Are atheists criticising the wrong things about religion?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 6, 2018:

I criticize religion for getting people killed, over fairy tales. When people bomb each other over who owns "the holy land". When lobbyists convince a President to go to war because it's all part of the End Times. When imams promulgate tales that Western medicine is designed to kill Muslims, so their children won't be vaccinated against deadly diseases. When Catholic Cardinals spread tales that condoms don't actually stop AIDS. Believe what you want for yourself. Believe in Allah, Jesus, Shiva, the Tooth Fairy. Right up until it costs people their real lives. At that point, I have a problem with you.

What defines you.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 7, 2018:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmwLPU5H6_Q

Just how much do you think religion is holding back fundamental scientific research and advancement?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 9, 2018:

Religion in the US has certainly held back stem cell research. The idea that god is sending signs of the End Times has certainly made Xians resist the truth about climate change. As has the idea that we don't need to care for our planet, because we're appointed rulers over it. Religion worldwide has meant people ignore scientific explanations and cures for disease and even epidemics. Lead to our demise? Well, that's a stretch.

“.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 9, 2018:

Bada- boom.

Overweight shows weakness?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 11, 2018:

I can only add... there's no connection between "moral strength and willpower" and your weight. Be as "strong" as you like, if your body doesn't cooperate, too bad.

Alex Jones...fucking idiot.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 11, 2018:

What am I gonna do about it? Party hearty in Hell if it turns out he's right, I guess. But consider the track record of making up shit as he goes along, on every topic under the sun. Claimed the Sandy Hook victims were child actors... that Democrat judges erase votes in computer files... that the Charlottesville riots were instigated by liberals (using more actors, dressed up as white supremacists) to create racial hatred. So it's no surprise that he knows jack about atheists as well. What am I really gonna do about it? Ignore this clown.

Proud to be union!

Paul4747 comments on Jul 14, 2018:

MCO/SEIU (Michigan Corrections Organization), member 19 years, 12 of them as a steward.

Do you ever have recurring dreams?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 16, 2018:

I can tell when it's time to take some days off because I'm dreaming about work. I'm at my usual place, but the buildings are different, non-geometric, stairs lead nowhere, and no matter where I go I can't get out. Rooms increase in size to the point I can't even see the far wall... and all the while people are making demands of me. That's just one. There are others... maybe I'll post when I feel up to it. If I could figure out some way to have a *happy* recurring dream.

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.

What are your thoughts about religious waivers for complying with public health or safety policies?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 19, 2018:

There shouldn't be religious exemptions, period. As for helmet laws, adults should be free to wear helmets or not, who cares? I'm against a Nanny State watching over peoples safety in their every act. Those who have something worth keeping safe under there will wear a helmet; otherwise, it's natural selection.

Only one word.☺

Paul4747 comments on Jul 19, 2018:

Footrub

Why is it expected to respect the opinions and comments of those who preach/post God, but not ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 19, 2018:

A social fiction says that religion has a "special place" in our discourse, and must be "respected" even though it has no rational basis.

When I used to post more memes....

Paul4747 comments on Jul 20, 2018:

When your memes shock Satan, you've accomplished something special.

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.

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.

OMG, Becky, look at that group.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 22, 2018:

I'm in love with Becky now....

Be Careful What You Wish For: Trump’s Tax Plan Has Led To Churches Facing Taxes - The ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 23, 2018:

“The whole idea of tax exemption for nonprofit organizations that are doing charitable, religious and educational work is... to incentivize the good work they do to make our society better." Well, that's a massive assumption, isn't it? Whether they're doing "good" work is a subjective judgment. That's been the problem all along with the tax-exempt status. I don't agree that churches agitating to outlaw choice and de-fund Planned Parenthood, for example, are making our society better. I feel as if they ought to pay taxes like any other special interest group.

