David1955's Profile

Massive study of Australia's gun laws shows one thing: they work

Trajan61 comments on Feb 18, 2018:

There’s one big difference. In Australia you don’t have a right to defend yourself with a gun. In the US you do.

David1955 replies on Feb 19, 2018:

@Trajan61 Because I respect the US and its history and role in the world, and hate to see this mental deficient in the Oval Office, and it's our world he's a threat to.

Massive study of Australia's gun laws shows one thing: they work

Trajan61 comments on Feb 18, 2018:

There’s one big difference. In Australia you don’t have a right to defend yourself with a gun. In the US you do.

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

@MrControversy of all the arguments I have heard in support of guns, having them to fight in case your country falls under a tyrant is, to be polite, the least convincing. If a tyrant has the military and the police and other services under his/her control, then guns at home are not going to save you. One would hope that the services would oppose a tyrant anyway. I suppose in the age of Trump thinking about tyrants comes to mind. Better not to allow tyrants to get there in the first place.

What would you never pay for?

David1955 comments on Feb 17, 2018:

Trump memorabilia. Not even his glued on hair. Hell, I wouldn't take it for free.... Wait, there is one thing of his I would pay for: his impeachment documents.

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

@Jnei well he only looks like Dracula from some angles. The blood sucker aspect is about right, reading about his so called business skills sucking the life out of people.

How many republican atheists/agnostics are members of this website?

Redcupcoffee comments on Feb 17, 2018:

I'd put a gun in my mouth and blow my brains out before I EVER become a Republican. Fuck that.

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

@Coffeo yeah, that's true. When Menzies created the LP from the ashes of the UAP in 1944 it certainly was more centrist, Menzies having the sense to see that a UK style Conservative Party wouldn't fly here, most Australians not thinking of themselves as conservative, even if in fact they have conservative views on things. Over time the right wing parties generally have become gangrenous and regressive and anti modernist at their core, like the Republicans in the US. I have always thought a sizeable chunk of our conservatives calling themselves Liberal as strange, but the term is used politically globally with great variance. It does amuse me, however, when I hear Liberal Party people here say "l'm not a conservative. I'm a liberal!" Oh, right, sure.

Massive study of Australia's gun laws shows one thing: they work

Trajan61 comments on Feb 18, 2018:

There’s one big difference. In Australia you don’t have a right to defend yourself with a gun. In the US you do.

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

@jayneonacobb point here: the world moves on, cultures change, constitutions change, laws change, popular opinion changes, and a nation matures.

Massive study of Australia's gun laws shows one thing: they work

Trajan61 comments on Feb 18, 2018:

There’s one big difference. In Australia you don’t have a right to defend yourself with a gun. In the US you do.

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

@Druvius well I'd like to see some stats on that point about guns in Australia. And I'm pretty damned sure the number of hand guns and high capacity assault weapons ownership and alike would be very small. I'll check it out myself, lest there be a false generalisation spread here that gun reform in Australia had 'failed' and people have more guns now. Everyone here concedes the gun restrictions here have been a success. I loathed John Howard (PM 1996-2007) but he got that right.

Massive study of Australia's gun laws shows one thing: they work

Trajan61 comments on Feb 18, 2018:

There’s one big difference. In Australia you don’t have a right to defend yourself with a gun. In the US you do.

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

@Trajan61 it amuses me that you really think Obama was a left wing nut job. If you want to find real left wingers in your country look for the anti corporatist Democrat activists who are trying to rescue the Democratic Party from the right wing corporatists like the Clintons who have destroyed it. Obama falls into the conservative democratic wing as well, to the extent that he actually seriously believes in anything. I liked him, generally. But left wing he was not. Radical he was not. Establishment supporting, he was.

Massive study of Australia's gun laws shows one thing: they work

David1955 comments on Feb 18, 2018:

The big difference between the US and the Australia on this are, firstly, we never had the saturation and proliferation of firearms that they have in the US. There are so many guns in the US one wonders how they could ever deal with it, but even then starting with those hideous assault weapons would...

