David1955's Profile

Should there even be the concept of a "billionaire"?

ASTRALMAX comments on Apr 14, 2018:

I once worked for a mult-billionaire who rarely smiled and the only time that anyone could see the faintest glimmer of a smile was when he was reading the FT Index and his shares had risen.

David1955 replies on Apr 14, 2018:

That was probably an act just for you and staff. When out of sight he probably revelled in Rolls Royces, caviar, and the best call girls in town. :-)

Should there even be the concept of a "billionaire"?

Scoobs comments on Apr 14, 2018:

Wow...the jealously that exists in our world amazes me. The have-nots always demonize the haves rather than set it their goal to improve their own lives. You should really look into all of the good that most billionaires do in the world. They're not Scrooge McDuck, hoarding money so they can ...

David1955 replies on Apr 14, 2018:

You see this issue only as an insult to those individuals. The same old class jealousy argument. The real issue is economic systems that are out of balance and need intervention. Do you think billionaire class self regulation will ever happen? Oh and by the way, a lot of that billionaire generosity argument you use is an illusion. Clever accounting, trusts, foundations and all sorts of tricks means a lot of so called generosity is only money going between them and with every financial benefit ultimately going to them. The game is played always to their favour.

Why do so many people on here, especially the self-described atheists, spend so much time discussing...

David1955 comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Perhaps you might consider that for many here it isn't just that we have made up our minds about religion, but that we feel part of a movement that broadly and collectively aims to struggle against and challenge religion, working however we can in our own ways in pursuit of that struggle. So, it is ...

David1955 replies on Apr 14, 2018:

@marga I am very sorry to learn this. I couldn't have understood the context of your comment. I just make the point that I consider the term militant atheist, a term which was coined by believers, to be a compliment, though I prefer the term activist atheists. Militants and activists have lead the charge over the decades in changing attitudes about gender, race and other issues. Issues need militants to bring about change. That's how I see it. Anyway I wish you all the very best with your treatment.

VPNs.

ASTRALMAX comments on Apr 13, 2018:

See the following link in which the top 10 VPNs for April 2018 are reviewed. https://www.top10vpn.com/top10/

David1955 replies on Apr 13, 2018:

Thanks.

VPNs.

Nickbeee comments on Apr 13, 2018:

IVPN are a bit more money & highest encryption on market. Nord VPN are great and offer double VPN, Tor over VPN & a killswitch. Tiger are very good too & i currently use them. Consider using "Tunnelblick" as your VPN client rather than provided application. It's open source and highly secure. You...

David1955 replies on Apr 13, 2018:

I've used Tunnelbrick on my Mac. It hung my computer too often and lost connection too much. AIR have their own client which works better for me. I'll check about IVPN, thanks. I thought Nord VPN kept logs, but maybe that was Pure VPN. I'll check that too. Yeah, I check the dnsleak thing. That is important. Thanks the reply.

Why do so many people on here, especially the self-described atheists, spend so much time discussing...

ADistantShore comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Personally, I think the site should be even more critical of religion.

David1955 replies on Apr 13, 2018:

@marga your conditional sentence is in error. It is primarily, but exclusively, a site for nonreligious people, so one of its main purposes is to discuss religion critically. Why don't you just ignore posts about religion in the same way I ignore posts about issues that don't interest me. A lot of posts don't.

There is no agnostic vs. atheist! The peeve I have...

David1955 comments on Jan 20, 2018:

Excellent response @MichaelSpinler on this subject. I'm a little taken aback by a post that rails against people trying to "educate" others about labels while doing exactly that in the post. This issue has come about from a challenge from agnostics about the site and what it stands for. Having ...

David1955 replies on Apr 13, 2018:

@Kojaksmom not wishing to stir the pot about agnosticism, but I've had occasion recently to make this point, and I also state it here: I don't know why some agnostics say or assume that a God is unknowable. This is such an assumption. The easiest thing in the world would be for any God to make its presence known or knowable. A voice from the heavens and move a mountain 5 feet to the left. Easy. If any God exists, which I don't believe as there is no evidence, then it chooses not to definitively known or knowable. That's on God, not us. I refuse to say, God is unknowable, so I'd better be an agnostic. Any so-called God could be knowable if it wished.

