I haven’t seen anything here about Alabama being the first state to introduce Sharia law.

Paul4747 comments on Mar 19, 2019:

All Middle East- based religions treat women as property. I'm not surprised to find the Xians at it again. Disappointed, but not surprised.

Im going to go out with a guy I met online who says he's a primal dom.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 2, 2019:

Use your own judgment, and if he seems okay, then good luck to you. My caveat would be to wonder if he advertised himself as this first thing, or if he took some time getting to know you before the subject came up (so to speak).

The Consumer Electronics Show just banned a sex toy invented by and for women but awarded one made ...

Paul4747 comments on Jan 13, 2019:

Now that's just wrong.

Hello any atheist ladies want to chat?

Paul4747 comments on Dec 30, 2020:

I dunno, they chat with me all the time. Maybe if you commented on some actual topics?

George Santos admits to some major lies, but a $700,000 mystery remains

Paul4747 comments on Dec 27, 2022:

Oh yes, “a lot of people overstate in their résumés." Like the time I mentioned I was a Rhodes scholar. Lucky for me, McDonald's didn't check the references.

"Dear Tucker Carlson" by a teacher Patrick J. Kearney

Paul4747 comments on Jul 9, 2021:

Any civil servant would love to have the critics who think we're overpaid & underworked walk a day- hell, an hour- in our shoes. Most of them have no idea what they're talking about.

Mike Pence, Ignoring the Bible, Mocks Democrats for Wanting to Help the Poor | Beth Stoneburner | ...

Paul4747 comments on Dec 25, 2020:

Right wing Xians, like Pence and his audience, are all about the "prosperity gospel", which is based on highly selective readings and non-traditional interpretations of the Bible. They also choose to ignore absolutely everything Jesus and the apostles had to say about giving to the poor. Christians, to live in keeping with biblical teachings, should pretty much be communists, according to Acts 4: > 32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: *neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common*... 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: *and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.* Karl Marx made a better Xian than Pence, Falwell, et. al.

John Allen Chau, Preacher killed by Natives, Appalling Atheist Reactions - YouTube

Paul4747 comments on Nov 23, 2018:

Religious people regularly call it "God's judgment" for someone's imagined crimes when terrible things happen. Recall Jerry Falwell's hateful comments after 9/11, when he blamed the terrorist attack on the Roe v Wade decision, among others... gay people, unwed mothers, and atheists I believe were among those he blamed for God "allowing" the attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Here we have actual crimes for which someone suffered the ultimate price. I think atheists have a right to equal time for calling people out when they bring punishment upon themselves.

liberal bias

Paul4747 comments on Nov 26, 2022:

Is it bias if it's correct?

Why Do These Deadly Insects Look Like Flowers? - YouTube

Paul4747 comments on Dec 27, 2022:

Because of evolution. But try to explain that to the ID people.

How did your neigbors vote?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 28, 2018:

What do I care? This is an overall average. Some people voted like me, others didn't.

Why did 'god' create Atheists (or Agnostics, or Secular Humanists)

Paul4747 comments on Apr 17, 2020:

Seems like a trick question.... This is yet *another* paradox for believers. If God knowingly, deliberately created humans as flawed and free-willed creatures (Psalm 103:14, "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust"), how then can we face eternal punishment for exercising that free will in flawed, human ways? The punishment doesn't fit the crime. It's a clear-cut case of disproportionate retribution. "God", creating humans as we are, *must* expect us to behave as we do. Furthermore, as a supposedly omnipotent and omniscient being, he *has to* expect us to behave as we do, considering he supposedly *made us this way*; and we have *no choice* but to follow his omnipotent, omniscient plan. According to the arguments of religion, we can't defy God's will, therefore, if we're atheists, it's *because God wants us to be.*

Defending beliefs.

Paul4747 comments on Sep 8, 2019:

Are you talking about on this site, or in general? If the answer is the former, then consider you are on a primarily atheist/agnostic website, so the membership are mostly inclined to be somewhat hostile towards religion in general. If you're defending believers' right to believe in what many of us think is fiction, then you're barking up the wrong tree. I mean, sure, they have that right, but they might as well believe in Santa Claus and will probably get that same amount of respect as if they did. If you mean in general, then can you tell me where you hang out that there are so many atheists, that religious people need to be defended from them? Because I'm going to move there ASAP.

Lauren Summer - Business Casual

Paul4747 comments on Mar 5, 2021:

Are you sure that's not "after work drunk"?

