Ten Thought Patterns That Trip Up Former Bible Believers

Sticks48 comments on Jul 12, 2021:

She left out the lack of ability for critical thinking.

Fernapple replies on Jul 12, 2021:

I think that is the whole thing. That is why I think Christians etc. often seem so dishonest. In order to make it work, they have to fool themselves, and set a low standard of truth for themselves, and when you spend your whole life training yourself to be inwardly dishonest, and set low inward standards, it is only natural that that training should effect the way you approach and deal with everything else. That is the real danger of religion, perhaps, the corrosive effect it has on the personality.

Is religious belief natural or man made?

Rossy92 comments on Jul 3, 2021:

The framing is overly simplistic. It's natural, absent education and development of critical thinking skills, to believe all sorts of superstitions. To believe in the specifics of a particular religion requires indoctrination.

Fernapple replies on Jul 11, 2021:

@Rossy92 Yes that is why I published my alternate poll, which strangely seemed to get the exact oposite results, for basically the same question. Odd that. https://agnostic.com/post/608231/do-you-think-that-human-genetics-which-gave-us-higher-levels-of-abstract-thought-and-language-also

Is religious belief natural or man made?

Matias comments on Jul 3, 2021:

Are we "born atheists" , as some people claim? It is certainly true that babies are born without any specific religious faith, but does that make them "born atheists"? I do not think so. First: Not every being that does not belief in God is an atheist. Nobody would argue that insects or sharks...

Fernapple replies on Jul 11, 2021:

@Poseidon Yes I wholy agree. Except that we do of course label people for pointing out stupidity, we also call them, honest, forthright, insightful, public spirited, and lots of other good things.

So many bunnies. I wonder how they survive.

PondartIncbendog comments on Jul 11, 2021:

They learned to be friendly when the food ran out but the tourists didn't.

Fernapple replies on Jul 11, 2021:

Shoot tourists and cure the rabbit problem. Good thinking.

Is religious belief natural or man made?

Rossy92 comments on Jul 3, 2021:

The framing is overly simplistic. It's natural, absent education and development of critical thinking skills, to believe all sorts of superstitions. To believe in the specifics of a particular religion requires indoctrination.

Fernapple replies on Jul 11, 2021:

The trick being used is to offer you two correct answers, but put one first and make it sound more appealing. Then when people ignore the second it can be claimed falsely as proof of their prejudices, and failing to understand the second, which will then probably be published elswhere on other sites or on paper, without of course mentioning how the result was acheived.

Is religious belief natural or man made?

Matias comments on Jul 3, 2021:

Are we "born atheists" , as some people claim? It is certainly true that babies are born without any specific religious faith, but does that make them "born atheists"? I do not think so. First: Not every being that does not belief in God is an atheist. Nobody would argue that insects or sharks...

Fernapple replies on Jul 11, 2021:

@Poseidon Yes, but we do use "non-smoker", "non-driver", and "non-drinker" I think that it is usual to use a "non" "A" term when there are/were large numbers, perhaps historically more than half of the people who do a thing. But you are quite correct that when the "nons" reach the majority then you could perhaps should change "non" to "normal", or some other such term.

Is religious belief natural or man made?

Hominid comments on Jul 7, 2021:

Though I voted the first choice, I've read that there is sufficient anthropological evidence that humans tend to want to worship something, be it the cliché sun and thunder gods, etc. and that this tendency evolved around the same time as language did. Again, that's just shit I've read, but it ...

Fernapple replies on Jul 11, 2021:

The trick being used is to offer you two correct answers, but put one first and make it sound more appealing. Then when people ignore the second it can be claimed falsely as proof of their prejudices, and failing to understand the second, which will then probably be published elswhere on other sites or on paper, without of course mentioning how the result was acheived.

10th July 1040…English history: Lady Godiva rides naked on horseback through the streets of ...

BD66 comments on Jul 10, 2021:

I wish the wives of Democratic politicians would do the same!

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

Not really. Most politicians have already tried selling their wives virtue, and it did not work, so that is why they turned to politics.

The Evolution of the God Gene by Nicholas Wade “This and other research is pointing to...

Fernapple comments on Jul 10, 2021:

I do not see why atheists (or agnostics ) should feel it is not a "welcome thought". Since most atheists do not generally feel the need for the existence of any theistic style free will. And therefore do not generally have a problem with the idea of genetic determinism, and that all things in human ...

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

@skado Ok, I will go further on your video and say that. Deceit by omission even partial omission or under emphasis is no better morally than deceit by misrepresentation.

The Evolution of the God Gene by Nicholas Wade “This and other research is pointing to...

Fernapple comments on Jul 10, 2021:

I do not see why atheists (or agnostics ) should feel it is not a "welcome thought". Since most atheists do not generally feel the need for the existence of any theistic style free will. And therefore do not generally have a problem with the idea of genetic determinism, and that all things in human ...

