The liberals running this website tolerate all kinds of crap from the Trump bashing left wing ...

David1955 comments on Jan 8, 2019:

Do you know the irony of this issue? For decades, conservatives have been in the ascendant, attacking progressive social and economic policies, imposing loopy free market fantasy economics on centre and centre left parties, attacking liberals, progressives and socialists personally, dismantling ...

David1955 replies on Jan 8, 2019:

@TheMiddleWay well, I agree with that. It doesn't have to involve abuse or shunning people. I haven't seen that myself. On the other hand Right Wing people often have no problem demanding tough or harsh measures as part of their 'philosophy', so maybe they should be a little less precious themselves in discourse.

The liberals running this website tolerate all kinds of crap from the Trump bashing left wing ...

FrayedBear comments on Jan 7, 2019:

Irrespective of political leaning the problem I usually encounter is people who want me to join their delusional beliefs and become another participant in their folies en masse. Few seem to understand that although they espouse agnosticism or atheism the religions whose methods they frequently ...

David1955 replies on Jan 7, 2019:

I would agree with you on some of those, but not the last.

The liberals running this website tolerate all kinds of crap from the Trump bashing left wing ...

David1955 comments on Jan 7, 2019:

If Conservatives, or more accurately reactionary conservative extremists, can't take the heat of this predominantly progressive kitchen, then I suggest they seek the comfort of some other reactionary conservative abode, *as I would, were I to find myself in a place where I felt out of place*. Such ...

David1955 replies on Jan 7, 2019:

@TheInterlooper unequal treatment? Oh give me a break. What is this, right wing persecution complex? Usually that's the Christian whine. Truth is, the site what it is. Adults saying their views, including right wingers if they wish. No one is suppressing them. The majority view is against them, like in the real world. History is currently against them. So it goes.

Hi all.

David1955 comments on Jan 5, 2019:

Why oh why are right wingers and religionists on this site? I would never spend my time on a right wing discussion group, or a religious one. Are they so insecure they feel the need to attack cyber windmills?

David1955 replies on Jan 6, 2019:

@TheMiddleWay Right Winged group.... Reactionary conservatism... You don't see the link? While my background in political philosophy certainly requires me to differentiate between Classical Conservatism, which has respected antecedents ( though I have never been a follower or admirer) nevertheless it is quite reasonable to point out that reactionary extremist conservativism, so called, is an evolutionary extension of this political philosophy from the Right. Conservatives themselves need to deal with it and return to values of respect for law, institutions, and rights, and cautious change. Also, I get your middle way thing. It's quite Buddhist too, having studied this religion and having lived for years in Thailand. The middle path avoiding extremes and all that. But I feel your middle path is more rightward than leftward, not so centrist, and your definition of extremism is too loose for me. You even seem to consider those of us who take a clear, consistent, unambiguous atheist position as sort of extremists. Simply not true of course. Finally, my earlier reference to you being a kind of moral compass of this community was a kind of humourous back handed compliment, which you obviously didn't get. Australian humour, I guess. We are like that.

Hi all.

David1955 comments on Jan 5, 2019:

Why oh why are right wingers and religionists on this site? I would never spend my time on a right wing discussion group, or a religious one. Are they so insecure they feel the need to attack cyber windmills?

David1955 replies on Jan 6, 2019:

@Humanistheathen I don't. But reactionaries should be called out.

Hi all.

David1955 comments on Jan 5, 2019:

Why oh why are right wingers and religionists on this site? I would never spend my time on a right wing discussion group, or a religious one. Are they so insecure they feel the need to attack cyber windmills?

David1955 replies on Jan 6, 2019:

@TheMiddleWay oh I forgot about your problem with humour. So :-) Also you might have noticed about the complaints about attacks from conservatives. This post was about that. Conservatives by definition are not the problem. It's this malignant form of reactionary conservatism that has emerged. I don't think they are conservatives at all but reactionaries. I'm sure you won't agree. But what's new.

Hi all.

David1955 comments on Jan 5, 2019:

Why oh why are right wingers and religionists on this site? I would never spend my time on a right wing discussion group, or a religious one. Are they so insecure they feel the need to attack cyber windmills?

David1955 replies on Jan 5, 2019:

@TheMiddleWay where have you been Middle? I've missed you. I thought perhaps you'd been in confession, explaining away your temporary flirt with agnosticism, making good with the Our Fathers and Hail Marys. But, no, here you are. It's good to have the moral conscience of the community back. Like Lisa in the Simpsons. Oh, and on the right wingers thingy, I just wonder what contribution they make here to prevent the echo. Not much, in my view, on either religion or politics.

At what "level" do your aspirations end?

David1955 comments on Jan 5, 2019:

What I am going to do is, when I reach level 8, assuming I do before I drop off the twig, I am going to get a shirt made with Unbelieve.Org on it. I decided it wouldn't be cricket to do it before reaching level 8. As an atheist, agnostic on my chest is a little problematic, and unbelieve.org still ...

David1955 replies on Jan 5, 2019:

@orange_girl just to be clear, I will have to get the thirt made here and paid by me. The site only provides agnostic.com tshirts, as I understand it. I don't think the site admin would object, since unbelieve.org is a registered domain name of the site and leads to this site.

At what "level" do your aspirations end?

Beowulfsfriend comments on Jan 4, 2019:

I'm a realist and I am in no hurry. I'm more than half way to an 8, so sure, I will get there as I am enjoying the journey.

David1955 replies on Jan 5, 2019:

Me too, the same. Although it feels like I've been level 7 since dinosaurs walked the earth. Oh well.

I write as an English observer across the pond.

Spinliesel comments on Jan 4, 2019:

And this comes from the country of Boris Johnson, Teresa May and Edward Miliband?

David1955 replies on Jan 4, 2019:

@Fernapple I'd pay to hear him in the dock charged with war crimes, for starters.

I write as an English observer across the pond.

Spinliesel comments on Jan 4, 2019:

And this comes from the country of Boris Johnson, Teresa May and Edward Miliband?

David1955 replies on Jan 4, 2019:

@Fernapple His loveliness goes on and on. Last I heard Tony Blair and Associates (Blair and Cronies) were gorging out on the international trough, still linked up with his political wet nurse, one William Clinton. Yes, Bush Jr only pretended to be religious. Crooked Tony was the real faith weasel deal.

I write as an English observer across the pond.

Spinliesel comments on Jan 4, 2019:

And this comes from the country of Boris Johnson, Teresa May and Edward Miliband?

David1955 replies on Jan 4, 2019:

Don't leave out Tony Blair, the sleeziest piece of political chicanery and sycophantic obsequious grovelizer ever to be a labour/labor PM anywhere in the western world, and I'm in Australia where we could mount our own candidates for the title with ease. I don't think any of our countries can be pointing fingers.