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... ;)

Naked photos- what do you think?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 24, 2018:

I wouldn't lead with that picture. I wouldn't even do shirtless unless that had been discussed, better yet requested. (I know what I look like without a shirt, I know not everyone thinks it's a good look. Tastes vary. Lucky for me.) I've never had anyone send me a picture of herself in something revealing the very first pic. Maybe soon after, but not the very first. What would my reaction be if someone did? Probably I would think "She's very forward" (which I like, personally) "and very eager" (ditto) but also, the back of my mind would wonder, "*why* so eager?" I'm slightly paranoid by trade, and that approach would probably put me on my guard... why is she throwing herself at me this way? Now, we men do throw ourselves at women sometimes, we wish women wanted to see us naked as much as we want to see them naked, and while that may be true in person, it's not the case with pictures texted on a phone. Right? So maybe he really hoped you would be impressed, and I guess you were... but at the same time, he doesn't seem to get the fact that it was much too soon. A mixed bag at best, someone to be cautious about. That's my take, anyway.

Today I met someone in person from this site. It's nice to know like minded people live close.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 24, 2018:

Yes it is.

Praying with others??

Paul4747 comments on Jul 24, 2018:

I make sure I get a roll out of the basket. For some reason there are never enough dinner rolls, "grace" is a good opportunity to score one for myself.

It's all in the profile photo

Paul4747 comments on Jul 24, 2018:

Pictures don't lie

It's what kept me strong all these years.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 24, 2018:

Who wants to be normal? That's no fun, they're everywhere!

Whom do you trust the most in the world?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 24, 2018:

Me. Everybody else is under suspicion.. And I question my own motives ruthlessly and unceasingly. I can't even trust me once I turn my back on me.

Did anyone else go through the stages of Atheism?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 25, 2018:

Where are you getting these stages from? I was never truly religious, so I never worried about "eternal consequences", as I never truly believed in an eternity. Socially, my family didn't give me much comeuppance other than friction with me ex as I stopped going to church even for token appearances. Even before becoming an atheist, I railed against stupidity in religion, so nothing there. I treated religion as a metaphor for an eternal mystery, not a literal or historical truth. I still don't see how religion helps people cope, it pulls blinders over their eyes and gives them a false sense of moral superiority. Most of those who supposedly follow this code, in fact just pay it lip service and then go about their business. They're hypocrites. Furthermore, most dictate that all other religions are false and their followers must be converted, so at the core religion encourages war in the name of a fictional God. This far outweighs the acts of charity which could equally well be done for secular reasons. And don't get me started on televangelists.

Facial hair or No facial hair?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 26, 2018:

Has anyone voted for "nose hair"? Trump fans maybe?

GOP Candidate Normalizes Pedophilia Because The Bible

Paul4747 comments on Jul 26, 2018:

Unholy crap. I'm ashamed of my entire state. I have hundreds of people like this guy in my supervision behind bars, and it's the sex offenders who, for some reason, seem to be the most religious of them all. My theory is that they know there's no earthly excuse for what they do, so they're hoping for a supernatural one.

The comparisons are there.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 26, 2018:

This is how so many evangelicals can ignore his character and actions and still believe he's a "Christian" President. Religion is all about ignoring the surface appearance of things and seeing the "truth" within.

On dating profiles I always notice when a woman says "I'm 5'5" and a HALF.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 27, 2018:

Impressive, or encouraging?

I've decided I'm going to heck.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 28, 2018:

Watch out for this guy...

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.

I generally find myself surrounded by religious self righteous women 😒 i don't consider any ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 28, 2018:

I generally find myself surrounded by idiots. I see it as my duty to use them for my own amusement, as they are unaware of my mockery.

How do you build up your self confidence?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 28, 2018:

I drink heavily. KIDDING!!! Someone told me something this year that I really took to heart. I messaged a person I didn't expect to reply, feeling like she was out of my league, as they say... not only did she reply, but we had a really successful date. She told me, "You underrate your attractiveness." If ever I wonder about myself, I just think back to those words. I really am quite a catch, I guess. Why would she lie? And then I think about how I look at other people, and how they see themselves. It's the exact same phenomenon. I see women in a very positive way, and they're so often critical of themselves. Not just looks, but personality, intelligence, humor. We are our own harshest critics. We look at ourselves in the worst possible light, looking for the flaws. Others often see our perfections. It's hardest for those of us who haven't had positive people around us. We have to learn new habits. But it can be done.

