SONG TO END THE WEEKEND ON : ‘THEY’RE COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY’

This weekend’s song to end the weekend on is a silly little novelty number entitled ‘They’re Coming To Take Me Away Ha Haaa!’, by Napoleon XIV, and it’s about a chap who ‘flips his lid’ when his beloved leaves home. But the beloved isn’t who you might expect. Listen right to the end to discover who the guilty party is!*
The song itself was put together in 1966 by a New York based recording engineer called Jerry Samuels, a result of messing about during free time in a studio. The record company were so impressed they put it out as a single and it reached number four in the UK charts in 1966, and was voted the top novelty song of all time.
Note to cover my backside : This is not my way of mocking mental illness. When I was a Christian one of the churches I was attached to did a lot of social charity work and it involved visiting people in hospitals. I have heard this sung loud by and with lots of self depreciating laughter from those patients in one of the psychiatric wards I visited. As the motto goes, if you can’t laugh at yourself. . .
Another note just for heck of it : If you’re into visuals, and you watch the YouTube video of this song I linked to. . .don’t you think that the singer looks astonishingly like Jeffrey Dahmer. Or is it just me?
Anyhow, as always,
Enjoy, and,
A good week, whether you are happy to see the nice young men in their clean white coats or not.

*Yes, it is his dog! Don’t let anyone fool you into believing it’s his wife or anyone else human.

GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH HOMOSEXUALITY

In case you’re wondering, yes; god does hate gays. In the Old Testament, according to Leviticus, chapter eighteen, verse twenty-two, it is an abomination. Further along, Leviticus chapter twenty, verse thirteen, it is a capital crime. In the New, even worse and more sinister, it’s god’s punishment on those who turn their backs on him. Once a body has given in to unnatural lusts, then it means that god has still finished with them. (For fun fact fans: The Letter to the Romans, chapter one, verse twenty-six is the only verse that mentions lesbians, albeit obliquely.) In The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter six verse nine, being homosexual is on a list of those who won’t get to heaven.
I think that it’s clear that god does not like gays and lesbians and wants them to be killed and then to suffer for all eternity after.
Now here is the good news. If you are a homosexual, you can be cured. Really. There are many groups who lovingly, with Christian charity, remove the burden of homosexuality. And then, the brand, new spanking you is set up for marriage and a happy li. . .
Woah! Stop right there. Let’s tell it like it is, according to logic and science. Remove the bible blinkers put there by your vicar or priest and see reason;
HOMOSEXUALITY CANNOT BE CURED ANY MORE THAN BEING BLACK, OR BLUE EYED, OR FIVE FEET OR SIX FOOT SIX CAN BE CURED. IT’S WHAT YOU ARE, WHO YOU ARE.
I’m not saying it shapes your identity, you don’t have to get all political about it. I’m saying that a person’s sexual orientation is like their height or handedness or hair colour. It’s part of who you are.
You can pretend otherwise, but it has been scientifically confirmed that a person can’t change their sexual preference any more than they can shrink themselves or permanently change their eye colouring.
That’s why paedophiles and necrophiliacs cannot be cured, because it’s their preference. It’s what gets them going. They can hide it, and go through life pretending to live living adults, but it’s more natural for them to want very young or dead people.
I’m not saying necrophiliacs and paedophiles can be compared with homosexuals. Unlike those two examples, homosexuality is a romantic/sexual desire for grown up, living members of one’s own sex. Unlike those manipulative, selfish, harmful paraphilias, if it is a crime, and it doesn’t involve coercion, it’s a crime without a criminal and without a victim. What I’m saying it’s that it’s built into a person’s DNA, if you like, a part of who they are and cannot be changed.
So, here is the real good news concerning the bible, and homosexuality.
The bible is a collection of tales written by Bronze Age men (grumpy old gits of men). It’s no more true than the stories of Hans Christian Anderson or those collected by the Brothers Grimm. It’s fiction and any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidence. That’s right, it’s made up. So that means. . .
Wait for it.
HEAVEN AND HELL ARE IMAGINARY. A PERSON WILL NEVER BE SAVED FROM OR CONDEMNED TO HELL BECAUSE IT’S ALL A FAIRY TALE.
So. . .a gay person has no longer any need to worry about following their harmless, natural instinct and falling into mutual love with a person of the same sex. You don’t have to change and become straight. There. The fight is over. Enjoy your life. Fall in love. Be happy. Hell, get married if you enjoy being tortured (sarcasm). Lift up your head, don’t argue with Fundies about your lifestyle, ignore them, and push off that weight that has been holding you down, or pushing you violently forward, that comes from the inbuilt Western Christian idea that being homosexual is a sin in the eyes of god.
Are you still here? Go on. You’re free.
Wonderful, ain’t it?
An appendix; if I’m wrong, and it’s true, that straights go to heaven and gays to hell, what will happen to me? I am bisexual (asexual actually, at the moment. No interest.) I think I know. I’ve had a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit. It goes;
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you’re in heaven, and on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, hell is your home. Oh yes, and you spend alternate Sundays in each domain.