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

@skado Your video person was certainly propounding that. Do not forget that it is a point where it is very needful to avoid misinterpretation by the literalists, which they will do at the drop of a hat, even a failing to propound the difference between belief and religion as the main point is dangerous. The only other objections which I still have to all of these is as said the misrepresentation of atheists, and the usual fake revissionist claim that the science is new, when even I can trace the hypothesis back to the seventies.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

RussRAB comments on Jul 10, 2021:

Human being seem to have a need or desire to find explanactions for events around them. Michael Shermer discusses in one of his books about how humans are pattern seeking creatures. Experiments have shown that humans find patterns in sequences that are intentionally randomized with no patterns ...

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

Yes that is a very good short overview. Thank you.

A common ‘belief’ among atheists is that humans are born atheists, and come to religion only ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 1, 2021:

I thought that that was more or less what most atheists did think. Certainly there is nothing new to this one. Stop strawmanning atheists.

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

@skado Really that. I can't believe that you resort to questioning basic math and logic. The. I am too stupid to understand it, therefore it can't be true, falacy. Really is the last resort of the lost apologist.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

Ryo1 comments on Jul 10, 2021:

Since you mention "genetics", about 10 years ago, an interesting study was carried out on morality in babies and toddlers by Yale University. The study concluded with a strong suggestion that humans are born with hard-wired morality. I take that babies are born atheists but are vulnerable to ...

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

@Ryo1 Interesting video.

A common ‘belief’ among atheists is that humans are born atheists, and come to religion only ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 1, 2021:

I thought that that was more or less what most atheists did think. Certainly there is nothing new to this one. Stop strawmanning atheists.

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

@skado If you are in a hole, stop digging. Bye

A common ‘belief’ among atheists is that humans are born atheists, and come to religion only ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 1, 2021:

I thought that that was more or less what most atheists did think. Certainly there is nothing new to this one. Stop strawmanning atheists.

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

@skado Yes.

A common ‘belief’ among atheists is that humans are born atheists, and come to religion only ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 1, 2021:

I thought that that was more or less what most atheists did think. Certainly there is nothing new to this one. Stop strawmanning atheists.

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

@skado I never assume, I am content to point things out, members may judge for themselves..

A common ‘belief’ among atheists is that humans are born atheists, and come to religion only ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 1, 2021:

I thought that that was more or less what most atheists did think. Certainly there is nothing new to this one. Stop strawmanning atheists.

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

@skado better look again.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

ChestRockfield comments on Jul 9, 2021:

I can't understand why anyone would say no to this. Genetics are responsible for everything, no?

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

@JeffMurray Exactly. I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

anglophone comments on Jul 9, 2021:

My no vote comes from my semantic analysis of your question.

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

guntis comments on Jul 9, 2021:

It's our ability to see patterns even where they are misleading. Rational thinking may help to compensate this bug/feature, but only to a certain extent. I think so...

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

Yes you hit it on the head. I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

William_Mary comments on Jul 9, 2021:

The question is contradictory to abstract thought theory, as indoctrination, a proven mental weakness within humanity, especially within the political arena among citizenship. With the world citizenship under a constant 24 hour programing of negative propaganda towards conditioning to manage our ...

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

Exactly that. I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

Davekp comments on Jul 9, 2021:

Maybe, for the benefit of us without the dictionary gene the question can be posed as, "Can you be genetically "stupid"? lol

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

Exactly. I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

MrDragon comments on Jul 9, 2021:

I think it's only obvious.

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

Krish55 comments on Jul 9, 2021:

The sun is similarly responsible for rainy days…

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

snytiger6 comments on Jul 9, 2021:

I think irrational beliefs that result i religion are instinctual hold overs from our past. To fear change and the unfamiliar was once a part of our survival instincts.

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

That is the point exactly. I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

CuddyCruiser comments on Jul 9, 2021:

What it boils down to is this…….YOU control your own mind. You make the efforts by studying or by memorizing certain things that shape your thoughts. Nothing or nobody else does….. unless your weak and allow others to do so.

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

QuidamOutrepont comments on Jul 9, 2021:

Genetics?!

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

Robecology comments on Jul 9, 2021:

The question isn't clear. Genetics is the science that explains natural selection and evolution. Can some families select behaviors that make them more "vulnerable to indoctrination by irrational beliefs' - as in becoming religious or superstitious? Sure. But these behaviors - while leading...

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Jul 9, 2021:

Yes, but there are large cultural effects, as well.

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

That is the point exactly. I could not explain ahead of time because it would bias the results, but it was to discover if members appreciated the difference between belief in general, and the specific sub-set of culturally created beliefs called religion, which I would hold are not inevitable and natural, even though belief may be. A few members I think did not understand because I deliberately made the wording difficult, in order to stop any wish to please bias, but the members are a smart lot. It was a response to these joint postings, and some now deleted comments. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

Butch79 comments on Jul 10, 2021:

Isn't what ur really asking " does being smarter make us dumber?"?

Fernapple replies on Jul 10, 2021:

Yes almost.

“If a man would follow, today, the teachings of the (old) Testament, he would be a criminal.

barjoe comments on Jul 8, 2021:

What about being a moron?

