Haver (hayver) Irish word - to talk nonsense

Heraclitus comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Hava..hava...hava :)

How many verses are there where the Tetragrammaton tells people they need to commit genocide?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 9, 2018:

The Tetragrammaton refers to the Hebrew name of God transliterated in four letters as YHWH or JHVH and articulated as Yahweh or Jehovah. However, as far as the Bible goes, the one that comes immediately to mind is 1 Samuel 15 in which the prophet Samuel is speaking to King Saul, as the Lord God, regarding the defeated Amalekites: Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’” This is actually more than genocide, kind of a hyper-genocide, because it also involves putting to death all of the animals of the Amalekites, as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and am some what of an imbecile when it comes to biology.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 8, 2018:

I once heard a microbiologist say that we are essentially bacteria colonies attached to a human body. Also, that if an alien intelligence discovered earth they might refer to it as the bacteria planet.

Is anyone else infuriated with NC offering an "In God We Trust" license plate?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 8, 2018:

It's not just an option on license plates. The state house passed HB 965 94-15 to require public schools to display in a prominent place the words "In God We Trust." This is far more insidious as it involves the indoctrination of children. This has been promoted by "Project Blitz" launched by the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation.

Words of science wisdom from 2008: ESSAY The importance of stupidity in scientific research ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 8, 2018:

Good article. I feel smarter already. :) ( I have a 150 IQ and I have always felt that I was just smart enough to realize how stupid I am. )

TENGU - bird people from Wikipedia: Tengu (天狗, "heavenly dog") are a type of legendary ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 8, 2018:

Fascinating. Where did you first heard of the tengu?

Curiosity Rover Finds Ancient 'Building Blocks for Life' on Mars ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 8, 2018:

Evidence of possible life on Mars at one time, maybe? Always possible these organic molecules hitched a ride on an external Mars source such as a comet or asteroid.

I came across this today.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 8, 2018:

How about: You are entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own facts.

Magnetic Force Does NOT Exist! Science Asylum [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 8, 2018:

It appears to be a fun, weird way of saying that there is not really such a thing as a separate magnetic force. It is all electromagnetism.

If the Christian god is just, then how can their god choose a group of people (Israel) and say that ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

Christians will tell you that the Jews were only the chosen people in the sense that they were chosen to give us the Bible and the Messiah. No religion on the face of the earth has been more anti-semitic or massacred more Jews than Christianity.

Jesus is toast!

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

Easier to find the hooded Virgin Mary in a dept store window at sunset, however.

Why would a loving god who claims to be a forgiving and just creator say that death and the spilling...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

FYI, Blood Atonement is the extension of Blood Sacrifice practiced in the Old Testament. The OT is incredibly brutal and bloody.

The first miracle that Jesus performs should show everyone exactly what Jesus' ministry really ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

You certainly have a point, though when I have tried this argument, Christians argue that wine back then was watered down because it had to be, as people drank it all the time. Water was not purified like it is today and was often full of bacteria. When sailors went to sea they took kegs of beer, wine, brandy or grog with them, not water. Water was too dangerous. Arguing that feeling merry was the same as being drunk didn't get me anywhere either.

Jesus the judge- The bible is clear that judging other people is not only wrong but is also a sin! ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

Sorry, but you would not win that argument with a knowledgeable Christian. They would simply point out that only God has the right to judge, and Jesus was God. He told others not to judge because they were not divine and so did not have the right to judge as He did.

Advice for the day

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

Heard Christopher Hitchens completely overwhelm a Christian pastor in a debate.

Jesus not only hated the Jewish religious leaders but also hated the gentiles.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

The acceptance of Gentiles into Christianity is not found in the Gospels but started with Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 22). He and Peter, who became the first Pope, clashed over this, as Peter insisted that gentiles convert to Judaism (Galatians). Paul eventually won the argument. For this reason, some scholars regard Paul as the true founder of Christianity as we know it today.

The bible clearly shows that Jesus could not control his temper and on one occasion went crazy and ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

You would not win an argument with knowledgeable Christians on this point. They would call his anger "self-righteous anger" and describe it as a godly emotion. Only God is entitled to self-righteous anger because only God is righteous.

This explains it all

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

Change "symbolically" with "literally" and you have a Catholic.

Salvation, Damnation and everything in between thanks to Tommy Johnson. [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

Crossroads was resurrected by Cream in 1966.

