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Back to smoking.
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Random acts of kindness
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About my name
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I was recently honored to be made a Co-Founder of the FFRFonDA group.
And I thought such an occasion would be a reason to explain my Deviant ID name. It was something I chose from an essay I wrote oh so long ago.
Here's the essay for anyone curious. It's about religious extremism being comparable to the first monster written about in the English language, Grendel.
"There is a dark side to religious devotion that is too often ignored or denied. As a means of motivating people to be cruel or inhumane there may be no more potent force than religion" (Krakauer). Men have been committing heinous base crimes against their fellow man in the name of God ever since belief began. These religious extremists come from all walks of life; Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and too many more have been motivated by sacred scripture and divinity to butcher innocents. Fanaticism in religion inspires bloodshed. Faith based violence springs from religious extremism, the modern day Grendel.
In both the modern day equivalent of Grendel, being religious extremism and faith based violence, and the archetype Grendel as portrayed in the Anglo-Saxon epic "Beowulf", both are cowardly. In "Beowulf" Grendel attacks "under the cover of night" to find the "Ring-Danes disposed after drinking ale all evening" and they were "fast asleep". (Crossley-Holland, 89-94). In this context Grendel attacks the thanes when they are at their weakest and in no way can defend themselves properly. He uses the cover of darkness to protect himself and spring on the thanes unawares. Grendel even "lurked in ambush", a trap setting mentality in which the thanes in no way could defend themselves or hope of defeating Grendel. By attacking those who could not stand up to him Grendel demonstrates his cowardly nature. Much like the old Grendel the modern Grendel of religious extremism is also a cowardly beast. Religious extremism can be represented and illustrated by one case in point, the Lafferty murders. These murders symbolize the irrational, cruel, and violent passions of faith taken to the razor's edge. The murderers were Ron and Dan Lafferty, two brothers, who murdered their youngest brother's wife, Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter Erica. They believed they received divine command from God to kill both victims. Like Grendel these men lurked in ambush against a defenseless opponent. They outnumbered beat, strangled and slit the throat of Brenda when she was unprepared and had no hope of defending herself. In a more disgusting display of cowardice they slit the throat of little Erica Lafferty, an infant of fifteen months, in all aspects completely weak and innocent against her heinous uncles. In both instances cowardice was extreme in that the attackers chose to kill only those who were powerless and caught off guard.
The Anglo-Saxon Grendel is also a remorseless fiend. Instead of feeling regret for the atrocities he commits he savors his evil deeds. It says that "he was caught up in his crimes" (Crossley-Holland, 113) and that he "gloat[s] over his plunder" (Crossley-Holland, 97). Grendel shows no regret for his terrible bloody actions and continues his massacres, "committing crime and atrocity day after day" (Crossley-Holland, 126) and progressively getting more vile "the very next day Grendel committed … murders more atrocious than before, and he had no qualms about it." (Crossley-Holland, 110-113). Grendel further mocks the Viking way of honor and justice by basking in his evil and refuses to "desist from his deadly malice or pay wergild" (Crossley-Holland, 128-129). In his ignoring of the evils of his own actions and instead seeking glee in such behaviors there is yet another parallel to the Modern Grendel of religious extremism exemplified by the Lafferty murders. Like Grendel Ron and Dan Lafferty have no remorse for the atrocities they committed. Dan Lafferty said, "It's never haunted me, it's never even bothered me" (Hyde). These two men under the banner of heaven felt no regret for the bloodshed done by their hands. Dan in an interview said to Jon Krakauer, "I was doing God's will, which is not a crime" (Krakauer). Dan went on to say, "Allen [Dan and Ron's younger brother the husband of Brenda and father of Erica] once asked my mom why I wouldn't repent. I said 'there's some things you can't repent for'. I'm sure Allen thought I was talking about an unpardonable sin. What I meant is, you don't repent for things that aren't wrong" (Hyde). Much like other cases of devotion gone sinisterly twisted the Grendels of today are like the Grendel of old in their lack of guilt.
