Agnostic.com
4
4 Like Show

Comments

Detoxifying
RichCC comments on Feb 6, 2020:
Of course I have rotting plants in my system now. Ha.😎 But I do agree that's almost certainly healthier than dead rotting animals. Ha, ha again.😎
I hope to get some better pictures soon once she stops hogging my grand babies.
RichCC comments on Feb 6, 2020:
Are all the puppies dark and light? I don't know how many dogs you have -- the sire might be easy to identify. Lol. 😎 *** Additional: Wow. So if I'm reading the previous note correctly, you just noticed Meredith was expecting on 2/1 and now she has a litter. Wow again. It looks like everyone is ok. I hope I'm right about that too. Congratulations everybody. 🤗
I would like to know how many of you would vote against someone soley due to their open religious ...
RichCC comments on Feb 5, 2020:
Do you have an example of a person with an 'open religious agenda' that has 'good ideas in other areas'? You don't get to throw out the assumption that such a creature exists without evidence. I'd like to read an example. Just like pretty much everything else, the easiest way to show a statement is supportable is to support it. What's that old saying? It is an ill wind indeed that doesn't blow someone good somewhere. The world is a complicated place and I doubt that you could find anyone with which I disagree with every single attitude they have. But the more someone believes in fantasy, the less likely it is that I would vote for them. To put it another way -- the more likely it becomes that I would choose someone else.
My rainy evening clean-the-pantry soup success: basically chicken/veges, with a surprising flavor.
RichCC comments on Jan 30, 2020:
That looks very good. 😋 I especially like the Tapenade inclusion. It reminds me of Gazpacho. Maybe with some added V-8 or tomato juice and some garlic. And of course I wouldn't use chicken. Lol.
Are we afraid of religion?
RichCC comments on Jan 30, 2020:
I'm only afraid of religion from the standpoint of the things** *people* ** do in its name. In other words, God doesn't scare me at all --* **people** *very much do.
Now what was that you were saying about indoctrination...? 🤣
RichCC comments on Jan 29, 2020:
I don't instantly chuckle out loud all that often. But this got me. LMAO. 😂 I love the look on the child's face. They apparently understand QM better than I do.
What is the most sacreligious thing you have ever done?
RichCC comments on Jan 29, 2020:
This doesn't qualify as sacrilegious per se. And I was only indirectly involved. But long ago I had a roommate and separately a friend who were both LDS . The roommate's girlfriend would spend nights in his bedroom but the rule was they would always keep one foot on the floor. Lol. (I never pressed for an explanation.) They would go to Wed. night dances at the local church. One time a couple of girls we knew were curious and wanted to see it and to find out what Mormon girls were like. They practiced for days to be able to talk without accidentally shocking the sensibilities of the poor pristine Mormon girls. Everything was fine (but understandably slow) until they went to the girls' room for a break. They came back red-faced. They couldn't believe how dirty the religious girls talked when guys weren't listening. It was a huge eye-opening experience for both of them. 😎 I figure people, especially kids, are pretty much the same everywhere. The problems mostly come up when people try to apply their own expectations on others.
Why Religion Is Not Going Away and Science Will Not Destroy It
RichCC comments on Jan 26, 2020:
Sadly. True is True. As it is said -- people are born Agnostic or even Atheist. But unfortunately they are also born quite ignorant. It is in our natures to seek answers but if the answers aren't easy it's also in our natures to choose what we find -- even if it's questionable.
New ‘El Chapo’ Beer Readies for Release in Mexico | Food & Wine
RichCC comments on Jan 26, 2020:
What? Does his daughter need the money? She put out a clothing line and now a beer? She sounds aggressive enough that I'm not sure I'd want to be her business partner. I have an old baseball cap from CJ's in Billings Montana that promises free beer tomorrow but I've never managed to arrive on tomorrow to collect. 😎
Hell refuses to accept any more Catholic priests. [theonion.com]
RichCC comments on Jan 26, 2020:
They interviewed Satan himself? Cool. I hope they kept his phone number. I've never been much for praying to the bearded guy/gal but I might be willing to make a deal somewhere else if they offer good terms.😎
Hairy, pot-bellied men posing as mermaids are a hoot!
RichCC comments on Jan 25, 2020:
Years ago I spoke to a woman working at a bead shop ('The Bead Shoppe' ) in Ketchikan Alaska and she said that in the winter they spend a lot of time inside beading at night because the days outside are so short. I wonder if this is the Newfie equivalent. The link says their calendars raised $300,000 in the first year. I have to admit that beats sitting around killing time after dark. Ha, ha.😊
Thoughts on extraterrestrial life?
RichCC comments on Jan 22, 2020:
I don't know what to tell you. All the evidence I've seen I'd including my own experience (with my wife) 30 some odd years ago in our back yard in WA just as the sun was going down we both saw has been unconvincing. We both saw the same flying object. Even now our memories agree on some things -- it was Gray and absolutely silent and nobody in the local news reported it. But a lot of our memories differ -- I remember it only 50 or so feet overhead with a wingspan consistent with a very large bird -- my wife remembers it as being much larger and much higher. We've decided to let it go. Our experiences won't mean anything to anyone. When reliable evidence appears of true ufo sightings, extraterrestrial or not, we'll listen. 😊
Blowing bubbles [facebook.com]
RichCC comments on Jan 21, 2020:
That's hilarious. What could possibly be going through a dog's mind blowing bubbles with their nose in a water dish? Lol. 😍
Mechanically inept. Replaced a lamp on/off switch.