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

@Varn yes, because there is no public demand to reverse them. Politicians reflect public opinion; they want votes. The country overwhelmingly doesn't want them. On health, just a quick history lesson on that that. The struggle for health care wasn't easy. Labor Party here fought for it in the 60s, then was no national system. Labor brought in first national health in 1973-5. Conservatives opposed it all the way. Then conservative government after 1975 dismantled it. Then Labor government 1983 brought back second national health system, as always conservatives opposed. It has stayed but conservatives have done everything to whittle it down, but now the popular opinion is we want it and it's a negative now if conservatives threaten openly to cut it. It's in Right wing DNA to oppose national health. They hate public support for it. That's why your Republicans are determined to destroy Obama Care. Despite problems, it was becoming popular and accepted. They don't want it to become an accepted public service. Money spent on anything but on their rich elite friends is bad. Fighting the Right is two steps forward, one step back. Don't give up hope.

Massive study of Australia's gun laws shows one thing: they work

Trajan61 comments on Feb 18, 2018:

There’s one big difference. In Australia you don’t have a right to defend yourself with a gun. In the US you do.

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

You used have the right to own slaves. Now you don't.

How many republican atheists/agnostics are members of this website?

kiramea comments on Feb 17, 2018:

If I was a Republican I certainly wouldn't admit it on this site. There's too many people who equate Republican/conservatism with Trump. Though usually they go hand-in-hand, there are numerous people who are Republican and abhor Trump.

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

@kiramea Let's give The Donald a chance; at this rate he'll make Nixon look like a crook. :-<

How many republican atheists/agnostics are members of this website?

Redcupcoffee comments on Feb 17, 2018:

I'd put a gun in my mouth and blow my brains out before I EVER become a Republican. Fuck that.

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

I feel the same way about our right wing conservative party here in Australia, which, it will amuse you to know, call themselves The Liberal Party. Funny eh?

How many republican atheists/agnostics are members of this website?

Coffeo comments on Feb 17, 2018:

I have to say YES to both. I'm a republican, because I think the Queen has been Head of State for long enough. We need an Australian President. But also, I'm not affiliated with any political party. Oh wait, were you talking about US politics?

David1955 replies on Feb 18, 2018:

A little Aussie humour there. Me too, by the way.

What would you never pay for?

Anonbene comments on Feb 17, 2018:

A house.

David1955 replies on Feb 17, 2018:

Lucky you!

What would you never pay for?

David1955 comments on Feb 17, 2018:

Trump memorabilia. Not even his glued on hair. Hell, I wouldn't take it for free.... Wait, there is one thing of his I would pay for: his impeachment documents.

David1955 replies on Feb 17, 2018:

@silvereyes and nor does he have 7 f-ing dollars in the bank. I think his billions are as phoney as his hair.

Has anyone read the Communist Manifesto?

David1955 comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Studied political science and political philosophy at university, so yes, along with Marxism, not to be lumped in with Communism, in detail, aspects of which have influenced my thinking to this day. The more I see the world going, and the globalised weaponised capitalism that has evolved since the ...

David1955 replies on Feb 17, 2018:

@JadedSage No, communism grew out of and drew upon aspects of Marxism, and socialism has a complex historical and philosophical time line. As you read about these the differences will become clearer.

Has anyone read the Communist Manifesto?

David1955 comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Studied political science and political philosophy at university, so yes, along with Marxism, not to be lumped in with Communism, in detail, aspects of which have influenced my thinking to this day. The more I see the world going, and the globalised weaponised capitalism that has evolved since the ...

