22 thoughts on “The Smartest Man in the Room”

  1. Pingback: The God Delusion – Richard Dawkins | Observation Blogger

  2. Yeh my questions were a bit too serious. I look forward to reading more of your thread. there is a lot of good stuff there. I like your line, ‘Way too much of my heritage (learned) was wrong.’ Trying to unlearn our heritage can be as difficult as learning a new one. Perhaps they go hand in hand.
    Have a good day mate!

  3. Not sure your question Matthew.
    Texas, or Mid East?
    Texas: Yeah. I learned my heritage.
    Mid East?
    Way too much of my heritage (learned) was wrong.
    And your questions require some serious respond, but not here; I should think on your questions and blog on them.
    In detail.
    And of course, I will throw in some Lenny Bruce and some videos along the way, as that is MY Wont.

    You know, Matthew… I am an asshole.
    But, I do write from my heart.
    And I call you ‘Friend.’
    That is all I have.
    Hope I answered your question.
    I tried.
    Cheers,
    Lance

  4. What have you learnt from living there? I couldn’t imagine. How have your world values changed and why? I hope you don’t mind me asking. I’m genuinely interested since I also live in a relatively isolated part from a western perspective.

  5. It seems… I have spent half my life in the Mid East (and the other half in SOCal)
    I need to get back to Texas: My Only Claim to Fame.

  6. We did the Lenny thing and he is one in a million. Those problems in the middle east are all inherently Religious and the fact the US are bombing the shit outta them won’t make it go away.
    That dude from Waco was Australian and the FBI did a bad deed. We can. Let’s do it!
    Cheers bud.

  7. My Friend,
    I love the link.
    (and yes I did check it out)
    And yes, I will watch and listen. I am loving it so far.
    And yes, I do agree to disagree with you.
    So…
    I guess we are done here, vis a vis Lenny.
    Let’s move on to solving the problems in Syria and Israel and Iraq and ….
    Waco Texas.
    We can do it!
    Yes, yep!
    We can.
    wink
    wink

    Cheers,
    Lancer

  8. Hey Lance, Thanks for send the link. I had a listen. I go back to my blog title, ‘Comedy Doesn’t Age Well’. Lenny seems to me an ironic prophet with theatrics like the intellectual beatniks in the 60’s Greenwich village era. He opened doors for others to speak about what the damn well they wanted. Look, I’m not a major fan of his comedy per se, rather I respect what he allowed for others to do in his wake. How much do you listen to a comedian until you say may be he’s not for me. I realise he is someone who you hold very dear, but I’m not from your time and place man.
    I spent 1.5 hours watching this concert today by Louis CK which I found very funny for the most part. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGDPme0JN5g I hope you like it.

  10. My Dear Matthew,
    The scene is there. Look for it.
    That movie resounds with me, as I lived most of it.
    Anyhow, I stand firmly by my standing: we don’t need a manufactured God. Or any God.

    ‘He’ allows ‘Us’ to do evil things. (Yes. I have read the Bible)
    I don’t like ‘evil’ things, especially in ‘The name of God.’
    Thanks for your comments, and I do hope mine do not offend.
    Cheers,
    Lance

  11. Lance, I had had a few too many sherbets before I had written that post, so it may not have come out as succinctly as I would have liked. I agree institutionalised religion is dangerous and inherently evil. But not so much, if it is separated from state. People will always be searching for meaning in life and power seeking morons will always take advantage of that incessant demand. I have seen that classic movie, ‘Midnight Cowboy’, with Mr D Hoffman but I do not recall that scene in particular. I need to see it again. In fact speaking of movies, I need to try and find that post which you recommended those Shakespeare movies.
    By the way the Christopher Hitchens video was very thought provoking. Thanks for sharing. If you want to see how religion or voices inside the head can make people do crazy things, go see Noah with Russell Crowe. Cheers mate, keep bringing the good stuff.

    -Matt K

  15. I never had any doubt of what is truly evil.
    For me, it has always been ‘religion’.

    I am quite certain you have see the early parts of… “Midnight Cowboy” whereby “grandma-who-has-a-new-beau, gave our ‘hero’ a cock-eyed enama and then left him with a TV dinner…while she went dancin’

    Sorry. (No Not Sorry, actually)
    I HATE (big word) religion.
    I despise it.
    Baby Hey-Zeus don’t love me, yes I know…

    Christopher Hitchens never once debated religion, pro nor con, save for being invited. (what a way to make a living–in ‘Amerika’)

    Thanks Matthew for your comments.
    On my ‘thanks’, we can agree: They are sincere.
    -Lance

  17. I’ve seen (via YouTube) some of Christopher’s other talks – I like him, very thought provoking indeed – just my kind of person and ideas 🙂 Hope you’re making good time & settle in quick 🙂

  18. I should add to what i wrote above, that my point is – everyone should be allowed to share whatever religious belief they like, but when religious belief and ritual are integrated into society and state as if it woven into its very fabric then that will inevitably breed violence and lead to turmoil. Separation between Church and State is imperative if we want as human beings a world as peaceful as it can be.
    We can show as many times as we want the futility of biblical parables, but that will lead to nothing. Why? Because people will always see those stories as spiritual truths in the bible. Until more people (especially in Sth America, middle east, and africa, even in North America) actually experience peaceful living in a society whose Government is governed by a constitution based on separation between state and church then I’m afraid The Smartest men in the Room will always remain to be seen as ”against their cause’ or ‘the devil himself’.

  19. Since living in Colombia I have become vehemently anti religious. Colombia is all too religious and yet one of the most violent countries in the world, like the most religious countries in the world. But i am also as fearful of people who claim to be anti religious and push their beliefs onto everyone.

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