Fernapple's Profile

The greatest non-swearing British insults: 1.

SpikeTalon comments on Feb 7, 2023:

I'm fond of the terms rotter and wanker, the latter of which I believe is considered to be quite vulgar, lol.

Fernapple replies on Feb 13, 2023:

@SpikeTalon No I think it has the same meaning here, it is just that that is held to be the origin of it.

The greatest non-swearing British insults: 1.

SpikeTalon comments on Feb 7, 2023:

I'm fond of the terms rotter and wanker, the latter of which I believe is considered to be quite vulgar, lol.

Fernapple replies on Feb 13, 2023:

The first I have heard, refers to someone in the advanced stages of syphilis, when the body beings to decay. So it is quite rude, though I do not know how true the story is.

This bares repeating as often as it can be heard.

Pralina1 comments on Feb 12, 2023:

We r a joke 🙄

Fernapple replies on Feb 13, 2023:

@TheoryNumber3 That was of course the beginning of the cold war, when atheisim was seen as an assocciate of communism.

Is atheism unnatural?

skado comments on Feb 10, 2023:

The author seems to be suggesting that nothing other than socialization perpetuates theistic belief, and if we just stop doing that, theism will evaporate on its own... and that this is now happening globally at an increasing rate. This does not comport with the known relevant science or Pew's own...

Fernapple replies on Feb 13, 2023:

@skado I am not atempting to present the case that global wellbeing is declining, nor have I atempted to supply any evidence for anything else yet. Where do you get this all from ? Are you not able to read ?

Is atheism unnatural?

skado comments on Feb 10, 2023:

The author seems to be suggesting that nothing other than socialization perpetuates theistic belief, and if we just stop doing that, theism will evaporate on its own... and that this is now happening globally at an increasing rate. This does not comport with the known relevant science or Pew's own...

Fernapple replies on Feb 12, 2023:

@skado Did you not read my comment above, I said quite plainly. "I did not make any claim that religion is in decline globally." Nor was I even interested if it was. My only point which should have been self evident from the stats I posted, was that welbeing is clearly seen to increase where religion does decline.

A man without god is a man...

skado comments on Feb 11, 2023:

Depends on how one envisions God. For the pantheist, a man without God is a non-existent man, but God existed before humans evolved and will continue to exist after humans have gone extinct.

Fernapple replies on Feb 12, 2023:

@AnneWimsey If god is a synonym for everything, then god is a meaningless word. The great tautology. But some people don't care as long as they get to use the god word, because if you use a different word to everyone else, then that makes you different, which is very good for the fragile egos of narcissists.

Trudeau: US fighter shot down object over northern Canada

AnneWimsey comments on Feb 11, 2023:

Because the Chinese have no satellites that can count your nose hairs....we don't either.......hysterical BS on a par with people with cell phones being worried about 'being tracked', duuuuuhhhhhhh.

Fernapple replies on Feb 12, 2023:

@theMoriarty I think that Anne is being ironic.

Sheriffs who see themselves as ultimate defenders of the Constitution are especially worried about ...

barjoe comments on Feb 11, 2023:

Deputy Sheriff's are targets for illegal gun violence. Why would they be against waiting periods and registration which are valuable tools for law enforcement? Because they are all right wing frauds who tow the Republican party line.

Fernapple replies on Feb 12, 2023:

And they think that voters interested in gun laws are Republican ?

Is atheism unnatural?

skado comments on Feb 10, 2023:

The author seems to be suggesting that nothing other than socialization perpetuates theistic belief, and if we just stop doing that, theism will evaporate on its own... and that this is now happening globally at an increasing rate. This does not comport with the known relevant science or Pew's own...

Fernapple replies on Feb 12, 2023:

@skado The Pew research centre is not even by its own statements a scientific institution, it self defines as a. "public oppinion polling" organization, I quote its own statement directly. I did not make any claim that religion is in decline globally. Only that where religion declines, then social welbeing increases. If you want accurate stats on religion globally, then a few seconds search turned these up, it was not hard. The second does indeed come from PEW, which I think should amuse you. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1350917/world-religions-adherents-2010-2050/ https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/05/christians-remain-worlds-largest-religious-group-but-they-are-declining-in-europe/

Is atheism unnatural?

skado comments on Feb 10, 2023:

The author seems to be suggesting that nothing other than socialization perpetuates theistic belief, and if we just stop doing that, theism will evaporate on its own... and that this is now happening globally at an increasing rate. This does not comport with the known relevant science or Pew's own...

Fernapple replies on Feb 12, 2023:

@skado No. Quite the contrary, I was well prepared to back up my claims with evidence, and posted this as a starting point. A starting point which was in many ways open to critical debate, and I myself could, and still can, see many weaknesses in the line I was planning to take, and was therefore planing to address several critical lines you could engage in. But instead of a genuine counter argument all I got was a shallow version of the argument from ignorance fallacy, which is just plain frustrating. If however you do not want to do the evidence from demographics, perhaps you would prefer to do genetic determinism ? I take it that you believe in genetic determinism, since you believe that a preference for religion is an evolved trait ?