Gay people should not join Catholic clergy, Pope Francis says | World news | The Guardian

Sgt_Spanky comments on Jan 3, 2019:

I was raised a Roman Catholic from birth so I had a front row seat for the theater of the absurd that is religion. I attended church twice a week and was an altar boy for three years. The thing is; in all that time, no priest ever molested me despite pedophilia being rife in the church. I've ...

David1955 replies on Jan 3, 2019:

My story was similar. I did serve only as an alter boy once, at my brother's ordination to the priesthood, but that's another story. At 12 you just do what you have to. I didn't see any molestation either, and it's fair enough to say that not all priests were molesters. But the culture of this outfit is horrid. It's based on nonsense beliefs. The authority of the clergy is based on nothing. Back in the day they had an authority they didn't deserve, and this false authority was used to abuse young people. This false authority continues today, all the way up to this blabby Pope. It's got to end.

Gay people should not join Catholic clergy, Pope Francis says | World news | The Guardian

gsiamne comments on Dec 31, 2018:

I have read things that have said at least 40% of priests are gay. So, I would love to see that organization, cult, after that actually transpired.

David1955 replies on Dec 31, 2018:

I recall a scene from that ambiguous TV series The Young Pope. The Young Pope says to his Cardinal Consigliere, "Cardinal, we must get of all gays at the Vatican." The Cardinal has a look of aghast on his face. "But Holy Father, should we not be more... cautious in our approach?," he stutters, in full recognition of what this would mean. There'd be no one left! he thinks. "No, no," the Pope presses, "they must go." His Consigliere walks away, wondering how the hell to fix this. Drama, but about on the money. @ASTRALMAX

So much of what is billed as "news" isn't really factual news at all.

TheAstroChuck comments on Dec 29, 2018:

The US used to have an FCC policy known as the Fairness Doctrine, which went a long way towards insuring news was separate from opinion and from news-like entertainment. The Federal Communication Commission ended its Fairness Doctrine in 1987 under the Reagan Administration.

David1955 replies on Dec 29, 2018:

Yes, fundamental point. There used to be lines drawn between news reporting and news commentary and opinion, especially on TV. Now it's a blurred mess on most mainstream media. PBS still keep these separate quite well, but most people are glued to their commercial media of chosen bias.

The fastest growing group of people in the country has been measured as being those who have no ...

Deb57 comments on Dec 28, 2018:

This fascinates me. What is there about conservatism that would even appeal to an atheist?

David1955 replies on Dec 28, 2018:

Good question!

An interesting article on out growing religion and why those belief systems remain long after we no ...

David1955 comments on Dec 26, 2018:

For some, not all. There are those who go through the weening off period, and still have residue religious or mystical traits in them. I indeed call them residue religionists. New Age nonsense believers fall into this category, and some agnostics, I'm sorry to say. It's like they have a side bet on ...

David1955 replies on Dec 27, 2018:

@Surfpirate of course. This fear is what religions exploit and are built on.

The one thing that religion offers that secularism fails to equal is the transcendence of self, the ...

David1955 comments on Dec 25, 2018:

This post is a thinly disguised typical religious argument, namely that religion is about the "bigger" issues in life, the big profound questions, and fulfils our need to connect to something bigger than ourselves, while secularism is about our selfish selves and needs. Baloney. Philosophies are ...

David1955 replies on Dec 25, 2018:

@rcandlish certainly there are. Science deals with them. Philosophy deals with them. They are raised and addressed by a multitude of physical and social sciences. Religion, based on fairy stories and mythology, does not. What religions do is recycle and rehash and dumb down serious issues raised by credible fields of human inquiry, wrap them up in theological clap trap, peddle them as fraudulent religious snake oil, and take the money. Religions evade the big issues, not deal with them.

Flint is still without water because it's too expensive.

David1955 comments on Dec 24, 2018:

That's 5 billion, taint it? If he could build the damn thing for 5 mil I'd say give it to him, to shut him up like a spoil brat wanting an ice cream.

David1955 replies on Dec 24, 2018:

@LadyAlyxandrea no argument from me. I've never seen such political stupidity in US history.

Conflating possible with probable

David1955 comments on Dec 22, 2018:

Well of course all this is depressingly and reality-checkingly true. But I ask how can we statistically determine the likelihood that alien species elsewhere, that have been around far longer than we, may have invented faster than light drives, mastered worm-hole travel, or discovered pathways in ...

David1955 replies on Dec 23, 2018:

@greyeyed123 yes, interesting points. Reading it a couple of times I couldn't disagree. I admire the Professor's posts a great deal, however I can't find it in me to think that because something seems highly improbable that we should consider it as virtually impossible. We can't even be sure what evidence of aliens might be, your point I think, our science fiction fantasies notwithstanding, so I refuse to be optimistic or pessimistic but open to any real evidence.

Xmas in Australia.

David1955 comments on Dec 22, 2018:

Except for those, like me, who prefer an air conditioned house, turkey, vegetables, pudding, and iced honey lemon tea, followed by good coffee. We're not all the stereotype. :-)

David1955 replies on Dec 23, 2018:

@MsDemeanour you're right, although it's not always as Anglophile as that at Xmas.

Conflating possible with probable

David1955 comments on Dec 22, 2018:

Well of course all this is depressingly and reality-checkingly true. But I ask how can we statistically determine the likelihood that alien species elsewhere, that have been around far longer than we, may have invented faster than light drives, mastered worm-hole travel, or discovered pathways in ...

David1955 replies on Dec 23, 2018:

@TheAstroChuck noted, but haven't you moved from your original post subject, namely the probability of aliens visiting us, to another, specifically the probability of our species surviving much longer, of which I know you have great doubt? The fact that we're not smart enough to outgrow our primitive political and economic thinking doesn't prevent me from thinking that maybe other species elsewhere might have and have gone to explore the Galaxy. Also, as an aside, I have long thought, though it's pure speculation, that aliens, if they exist, haven't contacted us because they are smart enough to know to keep the hell away, and just study us and our path to destruction. I figure if they are smart enough to travel the universe, they are smart enough to analyse and predict species types. Imagine, Intergalactic Data Base. Species - Human. Third Rock from the Sun. Conclusion: Just another loser species in the galaxy. Sad.

Ruth Bader Ginburg has 2 cancerous tumors remove from her lungs.

Della comments on Dec 22, 2018:

I often wonder when I see posts like this. What is your vision for America? How do you think it should be? Youre an old man. Do you even care anymore? Are you just excited to watch it burn?

