Here is an interesting question (probably asked by an American person) and a few Brits responded.

Fernapple comments on Aug 11, 2022:

That's about it.

Many of the great cultural shifts that prepare the way for political change are largely aesthetic.

Fernapple comments on Aug 11, 2022:

The arts, is the traditional name we give to our attempts to manipulate culture and achieve mass mind control. Religion is perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all the arts.

For some reason, I have just been blocked from the conservative atheist group lol.

Fernapple comments on Aug 11, 2022:

If he has done nothing wrong, why would it matter that the FBI looks through his safe ?

Christian calls atheists "toxic and "fearful." Your thoughts?

Fernapple comments on Aug 10, 2022:

Point out that the word "atheist" does not mean, believe in nothing, just none belief in a sky fairy. In fact most of the atheists I know believe in a lot of things, perhaps more than theists, believing just in one thing alone, and most theists do, is really the rejecting of wider belief. I for one believe that: The material world is all we get, and it is wonderful. Humans are basically good, and worth loving as a whole. Human rights are good, and should be respected even if they are not objectively provable. That loving and appreciating the material world and nature is our highest calling, and that would still apply even if there was a god. That science is the best method to find objective truth. That you can not be dead, since no such state exists, you can only be, not alive. And a whole lot more...

Some changes are coming

Fernapple comments on Aug 9, 2022:

Did not know she had underwear ! Is that what they call a "liberty" bra ?

I was thinking of getting a couple tattoos.

Fernapple comments on Aug 8, 2022:

"If you don't believe, gods die. R.I.P."

This Photographer Took Pictures Of Animals That Could Soon Be Extinct And This Might Be Your Last ...

Fernapple comments on Aug 8, 2022:

Brilliant photos. Tended though to pick only obviously photogenic animals, which is OK to make the point, but the ugly boring endangered critters are more numerous and need our concern even more.

Pretty much nails the self-styled "Christian" right:

Fernapple comments on Aug 8, 2022:

Your mom is both wise and imaginatively articulate.

I am trying to figure out something I can make and sell, has to be made of wood, could be a special ...

Fernapple comments on Aug 7, 2022:

The big problem with any form of craft work today, is that, any good idea that anyone comes up with, is immediately copied and mass produced in China at a quarter the price. It devalues craft work as a whole and makes it hard to even cover the cost of materials. It is a good idea therefore to research your market well first, and try to find out where you can sell your products at a premium, using the "art" or "local traditional" forms of branding. Things which wear out, and need to be replaced can sell best, such as things made of fabric. Tools are also good sellers, a few years ago I made a really strong garden trowel with a long handle, I forged the blade out of an old truck spring, I often thought of making more, because most of the garden trowels on sale are weak and bendy with tiny handles. I also thought of strong shoulder bags suitable for tools and casual walking, and good strong thick mens hankies, should be simple to make, and most of those on offer today are flimsy. It is also worth thinking about restoring and especially adding value, if you can get old or cheap mass produced wooden objects, and dress them up with better fittings and design work like poker work, then you can add value quickly and cheaply.

Here is a list of 50 misheard lyrics in songs.

Fernapple comments on Aug 5, 2022:

Not misheard but misunderstood. When I was a child, I used to hate the hymn. "There is a green hill far away. " Because the next line went. "Without a city wall." Which I thought was just stupid, (A tautology, though I did not know that word then either.) because I did not understand the old outdated usage of "without" to mean 'outside of' or 'near to', I only knew the modern usage meaning 'lacking'. And I would think. "Well that is stupid, if it was a green hill it would not have a city wall would it, hills with city walls have houses on them." Now I know though, that Blake, who wrote it, lived in an age when it was well known that the hill of the crucifixion, just like all the hills around Jerusalem, was barren and stony. And that the "green hill", was just a pompous pretentious metaphor, trying to associate Christ's death with spring, growth and rebirth etc. Yuck Christians ! So I still hate that hymn, even more than the rest.

