Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 22, 2018:

Didn't Lex Luthor paraphrase this in a dreadfully boring movie recently? :)

Lucifer vs God I posted recently about going to church and what a waste of time that was.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 22, 2018:

There's apparently a heretical Muslim interpretation of Satan as God's most devoted worshiper. The angels were commanded first to kneel to none but God. Then after man was created, they were told to kneel before Man. Satan refused; his love for God would not allow him to kneel to anyone else. So Satan is cast out, still as God's greatest worshiper. In this interpretation, all that sustains Satan in Hell is the memory of his beloved God's voice saying "Begone!" (I don't know this firsthand, I heard it in a Joseph Campbell lecture. But I trusted Joe to have done the reading.)

I went to my niece’s father’s funeral today.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 22, 2018:

My journey into atheism began at a funeral. The pastor trotted out this bizarre notion that God would sometimes "take" a person who, although currently leading a blameless life, was in danger of falling into sin, in order to save their soul... That this would even be conceived of blew my mind. That people could think a god would essentially kill someone to "save their soul", and yet would not kill, for example, Hitler, to save millions of lives, was the height of irrationality. Why not just accept that people die? Why seek so desperately for a reason behind it all? The only thing that means anything is OUR world. WE invest our lives with meaning, living for one another, not living for a Big Daddy in the sky.

Farmer in Iowa who voted for Trump is now on track to lose $250,000 this year.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 22, 2018:

It's not that I doubt you, but it would be nice to have a source for these items. Otherwise it's no better than Fox...

I think I get torn between wanting to get out and meet people, find a relationship, have sex and be ...

Paul4747 comments on Jun 22, 2018:

Being single is certainly easier... nobody is the boss of me now, I can stay up until 4 in the morning if I want with all the lights on and the movies playing as loud as I like, eat or drink what I like, do what I want. On the other hand, there are times I wish there were someone besides myself to share a witty observation with, or notice a piece of trivia. I miss cooking for another person, or sharing some take-out food. Going to dinner alone doesn't have the same *frisson*. So maybe it's worth the work to find the right person this time. You know? This isn't criticism. Just a reflection on my own choices.

So, a little help here?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 22, 2018:

Find somebody like you. Sorry, that's the best advice I have right now...

I've noticed through conversations that some people develope shallow reasons, based on past ...

Paul4747 comments on Jun 21, 2018:

I experienced the opposite side of this, someone online (on a dating site) was chatting with me for a few days, it was going very well for both of us, then it came out that I'm a corrections officer. She instantly said she couldn't see me, as mine is one on a list (her words) of careers that she doesn't date. I had never encountered the notion of not dating someone based on their career before. I mean, I can see "drug mule", then you don't date that person based on the career. "Serial killer", "meth lab operator", those as well. "Uber cab driver" would be borderline. But any legitimate career, you earn money, what's the beef with the career?

What complaint about you do you keep hearing?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 21, 2018:

I apparently have an overactive libido, supposedly? I'm overly affectionate and demonstrative. And my sense of humor, not everyone gets.

Intimate friends know each other’s secrets.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 21, 2018:

Maybe this is a difference between women and men, but my friends don't actually *know* about any toys I may or may not have... They would probably be competing to split up my gun collection, though. That's men's toys.

Divide by Zero

Paul4747 comments on Jun 17, 2018:

Mathematics Ending the universe since 600 CE

I think this comparison makes sense

Paul4747 comments on Jun 16, 2018:

Because for one thing, you could only write laws with it after drinking heavily. (And probably in the snow.) That's no good for anybody.

Old magazine cover

Paul4747 comments on Jun 16, 2018:

...Seriously? This is one of those that I look at and think... "It can't be real... can it?"

Rugby Fans

Paul4747 comments on Jun 16, 2018:

It takes leather balls to play rugby

What else do these look like? (k dirty)

Paul4747 comments on Jun 14, 2018:

Yet another reference to tea bags...

Ultimate door knocker

Paul4747 comments on Jun 9, 2018:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9K9wiH2Lko

That one time they let Spock look cool....

Paul4747 comments on Jun 8, 2018:

I'm haunted by the knowledge that I can never be this cool. NEVER

Knock knock puddin head

Paul4747 comments on Jun 8, 2018:

I tried to click on this post, but the link must be broken... nothing but a blank page...

Stupid but not beyond belief

Paul4747 comments on Jun 8, 2018:

Realizing that, statistically, the odds are the person who stamped this bill didn't even vote...

Shaved Down There

Paul4747 comments on Jun 8, 2018:

How to tell when the relationship is over.