Calling Women "the Office Bunny"

Paul4747 comments on Mar 22, 2019:

It is a pejorative term. It is also, very sadly, still a fact of life. There is, in my workplace (a state prison), an employee who, with zero custody experience, zero experience outside the records office, and a total of three years experience in the Department of Corrections, was put in charge of half a cell block housing 120 prisoners and supervising 6 officers, who had to teach her her job. She had no qualifications whatsoever, except that she needed supervisory experience on her resume and the Warden was willing to oblige her by installing her over a dozen staff who were in line ahead of her. And, how can I put this without offending... she has the looks. Dresses like she's going to the bar even though it's a prison. We were willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, but everything since then backed up the initial perception that she was given the spot as a gift, not because she had any skills or talent. She even helped a corrupt supervisor at a higher level destroy the evidence of his misconduct. (Not that his fellow higher-ups investigated what everyone knew was going on.) Another friend of mine, who is by no means unattractive, has been the "assistant to the warden's assistant" for almost 20 years now, and seen a string of women promoted past her and hired in above her, whom she has had to train to do the job, do the job for them, and get blamed because she didn't do their jobs for them. The current incumbent basically forwards emails from various supervisors to everyone else because she maintains the group email lists, and that's all she does. But she's very good at wearing tight clothes, as was the one before her. And she's great at sitting at a desk while other people do her work. I had never heard that exact phrase you used, but it is still a thing. As long as horny male executives do their thinking with their gonads, and a few unscrupulous women realize they can use this to get what they want, it will probably be a thing. I'm against both behaviors. I'm for people being rewarded for their talents, not their genes.

'He's Exposed': Steve Bannon Could Go to Jail for Defying Jan. 6 Subpoenas, Says Rep. Raskin

Paul4747 comments on Oct 12, 2021:

Is it hypocritical to chant, "Lock Them Up"?

What are some things you just can't say out loud? Lay it down....no judgement here.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 17, 2018:

Your kids are really, really a *lot* less attractive than you think. (Most of my acquaintances and colleagues who *won't fucking quit with their kids pictures*)

Facial hair or No facial hair?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 23, 2018:

I'm not here to vote, I'm just showing off this goatee... ;)

Ukrainian beauty...Should I mail-order her as bride? 😄

Paul4747 comments on Sep 25, 2020:

Could you send her back for a different one if she didn't fit?

Is the term "Christian White Supremacy" appropriate?

Paul4747 comments on Aug 11, 2019:

No term involving anybody being "supreme" is appropriate, since it bears no relation to reality.

Considering the bind he is in, Paul has set the very modest goal of $1500 for his GoFundMe account.

Paul4747 comments on Mar 16, 2023:

I know I've thanked you through that site but I want to say it publicly- you're damn good people and a damn good friend. Thank you for all you've done this week.

Hello from Oktoberfest!! Second stop of our week away - Munich for the beer festival to end all ...

Paul4747 comments on Oct 1, 2019:

A village around here had their Oktoberfest 2 weeks ago. Yes, Oktoberfest in September. :|

To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before!

Paul4747 comments on Aug 13, 2018:

Exploring alien worlds, meeting alien women, boldly coming where no Earthman has come before... wait, was that the mission statement, or was it?

It's all in the profile photo

Paul4747 comments on Jul 24, 2018:

Pictures don't lie

Trump says that if Biden is elected, seniors will have 'no air conditioning during the summer'

Paul4747 comments on Oct 27, 2020:

Trump has no plan whatsoever, he's just peddling fear everywhere he goes along with a couple vague promises. Pretty much 2016 again.

Marjorie Taylor Greene gets into shouting match with Democratic congresswoman [cnn.com]

Paul4747 comments on Sep 27, 2021:

I feel absurdly proud that it was a Michigan Democrat that she lit out after.

Ever notice how often “improvements” don’t feel as if they’re making anything better?

Paul4747 comments on Sep 14, 2018:

It's harder and harder to find an actual cashier anymore at the big box. I try to go to the more locally owned grocery store where they don't have a computerized "self-service" checkout, which is just a way for the stores to cut down on staff and maximize profits. Speaking of things "improving", someone mentioned a Microsoft update. Since the last one, I'm finding it impossible to type fluidly on this site, the page doesn't accept my input as quickly and I have to slow down my typing to a crawl. Plus, I can't move the cursor more than one space or delete more than one letter at a time. It's as if something changed my input settings for me...

James Dobson Warns Democrats Will ‘Enslave’ Conservative Christians | Michael Stone

Paul4747 comments on May 24, 2019:

This was actually tragic in how hilarious it was. Especially Dobson's attempt to rewrite history: "It was this unyielding commitment to religious liberty that led to American Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783." Er... no... the Founding Fathers were deists. He's thinking of the Pilgrims, who did discriminate based on their fundamental religion. It was disputes over taxation in the wake of the French & Indian Wars and the Seven Years' War that led to the Revolution. But, considering that he thinks the Universe is only 6000 years old, this is a minor error by comparison.

there seems to me to be way to much animosity towards religion.

Paul4747 comments on Dec 14, 2019:

I'm plenty happy with my freedom. Religion, on the other hand, is not. Therefore, like Jefferson, I have sworn eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.

Happy Monday all...Remember Firefly?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 28, 2021:

Shiny

It is interesting.

Paul4747 comments on Apr 23, 2019:

Well put. As much time as various Islamists spend fighting adherents of other religions (or no religion), they spend a greater amount of time and effort fighting one another over factional disputes. Islam is currently in the same historical state that Christianity was in the high Middle Ages, split between contending kingdoms. It was that which brought about the Pope's call for a Crusade to reclaim Jerusalem and reunite the religion. The same can be said for those Muslims who urge their followers to spread their faith to the rest of the world through violence; they are in a medieval mindset, unfortunately possessing 21st century weapons. Their existence also calls forth a medieval response from certain Western minds, who want to meet them with sword and fire. And waterboarding.

