Subsonic

( Distilling and packaging my thoughts about religion. Also a lame image. )

On related to this post and maybe as a hint that I'm done with this thread, I've realized that for someone who tries to be an artist, I tend to not think very graphically so I thought I might try making an image that summarizes what I'm thinking about in my posts. Realistically, I don't know if I'll be able to keep it up but it's an interesting idea to try. Have to see how it goes. Though if this one is any indication, it's not going to go well. This is kinda a feeble drawing.

Art Training

I wonder how many artists have found great improvements through public transportation. I know the Crumb mentions it as the birthplace of many of his ideas. Sitting on buses and in cafes. There's probably a lot to be said for it.

If you stop and think about it, it's maybe one of the best places to learn to draw better. It's a block of time that you have to spent sitting about. Your mind don't wander to the fridge or what's on telly because those things aren't near you. You could bring them, I suppose, in this modern age. I see all together far too many people on the train watching re-runs of Family Guy on their portable DVD players or using their expensive laptop computers to play Solitaire. Sadly, it seems rare to even see someone reading a good book. Most people are engaged in fully vegetative activities, of which, even staring out the window might seem an improvement.

As for me, I can't say I'm better. I'm not great artist and probably never will be. But at least it's a good time to study and lots of subjects to look at.

The above drawing is from last Wednesday. I was late to work by over an hour. I'm so blaise or at least pre-occupied that I forgot to even mention it. From what the conductor said, someone called in a bomb threat on our train. This resulted in us stopping at a station, being made to leave the train, the train was then backed away to a siding and the police went through it. The train traffic was closed down for a while. Eventually they sent another train around to collect us and carry us on to our destination. I think though, that what makes this most interesting to me is the disparity between the reaction of someone reading this, 'OMG! Bomb threat!' and the reaction of myself and the other passengers. Terrorism works well with the media. To someone who wasn't there, it's easy to say 'what a frightening experience that must have been!' and likely as not, a lot of people will feel compelled to say 'yes! It was horrible!' but the reality of it is. Neither myself nor the other passengers seemed very terrified, though the word 'bomb' was mentioned at the station. It seemed more like the majority felt inconvenienced or that it was a great excuse to be in late to their dull jobs and it would give them something interesting to talk about on an otherwise dull Wednesday. As for myself and some others, we mused that it was a bit of an adventure and at least it wasn't raining so it wasn't such a huge inconvenience. Maybe that's part of why I find so much contempt for 'anti-terrorism' rhetoric. The people who are most afraid, likely as not, live in their white bread houses and drive their big SUVs and they're really at no serious threat from 'terrorism'. The people who are at possible risk, by contrast, really aren't very afraid. Sad then, that the cattle in their big cars should push to throw away the civil liberties of all of us to make them feel less afraid, when the truth is they are never really even at risk. *sigh*

On a brighter note, I think I can say, all these french comics are not affecting my artwork at all! Really!

( More images behind this cut )

More religion

Banned Ilthuian since his inability to read is matched only by his inability to provide a valid arguement to what I said and his ability to revise history.

I was quite honest up front that I'd ban anyone making the claim that I was intolerant simply because I refused to capitulate to their point of view without any proof. It's simply a waste of time to argue with a child about their imaginary friend. (This statement is metaphorical, of course)

Besides. Had my friend read more carefully, he might have been as astute as to notice that I never debated whether or not God exists. God's existance is totally superfluous to the validity of religion. My point in fact was that if God does exist, either religion serves no purpose because God is utterly beyond any human understanding, and we're so small as to be completely insignificant to him OR God is so small that he is unworthy of worship and nothing more than a parasite to humanity.

God does not matter to religion and all religions are specifically designed to operate without the presence of God at all. What is the point to something that exists to serve a purpose which can never be met?

It's probably also worth noting that I did not target the value of ritual, spiritualism, or even mysticism. Believe in Santa Claus if you like. Just don't let it rule your life.

You can take my banning him as a sign of 'intolerance' if you like, but consider carefully. Do you shake your head sadly at the people in line at the super market that gossip about the headlines in the Enquirer? The people convinced that the communists are tainting our precious bodily fluids with floride? The people who think that George Bush Jr is the greatest president ever. Am I 'intolerant' or do I simply disagree with someone that you can provide no proof for?'

Ilthuian made some 20+ posts on the thread and provided not one spec of proof for the validity of worshipping God. I gave him more than ample time to make a worthwhile case, so if he protests this now, he has only himself to blame.

Good eve.