Cult Dressing & Religious Behavior

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

"Secular religion" is an oxymoron.

I think I just proved Darwin wrong.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

It never was survival of the most intelligent, but rather the survival of those best adapted (fitted) to their environment...and that for the purpose of getting their genes into the next generation. Now if someone dies from sheer stupidity before they can reproduce then they get a Darwin Award. Also, genius intelligence may have a evolutionary benefit for the species as a whole, but not necessary for the individual.

Have you ever debated with a Scientologist?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

Yes, they usually identify so strongly with their belief system that a debate is useless. I think they feel that if they admit they are wrong, they are admitting they have wasted their lives.

Does anyone else see the difference in not believing in a god and believing there is no god?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

The latter involves a conviction.

Does anyone else feel this way?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

I can hardly believe the truth-defying adolescent ad hominem level our political discourse has degraded to. That I can tell you. Believe me. Sad.

How has atheism or agnosticism made you a better person?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

Less self-deluded, more honest. Less susceptible to social pressure, more free. Free from all the stress of trying to please a judgmental God. Less judgmental of others. Free from constantly trying rationalize the paradoxes, inconsistencies, and contradictions of religion, and consequently I actually feel more intelligent. Feel more like myself, because I am more myself. Happier and I often feel the bliss of freedom.

Why Won't Congress Stop Herr Trump?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

Because they are not patriots, they are partiests.

Meaning of existence

Heraclitus comments on Jun 7, 2018:

Just because you don't believe in a mythical god doesn't mean your life is devoid of meaning and happiness. Don't buy the trick assumption of the question.

Compatibilism (Free Will)...g:3 [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 5, 2018:

Though I find this quite interesting I am not a fan of these sort of one-sided formats in which one person gets to interpret the other's conversation but not vice versa. This would have been much better as a dialogue. I suspect that if Matt would have had the ability to respond, he would not have always agreed the with interpretations and assumptions that Stephen was making about his beliefs.

"For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 5, 2018:

Always been a Bukowski fan. Few are more bluntly honest and insightful of human nature.

Teleporters I was having an odd but fun conversation the other day and thought I'd being it over ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 4, 2018:

Shades of Blade Runner in which Deckard thinks he is human, but turns out to be a replicant. Is Deckard still Deckard? Was Deckard ever Deckard? What if you were a human clone but didn't know it? Are you still you? What does it even mean for a human clone to be "you"? And if you are not you, then who are you? But, if there is no constant human soul, does the question even make any sense? Nonsensical questions have no sensible answers.

Why must we respect people's religious beliefs when such respect is not reciprocated?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 4, 2018:

1) manners? 2) don't become what you hate. 3) don't take the bait.

On skepticism. Do you think it harder to be skeptical in the information age?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 4, 2018:

For the very reasons you name I actually find it easier to be skeptical. I am painfully aware we are living in a tribal post-truth society with a woefully inadequate educational system. For example, for the most part, it seems that the Theory of Evolution is not even taught in most schools because teachers want to avoid the whole political/religious controversy. Consequently, most of the questions I read about evolution display an almost total lack of knowledge about the science so that it is even difficult to answer the questions.

Atheists Are Sometimes More Religious Than Christians - The Atlantic

Heraclitus comments on Jun 4, 2018:

The title is misleading. This is more about surface religiosity, the trappings of a religious service, then it is about religion. Yet, it is an interesting phenomenon of humans that they often crave ritual and ceremony devoid of any real belief. People are often superstitious as well for no apparent reason

Not good when a POTUS thinks like this. [flip.it]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 4, 2018:

If POTUS is right, then how is the Presidency now really much different than a dictatorship as long as he has the Party of Trump behind him? Perhaps his next act will be to declare himself President for Life and then pardon himself for doing so.

Question everything and everyone! Demand proof! ?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 4, 2018:

What constitutes proof?

How Jesus Died: Rare Evidence of Roman Crucifixion Found [livescience.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 4, 2018:

NBD. The Roman capital punishment method of crucifixion is not controversial. It is just that it is unusual for the evidence of such to remain intact and survive 2000 years. Wood rots.

Here is an example of religion run amuck .

Heraclitus comments on Jun 4, 2018:

Think of how good and special it feels to believe that God reached out and saved you personally.

are you afraid of death?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 4, 2018:

Afraid of dying, but not of death.