Why do so many people on here, especially the self-described atheists, spend so much time discussing...

David1955 comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Perhaps you might consider that for many here it isn't just that we have made up our minds about religion, but that we feel part of a movement that broadly and collectively aims to struggle against and challenge religion, working however we can in our own ways in pursuit of that struggle. So, it is ...

David1955 replies on Apr 13, 2018:

@marga "I seriously doubt things will [get] better any time soon.... I won't matter to me, because I'll be dead." Perhaps it was dark humour, but it seemed defeatist to me. Things are getting better, but we need to keep up the effort against religion.... And so we come back to your post and people talking about religion which you questioned on this site. Full circle.

Why do so many people on here, especially the self-described atheists, spend so much time discussing...

David1955 comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Perhaps you might consider that for many here it isn't just that we have made up our minds about religion, but that we feel part of a movement that broadly and collectively aims to struggle against and challenge religion, working however we can in our own ways in pursuit of that struggle. So, it is ...

David1955 replies on Apr 12, 2018:

@marga the criticism of religion is about the religions, the nonsense they promote, the appalling things they do, not attacks on people. The attack against nonreligious believers is personal. You read it everyday in articles about atheists. So your comment is false equivalence, in my view. Your last sentence is defeatism. I don't agree. The growing rise of secularism and religious non belief particularly in the west is a clear trend. It's why religionists are so worried and why they attack atheism and atheists personally. So as long as I'm alive I'm not giving up hope. Do my bit. Wish I could do more.

Children.....I'm Home! ;-)

HippieChick58 comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Were you off on adventures? Welcome back. This is home, isn't it.

David1955 replies on Apr 12, 2018:

Hey HippieChick58, what happened to your pic? You've turned into a graphic. Miss the 'old you' :-)

I'm interested in what else you do in Oz in support of your non religious views?

walklightly comments on Apr 12, 2018:

I've never been the herd animal, not even the black sheep, more of a lonely wolf. I live in an area of more or less, but rather more, shallow spirituality of all nuances but the organised religious one. I call this the airy-fairy land. here I can proclaim my heathendom til the cows come home & no ...

David1955 replies on Apr 12, 2018:

Yeah, I get that. I'm not either. I'm not big on clubs and associations and so on, as I can stand people splintering and bickering in groups. I'd like attend an atheist event, like when Dawkins or someone arrives, but any affiliation I would be interested in would be loose.

The only one from Adelaide.

walklightly comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Welcome to the blaspheming gang, David!

David1955 replies on Apr 12, 2018:

Atheist ratbags? :-) The non Australian members wouldn't get that.

I am wondering why this site isn't called non-believers.com?

ejbman comments on Apr 11, 2018:

I disagree. I think that properly speaking, everyone is agnostic with regard to the issue of deities. We simply cannot know for sure. As I put on my profile, I am philosophically agnostic but culturally atheist. This means that I acknowledge it is impossible to know for sure, but also, that I regard...

David1955 replies on Apr 12, 2018:

@ejbman speak for yourself, not everyone. And BTW you keep saying God/s is unknowable. How do you know that? A God could make itself extremely knowable if it wanted to. A huge eruption in the sky, a thundering voice from the heavens, and move a mountain moved 5 feet to the left. Easy, for a God. That's why I am NOT an agnostic, as per your generalisation. I don't know if it's knowable or not. I don't care. I only care if there's evidence, and there's none. Atheist.

Being an agnostic site , how far does religious discussion get here?

Scoobs comments on Apr 11, 2018:

Despite it's name, I don't think this site is very agnostic :) This is pretty much an atheist site punctuated with a lot of new agers who believe in ghosts and aliens.

