The Real Problem I Love this site and the clarity of thinking exhibited, even love chasing down the...

David1955 comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Yes indeed, and this is a point that the atheist activists like Dawkins and others have made, despite attacks from religionists and even sadly some non believers. What a lot of people get from religion is often not so much the beliefs, which they may not really believe at all, but the other stuff: community activities, the theatre and entertainment of religion, and that feeling of "belonging". It's a serious challenge in pursuing a non religious world. How to replace and substitute these things. Religions are cultural organisms as much as belief systems. There are those who will say that religion is good because of that. I don't agree. The fundamentals of religion are appalling: bad history, awful theology, terrible practise, corrupt activities, harm to people, directly and indirectly due to all those things. What you have raised is one of the most important questions. I do think that with religion in decline in the west, and religious attendance in particular, this aspect of the ongoing momentum of religion is declining.

William Hurt Dies: Oscar-Winning Actor Was 71 – Deadline

David1955 comments on Mar 13, 2022:

One of the best actors of his generation. A thinking nuanced actor in an age of overacting. Passed too young.

"Flag of Treason" ad by the Lincoln Project

David1955 comments on Jun 1, 2020:

Rick and his buddies really know to turn the knife, don't they?

Need help defending my lack of faith in Christianity

David1955 comments on Feb 26, 2018:

Which ancient historians do they rely on? Or do they mean the gospel writers? These were not historians Good luck finding respected historians who attest to the Christian mythology, tell them. Don't know why you'd want to try to convince them, but I were you I'd simply say The bible is proof of nothing and is a collection of fables. There is not a single validated primary contemporaneous historical source to affirm the Christ story; There is not a single validated archeological site related to the Jesus story, no matter what the tourist touts might tell you there; There is not a single validated artefact in support of the Jesus story, including the shroud, and all the many spears of Longinus. Tell them their religion is based on a foundation of hot air and hand me down stories over centuries by people in the Bronze Age. You don't have to counter their arguments; they have to prove to you why they, in the 21st Century, believe in a story from a time of slaves, gladiators, chariots, and shades, lemurs, and crucifixion. If all they've got is the bible, then they've got nothing.

Under 20,000 Level 8. LOL. It is taking long!!!

David1955 comments on Oct 7, 2018:

Yeah, I've been posting and commenting at 7.4 for months and it never changes. I'm not sure I have complete faith in the point system now. Oh well, I'm bigger than that. (Did I say "faith"? Wash my mouth out :-) )

Why do people still say "Rest in Peace"?

David1955 comments on Apr 12, 2021:

It's not about the dead, but making the living feel better.

Russian Ties?

David1955 comments on Feb 16, 2018:

I feel concern that someone in Russia, be it Putin, or those who do his bidding, has a file on Trump, in essence a political hand grenade, which can be lobbed into the US political system at a time of their choosing, with little or no damage to them (the US and Russia are global rivals anyway) and Trump, a compromised asset, knows it, and lives in the knowledge that this can happen and does what he can to appease Russia. What an appalling situation the Republican Party has allowed to happen to their country. And they call themselves patriots. It's shameful.

Quite disappointed in Elon Musk, always thought he was a man of principal, willing to go against the...

David1955 comments on Nov 28, 2023:

Musk, a man of principle? I know a Robber Barron authoritarian when I see one, and I saw him that way right from the start. Americans are besotted by wealth and rich 'winners', oblivious to the reality behind such people.

Who believes in life after death

David1955 comments on Jun 19, 2021:

Nope. Such fantasies only trap you into fear and emotional blackmail by others.

This announcement may bring delight or dismay.

David1955 comments on Jul 28, 2019:

Pity. He could be a bit snarky at times, and it wasn't necessary. Often times though, I found his comments interesting.

I just turned up - hello!

David1955 comments on May 27, 2018:

Welcome from Adelaide. The more Australians the better.

What would be the definition of hell to you?

David1955 comments on Jan 24, 2018:

A world run by religious fanatics like in that Handmaiden Story TV show. A world with modern technology and Dark Ages thinking. Of all the dystopian visions of the future that would be the worst. Hell on Earth.

TV or not?

David1955 comments on Jun 5, 2018:

Too restrictive a choice: - live TV, no, only some news services, largely foreign; - reality TV - never! - local TV, no very rarely now; - stream quality shows I choose very carefully, yes; I make TV work for me, meaning I take from it very selectively, only what I want, so neither fine with nor couldn't live without;

OMG! Strange New Worlds is just incredibly good! And it's such a throwback to TOS while being new ...

David1955 comments on Jun 23, 2022:

Agreed. Finally, the creators have listened to the audience.

Mormon Cult Leaders Indicted for Forcing Almost Daily Sex Rituals With Underage Girls, Said God ...

David1955 comments on Jan 6, 2018:

What's the difference between a religion and a cult? A cult is a small unpopular religion, and a religion is a large popular cult. Yep.

