The Barefoot Bum packs it in

Many of you will be familiar with The Barefoot Bum who is a brilliant atheist, journeyman philosopher, political commentator and all-around rabble rouser. In any event, I was disappointed to learn tonight that he has packed in his small effort to better the world and, in a gesture of futility towards a species that appears hell bent on driving itself extinct, has decided to close his blog.

The Bum opens his closing post with a priceless quote from Richard Burton:

"The more I read about man and his maniacal ruthlessness and his murderous envious scatological soul, the more I realize that he will never change. Our stupidity is immortal, nothing will change it. The same mistakes, the same prejudices, the same injustice, the same lusts wheel endlessly around the parade ground of the centuries. Immutable and ineluctable. I wish I could believe in a god of some kind but I simply cannot."

The Bum has been demoralized by what he describes as the vitriol and blithe dismissal by atheists (and others) towards those who dare to disagree with their cherished dogma. I hope I never fall into this category. I have no dogma aside from asking others to critically examine their own.

Although I share many of the Bum's nihilistic views, I refuse to fall prey to his pessimism for a simple reason: even if our species is likely not long for this world, we owe a duy to ourselves and our children to make it a better place for as long as we are around. The world will be a much better place for our children if faith in supernatural religious beliefs is eradicated. That remains my mission.

I will miss the Bum. His archives are available at: http://barefootbum.blogspot.com/