Is atheism unnatural?

skado comments on Feb 10, 2023:

The author seems to be suggesting that nothing other than socialization perpetuates theistic belief, and if we just stop doing that, theism will evaporate on its own... and that this is now happening globally at an increasing rate. This does not comport with the known relevant science or Pew's own...

Fernapple replies on Feb 11, 2023:

@skado Well sorry it is not my job to fix stupid. I am not even sure that is possible.

Philosophy is a field of science that investigates reality and human existence, as in I am currently...

Fernapple comments on Feb 10, 2023:

Philosophy is not a science, rather science is a philosophy. A sub set of natural philosophy, which probably occupies most of the ground attributed meaningfully to natural philosophy. But which is distinct from general philosophy, because it tries to use better rules and practices, which are ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 11, 2023:

@Bullgator Nice quote. But why would you need more generations to make a genealogy analogy, there are no generations between parent and child. Indeed my analogy if anything fails for exactly the oposite reason, that there is in fact overlap, and many scientists have been both.

Is atheism unnatural?

skado comments on Feb 10, 2023:

The author seems to be suggesting that nothing other than socialization perpetuates theistic belief, and if we just stop doing that, theism will evaporate on its own... and that this is now happening globally at an increasing rate. This does not comport with the known relevant science or Pew's own...

Fernapple replies on Feb 11, 2023:

@skado Here you go, you only have to compare the lists for yourself. https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/life-expectancy/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Progress_Index Hold on to your hat, if I have time there will be a lot more to come on all the other issues over the next few weeks.

"For those that have eaten of the tree of knowledge, paradise is lost.' karl Popper

Fernapple comments on Feb 11, 2023:

No quite the contrary I think. It is more a case of A. Pope's "drink deep", a little disturbs but a good deep drink, brings clarity and wisdom, which is a deeper form of paradise. AS with everything else it is the effort you put in that brings rewards.

Fernapple replies on Feb 11, 2023:

@Mcfluwster Don't be sorry, I like the quote and quite see that it can be interpreted in different ways according to context. Just me trying to take it in a new direction.

Philosophy is a field of science that investigates reality and human existence, as in I am currently...

Fernapple comments on Feb 10, 2023:

Philosophy is not a science, rather science is a philosophy. A sub set of natural philosophy, which probably occupies most of the ground attributed meaningfully to natural philosophy. But which is distinct from general philosophy, because it tries to use better rules and practices, which are ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 11, 2023:

@Bullgator Yes I agree with you that philosophy is often in conflict with science. As often are parent and child, and I am no great lover of philosophy. But, if it is in conflict with science, then it is bad failed philosophy, because any good philosophy will recognize the primacy of science and its methods, if it does not, then you know that it is not good philosophy, and there is certainly a lot of bad out there. In part because, there will always be people, narcissists especially, who reject science and even mainstream thinking generally. Because if you accept those, then there is no scope for you to pose as owning something special, which of course is what the narcissist most wants. So the vain egos have to turn away from mainstream knowledge, and create the pretence that they can find arcane wisdom, in things like bad philosophy, religious apologetics and meaningless terms like spirituality, in order to gain the power to pose as gurus and prophets and other vanity projects. But philosophy was still the parent of science, Newton for example, called himself a philosopher, since the word science hardly existed then. And there are some subjects which simply can not be addressed by science alone, for which you need to reason and attempt to use logical thought, building hopefully on the science, but unsupported by direct experimental evidence. Then whether you like it or not, you are doing philosophy. Sadly yes, modern philosophy is often of little real value, and is full of wild pretensions, but that is because in many ways, philosophy is a done subject. With most of the important and useful core work, including a lot of early science, and epistemology, being done early on. But there is still a small and real need for that early work, especially in subjects like ethics, and epistemology, and still a need to keep the subject alive in reserve.

What Comforts You as an Atheist While Enduring Suffering

ASTRALMAX comments on Feb 10, 2023:

It seems to me that excluding a situation where there is physical pain such as an accident or an illness all other forms of suffering are a product of the human imagination. We suffer our two greatest faculties of mind, a vivid memory and a fantastic imagination. People suffer an event that happened...

Fernapple replies on Feb 11, 2023:

@ASTRALMAX The past is our learning experience, our history. And. "Those who do not learn from history, are doomed to repeat its mistakes. " Aplies as much to the person as to the nation state.

Is atheism unnatural?

skado comments on Feb 10, 2023:

The author seems to be suggesting that nothing other than socialization perpetuates theistic belief, and if we just stop doing that, theism will evaporate on its own... and that this is now happening globally at an increasing rate. This does not comport with the known relevant science or Pew's own...

