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??? RICK! RICK! RICK! [dailymotion.com] [nbc.com]
Paul4747 comments on Dec 14, 2018:
*Never gonna give you up Never gonna let you down* Is it that Rick? Different Rick?
Paul4747 replies on Dec 14, 2018:
@Qualia Don't feel bad, I don't click any links that don't have a title. It's not just you.
Evangelical Christians Helped Elect Donald Trump, but Their Time as a Major Political Force Is ...
mordant comments on Dec 14, 2018:
Yes I've been saying this all along. I know their intellectual and moral bankruptcy, because I was on the inside of it once upon a time. They got nothin'. The open question is not whether they're on the way to irrelevance, but how it will play out. There are still *Handmaid's Tale*-like scenarios...
Paul4747 replies on Dec 14, 2018:
Sounds fun. I want to be an unholy warrior.
Evangelical Christians Helped Elect Donald Trump, but Their Time as a Major Political Force Is ...
MrDMC comments on Dec 14, 2018:
It boggles my mind that they favored an immoral person like Trump.
Paul4747 replies on Dec 14, 2018:
Simply because he ran as a Republican. If he had run as a Democrat, they'd have been all over him; but on the R ticket, God obviously wanted him to be president, so they made every excuse in the book. What with the Republicans being the party of moral purity and all.
Ghosting is a term normally reserved for relationships.
LiterateHiker comments on Dec 13, 2018:
What do you mean, recruiters are experiencing ghosting? People drop out when they realize the job has low pay, or they get a better offer?
Paul4747 replies on Dec 14, 2018:
@Kojaksmom I agree with those who've mentioned that eventually those kids are going to grow up and find out that serious employers want references. Walk off of 5 or 10 burger flipping jobs and you can still get another, but you'll have trouble getting work as a programmer or graphic designer with that reputation. And not mentioning all those jobs you quit raises problems too; they'll wonder if you've done anything with your life.
Ghosting is a term normally reserved for relationships.
LiterateHiker comments on Dec 13, 2018:
What do you mean, recruiters are experiencing ghosting? People drop out when they realize the job has low pay, or they get a better offer?
Paul4747 replies on Dec 14, 2018:
@TomMcGiverin Given that the civil service just declared huge and important parts of my contract "not topics of negotiation", giving them the ability to just impose whatever terms they feel like, in place of the terms our union has agreed for the last 19 years, I feel we're being treated as chumps by the employer. We currently have a huge recruitment and retention problem, with 1/3 of new employees quitting in their first 5 years, and so in their infinite wisdom, they decided that the way to get new employees to stick around is to take away all the privileges of senior employees.
Ghosting is a term normally reserved for relationships.
LiterateHiker comments on Dec 13, 2018:
What do you mean, recruiters are experiencing ghosting? People drop out when they realize the job has low pay, or they get a better offer?
Paul4747 replies on Dec 14, 2018:
I too was puzzled (he said, realizing that he forgot to punctuate that sentence). I can only assume in this context that it means quitting without giving notice.
I wonder when the left will give up its revenge fantasy and return to a political persuasion I can ...
PBuck0145 comments on Dec 12, 2018:
First they will need to abandon group identity philosophy and politics, and start thinking for themselves.
Paul4747 replies on Dec 13, 2018:
@jorj That must be why they failed to take the House of Representatives. Oh, wait...
I personally don't think this such a bad slur but apparently it is.
Trajan61 comments on Dec 13, 2018:
MSNBC is very liberal and tolerant toward bad mouthing the conservatives. If she would have bad mouthed the liberals I’m sure she would have been fired. Hell Kashoggi was a Muslim brotherhood sympathizer. I therefore see no problem with killing him for that reason.
Paul4747 replies on Dec 13, 2018:
No... no he wasn't. Except in the right wing's world. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2018/10/19/on-jamal-khashoggi-the-muslim-brotherhood-and-saudi-arabia/ Khashoggi was a reporter and critic of the regime. He did have friends among the Muslim Brotherhood, which isn't surprising, considering that until 2011 the Saudi government itself was a supporter of the movement, and members sit in the parliaments of several Saudi allies. Nowhere has anyone shown any evidence that Khashoggi was any kind of supporter of terrorist activities or any of the horrible things you seem to imply when you say he was a "sympathizer". But I'm glad you see no problem with governments murdering reporters who upset them. The next time there's a Democrat in the White House, I expect a large death toll at Fox News.
I wonder when the left will give up its revenge fantasy and return to a political persuasion I can ...
PBuck0145 comments on Dec 12, 2018:
First they will need to abandon group identity philosophy and politics, and start thinking for themselves.
Paul4747 replies on Dec 13, 2018:
@jorj Better do some research. Dem Exit never happened. https://mic.com/articles/169820/dem-exit-are-progressives-really-abandoning-the-democratic-party#.fzdsOLw6w
Now More Famous than Rudolph
glennlab comments on Dec 6, 2018:
I must be the only one that has no idea of the movie y'all keep bringing up.
Paul4747 replies on Dec 6, 2018:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Hard Warning- probably contains spoilers. Also, there are two Johnsons (no relation)
I found a grocery list in a cart that said: “Cheese, Beef, Whiskey and shit like that” So, I ...
Cutiebeauty comments on Dec 5, 2018:
That's a man ... Oopsy .. Lol
Paul4747 replies on Dec 5, 2018:
Beat me to it.
Has any Republican summed up Trump better than McCain did?
Trajan61 comments on Dec 1, 2018:
There’s no doubt that John McCain would have been a better president than that racist, arrogant left wing idiot Obama. We’ll be hard pressed to undo the damage done by him but Trump is doing a pretty good job of it so far.
Paul4747 replies on Dec 2, 2018:
@Trajan61 You know absolutely nothing about me, and yet you make the above statement. And you're also so lazy that you use the same wording for a thread, apparently.
Has any Republican summed up Trump better than McCain did?
Trajan61 comments on Dec 1, 2018:
There’s no doubt that John McCain would have been a better president than that racist, arrogant left wing idiot Obama. We’ll be hard pressed to undo the damage done by him but Trump is doing a pretty good job of it so far.
Paul4747 replies on Dec 2, 2018:
It's impressive how if you remove the words "left wing", switch the names Obama and Trump around, and then drop everything after the word "him", it then makes perfect sense. As it is, it makes me wonder what you're smoking.
GHW Bush is dead, at 94. Meh.
Paul4747 comments on Dec 1, 2018:
By comparison with the other Republican presidents in my lifetime (an admittedly low bar as far as I'm concerned), he did the least damage. He signed an income tax increase in violation of his own campaign rhetoric and took the heat for it from his far-right wing. He took us into a war to repel a ...