RichCC comments on Jan 19, 2020:
I call shenanigans. I doubt anybody who sews seriously could be mechanically inept. I think you're just inexperienced in some things. And that's not a bad thing. Likely it means you take care of your stuff so it doesn't break often and you don't have to spend a lot of time fixing it. The Sherlock Holmes character in his first story talked about trying to keep details he didn't need from cluttering his mind. You only attend to repair work when you have to.
Leftie Mishap 10,001.
RichCC comments on Jan 17, 2020:
I used to be right handed but nearly all of my MS symptoms are on that side so I've learned to do a lot of things with my left. I tell people I've become ambidextrous -- now I can be clumsy with either side. Lol I guess.
What about believing even if you know it is not true?
RichCC comments on Jan 17, 2020:
If it's a case of "I truly don't have enough evidence to make a decision" then fine -- do what you will. (Subject to the 'if it does no harm' caveat.) I personally think it's a shame when a person's ignorance has to be used to fool them into beneficial behavior as with the magical 'thinking' for bathing above. The people involved don't have all the knowledge. What if the river is contaminated? Making decisions in ignorance can work out -- even a broken clock is right twice a day. But it's not a desirable situation. We should always work to be as informed as possible.
Sounds like a plan to me. Stay at a Holiday Inn for retirement. [gritpost.com]
RichCC comments on Jan 15, 2020:
I've heard about groups getting floating city cruise ships. Lol. Supposedly they have periodic votes to decide the next destination. I'm not a cruise person but I can see how people would go for it.
Kentucky Christian School Expels Student For Eating Rainbow Birthday Cake | Michael Stone
RichCC comments on Jan 15, 2020:
They know that they can't defend 'Whitefield Academy’s beliefs' -- from school's head Bruce Jacobson's sent letter of expulsion -- so all they can do is try to isolate themselves from other views. Read that as "cover their ears and go 'la, la, la' as loud as they can". As others here have noted, the student is much better off elsewhere. I hope it isn't too much trouble to move.
Pope Francis assures atheists: You don’t have to believe in God to go to heaven | The Independent
RichCC comments on Jan 15, 2020:
Well isn't that special? I know I'll sleep better tonight. /snark
Do any of you think that a meaningful relationship can be acheived with a christian?
RichCC comments on Jan 13, 2020:
My parents were married 50 years and they had 4 children. 😍 He wasn't an out-right atheist -- he mostly didn't care. 🙂 She was a devout Mormon -- she taught at the Mesa temple and one of her sons was a bishop. 😐 We are an independent family and some subjects just didn't come up at our table. Lol.😎 It is possible but there is some effort and allowances are involved. I probably wouldn't have answered this post but I'm in the middle of a glass of brandy after dinner. Lol 😋
What if there was never religion in the world?
RichCC comments on Jan 9, 2020:
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. There's a big distance between where we are today mentality and having made all good decisions through time. I personally believe that bypassing all supernatural choices throughout history would have benefited us. But I have little confidence in our society to be able to make such a move -- at any level from organized religion to superstitions on down.
How to make school pizza! I think most people loved this in HS.
RichCC comments on Jan 9, 2020:
Thanks. Searching, I found a link to the same recipe where somebody tried it and made trivial text corrections like adding units to the flour and adding Italian sausage to the meat (the handwritten notes has it). And they added a couple of notes at the end. I don't eat meat myself but I'm looking forward to tweaking this a little for me and trying it. https://www.copymethat.com/r/APbH6QJ/school-pizza/
Let’s not use words like “whacky” and “bizarre” in describing the religious beliefs of ...
RichCC comments on Jan 6, 2020:
It's pretty pathetic. I've become convinced that you can't look too closely at any religion without losing the ability to accept it. That's one of my biggest beefs with theism -- the double standard. Science constantly examines its own conclusions in ever more excruciating detail and enforces correctness. If a conclusion is wrong, it must be fixed or thrown out. Theism(apologetics) works hard to keep its old stuff no matter how ridiculous it is.
Whoa, never considered this, please check for home dangers!: [facebook.com]
RichCC comments on Jan 5, 2020:
A couple of weeks ago I noticed a dog in bed without her collar. I found the collar hanging from some decorative scroll work under a table in the front room. Apparently she got stuck and the only way she could free herself was to slip the collar. Life is different when you're only two feet tall and have paws for hands. You have some good advice. I'm glad the dog didn't hurt herself.
Bad Apple and the Kindness of Strangers
RichCC comments on Jan 5, 2020:
One event comes to mind: A while back we got an opportunity both ways for some goodwill. We were visiting my brother's family at the Coconino county fair south of Flagstaff AZ. He was working a sheriff's booth at the fair so they were staying at the campground. On the way in we realized that we were in the wrong lane to get there so I asked the car in the other lane if they'd let us cut in front of them. They good naturedly said sure. When we got to the booth we went ahead and paid their parking fee. They were so surprised to find their parking paid for that they followed us all the way back to the campground to say thanks. That's the sort of way that we like to live our lives. People should constantly stay aware of the others around them. Opportunities constantly go by to do others good and there is no reason not to take them.
My daughter just turned me on to Bon Appetite Magazine’s YouTube channel Brad Leone ...
RichCC comments on Jan 4, 2020:
Thanks. I used to subscribe to *Bon Appetit* long ago (before the Internet) but it hadn't occurred to me to look for them online.
Many do not know that The Lord's Prayer reveals the true name of god.
RichCC comments on Jan 4, 2020:
That's like one of Dave Allen's standard jokes -- 'In the name of the father, the son, and into the hole he goes'. At ~5:15 of the video. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qj6XAvuRn4Q
Many do not know that The Lord's Prayer reveals the true name of god.