David1955 replies on Apr 11, 2018:

Yes, despite its name. :-) ..."ghosts and aliens.." and a few other things that bang and rattle in the night. :-)

“Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been ...

David1955 comments on Apr 3, 2018:

Christianity in its purest, viral, unrestrained form, is one of the worst memes in human history, a mental disease which has been broadly medicated, tamed, and ameliorated since the age of reason, but now seeks to reassert itself in its more original vile toxic form, and all people of reason and ...

David1955 replies on Apr 11, 2018:

@Silver1wun Indeed. Well said.

I am wondering why this site isn't called non-believers.com?

ejbman comments on Apr 11, 2018:

I disagree. I think that properly speaking, everyone is agnostic with regard to the issue of deities. We simply cannot know for sure. As I put on my profile, I am philosophically agnostic but culturally atheist. This means that I acknowledge it is impossible to know for sure, but also, that I regard...

David1955 replies on Apr 11, 2018:

@Freedompath then I would reconsider it. In the meantime I'm not going to call myself an agnostic about the thousands of gods humans have imagined over the millenia including Apollo and all the ancient gods. A logically consistent agnostic has to do that, as Bertrand Russell said, though in practice agnostics are atheist about all gods except the one they grew up with.

I am wondering why this site isn't called non-believers.com?

ejbman comments on Apr 11, 2018:

I disagree. I think that properly speaking, everyone is agnostic with regard to the issue of deities. We simply cannot know for sure. As I put on my profile, I am philosophically agnostic but culturally atheist. This means that I acknowledge it is impossible to know for sure, but also, that I regard...

David1955 replies on Apr 11, 2018:

@ejbman I've heard these arguments again and again here from agnostics about what is unknowable. I'm actually tired of it. I'm not pretending to know anything unknowable. I simply state that if I wrote "properly speaking everyone is an atheist" you would object. I'm rejecting the opposite statement. I wouldn't make a statement about what everyone "is" on this subject, and nor should you.

I am wondering why this site isn't called non-believers.com?

ejbman comments on Apr 11, 2018:

I disagree. I think that properly speaking, everyone is agnostic with regard to the issue of deities. We simply cannot know for sure. As I put on my profile, I am philosophically agnostic but culturally atheist. This means that I acknowledge it is impossible to know for sure, but also, that I regard...

David1955 replies on Apr 11, 2018:

No, everyone is not an agnostic. You can't make assumption like that. Atheists are quite clear. It's not a matter of whether we 'know' for sure, but what the evidence says, and on all Gods there isn't any.

Anyone listen to Zuckerberg today?

Charlene comments on Apr 11, 2018:

Exactly..I gathered he was a little light on details...

David1955 replies on Apr 11, 2018:

@Charlene it's the way of power and privilege, and it should be stood up to. The US govts treatment of Zuckerbergs today was so lame. Pathetic really.

Anyone listen to Zuckerberg today?

Charlene comments on Apr 11, 2018:

Exactly..I gathered he was a little light on details...

David1955 replies on Apr 11, 2018:

And a little light on business ethics too.

I am a former atheist, but after using psychedelics I have come to believe there is some form of ...

ASTRALMAX comments on Apr 10, 2018:

The only thing that mind altering drugs expand is the pocket of the manufacturer or dealer, they do not expand your mind but they do grossly distort your sense perceptions. Some people on LSD and other consciousness altering drugs believed that they were invincible and could fly, it was not long ...

David1955 replies on Apr 10, 2018:

Yes indeed. Linking back to the 60s, there are many things I like about that decade and attitudes, but not the drug mythology that abounded then. All those dead rock stars, for one, due to drugs.

What does karma really mean?

WileEQuixote comments on Apr 9, 2018:

Nothing. It's another fiction. Like God, if it existed why was Hitler able to kill millions before it "came around" many years later? Why are children raped and killed, many with their attackers never found let alone convicted? Why are some born into abject poverty and others fabulous ...

