In solving problems 'In general' how useful is the phrase.

Fernapple comments on Oct 9, 2019:

Not at all. It is far too vague and banal to be of any use in complex real world situations, and why prioritize humans anyway.

Fernapple replies on Oct 9, 2019:

@Mcflewster Yes, not a Humanist, not with a capital letter anyway, while I have a great deal of respect for the movement, I did choose Agnostic.com, and not Humanism.com..

Australian Green's Party ridiculed

Marionville comments on Oct 9, 2019:

We must remember that no party has a monopoly on making stupid statements...ALL parties are guilty of this. Both of these ideas are equally ridiculous! Btw...Why did you feel the need to post this twice?

Fernapple replies on Oct 9, 2019:

Its funny, I once had a post where I could not decide which catagory it should go in, so I thought, post it in both. But the site gave me a slap, and a pop up, told me that was naughty and you should not do it.

JESUS DIED FOR YOUR SINS! Don't you just love it when Christians spout, "Jesus died for your ...

skado comments on Oct 8, 2019:

Of *course* it's crap if you interpret it literally. But it wasn't "intended" that way. It's intended (consciously or otherwise) to be symbolic of certain very real psychological processes. Theists who are literalists (most) miss the perennial (universal) relationships in those stories. Atheists...

Fernapple replies on Oct 9, 2019:

@LenHazell53 I think that you are right, and that there certainly was no intent on the part of the original writers to write allegory, in part because they were people just like us, and I don't know about you, but none of my friends have written a deep allegorical novel in the last few years. But in skado's defence, I have to say, that I do not think he is saying that the metaphors are not modern interpretations, mearly that he wishes to keep his right to use them that way. My problem is however, with continuing to view them that way in the modern religious tradition, not with acedemic study. From personal experience I have known people who claimed to view those stories as just metaphor, yet still found no problem in still using that metaphor, in one case to justify the most extremme anti palestinian racism, and in another the complete negation of human and animal rights. Metaphor is of course open to any interpretation you care to give it, always subjective, and it is therefore the most dangerous of all the routes to truth save blind faith.

JESUS DIED FOR YOUR SINS! Don't you just love it when Christians spout, "Jesus died for your ...

skado comments on Oct 8, 2019:

Of *course* it's crap if you interpret it literally. But it wasn't "intended" that way. It's intended (consciously or otherwise) to be symbolic of certain very real psychological processes. Theists who are literalists (most) miss the perennial (universal) relationships in those stories. Atheists...

Fernapple replies on Oct 9, 2019:

@skado You say. "It did not “take hold” in conscious awareness perhaps, but one could argue it hasn’t really taken hold yet in any but the most esoteric circles." I would say that it has taken hold and that it is quite an old well established view, held by many. Because unfortunately the problem is that it is not just limited to academic "esoteric circles". If it was, I would have no problem with it, but in fact is that it is widespread and deep rooted in many church establishments. Yet here is the rub. When a literal believer, of which there are many, gets up from the pew and reaches out to put money in the collecting box, does the priest say. "Stop before you do that, you do understand the metaphorical meaning of the verses I just read, don't you." No, of course not, and that is the heart of the problems. First the massive dishonesty, especially towards the huge numbers of often poor and vulnerable people, who are often led into making huge contributions of time, effort and money they often can not afford, and which could make big differences to them and in their communities, by those who only fake their belief. Secondly because the supporting of religion by such people, normalizes and extends the scope of religion, thereby creating the vast pool in which the fundamentalists, often of the worst type, swim. The metaphorical believers can not absolve themselves form the harm that religion, including the literal kind, causes indeed they are at the core of it. And thirdly, because of the massive lazy failing of those within religion and taking the metaphorical view, to educate, which should be everyones responsibility. And yes I have studied religion as metaphor and enjoyed it as a study and learned much from it, but if someone asks me are those stories true, then I reply, not in any way, though you may use them as poetic understandings of human nature, but you can use any myths for that.

Another story from the deep past, but with some interest for todays world. [youtube.com]

Robecology comments on Oct 8, 2019:

Anton's videos are good...but not great. He needs to slow down and articulate...you can see that his videos start and stop...he's trying to say too much in too short a time.

Fernapple replies on Oct 9, 2019:

True, but I love the quirky happy enthusiasim of them.

new ideas on sea-level rise - [theconversation.com]

Fernapple comments on Oct 8, 2019:

Of course the melting of ice sheets are not the only, and possibly not the biggest contributers to sea level rise, the expansion of water due to the higher temperatures of the seas also adds perhaps more.

Fernapple replies on Oct 8, 2019:

@Allamanda Interesting, never thought of that.

new ideas on sea-level rise - [theconversation.com]

Fernapple comments on Oct 8, 2019:

Of course the melting of ice sheets are not the only, and possibly not the biggest contributers to sea level rise, the expansion of water due to the higher temperatures of the seas also adds perhaps more.

Fernapple replies on Oct 8, 2019:

@Allamanda I would be very doubtful about any source which claimed that thermal expansion has no effect, even if it is smaller than melting, since if the globe warms it can not do anything else. That would break a lot of natural laws.

new ideas on sea-level rise - [theconversation.com]

Fernapple comments on Oct 8, 2019:

Of course the melting of ice sheets are not the only, and possibly not the biggest contributers to sea level rise, the expansion of water due to the higher temperatures of the seas also adds perhaps more.

Fernapple replies on Oct 8, 2019:

@Allamanda There you go found this. https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2680/new-study-finds-sea-level-rise-accelerating/

new ideas on sea-level rise - [theconversation.com]

Fernapple comments on Oct 8, 2019:

Of course the melting of ice sheets are not the only, and possibly not the biggest contributers to sea level rise, the expansion of water due to the higher temperatures of the seas also adds perhaps more.

Fernapple replies on Oct 8, 2019:

@Allamanda No sorry I can not remember the souce, it was someting I heard a long time ago, but a search should soon turn something up.

Four things that never return: the spoken word, the speeding arrow, the wasted life, and the ...

Fernapple comments on Oct 7, 2019:

Very old quote though, I think that in one form or another it predates D. K. by centuries.

Fernapple replies on Oct 7, 2019:

@Marionville Think I heard that it was originally a native American saying.

A bit of reality.

JeffMesser comments on Oct 7, 2019:

no, THIS is reality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d4ugppcRUE

Fernapple replies on Oct 7, 2019:

@Moravian He's posting it as a comment on a lot of posts.

