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Hey Everyone, I am now fewer than 1,000 points away from Level 8! Please forgive my shameless ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 8, 2022:
You go girl! 😎👍
Easter joke A priest didn't think anyone knew the true meaning of Easter anymore so after mass ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 8, 2022:
As I understand it, Easter is actually a re-working of a pagan ritual, a rite of spring celebrating rebirth and renewal. Some scholars think the word "Easter" comes from the name for a pagan fertility goddess who was known as Estarte.
Do you think it's wrong to lie about your age on a dating site? He's 68. His profile says 53.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 7, 2022:
Yes. Honesty is the best policy.
Former Trump Aide Pleads Guilty to Kiddie Porn Charge | US Attorney’s Office District of Columbia
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 7, 2022:
There is definitely a loose nut behind the wheel.
Trumpster furious because I refuse to date Trump supporters.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 7, 2022:
Lacking the capacity for self reflection, Trumpers cannot see how odious, obnoxious, and obtuse they really are. And that's only the Os...🤣
Will a Stand Your Ground Self-Defense Claim Save Black Oklahoma Man Who Killed White Intruder?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 7, 2022:
I don't think anybody should get a pass for shooting through a closed door. I understand how scary it must be to have someone breaking down your door, but shooting through it is not the way to go. Better to take up a position a few feet back, let them break through and cross the threshold, THEN blow them away. 😎
63 Republicans Vote Against Resolution In Support For NATO
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 6, 2022:
Dirty bastards!
Have to credit @Dyl1983 for this idea. It's already in the market.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 6, 2022:
Who is the lady under the green wig? Is that Jada Pinket Smith? Are you looking to get slapped?
They're so pro-life, that they want to kill you.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 6, 2022:
Way to go Texas! 😵‍💫
Bipartisan Gottheimer Amendment Passes, Will Study Ways to Determine if a Driver is Impaired by ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 6, 2022:
One other thing has also changed: a major political party has become a personality cult centered on a white supremacist, malignant narcissist bent on ending our democracy. That's new. 😬
Massive software updates are my nemesis. How about you?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 3, 2022:
They always want to do it when I want to use the app 😂
Traitors in our midst: "I identify more with Putin's Christian values than I do with Joe Biden.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 3, 2022:
I know these Christian values of which you speak. They include homophobia, racism, xenophobia, keeping women barefoot and pregnant (better they die than get a legal abortion), dominance of nature rather than stewardship (i.e. destroying the Earth for short-term profit), rank hypocrisy (AR15-toting warriors for Jesus!), rejection of scientific process and facts, and that odious, arrogant, I-know-better-than-you attitude that brings the Bible-thumping, proselytizing little shits to our doors.
Ukraine Strikes Fuel Depot Inside Russia | Washington Examiner
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 1, 2022:
"April 1 (Reuters) - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Friday he could not confirm or deny Ukraine's alleged involvement in a strike on a fuel depot in the Russian city of Belgorod because he was not privy to all military information." "Responding to a question about the attack at a briefing in Poland, Kuleba said: "I can neither confirm nor reject the claim that Ukraine was involved in this simply because I do not possess all the military information.""
Lots of folks who realized that religion was a tall tale, go on to parrot what they hear from the ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 30, 2022:
First off, Ukraine did not invade Russia; Russia invaded Ukraine. But you are right about most religion: it is largely bullshit. As for the media, you paint with too broad a brush. The level of bullshit coming from the media greatly depends on the source. Some outlets are more egregious than others. PBS, NBC, NY Times, Washington Post, Fresno Bee, not too bad. Fox is pretty bad. News Max is even worse.
Atheism is inconsistent with science....
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 26, 2022:
For future reference, this is from Wikipedia: "Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities.Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist.In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities."
Atheism is inconsistent with science....
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 26, 2022:
I have to agree with the basic premise that pure, unadulterated atheism is unscientific. That is, if atheism is defined as belief that God does not exist, which is not the same as lack of belief in God's existence. If it is the former, then to claim that the lack of evidence of God proves his non-existence would be going too far. Absence of evidence of God is not proof that He does not exist. HOWEVER, a scientist could reasonably talk in terms of probabilities, and say that, considering the dearth of evidence of God's existence, the many inconsistencies in His personality (e.g. His supposed benevolence contrasted with his obvious indifference to the suffering of innocents), and the human propensities for invention and for lying, the PROBABILITY of there actually being a God is vanishingly small. It would be perfectly acceptable for a scientist to self-identify as an atheist-leaning agnostic, or an agnostic who estimates the probability of God's existence at 0.01%, or says (s)he is 99.99% certain that He does not exist. That would be quite alright. But I doubt that most scientists spend a whole lot of time on this issue. There are many more pressing matters at hand.