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

I am trying my best but it is not easy.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

waitingforgodo comments on Jul 9, 2021:

Hahahaha. To contend, as another poster did, that opinion polls offer evidential support for a genetic predisposition towards belief in god(s) is as risible as the resurrection. The pursuit of knowledge and understanding is one of the motives behind inventive explanations of reality.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

@skado I am taking the two in context.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

waitingforgodo comments on Jul 9, 2021:

Hahahaha. To contend, as another poster did, that opinion polls offer evidential support for a genetic predisposition towards belief in god(s) is as risible as the resurrection. The pursuit of knowledge and understanding is one of the motives behind inventive explanations of reality.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

@skado Not opinion polls no, that would be very silly. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

indirect76 comments on Jul 9, 2021:

It’s like asking if having eyes makes us susceptible to mirages… uh yeah.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

@skado It is not that easy to evade. You have to understand the two in context of one another. https://agnostic.com/discussion/606800/is-religious-belief-natural-or-man-made https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

A common ‘belief’ among atheists is that humans are born atheists, and come to religion only ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 1, 2021:

I thought that that was more or less what most atheists did think. Certainly there is nothing new to this one. Stop strawmanning atheists.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

@skado I ran the same poll and got much more than the exact reverse results, simply by changing the word religion, for irrational beliefs. It would seem that most of the atheists here understand the science well enough, but also understand the difference between beliefs even irrational beliefs and the specific sub set of beliefs called religion, which the maker of the video seems not to be able to manage, in their sleazy interpretation of the science.

I have decided that I am a fairly happy nihilist.

Fernapple comments on Jul 8, 2021:

Good. You can join the gloomy optimists, angry pacifists, vague rationalists and dull humourists who seem to dominate this site.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

@Gwendolyn2018 Yes of course. It was only a light hearted jest.

Here's one of my favorite places to get away from the noise and hassle of my little "home town" of ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 9, 2021:

I love the chirp of sparrows, it was the background soundtrack to summer in my childhood. But sadly their population has taken a nose dive here in the UK and they are now quite rare.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

@fishline79 No they habve recovered a little lately but they are nothing like what they were. Some people say that it is down to the treatment of seed and grain.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

QuidamOutrepont comments on Jul 9, 2021:

Genetics?!

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

As sellected by evolution yes.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

Robecology comments on Jul 9, 2021:

The question isn't clear. Genetics is the science that explains natural selection and evolution. Can some families select behaviors that make them more "vulnerable to indoctrination by irrational beliefs' - as in becoming religious or superstitious? Sure. But these behaviors - while leading...

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

Yes my thoughts exactly. Genetics creates general trends but not specific occurences.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

indirect76 comments on Jul 9, 2021:

It’s like asking if having eyes makes us susceptible to mirages… uh yeah.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

Exactly yes. It is a response to a poll by another member which tried to prove that in effect, not only does having eyes make us susceptible to mirages, but that it makes us susceptible to specific mirages, such as seeing cats eyes in bowls of soup. In other words the claim that having language and abstact thinking compels religion.

[heritagedaily.com] Look at Neanderthal cognitive abilities

barjoe comments on Jul 9, 2021:

Neanderthals weren't just hominids, they were people.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

They are still here, especially if you are white european, you are probably about 3% Neanderthal.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

ChestRockfield comments on Jul 9, 2021:

I can't understand why anyone would say no to this. Genetics are responsible for everything, no?

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

@Davekp No but intelligence in its many forms , is perhaps controlled by a suite of genes.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

waitingforgodo comments on Jul 9, 2021:

Hahahaha. To contend, as another poster did, that opinion polls offer evidential support for a genetic predisposition towards belief in god(s) is as risible as the resurrection. The pursuit of knowledge and understanding is one of the motives behind inventive explanations of reality.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

My thoughts exactly

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

SnowyOwl comments on Jul 9, 2021:

You need to have an imagination before you can have an imaginary friend. So Yes

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

@anglophone Yes quite so. I started this poll. Which may not be very well worded, because of an on going dispute with a member who claims that the members here are too ignorant of science to understand that.

Do you think that human genetics which gave us higher levels of abstract thought and language, also ...

SnowyOwl comments on Jul 9, 2021:

You need to have an imagination before you can have an imaginary friend. So Yes

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

Yes, at an even more basic level the question is little more than, do genetics have any effect on the way we think and behave.

A common ‘belief’ among atheists is that humans are born atheists, and come to religion only ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 1, 2021:

I thought that that was more or less what most atheists did think. Certainly there is nothing new to this one. Stop strawmanning atheists.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

@skado No because religion and belief are not remotely the same thing. Belief may well be a human biological need, but it is possible to place belief in many things, even things which are empirically true, whereas religion is a specific cultural construct. ( The narrator in the video goes way beyond anything the science she quotes says, indeed the conclutions have nothing to do with it. )

I have decided that I am a fairly happy nihilist.

Fernapple comments on Jul 8, 2021:

Good. You can join the gloomy optimists, angry pacifists, vague rationalists and dull humourists who seem to dominate this site.

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

@Gwendolyn2018 Because surely, happiness is one of the things, a nihilist does not believe exists.

The garden opening season continues, and it was my turn to open for charity this weekend.

tinkercreek comments on Jul 8, 2021:

What a great program, and good on you for participating - your garden looks splendid!