ALL RIGHT, YES

So, it looks as if the Martin soil can’t maintain life after all. Which means I was unhappily, wrong and it seems so far (although there is much room for change and editing and a total overhaul of what we know as we learn, which is what science is all about) the only planet harbouring life is ours.
So, does this mean that the theists might have a point? That their biblegod created life exclusively on this planet and for us alone, which proves he is true, and Adam and Eve are true, and the Fall, going on and on?
Nope.
I bet you expected me to say that. But wait, before you say the bible is true because there is no life on other planets, and I’m living on hope that it’s not true, just think.
We are all reasonable people and shouldn’t allow fear and hatred to stop us from considering;
The idea that biblegod is true because there is no proof of life on other planets is just one point of many.
First of all, there is no evidence that the great world wide flood happened. There are writings from peoples in China and South America that go back to before the bible time line says the world was created. As for Jesus being the saviour, there is no evidence for Jesus that hasn’t been doctored by believers dating back to the time after Jesus’ death. Myth contains many other saviours whose life from the virgin birth to the sacrificial death on the tree. Mithras, Osiris, Bacchus, Ra, even Genghis Khan were born of a virgin, or had a miraculous birth. Osiris’ and Dionysus’ lives are so like Jesus’ you’d think that they were all made from the same imaginative mould. There are just a few of so many reasons for a person to think and re consider their attitude as to biblegod and that it all being true because there is no life on other planets is reduced to being small and weak and no reason at all.
And we can’t really say that there is NO life of ANY kind on ANY planet, or moon, in our Solar System. Not until we’ve carefully explored every option. And then out into the universe itself.

SONG TO END THE WEEKEND ON : ‘TOM CAT’

This weekend’s song to end the weekend on is ‘Tom Cat‘ a minor hit by the Rooftop Singers, aka Bill Svanoe, Lynne Taylor and the late Erik Darling. Heavily influenced by Pete Seeger and the Weavers, they were a folk rock jazz trio who lasted from 1962 to their disbanding in 1967. And I think this song is absolutely wonderful, but then I reckon anything even mildly connected to Pete Seeger can’t be bad.
I especially like the line, and the way it swings;
‘There goes a ring tailed tom, struttin’ round the town’.
My Oliver is a ring tailed tom, and he DOES strut.
Wonderful stuff.
As always,
Enjoy, and,
A good week whether you have to turn you damper down or not.

NEWS ON THE PERSIAN PUSS FRONT

I’ve just received a telephone call from a lady who said
“You’ve found our Persian cat.”
Apparently, that Persian puss is a gentleman, not a lady, with the noble name of Cassius. And he’s safely home, which is extra wonderful news.
I heard him meow his thanks in the background!
Lovely ending to a lovely series of events.
Hmm. I wonder if I could make it my living. You know, finding cats and having them reunited with their loving human owners. No. Because I can’t financially afford to make my home into a charity for rescued cats. Plus, I doubt the landlord would approve if I turned the place into a cat refuge. And I’d have problem with the deceptively sweet and disabled Hayley ATTACKING THE NEWCOMERS.
Still, I’ve achieved what I wanted. The Persian puss is home safely, which is how I wanted to be, and how I would want it to be if one of my babies went missing. Someone to take them in and care for them and see them safely home.
Bloody marvellous!