So, for fun, I went to this site .
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 23, 2022:
Did you expect them to follow standard rules of logic and reason? 🤣🤣🤣
Unbelievers. Are there any moral flaws in Jesus?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 9, 2022:
Debating whether Jesus had any moral flaws is beside the point. Don't get me wrong; Jesus is alright with me. But if he ever existed, he's been dead for over two thousand years. So-called Christian's, however, continue to plague us with their militant sanctimony, their "I know better than you" hubris, and their rank hypocrisy. So instead of arguing about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin, let's talk about how we can purge superstition from the human psyche.
Wisdom for the Trumpanzee / Trumptard…..
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 7, 2022:
The number of idiots out there is truly astounding...and shocking...and depressing... I want to take heart from the Select Committee's finding that Trump and his minions engaged in criminal conspiracy, but I am worried that the Justice Department does not appear to be investigating it. We cannot afford to let those sons of bitches get away with it. They will only be emboldened to try again.
Ketanji Brown Jackson was wrong to say "one can only come this far by faith"
Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 26, 2022:
We all need a little faith to keep us going. As a nearly-atheistic agnostic, my faith is not in any God, but in the power of nature, good people, certain institutions, my own intellect and capabilities, and of course luck. We all need a little luck. As for Ms. Brown Jackson, who am I to say that she was wrong to mention God in her speech. I have no idea what she means by the term. Is it the simplistic and childish image of a nosy, judgemental, angry, jealous, and...yes, loving old man in the sky? Or did she mean something more nuanced and ineffable, like the totality of energy in the universe? I think it is a mistake to put too much weight on one offhand comment which could ultimately be nothing more than a figure of speech. This is one agnostic resisting the impulse to tilt at windmills.
I identify as agnostic but I can’t imagine not celebrating Christmas.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 23, 2022:
I cannot speak for "North American and Western European families." All I know is that the commercialism of Christmas, the rank consumerism, the religious overtones, freighted as they are with hypocrisy and chauvinism, make me sick to my stomach.
In my continuing effort to understand why so many people who claim to prefer science over faith are ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 23, 2022:
Gee, isn't it obvious that religious belief has caused more trouble than it is worth? Religious belief has held back human progress in science and education; it has been the cause of countless wars; it promotes and defends the kind of flabby thinking that allows justification of the most idiotic, pernicious, and destructive impulses. For instance, the Christian Bible promotes the idea that mankind was placed here on Earth NOT to be good stewards of nature, but to exercise DOMINION over nature. This misguided view may well be our undoing. We are just beginning to find out what a terrible idea it is to screw with Mother Nature.
'We're tired of watching people die': the 6 stages of critical COVID-19 care | Nebraska Medicine ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 13, 2022:
You're tired of people dying because they are so hooked by wacko conspiracy theories that they refuse vaccination? That they listen to malignant toads like Dr. Andrew Wakefield and Dr. Robert Malone? That big tech companies like Facebook put their profit ahead of the public good and set their algorithms to spread false content that engenders fear and anger because that gets more clicks and therefore more money? That Vladimir Putin has buildings full of Russian trolls working 24-7 to pit Americans against one another with fake news? That a significant proportion of Americans simply cannot tell truth from fiction, are convinced that the government has been taken over by a cabal of blood-sucking pedophiles and that vaccines contain microscopic tracking chips and/or are designed to kill people? That the current pandemic is merely a dress rehearsal for the infinitely more dire long-term crisis of climate change, an emergency with true civilization-crushing potential that we continue to ignore at our peril? You're tired of all this? Me too! I wish I had a quick and effective solution, but I don't have one. All I know to do is keep on trying to reason with the gullible people I know who are in the thrall of lies and disinformation. It is thankless work. I have not been able to change anyone's mind yet. But hope springs eternal.
Interesting conversations are going on here: [reddit.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 31, 2021:
Family lore passed down to me has it that during the Great Depression US police were often highly educated people. White collar jobs were scarce, and many men with college degrees turned to policing to make a living. I am all for upping the educational requirements for entry into law enforcement. And let that learning be weighted toward the humanities!