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

Yes it is very famous in the UK, they publish a book each year called the Yellow Book, which lists and gives dates of all the open gardens across the country. It was really nice to be asked, as not every garden gets in.

The garden opening season continues, and it was my turn to open for charity this weekend.

RussRAB comments on Jul 8, 2021:

What a Great Program!

Fernapple replies on Jul 9, 2021:

Yes it is very famous in the UK, they publish a book each year called the Yellow Book, which lists and gives dates of all the open gardens across the country. It was really nice to be asked, as not every garden gets in.

Change my mind.

waitingforgodo comments on Jul 8, 2021:

To paraphrase your stance: theists, agnostics and atheists are not comfortable with science beyond its ability to fight the other isms. If you want opinions on that you could take a poll to garner more evidential support for the contention.

Fernapple replies on Jul 8, 2021:

It is not science that the members rejected, but only Sakdo and on other interpreter's subjective interpretation of some science, which among many other things makes an entirely false equivalence between belief on the one hand and religion on the other. Like this. To prove that there is a genetic basis for the game of golf. 1. Science proves that all creatures need to manage their energy usage, because over extravagant use of it would be punished by natural selection, resulting in lower survival and breeding success. 2. This creates genetic instinctive inclinations towards resting and lazy behaviour, since under certain circumstances inactivity is the most economic strategy. 3. Golf is a much less energetic game than Basket Ball. 4. Therefore golf is genetically determined, and built into our DNA. Also, the actual science, and the honest part of its interpretation, is actually based on Dawkins work and not in any way at odds with it. https://agnostic.com/group/ReligiousNaturalism/discussion/606562/a-common-belief-among-atheists-is-that-humans-are-born-atheists-and-come-to-religion-only-thr

The complex patterns that genes and proteins form, expressing themselves in so many ways.

Boomtarat03 comments on Jul 8, 2021:

🙄 I am living in a different world in which I only understand some things about this video 😅 jesus! My brain is resting 😅 Sorry @Fernapple I like you coz you are nice but I don't like the video you put up 😅 ✌️ 😉

Fernapple replies on Jul 8, 2021:

That is OK, I don't expect everyone to like everything I do. Hope you like my next post better. Have not seen you on the site for a while, hope you are good ?

Change my mind.

Fernapple comments on Jul 7, 2021:

Things are more complicated than that. End of story. Wisdom is about nuance, always beware people who are trying to sell an oversimplified view, they are never trying to point out the truth.

Fernapple replies on Jul 8, 2021:

@MsKathleen I don't agree. If you want to know why, message me.

“When someone would mistreat, misinform, misuse, misguide, mishandle, mislead …or any other ...

Diogenes comments on Jul 8, 2021:

You are up early. I just don't sleep

Fernapple replies on Jul 8, 2021:

We are five to eight hours in front of you over here.

Hey folks, it's been a while since my last visit, so I have a lot to catch up on.

Word comments on Jul 6, 2021:

To add to my previous post and give information that I think can be viewed as a peice of evidence for the mind virus organism still cognating and acting in the minds of the Masonic lodge secret religion racist devil worshipper European invador governmental terrorist, I leave this link and some ...

Fernapple replies on Jul 7, 2021:

@DenoPenno I wholly agree, here is certainly no Biblical evidence for Egyptian Hebrew slaves, Hebrew may not even have been an idea then, but there is considerable evidence for slaves in general escaping into the desert. Including reports of outlaw slaves being a problem to and raiding into Egypt. Also don't forget that Egypt may have been used as a catch all term for all the countries to the south of the Fertile crescent, so that in the vague folk memory it could mean Arabia etc. I am not saying that this is history, simply that some things are bound to happen, such as some of the people migrating from South America to the USA, are almost certainly going to go through Mexico. And so some migrants from South America are almost bound to be misnamed as migrants from Mexico. So some of the migrants from the deserts to the south of the Fertile Crescent are almost bound to have a vague memory of Egyptian decent. Egypt was just the big country and great power to the South, anyone with no more than a vague folk memory of their ancestry was almost bound to say. "We came from Egypt." even if they came from Ethiopia, Arabia or were natives of the deserts. After all very few white Americans are of British decent, not even those in the first thirteen colonies, they came from all over Europe, but many in the past especially would say that they were the English Americans.

Change my mind.

Fernapple comments on Jul 7, 2021:

Things are more complicated than that. End of story. Wisdom is about nuance, always beware people who are trying to sell an oversimplified view, they are never trying to point out the truth.

Fernapple replies on Jul 7, 2021:

@skado PS. It maters little if it be metaphorical or not. Gross oversimplification is often an invitation for people to make oversimplified replies, which is often the resort of the charlatan loooking for easy wins.

Change my mind.

Fernapple comments on Jul 7, 2021:

Things are more complicated than that. End of story. Wisdom is about nuance, always beware people who are trying to sell an oversimplified view, they are never trying to point out the truth.

Fernapple replies on Jul 7, 2021:

@skado See second comment.

Hey folks, it's been a while since my last visit, so I have a lot to catch up on.