RichCC comments on Jan 4, 2020:
If English was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me.😎 This reminds me of the people that say that Moses parted the 'reed' sea. 'Red' sea was just misreading the text. Lol.😎 It only makes sense that blonde-blue-eyed Jesus would speak English. Nobody seemed to be able to directly document anything he said. It all had to be far beyond second hand.
Generally I just prefer vegetables to look like vegetables, and not like meat substitutes.
RichCC comments on Jan 3, 2020:
Thanks. I'll note the brand. I'm like you. The majority of meat substitutes I eat are because someone gives them to me. This Christmas one of our neighbors put an ad in an envelope in our mailbox for a local burger shop that now offers veggie burgers. We're sure that the neighbors were proud of themselves pointing out a treat for us to help us survive our perpetual rut. Ha,ha. 😂 They know we enjoy eating well. But they fundamentally don't understand what that means to us.😎
[yahoo.com] I have nothing to say. Unusual.
RichCC comments on Jan 3, 2020:
I admit I'm something of a nihilist being atheist and all. But I try not to be too depressed. This means 10% of the referenced people changed their behavior for a depressing nihilistic reason. 😔
How do you stop swearing?
RichCC comments on Jan 3, 2020:
I heard a Carlin interview (so long ago that I don't remember the specific words) where he described why he used colorful language in his routines. He said he did it carefully for emphasis. His wording was chosen purposely -- to communicate. Obscene language doesn't bother me at all. Ignorant language annoys me. People who swear constantly -- fucking this, fucking that -- because that's the best they can do to express themselves disappoint me and I have to admit they lose standing in my eyes. An exclamation reaction to a surprising or ironic event isn't necessarily improper. It depends on what you're trying to communicate and to whom.
Not a drinker, I made bread on New Year's Eve.
RichCC comments on Jan 1, 2020:
Wow. You almost called my standard bread recipe right on the screws. The only thing you left out was olive oil. There were some dough conditioner things missing too -- powdered milk and an egg -- but otherwise it matched just about perfect. Good job.😎
What are some of the things you can think of that were originally answered by religion that have ...
RichCC comments on Dec 30, 2019:
What about the other way? How many things are there that we used to think that we had a secular explanation for that we now know to be supernatural? We used to think it was natural. But now we know it's caused by that god over there or that rabbit's foot or that spell? How many -- exactly ZERO! Shout out to Greta Christina who wrote that idea where I read it.
What am I saying?
RichCC comments on Dec 29, 2019:
You're not allowed ** *not* ** to choose. As the ** *Rush* ** song lyric goes: 'If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice'. I'm technically an agnostic, but practically I'm an atheist. I won't claim anything to be certain but my experience makes me believe that the supernatural, including pretty much all human religions, is so poorly evidence supported that in practice I can comfortably treat it as false. If someone wants to bring me evidence to the contrary, I'll certainly pay attention. But until then, don't waste my or your time.
A gift by way of "The adventures of Tom Bombadil" by J.
RichCC comments on Dec 25, 2019:
I didn't vote in the poll because I didn't understand the question. Are you thinking about giving someone a copy of the poem as a gift? What sort of someone? I will say that Tom Bombadil is one of my favorite Tolkien characters. I was disappointed that they left him out of the last round of big movies. 🤔
Afterlife thoughts... Do you believe in an afterlife?
RichCC comments on Dec 22, 2019:
Ghosts would have to literally be perpetual motion machines. They don't eat. So where do they get the energy to do anything? -- even to be seen? If they are solar powered, why do they they tend to hang out in dark places?😎 Sorry but I don't believe in ghosts the same way I don't believe in the supernatural in general. If something is real, it's natural. The further you have to stretch to support something's natural reality, the less likely it is to exist. Ghosts -- and afterlife in general -- have so little objective evidence that they are quite a stretch.
Christmas dinners may be affected: Brussels sprouts block road.
RichCC comments on Dec 16, 2019:
Did you see Friday's '*xkcd*'? On the one hand, they're working on Brussels sprouts, but on the other hand -- it's a trap!! 😎 BTW... I like the newer less bitter taste.😊 https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/10/30/773457637/from-culinary-dud-to-stud-how-dutch-plant-breeders-built-our-brussels-sprouts-bo
The Man Who Slapped a Female Reporter’s Butt on TV is a Christian Youth Leader | Hemant Mehta | ...
RichCC comments on Dec 11, 2019:
Arrogant, insensitive to others and stupid -- sounds like a Christian to me. I hope they find some way to 'correct the situation' that he'll remember longer than the brag session he'll have during the next race since he's been banned. 🙁
Why We Need to Lose Religion to Save America
RichCC comments on Dec 11, 2019:
Faith based 'reasoning' has been creeping into America since before it was founded. Theists are relentless -- it's part of their nature. So we atheists have to keep fighting back just as determinedly. The more decisions get made because of beliefs rather than evidence, the worse it gets. An image from a comment at the link: Additional: I point out that the changes from the image relate back to the 1950s red scare. Fear is a big theist motivation.
Lesson learned: If your pup or cat will be having surgery, be proactive in getting an inflatable ...
RichCC comments on Dec 10, 2019:
I love it. We've used cones of shame three or four times over the years and this looks like a much better, and comfortable for the dog, alternative.
For all the hyper coffee addicts. Ever hear of Kopi Kuwat coffee?
RichCC comments on Dec 9, 2019:
Wow. So at some point someone decided to gather up civet poo and brew it in hot water to see what it tasted like. That's pretty weird. Here's a picture from the link. Eww.🤔
Jesus is a contrived alternate reality just like the obstructionist republican who make up ...
RichCC comments on Dec 8, 2019:
Add my vote to the Valerie Tarico fan club -- good stuff.