David1955 replies on Apr 10, 2018:

I like your hard cold reality take on this, and I agree. Good things happen to good people. Bad things happen to good people. Bad things happen to bad people. Good things happen to bad people. It's a jumbled up mess of contradictions and inconsistencies. Only silly religions using subjective human thinking wired on the basis of cause and effect assumptions that cannot be proven come up with ideas like karma, because it makes us feel better, gives us a false sense of meaning. Our brains evolved to think like this.

Do you trust the Mainstream Media?

Rugglesby comments on Apr 7, 2018:

Have not watched TV or read a news paper since 1988, so for all I know they may be wonderful and honest by now.

David1955 replies on Apr 9, 2018:

In that case, I've got some bad news for you Rugglesby. Bob Hawke is no longer PM and we lost the Republic referendum. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings. :-)

Then & now,...thoughts?

OpposingOpposum comments on Apr 6, 2018:

I think of this every time some asshat says "women in America have it good. There's no sexism here". I know damn well this kind of thing is waiting right under the suface and it wouldn't take much for us to go full "handmaids tale".

David1955 replies on Apr 6, 2018:

Though well made and acted, I only watched a couple of episodes of handmaids tale. Just too unsettling to watch. Of all the dystopian futures projected, a high tech new religious dark age is the worst for me, probably because huge numbers of right wing religious Christian crazies would like nothing better, with God everywhere and women on a leash.

Now level 7 yea! Actually don't care, but I am the guy that wears atheist t shirts whenever I go to ...

David1955 comments on Apr 4, 2018:

A word to the wise David. Never look desperate. Like, Ah, who needs that old agnostic Tshirt. 'Don't mean nothin' to me.' Who needs to be at level 8 anyway. It's just a Tshirt. Just ..a ..Tshirt. Just keep telling yourself that. That's what I'm doing. :-) BTW, who is your tailor for those ...

David1955 replies on Apr 4, 2018:

@DavidLaDeau thanks.

Hell?

LadyAlyxandrea comments on Apr 2, 2018:

Pope Frank is an interesting man. Many call him a fake pope, or the antipope. I wonder how a fake pope could exist considering they believe he is the holy babysitter appointed by God himself. Is it not blasphemous to question the man God himself chose to speak on his behalf? You and I both know all ...

David1955 replies on Apr 3, 2018:

@LadyAlyxandrea well, I don't see progress, only media spin, and even worse a camouflage for regressive activities at ground level. So, we'll just have to politely agree to disagree I guess.

Besides Agnostic.com what other websites do you spend time on?

David1955 comments on Apr 3, 2018:

If you mean social media, then none, other than this. I've just started looking at Atheist Republic to check that out. One Google+ group on my favourite star I contribute to. I use YouTube a lot. Other than that, it's info, news, wiki sites, sites for my teaching work, and some commercial sites I ...

David1955 replies on Apr 3, 2018:

@markdevenish yes, I see good content on AR but not a daily active community. This community here is unique.

Hell?

LadyAlyxandrea comments on Apr 2, 2018:

Pope Frank is an interesting man. Many call him a fake pope, or the antipope. I wonder how a fake pope could exist considering they believe he is the holy babysitter appointed by God himself. Is it not blasphemous to question the man God himself chose to speak on his behalf? You and I both know all ...

David1955 replies on Apr 3, 2018:

@LadyAlyxandrea you're right, point taken. I keep thinking that if there's anywhere where this Catholic spin should be called out, it's here on this site and this group. That's all. The mainstream just fall for it hook, like and sinker.

Yay!! Got my t-shirt today! Woot woot! ????

David1955 comments on Apr 3, 2018:

What's the deal on the Tshirt? Do you order it on the site?

David1955 replies on Apr 3, 2018:

Ahh! I see. Well, I'm not one of Pavlov's dogs, so I'll just continue here as always following my own drum.

Men, do you agree with this quote from Christopher Hitchens?

ASTRALMAX comments on Apr 2, 2018:

Hitchens spoke for himself and his own disgust of his “need” for women. So, I do not take his statement to apply to all men. I have never heard any man say that he is or was disgusted by his "need" for women. Hitchens made sexist comments about women having no sense of humour and changed ...