David1955 replies on Dec 22, 2018:

That's about the size of it. Old angry right wing guy syndrome clinging on to the past... God I'm sick of it. We need more angry old left wing guys clinging to the notion of a better fairer future.... like Bernie... and me!

Ruth Bader Ginburg has 2 cancerous tumors remove from her lungs.

David1955 comments on Dec 22, 2018:

Well, why not. A corrupt, fraudulent, unrepresentative, gerrymandered Senate, representing a fraction of the population, supporting a predominantly white oligarchy, rigging your Supreme Court to enforce a Right Wing reactionary agenda of a minority over a progressive majority. Let's hear it for ...

David1955 replies on Dec 22, 2018:

@BD66 I was referring to the absurdity of a state like California with a huge population having the same number of senators as little states. Absurdly unrepresentative. As Stephen Colbert has said often, why the hell are there two Dakotas? It's a gerrymandering that favours small conservative lower populations over larger ones. As your political analysts have said, the Senate has this huge amount of power drawn from small vote base.

Gay people should not join Catholic clergy, Pope Francis says | World news | The Guardian

DavidLaDeau comments on Dec 5, 2018:

Why did he not say that pedophiles should not join the clergy?

David1955 replies on Dec 13, 2018:

@DavidLaDeau Quite Right. The Catholic Church can rightfully be condemned, historically, theologically, and organizationally, but gross generalizations about Catholics, or even all priests, serve no useful purpose. The purpose of this post was to point out the hypocrisy and absurdity of the Pope's statement with respect to homosexuals.

The Year of the Woman just roared in Trump's Oval Office - CNNPolitics

engineer6582 comments on Dec 12, 2018:

You must have watched a different meeting than I did. I saw Trump deliberately create a show that he benefited from. It wasn't sexism. It was politics.

David1955 replies on Dec 12, 2018:

So you didn't see him mansplaining and setting himself up for any blame for any shutdown. Politics, but bad politics.

The Year of the Woman just roared in Trump's Oval Office - CNNPolitics

Dhiltong comments on Dec 12, 2018:

Was that actually Pence himself sitting there, or just a wax figure.......

David1955 replies on Dec 12, 2018:

I heard his favourite movie is Breakfast at Bernies. :-)

Human Ancestors Were Nearly All Vegetarians ...

David1955 comments on Jul 9, 2018:

I've always wondered, if we are meant to eat meat, why do we have to cook it first? Does your cat or dog need a steak cooked medium to well done? Nope.

David1955 replies on Dec 11, 2018:

@AnneWimsey @CoastRiderBill. Yes, well, what little meat I eat, white only, I'll cook thanks. Remember that Ape in 2001 A Space Oddessy, tearing into that raw flesh.....er, no thanks. :-)

I think I owe Mr Mueller an apology.

seattlepanda comments on Dec 9, 2018:

My two-cents... I would like to commend the Mueller investigation for the extraordinary professionalism shown in the past year. Often, I have felt frustrated by the uninformed speculation of the politicians and press. I would wish for something tangible coming out of the actual investigation. But...

David1955 replies on Dec 9, 2018:

I agree. Mr Mueller may very well feel the weight of history on him, knowing that history will judge everything he does in this role. So he's doing it by the book.

I think I owe Mr Mueller an apology.

TheAstroChuck comments on Dec 9, 2018:

Yup. One key question is how will Mueller play his hand in the face of potential tRump pardons to be handed out like candy?

David1955 replies on Dec 9, 2018:

A big question, but even that can get him into trouble. There's got to be a limited. Pardon his family, himself? The US would like a joke.

Gay people should not join Catholic clergy, Pope Francis says | World news | The Guardian

A2Jennifer comments on Dec 8, 2018:

Problem is that the clergy, because of the rule of celibacy, specifically attracts men whose sexual inclinations are not accepted by the church. If you can’t marry a woman and make a bunch of Catholic babies (because you’re gay), and you can’t live as an openly gay man (because of the church) ...

David1955 replies on Dec 9, 2018:

Considering that *everyone* knows that the RCC has high numbers of priests who are same sex attracted, even if non active, it makes the Pope's statement even more ludicrous. Since by implication the Pope's statement suggests that heterosexual but non sexually active priests are acceptable, it follows that his view is that there is something wrong with gay men for no other reason than their sexual orientation. Unless of course the Pope's view is that only males with no sexual orientation at all are acceptable, in which case he needs to do some serious reading about human sexuality. The logic is quite clear here.

Ok all of you trump haters here something for you to enjoy.

MLinoge comments on Dec 8, 2018:

Just out of curiosity; does that make you a Trump lover or Trump indifferent or something else?

David1955 replies on Dec 8, 2018:

@48thRonin so far he's only hurt himself? Tell that to the people affected by his economic policies. Sooner or later his debt will hurt a lot of people. Hopefully, a more progressive President will direct that pain to the rich, like tax increases and the end of perks. I think of that book written about Trump called something like Everything Trump Touches Dies, or similar. I hope that doesn't include the USA.

A hypothetical: Suppose @admin is sick of agnostic.

Cutiebeauty comments on Dec 5, 2018:

You really shouldn't tag admin multiple times in a post.... One is enough especially if you want him to address your post.

David1955 replies on Dec 5, 2018:

Good point.

Just saying.

David1955 comments on Dec 5, 2018:

I confess, as as Australian, I've never worked out the difference between Republican and Libertarian. Methinks the latter is a Republican who has read too much Ayn Rand. :-)

David1955 replies on Dec 5, 2018:

@BD66 now that's heavy!

It has just been brought to my attention that every post I make at Agnostic.

LetzGetReal comments on Dec 5, 2018:

I am Humanist and am equally pissed. Regardless of something being free, this is violation of privacy.

David1955 replies on Dec 5, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay for once we agree. :-)

It has just been brought to my attention that every post I make at Agnostic.

LetzGetReal comments on Dec 5, 2018:

I am Humanist and am equally pissed. Regardless of something being free, this is violation of privacy.

David1955 replies on Dec 5, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay if that is true, then the opt out feature that many of us chose on this issue is a fraud.

Gay people should not join Catholic clergy, Pope Francis says | World news | The Guardian

DavidLaDeau comments on Dec 5, 2018:

Why did he not say that pedophiles should not join the clergy?

David1955 replies on Dec 5, 2018:

@DavidLaDeau Yes. All sins are equal, but some sins are more equal than others.

Say hello to Mr lizard who lives under our house

David1955 comments on Dec 5, 2018:

We've got a Blue Tongued lizard in our garden. A real gentleman. I call him Lester. He's very dignified and keeps a low profile, though it's kind of hard for him to do otherwise. :-) He's totally relaxed around us, and attends to his business. He knows it is safe here for him. What species is ...

