If you ever want to truly grasp the futility of taking sides in the roundabout argument between theists and atheists, I highly recommend grabbing a balcony seat for a debate over the usefulness of Pascal’s Wager. I’ve never seen such a procession of logical loop-de-loops in my life. From Wikipedia: “Pascal’s Wager is an argumentContinue reading “A Pantheist Pascal’s Wager”
Author Archives: Waldo Noesta
Neither To Be Nor Not To Be: That Is the Answer
The following was posted in a Pantheism discussion group on Facebook. It was my contribution to an ongoing (and annoyingly circular) argument about whether pantheism affirms or denies the existence of God. My position is that pantheism is itself a third option that is neither theism nor atheism, and requires a release from the binaryContinue reading “Neither To Be Nor Not To Be: That Is the Answer”
Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Act V
In this scene, Pedro is alone, heading out for his third tour of duty on an account that his company has been serving through the summer of 2001. It involves driving Chinese tourists from the Bay Area on grueling week-long excursions to various national parks in the Western states. (JP once racked up over 220Continue reading “Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Act V”
Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Act IV
Pedro spent much of Act III ruminating on the very limited knowledge he had of the national crisis on the East Coast, and his incredulousness over the group leaders’ decision to keep the information from the fellow passengers. Only they, Pedro, and Betty Pickett know at this point. (She found out accidentally in Act IIIContinue reading “Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Act IV”
Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Act III
At this point in Act III, everything that will crash and collapse in New York City on 9/11/01 has already happened. Pedro and his birding crew have left the Central Valley location and are headed toward Azucar Mountain, the highest peak in the mountainous coastal region northwest of Los Angeles (actual location was Mount Pinos).Continue reading “Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Act III”
Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Act II
At the end of Act I, the reader is reminded of something subtly mentioned in the Prologue: this entire story takes place on September 11, 2001. There is a second narrator named Joseph d’Angelo, a Brooklyn native living in New Jersey, who in Act II is an eyewitness to the planes crashing into the WorldContinue reading “Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Act II”
Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Act I
In keeping with the theatrical motif established by the Prologue, “Birding” is divided into acts rather than chapters. Act I begins with the introduction of the primary first-person narrator, Pedro, and his wife Nadia. Pedro drives charter busses for a motor coach company in the Central Coast region of California. His job keeps him veryContinue reading “Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Act I”
Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Prologue
My name, you ask? You are dying to know, I can tell. For I have watched you. I have seen you warring against yourself since the beginning of time, spilling your own blood for the right to call me by the names of your choosing. Part of you has imagined me as legion, and builtContinue reading “Excerpt from “Birding in the Face of Terror” — Prologue”
Two Friends at the Wuzzle Cage
One hot summer day, a pair of friends went to the local zoo. Most of the animals were sedate and lethargic in the broiling sun, but when they came to the wuzzle cage, the young men found something causing quite a stir. Beside the cave, in the shade of a eucalyptus tree, two adolescent wuzzlesContinue reading “Two Friends at the Wuzzle Cage”
Pantheism: Not Just “Sexed-Up Atheism” Anymore
Are you bored of the endless debate between evolutionists and creationists, theists and atheists? Not sure which is more ridiculous: Hollywood’s War on Religion or Hollywood’s War on Unbelievers? Did the whole “Ham on Nye” charade leave you shaking your head, wondering how we got into this dichotomous theological mess and what a third voice wouldContinue reading “Pantheism: Not Just “Sexed-Up Atheism” Anymore”
Not One, Not Two 