Paul4747 replies on Dec 1, 2018:
@Lavergne What politician can we not say that about?
GHW Bush is dead, at 94. Meh.
Sydland comments on Dec 1, 2018:
He was the head of the CIA. No mercy or sympathy.
Paul4747 replies on Dec 1, 2018:
We need a CIA. It's like nuclear weapons... As long as other countries have one, we better have one, even if we don't like having it around.
Why Dont We Ever Call White Extremists Terrorists? [news.vice.com]
Paul4747 comments on Nov 28, 2018:
What type of terrorism are you talking about, exactly? Timothy McVeigh was a terrorist (blew up the Federal Building in Oklahoma City). People like Dylan Rooff are not. I think the authors of the article (and the ADL) draw a false equivalency between hate crimes and terrorism. Terrorists have ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 29, 2018:
@kmdskit3 The political agenda is an excuse, not a motivation.
Evolution timeframes get a rethink after scientists take a closer look at Earth's first animals
powder comments on Aug 17, 2018:
You have to love science. This is exactly why I argue against evolution being termed "fact". Facts don't change or get modified. Scientific theory will always be superior to doctrine theory because new evidence forces it to change and adopt the newly acquired knowledge. The religious ignore ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 26, 2018:
@powder Religions do not have "theories", they have creation myth. To use your terminology is to dignify them out of all proportion. If the Creation story were a theory, then it too would adapt and change as new data was presented. Instead, its defenders just double down and deny that evolution is real. The theory of evolution, like the heliocentric theory or the theory of a round Earth, came about by first observing the available evidence, then forming a hypothesis, then testing the hypothesis against further data. Evolution is a fact because not only did it happen, it is happening all around. It has been proven experimentally. Humans cause evolution by selective breeding. We have observed evolution in lab populations of *e. coli* and wild populations of fish, and successfully predicted the course of their evolution when certain changes were made in their environments. These are controlled experiments, amazing in their elegance. *Evolution is a fact*. Simply because what we know about the history of evolution is being slightly rewritten, due to discoveries hundreds of millions of years old, doesn't in the slightest iota change the *fact* that all currently living creatures evolved from a shared ancestor. I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed. Go read Jerry Coyne's *Why Evolution is True*.
Evolution timeframes get a rethink after scientists take a closer look at Earth's first animals
powder comments on Aug 17, 2018:
You have to love science. This is exactly why I argue against evolution being termed "fact". Facts don't change or get modified. Scientific theory will always be superior to doctrine theory because new evidence forces it to change and adopt the newly acquired knowledge. The religious ignore ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 26, 2018:
@powder Anyone with a 5th grade understanding of science will also find it indisputable. The fact that people still dispute evolution is the result of religious mania overcoming rational thought.
Evolution timeframes get a rethink after scientists take a closer look at Earth's first animals
powder comments on Aug 17, 2018:
You have to love science. This is exactly why I argue against evolution being termed "fact". Facts don't change or get modified. Scientific theory will always be superior to doctrine theory because new evidence forces it to change and adopt the newly acquired knowledge. The religious ignore ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 26, 2018:
@powder First entry in the Google dictionary for "Fact": "a thing that is indisputably the case" There you go. What's changing is the details of how things evolved, when, in what sequence, and so on. But evolution by natural selection *happening*, to result in life as we know it, is indisputably the case.
Evolution timeframes get a rethink after scientists take a closer look at Earth's first animals
powder comments on Aug 17, 2018:
You have to love science. This is exactly why I argue against evolution being termed "fact". Facts don't change or get modified. Scientific theory will always be superior to doctrine theory because new evidence forces it to change and adopt the newly acquired knowledge. The religious ignore ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 26, 2018:
I know exactly what's wrong with what you write, yet I don't know exactly how to put it. Scientific facts are subject to refinement as more evidence becomes available. That's not a reason to avoid calling them *facts*. That is the quality that makes scientific fact distinct from religious dogma. Dogmatic belief doesn't change, no matter what new information appears. Creationist dogma states that all creatures were created by God, as they are now, on an Earth less than 10,000 years old. No amount of new evidence (and there are tons of evidence for evolution and an old Earth, an overwhelming preponderance of evidence, evidence that no serious person can question unless that person has a religious ax to grind) will cause that dogmatic position to change. Scientific fact is refined by new evidence. Sometimes old facts are overturned and make way for new facts, like the "fact" that dinosaurs were slow, dumb, cold-blooded lizards, whereas it looks like there were actually many fast, smart, warm-blooded predecessors of birds in their number. That's the beauty of science. That's why we keep studying. Dogma would have us believe that all there is to know, is already known. Science tells us there is no limit to what we can know. Just imagine what new facts we might learn tomorrow.
Would you pay someone to date you?
alanalorie comments on Nov 25, 2018:
Does the boyfriend come with heavy furniture moving abilities? Then I would rent one.;)
Paul4747 replies on Nov 26, 2018:
I work for pizza, also available for back and foot massage.
Do you think the human females select their mate more than men do?
RickyAdams comments on Nov 21, 2018:
Typically man picks the female, and she accepts or declines, but very few females I know have the courage to make 1st move
Paul4747 replies on Nov 25, 2018:
@Sunsetmermaid That's a depressing thought in my case. Do I need to start carrying my number around on cards and giving it out? :D
U.S. Budget Deficit Jumps to $100 Billion at Start of Fiscal Year
KKGator comments on Nov 17, 2018:
Thanks to the republican tax cuts. How anyone can still support those assholes is mind-boggling.
Paul4747 replies on Nov 25, 2018:
@KKGator Now that you say that, I just looked over my settings and it's me that he has blocked, I didn't block him. Apparently the same thing happened with him in some debate on my end in the past, It takes a lot to get on my block list. There was a woman who pursued me from post to post basically calling me a racist and sexist- gone. Another person kept repeating the same things and ignoring everything I said, while accusing me of not addressing their points... which I did in excruciating detail- then said it wasn't worth their time to read my long answer. I don't block people because they debate me. :D
U.S. Budget Deficit Jumps to $100 Billion at Start of Fiscal Year
KKGator comments on Nov 17, 2018:
Thanks to the republican tax cuts. How anyone can still support those assholes is mind-boggling.
Paul4747 replies on Nov 24, 2018:
@KKGator Gator, you and I often disagree, but I respect the effort you put in to getting facts for yourself. And thanks for a very amusing experience just now; through reading your half of the conversation, I can work out exactly what the party I have on block is saying.
Do you know how long it has taken me to go from level 7 to 7.1?
Lutherzme comments on Nov 24, 2018:
It's ok, it's not a contest. 🤗
Paul4747 replies on Nov 24, 2018:
@psycheworks For example, my profile pic.... that's *supposed to* be a smile on my face but I just can't seem to get one on there for a picture. The medical term is "Resting Bitch Face".