A USE OF REASON AND LOGIC (PERSONAL)

All right, so how did I get to where I am today?
First of all, I’ve not stopped on my journey to know and to discover. Various philosophies have been tried on for size my be. Even now, I feel the relief and joy of being allowed to reach out to a new way of seeing things, without fear of condemnation and hell-fire by the jealous creator biblegod.
For almost twenty-five years I identified as a Christian. For almost sixteen of those years I struggled, fought, carrying on a wearying, strength-sapping battle against what logic and reason (and my parents) told me was true, that no creator god would care what a single group of a single species on a single planet in a whole universe thirteen and a half billion light years across believed about him. He probably doesn’t even know we’re there. It’s just possible that he doesn’t even exist in the form discovered in the holy writings of fallible men.
And then I read the section of the bible known as the Old Testament and was shocked at what a disgusting specimen of godhood my loving creator was. Having people stoned for working on the Sabbath day. Setting up an earthquake to swallow up the whole family of one man who stole some of the lord’s spoils. Massacring whole towns of people and animals (especially the animals massacre got me in the gut). Killing everyone except the girl children who would be given to the male warriors as spoil. (Maybe I’m wrong, I hope I am, but I doubt the adult males wanted the little girls to play dollies tea parties with). Rapes, murders, stoning with god watching without comment or actively encouraging them. God setting up traps and killing anyone innocently, unaware falling into them. Changing the rules without warning and killing anyone who didn’t know the new rules. I mean, I thought this was the creator, the loving god who sent his son to die for us. I’m not perfect, but I’d never kill a whole nation of people and burn their towns. It was as if Stalin was lord.
Then there was the New Testament with it’s gentle Jesus who wanted whole cites wiped out for not believing in him, and advocated the beating of slaves, and didn’t condemn the idea of slavery itself.
And the doctrine of eternal suffering in an eternal hell for not believing and telling others of your belief in this bloody avatar of the creator god.
And I set about reading, and thinking and slowly, the belief that there is some great, loving saviour god over us all began to slip away. That one day Jesus will come back and take us to safety began to escape from my thoughts, no matter how tight I tried to hold them in place.
Reason knows, I didn’t want it to. If something happened to prove beyond doubt that Jesus existed and is sitting at the right hand of the Father, I would go back without hesitation. I would beg his forgiveness, through tears. But slowly, over the months, over the years, no matter how and where and when I prayed, the evidence for their being no biblegod built up and it soon overshadowed the tiny crest of the truth of god incarnate.
And with great sorrow, and pain, I walked away. I hit the road away from my cherished beliefs because they had nothing to back them up. They were notions. Like bubbles. No substance behind them. I finally closed my bible and my heart and mind to this concept in the May of 2005.
And it hurt. The agony was profound and soul tearing. I left behind a massive part of my life. Real people, friends, church fellowship, the whole thing collapsed and love turned to hatred and rejection and a condemnation of hell from the mouths of those who had nothing but kind words up to me confessing, ‘I can no longer, in all conscience, believe’. I even missed a god I know didn’t exist, like you might miss a grumpy old boyfriend who is there and you see every day.
Three years and three months later, I think and feel the echo of what has gone in the chambers of my being. I one day with have the strength to open the bible and re read it like any work of fairytale fiction. But not yet. Yet to go back is impossible, as there is nothing to go back to. Someone more able than me once said, to yourself be true. And to carry on living a lie is not the right thing to do, the right way to go.
I’m still on the road, but I’ve found rest, and peace of mind and strength of character. And courage. I’ve no god to shelter under any more, but I’m free and can breath the clean air of freedom, and have left behind the shackles of belief.
I sometimes sit back and remember and laugh at my confession in belief in a god who cares, and then turn forward and look ahead and wonder, what next? But whatever it is, I’ll face it, alone yes, but free.

