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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

"I need no God or religion..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesday)

Bettejo  has lived on Kaua'i over 30 years and is a people lover,
animal lover, lover of life and strikes a dashing yoga pose...
Bettejo and I don't always agree however that's the beauty of America. 
Today she talks about her not  having the need for God or religion.
All I can say is God Bless you Bettejo, or better yet may Darwin bless you! 
Enjoy...



I need no God or religion

This in response to James "Kimo" Rosen’s blog and recent opinion article in the Kaua'i Garden Island News, titled  Atheism and Agnosticism are actually religions, Friday, May 15.
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2013/05/atheism-and-agnosticism-are-actually.html

http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-friday-may/article_fbb4f668-beac-11e2-ade5-001a4bcf887a.html

 I disagree, Kimo, one could make a case but I don’t think one could make it stick.

However, it’s why I call myself a devout non-believer. I have no belief. I need no God or religion and feel fortunate. 

Today, through out the world, religious believers are creating chaos. Far too many preach hatred and fear. Feed on sin and guilt. Breed division. Sanction war. In America we sell God to unhappy, scared confused folks-on television and radio- like soap.

Not long ago, here on Kauai, believers gathered to pray on National Prayer Day. They prayed for everything but peace.

“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it: a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak: a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser, a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” That’s Richard Dawkins.

Strong language but I think an accurate description. I certainly don’t need a God like that. Do you?

I consider myself a philosopher, Kimo. Now, I've read your book, dear friend, I suggest you read mine: The Humanist Philosophy by Corliss Lamont.  


THE OPINIONS, BELIEFS AND VIEWPOINTS EXPRESSED BY THE VARIOUS AUTHORS AND FORUM PARTICIPANTS ON THIS BLOG SITE DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OPINIONS, BELIEFS AND VIEWPOINTS OF THE PUBLISHER OF DAKINETALK THE BLOG, BUT THEY COULD... 

"A painting cannot exist without a creator, the artist. In the same essence how can the world exist without a creator, there needs to be an artist. You cannot see the wind, yet you know it exists, I cannot see God but know in my heart God exists.." James"Kimo"Rosen


Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...





50 comments:

KimoRosen said...

"A painting cannot exist without a creator, the artist. In the same essence how can the world exist without a creator, there needs to be an artist. You cannot see the wind, yet you know it exists, I cannot see God but know in my heart God exists... Sorry Bettejo I still believe in God and also believe per my article that Atheism is a religion. Because have a group of people with a common bond, that bond, not believing, hence Atheism is a religion. I rest my case your honor.

Bettejo Dux said...

You toned it down here, Kimo. I loved your response on your blog, hope everyone reading this reads it, too. I said, "I loved your answer, Kimo but I hope your God is a peaceful loving one. Peace and love Bettejo

Davis "3-D" Danizier said...

Atheism — not believing in god — is no more a “religion” than not collecting stamps is a hobby, or like “off” is a TV channel.

Lack of belief is not a variety of belief, it is its absence.

If the media keep referring to gullible superstitionists as “people of faith,” I suggest that, from now on, they refer to those who don’t sucker for literal belief in such myths and legends as “people of evidence.”

KimoRosen said...

Bettejo, the blog is exactly as you sent me, you need to click on the blog itself since I only copy and paste a teaser on the Facebbk wall, go to the blog itself, click here, http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2013/05/i-need-no-god-or-religion-bettejo-dux.html

Bettejo Dux said...

I still make a mess of it, Kimo. Anyway I left a response to Debra's letter today. You'll also like it. Then I'm going to polish my new column for The Garden Island. Then I'm going to write a new column about you. Your great heart and why your blog-to which I am very proud to be a member, si the greatest. And will continue to be Peace and love Bettejo

KimoRosen said...

Mahalo Nui my my Dear friend , Karen! ;D)BTW, I hope Deborah decides to write a weekly column too.

Bettejo Dux said...

I get lost here, Kimo. It seems to take me such a long time to learn hw to find my way around. I'll get it. If you can get to Debra tell her how to get to me. We have a mutual enemy. Anyway now I can't even find my response to Debr's letter. Sigh. I'm lost in cyber space. Kisses to Obama. And you, too. My new column is going to be so much fun to write. Love'ya Bettejo

KimoRosen said...

That's it "lost in Cyberspace" A great title for a future column or blog, a satire on the TV show, "lost in Space!"

Bettejo Dux said...

Davis, you make such good sense. My response was very strong. I love Kimo, I just don't think much of his God. That's putting it mildly.

Bettejo Dux said...