Do you know how long it has taken me to go from level 7 to 7.1?
Lutherzme comments on Nov 24, 2018:
It's ok, it's not a contest. 🤗
Paul4747 replies on Nov 24, 2018:
@psycheworks Well, I hoped it was clear I was being facetious, but my poker face is the stuff of legend :|
I joined this site in June and want to let you all know that I have never done anything I have ...
Jolanta comments on Nov 24, 2018:
I too love this sight. It is nice to talk to people who are not interested in posting what they had for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Paul4747 replies on Nov 24, 2018:
Just for that... I have my daughter over. We had KFC. :p But I can't remember beyond one meal unless it was something *spectacular*.
Do you know how long it has taken me to go from level 7 to 7.1?
Lutherzme comments on Nov 24, 2018:
It's ok, it's not a contest. 🤗
Paul4747 replies on Nov 24, 2018:
@JustKip It most certainly is a contest. Just look at those "8"s, looking smugly down at us 7s, so "accomplished", they think they're so high and mighty...
So, here's an annoying little trend.
GuitarDoctor comments on Nov 24, 2018:
Try using a VPN or a browser with a built-in blocker. It doesn't block everything, but it gets most of them (I use Brave for example). I've tried a bunch of vpns over the years. If you want to block everything, then TOR will be your only solution. Otherwise, there are a few that I recommend: ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 24, 2018:
I have uBlock Origin, it tells me on a little tab how many ads are blocked on every page I go to. (Spoiler- there are 3 on this page.) I don't even remember what it looked like before.
So, here's an annoying little trend.
GinaKay comments on Nov 24, 2018:
Paying for each "impression" is a very common and cheap way to pay for online advertising. A company pays for each time their ad appears on a site. It doesn't involve a length of time, it's number of impressions. And yes, they know exactly how many times their ad appears. Another way to pay is per ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 24, 2018:
That's great information, thank you. I didn't know this was the new model of advertising. Well, if advertisers are fighting back against ad blockers by paying only when their ads are actually looked at... then advertisers need to find a more targeted way to reach their potential consumers, and websites need to find a better source of funding. I'm not going to feel guilty about blocking ads and I won't lay awake at night worrying about websites going out of business.
Why is the label African Americans used to describe black Americans
beerkrump comments on Oct 24, 2018:
I've a black friend who's from Toronto. I love the looks he gets when he tells people he's not African American.
Paul4747 replies on Nov 23, 2018:
@beerkrump Really. My response to that is, "Come for the fight sequences, not the writing."
How does a writer point to white male dominance?
powder comments on Nov 23, 2018:
Why bring sex into it? It is white privilege. Men everywhere treat women as 2nd class citizens (and children). Fuck political correctness and just tell those that need to be told. Confront them and if they take offence, their problem not yours.
Paul4747 replies on Nov 23, 2018:
Well, that's BS. When you label "men" as a fungible group, then every particular man can be blamed for the things the worst do. Lumping me, for instance, in with, for instance, Trump and Kobe. And "white privilege", does that include the homeless guy on the evening news? How is he privileged exactly? Another example where putting a label on someone doesn't mean anything. The issue isn't "white male privilege", it's *specific* privileged white males, and *specific* privileged males of whatever color, and for that matter *specific* privileged females (have you seen what Sarah Palin's been up to lately?). Why bring sex into it? Why bring color into it? Why do people insist on stereotyping others? Because the human brain is set up to put things into categories, so it's easier to cope with a complicated world. But that means you oversimplify and discriminate in exactly the way women and "people of color" object to, when it's aimed at them. Well, I object. Don't lump me in. I am not in a category, because that category doesn't exist.
Play to win and everyone gets a trophy, what a crock.
Paul4747 comments on Nov 23, 2018:
Do you play to win, or do you play because you want some trophy?
Paul4747 replies on Nov 23, 2018:
@RobertMartin So whether people get trophies is irrelevant. The players know who won and who lost. If your goal is bragging rights, you get them by winning. I was never given a single trophy for anything, but I know when I win.
I have no idea what a person has to do to get above Level 1.
maturin1919 comments on Nov 22, 2018:
Post, comment, reply, and like. The only thing you don't get points for is lurking.
Paul4747 replies on Nov 22, 2018:
But... but lurking is what I do best... And then springing out on people, that's fun too.
Let's rake the forest like Finland
Paul4747 comments on Nov 20, 2018:
RAGA Rake America Great Again
Paul4747 replies on Nov 20, 2018:
@Boogey I didn't, but I have a mental picture of Jerry making bunny ears behind Trump's head...
OK ok last rake meme
Cutiebeauty comments on Nov 20, 2018:
That's twisted...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 20, 2018:
@Rudy1962 Go '80s references!!!
Let's rake the forest like Finland
Paul4747 comments on Nov 20, 2018:
RAGA Rake America Great Again
Paul4747 replies on Nov 20, 2018:
@Boogey I'm waiting to see how that gets blamed on illegal immigrants and the Chinese.
This Explains So Much
Cutiebeauty comments on Nov 20, 2018:
The wrestling I do is real... And sexy... And we both win the matchup ?
Paul4747 replies on Nov 20, 2018:
But is it televised...?
Background color on your profile
Paul4747 comments on Nov 19, 2018:
Mine appears to be purple, and I've no idea how that happened or how to change it....
Paul4747 replies on Nov 19, 2018:
@Kojaksmom
Could you love a child conceived out of rape?
MLinoge comments on Nov 13, 2018:
No. It's not the child's fault, but I believe in the power of heritage. I believe a person requires a certain set of qualities be a rapist, most of which comes from nature rather than nurture. I believe the current statistics we have - one in every four women having experienced sexual ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 19, 2018:
@BrigittaCuadros Indeed, and the English language in particular is confusing because of phrases like "bred in the bone" and "ingrained habits" which sound like genetics when in fact they mean the exact opposite. I don't know any other language well enough to know whether there's one with a colloquialism specifically meaning "a behavioral pattern repeated over generations so that it mimics a genetic trait".
Safe spaces.
wordywalt comments on Nov 19, 2018:
I am a strong advocate for a battle of ideas. A demagogue should be allowed to speak on a college campus only when he or she faces an opposing speaker who can and will truly debate him or her.
Paul4747 replies on Nov 19, 2018:
A demagogue for which side? Many would contend that campuses are dominated by the liberal viewpoint and need conservative opposition... except for places like Bob Jones "University", which is the opposite...
Can anyone help me phrase a note to my tenants in order to contribute to snow removal?