Or speedo jock money, we will pass on that one too.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 8, 2018:

How about "thong money"? Those girls work very hard... and some of the customers in those bars... er, not that I would know, of course

Oh, Vincent

Paul4747 comments on Jun 8, 2018:

Damn, another sellout. As if George Lucas wasn't bad enough.

First kiss is always awkward...

Paul4747 comments on Jun 8, 2018:

No tongue....

Perspective!

Paul4747 comments on Jun 5, 2018:

Earrings have just gone too far.

In surveying the questions i notice that women are mostly asking/posting about intimacy of emotion ...

Paul4747 comments on Jun 5, 2018:

I'm not sure where I read or heard this, and it was a much more complex thought, but the gist of it was: men have sex and fall in love... women fall in love and have sex. I'm not saying this is true for everyone, I'm not saying there isn't a blend of both for each gender, but the emotional wiring (as a consequence of our evolution) is for a woman to prioritize an emotional attachment to someone who will be around for at least as long as it takes to rear a child, while the male priority is to find a partner for long enough to conceive a child. Human relationships are often a compromise between these two conflicting goals. Yes, we are much more than our genetic programming. Yes, I attach a lot of significance to emotional commitment. There is a lot more to intimacy than sex. But at some point, in an intimate relationship with a lady, I will want the physical act, and if it's missing, I'll feel that something is incomplete.

As an atheist living in the bible belt, it is difficult to meet like minded women.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 5, 2018:

The funny thing to me is, I always say I'm open to dating pretty much anybody, regardless. It's religion that makes people exclusivists. That was also a nail in the coffin for my marriage; the more open I was about being an atheist (not just avoiding church, mind you, actually being an atheist) the colder she got towards me. Just one of many nails in the coffin.

I was wondering... what do you do with a lack of ambition?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 4, 2018:

I'd be more apathetic, if I weren't so lethargic.

I went to the beach with my niece and granddaughter and was wondering why there were so many of the ...

Paul4747 comments on Jun 4, 2018:

There's a month now? American Christians protesting against their freedom being curtailed by other religions, not to mention those horrible atheists (like me), puts me in mind of a lawnmower protesting that the grass is oppressing it by growing so tall.

A muslim acquaintance is fascinated that I don't believe in god.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 4, 2018:

It can be hard to explain to people who rely on "faith" why one finds that insufficient, or why the "holy books" on further examination turn out not to be "holy" at all. It's my experience that most believers don't have any experience with textual criticism and history, don't know the history of their own religion's books, and don't realize that pretty much all three Middle Eastern religions stole their mythologies whole cloth from other pre-existing mythologies. (Okay, "borrowed", no need to be antagonistic.) Their books were not committed to writing for decades and centuries after the supposed events. I know I'm not telling you anything you don't know, but your friend might be surprised to learn these things and even deny the facts. But if he's truly open-minded, exposure to some history might, best-case-scenario, open his eyes to the fact that there is no "true religion" and get him thinking about things. That's how I started my journey from "generic unchurched Christian" to where I am today. Worst case scenario, he wants to try to convert you, in which case be polite but firm.

I'm not an atheist, and here's why.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

Sounds legit.

Another entry from my notebook: Joseph Campbell described believing in a literal, historical god ...

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

I miss Joe.

Unclean animals?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

YHVH is a big jerk, the way that book reads. This is the best explanation. Also created fruit that nobody is supposed to eat. He's like the world's worst Dad, drunk and in a really mean mood, with no Mom to keep a check on him.

Where are you from?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

Earth

How do you know when blue cheese has gone bad?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

If it starts holding up liquor stores, getting into hard drugs, unprotected sex with strangers, this sort of thing. I would look for signs of this nature. Then you have to get it into counseling or else get the police involved.

Why Are Atheists Generally Smarter Than Religious People? | HuffPost

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

Are atheists necessarily more intelligent, or are religious believers just better at ignoring the cognitive dissonance involved in not applying their intelligence to one particular area of life? In fact, for some, it may require even greater intellectual gymnastics to justify the logic-defying beliefs they hold; for example, the young-Earth creationists who go to enormous lengths attempting to "explain" the fossil record in terms of an Earth that's only 10,000 years old with all the species created at the same time. They *must* be smarter than me, because I can't understand a word of their "explanations"... whereas with my much lower intelligence, the evolutionary history of a 6.5 billion year old planet is fairly easy to comprehend. Those who detect a trace element of sarcasm in this comment may be correct, but the gist is sincere. Christian intellectuals, for instance, do a lot of hard work trying to understand 3 deities who are still 1 deity, where the Father is also the Son, who sacrificed himself to himself so he (who is also himself) wouldn't have to send us all to hell. They are *way* smarter than me, if they understand that.