David1955 replies on Dec 5, 2018:

@powder fine looking lizard. We have nasty small brown incredibly dangerous snakes on our coast, though a lot of blue tongue lizards as well. They say lizards don't keep snakes away, but I'm still happy to have Lester around. I truly like lizards.

Gay people should not join Catholic clergy, Pope Francis says | World news | The Guardian

DavidLaDeau comments on Dec 5, 2018:

Why did he not say that pedophiles should not join the clergy?

David1955 replies on Dec 5, 2018:

Actually, if you deconstruct this nonsense, the logic is that homosexuals are not suitable as clergy because they are not "respectable" and something is wrong with them, and maybe they will mollest children, which is ridiculous, and ignores the huge number of children of both sexes that are victims of clergy. From my experiences raised as a Catholic a lot of priests are really gay, but that didn't mean they were child abusers. What the pope should say is, they shouldn't have celibacy in the priesthood, and attract low caliber people, whatever their sexual orientation, who are frustrated and have power over young people.

Gay people should not join Catholic clergy, Pope Francis says | World news | The Guardian

EricJones comments on Dec 4, 2018:

A world bishops meeting, last month, released a statement that said other denominations accept gays (and other LGBTQ) and they should go to those churches instead. Just point blank homophobic. They still demand that it's a curable disease.

David1955 replies on Dec 4, 2018:

Or "fashionable". This Pope can mutter all he likes about "not judging" and acceptance of nonbelievers and alike, but it is the official policies of the church and not his ramblings in interviews that really count. I just wish kitchen Catholics would understand this.

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David1955 comments on Dec 3, 2018:

Ha! One day we will get a PM in Australia of vision and fortitude and courage, but not any time soon, and not in my remaining lifetime I suspect. Still the personal destiny fulfillers line up for those keys to the Lodge.

David1955 replies on Dec 4, 2018:

@Triphid no argument from me, on any of that. Let's add Pig Iron Bob and the atom bombs. "When they came to test their atom bombs, the Australians stood much closer than the Poms." :-)

Gay people should not join Catholic clergy, Pope Francis says | World news | The Guardian

Riley comments on Dec 4, 2018:

I’ve said that since he first got appointed. If you know how the Popes are chosen and you understand the catholic organizations’ motivations then you can easily cut through the bullshit.

David1955 replies on Dec 4, 2018:

Yeah, me too. I do think the mainstream media are beginning to wear thin on this Pope's spin. The recent abuse allegations and cover up to the highest levels have played a part. What they don't report are stories about his clamping down on any progressive elements in the RCC. They're hardly radicals, but trodden down are they.

[scontent.fbne6-1.fna.fbcdn.net]

David1955 comments on Dec 3, 2018:

Ha! One day we will get a PM in Australia of vision and fortitude and courage, but not any time soon, and not in my remaining lifetime I suspect. Still the personal destiny fulfillers line up for those keys to the Lodge.

David1955 replies on Dec 3, 2018:

@Triphid I remember 1975 like it was yesterday. I went to uni because of Whitlam. I have previously said on this group that there have only been 2 PMs in the past 50 years of vision. One was Whitlam, and his legacy continues to today, destroyed as you described. The other was Howard, on the right, which I loathed, as his vision was a right wing Australia. All the rest both parties have been personal destiny fulfilled, with nary a thought between them, including Hawke.

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DragonDust comments on Dec 3, 2018:

I'm just saying the leader of the opposition has been held by the same person for 5 years. Also John Howard may be the last PM that served a full term but he was still a shitty PM. It'll be interesting who will be the first president when we officially become a republic though. Also. Still funny.

David1955 replies on Dec 3, 2018:

I admire your optimism on the republic. :-) Truth is, we have two right wing main parties, centre right (Labor) and centre far right (Liberal - - with a kamakazi lunatic right fringe) both peddling the same policies, and the hatred between them is not that they are wide apart, but they are the same on most things, shouting to drown out each other's same message, and engaged in personal wars, since they have nothing else. In political science it's called twiddle dee twiddle dum, electoralism politics. Such a system can only produce short term totem pole leaders who don't last long. It happens when all meaningful ideology is dead. Worse, unlike the US and UK left parties, there is no mechanism in the ALP for popular mobilisation to challenge this, and Australians generally are passive and compliant, as Donald Horne tried to convey but was misunderstood in the Lucky Country.

Gay people should not join Catholic clergy, Pope Francis says | World news | The Guardian

valeriean comments on Dec 2, 2018:

"Gay people should not join Catholic clergy" I mean, I would agree with that, just for different reasons (it's a hostile environment and a kooky religion).

David1955 replies on Dec 2, 2018:

Well, yes, but the Pope's logic is wierd anyhow. A Catholic priest is supposed to be celibate. So, if a priest had homsexual leanings, but remained celibate, then wouldn't that be a "good" thing from his perspective? It's all so crazy. Dig into this and it's the same antiquated moralistic Christian rejection of human diversity and sexuality, typical of an outfit on the wrong side of history but not yet dead.

My points have been stuck at 65,032 for about a day now.

stinkeye_a comments on Dec 2, 2018:

I am hoping for the booby prize of longest interval spent at level 7. ;)

David1955 replies on Dec 2, 2018:

I could give you a run for your money on that one. :-)

The 4th National Climate Assessment by the US government that was released the day after ...

David1955 comments on Nov 30, 2018:

I remember in 1998 meeting a computer science guy who'd had a tech company, was very successful, very technically informed and computer fluent. He had sold everything, lived in a backwater, and waited for the Y2K bug disaster to come. He lectured me for hours about the apocalypse to come: the planes...

David1955 replies on Nov 30, 2018:

@TheAstroChuck Hmm.. You've turned my point against me, and quite well too, I have to confess. Some Y2kers were predicting doom, no matter the preparation. Human projections for the future are generally notoriously bad. Just look at economics, the so-called social science of the economy. My view has always been, even if the projections prove incorrect, we should still clean up energy, the environment, and the rest, for all the benefits that would follow. I fear, however, you are right, and we past the tipping point, and capitalism simply can't deal with it.

What is Socialism? [counterpunch.org]

sfvpool comments on Nov 30, 2018:

"Socialism is the doctrine that man has no right to exist for his own sake, that his life and his work do not belong to him, but belong to society, that the only justification of his existence is his service to society, and that society may dispose of him in any way it pleases for the sake of ...

David1955 replies on Nov 30, 2018:

@Amisja ditto

Another Attack on Atheism from the Right: "Atheism as Bad Religion" [nationalreview.

TheAstroChuck comments on Nov 29, 2018:

I think the decline of religion is a symptom of a pending collapse of society, not the cause. In his seminal book, *The Collapse of Complex Societies*, Joseph Tainter (1990) examines 11 schools of thought about the root causes of collapse. He finds the typical decline in morals & religion towards ...