To be really happy and really safe, one ought to have at least two or three hobbies, and they must ...

Fernapple comments on Aug 5, 2022:

I have heard that he was very into, painting pictures and bricklaying, what the third one was, unless it was gardening, I have no idea.

Arizona’s GOP speaker says he’ll ‘never’ vote for Trump again

Fernapple comments on Aug 4, 2022:

An honest man is often a lonely one.

Imagine a world in which scientists divided themselves according to whether they were sincere in the...

Fernapple comments on Aug 4, 2022:

It exists already.

I am truly sick of rudeness, misogyny, and crappy behavior.

Fernapple comments on Aug 3, 2022:

Well he was a good advert for his companies competence and professionalism, at least you now know where not to go when you want work done.

“Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to ...

Fernapple comments on Aug 3, 2022:

And religion is a sub-set of advertising, pure advertising with no product to sell except the advert itself, plus you can buy a few branded own label goods that will only be delivered after you are dead.

[bsa.

Fernapple comments on Aug 2, 2022:

Yes but we do have a state church, and religious studies in school. I don't know why, when they obviously have no democratic mandate, but at least it bleeds all the strength out of religion.

I very thoughtful of one person's journey toward atheism.

Fernapple comments on Aug 2, 2022:

Sorry but, I think that perhaps there is a link missing ?

"I asked a man in prison once how he happened to be there and he said he had stolen a pair of shoes.

Fernapple comments on Aug 2, 2022:

In the UK we have an old saying. "They hung the man who stole a goose from off the common, (Free range perhaps in America.) but they lauded the man who stole the common from under the goose."

'A new kind of atheism' already exists in America (if you look closely)

Fernapple comments on Aug 2, 2022:

In Europe as religion faded, community has actually in real terms grown. Humans naturally form communities, we can not help ourselves, and as the fake communities of labels faded so real community has grown. I have observed this happening over a long time. So perhaps America should not worry so much.

OH PLEASE!!! I need new material!!! Marjorie Taylor Greene Is Dropping Hints At Becoming Trump's...

Fernapple comments on Aug 2, 2022:

How would you tell the two apart, they look the same to me. Could cause a lot of confusion.

I had an interesting conversation recently with a ultra pacifistic liberal.

Fernapple comments on Aug 2, 2022:

And of course, obeying daddy, meant that you did not have to take personal responsibility for things, or address issues by thinking about them, daddy took away the need to do all those difficult things from you. It was not hard, since he probably did not bother himself. But it did mean that you could be as lazy as you wished, as long as your arms legs and mouth moved in the ways that pleased him, the brain did not need to work at all. And he taught you to despise school and learning, because it would try to make you do those difficult things. And when have no longer got daddy, then he taught you that, you can go to church, for the same things.

The mysterious inner life of the Octopus... [bbc.com]

Fernapple comments on Aug 2, 2022:

Great read. Thank you.

[bbc.com] What were Scotland's brochs used for, project building one from scratch

Fernapple comments on Aug 1, 2022:

Took a little while to work out how and where to play the video, but worth it when you got there.

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Fernapple comments on Aug 1, 2022:

Hello and welcome, enjoy the site. Sorry but. She says, she sell seas shells on the sea shore, seeking sea shells and selling sea shells leaves no time to chuck wood.

Fire at Planned Parenthood in Kalamazoo Michigan.

Fernapple comments on Aug 1, 2022:

Sorry to say, the link does not work, it leads to a "forbiden" page.

I wanted to share my joy with you all.

Fernapple comments on Aug 1, 2022:

Great photo. Someone once said. "If I had known that grandchildren (Great-grandchildren.) were this much fun, I would have had them first."

Well done, lasses! The Lionesses make history, you've done us proud. 🏆🏆

Fernapple comments on Jul 31, 2022:

great game too.

You know your god is man-made ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 31, 2022:

But of course true believers, think that their hate comes from god. ( As a form of love of course. )

I myself like all critters. However, I admire Cats for their independence. [link.medium.com]

Fernapple comments on Jul 31, 2022:

Mohamed was a cat lover though.