Who thinks ghosts are real?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 4, 2018:

I never met anyone who had a good reason for believing in ghosts. It's usually been unexplained noises or reflections in a window, usually in an old noisy house. Either that or something they thought they saw when waking up in the morning. No reason to call tricks of the imagination ghosts. But some people like to believe in ghosts because they think it is evidence of an afterlife.

Ricky Gervais -- "I am an agnostic atheist" .

Heraclitus comments on Jun 3, 2018:

I once knew someone who was an Agnostic Agnostic. He didn't know if he was an agnostic or not.

Ugh.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

Agnosticism, in fact, is not a creed, but a method, the essence of which lies in the rigorous application of a single principle ... Positively the principle may be expressed: In matters of the intellect, follow your reason as far as it will take you, without regard to any other consideration. And negatively: In matters of the intellect do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable. — Thomas Henry Huxley Agnosticism is of the essence of science, whether ancient or modern. It simply means that a man shall not say he knows or believes that which he has no scientific grounds for professing to know or believe. Consequently, agnosticism puts aside not only the greater part of popular theology, but also the greater part of anti-theology. On the whole, the "bosh" of heterodoxy is more offensive to me than that of orthodoxy, because heterodoxy professes to be guided by reason and science, and orthodoxy does not. — Thomas Henry Huxley

Persecuting Christians in America A Simple Guide!

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

Christianity was founded on a legacy of martyrs. If you deny Christians their persecution complex, you deny them their identity.

Baptist Church Removing Jesus Statue

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

Now if it was a crucified Christ I would understand it, but it's too "Catholic" just because his arms are not down by his side?!? Will the different Jesus Christs never cease?

Did Jesus really die for our sins?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

Where is the logic in that? How does dying erase sin? For yourself, let alone anyone else? Actually, blood atonement is just an extension of the ancient practice of blood sacrifice to propitiate an angry god. Why blood placates God is kind of scary to think about. Sounds more like the great cosmic vampire in the sky, doesn't it?

Where did American Christians get the idea that this country was founded on Christian Values?!

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

A false impression given by our heavily edited school textbooks.

Are there limits to your skepticism?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

David Hume was the model skeptic who asserted that we cannot even know cause and effect. However, while denying the possibility of knowing the causal connection between objects, he accepted the causal principle, writing, "I never asserted so absurd a proposition as that something could arise without a cause."

Dealing with Fundamentalists [youtu.be]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

All believers cherry-pick the Bible. Otherwise, life would be unbearable. Ever see the series "Living Biblically"? It is, of course, a comedy.

You May Have a 'Second Brain' in Your Butt... And It's Smarter Than You Think [livescience.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

Most of your immune system resides in your gut, as well.

7 Fascinating Facts About The Old West [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

Thanks. Hurray for unfettered history! All textbooks are political instruments that have to be approved by a political state board of education, either elected or politically appointed, and they are usually heavily edited. Real history isn't taught until the college level. Read Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States."

A Major Physics Experiment Just Detected A Particle That Shouldn't Exist [space.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

Sterile neutrino could be Dark Matter. "Shouldn't exist" is an editorial comment designed to get attention. Actually, it should exist according to the Theory of Dark Matter.

Should anyone suggest that the US is a Christian nation: 'Philip Alston, the UN special ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

Unfortunately, it is probably only going to keep getting worse. The USA is the richest nation in the world, but has the poorest government in the world. Name another nation's govenment that has a $21,000,000,000 debt that is rapidly getting worse. Sad.

I came here to share info with other like-minded individuals.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

Profile's gone. Anyone know what the flouncer's beef was? What would constitute "other like-minded individuals"?

A Major Physics Experiment Just Detected A Particle That Shouldn't Exist [livescience.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 2, 2018:

Sterile neutrino could be Dark Matter. "Shouldn't exist" is an editorial comment designed to get attention. Actually, it should exist according to the Theory of Dark Matter.

I think, therefore, I am.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 1, 2018:

Happiness is inversely proportional to awareness and sensitivity to the painful realities of planet Earth.

Does anyone agree, that our country is being torn apart

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

Yep, people no longer have differing opinions, they have differing realities.

What do you think is the difference between a religion and a cult?

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

Here's 14 characteristics of a cult: http://www.apologeticsindex.org/268-characteristics-of-cults

I miss Ripley....

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

Yes, I miss Ripley too. Believe it or not. ;)

I'm of the opinion that anything labeled "supernatural" is simply some natural phenomenon that we ...

