I just finished reading; god is not great by Christopher Hitchens, it was an amazing book and I ...

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 23, 2018:

I loved The Hitch and miss him! I still enjoy watching him on youtube videos. An articulate, precision thinker who didn't suffer fools and took few prisoners!

In time for Halloween

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 23, 2018:

Cute; thanks!

A concept of a god.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 23, 2018:

Ah, this appeals to my residual, ancestral bit of "woo:" animism! Instead of seeing some god in nature, however, my animism sees nature itself - animals, trees, places, rocks, etc. - as alive and aware, therefore deserving of respect. My ancestors saw the world that way before converting to various "world" religions (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism), and the sensibility often survived alongside the new beliefs. I still find an emotional attraction to this, but my intellect says, "Well, hold on now!" So, I see it as poetic metaphor and enjoy the natural world for being just that: natural, wonder-filled and something of which I am a part.

How to reply when someone says 'have a blessed day'

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 23, 2018:

I cheerfully accept it as it is usually meant: not a theological statement, but a positive way of using a metaphor that reflects the well-wisher’s background or community. I can use all the well-wishers I can get!

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 21, 2018:

I know exactly where these are! Love the Huntington. Great place for an early morning walk, especially before they open to the general public.

"When you're chewing on life's gristle don't grumble give a whistle.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 21, 2018:

I love this film, and believe it is historically accurate ... Also, I plan to sing at my own crucifixion. Haven’t picked a song yet.

It's starting to feel like I'm being pushed away by my family and friends who are Christian since I ...

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 21, 2018:

Sadly, not at all! Some religious people are so convinced their beliefs are right, it”s “their way or the highway,” with no room for dissent or “agreeing to disagree.” Some go so far as to see unbelievers as evil. Luckily, not all think that way (Unitarians, for instance), and can be open to a good dialogue about what you think and why. Especially with family, however, being pushed away can be painful. A lot of us on this site have had similar experiences. Hopefully, you can find some way to find some mutual understanding with your family. In the meantime, many of us find some comfort and support in creating a “family of choice” with like-minded people.

Dave Brubeck "Blue Rondo ala Turk" from "Time Out" [youtube.com]

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 21, 2018:

I saw Brubeck perform in SoCal a couple of years before he passed. As the show began, I watched this group of elders walk across the stage, and wondered if this was going to be one of those performances based more on past reputation rather than current ability. Sheer agism! As they reached their instruments, the musicians straightened up and seemed to shed decades, playing with vigor and skill. First half was a tribute to Ellington, then on to Brubeck’s standards. A totally wonderful performance!

What would you consider "The meaning of life" to be?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 19, 2018:

I really think life is meaningless. As human beings, however, we can create ideas of meaning and give purposes to what we do.

I think I have found a new item to eat with eggs in the morning.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 19, 2018:

Ah, I grew up with these as part of my delicious cultural baggage! Very versatile: So many ways to make and serve them!

If your pet could talk, what would it say to you?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 18, 2018:

“Smash the state, before it’s too late.” Seriously. Anarcho-pets, I have ...

A man walked into a bar with a look of despondency on his face.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 17, 2018:

Silly. Loved it!

Believe me when I say.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 17, 2018:

Hey! I’m also an atheist and - as you can see - there’s a lot of us here. True, there are many other viewpoints expressed on this site, which makes for a lot of interesting conversations and occasional strife. The easily managed price of diversity, I figure. (A little diplomacy goes a long way!) I’ve checked out some specifically atheist sites, but have been disappointed so far ...

Halloweens coming!

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 17, 2018:

In combination with Dia de los Muertos, this is my favorite “mini-holiday season!”

FBI raids San Juan city offices weeks after Trump alleges corruption | TheHill

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 16, 2018:

I guess this is how it works now: The machinery of government is to be used to go after not only political enemies, but all who displease the Dear Leader. Welcome to the thugocracy.

50 years ago protesting inequality. Not much has changed. [m.youtube.com]

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 16, 2018:

Wow: I remember that moment! I was pretty young, but I was impressed. Powerful. (BTW: I’ve heard that they told the Australian medalist about what they planned to do, and he supported them.) Not only has not much changed in any meaningful way, but we seem to be going backwards.

Good morning from south Florida, where do you live?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 16, 2018:

Well, we were beginning to feel like fall here in Los Angeles, California, then the wind changed and sent hot air blasting in from the desert, raising us into 80-degree plus territory again.

Au contraire, flat earthers... you ARE idiots. [youtube.com]

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 15, 2018:

If the earth isn’t flat, then why aren’t the levels we buy at the hardware store slightly curved? Huh? The Conspiracy is yuge ...

Ever wish you could be the life of the party, the person everyone wants to get close to?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 15, 2018:

Sounds risky, and not only due to renegade philosophers and overly affectionate canines! Any mention of “energy” can bring out the Chopra/spirituality/pseudoscience crowd, which will start pontificating about “quantum” and other such things. (Am still looking for an effective deterrent for such people. Some kind of spray?)