Where did Davis go? I can say this to both of you, my response seems to be much to strong to publish in the Forum and I find that very interesting. Kind of sad, too. Monroe and Esther made me a Jewess for a day. We shared matzos during Passover. I'm going to see if i can make Kimo a non believer for a day. There are Jewish atheists. We could split a Costco pizza. Love'ya

KimoRosen said...

your responding on the wrong thread, this is the one posted this morning, Davis is connected to the earlier post, go to my FB page and scroll down a bit, you'll see. You need to respond to a thread where you can see his comment for him to get this comment, unless he just happens upon this, which is possible.

Bettejo Dux said...

Do you have a road map? A compass? Heeeeellllppppme

KimoRosen said...

They call it GPS, it's 2013! ;D)

KimoRosen said...

GPS? God punishes sinners?

KimoRosen said...

Global Positioning System http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System

Chester "Unc" Lau said...

Love it Bettejo,you are so right,now explain to me why we still have century's of sectarian wars & who has the real passionate god.

Bettejo Dux said...

Jewish atheism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Part of a series on
Atheism

Concepts
Antitheism Atheism and religion Criticism of atheism Implicit and explicit atheism Negative and positive atheism
History
History of atheism New Atheism State atheism
Arguments for atheism
Arguments against God's existence Argument from free will Argument from inconsistent revelations Argument from nonbelief Hitchens' razor Argument from poor design Atheist's Wager Fate of the unlearned God of the gaps Incompatible-properties argument Omnipotence paradox Problem of evil Problem of Hell Russell's teapot Theological noncognitivism Ultimate Boeing 747 gambit
People
Demographics Discrimination / persecution of atheists Notable atheists
Related concepts
Agnosticism [show]
Irreligion [show]
Naturalism [show]
Secularism [show]
Atheism portal
WikiProject
v t e
Jewish atheism refers to atheism as practiced by people who are ethnically, and to some extent culturally, Jewish. Because Jewishness encompasses ethnic as well as religious components, the term "Jewish atheism" does not necessarily imply a contradiction. Based on Jewish law's emphasis on matrilineal descent, even religiously conservative Orthodox Jewish authorities would accept an atheist born to a Jewish mother as fully Jewish.[1]

Bettejo Dux said...

Would it be possible to be a Christian atheist? A Muslim atheist? A Hindu atheist.

KimoRosen said...

Yes! Some people just like the culture they born into but do not buy the religious part.

Davis "3-D" Danizier said...

I am not an atheist, but more an agnostic, allowing that we don't know what the first cause was.

I certainly can say with absolute certainty that whatever beings, if any, exist prior and superior to humans in a generative way, it is not the angry, petty, jealous, invisible sky god of Abraham shared by the Jews, Christians and Muslims who all claim to be the rightful heirs to his atrocity-driven legacy. Nor can it be any being who is fully all-knowing, all-loving and all-powerful, in order to know of evils that harm people and, having the ability (all powerful) to stop it, does not, and thus proves to be not all-loving. It may be possible that there is some kind of intention-driven higher consciousness, even in a causative or generative way, but more a "superior" being than a "supreme" being. But we are only dealing in preferred speculations as to possibilities and possibilities; there is no evidence of any such being and, lacking certainty either in support or opposition to a proposition, I defer to ambiguity, and thus more agnostic than atheist.

Kimo, you say that there cannot be a painting without a creator. But who created the painter? And who created the creator? Something had to come first. We just don't know what it was. Was it matter as matter? Matter as energy? Or matter/energy as intention-driven consciousness? We just do not know, and thus cannot say with certainty. I address in more depth the questions that must be addressed in considering the question of the existence of god on one of my web pages (on my WordPress site, inspired by the success of Bettejo's site), in which I address some of the common historical "proofs" of god (including Aristotle's "first cause" that seems to align with Kimo), and conclude with the issues I believe must be taken into consideration.
http://danizier.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/is-there-a-god/

Is There a God?
danizier.wordpress.com

Bettejo Dux said...

I think you could be an atheist or a day. I don't think I could be a Christian. I don't do sin or guilt or fee. I am not chattel. Love'ya Bettejo

Bettejo Dux said...

"I love you, Davis. I just said to Kimo. I'm sure he could be an atheist for a day. I was a Jewess for a day. I could not be a Christian for a day. I do not do fed, guilt, sin. I am not chattel."

Bettejo Dux said...

"Davis you're back. I'm lost in cyberspace. Love it that we are talking to each other as human beings. I'm going to make Kimo an atheist for a day.

Bettejo Dux said...

"Kimo, could you be an atheist for a day? Or would you run amok? Eat all my pizza? Chop off my head? Rob Costco at gun point?Spit in the face of somebody you saw you didn't like? I'll bet you'd be the same great guy. If I get to be an honorary Jewess can I share my matzo with Obama? Cheat and drink a little glass of wine out of a plastic honey bottle? Peace and love Me"

Bettejo Dux said...

