Naughty, but happy .

NoPlanetB comments on Aug 30, 2019:

When I moved into this senior community the maintenance guy was telling me about a tenant that went to the post boxes in his boxers. "I told him, you can't do that. He said, no? and then laughed." I laughed and told him "Meh, boxers, shorts they're all the same. Maybe be glad we're all not running ...

Triphid replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@NoPlanetB Btw, for those who don't know Aussie slang, 'Wrinklies' IS a slang term for those of us upon whom time, gravity and age has wrought their works....LOL.

My religions professor is very adamant about convincing us atheists are just as religious as ...

PhillipWalker comments on Aug 24, 2019:

We can be adamant and opinionated about religion! But to be religious can also mean to worship and that doesn't apply to us.

Triphid replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@JeffMesser I have absolutely NOTHING against Hinduism, etc, some of their ideologies actually make sense whereas the Abrahamic ones, complete with their copious contradicts make about as much sense as pumping Petrol ( gasoline to Americans) onto a wildfire in the hope of extinguishing it. Many parts of the teachings of the Buddha are truly wonderful things for any person to ascribe to and try to live by, I like them immensely, but not so the blatant contradictory supposed teachings ascribed to in the Christian/Abrahamic systems of belief.

Naughty, but happy .

NoPlanetB comments on Aug 30, 2019:

When I moved into this senior community the maintenance guy was telling me about a tenant that went to the post boxes in his boxers. "I told him, you can't do that. He said, no? and then laughed." I laughed and told him "Meh, boxers, shorts they're all the same. Maybe be glad we're all not running ...

Triphid replies on Aug 30, 2019:

Aw, what the heck, 'wrinklies' or not just let it ALL hang out,, LOL,

Educated women don’t make good wives, according to Christian radio host.

Triphid comments on Aug 30, 2019:

And, in my honest opinion, Bible-bashing Xrstians, especially self-proclaimed Priests, make for extremely bigotted Radio Hosts.

Triphid replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@NoMagicCookie Do you have the hours it would take to actually sit and read the copious lines I'd need to sit here, type in and then send? Mate, I've been around this world and life for well over 60 years, I've always had my eyes and ears open, seen and heard very clearly and open-mindedly as possible BOTH sides of the story/stories and from all angles as well.

My religions professor is very adamant about convincing us atheists are just as religious as ...

PhillipWalker comments on Aug 24, 2019:

We can be adamant and opinionated about religion! But to be religious can also mean to worship and that doesn't apply to us.

Triphid replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@JeffMesser What, you want to see my 3 Degrees, Doctorates I may add, in Theology, Philosophy and Ancient and Dead Languages PLUS my 7 Bachelors Degrees as well. How about the other subjects that I'm also studying for Degrees in, do you want those as well? If that be so, then come to my home, you'd be welcome there that I can assure you of, and I'll ferret them out of the pile of papers, etc, that I have stashed them away in, then you CAN see them in PERSON.

Who is good with snake identification?

Triphid comments on Aug 30, 2019:

It resembles an Aussie Brown Snake, a Copperhead Brown Snake in particular, bloody nasty and very venomous. But I think I'm right in assuming that the photo was not taken in Australia so that can't be a Brown Snake UNLESS some idiot has illegally imported one to America.

Triphid replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@azzow2 Yrs, the smuggling of animals, etc, from other countries is a HUGE problem these days I agree, hopefully, IF it is Brown Snake you've shown in the photo then hope that it IS the only one over your way, Aussie Brown Snakes make your Rattlers look like average garden worms with their attitude, venom and dispositions, especially the Copperhead variety.

Despite us both being atheists, my roommate and I had a disagreement on the usage of the word ...

Triphid comments on Aug 29, 2019:

As a Trained and Practicing Mid-Wife, and YES I am a man also and a Straight one as well, I can safely state that new born babies have absolutely no knowledge of God/Gods or any other Deities what-so-ever. Al a baby is truly awe of, so to speak, is that they need feeding, nurturing and comfort ...

Triphid replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@TheMiddleWay Yes, I have seen over 164 babies I have helped to deliver express their discomfort by emerging from the womb which has a nice, comfortable ambient temp of around 37.2 degrees Celsius into a vast space that is at room temperature, less than that they had for most of the 40 weeks they were living in. They usually start crying from that uncomfortable temperature as well as the 'trauma' of being 'ejected' from the birth canal as well. Babies do have cognitive responses, they also begin to learn a lot faster than we told to believe, for example they CAN differentiate immediately as to who is their mother by her personal smell, her voice, by her individual heart beat and even by the actual feel of her skin upon theirs. The actual act of giving birth IS a marvelous thing BUT sadly demeaned and often dismissed by men quite often. That is why the old rule of fathers being disallowed from attending the birth was changed many years ago.

My religions professor is very adamant about convincing us atheists are just as religious as ...