David1955 replies on Feb 17, 2018:

@JadedSage Very briefly, Marxism refers to the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, later developed by their followers to form the basis of communism. Communism evolved by the Russian Revolution into Marxism Leninism, a political ideology which aims to establish the communist society, which is a socioeconomic order structured upon the common ownership of the means of production and the absence of social classes. Socialism has many forms. The Wikipedia definition is not bad: " Socialism is a range of economic and social systems characterised by social ownership and democratic control of the means of production, as well as the political theories and movements associated with them. Social ownership may refer to forms of public, collective or cooperative ownership, or to citizen ownership of equity. There are many varieties of socialism and there is no single definition encapsulating all of them, though social ownership is the common element shared by its various forms." I am influenced by the philosophical, socioeconomic and historical analysis of 19 Century Marxism, but not Marxism Leninism which Marx had nothing to do with. (he was dead!) I am happy to call myself a democratic socialist, which emphasises a balance of public and private enterprise, with socially and economically desirable outcomes. You'll have to start reading up on your political philosophy! :-)

Has anyone read the Communist Manifesto?

Eirteacher comments on Feb 17, 2018:

I remember studying it when I went to college in one of the political science courses. The Communist Manifesto was written by Karl Marx and another German philosopher in the 1840's. They advocated changes for the common people. Such as private land ownership, public education, fair taxes, better ...

David1955 replies on Feb 17, 2018:

Yes, you're right. It's a historical document, from the younger idealistic Marx.

Online Employment - Community's Experiences

SaintChris comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Hmm. I'm a licensed high school history and music teacher, though i've been working in the private sector for the past decade. I write music, i write Facebook posts of novel length, and i'm working on my second e-book. I need someone who is familiar with e-publishing (i currently use ...

David1955 replies on Feb 16, 2018:

If the site could help connect people on employment and related, like here, that would be a useful addition to the site.

Online Employment - Community's Experiences

KKGator comments on Feb 16, 2018:

I've yet to find anything regarding "online employment" that hasn't been a scam. I'm not saying such opportunities do not exist, but I haven't found them.

David1955 replies on Feb 16, 2018:

Oh no, I'm working online in my own office, get paid monthly, all above board and I get to work with business people around the world learning English. So, there are opportunities, you just have to find them.

Online Employment - Community's Experiences

arnies comments on Feb 16, 2018:

There are tons of "work from home scams out there" just remember that no one is going to require you to send them money to allow you to work for them. Also the old adage, "Too good to be true" is a decent rule of thumb to go by,

David1955 replies on Feb 16, 2018:

Very true. All too aware of that.

Online Employment - Community's Experiences

Bloodswolf comments on Feb 16, 2018:

I work as a professional resume writer, academic writer, content writer, and business writer online. I, also, help businesses with their social media reach and blogs. I work from home for all of it. I work with companies from Malaysia, Canada, and the U.S. https://www.flexjobs.com and ...

David1955 replies on Feb 16, 2018:

Noted, thanks for the info. Doing less teaching and more writing is what I would like to do.

Online Employment - Community's Experiences

Knitfreak comments on Feb 16, 2018:

I do website testing for a site here: https://www.usertesting.com/users/sign_in It's not a lot of money but it's super easy. I've worked from home for over a decade for an internet security firm. Many companies are allowing remote employees these days as it saves money on office space, ...

David1955 replies on Feb 16, 2018:

Interesting.

Online Employment - Community's Experiences

mordant comments on Feb 16, 2018:

I've been an independent consultant in software design / development for over 30 years, and 95% of that has been full telecommute since the Internet became fast and reliable enough to support it, maybe 15-plus years ago. Currently I have just one client but I've been working with them for 10 years ...

David1955 replies on Feb 16, 2018:

Yeah, I would have thought SW design would have lots of opportunities online. Wish it was one of my skill areas.

Online Employment - Community's Experiences

ASTRALMAX comments on Feb 16, 2018:

I have been thinking about online employment opportunities and wondering if anyone has any positive feedback about them? Perhaps we could have little forum here about online employment opportunities.

David1955 replies on Feb 16, 2018:

Great idea. Sharing info on this subject and related I think would be helpful.

The Roman's were jealous of Jesus and his popularity because they did not have it over the people, ...

Atheistman comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Jesus never existed

David1955 replies on Feb 16, 2018:

@chicagojcb Same thing happened Historian Tacitus, many suspect. The 'reference' in in Annals is highly questionable and a later insertion.