A USE OF REASON AND LOGIC

All right, suppose you read in a respected publication or paperback book by an author you’ve found is trustworthy that science has proven that astrology works. That tests on people have shown that they have traits or have picked careers that corresponds with the personality of their astrological sign.
And then, a bit after, you read that tests have proven that astrology is fiction, that a person born under a certain sign does not display any of the traits which that sign is supposed to bestow upon them.
So, who do you believe?
First of all, most people would believe who they wanted to believe. If you are a fan of astrology you would recite your reading that proves it all true. The opposite, you would quote the tests that prove it’s made up. And laugh or pity those who hold the opposing view. But although it’s human nature to defend your philosophical corner against all comers (that’s why it’s almost impossible to shock or mock or try and reason someone out of a theistic faith, and if they do turn it all in, it’s due to some experience they have gone through or unanswered questions have them turning the corner) ‘knowing’ something is a fact, and scrabbling to find evidence to back you up, is no way of discovering truths.
First of all, clear your mind. Don’t be swayed by either argument. If you’re serious about finding which side has it right, don’t take anything at face value no matter what evidence is provided, on a single reading, or anecdote. Read other’s opinions. Dig deeper into what is said from your side, and discover exactly how scientific and accepted by peer review your side’s philosophy is. Don’t just read or listen to one account. Have a scattering of opinions and find out the reasons and reasoning behind this opinion.
And then set about reading about the other side’s opinions, and how they got to their conclusions. Ask questions. How scientific is it? Does the author have a primary, prior motive that sways them? Is the scientific testing done by a certain lab or scientific discipline known to be coming from one side.
Is your side willing to admit they may not be right? That more testing, unfettered by opinion, from a different angle, is needed?
Try and discover for yourself. Do your own straw poll experimenting. Ask others if they are a ‘typical Leo’ or ‘Cancer’ or whatever they are. Do they reckon it’s all a load of old rubbish? Take notes. Maybe not to their faces. Ask how they came to this conclusion. Do they have any prior motives for saying what they say. Anecdotal evidence, from a person who is a believer or a sceptic is not the best, but it is a start.
Discover exactly what astrology is all about, the pros and cons. Don’t be afraid to dig deeper, and remember the other side’s opinion.
Think. Where does the idea of people influenced by the stars come from? What is it’s basis? It must have come from somewhere. How did the first astrologers work out what sign gave what trait or led to what profession? Is it logic to believe that sections of the sky are ruled by stars that influence how a person is on this planet? Is this planet in a part of space carved up and placed under a title by the inhabitants of another universe? Could a star’s gravitational pull work on a new born baby in such a way they are influenced into becoming the person the star says they will become?
And then don’t be afraid. Take the strongest argument the opposition has to offer and use it to point out why your side has it wrong, or right.
And then, without fear, use reason and think and come to your own conclusions. And don’t be afraid to explain why, without mocking or insulting, to a person coming from the other side, why you think such and such a point is the right one.
Remember; Sceptic doesn’t mean bitter, mean misanthropic hater and rejecter of anything good and hopeful. Sceptic means don’t take things on opinion, look for yourself, dig deeper.
There you are. The All The Best! guide to using reason and logic. It doesn’t have to be taking a side on astrology. It did it when I was a Christian and now I am a deistic Freethinker.
Go for it. Don’t be afraid.
What do I think of astrology? Logic and reason tells me that it isn’t possible for the movements and gravity of a planet in a system of planets (known as stars to a layperson) to influence a body into certain traits that become a certain personality type. That’s all I’m saying.
You still here? Go for it. Go on. Don’t be afraid. Take your deepest held most beloved opinion that you have lived by and treat it to a bit of logic and reason and a good dose of the opposition’s opinion.
You might be surprised that your mind is changed on a certain point that has been your philosophy for many years.

GOOD NEWS ALERT

Well, what a day.
The Persian puss made a run for it last night, but after a lot of scouring of the area, I re located her (peeping at me from under a leafy green bush in the local cemetery) this afternoon and brought her back, and the Persian Rescue Society lady has been for her and took her home.
Talk about a totally bloody happy ending.

SONG TO END THE WEEKEND ON : ‘HAPPY TRAILS’

This weekend’s song is ‘Happy Trails’ by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.
Happy trails to you, my little Persian puss, who came into my life with a twinkle and left it unexpectedly. I’ll probably never see you again, but it was lovely while it lasted.
May you find the happiness and home you couldn’t with me.
I feel flat and dull at the moment, but. . .
As always,
Enjoy, and,
A good week, whether you meet again or not.

GOODBYE, PERSIAN PUSS

I am afraid it’s farewell to my foster baby. I was putting my bin out for the dustbin men to empty tomorrow and she ran past me and under the gate and was gone. By the time I’d got to the gate, and opened it, there was no sign of her. It’s dark and I don’t know her name and there is a field at the back, with houses so I couldn’t re locate her.
I just hope she can find her own way home.
I feel hideously guilty at not making sure the back door was closed properly, but I suppose she knows what she wanted and what she wanted was to hit the road and find her way back to her family.
I’ll miss her. I had big plans for her tomorrow, imagined her being micro-chipped and her family being located and me handing her over to them. But it’s not to be. Like I said, I just hope she can find her own way home.