Leviticus 20:13 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of ...

genessa comments on Oct 6, 2019:

that is a pretty interesting translation too. the original is not nearly as specific. of course the new testament and the hebrew bible are NOT the same book. anyway, the population was perceived to be pretty small and local i imagine, even smaller than it really was. i guess someone was pushing ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 6, 2019:

@genessa I know. And boy are you not missing anything.

Leviticus 20:13 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of ...

genessa comments on Oct 6, 2019:

that is a pretty interesting translation too. the original is not nearly as specific. of course the new testament and the hebrew bible are NOT the same book. anyway, the population was perceived to be pretty small and local i imagine, even smaller than it really was. i guess someone was pushing ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 6, 2019:

As passing interest. The King James says, "if a man lie with".

[msn.

Beowulfsfriend comments on Oct 6, 2019:

I doubt much happens. This is an all too common occurrence. On a smaller scale, cities like New York and Washington are owed millions in fines. Those with immunity act like royalty from the Middle Ages. Every once in a while in a high profile case like murder, the offender's nation will cut them ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 6, 2019:

I like, "act like royalty from the Middle Ages" although 'like', does not really apply. The rules about diplomatic immunity, go back deep into the nineteenth century and beyond, and were very much created in an age when royal privilege was still a real issue and attitude, which extended to other members of the political establishment. So it really is part of the middle ages, still haunting us.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

SeaGreenEyez comments on Oct 5, 2019:

Before I got to the advertising part, my thoughts went straight to big pharma and the totally lacking/lagging "mental health care" system in America. No one benefits from unhappiness more than the people selling their brand of EPIC fail cures for unhappiness than those people/corporations. 😔...

Fernapple replies on Oct 6, 2019:

Yes, that's very true. It is one of the things we are a little protected against in the UK, because of the National Health Service. Yet we have still had cases of doctors being bribed and placed under all forms of preasure to over prescribe.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

DSGavde comments on Oct 4, 2019:

As much as I loathe the primary purpose of advertising to push products on the gullible target market, I also think that there is no feasible substitute to create effective product awareness for non essentials as well as otherwise. On the flip side, looking at the expenditure on advertisement ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 5, 2019:

@DSGavde Yep, that's it>

Of all the arguments for the existence of a god or gods, what is the best one you have ever heard?

CapriKious comments on Oct 5, 2019:

"What if you are wrong?" It is about the only point you can win with me and if the person cannot go there themselves you have better idea what kind of belief you are dealing with.

Fernapple replies on Oct 5, 2019:

Yes, but even if there is a god, we are still all wrong including them. Because, of all the tens of thousands of gods out there, and millions of sects who claim to be the only true way to that god, what is the chance that any one person has hit by chance on the right one. A very low statistical chance, stastically meaningless in fact, and statistically meaningless is the same as wrong. And if you add the possiblity that, god if it exists, may be a hidden deist god, who never revealed itself to anyone, and who may think that setting up fake gods in its name is the worst thing humans can do. Then they are lost.

CNN refuses to air 2 Trump campaign ads over "demonstrably false" claims

BD66 comments on Oct 4, 2019:

Why would Trump advertise on CNN anyway? Anyone who watches that network would only view it as a reminder to go out and vote against Trump.

Fernapple replies on Oct 5, 2019:

Delusion.

Is any body my age here? I am 23.

Fernapple comments on Oct 4, 2019:

In my own deluded mind yes, but my birth documents say 62.

Fernapple replies on Oct 5, 2019:

@drowsydragon34 Welcome and enjoy, there is a great diversity of people here so I am sure there are some at 23, but if you go with the flow and poke into the hidden corners, like the groups, there is lots to find.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

Marionville comments on Oct 4, 2019:

I agree with the thrust of your argument, and concur about the Advertising Industry being responsible for promoting unhappiness. The debt incurred by those pursuing the ever newer and trendier, in order to be at the forefront of what is current is another factor in the increasing unhappiness in ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 5, 2019:

Yes I just posted this on Denopenno's coment above but it is valid to yours too, especially sadly for the young. I have never had more than a moderate income, yet I find that many people I know on much higher incomes than myself are much less solvent. And then they often pressure themselves to the point where they turn to drink etc., which not only makes them feel worse in the long run, but also adds another expense wasting their incomes.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

DenoPenno comments on Oct 4, 2019:

Ads I see want to ask if you are driving a car you are unhappy with. They also ask if you want to get rid of that clunker. Medical ads are similar when they ask if you have certain pains and then make impossible claims for simple over the counter meds. Advertising is all there is anymore and we are ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 5, 2019:

Yes I have never had more than a moderate income, yet I find that many people I know on much higher incomes than myself are much less solvent. And then they often pressure themselves to the point where they turn to drink etc., which not only makes them feel worse in the long run, but also adds another expense wasting their incomes.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

DSGavde comments on Oct 4, 2019:

As much as I loathe the primary purpose of advertising to push products on the gullible target market, I also think that there is no feasible substitute to create effective product awareness for non essentials as well as otherwise. On the flip side, looking at the expenditure on advertisement ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 5, 2019:

Not always perhaps. Do not forget that, a cheap watch may well be better made and engineered than a much more expensive designer brand name product. Buying a brand name, may well just be buying a myth, just as unreal as any god.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

callmedubious comments on Oct 4, 2019:

there is no secret to happiness. it's very transitory. anyone who is not on drugs & not so busy that they don't have time to be alone & think can't possibly be happy except for brief periods.

Fernapple replies on Oct 5, 2019:

Yes I agree with that. Pain and happiness are the mental carrot and stick, which nature/evolution plants in our programming to make us run, and to pursue complex goals like finding mates and gaining social status. If we ever truly escaped one or gained the other, then we would stop running, and then the two would not serve their purpose. Yet that perhaps does not prevent social and commercial institutions, from making things worse.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

bleurowz comments on Oct 5, 2019:

IMHO, Advertising and religion don't create unhappiness, they feed on what's already there. When people are feeling empty and lonely, instead of doing the more difficult thing of facing what's going on with them, or even accepting that unhappiness occurring sometimes is a normal part of the human ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 5, 2019:

I think that may be true to a very large extent, but is not offering quick fix solutions which don't work just the same in the end.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

ZantiMisfit comments on Oct 4, 2019:

I think everyone's idea of happiness changes over time, depending on what phase of life they're in. But your example of advertising and consumerism made me think of a line from *Walden*, "A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone."

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Hastur Thank you I have not done that one, will give it a go.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@WilliamFleming Most of your heros do seem to come from and earlier age, I wonder if they would still hold the same views if they were alive now ? I will leave it at that, because I like you too much to become boring. Regards.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

ZantiMisfit comments on Oct 4, 2019:

I think everyone's idea of happiness changes over time, depending on what phase of life they're in. But your example of advertising and consumerism made me think of a line from *Walden*, "A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone."