I just want to tell Debra how much I loved her letter. We need constant reminders of how wonderful our military men and women are. They can do such great things. I think every kid in the country-rich, poor whatever-should have to spend eighteen months in the military. Basic training. At the end of that time, they can stay in, get out, join the peace corp, go on to college, go to work . I mean, really, wouldn't you just love to see Paris Hilton in a uniform, sleeping in barracks, eating in a mess, learning to be great human being taught by guys like Bill Barcher.

KimoRosen said...

Bettejo, Deborah has her own Facebook page, please do not send me messages for her, go directly to her FB-wall. Why are you so lost?

Bettejo Dux said...

It's my nature. I can't find her, maybe she'll find me.

KimoRosen said...

your an intelligent lady, anyone on this post will get these comments, Please comment to the appropriate post. If I have a message for Douglas, Davis or Emerald I do not comment to you, I go directly to them. Just put Deborah Morel in the Facebook internal search engine at the top middle of dis page. This does not need to be such high maintenance. Take a breath and think! ;D)

Chester "Unc" Lau said...

Love it Bettejo,you are so right,now explain to me why we still have century's of sectarian wars & who has the real passionate god.

Bettejo Dux said...

Well which sect or cult or church or whatever has the rght god. I mean, my god's bigger than your god..my god's bigger than yours,by golly, my god's bigger than, he eats Kennel ration, my god's bigger than yours. Off with your head

Bettejo Dux said...

"Also, Chester, I think they come down much harder on a woman than they do on a man. This is the voice of experience. Peace and love Bettejo"

Anonymous said...

I am a man of god and I will kill you. I am a man of god and I will hate you and teach others to hate you. I am a man of god and I will send you to hell where you will burn forever. So sick."

Bettejo Dux said...

"I don't know that there is a 'passionate' God. Why is it always a he? I've met enough loony Christian patriarchs in the past couple of years to paper hell and half of Europe."

Anonymous said...

When y'all stop listening to what man has to say about God and start listening to what God has to say about man, then you will understand all you'll ever need to know about both.

Chester "Unc" Lau said...

Organized religions are financial businesses dominated by men with inferior complex,they need to use women as punching bags to proof their superiority ,women should rise & kick their butts & demand equality or better.

KimoRosen said...

I believe in G-d... however organized religion is just like any other business except better, because they don't pay income tax.

Chester "Unc" Lau said...

"Organized religions are good businessmen,they make you & I pay their national defense bill ,police & fire protections,they don't practice what they preach,to be fair to all tax payers,OR should volunteer to pay their share of taxes like all citizens."

Chester "Unc" Lau said...

"unscrupulous men appointed themselves gods for financial & mind control ,Women must rise & kick butts & demand equality,freedom & self rules"

Chester "Unc" Lau said...

"Religions are good only when they practice what they preach,normal intelligent people can determine what is right from wrong without religion,but so far Organized religion have Not able to stop sectarian wars,how do you figure ?"

Bettejo Dux said...

"Chester, because, in many ways, they have become the bellicose god they created. They love war. All you have to do is read-I think you can find it on line-The Dark Side of the Bible. Also Rot on the Vine and by J. Stenesh Ph.D.From UC Berkely, When Religions Becomes Evil Charles Kimball. Religions-of whatever persuasion-must die along withther gods."

Bettejo Dux said...

"Joseph Campbell said, "When gods die there's hell to pay.""

Bettejo Dux said...

"Hopefully more and more voices will be heard. Love'ya Me"

Bettejo Dux said...

"The Muslim women must fight just as we did. Please find and watch the film Iron Jawed Angels. It's a true story about the dreadful things that happened to great Ameerican women in the struggle for the vote."

Bettejo Dux said...

"A part of history our history books forgot. Peace and love Bettejo"

Chester "Unc" Lau said...

Shows that thet are better businessmen than PEACE MAKERS,there is NO PROFIT IN PEACE !!!

Chester "Unc" Lau said...

When gods committed sins for not able to prevent sectarian or any kind of wars,what part of hell do they go ?

Chester "Unc" Lau said...

Whe gods committed sins for not able to prevent sectarian or any kind of wars,where do they go in hell ?

Bettejo Dux said...

Chester, I'm thinking of bullfinch. All those wonderful Roman, Norse, Greek Gods and Goddesses.pagan

Bettejo Dux said...

They'd have to put the horror gods of today on a locked shelf children wouldn't have acses to.

Chester "Unc" Lau said...

Thanks Bettejo,you are awarded a kosher sweet & sour shrimp next time you are in Honolulu...now where do we put George W.Bush ?