HUMAN BEINGS AND THEIR NUMBERS : A CRITIQUE+PERSIAN PUSS UPDATE

So, food is getting more and more expensive, human beings are getting hungrier and the genetic modification of food teams are gearing up (Prince Charles firmly in the way) to convince the governments of the world that we should all plant GM crops* to see to it that there is more food available. More and more land is being taken to grow crops and see the hungry are no more.
Now, here’s a thought.
There are too many human beings.
No, there are. Six and a half billion and rising. The numbers dying off yearly due to preventable illnesses in the Western labelled ‘Third World’ will not level out the numbers. And yet everyone insists on having a baby of their own, and ignoring, because ‘I didn’t give birth to them’ those not wanted by those who pump them out just to get money and recognition from the authorities and can’t cope with them. And the religious talkers insist on the doctrine of ‘no condoms’ and ‘abstinence or monogamous marriage to someone also a virgin’. Not just as a personal choice, but as a law, on pain of withdrawal of charity in general, for everyone else.
We have got to face it. Too many human beings. We don’t need so many, and that is the reason why there is not enough food to go around. You could put a halt on the world’s production and go over to abundant GM crops tomorrow, but eventually, even this won’t be enough to feed everyone.
All we have to do is hand out condoms, encourage gay sex, and give therapy to those who cry and moan because their wombs can’t hold babies or whose sperm hasn’t got the wherewithal to do it’s bit in the reproduction of life. It would be cheaper for the NHS that IVF treatment.
Oh yes (oh sod, it I’m going to hell anyway, so I might as well go for something) encourage extreme sports, free all the hapless serial murderers and give them private places to live and operate in, and encourage viruses that only take out human beings to spread planet wide.
And in case you’re thinking, ‘if you think human beings are so bad, why not kill yourself, as you’re one?’. Aye. If you go first. . .
It’s for the planet.

In case you’re wondering what happened to the Persian puss I’ve taken in, well, no one has claimed her, despite my efforts, and I’ve been onto a charity which deals exclusively in Persians and on describing her was informed that my foster baby is a colour point or Himalayan. I’m taking her down to the local vets where they can tell me if she’d been micro-chipped, then if she has, her family can be tracked down and she can go home to them. I’ll miss her, but she isn’t mine, Hayley especially still isn’t happy about her, and there is bound to be someone out there missing her and wanting her back. I know if one of my old mix up moggies went missing, I’d wander the streets and put up posters and ring people up and knock on doors and spend sleepless nights till they came back safely to me. Can you imagine what it would be like to lose someone like that? And then the brimming joy when you know they’re safe and being cared for and all you have to do is go and pick them up?

*I have got nothing against GM crops and food in general. After all, I couldn’t be a thriving vegan without GM replacing animal products in some foods.

AND STILL THEY COME

I found her wandering aimlessly on my journey back from the shops. She came to me for kisses and tried to get into my bag.
She is a Persian puss and she has been in the wars, either through neglect or has been on the road for many days. There is a clump of fur missing out of one flank exposing the bare flesh, her eyes are watery and she keeps sneezing so she probably has a cold and her long fur is tangled and full of dirt pieces. Yet she is beautiful with her flat face and creamy fur with chocolate brown face and paws and ears and tail.
I brought her home where she won’t eat or let me near her, she has scratched my hands when I tried to touch her. The others are absolutely fascinated with her. Surprisingly Hayley I’m afraid keeps attacking her backed up by Domino and yet Jessica, the one I expected to lead the assault, is mostly ignoring her. Oliver is keeping out of her way. I rang the RSPCA but since she isn’t badly injured they won’t take her in and my local animal shelter is overflowing with cats, although the lady representative I spoke with says she will let me know if anyone rings her and says they have lost a cat who could be her and when she gets room, will come for her.
At the moment, she’s sitting on a ledge on my living room cabinet and drowsing. I’m starting to fall in love with her already, three hours after I brought her home, but I really can’t afford to care for any more babies,* there might be someone out there who is missing her, and Hayley and Domino don’t like her and have to be my priority.
Talking about her being a pure bred instead of an old mix up like my others, you can tell. There is something naturally regal, dignified, ladylike about her, the way she sits and moves, that even the noble Oliver can’t match.
I just hope that she is missing from home, a family or someone is missing her, and they can be reunited with her and soon. Thanks to me.

*And yet if it was possible, if Hayley and Domino accepted her, and there was no one out there missing her, I would adopt her, love her and care for her and name her Jewel.

IT IS IMPORTANT (REALLY)

What do all these people have in common?

Gary Oldman
Robert De Niro
Eminem
Maradona
Ted Bundy
Charlie Chaplin
Marie Curie
Prince William
Angelina Jolie
Brad Pitt
Kenneth Williams

They are (were) all left-handers. Plus, none of them are wastes of space expect Ted Bundy.
And mentioning this is relevant with it being national left-handed week.
Plus, the nights are getting darker sooner. And the rain has been absolutely torrential all day.