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

I love Thoreau, especially Walden. I have heard that he is taught in US schools but that they deliberately miss out Walden, and Civil Disobedience, because they think they may be challenging, which is about as sad as an education systtem can get. Is that true ?

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

Apunzelle comments on Oct 4, 2019:

Clever points!

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

Thanks, I try to contribute and hope I do.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

Mark013 comments on Oct 4, 2019:

I am quite happy in my own little place in my mind. I avoid most advertising by just ignoring it, to me it is just white noise. I see and hear it but just don't care. A big part of happiness is attitude and being at ease with who you are.

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

Yep. We are on the same wave.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 4, 2019:

Yes, I think you are on to something here. Our default state is joy, but we are not aware of that joy if our minds are swirling around a bunch of semi-lies propagated by those who want us to be fearful or stressed. That would be politicians, advertisers, news people, church leaders, even family ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

Very true, some people would just call it growing up I suppose. But it is not really so much that we grow up, as that, the young are the most vulnerable. When you are at the same time, inexperienced, eager to please, eager to make an impression on the world and lacking both financial and social capital. You are bound to be vulnerable and easily manipulated. Usually I feel sorry for the young.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

KKGator comments on Oct 4, 2019:

All valid points. To my mind, "happiness" is completely subjective and means so many different things to different people. For me, it's about inner strength, peace of mind, and knowing what works for ME. Not being told what I "need", or should want, by anyone else. (Well, I can be told, but ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

Good for you, that's my whole point and you are living proof of it.

Is any body my age here? I am 23.

Bigwavedave comments on Oct 4, 2019:

I have shoes older than that, but welcome !

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

Socks

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@WilliamFleming Sorry but just because it is complicated, and beyond understanding at this time at least, that does not mean that there is something supernatural going on. The god of the gaps argument, holds no more water, if used for a deist god or for supernatural consciouness, than it does if used for a theist god. People may think out loud about things beyond the fringe of science, that's fine, but when they do that, they can not be credited with doing science, or carry with them any authority they gained while in science, exactly because they are speculating beyond its fringes.

Today's hike: Search for Golden Week and snow down my leg.

Fernapple comments on Oct 4, 2019:

Beautiful larches just at their peak, sadly it only last a twinkling of the eye.

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@LiterateHiker They are not common in England, but I grow one in the garden for the fall colour.

God works in mysterious ways...

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 3, 2019:

Very odd. How is it that a couple of coils of DNA all curled up, lying in cells can control the development of an organism? It seems analogous to a set of building plans all rolled up in a construction shack. The building doesn’t build itself. Someone has to interpret the plans and perform ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@WilliamFleming Yes I do not think that anyone does understand it fully. But I have not read any R. Sheldrake. One small point though. I do not think that they have to travel to the correct ribosome, I think all ribosomes will do all things.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@WilliamFleming Yes I agree there is no promise made that we will ever understand the universe, nor is there any reason to believe that our brains, which evolved only to solve the problems of survival on the plains of Africa are capable of doing it. Therefore while sepculation is always interesting, I do think that it is important to never draw conclusions from speculation. So whilst I full agree with your first two paragraphs, I set no store by opinions about consciousness, no mater how esteemed the people, and if they are foolish enough to hold opinions about it, then they are wrongly esteemed. Because if "it seems that all our notions about creation, causation, location, distance etc are meaningless from a cosmic perspective." then so are opinions about them.

God works in mysterious ways...

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 3, 2019:

Very odd. How is it that a couple of coils of DNA all curled up, lying in cells can control the development of an organism? It seems analogous to a set of building plans all rolled up in a construction shack. The building doesn’t build itself. Someone has to interpret the plans and perform ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

The short version is. That when proteins are needed other proteins release messenger molecules, those then attach themselves to the required part of the DNA in the nucleus which unzips. RNA copies are then made, which then leave the nucleus and make their way to structures called ribosome's. Which are little machines made of proteins that staple together amino acids according to the sequence they read from the RNA copies, to form new proteins. It is all utterly fascinating and well worth reading up even for none biologists.

What is man's worst invention?

Fernapple comments on Oct 3, 2019:

Language. Surprised. Because language divorced our communications and thoughts from the realities they represented. And that in turn gifted us a vast ability to lie, both to ourselves and others, far beyond the abilities of any other creatures, and those lies in turn created human cultures, which ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Beowulfsfriend Yes but that could hardly be called a human invention, it is what we were gifted by nature. Language is though almost borderline.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

Fernapple replies on Oct 3, 2019:

@WilliamFleming That which is wonderful does not have to have meaning. And why do we think it is wonderful ? Because, just as we evolved eyes to see, noses to smell and ears to hear. So we evolved a sense of beauty, wonder and appreciation to fit exactly the world that we needed to appreciate, this world, that is the deepest meaning. For imagine if you will, a small creature which has just left the nest made by its parents for the first time. It sets out to find a home of its own, climbes to the top of a hill and sees two valleys before it. Which way does it go ? It chooses the way which seems most beautiful to it, and that choice may well be the most important one it will ever make. Affecting its whole future, its chances of feeding itself, evading those who would feed on it, finding mates and raising its own brood, will all depend on an aesthetic choice. And animals make lots of those choices every day, so that it is certain that your sense of beauty and appreciation are just as vital and as evolved a eyes, teeth and fur. So that when you appreciate, you tap into something that is age old and was earned for you at great cost, inlives lost and pain. And that is real, scientifically real, if you have that, there is no need for any magical meanings. For.... There are no things could, so much enduring give, As fragile things, that swiftly die; and live. Those ageless hosts, who lived and died. That with nature, might, in us provide. The fragments of the ancient life and woe, Which are every feeling, that we know. Accept then the wisdom of three billion years. That comes to us with human joys and tears. As is appreciate, the brightest grace, Ancient nature gives our human race.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

Fernapple replies on Oct 3, 2019:

@WilliamFleming No one decreed it, humans discovered it.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

skado comments on Oct 1, 2019:

All these pursuits are, in their own way, trying to answer the question "What is the nature of reality?" Reality does have a nature. That nature could be said to change over time, but at any given moment, it has a certain nature. Of course there is such a thing as bad science, and bad philosophy ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 2, 2019:

@skado I am sorry to say that that would never work for me, clinging to a sentimental attachment to things past instead of moving forward to create new imagery, which is quite possible. Is like keeping the body of you dead mother sitting in her chair in the house forever, because she used to give you advice once. Especially so as much of that advice was evil and antisocial. As you may have guessed by now I am very opposed to "religion lite". Partially because I think that it creates comfortable pool for fundamentalist elements to swim in, especially by normalizing religion; and also by normalizing the habit of viewing religion as metaphor, which in turn leads to the view that interpretation can respectably taken to any extreme lengths, to justify anything, eventually even throwing out the good bits of moral teachings that it may once have had. Since I know from personal experience that it is often used as justification for even greater evils, some of the worst cases of abuse I witness as a child being committed by those who professed “religion lite”, and in its name. And secondly because it all too easily becomes the crack in the door which admits and normalizes all forms of woo, and superstition, from the exploitations of things like crystal healing to the truly great evils of anti-vaccination movements. And thirdly because for many people it simply muddies the water wastes time and creates confussion. https://agnostic.com/discussion/408708/is-string-theory-related-to-the-music-of-the-spheres P. S. Mother also started to smell after a little time.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

skado comments on Oct 1, 2019:

All these pursuits are, in their own way, trying to answer the question "What is the nature of reality?" Reality does have a nature. That nature could be said to change over time, but at any given moment, it has a certain nature. Of course there is such a thing as bad science, and bad philosophy ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 2, 2019:

You say "Good theology helps us know how to behave". That may be so, but if so, what does theology offer which moral philosophy does not?

IS STRING THEORY RELATED TO THE MUSIC OF THE SPHERES?

Fernapple comments on Sep 30, 2019:

Correlation does not equate to common causation. But it is a common fallacy behind nearly all Woo to think so.

Fernapple replies on Oct 1, 2019:

@Remiforce Then it is still No. The fact that two people us a common metaphor does not mean that they are talking about the same thing either. Because people who believed in witches saw them flying through the air with cats on their broomsticks, it does not mean they were forshadowing Schrodinger's cat. With limited material for metaphor available in the past, people were bound to reuse the same things over and over.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

Remiforce comments on Oct 1, 2019:

I think it depends on the depth of commitment a religious person has to their world view. If a person is very fundamentalist & orthodox in their religion, perhaps not. But many people are only nominally religious.They may observe a religion for family, social, or even political reasons, but ...

Fernapple replies on Oct 1, 2019:

My thoughts exactly.

Giclee print pastel nude abstract art erotic art colored | Etsy

AnneWimsey comments on Sep 30, 2019:

Nice colors, but "erotic"?

Fernapple replies on Sep 30, 2019:

I clicked on the link to see if it was real, but it seems to just be an advert for a site selling prints.

Dubious record

Fernapple comments on Sep 30, 2019:

So can we swap you for Boris then ?

Fernapple replies on Sep 30, 2019:

@jerry99 No one will be plenty.

Why is it that religious people think saying “well that was Old Testament” is a valid argument ...

Pedrohbds comments on Sep 30, 2019:

Because religion is built to be non falsifiable, the cherry picking is essential so the priests can reinterpret it to any occasion according to their interests. The religion must claim that it never changes, but at the same time have complex enough rules to allow loopholes that will be able to ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 30, 2019:

And they need to be able to say that whatever their opinion, it has extra authoity because it comes from god. Case of cherry picking your cake and eating it.

This is significant! 30 Years of Research Shows Sauna Bathing is Game-Changer for Longevity and ...

Hathacat comments on Sep 29, 2019:

How about that. To bad I don't like them, lol.

Fernapple replies on Sep 30, 2019:

Sounds from what they say that a hot bath would have very much the same effect.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

skado comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Products will come and go, but the process that drives it all is the pursuit of salvation. Salvation from *what*, you ask? From cognitive, social, and adaptive dissonance. These conflicts are a permanent part of the human condition, and will always drive us to seek redemption. The answer lies ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 30, 2019:

@skado True yes. And we can invent a better way for us and everything else to live, or we can invent a better way to die along with every thing else. We can be in control of our inventions or they can enslave us.

I cannot get over the circular reasoning of the good book being good because it says it is.

Fernapple comments on Sep 29, 2019:

Yes it is circular reasoning, and if you push any theist hard and far enough, you will almost invariably come down to two bits of nonsense. Either. The bible is right because the bible says it is. Or. You have to take it on faith and faith is good because the bible says it is good, and I have faith ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 30, 2019:

@Biblebeltskeptic Yes, and I do not think that you will get anywhere pointing out that those are probably not the words of Jesus anyway. Sometimes an indirect approach is the best way to get acceptance, such as doing some work with a secular charity, which is obivously good and has to be respected, yet is clearly inspired by none belief. Or introducing atheist friends who plainly set a good example of moral living. But in the end those are hard tasks, and perhaps it is just best to hope that you will win your fathers respect in the long run, by just being who you want to be. I see that you only deconverted last August, that is not long, and you are it seems still talking.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

motrubl4u comments on Sep 29, 2019:

Modern and accepted philosophy began with the Greeks like Sophocles and Plato (two different generations) who were in ancient and archaic worlds where the Greek Gods still drew worship. I don't think they were mutually exclusive then and with the right person they wouldn't have to be now.

Fernapple replies on Sep 30, 2019:

Yes that is true. But then of course the Greeks, then, did not have quite the same deep religious dogma to conflict with philosophy, that the christian church has. And yet even so the conflict between theology and philosophy was still strong enough to get Socrates killed, though of course there were also political issues as well.

Just a thought, but I joined this group sometime ago, not especially to comment or make posts, but ...

Babyoda comments on Sep 29, 2019:

I don't know why it does not give notifications,Marionville had told me she also was not getting them.I inherited this group and did not know what to do.That might be a good idea.I had never thought to put a comment to admin.Thank you.

Fernapple replies on Sep 30, 2019:

Thank you I think that it will come better from you.

Who's old enough to remember this?

Fernapple comments on Sep 29, 2019:

Yes I remember. And we had inkwells on the desks made to take dip pens, (though nobody had one, not that old,) and the teachers used chalk on a black board. We had free school meals and a massive outbreak of food poisoning. You were told to bring woolly gloves to school because the heating was not ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 30, 2019:

@TheoryNumber3 Yes different in the UK, the schools system used to provide free meals and keep you in all day. Though they have now cut back a lot for cost saving. The food was completely inedible, and forcing you to eat it, which was considered good disipline and training to make you tough, was a big part of the teachers jobs. They also used to give you a drink of milk mid morning, I don't know how they managed to do it, but they even managed to find milk which tasted horrible, I think it was the way they sterilized it, but we used to pull every trick we could to avoid it, so it must have been bad because you were beaten if you were caught.

I cannot get over the circular reasoning of the good book being good because it says it is.