Troubling beliefs

Paul4747 comments on Jul 28, 2018:

Jesus' AK is horribly inaccurate. A nice M1 Garand or AR 15 (semi-auto) would be much better. No wonder the Romans caught up to him.

Christian activist: ‘God will curse the children and grandchildren of those who opposed Trump’ ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 29, 2018:

How does she know she's not cursed for opposing Hilary? What kind of just God curses children for the shit their parents do, anyway? These are the kind of questions that made me realize, even if there is a god somewhere, it's not *that* one.

NEO: Trump, Putin and the White Helmets [veteranstoday.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 30, 2018:

"Sources tell us". Like who? What sources? Agreed it's a bizarre story, if it happened as written. But consider this "magazine" also features an article on "how the 2016 election was rigged", apparently to throw the election to Trump... https://www.veteranstoday.com/2018/07/29/how-the-2016-us-election-was-rigged/ a rigged election "just like in 2000 and 2004." Say what? This article is written using mined quotes to give the appearance of massive vote fraud, for instance linking to an article in The Nation, and quoting the first line of the story of an elderly man turned away from the polls- but not mentioning his ultimate success in voting. It even gives the title of the Nation piece as "Republicans Rig Election", when the real title is "*Did* Republicans Rig The Election?" It links to opinion pieces as if they were authoritative reports. Most of all, it ignores the established *fact* that the exit polls were simply wrong, because many who voted for Trump lied to the pollsters- especially women. That's why Trump's was such an upset victory on Election Day when the votes were actually counted. I despise Trump as much as the next man, if the next man isn't Sean Hannity- but this is ridiculous stuff. This is not a trustworthy source. It is biased; it is not journalism. I hesitate to give it the proud title of "hack reporting". And I don't buy anything this "Veteran's Today" has to say, about anything.

Just another Trump mouthpiece

Paul4747 comments on Jul 30, 2018:

When he stops being OUR liar, he's not trustworthy anymore. Like an honest politician= one who stays bought

It all started with this question, if there are all these religions in the world, how come we're so ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 30, 2018:

Consider this thought:

Do you think that experiencing fear in a "safe" setting, by watching horror movies, participating in...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 31, 2018:

I would be very very hesitant to say there is *anything* that can "protect" against PTSD. The effects of stress are so unpredictable from one person to another, as well as different kinds of stress affecting people differently, that I should think it's next to impossible to insulate against stress in advance. However, this may be a therapeutic tool that's been tried to help treat PTSD. It sounds like something someone has done somewhere, probably. Whether it works or not... well, I'm no doctor.

What do you guys think about little body procedures that stave off the effects of aging or personal ...

Paul4747 comments on Aug 2, 2018:

I suppose.... arrghhhh!!!!! How do I put this!?!?!?!?!?! If it boosts a person's self-confidence, then it is in no way a bad thing, I suppose. BUT *on the other hand....* I consider those little lines and grey hairs as signs of character, signs of hard-earned experience, and I love them as part of the person I'm attracted to. If I'm attracted to someone who's 40, or 50, or 60.... it's that *person* inside, and the way she looks is *part of her* and an essential part of what I adore. However she chooses to look. Even my ex-wife's wine-colored hair, back when our marriage was actually functional... even though she looked just great without it, she insisted on dark wine color. And I loved her, back then.

God hates porn?

Paul4747 comments on Aug 2, 2018:

In the words of Chris Griffin (Family Guy): "God's watching me do #2? Oh, man, I'm a sinner and God is a pervert."

Why did you choose your username/avatar?

Paul4747 comments on Aug 2, 2018:

Ummm.... my name is Paul, and the number 47 has some significance to me? (It appears frequently throughout the Star Trek franchise, in codes and so forth. It's a little in-joke the creators have, and I'm that big of a geek.)

Dr. Seuss foot book.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

You will stfu on a plane You will stfu in the rain You will stfu for a dime You will stfu any fucking time

Magic Fucking Boat...

Paul4747 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

If it's magic, why no dragons and unicorns? Why Noah? Why?