David1955 replies on Nov 29, 2018:

Yes, though I do think the causes are both positive and negative. I think there is an inexorable link between technological progress and decline in religion and growth of secularism, the Star Trek vision thing, if you will, but also we live at a time of loss of belief in certainties, both real and imagined, the latter like religion. What amazes me is that conservative religionists, like this writer, continue to think that decline in religion is caused by those terrible lefties and atheists, failing to see that growth of non religious people and secularism in the West is a symptom of bigger picture issues. Theirs is such a narrow perspective.

Another Attack on Atheism from the Right: "Atheism as Bad Religion" [nationalreview.

LucyLoohoo comments on Nov 29, 2018:

She wants to discuss ''cults?" GREAT! Let's talk Scientology, Johovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholics, etc.

David1955 replies on Nov 29, 2018:

Indeed. Indeed. Religions *are* cults, just big ones and little ones.

Assange's threat to the Corporatocracy's MSM PR machinery is something they can't allow.

David1955 comments on Nov 25, 2018:

Ok, this is what I don't understand. I was an admirer of Assange. I like whistleblowers exposing the sins of governments, the military, corporations and other structures of power. But someone explain to me how Assange helping the Republicans, Trump puppets, and undermining H Clinton and so on, was ...

David1955 replies on Nov 26, 2018:

@Jolanta please re-read what I wrote.

Hello Aussie sceptics! I am an American (don't hold that against me please).

Coffeo comments on Nov 26, 2018:

The thing is, in Australia you don't generally have to explain your views to anyone else. I've lived in Australia for 45 years and the number of times anyone has asked me what I do or don't believe could be counted on the fingers of one hand. (Well, OK, maybe the thumb as well.) It really would be ...

David1955 replies on Nov 26, 2018:

Amen to that and pass the amunition. :-)

ok who can explain these very odd American elections?

David1955 comments on Nov 5, 2018:

America is not a democracy, in any real sense, and never has been. It's an oligarchic republic, under the rule of a mainly white military industrial corporate state complex, which, under threat, is resorting to minority right wing rule to maintain its power against the changing racial and cultural ...

David1955 replies on Nov 25, 2018:

@ponderingatheist yes, probably sadly true. And this is exactly the numbing down of the population that autocrats thrive on, whenever autocrats exist.

Atheism is a myth.

TheAstroChuck comments on Nov 24, 2018:

As @brierbasstard said, try looking up the definition of atheist prior to misusing the phrase. Atheism only means that person does not believe. It has nothing to do with knowledge. The word you probably should have used is "antithesis." Moreover, we just went through this discussion. I ...

David1955 replies on Nov 25, 2018:

@lerlo I care not for your tone, your muddled bombastic thinking, or your false definitions, so, goodbye. The overall negative tone of the replies to your trolling post says it all.

Assange's threat to the Corporatocracy's MSM PR machinery is something they can't allow.

David1955 comments on Nov 25, 2018:

Ok, this is what I don't understand. I was an admirer of Assange. I like whistleblowers exposing the sins of governments, the military, corporations and other structures of power. But someone explain to me how Assange helping the Republicans, Trump puppets, and undermining H Clinton and so on, was ...

David1955 replies on Nov 25, 2018:

@Jolanta what did he reveal that I didn't want to know? Whistleblowers can reveal corruption, lies, deception, cover ups, disinformation, etc to their heart's content, even if it affects those we thought better of, as long as the goal is the greater good, telling the rest of us, and getting the history right. It's whistleblowing from those who are pawns of even worse figures that I disapprove of, playing us in some bigger game than is worse than the whistle blown information.

Atheism is a myth.

TheAstroChuck comments on Nov 24, 2018:

As @brierbasstard said, try looking up the definition of atheist prior to misusing the phrase. Atheism only means that person does not believe. It has nothing to do with knowledge. The word you probably should have used is "antithesis." Moreover, we just went through this discussion. I ...

David1955 replies on Nov 25, 2018:

@lerlo if someone says "prove it" I say I don't have to prove a negative. I also don't have to prove that fairies *don't exist*. People making claims have to prove them. People not believing those claims are not obliged to disprove them. It's science. This claim that atheism is a belief system is old and discredited, usually peddled by theists. Why are you wasting our time?

Assange's threat to the Corporatocracy's MSM PR machinery is something they can't allow.

David1955 comments on Nov 25, 2018:

Ok, this is what I don't understand. I was an admirer of Assange. I like whistleblowers exposing the sins of governments, the military, corporations and other structures of power. But someone explain to me how Assange helping the Republicans, Trump puppets, and undermining H Clinton and so on, was ...

David1955 replies on Nov 25, 2018:

@genessa yeah, that's right, but I don't think he started out like that. So, I come back to my question about what happened, to him and WikL. I think his emotions corrupted his thinking, and now he's hopelessly compromised, politically, I mean, apart from the sexual allegations, which are a different matter.

Assange's threat to the Corporatocracy's MSM PR machinery is something they can't allow.

David1955 comments on Nov 25, 2018:

Ok, this is what I don't understand. I was an admirer of Assange. I like whistleblowers exposing the sins of governments, the military, corporations and other structures of power. But someone explain to me how Assange helping the Republicans, Trump puppets, and undermining H Clinton and so on, was ...

David1955 replies on Nov 25, 2018:

@Mortal yes, I think at some point Assange crossed over from whistleblower and spanner in the works thrower, to revenge seeker, and his judgement was impaired, his goals compromised, and his role negative and not helpful to transparency. He got lost. As an Australian I dislike seeing him abandoned by our US grovelling governments -- all types. But I can't feel support for his actions as I once did. Perhaps in the end he's an anarchist.

Atheism is a myth.

jlynn37 comments on Nov 24, 2018:

A-theists have reason, logic, evidence (or lack of), facts and data, self-determination.

David1955 replies on Nov 25, 2018:

@lerlo yes, and let's not forget that many notionally claim to be religious because to admit to atheism can be very disadvantageous to them. Negative stereotypes of atheists abound, as well as discrimination, especially in the US I suspect. Apparently virtually 100% of politicians in the US are religious, or so they say. If you can believe that. These figures of people who claim they believe in God should be treated with caution. For many professional people, I suspect, it is easier to remain behind the "religious" line. Coming out clearly as non religious can take real courage. Sad to say. @TheMiddleWay

Atheism is a myth.

TheAstroChuck comments on Nov 24, 2018:

As @brierbasstard said, try looking up the definition of atheist prior to misusing the phrase. Atheism only means that person does not believe. It has nothing to do with knowledge. The word you probably should have used is "antithesis." Moreover, we just went through this discussion. I ...