David1955 replies on Apr 3, 2018:

Oh, yes, you put it well. I liked Hitchens the atheist, but not as much as others, and I'm sorry he's passed away, but there were other aspects to him I liked much less, like statements like this, and his politics and his views on the Iraq War. You're right about his provocative approach. This statement is an example.

Easter movie?

ASTRALMAX comments on Apr 2, 2018:

The Life of Brian is one of my all time favourites and the whole movie can be viewed on Youtube. See the following lnik. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bkIbZ7o5P4

David1955 replies on Apr 2, 2018:

Now that's what I call an Easter movie. He's not the Messiah, he's just a very mythological figure.

Hell?

LadyAlyxandrea comments on Apr 2, 2018:

Pope Frank is an interesting man. Many call him a fake pope, or the antipope. I wonder how a fake pope could exist considering they believe he is the holy babysitter appointed by God himself. Is it not blasphemous to question the man God himself chose to speak on his behalf? You and I both know all ...

David1955 replies on Apr 2, 2018:

@LadyAlyxandrea meanwhile, if you'd just care to look a little away from the I Love Frank tv show, with Ethel and Fred in the corner perhaps, you'd see the same old Catholic reactionary policies in the developing world where it is expanding. Regressive policies on gay rights, contraception, family planning, child abuse reporting (or rather lack of it) gender equality, stem cell research, and just about everything else where progressive minds take us, not to mention the drilling into children guilt, sin, damnation, and eternal hell. All still going on, and indeed increasing, while the Frank Show in swing time draws the cameras away, with a succession of one-liners about gays, hell, and atheists - all nuanced by his handlers so nothing of any meaning is left, save for the fleeting headlines in the 24 hour news cycle, bereft of serious analysis. I know, I know, excuse me, right?

Extended Survey about Atheism - This survey is for atheists/non-believers/agnostics, etc.

AustinSkepticus comments on Mar 31, 2018:

I hope they appreciate some of my clever answers lol. For What do you think when someone says I'll pray for you? I said: "That's just Christian for screw you."

David1955 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

My answer was, if they say it politely I say politely please don't, and if they say it assertively I reply very assertively not to and that its patronising.

So tired of being alone on the weekends.

Rugglesby comments on Mar 30, 2018:

Don't have netflix or anything similar, I have the beaches and my gardens. I am alone 50% of the time which is insignificant and a good thing. Loneliness on the other hand. All people here are 1/2 my age even when the house is full. Ocassionally a friend my age will drop in when passing through the ...

David1955 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

Sorry I'm not closer Rugglesbury, or I'd drop by for a beer, or iced tea (I don't drink)

If you could talk to someone that has passed away, who would it be and what would you say to them?

Silver1wun comments on Mar 29, 2018:

I would talk with Dr. Wilhelm Reich and try to console him in his bitter disappointment in the expectation that fifty years from his death, he'd be a little better understood. He is in fact no better understood today than 60 years ago when his lifeless body was found in a prison cell where he died ...

David1955 replies on Mar 29, 2018:

Interesting man. I concur.

Jehovah's Witness was canvassing the neighborhood yesterday.

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Mar 28, 2018:

They haven't been by my house for a long time. The last time they were here, I gave a lecture about the history of Christianity. When I got to the Great Schism, their eyes were glazed over and they were willing to leave me alone. There is, however, a bunch of them who frequent a McD's where I go ...

David1955 replies on Mar 29, 2018:

Oh dear, there's nothing more likely to ruin a JW's day than a lecture on the history of Christianity. Well done.

What is the plural of Jesus?

David1955 comments on Mar 29, 2018:

When did Jesus become the SONS of God?

David1955 replies on Mar 29, 2018:

@Bierbasstard hah! Along with ancient texts they keep hidden which shows their Jesus story is all BS.

What kind of atheist are you?

Reignmond comments on Mar 29, 2018:

Atheist before Atheism was cool.

