Hi, read this and educate me!

First off, i'm new, well new to posting, I've been reading silently for over a year, I've seen alot come and go on here. This is an awesome board and i reccomend it everyone i meet who engages me in intellectual debate. I don't have much to say though, so i tend to keep my mouth shut.


I'd like to start, since this is the introduction place, by introducing myself. I'm Edd, I'm 25, and I'm an everyday guy. I ride my motorcycle, play with my dog, build things, and sometimes play cpu games. By trade i'm an ironworker and part time forklift driver. I started opening my mind when I met a fellow named Brooks when i was 15. He talked alot of magic, and ufology, paranormal, etc. (basically everything on this board) But for all intents and purposes he was a nut! One of those guys that swore we were being watched through our televisions. (no offense to anyone here who shares similar beliefs with the aforementioned) He also looked at child pornography, and looking back on that, I'm glad we only met briefly.


It was at this point in my life I bought into the punk rock idea of hating "the system" and the "conspiracy" So I promptly shaved my hair into a mohawk, picked up a guitar and started yelling nonsense lyrics to nonsense songs and drank away about 6 or so years of my life. I lived in a crappy flop-house directly across the street and literally a stone's throw from Nellis AFB here in vegas. At night i started to sit on my roof and watch the AF planes fly throughout the night while i listened to art bell on the AM, til i passed out in my bottle, or fell off the roof into the bushes. I scanned the skies of north nevada for ufo's but to no avail. I waited for y2k and when nothing happened i fell off Art Bell and got on with life. I'm over that. Maybe it was phase one of opening your mind, because now i realize that rebellion is garbage and a true revolution happens in your head. I got my diplomat, went to college, and here i am. Bank account, marriage, credit, 401k, career, m-f, new car, new shoes, all the things i swore i'd never give a care to have. There's the background, now here's my dilemna.


During the past year I've become increasingly disconcerted about everything. Our goverment, the world, life in general. I'm a conspiracy theorist, but I can't buy into any single theory, there's just too many. On the most basic level I know in my gut that something is going on. Something big. I don't profess to know what it is though. I don't even have the slightest clue. I read that it's the Illuminati, the masons, the Rothschilds, the Bush-laden's, the oil companies, the environmentalists, the greys, the reptilians, christians, muslims, and every number of grand conspirators of grand scheme's being played about in grand fashion on a grand stage while I'm just part of the grand number of dull-witted unwitting members of the grand audience. What i do know is that somehow the rich are rich, and the poor are poor, there is something wrong with this world, and i'm in the middle. I'm not ungrateful, I constantly thank the shard of what i try to think might be a god, that i can live in a country where i can work my job and have such a good life, when somewhere, others are poverty-stricken from birth. Yet I want more, more money, more possessions, and i hate the fact that i want more. It's not fair that i should want this when the world is in the state it's in. I actually cried the night before my wife and i bought our car(kinda pathetic) I cried because people are dying and i'm buying a new car. People without clean water, and i'm buying a new car. It's not quite depression, well maybe i'm depressed about the world, but i wake up, go to work, happily drink a round with my friends at the bar, chat with coworkers, I love my wife, my dog, and long motorcycle rides, etc. So it's not quite prozac-worthy depression. My point is that I'm a skeptic, such a skeptic that the more i read, the more i don't know. I like skepticoverlord's name, awesome choice, maybe other people feel the same way as me.


I try to do small things that might help, like buying a car for my wife that gets good gas mileage, and riding a motorcycle myself because it gets better gas mileage. I started with a moped but it was too slow, and vegas drivers were trying to kill me. I don't really hate any group of people in my heart, I'm embrasive of other cultures and lifestyles, and i could give a hoot if gays get married or christians decide to birth every child conceived in the womb, or if abortions are performed, or if you're conservative or liberal, or if you don't eat meat, or if you wear leather, or if you pray to your god hourly. It really doesn't affect me, the sanctity of my marriage, the love i will give my child one day, or the way i live my life. I realize there are so many groups concerned about what other people believe that they seem scared. Scared of letting people do as they will. Almost like we take safety in the knowledge that if we can convert everyone to our personal belief system that we will be comforted in the knowledge that through the numbers game we can assure our positive endurance in the afterlife. We're told that Muslims hate us and they follow a vengeful god that demands complete obedience and death to the rest. Christians did that game already. So i don't judge because i don't care about anyone's beliefs, and because i don't even know if my own beliefs are right, but i'm willing to accept the possibility that i may be wrong. If my day of recknoning comes and i've chosen the wrong path then i will gladly pay the price for the free-will i have excercised in my life. This is not an attack on anyone or their religion, because i honestly believe we are all right, and we are all ok, and we are all going the same place in the end, and we will all be happy.
I try to live by the knowledge that I don't anything at all, or whatever that proverb was.


I constantly try to formulate the "perfect" government in my head. One that would appease everyone, and we would all have an equal share and the right to do as we will. It never works because at some point human greed, or anarchy, comes into the equation. Just to clarify, I am not cool, with complete anarchy. I'm just a utopian dreamer, but i realize that utopia isn't possible without everyone doing their fair share of work, and even I have my lazy days at work. A guy can hope though.