Word comments on Jul 6, 2021:

To add to my previous post and give information that I think can be viewed as a peice of evidence for the mind virus organism still cognating and acting in the minds of the Masonic lodge secret religion racist devil worshipper European invador governmental terrorist, I leave this link and some ...

Fernapple replies on Jul 7, 2021:

@DenoPenno It is quite likely that there was a perminant flow of escaped slaves out of Egypt. Who would have been forced to join the shepherd peoples living in the deserts to the East. That was almost bound to create the belief in those people, that they were the decendents of Egyption slaves, even though there would always be a dwindeling percent of native heritage. It is almost certain that on many occassions those desert peoples would have tried to invade or steal land in the Fertile Crescent, and they would sometimes succeed. The whole story is probably therefore a much simplified version of a long and complex series of events which took place over centuries. A simplification which is exactly that which tends to happen to history as it changes into folklore.

Change my mind.

waitingforgodo comments on Jul 7, 2021:

Are you suggesting two pages of the same book? Or the latest word game involving an unholy trinity of free association, rorschach and legerdemain? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V83JR2IoI8k

Fernapple replies on Jul 7, 2021:

No I think he is suggesting quite different pages with no overlap.

Change my mind.

Fernapple comments on Jul 7, 2021:

Change my mind.

Fernapple replies on Jul 7, 2021:

@David1955 Thank you.

What are you really afraid off?

wordywalt comments on Jul 6, 2021:

Old-age dementia.

Fernapple replies on Jul 7, 2021:

@Jolanta Sadly you don't forget everything, you just become more confused, more frightened and more dependent on others. The brain affects the body and you become ill, with many unpleasant symptoms which can last for years. Often you end up bed bound and in nappies, being washed and changed by stangers, both real and imagined strangers. And you no longer have the power or understanding to terminate your life.

School board candidates are wolves in sheep's clothing.

dalefvictor comments on Jul 4, 2021:

Sometimes putting in good people is hard and it take a lot of work to find that the best candidate might be yourself.

Fernapple replies on Jul 4, 2021:

Yes if a job needs doing well, doing it yourself is usually the best option, but the trouble is that the whole world will happly let you carry it, if you are too willing.

Is religious belief natural or man made?

Moravian comments on Jul 3, 2021:

Children are predisposed to follow instructions from their parents or other teachers. This is common in most species and is beneficial for the continuation of the species.Belief in gods was primitive man's way of trying to understand a dangerous world but we are a bit more knowledgeable than that ...

Fernapple replies on Jul 4, 2021:

@Moravian It is in decline of course where there are high levels of education and reasonable living standards, but there is every sign that those may well go into decline and that could bring about a religious revival.

Nothing to add.

FrostyJim comments on Jul 3, 2021:

Disgraceful is fun...

Fernapple replies on Jul 4, 2021:

@Gwendolyn2018 That is a ballancing act.

What Does It Mean to Be Agnostic?

Tejas comments on Jul 3, 2021:

Agnosticism is knowledge Atheism is belief. The two don't relate

Fernapple replies on Jul 3, 2021:

@anglophone Quite, so you can be both an atheist and a theist, just as Tejas said, you can be both atheist and agnostic. But the common usage of atheist is for total atheist about all gods, and it is not specified in the post that anything other than the common usage is implied.

& don't bring up "Cults of Personality" like Stalin's Communism or Mao's Cultural Revolution.

Fernapple comments on Jul 3, 2021:

I don't think so, atheism has deep roots, going back all the way to the classical world. Even in the middle ages, perhaps the high point of theism, it existed in some forms. This is the first of a really interesting series of lectures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb5mYqnKFlI

Fernapple replies on Jul 3, 2021:

@phxbillcee Ah, I see. It has sometimes to be said, that perhaps the best of the few good things that religion offers, is that it sometimes offers an alternate voice to the state, and it monopoly on propaganda.

We have a number of people on this site, like Captain_Feelgood, who persist in attacking people with...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 3, 2021:

When you throw dirt, you lose ground.

Fernapple replies on Jul 3, 2021:

Like that one.

A common ‘belief’ among atheists is that humans are born atheists, and come to religion only ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 1, 2021:

I thought that that was more or less what most atheists did think. Certainly there is nothing new to this one. Stop strawmanning atheists.

Fernapple replies on Jul 3, 2021:

@bbyrd009 Yes though the "deliberate promotion of falsehoods" may be by those who truly believe in them. By deliberate promotion of falsehoods, I did not mean decietful promotion.

A common ‘belief’ among atheists is that humans are born atheists, and come to religion only ...

powder comments on Jul 1, 2021:

Living in Thailand opened my eyes. No-one believes in a singular deity which strongly suggests to me it is a taught concept, not a natural thought. Many atheists latch onto science as their catch call phrase without knowing science is just humanities pursuit of knowledge. The thing with biology/ ...

Fernapple replies on Jul 2, 2021:

Good points. You may like to view my comments next down.

A common ‘belief’ among atheists is that humans are born atheists, and come to religion only ...

Fernapple comments on Jul 1, 2021:

I thought that that was more or less what most atheists did think. Certainly there is nothing new to this one. Stop strawmanning atheists.