Jesus died for?

Paul4747 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

I'm on it. A full schedule of drinking, brawling, and illicit sex shall follow. Wait- I'm out of booze, and I'm too old for fighting. Anyone up for some illicit sex?

Gotta love ???

Paul4747 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

I can't wait for the My Little Pony version.

Describe your love life in one word.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

Stalled

Koch-backed study finds ‘Medicare for All’ would save U.S. trillions – ThinkProgress

Paul4747 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

Just because they're the Koch brothers doesn't automatically make them wrong. Paying an income tax for universal health care would put me way ahead versus the premiums I'm paying Blue Cross.

Moms are the best with advice....

Paul4747 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

Looks like about a size 12?

They Work To Manufacture Consent Because They Need It.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

Nope. She lost me at "and the secretive government agencies with which they are allied" *Nothing*, and I mean *nothing*, in Washington stays a secret. Clinton couldn't even get a hummer from an intern without the world finding out. Anything scandalous that 3 people know, will be on the front page in the morning. This is how I know that there was no conspiracy to kill Kennedy. *Somebody* would have come forward decades ago. We wouldn't have to rely on Oliver Stone to make a movie about it.

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.

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?

When Chickens Go Wild [nature.com]

Paul4747 comments on Aug 13, 2018:

Dinosaurs are among us.

I deeply believe that there is no guiding Force or Purpose in life -- only what you make out of it.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 16, 2018:

I have come across theories based on the multiverse interpretation of quantum physics that, since everything that can happen must happen, thus forming different universes to accommodate all the possible events... (deep breath)... it might be possible to consciously or unconsciously steer oneself to the universe of one's choice. Prayers, affirmations, and magic are just ways of programming our trip through the multiverse and causing ourselves to go where we desire. I'm not saying there's a particle of evidence or veracity to any of this, but it would be groovy to discover some way of steering into a different eigenstate. The one where I'm a college professor, let's try that one for a start.

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*)

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.

The Evil God Hypothesis

Paul4747 comments on Aug 22, 2018:

There doesn't need to be a god to explain the universe. Beauty doesn't exist as the opposite of ugly, just as a human perception. There's no "reason" for the existence of anything other than the fact that it does exist.

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.

Beware Humans.

Paul4747 comments on Aug 24, 2018:

I knew I never trusted cats... dang...

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.

How do you deal with nosy people?

Paul4747 comments on Sep 5, 2018:

Unless I've made eye contact with someone, including a smile or something similar, I count all conversation as nosey unless someone is introducing themselves for some legitimate reason. I respond with one syllable words. Sometimes one syllable sentences. I have neighbors with whom I'm on that basis after over a year. I just have nothing to say to them. I keep to myself and I wish they would do the same.

Saw this article about asexuals and felt some resonance.

Paul4747 comments on Sep 8, 2018:

In my marriage, I was beginning to *feel like *an asexual, which is why I got out. It wasn't me, it was the lack of interest on my wife's part. I finally started saying Why bother? That's when I knew there was something really wrong. Because normally I'm a horny bastard.

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...

Chelsea Clinton: It Would Be “Unchristian” to Overturn Roe v. Wade | Sarahbeth Caplin

Paul4747 comments on Sep 15, 2018:

Arguably, yes. Christian values demand compassion and charity. Also arguably, there's more of a demand to show compassion for the woman who is already a living person, than for an embryo which has the potential to one day possibly be born as a baby. The idea of a person being "human" from conception is based on a lack of scientific knowledge and understanding; the majority of embryos don't live past a few days, but spontaneously "abort" themselves as unviable. The point at which a fetus could survive outside the womb is where we could speak of a "baby" and not an embryo. The Hebrew text that is translated "Thou shalt not kill" more accurately meant "Thou shalt not murder", and given the societal background of the time it was written, actually meant "Thou shalt not murder another Jew". Jesus, as a good Jew, also would have had this understanding. He would have been shocked to find his message of "Love thy neighbor" applied to Gentile pigs. So technically, Ms Clinton is being more compassionate than the Christian standard.

I was talking to a customer today in the hurricane ravaged state of n.