Fernapple replies on Feb 11, 2023:

@skado https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/least-religious-countries-in-the-world.html

Is atheism unnatural?

skado comments on Feb 10, 2023:

The author seems to be suggesting that nothing other than socialization perpetuates theistic belief, and if we just stop doing that, theism will evaporate on its own... and that this is now happening globally at an increasing rate. This does not comport with the known relevant science or Pew's own...

Fernapple replies on Feb 10, 2023:

Pew is not a scientific group. We cling to science when it is true, when it is pseudo-science we understand that that is the worst form of anti education, and anti intelectualism there is, exactly because it is trying to wear sciences clothing. And yes since science takes a long form, so why are you still pedaling things which have long been discredited even as bad pseudo-science.

Is atheism unnatural?

David1955 comments on Feb 10, 2023:

I've said before, will say again, that I think some people are born more wired towards religious belief, while other wired not to believe, and a lot of people are kind of neutral and sort of go along with it through socialisation and Pascal's Wagering fear. However, fundamentally religion is a ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 10, 2023:

@NostraDumbass No need I saw that too.

Philosophy is a field of science that investigates reality and human existence, as in I am currently...

skeptic70 comments on Feb 9, 2023:

Are you studying philosophy? Why did you place this information here?

Fernapple replies on Feb 10, 2023:

@skeptic70 Certainly. But Others may be interested.

Philosophy is a field of science that investigates reality and human existence, as in I am currently...

Willow_Wisp comments on Feb 9, 2023:

The problem with philosophy is that opinions vary and if you trigger the wrong person they may punch you in the philosophagus. If you must know I'm into Absurdism. It's when we get past the depression of nihilism accepting that life has no intrinsic meaning and live happy lives making fun of the ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 10, 2023:

Science is also a philosophy, but a philosophy raised to a higher level, with better rules and practices. Unfortunately the best rules and practices can not be used for all aplications, which still leaves some ground for traditional philosophy.

Philosophy is a field of science that investigates reality and human existence, as in I am currently...

BDair comments on Feb 9, 2023:

I don't consider philosophy to be a science.

Fernapple replies on Feb 10, 2023:

No but science is a philosophy.

Philosophy is a field of science that investigates reality and human existence, as in I am currently...

skeptic70 comments on Feb 9, 2023:

Are you studying philosophy? Why did you place this information here?

Fernapple replies on Feb 10, 2023:

Perhaps she just wants us to get to know her.

I respect religious people who believe in a God that grants free will.

Omnedon comments on Feb 9, 2023:

Couple of questions... What is a "fractal of god", and how can atheists "force the rest of us to live" in any particular way? "Sates their paranoia"?!? As far as I know, we do have free will. If we don't, and we only have the illusion of free will, well, I guess it doesn't really make much ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 10, 2023:

I see that you have already reached the conclusion I refered to above.

I respect religious people who believe in a God that grants free will.

Willow_Wisp comments on Feb 9, 2023:

Prove free will. You have limited choices with specific needs. Free will is a lame excuse to blame the impoverished for their circumstances since if they made better choices they would do better. Not everyone has the skill to write a novel while homeless and become rich and famous. Such things ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 10, 2023:

@Omnedon The future could well be predetermined, if we only have an illusion of free will, and what we think of as our free choices are also predetermined. And since we have no way to tell the illlusion from a reality, the whole question of free will or not, is a non-starter and pointless.

WHAT WILL YOU SAY TO GOD ON JUDGEMENT DAY? Great questions for "God". [tiktok.com]

racocn8 comments on Feb 10, 2023:

I did not trade my integrity for lazy thinking and willful stupidity.

Fernapple replies on Feb 10, 2023:

It is highly likely that it will respect that.

Is atheism unnatural?

David1955 comments on Feb 10, 2023:

I've said before, will say again, that I think some people are born more wired towards religious belief, while other wired not to believe, and a lot of people are kind of neutral and sort of go along with it through socialisation and Pascal's Wagering fear. However, fundamentally religion is a ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 10, 2023:

@NostraDumbass Also as the article says. "we have an innate, natural propensity to believe what our parents teach us."

So who is this @Princeesteresa and why is she filling this site with quotes/excerpts with no ...

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Feb 9, 2023:

1. Desperate for attention Or 2. Trying to butter us up to start evangelizing or selling something. I blocked her. My patience is thin.

Fernapple replies on Feb 9, 2023:

Two good guesses there.

“Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than ...

Fernapple comments on Feb 7, 2023:

She is not perfect, but evolution is certainly the most ruthless of economists, who tolerates nothing wasteful.

Fernapple replies on Feb 9, 2023:

@Mcfluwster And sadly I thought the world could have moved on.

