Since atheism is not a belief, but rather the absence of a specific belief, I thought I'd share some things I do believe:
- I believe (after much soul searching) that snakes make very poor pets.
- I believe that innovation is always called for.
- I believe that monkeys have huge comic potential. As do penguins.
- I believe that a life without creativity is pathetic.
- I believe that the people of India have given this world the best tasting food it's known. Mmmmmmmm.
- I believe, based on my love of old-school funk/soul music, that I may have been born in the wrong era and skin color.
- I believe that human-kind will not scratch the surface of its potential until we stop looking to external entities as our guiding forces. We'll never know what we're capable of until we stop asking imaginary magicians for help, and start figuring ourselves out.
- I believe that it's possible (though not necessarily probable) that we've changed the Earth so much (changing the content of our atmosphere, the human population and our resource consumption, etc.) that our species will not be able to survive. I'm really not that broken up about it though.
- I believe George Clooney is our generation's Cary Grant.
- I believe that, while good science has shown that after the age of 35 a person is significantly less likely to try something new, I will buck that trend.
- I believe (very firmly) that, if I ever met Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Rush Limbaugh in a dark alley, and they all had horrible weapons which they intended to use on me, the following would happen: 1) I would take a couple of seconds to assess the situation. 2) I would be overcome by very powerful emotions. 3) I would black out. 4) I would return to consciousness completely covered in blood and bits of flesh with four dead men at my feet. It's not that I think I'm so tough, it's just that that is the one scenario that I know for sure would send me into a River Tam frenzy.
- I believe in taking the world exactly as it comes. I love reality.
- I believe in having a very strict try-anything-once policy… about almost everything.
- I believe that, if there is such a thing as an evil person, most televangelists qualify.
- I believe that dancing is fun, but only if you don't care what other people think.
- I believe it would be so damned cool to be weightless!
- I believe this post is done.
I would like to refute that snakes make bad pets… http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/pets-animals/stories/pet-snake-saves-family-from-house-fire
The would be great for the “This I Believe” segments on NPR.
I believe that George Clooney is my Plan B. And bless you for invoking River Tam.
Actually, snakes make excellent pets. My son used to take our ball python out of its cage and read stories to it. They are quiet, oderless, poop once a month, and only need to be fed once a week. Plus, they eat rodents. What’s not to love?
Ha! I love the River Tam frenzy reference!
Frank, Anon, I’ve gone back and forth on the snake thing. I desperately wanted one as a child. Then I got one as an adult. Anon is right that they are quiet, and caring for them is a breeze. On the other hand, as my herpetologist friend points out, despite how it may seem to some, snakes are incapable of bonding emotionally with humans. Dogs can, snakes can’t. They tolerate humans as long as they don’t feel threatened, but then one day, out of the blue… WHAM! The beloved family pet bites somebody. It’s just not enough.
And Frank, that story is bullshit and you know it.