David1955 replies on Nov 25, 2018:

Professor, I need to pick up on your point that atheism is somehow a belief and has nothing to with knowledge. Perhaps I misunderstand you, but this is often a criticism made by agnostics against atheism, falsely, namely that atheists, like theists, have a "belief", and knowledge has nothing to do with it. I am an atheist precisely because there is no evidence for *any* God. Bring me some evidence and I'll look at it, I say to religionists. Theists, alternatively, have a faith-based belief, meaning it is non evidenced and non rational. They see that a positive. I certainly don't. I don't think we should believe definitively in the existence of *anything* without evidence, be in Gods or UFOs. Would you criticize me for being an atheist and indifferent to knowledge or evidence? I would very much hope not. Thanks.

Is it against site rules to have two accounts?

David1955 comments on Nov 24, 2018:

It's a form of deception and shouldn't be tolerated. How many such people are believers, I wonder? I've always had the view that this shouldn't be a site for believers.

David1955 replies on Nov 24, 2018:

@Shouldbefishing from the beginning of the site there has been discussion about this point. I agree with you, but there are others who prefer a more inclusive policy, and admin has stated that believers are not excluded, providing appropriate behaviour is observed, and it is their site and I respect that. I don't see the point of believers being here, myself.

For those who will meet up with family (and friends) this holiday season, here's some advice from ...

David1955 comments on Nov 20, 2018:

I watched his show and he made a really good point about core Trump supporters. If they haven't woken up by now, they won't, so don't waste your time arguing with them. He's right. It's like religious people. The more you press them, the more they dig in. If their brains are going to rewire, it's ...

David1955 replies on Nov 20, 2018:

@whiskywoman oh dear. Sorry to hear it.

Right Wingers and Ayn Rand.

altschmerz comments on Nov 19, 2018:

I have a friend who is very generous and has always struggled to get by, and yet she is an Objectivist. And she is very intelligent. It puzzles me.

David1955 replies on Nov 19, 2018:

Like the lady I saw on CNN whose parents had been progressive. She seemed a sensible person, but because of Rand she still supports Trump. Truly confused thinking.

Right Wingers and Ayn Rand.

Lucy_Fehr comments on Nov 19, 2018:

I haven't studied her or even read much about her but have heard references to her enough to understand what she is about. I also read recently that near the end of her life, she did in fact receive assistance from those programs she so detested the rest of us having

David1955 replies on Nov 19, 2018:

Why does that not surprise me. It's always amuse me that right wing people I've known who hate welfare and public programs and so on and go on and on about it, but if there's a lurk, perk, benefit, subsidy or hand out going, they're right in there getting it. They are always deserving, but no one else is, apparently.

One more note on how a President respects the military - at of time, personal comforts, or ...

David1955 comments on Nov 10, 2018:

And yet millions of Americans have voted for him, twice in effect, including millions of women, and it boggles the imagination to consider why.

David1955 replies on Nov 11, 2018:

@MsDemeanour yep. Mine came out mid 19th C, both sides. One family side the boat wrecked off the coast and they scrambled ashore. I've been following in the family tradition ever since - wreckage followed by survival. :-)

One more note on how a President respects the military - at of time, personal comforts, or ...

David1955 comments on Nov 10, 2018:

And yet millions of Americans have voted for him, twice in effect, including millions of women, and it boggles the imagination to consider why.

David1955 replies on Nov 10, 2018:

@MsDemeanour ooh, black humour. I like it. :-)

As a conservative atheist I feel like I am alone in this world socially and romantically

David1955 comments on Nov 8, 2018:

So, you've worked through your thinking on religion, but maybe political-economic thinking is still a work in progress. The key questions to me are: what is it about progressive ideas that alienates me, and is conservatism really consistent with atheist values and seek a non-religious world? I know ...

David1955 replies on Nov 8, 2018:

@Cardinal93 well, one can draw reasonable conclusions about the meaning of conservative. If that offends you then take the time to write a full post explaining what your question is, and defining yourself in a way that is clear and unambiguous. If you write a loaded, vague post then you can hardly complain if people comment based on a reasonable interpretation of it.

The mid term elections won't stop Trump.

David_Cooper comments on Nov 7, 2018:

He looks a safe bet for two terms now, but hopefully neutered, so he'll just spend the next six years sitting on his potty and having tantrums.

David1955 replies on Nov 7, 2018:

I seriously doubt that. He will be much more dangerous.

The mid term elections won't stop Trump.

Cutiebeauty comments on Nov 7, 2018:

He's been blaming democrats since day one of his presidency and especially Obama and Hillary... Nothing has changed except now democrats have the house. It's very good progress. And more women have a voice. I'm a little suspicious about the motivation of this posting....

David1955 replies on Nov 7, 2018:

@Cutiebeauty don't be ridiculous. Read my profile and my politics. Of course the greater the power the more a group can be blamed. That's Trump's style. Yes, the democrats will generate a lot of heat, and my prediction is he will turn that to his favour. I'm simply not prepared to allow any illusions about this evil proto-nazi President of the US to cloud my reality assessment of how he exploits the weakness of the US system or the American psyche. Despite initial appearances, he's has come out of this election undiminished, indeed the opposite, and I'm beginning to read more analysis today recognizing this, and not from Trump apologists. Rather than questioning my motives like some kind of conspiracy theorist, I respectfully suggest you watch the future and see if I'm right. Personally, I'd love to be wrong, but I've lost confidence in the US system's ability to counter him. It's a bit like reading about the rise of Hitler during the Weimar Republic in the 1930s.

The mid term elections won't stop Trump.

genessa comments on Nov 7, 2018:

not so. first of all, although the senate is still in charge of confirming nominees, all budgetary bills have to be initiated in the house, and the bills trump wants will NOT be initiated. yes, he will blame the dems. TOO BAD. and the house committees can investigate trump, demand his taxes, ...

David1955 replies on Nov 7, 2018:

Totally agree on both gerrymandering and vote suppression. It's appalling for a first world order country, more fitting a tin pot dictatorship. As for the other, hope you are right. But Trump's skill is to see every weakness and go for the jugular, without compunction. Your system is simply not equipped to deal with this level of amoral ruthlessness, I've come to see that. The next or new thing is always going to bring him down, it is said, but they never do.

The mid term elections won't stop Trump.

Marionville comments on Nov 7, 2018:

It is disappointing that he has increased his majority in the Senate. Congratulations on the Democrats gaining so many seats in the House.....especially all the new young women.

David1955 replies on Nov 7, 2018:

Yes, all good. But I believe he will turn this to his advantage, despite this being seemingly counter intuitive at this stage. What he lacks in intelligence and vision, he makes up for in pure evil rat cunning.