Here are 5 historical truths that suggest Jesus never existed
RichCC comments on Dec 8, 2019:
Valerie Tarico is one of my favorite writers and she often contributes to a relatively main stream (if left leaning) news site -- https://www.rawstory.com. I saw this there today. I love to see it.
When a man wants to show a woman how to do something. [facebook.com]
RichCC comments on Dec 7, 2019:
At least she was sensitive enough to not laugh at him. Ha, ha. Guys' egos bruise so easily. 😎
Why do people fall for stupid fads?
RichCC comments on Dec 4, 2019:
From the link: "*One practitioner, who calls herself Metaphysical Meagan, claims that perineum sunning can regulate hormones as well as sleep patterns.* *The man who plays Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe saw the Post story and decided to try it out.* " *** How dumb do you have to be to go for that idiocy? Did he really think he'd feel and sleep better with a tan asshole? Wow. Years ago one of my cousins convinced some eastern tourists on a northern AZ bus that they were lucky enough to watch the migration of the rare, white-faced buffalo. At least he thought he did. Even he wasn't sure they were ignorant enough to believe him. It's amazing what people will buy into. But then you see stories like this so often (assuming of course that the story is entirely legit, ha, ha).
This was put on Facebook by a very religious American friend. Who said Americans don't do irony ?
RichCC comments on Dec 2, 2019:
And read in the '** *Goat Herder's Guide To The Universe* **'.
So do not fear death for it is inevitable...
RichCC comments on Dec 2, 2019:
I'm trying to find out who *Sukanta Sarkar* is. So far I've discovered that they(he?) seem(s) to be from India (not too surprising given the name and the 'YourQuote. in' and your screen id). I did find a link to a collection of 'YourQuote. in' quotes including the one you posted. A lot of them look interesting. Thank you. https://www.yourquote.in/sukanta-sarkar-bcsh6/quotes
So do not fear death for it is inevitable...
RichCC comments on Dec 2, 2019:
There are lots of inevitable things I fear -- debt, pain, taxes, personal failure -- to name a few. Death is also on the list -- largely because it * **IS** * inevitable and I don't know much about what it's like to experience it. But that doesn't mean I won't live my life anyway. That part can't be avoided either and there's very little you can do to stop me.
Please keep your fingers crossed for me.
RichCC comments on Dec 1, 2019:
Most adoption mechanisms I'm familiar with are pretty much first-come-first-serve so I'd guess you have the advantage. Good luck.🤗
We are returning to Upton Sinclairs “The Jungle” times.
RichCC comments on Nov 26, 2019:
I've read about a lot of temporary vegans -- motivated by *The Jungle* but unable to stay with it so they went back to meat. It struck an emotional chord with them but they weren't able to keep their positions focused. There are a lot of potentially great ideas in our world (John Stuart Mill's *Utilitarianism* comes to mind) that I doubt we'll ever be mature enough to treat seriously. There are too many short-sighted selfish folks in this world who don't know enough to hold their immediate gratification needs in check -- they see no problem with overall destruction as long as they get the shiny objects in front of them now. I'm afraid the time won't be far away when they'll be forced to relearn their position. I just hope it won't be too late for all of us (as it already is for some).
One that I have yet to try. Has anyone else tried eating succulents?
RichCC comments on Nov 26, 2019:
I've eaten fried Prickly Pear cactus but I wasn't impressed. It was more trouble than it was worth to prepare and the texture wasn't firm. It gave the impression of being greasy without actual grease. And the flavor wasn't remarkable -- it was just eating a plant. For me it rated as a marginal novelty item. Afterwards I could say I tried it but I have no reason to bother again.
How many people are familiar with Plato's Republic?
RichCC comments on Nov 25, 2019:
Wikipedia -- Allegory Of The Cave https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_Cave I have to admit. I've seen it but never paid much attention to it. Here is the wiki take.
What do you agnostics think about "co-parenting", two people interested in parenthood but not ...
RichCC comments on Nov 25, 2019:
I wonder about @Jolanta 's suggestion. We've never had kids. The closest I've come was a Big Sisters / Big Brothers match for the last 15 years. But I have a close friend who was a career foster mother. I couldn't tell you how many fosters they had over the years. When they decided to retire, they adopted their last two and broke away. As far as I know it was extremely satisfying for them and her. BTW... They also have two daughters of their own. Additional: Fosters have a lot in common with adoptees or natural children. There is a lot of responsibility involved. Care including raising and medical support is of course a full-time commitment. The foster agency may give some help -- I don't know how much.
First day and I see many commonalities with Australian atheists but there are social, legal ...
RichCC comments on Nov 25, 2019:
Welcome. The closest I've been to Australia has been meeting people who were/are from there but I haven't been disappointed so far. I'll bet you meet my expectations. And I hope we live up to yours.
I had a friend whose life was in a state of chaos.
RichCC comments on Nov 24, 2019:
Thanks for the advice and the recommend. I've been a fan of the classic Greek Stoics for years -- Epictetus and Seneca and that lot. And that is one of their tenets -- if it's outside your control, it's not something you should worry about. A while ago i happened across a collection ostensibly of all Poe's tales but I hadn't downloaded it yet to my Kindle -- just now I did and *A Descent Into The Maelstrom* is included. It just got bumped to the top of the list and I'll read it next. Thank you.
Tom Hanks discovers he's related to Mister Rogers days before "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" ...
RichCC comments on Nov 24, 2019:
Free McFeely Rogers(not joking -- that's his name) graduated from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and was ordained a minister of the United Presbyterian Church in 1963. On the one hand, I appreciate the way he avoided overt religious messages on his show but he really was an unapologetic back-door promoter of the sky fairy fantasy. He said, "I went into television because I hated it so, and I thought there's some way of using this fabulous instrument to nurture those who would watch and listen".