Paul4747 comments on Sep 16, 2018:

So if I have it straight; God creates the natural disasters, but Jesus stops them from hurting too many people if they pray the right way....? And God targets 'Murica because we took prayer out of the public schools. Can't forget that part.

The REAL Statement on Social Justice & the Gospel

Paul4747 comments on Sep 16, 2018:

I'll agree with that piece except insofar as, Jesus probably didn't actually say most of the things he's supposed to have said. The "books" (manuscripts) were cobbled together decades later by men who most likely never met Jesus (who possibly never lived anyway) and are at best heavily fictitious, if not completely so. There was no concept of documentation as we know it, and the legends of Jesus passed on by word of mouth were conflated with the prophecies of the Torah so that Jesus would qualify as the Jewish Messiah. The fact that he was born in two different places, depending on which book is read, is uniformly overlooked by Christians. But, yeah, the philosophy is pretty good at times. Jesus was way cool.

Congratulations to Mr Donald Trump for reaching 5000 lies in less than two years as ...

Paul4747 comments on Sep 16, 2018:

I can say only this...

If a woman says, "Pick a place and time and let me know," and then ignores whichever part of my ...

Paul4747 comments on Sep 19, 2018:

I hate to tell you, this is how the system is rigged. Always has been, always will be. It's part of Darwinian sex selection. The female weeds out unsuitable candidates based on those who cannot guess her preferences. The unsuccessful male has no chance to breed with the female, and must move on to try and find another potential mate. :D

No Jesus, no peace

Paul4747 comments on Oct 20, 2018:

Sounds like a spin on "No Justice, No Peace". Like they couldn't leave that perfectly good useless phrase well enough alone.

What do you do to look better in photos? Apart from turning your back.

Paul4747 comments on Oct 20, 2018:

I stay well out of view of the camera. But seriously folks, you've been a great audience... please tip your server...

Gay cure therapist trawled for gay sex online on as ‘Hotnhairy72’

Paul4747 comments on Nov 12, 2018:

You have to live the life, baby.... Just as David Koresh claimed he was committing every possible sin so that he would be better equipped as a savior. You have to understand the sinner's point of view. Which, I admit, makes a twisted kind of sense. Nobody is going to accept that a Catholic priest understands the difficulties of marriage except via academic knowledge. That's part of the problem with an officially celibate (and repressed) clergy.

Let's rake the forest like Finland

Paul4747 comments on Nov 20, 2018:

RAGA Rake America Great Again

Broadband, WiFi, smartphone, iPhone, laptop, tablet, email, SMS, text messaging, Skype, Zoom, ...

Paul4747 comments on Apr 20, 2020:

Nothing can stop us being connected with each other. Nothing, except for Comcast mysteriously dropping their network on a clear sunny day for no apparent reason and with no explanation. And that was *before* the pandemic....

Moral Compass

Paul4747 comments on Apr 20, 2020:

If it harms someone and that harm can be avoided, it's wrong... unless that prevents a greater injury (as in, this vaccination hurts but it prevents a child getting a deadly disease, or, the truth hurts but a lie will hurt more in the long run... or if I must injure or kill someone in self-defense or defense of another, and there's no other reasonable course of action). It can be elaborated out to many degrees, but that's my basic moral compass... first, do no harm. Hippocrates got it right.

Scamvangelist Praises Donors for Buying Him the World’s “Finest” Private Jet | Hemant Mehta | ...

Paul4747 comments on Apr 25, 2020:

I should have been a televangelist. The vast majority of preachers/pastors/priests care deeply about the people who go to their church and live as modestly as their parishioners. Many have to work on the side to make ends meet. Assholes like this give the rest a bad name.

Would you like to understand reality?