Why are agnostics and atheists so hostile to my non-theistic belief of theological noncognitivism?

David1955 comments on May 16, 2019:

Speaking as an atheist, I'm just unimpressed by linguistic wordplay and word games. I just want to free the world from the toxicity that is religion, in all its forms, delusions and camouflage.

Hi Folks--I've decided to leave the site.

David1955 comments on Jan 30, 2021:

I almost left myself recently. Being targeted and baited because I'm an atheist took me close to the delete button. Not to mention the naughty pics and nonsense that bores now. Then I had a rethink. Time to block fools and baiters, something I'd never done. Instead of looking for a community of quality discourse, instead focus on the worthy ones, the ones who don't bait and hobby horse, who broadly live in my reality, and we can agree and disagree on some points, like adults do. Different mindset, different outcomes.

Colorado Pastor: I’m Ignoring All COVID-19 Safety Rules That Aren’t in the Bible | Hemant Mehta...

David1955 comments on Mar 27, 2020:

Stupid does as stupid prays.

Please stop dumping on Jesus. [facebook.com]

David1955 comments on Sep 12, 2022:

I think you took the wrong turn at Albuquerque.

Just curious. Who would not have joined this forum if it was called atheist.com?

David1955 comments on Jun 9, 2019:

I wish it was called that.

The rise of post-truth liberalism -

David1955 comments on Sep 9, 2018:

Yuck article, and that's my professional opinion. The author would be better placed if he wrote an article called "The rise of anti truth anti liberalism reactionary conservatism". At one point he writes: "Relieved from any responsibility for the debacles they have presided over, the liberal elites that have been in power in many western countries for much of the past 30 years" Where? The US? I don't think so. The UK? Hardly. Here in Australia we've had mostly national right wing governments. Europe? It's been a mix bag. It's right wing, economic rationalist, free market conservatism that has been in power mostly over the past 30 -40 years, and it's the poisonous fruit from this debacle and travesty of an ideology that we are currently facing. The article is a combination of bad history and ideological distortion.

Mark Meadows Faces Electoral Fraud Question Two Addresses In Two Different States - The Guardian

David1955 comments on Mar 9, 2022:

Well, if we're going to use an English Second Conditional, let's make it a better one: If America had anything like a credible legal system, rich and well connected Americans would not be able get away with everything, up to an including murder. I trust you're not expecting anything to happen to him? Add to the long list of 'nothing ever happens to them in America', up to and including Trump.

Since it's controversial, I'll join in. New profile picture:

David1955 comments on Sep 8, 2019:

This guy is a full-on religious bore, is he not?

FBI chasing 2,000 domestic terror cases; antifa aren't among Capitol suspects, Wray says

David1955 comments on Jun 21, 2021:

They would do better spending as much time, if not more, as they spend pursuing the Trailer Trash Rebels of January 6th, pursuing the wealth and power interests at the fascist end of the American class and power structure, in order to identify those who financed the attack and were behind it -- and I mean behind Trump and Co. But this, of course, is what never happens in America: digging into wealth and power to expose its criminality, except, of course for a few scape goats, and on occasion some of their goons.

Okay folks, time to weigh in, your opinion is needed and appreciated.

David1955 comments on Feb 21, 2020:

I think of him as an articulate Troll, reactionary type, and in fact. I don't take him seriously, honestly. Occasionally I'll make a sarcastic comment, but I think he knows when people are on to him.

I’ve been claiming to be Agnostic for over a year and a half now, but I’m leaning more towards ...

David1955 comments on Jun 22, 2019:

Walk right this way....just a little bit further...pleased to have you in the fold.

Hi I am a level 5 counselling student with a mini research project .

David1955 comments on Feb 14, 2022:

What about atheist counsellors, or don't they count? A very suspicious post.

Why do religions, claiming high ideals, always seem to end by being divisive ?

David1955 comments on Jun 18, 2022:

Can't disagree with any of that. My own humble thought is that religion is a non rational activity, and such activities sooner or later result in irrational thinking and behaviour, which leads to destructive and devisive acts. Monotheism is especially culpable of that, but I don't find anything good about any religions. Some on this site try to convince themselves that religions produce values and even scientific thinking, but that's baloney. Positive values and critical thinking grow despite religion, not because of it. Just some thoughts.

Happy new year to admin dude and site support and everyone who is giving me this site .

David1955 comments on Jan 1, 2019:

Totally.

Is it possible to be an atheist and to be politically conservative?

David1955 comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Well, judging from the number of people on this site who claim to be atheist or agnostic, but are obviously very politically conservative, I would have to say yes. I don't quite understand it. Although it might be said that political views and religious views are separate, in truth in life they are not. When I come across someone here who is clearly very conservative in their views, I tend to steer clear. I know otherwise it might not end well. Come to think of it, it's the same for me in the real world.

Feel the need to innocently upset a white Christian today? I got you.