Fernapple replies on Jul 2, 2021:

@skado By suggesting that they do not share the views of the narrator in this video. The narrator is talking about belief anyway not religion, though she does add a few remarks at the end about religion, which are not justified by her main argument or by the science talked about. Religion is not the same thing as belief, we all need belief, to use the cliche example, we all have to believe we are not living in a matrix, to not give up on life. But religion is not belief. Belief can be modified and selected to be belief in true things, or essential if unsupported things. Religion is the subset of belief, which is a purely cultural phenomena about the deliberate promotion of belief in falsehoods. It is that by definition. Because if it promotes belief in truths, then it becomes by definition philosophy. To give an example. If a religious figure, who may even be a fictional one, such as Jesus Christ makes a statement such as. "Do as you would be done by." Then they are making a philosophical statement, because that idea can be tested against the rules of logic, and epistemology, which is how we know if it is true or not, and that makes it a philosophical statement. If we add the further requirement for empirical evidence then we have the sub-set of philosophy, natural philosophy, aka. science. However if a religious text makes a claim such as. He was raised up on the third day, then that can not be justified as a true statement, because it can not be tested for falsehood against any of those rules, and is therefore by definition a potential falsehood, and therefore a religious belief, not a philosophical one.

OK, is this rage or just play ? [youtube.com]

AnneWimsey comments on Jul 1, 2021:

As in all things, the females standing back & going WTF?

Fernapple replies on Jul 1, 2021:

That was my third choice that I did not think of until later. Showing off to the females. Which never works anyway.

Psychopaths are always shaking the jar, just to stir up some murder and mayhem for their own ...

Fernapple comments on Jun 30, 2021:

It was me, I confess.

Fernapple replies on Jun 30, 2021:

@RichCC There are a lot of good religious people, who are convinced this is a site for psychopaths. ( It makes it easy for me to blend in.)

ok im baked and wanna pose a thought have human beings stopped evolving?

RussRAB comments on Jun 29, 2021:

As others have said, evolution is adaptation to particular environmental conditions. The individuals who are better suited to survive and reproduce under the set of conditions have their genes passed on. In this way, species should be understood to be elements of their environments. Humans are a...

Fernapple replies on Jun 30, 2021:

That ignores the effects of sexual selection and genetic drift. Evolution acts fast when there is a change in the environment, human culture and technology have made one of the most rapid changes in the environment ever seen by any creature. Especially as you say. "I would think that human evolution would remain slow so long as we are able to insulate ourselves from our environments." But being able to insulate yourself from certain environmental pressures, does not bring a stop to evolution, it only means that the pressures remaining become more important. That includes especially internal factors such as sexual selection. One of the big effects of which (Just for example, it is far from the only one.) will be the drive towards sexual dimorphism, which is normally blocked by environmental pressures. But when those pressures are removed, then there is nothing to stop males growing much bigger and more aggressive, and females growing smaller and more passive, because they are the types who breed most successfully. The ultimate feminist nightmare perhaps. Generally we may also grow more aggressive and loose emotions of social empathy, because society and breeding rewards aggression, while medical science, removes many of the consequences of aggression. For example a human who suffers a broken bone as a result of fighting will today survive, where in the past they would most likely die. If humans do survive the current global problems, such as global warming, then the effects of evolution will be very evil to all those qualities we today regard as our higher functions. ( There is some evidence, our brains have been shrinking rapidly since the agricultural revolution. ) Until eventually some crisis, perhaps quite a small one, such as the machines which feed us break down and we can not mend them anymore, comes along which we are unable to deal with, and we go extinct.

The cake is a myth; the cake is a lie.

Fernapple comments on Jun 29, 2021:

My favourite is, "Nun's Fart".

Fernapple replies on Jun 29, 2021:

@Kahna Its a sort of puff pastry bun.

I found this question on an online dating site: "Would you consider dating someone whose religion...

Boxdoc comments on Jun 28, 2021:

I have always been an atheist. I have been married twice to religious women. We understood each other and it was never an issue. Unfortunately both died of cancers. Religion did them a lot of good didn't it.

Fernapple replies on Jun 28, 2021:

You too. I only lost one wife to cancer, but she was religious too. Forty three not a good age for widowhood.

are non-believers allowed to golf? I've been golfing some.

Fernapple comments on Jun 28, 2021:

Poking your balls down a hole with a stick, is pointless activity which can cause you to develop a number of unpleasant medical complaints.

Fernapple replies on Jun 28, 2021:

@hankster It seems to be a very popular hobby.

Why is it that most people can read but seem to be unable to fully comprehend what they read?

David1955 comments on Jun 27, 2021:

An issue on my mind too. I believe it is because too many people lack critical thinking and contextualising skills. I suspect that with education focusing obsessively on 'vocational skills' and 'employment skills' and 'job skills', as education is geared to narrowly training people for the needs of...

Fernapple replies on Jun 28, 2021:

And of course, if you did teach critical thinking then most people would reject the products of most of those jobs. So that the other advantage of teaching job skills and nothing else, is that you, not only train people to be good passive workers, but also good childishly demanding, but uncritical, consumers who will be a market for dross they produce.

