The True Religion

It always seemed to me that any true religion worshipping a true god should have a few logical features (or laws or axioms whatever you want to call it). I've laid these out here for discussion.

1) It is true.

seems obvious, but this also includes the less then obvious facts (which don't need to be stated in the rule, but are explained here) It is true whether or not anyone believes it. It is true in all places at all times. It is never not true. Using the basic commonly understood form of gravity (ignoring all other theories and such for the time being) we can formulate a simple example. If you don't believe in gravity and you jump out of a building you will none the less go splat.
Interestingly enough this is also the highest law and truth of the religion. If it weren't, then other things would be more important than the religion being true, which would violate this very law.

1-1)It encourages all forms of analysis.
If it is true it will not be satisfactorily disproved by anything, but it might be proven, and therefore would not fear analysis and would in support of itself actually encourage such analysis.

2) It is internally consistent

It can have no laws which contradict any of its other laws. It cannot say anything that is not true. Can god make a rock so big he cannot lift it? God can do anything, therefore god can make a rock he cannot lift. But god can do anything, therefore he can lift the rock he made that he cannot lift. This is a basic contradiction, and thus any religion presupposing an all-powerful god is false. Many argue that god is not subject to the rules of this universe, thus he can both make a rock he can't lift and he can lift it (because laws of physics as well as logic do not apply to an all powerful being) however this creates another internal contradiction, by creating contradictory sets of laws which apply in different places (universe and god respectively) which violates rule 1, that which is true must be true in all places at all times. (More logically you might say god can move anything thus he is incapable of making something he cannot move so he can only create things he can move) God therefore can be very powerful, but not all powerful.

3) It is complete

All things must be explained by this religion. That does not mean everything has to be laid out in written form and given to you, but in accordance with laws 1 and 2 nothing in existence can violate these laws and the laws must be capable of explaining everything. This also means that there is nothing apart from this religion and there is no aspect of existence which can deny one access to this religion. If you had some quality that disallowed you from "joining" this religion, your not being a part of it would mean it does not include the entirety of existence, it is therefore not complete, and therefore lacking in truth because it fails to explain your existence, violating all three rules. (It would require inconsistency, different rules in different places to explain your existence in opposition to rule 2).

Atlantis Chronicles

In ancient days now long gone were two civilizations now lost to time. One was Atlantis, remembered well and recorded by the Greeks. They were intellectually and technologically far advanced in comparison with the rest of the world. They interacted little, believing most of human kind to be too young and immature to possess their knowledge, but they were kindly and occasionally provided knowledge and medicine to those they traded with. It is in fact their innate kindness as a people which has left them so well remembered long after the truth has been surpassed by myth. It is known however that their island home which has sunk into the depths of the sea after immense cataclysm was somewhere in or near the north Atlantic Ocean, which is named for this people.

The second civilization was likewise advanced, but was far more interested in arcane magic and power, using their technology as a means to gain control over people. This civilization has been long forgotten, noone wanting to remember the horrors they brought upon the earth. What name they might have gone by is now lost to time...but not completely. These creatures are not all dead.

The last survivors of Atlantis integrated with humanity, while the last of these creatures entombed himself in the remnants of their own sunken city deep beneath the ocean, on the far side of the earth from Atlantis, in the south Pacific.

Neither civilization fully lost it's hold upon the earth. The knowledge of the Atlanteans was at least partially gifted to man, and the call of unspeakable horrors can still be heard by those unfortunate enough to be sensitive to it.

It was war between these two that ended both. This is the reconstruction of their lost chronicles, fragments of which still exist.

(If anyone thinks this is interesting and not overdone let me know and I may write more)

Humor by Number

The idea of parallel universes is perfectly accurate, but entirely incorrect. Universes are in fact perpendicular. (Thus making them alternate dimensions)

Borg Dreams: Specimen: Immunology

-Explanation-

"My god..."She exclaimed. "Even your immune system seems cybernetic...We'd always assumed it would be entirely nano-robotic in design..."
"Yes," replied the borg, "we found long ago that the smallest scale production was most efficiently done by biological, rather than mechanical processes. Our circuits heal like flesh, using modified virii to bond with metals and deliver and deposit them appropriately using chemical signatures maintained on an interior wall of all insulators, so it is released whenever wires break. The virii are created by an artificial organ designed to actively replicate them as needed. The organ's function is controlled mechanically, its output calculated by nanocomputers built into our processing core. You could say we consciously decide what is needed and have this organ create it. Our white blood cells are similarly enhanced. Nanites are created with protein shells allowing them to bond to the cells. They can then control when the cell multiplies and replicate themselves to pass on to the new cell as well. They can control what and where a cell attacks, meaning even virii and bacteria which our systems could not naturally evolve to protect against can by artificial means be detected, analyzed and destroyed by these cells under the guidance of their nanitic symbiote. Antibodies can likewise be generated by calculating those that would form enabling protection against a previously unknown pathogen. Our bodies thus adapt as soon as it is known. The information is then shared to all other borg who can then synthesize their own antibodies without ever facing the infection rendering the entire population immune limited only by the speed of our communication."

Borg Dreams: an explanation

I've been developing an idea for a novel for some time. It is now titled "Borg Dreams". It now seems like it must be a multi-part serial novelization. There is also much information that won't appear directly in the novels that none the less relates, is significant or is just otherwise interesting to me. I've decided to publish these short pieces here first. I haven't decided if or how they will be included in the novels, most likely they'll be left out, put in a separate compilation of shorts relating to the novel or added as an appendix.
Also I'm not very good at developing characters or getting started with my writing ideas, so I'm hoping these short pieces will help me get started.
In any case they'll be posted here first, for free and will hopefully generate some interest to inspire me to keep working.

Pisces and Flatware

Pisces, I must say, is a pretty cool place. Formerly the zen den, its a nice little cafe on railroad ave., right across from the Babylon train station, in the heart of Babylon's night scene. Aside from its overly intellectual crowd (go ahead and bring up quantum physics or philosophy) it boasts its own rock opera which I'm proud to say I saw performed there in all its pre-recorded glory (I also grabbed the CD). They also tend to be open whenever my friends and I want it to be, which is generally until 2 or 3 am. Long but interesting conversation keeps the owners around sometimes later then they intended.

Unfortunately they're not open every day, which was the case this past Wednesday. So, there we were looking for somewhere else to hang out for the evening, which led us to a string of other cafes in the area. First there's the spoon in Lindenhurst. Then the cup, which is a few doors down from Mulcayhy's in Wantagh. That, of course, is right next door to the fork & knife. (Do we get the pattern yet?)

The cup's not a bad place. Not quite as intimate as Pisces with its (pleasant) abundance of regulars, but it clearly has plenty of its own. It's a bit more formal in tone but comfortable with plenty of couches. I definitely plan on returning the next time Pisces is closed.

Pisces exists very much to support the local independent arts. While they do have an open mic night and often changing poetry night, various regulars can be found playing just about any night of the week. They also have better food and beverages then nearly anywhere else. Their shakes are unbeatable, their coffee, lattes, teas and other brews are excellent and they're always willing to make it how you like.