[cnn.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 31, 2021:
"Comedians are the most honest and serious people I know." True, and quite a startling commentary on our times.
'Go in peace': US church founded in 1800 holds last service A central Pennsylvania church with a ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 31, 2021:
It is tempting to take the news of this church closure as a sign of progress. Unfortunately, however, while moderate Protestant church attendance is waning, Evangelical membership is waxing. This is real cause for concern. To the extent that Evangelical Christian dogmas conflicts with science, the future of human civilization, and possibly even our species' continued survival, is placed in grave peril. While China's greenhouse gas emissions have recently exceeded America's, the USA still holds first place as the world's greatest polluter. And we are quickly running out of time to address the climate change crisis. Feedback loops in the climate system are already kicking in, and the signs of impending catastrophe are everywhere: drought and megafires in the West, tornadoes and Hurricanes in the East, and crop-withering heat waves in the Midwest. The kind of science illiteracy we see in Evangelical Christian congregations has greatly enabled the fossil fuel industry to continue its rape of the natural world. Witness the high rate (85%) at which Evangelical Christians voted for Donald Trump, an unabashed climate science denier and toady to corporate interests. And before Trump, we were saddled with oil man George W. Bush, who billed himself "born again" and whose disastrous presidency would not have been possible without the Evangelical Christian vote. So no, I am not celebrating. This is no county fair midway ride, but it is white knuckles all the way.
The Vast Majority of Atheists Believe in Intelligent Life on Other Planets | Hemant Mehta | Friendly...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Aug 26, 2021:
Since we have no evidence of such life, it is entirely inappropriate to speak in terms of belief, with one exception: belief in the POSSIBILITY of such life. The presence of intelligent life on Earth proves that life can spontaneously arise on a planet with the right conditions.
First Law of Thermodynamics: energy can be neither created nor destroyed.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 31, 2021:
Scientific laws are factual descriptions of nature. They are not to be believed or disbelieved, but rather understood and accepted. You might as well ask if I believe in gravity. (By the way, the phenomenon of gravity, ubiquitous as it is, is not completely understood by science; there is no theory of gravity. Nevertheless, I am compelled by my senses to accept the varying attraction of bodies depending on their masses.) Most living things on Earth get their energy, directly or indirectly, from the sun. A small minority get their energy from the Earth's internal heat (generated from the breakdown of radioactive elements). All living things use their energy to drive chemical reactions that allow them to build and maintain a body, procreate, gather needed, nutrients, etc. You can think of this process as creating order out of disorder. The chemical reactions of life are mostly facilitated by proteins called enzymes, which are built according to the organism's DNA code. most of the energy that an animal like a human being takes in is used for moving around, digesting food, running the immune system, thinking, etc. As these activities are carried out, the energy is released in the form of heat. The heat dissipates into outer space. Some of the energy is also used for growing, by building macromolecules like proteins, fats, oils, DNA, and glycogen. These molecules contain energy in their chemical bonds. When an organism dies, the reactions specified by the DNA cease and a different set of reactions take over, resulting in the decomposition of the body. This second set of reactions is also driven by solar energy (heat). You can slow these reactions down by lowering the ambient temperature. That's why morgues are kept relatively cool. Since this second set of reactions is not guided by DNA but rather another thermodynamic law called entropy, the body goes from a more ordered state to a less ordered state. The spontaneous breakdown of the body's tissues is usually accompanied by the release of heat. This heat also dissipates into outer space. Ultimately, the amount of energy taken in by an organism is exactly equal to the amount that it gives off during its life and subsequent decomposition. The ledger is perfectly balanced.
There is nothing more obnoxious to me than an evangelistic Christian trying to convert me.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 31, 2021:
I respect people's right to believe whatever they want. I do not, however, respect superstitious, anachronistic, childish beliefs.
I believe that Jesus as a historical figure. Am I wrong about this?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 28, 2021:
You are probaby not wrong. I think there are contemporaneous Roman writings that mention Jesus, or at least describe someone with his attributes and activities operating in Galilee.
Anti-vax Hillsong Church member Stephen Harmon, 34, dies of Covid after posting 'I got 99 problems ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 23, 2021:
I don't think that making a poor choice should carry a death sentence, but obvioysly nature us not as forgiving as me. On the bright side, there is one less gibbering idiot spreading his stupidity on the internet.