Paul4747 comments on Apr 26, 2020:

It may be that at the subatomic level, matter as we encounter it doesn't exist. However, that's not helpful to consider at an everyday level. On an everyday level, a baseball hurled at your forehead will knock you out, because both it and your forehead are made of matter. And the universe exists, independent of the brain inside your head. It's not a construct of your perceptions. The universe *as you perceive it* may be a function of your mind: Scientifically, though, incoming data reacts with everyone's sensory system in the same ways, barring injury or disorders. (Sensory systems that are far less acute than many other animals, by the way.) So it's only your reaction to what you sense that makes "your" universe different from anyone else's. Furthermore, this sensory data is there whether you're there to perceive it or not: a flower in a greenhouse puts forth its scent and color whether or not anyone or anything is there to observe it. Further proof that the universe has an independent de facto existence.

Christian ‘historian’: People who don’t believe in God are scared of coronavirus because they ...

Paul4747 comments on Apr 29, 2020:

I'm also cautious of places a brown recluse spider might be, because they're poisonous as hell from what I hear. And rattlesnakes or other pit vipers. *Sane people avoid pain and death* if they can. Plus, I don't go skydiving because I have a fear of the ground.

A little kinky

Paul4747 comments on Apr 30, 2020:

Yeah, the boots *are* a little on the freaky side

By asking to be paid for materials, did I violate an unspoken rule?

Paul4747 comments on May 1, 2020:

That's what I'm wearing in my picture. "Mask made out of thin air." (If anyone asks.) (Kidding! That pictures like 2 years old now? but the same amount of gray hair in the beard)

For the grammarians: The atheist might say, “If there WERE a God there would be no unjustified ...

Paul4747 comments on May 2, 2020:

You may be thinking about this too hard....

Religion can heal and harm. We've seen both during the pandemic - CNN

Paul4747 comments on May 2, 2020:

There are decent people who are believers (and if there weren't, the world would never have got this far, considering) and decent people who don't believe. There are also crap people who believe and crap people who don't believe. Your qualities as a person are not connected to your religious beliefs or lack of same, but what you do in life. A generous person will be moved to give, whether or not because of their belief. A selfish person will be selfish, believer or not. It's that simple. For those who need it right now... well, good for them, and I hope they don't fall into any scams.

New report finds nonreligious people face stigma and discrimination

Paul4747 comments on May 6, 2020:

Meh. When people start throwing out religious talk, I let them know I don't believe in it. If they don't feel obligated to keep their religion private, I don't feel obligated to keep atheism private. Maybe they'll shut up around me once they know.

What is your favorite Native legend?

Paul4747 comments on May 8, 2020:

Not a legend per se, but I recall Joseph Campbell telling the story of a Navajo sand painter who was showing some of his work for a group of anthropologists. One of them realized that he wasn't finishing the paintings and asked him if he would complete just one, for instance, the one he was doing at that moment. Now, sand paintings are magic. So he laughed and replied, "If I finish this painting, in the morning half the women in the county will be pregnant when they wake up."

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.

Slut-shamed by a woman because I don't like Bernie Sanders. Your thoughts?

Paul4747 comments on May 18, 2020:

I was taken aback and confused when I read this, and I had to go back through some recent threads until I found the quote in question, which I just debated a long long time about noting here, only so others would know what the hell was going on. I won the debate and since I don't want to cause you any more offense, even at third hand, it remains unquoted. I also won't link the thread since that would probably be considered "naming & shaming", which in itself would violate the standards on my part (I think). Suffice it to say the quote was an utter non sequitur and had nothing to do with the topic at hand; it was an explicit threat to open up the conversation to your personal life, which has no bearing on your political opinions. Nor does anyone's. I don't blame you for not wanting to hear any more from this person for a while. She wearies me too, from time to time. ("Morally superior" people have that effect on me.)

If Eric Trump really believed this, he wouldn't have done the interview from the safety of his home.

Paul4747 comments on May 18, 2020:

This is basically *THE ONLY* way the Republicans can win; lie about real life, smear the opposition, lie about the opposition, and try to distract from their own record. One of the Trump sons posted a meme accusing Biden of being a pedophile. Then there's "Obamagate", where the FBI somehow entrapped Flynn into lying about his Russian contacts by cunningly asking him some questions. All Obama's fault, of course- I mean, people are *expected* to lie to the FBI, right? And it was Obama's administration when the intelligence services monitored some suspicious, off the books contacts between an American general and a Russian diplomat; obviously all a setup.