A story of something very old, and how it was found by someone very young.

Julie808 comments on Feb 9, 2023:

Too bad the credit for the discovery went to the boy, instead of the girl. Seems to me that Tina should have gotten her name on the Charnia. I'm guessing this Tina and Roger didn't have the same teacher. Interesting nonetheless that we can see imprints of life on earth from so long ago that we ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 9, 2023:

Yes it is probably more about the teacher, than anything else. But I bet he knows better now.

What is philosophy?

Fernapple comments on Feb 9, 2023:

Are you a bot ?

Fernapple replies on Feb 9, 2023:

@ASTRALMAX Wow ! See what you mean, and some of those words have more than two syllables.

What is philosophy?

Fernapple comments on Feb 9, 2023:

Are you a bot ?

Fernapple replies on Feb 9, 2023:

@ASTRALMAX Yes thank you, but I was being, just a little tiny bit, ironic.

“Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than ...

Fernapple comments on Feb 7, 2023:

She is not perfect, but evolution is certainly the most ruthless of economists, who tolerates nothing wasteful.

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

@Mcfluwster I am interested that you say that you taught biology at a junior level , but not evolution. That was a thing that R. Dawkins used to be upset about, that biology could be taught at a junior level without evolution, the one thing that really makes sense of it. Instead young children are taught things like the parts of a flower, and other dull and rather useless skills. He theorized that this was a deliberate contrivance, in part due to the churches influence on British schools and was designed to put children off the subject, and insure that evolution was only taught to older advanced students who elected to take the advanced courses. When evolutionary theory is not only easier than, say anatomy, but makes the subject structured, interesting and understandable.

“Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than ...

Fernapple comments on Feb 7, 2023:

She is not perfect, but evolution is certainly the most ruthless of economists, who tolerates nothing wasteful.

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

@Mcfluwster Sorry I am an evolution geek.

“Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than ...

Fernapple comments on Feb 7, 2023:

She is not perfect, but evolution is certainly the most ruthless of economists, who tolerates nothing wasteful.

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

@Mcfluwster It is just standard mainstream evolutionary theory, such as they teach in schools. What it means in less jargon language, but at more length, is that if an animal or plant has been taken down a path into one niche, then it will get better and better at that job over time. Until it reaches a point where it is as good as it is economically possible to be at its job. Say that of climbing trees and eating leaves, that is its peak in envionmental space. If another better job comes up, say for example there are more leaves on the ground, because the animals which ate those leaves have gone extinct, then there is a better niche on the ground. But to go there the animal would have to evolve running legs to escape the ground predators, but while doing so in the prossess it would have to become less good a climbing, and those individuals who did that, would not be able to compete with the better adapted ones who stayed the same. So they would die out, and therefore animals can only change niches if the intermediates do'nt lose there competetive edge in so doing. Animals can only move upwards to higher peaks, if there is no need to go backwards and downhill to reach them, because an animal which loses it short term competitive edge dies out, no mater what potencial long term gain copuld be made. That is exactly the blind action of an unthinking prossess.

How Psychotechnology Changed Humanity Forever [medium.com] .

ASTRALMAX comments on Feb 8, 2023:

Hmm! Freud was addicted to cocaine and as a physician he had free and easy access to it. As for mystical experience I'm sure everyone has heard or read the words of someone who said, 'I had a great trip! It was a gas!' The tripper brought nothing back with him, no great insights, answers to ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

The only one that I recall who did was Coldridge, who produced Xanadu. But I think that he may have been deluding himself, if not others, a bit. To compare it to the advent of literacy in human history, is just silly.

“Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than ...

Fernapple comments on Feb 7, 2023:

She is not perfect, but evolution is certainly the most ruthless of economists, who tolerates nothing wasteful.

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

@Mcfluwster Evolution can never go backwards yes, but that is because of the sellective element, which sets up peaks in environmental space and does not allow backward movement. But pure mutation unrestrained by sellection can go anywhere. It is perfectly possible that a monkey can have all the mutations needed to make a human. It will never happen, because the odds are probably greater than the chances of the monkeys typing out the complete works of Shakespeare at random.

“Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than ...

Fernapple comments on Feb 7, 2023:

She is not perfect, but evolution is certainly the most ruthless of economists, who tolerates nothing wasteful.

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

@Mcfluwster Since there are no restrictions on mutation, anything can evolve into anything. But only things which sellection, natural or human allows. And that is where economy comes in , because sellection will always favour that which is most economical, to the point of killing the less economical, given that all other things are equal. By the way. I think that a platypus is one of the most beautiful of creatures, I would love one.

"I feel most spiritual when I’m out in the woods.

waitingforgodo comments on Feb 8, 2023:

@Fernapple , I as the obvious choice of pretender to the throne of cloud cuckoo land here, must protest too much. If @skado has chosen his words too wisely then I can't be responsible. The nub of his contention, if I comprehend it, is that god is physics as embodied by the natural universe and...