A disorganized kitchen makes me cray.
RichCC comments on Nov 24, 2019:
I notice you properly alphabetize 'CDO' rather than the out of order 'OCD'. Good to see a fellow adherent. Lol.😎 Dried spices last a long time and accumulate and it can become a challenge to find the one you want. Ha, ha. We have one corner cupboard of our kitchen devoted floor-to-ceiling to mostly spices Lazy-Susans too. We can't take credit for it -- the property was a small assisted living place in a previous life. But we enjoy a lot of the convenience design features. The bedrooms are huge and have big windows because they were originally intended as semi-apartments. Good luck with the seizures. I have MS and fight the challenges too. I figure we all go through something eventually.
Such a cutie
RichCC comments on Nov 23, 2019:
I had an uncle whose dog answered to 'Dammit'. I never did learn the dog's previous name (if it had one). But it wasn't in that class for cute.😎
Why go to a pet-shop if it is free on the car wash? [youtube.com] [youtube.com]
RichCC comments on Nov 20, 2019:
That's amazing. I've never heard of a dog doing that before. 😎
Does religion do more harm than good?
RichCC comments on Nov 20, 2019:
Nobody sees themselves as evil. Theists try to do good and seem to usually think they are. And sometimes they're right. Two phrases come to mind -- '*It's an ill wind that doesn't blow good somewhere*' and '*even a broken clock is right twice a day*'. It's just a massive shame that there is so much ignorance and so many misguided goals wrapped up in the religion package. Their selfishness and mistakes undo so much of the intended and potential good they could do. It's terrible that the 'do more harm than good?' question even needs to be asked. (And of course theists think the same thing back at us. Mike Huckabee said Chick-fil-A shouldn't have surrendered to anti-Christian hate groups. Life is seldom simple.)
What does "Farm Style" mean to you?
RichCC comments on Nov 16, 2019:
We stopped at a Tillamook cheese plant SW of Portland once in the 90s. The thing that we both loved was the fresh curd. Ah, the days. 😍
I'm seriously considering fostering a senior dog.
RichCC comments on Nov 15, 2019:
Additional edit: What I wrote below is too negative. It ignored the two great years we had with Max. We still miss him. *** Remember to be patient (as if you didn't know). Our last older take-in dog was 13 and had arthritis and probably related incontinence problems. We spent some time cleaning up after him. It wasn't like it was his fault -- we're getting older too. All you can do is make allowances and remember that they're probably uncomfortable too. When it gets really bad is when they're so far off you have to take them in and let them go. When it becomes clear that they'll never be able to have fun again... Unfortunately that's our last memory of him -- he was in a lot of pain from his back. BTW... Good Job. Dogs to through it too and also need support. They don't know what is happening.
I watched the movie "The Game Changers" on Netflix today.
RichCC comments on Nov 15, 2019:
How big a change are we talking about? It was easy for us since we'd gradually drifted off meat for a long time previously. If they and you eat a lot of processed food, the first step is home cooking -- especially if you can get them to participate. 😎 Additional Edit: Also... One thing I've always been nervous about is nutrition -- especially for growing kids. Make sure to look around and make sure all your nutritional bases are covered. I've heard that with all the vitamins we take, Americans have the most expensive urine in the world. And I won't deny it. I take 7 pills a day because I don't trust myself to be able to avoid all unexpected deficiencies. Lol.😎
Largest U.S. Christian Charity Reportedly Donated $56.1 Million to Hate Groups
RichCC comments on Nov 15, 2019:
I agree with @Athena. Christianity is a hate group. Why else would you use your charitable money to promote divisiveness and discrimination? They're incapable of just doing good. They have to push their tribal agenda.
I serve people and during the holidays I always say happy holidays but yet some people get very ...
RichCC comments on Nov 15, 2019:
I wonder if they're intentionally putting their chips on their shoulders and going around looking for someone to hassle. The professionalism and inclusiveness of less specific phrases should be a better choice. But I'm not sure how or even whether it's worth explaining that to them.
What is the secret to preparing lentils to soften them for soups or for use in vegi burgers.
RichCC comments on Nov 15, 2019:
We got a small *Instant Pot* (the one we have is *IP-LUX60 V3* 6 quart). It's dirt simple to use, very versatile, and the stainless inner pot is dishwasher safe. I very much recommend it. The only function the little one seems to lack vs the bigger one is yogurt making. The small one fits better in our kitchen. I've pressure cooked split peas, lentils, chickpeas and red beans all in around a half hour without soaking. I've also made brown rice and sauteed tofu. It steams anything that will fit in it. And it also is a slow cooker. I know there's a lot of hype (it makes me cringe) but this is the most useful gadget we've got in the kitchen after the oven, microwave and fridge. Plus there are loads of free recipes on the web to explain how to fix just about anything you can think of.
Ohio Law Would Allow Students To Give Wrong Answers Because Of Religious Belief | Michael Stone
RichCC comments on Nov 14, 2019:
From the report: *Bottom line: The Ohio House has passed legislation that would allow students to give wrong answers and not be penalized if those wrong answers are based on the student’s “sincerely held religious belief.”* *** The kids will have a field day with this. They'll make a game of it trying to see how ridiculous their answers can be while still getting credit. I wonder what they'll have to do to prove 'sincerely held religious belief'. What a farce. Somebody has decided that education is useless and meaningless. 😥 Wow. What are their plans for their kids' futures? Are they waiting for the second coming of Jebus to end the world so nothing will matter? I've got news for them. Just like with all the other predictions over the last however many thousand years -- nobody's coming.
