Unbecoming Levity

Village Atheist = Village Idiot?

Abacquer — Sat, 26 May 2007 07:48:22 -0400

The jobs don't pay a lot, and you take most of your pay in self-esteem, but somebody is always trying out for village idiot or village atheist. Often they're one and the same...

-- Wesley Pruden, Revival time with the village atheist, (Washington Times)

In a classic pot-and-kettle scenario, Wesley Pruden has done disservice to the readers of the Washington Times with an irrational screed mocking atheists for writing "irrational screeds mocking those who have the faith the authors clearly envy." The saving grace for these unfortunate atheists is that the average Times reader is probably too smart to be taken in by such drivel.

Pruden has nothing constructive to offer in his screed. He merely calls atheists names and cites examples of atheists saying bad things about people who deserve to have bad things said about them. This is what his article boils down to:

Did you know that there are atheists living among you?
Atheists are idiots.
Atheists hate people of faith because they don't have faith but desperately want it.
Atheists say the darndest things.
Atheists are getting more attention than I am and it pisses me off.

Mr. Pruden apparently doesn't concern himself with the facts regarding persons atheists have spoken ill of, or even facts about the atheists themselves. I mean really, who among us who has actually read The God Delusion would use the word "irrational" to describe it? I've been struggling with the book myself and have found it incredibly dense, repetitive, and belaboring of points, but irrational? Rationality is the coin of the atheist realm. The author has got it backwards... it is faith that is irrational.

The article is clearly calculated to incense the readership, as opposed to communicate any meaningful argument as to why atheists are idiots, or naughty, or whatever else he's trying to say. He notes Christopher Hitchens' reference to Mother Theresa as "the ghoul of Calcutta", without bothering to say why. He notes Pulitzer prize winner Paul Greenberg's mention of Reverend Falwell's one "decent" moment on record, without bothering to say why. Apparently the "why" doesn't concern the unencumbered-by-a-Pulitzer-Prize-Pruden.

A rational person will find little of interest in this yawn-inspiring rant against atheism, except perhaps an appreciation of the irony by which the author reveals himself to be the shrill irrational caricature that he tries to paint atheists as. Beyond that, there's nothing to see here.

Book Review -- An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore

Abacquer — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 13:00:00 -0400

Though I couldn't find the movie playing anywhere near my home, I was delighted to spot a companion book that I wasn't aware of during a recent trip to the bookstore. It was nice to finally get an up to date and unbiased read on the scientific findings regarding global warming. Yes I said unbiased. It's high time people stopped trying to politicize this issue and started trying to do something about it...

Book Review -- FIASCO by Thomas E. Ricks

Abacquer — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 16:20:53 -0400

After a week of struggling I have finally managed to finish reading Thomas Ricks excellent account FIASCO -- The American Military Adventure in Iraq. I struggled, in part because I've been so sick, but mostly it would take an average of 10 pages for me to get so furious, or so disheartened, or otherwise upset that I would have to put the book down and pick it up later on. Ricks account of this war is not an easy read. Nor should it be. But having finished it I say that without a doubt all Americans have a civic duty to read this book and understand the nature of this war. Like it or not...

Another Day Gone

Abacquer — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 21:06:51 -0400

Well I went back to the Tamminem Quarry today, and spent several hot hours hammering rocks in the sun, but I enjoyed myself. Last night I stayed up late to finish The Book of the Dead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, even though I hated practically every minute of it...

Me and the Skeleton Detective

Abacquer — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 11:17:06 -0400

So it's the beginning of day three and I am utterly relaxed. I've had a very pleasant time playing video games, watching movies, and reading. When I wandered into Barnes & Noble the other day I was delighted to find not one but TWO books by Aaron Elkins that I had not yet read...

The Bad Book

Abacquer — Thu, 22 Sep 2005 17:43:44 -0400

Australian author of children's books, Andy Griffiths, finds himself on the defensive as his latest creation "The Bad Book" has certain lawmakers up in arms...

Shoestring Books

Abacquer — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 14:38:22 -0400

On the way back from Snow Falls we stopped in at a wonderful antique bookstore called "Shoestring Books" at 497 Upper Main Street in Norway, ME...

Morning Walk

Abacquer — Mon, 25 Jul 2005 08:10:27 -0400

This morning I went for a walk on the access roads and trails just south of Papoose Pond Campground. The walk was brief but refreshing...

Expecto Ignoramus!

Abacquer — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 11:00:00 -0400

It's hard to take statements like this seriously, but try for a moment:

While the themes in Harry Potter's books do not expressly advocate homosexuality or abortion, these are philosophical beliefs deeply embedded in Wicca. The child who is seduced into a Wicca through Harry Potter's books will eventually be introduced to these other concepts.

Yep. I tried. I just can't take it seriously...

Booksellers Desperate for Harry Potter Books... Including Yours

Abacquer — Tue, 19 Jul 2005 07:00:00 -0400

Once you've finished reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince perhaps you should consider taking back to the bookstore. Apparently some booksellers would be happy to buy it back from you (for like $5) and then sell it again. It's Ferengi Rule of Acquisition number 12 -- anything worth selling is worth selling twice...