Paul4747 comments on Nov 16, 2018:
"Pick Up A Shovel, You Lazy Twits" Oh... you probably meant something more persuasive and less something I yell at my own neighbors...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 17, 2018:
@RapidCityKelly Do you suppose you could get away with throwing water on their doors overnight next time it's below freezing, so they find themselves frozen in in the morning? No, no... scratch that highly unethical suggestion....
Could you love a child conceived out of rape?
MLinoge comments on Nov 13, 2018:
No. It's not the child's fault, but I believe in the power of heritage. I believe a person requires a certain set of qualities be a rapist, most of which comes from nature rather than nurture. I believe the current statistics we have - one in every four women having experienced sexual ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 16, 2018:
Behavior at this level is learned, not inherited. Rape is not about reproduction, it's about displaying power (which makes it another primate dominance ritual). When children, male and female, learn to value all equally, and learn that sex is not something to use to gain power over others, that's when rape will no longer exist. I also somewhat question the statistic you mention. It's commonly used, but what counts as "sexual assault"? I've seen "unwanted looks" defined as sexual assault in one study. I'm forced to disagree with you. Upbringing is the key. A child internalizes the environment around him or herself, so that some learned behaviors may seem to be inherent, but they're not.
Does anybody else cringe at the sound of someone’s saying,” Thank you Jesus for dying on the ...
Paul4747 comments on Jul 28, 2018:
Died way before I was born (if he even existed). I didn't ask him to. Knew nothing about my "sins". Can't pay for them. I refuse this "favor". The scapegoat system is the ultimate in immorality. Asking someone else to pay for your crimes is moral cowardice. We mere humans would never accept the ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 12, 2018:
@OccultaUmbra Only a person I've wronged can forgive me. If I insult you, I have to apologize *to you* and ask your forgiveness. If I take something that doesn't belong to me, I have to give it back or pay it back and work to earn forgiveness from the person I stole it from. That's the only way forgiveness can be earned. A very generous person can forgive someone who hasn't earned it, but again, that's for a wrong committed against them, not against someone else. If Bob hits you, I can't forgive him. You have to do it. That's where the whole "Heavenly Forgiveness" racket breaks down. As a Corrections officer, I've seen hundreds of men who can't earn forgiveness from their victims, because they've done unforgivable things. Their victims, in many cases, are beyond being able to forgive- because they killed them. In other cases the things they did scarred their victims for life, emotionally and psychologically. But those men, turning to religion, claim that "God has forgiven them" for their crimes against other human beings. In my moral compass, that's impossible. I apologize if I'm overly argumentative, but I feel strongly about this.
Does anybody else cringe at the sound of someone’s saying,” Thank you Jesus for dying on the ...
Paul4747 comments on Jul 28, 2018:
Died way before I was born (if he even existed). I didn't ask him to. Knew nothing about my "sins". Can't pay for them. I refuse this "favor". The scapegoat system is the ultimate in immorality. Asking someone else to pay for your crimes is moral cowardice. We mere humans would never accept the ...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 11, 2018:
@OccultaUmbra That would be quite a feat, considering how many (including Paul the apostle) have used it to "prove" exactly the opposite: that "all have sinned and fallen short", and therefore unless they accept this sacrificial offering PDQ, they're all going to a real hot place. Interesting fact: Jesus is also God, and he's also the Holy Spirit, all are one. Therefore God sacrificed himself to himself. It would be so much simpler (accepting for the sake of argument that this God person exists) to just grant forgiveness to everyone he wanted to forgive. But remember, this is the God who sent ten plagues to Egypt, and after each one, sent Moses to ask Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go; but before Moses asked, God took the precaution of hardening Pharaoh's heart, so that he would refuse, thus giving God an excuse to send another plague; rinse and repeat. The Hebrew/Christian God works in extremely mysterious, not to mention circuitous, ways. To reiterate: we would not need forgiveness (again, for the sake of argument, I also don't believe in an afterlife) if there wasn't a God so extremely vindictive and harsh as to pass a sentence of eternal damnation for such offenses as picking up sticks on the Sabbath or speaking ill of Him, or believing in a different Deity. That last one is the biggie, and especially considering that we have NO rational basis to believe in ANY gods, being punished for non-belief is akin to a traffic ticket for failing to stop at that invisible stop sign over there. I would rather not be in an afterlife with that god, thanks anyway.
She was talking about an ice cream, obviously
Cutiebeauty comments on Nov 6, 2018:
No she wasn't...
Paul4747 replies on Nov 6, 2018:
My current flame sent me this meme originally, so I hope she wasn't either ;)
"White men also get to authorise what constitutes pain and whose pain is legitimate" Robin ...
Paul4747 comments on Oct 30, 2018:
I'm currently working on a title for my book on the topic of "people who assume all white men are racists". Any suggestions? Seriously, not everything is explained by playing that card.
Paul4747 replies on Nov 1, 2018:
@citronella Here's my thing; I don't assume anyone is a racist (or whatever) any more than I assume anyone follows a particular religion or political party. Yet I am surrounded (in my line of work) by people who apparently assume that I personally, not the system, not society, but I personally am a racist, because of my skin color. They belong to groups whose guiding ideology is built around the notion that white people *as a monolithic group* are consciously and intentionally oppressing all other people. *All white people*, therefore, including me. I can't judge their sincerity any more than they can judge mine; I can only look at their words and actions. I don't feel the need to "prove" myself, I simply treat everyone the same in my thoughts, words and actions. That's going to have to be good enough. I have no intention of going around trying to "prove" myself "not a racist" every day, because it won't do any good with the people who think I am anyway.
Wisdom is more precious than rubies.
Paul4747 comments on Oct 30, 2018:
Yeah? How much can I get for this wisdom on the Bourse?
Paul4747 replies on Oct 31, 2018:
@Jolanta True, but there are plenty of starving wise people and a lot of wealthy idiots. (cough*Trump*cough)
"White men also get to authorise what constitutes pain and whose pain is legitimate" Robin ...
Paul4747 comments on Oct 30, 2018:
I'm currently working on a title for my book on the topic of "people who assume all white men are racists". Any suggestions? Seriously, not everything is explained by playing that card.
Paul4747 replies on Oct 31, 2018:
@citronella Which is... a logical impossibility. Like proving the non-existence of god. What irks me these days is the de facto politically correct assumption that men like me are racist sexist bigots who must be taught the error of our ways. I've never been any of that. But I also don't accept that race/ethnicity is the explanation for all the problems in life.
"White men also get to authorise what constitutes pain and whose pain is legitimate" Robin ...
Paul4747 comments on Oct 30, 2018:
I'm currently working on a title for my book on the topic of "people who assume all white men are racists". Any suggestions? Seriously, not everything is explained by playing that card.