The mid term elections won't stop Trump.

Cutiebeauty comments on Nov 7, 2018:

He's been blaming democrats since day one of his presidency and especially Obama and Hillary... Nothing has changed except now democrats have the house. It's very good progress. And more women have a voice. I'm a little suspicious about the motivation of this posting....

David1955 replies on Nov 7, 2018:

What suspicion? I loathe him. See my comment above. Yes, he's been blaming them, but they had no power. Now, theoretically they will, and hence they'll make better scapegoats. If the last two years hasn't sunk in with the millions who continue to worship him, I cannot see how the next two years will make any difference.

The mid term elections won't stop Trump.

RiverRick comments on Nov 7, 2018:

Of course he will blame Democrats for everything... He has since Day 1. Dems have subpoena power now and will be able to get to the bottom of lots of things. Mueller will be coming out strong! Don't be a buzzkill!

David1955 replies on Nov 7, 2018:

Really hope you are right. But all I've heard about Trump since 2015 is that the next thing will stop him or bring him down, during the campaign, over the past two years. Truth is, he's what Bruce Lee called broken rhythm against an opponent of structure and form - the US system - and broken rhythm wins always. They keep throwing punches at where he was, not where he is or will be. While subpoenas linger on, he'll jump around to the next position, out manoeuvring. And I think the idea of Mueller as saviour of the Republic is fantasy. Sorry. Hope I'm wrong.

ok who can explain these very odd American elections?

Triphid comments on Nov 5, 2018:

IMO, IF anyone can actually explain in plain language how, exactly the Seppo Presidential Elections work I'll be truly astounded. I've NEVER heard of a more Screwed Up system that calls itself a Democracy than the American System.

David1955 replies on Nov 5, 2018:

You are right, because the framers never believed in democracy, even in a representative form.

If you support shutting down a site because it's members are allowed to promote anti-semitic views ...

hippydog comments on Oct 31, 2018:

" How is promoting "Jews are the root of all evil!" different from promoting that "Religion is the root of all evil!"? " > one group in your example has never tried going around and killing the other group..

David1955 replies on Nov 1, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay authoritarian regimes repress and kill all kinds of people - dissidents, political opponents, those they consider undesirable, like gay people, and atheists, and intellectuals, and the list goes on, including religious people no doubt if they challenge authoritarianism. Are you suggesting these are anti religious regimes that just kill believers? Come on. Are you really buying into that famous Christian persecution complex? Of course Nero threw Christians to the lions as well. What people don't know is that he threw all kinds of people to the lions. All most people remember or know about now are the Christians.

If you support shutting down a site because it's members are allowed to promote anti-semitic views ...

Orbit comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Historical context matters. Agnostics don't have a history of vandalizing Christian buildings, or gassing Christians in ovens.

David1955 replies on Oct 31, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay worry about what? What is your great fear of people who say, like me, that I they reject religion as atheists, and also affirm that religion should be actively challenged, *intellectually and argumentatively* which is what anti theism is. No vandalism or violence. And when did antitheists gas Christians? Perhaps you are thinking of Nazis who gassed Jews, headed by Hitler, who was a Catholic.

Do you find it a bit daggy when well known people, or anyone really, get to a senior age and then ...

DenoPenno comments on Oct 31, 2018:

Walter Brennan (of Real McCoys) did the same thing. Randy Travis went religious after his long top record career slowed up and he was so much into alcohol. Rather than follow them in fear, my studies got rid of my invisible friends.

David1955 replies on Oct 31, 2018:

@PalacinkyPDX yes he was. The day In 1968 MLK was murdered Brennan was on a set and started dancing as he thought it was such "good" news.

Gab.

Admin comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Perhaps change their minds with reason and upstanding? :)

David1955 replies on Oct 31, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay oh, I think a lot of people here have learnt to decode and deconstruct your views, and would agree with me. More importantly, in this thread you attempted to pivot the discussion from this Gab to make a comparison with anti theism, and you were called out, correctly.

Do you find it a bit daggy when well known people, or anyone really, get to a senior age and then ...

Donotbelieve comments on Oct 31, 2018:

Oh, no. Not Sir Anthony Hopkins! I am greatly disheartened.

David1955 replies on Oct 31, 2018:

Yep.

Gab.

Admin comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Perhaps change their minds with reason and upstanding? :)

David1955 replies on Oct 30, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay *While the anti-semite might say: Anti-semitism is not a hatred of people, but a rejection of judeism and all the misery it has brought to this world..* Sophistry and false equivalence, your usual trademark. A racist *might* say anything in defence of their racism. Antisemitism is a hatred of race and ethnicity, pure and simple. It is racism. Anti theism involves no hatred of a people, race or ethnicity. It is a rejection of theism and desire to see it disappear from the world, as bad ideas do. Your sometime interesting contributions to this site are detracted by these rants of sophistry and false equivalence. I am no more convinced by them than I am by your alleged agnosticism. Oh, of course Richard Dawkins is antisemitic as well. Yes, and he was behind the Grassy Knoll in Dallas in November 1963, don't you know?

Gab.

Admin comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Perhaps change their minds with reason and upstanding? :)

David1955 replies on Oct 30, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay "*Consider that that hardcore anti-semite is no different than the hardcore anti-theist: they both have strong opinions that they don't want "the other" on this earth, they both hate "the other" and, usually, those views are expressed peacefully*" Appalling false equivalence, but typical of you. Why didn't you throw in your usual anti Dawkins line just for good measure. Anti theism is not a hatred of people, but a rejection of theism and all the misery it has brought to this world, and an active approach to challenging it in every way.

Hello Agnostics! I’m glad to have stumbled on this site.

BestWithoutGods comments on Oct 28, 2018:

Not all here are agnostics. Some of us are atheists. Welcome. What are "secular recovery folks"? Are you looking for psychological support? Or something else?

David1955 replies on Oct 28, 2018:

Indeed, and more than some. It's more like welcome to a mostly non religious community. The site name, like it or not, gives the false impression of an agnostic community, and it's far broader than that.

If you could have any sci-fi gadget or technology, what would you choose?

Fernapple comments on Oct 26, 2018:

A teleporter, love travel hate airports.

David1955 replies on Oct 26, 2018:

With you on that one.

If you could have any sci-fi gadget or technology, what would you choose?

KKGator comments on Oct 26, 2018:

I think I'd like to have the Millennium Falcon.

David1955 replies on Oct 26, 2018:

@KKGator I think you want to be Han Solo, a good hearted space pirate. :-)

If you could have any sci-fi gadget or technology, what would you choose?