The choice is up to most of us as individuals.

AxeElf comments on Feb 14, 2018:

I would definitely like to have my children learning those things from God, rather than from the devil. "But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things]..." --1 Corinthians 2:15a (Amplified Bible)

David1955 replies on Feb 15, 2018:

@AxeElf you know Axy, you are quite good. I'm beginning to like you. A bit of theology, and bit of cosmology, a bit of divine insight. No evidence, of course, but then we are in the realm of religion. Who needs it, right? And just between us, I think God's a bit faulty too.

How do you change you profile from agnostic to athiest. I’m done playing make believe.

David1955 comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Just a question. What was it that brought about this change in your position? Was it the end of a process of thinking about the issue, or was there a final argument or proposition which influenced you? I am seriously interested, as there is a lot of discussion here (sometimes a little spirited) ...

David1955 replies on Feb 15, 2018:

@sillysketcher you're suggesting that this site was the turning point for you?

The choice is up to most of us as individuals.

AxeElf comments on Feb 14, 2018:

I would definitely like to have my children learning those things from God, rather than from the devil. "But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things]..." --1 Corinthians 2:15a (Amplified Bible)

David1955 replies on Feb 15, 2018:

@AxeElf So God's a lousy teacher. Got it. No, wait, it's all our fault, right? It usually is according to believers.

How to respond to the "God is energy" belief/claim.

CuriousCreature comments on Feb 14, 2018:

What kind of energy?

David1955 replies on Feb 15, 2018:

@HeathenFarmer Ah!

The choice is up to most of us as individuals.

AxeElf comments on Feb 14, 2018:

I would definitely like to have my children learning those things from God, rather than from the devil. "But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things]..." --1 Corinthians 2:15a (Amplified Bible)

David1955 replies on Feb 15, 2018:

God doesn't teach those things, looking at churches. But the godless do. You believe in the Devil too?

Always a party going on in Thailand! For two days the air has been filled the noise of exploding ...

David1955 comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Next get ready for Songkran in April. How to drown in the streets when it's incredibly hot and not a drop of rain. Now that's one to avoid. What a country!

David1955 replies on Feb 15, 2018:

@birdingnut I did all that sort of thing, almost got drowned with my gf going around the mote in Chiang Mai, but after a few years like a lot of expats there I would hide away until the evening. All just too crazy, and not a little dangerous. I guess it just wore off. I could show you a pic of me walking around with a water pistol that would have made Dirty Harry's day. TIT @walklightly

I'm coming to the realization that there are many liberals here.

David1955 comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Yes, I think you're right. Generally speaking, though not exclusively, non believers in religion are also progressive thinkers, or what you call liberals. It kind of goes with the territory. Not surprisingly.

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

@DavidLaDeau @jlynn37 Love the Faux News term. Cute. Wish I'd thought of it. Faux is more like situation comedy than news. Like Frazier, but with no humanity (or a Niles) :-)

Do you have a favorite outspoken atheist?

icolan comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Stephen Hawking, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Richard Dawkins, and the list goes on.

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

@icolan well I don't want to ruffle feathers here, but I have a problem with this term. If someone says they are agnostic, then I get generally where they stand. Same goes for atheist. But put these together I would have to ask a whole lot of questions about their position. So, the term for me is ambiguous. I could never say this about myself, without a major shift in thinking, and I can't imagine what that would be.

I'm coming to the realization that there are many liberals here.

DavidLaDeau comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Been a libertarian for about 30 years. Was an actual card holder for a few..

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

@DavidLaDeau Interesting. Duly noted. I'll have to do a bit of reading as well on whether libertarianism is used differently in the US context. The difference as always between literal meaning and colloquial use. Thanks.

I'm coming to the realization that there are many liberals here.

DavidLaDeau comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Been a libertarian for about 30 years. Was an actual card holder for a few..