I’m wondering if this is temporary or are we in for a surgery in religion once again.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 22, 2021:
Surgery? Did you mean to write resurgence? I often find myself wishing autocorrect would stop trying to help me.
Christianity is collapsing | Freedom From Religion Foundation
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 22, 2021:
It's about time! 😎
Pastor Celebrates a Future Genocide, When God Will “Kill Wicked Men and Women” | Hemant Mehta | ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 17, 2021:
The power of religion is based on fear. Priests instill fear in their flocks in order to control them. It's a very old scam, but it still works on a lot of people.
Just as is the case today, in Galileo’s time there was no quarrel between science and religion.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 17, 2021:
I recall Steven Jay Gould proposing that there is no real conflict science and religion because they are "non-overlapping magisteria." I cannot say that I agree. If people are guided by their religions, or even their mistaken interpretations of their religions, to deny facts that science has uncovered, then there is a conflict. If Evangelical Christians create a "museum" depicting humans and dinosaurs living contemporaneously, that is a conflict between science and religion. Evangelical Christians are today refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (please don't ask me to explain how they rationalize their position; it really doesn't matter), and this represents a conflict between science and religion. It is the concrete outcome on the ground that counts here, not some abstract notions about morality or spirituality. If people get a skewed view of nature because of their religious beliefs, and they go on to deny climate science, and they vote for politicians who are in the pocket of the fossil fuel industry, and we continue down a path to catastrophic warming because of political gridlock, that is a conflict between science and religion. One with dire consequences.
Project Blitz, the Christian Right’s Legislative Playbook, Has Gone Underground | Hemant Mehta | ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 15, 2021:
Religious fanatics will never stop, so we have to be ever vigilant, heading them off whenever they move to undermine the Constitution. It's a game of whack-a-mole without end.
CPAC Crowd Cheering Because US Didn't Reach Vaccine Goal of 70%
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 12, 2021:
I wish I could say I'm surprised, but unfortunately I (we) have come to expect this kind if brain-dead stuff from Republicans these days. It's just sad and scary. 😒
New Rule: Crypto Mania! | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - YouTube
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 8, 2021:
Maher covered it pretty well: crypto currency = environmentally-harmful, cognitively-dissonant Ponzi scheme.
I know this is a contentious subject matter but I came across this picture on the web.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 8, 2021:
It is exactly the kind of question that should he asked: a rhetorical jab in the eye of the "true believer." Not that they won't find some specious argument, some circular rationalization for their self-contradictory and inane belief. They will. Count on it!
Gavin Edwards - » What the hell did Billie Joe McAllister throw off the Tallahatchee Bridge?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 8, 2021:
What was thrown off the bridge was an enigma, wrapped in a mystery. It plausibly could have been a baby. There is no need to assume that the girl could not have hidden a pregnancy, especially if it ended pre-term (as with a miscarriage). In fact, the literature is full of examples of girls/young women giving birth where their parents were previously unaware of a pregnancy. A chunky physique, a loose-fitting dress...
When you want folks to "honk" but you can't spell.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 7, 2021:
🤦
We have a number of people on this site, like Captain_Feelgood, who persist in attacking people with...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 3, 2021:
Ad hominem attack is a sure sign of a weak argument (and arguer).
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.
ok im baked and wanna pose a thought have human beings stopped evolving?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 30, 2021:
It's an excellent question, and I will give my answer in another post.
Letters From An American 06/29/2021
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 30, 2021:
It was never going to be easy to pry loose the fossil fuel industry's death grip on out throats. But as time goes on it becomes harder and harder to deny the inconvenient truth: that global warming is real, is dangerous, and is caused by burning fossil fuels. People are finally waking up to this reality. Will we do what is necessary and green up our energy infrastructure in time to avoid widespread catastrophe? I don't know. But we have to try. To go on with business as usual would be a moral failure of epic proportions.
Saskatoon Catholic cathedral covered with paint after discovery of 751 unmarked graves
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 25, 2021:
Wow, heavy! So much for the "good works" of religious institutions.
Love this group already. U're Gonna C Me - Prince [youtu.be]
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 4, 2021:
I don't often listen to this genre....reminds too much of what I'm missing. 😂
Lover Undercover - Melody Gardot [youtu.be] [open.spotify.com]
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 4, 2021:
Very sexy. Where do I sign up?