David1955 comments on Jul 16, 2021:

You mean he didn't look like Jeffrey Hunter or Max Von Sydow? I'm shocked. Next you'll be telling me he wasn't American.

Shouldn't a Justice of the Supreme Court know the law and observe ethical standards?

David1955 comments on Apr 20, 2023:

In a real democracy, yes. In America? Erhhh

This afternoon, I was playing games on my computer while overhearing programs about serial killers ...

David1955 comments on Aug 25, 2019:

A further point here that one of the most insidious things about monotheistic religions is that they create a god with rules and commands, punishable by all kinds of terrors, but god itself is immune to its own moral and ethical laws. It can kill and punish with impunity, because god is always "good" no matter what. It has a kind of cosmic diplomatic immunity from all crimes. So then, when god "tells" its celebrants and followers to kill and do violent acts against transgressors, then the immunity flows on to them: god is always good and so are they, no matter what they do. The crimes of religions, cults, god- hearing loonies and all the rest are justified on the basis of this twisted, sick logic. And it stems from a belief in a single, true and always "good" god. Its gotta go!

Allow me to introduce @SiteSupport! This lovely volunteer member has admin access and handles ...

David1955 comments on Apr 16, 2018:

A kind of consigliere, eh? :-) Make us an offer we can't refuse. ;-)

Dear Elon Musk, Please buy FOX News next.

David1955 comments on Nov 13, 2022:

I still think he'll end up selling Twitter back to the people who created it, at a huge financial loss, as well as loss of face. Personally, I hope it disappears.

Due to Trump, how do you think America is perceived?

David1955 comments on Jun 14, 2020:

From a foreign viewpoint I take a broader view. In my opinion American international legitimacy and moral authority has been in decline for more than 20 years, specifically from the time of GWBush. Iraq, Afgranistan, erosion of civil liberties, increasing social and economic equality etc. The world briefly raised its hopes when Obama was elected, only to have those hopes dashed when Obama was quickly revealed as yet another corporate conservative Democrat, with no interest in genuine reform. Then Trump came along. You can attribute all those things to him, correctly, but he is a symptom, not a cause, of the underlining weaknesses of the US which has been revealed for all the world to see: a corrupt country with an oligarchic class controlling a binary duopoly political system, based on a corrupt electoral system, a corrupt legal system, a corrupt financial and governance system, through which the schisms of America -- racial, socio-economic, cultural and class -- are now obvious to the world. Trump has merely pressed those pressure points and revealed the US's weaknesses openly. The US is a country in desperate need of reform, but it lacks any structures to make this happen. Worse, the political and legal corruption of the country would militate against any attempt to do so. You asked how America is perceived? I answer as a country in terminal decline. It gives me no pleasure to say so.

Is Atheism a belief system?

David1955 comments on Jun 17, 2018:

Atheism takes some faith? Your wordy post is based on false assumptions, which to me as an atheist, means to damn atheism with faint praise. Atheism is an absence of belief in God or Gods *because of total lack of evidence for such a claim.* No leap of faith required. Come back with evidence and we'll reconsider it. This is an old argument here, restated in different ways: atheism as a kind of faith. You must be joking. This is a site for non believers of religion, not just agnostics. Choose to be here or not, but don't let the name affect your choice. I certainly don't. I find the agnostic position myself to be grossly inconsistent. Agnostic about the God I grew up with, functionally atheist about all other Gods? No thanks. I agree with Bertrand Russell: the position is problematic at best. If you are an atheist as you say, be it proudly here on this site. But spare us an argument that it is based on faith. Thanks

This is why democratic socialism is on the rise

David1955 comments on Aug 24, 2018:

There aren't any and have never been any Marxist regimes. He means Communism which is a different thing which exploited Marxist philosophy but had little to do with it. Typical right wing conflation of democratic socialism and communism to use that bogey man to frighten those who don know better. Yes, progressive socio-economic ideas on the rise, due to failure of right wing economics foisted on us especially in a putrid form since the 1980s. Expect a huge reactionary fight by the forces of right wing hard line conservatism. We are seeing it in Australia now. They would rather destroy and change and improve.

It's Tuesday

David1955 comments on Oct 14, 2018:

My EYE nearly POPPED out. (Cryptic)

For those who didn't watch Bill last night.

David1955 comments on Oct 19, 2019:

I've become less and less of an admirer of NDGT over recent years, but in this show he hit some high points. I did NOT agree, however, with his assertion about the differences between objective and personal truths. Personal truths be damned. That's an opinion, which may or may not be true. Jesus is my saviour, his example, is not a truth of any kind, including personal. It's an opinion which lacks evidence. Jesus and God hate gays, likewise might be someone's bigoted opinion but it is not a personal "truth" for the same reason, no proof or evidence. He devalues the meaning of truth to say otherwise. Like many public figures he still feels the need to "respect" religious nonsense, lest he offend believers. Humbug. On the other hand I cheered when he said we should not so much consider ourselves as members of various races and instead see ourselves as all of the *human race*. Indeed, racial tribalism is hindering us as a species.