David1955 replies on Mar 29, 2018:

me too.

The Top 10 Ways to Avoid Becoming An Atheist June 20, 2015 [atombash.

gloriadeb comments on Mar 28, 2018:

Old habits die hard. At times, I think "he/she" is monitoring my thoughts. I have to remember it's decades of conditioning. Damn me.

David1955 replies on Mar 29, 2018:

Think of it this way: With universe of billions of galaxies and trillions of suns and doubtless trillions and trillions of planets and possible trillions of beings, why would a God care about your thoughts, or mine? That's my view.

What is the plural of Jesus?

David1955 comments on Mar 29, 2018:

When did Jesus become the SONS of God?

David1955 replies on Mar 29, 2018:

@irascible Well shit, if you can be borne of a virgin, turn water into wine, make bread from nothing, and come back from the dead, I guess becoming multiple versions of yourself is a walk in the park.

How are you gonna spend Easter Sunday?

birdingnut comments on Mar 29, 2018:

I probably won't even know when it is, as it's not celebrated in Thailand

David1955 replies on Mar 29, 2018:

Yes, Christmas and Easter pass there without comment, as I remember. So great.

Anyone Like Tarot Cards?

Rugglesby comments on Mar 29, 2018:

I like the cards, ie the pretty pictures on some of the decks.

David1955 replies on Mar 29, 2018:

I just did a quick reading for you Rugglesby. It seems you're going on a trip.... and you are in for a big windfall.. no wait, it's actually a big bill... sorry. :-)

What do think and feel when you watch Sagan’s, “Pale Blue Dot”?

davyjones comments on Mar 28, 2018:

Possibly the single greatest paragraph ever written. Nobody has ever summed up the whole of human existence more eloquently or concisely before or since.

David1955 replies on Mar 28, 2018:

You said it.

[facebook.

LimitedLight comments on Mar 28, 2018:

Facebook? What's that?

David1955 replies on Mar 28, 2018:

An discredited social media site run by a totally unscrupulous billionaire that people used to use. That's what I've heard. :-)

Australia

David1955 comments on Mar 27, 2018:

And here, but between you, me and the black stump I'd rather be somewhere else.

David1955 replies on Mar 27, 2018:

@FrayedBear yes, we are mostly a coastal urban and semi urban population but our projected image is that of the interior ("Outback") culture where comparatively few live. Australia is the only country I can think of where you could watch that country's films all day and learn virtually nothing about the reality of people living there. The reason is our movies are mostly about that outback myth, one way or another.

Australia

David1955 comments on Mar 27, 2018:

And here, but between you, me and the black stump I'd rather be somewhere else.

David1955 replies on Mar 27, 2018:

@FrayedBear Bali isn't my cup of tea. Went there once. I like northern Thailand.

Australia

Donto101 comments on Mar 26, 2018:

I thought Australia was a hoax. Lol http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2017/03/australia-is-not-real-it-s-a-hoax-facebook-star.amp.html

David1955 replies on Mar 27, 2018:

No, not a hoax, but an illusion. The illusion and that Australia is a place where the weather is perfect 24/7/ 365 days a year, everyone is rich and spends all day on the beach, no one is unemployed, everyone is happy, and it makes Nirvana look like Hell. We know this illusion from our politicians and the media who tell the world this. The REAL Australia is one where there is a lot of unemployment and underemployment, lot of it hidden by phoney govt stats, where there is homelessness, a cruel social welfare system for poorer people, but every kind of lurk, perk and subsidy for comfortable middle class and rich people, a lot of tax on lower and my average incomes but not on high incomes, where rich companies pay little or no real tax, where our government spies on us online with powers that even the US right wing lunatics would be surprised to learn, and to top it off we lock up refugee children for years offshore, physically, emotionally, and probably sexually abusing them, because we want make sure we are safe from these non white people that it makes us feel better to look down on. On second thought, maybe you are right and it is a hoax.