'Walking sharks' caught on video, astound scientists [livescience.com]

Fernapple comments on Jul 31, 2022:

Lack of the actual video was a little disappointing.

I have no idea who this Smith fellow is but I have long held his logical argument to be true in my ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 31, 2022:

And, the reverse Pascal's wager. Even if there was a god who supported just one particular religion, and chose to save only its members, how would you know which to pick ? Which is a variant on four.

It's been a great day I made it back to Royal Street to see Doreen! I missed her yesterday because ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 30, 2022:

I love some jazz.

Morning all

Fernapple comments on Jul 30, 2022:

Thank you. I am glad that you think well of us.

A school of thought states that everything is determined, preordained, and measurable.

Fernapple comments on Jul 30, 2022:

One. Emergent properties that are are more than the whole, are not proof that the whole is not determinant, or that the emergent properties are not determined. The two simply do not contradict each other, determined things may well produce emergent things greater than themselves, but the emergent things are quite likely equally determined. Two. Because you can not measure it, understand it or predict it, it does not mean that it does not exist. And that includes determinism. The fact that we can not measure it, is the reason why we can not make predictions from it. Not because it is not predetermined. Three. There are at least three possible states. One. Things are predictable. Two. Things are not predictable because they are random. Three Things are not predictable because, although determined, we do not have the capacity to make predictions, or even take measurements, from which to make predictions. I go with the last. From a human view the second two may in practice be the same, and it can never be otherwise, but they are not the same in reality. There are many states of things which although different in reality, are in effect the same. That we appear to have freewill is the same from our point of view, as having freewill, even if freewill does not exist, because we have no way of moving out of the state of, "we appear to have," we live and are forever trapped in the world of, "as things they appear to us," and we can never escape from that. Therefore all the laws under which we live, and all the laws that we can find, are about, and made from the evidence of the world as it appears to us, and we can never know if that is the true state of the universe, or how far it is from the true state, if it is not.

These are the 4 types of atheism - Big Think

Fernapple comments on Jul 30, 2022:

It comes from a religious apologist source, and reflects their thinking.

I'm only posting this because I'm very immature.

Fernapple comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Because we are very immature, we like it.

For the avoidance of doubt, I delight in mocking all those who are intolerant of diversity, and I ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Took me half a hour, but I think I agree with that. LOL

Good Friday all Allow me to share a personal secret I get more stimulated watching the growth of a...

Fernapple comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Never was a great Marlyn fan myself either. But Josephine Baker now, I would not even notice the bananas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9jNCm6CVV0

Good Friday all Allow me to share a personal secret I get more stimulated watching the growth of a...

Fernapple comments on Jul 29, 2022:

As long as they are mature plants, who have reached the age of consent, I will not be judgmental.

Engineers Turn Water into Carbon-Neutral Jet Fuel Using Solar Radiation [goodnewsnetwork.org]

Fernapple comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Actually until as they say. "The fuel will be even greener if the team can capture carbon dioxide from the air in the not-too-distant future and use it in the fuel." It is really just a technical bit of fun, since the carbon dioxide emitted when they burn the fuel, in flight, will be just as bad, as any other aviation fuel.

“I mean, you could claim that ANYTHING is real, if the only basis for believing in it is that ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 29, 2022:

"Poyais" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregor_MacGregor A good example of the sad consequences of believing in things that don't exist.

Dear Abby marriage advice Sharia style. Whip your wife "gently" to keep her in line ....

Fernapple comments on Jul 29, 2022:

What publication is this ?

What are the joys of living alone?

Fernapple comments on Jul 29, 2022:

My home is a complete mess, ( I am male after all.) nobody ever tidies things away so that I can't find them.

The little structure below is called an outhouse.