People always ask why my ex and I broke up and I always say that it’s because I stopped believing ...

Paul4747 comments on May 3, 2019:

It is a much better question why it's assumed as a default that people believe in an invisible primate of imaginary heft, infinite power, and omniscient perception, who nevertheless spends most of his time watching us have sex.

Before gun control, when shootings were unheard of. 1950s an early 60s!

Paul4747 comments on Jun 27, 2019:

Are you seriously inferring a causal connection between gun control and gun violence? That's incredibly simplistic. As simplistic as inferring a connection based on immigration, or ethnic diversity, or the political parties, or any of 1000 factors. Our cities are more crowded and complex, our culture is both more tolerant and at the same time some elements are more intolerant, the economy has put pressure on more people than ever, the media culture makes violence seem omnipresent and makes some seek instant celebrity via committing violent crimes.... I could go on but I won't.

These are a set of questions for those who are lawyers how is it 1,Right and Just,that you ...

Paul4747 comments on Sep 27, 2022:

Are you for real? 1) "Lawyer" is of course a profession, since there are so many laws (made by legislators, many of whom are *not* lawyers) that it can take a lifetime of study to know them. Even then lawyers usually have to specialize. This is like asking, "Since everybody has a body, why do we need doctors? Aren't we all familiar with a human body?" 2) I don't believe any lawyer, anywhere, has ever claimed exclusive knowledge of the law. Most are happy to explain what the law means to anybody (anybody who pays them, anyway). And the laws are on the books, it's easy to learn for yourself what they are and what they mean. Lawyers have never claimed they have a grip on Justice. Juries decide what is and is not Justice. 3) *Legislators* (politicians) make laws, not lawyers. What makes you think lawyers as a body believe in the "right" or "justice" of unjust laws, any more than the rest of us? 4- 9) Again I remind you, *lawyers don't make the law*. Politicians do. If you don't like the law, elect different politicians. Lawyers don't just shit out new laws in the middle of the night. Laws, being public, are also public knowledge. They're right there on the internet and in the books. There are no "secret laws", lawyers aren't "hogging" any knowledge for themselves. If you don't know the law, blame your lack of research, not the legal profession. As for "justice"; what did you have in mind? Getting out of a speeding ticket? Murderers being found guilty? Get you out of paying alimony? "Justice" is a nebulous concept; everyone has their own definition. final rhetorical question) I don't think lawyers are going to give up being lawyers any time soon. So the question is, are *you* going to stop fucking around with BS like this and actually learn something about the law?

I was having a conversation with a Christian friend about free will.

Paul4747 comments on Dec 29, 2019:

In the view of a Middle Eastern-based Jewish, Christian, or Islamic theology, God must know everything, including the future, or else he's not omniscient. At the same time, if we're predestined and have no free will, that's a problem, since we can't be blamed for our actions and there's no such thing as "sin", which vitiates the whole notion of needing forgiveness, grace, laws and commandments- the entire reason for a theocracy to exist. This creates a whole passel of issues for churches which only exist to dictate to (and thrive on the donations of) their members. If we're predestined to do whatever we do, then logically, nobody can be blamed, and a just god (which we are assured he is- "the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether"- Psalm 19:9) wouldn't send anyone to Hell for a decision they didn't make freely, right? How to solve the dilemma? With an enigma, of course! "Predestined free will"... I was predestined to freely choose to write this reply, even though up until the very last moment, I was going to let the perfectly good replies of everyone else stand as the final word on the subject, rather than throw my two pence in. Just as I am now making a predestined, yet free-willed choice to sip my single malt (12 year old Glenlivet- delicious) as I type this paragraph. (Ahhhh. Smooth and yet fiery. Or is it fiery and yet smooth? Further experiments are clearly in order.) Of course, some denominations take it even farther and decide that even your afterlife is predetermined. No matter how righteously you live, your seat in Heaven or Hell is determined the second you're conceived, which makes it seem rather pointless living a decent life, doesn't it? Why don't Calvinists, for instance, just party all week? It can't hurt their chances, or help them to abstain from boozing it up- unless I totally misunderstand everything about their religion, which is entirely possible. And there you have it. I was predestined to write this, supposedly. For the record- maybe I shouldn't drink distilled alcohol while replying to forum questions. Although who knows- maybe it made me more entertaining than I was otherwise destined to be.

Donald J.

Paul4747 comments on Oct 9, 2019:

The truth doesn't matter to his followers, and people who've been paying attention already know the truth. It's those who don't pay attention one way or the other that he's hoping to spin, the people who get their information from 3-second sound bites and social media and only take in the loudest and most easily digested "news" without bothering to dig any deeper... those who take everything at face value and vote based on who promised them a tax cut most recently, the hell with the deficit. Our only hope is that more people are paying more attention lately, and that they're not as stupid as the Republicans think they are. I'm actually not optimistic, since Trump won in the first place.