PhillipWalker comments on Aug 24, 2019:

We can be adamant and opinionated about religion! But to be religious can also mean to worship and that doesn't apply to us.

Triphid replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@JeffMesser Well those are my personal opinions gained from well 50 years of life and over 7 years of studying for me ThD, a Doctorate in Theology and Comparative Modern Religions btw, And, in my opinion, should the Faithfools ( Followers of Xrstianity and any of the 3 main Abrahamic religions in particular) wish to deem us as Pagans/Heathens and the like then 'turn about is fair game' for does not their bible tell them, " What you give so shall you receive in return,"

Today I was thinking of of Sky Lab and all the debris that would have been left in space when it ...

Triphid comments on Aug 26, 2019:

That brings to mind a discussion I recently had with a few good friends where we posited that IF we removed the words God and Angels from the bible stories/tales and inserted such things as 'Extraterrestrial Commanders and their sub- commanders instead would that be a possibility that the ages old ...

Triphid replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@WonderWartHog99 Response to #1, Would so few people, in comparison to present populations in that or any similar areas have actually WASTED time and effort merely collecting animal for something OTHER than fires to keep warm and cook meals, etc? Response to #2, No I don't have capabilities to travel in either orbital or sub-orbital altitudes to draw anything almost as remotely accurate as the Piri Reis map was for time period in which it was first made. IMHO, your last comment, the last sentence actually, has simply gone from the sublime to the ridiculous and onto becoming not much more asinine sarcasm and as most people know, Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit and very last refuge of the arrogant, vain and egotistical, no offence intended.

Despite us both being atheists, my roommate and I had a disagreement on the usage of the word ...

Triphid comments on Aug 29, 2019:

As a Trained and Practicing Mid-Wife, and YES I am a man also and a Straight one as well, I can safely state that new born babies have absolutely no knowledge of God/Gods or any other Deities what-so-ever. Al a baby is truly awe of, so to speak, is that they need feeding, nurturing and comfort ...

Triphid replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@TheMiddleWay Well, for one example I have never EVER seen a new-born baby actually emerge from its mother praying or giving thanks for its safe arrival into this world to anyone, anything or God/Deity.

Despite us both being atheists, my roommate and I had a disagreement on the usage of the word ...

indirect76 comments on Aug 29, 2019:

Babies are born both athiest and agnostic. They are born not believing(atheist) and not knowing (agnostic) that god exists. This is how I use these words. Stop arguing over arbitrary labels and talk about the actual ideas.

Triphid replies on Aug 29, 2019:

@TheMiddleWay It IS the pedantry of some that produces discussions/debates such as this imho. We are what WE decide to be BUT there are those who seemingly WISH to place labels upon us simply for their means and ends to attempt to rationalize everything and everyone. I, personally, am an A-Theist in the true dictionary meaning of the word, ergo I live freely and happily WITHOUT any belief that a God/s or deities exist or have ever existed.

Despite us both being atheists, my roommate and I had a disagreement on the usage of the word ...

nastynifty comments on Aug 29, 2019:

Babies are born agnostic, not knowing. Atheist means to not believe in a god, and they can't have that belief unless given a choice. They have to have a concept of God to reject one.

Triphid replies on Aug 29, 2019:

Babies have no belief or knowledge of God therefore they ARE living A-Theistically according to accept dictionary meaning of Atheism. I have a photo of my daughter, a few hours old, giving her version of the Star Trek Vulcan Greeting/Salute so do that mean that she was born a Vulcan?

My big dog he knows if he taps on the kitchen window that I will sometimes give in and give him a ...

Triphid comments on Aug 29, 2019:

My Blue Heeler learned that by tapping on the back door each morning he could get his morning coffee and piece of toast, buttered and with Promite spread on it for his breakfast. Sadly, Charlie passed away in his sleep almost 3 years ago but his 'coffee bowl' and his toast plate are still kept in ...

Triphid replies on Aug 29, 2019:

@azzow2 Charlie used to somehow know when it was Sunday, ( Sunday being the day I'd go to the corner shop to get my Sunday Paper and then next door to the Fish and Chip Shop to get 'Sunday Lunch') he'd be at the back door at almost precisely 8,00am expecting to come inside, have his usual breakfast, then would wait in the bathroom as I had my shower and shaved and would look around the end of the shower curtain at me seemingly to make certain I wasn't just ' wasting time,' then, once I was dried and dressed he'd go into the rest of the house, collect up his leash while I put on my shoes, place the leash on my lap, then bring my wallet from the Dressing Table and place that into my hand before he stood patiently at the front door ready for us to leave. On returning home and off hi leash, he'd immediately collect his bowl, head out to the refrigerator and sit there, patiently waiting for bowl of Iced Coffee to prepared so he could drink it whilst shared my Fish and Chips lunch with me. Damn, my Sunday walks have been lonely trips since he passed away.