I went garden visiting today, and saw where a friend has made a garden in the ruined circular tower ...

RussRAB comments on Jun 27, 2021:

Very lovely. I recall you saying how much you liked ferns, I imagine it was a particularly enjoyable find for you.

Fernapple replies on Jun 27, 2021:

Yes it was, especially as some of her collection came from me.

I went garden visiting today, and saw where a friend has made a garden in the ruined circular tower ...

Cast1es comments on Jun 27, 2021:

WOW ! We had an unexpected week long freeze this past winter and I thought it had killed off most of my ferns , but they are growing back from the roots , in even greater quantity than I had originally planted .

Fernapple replies on Jun 27, 2021:

They are very tough and hardy for the most part.

I went garden visiting today, and saw where a friend has made a garden in the ruined circular tower ...

KateOahu comments on Jun 27, 2021:

What a lovely place. Calls for champagne, cheese, and crackers…

Fernapple replies on Jun 27, 2021:

Had local sausage in puff pastry, and coffee cake with a white coffee.

Does your device meet the (Windows 11) requirements ?

DenoPenno comments on Jun 26, 2021:

I have not checked and do not want to. I plan on using Windows 10 as long as I can and I have shut down all the bad features of that system. Microsoft will come in and rearrange your Windows 10 every 90 days. It pissed me off, so now they no longer do that on my system. They are blocked. I update as...

Fernapple replies on Jun 27, 2021:

I know. I let them slip through and they deleted a perfectly good chess game that I had been playing with for years, and was not even produced by them, and now I can't get it back again.

Can someone tell our purpose of existing on this earth?

skado comments on Jun 26, 2021:

Tiger food.

Fernapple replies on Jun 27, 2021:

Bacteria need to eat too.

Can someone tell our purpose of existing on this earth?

bobwjr comments on Jun 27, 2021:

Nope

Fernapple replies on Jun 27, 2021:

Too much honesty can get you into deep s##t.

Can someone tell our purpose of existing on this earth?

Word comments on Jun 27, 2021:

Several answers depending on point of view and expected response to satisfy the question. 1. We exist on Earth because we are not martians on mars. Purpose defined as the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. 2. The reason you exist is because of ...

Fernapple replies on Jun 27, 2021:

One of your best Word.

This is a follow up to a previous post.

Fernapple comments on Jun 26, 2021:

Every joke, whatever its subject, is a serious comment on the nature of logic.

Fernapple replies on Jun 27, 2021:

@bbyrd009 The second part of this paragraph is true. The first part of this paragraph is a lie. Another example is this post. "Why should the word atheist even exist, since we do not have words for none stamp collecting or none golfing etc." But then that leads to the logical question. Why should not every term/ word/ phrase have an equal and opposite negative. " My wife and I were out walking in the town. When we saw my mother in law across the other side of the street. As we watched, a gang of four men, obviously criminals, began to violently assault her. My wife said. "Arn't you going to go over and help." I said. "No, four should be enough." Questions our false logical assumtions about the nature of family relations, even pointing out a truth.

What benefits might there be in describing the activity of mathematics in the following terms?

Fernapple comments on Jun 26, 2021:

I thought that that was the standard way.

Fernapple replies on Jun 27, 2021:

@anglophone Reminds me of the frequent religious thinking. Give that one of the axioms of god is that it exists, therefore this is how we prove it exists.

The spell checker on here is interesting.

KateOahu comments on Jun 27, 2021:

I make so many typos, it is hard for me to place blame anywhere but on myself.

Fernapple replies on Jun 27, 2021:

You are not the only one.

Stolen "What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

Fernapple comments on Jun 26, 2021:

The second half of this sentence is true, but the first half of this sentence is a lie.

Fernapple replies on Jun 26, 2021:

@EarnestEccentric Yes it would have been better if I used paragraph.

An interesting historical footnote for those who find Biblical matters interesting.

FrayedBear comments on Jun 26, 2021:

I'm amazed that with all that inbreeding they haven't grown horns & tails!

Fernapple replies on Jun 26, 2021:

@FrayedBear No need to be politically correct. Maybe the hats are there to hide the horns.

What is our relationship with nature ?

Fernapple comments on Jun 25, 2021:

No I can see the same problem. One part of it of course is the inherited cultural dogma, that there are only two sexes, which is not true even of nature, where all manner of hermaphrodites have always and always did exist. And that everyone has to have just one of those two sexes, why not three or ...

Fernapple replies on Jun 26, 2021:

@Matias Yes I am probably going down a rabbit hole, the issue of gender in sports has been so much to the fore this last month here, I was making an assumption that your post was inspired by that. But it still makes the point that biological gender is not simple, and that how you define sex may depend very much more on your reasons for needing to use gender, rather than biology. Perhaps the best answer to your main question though, is that since cognitive dissonance and the property it gives to people to believe several quite contrary things at the same time, is the norm in virtually every sphere of human life, why should our attitude to nature be the one exception.

What is our relationship with nature ?

