The wind slaps a compliant branch
against the firm walls of gray stone.
What is behind the stone ramparts,
those aspirations pointing to the sky?

The gathering echoes between
the obscured clarity of painted glass, is held
firmly between the old stone, held firmly
by a delivered explanation.

Stray leaves, free from the grip
of wind-twisted branches, litter the street,
search for the soil, enjoy their separation,
revel in their destiny, confused

by stiff manicured grass and stone
that is cold to their touch, cold
and unwilling to bend with the wind.
Stone does not feel the slapping branch.

Religious 'values' are human values dressed up in tight clothes.

Religion includes a fear of unfettered freedom to pursue
any new paradigm based on the 'real' world.

Religion puts the qualities of 'good' and 'evil'
outside the realm of humanity thus
it cannot search for effective means to
increase humanities 'good' qualities
and
reduce humanities 'evil' qualities.

Religion is like wandering in a strange city where
every time you turn a corner, there is nothing new.

Religion demonstrates humanities creative talent by its ability
to generate preposterous and illogical arguments to justify its 'truth'.

Any attempt by 'religion' to control its environment
is destined to become totalitarian which limits its understanding
of the universe and the microscopic dot we inhabit.

Fear of criticism equals a fear of 'understanding'.

Again today the news leads with a soldier's death,
a citizen on our collective mission to save a country
from its historical directions, a mission to demonstrate
our learned good life, a mission of deliverance.

A sad day for many, friends, family and empathetic listeners.
A sad day for many who cannot connect the dots,
cannot make sense of the enemy, cannot appreciate
why conversation fails, why stone-tablet rules prevail, why?

We stand silent along the highway of heroes, stand silent
because we participate and there is an ending, a cost
measured by the grave, computed by the numbers to date.
Our history prevails and we have not learned.

Diversity is nature's method of deciding what works best.
Attempts at conformity defeats this natural mechanism
and reduces humanities ability to succeed.

Common purpose or activity should consign itself to being a magnet
that only 'attracts' like-minded people. Any attempt to 'force' wood
to become steel is a process that destroys wood and we
will thus lose the ability to make beautiful furniture.

Science is like a roller coaster ride.
You have some idea what the future looks like but
once you get there it is more thrilling than can be imagined.

Humanity is always on the edge of a cliff.
When it gets too crowded, religion pushes people over the edge
and science figures out how to build parachutes.

Rational logic is necessary to allow humanities limited abilities
a means for operating successfully in the universe.

The 'reality' of God is continually pushed beyond humanities understanding
of the universe. When we get to the edge of the universe, where will God go?

Many believe the universe speaks and gives clues to man's destiny.
Managing one's life based on our changing position amongst the stars
or the flip of a medieval picture card is like driving down the highway
without a steering wheel.

Suppressing 'opinion' to avoid 'hurt feelings' is a warfare technique
designed to disable those with contrary views.

It is madness,
the hearing of voices,
those inner vocalizations
and incoherent translations
of a confusing universe.

Mirrors can be useful
but they are mute
and full of extra detail
about flowers and rocks
that clutter the landscape.

But getting back to the voices.
Who is speaking? Who is
shaking the silent cage,
speaking in an antipodal voice
and confusing the cosmos?

If that voice demands praise
and singular adoration,
then it is surely madness
and one should focus
more closely on reflections.

The need for a 'maker' only reflects our inability to live without
knowing all things. Assuming a 'maker' inhibits our willingness
to explore the universe and thus we will live a less exciting life.

If 'God' is 'unknowable', then how can we imagine he exists.

Our garbage dumps are filled with things we have used up or are broken.
Let's hope that Religion ends up in the same place.

Religion is like playing a scratched record.
The repetitive discordant noise diminishes the beauty of the music.

We exist and strive to continue that existence in the most comfortable
manner given the surrounding conditions. When we die, the struggle is
over unless you have Religion then you must continue that struggle
forever at the whim of your imaginary master. If you're lucky, you
will sit on a cloud and praise your maker forever. If not, you will
be relegated to the garbage dump which, by the way, is on fire.

A poem is a meagre representation of a bird.

Religion's mystical complexity testifies
to its misunderstanding of the real world.

A civil discussion with disagreement is how stones
are rolled off the path to factual reality.