I'm way too picky for my own good...also it's damn hard to find single atheist women...just sayin

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

Maybe try converting the Christians.

Who consumes Seafood?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

So you're saying we need to improve the industry. I'm down with that. I can't imagine with all the technology we have, this is beyond us.

We NEED to talk.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

Treating anyone as a member of a monolithic group not only isn't helpful, it raises the hackles of people who otherwise tend to agree with you.

I feel as though the people in my life are attracted to me because of how I make them feel.

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

First of all, you certainly do have the ability, nay, the right to be choosy about friends. If people are taking advantage of you, they aren't your friends in any case, my opinion. And yes, I've been down that road. I've dealt with people who treated friends as resources. I told myself I was just being a good guy, but eventually worked out that people take advantage of my nature. I'm more cautious about people now. It's a little less happy go lucky way to live, but that's the cost of experience sometimes.

This is strangely exciting... ?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

I have my AARP card right here

Here's lookin at you! Hahaha

Paul4747 comments on Jun 3, 2018:

I always thought Velma was the cute one... Wait, what's that book?

The Apotheosis Of D Trump

Paul4747 comments on Jun 1, 2018:

Okay. I realize that the civics tests and so on were all part of the Jim Crow era, and were totally racist and intended to exclude minorities from the polls... But then on the other hand, suppose we brought them back, and could use them to keep people like this out of the voting booth?

Did you know that Joseph Stalin killed more people than Adolf Hitler?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 1, 2018:

One is tempted to ask,... And? What's the particular relevance of this statistic? Stalin was somehow worse? As murderous asshats I judge the two equivalent. History does as well. Hitler made National Socialism into the state religion, with himself as high priest and deity. Stalin did the same for Bolshevism. I find Hitler much more loathsome simply because of his racist delusions, which continue to influence people to this day. Sometimes people who are otherwise quite intelligent and even likable.

Not a Happy Climax

Paul4747 comments on Jun 1, 2018:

For some people it's a serious business.

What.......

Paul4747 comments on Jun 1, 2018:

Alright, I can understand the thought process involved... and then again I don't want to.

What business is this?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 1, 2018:

I'm guessing sperm bank.

Is it wrong to look the other way?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 1, 2018:

You know what? I think it's an injustice that sports players make millions to play a game while someone who works 80 hours a week in a factory might still get a poverty wage. But my opinion is just an opinion. So I don't watch sports and I'm a union steward/agitator, and I vote aggressively pro labor. What's an injustice? Anti-abortion people go to the extreme of property damage and murder because of the "injustice" to some embryos. What are you entitled to do to prevent injustice?

Have you ever saved a life ?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 1, 2018:

I have twice cut prisoners down from homemade nooses in my career. I don't think either of them meant to get as close to dying as they did, but their attention seeking ploys got beyond their control and they couldn't get themselves free. Beyond that, I realize this is sort of negative, but I have frequently refrained from using force in a situation where I could have, and that possibly spared a life or even more than one...

Aimed at the males, do you ever see some beta or gamma wolf come out talking some skeezey shit to ...

Paul4747 comments on May 31, 2018:

"Wolves "? "Beta males "? I'm not sure I even want to try to understand what you're talking about. Are you trying to apply pack dominance hierarchy mechanics to human behavior here? Or just making a poor analogy?

I'm not a gun fan but please don't take these men's guns.

Paul4747 comments on May 25, 2018:

Okay, now those are not "guns". Those are firearms. Chant it with me: "This is my rifle, this is my gun, One is for shooting, the other's for fun" Luckily we can't see their guns; their firearms are in the way.

Appeal to Ignorance

Paul4747 comments on May 24, 2018:

Well, I agree it's impossible to *know* there is no god, anywhere. However, it's possible to know that there is no personal God as described in the books of the Bible, who created the Earth and all the creatures thereof no more than 10,000 years ago and performed "miracles" defying the laws of physics on behalf of 12 tribes wandering in the desert, because we have scientific, historical, and archaeological evidence contradicting these stories. They are just the tribal mythology of the Hebrews. It's also highly unlikely that there is a god of any kind who takes a personal interest in every individual, while at the same time managing the running of the entire universe. It's illogical that such a being exists. Where would he/she/it have come from? Who made him/her/it? And if there were such a "god", what is the being above it like? What is god's god like? It's an infinite regress. It's more rational, in the absence of any evidence, to assume there is no such person. The equivalent fallacy is, "You can't prove that God doesn't exist, therefore I believe He exists." Since there is NO evidence for the existence of any supernatural god, it doesn't make any rational sense to just believe in one regardless. At the same time, we have a great deal of evidence that the Bible (both books) and the Quran, and all religious books for that matter, were just cobbled together by humans, remote in time from the events they supposedly describe, self-contradictory, and colored by a political agenda on the part of those writing them. So, pending first-hand evidence, such as a miraculous appearance by a supernatural being in the skies above a major city, it makes sense to continue not believing. Ironically, if God did exist, He could put this debate to bed in a moment, by simply speaking into everyone's head and saying something to the effect of, "Yes, I am the Lord, Thy God. I've been here the whole time. This is not a dream." But He doesn't. Odd, that.