In "Beowulf" Grendel is mainly characterized by his merciless brutal temperament and his murderous ways, in that sense religious extremism mimics the nature of the vile beast. Grendel is described as being "brutally cruel" (Crossley-Holland, 95), the "wicked ravager" (Crossley-Holland, 647), and "murderous in mind" (Crossley-Holland, 719). Through his actions we get a more vivid picture of his terrible ways, he is the "hellish fiend [that] began to perpetrate base crimes" (Crossley-Holland, 80-81). His massacre of twelve years "was too overwhelming, loathsome, and long-lasting" (Crossley-Holland, 150) and he "started forward and seized thirty thanes" (Crossley-Holland, 96). Grendel is especially merciless in his never allowing the Danes a moment of rest or peace, "Nor were the Danes allowed respite, but the very next day Grendel committed violent assault" (Crossely-Holland, 109-110). Worst however may be the bestial way in which he murders men, "[he] seized a sleeping warrior… bit into his body, drank the blood from his veins, devoured huge pieces, until… he had swallowed the whole man, even his feet and hands" (Crossley-Holland, 650-655). He leaves nothing. He devours them whole leaving nothing to bury, nothing to remain, and forever swallowing the murdered thanes into the abyss of anonymity and death. In his brutal cruelty he even devours the "feet and hands". Akin to the Grendel of Beowulf the modern Grendel of religious extremism and violence is likewise a sinister and cruel monstrosity. In the case of the Lafferty murders where the idea of God was taken so far as to take lives the merciless brutality is apparent. In Krakauer's book on the case he describes the interviews he had with Dan Lafferty, "I couldn't believe what was coming out of his mouth. And more than that, the way it was coming out of his mouth. He was describing how he pulled this poor woman's hair back and slit her throat and let the blood drain. And he's describing it all with utter dispassion, as if he's describing planting cucumbers" (Jones). These two brothers, Ron and Dan Lafferty, were brutally cruel and had murder on their minds when they slaughtered and butchered an innocent woman and a little tiny baby. Like the Grendel of old they committed malicious base crimes. As Grendel embodies evil by murder so do these men and their sacred mission. Because of their devotion in the extreme a family is torn and two human beings are dead.
In an interview with Newsweek author Malcolm Jones Krakauer says, "I asked Dan, 'So in the end, what's the difference between you and Osama bin Laden? He came back real quick and said, 'I'm right and he's wrong.' Which is essentially what all religions rely on. Everything comes down to faith. And when people rely on faith rather than rational thought for important decisions, the world becomes a much more frightening place." (Jones) Like the Grendel of "Beowulf" the modern Grendel prowls among us, sheltered in darkness; just as brutally cruel, just as remorseless, and just as cowardly. When religion is taken to the extreme it leads to nothing but Grendel-like atrocities and innocent deaths in the name of sacred scripture. Fanaticism in all religious contexts inspires Grendel-like bloodshed. Faith based violence springs from religious extremism, the modern day Grendel, and the modern day Grendel has an insatiable thirst for blood.
WORKS CITED (because plagiarism is a terrible immoral thing):
Crossley-Holland, Kevin, trans. Beowulf. England in Literature. Scot, Foresman and Company,
1979. Print
Hyde, Jesse. "1984 Lafferty Case Still Haunts." Deseret Morning News. Tuesday, July 27, 2004.
Print.
Jones, Malcolm. "Murder in the Name of God." Newsweek. Jul 21, 2003. Print.
Krakauer, Jon. Under the Banner of Heaven: a Story of Violent Faith. New York: Anchor, 2004.
Print.
And I thought such an occasion would be a reason to explain my Deviant ID name. It was something I chose from an essay I wrote oh so long ago.
Here's the essay for anyone curious. It's about religious extremism being comparable to the first monster written about in the English language, Grendel.
"There is a dark side to religious devotion that is too often ignored or denied. As a means of motivating people to be cruel or inhumane there may be no more potent force than religion" (Krakauer). Men have been committing heinous base crimes against their fellow man in the name of God ever since belief began. These religious extremists come from all walks of life; Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and too many more have been motivated by sacred scripture and divinity to butcher innocents. Fanaticism in religion inspires bloodshed. Faith based violence springs from religious extremism, the modern day Grendel.