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

Agreed. No need for a God of the Gaps.

Study shows how Earth slows the solar wind to a gentle breeze

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

Either a weak magnetic field exposing us to extensive cosmic radiation, or worse, a pole shift would be a disaster. It is believed that Mars became barren after it lost its magnetic field. Immanuel Velikovsky became famous writing about the global cataclysm caused by a pole shift. His science is questionable, but it makes for interesting reading on what it could mean for the future of earth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R8giRIyVvw

What are the implications of relativity [m.facebook.com]

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

Forward time travel is easy to accept because it is essentially just the "Rip Van Winkle" effect. You are not instantaneously zapped into the future. It is just that only a few minutes, or even seconds, have passed for you while a few years, or centuries, has passed for everyone else. Backward time travel is something altogether different as it requires spacetime reversal, probably the Universe looping back on itself, and runs into the "Grandfather Paradox." Some physicists believe that the astronomical amount of energy required to loop the Universe back on itself would essentially tear the Universe apart.

Spot the false prophet

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

I used to hear Mormons say that what the living Prophet says isn't doctrine unless he says, "Thus sayest the Lord." When I asked them when the last time was they heard the Prophet say, "Thus sayest the Lord" they couldn't think of any time he said that. It made me wonder what was the point in having a living Prophet?

Do they not see how utterly insane they are. There are adults encouraging this. [youtu.be]

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

How could anyone think that repeating "ba ba ba" is a foreign tongue? I guess people believe what they want to believe...as long as the news is good.

In last few days, a man was snatched from the street, imprisoned without trial and then reporting on...

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

Good old Voltaire was always very Candide. ;)

Curious how US skeptics feel about this viewpoint.

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

Unfortunately, separation of church and state has been reinterpreted by many. Some now say it simply means that the establishment of a State Religion would be unconstitutional.

Sam Harris. Why Atheists win arguments. [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on May 31, 2018:

No need to fall into the trap of "believing in creation without a creator." 1) The stuff of the universe always existed, as believed by Aristotle, and other Greek philosophers. Supernatural creation is not even necessary to explain the Universe. 2) Creation out of nothing is a logical contradiction. Only nothing can come from nothing. Something can only come from something. 3) The creative force of the Universe is nature itself. No need for a personal god. That's an unnecessary illogical leap. 4) It's not even a matter of belief, but of not accepting a supernatural explanation of nature without convincing evidence/proof. 5) Occam's razor, or why posit the existence of a personal god when there is no need to. The Universe behaves as you would expect it to if there were no god. But if you posit the existence of a god, then you have a lot of explaining to do.

When is no evidence, evidence?

Heraclitus comments on May 22, 2018:

Only in the sense that atheists ask for evidence and reject blind faith.

I hope you like this.

Heraclitus comments on May 22, 2018:

BS ;-)

Prof Stephen Hawking's multiverse finale - BBC News

Heraclitus comments on May 21, 2018:

It's metaphysics, not physics. BTW, inflation is not unproven, though everything else is. So what? No scientist ever claimed the multiverse hypothesis was proven science. If it was it wouldn't be an hypothesis.

Solution to Gun Problem

Heraclitus comments on May 21, 2018:

Yes, we've been having the same arguments about gun control for at least the last half century. The worse things get, the more the NRA just tells everyone to buy more guns to defend themselves.

Why a sitting President cannot be indicted for crimes he committed before being elected?

Heraclitus comments on May 21, 2018:

The Constitutional method provided to remove a president from office is impeachment, not indictment. Consequently, even if a president were indicted, and convicted, successful impeachment would still be necessary to remove that president from office. Consequently, actual indictment and prosecution of a president for a crime, which has never been tried and so has never been 100% settled, is almost a mute point, but which makes for great political theater. Impeachment does not require a previous indictment, let alone a conviction of a crime, to remove a president from office. If a president were to indicted and convicted of a crime, it would, of course, raise the possibility that such a president would then be successfully impeached, but it would not guarantee it. It's really all about the votes.

Proof of no god?

Heraclitus comments on May 21, 2018:

You will always be waiting. You will never get scientific proof one way or the other. You cannot get material proof of an immaterial object. Can't put God in a test tube.

Science and Reason

Heraclitus comments on May 21, 2018:

Used to read it, but it got a little repetitive after a few years.

Bring in the machine that goes PING!