We are not going to achieve the respect that we as Agnostics or as Atheists persons unless we show ...

Paul4747 comments on May 24, 2018:

And yet, fundamentalist religions demand my respect, when one of their prime functions is to try and destroy atheism and agnosticism. In centuries past, they would have physically destroyed me because I am an atheist. In some parts of the planet, I would still be put to death today, because I don't conform to their religious beliefs. *THAT* is the kind of religion that I think *everybody*, not just atheists, should be working to destroy- the kind that isn't content simply to believe, and let others believe what they want, but instead insists that *all must believe as we do- or else*. The kind of religion that leads to wars, murders, and televangelists.

Sapiosexuals versus people who attract lower intelligence mates.

Paul4747 comments on May 24, 2018:

At this point in my life... over 5 years since I had an enthusiastic partner (and that was well before we started talking divorce, the marriage was dead long before it was decently buried....)... Well, even if she were a Jerry Springer addict, and believed every story in the Weekly World News was the highest standards of journalism, and thought there was actual reality in "reality TV"..... If she were good looking, and had a good personality, and was attracted to me, and wanted to take me home and do unspeakable things with me... Yeah, in that (highly unlikely) case, I'd probably date her. Until I couldn't take the conversation any more. But until then, I would indulge in the sheer physical side of things. But my preference is for someone smart. Smarter than me, truth be told.

A suggestion. If you don’t like what a person is posting, just pass it by...

Paul4747 comments on May 24, 2018:

Oh, that's no fun. Beyond which, if I post something and I have my head up my bum, I want constructive criticism. I don't need to be flamed, as such, but point out to me what I said and how wrong I was, and I'll change my mind. That's what the scientific method and rational thought are all about. That's how we learn. If we're never challenged, we get a room full of echoes... a bunch of yes-men and women repeating our own opinions back to us. That's how Trump got to be the way he is. (Ba-zinga!)

Is it ever okay to hit your children as punishment or to assert your authority? Why? Why not?

Paul4747 comments on May 22, 2018:

No, it's never ok for anyone else to hit my child. You try it and I'll pound you. My old man took the hickory switch to me a few times, plus it was my task to go out and bring him the switch. He didn't beat me or anything, just a few across the backside to drive home the point. And the first switch was never big enough, I had to go back and get "a real one". Finally, at about age 9, the first one I brought in was a tree branch. He just looked at it, struggled to keep from laughing, and told me to throw it out on the burn pile. That was the last time the switch was ever mentioned. It was a rite of passage. My kid got a swat or two when she had done something outrageous and knew it. That was years ago. Sometimes calm discussion teaches best, sometimes it's a smack on the butt followed by calm discussion. But either way, there has to be discipline. The problem with the generation we have is that there was no discipline, just instant gratification.

Are priests capable of molesting children demonstrating their own lack of belief in eternal ...

Paul4747 comments on May 22, 2018:

Not at all. They believe in the confessional system, so when they confess their deeds and are absolved and forgiven, they get a pass to go right back to abusing again. Abuse-confess-absolution. It's incredibly hypocritical and shielded by their "anonymous" confessional, so that everyone pretends they don't know who is confessing to the heinous crimes that are being committed. So they can believe in eternal damnation, but escape it at the same time. It's terribly convenient.

If having no God means having no sense of humor I'm out.

Paul4747 comments on May 22, 2018:

Who says being an atheist means being unfunny? For that matter, where is it written that religious people are a barrel of laughs? There's no more connection between religious belief and humor than there is between eating pasta and humor. (Although, those Italians... funny, funny people. Mussolini had 'em rolling in the aisles whenever he gave a speech. I'm telling you.)

Christopher hitchens said extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence he said this in ...

Paul4747 comments on May 22, 2018:

If I had, I would be worshiping that god. The closest I've ever seen is in the Principia Discordia, where it's asked (in support of the existence of Eris, Goddess of Chaos), "Look at all the chaos in the universe. Who do you think put it there?" That's why I'm a supporting member of the Tactile Temple of Eris Erotic. Or would be, if there were a chapter in my neighborhood. ;)

So, about dating.

