
Again, I should have stopped. But I didn't.
@XYZ I suggest not making public statments if you are threatned by people expressing a different point of view.
@XYZ I will reserve the right to doubt your 100% success rate of ANY doctor.
She responded..
@locaoimh You reserve the right to doubt whatever you wish. However you dont have the right to be rude and obnoxious toward other's opinions
At this point I realised I REALLY needed to stop. At no point was I rude or obnoxious towards her or her opinions. I was simply expressing my disagreement with them. I felt this particular attack was inaccurate and very unfair. I also decided that this person was not prepared to defend her position honorably so I had to stop. I felt that she was completely wrong with those specific comments but also in the wrong in general. If she was not going to be able to enter into mature debate over a statement she publically made, it was pointless to carry on.
I sent 2 more tweets and left it at that.
@XYZ I am simply expressing my opinion. I have not been rude. It was you who made personal comments. This is my final tweet on it.
@XYZ Good evening and I wish you continued good health.
She had the last tweet..
@locaoimh Thank you & likewise.I hope you open your mind to alt medicine one day.You'll realize then, Western medicine's only 1/2 the story
It was a surprising interatction but I suppose not untypical. I accept that it is difficult to have hard felt opinions challenged, but if they are so close to your heart that you cannot bare to have them questioned, I suggest you keep them to yourself!!
On a final point..to XYZ (even though I doubt she will ever see this, not accept it if she does)
I do have an open mind. That's why I have not accepted Alternative Medicine on faith and subjective experience. I prefer to think, and to question.
People often use lables like Eastern or Ancient to convey mystery or wisdom about something. But for me, I want no mystery in my medical cures and trepanning, bloodletting and the use of leeches were all ancient, but none are wise.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ohyouthinkso/
The conversation annoyed and bothered me because although I felt I was being fair and open, but was voicing a differing opinion (against Alternative Medicine), I received agressive responses and was mocked by this other person (who I will call XYZ from this point on for simplicity) because I disagree with her.
This 'conversation' started when XYZ sent this general tweet. It was a link from the Respectful Insolence blog.
Why are people so threatened by alternative medicine? - Huffington Post criticized for "anti-vaccine nonsense & quackery": http://is.gd/w9Zj
Fair enough I thought. I voiced my own opinion as follows..
@XYZ I don't think it's fair to say people are threatned by Alt Med just because they discredit it.
I expeced a response, and got one..
@locaoimh Why do they try to discredit it if they are not threatened by it? I'm currently being treated for Pleuritis homeopathically--
This was one half of the response but as I had not noticed the '--' to indicate 'more to come' I responded with the following tweets.
@XYZ They discredit it because it has no scientific evidence to support it and success are no better than placebo.
@XYZ Alt Med is dangerous because it risks doing harm when it purports to being doing good. And it ain't cheep.
@XYZ Why use an alternative to medicine when you can have medicine.
The rest of XYZ's tweet was this..
@locaoimh --by my Eastern medicine doctor, with perfect success. So, forgive me if I find naysayers quite foolish.
And then in response to my tweets..
@locaoimh That is actually untrue. You should research acupuncture and acupressure; you might be surprised.
As one of the main issues with Alternative Medicine is that they have no studies or more importantly, clinical trials to back up the claims, the successes are subjective and anecdotal. People are aware of the success THEY had, but are completely unaware of any failures other have had. Their own success is more than likely due to the placebo effect or often as a result of their body healing itself. The successes of Alt. Med. are coincidental and not corelated.
I replied, in as friendly a way as I could..
@XYZ I'm very happy u have had success. How many people have had none with that same doctor?
The tone changed at this point. I have all too often see it happen (you'd think I'd learn!!) that when someone who holds a belief (and I use that word specifically as Alt. Med. is more based on belief than on science) and that belief is questioned, they respond agressively. I usually attribute this to the fact that they find themselves in a situation where they can't defend the position they have taken but will not concede. I also wonder is it because they have doubts about it themselves and do not like to be faced with them.
@locaoimh That's a terribly ignorant question.I refuse to debate this with someone who calls themself a "flippin idiot" in their own profile
I should have stopped at this point. If someone changes the point of focus from your disagreement and begins to make it personal, not only have they admitted defeat, but have given up the right to respectful deabate. (On a side point my Twitter Bio is this "Reader, Thinker, Flippin Idiot.")
I responded..
@XYZ It's at the heart of Alt Med. People are only aware of their own experience. My profile is humour and irrelevant. ---
@XYZ --- it seems to me that you are the one feeling threatned. But I will drop it now. I can discuss again whenever u like.