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

Someone today posted exactly what happens if you throw out reason and resort to religion. https://agnostic.com/discussion/708604/climate-change-and-the-rich-dw-documentary Because when you throw out reason and science, and start down the route of "alternate" belief systems, especially things like tradition and metaphor, then you set up pseudo-gods and throw out the minds legal system, admitting anarchy, anything then becomes possible, and justifiable.

"I feel most spiritual when I’m out in the woods.

waitingforgodo comments on Feb 8, 2023:

@Fernapple , I as the obvious choice of pretender to the throne of cloud cuckoo land here, must protest too much. If @skado has chosen his words too wisely then I can't be responsible. The nub of his contention, if I comprehend it, is that god is physics as embodied by the natural universe and...

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

Exactly. If god is physics and biology, then why call it god, and not physics biology. If not as an underhand and deceitful way to get the god word in there, and win or earn credit for religion. Which leads to the view that the salvation of nature and humanity lies not with reason and science, but with religion, and a magical view that there is more wisdom in deceit than truth.

Its is coming up to seed sowing time again.

KateOahu comments on Feb 7, 2023:

I see no reason it would be harmful. Have to wonder why it is necessary to bother filtering out the organic matter of the aloe. Doubt I would do this, but I would consider watering planted seeds with the aloe water.

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

That is what I thought too.

"I feel most spiritual when I’m out in the woods.

Fernapple comments on Feb 7, 2023:

Wow ! That is getting very close to religious naturalism as most people would understand it. I did not know you did that in this group.

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

@skado Sadly for a moment there I thought that Skado had seen the light and grasped what religious naturalism is all about, albeit with a bit of unneeded spiritual/god froth thrown in, but it seems not.

"I feel most spiritual when I’m out in the woods.

ASTRALMAX comments on Feb 7, 2023:

Whenever I go for a walk in the woods it is usually a pleasant experience. I seldom feel the need to comment on it or describe what I saw or how I felt, I just enjoy the experience.

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

That is as it should be. But if you were a deep narcissist, then you would need to find there some arcane knowledge and wisdom, not known to anyone else, so that you could indulge your wish to pose as a guru, by seeming to reveal it.

"I feel most spiritual when I’m out in the woods.

Garban comments on Feb 7, 2023:

Nature can be beautiful and generous. It can also be cold and cruel. The coyote says yummy, the bunny says ugh.

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

Nature is neither generous or cruel, but merely coldly indifferent, especially to human values. Excepting for the beauty and awe alone, which we perceive, because we, including our values, were evolved to fit the nature around us, and when we perceive it we are aware of that deep exact fitting. And at its worst, then natures cold but beautiful indifference, is often sometimes far better, than the active cruelty and celebration of ugliness that is humanity at its worst.

"I feel most spiritual when I’m out in the woods.

waitingforgodo comments on Feb 7, 2023:

When I'm away in the night with the pixies at the bottom of the garden they confirm that god is everything and nothing. You've mentioned before that religion doesn't require gods. Does naturalism and the veneration of the universe require religion, or does religion in the sense you seek to ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 8, 2023:

@skado Oh dear I thought that we had at last something real, but we are off into Cloud Cuckoo Land again I see.

How Psychotechnology Changed Humanity Forever [medium.com] .

AnneWimsey comments on Feb 7, 2023:

1. Our modern writing/alphabet is thanks to the Muslim world. 2. The Romans seem to have done a fine job of building stuff that lasts forever with Roman Numerals 3. The Pyramids? This piece sounds lovely but ignores facts.......

Fernapple replies on Feb 7, 2023:

You are being very kind.

My second Darwin Award nominee this year already!!! It’s gonna be a great year!!!😊 ...

glennlab comments on Feb 6, 2023:

It doesn't mention how much alcohol was involved, we need to know if he had performance encouraging drugs in his system.

Fernapple replies on Feb 7, 2023:

He was Russian so he probably did have I high drinking rate, but more than anything he was probably just a not very bright victim of his culture, which encourages drinking and stupid thugish habits.

If you had to choose a god?

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Feb 6, 2023:

Inanna, Brigid or Hecate--probably Hecate.

Fernapple replies on Feb 7, 2023:

We knew. LOL

If you had to choose a god?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 6, 2023:

Conan "lived" in a time before modern science. His views on metaphysics are an irrelevant anachronism. That being said, I enjoyed reading Conan the Barbarian. 🙂

Fernapple replies on Feb 7, 2023:

@Gwendolyn2018 Interesting, maybe I should give them a try.

Teachers in Florida have removed books from their classrooms or wrapped their bookshelves in paper ...