Daco2007 comments on Sep 29, 2019:

The problem with people who use the bible this way (and with trying to "reason" with them), is that they are convinced that this "book of books" was quite LITERALLY written by the hand of their mysterious, invisible "god." Therefore there is NOTHING anyone can say to that will open up their closed ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 29, 2019:

Why is is that when you meet people who only ever read one book, (or even worse listen to it being read, ) it always tends to be a bad one ?

SHOULD AGNOSTICISM & ATHEISM BECOME RELIGIONS?

EvanGamble1998 comments on Sep 28, 2019:

The problem is that a religion has a SHARED set of beliefs held by all members of that religion. Atheism and agnosticism do not have this. There is no doctrine. There are only things that individuals tend to believe.

Fernapple replies on Sep 29, 2019:

@Remiforce No sorry, almost all those definitions are in error, best do an online search for the up to date usages. Include also Humanism and Deism.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

Mofo1953 comments on Sep 29, 2019:

theology and philosophy are two completely different disciplines not even remotely related to each other, science isn't a philosophy, whatcha talking about Willis? I mean it's great to discuss theories or even assumptions, but this seems more like mental masturbation to me.

Fernapple replies on Sep 29, 2019:

Yes I agree with you that the three are completely different. The two points however are that. Firstly, they were not always different, and there was once a time when the church attempted to control all three, assuming the position of being the go to place, for all knowledge. And that in the past when both philosophy and primitive sciences such as alchemy were very much under the theist boot, the emergence of science, originally known as natural philosophy, started as a reaction to that. And secondly, that it is not in the nature of theists to respect the boundaries, and they will often overstep even today, so that it is needful to police those borders carefully, because respect for them only exists on one side.

Just a thought, but I joined this group sometime ago, not especially to comment or make posts, but ...

Marionville comments on Sep 29, 2019:

I do not get notifications for this group either...and all my alerts are switched on. I mentioned it already to @actofdog...but nothing has changed. Perhaps a mention to Admin would help.

Fernapple replies on Sep 29, 2019:

Thank you.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

TheMiddleWay comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Theology is philosophy about one specific question. There is no mandate that a believer inject their theology into other philosophical questions. I don't think science "was created" and certainly not to any purpose. Science wasn't there to discredit any school: consider that sciences original ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 29, 2019:

I am sorry but in my limited experience I do not find that. In fact I find that personal and mental progress is usually obtained when people make an effort to move forward, and one of the best motives for making that effort is the desire to resolve contraditions in our knowledge. I have certainly found that to be the case in my own personal experience, indeed I have found few greater joys than hunting down contraditions and eliminating them. I think that is true for many people, and history backs that up, because many of the greatest leaps forward in human thought came from people who could not accept contraditions. It is easy to confuse paradox which can not be resolved, with contraditions which can, and the acceptance of ignorance, which is understanding that we have reached a paradox or a gap in our knowledge, with reveveling in ignorance, which is uncaring apathy.

The ocean this morning.

Fernapple comments on Sep 28, 2019:

If you drive. Keep pressing your brakes, especially after you leave the water, to keep them dry, otherwise they may let you down when you need them most.

Fernapple replies on Sep 29, 2019:

@ChurchLess Oh dear. So every month or two you have to check that the body work is still attached to the carriage. Sorry, but you did post a sunset photo a day or two ago with the caption. " Another day in paradise."

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

skado comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Products will come and go, but the process that drives it all is the pursuit of salvation. Salvation from *what*, you ask? From cognitive, social, and adaptive dissonance. These conflicts are a permanent part of the human condition, and will always drive us to seek redemption. The answer lies ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 29, 2019:

@skado Yes that is exactly what is meant. Evolution gave us the tools to create things by accident, because we are able to use those tools in ways for which they were not gifted to us. But note the "no" in the second sentence, because except by very extreme accident it did not give any tools to deal with the secondary consequences of those creations, so that we have to invent second generation creations to deal with the consequences of the first.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

Austin-Cambridge comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Great post Fernapple, it has provoked some really interesting responses, thanks!

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

Thanks for reading and replying.

Just a thought, but I joined this group sometime ago, not especially to comment or make posts, but ...

Rignor comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Check to make sure that the alert settings for the group are correct. On the group page, the menu button should be next to the title.

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

Thanks will do.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

skado comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Products will come and go, but the process that drives it all is the pursuit of salvation. Salvation from *what*, you ask? From cognitive, social, and adaptive dissonance. These conflicts are a permanent part of the human condition, and will always drive us to seek redemption. The answer lies ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

@skado, @Austin-Cambridge Just posted this for SAKADO to enlarge. Evolution can not have forsight, therefore it could never foresee the emergence of language, and culture from the basics it provided us with, or the effects they would have. That is both our curse because we have no inherent tools to deal with the bad things that they create, and our freedom because we can ourselves create things that evolution never could, if those things do not destroy us.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

skado comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Products will come and go, but the process that drives it all is the pursuit of salvation. Salvation from *what*, you ask? From cognitive, social, and adaptive dissonance. These conflicts are a permanent part of the human condition, and will always drive us to seek redemption. The answer lies ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

@skado Evolution can not have forsight, therefore it could never foresee the emergence of language, and culture from the basics it provided us with, or the effects they would have. That is both our curse because we have no inherent tools to deal with the bad things that they create, and our freedom because we can ourselves create things that evolution never could, if those things do not destroy us.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

Geoffrey51 comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Can a believer in what or who do philosophy? Over the Millenia people have pondered who, what, why. Philosophy is not the domain of religion. Philosophy is people asking and questioning. Science proved or disproves. Neither are related to the outcomes of Theology as Theology is the study of God...

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

@Geoffrey51 Yes, whether it is right to mix systems was of course what the post was about, and myself I am certainly with you on the side of don't. It just struck me as interesting however to think that the we may owe science, originally known as Natural Philosophy, in part to the fact that the birth of science occured when it was forced to split off from traditional philosophy. Mainly because traditional philosophy had become so badly infected with its unnatural mariage to theology, in the late middle ages when the church dominated all thinking. Science after all quite quickly took its own route and never looked back to its roots in the classical world.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

KKGator comments on Sep 28, 2019:

I don't understand why anyone would/should "adopt" either philosophy or religion. It's not an either/or proposition. Neither are necessary to living a good life. Especially since a "good life" is just so completely subjective, and doesn't mean the same thing to everyone. Far too much ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

True, but I have always, at least since I joined this site regarded you as a philosopher, and a good one at that. As you say. " good life is just so completely subjective, and doesn't mean the same thing to everyone." Sounds like moral philosophy at least to me.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

Larry-new comments on Sep 28, 2019:

This question makes no sense. Science is not philosophy, obviously. Religion is not philosophy. Philosophy is neither.