Fernapple comments on Jul 28, 2022:

If you do not know it already, you may enjoy looking up an old book called, "The Specialist" by Charles Sale. Great fun, all about a carpenter who specialized in building outhouses, and full of wisdoms like, putting the path to it past the wood pile, so that people going to and fro from the house can fill the wood box at the same time. Quote. "take a timid woman, if she sees any men folks around, she's too bashful to go direct out, so she'll go to the wood pile, pick up the wood, go back to the house and watch her chance. The average timid woman - especially a new hired girl - I've knowed to make as many as ten trips to the wood pile before she goes in, regardless. On a good day you will have your wood box filled by noon, "

Any place online if this place goes down?

Fernapple comments on Jul 28, 2022:

Not found one no.

Adult Anxious Attachment Correlates with Belief in Conspiracies “A study by Douglas, Sutton, ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 27, 2022:

Good article. “an embodied belief that the social world is unreliable and unsafe. Unlike secure attachment, insecure attachment correlates with social deficits of one kind or another and to various psychological challenges such as general distrust” And. “we should not be surprised at an increasing number of people believing false stories that reassure them, “ Would that not then be like someone who distrusted their fellow humans so much, that they felt that they could not be governed to morality by reason and objective truth alone, however good the education. And that the only way to gain control was though brain manipulation, based on fairy stories, which would somehow magical provide the only defence against anarchy possible. Now who do I know who thinks like that ?

([theatlantic.

Fernapple comments on Jul 26, 2022:

Well done you though.

Who believe in this

Fernapple comments on Jul 26, 2022:

Hello and welcome. Yes it is hard to disagree with that.

Another epic god fail.

Fernapple comments on Jul 26, 2022:

How do you know that god did not send the gunmen ? LOL (Just thinking out loud.)

ENTIRE Police Force Resigns In Protest Of Black Female Town Manager - YouTube

Fernapple comments on Jul 26, 2022:

"Only in America."

For those of you who lay sleepless last night in worry over my a/c, it is fixed! And cheaply fixed!...

Fernapple comments on Jul 26, 2022:

Well done. My loft always seems to be very attractive, I have had mice several times, rats three, two bad wasp years in the last twenty or so, with several nests each time, and a swarm of bees, which died and left a heap of their dead behind. In one way however I have been lucky because I have never had bats. In the UK you just have to hope, that you do not get bats, because you are not allowed by law to evict them, or even block their entrance.

This site has shown me that having enough sense to see through the lies of religion, doesn’t ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 25, 2022:

Religion is only one issue among many.

Religion has had 1,000's of years to prove god exists...

Fernapple comments on Jul 24, 2022:

The product will only be delivered, after you are dead. And it must be good, because we have not had a single return.

Are you happy in your own skin? I know I am.

Fernapple comments on Jul 24, 2022:

All you need to know. Please add though. How do you make them buy religion, by feeding their narcissism.

Religion has had 1,000's of years to prove god exists...

Fernapple comments on Jul 24, 2022:

That is literal religions argument for everything it stands for.

Another reason why I hate people. Does "topless" in this article refer to not having a brain?

Fernapple comments on Jul 24, 2022:

Yes I would go with your assessment.

FYI about balancing on one leg: "People who are middle-aged or older and can’t balance on one ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 24, 2022:

At sixty five, I managed thirty seconds and then got bored. But then I had a bright idea. Why not stand on one leg, and read Agnostic. com at the same time !

[pbs.org] The Egyptian bow

Fernapple comments on Jul 24, 2022:

Interesting, and I like the look of that site, thank you.

Is it wrong that I once considered moving west and pretending to be a Mormon so I could have a ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 23, 2022:

Maybe it is wrong to waste a lot of time and money, just to discover that you could not attract a harem ?

What kind of philosophy do you side with?

Fernapple comments on Jul 23, 2022:

I tend to pick whatever philosopher, best answers my present needs regardless of where they come from.

Only Eight There are only eight extant species of hominids left on Earth, including three species...

Fernapple comments on Jul 23, 2022:

You do the most harm to those who are nearest sadly. And I do think that the idea of rights, although questionable at its philosophic base, works well in practice, and should be extended to the other apes.