In both the modern day equivalent of Grendel, being religious extremism and faith based violence, and the archetype Grendel as portrayed in the Anglo-Saxon epic "Beowulf", both are cowardly. In "Beowulf" Grendel attacks "under the cover of night" to find the "Ring-Danes disposed after drinking ale all evening" and they were "fast asleep". (Crossley-Holland, 89-94). In this context Grendel attacks the thanes when they are at their weakest and in no way can defend themselves properly. He uses the cover of darkness to protect himself and spring on the thanes unawares. Grendel even "lurked in ambush", a trap setting mentality in which the thanes in no way could defend themselves or hope of defeating Grendel. By attacking those who could not stand up to him Grendel demonstrates his cowardly nature. Much like the old Grendel the modern Grendel of religious extremism is also a cowardly beast. Religious extremism can be represented and illustrated by one case in point, the Lafferty murders. These murders symbolize the irrational, cruel, and violent passions of faith taken to the razor's edge. The murderers were Ron and Dan Lafferty, two brothers, who murdered their youngest brother's wife, Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter Erica. They believed they received divine command from God to kill both victims. Like Grendel these men lurked in ambush against a defenseless opponent. They outnumbered beat, strangled and slit the throat of Brenda when she was unprepared and had no hope of defending herself. In a more disgusting display of cowardice they slit the throat of little Erica Lafferty, an infant of fifteen months, in all aspects completely weak and innocent against her heinous uncles. In both instances cowardice was extreme in that the attackers chose to kill only those who were powerless and caught off guard.
The Anglo-Saxon Grendel is also a remorseless fiend. Instead of feeling regret for the atrocities he commits he savors his evil deeds. It says that "he was caught up in his crimes" (Crossley-Holland, 113) and that he "gloat[s] over his plunder" (Crossley-Holland, 97). Grendel shows no regret for his terrible bloody actions and continues his massacres, "committing crime and atrocity day after day" (Crossley-Holland, 126) and progressively getting more vile "the very next day Grendel committed … murders more atrocious than before, and he had no qualms about it." (Crossley-Holland, 110-113). Grendel further mocks the Viking way of honor and justice by basking in his evil and refuses to "desist from his deadly malice or pay wergild" (Crossley-Holland, 128-129). In his ignoring of the evils of his own actions and instead seeking glee in such behaviors there is yet another parallel to the Modern Grendel of religious extremism exemplified by the Lafferty murders. Like Grendel Ron and Dan Lafferty have no remorse for the atrocities they committed. Dan Lafferty said, "It's never haunted me, it's never even bothered me" (Hyde). These two men under the banner of heaven felt no regret for the bloodshed done by their hands. Dan in an interview said to Jon Krakauer, "I was doing God's will, which is not a crime" (Krakauer). Dan went on to say, "Allen [Dan and Ron's younger brother the husband of Brenda and father of Erica] once asked my mom why I wouldn't repent. I said 'there's some things you can't repent for'. I'm sure Allen thought I was talking about an unpardonable sin. What I meant is, you don't repent for things that aren't wrong" (Hyde). Much like other cases of devotion gone sinisterly twisted the Grendels of today are like the Grendel of old in their lack of guilt.