So if you've made it this far through my rant, maybe you can help me. I need to know where i can get a copy of the koran that hasn't been altered by our western beliefs. I want to understand these people through their book. Not the book that we're told they read. I'd also like anyone to recommend any good books on anything you might think would help someone in my particular situation. Or just any good advice, or thoughts you'd like to share with me. Maybe you agree with me, Maybe you think I'm wrong and a moron. Maybe you think I'm shooting un-organized pipe-dreams out of my rear. I assure you i'm not, and that I've been writing this letter in my head for over a year, but everyday the words change.


Everyday I know something new, and it changes my path. Now there is no path and this board and all of your opinions are responsible for it, so thank you.

As detailed as your post was it was still a little bit tough to understand what you need advice on besides finding a real koran book, as far as you trying to understand muslims and other middle eastern views on us americans, just think to yourself even if you eventually understand where they are coming from, what could you possibly do about it, if you were to go to their country and try to understand them, you would get laughed at, and held hostage for negotiation for release of muslims that have been imprisoned, but i'm sure you know the US government dosen't negotiate with terrorists in any form, so not long after the deadline you would be beheaded. It's a scary thought, but it is the truth. It looks like from your post that you have a good life, good mariage, good job/s, and hope to have children, if i were you i would not trouble myself with your present thoughts, get on with your life, concentrate more on everyday tasks, your wife, and future children

-Hannibal

Welcome and enjoy your long stay here at the great ATS!

I'm glad you found your way over and joined

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Have a good time here

And,

Welcome to ATS

As to your "copy of the Koran that is untainted", you should be able to find that from any Muslim in your area. The English translation will be fairly straightforward, and you can confirm it by studying some Arabic. It's always good to be able to understand enough of the original to look up the words (an example of this: I've read the Bible, and I know enough Latin to look at the early Bibles such as the Latin Vulgate and compare the English word to the original Latin.)

You might particularly enjoy studying my field -- anthropology. We do try to approach both modern and ancient cultures and strip away our own cultural assumptions. It's a bit easier for me, since I was raised in the Army and have encountered many cultures... but it's a good exercise for anyone.

And there's some really good anthro-type shows on Discovery and National Geographic that give insight into some of the different cultures of the world.

In looking at the Koran, remember that one of the holiest books of their religion is the Old Testament and that it forms a part of their holy literature. So you already have some basic understanding of SOME of their religious texts.

Anyway, if you have anth questions, do ask me (good idea to ask in U2U since I'm dealing with some school issues right now) and I"ll be delighted to answer!

So you're an introverted dreamer and you just can't shake the feeling that there just has to be more to life than you've seen so far. Sounds to me like the only things you really lack are a houseful of loving children (and later grandchildren), plus more education (you simply can't get enough, no matter how hard or how long you try), and the personal power to effect changes you think you might like to see (that's generally a domain reserved to those born into great wealth).

You can absolutely have the children & grandchildren, and when you do, you'll find they are a source of delight, hope, frustration, joy, sadness, and every other descriptive term you can generate. Initially you'll be too caught up in work & other things to properly enjoy your children, but hang in there, it gets better as you age. You'll probably find true enjoyment in children through your grandchildren when they finally arrive because by then you won't be so wrapped up in everything else and you can devote the time to them they deserve.

Knowledge is power, so never cease pursuing it. However, remember there is more to learn & know than any one man can accomplish, so pick the things you study with care and try to remember what you've learned, for memory is the mother of wisdom. Also, endeavor to pass along what you learn to your children and to others, I think you'll find true pleasure in sharing knowledge with others--especially your children and grandchildren. Remember also that knowledge for its own sake is ok, but knowledge applied is truely powerful and rewarding.

Since you were not born into great wealth, you will find it difficult in the extreme to accumulate personal power. But you can take solace in the fact that you would probably not be a very nice person if all you did was pursue wealth & power. By all means be dilligent in accumulating enough wealth to insure your retirement years will be long & happy and that your family will never suffer should you pass on prematurely. Other than that though, don't dwell on the subject because it will only make you discontented.

Live long and be happy.

WatchingFromTheFence, Welcome To ATS!

As I'm sure you've figured out, there's no shortage of advice around here.

ATS is a big place, so don't hesitate to U2U a moderator or Councilor if you run into trouble or have questions about anything.

It's great to have you aboard, and I'll try not to give you too much grief for being an "everyday guy".

Hiya

Just a quickie, I read your post just before I have to go out. Im totally with you, in your opinions on conspiracys and how the world is not right. I do have a suggestion, dont worry about perfection, an "ideal" government wouldn't be static, it would change with the people. And dont worry about utopia and the fallacy of evil people wrecking it too. In fact I hate utopia, when ever I talk or write about change, I get that utopia rubbish. To be honest its deflection against making a few simple changes to our society that would become the first of many changes people will want.

Gotta dash


Dae