The Dance Many atheists’ interest in science and critical thinking appears to extend only far ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 23, 2022:

"history that illuminates why 80% of their species participates in religious activities." You do not need to go as far as science, to address that statement, mere philosophy alone will do. It has been given a number of names over the years, mainly the, "ad populum fallacy" , though it is also addressed quite well in the now nearly traditional Plato's Cave story.

The Dance Many atheists’ interest in science and critical thinking appears to extend only far ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 23, 2022:

"This perspective makes no room for the actual spirit and purpose of scientific inquiry when it comes to studying the intuitively inscrutable behaviors of our own species, " This is very true also, of using limited cherry picked science to justify specific cultural phenomena, especially when the science does not address it directly, science real science not pseudo-science has not yet by any means reached the point where it can being to address specific cultural phenomena.

The Dance Many atheists’ interest in science and critical thinking appears to extend only far ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 23, 2022:

"Atheism is not a religion. But the atheistic hatred of religion is based 100% on the same superstitious impulses upon which religious fundamentalism depends for its equally absurd and unfounded certainty." Yes hatred is often superstitious but that does not mean it is always without grounding, the two are not mutually exclusive. If a doctor tells me, that they hate cancer, then I accept that hate is an irrational emotion, but do not see it as unjustified. Atheists do indeed often share a lot in common with fundamentalists, one of the main things being honesty. As in, 'honest belief' and 'honest disbelief'. And I have often found good honest friends among believers, and taken part in workings of religiously inspired charitable groups, with great joy and fulfillment. That is why I usually reserve my contempt and emotional hatred only for non believing apologists. Since the true hatred and contempt for the rest of the species to which they belong, which is inherent in the idea of. "One set of values for me, and a few like me, but the rest of the human species can only benefit from being duped into compliance, with a second rate set of values." Shows true superstitious contempt for the other members of the species "of which they seem to forget they are a member".

The Dance Many atheists’ interest in science and critical thinking appears to extend only far ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 23, 2022:

"that no scientific discipline of any description comes to that superstitious conclusion," Is itself a superstition which is really insulting to science. Since any science, of human nature or history, which did not admit to the role that " power, greed, malevolence, mental incompetence and immorality," played in every aspect of human life and the building every cultural institution, is clearly pseudo-science of the worst sort. See my below.

The Dance Many atheists’ interest in science and critical thinking appears to extend only far ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 23, 2022:

"To explain that they parrot the popular superstitions that blame it on the pursuit of power, greed, malevolence, mental incompetence, or anything that slanders the moral character of the species of which they seem to forget they are a member." Are you saying that, power, greed, malevolence, mental incompetence and immorality, never played any part in building religion ? I for one, (I can not speak for everyone. ) accept that those things are all a part of the species to which I am a member, and still find it possible to love them and think well of them. And do not even regard that as a slander, because I know that, in the complex world in which we live, those very failings can often be drives which produce good results, and even sometimes drive people to try to be good.

The Dance Many atheists’ interest in science and critical thinking appears to extend only far ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 23, 2022:

"Many atheists’ interest in science and critical thinking appears to extend only far enough to relieve them of the societal pressure to participate in organized religion, but otherwise no further than that of the typical theist." And there is no reason why they should not take a limited interest in science, an interest in science is not compulsory, nor, though it is very useful, is it essential to a good life.

This showed up on my facebook page.

Fernapple comments on Jul 22, 2022:

A little Christian girl and boy, who were great friends decided to take their clothes off and go for a swim in the river. When they got undressed they looked at one another in great amazement. "Wow" Said the little boy. "I never knew that Catholics and Protestants were that different !"

When I moved up to Alaska over 30 years ago I always carried this 35mm film camera everywhere.

Fernapple comments on Jul 22, 2022:

The big advantage of digital, is that you can take hundreds of photos, for the same cost in money, time and effort that you only took two or three back then. And among those hundreds there are bound to be some good ones, you just have to learn the art of deleting.