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

Yes, I don't think libertarian and atheist are incompatible, unless it becomes a kind of anarchism, which for most it isn't. I think conflating libertarianism and conservatism is false. Would you agree?

What's your dream job?

DavidLaDeau comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Biblical historian, scholar, with an emphasis on the literary aspects of early Christianities. Great atheist carrier!

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

So you'd like to a sort of combination of Richard Carrier and Stephen Fry. I like it. :-)

I'm coming to the realization that there are many liberals here.

wordywalt comments on Feb 14, 2018:

You should celebrate the fact that we have sufficient diversity in thought on this site to have a healthy dialogue, providing that all are willing to be civil and agree to abide by the boundaries of rational discourse Yet, you want to create a group of "true believers" who only want to talk among ...

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

I don't see any problem with a conservative group here, if that's what they want. I know I won't be stopping by though.

Do you have a favorite outspoken atheist?

Jimikay comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Yeah, Seth MacFarlane

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

I only recently discovered him from the TV series Orville. What I see I like.

Do you have a favorite outspoken atheist?

Lliandra comments on Feb 14, 2018:

My favorite atheist is my daughter, who at 12 years old is single handedly trying to convert her whole Catholic school :D

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

Wow! You must be a great mother. What is the poor girl doing at a Catholic school?

How to respond to the "God is energy" belief/claim.

CuriousCreature comments on Feb 14, 2018:

What kind of energy?

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

@HeathenFarmer I'm not a theoretical physicist or cosmologist, but I don't think comparing God energy waffle to Dark Energy is quite fair. Dark Energy is part of a theory about the expansion of the universe and is being seriously studied by real scientists with respect to proof and existence. An hypothesis looking for proof. I've never heard of serious scientists searching for God energy.

Just started a group for spiritual atheists. If that's you, come by and join us!

David1955 comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Spiritual Atheists?"......Ooooohhhhkaaaay. Hey @silvereyes. You asked earlier about biting one's tongue? Here it is :-)

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

@Atheopagan let people be as they are WAS exactly the point of my post, you know, ooooohhhkaaay, whatever they want, fine. It's called humour. Guess it went over your head. Yeah, I wouldn't do psych analysis, if I were you, given how pompous and patronising you are, "if you don't understand you can read up and learn.." Anyway, goodbye. I'll leave you to your philosophy... Sorry religion.

Do you have a favorite outspoken atheist?

icolan comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Stephen Hawking, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Richard Dawkins, and the list goes on.

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

@MikeInBatonRouge True. It was just that the original post said Atheist, so I was replying literally. Yeah I wouldn't call myself an Agnostic Atheist myself. To me that would be fence sitting on steroids. But I've come to learn here that people call themselves all kinds of things, so...ok

Do you have a favorite outspoken atheist?

icolan comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Stephen Hawking, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Richard Dawkins, and the list goes on.

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

I'm not sure NDTyson is actually an atheist. He's notoriously vague about saying what he is. More agnostic, perhaps. Not sure.

Just started a group for spiritual atheists. If that's you, come by and join us!

David1955 comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Spiritual Atheists?"......Ooooohhhhkaaaay. Hey @silvereyes. You asked earlier about biting one's tongue? Here it is :-)

David1955 replies on Feb 14, 2018:

@Atheopagan don't be so fucking pompous, and learn to take a joke.

Just started a group for spiritual atheists. If that's you, come by and join us!

David1955 comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Spiritual Atheists?"......Ooooohhhhkaaaay. Hey @silvereyes. You asked earlier about biting one's tongue? Here it is :-)

David1955 replies on Feb 13, 2018:

@Atheopagan well, I don't have to, do I. With an authority on the subject such as yourself just click away, I have all I need. :-)

How often do you self-censor? Is it hard to bite your tongue?

noworry28 comments on Feb 13, 2018:

I work with a lot of religious Trump supporters, and I have to tune them out all the time. It is harder and harder for me to hold back.

David1955 replies on Feb 13, 2018:

Talk about a definition of hell!

How often do you self-censor? Is it hard to bite your tongue?

