Why Did I Change my Name

I changed my name on Myspace to Skeptics Pub at the Absinthe Lounge on June 17th, so that you will come to the Absinthe Lounge on June 17th if you live driving distance from Dallas.

What the hell is all that?

Well, for all my ranting and raving about being an atheist, really what I am is a skeptic. But I don't want to cut anyone any slack by trying to use a softer word than atheist when speaking about religion, the fact is when you think of the word atheist, you think of someone like me.

But atheism is only a small piece of a system of thinking and lifestyle committed to having a default position of doubt.

So if you say something that is contrary to norms of reality I will expect you to be able to prove it, and long elaborate explanations about subjective experience as proof will not count.

So I am not really acting this way because I don't believe in God, its because I don't believe in anything that we cannot see without proof.

I believe that doubt, itself, is a virtue.

I believe that belief should be reserved for that for which there can be little doubt because of the accessibility of those things to the 5 senses.

I believe that the simplest and least miraculous explanation for an event is the one which is usually true.

I also want you to believe this way.

Why do I want you to believe this way?

Well, first and foremost because if you live in a democratic country you vote, so I want you to vote for people who support the most skeptical world view.

This affects the quality of the world I live in.

In essence I believe that democracy makes it foolish for me not to care what you think. Sorry, I would prefer a world in which I was an absolute autocrat, and then I would not care what you think so long as you follow my orders, but we're stuck with this democracy crap!

If you are already a skeptic, I am hoping that you will help me to persuade others to join us in the critical thinking lifestyle.

I am hoping to lure droves of you with a movie, a talk, and lots of wonderful ethanol solvents to drink if you purchase them from our wonderful hosts, the Absinthe Lounge.

So please, June 17th, the Absinthe Lounge.

And if you are a female, please feel extra, super-duper, with a cherry on top be encouraged to come.

Most skeptics seem to be male, and this makes people think women don't like critical thinking. I need your help to prove them wrong.

Thanks.