Call me, Davey?

Thringitty, Thrangitty, Throng!

I know that I just met you all, and forgive me if this sounds crazy, but here's my most recent blog post. So comment on it, maybe?

David Mayeux, my new bone ami, is the sin-sational blogger extraordinary over at Our Lady of Ashes. Go check out his thoughtful thoughts, and give him some feedback.

As I'm sure you all know (you damn well better know), I've devoted my last two posts to some of the comments he left here, and will now deal with his longer treatment of my dopey, doltish idears. (Hello? Fishin' for compliments here, people. My ego ain't gonna feed itself.)

The Island of Mr. Mayeux

Why, hello there, my lovely little Thronglets!

Last time, for your amusement and homiletical edification, I engaged in my very first ever bona fide blog war with a very clever chap going by the nombre David Mayeux. We concluded with a spectacular cliff-hanger, wherein I uncereally questioned whether I would go on with the blog, given the withering manner in which Monsieur Mayeux had questioned the raison d'etre of said blog. As you can see, I've decided to soldier on.

That's right, I mayn't be the most prolific blogger, but by the noodly appendage of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, I'll see this Ultimate Truth-Seeker Challenge business through to the bloody end or my name isn't Rev. Pudgemuffin. And it isn't.

So, many many moons ago, Mayeux posted a comment on one of my blog posts. I won't quote him in full this time, because to do so would make this post interminably, circumlocutionally long-winded and perhaps even a little palaverous. Besides, that would make it way more obvious when I intentionally misrepresent his views and quote him out of context.

Let's dork it up!

And Now, for Something Slightly Different

HYFR, My Mutha-Phrukkin Throng!

We'll get back to Kreeft and Tacelli next time. (Or will we? See the cliff-hanger below!) But for now, I'd like to respond to David Mayeux, who provided some interesting feedback for my most recent post. (Thanks David! Shout-out, woop woop!) I've reproduced his comments here, with each paragraph isolated and my garrulous replies following immediately there-after. Does that make sense? Oh, you're all so smart, you'll figure it out.

Faith and Reason...and Other Mindless Trivia: Part III

Thrizzong in tha hizzong!

So like last time and the time before that, we umm...What the frak we done did? I think there was like this book and stuff. Some weird pictures that had nothing to do with nothing. More crap about faith and reason for like the umpteenth time. And this skeezy guy who thinks he's all smart and sexy and junk, but really he's just pudgy and pathetic and like sycophantic to the max. What a total Charlie Foxtrot. Anywho, let's see what else this boring old faineant geezer has to say about things so we can like laugh at him and make him cry. You should so annihilate him in the commenty place below. Word to ur meemaw.

Faith and Reason...and Other Mindless Trivia: Part II

Throngulators! Mount up!

Previously, on Are You There, God? It's Me, Atheist...

A lie was confessed, a repentance made. Forgiveness was sought, humility demonstrated. Yet another threat of porn revealed the perverse mind of the common blogger. A cliff-hanger of epic proportions left us all on the edge of our collective seats, wondering if it was possible to reconcile faith and reason. More hackneyed jokes than you can shake a cliche pie at. One...Creepy-assed...Monkey.

The nightmare continues.

Faith and Reason...and Other Mindless Trivia: Part I

Forgive me, Throng, for I have sinned.

I lied to you and must now repent. I will not be able to keep my ignorant bloviations limited to a mere three posts per book. Disregard that last post. It was a stupid idea full of arbitraria. Let's put this shameful episode behind us and move on. I humbly throw myself at your feet and beg for mercy. On the other hand, if the Throng begins leaving me in droves for publishing multiple posts per chapter, I swear on the Hammer of Thor that I will turn this blog into pure porn. It'll be Spanky's Sparkly Spunkhouse all up in this mug.

A New Plan for the Future

Listen Throng,

We have something of great seriocity to discuss.

A Funeral Procession for my Procrastination: Part III

Yo Yo Yo! Throng-n-Harmony,

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony? Anybody? No? Killin' me, Smalls.

So like last time and the time before that, we abso-totally wrecked havoc on some major issues, like how regarded it is to think faith and reason is friends and such-like. And some people were all like, yeah, rock on with yer jock on! And then these other douche-nozzles were all, no-way, ho zay. And I was just like, psshhhawwww. Wut. Ev. Er. Obviantly, there's like so much more to say and stuff, so we'll get all up in that right now. But like go to the comments and comment and stuff. Even if what you have to say is like real real dumb.

A Funeral Procession for my Procrastination: Part II

What's up, you saucy Throng?

Previously, on Are You There God? It's Me, Atheist...

With terror mounting and time running out, our hero battled through a plethora of fire-drenched obstacles, overcame a paralyzing childhood fear of squishy green plush toys, and managed to dismantle a bomb set by the blood-soaked zombie horde. All in order to deliver on his noble promise to finally begin doing what he was supposed to do all along: Blog his way through some books. Caving to the pressure of his trusted aides, our dear savior chopped what was intended to be one blog post into three. This is the second. Will he make it to the third?

