Religion Prohibits the Expedition of Knowledge

From where I stand, Christianity strives to eliminate one of many things: the human expedition of knowledge. I can explain this in numerous ways, and can provide the evidence too. But first, let me begin by saying that I do not believe that the Bible is the true word of God. I consider it nothing more than an elaborate work of fiction, created by men who wish to control masses via fear and false prophecies.

All throughout the Bible, there are what I call, "leakages" wherein the text reveals more than what it had intended. Let's not forget the brutal genocides commanded by God on men, women and children in the Old Testament where God is known as destructive, powerful and ruthless. But only to remarkably change in the New Testament to become an all-caring, peaceful, lover-of-children. It was still the same God. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the God in three persons, right? So how come the remarkable change? The same yesterday, today and forever?! This used to be a God that instructed his followers to slaughter masses because of differences in race and religion! Then, he suddenly transformed into a man who was graceful and caring? Another "leakage".

Logic is one of those things that ruffles religions' feathers. Religion relies on faith to keep men and women fooled into believing. Logic destroys the need for faith, so religion loses followers and therefore power. The only way religion can maintain its power, is to eliminate the expedition of knowledge. To destroy every resource of logical information, or at least fool people into not using their own brains. In fact, in most cases religion imposes fear and guilt upon people to prohibit them from knowledge and the exploration of the truth.

How did sin apparently enter the world? The expedition of knowledge, that how. Not believe me? Look at the first chapter of Genesis and you'll find the answer. Eve, the first woman on earth, took fruit from the Tree of Good and Evil to acquire knowledge, and because of this God got angry and sin entered the world. There you have it.

From the very beginning, religion has hated the expedition of knowledge. It can't survive if the truth is revealed. Powerful men want to control you, religion desires to bound you.

Retro Arcade Gaming

I've really been getting into arcade retro gaming lately. Good games like Space Invaders, Raiden, Asteroids, Galaga, Pacman and some old Mario stuff. There's just something so simple about them that makes them lovable. It's nothing but gaming. Fun (and addictive mind you ;-), wholesome gaming.

My highscore on Raiden is 320440. Not bad for a first try? I only got to level 2.

This is what gaming is all about!

"It's 6:30am..."

Well, this is an early blogpost! It's 6:30am (on the dot) on this beautiful Saturday morning and I'm feeling great. I've been up since 6:00am, had myself some breakfast and am currently drinking a nice hot mug of coffee. Oh wait...make that lukewarm now...Eww... Ha! I'm still happy.

Why am I up so early on a Saturday? What am I waiting for?

I'm up early, because I want to head outside early to take photographs. Yeah, yeah, har har, laugh it up. I know it may seem funny and stupid for me to go out so early to just take a couple of pictures, but in truth, photography is something I take seriously. I don't just take pictures because I've got a camera, I take pictures because it's my passion. There's so much out there that I haven't already explored, and I'm hungry for the opportunity to walk on new ground, smell new scents, see new things and be able to capture all the incredible imagery on camera.

There's something about the world in the morning. The world itself is waking up. The skies, the animals, the people, and traffic soon streams along busy roads. I find it facinating watching the whole process unfold and progress until finally slowing down in the evening. Besides, it affords the chance to see the sunrise, (which I sadly missed this morning) and if you know me well enough, you know I like sunrises and sunsets very much indeed.

So anyway, I actually have little to say, and have no reason in particular for making this blogpost. So on that very note, I shall bid you good morning (or whatever time it is where you are)!

Buy Experiences, not Material Possessions

Today in school, my class met a rather inspirational lady. She was quite old, I'd say in her mid to late sixties, but she was stepping in for our usual Home Economics teacher as she was ill.

So this lady began talking to us about all kinds of things. Although she was teaching us what she was supposed to, every now and then she'd entwine a story from her own life that related to the subject. I personally thought she was a very good speaker, and kept me deeply interested. I gathered that she was the type of person who has saw many a thing, and is humble about that very fact. She seemed to want to share herself with us, even though it was our first meeting with her.

There was one thing in particular that she said which I could relate to so very much. She said, "I buy experiences, not material possessions I don't need." We were on the subject of shopping ethics and were discussing how we as consumers, consume so many things that we don't need. Beforehand she had told us that after she took early retirement, she decided to travel the world in order to experience new things.

Anyway, I thought what she said was bang on the nail, and represented so much of what I believe. What she was saying was that she buys moments; real life memories and experiences that will live with her until the day she dies. I find that spectacular. I'd rather buy experiences than a product from a shop shelf which I probably will never need. I think in our modern culture, we're brainwashed into believing that the only way we can achieve happiness, is to hoard up our houses with material things. We're told to consume, consume, consume until the huge void in your life gets filled up. But you see, it's never going to be filled with material goods. Experiences are the most important thing you and I have got, and I think too much of us are taking them for granted.

It's people like the lady I met today that I feel give our race a hope for the future. I find the way in which man can treat and decieve man can be completely and utterly shameful. The way businessed and governments try to turn us into puppets on their strings.