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

The post was mainly from a historical perspective, and therefore concerned with the early days of science, when it was known as natural philosophy, as it has been until quite recently. And it would be hard to make science without at least a little philosophy, such as the idea of experimental method behind it, science has of course gone its own way and may render all other philosophies outdated to the point where you may well ask if any of the others are valid any longer. Though I would say that if you reject theology then you need some philosophy, at least moral philosophy just to function. Religion certainly is not a philosophy, theology is quite different or the question would not be asked. about believers.

This came up on another post, but your opinions please ?

Geoffrey51 comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Can a believer in what or who do philosophy? Over the Millenia people have pondered who, what, why. Philosophy is not the domain of religion. Philosophy is people asking and questioning. Science proved or disproves. Neither are related to the outcomes of Theology as Theology is the study of God...

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

Good point. But of course theocrats are usually imperialistic and do not respect the boundaries with other diciplines. And historically christianity also picked up much philosophical lore, especially in medieval times, transfused through Rosicrucian style ideaology.

Whats the biggest difference being atheist/agnostic has made in your life so far?

Mofo1953 comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Freedom from fear and a peaceful satisfying life.

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

Yes, people forget negative benefits like "freedom from" sometimes, yet they still count.

If you have 12 minutes and 42 seconds to spare, don't go dizzy easily, this might be worth watching:...

Marionville comments on Sep 27, 2019:

No thanks! The music’s okay without the vertigo inducing visuals. Can you tell me what it’s purpose is?

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

@Marionville Thought you must know the music.

My thoughts and beliefs regarding our planet is to cause as little disruption as I can.

Fernapple comments on Sep 27, 2019:

Actually forgive my last flip comment I just could not resist. I respect deeply your effort to tread lightly on the planet. I do the same and find that it is hard, there being just a few things that I can not live without, this computer for one. But I do try to keep it until it is old, and all of ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

@moosepucky Have compost heaps, try to use as little packaging as possible. Don't use much in the way of goods at all anyway. But like you it is travel that is my weakness, living in a deep rural area I have no public transport for short journeys. And living on an island means that you have to fly for the longer ones.

IF GOD EXISTS, DO YOU THINK HE, SHE, IT GIVES A FLYING FIG WHAT YOU THINK?

Fernapple comments on Sep 27, 2019:

I don't give a flying fig myself. Come on Remiforce most of your posts are interesting, but wait till the barrel fills up a bit before you dip in, don't scrape the bottom.

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

@Remiforce That's why I don't make too many posts, i'm hoping they have not seen through me yet. LOL. I like this reply it works much better. It reminds me of the so called problem of evil, which I alway thought was one of the weaker arguments. Since it assumes that there is such a thing as evil, which is a big assumption, it then assumes that god recognizes and understands evil and that evil is not just a human construct. It can therefore be used against a god like the christian god, who claims to be good, but not a deist god, or some of the ethically neutral gods of eastern philosophy.

If you have 12 minutes and 42 seconds to spare, don't go dizzy easily, this might be worth watching:...

Marionville comments on Sep 27, 2019:

No thanks! The music’s okay without the vertigo inducing visuals. Can you tell me what it’s purpose is?

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

Dear Marionville. You deserve an explanation. The Mandelbrot set is a mathematical construct, as when you make a triangle by specifying the length of three sides, so the graphics you see are created just by iterating an equation, over and over through a computer. The truly remarkable thing about it being that the set goes on forever, or at least as far as we know, but it is produced by a simple equation, in fact an equation so simple it almost seems like a joke, zn+1 = zn2 + c. The colours are just random colours chosen to represent answers to the equation in geometric form. Music is the William Tell overture. If you keep watching you will see quite new things appearing all the time, and remember no one designed this, apart from specifying the colours it all just appears.

I've just begun my 59th year! Woohoo! Does life get better as you get older?

Fernapple comments on Sep 27, 2019:

Depends where you start from, if your childhood was truly evil then life can't do anything but get better. Happy Birthday.

Fernapple replies on Sep 28, 2019:

@Wildflower Me too. Best wishes for your future. Some of us know that childhood can be a form of purgatory, but like they say, what does not break you leaves you stronger, and hopefully more empathic to others who suffer.

My thoughts and beliefs regarding our planet is to cause as little disruption as I can.

Fernapple comments on Sep 27, 2019:

Bidet.

Fernapple replies on Sep 27, 2019:

@moosepucky Leaves.

Cults.

Flowerwall comments on Sep 27, 2019:

I wonder what defines a cult from regular religious belief. What is the determining factor where you can say this is a cult now. I know strict Atheists will say ALL religion is a cult, but I don't mean that. I was listening to a discussion on the radio of this very topic, but I couldn't finish ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 27, 2019:

Yes I do think there is no difference, except having a share of power in the political establishment makes you a religion. In other words, if you can subvert democracy then you are a religion, if you can't then you are still a cult.

How do you get over the anger you feel at religion when you’re a new atheist?

Fernapple comments on Sep 26, 2019:

Take a holiday somewhere secular. UK is nice.

Fernapple replies on Sep 27, 2019:

@LenHazell53 Yes but that's the great thing, there is nothing like having a state church to kill religion on the streets. And OK nowhere is totally secular but anywhere in northern Europe has to be when compared to the US bible belt. What it is not is democratic. Since now that less than half the population is C. of E. why are they not kicked out. At the very least there should be a seat or two for the Muslims, Hindus and of course the Humanists and Nones.

Sadly this has merritt

JackPedigo comments on Sep 26, 2019:

Evidentially, children have to grow up really fast but many leaders are still stuck in the past.

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

Always was the case. To get on in politics you have to know how to comply with other peoples old outdated ideas. Have an original one of your own and you are dead.

First Falls Netanyahu, Then Falls Boris, Next It’s Trumpty-Dumpty

Marionville comments on Sep 26, 2019:

Unfortunately Boris is far from down, and certainly not out! He is defiant and unapologetic!

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

Thank you, for a second I though. "I have been spending too much time on this adictive site and missed some vital news."

Back in Yuma, after a long day of travel. Got Miss Lisa (@Sassygirl3869) here, too.

Fernapple comments on Sep 26, 2019:

Nice to know that some people on this site do manage to get together in person, that must be fun.

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

@ToolGuy If they were single females they may be a little wary of an approach from a single male, so that's how life goes. But I had often wondered if it would not be possible to get a seven or ten together locally for something like a Yuletide dinner, as an anitdote to all the Christmas horrors.

It has been raining here IN AZ today pretty much constantly since a thunderstorm began at 4 AM.