Paul4747 comments on May 22, 2018:

Rest assured, there are more atheists and agnostics than you realize, and they're all around you. They're equally intimidated by the atmosphere. But they are there and they're worth seeking out.

Why do intelligent people suddenly turn to a god in there darkest hours

Paul4747 comments on May 22, 2018:

This is human nature. It's part of our character and culture to seek a Big Daddy who will fix everything and take care of us. There's good evidence that the human brain is programmed by evolution for this kind of behavior, and reinforced by our culture. In centuries past, it made sense to pray for relief from disease or hardship because we didn't have the germ theory or other advanced forms of medicine. Scientifically we've advanced, culturally not so much. Our culture still provides a lot of pressure to fall back to the religious model and seek supernatural help. It can be hard to resist that kind of pressure, depending on the person, depending on their background, and depending on what they're going through. Having read farther down the thread and seen a little more of the specific issue, some people become desperate and seek outside "supernatural" support in times like this. Sometimes people who can't cope with their problems look to the Big Sky Daddy as a person who will do it for them. It may also be a case of a person seeking supernatural "forgiveness" for things they're doing or have done, rather than having to deal with the consequences of those actions. I deal with people like this daily, who seem to think that, if God has forgiven them, it doesn't matter anymore what they did in the real world.

God is so huge

Paul4747 comments on May 22, 2018:

*Came here expecting Monty Python reference* *Was not disappointed*

Do you find the catholic church hides and protects the priests that have been accused of ...

Paul4747 comments on May 22, 2018:

They have already admitted it and apologized to at least some of the victims. This isn't even a serious debate anymore. The real debate is, how can they keep doing it now? And how can any parent knowingly expose their children to the dangers of Catholic "education"?

There is no objective reality. There is only an objectionable reality. Discuss.

Paul4747 comments on May 18, 2018:

Umm... no, there is objective reality. Objectively, there are scientific facts. There is objective history, as in the date of the Battle of Gettysburg or Waterloo. The laws of physics are objective facts. 12 inches equals 1 foot. 100 centimeters equals 1 meter. E=mc squared. This is objective reality. You could debate that every individual has a unique perception of this reality, therefore meaning that there is no objective reality at all, only a collection of subjective perceived realities... but the objective reality exists without anyone perceiving it. The tree makes a sound when it falls, regardless of anyone being there to hear it. You can, if you wish, find certain objective facts objectionable- but those facts are objective and they exist despite your disapproval.

Is religion a good thing or bad thing?

Paul4747 comments on May 18, 2018:

Is believing in UFOs a good thing or a bad thing? Is chasing Sasquatch a good thing or a bad thing? The answers depend on how much of an obsession it becomes, how much of your time and money it takes up, and how it causes you to relate to the rest of the world. If religion causes people to believe in things that probably don't exist, well, who cares? On the other hand, if the same people start insisting that the rest of the world must believe in the same things or else suffer punishment, war, discrimination or death, that's another thing. Therefore, the correct answer to your question is "Yes". Religion is a good thing or a bad thing.

Do you still use religious sayings or phrases?

Paul4747 comments on May 7, 2018:

I'm still not the kind of atheist, in Sir Terry Pratchett's words, who can say things like "Random fluctuations in the space time continuum!" or "Primitive and outmoded concept on a crutch!" when I stub my toe. So yeah, I still say things like "Jesus H Christ!"

I stopped believing in God after the Bible study shooting, where was god when those innocent lives ...

Paul4747 comments on Apr 7, 2018:

You've woken up. Objectively, if there were a benevolent god that answered prayers and protected believers, he/she/it would be extremely selective. For all those who have a story of being miraculously saved, many times that must have died while calling for help. Far more logical is to accept a universe where only chance is at the wheel, and our choices can determine what happens- both for us and those around us, for good or ill.

Explain the unexplainable

Paul4747 comments on Apr 7, 2018:

"Seem" too eerie to be coincidences is correct. And yet, these type of instances are just that. Coincidence is simply the occurence of events without an apparent causal connection... and in fact, there is no connection. Better yet is the synonym "serendipity": the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. It's just chance that leads to turning left instead of right, going into Wendy's and not Burger King, staying home instead of getting on the plane that crashes. We look back on a significant event and tell ourselves, "Something told me to do that, I had a hunch." And when a hunch pans out, one time in 1000, we remember it. It stands out. But we forget the 999 other hunches and left turns that lead to nothing. Humans instinctively seek to invest significance into events and find patterns that we can recognize and plan for. This is the result of evolutionary trends; those who didn't look for trends tended not to survive and pass on their genes. Superstition is our genetic inheritance. We've all found ourselves running into people who need our help, and being able to be a hero for a day. It feels good. It's memorable. But there's no greater force steering us there. It's just life happening.