My cousin and her husband were very good friends for years with a couple that lived down the street ...

Paul4747 comments on Dec 27, 2021:

I'm sorry to hear of their losing a friend. As you say, it's especially tragic when a death was easily preventable. Even when we decry and despair over people exposing themselves to needless disease and death, it's hard not to feel for the surviving family & friends. Well, in one case it isn't. I was told recently of a father/husband who died of covid, alone except for the nurse, while his family sat outside- because they refused to put on a mask in order to enter the hospital and visit the dying man. What. the. hell. people!

Jeff Sessions Argues That American Christians Are Facing Persecution - The Intellectualist

Paul4747 comments on Aug 22, 2018:

"Our great tradition of religious freedom" is freedom *from* religion as well. The Xian Right forgot that (or pretended to forget it) decades ago.

Christian Blogger: Yoga Was Designed To Cause A ‘Demonic Trance’ | HuffPost

Paul4747 comments on Feb 3, 2018:

Well, since there is neither a literal Heaven nor a literal Hell (not to mention demons of any kind), I guess I'm not too worried about yoga practitioners. And I'm all for pagan practices. But I doubt I'll ever be able to get my legs behind my head like I've seen some people do.

Being intelligent , unfortunately , does not mean a person is moral .

Paul4747 comments on Feb 13, 2020:

My experience is, for a lot of people, the more you have, the more you want. Those who have the most are concerned with building up more, not being satisfied with what they already have. How else do you explain people like the Koch brothers or the Walton family, who are worth hundreds of billions, but manipulate the law to get out of paying taxes and manipulate their businesses to squeeze out every last dime of profits? Even among those who have almost nothing, there's a pecking order- people in prison will hoard toilet paper and soap (which we give out free!) and ramen noodles, because having more than everyone else means having power in the prison economy.

i have just received an annoying email from the universal life church, congratulating me on my ...

Paul4747 comments on Apr 12, 2019:

Maybe someone had you ordained as a joke and never told you. They'll ordain anybody for $65 (unless the price went up). I hate to break it to you, but you're also a Pope of the Discordian movement. They decided to one-up Kirby Hensley back in the '60s and just declare *everybody* Pope. Every man, woman & child on the planet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discordianism

What do you see as being the best approaches to normalizing agnostism, atheism etc?

Paul4747 comments on Jan 18, 2020:

When enough people are atheist or agnostic, statistically that becomes normal.

Be aware of the signs: emotional abuse.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 21, 2018:

Okay, yes, obviously... and yet some of these are vague and subjective. Clearly not every single instance of teasing is emotional abuse, for example. Context matters.

America's Real Economy: It Isn't Booming

Paul4747 comments on Aug 31, 2018:

> "Fewer and fewer people have savings to weather time between jobs or an emergency expense. A third of the U.S. population has no savings and another third has saved less than $1,000. Two-thirds of American households, by this measure, are desperately scrambling to make ends meet from check to check. " Yep, I bounce between membership in those thirds. I can't recall the last time my savings account went over $250. And the ironic thing is, I do belong to a union. But we're a public service local and the State has been telling us for the last 20 years during contract negotiations how bad times are, how we have to sacrifice raises to keep our benefits, then we have to sacrifice benefits too... meanwhile the Legislature has to vote *against* raises for themselves. And the Governor's State of the State address says the economy is booming because of his brilliant leadership. Just like a corporation- the CEO and the Board of Directors take all the credit, get the raises, and the line workers get the shaft.

This is what we have to worry about.

Paul4747 comments on Nov 1, 2021:

From which party?

Do atheists overreach?

Paul4747 comments on Jan 11, 2020:

Any assertion that religious systems are more moral or ethical than agnostics or atheists is bound to fall over the stumbling block that most of them enforce said moral behavior only toward co-religionists. For instance: the commandment "Thou shalt not murder" (or "Thou shalt not kill") is a prohibition on Jews murdering other Jews. YHWH was perfectly fine with murdering the followers of any other gods, and in fact ordered repeated genocides in Jewish mythology; in several instances he carried out the killing himself (killing the firstborn, for the crime of not being a Jew and not having lamb's blood daubed over the door, is one example). Likewise, the commandment against stealing obviously does not apply in the current day to the land of the Palestinians. Claiming moral certainty is the hallmark of those who claim they're guided by god. It leaves little room for adapting to change over time, learning from new scientific discoveries, or evolving societal standards. A religious moral code, generally speaking, is an ancient moral code, in keeping with a reliance on the ancient understanding of science to explain the beginnings of the universe and life on Earth. It's not fit for our use anymore.

If are a Florida Democrat, let me know.

Paul4747 comments on Oct 12, 2021:

Why not share them with all of us in all 50 states?

Hey, I made it to level 7! 🎶 go me! 🎶 go me!🎶🥳🕺💃 Wonder if I’ll still be ...

Paul4747 comments on Nov 30, 2020:

I made it to 8.2 recently. There's hope for us all. You Cann due it.