In "Beowulf" Grendel is mainly characterized by his merciless brutal temperament and his murderous ways, in that sense religious extremism mimics the nature of the vile beast. Grendel is described as being "brutally cruel" (Crossley-Holland, 95), the "wicked ravager" (Crossley-Holland, 647), and "murderous in mind" (Crossley-Holland, 719). Through his actions we get a more vivid picture of his terrible ways, he is the "hellish fiend [that] began to perpetrate base crimes" (Crossley-Holland, 80-81). His massacre of twelve years "was too overwhelming, loathsome, and long-lasting" (Crossley-Holland, 150) and he "started forward and seized thirty thanes" (Crossley-Holland, 96). Grendel is especially merciless in his never allowing the Danes a moment of rest or peace, "Nor were the Danes allowed respite, but the very next day Grendel committed violent assault" (Crossely-Holland, 109-110). Worst however may be the bestial way in which he murders men, "[he] seized a sleeping warrior… bit into his body, drank the blood from his veins, devoured huge pieces, until… he had swallowed the whole man, even his feet and hands" (Crossley-Holland, 650-655). He leaves nothing. He devours them whole leaving nothing to bury, nothing to remain, and forever swallowing the murdered thanes into the abyss of anonymity and death. In his brutal cruelty he even devours the "feet and hands". Akin to the Grendel of Beowulf the modern Grendel of religious extremism and violence is likewise a sinister and cruel monstrosity. In the case of the Lafferty murders where the idea of God was taken so far as to take lives the merciless brutality is apparent. In Krakauer's book on the case he describes the interviews he had with Dan Lafferty, "I couldn't believe what was coming out of his mouth. And more than that, the way it was coming out of his mouth. He was describing how he pulled this poor woman's hair back and slit her throat and let the blood drain. And he's describing it all with utter dispassion, as if he's describing planting cucumbers" (Jones). These two brothers, Ron and Dan Lafferty, were brutally cruel and had murder on their minds when they slaughtered and butchered an innocent woman and a little tiny baby. Like the Grendel of old they committed malicious base crimes. As Grendel embodies evil by murder so do these men and their sacred mission. Because of their devotion in the extreme a family is torn and two human beings are dead.
In an interview with Newsweek author Malcolm Jones Krakauer says, "I asked Dan, 'So in the end, what's the difference between you and Osama bin Laden? He came back real quick and said, 'I'm right and he's wrong.' Which is essentially what all religions rely on. Everything comes down to faith. And when people rely on faith rather than rational thought for important decisions, the world becomes a much more frightening place." (Jones) Like the Grendel of "Beowulf" the modern Grendel prowls among us, sheltered in darkness; just as brutally cruel, just as remorseless, and just as cowardly. When religion is taken to the extreme it leads to nothing but Grendel-like atrocities and innocent deaths in the name of sacred scripture. Fanaticism in all religious contexts inspires Grendel-like bloodshed. Faith based violence springs from religious extremism, the modern day Grendel, and the modern day Grendel has an insatiable thirst for blood.
WORKS CITED (because plagiarism is a terrible immoral thing):
Crossley-Holland, Kevin, trans. Beowulf. England in Literature. Scot, Foresman and Company,
1979. Print
Hyde, Jesse. "1984 Lafferty Case Still Haunts." Deseret Morning News. Tuesday, July 27, 2004.
Print.
Jones, Malcolm. "Murder in the Name of God." Newsweek. Jul 21, 2003. Print.
Krakauer, Jon. Under the Banner of Heaven: a Story of Violent Faith. New York: Anchor, 2004.
Print.
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Hello
1 min read
I'm just making a journal more about myself. I'm a sculptor, I like books, biology, and history. And I like meeting new people and making new friends.
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My new roomate moved into our dorm. Her boyfriend also happens to be horribly deranged. He's a religion/philosophy major apparently, even though he knows next to nothing on either topic. I had my laptop open and recorded a few of his odder sayings in Notepad, I'll share my evening with you. It's been flaming.
The fight started when he told her to dress in "a scarf thing" (Burka) and be a muslim for halloween. I told him that was offensive. We then went into a conversation where he confused the hell out of me with his inchorentness. He told me that it was ok to say such things because he "talked to those people some times, they cool", and then said that "tho they the enemy. They're different and that means I got to attack to defend" and "Islam means uhh... (I supplied the word 'submission') YEAH. Submission. Islam is based on fear." I told him his innacuracies on the Muslim faith. I am not religious, but I defend all people when thay are being attacked by ignorant loud assholes.
Then the good part.
He told me that he was a Prophet. He was "the walking Bible". I asked him if he'd ever read it, and he told me he hadn't. I asked him how anyone could be a walking book if they'd never read that book before, to which he replied "I got insight" "I'm the only one of my kind". "I need to make a crown. With snakes on it."