I’ve been married 15 years to a religious Latina woman.

Paul4747 comments on Apr 7, 2018:

You have my sympathy. My ex was religious but not overly so when we married. I was an agnostic and tried going to church for her, even going so far as to be baptized before realizing that I couldn't reconcile religion and the real world... and realizing that I'm an atheist. She came to grips with my not going to church, but never accepted my non-belief. She became more religious in response; I'm sure she was praying for me as well. Our differences over religion were just one of the many things that led to the divorce. Don't take that as advice, it's just what happened with me.

Black Florida Lawmaker Thanks God For Slavery

Paul4747 comments on Apr 7, 2018:

Well, schools do need better lighting. I once stubbed my toe in a darkened hallway, it was very traumatic. But really- preacher and EXORCIST? And knowing this, people voted for her? Rationally, we do need to do something about the trend of school shootings- but an irrational turn to religion is not the answer.

The Difference Between Men And Women. This Is Genius. - tickld.com

Paul4747 comments on Apr 7, 2018:

Hahahahahahahaa.... No.

Does anyone else sit in with a book on Saturday night or am I dull as fuck?

Paul4747 comments on Apr 7, 2018:

Webcomics count? How about reruns of NYPD Blue on Hulu? That's about as exciting as my Saturdays have been lately. Sometimes a video game if my heart can take it.

Prostitution, how do you feel about it?

Paul4747 comments on Apr 5, 2018:

All I know is, I probably couldn't make a living... But seriously folks... like almost everything, legalizing and regulating is the key to safety. Licensing the profession would bring it out of the shadows and make it so much easier to crack down on the human trafficking element, which is a disgrace in this nation and in this century.

Whyyyyy, Tennessee?

Paul4747 comments on Apr 5, 2018:

Yet another reason that I try to stay in the North...

Newly Nominated Secretary of State is a Holy Crusader - TheHumanist.com

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

I was not aware that there was any problemn with religious freedom in the military, considering that each unit has a chaplain and each post has a chapel. Members officially get time off to go to services every week. Maybe their complaint is that they're not free to proselytize and discriminate against those who don't have the "right" religion? This seems to be the issue with most claims of Christians being oppressed in America. EDIT: I was too hasty. I see that the MRFF is actually a sort of military ACLU, who are dedicated to not only freedom OF religion, but freedom FROM religion. I take it all back. https://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/about/our-mission/

Are you racist?

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

Definitely not a racist. I stay as far away from all NASCAR-related events as possible. (In my youth, I liked Indy cars, but I've grown as a person since then.)

Do you believe in a HIGHer power?

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

{clicked link expecting marijauna reference} {was not disappointed}

Anyone see Obi Wan get passed around on facebook as Jesus? Here's my response.

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

Well- He could teach me how to do actual miracles, right? (If we treat the films as being real, that is.)

Are Atheist hateful towards spiritual people?

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

From one Paul to another, I know religious people have no problem whatsoever telling atheists that we're going to be smoking in hell after we die. Now, I take issue with that. I do tend to be dismissive of people who reject evidence when it conflicts with the words that were written down 6000 years ago in another language, when people thought the sun revolved around the Earth and that God chose 12 tribes out of all the people on the planet to be the most special people of all... and who expect people to base their personal decisions on the morality laid down by the tribal laws of that time and place. That's not "ideas", it's dogma. Now, you might think that attitude is hateful, I don't know. I prefer to think of it as "bemused irritation" combined with "grudging tolerance", especially since so many politicians still pander to them and I can't do anything about it. For now.

Problems NOT a result of religion

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

Detroit can't win in a sport that I enjoy watching... I can't see how that's a religious issue.

Now that the pope has declared HELL closed for eternity, which other 'beating stick' of religion ...

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

Wait- he can DO that? So, everyone that was there is now going to Heaven eventually, right? This means Catholics get to sin their little hearts out? Sweet.

Do you feel that religion robs people of living life to the fullest?

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

In the sense that people are murdered by religious zealots and robbed of their lives altogether, certainly. In the less extreme sense that fundamentalist religious beliefs prohibit entire areas of scientific research and thought, simply because they conflict with dogma, then again, yes. I have read quotes from former scientists (now "creation scientists" if there is such a thing) who turned their backs on real science because they couldn't resolve the conflict between evidence and religious mythology. And when religion tells you who you can or can't marry, what you can or can't eat, even what you can or can't wear... Is there any question?

Is life meaningful without religion?