I have a theory about karma.

Paul4747 comments on Mar 20, 2020:

I myself have developed a theory, which goes as follows: Arseholes to the lot of 'em.

How has the Zionists in Israel managed to take over complete control over the US government and have...

Paul4747 comments on Nov 15, 2017:

Israel is the only pro-Western democracy in the region. The West (through the UN) established Israel as a haven for the Jews after WW2, out of our guilt for having done nothing to stop Hitler and the Holocaust prior to the war. We continue to support it because the Israelis are a friendly nation, as opposed to Iran, Iraq, and Syria who are openly hostile or at best neutral. We continue turning a blind eye to the Israeli's crimes and their illegal settlement policy, partially because they are our best military ally in the region, and partly because of the influence of evangelicals who believe it's necessary for Israel to exist so that the Apocalypse can come about and wipe out the world (including the Jews). If this were taking place somewhere other than in the oil-rich Middle East, we wouldn't give a crap and there would have been an ethnic cleansing on the scale of Rwanda years ago.

Afraid I must leave the Atheist community.

Paul4747 comments on May 24, 2019:

Holy Batshit, Fatman! I mean....

Should public nudity be legal?

Paul4747 comments on Nov 15, 2017:

Can we make a list of people we DON'T want to see naked? Trump. Karl Rove. Bill Clinton. O'Bannon. The list will grow. I know, I'm on the list, too.

If vaccines work, why should everyone get them still?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 27, 2018:

There's also the problem of active resistance to vaccine programs from those who think they're an evil conspiracy. Polio, to give an example, was on the verge of being effectively wiped out, when Muslim fundamentalists started spreading the word that the vaccine was part of a plot (by the US and the UN, no less) to covertly sterilize Muslims and destroy their religion. That's right, the vaccine could tell Muslims from Christians and Jews. Children went unvaccinated and within months the disease popped up again, not only in Nigeria, where this took place, but in Mecca and throughout the Middle East. Yet another example of the scurrilous interference of religion with science and health. (A possibly even more shocking example of religious fearmongering: a Spanish Cardinal in the Vatican once warned Central American Catholics, some of the poorest and least educated, hence most vulnerable to this type of propaganda, that condoms are made with microscopic holes that actually let the AIDS virus pass through. Presumably he recommended a good prayer for disease prevention instead. It makes me wish I believed in a Hell so this guy could burn in it for a while.)

Amy Coney Barrett: GOP sells 'Notorious ACB' T-shirts after nomination

Paul4747 comments on Sep 27, 2020:

Another new low. Just when I think they've plumbed the depths of tasteless.

Describe your love life in one word.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

Stalled

Biblical dilemma?

Paul4747 comments on Nov 2, 2017:

Dear Penultimate, Far be it from me to call anybody out, but you seem to be recirculating the letter originally written by a gentleman named Kent Ashcraft to Dr. Laura Schlessinger (https://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/drlaura.asp) and widely distributed via the internet since then. So that our fellow members can judge, here's the orginal text, as quoted on Snopes. "Dear Dr. Laura, Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them. a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them? b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense. d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians? e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself? f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here? h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die? i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves? j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town ...

Donald Trump, again, falsely says Obama had family separation policy | PolitiFact

Paul4747 comments on Jul 6, 2019:

Lying about President Obama is one of the things Trump is best at. It makes him seem just ever so slightly more competent when he denigrates his predecessors.

Today I was listening to ABC morning program and an interview with good old KellyAnn Conway.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 13, 2018:

Oh that poor woman. Lying for Trump really did a number on her.

So here's an interesting thing.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 26, 2018:

I may have misunderstood how the points are displayed when I asked the question, I guess it's a total, not a progress to the next level. So I'm not as close as I thought.

The End is Nigh for America's Two-Party System

Paul4747 comments on May 14, 2021:

I would love to believe this is happening. I hope dearly that this is happening. But the number of Republican officeholders and hopefuls streaming to Mar-a-Lago, hats in hand, ready, in fact desperate, to bend their knees and kiss the ring, seems to tell a different story. The persistence of some 70% of Republicans, including the leadership, in endorsing the lie that Trump had an election stolen from him seems to tell a different story. The silent acquiescence of the rest tell an even bigger story. The continued belief of millions of rank & file Republicans, as well as independents, that Trump was somehow the greatest President in history seems to tell a different story. Part of the story is cognitive dissonance. People who are committed to being a Republican voted for Trump and then doubled down when the facts, objectively viewed, showed that he was by far the most corrupt and simultaneously the least effective president ever. Part of the story is lust for power. Republican politicians fear that without Trump's blessing, they can't win, while any who incur the wrath of Trump are politically doomed. This goes to the extent that anyone who even publicly disagrees with Trump's election lies is endangered. Witness the fate of Liz Cheney (whom I disagree with on almost every issue except for Trump). The real story is this: The mass of the Republican party, officials and voters, would far rather destroy democracy than live in one where anyone else (read: the Democratic party) is in charge. So maybe I'm overly cynical, but I'm not holding my breath.