Guns - such an inflamatory subject for Americans and when I read the events that @literatehiker ...

Paul4747 comments on May 18, 2020:

Gun owners in America are also extremely law abiding. Please realize that gun crime in America is a fraction of a percent of gun ownership in America. However, there is a *substantially* greater number of gun owners in America than (I venture to say) any other Western nation, and most Eastern/Pacific nations as well. Your quote: "We have almost zero crime from registered gun owners, although there is some from criminals who have obtained illegal guns and the penalties for owning an unregistered gun are extremely severe. Similar conditions on gun ownership exist in many other countries;" can apply to my country as well. Penalties vary from state to state, but in Michigan, anyone who has a felony record can't own a gun, period, and will go to prison for 2 years if they're convicted of possession. Automatically, no parole. But with the greater number of legal firearms comes a higher possibility of criminals stealing guns. It's a fact of life. And it's a tired cliche that if you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns, but it's true. Criminals don't obey the law *by definition*. So I'm troubled when laws change and make law-abiding gun owners choose between giving up what was legal yesterday, or becoming criminals. I'm also troubled when I read, for instance, "Self defence is NOT considered a reason." So, a battered wife is expected to use a frying pan against her estranged spouse? There are legitimate instances when a gun is the only thing that stands between life and death for someone. Your conclusion, " Gun owners in countries other than America are necessarily more law abiding," is unwarranted, to say the least. You're labouring under the stereotype that American gun owners think they're in the Wild West (or possibly Miami Vice), and have a high-cap 9mm strapped to their hip, just looking for an excuse to throw down with someone. This is far from the case. Thanks for reading (I hope).

Ga.

Paul4747 comments on May 19, 2020:

They could have seen this coming....

COVID-19 pandemic myths are spreading faster than the virus. But Why?

Paul4747 comments on May 22, 2020:

Never underestimate raw, undiluted gullibility and its close cousin, stupidity. I've often thought that if we could harness these as a power source, we could do away with fossil fuels for all time.

On a serious note .

Paul4747 comments on May 27, 2020:

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

I’ve been studying the Tao Te ching for over a year now.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 5, 2020:

The Tao which can be perceived is not the true Tao.

Let's give religion a break just for a moment.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 6, 2020:

I got a lot of laughs from the religious people who tried to convince me that evolution and science were all fables concocted by those liberal scientists...

1. Been there, done that 2. Cool bug 3. Probability is there.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 9, 2020:

#2: the 17th Generation Batmobile

I will bring a cake. Just in case !

Paul4747 comments on Jun 16, 2020:

I've long proposed a holiday on June 25, for those who don't enjoy all that sappy music and reindeer and so forth. The Anti-Christmas, if you like.

So what do you think would be the best way to wake her up?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 26, 2020:

A kiss, naturally.

Very grateful to have had agnostic.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 28, 2020:

Terrific for you!! (Don't tell anybody, but I had my second date last weekend with someone that I met on another site, after virtual dating for 4 months. It's going very very well.) (Oops... just told everybody....)

Tuesday, ‎July ‎07, ‎2020 GOD - as - ENERGY - being One Self - thru U - an – animal ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 15, 2020:

Holy crap, get a spellchecker. That's not how you spell "minute", or for that matter, "you", "are", "one's", "thereof", or "therein". You're writing, not texting. Save the U and R stuff for your phone. Proper writing would help you get your point across, should you have one. Hail Eris!

I received this in our local telegram chat and I'm taken aback by what this article says about ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 29, 2020:

I don't see it; "spiritual experiences make people more emotionally expressive", or alternatively, "suppressing emotions makes one less open to spiritual experiences". Isn't this just another way of saying "People distrust shifty atheist intellectuals who think things through, and prefer honest emotional Christian people who react from the gut?" In other words, reinforcing the right-wing religious stereotype?

For all non-vegetarian punsters ... [agnostic.com]

Paul4747 comments on Jul 30, 2020:

If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?

Oh look, it can be useful.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 30, 2020:

But then we developed the miracle of Kevlar ballistic weave, so no longer do soldiers have to fill their pockets with bibles.