YUM !!! I really like this Alaskan Brewing pilot series Berry Sour Ale made with Cranberries! Very...
RichCC comments on Nov 13, 2019:
Many years ago my wife and I went exploring in SW British Columbia, CA. We came across a tiny local place in Sechelt called Gilligan's Pub that had a local ale from an even tinier local brewery. The ale was 'Orca' ('It was a Whale of a Beer' ) and they made it with a big dose of local blackberrys. It was delicious but it had so much edge that after one or two pints you'd start to get queasy. I still remember how much I loved their berry beer and I envy you yours -- enjoy one for me.
I was reading a post by a member about how hard it is to find love with another atheist because not ...
RichCC comments on Nov 13, 2019:
Not only with regards to atheism per se but with any semi-personal joke or comment. For years I would tell coworkers to never worry about hurting my feelings. I've always been more comfortable with forthright relationships. The time they should start to worry is when I stop joking with them because that means that I don't trust them. With people I've just met of course (as customers), I wouldn't have time to learn trust or gain theirs so I would tend to avoid personal comments. With customers if they asked that sort of question I'd play the professionalism card and not answer. If they wanted to make (likely correct) assumptions they could. For the love interest... I've been out of the game for a very long time. But all my life honesty has been one of my driving principals. If my positions were a problem for her, oh well. For both questions, I've never (that I know of) been forced to end a relationship that I was serious about. I always try not to hurt people, but I've never been driven to lie. (knock on wood.😎)
I’m curious about what you guys and gals to become vegetarian or vegan.
RichCC comments on Nov 13, 2019:
Our reasons are pretty much the same as yours. The meat economy involves a huge burden on our environment. We are threatening our own existence with our overpopulation and pollution problems and there is no reason to needlessly shorten our time by adding more than we have to. We don't have any children and we have been vegetarian for almost 20 years now. We've never regretted it.
Went to a humanist funeral yesterday and I was blown away.
RichCC comments on Nov 12, 2019:
Even my very Mormon mother used to say 'Funerals are for the living'. I'm very pleased that they honored her living friends apparently according to her desires. And let them honor her.
HOW CAN WE PUT A MORE POSITIVE SPIN ON OUR BRANDING??
RichCC comments on Nov 12, 2019:
That's not an easy question to answer. People have tried before (the word 'Bright' comes to mind if I remember one correctly). But of course people are wrapped up in their religions so they get defensive quickly. It involves fine judgement to be positive without looking smug and arrogant. I guess I'm glad I agree with so many comments below -- I don't care much what people think. I'll work against them if they try to impose their opinions on me and mine but that's as far as I'll take it.
Scary eye surgery yesterday.
RichCC comments on Nov 12, 2019:
Good Luck! 😍
Medical study proves validity of speaking in tongues - The Christian Post
RichCC comments on Nov 10, 2019:
So people's brains shut off while they speak in tongues? No wonder that churches like it. Lol.😎 From the article: *** Newberg shares the heart of his study: ...“[The test subject’s] scan showed that the frontal lobe, the part of the brain that controls language, was active when he prayed in English. But for the most part, it fell quiet when he prayed in tongues.” *** . For an anecdotal take, here is a funny video I saw recently of a preacher interrupted by his phone while practicing his patter.😎 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-2018470/Video-Hilarious-moment-preacher-checks-phone-speaking-tongues.html
Just found this cool website 😎 and it explains about atheist/ agnostic/ theist/ nostic.
RichCC comments on Nov 10, 2019:
That looks pretty good. I'm too tired to go through it in detail tonight but so far I like it. BTW... I hadn't noticed your picture-quote before. I like that too. Thank you.
On culture - fascinating, too brief since it's often counter-intuitive, but hopefully there will be ...
RichCC comments on Nov 8, 2019:
I hope there will be more in this vein too. For years I've wondered about the cultural ages and maturities of different religions. I've wondered about comparing the development of Christianity's social attitudes with older eastern religions as well as younger groups like Islam and much younger groups like Scientology and Mormonism. Thanks for the link.
Is secularism the same as atheism or is it part of atheism? [secularism.org.uk]
RichCC comments on Nov 7, 2019:
IMO... Secularism is orthogonal to atheism and religion -- the concepts should operate in different directions. For example the Constitution of the United States apparently intends to be a secular document. It prohibits governmental (its sphere) actions regarding religion -- both for religion and/or against. Issues come up of course when people disagree with that attitude -- as with the clergy answering for abuse allegations and with church privileges as with tax exemptions. Nobody says life is simple. Lol.😎, Additional: I looked at the article without noticing the organization. I agree. Thanks for the link -- it looks interesting.
SPIRITUAL.
RichCC comments on Nov 7, 2019:
And of course the word lends itself to a range interpretation. Lol. "I'm not very spiritual." . - or - "I'm so spiritual that my feet don't touch the ground when I walk." Sorry but I doubt you're going to find a useful definition let alone connotation. The word just has too many interpretations -- you'd end up repeating '*your*' choice in every conversation you have.
There's a big Sports Bar near me that has really good Bar Food.
RichCC comments on Nov 6, 2019:
I'm a big fan of honey food. My favorite bread to make is Honey/OliveOil/Whole Wheat. And I got a coleslaw recipe that I absolutely love from a honey cookbook. *** Honey Coleslaw 1/2 Cup Veganaise 1/3 Cup Honey 2 Tbsp. White Vinegar 1/2 Tsp. Salt 1/2 Tsp. Mustard Powder 1/2 Tsp. Celery Seeds 1/4 Tsp. Ground Pepper 1 Head of Cabbage, chopped Mix all ingredients except cabbage in a bowl. Put chopped cabbage in salad bowl and add sauce mixture to taste. Mix thoroughly and chill before serving
Anyone have a good veggy burger recipe?