Cyclists VS Motorists

I've just returned home from a short bike ride along the same route that I've been going down daily for the past few months. It's only a ten minute ride but it gets me some fresh air and stretches my legs a bit. I'm beginning to feel that my stamina is increasing too. When you're cycling a bike along the road, you can't afford to stop just because you're tired. You've got to keep going, and I always feel more determined to become faster day by day.

Anyway, whilst I was cycling along, I felt a familiar feeling. It's not an emotion I like to feel, but sometimes I do. It's the feeling that there's them (i.e the motorists) and then there's you (i.e the cyclist). When you make the comparison, it's easy to become intimidated by oncoming cars whizzing past you on the road. Cyclists often speak of a stigma that is held against them by motorists. I kind've feel that too occasionally, especially with me being a younger rider. Sometimes, not all, but sometimes, I feel conscious when a motorist goes by. I wonder do they think I'm some sort of wannabe kid that's going to get herself killed. Mostly I just say to myself, "They can think what they want, I'm here and I'm not budging."

It reminded me of many times that motorists have annoyed me in the past. Often cars won't give you adequate room as they overtake. They'll be inches from you as they pass and nearly squeeze you into the curb. By law, cyclists are allowed around one metre from the curb as to not buckle their tyres on gutters/drains or potholes. It frustrates me when cars don't take that into account and nearly hit you.

Here in Northern Ireland (and probably the rest of the world, I'm not sure) you get boy racers. Boy racers are these young lad drivers that rip down the roads like mad men, thus, they get the reptutation of being a boy racer. Anyway, I've had a few encounters with them too. What annoys me as a cyclist about them is when they fly past you and the sound of their exhaust takes you by surprise.

Apart from those minor instances, nothing huge has ever happened to me personally. I don't cycle in town or busy areas, simply because I feel it's too dangerous. I'm in want of a new helmet too as my current one (which I'm not wearing currently on bike rides) is too small for my head.

It's kind've sad in the end that this stigma exists between cyclists and motorists. Why can't we all just share the road? A bike is just as much as a vehicle as a car, and a car is just as much a vehicle as a bike. Deal with it people!

Writer's Self-Esteem

I've come to realise, (more through personal experience than anything) that it's really easy to have your confidence as a writer completely shattered. Becoming a writer involves the whole big ordeal of actually collecting ideas, producing work, trying to get it out there in the public eye (published) and then being willing to recieve critisism from readers/critics. For me though, the latter is something I've become pretty much adapted to. I've never had anyone tell me that they don't like my poem (so that's a good sign), but I've had people point out a particular part of a piece of writing and tell me what they did or did not like about it. I can accept critisism, which I'm actualy really glad I can. But the people who can't, will feel hurt that that critic or whatever, doesn't like their work, thus shattering their esteem. If I was a writer who couldn't have their work disliked, well, I wouldn't really be a good writer in the end.

But that's not really what I wanted to focus on in this blog post. I wanted to talk about how writers self-esteem's can get bruised when they compare themselves to other writers. Of course, this can have its benefits, but on the whole, I think it's wrong to do. I myself have performed this action umpteen times and can say that 90% of the times I do, I feel completely deflated. That other 10% result? Well, that's the positive side to things. I usually will feel inspired, empowered and generally positive. It's almost as if I get this huge boost to become as good as the writer I'm comparing myself to.

We always seem to compare ourselves to writers that we think are fantastic, and usually when we're at the amateur level of writing. How come we never compare ourselves to writers that we think are rubbish? Might that help us? Might it boost of self-esteem as a writer because we could say that we're better than that writer? I'm not sure. I don't really like looking down on any writer. Just because you don't like their style or whatever, it might not mean they're a bad writer. But still, maybe it can be used as a confidence boosting tool. I don't know...I guess we'll have to try it.

Fear is a Dream Killer

There's a guy named Earl on YouTube, (his account name is 'bikemessenger7') and in one of his videos, he was discussing how fear is a dream killer. He got some good responses, including one I believe from, 'conferencereport'. Anyway, the concept of the fear of losing holding individuals back from succeeding is definately a common thing nowadays. Well, in fact, it's been a constant issue with mankind.

I've experienced it on countless occassions, and I'm sure you as a reader have too. It's nothing that's out of the ordinary, and most of the time, we blow our fear way out of proportion and end up fearing something that hasn't even begun yet. The fact is, we don't want to face rejection or failure. We don't want to not get something that we really desire. So we as humans seem to enter/use this weird defense phase/mechanisim to protect ourselves from getting hurt or from failing. And that phase/mechanisim is to simply not try at all, because we're afraid.

It's hard to believe that we desire that thing so much, or that we want to succeed so badly, that we're willing to not even try to obtain it and make our dreams a reality.

Art "How to's": You don't Need 'Em!

For quite some time now, I've been guilty of looking up "how to's" on YouTube and Google. Specifically "how to do photography", "how to write a sonnet in iambic pentameter" or "how to write and publish a book" etc. So I was sitting at my computer, browsing through "how to do photography" web pages today when something finally dawned on me: why the hell am I doing this?