Question: Are any of you geneologists?

Fernapple comments on Jul 22, 2022:

No, was quite happy with the family I met, and genetics tell me that real biological heritage has just about disappears after about six generations, so why worry.

I'm new here , anybody there?

Fernapple comments on Jul 22, 2022:

Hello and welcome. Yes there area few here, especially us aliens.

It's ironic that we see so many who claim strong religious convictions in the modern world while ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 22, 2022:

Religion is only able to exist, mainly, because it provides an alternate voice to mainstream culture, and government. And as mainstream culture and most nation states increasingly embrace the ideas of social justice and welfare as normal, ( USA may be exceptional.) who is it that need an alternate voice ? And the fortunate thing from their point of view, is that the Christian source material, the bible, is so mixed up and confusing, due to its multiple authorship, that it can be made to say almost anything you want. Which is what has kept it popular for centuries. But then you can still claim biblical authority to support the argument you invented. The rich irony being that the bibles authority comes mainly from two supposed sources: divine inspiration or authorship perhaps, but also from the fact that is said to be part of tradition, believed in by many millions for centuries, therefore it is thought it must contain wisdom to be so popular. What is called a populist argument. Yet in fact, its popularity comes to a large extent because it is meaningless and will support any position, therefore it suits everyone. So that those who use it are in effect using the popularity of meaningless, to support their meaning !!!

Do theocratic nations allow non believers to have government jobs?

Fernapple comments on Jul 22, 2022:

I would suppose that it depends on your definition of theocracy and government, and upon the individual theocracy. There must be some limitation on non believers or it would not be a theocracy, and you would suppose that to be defined as theocracy, then at least the major cabinet places would have to be exclusive to agents of religion, but not perhaps all government jobs. On the other hand you could have a government which is open to all at the top, but tolerates local theocracy. You will also have some governments which are in name democratic, but in effect theocratic, because it is unlikely that non believers will ever be elected. Complicated.

I certainly prefer animals over people.

Fernapple comments on Jul 21, 2022:

And sometimes well..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUTBHgBl8-8

“Human beings have a strong dramatic instinct toward binary thinking, a basic urge to divide ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 21, 2022:

My favourite saying. " The two are not mutually exclusive. " Like literalism and metaphor.

“Human beings have a strong dramatic instinct toward binary thinking, a basic urge to divide ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 21, 2022:

There are two factors at least at work, both fear and laziness. Laziness because it is easier to think in dichotomies rather than bell curves, and fear because we distrust the unknown and what we don't understand, which in turn fuels tribalism. Both are justified to a degree, it is wise to fear the unknown, the old floor boards, may be weak and rotten, and laziness is an evolved trait which saves us energy. The real problem comes, when the two work together powerfully and produce a discontinuous mindset.

I certainly prefer animals over people.

Fernapple comments on Jul 21, 2022:

Here you go, though I think that most of these are just innocent fun really. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMel6h2jywk

I certainly prefer animals over people.

Fernapple comments on Jul 21, 2022:

Animals can be everything humans can.

A Christian hate-preacher condemned me... for quoting him accurately

Fernapple comments on Jul 20, 2022:

Well done, to be denounced for the pulpit, is a first class badge of honour.

I NEVER KNEW THE COLOR OF MY WIFE'S EYES BECAUSE THEY...

Fernapple comments on Jul 20, 2022:

We saw that this whole post was in CAPITALS, and we knew how she felt. LOL

Is scientific progress a 'good' thing?

Fernapple comments on Jul 20, 2022:

But finally you have to ask in the end, is it even possible to put the cat back in the bag. If you truly want a world where reason and logic are paramount. Then it is inevitable that if people want to use reason and logic, and set high standards, then they will want to use the best form of those tools where they can, so that they will when they can, reach for the scientific method, since it is by far the best and most refined form of research we have yet developed. To do anything else would be to accept poor standards.

Are you single by choice?