Just watched the 60 Minutes interview w/ Stormy Daniels. Thoughts?

crazycurlz comments on Mar 26, 2018:

Her lawyer is brilliant. He's totally making a name for himself and has enhanced her career. What does that mean for Trump/voters? It's not insignificant. It's all about the money. Trump's lawyer says he paid her off and Trump didn't reimburse him and that's seen as a way-over-the-limit campaign ...

David1955 replies on Mar 26, 2018:

Interesting

Just watched the 60 Minutes interview w/ Stormy Daniels. Thoughts?

TiberiusGracchus comments on Mar 26, 2018:

If Barack Obama was in this situation evangelicals and conservatives would be all over him as being a moral degenerate and ruining American values. But it’s Trump so...silence.

David1955 replies on Mar 26, 2018:

Yeah, evangelicals are so consistent aren't they. Hah!

I've recently noticed that rather a lot of people on this site support big government, and I just ...

LeighShelton comments on Mar 23, 2018:

NEVER trust anything a government tells you. question everything.

David1955 replies on Mar 24, 2018:

@Jnutter819 .so, I think you mean the military industrial corporate ruling elite, and it's minions, which runs your country, badly. With that broader definition I agree. I've said similar things myself.

I've recently noticed that rather a lot of people on this site support big government, and I just ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 23, 2018:

Some politicians are indeed corrupt. And many others are feckless, selectively blind, and/or enablers of their party leaders. This certainly applies to most Republicans today. However, those people should not be lumped together with bureaucrats. Politicians are elected to participate in the ...

David1955 replies on Mar 24, 2018:

@Jnutter819 yes as yours America, the country. I get your cynicism and frustration. Progressive as in a social democratic agenda. Like Mr Sanders. Eradication implies revolution or anarchism. That's extreme.

I've recently noticed that rather a lot of people on this site support big government, and I just ...

silvereyes comments on Mar 23, 2018:

If not government, who do you expect to lead? Who will supply required services? What will provide structure? Regardless of the system, there will be corruption. I think we need a less corrupt system, yes. The problem is that lying, cheating, and greed are the factors that allow people into ...

David1955 replies on Mar 24, 2018:

Yes indeed. People should think how much largesse there is from the private sector in their lives. Very little, I'll wager.

I've recently noticed that rather a lot of people on this site support big government, and I just ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 23, 2018:

Some politicians are indeed corrupt. And many others are feckless, selectively blind, and/or enablers of their party leaders. This certainly applies to most Republicans today. However, those people should not be lumped together with bureaucrats. Politicians are elected to participate in the ...

David1955 replies on Mar 24, 2018:

@Jnutter819 your Democratic Party needs to be reinvented as a truly progressive party. Some there are trying to that, especially younger people. The corporatised corruption of that party through the Clintons and their ilk is difficult to change.

I've recently noticed that rather a lot of people on this site support big government, and I just ...

LeighShelton comments on Mar 23, 2018:

NEVER trust anything a government tells you. question everything.

David1955 replies on Mar 24, 2018:

Same applies the the media, multinational corporations, the military, and all large structures of power. The irony is that these other large power structures have trained the public to automatically hate government, while giving them a free pass because they're not government. It's not government that is the issue: it's large human organisations of power, all of which should not be trusted, public or private.

Do you believe Atheism is a religion?

Hominid comments on Mar 23, 2018:

Calling atheism a religion is like: - calling bald a hair style - not collecting stamps is a hobby - abstinence is a sex position - off is a channel on the television - barefoot is a type of shoe - unemployed is a job

David1955 replies on Mar 23, 2018:

Damn, that's so good I'm going to steal... erh.. borrow it.

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

Scarecrow comments on Mar 23, 2018:

I have always had a special place in my heart for Sharon Tate. As for today, I have to say Nicole Kidman. And men...well, they are a dime a dozen, maybe Ryan Gosling?