It does sound kind of nasty.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 16, 2020:

Dr Van Helsing says: Vampires suck.

Depressed Agnostics?

Paul4747 comments on Jan 18, 2020:

If the reported rate of depression were higher, that might be due to believers seeking counseling in their church or so on. It doesn't follow that the actual rate of depression is higher among atheists/agnostics, and even if it were, correlation is certainly not causation.

This is why stupid conservative fuckers should be euthanized.

Paul4747 comments on Mar 10, 2021:

Two problems with Tucker here: 1, when Justin Trudeau said, "This pandemic has provided an opportunity for a reset. This is our chance to accelerate our pre-pandemic efforts to reimagine economic systems that actually address global challenges like extreme poverty, inequality and climate change," that was *not* the same as what Tucker says in the next sentence: "This is our chance to impose unprecedented social controls on the population in order to bypass democracy and change everything." Nobody has bypassed democracy or imposed a new social order; the economic changes are coming via elected representatives. 2, he says (before the above), "It's not about science. If masks and lockdowns prevented spikes in coronavirus infections, we wouldn't be seeing spikes in coronavirus infections after nine months. But we are seeing them, so clearly, the geniuses got it wrong once again." Except that a good 40% of the nation either never went into a complete lockdown, went into it late, or opened up too early, so the effect never took hold; and at least 40% ignore masks and refuse to impose mask mandates. Studies of neighboring counties have shown that infection rates are several percent lower in the county with the mask mandate, all else being equal. It's just Tucker, ignoring the facts so he can make the point he wants to make.

Stop the cruelty.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

On a similar note: You know, for years I've been urging people not to eat Spam unless it's wild-caught. If you compare the tragic lives of farm-raised spams compared to the majestic herds of spam roaming the plains the American West, alongside and sometimes under the rugged buffalo, I think you'll agree. The occasional hiker trampled by spam is no reason to punish an entire species by penning them up and stealing their freedom. Thank you for your support.

Would "the apocalypse of peter" have changed your mind about christianity?

Paul4747 comments on Mar 28, 2020:

The concept of "slightly modified eternal hell" is no less unjustifiable in moral terms than an eternal hell would be. Back when I was stuck halfway between Gnostic Christian and agnostic, I questioned the existence of hell in the first place, and the morality of any god who would dish out that kind of disproportionate retribution for human errors. In the bible mythology, humans are created as fallible, and then threatened with hell unless they basically apologize to god all their lives for the things they do out of their fallibility. The whole thing's a setup. Even if such a god turned out to exist, I would actually prefer hell.

Nearly Half Of Donald Trump's 2020 Campaign Contributions This Year Came From Female Donors

Paul4747 comments on May 6, 2019:

I can only assume these are Christian Right women doing what their husbands tell them to do? (Since hitting the link results in a 404 error.)

Being single again I want to offer some advice.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 30, 2019:

I was on it for a while, but the paucity of people in my area and a second shift schedule, soon there was no point reading the notifications anymore. All the interesting meetings were on nights I worked or 45 to 90 minutes away. I imagine, if I lived in a metropolitan area or had a normal job, I'd get more use out of this site.

It's the extremism, stupid.

Paul4747 comments on Nov 9, 2022:

Is the economy important (remember Bill "It's the economy, stupid!" Clinton)? Of course. But historically, Republican administrations are only good for the economy of the top 10-20%. Everyone else suffers, not only by comparison, but in real dollars. So even if you vote based on economics, you're a fool to yourself if you vote Republican. Republicans are in an enviable position; they get to screw up the economy long-term for short-term gains (which, again, accrue mainly to the top earners), while pretending that their tax cuts and runaway spending are for the benefit of the middle class. Then they get to blame the next Democrat that comes along for the structural flaws *they themselves created*. They also get to fight tooth and nail to try and break the economy, so the Democrats won't have anything good to take credit for. Remember the time the Republican Congress shut down the government over raising the debt ceiling for a Republican President's budget? Me neither. And now Republicans are trying to play the same game with democracy itself. If a Republican wins, that's obviously the will of the people. But if they lose? Well, the system is corrupt, of course! It's rigged I tells ya, *rigged*!! But even if I thought Democrats were so utterly inept that they would lead us to a new Depression, I would *still* have voted for them in every election of my life. Why? Because by and large, Democrats are about doing things *for* people. Republicans are about doing things *to* people. Democrats are for freedom- freedom to vote, freedom to choose, freedom to *be*. Republicans only believe in the freedom to be a Republican.

Does being an agnostic mean that you’re on the wall or you lack acceptance?

Paul4747 comments on May 16, 2020:

There's no way to *know* god (or gods, or goddess- whatever) exists. Likewise, there's no way to *know* it doesn't exist. Hence, agnosticism ("no knowledge") is the only logical choice. It's not a refusal to decide, it's acceptance that neither side has made a case. However, pending any rational proof of the existence of god (etc.), I don't believe in one, hence, I'm an atheist. If evidence came to light, and withstood objective testing by unbiased outside observers (better yet, by a biased observer- someone who wants to prove it wrong), then I would be forced to become a theist and believe that whatever had been proven to exist, is God. But it wouldn't mean a damn thing to me from day to day. It hasn't up to now.