RichCC comments on Nov 5, 2019:
Out of curiosity I looked up that seitan burger in the e-mag I mentioned below -- it looks pretty good. Sorry for the long post. It's from the article. And I only have the seitan burger here. There was also a black bean and ground oat recipe in the article. *** Making the Perfect Patty By Chef Jason Wyrick Are you on a quest for the perfect veggie burger, too?  Sometimes I feel like a grail knight, armed with my chef’s knife riding through fields of seitan, beans, oats, breadcrumbs, and a host of other ingredients, a juicy veggie burger emblazoned upon my shield.  Ok, now that’s a weird image, but if you love food, you probably identify with the sentiment. A good veggie burger not only has to taste great, it has to have the right texture.  Usually, veggie burgers fall short on the texture category.  Some of them are so mushy, they can’t even hold up in a sauté pan let alone on the grill.  Some are made of slabs of seitan and seem more like a thick piece of chewy stuff between two buns.  I’d rather have thick chewy stuff than mushy stuff for a burger, but neither are truly satisfying.  The Perfect Seitan Patty Seitan already has a meat‐like texture and when you grind it, it comes out very similar to ground round, perfect for making a burger.  It holds together well on the grill as well as in the pan and has the most classic burger feel to it.  Let’s start with the basic recipe. 2 cups of ground seitan 2 cups of cubed whole wheat bread, about 1” pieces ¼ cup of dark ale or water Place the seitan in your food processor.  If it comes in a large chunk, chop it a few times first.  Pulse the food processor a few times until you have ground seitan that’s about the texture of ground round.  If you pulse it too much and your seitan grind becomes very small, the burger patty will have a homogenous texture.  It will still be good, but not perfect and we are on a quest for the perfect veggie burger, after all!  Note that you can use several mock meat products instead of seitan, they just tend to me more expensive.  Most of the Gardein products work quite well and Trader Joe’s has Beef‐less Strips that have a great texture.  In fact, when looking at the mock meat ingredient, if you see some sort of pea or bean protein or mixed into the wheat gluten, chances are it will have the right texture.  That type of protein is what gives it that dense texture without becoming overly heavy.  The disadvantage is that you can’t modify the flavor too much, but you can if you make your own!  More on that later. Next, cube the bread, but don’t press to hard on the bread when you cut it.  The fluffier you can keep it, the more absorbent it is.  Pour the ale or water over the bread and ...
This is Beo ( let's see if anyone gets his name.
RichCC comments on Nov 5, 2019:
Beo-wolf? Your screen id and his appearance make that an obvious guess. He looks great. 👍
The question of the so-called "fine-tuning" of the universe and its basic constants is one of the ...
RichCC comments on Nov 5, 2019:
And how does adding a creator make things more likely? All that does is add a level(s?) of complexity. Now you have to explain where the creator came from then explain why they chose the tuning details that they did. Add it up and that addition makes it look even more unlikely to me.
Anyone have a good veggy burger recipe?
RichCC comments on Nov 5, 2019:
I can't remember ever being a fan of burgers so take my input with a grain of salt. But *Yummly.com* has different veggy burger recipes. Unfortunately I've never tried any of them. Also there used to be a really good semi-monthly online veggy cooking magazine that I think did a burger issue. I'm not sure their issues are findable any more but I'll look. If I can't find it online I could email you a pdf -- that's how they published. I'll look for it and get back to you. 😎
Fall mornings are getting chilly! I found Chelsea on the couch after her breakfast and asked "go ...
RichCC comments on Nov 4, 2019:
We have a rescue stray whose fur is similar. And she's always been compulsive about not being restrained. It took about two years for her to accept that this is now her home and we still have to watch carefully so she doesn't bolt out the gate for a run (it can take hours to get her back). She won't go under a blanket even when it's cold -- but recently she's become a cuddler. It seems to be warmer on the couch next to us than it is alone in her (even if she curls up) bed. Lol.😎 BTW... Beautiful dog.
I have been a big user of chickpeas and also like this talk on its growing use: [theatlantic.
RichCC comments on Nov 2, 2019:
I don't know what to tell you. I -- apparently like you -- love chickpeas. We've been vegetarian for almost 20 years now and chickpeas are a very versatile staple. 😎
Giordano Bruno -1548 -1600 was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, mathematician, poet, ...
RichCC comments on Nov 1, 2019:
It's been a long time since I visited Rome. Unfortunately I don't have a picture at Bruno's statue but only at the Campo de' Fiori market. I personally strongly avoid the word '*hate*' but this case meets my criteria. The Catholic treatment of Bruno in the Roman Inquisition was a horrifically cruel act and is a big example of why I *hate* their church. If Christians want to waste their lives worshipping a fantasy, I'll let them. But when they do things like nail somebody's mouth shut so they can't speak out while they're being tortured and burned to death, they've marked their group as deserving destruction. I have yet to see anything approaching the level of remorse it would take to redeem that sort of history and as far as I am concerned Catholicism is evil.
Here's my dog.
RichCC comments on Oct 31, 2019:
Sounds like a good guy to me. With him watching over you, you might turn out ok. 😎
Winter hiking survival. Your ideas?