Paul4747 replies on Oct 30, 2018:
@Carin Right back to you.
There were some rough days this last week.
Paul4747 comments on Aug 19, 2018:
You mean, checking for a pulse? I generally use my wrist... When my life seems meaningless, I open the bills. That always gets me back to work in a hurry. Nothing like a rent demand to put a spring in your step.
Paul4747 replies on Oct 30, 2018:
@Davekp Lately I'm coming to agree with you actually. But then I find myself in a unique position to actually get a guy medical attention when possibly nobody else around me would have extended themselves enough to do it, or not to do it well. So I have mixed emotions. I'm in a position to do good where it needs to be done, and maybe I'm the only one who would. But damn, the stress...
God’s Intelligent Design?
Paul4747 comments on Oct 25, 2018:
Sinuses. Let's design a wet bag with drainage holes at the top. Yeah. Also, the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which takes a huge detour en route to its destination. If you think we have it bad, pity the poor giraffe.
Paul4747 replies on Oct 27, 2018:
@DoctorJohn Corrected. I was tired.
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.
Paul4747 replies on Oct 21, 2018:
@DenoPenno As long as there are pop quizzes, there will be prayer in the public schools.
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.
Paul4747 replies on Oct 21, 2018:
@DenoPenno Technically, anybody who wants to can pray anytime in public schools or any damn where they please, and nobody can stop them... as long as they don't try to force or lead other people to pray. The point is that there isn't supposed to be *organized* or school-sponsored prayer, as in at the beginning of the day or in the huddle of the football team. The myth sponsored by the Xian Right is that students are being kicked out of school for praying to themselves. And it's all the fault of those damned Liberals.
When you just have to share about a perfect first date.
hippydog comments on Oct 21, 2018:
When i first started dating after my divorce I didnt understand this "chemistry" people were talking about.. i get it now.. sounds like you do to :-)
Paul4747 replies on Oct 21, 2018:
I hope so anyway, HD
Finished reading the latest Dan Brown book, Origin, today.
Paul4747 comments on Oct 20, 2018:
"I must find the roots of this conspiracy! Haha!" "But the Mach 5 is not ready! Haha!" "Haha!" "Haha!" "Haha!" "Haha!"
Paul4747 replies on Oct 21, 2018:
@chalupacabre Did you not actually watch Speed Racer? They all talk like that.
Guys ask why women are so pissed off.
daveb68 comments on Oct 1, 2018:
I think Dr. Katz would have more integrity if he had asked the initial question as "What steps do you guys take, on a daily basis, to prevent yourselves from being assaulted?" Adding the term sexually into the question slants the results towards his desired outcome. Imagine if someone asked the ...
Paul4747 replies on Oct 20, 2018:
The answer is, I take a lot of the same steps women take. Watch where I park, mind my surroundings, watch the people around me, have an improvised weapon at hand (if I'm not actually armed), vary the routes I drive...
When you just have to share about a perfect first date.
Qualia comments on Oct 20, 2018:
Congratulations!!!
Paul4747 replies on Oct 20, 2018:
Thank you...
When you just have to share about a perfect first date.
germangirl90439 comments on Oct 20, 2018:
Wonderful! Sounds like a second date will be coming up soon. I hope it for you!
Paul4747 replies on Oct 20, 2018:
Thank you... so do I.
When you just have to share about a perfect first date.
Piratefish comments on Oct 20, 2018:
This. We need more of this!
Paul4747 replies on Oct 20, 2018:
I certainly do...
When you just have to share about a perfect first date.
Freespirit64 comments on Oct 20, 2018:
Those kind of dates are awesome. Did you meet her here? I'm happy for you! Good luck!
Paul4747 replies on Oct 20, 2018:
No, we met on another site which I will not mention unless they kick back an endorsement ;) but she is agnostic as well. (Well, sort of... she believes in spiritual energy and things of that nature, but definitely not a traditional Xian which is good enough for me.)
When you just have to share about a perfect first date.
WarmFluffy comments on Oct 20, 2018:
I'm glad it's working out for you. I hope you don't mind some sharing of different route. We have exceptionally healthy people and safe areas but nice areas do attract troublesome sorts, too. Here I quit risking solo dating and insist on group activities, sort of like a safety belt. Considering how ...
Paul4747 replies on Oct 20, 2018:
I respect that. We did share about one another's histories extensively, enough that I am confident neither of us is hiding any surprises.
When you just have to share about a perfect first date.
Marcie1974 comments on Oct 20, 2018:
I know everyone is different, but for me, the gesture of bringing flower(s), holding a door, etc. are very much appreciated! You sound like quite the gentleman. I hope things continue to progress for you!
Paul4747 replies on Oct 20, 2018:
Thank you... it just seemed like the right thing to do. :)
When you just have to share about a perfect first date.
Spongebob comments on Oct 20, 2018:
Wow! How do you do that?
Paul4747 replies on Oct 20, 2018:
Can't tell you how it happened, it just happened. We connected from the time we first started chatting. I really hope it continues this way.
When you just have to share about a perfect first date.
SleeplessInTexas comments on Oct 20, 2018:
I'm so happy to hear you had an awesome date! I hope there's more! #TeamPaul
Paul4747 replies on Oct 20, 2018:
Thank you! I've never had a Team before!
When you just have to share about a perfect first date.
linxminx comments on Oct 20, 2018:
Aw, what a great date! Thanks for sharing. It's always nice when that spark happens, isn't it?
Paul4747 replies on Oct 20, 2018:
Yes it is. :)
Homosexuality?
AlanRathburn comments on Oct 4, 2018:
I can't believe people are still confused by this. What is the norm? Men and women are attracted to each other. Men and women get together and procreate and the species continues. But some men are attracted to men and some women are attracted to women. It's not a choice, some people are born that...
Paul4747 replies on Oct 8, 2018:
@belfodil Decades of research say you're incorrect.
This idea that because white men get what they want, men in general do, is wrong and IMO, dangerous!...
Paul4747 comments on Oct 7, 2018:
The core of social inequality is less ethnicity than economy. The majority of everyone, regardless of their ethnic group, has become more and more excluded from participation in the economy. The middle class is still earning the same as it was in 1970 (adjusted for inflation), while prices have ...
Paul4747 replies on Oct 8, 2018:
@redbai That "white person" wasn't me. I can't explain every manifestation of everything. I'm no racist and I'm no rapist. You paint with too broad a brush if you assume everything is explained by "race".
Has any Republican summed up Trump better than McCain did?
LucyLoohoo comments on Aug 27, 2018:
(I'd bet money that Sarah Palin was expecting a call from the groper's team, wanting to run her again as VEEP. She and the groper have that same mindless arrogance and narcissism.)