Catholic bishop to rain down ‘holy water' from helicopter in ‘mass exorcism' over city - Story |...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 13, 2019:

So, when it doesn't do a damn bit of good (pardon the expression), does the Bishop admit there's no basis whatsoever to the whole exorcism gag?

On a serious note .

Paul4747 comments on May 27, 2020:

Well I'll just fuck off, then. :D

You are on a date...

Paul4747 comments on Jun 28, 2018:

Where do you see yourself in five years?

It took me seconds to decide I didn't like the new visual style of this site.

Paul4747 comments on Dec 12, 2020:

I don't understand all the comments about the background, it's the humungous full-size pictures on the "browse" page that are annoying me.

NO!!! RUN!!! PLEASE, NIKKI!!! You feeble-minded American.

Paul4747 comments on Oct 13, 2021:

Somehow Republicans seem to think it's already a foregone conclusion that Trump wins the primary. By declaring they won't run against him, they are flattering his delusions of godhood and also guaranteeing they won't be victims of his demented ire. (I think the second part may be more applicable here, but who knows? Trump does have a long history of turning on allies, of which she is certainly aware.)

Are there things you want to change about yourself?

Paul4747 comments on Aug 21, 2018:

Anyone who doesn't think they could improve is an egomaniac of some degree, because they think they're perfect already. That said, it's important to accept your own imperfections as part of yourself and part of being human, or you'll never be happy. It's a fine line. Striving to improve and accepting that you'll never be perfect are the two sides of the coin to being human.

Mitch McConnell is still in hiding.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 23, 2019:

If I didn't answer the phone for about 15 minutes at work, my ass would be called on the carpet. Politicians have forgotten who they represent.

Sometimes, one must bid spring to come hither.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 7, 2022:

In the good old days (*very* old days) you did it by setting a huge great tree alight to remind the sun to get up and do a proper job of heating the place.

Paula White: Christians Must Pray That “Satanic Pregnancies” End in Miscarriage | Beth ...

Paul4747 comments on Jan 25, 2021:

It's easy to see why Trump likes her, you just have to try and think like him. She's half his age, wearing tight jeans, a form-fitting top, a top-heavy figure- probably eyeing her as Wife #4 if Melania dumps him.

NASA and Big Gravity have been hiding this for years. Time for action

Paul4747 comments on Jan 31, 2022:

I'm so sick and tired of gravity.

These Bible belt, religious laws are insanity.

Paul4747 comments on May 16, 2019:

I believe Dawkins pointed out that since *any* egg & sperm have the potential to become a human being, any fertile person refusing to have intercourse is preventing a possible human life. There's a theoretical argument to be made for mandatory sex under the Xians' standards.

So has anyone made it to level 10 yet? What's the perk for a level 10?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 19, 2018:

Your face on the dollar bill.

Stolen from Facebook Rick Aiello July 21 at 10:32 AM "The sentence I hear most from ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 26, 2019:

But every one of those things will be derided as either "too much" or "not enough". Bailed out the auto industry (a move begun under Bush)? "We shouldn't be paying big companies to stay in business!" Reduced welfare to only 24% on cash payments? "24 percent? Outrageous! Nobody should get cash for being poor! I work for a living, so should they!!" Protecting wilderness? "He seized private land!!!!" I know the way these arguments go. People who don't want to like Obama or anything he did, will dig and scratch to find any way possible to dislike him and denigrate his achievements. Oh yeah- the big one- Not a single gun was outlawed under the Obama administration. "Yeah, but *he wanted to!!*"

Christian Mom: Wives Who Refuse Sex Should Get Over It Since It Won’t Take Long | Hemant Mehta | ...

Paul4747 comments on May 5, 2019:

Instinctively I object to this, but I can't put it into words. The closest I can come is; I think this was my ex-wife's attitude, which she stated outright. She said she wasn't interested in sex anymore, but when I wanted it, we could. Gosh, how romantic. And just like @Amisja says, to me it felt like rape; like I had a completely unwilling partner. And I became unwilling myself.

Politics and religion: natural pairing! Excuse me while I puke now 🤮 Rep.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 10, 2021:

Yes, but he's always saying stupid shit like that. His constituents also believe Trump will be reinstated any day now. Waddya gonna do?

How about this election map? Dirt can't vote.

Paul4747 comments on Oct 3, 2019:

Yet another reminder that*** Hilary Clinton won the popular vote.*** Trump fans HATE hearing that.

Religious Conservatives Lash Out at Kellogg’s Over “Anti-Christian” Cereal | Hemant Mehta | ...

Paul4747 comments on Oct 29, 2019:

Did I miss where "Spirit Day" is the new non-threatening Halloween or something?

Modern Neoliberal Capitalism.