A message to ALL other members of aussie sceptics and members of Agnostic.

David1955 comments on Sep 24, 2021:

Might we ask who they are just for general reference and awareness? Thanks.

I firmly believe there are three main reasons why trump got in.

David1955 comments on Nov 17, 2018:

I think you need to distinguish between the so-called Trump working class base -- which you are referring to in your post, who got a Trump religion, are TV trained, and loathed Clinton -- and other true-believer conservative Republicans who knew that Trump was a phoney, a fraud, a crook, a liar, and a moral cretin, but once he took the nomination supported him. The first group are delusional and have a faith based belief, like a religion. The latter are not delusional, but frankly would vote for the Devil, if he were Republican.

Do you consider religious people delusional?

David1955 comments on Mar 30, 2018:

I agree with those here saying yes. It is important to remember that delusional thinking is the product of beliefs not based on reality or evidence. We are all delusional at some time or another, like when we fall madly in love and then look back in a detached way and think, well that was silly of me. A person's religion can be a life long delusion, especially if they really believe it. But a lot of people are religious only notionally; they don't really believe it, but think being religious is good for one reason or another - fitting in with the group, following the family, social and other reasons. I don't think that's delusional as much as social conformity and frankly intellectual laziness. Religions rely on huge numbers of people like this. Personally, I look down on people like that more than the truly religiously delusional.

Jesus H Christ, the new house speaker hears voices in his head claiming to be God.

David1955 comments on Dec 7, 2023:

Democrats made a big mistake not keeping that wimpy Kevin McCarthy as speaker by voting against him. Now they've got this dangerous guy. Had they been smart they'd have had the Kevin guy in the job at a disadvantage. Not real smart, the Democrats. They like taking the high moral ground, but more often they fall and hurt themselves.

“There seemed no question in Dawkins’s mind that atheism as he understood it fell into the same ...

David1955 comments on Jun 16, 2022:

Wrong. If I don't believe in unicorns do I have a closed mind and is it in the same category as faith? Hardly. Am I taking a evidence based view? Yes.

Trump is a blithering idiot and he must think his base are idiots. [youtu.be]

David1955 comments on Sep 23, 2022:

He is and they are.

What a day.

David1955 comments on Aug 16, 2021:

Let's not forget that this tragedy is of two types: the US's muddled thinking about foreign policy since WW2, repeating the same mistake over and over again, but also it's another horror of damned religion in this world, of religious zealots, or religion holding back cultural progress, and the irrationality of religion. Particularly on this site we ought not forget that. Days like this I hate religion more than ever.

Jeffrey Goldberg: I think Trump is genuinely confused by service

David1955 comments on Sep 4, 2020:

Trump is genuinely confused by decency. Has no understanding of it at all.

Osama bin Laden's niece backs Donald Trump's re-election - Business Insider

David1955 comments on Sep 7, 2020:

I'm sure this lady has America's best interests at heart, just like her late uncle Osama. With friends like these...

Is 'god' an impersonal force of nature, a 'universal consciousness' similar in quality to other ...

David1955 comments on Dec 23, 2019:

Unless you can prove consciousness amongst those physics, then all you've got is another projection by humans onto the universe and calling it god. Not real scientists but pseudo scientists might go on about this stuff.

Why are there so many people who are lonely?

David1955 comments on Jul 26, 2018:

Yes, it's very evident, including on this site. It's the paradox of the modern world: the more connected we become, the more isolated we start to feel. As capitalism had reduced people more and more to economic units in a dehumanised society, the more alienation people feel. I read Karl Marx on this 40 years ago, but believe it now more than ever.

What is the point of a contract, when the excuse for reneging is this?

David1955 comments on Oct 2, 2021:

As it turns out I teach English online to business people in Europe, and a lot of them are in France. Some of them work in companies affected by all this mess. The feedback I get is they don't feel negative towards Australian people, but if one ever doubted that Europeans see Australia as America's faithful bitch in the Asia Pacific, then believe it now. Frankly we look like dills. I am also hearing that there were options to modify the contract to Australia's satisfaction but Australia didn't want to know. The thing that gets me about this is if the contract had been signed under a Labour government then I could see how the Libs might try this as a way to rub in Labour's 'incompetence', but it wasn't. They look incompetent.

How many atheist/agnostic/secular/humanism sites do you visit and/or interact with regularly?

David1955 comments on Feb 7, 2021:

Depends on what you mean by sites, but I do not do any other social media sites, atheism or other, and you wouldn't catch me dead on anything to do with Zuckerberg and his crap. I do follow Richard Dawkins site for science and reason, a couple of atheist sites for content, follow some YouTube channels, including Kyle Ks Secular Talk, though that's mainly political but I like him, and one YT channel in particular run by a former member here who left because the site was too wishy washy for him as an atheist (I symphasize). But I look for new sites from time to time, and would like a good interactive site for atheists without equivocating agnostics, pseudo religionists and spiritual gang bangers. I guess I'm always looking about for a better forum than this one for atheists, if truth be told, but haven't yet found one.