Potter Cometh

Abacquer — Sat, 16 Jul 2005 23:12:29 -0400

Picked up the Half-Blood Prince today at Waldenbooks in the Burlington Mall while there getting a gift for a birthday girl at a party we were attending in the afternoon. At first I was dubious because Waldenbooks had a big "It's here!" display right next to an empty shelf. Ermmm. But when I went over to the registers to ask about it I noticed they had it on display behind the counter. So I got one, as did 3 other people while I was there. My wife is reading it first and confirmed upon coming to bed (late) tonight: "Man, I just can't put that book down."

Midnight Book Run

Abacquer — Sat, 16 Jul 2005 07:25:03 -0400

Okay so I visited Barnes & Noble in Leominster last night at about 10 minutes past midnight to pick up a copy of the new Harry Potter book. I didn't have a copy reserved but I figured that wouldn't be a problem. I wasn't sure what to expect but I certainly wasn't prepared for this...

Some Saw Harry Potter Early -- No Crystal Ball Required

Abacquer — Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:00:00 -0400

It turns out that a bookstore located in Coquitlam, British Columbia accidentally sold 14 copies of the new J.K. Rowling book, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince ahead of the official release date of July 16...

War of the Worlds -- Review

Abacquer — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 11:26:14 -0400

I went to see War of the Worlds last Thursday after work at the AMC 10 in Burlington, Ma. The theatre was pretty empty but that's just as well. I hate rowdy types who don't know how to behave in a theatre, and a less full theatre means rowdy types are less likely...

Nostalgic Books and Video Games

Abacquer — Sun, 13 Mar 2005 19:55:39 -0500

Many books made great impressions on me at a young age The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle, Spacecraft 2000-2100 A.D. by Stewart Cowley, the All Creatures Great and Small series by James Herriot, just about everything by Judy Blume, The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald, Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl, and Watership Down by Richard Adams. But there are two books that stand above these in my memory because they fomented interests in me that I carry to this day...

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking -- Review

Abacquer — Fri, 18 Feb 2005 12:17:06 -0500

"Critical thinker" is the highest compliment for most of us. We like to imagine that when we make decisions, we gather information, consider all the facts, and reach a reasoned, informed decision. Mr. Gladwell's new book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, challenges us with the notion that, for the most part, that just ain't true. Blink claims that most of our decisions are made in by our unconscious minds in a few seconds; in the blink of an eye--and that is not necessarily a bad thing...

Papoose Pond Day 8 -- Heading Home

Abacquer — Sat, 31 Jul 2004 14:30:23 -0400

Well that's it. Downloaded the photos off the camera onto the laptop and have to help with the last of the packing. This was a nice trip. We will probably return here again sometime...

Papoose Pond Day 3 -- Neya Goes Wading...

Abacquer — Mon, 26 Jul 2004 23:35:22 -0400

RELAXED. Finished "In Code". Marvelous book! You go Sarah!

Took Lynnea to the pond to let her wade and soak her toes at the end of the paddleboat docks. Neya says she'd like to try out the paddleboats but today is kind of cloudy and her mother is not about... off shopping with the girls...

Papoose Pond Day 2 -- Math, Magic, and a Mouth

Abacquer — Sun, 25 Jul 2004 23:22:08 -0400

RELAXED. Started reading "In Code: A Young Woman's Mathematical Journey". The book is about Sarah Flannery who at 16 won Ireland's Young Scientist of the Year award in 1999 for her work in cryptography. Apparently she invented an algorithm for public-key-encryption that was significantly faster than the RSA algorithm...

Papoose Pond Day 1 -- Does Anyone Call this Camping?

Abacquer — Sat, 24 Jul 2004 23:01:21 -0400

Pat's on a tear this morning. I know well enough to stay out of her way. Pat gets anxious whenever we are trying to get out the door. As a result she tends to overreact when any slight delay crops up. By 11 AM or so we are on the way. A few quick stops for last minute items (bags of ice, fast food lunch,etc.) and it is all open highway...

Pissed Off in the Bookstore

Abacquer — Fri, 23 Jul 2004 22:43:13 -0400

My wife says that the problem I have in bookstores is caused because I am irritated by people who don't think like I do. I'll let you be the judge. She may be right, but the fact remains that bookstores and often the people staffing them, piss me off...

The Three Investigators -- A Happy Childhood Memory

Abacquer — Wed, 05 May 2004 20:18:02 -0400

Earlier I mentioned that I was reading to my daughter from "The Three Investigators" series. When I was a boy my parents purchased for me one of the first books in this series that I ever read. It was a paperback reprint of "The Secret of The Haunted Mirror". It was scary, it was smart, and it featured boys my own age as the heroes...

Against All Enemies -- Review

Abacquer — Fri, 26 Mar 2004 08:35:51 -0500

Richard Clarke's new book Against All Enemies came out on Monday, and I picked it up Monday afternoon. I began reading it on Wednesday and became so engrossed I read until 3 AM in the morning and got about halfway ...

Against All Enemies

Abacquer — Thu, 25 Mar 2004 01:35:36 -0500

Just a quick note, I bought Richard Clarke's new book Against All Enemies and it is a real page turner! Fascinating. I'll post some sort of review when I finish reading it.

UPDATE: Here's the review.