Heraclitus comments on May 21, 2018:

Have talked to several people who thought a house was haunted. None were convincing. Just sounds or reflections they could not identify which I think of as something to be expected in an old house. Funny how new or even relatively old houses are never haunted, or even hospitals which is where most people die.

I saw a meme with Stephan Hawkins in the stars .

Heraclitus comments on May 20, 2018:

I don't think Stephan does either. ;)

What about panentheism?

Heraclitus comments on May 20, 2018:

In several ways. That is an oversimplified definition, and not the best one. Panentheists don't believe in a transcendent personal God, so that immediately rules out religions like Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. There is the more traditional German idealist (Hegelian) form and there is the more modern process (Whiteheadian) form of panentheism. Neither one posits a "God" in any traditional faith sense or involves any form of worship. It is rather a philosopher's god. It is more of an admission, or rather an assumption, that there may be something more to nature, or beyond nature, that can be explained by nature alone and generates the laws of nature as we know them. Something more akin to the Elan Vital, or creative energy of Henri Bergson. The only real difference between Pantheists and Panentheists, as far as I can tell, is that Pantheists would say that this creative energy is inherent to nature itself, while Panentheists would place this creative energy as a prime mover of nature.

An interesting algorithm

Heraclitus comments on May 19, 2018:

Thanks for sharing this. Older Mormons have told me that the semi-deification of Joseph Smith is a relatively recent phenomenon. When they were growing up JS was talked about as a more failable human being and it was only gradually that it got to the point that you didn't dare say anything even slightly negative about JS. More recently, however, it seems the lid has come off. BTW, before the days of computers, this used to be called a flow chart.

Do you think the United States would ever have an atheist president?

Heraclitus comments on May 19, 2018:

"Ever" is a long time, but don't hold your breath.

As an atheist/agnostic, what would you do if the Dark Ages were to come back?

Heraclitus comments on May 19, 2018:

Are you sure that the Dark Ages ever really left? Even the so-called Age of Enlightenment was for intellectuals only, and most of them did not discard their religious beliefs. Even those who did were usually very cirumspect about it for fear of their own lives.

Not sure if I belong here.

Heraclitus comments on May 19, 2018:

I don't see why you wouldn't belong here. This is Agnostic.com, not Atheist.com, though some hard atheists may show intolerance. Actually, a lot of people believe in "some sort of" a creative force or intelligence but not a personal God. You either have to believe that the elementary stuff of the Universe has somehow existed forever without being able to explain how, or you have to believe that there was some sort of creative force behind the stuff of the Universe without being able to explain what. In fact, in my experience, at some point arguing about those two options starts to seems like a distinction without much of a difference.

Raising kids: fairies Vs skeptical toolkits

Heraclitus comments on May 19, 2018:

First of all, I think eight is just a little old to still be believing in a fairly tale world. When I was growing up, pretty much every one's fairy tale bubbles had been burst by the age of seven, and those who still believed in such stuff were mocked at school for still being "babies". Secondly, if belief that planet earth is a fairly tale world goes on too long, it certainly won't be harmless, either socially or mentally. Being detached from reality is a pretty good definition of neurosis or mental illness. Thirdly, I really don't buy the idea that literally believing in fairy tales is really so harmless to smaller children either. We like to think that it is harmless, but how many fewer children would grow up to believe literally in the mythology of religions if they had not been so indoctrinated while children? Also, I remember how disturbed I was when I learned that the adults of the world had been lying to all of us kids all this time for "our own good and happiness." It made my wonder what other things adults had been lying to us about for "our own good and happiness." This can subtly start to destroy trust between children and their parents and lead to a rebellious child if unchecked.

Okay, I would really appreciate some help.

Heraclitus comments on May 19, 2018:

How about an examination of the mythical stories about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Great Pumpkin?

I think it's safe to say it I this group.

Heraclitus comments on May 19, 2018:

People are on the site for all kinds of different reasons. There is hardly a common thread.

New DNA.

Heraclitus comments on May 19, 2018:

What about George I of Hanover? He introduced German DNA into the royal family and at the time was far more criticized and controversial a figure than Meghan is today.

What do you think?

Heraclitus comments on May 18, 2018:

Those categories are rather meaningless unless you first establish a standard of proof.

Free will, Determined, or something else?