RichCC comments on Oct 29, 2019:
Some times there isn't much you can do. A friend I worked with did Search & Rescue at the South Rim of the Canyon. One winter his ex-wife was riding alone in the hills W of Prescott, AZ, slipped off her horse and broke her leg before a very cold night. We never did figure out why she called him rather than emergency services -- under some circumstances it's hard to think clearly. They didn't find her until the next day but somehow the horse stayed with her and kept her through the night -- everybody's quite sure it saved her life. Even if you're experienced, all you can do is try to cover as many bases as you can and expect to be surprised anyway. It happens to everyone and '*nobody ever plans to have an accident*'. Just try to stay safe and have fun.
I had an interesting conversation today.
RichCC comments on Oct 29, 2019:
Life in our screwed up society I guess.
This has been one of my favorite (not taken by me) photos of dogs
RichCC comments on Oct 29, 2019:
Great picture. There's a lot to unpack -- the small customs dogs, the particular country flags, the intrusive (by human standards) check, and so on. From the size of the paws, I'm guessing young dogs. You could go on speculating for hours. Lol. 😊
This one is great!
RichCC comments on Oct 29, 2019:
Truly a(? ) party animal(s?). Love it. 😎 My question is whether they(? ) will get any of the beer -- ours don't get any at all.🙁
That is a happy dog
RichCC comments on Oct 26, 2019:
We have a brown-colored rescue that could be its twin right down to the ears and size except for the color. Lol. Love it. 😍
Anyone ever notice that the crucified Jesus is shown in pictures as being both nailed and also tied ...
RichCC comments on Oct 25, 2019:
I've read speculation that it may have been both because crucifixion is of course an extreme prejudice punishment so one of the executioners' goals would have been to make him live and suffer for as long a time as possible. Since the whole thing is just a fiction anyway, they could say anything they wanted. Maybe he was nailed to the cross with unicorn horns. Lol.🤔
I just started going to meetings (12 step recovery) and the higher power thing is kinda jamming me ...
RichCC comments on Oct 24, 2019:
Good luck! My father and grandfather each fought most of their lives. It sounds like you're serious and working forward and I wish I could help. 🤗
[yahoo.com] A woman learns she has cancer from a photo from a tourist attraction.
RichCC comments on Oct 23, 2019:
Pretty interesting. Here is a link to a news article of the same thing I think. I'm glad she caught it early. https://www.rawstory.com/2019/10/heat-cam-exhibit-alerts-tourist-to-breast-cancer/ It's amazing what can be seen with tools other than just our eyes. Here's an oldish music video of people being shocked by what they look like in UV. 😎 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o9BqrSAHbTc
OK, this has been bugging me for months now.
RichCC comments on Oct 23, 2019:
I don't know either but just out of curiosity I looked around and at the YouTube video there is a comment -- "*I'm trying to find it as well. I know it was also used in an episode of Toddlers & Tiaras.*" . You may already have seen it. I've never watched Toddlers & Tiaras and I don't know if my input is helpful or a distraction but I know they put out several compilation CDs of their show songs. If you wanted to put in the effort scanning the show or the CDs, maybe you'd get lucky. Edit: I linked to the YouTube video but it expanded it and took up too much room so I've taken it out.😎
Major luck for this guy wow happen during the last of the civil war
RichCC comments on Oct 21, 2019:
I'm not sure how I'd check the truth of the story but it's fascinating. https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/this-civil-war-vet-walked-around-with-a-bullet-in-his-face-for-31-years Woke up after the battle? Wow.😮 From the link: *Notice how he's wearing a Medal of Honor? It has nothing to do with the hole in his head. Miller was awarded the medal in recognition of his gallantry in the charge of a "volunteer storming party" on 22 May 1863. Pretty inspiring stuff.*
Believers' estimates of God's beliefs are more egocentric than estimates of other people's beliefs |...
RichCC comments on Oct 19, 2019:
It makes sense. People would like to assume universal knowledge -- but in the end what they really have is only themselves. From the abstract at the link: *The inherent ambiguity of God's beliefs on major issues and the extent to which religious texts may be open to interpretation and subjective evaluation, suggests not only strong egocentric biases when reasoning about God, but also that people may be consistently more egocentric when reasoning about God's beliefs than when reasoning about other people's beliefs.* ... *Indeed, it may seem particularly logical to use egocentric information when reasoning about God, because religious agents are generally presumed to hold true beliefs, and people generally presume that their own beliefs are true as well.*
Humanist T-shirt
RichCC comments on Oct 19, 2019:
I only saw 'Agnostic.com' shirts rather than 'Humanist.com' shirts under the 'Learn/Get a t-shirt' path. And I couldn't find shirts or a store under 'Learn' at the Humanist.com website. But of course as others have noted here, 'Humanist' and 'Humanism' shirts are available on the web.
Flood of hikers from Seattle on Eastern WA trails. I did something evil.
RichCC comments on Oct 17, 2019:
That was one thing that was frustrating for us about WA. I grew up on the edge of the Navajo reservation in northern AZ and was used to being able to drive 30 miles and be confident that there weren't any people around for 10 or 15 miles or so. In WA there were always people. One time in the 80s a bunch of us climbed to the Necklace Valley -- 2500 ft gain in the last 3 miles. And we met 22 hikers over the weekend including one group of 4 in a canvas tent drinking wine from bottles -- we didn't ask if they hired a helicopter to get up there, ha,ha, wow😯. WA is/was a great place but the outdoors gets/got far too much use for me. 😎

Photos

3
3 Like Show
3
3 Like Show
3
3 Like Show
4
4 Like Show
Agnostic, Atheist, Humanist, Secularist, Skeptic, Freethinker
Here for community
  • Level8 (66,282pts)
  • Posts282
  • Comments
      Replies
    1,503
    727
  • Followers 8
  • Fans 0
  • Following 3
  • Joined Dec 22nd, 2017
  • Last Visit Very recently
RichCC's Groups