Alienbeing comments on Feb 5, 2023:

Considering the fact that DeSantis was recently overwhelmingly reelected, it is obvious that many more than just DeSantis himself find issues with the books in question.

Fernapple replies on Feb 7, 2023:

@MizJ We are very much the same in the UK, there are a lot of parties, but only two are really important, due in part to fear. That almost always happens when you have a very simple first past the post, non proportional system. Fortunately though, the laws on campaign spending here, are quite strong and reasonably well enforced.

Why does anyone need a god?

skado comments on Feb 5, 2023:

I think all of those listed are a part of the picture at the level of human experience. There is also an impetus not necessarily consciously experienced by most individuals but which influences human behavior nonetheless, operating across large spans of time at the biological level. Humans ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 6, 2023:

@ClareCK Do remember that advertising to promote junk foods to children, and causing childhood obesity is also a psychotechnology. In fact all of human culture is a psychotechnology, and where two words are exact synonyms, one of them is possibly meaningless and certainly redundant.

Religion is man-made. [tiktok.com]

skado comments on Feb 6, 2023:

In the most direct sense, yes. But everything that’s man-made is biology-made. And everything that is biology-made is earth-made. And everything that is earth-made is universe-made. And everything that is universe-made is ground-of-being-made (sometimes called God-made).

Fernapple replies on Feb 6, 2023:

Yep, slavery, child rape, atom bombs, fraud, misogyny, etc. etc. all ultimately earth/god made, if you follow genetic determinism to its ultimate. And fortunately so is my wish not to have any of them, and to do all I can persuade, others to reject them as well. Because reason , science, human rights, a sense of justice, humanity, etc. are all earth born too, and sometimes when earth born things are in conflict, one of them wins.

Why does anyone need a god?

Fernapple comments on Feb 6, 2023:

11. The god claim gives your prejudices the backing of authority, and sets your party/race/social group above all others.

Fernapple replies on Feb 6, 2023:

@ASTRALMAX No a completely fake authority. I have long said that one of my personal definitions of the word "religion" is as a synonym for the fallacy called "proof by authority."

Teachers in Florida have removed books from their classrooms or wrapped their bookshelves in paper ...

Alienbeing comments on Feb 5, 2023:

Considering the fact that DeSantis was recently overwhelmingly reelected, it is obvious that many more than just DeSantis himself find issues with the books in question.

Fernapple replies on Feb 6, 2023:

Sadly when you have only a two party state, then people are forced to vote for a package, regardless of many of the policies which that may include.

Re-branding Jesus?

twill comments on Feb 5, 2023:

So, whoever "Rebrands Jesus" effectively owns Jesus?

Fernapple replies on Feb 5, 2023:

Anybody with a fan, can generate wind.

Re-branding Jesus?

DenoPenno comments on Feb 5, 2023:

Taking my thoughts on it to the extreme I wonder how long it would take for us to have a completely different Jesus? This is what Green is trying to do. It is no different than having apologists make claims over ideas that we know are not there to begin with. It can be said that David Green is a ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 5, 2023:

Maybe there was another mistranslation. Maybe when people wrote, "King of the Jews" they should have really translated it as. "Elected President with a democratic mandate from a majority of voters, and the recognition of all legal authorities, commissioned to interpret the written constitution of the Jews." LOL

A little knowledge: " When would you estimate the "dumbing down” of America began?

LovinLarge comments on Feb 4, 2023:

I just do not know where to begin.

Fernapple replies on Feb 5, 2023:

That's a good start.

Why can't ghosts and god NOT be proven?

LenHazell53 comments on Feb 4, 2023:

Proof for the existence of a god or for a ghost would have to be the same as proof for anything else, testable, repeatable evidence that contributes to the overall body of scientific knowledge. The problem of course is that "God(s)" require faith and faith is the very antithesis of knowledge. Thus...

Fernapple replies on Feb 5, 2023:

@LenHazell53 Well put. It may indeed be just, that the churchmen see requiring faith as simply a way to block difficult questions, the cynic in me says. Thank you for answering, the question was largely rhetorical but good answer.

Why can't ghosts and god NOT be proven?

LenHazell53 comments on Feb 4, 2023:

Proof for the existence of a god or for a ghost would have to be the same as proof for anything else, testable, repeatable evidence that contributes to the overall body of scientific knowledge. The problem of course is that "God(s)" require faith and faith is the very antithesis of knowledge. Thus...

Fernapple replies on Feb 4, 2023:

Also. Why does god see any value in faith ?

It's only 28 days, the easiest month to white wash

jackjr comments on Feb 3, 2023:

I once had a black boss who crowed at the month being black history month until I reminded him it's the shortest and one of the darkest and coldest months of the year.

Fernapple replies on Feb 4, 2023:

@LovinLarge Yes your systemic racism is why I though it plausable that the black month had been squeezed out into Feb deliberately.