David1955 comments on Oct 26, 2018:

A tachyon beam emitter, like they have on Star Trek. Not sure what it is, but it seems to fix anything. It gets you out of all scrapes, makes bad dudes go away, makes things work, and it's like a Swiss Army Knife in the universe, according to the ST episodes. One for the house, boat, car, and even ...

David1955 replies on Oct 26, 2018:

@godef yes but bigger, more flexible, and solves just about any problem, if you watch ST TNG particularly. My understanding is that a tachyon particle is a theoretical particle that moves faster than the speed of light. Exactly why it solves problems I do not know, but it does, seemingly, and I'd like one. :-)

If you could have any sci-fi gadget or technology, what would you choose?

KKGator comments on Oct 26, 2018:

I think I'd like to have the Millennium Falcon.

David1955 replies on Oct 26, 2018:

No, I'd like one of those Imperial twin wing fighters, you know the ones I mean. They make a whiney sound, but great for buzzing around the solar system. The Falcon looks like it needs a lot of maintenance. Not my thing.

Atheist Award to Stephen Fry [forbes.

PalacinkyPDX comments on Oct 26, 2018:

"True atheists"... as opposed to? Giving awards for eloquently not believing in something is silly.

David1955 replies on Oct 26, 2018:

Well, it's my view that they are some non believers in religion here who aren't quite as non believing as they could be.

Atheist Award to Stephen Fry [forbes.

AnneWimsey comments on Oct 26, 2018:

Arm wrestle ya for it?!

David1955 replies on Oct 26, 2018:

You'd win. :-)

Atheist Award to Stephen Fry [forbes.

powder comments on Oct 26, 2018:

@Admin I nominate the author of this post

David1955 replies on Oct 26, 2018:

I'm shocked and humbled to be nominated...

If you could have any sci-fi gadget or technology, what would you choose?

ScienceBill72 comments on Oct 25, 2018:

Any type of light saber with the swordsman ship the use it perfectly

David1955 replies on Oct 26, 2018:

I don't think so. Drop one of those babies in your lap and you'll be singing a higher tune forever. :-)

The Republican agenda:

dan325 comments on Oct 24, 2018:

I'll never understand why anyone who is poor, working class, or middle class would vote Republican. And yet, many of them continue to do so.

David1955 replies on Oct 24, 2018:

I've never understood why working people or anyone of modest means votes conservative, *anywhere*. I've come to realize that it's like belief in religion. It's doesn't come from the reason side of the brain, but the emotional side, which is reason impaired. Why support political parties that have your interests *least* in mind? Beats me.

Democrats, Progressives, and Bernie...

PontifexMarximus comments on Oct 21, 2018:

As much as I appreciate Bernie, but he deserves to retire.

David1955 replies on Oct 22, 2018:

@PontifexMarximus no argument there.

Democrats, Progressives, and Bernie...

PontifexMarximus comments on Oct 21, 2018:

As much as I appreciate Bernie, but he deserves to retire.

David1955 replies on Oct 22, 2018:

I think what he needs is a successor, or successors, to follow in his footsteps, progressives who stand for clear policies and motivate voting progressives. He needs to Bernieize the Democratic Party. Long may he continue, but Father Time grants no one an exception.

The World's Newest Major Religion: No Religion As secularism grows, atheists and agnostics are ...

ShuMei2018 comments on Oct 20, 2018:

I would like to see atheism embrace people of color and women better

David1955 replies on Oct 20, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay I'll say this, Middle. The day I read a unambiguously supportive and positive comment from you on this site about the growth of *non religious* belief in the world, is the day I start drinking strong liquor. I've never drunk strong liquor in my life, and quite sure I never will.

The World's Newest Major Religion: No Religion As secularism grows, atheists and agnostics are ...

ShuMei2018 comments on Oct 20, 2018:

I would like to see atheism embrace people of color and women better

David1955 replies on Oct 20, 2018:

@IAMGROOT I concur. It's typical of Middleway to claim agnosticism but attempt to subvert any positive story the rise of non religious belief. One has to deconstruct his commentary in such posts. If there is a link between white privilege and this issue, it is between white privilege and Christianity, especially in the US.

Neocons, neofascists, and tRump supporters, seem to be incapable of making cogent arguments or for ...

David1955 comments on Oct 19, 2018:

In other words, the groups you refer to are not followers of reason, but ideology, theology, and faith based thinking, from which the worst human actions and behaviour results. We don't all have to be trained scientists NOT to think this, however. It is true that the decline in reason in modern ...

David1955 replies on Oct 19, 2018:

@TheAstroChuck fully concur on all points. Historians like Hannah Arendt on totalitarianism show us how economic collapse and transformation link to fascism and similar. A lot of figures on economies these days are bogus. Governments peddle this crap. The real figures concern disparity in wealth which get passed over. I also believe that at any one time around 20 to 30 percent of a population are fascist inclined. They favour simple solutions, glib cliches, 'strong' leaders, and scapegoats to blame. Usually they are dispersed across the political spectrum, or don't vote. Economic woes and a galvanising political autocrat and party bring them together. This makes a dangerous power block. Trump base is a prime example. You see it elsewhere now too. Anti democratic elites and plutocrats are always ready to take advantage of it. Progressive politics must find a way to respond. I'm not hopeful at the moment.

Mueller investigation: My Prediction.

dellik comments on Oct 18, 2018:

yeah, thats been my prediction all along. I would love to be proven wrong, but I expect a bunch of low level people that dont really 'matter' will see real time, a couple big names will get some time, and trump will walk all pretending we don't all smell the reek of shit on him.

David1955 replies on Oct 18, 2018:

That's about the size of it.

Pro-Life Argument "I do not believe that just because you're opposed to abortion that that makes ...

David1955 comments on Oct 16, 2018:

To which we might add that if conservatives and right wingers are so damned "pro life" it seems, why are they always the ones so willing to start wars, continue wars, whether justified or not, and to support any kind of speciously justified killing as "defending the country"? They don't seem very ...

David1955 replies on Oct 16, 2018:

@dan325 all completely true. Their hypocrisy is breathtaking.

Why does Agnostic.com only have less than 51,000 members ?

SeriouslyNobody comments on Oct 16, 2018:

Perhaps because the point system begets a ton of shitposts and lazy content? Of 51,000, I’d bet the active community is more like 10-15% of that. It’s a shame, because this *could* be a really cool site.

David1955 replies on Oct 16, 2018:

I think there is some truth to that.

Why are you here

KKGator comments on Oct 15, 2018:

I joined in the hope of finding community. I stay for the cookies.

David1955 replies on Oct 15, 2018:

Me too. Was that "cookies" or "kookies"? Haven't found too many of the former, but the latter are plentiful. :-)