Paul4747 comments on Mar 26, 2020:

Yes, and the generals should be the first ones to pick up a rifle and march to the front. The article's proposal, while dripping with class warfare, doesn't actually achieve anything. We actually do have to walk a line between containing the virus and not utterly destroying our economy in the process, which could have just as great an impact on the health of the nation... if not worse. I would like to err on the side of caution, but there will be a balance point. We'll never be certain we're free of COVID-19 until a vaccine is produced, so, 12 to 18 months down the road. We simply can't shut down the economy for a year. There's an intelligent way to restart the economy. It is not the way Trump suggested. It won't be quick or painless. But outrage at the wealthy doesn't help anyone right now. No kind of outrage is helping right now. As for Glenn Beck, he's the same guy who claimed that the ACA would have "death panels" to decide if people were worth keeping alive. Now we're faced with the actual, horrible possibility of having to triage who can be saved, and who can't, to see who gets a ventilator- because the party Beck supports put a chimp in the White House, and he underplayed the threat of this virus for weeks when we could have been preparing for it. If you want to be outraged, direct it there. Beck said Trump's defeat in the 2020 election would be "the end of the country as we know it." It turns out his election was the end of the country as we know it, instead. Beck's faux selflessness is too little and it's much too late.

NC Sheriff: I "Will Not Waiver" in Promoting Jesus Through My Office

Paul4747 comments on Dec 28, 2021:

Nobody is telling the Sheriff he can't believe in Jesus, just that it's illegal to promote that belief through his office. That office belongs to *all* the taxpayers, not just the Christians. I'm really bothered by the description of group prayers before executing search warrants. Not only is anyone coming into the office clear on how it's a Christian-only organization, so is anyone who works there. Statistics suggest that at least some deputies aren't full-on believing Christians, just going along to get along.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos resigns, blames Trump for inflaming chaos at Capitol

Paul4747 comments on Jan 8, 2021:

On the bright side, the fewer Cabinet members remaining, the less it takes to make a majority. I say we get it down to 3.

Because I am a glutton for punishment, I signed back up on POF today.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 22, 2018:

Well, it's not a lie that you're beautiful.

Only 55 out of 100 people can easily read this. Can you?

Paul4747 comments on Sep 29, 2021:

Feakry.

This was supposed to be the Summer of George... [offbeat.com]

Paul4747 comments on Aug 13, 2021:

**George is gettin' upset!!!!!**

Health Agency Halts Coronavirus Ad Campaign, Leaving Santa Claus in the Cold The $250 million ...

Paul4747 comments on Oct 25, 2020:

By all means, let's turn Santa's house into a superspreader.

South Korea has healthcare that is better for fuck sake

Paul4747 comments on Oct 29, 2021:

Okay, I wanna know where this "ecologist" got their "degree". Bad backs are the result of evolving from a forward-lean knuckle-walking stance to a fully upright posture that puts all the stress on the lower back and hips. Backs were not redesigned as part of the process. Sunburns are because we're no longer covered in fur. Our skin is directly exposed to UV rays. Almost every single species on Earth is "naturally violent". Herbivores still have dominance battles amongst themselves for mating rights and territory; some also violently defend themselves against predators. Beyond that, our DNA is nearly identical to every other living creature on Earth. The Abyssinian house cat shares 90 percent of its DNA with humans. Mice and humans share, on average, about 85 percent of their DNA, which is one reason why mice are so useful for medical research. Humans share more than 50 percent of their genetic information with plants and animals in general. They share about 80 percent with cows, 61 percent with bugs such as fruit flies, and 60 percent with the banana. The numbers can be misleading, though, because much of the shared DNA is "silent" and is not involved in the coding sequence. However, this leaves absolutely no question that humans evolved alongside every living thing on our planet. (The above DNA facts quoted from https://sciencing.com/animals-share-human-dna-sequences-8628167.html)

I don't care what anyone says Richard is a Dick!

Paul4747 comments on Jul 28, 2021:

A Nixon is a Nixon

Trump Supporters Form Human ‘Wall’ Along U.S.-Mexico Border | HuffPost

Paul4747 comments on Feb 11, 2019:

I support this wall. Leave 'em there for the next ten or twenty years. In fact, add some more, all the way along the border. I'll bet they could be stacked 15 feet high if they tried.

Other Countries Know.

Paul4747 comments on May 29, 2019:

I should not have clicked on this while drinking coffee.

Dr.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 16, 2021:

I'm almost sure he is, since he is yet another anti-vax "doctor" of questionable qualifications. He claimed that the vaccine is "clearly more dangerous than COVID-19", however, in British Colombia, where he is based, four people have died within 30 days of receiving one of the 1.85 million shots given as of May, none of those deaths believed to be the result of the vaccine. In comparison, 1,622 people have died of COVID-19 in B.C. out of 136,100 confirmed cases. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-doctors-misinformation-covid-19-1.6021489 You really ought to make clear your sources' agendas when you post this stuff, you know. It's not medicine, if anything, as a group they could be called "Doctors Against Medicine".

The night before your colonoscopy.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 11, 2020:

That "go-frequently" solution is not for the faint of heart.

M. A. G. A.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 8, 2021:

Make America Grotesque, Assholes