Fearlessfreep comments on Feb 13, 2018:

I'd say often. I'd fucking be cursing every other word if I didn't. And I work for a conservative company in a conservative state. You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a fucking right wing douche nozzle or a TV tuned in to Fox news. I've thought about bailing and moving to a blue state but ...

David1955 replies on Feb 13, 2018:

More power to you Sir.

More shit from the orange guy in the WH.

VictoriaNotes comments on Feb 11, 2018:

What's disconcerting is that most of his faithful followers will take him at his word. Even if Trump is aware of his own BS, he's confident his fans won't do a fact check.

David1955 replies on Feb 13, 2018:

@jayneonacobb cut middle taxes! That's a laugh. Even from Australia looking at your Trump we know he's cut rich taxes the most, and those middle class-lower class cuts minimal as they are will evaporate in a few years, while the richie's taxes will go on. Wake up friend! What class do you really think Trump represents?

More shit from the orange guy in the WH.

VictoriaNotes comments on Feb 11, 2018:

What's disconcerting is that most of his faithful followers will take him at his word. Even if Trump is aware of his own BS, he's confident his fans won't do a fact check.

David1955 replies on Feb 13, 2018:

The core trump brigade actually have more in common with a cult than a political movement. It's faith based. You know what it's like talking to faith based people. Facts, history, reality just don't matter. Their 'faith' is all that matters. Typically when people vote for a politician after a bit they'll say 'Well I like this but I don't like that about him or her." They weigh it up, good and bad. But not the Trump base. 'No!!! He's making America great again!....it's the fake media!... It's the swamp...."etc. It doesn't matter what you say. You can't criticise a cult leader to the followers, even when he's screwing them over, figuratively and literally. Either they wake up about a false prophet or they don't. Watching Trump basers in interviews I see pure cult. Now, the hard core republican types, they're different. They know Trump is pure dirtbag, but they don't care. If he manages to bring in the republican 'screw everybody over except the rich' agenda, then nothing else matters. Trumpism is faith-based politics, not political ideology.

I am curious of anyone here that reads this, what brought you here.

Jnei comments on Feb 12, 2018:

My handler at the NSA asked me to check out the dangerous radical free-thinkers on the site.

David1955 replies on Feb 13, 2018:

@Jnei I thought men in black looked for aliens? I suppose all those special agent guys are in black, come to think of it.

Ghosts are as mythical as God but what if an atheist believes in Ghosts.

Rugglesby comments on Feb 13, 2018:

I have lived in Oz all my life, have seen many strange things, we have yowies, bunyips and drop bears, but I have never seen a ghost.

David1955 replies on Feb 13, 2018:

Does Pauline Hanson qualify as one of those 'strange things'? (Sorry everyone, Oz humor)

I am curious of anyone here that reads this, what brought you here.

Jnei comments on Feb 12, 2018:

My handler at the NSA asked me to check out the dangerous radical free-thinkers on the site.

David1955 replies on Feb 13, 2018:

What's the pay like, and the fringe benefits? I guess you'll report back: "Nothing to see here";

Believer Bashing?

David1955 comments on Feb 12, 2018:

If you are referring to activity on this site, it is called agnostic.com, clearly for the non religious community, primarily but not exclusively. If believers can't stand the heat, then they should stay out this kitchen. They choose to be here. Go onto a religious site and spout atheism ...

David1955 replies on Feb 13, 2018:

@Dida I said nothing about defending bullying. Your post included no specific examples. Please cite some examples of what you are referring to. Your credibility is now is at stake, since you have raised this issue, and you have used terms like 'looking down' 'name calling' and 'bullying'. And since you are so concerned, I suggest you also refer these to @admin

Believer Bashing?

David1955 comments on Feb 12, 2018:

If you are referring to activity on this site, it is called agnostic.com, clearly for the non religious community, primarily but not exclusively. If believers can't stand the heat, then they should stay out this kitchen. They choose to be here. Go onto a religious site and spout atheism ...