Here's a mystery I've been trying to solve for a long time.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 15, 2018:

I think I’m in a similar place, philisophically. To my understanding, atheism is simply a rejection of the idea of a god or gods. For most folks, this is also a rejection of religion, as the religion(s) they know are based on belief in gods. Some religions, however, are Philosophically godless in some forms, such as Classical Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Many of us wrestle with the question of whether we reject supernaturalism in any form, including much of what’s called “spirituality.” I can’t say I positively “believe there are no gods,” rather that I am not in any way convinced that such beings exist either through any arguement or through what I observe in the world around me. My world doesn’t need gods, and works just fine without them!

What is "Compartmentalization" with regard to religion?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 13, 2018:

"Compartmentalization in religion?" Is that like when Jesus finally got his own room?

Everyone says their religion is the right one.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 13, 2018:

OK: Beyond the obvious (that we tend not to learn much after death ... ), the attitude that "my gods are the only ones" is a feature of monotheism. Polytheistic faiths tended to believe that it was natural for different peoples to have their own gods, and if your neighbors had a particularly intriguing one, it was OK to borrow it and add it to your own. Folks fought plenty of wars back then, but they didn't have what we think of as "religious wars." Those came with the dawn of the "world faiths" we know today.

"Who did you vote for?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 13, 2018:

Recently released pastor puts his hand on Trump's shoulder, invoking his deity and asking that Trump be "filled with wisdom." Cameras quickly cut away just before the President's head explodes ...

New here! Getting to know the site and how to use it. Just saying, "hello". ?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 13, 2018:

Welcome!

What is your opinion on this story: [npr.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 13, 2018:

Wow: You raise some big-ticket, important questions. I often see these "disconnects" in people's ideas and behavior, yet still am taken by surprise (maybe that's the optimist in me ...). People can be bad at "connecting the dots" in general, and more so if doing that forces you to see your own "internal contradictions," which I think most of us have. We have a huge capacity for cognitive dissonance, comfortably living with competing or contradictory ideas in our heads, and that probably saves us time and sanity with the little stuff. On these higher levels, however, it leads to hypocrisy, and blindness to our hypocrisy. That's why it's good to think and talk about this, especially as it affects how we treat each other, and also remember our values. (My folks were refugees, and growing up, I really wanted to fit in. Yet, I grew up in a very diverse area of East Los Angeles, so there were lots of models of how to live all around me. My lifelong takeaways are a tendency to look for what I have in common with people, including our issues and struggles, yet an appreciation of our differences, which give us a chance to learn from and teach each other, as well as build alliances.) Thanks for this.

White House Aides 'Hugely Embarrassed' By Trump's Lunch With Kanye: NYT Reporter

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 12, 2018:

There is a bizarre symmetry to the pair, like they belong together in some hellish way. I’d like to dump them on a desert island, maybe with a hidden camera in a coconut.

I got a text fundraising for republicans.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 12, 2018:

“Fuck off, please. :) “

Is the solution to "hate speech" more speech or less speech?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 12, 2018:

I think stupid, destructive and deceptive information thrives among audiences that have poor judgement. Poor judgement thrives in environments that limit experience and information. Access to more speech and information better equips people to be able to make up their own minds without a need to “protect” them. Once someone decides to protect me from dangerous ideas, its a short hike to censorship of unpopular ideas in general.

I tell my kid that his toy T-Rex says, "ROOOAAR.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 12, 2018:

A cheery, birdlike chirp? A soothing, musical humming sound? Or - my favorite - an insane, mad-scientist style cackling laughter ... The mind fairly reels.

We should name our hurricanes after politicians who claim climate change is a hoax.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 11, 2018:

How many “Hurricane Donalds” could we possibly have?

How do you feel about emojis and abbreviated words (like "u" instead of "you") in texts and emails?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 11, 2018:

I try to be flexible. As a communicator, my concern is: Am I making my point in a way that is understood by my audience, in a way appropriate to the medium. Works for texts to teenagers, articles in newspapers, or a speech at a convention. And, it all adds up to a greater vocabulary for me to use, a better “bag of tricks.”

Is anyone else grateful that the fashion for the word 'Bright' seems to be fading.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 11, 2018:

Yes, I’m glad its fading. I would never use the term, which I see as a rather weak attempt at public relations in the name of the a community that really needs to speak clearly about who we are, what we believe - and don’t - in the face of continued marginalization and purposeful misinterpretation.

Just wondering, about past experiences.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 11, 2018:

Ha! Maybe to them, being agnostic is not as bad as claiming atheism. It leaves some wiggle room for possible conversion. Christians have always been big on conversion!