Then he went on a galloping frothing rant about how no one pays attention to the ancient Egyptians' religion, and then told me he was the living reincarnation (not a christian idea) of the Egyptian Pharoah god Amun. To which I let him froth and ignored him. By this point he was raving at me in my room, and his girlfriend is saying nothing. He starts talking about how he wants to make a golden life size statue of himself and a gold crown. "I love clay. I wanna make a fullsize me." "You never know how you appear. I wanna hug myself and see what it feels like". I explain the artistic How-to of making something out of gold, sculpting, molding, smelting, casting. He responds that "I'll make it outta coal or clay and turn that into gold, like diamonds",. I explain in frustration that gold is a pure element and cannot be fromed from coal or clay. He replies that since "everything is made of everything and it's the same stuff I can make it. Anything is possible with GOD." To which I go into chem mode and brow beat him into submission on how that is outdated Alchemy, and NOT POSSIBLE.
Then he gets in my face and claims that I can't prove anything, "You can't prove that air exists!" To which I pull out my lighter flick it on in front of his face and explain the thermo-chemical reaction of the lighter fluid with the oxygen present in the air, and list in descending order the most common elements found in air. Loudly. With rage. I nearly lit the man's face on fire. He left. She left.
I have the room to myself. It's niiiiiiiiiice.
And we all lived happily ever after.
He left his laptop in my room (do I get to keep this as the spoils of flawless victory?). The laptop is hilarious too. It's covered in a fake gold paper with sharpie eyes of Rah drawn haphazardly all over it and big cursive letters say "LIVING IMAGE OF AMUN".
The fight started when he told her to dress in "a scarf thing" (Burka) and be a muslim for halloween. I told him that was offensive. We then went into a conversation where he confused the hell out of me with his inchorentness. He told me that it was ok to say such things because he "talked to those people some times, they cool", and then said that "tho they the enemy. They're different and that means I got to attack to defend" and "Islam means uhh... (I supplied the word 'submission') YEAH. Submission. Islam is based on fear." I told him his innacuracies on the Muslim faith. I am not religious, but I defend all people when thay are being attacked by ignorant loud assholes.
Then the good part.
He told me that he was a Prophet. He was "the walking Bible". I asked him if he'd ever read it, and he told me he hadn't. I asked him how anyone could be a walking book if they'd never read that book before, to which he replied "I got insight" "I'm the only one of my kind". "I need to make a crown. With snakes on it."
Then he went on a galloping frothing rant about how no one pays attention to the ancient Egyptians' religion, and then told me he was the living reincarnation (not a christian idea) of the Egyptian Pharoah god Amun. To which I let him froth and ignored him. By this point he was raving at me in my room, and his girlfriend is saying nothing. He starts talking about how he wants to make a golden life size statue of himself and a gold crown. "I love clay. I wanna make a fullsize me." "You never know how you appear. I wanna hug myself and see what it feels like". I explain the artistic How-to of making something out of gold, sculpting, molding, smelting, casting. He responds that "I'll make it outta coal or clay and turn that into gold, like diamonds",. I explain in frustration that gold is a pure element and cannot be fromed from coal or clay. He replies that since "everything is made of everything and it's the same stuff I can make it. Anything is possible with GOD." To which I go into chem mode and brow beat him into submission on how that is outdated Alchemy, and NOT POSSIBLE.
Then he gets in my face and claims that I can't prove anything, "You can't prove that air exists!" To which I pull out my lighter flick it on in front of his face and explain the thermo-chemical reaction of the lighter fluid with the oxygen present in the air, and list in descending order the most common elements found in air. Loudly. With rage. I nearly lit the man's face on fire. He left. She left.
I have the room to myself. It's niiiiiiiiiice.
And we all lived happily ever after.
He left his laptop in my room (do I get to keep this as the spoils of flawless victory?). The laptop is hilarious too. It's covered in a fake gold paper with sharpie eyes of Rah drawn haphazardly all over it and big cursive letters say "LIVING IMAGE OF AMUN".
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