Fernapple comments on Jun 25, 2021:

No I can see the same problem. One part of it of course is the inherited cultural dogma, that there are only two sexes, which is not true even of nature, where all manner of hermaphrodites have always and always did exist. And that everyone has to have just one of those two sexes, why not three or ...

Fernapple replies on Jun 26, 2021:

@Matias That is true for some things, but not perhaps if you are using them for sports handicaps for example.

What is our relationship with nature ?

Fernapple comments on Jun 25, 2021:

No I can see the same problem. One part of it of course is the inherited cultural dogma, that there are only two sexes, which is not true even of nature, where all manner of hermaphrodites have always and always did exist. And that everyone has to have just one of those two sexes, why not three or ...

Fernapple replies on Jun 26, 2021:

@Matias Yes but there are several flavours of intersexual.

Fossil bones belonging to mysterious ancient human found in Israel [abc.net.au]

Petter comments on Jun 25, 2021:

Maybe they were an offshoot of the Denisovan humans.

Fernapple replies on Jun 26, 2021:

@barjoe Nah, in Israel even God could do that. LOL

Rachel Maddow reports that he Trump business organization is likely to face criminal charges in New ...

p-nullifidian comments on Jun 25, 2021:

Almost as delicious a thought as spellchecker? 😉

Fernapple replies on Jun 26, 2021:

Spell checker is interesting. Type the wrong letter, and it tells you, but type the wrong word and it wont.

What would it take for you to believe that god is real and exists?

Fernapple comments on Jun 25, 2021:

Which god ?

Fernapple replies on Jun 25, 2021:

@MrDragon Then I would say that many things could make me believe in a lot of gods, but not hers. Because her god is not logically consistent, and if I saw evidence for something that was not logically consistent, then I am more likely to assume that I have gone mad.

We had a request for more meaningful discussions.

Fernapple comments on Jun 24, 2021:

The problem with that is that, when governments fail to deliver on that promise, (which is not a new one ), though corruption and/or incompetence. They always look for someone to take the blame away from themselves, and the easy target is foreigners. War and conflict have never been about threats ...

Fernapple replies on Jun 25, 2021:

@Julie808 In some ways the Cold War was one of the best tricks, in the Soviet block communism failed the people, and in the Western block, especially the US, capitalism failed nearly as badly to really raise the greater number of people. So blame the other side, but create a phoney none shooting war, except by proxy in a few third world states, and you can go on avoiding the need to address your countries problems with the long term hard work, careful thinking, education, care, corruption cleansing and honesty, they really need, forever. Suits both sides.

What replaces preaching?

creative51 comments on Jun 23, 2021:

Preaching is just a form of salesmanship. A preacher sells their version of god and of course you need to pay for their version. What the preacher says is various strategies to get you to buy. It is not going away, because the skills show up in insurance sales, car sales, furniture sales, anything ...

Fernapple replies on Jun 24, 2021:

@bbyrd009 That already happens, across a lot of secular Europe, the secular nation states give various forms of social security and healthcare, and people are steadly turning from religion. Is it any wonder that the American evangelical churches are lining up with the anti-stateist right.

What replaces preaching?

creative51 comments on Jun 23, 2021:

Preaching is just a form of salesmanship. A preacher sells their version of god and of course you need to pay for their version. What the preacher says is various strategies to get you to buy. It is not going away, because the skills show up in insurance sales, car sales, furniture sales, anything ...

Fernapple replies on Jun 23, 2021:

And the religious salesman has the advantage that, most of what is being sold can not be tested until after you are dead. No compliants, no returns, no bad press from disappointed customers, and no real need to actually deliver the goods.

“We are dust and to dust return.

Fernapple comments on Jun 19, 2021:

No we are mainly water.

Fernapple replies on Jun 23, 2021:

@HelenRoseBuck Thank you I will.

WORDS.

LiterateHiker comments on Jun 22, 2021:

Of course words have meanings. **Definition: ** *noun* 1. the act of defining, or of making something definite, distinct, or clear: *We need a better definition of her responsibilities.* 2. the formal statement of the meaning or significance of a word, phrase, idiom, etc., as found in ...

Fernapple replies on Jun 23, 2021:

@MikeInBatonRouge Yep good ideas, but I still think that pseudo-god suits the purpose better.

WORDS.

LiterateHiker comments on Jun 22, 2021:

Of course words have meanings. **Definition: ** *noun* 1. the act of defining, or of making something definite, distinct, or clear: *We need a better definition of her responsibilities.* 2. the formal statement of the meaning or significance of a word, phrase, idiom, etc., as found in ...

Fernapple replies on Jun 23, 2021:

@MikeInBatonRouge An exact example proving my point. What word would you use for something which acts in the role of a god, but does not have many of the properties usually associated with a god, such as mind and thought ? I do not know one, maybe you do, my vocabulary is not vast, but the fact that common English does not provide such a term, and forces me to invent one. A bad one with redundancy, as you say. Is exactly the point that the failings of the inherited language, affects the way we model reality, in a detrimental way. Especially if we believe in absolute meanings. And moreover lead to failings of thought, such as the common falacy,of believing that you can define god into existence, often found in the religious.