As Agnostics, we had best stop using that word .

David1955 comments on Oct 18, 2020:

Well speaking an an atheist -- the highest grouping on this site -- since the religious origins of the word goodbye ( which I know as I teach English and usually tell students that) is completely irrelevant now, and is not used in any religious way, I have no problem with it. If we went back and researched all of English for words with a religious origin or some origin not acceptable in the new puritanism of woke political correctness, then our language might be gutted. I live in fear that the woke set might do that anyway, but for language origins that relate not so much with religion but their usual political correctness preoccupations.

Did god play a big role in your life growing up?

David1955 comments on Feb 21, 2018:

Nope. But he did sure waste of family time around me, while I watched on indifferently, like the fool on the hill.

I think once a year, all blocks should be reset.

David1955 comments on Jun 5, 2018:

I can't believe I'm actually writing this, Middle, but I actually agree with you. Just goes to show there's a first time for everything, right? :-) Seriously, I haven't blocked either, but I think an automatic unblock might be taking the power away from those who feel they have, or had, good reason to block. Perhaps your suggestion can be taken that members who have blocked, annually, or from time to time, review the decisions they have made. I remember early in my membership feeling very annoyed at one member's comments, I won't name him, and though I didn't block I decided to ignore him, but over time I can see he's a good fellow. Had I been the blocking kind I might have done so, and that would have been a mistake. Just my two cents worth.

Am I the only person who cares nothing for football?

David1955 comments on Feb 5, 2018:

Non football caring person here. Of course I'm not in the US but football is football and it's all a big yawn.

Collective Identity of Non-theists

David1955 comments on Jul 7, 2018:

I think this kind of broad definition does apply to a large group, indeed the largest group within the non believer community including globally. Indeed these characteristics should apply to non believers, in my humble. But we are all aware that the herding cats analogy does apply, with many exceptions, including reactionary conservative non believers who care little for humanistic or social and equity issues, secular religionists who seem to believe in religion in a thinly disguised secular form, new age types who consider themselves non religious but peddle pseudo religious-science mumbo jumbo, and so on. Despite this the existence of a major and global and I think growing group, of which I am one, with the characteristics you have attributed is important to recognize and hopefully build on.

It has just come to my attention that the 26th of January is not only the date Australia celebrates ...

David1955 comments on Jan 29, 2019:

As always happens, there is the real person who lived, and there is the mythologised figure that people create afterwards. Reagan, Jesus, and yes Churchill. On it goes. I agree with you. Not just Gallipoli, but WW1, the Lusitania wasn't it? Sacrificed because Churchill wanted the US in the war, then covered it up at the enquiry. What Churchill was, was a sacrificer of poorer people because he thought the noble cause was worth it. But not him and his class.

Early Russian outreach to Trump campaign detailed by Mueller

David1955 comments on Dec 9, 2018:

It would appear that Mr Mueller had a choice of either going for the jugular, or death by a thousand cuts with Trump. Wisely, he's chosen the latter. Going for the jugular can miss. A thousand cuts gets you in the end. It also allows for the possibility that a Trump, in his desperation, will do something so illegal it'll be impossible for his base and the sycophants in his party to ignore. I also do not discount the possibility that the Russians will release killer info about Trump. They'd enjoy putting their figurative foot on his neck. What have they to lose? The sensible people in the US know about Putin. He is enjoying humiliating the US, and his prestige with the autocrats in the world would only grow. I predict!

Just presented to me on f'buck, I don't know how or why:

David1955 comments on Jun 1, 2019:

It's funny, when I hear the phrase, The Christian Right. I always say, "Is there any other kind?" As if there's the Christian Left or the Christian Centre. I believe at one time there was a left wing Catholic group called Liberation Theology. (My friend wrote a Thesis on them. No doubt they've all been shot by now.) These Christos make me laugh. They prattle on about Jesus and the poor, all those dreary Hollywood movies with their Jesus sticking it to authority and the saviour of the poor and meek, but universally modern Christianity is the religion of right wing moralistic elitism and oligarchy and reactionary politics. Name the country, Australia included, it's always the same. I spit on them for their fragrant hypocrisy.

I know that some of you pioneer users miss the good ol’ heady days, the first months of ...

David1955 comments on Jul 17, 2018:

I'll never think of the humble cow in the same way again. Can I add Never Cow Tow to Donald Trump? (No, it's not funny. Skip it.) :-)

Community Senate The literal meaning of the word "senate" is Assembly of Elders.

David1955 comments on Sep 4, 2019:

This site is a small oasis for the non-religious, mostly, in an internet of blather. Focus on the positives here, I suggest.

"GOD IS OUR PILOT.

David1955 comments on Jun 1, 2021:

If God is your pilot then you're flying blind. Why are religious people like this so weird?