Based on actual apologetics. DarkMatter gets funnier with each release. [youtu.be]
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 4, 2021:
That was hilarious! Thank you for posing! 🤣🤣🤣
When people with horribly bad ideologies prey on their peers with the same horribly bad ideologies, ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 4, 2021:
Wow! Not only does the PB writer think like a cave man, he writes like one too. His grammar matches his ideology. Both are atrocious.
Sam reviews how PragerU in their latest video openly defends the Robert E Lee legacy and slavery.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 4, 2021:
Yup, no doubt about it: Lee was a white supremacist and he committed treason. He should not be honored with a statue. The fact that he was a great military leader is irrelevant. He fought on the wrong side.
An old memory popped in for hello.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 4, 2021:
It's good to remember that dads are not gods (or devils) but people, with all that entails.
What are your views on the sudden calls for unity after the last admin's open engagement in ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 4, 2021:
Good question! I think a call for unity is pretty much pro forma, laudible, optimistic, but ultimately futile. The political right in this country is living in a filter bubble of disinformation and wacko conspiracy theories, and has basically lost touch with reality. How can you have unity when one side refuses to acknowledge basic, well-substantiated facts? I for one am not willing to overlook lies, corruption, or stupidity just for the sake of unity. Our countrymen and women need to have (to borrow the rhetoric of religion) an epiphany, a come-to-Jesus moment. Just for starters, they have to acknowledge that climate change is real, an existential threat, and caused by burning fossil fuels. They have to acknowledge that Cheato lost the 2020 election fair and square, by more than seven million votes. They have to acknowledge that this country has used and abused racial/ethnic minorities for centuries. They have to acknowledge that unregulated capitalism leads to huge wealth disparities and environmental destruction. And along with all these acknowledgements, they have to accede to and actively support positive action to rectify all the wrongs. And do it with alacrity and good grace! No hemming or hawing, no foot dragging, no sticks in the mud. Straighten up and fly right kids! When that happens, then we will have unity. IMHO
If the god of the bible exists (which I don't believe for a moment) it is a complete asshole.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 20, 2021:
When you confront Christians with their supposed omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God's failure to alleviate the suffering of innocents, they will often say that God has a plan, but He does not reveal it to us. How convenient! This entity for whose existence there is absolutely no independently verifiable evidence chooses to be inscrutable. Why? That is never revealed. The obvious circularity of their argument does not seem to bother them either. It's really quite pathetic; what I like to call "intellectual flabbiness." No rigor whatsoever. You have a tough row to hoe. Best wishes and good luck to you and your folks. I know it ain't easy.
OK...you Atheists - or is it agnostics?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 16, 2021:
We all have a little amphibian in us. We are mammals, but mammals are indirectly descended from amphibians. The first tetrapods to colonize the land were fish, and as they continued to evolve they gave rise to amphibians. Some of these evolved into reptiles, and some reptiles evolved into birds, while others evolved into mammals. So our ancestry goes fish → amphibians →reptiles →mammals. For anyone needing proof that we are descended from amphibians I would suggest they observe some modern mammals that express the ancient slime genes. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump are are prime specimens. By the way, I'm technically an agnostic, because I'm not 100% sure there is/are no god/gods. But functionally I'm an atheist, because I'm 99.9999999% sure that the true believers are full of shit.
Texas Republican Files Bill to Inject Bible Readings in Public Schools | Hemant Mehta | Friendly ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 5, 2021:
It's a clear violation of the First Amendment. Time to get the ACLU involved.
Do certain members of Congress truly feel they are working with white supremecists?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 14, 2021:
Those who repeat the lie that Trump won the election but was robbed through electoral fraud are supporting a white nationalist narrative. "Do certain members of Congress truly feel they are working with white supremecists [sic]?" I cannot speak to how they feel, but some in Congress are indeed working "working with" white supremacists.
