This story, attributed to Jewish-Austrian philosopher Martin Buber, (“Tales of the Hasidim”), is making the rounds on FB. As one commenter noted, Buber’s tale is a convoluted way of admitting that the concept of a divine deity should be unnecessary….
( Buber story post; my emphases )
A rabbi was asked by one of his students “Why did God create atheists?” After a long pause, the rabbi finally responded with a soft but sincere voice. “God created atheists,” he said, “to teach us the most important lesson of them all – the lesson of true compassion.
You see, when an atheist performs an act of charity, visits someone who is sick, helps someone in need, and cares for the world, he is not doing so because of some religious teaching. He does not believe that God commanded him to perform this act. In fact, he does not believe in God at all, so his actions are based on his sense of morality. Look at the kindness he bestows on others simply because he feels it to be right.
When someone reaches out to you for help. You should never say ‘I’ll pray that God will help you.’ Instead, for that moment, you should become an atheist – imagine there is no God who could help, and say ‘I will help you’.”
For that moment? No; You should “become an atheist” [1] for all the moments when you have helped other people; for all the times when other people help people, without “miraculous”/deistic intervention, which is – no matter what you have been taught to think, is you, a person, acting, not your god – always. Always.
How’s about y’all who are religious just skip the middle layer of bureaucracy and leave out the unnecessary and functionally impotent deity – whom you believe parted the Red Sea and performed other “miracles” but who can’t mow your neighbor Fred’s lawn when Fred is recovering from chemotherapy, and so you do it?
* * *
Department Of Wholesome Family Games Night
Wheel of Fortune, Public Service Edition
“I’d like to solve the puzzle.”
* * *
Department Of You Know You Need This
Sub-Department Of, Only 129 nicknames for the Tangerine Terrorist?
Select goodies from the website, 129 Insulting tR*** [2] Nicknames You Must Know— Choose Your Favorite!
Cheeto Satan
Trumpoleon
The Incontinental Divider
Vladdy’s Boy
Mango Mussolini
Our Fondling Father
Tsar Trumplingrad
Sweet Potato Hitler
Pumpkin Spiced Stalin
Kim Don Un
President Donald McDonald’s
The Lyin’ King
Don the Con
Cheetolini
Comedian and late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel also weighed in with his and his writers’ collection:Don Whoreleon
Napoleon Bone-Aspur
Nostra-Dumbass
All Caps-Tain Kangaroo
Founding Farter
Teddy Dozevelt
Gaseous Clay
Dopey McGropey
Lepre-Con Man
Al Ca-Porn
The Shart of the Deal
Nelson Tandela
Greedy McGolfy
Yabba Dabba Doofus
His MAGA-Sty
Donald Duck the Draft
The Notorious P.I.G.
Hair Mussolini
Con-Mander-In-Chief
Phony Soprano
The Ayatollah Complaini
Presidementia
Stable McGenius
The Tanchurian Candidate
Tannibal Lecter
Scammy Davis Jr.
The MAGA-Lorian
Vladimir Gluten
HippoPOTUS
Darth Tax Evader
The Tan of La Mancha
MAGATHA Christie
Grab-Ass Grandpa
Orange Julius Caesar
Dictator Tot
Quid Pro Combover
The Lock-Her-Up-Ness Monster
General Lie-Senhower
Alexander Scamilton
Jabba The Pizza Hut
and Pumpkin McPornhumper
* * *
* * *
Department Of Meet Your Brain
Part 391 in A Never-Ending Series
We neurological layfolk – as well as the writers of popular psychology/medicine articles – tend to separate realms when we talk about how the human brain (supposedly) functions. We speak and write about some people who have great cognitive skills and people who are stronger with emotional skills ( using terms like IQ and EQ, for example ), often in binary or at least separate terms. Let’s all stop doing that, right now.
Yes; really. Bonk yourself on the head if you find yourself doing that. [3]
“I think our traditional Western philosophies too often separate cognition and emotion; we think that there are cognitive skills and that there are emotional skills…and that maybe those two things impact on each other, right? But actually, that’s the wrong way to think about it.
They are two differ dimensions of the same thing. Thinking is inherently cognitive and emotional, *always,* at the same time. And we can look at thinking from a cognitive lens and analyze the cognitive dimensions of what’s going on – and it’s important to do that – and we can look at thinking from an affective lens, and analyze the emotional engagement that’s going on, but actually both of those things are simultaneously happening, in an integrative way, *always*, when people are alive – when they’re moving through the world, adapting and engaging with things around them.”
( Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, USC professor of neuroscience; director
of the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education.