David1955 replies on Mar 23, 2018:

Oh, I thought I might be the only Sharon Tate fan on this site. It's even in my profile. Life long grieving fan here. Contribute where I can on the Internet, including Flipboard. I would have said in my reply, but I thought the poster only meant living actors. They say all hetero males have a Goddess. She's mine. Older men than me, like born in the 30s and 40s, always say Marilyn M, but I never got her.

No gods for me thanks.

Freeman999 comments on Mar 22, 2018:

No gods for me thanks.

David1955 replies on Mar 23, 2018:

But what we need to know is, are you an atheist or an agnostic about them? Are you a Hatfield or a McCoy? (Hatfield here) :-)

The Historicity of Jesus?

luckytobealive comments on Mar 22, 2018:

Yes i got to read many dutch thoughts and articles about it on freethinker.nl And have a lot of ebooks concerning the myth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIxxDfkaXVY

David1955 replies on Mar 22, 2018:

Thanks for this. I enjoyed watching it.

The Historicity of Jesus?

Julie808 comments on Mar 22, 2018:

After reading several books by various authors regarding the historicity of Jesus, I agree with Richard Carrier that while we can't know 100% for sure, Jesus, as portrayed in the bible, was likely born of myth. I've taken an online course taught by Carrier and read several of his books, including ...

David1955 replies on Mar 22, 2018:

I haven't heard that. Could you give an example?

The Historicity of Jesus?

Rhetoric comments on Mar 22, 2018:

Also, Carrier's a pretty nice guy to hang out with. I had the chance to do that recently and enjoyed our conversations a lot.

David1955 replies on Mar 22, 2018:

Lucky you. I'd love to meet him.

The thing that bothers me about christianity is that most of it is centered around the afterlife.

kiramea comments on Mar 21, 2018:

I have heard quite a few people describe Christianity as a death cult. To be honest, I have to agree.

David1955 replies on Mar 21, 2018:

I most certainly agree.

Describe your love life in one word.

birdingnut comments on Mar 21, 2018:

Imaginary.

David1955 replies on Mar 21, 2018:

If there's one place where my love life was definitely never imaginary it was Thailand and the years I was there. But, that was me. :-)

Does anyone know of an elected politician who is atheist?

Rugglesby comments on Mar 20, 2018:

In OZ we have many, we even had a female atheist prime minister, yet the religious far out number them and are currently in power. We are going backwards, going far to the right, I cannot understand why.

David1955 replies on Mar 21, 2018:

@Rugglesby Yeah, but I kind of like the fact that we are a practical people, even if it does lend itself to blatant self interest sometimes. I do wish sometimes we were more a people of Principles. We are, of course, but they are mostly other countries' Principles. (UK, USA etc)

Today's atheists are bullies -- and they are doing their best to intimidate the rest of us into ...

DEricLee comments on Mar 20, 2018:

"Christians" have a desperate need to play the martyr, so they invent bugbears like the "aggressive athiest" to justify their own beligerence when faced with someone who tells them "Please don't preach at me. I've already heard it." (The quotes around "Christians" is quite intentional. I know some ...

David1955 replies on Mar 21, 2018:

Yes, martyrdom is in the Christian DNA.

Does anyone know of an elected politician who is atheist?

Rugglesby comments on Mar 20, 2018:

In OZ we have many, we even had a female atheist prime minister, yet the religious far out number them and are currently in power. We are going backwards, going far to the right, I cannot understand why.

David1955 replies on Mar 21, 2018:

@Rugglesby Fortunately, apart from a few who vote for Christian right "family first" candidates, I don't think Australians generally allow religion to affect their voting. For Australians, the hip pocket beats the Bible anyway. You know we had an election here in SA last Saturday, and the Christian Conservatives/ Family First party didn't do well.

Today's atheists are bullies -- and they are doing their best to intimidate the rest of us into ...

IAMGROOT comments on Mar 20, 2018:

The article author's "opinion" that we are dangerous is spot-on. Atheists are dangerous as hell because we are finally organized enough and a large enough minority to be heard after a few thousand years of having had to "sink in the mud" without being heard at all. He (and all religions) have good...