Paul4747 replies on Oct 7, 2018:
@Sticks48 Oh, now, that's just mean.
Important philosophical question: Would you rather eat ice cream that tastes like feces or feces ...
carlyhorton comments on Oct 7, 2018:
Is it natural or artificially flavored feces ice cream?
Paul4747 replies on Oct 7, 2018:
Very good point...
If we assume, for example, that God created the universe .
Paul4747 comments on Oct 5, 2018:
The problem with the idea of a creator of the Universe is the infinite regress. If you assume that everything must be created, therefore the Universe needs God to create it, then what created God? It simply moves the question one step back. Furthermore, what created God's creator? What created that?...
Paul4747 replies on Oct 5, 2018:
@belfodil If your argument assumes the existence of God, this is also not logically provable. God is not necessary for the functioning of the universe. Nature happens by itself. There's no need for a divine hand to start the process in motion or guide it once it is underway. Once a single organism exists, natural selection fully accounts for the evolution of billions of species and the illusion of design. There is no evidence for the existence of God. All the so-called evidence proves to be confirmation bias, selective perception, wishful thinking, mythology and folklore.
If we assume, for example, that God created the universe .
Paul4747 comments on Oct 5, 2018:
The problem with the idea of a creator of the Universe is the infinite regress. If you assume that everything must be created, therefore the Universe needs God to create it, then what created God? It simply moves the question one step back. Furthermore, what created God's creator? What created that?...
Paul4747 replies on Oct 5, 2018:
@belfodil You're comparing a manufactured product, which we know to be manufactured or made, with the entire natural state of existence. You assume by this analogy that anything which exists, has to have been made intentionally. However, your own existence falsifies this analogy. You weren't designed by your parents; you're the result of their 46 chromosomes coming together to form a new human being, the sperm and egg coming together at the moment of conception. The DNA followed its own rules as developed through natural selection to this point, which resulted in you. There was no designer. Individual plants and animals aren't designed and built piece by piece by a guiding intelligence. They are the result of DNA working via cumulative natural selection over billions of years. Life designed itself. Oceans and mountains weren't designed, tectonic forces over billions of years shaped the planet (and indeed all planets) as it is today, from one original continent into its current pattern. The movement of continental plates, mere inches per year, resulted in the Himalayas. Our desire for an overarching pattern and purpose makes us look for order where there is none. It's true that life has order, but that order springs from the bottom up, not from the top down. The only purpose is life sustaining itself, seeking to survive and reproduce. The illusion of design is everywhere, but it is indeed an illusion. Some feel that this robs life of a greater purpose, but, in the words of Joss Whedon's *Angel*, "If there's no great, glorious ending to all this... If nothing we do matters... then all that matters is what we do."
Democratic Socialism [counterpunch.org]
genessa comments on Sep 30, 2018:
well, that certainly perpetuates the myth that the democratic party as a whole is all talk and mostly interested in preserving unrestrained capitalism. those who pay good attention and don't cherry-pick, and don't equate being donated to with being beholden and bought and sold, know that this is ...
Paul4747 replies on Oct 1, 2018:
@genessa Nail on the head. As long as there's only one right-wing party, a profusion of left-wing parties will only serve to divide and conquer for the Republicans- as it did in 2000 and again in 2016. Coalition politics, at this point, means sucking it up, gritting your teeth, and voting Democrat if you want a center-left party to be in power, instead of a farther-and-farther-right party. The hard truth is that the Right votes solid Republican, while the Left splinters itself- and the Republican dirty-tricks brigade have been encouraging this trend for years. Time for the Left to put up a united front, even if you personally don't care for the candidate. Suck it up and vote Democrat. (This has not been a party political broadcast, I am not affiliated with any candidate or organization. I'm just one very observant and intelligent guy.)
Trump’s “Opposition” Supports All His Evil Agendas While Attacking Fake Nonsense ...
powder comments on Sep 21, 2018:
What justifies this spending? Russia. Be very skeptical what you are fed about Russia as this paranoia is needed to justify big military spending. An enemy is needed, real or imagined. WTF would Russia invade Europe? It's not to spread communism, the USSR is dead.
Paul4747 replies on Sep 24, 2018:
@William_Mary "Serves his masters"?? Which are who? You've taken conspiracy theories to a new level if you think Putin is in the service of anybody. He's an old spy master himself, he runs the show in Russia. As for any agenda on Trump's part, beyond cutting taxes and regulation (standard Republican fare) and trying to restrict immigration, if you can detect anything in this list of bills he signed, passed generally on party lines, have at it. https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/29/politics/president-trump-legislation/index.html
Every time we glorify the cradle of our civilization.
Paul4747 comments on Sep 22, 2018:
Saluting them as philosophers (specifically the Greeks) and the founders of democracy and the republican (small R) forms of government in no way endorses any of their excesses. The Romans held rapacious orgies. Both practiced slavery. Nobody denies that, but nobody wants to carry those traditions on...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 24, 2018:
@GipsyOfNewSpain The link has absolutely nothing to do with either ancient Greece or Rome. Whatever point you're trying to make by bringing up the treatment of women in ancient history is tenuous at best. For the most part I ignore YOU, but then you post something like this, and it brings out the history teacher in me.
Every time we glorify the cradle of our civilization.
Paul4747 comments on Sep 22, 2018:
Saluting them as philosophers (specifically the Greeks) and the founders of democracy and the republican (small R) forms of government in no way endorses any of their excesses. The Romans held rapacious orgies. Both practiced slavery. Nobody denies that, but nobody wants to carry those traditions on...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 22, 2018:
@GipsyOfNewSpain "You rest your case"? How so? It's also irrelevant whether the Greeks and Romans practiced homosexuality. They didn't invent it. *Nobody* "invented" it. I take it there was something in the link about it? I admit I didn't click on the link. I was making a general historical point.
Trump’s “Opposition” Supports All His Evil Agendas While Attacking Fake Nonsense ...
powder comments on Sep 21, 2018:
What justifies this spending? Russia. Be very skeptical what you are fed about Russia as this paranoia is needed to justify big military spending. An enemy is needed, real or imagined. WTF would Russia invade Europe? It's not to spread communism, the USSR is dead.
Paul4747 replies on Sep 22, 2018:
Who said "communism"? Putin is a Mafia don. He values power for its own sake, not unlike the Current Occupant in our White House. Neither one has an ideology to speak of. They do things because they think they can get away with them. So far Putin has been right.
Trump’s “Opposition” Supports All His Evil Agendas While Attacking Fake Nonsense ...
Paul4747 comments on Sep 21, 2018:
Given the increasing threat from Russia, which Trump has actively helped along, it's actually a wise move on both parties' parts to expand our own military. The next President might need it.
