Thought of the Day

If something like an all powerful God were to exist, I don't see why it would want to have anything to do with us. The human race is a lowly specimen of creature. We would appear as though mere insects, or more accurately, mundane bacteria to such a being. The Christian notion that God desires our love and seeks a personal relationship with us, I find, is an interesting idea if only because it seems to get things backward. It is we who desire to be loved and who want to find acceptance. If we could only learn to love one another and accept others for who they are, then we would all find the love and acceptance we so yearn for in each other. Then, whether or not there is a God is rendered unimportant. We wouldn't need him. All we would need is each other. And this is the kind of humanism I'd gladly welcome with open arms. It's a pity, then, that so many people turn out to be assholes.

Quote of the Day: G.W. Foote

“We are charged with doing the work of the Devil. This is indeed news. We never knew the Devil required any assistance. He was always very active and enterprising, and quite able to manage his own business. And although his rival, Jehovah, is so dotingly senile as to yield up everything to his mistress and her son, no one has ever whispered the least hint of the Devil’s decline into the same abject position. But if his Satanic Majesty needed our aid we should not be loath to give it, for after carefully reading the Bible many times from beginning to end, we have come to the conclusion that he is about the only gentleman in it.” –G.W. Foote

It's Official!

The Swedish Fish is now available in paperback. It should be up on Amazon.com in a couple of days. If you want to order your copy directly, and right now, go to https://www.createspace.com/5348036

Thanks!

Let it be (Beatles cover)

Here is one of my all time favorite song covers done to my favorite Beatles song.

A Message from a "Loving" Christian

A person who hides behind the pseudonym Smokey McBongwater sent me this lovely message today:

"Tristan Vick you are these things:

Filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

Backbiters, haters of God, spiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.

In fact you rejoice the fact that one of your fellow Atheists murdered three innocent Muslims.

In truth you support the Atheist called the Chapel Hill Shooter because you support this sin of murder that he committed because not only will you do the same, but you take pleasure in him that did this evil as well."

***For the record, I have made no public comment at all about the Chapel Hill shooting / tragedy.

I'll let the petty, spiteful, hate-filled, demeaning, and judgmental attitude of this person's words speak for themselves.

***UPDATE***

After reading some more responses (screen-cap above), I am beginning to seriously worry that Smokey McBongwater (whoever he is) is suffering from a real mental illness and I honestly hope this person gets the professional help that he obviously needs.

The People Have Spoken! (The Advocatus Atheist book cover winner)

Edward T. Babinski, Mike Doolittle (aka The A-Unicornist) and a hand full of other friends were critiquing my book cover designs over on Facebook as I posted them.

They all agreed that a personal cover that would signify atheism isn't just some cold and detached philosophical view but a personal and relatable ideology was in order. Atheists are people too, after all.

So, finally I made one using my big ugly mug--and they loved it.

I guess its looking as though this will be the cover (it won the informal voting contest I held on FB). When a dozen or so people all vote for it and none of my other covers get a vote... that says something to me about which cover people will most likely stop to look at on the store shelf. And if I want to sell books, well, I better listen to what the people want.

The people have spoken.

But.... wait.... for it.

UPDATE!

This morning a got a message from a higher authority. In this case, a professional artist.

He said stick with the boat.

So, I am effectively vetoing the cover with me on it (hey, I didn't want to be on a book cover anyway). And I am going with the boat cover! It will look very nice pressed into a matte cover.

Never satisfied #2: The Advocatus Atheist Book (Update)

It was suggested by a couple of people that the bridge image was too busy and a little jittery for the eyes. Although I personally liked it, I could see how some would definitely find it too much. So I went and scrounged up another, softer image. Hey, don't say I never listen to constructive criticism.

Now, as I compare the two images side by side, I see they were right. This image is much softer, much nicer on the eyes, and would look beautiful as a paperback book on a shelf.