XYZ's response was..
@locaoimh I always feel threatened by people who start debates with strangers. If people are only aware of their own experience,--
@locaoimh --why are you even questioning mine? My Doctor has only satisfied patients. Can a traditional MD say so much?
Then she sent a general tweet..
I seem to be a magnet for combative idiots. Either that, or I'm just too flippin' controversial. Which do you think it is?
Again, I should have stopped. But I didn't.
@XYZ I suggest not making public statments if you are threatned by people expressing a different point of view.
@XYZ I will reserve the right to doubt your 100% success rate of ANY doctor.
She responded..
@locaoimh You reserve the right to doubt whatever you wish. However you dont have the right to be rude and obnoxious toward other's opinions
At this point I realised I REALLY needed to stop. At no point was I rude or obnoxious towards her or her opinions. I was simply expressing my disagreement with them. I felt this particular attack was inaccurate and very unfair. I also decided that this person was not prepared to defend her position honorably so I had to stop. I felt that she was completely wrong with those specific comments but also in the wrong in general. If she was not going to be able to enter into mature debate over a statement she publically made, it was pointless to carry on.
I sent 2 more tweets and left it at that.
@XYZ I am simply expressing my opinion. I have not been rude. It was you who made personal comments. This is my final tweet on it.
@XYZ Good evening and I wish you continued good health.
She had the last tweet..
@locaoimh Thank you & likewise.I hope you open your mind to alt medicine one day.You'll realize then, Western medicine's only 1/2 the story
It was a surprising interatction but I suppose not untypical. I accept that it is difficult to have hard felt opinions challenged, but if they are so close to your heart that you cannot bare to have them questioned, I suggest you keep them to yourself!!
On a final point..to XYZ (even though I doubt she will ever see this, not accept it if she does)
I do have an open mind. That's why I have not accepted Alternative Medicine on faith and subjective experience. I prefer to think, and to question.
People often use lables like Eastern or Ancient to convey mystery or wisdom about something. But for me, I want no mystery in my medical cures and trepanning, bloodletting and the use of leeches were all ancient, but none are wise.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ohyouthinkso/
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Phone Blog
Checking out a blogging tool for me phone. Now I can share pointless thoughts that need more than 140 characters whenever I want. Life is good.
1st one - Twitter addiction
Twitter has grabbed me.
About 6 months ago I signed up for an account, spent a while looking at it and thought...what the hell is the point of THIS???? 140 characters?? That is just STOOPID.
Later I was at an IT conference (yes it was as exciting as it sounds) and everyone had a twitter account. So I went back to my account and followed a few people, but all they ever posted was rubbish and a LOT of it.
Then 3 weeks ago I started again (Stephen Fry was caught on a TV show twittering and I wanted to see what he was saying), this time I followed some people I like, people from ThinkAtheist.com, authors, actors, newsfeeds and I am HOOKED.
I have 'met' some new people (by looking at who the people I followed, followed). It's great. I have gone from having 7 followers to over 60. I follow 177 people, some more active than others. I have found new books, new sites, great articles, youtube videos, music and advice. All from my twitter contacts.
I have been ReTweeted, had responses from people I have only ever seen on TV.
People say that the Internet isolates people, but all I can say is that is bollix, cos I have SO much interaction with people all over the world in the last 3 weeks, it's amazing.
Now if I can get my wife and kids on twitter too, I might be able to fit some time in to speak to them aswell.
About 6 months ago I signed up for an account, spent a while looking at it and thought...what the hell is the point of THIS???? 140 characters?? That is just STOOPID.
Later I was at an IT conference (yes it was as exciting as it sounds) and everyone had a twitter account. So I went back to my account and followed a few people, but all they ever posted was rubbish and a LOT of it.
Then 3 weeks ago I started again (Stephen Fry was caught on a TV show twittering and I wanted to see what he was saying), this time I followed some people I like, people from ThinkAtheist.com, authors, actors, newsfeeds and I am HOOKED.
I have 'met' some new people (by looking at who the people I followed, followed). It's great. I have gone from having 7 followers to over 60. I follow 177 people, some more active than others. I have found new books, new sites, great articles, youtube videos, music and advice. All from my twitter contacts.
I have been ReTweeted, had responses from people I have only ever seen on TV.
People say that the Internet isolates people, but all I can say is that is bollix, cos I have SO much interaction with people all over the world in the last 3 weeks, it's amazing.
Now if I can get my wife and kids on twitter too, I might be able to fit some time in to speak to them aswell.
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