The Inevitable Death of Evangelical Christianity | Keith Giles

David1955 comments on Dec 26, 2019:

Religions don't die but they die out when people stop believing in them. Christianity is a GodMan meme that has antecedents going back thousands of years before the first century AD. New variants like evangelicalism will continue to evolve, sadly. But we should see evangelicalism now more as a reactionary political movement with a religious mask, rather than just a religion. Expect it to get worse.

Who is your favorite Author on Atheism / Free thinking? Living or dead, and why?

David1955 comments on Feb 11, 2018:

Deceased: Bertrand Russell's essays on religion and atheism and agnosticism have been very influential in my thinking, really since I was in my teens. Living: Dawkins, most notably, and then Sam Harris;

"No Question of Russian Involvement" in "Alleged" German Coup | The Independent

David1955 comments on Dec 8, 2022:

Maybe America can learn from this. I mean, when a group plots a coup you arrest them from the top down and send a shiver through anyone in the cause and this shit will not be tolerated. Now, in America, when a coup is attempted, months and years go by, eventually a few low level creeps get arrested, but the financiers and top people go on as they were to plan the next one. Not a good look to the rest of the world. Yes, America could definitely learn something from Germany on this.

I just read that there have been approximately 108 billion people in history.

David1955 comments on Nov 3, 2019:

Yes, and think about the poor suckers, millions and millions of them, who lived and died for thousands of years *before* Christianity . They didn't even have a chance! It was only after the first century AD when god said, 'Ok, I'm gonna knock this chick up, get myself born, preach, do miracles, get myself tortured and killed, come back, briefly, and then anyone who doesn't believe in me will go to Hell.' Christianity, you gotta love it.! (Not)

Brett Kavanaugh Says Children Deserve Life in Prison With No Chance of Parole [vanityfair.]

David1955 comments on Apr 22, 2021:

I wish investigative journalists would do a number on this guy and his secrets. I'm still hoping some are doing it.

What are your top 3 current favorite TV shows?

David1955 comments on Jun 7, 2018:

- Billions - an utterly morally and ethically bankrupt show, a perfect reflection of the economic rationalist weaponized capitalism fashioned since the 1980s, but well acted and written. - Westworld. Flawed but interesting. - The Americans. Sadly just finished. Brilliant. - add Star Trek Discovery. Flawed but interesting.

Ron Reagan is an amazing guy.

David1955 comments on Feb 3, 2021:

This is turning up on MSNBC. I just saw it. He's seems like a good guy. Good to see.

I don't drink alcohol.

David1955 comments on Feb 5, 2018:

Yeah I'm with you on that one. Never had any problem with it but I decided years ago that alcohol as a chemical is really a poison that people take in small (sometimes not so small) doses mixed with other flavours. No way it does you any good, despite some believing that it does.

Judge warns Trump: ‘Inflammatory’ statements about election case could speed trial - POLITICO

David1955 comments on Aug 12, 2023:

With any hope, he won't listen. With more hope, he'll ignore the judge's warning and she'll find him in contempt of court and put him in the slammer. Let's hope.

Atheist = Depressed?

David1955 comments on Oct 22, 2018:

Depression to varying degrees, feelings of inadequacy, isolation, loneliness, disconnection from meaningful life, and even feelings of despair, are a characteristic of modern life. The reasons are complex, and explanations differ. But these feelings cut across all groups, religious and non religious alike. It's important to avoid the stereotypical thinking that somehow the religious are 'fulfilled' and happy because their deity or savour or cosmic duck 'loves' them. Newly minted weepy-eyed 'Jesus loves me' Jesus freaks aside, for their Jesus-self medicated 'joy' is temporary at best, they aren't. We are all in the same boat.

Why can't you go faster than light? - YouTube

David1955 comments on Jul 29, 2018:

I just wish scientists would say, we can't go faster than the speed of light, *from what we know now* and from what we can speculate at the present time. As science expands, who knows what we might discover. I also humbly suggest that the speed of light isn't the real question. To me the question is: might it ever be possible to travel the universe? Speed of light is a means to an end, not the end itself. Who knows, there might be wormholes and other things that might exist. Very likely the dream of travelling to the stars will never happen. We'll probably destroy ourselves or our planet in any case before getting that advanced. But maybe some species out there in the cosmos have done it, and the speed of light didn't stop them.

Let’s take a careful look at conservative means in theory and practice today.

David1955 comments on Nov 11, 2021:

Classical conservatism promotes limited government in people's lives and freedoms, protection of institutions and conventions, and cautious change to law, government power and individual freedom. What any of that has to do with the modern crazed lizard-brained fascist and authoritarian inclined class and power entrenching anti-democratic lunatics who now pass themselves off as 'conservatives', I have no earthly idea.

Trump and the correspondents dinner

David1955 comments on Apr 30, 2018:

Trump treats people and whole nationalities with contempt and prejudice, slanders and mocks people, and has not the slightest respect for anyone but his huge narcissistic ego, and then gets all precious when a comic turns the tables on him and his sycophants. What a friggen hypocrite.