I realised in that moment that what I was doing was stupid. I take pictures, right? I enjoy taking my own pictures, right? I'm trying to grow as a photographer, right? Well then why turn to some other photographer to learn how they themselves take pictures and do their photography? I am not them. I don't want to learn their tips on how they do this and how they do that. Effectively, what I'm saying is, I don't want this information handed to me on a plate. I want to discover my own style and how photography, in my opinion should be done. I think if everyone copied everyone else's photography, pictures around the world would just be plain boring.

I've always said that art isn't something we can learn, it's something we must experience. No one can tell you how to paint a picture, what colours to use and how you should use them. No! You must discover these things for yourself. The same applies to my own art. I shouldn't be looking up on the internet how to do anything regarding art. Doing and experiencing anything is a trial and error process. You need to seek out what's best for you and what you're comfortable with. And that is something that no apparent professional can tell you how to do.

But sometimes I think that beginner's look for "how to's" so they can get an easy way out. They expect that the professional's advice will somehow transform them in an instant to become an exceptional photographer. Many end up learning the hard way that that's not the way the cookie crumbles and in the worst case senario, they give up. There is no easy way out to any craft. None. No spring time meadow you can run into. Like anything in life, you've got to work at. Artist's aren't born, they're made.

It's funny how little thing's like a YouTube search or Google inquiry can lead you to some pretty epic things. Well, in my opinion, this topic is epic, because, well, so many people mistake it for something else. I guess this could also relate to the whole idolism thing that goes around. Lots of amateur artists look up to the professionals. In some ways, I think that's okay, but on the other hand, I don't like it. I don't think artists should be looking up to others and following in their footsteps (although, I am guilty of doing so on many ocassions, but I shouldn't be). It's up to you to discover the ultimate style and artist within you, if you're passionate about it though. I'd say that to be an artist you need 3 things: passion, skill and great ideas. And those 3 aspects are things that you and I will have to pinpoint for ourselves.

So take your pictures, write your poems, paint on your canvas until you become an exceptional artist. But don't look up "how to's" on the internet or in books, because there's a style in us. We just got to find it.

Matter and Significance (random, silly, insignificant post)

Nothing really matters unless it matters most to what doesn't matter, well, that's just unimportant. For what cannot matter, doesn't matter and the world is no better or worse for that thing having no significance. For example, dear reader and/or blogger, this very blog post has little or no significance in the eyes of those who matter. Yes, I mean you. So that smile you just made is what matters most in relation to what does and doesn't matter, for what matters is completely of significance if you want it to be. It's all personal choice really as you, (who matters) already know. If you didn't already know such things, well, you don't matter. But who am I to say who and/or what does or does not matter. For everything matters really. Therefore everything that I just said does not matter. (Or does it?)Confused?

Burn Your Cold Feet

Piercing forevers spiral then plummet
to eventually arrive at death’s summit
I was once a kid who lived in Always
that vacant world I entered most days
Sunlight lands housing barren nations
hear the snap of apathetic affiliations
Under your feet I watched them fracture
breaking more that what you manufactured
You regret the damage after your fury
that put you on trial to please your own jury
because no one in Always can live complete
till they get a lawsuit and burn their cold feet.

Skint Amateur Hitmen

Skint Amateur Hitmen
05/04/2010, Tuesday, 2:40pm

Washed-out jeans and tattered jackets
contrasting the overcast skies,
clouds wrapped around blue like a packet
of cigarettes, of gum, of crisps,
stuffed into starving mouths
with dirty hands.
We get paid buttons for dirty work.

A backstreet job with many faults,
sirens be the soundtrack of course,
stabbing the head with fear and guilt,
pain piercing fertile hearts,
like a dart to a bulls eye
on a board in a rundown pub.

Bodies looking for protection
in the wrong direction,
making connections with higher people
on lower thrones.

I’m the one with the gun in my pocket,
but you pulled the trigger,
sending one fleeting bullet
cutting through the alley air
to kill the man who dared
to stare with the wrong kind of eyes
at our so called boss: the tyrant in a trilby.

Some Strangers are Never Strange Enough

Some strangers are never strange enough
they pop open champagne
and laugh at everything or nothing.
They pretend they’ve earned their luck
yet we’re all sitting ducks
waiting for rain, smudging the pain
and choking on my catchy refrain,
“Last years recession hit us all hard.”

Guess I’ve never been friends with my friends
outcasts bent like magnets pull this recluse
we know this old chum’s never been much use.
Can’t say I’ve ever cared what a friend thinks of me
except a stranger or maybe a lover bond to a greed
where I’m the driving force and they’re the noble steed.
Maybe we’re all just too depressed or too miserable
but why is it if you are, everyone thinks you’re inconsiderable?

I’m sorry for being born with a heart that’s partial
but it’s all these strangers that act as a marshal
to assemble linear thoughts and make them creative
so all the folks at home can call you innovative.
I’ve never been one to hold back a sincere thought
the most fascinating of strangers are rarely ever caught.
Can you forgive me for staring, dear stranger?
You just seem like the perfect thought re-arranger.

03/04/2010 By Naomi Hamilton

Dedicated to a good stranger, Steve.
Please visit his YouTube channel, BERSERKERpoetry.
Thank you.