Heraclitus comments on May 17, 2018:

I could persuaded on Soft Determinism, as our subconscious thought is estimated to consist of about 95% of all thought processes, and there are obviously an incredible amount of penchants, predispositions, and persuasions that impinge upon us. We react far more than we act. Try to think of a situation in which you were not reacting your environment in some way. However, to claim that there is no such thing at all as independent thought simply runs into too many paradoxes. For example, it makes this debate mute since we are only expressing the thoughts that we are determined to express anyway. In other words, if you believe in Determinism, it is only because you can't help it.

Flat Earthers rebutted.

Heraclitus comments on May 17, 2018:

https://www.popsci.com/10-ways-you-can-prove-earth-is-round#page-17

Flat Earthers rebutted.

Heraclitus comments on May 17, 2018:

The idea that most people used to believe the earth was flat is also a myth. This myth was perpetuated by a book written in the 19th century. Not only has the roundness of the earth been known at least since the Ancient Greeks (Pythagoras, Anaxagoras, Aristotle), but every sailor knew it. The top sail of a ship is always seen first, the stars are different in the Southern Hemisphere than they are in the Northern Hemisphere, and the existence of time zones. Also, the earth's shadow on a lunar eclipse, and the fact that you can actually see the earth's curvature on a high mountain. The ancients were not so dumb as we like to think.

Science is a way of thinking. It is never final.

Heraclitus comments on May 17, 2018:

Scientists live for the thrill of discovery, not for the stubborn arrogance of always believing you are right no matter what. If a scientific theory becomes debunked through scientific testing, it can actually be quite exciting as it opens up all kinds of new possibilities and career paths.

I don't talk much about religion but here's a thought; If Jesus was a Jew in Israel and Israel was ...

Heraclitus comments on May 17, 2018:

A better question might be: why is it that Jesus didn't even ask for one? You are assuming that justice system everywhere and everywhen have and had similar advocacy systems to ours. This was not the case with the Jewish Sanhedrin which was an assembly of twenty-three or seventy-one rabbis appointed to sit as a tribunal in every city in the ancient Land of Israel. The number of rabbinic judges depended upon whether it was a lesser Sanhedrin or the Great Sanhedrin that was assembled. The Sanhedrin reviewed the evidence and listened to the testimony of witnesses, including that of the accused, and then made its decision.

My neighbor (nosey) asked me if I had a will in place for my kids.

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

Also, if children don't claim their inheritance the state usually gets to keep it by default. The state governments make a lot of money that way.

My neighbor (nosey) asked me if I had a will in place for my kids.

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

Actually, it depends upon the laws of your state. Most states have a default inheritance. Chances are that your estate, such as it is, will be divided up among your children, anyway, without a will.

Why is the mantra: “Israel has the right to protect its borders”?

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

There is a political and historical twist to that mantra. The borders of Israel have changed a number of times since 1948. Most Arabs have never recognized any borders beyond those of the 1949 Armistice Agreements. So, when Jews and Arabs talk about the borders of Israel, they are not talking about the same borders.

Why do so many people avoid calling themselves an atheist?

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

The word "Atheist" was defined incorrectly many years ago in the Catholic Encyclopedia and was given a very negative connotation. Our society still hasn't recovered.

What’s a movie you can never get tired of?

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

Sling Blade

Of all of the popular unscientific nonsense what's your biggest pet peeve?

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

That climate change is a hoax...but that's not harmless.

If Jesus was a Jew, and his mother was a "1st-century BC Galilean Jewish woman of Nazareth" (from ...

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

No contradiction. The earliest Christians were all Jews. They celebrated the Jewish Sabbath. A conversion from Judaism to Christianity wasn't required. Jesus was considered to be the Jewish Messiah. "Christ", or Christos, is the Greek word for Messiah. Even "Jesus" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew/Aramaic name Joshua.

How do you handle unwanted robo phone calls?

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

Have a display on my phone. Block the persistent ones and don't answer the phone numbers I don't recognize. They can always leave a message if they are legit.

I think, therefore, I am.

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

Some believe that happiness is inversely proportional to intelligence. Better said that happiness is inversely proportional to awareness and sensitivity. Hence, ignorance is bliss.

History of Philosophy without any gaps: King's College London

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

Kind of a trick question. That is sometimes identified as Socrates, and sometimes identified as Plato.

Went out to a Mexican place, here’s the men’s room... Why!

Heraclitus comments on May 16, 2018:

Because the toilet seats are left up.