Excerpt from her interview on the Hidden Brain podcast, “How Our Brains Learn.” )
* * *
Depart Of WTF Is Going On
Sub-Department Of A Writer’s Life
Chapter 952 In The Never-Ending Series, The Rights To Which
Have Yet To Be Optioned For A Major Motion Picture ®
After years of the proverbial radio silence since my juvenile novel The Mighty Quinn went out of print, in the past couple of weeks moiself has received several complimentary emails from who-the-heck-are-these-people who apparently [4] want to show me how they can maximize my book sales and impact my presence on social media, ad nauseum ad scam-eum, etc. One example:
From: redacted <redacted@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2025 7:42 AM
To: ( moiself’s main email address [5] )
Subject: The Mighty Quinn
Dear Robyn Parnell,
“The Mighty Quinn is a delightful mix of humor, heart, and clever storytelling. Quinn’s journey through school struggles, bullies, and unexpected friendships is both relatable and entertaining. The way you balance lighthearted moments with real challenges makes this story shine for young readers and adults alike. Katie DeYoe’s illustrations [6] also add a wonderful layer that brings Quinn’s world vividly to life. I’d love to hear what inspired you to create Quinn’s character and the whimsical yet meaningful adventures he experiences.”
Moiself’s reply:
Dear Mr. Redacted,
Who are you and what are you selling?
Here is my favorite one (so far).
The email’s subject line: “Show Don’t Tell – The Ultimate Writers’ Guide
“Hi Robyn, your guide feels like a true gift to writers at every stage. By breaking down ‘show, don’t tell’ into practical, achievable steps with clear examples, you demystify one of the most essential and misunderstood craft elements. What drew you to make this guide so hands-on, with exercises that invite writers to immediately apply what they learn?”
Spoiler: I have written no such guide.
Nor do I ever recommend that one-dimensional sop – show; don’t tell – which unfortunately passes as classical (and simplistic and therefore bad, IMO) advice. Show and tell; good writing does both.
What’s going on? Can I blame AI for this?
* * *
Department Of The Sensitivity Of Things
The Sensitivity of Things – Mono no Aware 物の哀れ – is variously described as an awareness for the fragility of the existence, of life in all forms, and appreciation for its beauty while acknowledging the gentle sadness of its passing. Moiself had heard of the concept in passing, then recently it was the subject of one of my Calm app morning meditations.
“It’s natural to seek a sense of stability and forever-ness. Change and uncertainty can feel stressful and scary. To recognize that everything that begins is to acknowledge our mortality, which isn’t a warm and fuzzy prospect. But there’s great wisdom in the view that everything is changing and ephemeral. Nothing is permanent. Today, the tallest tree in the woods. Tomorrow, a log of carbon lying on the forest floor. Today, a massive glowing star; tomorrow, a disparate cloud of cooling elements.
It’s understandable to fear change, but there’s so much to be gained by accepting impermanence, rolling with it, even seeing the beauty in it. For it’s only because life ends that our years on this earth are so precious. Only because of the harsh winds of winter that we drink up every sun-drenched moment of summer.
Mindfulness encourages us to see that it’s not the nature of impermanence that causes us to suffer, it’s our desire for things to be permanent that causes us to suffer. By accepting impermanence, we open to reality and find deeper fulfillment in our lives.
There’s a wonderful Japanese term, for which there isn’t a precise English translation – a term, mono no aware, loosely means a sensitivity to ephemera. The bittersweet feeling of seeing things change is the wistful awareness of the transitory nature of existence.
Since everything we see all around us will one day be gone ,we must appreciate every millisecond. According to this idea, cheery blossoms are not only beautiful despite only blossoming for two weeks a year, they are beautiful *because* they only blossom for two weeks once a year.
As Jack Kornfield [7] said, ‘Like a sandcastle, all is temporary.
Build it. Tend it. Enjoy it. And when the time comes, let it go.’ “
* * *
Freethinkers’ Thought Of The Week [8]
( Becky Vollmer )
* * *
May you cultivate and appreciate a sensitivity to ephemera;
May you “act like an atheist” when someone needs help;
May you be reassured by the knowledge of the impermanence of the influence
of Genghis Don, and bask in the never-ending satisfaction achieved by
engaging in petty derision of that Commander-In-Thief;
…and may the hijinks ensue.
Thanks for stopping by. Au Vendredi!
* * *
[1] Which is not actually a thing and there is no ism or credos to adopt – it’s just one term for being religion-free, which unfortunately defines you in terms of religion (a-theism – without theism).
[2] Moiself cannot bear to have his unredacted name in my blog, even when quoting others.
[3] And note that you will experience the bonk in several realms, including the cognitive, emotional, and physical realms: ouch.
[4] They offer little-to-nothing in the way of identification and/or professional credentials.
[5] I have several.
[6] Actually, the illustrations were done by a wife-husband team, Katie De Yoe and Aaron DeYoe.
[7] American writer and teacher, who trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand.
[8] “free-think-er n. A person who forms opinions about religion on the basis of reason, independently of tradition, authority, or established belief. Freethinkers include atheists, agnostics and rationalists. No one can be a freethinker who demands conformity to a bible, creed, or messiah. To the freethinker, revelation and faith are invalid, and orthodoxy is no guarantee of truth.” Definition courtesy of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, ffrf.org