Fernapple comments on Jul 20, 2022:

I have no plans to remarry and enjoy my freedom as a single person. I am lucky that I have a female friend who I can share life's adventures with, and a wide circle of other friends, which is good enough.

How are all you Europeans doing with the heat?

Fernapple comments on Jul 19, 2022:

I like it, but my garden does not. OH well !

Is God happy or what?

Fernapple comments on Jul 19, 2022:

If there is a god, ( even a metaphorical one, or one which is a synonym for the universe as religious naturalists have it, ) then I would think that it is very happy and sees a lot of beauty in its creation. Which is why I have always found the Christian idea of an unhappy god, who hates his creation, very strange.

“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 19, 2022:

There are no absolutes of good and evil, it is a continuous spectrum, and often hard to see which is which. The Christian idea that there is such a division is a toxic misunderstanding which has rendered Christian morality primitive and unworkable from its beginning.

Richard Rohr

Fernapple comments on Jul 19, 2022:

I am sorry to say that the corruption was inevitable, and built into the religion from the beginning. You can not extract the good parts from the bad, because they are structured together and the whole thing falls apart if you try, the darkness at the core of Christianity was there from the beginning, long before it became an organized religion. Apart from the obvious often commented on fact that the authors of the gospels, put many racist, sexist and violent remarks and actions into their central figure, ( Not a great example. ) there are at least three much deeper darknesses at its core. The first being its demand for absolute rigid obedience to fixed moral law, even to the degree of promoting the idea of thought crime. Which, by being quite impossible to achieve, creates firstly in Christian culture, the logical need for total forgiveness. Of the, "Believe in me and I will wipe away all sins." form. Which makes Christianity a culture which devalues guilt and taking responsibility, and especially creates a divisive, "insiders can do no wrong, outsiders are lost totally," mentality, within congregations. And secondly it creates a culture, where morality is seen as an ideal thing, not part of the general world, therefore devalued to the point of being ignorable. History is full of accounts, ( Even those written by Christian historians. ) of how shocked many people from other ethnic cultures were, by the dishonesty of Christians, especially shortly after their first contact. The idea that, "I don't even have to feel guilty, because I am one of the chosen." is truly toxic. ( And yes, I am aware that too much guilt, can also be toxic. ) Secondly it contains the idea of anti-materialism, and end times mentality. The idea of devaluing this world in favour of another, which is a the base of much anti-environmentalism in our culture, and shallow values in our arts. Even though it makes no logical sense, as many Christians themselves have pointed out, to think that you can, show respect for god by despising his creation. Except that we are shown a god who destroys his own creation once out of spite, and will soon do so again, so engendering a view of failed creation, and anti-materialism, which is surely the opposite of the respect and appreciation for the world and nature, which any true philosophy should teach. Thirdly, by forcing the moral and intellectual leadership to accept and use such tools, with the built in illogic, such as those above, and often plain falsehoods, it creates a situation where they are forced to accept high levels of cognitive dissonance, and low standards of logic , ( Often accompanied by long convoluted theological explanations. ) and train themselves ruthlessly to those methods, which lowers the standards of the ...

Filmmaking 101 Completely without planning or conscious intention, the human mind writes, ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 18, 2022:

No but we have to find ways of dealing with the damaging effects of that, which are considerable. The reason being, that no animal can pre-adapt to a new or changed environment, if a creature, from Africa, say, should find itself washed out to sea, and having survived the crossing, lands on the shores of South America, it is unlikely to be well adapted. Few animals however have had such a dramatic and sudden change of environment as humans, when only a few million years ago, we developed language. Which was at the time, no doubt, a useful tool and a great aid. But it brought with it the possibility to create culture, and probably the inevitability of that act. So that we suddenly changed from being an animal living in a natural environment to which we were adapted, to being an animal living in a cultural environment, for which we were almost completely ill fitted. The first great mismatch. Hence the reason why we so prone to being manipulated by parts of our own culture, like religion, nationalism etc. and why agriculture, gives us super abundant foods, which we can not eat and remain healthy, religion, gives us a super abundance of stories that we can not pick the truth out of, and the media gives us a super abundance of human contact which we can not befriend all of, and so we become hostile.