I know there have been several messages about blocking.

David1955 comments on Jun 21, 2018:

Well, I don't block, I just ignore. But admin might want to know what change you have in mind. A warning to a member, perhaps? Don't know. The issue doesn't bother me. There are a few here that are concerned about the issue of blocking.

Atheists Are Brainwashed By The Scientific Method

David1955 comments on Jan 30, 2018:

Damn, I wish I had found this and added it to my "Dumb Religious Stories" series. Well, if you have to be brainwashed by something it might as well be science. It's a recurring religious theme that non believers "think too much".

Why can’t religious people understand that atheism isn’t a religion?

David1955 comments on Feb 14, 2018:

I totally, completely, absolutely, fully, comprehensively and overwhelmingly agree with you! If there is one thing that really blows wind up my skirt it is that comment from religionists. It shows that they understand neither religion nor atheism. And it's a put down that I have heard from religious people far too often.

It looks like the Scumbag of Hillsong has been ejected from the Lodge, and I am delighted!

David1955 comments on May 21, 2022:

Me too. My optimism in the ALP doing anything very good is low, but at least the age of ScoBlo is over.

A bit of news for tech nerds.

David1955 comments on Jan 22, 2024:

I don't know about this but personally I'm hoping for a purely Linux OS to run on Android phones. Indeed I'd like to have the real choice of a Linux phone. Android is Linux based but pure Google proprietary os. I'm looking to be completely non google and use Linux and open source on everything. Getting there, but alternatives to Android are limited.

Most attractive actor/actress? Or other well known face.

David1955 comments on Mar 23, 2018:

Living actresses, well I'm odd and I seem to likely idiosyncratic "B" actresses rather than “A” grade actresses. My big crushes are: January Jones (Madmen), God she’s gorgeous and there’s just something about her when she speaks. I like articles about her saying they can't quite figure her out. I like that. Also secondly, Olivia Munn (Newsroom), seriously gorgeously Japanese-American, and smart and unpredictable. I like that. No current ‘A' grade actresses do anything for me. Its about presence for me, not how successful they are. As for most beautiful of all time, including deceased, well that’s Goddess level and you’d have to check my profile for that.

New atheists are godless grifters? [salon.com]

David1955 comments on Jun 5, 2021:

It seems like I've been reading articles disparaging so called new atheists since they and the term became prominent in the early 2000s, and in that magazine, if I recall correctly, as well as others. Writers intent on this disparagement seem falsely to assume that if they attack the prominent atheists they somehow are landing blows against atheism. These articles come and go, and those of us with an ability to contextualise and critically assess recognise on the one hand the enormous contribution atheist activists have made, while knowing they are human beings, who have good days and bad days, sometimes, like we all do, express ourselves less well, and sometimes respond from emotion and even bias. To critics like these I always ask, 'How much impact or influence have you had in this world compared to the so-called new atheists? What have you done to foster a religion free secular world?" The answer, I imagine, is not much if anything at all. In short: a beat up.

Mitch McConnell said Rep.

David1955 comments on Feb 4, 2021:

You are one of the worst reactionary smoke blowers on this site. You blew endless smoke about Bernie last year. Now you're going to endlessly blow smoke about progressives this year.

Does anyone know what happened to site support?

David1955 comments on Jun 14, 2021:

Admin seems to be more interested in setting up new sites rather than enhancing this one, or so it seems to me. I've also been concerned about data leakage from this site to other sites. I feel that admin thinks the site name agnostic.com is too alienating and is looking for more vague middle of the road nondescript site names to attract a younger "big words scare me' age cohort. I suspect all this.

Among my Christian friends here in the Deep South USA I find there is a high correlation between ...

David1955 comments on Feb 21, 2021:

Believe in one myth makes it easier to believe in more. Also I suspect that despite their religious pretentions they are just right wingers at heart who reject anything in the modern world they don't like.

A rude awakening

David1955 comments on Dec 10, 2018:

Maybe time to tone down the criticisms of religion. It must be true: God doesn't have a sense of humour. :-) Hope the cat is ok.

This announcement may bring delight or dismay.

David1955 comments on Jul 29, 2019:

Surely banning here should only occur either after deliberate and repeated inappropriate behavior, or when found out to be engaging in deception, such as creating more than one membership. I would have thought.

Arguments against believers

David1955 comments on Dec 24, 2017:

I point out that overwhelmingly the reason why people believe in their God is because of where and when they were born, time, country, culture, family and so on, and had they been born at another time, place, culture, etc they would have believed in a different God. Yes, I know it's the "What if your wrong?" brilliant reply from Richard Dawkins a few years back, but it's such a fundamental argument and I have never heard a serious reply from a religionist.

Is it any wonder why both so called political parties seem to be one in the same!!! All we hear ...