Fernapple comments on Sep 25, 2019:

We don't get a lot in this part of the UK, but the small ones we call midges, have been bad this year.

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

@LetzGetReal It can also be what you have eaten of course, some people say that spicy food, savoury herbs like thyme and especially the smell of garlic on your skin wards them off. Can drive the opposite sex to a safe distance as well, so two benefits.

A very good opinion piece for history buffs. Not what you learn in school. [rt.com]

wordywalt comments on Sep 26, 2019:

Anyone who has seriously studied political ideologies knows that communism and naziism knows that the two are only alike in that both are totalitarian systems. Other than that, their bases, intellectual structures, and organization are entirely different. ,

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

@wordywalt My problem is that I have a knee jerk to anything that looks like an over simplification. Sorry its just the deep pedantic bore in me.

A very good opinion piece for history buffs. Not what you learn in school. [rt.com]

wordywalt comments on Sep 26, 2019:

Anyone who has seriously studied political ideologies knows that communism and naziism knows that the two are only alike in that both are totalitarian systems. Other than that, their bases, intellectual structures, and organization are entirely different. ,

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

@wordywalt I am sure that they are very different in many ways. But there are no side issues. Quite the contrary it is the things which all societies and cultures have in common which are the most fundamental and important. Including and especially the things which they have in common when they break down into totalitarianism, such as a total disregard for human life. Are you going to tell me that the forty milllon or so who died under those political systems are a side issue.

A very good opinion piece for history buffs. Not what you learn in school. [rt.com]

wordywalt comments on Sep 26, 2019:

Anyone who has seriously studied political ideologies knows that communism and naziism knows that the two are only alike in that both are totalitarian systems. Other than that, their bases, intellectual structures, and organization are entirely different. ,

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

@powder As i say, one of the few things that all totalitarian governments do have in common is that they all try to rewrite history. Whether the EU is trying that or not I do not know. But I do think that the so called liberation of Poland is certainly questionable. It is a funny liberation which does not even talk to the counties government in exile, and ships off large numbers of its senior army officers, who had been fighting the Nazi to be killed on mass.

A very good opinion piece for history buffs. Not what you learn in school. [rt.com]

wordywalt comments on Sep 26, 2019:

Anyone who has seriously studied political ideologies knows that communism and naziism knows that the two are only alike in that both are totalitarian systems. Other than that, their bases, intellectual structures, and organization are entirely different. ,

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

@powder I do not think it is ever quite that simple, after all A Hitler was for years a speaker for the communist party, and the Nazis believed in creating full employment by increacing public spending, which is about as left wing as you can get. The left right spectrum is a nonesense really it never really works for anyone, not even A. H.

A very good opinion piece for history buffs. Not what you learn in school. [rt.com]

wordywalt comments on Sep 26, 2019:

Anyone who has seriously studied political ideologies knows that communism and naziism knows that the two are only alike in that both are totalitarian systems. Other than that, their bases, intellectual structures, and organization are entirely different. ,

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

They were certainly very different in many deep fundamental ways, but I can't agree with totally different. All human societies have many basic things in common, such as for example both the Soviets and the Nazi did their best to rewrite history. Perhaps as the EU is today.

It has been raining here IN AZ today pretty much constantly since a thunderstorm began at 4 AM.

Fernapple comments on Sep 25, 2019:

We don't get a lot in this part of the UK, but the small ones we call midges, have been bad this year.

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

@LetzGetReal Yes, though it is more likely that it is due to higher rainfall and milder winters, since they breed mostly in standing water which does not freeze solid. On the other hand lower numbers of things which feed on them such as dragonflies may not help.

DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD TURN TO THE COMFORT OF THE CONCEPT OF GOD WHEN YOU'RE DYING?

Fernapple comments on Sep 24, 2019:

What is even worse is that the final comfort we give to many animals, is often denied to humans because of the historical legacy of theism.

Fernapple replies on Sep 26, 2019:

@Remiforce Death I have no problem with, and it is more than acceptable, but the dying is a different matter. I have witnessed people lying for hours in pain waiting for pain relief while medical staff were busy elsewhere, being forced to exert great effort for days on end to fight for breath by their bodies own reflexes, when they long since wanted it to be over, and lying for hours in their own shit thanks to a general lack of care. Not to mention the possible tedium of have nothing to do but stare at the ceiling for days after the power to communicate with others has gone. And that is is lucky few whose debility did not last for years.

DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD TURN TO THE COMFORT OF THE CONCEPT OF GOD WHEN YOU'RE DYING?

Flowerwall comments on Sep 24, 2019:

I did hear that some Agnostics/Atheists changed their minds on their death beds. One of the people was Charles Darwin. I heard this in a sermon, so I don't know the exact source of the where the Pastor heard it.

Fernapple replies on Sep 25, 2019:

@Flowerwall Yes I heard from a good historian, though I can not remember who, that it is quite untrue. Though who knows what happens on a death bed anyway. And of course there is no real evidence that Darwin ever left Christianity in the first place, for although he did not practice, to my knowledge he still remained in the church.

DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD TURN TO THE COMFORT OF THE CONCEPT OF GOD WHEN YOU'RE DYING?

Fernapple comments on Sep 24, 2019:

What is even worse is that the final comfort we give to many animals, is often denied to humans because of the historical legacy of theism.

Fernapple replies on Sep 25, 2019:

@Remiforce Yes I know there are practical dangers as well, but I do think that such problems can be solved, the main reason is still the legacy of theism. I have spent a lot of time by death beds, mainly those of people with cancer, and I can tell you that the amount of unneeded suffering caused, is beyond all imagination. I can also tell you that the line put out by the medical people, that they can manage death well with drugs and give a good quality of death, is often just BS, they tell to relatives and themselves to make their own jobs endurable, the reality is that for the most part they fail completely in that.

DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD TURN TO THE COMFORT OF THE CONCEPT OF GOD WHEN YOU'RE DYING?

Flowerwall comments on Sep 24, 2019:

I did hear that some Agnostics/Atheists changed their minds on their death beds. One of the people was Charles Darwin. I heard this in a sermon, so I don't know the exact source of the where the Pastor heard it.

Fernapple replies on Sep 24, 2019:

Its an urban myth.

Sometimes Catholic life can be humorous.

MissKathleen comments on Sep 24, 2019:

I love this story. My sister, the Sister, probably wouldn’t, even though she is married to “him”. After three tries with mortals, she finally got the “perfect” husband. And she doesn’t even have to do his laundry.

Fernapple replies on Sep 24, 2019:

I wonder if they have anything in common with those women who start relationships with prisoners, especially those serving life or on death row. Who they know they will never have any real contact with.