Paul4747 replies on Sep 22, 2018:
@Dangrenade Because we are committed to assist in the defense of the entire continent of Europe. And prevent a land invasion of South Korea, which would most certainly have happened if we did not have massive numbers of ground, sea and air forces stationed there. As well as keeping freedom of the seas for our shipping worldwide, in areas where pirates operate, not to mention piratical regimes. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close off the Straits of Hormuz to oil shipments since 1979. America's military is a worldwide force. While I don't always agree with those in charge, overall our strategic accomplishments have been positive. The Cold War ended without breaking out into WW3. The world has not had a large-scale conflict since 1945. I don't know what this other thing is to which you're alluding, but it sounds like you've bought into the "witch hunt" rhetoric.
What's a body part that you wouldn't mind losing, and why did you pick that one?
Paul4747 comments on Sep 21, 2018:
Appendix Never used it for anything
Paul4747 replies on Sep 21, 2018:
@VelociraptorRemy How long has it taken us to evolve to this point, from its original purpose as a holding pouch for digestive bacteria?
I just read something that, I think, explains a lot about conservatives and people on the right ...
Anonbene comments on Sep 19, 2018:
This sounds mean but I've said since Trump got elected that his supporters would have to be harmed directly before he lost his base of supporters and I've been paying attention and see he has lost some but will the Harley builders and the Carrier builders and the soybean farmers and the women that ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 20, 2018:
Yep, that's the test.
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 ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 19, 2018:
@CallMeDave Oh yeah, it's the best. But my marriage was worse.
I have always asked myself how a black person could be a Republican, as I seek answers, I landed on ...
Paul4747 comments on Sep 19, 2018:
And yet, just because he registered Republican, didn't mean he had to vote that way. But I understand how personal gratitude to a single Republican could result in overlooking all the negative factors of the party's policies. Look at the number of people who voted for Reagan, "because he's such ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 19, 2018:
@m0752532706 I agree completely. That was the '50s for you. And many many people still haven't grown out of that mindset. Out-group bias seems to be genetically programmed in some ways (or so studies suggest). It's up to us to exceed our primate natures and see that all human beings are simply human beings.
So... Did @Bobby9 really leave out group because he was bored and come back, because he's bored ?
Paul4747 comments on Sep 19, 2018:
I have no opinion on the issue at hand. I just clicked because of the picture of the angry hot woman. Angry women excite me. I am now tempted to join this group just to get some abuse directed at me. Does this seem weird?
Paul4747 replies on Sep 19, 2018:
@Stacey48 That's not necessarily the deterrent you think it is. I work in Corrections, verbal abuse is normal. Still thinking it over....
Many Libertarians point to 19th-century laissez-faire America as the supreme example of how well a ...
Paul4747 comments on Aug 26, 2018:
Cash money having no value on a desert island, of course there was no income tax. The economy became one of labor and goods in kind. Yours is a false analogy of the most extreme sort. Furthermore, many Left libertarians would suggest that the Howells should distribute their wealth back to the ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 19, 2018:
@Jnutter819 See, I'm not sure what you're saying here. Are you saying that an industrialist who employs 200,000 people at minimum wage is therefore justified in making 200,000 times that minimum wage himself, because he (or possibly she, although the vast majority are "hes") made those jobs possible? And workers shouldn't expect anything more than the table scraps? To take a present day example, if a family starts a nation-wide big-box retail chain, does everything in their power to undercut the competition, keep their own employees wages as low as possible, prevent the formation of a union by any means possible, pays no benefits, encourages its employees to get government benefits to make up for the sub-poverty pay (thus forcing even people who don't shop there to subsidize their business via taxes), and meanwhile they themselves live in a series of multi-million dollar mansions- that's all equitable, because they made those minimum wage jobs possible, and those workers should be pathetically grateful for the little they have? I turn it the other way around. The person on top wouldn't be anywhere without all the people at the bottom of the pyramid. And those people on top will be first against the wall when the revolution comes unless something changes soon. (Which is probably why the Walton family, of Wal-Mart fame, had themselves an apocalypse-proof bunker built, complete with armed guards.)(True story.) It's a fact that, adjusted for inflation, middle-class wages haven't gone up in 30 years, while the top 1 percent have given themselves a 300% raise since 1985. That kind of income inequality hasn't been seen since the Gilded Age. The comparison is apt. We are living in a new age of robber barons. There's even one sitting in the Oval Office. (Or he could be golfing today, I'm not keeping track.)
What Jesus Really Meant But Wasn't Allowed to Say (Alan Watts) [youtu.be] n.b. ALAN WATTS
DenoPenno comments on Sep 16, 2018:
Jesus came to rescue the lost sheep of Israel, he said. That left all the rest of us out of it but along came Paul and not even having met Jesus he changed it all to include everybody. That means you now have to go to hell because of that bastard Paul. Anyway, Alan Watts is educated and a good ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 17, 2018:
HEY!!! I had nothing to do with it...
Why so many private groups ..,?
CallMeDave comments on Sep 16, 2018:
I'm starting a group for this. Please join.
Paul4747 replies on Sep 17, 2018:
And thus more points toward level 8 for both of us!!
Congratulations to Mr Donald Trump for reaching 5000 lies in less than two years as ...
Green_eyes comments on Sep 16, 2018:
Let’s home America never has another prez that comes near those stats.
Paul4747 replies on Sep 16, 2018:
We had Reagan and Bush II... but I think Ron just genuinely didn't know what the hell he was talking about (in retrospect, I think the Alzheimer's may have been playing a part before we realized it), and W had advisers who would muzzle him. Trump knowingly lies. All the damn time.
Congratulations to Mr Donald Trump for reaching 5000 lies in less than two years as ...
Umbral comments on Sep 16, 2018:
" **In that single day, he publicly made 125 false or misleading statements — in a period of time that totaled only about 120 minutes. It was a new single-day high.** " Who can look at that and NOT say "Holy Shit."?
Paul4747 replies on Sep 16, 2018:
Holy shit.
Linda Harvey: Oral Sex Is The Practice Of Homosexuals - Joe.My.God.
Novelty comments on Sep 15, 2018:
I always expect insane conservatives to have weird sex hangups and insane liberals to have weird food hangups. It may be totally generalizing but seems to hold true in most cases.
Paul4747 replies on Sep 16, 2018:
This is true, as a libertarian I won't eat anything that I don't damn well want to eat. In or out of bed.
Has any Republican summed up Trump better than McCain did?
LucyLoohoo comments on Aug 27, 2018:
(I'd bet money that Sarah Palin was expecting a call from the groper's team, wanting to run her again as VEEP. She and the groper have that same mindless arrogance and narcissism.)