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

I will quote, if I may, Joss Whedon's series *Angel* (from the episode *"Epiphany"*): words that speak more eloquently than I can. "If there is no great glorious end to all this, if nothing we do matters... then all that matters is what we do. What we do, now, today. Because, if there is no bigger meaning, then the smallest act of kindness - is the greatest thing in the world."

What do we all have in common as humans?

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

23 pairs of chromosomes. 1 planet. I don't care what any religion tells anybody, we don't own this planet, we just rent, and we *have to* figure out how to live here together or it's going to be a wasteland in a few more generations.

Sexual Compatibility

Paul4747 comments on Mar 30, 2018:

My ex-wife came to look on sex as an obligation... something she was doing to please me, not because she enjoyed it. Worse than that was the fact that she had no need for physical intimacy of any kind beyond a ritual goodnight kiss. So needless to say, I think having a mutual desire is something that's one hundred percent neccesary. I realize everyone is different, in my case I get energy from my partner, so if I know I'm wanted that just feeds my libido and it's a continuous thing. That's how I define "compatible" with me- someone with equal or near-equal desire and who enjoys physical closeness, whether that means sex or just touch and showing affection physically.

Would you dare to have sex in a church?

Paul4747 comments on Mar 30, 2018:

Depends on the church. My choice is the First Tactile Temple of Eris Erotic. Servicings every evening, first served, first come.

You died, I lived, god is good!

Paul4747 comments on Mar 30, 2018:

I was deeply troubled when my (now ex-) wife credited our daughter's survival from a premature birth as a "miracle", in other words a divine intervention (not just a miracle of medicine, which I will happily say it was). If "God" chose my daughter to be one of the 10-15% of babies that survive being born at 21 weeks, then what did we do to earn that? And what did all the other parents do that they should suffer the heartbreak of losing a child? Wasn't it more rational to ascribe her survival to statistical chance, and the luck that at a critical moment when she went into cardiac arrest, we happened to actually *be leaving the hospital after a checkup* and I could rush straight back in and call for the emergency room team? Plus the fact that we live less than 30 miles away from one of the premier children's hospitals in our area? As much as anything, that began my journey from "agnostic with many doubts" to official atheist. This kind of thinking among the religious is hardly confined to natural disasters or medical survival, either. Soldiers who are convinced they were saved by a "miracle" don't think that their comrades were therefore doomed by the same miracle. Athletes pray for something as petty as victory at sports- imagine a deity who isn't so busy running the universe that he, she, or it can be bothered to pick the winning team on Sunday and fudge the odds in their favor. It's a form of myopia- people unable to see beyond themselves.

If we were all forced to wear a warning label, what would yours say?

Paul4747 comments on Mar 19, 2018:

"Intelligence Inside"

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

Paul4747 comments on Feb 3, 2018:

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

Should public nudity be legal?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 3, 2018:

How do you tell the difference between those people who are enjoying the nudist environment because they enjoy being nude, and those who enjoy looking at other nude people (or both)? Who "have a sexual agenda" as you put it? Isn't this rather a point of judgement? In the absence of blatant ogling or hitting on someone, what standards do you use?

ARE YOU GRATEFUL I know I am.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 3, 2018:

To whom would I be grateful, though? I mean, I was lucky enough to be born in the United States of the late 20th century, not to die of any communicable diseases or accidents, not to kill myself in any of the stupid things that I did in my life (I took many avoidable risks and still do, but when I was 19- crap, was I ever an idiot when I was 19)... it happened that I injured my leg in basic training pre-9/11 and did not get a chance to be killed in the idiotic second Iraq war... or for that matter in the fully justifies war against Al Qaeda. By luck I made a phone call at the right moment and landed a good job, which turned into a well-paid career. I married... the wrong person, as it turned out, but I have a lovely daughter, so there's that compensation. My point is that none of this was intentional beyond the fact that I made certain plans which either did or didn't work out. The universe had no plan for me. I'm grateful to the people who love me for being there. Other than that... No. There's no point in saying I'm grateful. I'm just lucky and happy.

Moon landing deniers

Paul4747 comments on Jan 14, 2018:

Some people believe that Desert Storm (Gulf War 1) was all staged. Tell that to a veteran. There's no accounting for what people believe.

I'm leaning towards "free will" being an illusion. Convince me otherwise.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 14, 2018:

You posted this question. That's a proof of free will. Robert Anton Wilson once wrote a dialogue between Pavlov's Dog and Schrodinger's Cat on this subject... DOG: I have twenty proofs that we're not free. CAT: I have one proof that we are. DOG: What's that? CAT: Who asks, "What's that?"