David1955 comments on Jan 16, 2022:

That's how binary political party systems, essentially under the control of a riling class, operate. It ensures that only policies to the benefit of that class get done, with a few crumbs here and there to the populace.

The magazine is up and available but the color scheme is horrible and very difficult to read.

David1955 comments on Aug 31, 2020:

it looked good to me. I use the dark theme. So disappointed not to see Middleway's promised article on agnosticism. I was sooooo looking forward to it. Just have to wait I guess.

How can i tell in a good way to close friends to stop beleiving in ghosts?

David1955 comments on Feb 3, 2021:

Good luck. That's all I can say. People just double down and triple down even if full of doubts. That's my experience. However, if a friend admits to doubts, then a conversation can take place, you can make your points, and they can take it on board.

Definitely.

David1955 comments on Dec 26, 2019:

I assume this is a joke, not a real Time cover. Nice one though. Agent Orange, The Siberian Candidate, The Spy who came in from the hair dye. Vlad's squeeze.

I can't work out why people are upset Trump won't concede.

David1955 comments on Nov 10, 2020:

He uses all the weaknesses of the US system against itself. As it is so weakened he is able to do it. I wouldn't assume he won't succeed. This may be just the next act in the story of the transition to a US Banana Republic. The media, the gutless democratic party, and the bureaucrats huff and puff and he continues on as usual. I wrote here the day Biden was declared the winner that the US should brace brace brace! It amazes me that Americans just don't seem to understand how corrupt and internally weak their country is. One thing is sure: the age of US moral prestige in the world is over. Even if Biden manages to get in, it is clear that a powerful elite in America want the country to be a white autocracy, and they will just move to their next game plan. As an Australian, if Trump suceeds, we should withdraw from the US Australian alliance. We should not be aligned with a rogue state. They can take all their friggen' military bases with them as they close the door.

There is an overwhelming lack of evidence for the tooth fairy, pixies at the bottom of the garden, ...

David1955 comments on Jan 30, 2021:

No, and I don't believe in them *because* there is no evidence of their existence. Oddly enough, I apply the same standard to any and all gods, and have done so since I was a teenager and hence call myself an atheist. It seems a consistent logical position to me, and I was pleased to discover that many truly greater minds than mine agreed with me, like Bertrand Russell. Of course, it does help when you are *not* engaging in a subconscious form of Pascal Wagering, living in a thinly disguised fear that a god might get you one day if you're wrong, so better play safe and be an agnostic.

So far, only minions have faced Justice. Stay tuned.

David1955 comments on Jul 16, 2022:

Stay tuned, but don't get your hopes up. I wouldn't. It's always the minions in America, always. Always the monkeys, never the organ grinders. Been saying that here for years... after Trump became President... before and after Mueller.... now this Committee ...

I make a call to all the Australian & MeToo site members to read the following article and then ...

David1955 comments on Sep 25, 2019:

Truth is, Assange's actions, including with Russia, are highly questionable, but his treatment by the US/UK empire, of which Australia is a dupe, as is Sweden apparently (Oh how the morally high and mighty have fallen from its progressive days in the past) is appalling. Such hypocrisy. He's a scapegoat. Trump saying how he loved Wikileaks when it suited him, now he wants a kill. Australia, morally and ethically bankrupt as always, does nothing. The moral degradation of modern politics is a nauseating part of modern life.

I'm a Blade Runner nut.

David1955 comments on Mar 30, 2018:

I'm a Bladerunner fan too. I remember seeing the original in 1982 and nobody quite knew what to make of it. I still prefer the first theatrical release, voiceover and all, despite what they say. I like the noir quality. I saw the 2049 film. I don't think it needed to be made. That Ryan fellow is a boy in a man's role. Didn't cut it. Say what one may about H Ford, he's a man's man. Also, back in 1982 dystopian futures were a shock to think about and unsettling. Now, every second movie is dystopian, the world's stuffed, so just let the elites rule the world and get used to it, the movie industry tells us as the propaganda machine of capitalism. No thanks. I will always have a special affection and regard for the masterpiece of the original Bladerunner. The new film, like most sequels, was an attempt to make money, and it failed. I also hate to say this, but grumpy H Ford should retire. He's lost the moody charm he once had, and, his last Star Wars role an exception, his movies don't work now and aren't successful. Sorry to say.

"If you are somehow still wondering why Black, Brown, poor and young people - the Bernie Folx - ...

David1955 comments on Mar 5, 2020:

So true. I see these groups supporting Biden and I ask what do they have to lose from a Bernie Presidency and what do they have to gain from another do nothing Democrat like Biden? Nothing, in both cases. But Biden will beat Trump, some say, including here on this site. Are they serious? The clearly early dementia Biden (gives me no pleasure to say that) will be political road kill on election night. My prediction is that his mental infirmity will become obvious to all well before November and it will be too late. This train wreck will be unstoppable. As you suggest, even if Biden wins, it will be right wing US policy as usual.