Paul4747 replies on Sep 15, 2018:
@LucyLoohoo So hard to find Republicans with an ounce of self-respect these days... Then again it seems that some are staying against their better judgement, just to keep the current occupant from starting a nuclear war in a fit of pique over a perceived insult to his Trumphood. So I'm conflicted. They really should be invoking the 25th Amendment in that case, he's incompetent.
Has any Republican summed up Trump better than McCain did?
LucyLoohoo comments on Aug 27, 2018:
(I'd bet money that Sarah Palin was expecting a call from the groper's team, wanting to run her again as VEEP. She and the groper have that same mindless arrogance and narcissism.)
Paul4747 replies on Sep 15, 2018:
@LucyLoohoo I, too, work for idiots. It gives me a "resting bitch face" if I have the right phrase. This may be her issue too. So I do feel bad for her on some level. Not enough to forgive her for lying though.
Ever notice how often “improvements” don’t feel as if they’re making anything better?
powder comments on Sep 13, 2018:
Every Microsoft upgrade
Paul4747 replies on Sep 14, 2018:
@pixiedust I've never used "Cortana" and never will... except in her original form as the AI assistant in HALO.
Has any Republican summed up Trump better than McCain did?
LucyLoohoo comments on Aug 27, 2018:
(I'd bet money that Sarah Palin was expecting a call from the groper's team, wanting to run her again as VEEP. She and the groper have that same mindless arrogance and narcissism.)
Paul4747 replies on Sep 14, 2018:
@LucyLoohoo Thing is, she's NOT unattractive. She's actually pretty good looking, when she's not being confused, annoyed, angry, irritated, and grouchy. See Exhibit A. If she were a single woman, in my circle of acquaintances, hey, I would probably test the waters as to her availability, her attraction to me, and whatnot, if all I had to go on was her smile and appearance in this photo... if this were indicative of her overall personality. I bet she's a fairly nice person overall, but she's been hired to lie for Trump. More likely, she has to make excuses for Trump based on the fragments of the truth that she knows, and is never given the real story on anything; yet she's instructed to make him look good for the press. She has an impossible job and the strain shows. I feel sorry for her.
It is a recurring theme that liberals/progressives/secular are on average more educated, more ...
Paul4747 comments on Sep 8, 2018:
That question went in entirely a different direction than I had anticipated... Why? In part I blame liberalism's core value of "inclusiveness" which, in recent years, has been taken to a self-defeating extreme. Yes, inclusiveness is a good thing in principle. In practice, we have allowed the ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 10, 2018:
@kng01 I agree. The current environment is a tricky one. I'm reminded now of the Monty Python philosophy sketch, wherein New Bruce was told he could teach about any of the great socialist thinkers, "Provided he makes it clear they were WRONG."
Can science and religion be reconciled?
Paul4747 comments on Sep 8, 2018:
The entire question is fallacious. '"The known mechanisms of evolution can only account for micro-evolution, but in order to explain macro-evolution we need a transcendent and divine force..."' This is ridiculous. In what sense does evolution on any level need to be "explained" by a divine force, ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 10, 2018:
@Matias It's not obvious, given the rest of your post. Furthermore, I doubt whether any evolutionary biologist would have such a thought to begin with. The vast majority of scientists view "God", if they think of one at all, in the sense that Einstein did- the physical laws of the universe, the beauty of all things, the forces that act unseen on us all. Not a personal god, but the cosmos itself. There are very very few serious scientists (outside the "Intelligent Design" movement) who believe in a personal god in the sense of the Bible.
It is a recurring theme that liberals/progressives/secular are on average more educated, more ...
Paul4747 comments on Sep 8, 2018:
That question went in entirely a different direction than I had anticipated... Why? In part I blame liberalism's core value of "inclusiveness" which, in recent years, has been taken to a self-defeating extreme. Yes, inclusiveness is a good thing in principle. In practice, we have allowed the ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 8, 2018:
@Wendy965 Well, North America was colonized by many different groups... but America (the nation) was founded by secular humanists. Many authors of the Constitution were deists, and in our time, given their views and the way things have progressed, they would likely be atheists. There's good evidence that several were atheists even in their time, they simply couldn't reveal it.
It is a recurring theme that liberals/progressives/secular are on average more educated, more ...
Paul4747 comments on Sep 8, 2018:
That question went in entirely a different direction than I had anticipated... Why? In part I blame liberalism's core value of "inclusiveness" which, in recent years, has been taken to a self-defeating extreme. Yes, inclusiveness is a good thing in principle. In practice, we have allowed the ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 8, 2018:
@Renickulous Supposing it's fascists we're talking about? I'm not talking about the government suppressing speech, I'm talking about whether we bother to treat all points of view as inherently valid. They're not. For example, the point of view that different ethnic groups are biologically or morally unequal *simply is not valid*. I'm not going to spend time debating with someone who holds that belief, I'm simply going to point out that the human DNA controlling skin color and other physical traits has only changed within the last 5-10,000 years of our existence, and therefore there is no rational basis for believing that any visible differences have any meaning at all. Then the discussion is over as far as I'm concerned.
They held my ex mother in law's funeral at the church. ?
LenHazell53 comments on Sep 6, 2018:
Mormon Funerals are like this, they invite in as many non Mormon relatives of the deceased and instead of eulogising the deceased spend an hour talking about how only good Mormons will see them again in the highest of the three Mormon heavens so convert now and be a family for eternity. Disgusting ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 7, 2018:
@LenHazell53 I have only one thing to say to that...
They held my ex mother in law's funeral at the church. ?
LenHazell53 comments on Sep 6, 2018:
Mormon Funerals are like this, they invite in as many non Mormon relatives of the deceased and instead of eulogising the deceased spend an hour talking about how only good Mormons will see them again in the highest of the three Mormon heavens so convert now and be a family for eternity. Disgusting ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 7, 2018:
@LenHazell53 Actually I was being rhetorical. I had read an account of Smith "translating" the supposed golden tablets from behind a sheet (or curtain or something) hung across his kitchen to a series of secretaries. After which the tablets naturally dissolved back into heaven.
They held my ex mother in law's funeral at the church. ?
p-nullifidian comments on Sep 6, 2018:
Examples such as this are why people are writing into their wills what should (and more importantly, should not) be included in their memorials. Why should it even be that funerals and weddings be hijacked by clergy as opportunities for making a sales pitch or a plug? The lesson here for each of us ...
Paul4747 replies on Sep 7, 2018:
And yet she went there for the last several decades, she would have known before what to expect I suppose. I think I was the only one who was appalled at the whole affair.

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Agnostic, Atheist, Humanist, Secularist, Skeptic, Freethinker
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