It's only 28 days, the easiest month to white wash

jackjr comments on Feb 3, 2023:

I once had a black boss who crowed at the month being black history month until I reminded him it's the shortest and one of the darkest and coldest months of the year.

Fernapple replies on Feb 4, 2023:

@LovinLarge I see. It is a bit of history I did not know. Though I did understand that the joke was feeble.

It's only 28 days, the easiest month to white wash

jackjr comments on Feb 3, 2023:

I once had a black boss who crowed at the month being black history month until I reminded him it's the shortest and one of the darkest and coldest months of the year.

Fernapple replies on Feb 4, 2023:

@LovinLarge Probably because the white establishment, grabbed the better months for their own issues.

Like most adults, we are working with different scripts.

Sgt_Spanky comments on Feb 3, 2023:

Anytime someone claims their life to be some unattainable dream of globetrotting adventure and unbroken success, I can smell the stink of that bullshit all the way from Florida. If he has time for everything but meeting you even though he belongs to a dating site then this dream life he's claiming ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 4, 2023:

Sad but true.

Jupiter's moon count jumps to 92, most in solar system: [phys.org]

vocaloldfart comments on Feb 4, 2023:

I wonder if the moons get their energy from Jupiters gravitational field. This could them be the energy for life to evolve from. Not being a physicist, therefore profess my ignorance, I do wonder if the gravitational field of a planet can generate energy, similar too but different to solar energy ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 4, 2023:

I am not a phsysicist either. But I believe not the gravity as such, which is a force which carries no energy, but the effects of gravity and motion together can indeed create tidal forces, which stretch and pull moons and planets generating heat energy. This certainly does lead to volcanism, as on the Solar Systems most volcanic moon Io, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/most-volcanic-world-in-solar-system-io-moon-still-mysterious-new-atlas-shows and could I would think, especailly if that volcanic activety took place under an ocean, fuel life.

Herb garden idea…indoors or out. [grillo-designs.com]

OldGoat43 comments on Feb 4, 2023:

Most milk bottles biodegrade after one year in natural ultraviolet light. Then they start to crumble and flake.

Fernapple replies on Feb 4, 2023:

@Kurtn If the herbs survive, they will need dividing and potting on by then anyway. Recycle the old milk bottles, and replace.

Funny Friday!

glennlab comments on Feb 3, 2023:

gOT TO KEEP THOSE MENTAL EXERCISES UP OR YOU'LL LOSE IT

Fernapple replies on Feb 4, 2023:

I never had it.

This is how I want to live. Though it's easier said than done... [youtube.com]

ASTRALMAX comments on Feb 3, 2023:

Perhaps the greatest mistake is in believing that life has some meaning that exists independently of our individual lives and this thought gives impetus to search for something that does not exist whether it is a god or imagined state of nirvana. We imagine that our lives lack something, however, ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 3, 2023:

And of course the search for transcendent meaning, is quite possibly no more than vanity anyway.

Sometimes being old and just drifting, can be a very successful strategy.

vocaloldfart comments on Feb 2, 2023:

I know the sting of the bluebottle. Stung at the age of 15 not been back swimming in the ocean since.

Fernapple replies on Feb 2, 2023:

Ouch! I am told that really hurts.

Does anyone else agree with me that we should be DISCUSSING religion rather than DEBATING it?

Fernapple comments on Jan 31, 2023:

Why can you not do both ?

Fernapple replies on Feb 1, 2023:

@Mcfluwster EXAMPLE. Setting a good one, of being a good human and letting that tell its own tale, and leave the rest to history.

Being considered crazy by those who are still victims of cultural conditioning is a compliment.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 1, 2023:

I have news for Jason- *everyone* is a product of cultural conditioning. Claiming to have broken free is just a reaction to the already existing predispositions you learned as you grew up. I was raised as a generic Christian- that's always going to be there, no matter that I've been an atheist for ...

Fernapple replies on Feb 1, 2023:

Yes but. Stopping at the stop sign, not killing other's pets, and getting mainstream health advice, would not make you a victim of cultural conditioning, those would be benefits of cultural conditioning. Which would help you to live a better and happier life. Being a "victim" of cultural conditioning would be things such as, believing you inherit sin from you mothers, and need to flog yourself with whips until you have no skin on your back to expiate that, spend two boring hours a week in church and pay for it, or avoid good medical care because some cultural myth is claimed to be better. Cultural conditioning does indeed have two sides, but by implication the word "victim" indicates that we are only concerned with the negative side.

The problem is not people being uneducated.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 1, 2023:

The further problem is, who is it that's been teaching them?