It was between checking self at mental institution or checking self at hotel to rest / eat / sleep ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 24, 2020:
Not sure what I just read...feels like I walked into a dark movie theater somewhere near the middle of the feature. Anyway I gather you are one of the many brave and selfless healthcare workers battling through this pandemic. Thank you! Rock on sister! Glad you got some rest!
study-milky-way-may-be-full-of-dead-alien-civilizations
Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 24, 2020:
There are many potential causes for the end of civilizations. Climate change has been a major cause of such changes in human history. Climate change may nudge a society into civil war, as it did recently in Syria. On longer time scales, we see that on average, species only last about 2 or 3 million years before going extinct. It could be that their branch on the evolutionary tree withers and dies, or it might be that they evolve into a new and distinct form. In any case, most species do not last long on cosmic time scales. The Drake equation has many factors whose values we can only guess at. Lately (the last couple of decades) we have started to get a better understanding of how many planets are out there, and how many of those might have conditions that could sustain life as we know it. But we are still only at the rough-estimate stage. As for how many if those life-supporting planets produce technological civilizations, or how long such civilizations may persist on average, we only have one example we can observe, and that experiment is not yet concluded. But if current trends continue, we may have an answer all too soon.
Federal Judge to Pro-COVID Christians: “The Constitution Is Not a Suicide Pact” | Hemant Mehta |...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 24, 2020:
I found no basis in the article for calling the church members "Pro-COVID." The fact that they apparently do not fear the virus does not necessarily mean that they wish to contract it or pass it on to others. It seems they are rather ignorant and possessed of and unwarranted feeling of security (probably stemming from their equally ridiculous faith in God), but that does not make them "Pro-COVID." We should all fight the impulse to paste labels on people, even those with whom we disagree. We only hurt our own cause by making spurious accusations, IMHO.
The Most Common Religious Identity For Young Americans Is ‘None,’ Study Suggests | HuffPost
Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 24, 2020:
I have been hearing about this trend for some years now. It is good news; a sign of progress. 🙂
I will no longer be buying anything from Adidas. [fearofgod.com]
Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 24, 2020:
This post would be better if it included an objective description of the Fear of God organization. Who are they? What do they stand for? What do they do?
Pastor: Planes Don’t Crash If There’s a Christian “On That Airplane Praying” | Hemant Mehta ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 13, 2020:
From people who have lived through close calls where it looked like the plane was going down, we know that lots of passengers pray to God the plane does not crash. Now this pastor wants us believe that the people on planes that actually do crash were not praying? Ha! They were praying their asses off!
On Vote Shaming: 21 Ways Supporting The US Establishment Is Worse Than Voting Third Party The ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Oct 30, 2020:
If you have not formed a strong opinion about how people should vote in this election, then you have not been paying attention! Trump's colossal mishandling in this pandemic, his ridiculing of health experts, is right in line with his denials of climate science (which in the long run poses an existential threat not just to the US economy but to the survival of our species). This is just for starters. The number of lies he has told while in office runs past 20,000 so far. The number of dictators he sucks up to is only exceeded by the number of allies that he has alienated. The number of children he has waiting in long-term detention, separated from their families, outnumbers both. The number of Americans he would deny healthcare is over 20 million. And the list of indictments goes on. Any one of the above is grounds for disqualification from holding high office. We urgently need a change of leadership, and there is only one viable choice: Joe Biden. There is no point in wasting votes on third party candidates that have no chance of defeating Trump. Now is the time for a unified and full-throated repudiation of Trump and his sycophantic minions. IMHO
US coronavirus: Nation could see deaths in the 'multiple hundreds of thousands,' group says - CNN
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 30, 2020:
Yup, we will very likely pass two hundred thousand deaths from covid, and the number could go to double that before we can vaccinate enough people to achieve heard immunity. And this was totally avoidable, as the experience of other countries has shown. Trump has bungled this crisis BIGTIME!
"Belief is the death of intelligence" - Robert Anton Wilson
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 25, 2020:
So true!
Remember When Fascism Was a Catholic Problem?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 23, 2020:
Given the opportunity, I'm sure they (the religious right) would take up their fascist old ways. It's only enlightened laws based on the First Amendment and the liberal education (especially in the sciences) that those laws protect that is presently keeping religious fascism at bay. And what is really scary is that right now we are seeing the erosion of the 1st Amendment separation between church and state with a variety of political appointments, such as Betsy De Voss to the Dept. of Education, Niel Gorsuch and Bret Kavenaugh to the Supreme Court, and William Barr to the Justice Department. They are grabbing the levers of power and are using them to push their own religious agenda forward in spite of the Constitution.
I now get opioid addiction.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 23, 2020:
Yeah bra, don't get hooked. And I wish you a speedy recovery!