Republicons Hate Women

Fernapple comments on Jul 18, 2022:

Some people hate anyone who could perhaps stand up to them. And usually that is because, they know inside just how weak and selfish are the ends they would like to propagate.

Looking for friends.

Fernapple comments on Jul 18, 2022:

This is a good community on the whole, if you don't mind friends at arms length, then you will find that here.

“Atheism will always be a harder sell than religion.” - Pascal Boyer [youtu.be] .

Fernapple comments on Jul 18, 2022:

Since religion is a "sell" a subsection of the advertising industry, that is a bit of a tautology.

Is scientific progress a 'good' thing?

Fernapple comments on Jul 17, 2022:

Hello and welcome. You may like to ask if there is a difference between science, and engineering or technology ?

I really like this -

Fernapple comments on Jul 17, 2022:

And they are worth even less if you need to tell lies to support them.

“Its amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness”…………………Leo ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 16, 2022:

The opposite may often be more true, since good things do not need pretty packaging, but if you have something nasty to promote, you had are sure to make the effort to dress it up well.

These 4 Factors Can Explain Why So Many People Are Rejecting Science

Fernapple comments on Jul 16, 2022:

At the bottom is an even more fundamental problem. That the tellers of truth, have to tell it like it is, or they are not telling the truth any longer, and sometimes it is beautiful, but equally often, it is plain or even just ugly. While liars can use any arts they which to dress their falsehoods and make them pretty, there are no restrictions. The peacock uses his tail to make the females think that he is a strong fit male, he does not use a grand and fine display to warn them that he has an STD. Yet the peacock has only a single tail, while human cultural technology gives the human creature ten thousand or more far greater gifts, to make a splendid fake display, than any animal ever had before.

Here's how my mind works.

Fernapple comments on Jul 16, 2022:

All depends who you pray to. If I pray to myself to find the energy to make more effort, for example, then good enough. If I pray to a sky daddy to make it right, so that I don't have to make the effort, then........

I'm so tired of hearing people say "I have very intelligent friends who support trump.

Fernapple comments on Jul 16, 2022:

It has often been said that intelligence is is impossible to define, and that therefore it is probably impossible to invent a test for it. Yet I think, that we all know roughly what the word means, or we would not use the word. And it could therefore be, that the confusion happens because there are several forms, according to the choice of attempted definition. One of which is of course to be able to do and pass academic tests, in skills like maths and spelling, though that proves little more than certain sorts of specific brain functions at above certain levels. Yet there is also certainly another definition possible, which could be called "working intelligence", by which I would mean the ability to solve real world issues to a high level, and achieve an accurate picture of the world within which we live. And that would require more than just academic brain skills, but also even more importantly perhaps certain properties of personality or character. Especially: commitment, a willingness to work long and hard at problems, honesty, an unwillingness to accept cognitive dissonance and/or second rate answers, selflessness, an unwillingness to accept things more readily because you like them, and sceptical values, being unwilling to accept anything as given. ( Many of which qualities may be exact opposites of many academic measures of I.Q. ) I would therefore say, that to my mind, honesty and personal integrity, are perhaps more important than brain power alone in creating a working intelligence.

A Eurasian Collared-Dove is nesting right outside my bedroom window.

Fernapple comments on Jul 15, 2022:

Keep us posted. Photos would be good.

Here is a bee on Wisteria that I photographed at the Chicago Botanic Garden a few weeks ago.

Fernapple comments on Jul 15, 2022:

Hello and welcome, enjoy the site. Great Photo.

The single star on the Texas flag is actually a review.

Fernapple comments on Jul 15, 2022:

Why don't you just make the Mexicans take it back ?

The University of Minnesota study finds a virulent strain of individuals that are practically ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 15, 2022:

Link would be nice.