Fernapple replies on Feb 1, 2023:

Perhaps our whole education systems ? I just posted above. "I seem to remember Henry D. Thoreau quoting a version of that. So it must go back to at least the middle of the nineteenth century." Yet I also remember asking a person on this site, if H.D. T. was ever taught in American schools, since in the UK he is regarded as an important American author. The response was that his natural history was taught in a very boring way. Which seems strange because in Europe that is almost forgoten, and only the political and philosophical works are regarded, which are very questioning and challenging to the US economic and social system. Which makes you wonder if the type of teaching given, has not been normalized, ( Not planned it is not cospiricy. ) to deliberately to put students off reading the challenging stuff.

Interesting article.

Killtheskyfairy comments on Jan 31, 2023:

I am loving this downward trend!

Fernapple replies on Feb 1, 2023:

And the more the moderates leave, the more the churches are left in the hands of the crazies. Which of course drives even more moderates away, leaving..........ect. etc.

How Being Happy Makes You Healthier

Fernapple comments on Jan 31, 2023:

There is a link missing I think.

Fernapple replies on Feb 1, 2023:

@ASTRALMAX No that one was found, it only exists now in creationist mythology, or so the scientists say. But do you know, I sometimes wonder about creationists themselves ?

55% of adults think Jesus will return to Earth (this includes 1% of atheists. [allisrael.com]

Moravian comments on Jan 31, 2023:

You omitted "American" from your headline. We are not nearly so gullible in the UK

Fernapple replies on Jan 31, 2023:

No, but we do lie to surveys for fun.

I just dropped across this piece of religious apologetics, which I thought I would share.

ChestRockfield comments on Jan 28, 2023:

What idiot said that? Is it our senior resident apologist on Agnostic.com?

Fernapple replies on Jan 31, 2023:

@ChestRockfield Sorry, me trying to be funny.

I just dropped across this piece of religious apologetics, which I thought I would share.

ChestRockfield comments on Jan 28, 2023:

What idiot said that? Is it our senior resident apologist on Agnostic.com?

Fernapple replies on Jan 30, 2023:

PS. I think you missed this one, I am trying to say you are smart.

First I ever heard of this plant.

Fernapple comments on Jan 30, 2023:

A great reminder, takes me back. An elderly lady in the village where I grew up used to be very keen on them, and grew them in her garden, but I have hardly ever seen them since.

Fernapple replies on Jan 30, 2023:

@MsKathleen Maybe I am confusing them with Cape Gooseberries, it was a long time ago.

First I ever heard of this plant.

Fernapple comments on Jan 30, 2023:

A great reminder, takes me back. An elderly lady in the village where I grew up used to be very keen on them, and grew them in her garden, but I have hardly ever seen them since.

Fernapple replies on Jan 30, 2023:

@MsKathleen I think she did eat them yes, in fact I think she shared one with me. She lived as I remember for many years, but she would be about a hundred and twenty now.

Answer to “There's nothing more frightening in America today than an angry White man” I ...

Fernapple comments on Jan 30, 2023:

Having watched this for a while now, and even for across the pond, you can not help see the bitter irony of, people trumpeting. "Make America Great Again." By proposing the ending of democracy, freedom of speech, and freedom of belief, which things are obviously even from here, exactly the things ...

Fernapple replies on Jan 30, 2023:

@fishline79 I did not think that the lines to vote were everywhere. But it would be regarded as even more of a national shame here, if they were in some places and not others.

“In the small matters trust the mind, in the large ones the heart”………..Sigmund Freud.

Fernapple comments on Jan 30, 2023:

I never found the two to be in conflict.

Fernapple replies on Jan 30, 2023:

@Marionville I am on the autistic spectrum, it helps with a lot of things.

Answer to “There's nothing more frightening in America today than an angry White man” I ...

Fernapple comments on Jan 30, 2023:

Having watched this for a while now, and even for across the pond, you can not help see the bitter irony of, people trumpeting. "Make America Great Again." By proposing the ending of democracy, freedom of speech, and freedom of belief, which things are obviously even from here, exactly the things ...

Fernapple replies on Jan 30, 2023:

@fishline79 That is also very true. And the two are mutually supporting, for if you have complacency then there is no need for education.

........................ WHAT GOOD IS ART ?

Fernapple comments on Jan 27, 2023:

Art is wonderful, beautiful and wonderful, I love it. ( Which is the problem.) Because like beautiful things it is dangerous, and not to be trusted, most of all it should never be believed in, as a source of truth, for as a religion promoting dogma it is at its most dangerous. And like any god, ...

Fernapple replies on Jan 30, 2023:

@fishline79 I am the same, I don't know much about art, who does ? But I like it.

Every single human being on the planet was born an Atheist.

skado comments on Jan 28, 2023:

Intuitively, this seems true to the point of being not only obvious, but irrefutable. Clearly, no one is born Muslim or Buddhist or Christian. The same can be said of language. No one is born speaking French or Russian or Swahili. But I’m not aware of any scientific school of thought that ...