This week, Sudan abolished the death penalty for apostasy, while "secular" Turkey arrested someone ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 23, 2020:
Yes, it is hard to watch. And if we are not careful we will see similar things become normalized in the USA. Fascist Christians are on the march!
Orange County school board votes for kids to return to school without requiring social distancing, ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 23, 2020:
The Orange County hawk is a strange bird indeed! With its over-developed right wing and atrophied left, its corkscrew flight is not only dizzying to those who witness it; the birds themselves are prone to spectacular errors in navigation (and judgement).
Robert Jeffress: We Allowed Atheists and Infidels to “Pervert Our Constitution” | Beth ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 23, 2020:
I saw this recently in connection with the Black Lives Matter movement: "When you are used to privilege, equality feels like persecution." Historically, Christian churches have enjoyed a lot of privilege in this country. Witness their tax-exempt status. It's time they got some equality.
Tucker Carlson Had No Clue How to Respond to This Satanist | Hemant Mehta | Friendly Atheist | ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 23, 2020:
I never really thought about what Satanism means to its adherents: "the ultimate rebellion against tyranny..." But it makes sense. And it is both interesting and gratifying to know that they embrace "...Enlightenment values, and the rise of pluralism and diversity and multiculturalism..." Apparently Satanism and agnosticism have something in common. 😉👍
“Closet” Agnostic/Atheist.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 23, 2020:
Congratulations on breaking free of religious dogma! The important thing is that you are a free thinker. What your friends make of it is their problem, not yours. Anyone who does not accept you as you are is not a true friend. IMHO
Does Trump have PSP Frontotemproal Dementia? I am sure that he does.
Flyingsaucesir comments on May 26, 2020:
Let's not let him off the hook with a disability excuse. Trump is a sociopathic, malignant narcissist.
Are you playing a musical instrument while stuck at home?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 27, 2020:
I play a little guitar most days, usually half a dozen songs. I might even sing too. 🎸☺
Experiment finds that gravity still works down to 50 micrometers Sensitive gravity test fails to ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 8, 2020:
I have always been rather skeptical about ideas like hidden dimensions and parallel universes. It's nice to get any crumb confirming one's position. I'll take it! ☺
Would "the apocalypse of peter" have changed your mind about christianity?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 28, 2020:
Nope. I just don't believe in things when there is no independently verifiable evidence of their actual existence. Period.
CORONA VIRUS STATISTICS UPDATE Get the latest of the worldwide stat from here ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 26, 2020:
We have already seen Trump attempt to downplay and shrug off the true nature of this new emergency, to the real detriment of our collective ability to positively deal with it.
Other retailers closing during pandemic – not Hobby Lobby
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 24, 2020:
I will take that "grooming us to be better" comment as a tacit acceptance of Darwinian evolution. For when a population is exposed to a lethal pathogen, and those with lower natural immunity are removed from the gene pool, the surviving group is, in a way, better. Being composed of resistant individuals, the group is better able to withstand that pathogen. Of course, there is a better way of achieving such resistance: it's called a vaccine, and it does not require the untimely deaths of many community members. The Hobby Lobby people would probably object to my interpretation of their statement. Oh well.
What projects are you working on while shut-in?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 20, 2020:
I'm overhauling the drive train on my mountain bike: three new front sprockets, new cassette (nine rear sprockets), new chain, new rear derailer. I previously obtained the parts and was waiting for a rainy day to do the installations. Looks like that day has come. When it rains, it pours.
WHY BERNIE WILL BE A GUARANTEED FAILURE?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 10, 2020:
You raise so good points. But let's note that ALL candidates say they would do stuff that is long-shot. Look at it this way: if Dems do not take the Senate, it does not matter which Dem gets the presidency because Repugs will block everything. We know this from experience. Hell, the ACA was a Republican plan first, but they didn't want Dems to pass it and fought to and nail to prevent passage. Then they lied and lied about how bad it was, how it was going to destroy healthcare. But people like it anyway! Much to the Repugs' chagrin.
This is what we Democrats do well.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 7, 2020:
I would also like to see the Confederate flag removed from all state and local government institutions.
Why are newscasters hedging their statements?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 7, 2020:
The New Yorker doesn't pull its punches either. Nor do Harper's, The Week, or The Nation. All straight from the shoulder.