A Funeral Procession for my Procrastination: Part I

Dearly Beloved Throng,

We are gathered here today to witness the demise of my procrastination. So sit back, cozy up to the one you fondle copiously, and hear the most epic analysis of Kreeft and Tacelli ever committed to electronically blogified ink.

The Authors: Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli

The Book: Handbook of Christian Apologetics

The Chapter: 1 - The Nature, Power, and Limitations of Apologetics

Years ago, I listened to Peter Kreeft's Portable Professor lecture series, Questions of Faith, discussing the philosophy of religion. I don't remember any specifics from those discs, except that Kreeft seemed to present the arguments for and against the existence of God in a fairly even-handed fashion. I quite liked him though I disagreed with...well, whatever he said.

Crash-cut to me reading his co-authored book. Some aspects of the first chapter equally demonstrate the even-handedness I beheld in Kreeft's lecture series. Other aspects...er, not so much.

Guiding Principles and a Threat of Violence

Hear me O Throng, for the time is nigh.

Whilst we breathlessly anticipate the arrival of the first post on the first book of this project, let's engage in some masturbatorial filler necessary and substantial prefatory remarks. Here I shall provide the following: a rough sketch of how I plan to proceed vis a vis blogging my way through the books on the Ultimate Truth-Seeker Challenge, a few of the intellectual guiding principles I'll be using throughout this process, and finally, a threat of violence which must be heeded at all cost.

In Which I Pretend To Be Fair And Balanced

Oh, Throngilicious Ones,

As you all know, I am thoroughly fair and balanced. Much like Fox News. Yet somehow, despite this obvious fact about my fairy-balanciness, some have had the galldacity to accuse me of being a blatant partisan by only challenging theists with my last series of questions. I have quite lit'rally been flooded with e-mails and comments about this. I'm told by my people in Silly Cone Valley that the internets ground to a halt for several days last week, due to the weight of people commenting on what has been dubbed Thronger-gate.

Can you believe this scheisse? Of all the dirty, underhanded, no good, rotten pieces of...

Holy Trinity of Preambilicious Posts: Part III

Throng Tha Throng Throng Throng!

Anybody? Sisqo? No? Okay. Whatevs. I put you all on blast.

So like last time and the time before that, we totally discussed some awesome questions regarding like God and stuff. And like some of these questions are just so completely devastating, and others are just kinda like meh? But still. You know? It's like when something is entirely whack and...but ill at the same time. That's literally what these questions are like. Obvi, these aren't the only questions I have, but these are excellent for conversating. So like in the comments you guys can be all like blah blah blah and just totally throw down and never get girlfriends. Shut. Up!

And now, the final installment of this Holy Trinity of Preambilicious Posts!

Holy Trinity of Preambilicious Posts: Part II

Hello again Throng,

Previously, on Are You There, God? It's Me, Atheist...

In a pulse-pounding thrill ride, full of dramatic twists and outrageous turns, we discussed the first of three sets of questions which have left many a faith shattered in their wake. While these once-mighty questions may or may not hold quite as much sway for me now, I still think they can provide a fertility clinic for fruitful discussion-babies. And now, for your consideration, a few more of the questions.

Holy Trinity of Preambilicious Posts: Part I

Dearest Throng,

I know you can't wait for me to dive into this project and get all jiggy with it already. Be patient. I'm a slow reader. Also, I've recently been diagnosed with a severe case of (to use the technical medical terminology) Dummynogginitis. You can see how this might impede things. So slow your roll. Don't crowd me now.

Last night I spoke to a small throng of theists in a sort of facilitated discussion type thing, wherein I presented some of the questions I've often posed to defenders of the faith. Given the recent turn of events, some of these questions don't hold quite as much sway for me now as they once did. Be advised: most of these pertain to Christianity, and sometimes specific forms of Christianity. If you are not a Christian, feel free to modify accordingly. Also, to avoid being labelled a sexist, I revert annoyingly back and forth, referring to God as both he and she. Perhaps even sometimes it.

Don't Call It A Meat Heist

Hello to the many millions of people reading this. Welcome to my very first blog, which is sure to change the world in the very near future. Forthwith and all.

I am an atheist who has recently been forced to re-think some things and question my atheism. I've been an atheist for about 12 years, and while I've certainly lost debates before, I recently got my ass handed to me in a most decisive manner. (Thanks, Terry!) It made me realize that I didn't have as good a grasp on things as I thought I did. Thuslywise, this blog is my attempt to re-assess some things in a genuinely open manner. I honestly feel the way I did many years ago when I first began questioning my Christian faith. (Perhaps at some point I'll post my deconversion story.) I am now engaged in a process of investigation, and I sincerely don't know where I'll end up at the "end" of this process. Actually, there will probably never be an "end" to this; I'll probably continue to investigate the God question for the rest of my life. At any rate, this is an incredibly exhilarating, humbling, and scaryfying place to be.