I'm hoping that people here are more open minded than self described atheists.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 11, 2018:

Not understanding what the options are to being a “self-described” atheist (yes, the compound modifier takes a hyphen ...). Other people telling you what you believe? Staying “in the closet?” I’m an atheist because no one making claims that gods exist has been able to offer an ounce of evidence, and it’s not something I observe in the world around me. That’s it: to me the idea is just unconvincing. Also, you might be thinking of some anti-theists, who believe that religious ideas actually cause harm to individuals and society and so actively oppose religious thinking.

I've been on here a few days now & I LOVE IT! Such a great respit from the other mind numbing sites.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 11, 2018:

Welcome! I'm a newbie, too, and am enjoying the site immensely. In barely five days, I have made a friend, chatted with all kinds of folks on a wide variety of topics, and even pissed off a few fellow members (oh, well ...). I've learned that, even though we are using a common label of "agnostic," this is a very diverse community!

So this hurricane brings this question to mind.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 10, 2018:

You could Google “Hurricane Michael relief” or something like that. As another member already commented, organizations like the Red Cross will be there on the ground, and there should be opportunities to donate monetarily, or in-kind with canned food, blankets, pet food for people’s animals ... I’ve heard that for the larger organizations that already have the infrastructure and experience, stuff is less valuable than the money to pay for stuff. Good on you for caring!

Happy birthday to Thelonious Monk.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 10, 2018:

Thanks for this! I once lived in a garret in Oakland at the top of an old building that had been a speakeasy during Prohibition and, later, a jazz club. Word is, the Monk performed there!

Believers. I've noticed a few people state that they are believers in their profiles. Why come here?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 10, 2018:

Maybe here is where “believers” will discover that we are human, too, and not some charicature of evil as they might have been told. Or, maybe, by “believers,” they don’t mean theists, and are simply admitting to being gullible ... ?

Imagine you can only live in and travel one continent for the rest of your life.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 10, 2018:

I had to choose Asia because of it’s size and all of the many different cultures and culture zones there (even though I could argue for Eurasia: That Europe and Asia are geographically one entity). Am especially interested in Central, South and West Asia, because that’s where my paternal roots are, and I have “genetic relatives” in the Hindu Kush mountains and on the steppes of Kazakhstan!

I vote we replace Columbus day with Columbo day. Who's with me!?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 10, 2018:

Love it!

Today marks 28 years that I became a US citizen.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 9, 2018:

Congratulations! I’m the child of refugees, and the very first native-born American in my family. Ironically, I am now in the process of establishing the Polish citizenship I am entitled to in order to get European citizenship. Just in case ...

Look at this despicable antisemitic crap.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 9, 2018:

It just amazes me that these ridiculous, stupid and hateful old ideas still have traction. People want answers, and will embrace "answers" about life's problems that make them feel special, or better than others. They want to lay blame. What they don't want, or aren't equipped to tackle, are the complexities of their world and their situations. In a way, isn't this the flip side of a desire to blame or credit some god for what goes on in the world?

Can men and women be friends? [youtube.com]

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 9, 2018:

Definitely. I take friendship pretty seriously. My late father told me as a youth that one is lucky if one has a handful of real friends in life. That being said, I have, and have had, several close female friends, and they enrich my life in many ways, often our differences being a key factor in opening my eyes to new things and perspectives.

How many atheists here are musicians/artists

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 9, 2018:

"Folk" artist. I work in cut paper.

This morning on my way to work I hydroplaned and went into a tail spin.

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 9, 2018:

Firstly: Glad you're OK! I've been in a few tight spots like this. Some came and went quickly, almost making me put an emotional reaction on hold while some sort of sheer survival instinct kicked in. Once, as I realized I was safe again, it seemed like all the adrenaline in my body shot into circulation, and I shook like a leaf! But, it wasn't fear -- it was purely physical. The most interesting times were when I was exposed to life-threatening danger for an extended period, and was very aware of the danger and what could happen. In both cases, however, there was this hyper awareness: The "slow motion" and the "clarity" you mention. Never did I experience any big thoughts or abstractions about ultimate reality, meaning of life, prayer, etc. Quite the opposite: there was an incredible attention to detail that still leaves me with lasting memories, yet there were not necessarily details I consciously thought I should focus on. The stars in the sky; how warm or cold I felt; how wet grass smelled or salty ocean water tasted. Very immediate, very precise, yet not focused -- I was noticing a million things all at once. Strangely exhilarating ...

How did you become an Atheist/Agnostic.etc?

The-Krzyz comments on Oct 8, 2018:

It was part of my cultural baggage, being raised Catholic in a traditional, Polish Catholic family. Church on Sundays, and eight years in a Catholic school (a really good, progressive, humane one without any of the stereotypical abuses). As I reached the "age of reason," however, I began to think for myself, and also did some traveling to places with other cultures, plus had an older sister whose books on philosophy I borrowed. The old ideas just became unconvincing and nonsensical as my horizons broadened, and have remained so ever since. Boom!