Intrepid scientists witness final days of Venezuelan glacier [apnews.com]

KKGator comments on Sep 24, 2019:

But Climate Change is a hoax created by the Chinese. Right.

Fernapple replies on Sep 24, 2019:

I hate to risk your ire, because I know that it is hotter than any of the fires of hell imagined by theists. But I think . "Climate change is a hoax created by the Chinese." Wrong.

A great (IMHO) video on the "dreaded" populist phenomenon. [youtube.com]

Marionville comments on Sep 22, 2019:

Spiked is a dedicated platform to bring an extreme, anti-EU agenda into the public domain. I therefore have no desire to comment. It is funded largely by the Charles Koch Foundation...it’s sinister tentacles reach everywhere.

Fernapple replies on Sep 24, 2019:

@OwlInASack The thing with evil regimes, is that they always appear strongest just before the times turn against them. Maybe I am wrong to assume that things are going to get worse, perhaps those little people beavering away below the radar will make a difference one day. I found the rise of J. Corbin a great hope, not because he was on the hard left, but because he was the first major politician for a long while who did not come from a patrician background, so it can happen. While in the education system the idea that education should be about raising expectations seems to be taking hold again, as we see with so many children taking an interest in things such as the environment. The old unholy alliance which used to exist in education, where the right saw the teaching of morality and raised expectations as only suited to a minority of the well educated upper classes, destined to serve the establishment, and the left saw it as a middle class betrayal of lower class values, may be fading. It would be hard not to see now what the long term consequences of that alliance are. I have to go now, have a good week.

A great (IMHO) video on the "dreaded" populist phenomenon. [youtube.com]

Marionville comments on Sep 22, 2019:

Spiked is a dedicated platform to bring an extreme, anti-EU agenda into the public domain. I therefore have no desire to comment. It is funded largely by the Charles Koch Foundation...it’s sinister tentacles reach everywhere.

Fernapple replies on Sep 24, 2019:

@OwlInASack Yes it is sad to hear anyone defend stupidity and ignorance on principle. Which is why I do not think that the Brexit issue is the main point here anyway. People are driven to defend outrageous ideas, such as anti-intellectualism, which they know in their hearts make will only make them look foolish, only because of the deepest desperation. It is only a trivial symptom of the deepening divide between the now hereditary patrician class and greater majority. And I am sorry to say that it is going to get deeper and I see no power on earth that will stop it. Racism is growing only because minority races like all minorities are seen as favourites of the political establishment, which of course they are not. Except in so far as the political establishment uses political correctness as a propaganda tool to appear to have the moral high ground, and thereby cover its deeper failings. That the political establishments adoption of a morality which it is plainly only faking, since its greed, moral decadence and complete callus indifference to real suffering, are obvious and transparent, of course only discredits all morality, and makes the minorities into a human shield. Since because hate is rarely well directed, the blows increasingly rain down on the minorities and other false targets such as intellectualism, only because they are seen as the outward face of the political establishment, while hatred spreads. Such things are only serving to take the blame which belongs with those who failed to teach moral values, and set an example of poor moral values themselves. Or show any remorse for abandoning their responsibility to educate the majority and stand for the high moral standards, which those trusted with leadership should.

A great (IMHO) video on the "dreaded" populist phenomenon. [youtube.com]

Marionville comments on Sep 22, 2019:

Spiked is a dedicated platform to bring an extreme, anti-EU agenda into the public domain. I therefore have no desire to comment. It is funded largely by the Charles Koch Foundation...it’s sinister tentacles reach everywhere.

Fernapple replies on Sep 24, 2019:

@OwlInASack I do not point the finger at the liberal left political establishment at all, and yes it is almost certain that the right may have to take most of the blame. But however you can not exonerate the left completely, nor can you neatly split the political establishment into two groups, that simplistic political spectrum view is the heart of the problem, much of the political establishment is in that sense apolitical anyway. And even to the degree to which it may be a purely right wing problem. which I doubt, it is still a failing of the left that it did not prevent the right from its wrongdoing.

I had no idea of his power!

Robecology comments on Sep 23, 2019:

He's perhaps the most intelligent, progressive, provocative pope they've ever had. He works hard to fulfill the vows to serve... He's a critical link between the #religulous of the world and us scientific/agnostics... He's one of us....disguised as a religious leader. ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 24, 2019:

@Robecology Yes but it is in the nature of life, that good people working hard with the best of intentions are often the ones who do the greatest harm. The man and his effects on history are two different things.

A great (IMHO) video on the "dreaded" populist phenomenon. [youtube.com]

Marionville comments on Sep 22, 2019:

Spiked is a dedicated platform to bring an extreme, anti-EU agenda into the public domain. I therefore have no desire to comment. It is funded largely by the Charles Koch Foundation...it’s sinister tentacles reach everywhere.

Fernapple replies on Sep 24, 2019:

@OwlInASack Yes I do agree that most of them are. But throwing insults only shows the contempt and moral failing of an equally if not more spoiled and privileged political establishment. Do not forget that they may be, "ignorant, less educated and anti-intellectual", "racist" and sometimes "massively privileged and unaware of it," and who was it who failed to raise them above that state ? Let me see, I think that would be a resposibility of the political establishment. The education of the majority is a responsibility of the political establishment alone. There is no one else. Yes it maybe that such a task is impossible, but that is only an excuse when every effort has been made, and you can not say that the political establishment ever used it position to, promote its own wealth and priviledge first, was never corrupt and never wasted resouces on fractional disputes between its left and right. Yes the majority of people may have many failings but make no mistake they are what the political establishment made them, and the buck does stop there.

I had no idea of his power!

Robecology comments on Sep 23, 2019:

He's perhaps the most intelligent, progressive, provocative pope they've ever had. He works hard to fulfill the vows to serve... He's a critical link between the #religulous of the world and us scientific/agnostics... He's one of us....disguised as a religious leader. ...

Fernapple replies on Sep 23, 2019:

@Robecology Yes but that could just lead to the making of a few token gestures by the church, which would do much to stifle its critics but little to correct its real evils.

So recently, a while after losing my faith, i finally realized i didn’t know anything about the ...

Varn comments on Sep 23, 2019:

As far as I know ..there isn’t such a thing as “*agnostic atheism,*” but you’re headed in the right direction! Hey - talk away! Don’t know that we can throw open our doors ..and lavish you with food & attention ...or offer you a daughter, or immortality … but we can assure the shit you...

Fernapple replies on Sep 23, 2019:

I may be wrong, but a gnostic atheist is one who claims to know there is no god, and an agnostic atheist is one who does not believe there is a god.