Attorney General Warns of 'Militant Secular Effort' to Drive Out Religion
Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 5, 2020:
Barr makes a mistake that is all too typical of religious folk: that people who do not subscribe to their way if thinking are automatically amoral. The notion that morality springs from belief in a "higher power" is simply preposterous. Moral compass is a product of our evolutionary history as social beings. It is part of the reason for our success as a species, and is completely independent of belief in gods, devils, angels, ghosts, and other such inventions of the human imagination.
Not sure how this works but there seems to be a demeaning air toward all religious leaders here, ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 28, 2020:
MLK Jr. was intelligent and insightful. He was also determined and courageous. He gave his life for a good cause.
I saw in the paper today that the supreme court is deciding whether to use public funds to support ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 24, 2020:
To hear Republican Senators talk, it looks like the Senate is about to give Trump a pass on obstruction of Congress and abuse of office (attempting to extort a foreign country to meddle in the upcoming election). And that is in the face of overwhelming evidence that the president is guilty of both charges. If the Supreme Court then goes on to allow the elimination of the barrier between church and state, then this country will be the United States of America in name only.
What about believing even if you know it is not true?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 22, 2020:
Sounds like Pascal's Wager 2.0.
Mississippi Bill Would Force Teachers to Say the Ten Commandments Every Day | Hemant Mehta | ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 21, 2020:
These religious nuts do not respect the Constitution!
New haircut today. What do you think?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 20, 2020:
Looking good! 👍☺👍
Pope Francis assures atheists: You don’t have to believe in God to go to heaven | The Independent
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 16, 2020:
That's good to know. I suppose it goes a little way toward legitimising non-belief in the eyes of some believers. But it does little directly for atheists, since we don't believe in heaven or hell anyway. Perhaps it may give some believers pause when the fanatics in their ranks begin the next wave of persecution. Again, This Pope's words will probably not matter. (Especially since there is an emeritus Pope who does not see eye-to-eye with Francis.) The religious moderates will sit on their hands, keeping mum lest they themselves be labelled apostates, and the blood will flow.
Kentucky Christian School Expels Student For Eating Rainbow Birthday Cake | Michael Stone
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 16, 2020:
Sanctimonious pricks! They can't let a kid have his cake and eat it too?
How unwise to be a Christian.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 8, 2020:
Uh, BTW, Allah is the same god as that of the Jews and Christians. You probably know that already, but it isn't clear from the wording of your post.
Jesus empowers this idiot to speak publicly.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 6, 2020:
What do you expect from a misogynistic, patriarchal cult?
When someone says "There is no god" they're idiots! At that point it's up to then to prove that ...
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 6, 2020:
I think it is a good strategy to keep the onus of proof on the theist. But I would not call the atheist who expresses his opinion an idiot. I might say "poor tactician" instead.
Measles as a senior citizen?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 6, 2020:
Correct me if I am wrong, but I thini I read somewhere that New York was the first state to legislate a religious exemption for vaccinations, and they have now repealed that exemption. I expect other states will follow suit as people sicken.
How unwise to be a Christian.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 6, 2020:
Last I heard, there are over 40 thousand Christian sects!
Does god exist?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 4, 2020:
Probably not.
Love that this happened.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 4, 2020:
I am not satisfied with being allowed to put up a competing monument. The slab with the Ten Commandments violates the Constitution and should be removed. Period.
I'm sure many people on here have religious friends and family members that get on your nerves.
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 4, 2020:
Just rip the band-aid off in one swift motion. Then he prepared to stand firm in the face of all kinds of bullshit from then on.
Am I wrong?
Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 4, 2020:
No, you are not wrong. The onus of proof is on the irrational believer, not the rational skeptic.

Photos

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Moonrise at sundown
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On the fly
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Mt. Laguna
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Unbeknownst to me, this 40-litre Florence flask had sat unused in storage for years. It had been donated to the school by County Sheriff, who had confiscated it from an illegal drug lab. The Science Dept. Chair was going to throw it in the trash. I rescued it, made a base for it, and used it as a classroom fish tank. 🙂
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Three Sisters Falls, San Diego Co., CA
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Hauled out for bottom paint.
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Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is a concentrated solar thermal plant in the Mojave Desert. It is located at the base of Clark Mountain in California, across the state line from Primm, Nevada.
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San Diego, January, 2023.
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People collect the damnedest things.
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1960 Gibson LG-0; solid mahogany top, back, sides, and neck.
Agnostic, Atheist, Humanist, Secularist, Skeptic, Freethinker
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