If souls do exist, I think it's completely coincidental that anyone thinks they have one.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 14, 2018:

As in so many things, Monty Python summed it up best. "Exec #2: Yeah, I've had a team working on this over the past few weeks, and what we've come up with can be reduced to two fundamental concepts. One: People aren't wearing enough hats. Two: Matter is energy. In the universe there are many energy fields which we cannot normally perceive. Some energies have a spiritual source which act upon a person's soul. However, this "soul" does not exist ab initio as orthodox Christianity teaches; it has to be brought into existence by a process of guided self-observation. However, this is rarely achieved owing to man's unique ability to be distracted from spiritual matters by everyday trivia. Exec #3: What was that about hats again?" - from Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

The old testament, are we guilty of throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

Paul4747 comments on Jan 14, 2018:

As the mythological tales of the wanderings of twelve tribes, with pretty much no basis in history, the Pentateuch is right up there with all other folklore.If it were billed as such, then I would have no problem with it. It's the fact that it's accepted as literal history, by otherwise-educated people who should know better, that makes me fed up with the whole thing. Thousands of dollars that should be better invested are wasted on yearly expeditions to find "the Real Noah's Ark", as if a few splinters of wood on a mountain will contradict geology and prove that there was a worldwide flood. Not to mention the suffering and the lives lost over the "promises" of a mythological and non-existent God that his twelve tribes should have ownership of a few square miles of desert, the subsequent wars and migrations in the region and the religions of others who don't believe those promises notwithstanding.

Well it happened.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 14, 2018:

I say "Holy crap" on a regular basis, with no reason to believe that any feces are holy by any standards whatsoever...

Pledge of Allegiance--- under god??

Paul4747 comments on Jan 14, 2018:

I still use the original version. And when I appeared in court I stated, "I solemnly affirm." The non-religious version, in other words. You can't swear if there's nobody to swear by.

Badly describe your hobby.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 14, 2018:

1) Watch images that move around, with sounds. 2) Read things splashed in ink onto pieces of squashed dead trees. 3) Aim a thing at another thing, then a chemical reaction makes a loud bang, and a chunk of lead and copper flies very very fast from the first thing and hits the second thing.

For atheists - what makes you believe no deity exists?

Paul4747 comments on Dec 30, 2017:

You phrased that question the wrong way around. Nothing "makes me believe no deity exists". Something would have to make me believe a deity DOES exist. You can't prove a negative, and I wouldn't try. But I don't have to. Theists have to prove their case, if they want me to join their side.

If aliens landed on Earth, would that spell the end of Earth's religions?

Paul4747 comments on Dec 5, 2017:

I think you underestimate the persistence of religious zealots. It would become an entirely new field for religious types; attempting to evangelize the aliens, arguing where they fit in to the great scheme of "God's Creation", trying to decide whether they had ever suffered from Original Sin (since they presumably never came from Eden)... The ability of religion to use cognitive dissonance and fit new scientific facts alongside 6000-year-old mythology never ceases to astound me. Someone would even be sure to say that they were a lost tribe of Israel, created and then cast out beyond the Land of Nod. That's it... east of Eden is where the sun rises... so when they wandered east of Eden, they went into SPACE! Suddenly I want to watch Mel Brooks' "History of the World Part 1", just to see "Jews In Space" again...

Do you give money to the homeless who hold signs in Traffic?

Paul4747 comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Currently, I don't. Most of the people I see holding up "homeless" signs are standing in front of the plaza where our local Wal Mart is. I know that place is always hiring. Across the street is a Meijer, also hiring... down the street is McDonald's, also hiring... you get where I'm going with this. There are any number of businesses in my town that will hire anyone who comes along and looks even halfway decent and can fill out the application. You just have to be willing to work for a minimum wage. On the other hand, when I was a student in Glasgow, I was approached by a one-legged man and asked for a cigarette. (I was a smoker then, everyone in Europe smoked then...) I had a fresh packet in one pocket, so I handed him the 1/4 pack that I had in the other with a cheerful, "Here you go, mate, have these!" I suddenly pictured myself in his place, disabled and seeking the kindness of a random stranger... and I couldn't say no. I made it a habit after that to keep a pound coin or three in my pocket for anyone who seemed needy who approached me. the difference, I suppose, is that Glasgow was a more pedestrian society and it was all face to face. I did not give a pound to the bloke who asked while he was urinating in the parking lot at 1 AM when my mate and I walked past, though. There are limits to charity.

Hi atheists. Are you happy with your life now?

Paul4747 comments on Nov 17, 2017:

I'm much happier now that I'm out of an unsatisfactory marriage. Religious differences were part of that; she had become more and more devout, trying to get me back into the faith as I became more detached from it and eventually became an open atheist. But my happiness isn't directly due to being an atheist.