It’s been 14 months since my son died and the platitudes still piss me off.

Triphid comments on Aug 28, 2019:

My most sincere and honest condolences on the loss of your son AND I do know from personal experience what you are suffering. And , YES, I too feel that my daughter, Lorrae, is still around in 'essence' so to speak though I am not and never been one to believe in the ideology of the 'spirit' as per...

Triphid replies on Aug 29, 2019:

@FlyingEagle1952 As a Trained Nurse for many years I have seen patients die, sadly true, but it does happen. I was at the bedside of my 16 year old daughter, Lorrae, when she succumbed, after a year long battle with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and in neither cases have I seen either a soul/spirit, etc, depart the mortal remains nor even the light you've mentioned. 3 times have I been revived from death/near death and did NOT see any light, etc, UNTIL my eyes opened much later and I was still in the Land of the Living. So, until you can offer up irrefutable, empirical evidence that your woo-woo IS factual then I'll remain as I am, thank you.

It’s been 14 months since my son died and the platitudes still piss me off.

Triphid comments on Aug 28, 2019:

My most sincere and honest condolences on the loss of your son AND I do know from personal experience what you are suffering. And , YES, I too feel that my daughter, Lorrae, is still around in 'essence' so to speak though I am not and never been one to believe in the ideology of the 'spirit' as per...

Triphid replies on Aug 29, 2019:

@FlyingEagle1952 Sounds a wee bit like the usual religious woo-woo to me, so I'll leave those books OFF my reading list.

Today I was thinking of of Sky Lab and all the debris that would have been left in space when it ...

Triphid comments on Aug 26, 2019:

That brings to mind a discussion I recently had with a few good friends where we posited that IF we removed the words God and Angels from the bible stories/tales and inserted such things as 'Extraterrestrial Commanders and their sub- commanders instead would that be a possibility that the ages old ...

Triphid replies on Aug 29, 2019:

@WonderWartHog99 1, Desert living peoples normally gathered dried herd animal dung to use as fuel for heat and cooking fires since in deserts the availability of wood is almost ZERO. 2. Your attached link material, as well as yourself, STILL does not explain concisely HOW the map was drawn so perfectly accurate showing the outline of Antarctica, a then only ASSUME to exist continent, as if view from an altitude above and beyond the capabilities of man at that time since man was, at that time, simply earth 'bound' so to speak and was restricted to traveling the planet by surface transportation only.

Today I was thinking of of Sky Lab and all the debris that would have been left in space when it ...

Triphid comments on Aug 26, 2019:

That brings to mind a discussion I recently had with a few good friends where we posited that IF we removed the words God and Angels from the bible stories/tales and inserted such things as 'Extraterrestrial Commanders and their sub- commanders instead would that be a possibility that the ages old ...

Triphid replies on Aug 28, 2019:

@WonderWartHog99 The Chinese used a version of hot balloons in the mid 17th. century but they were unmanned and used only for celebrations, etc. As the article YOU so kindly attached states, " No hot air balloons or Extraterrestrials were needed to create those lines," ergo your own comment re- the Nazca peoples built primitive hot air balloons IS discredited. Plus, given that the Nazca region IS a very barren DESERT, as is most of the surround areas, then WHERE exactly would they have gotten the materials, such as wood for example, to build enough fires of sufficient heat output to inflate such large balloons needed to actually lift a person or persons of the ground and high enough to survey and direct the construction. Plus, re- the great Pretender, Columbus, stealing from other maps and Pirie Reiss having done the same with his globally accurate map, How could anyone have known the almost exact shape of both Australia and the Antarctic when neither were even heard of at that time? IF memory serves correct, the Dutch Seaman, Dirk Hartog first sighted ONLY a small area of the Western Australian coastline BEFORE Cook found the Eastern coast and charted it, Hartog is presumed to have arrived by accident in EARLY years of the 18th. Century, Cook in 1770, Bass and Flinders later mapped and charted the coast line of Australia on their expedition in the Tom Thumb boat and another seaman, named Van Diemen found what is now known as Tasmania and still Antarctica was just a mere supposition at the time. Sorry if my knowledge of History has discredited yours but, Hey, as they often say, " Shit happens."

Nothing says "respect my religion" like child murder...

VictoriaNotes comments on Aug 27, 2019:

Reminds me of this. https://youtu.be/Txp8LhL56rU

Triphid replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@VictoriaNotes My pleasure and enjoyment.

Today I was thinking of of Sky Lab and all the debris that would have been left in space when it ...

Triphid comments on Aug 26, 2019:

That brings to mind a discussion I recently had with a few good friends where we posited that IF we removed the words God and Angels from the bible stories/tales and inserted such things as 'Extraterrestrial Commanders and their sub- commanders instead would that be a possibility that the ages old ...

Triphid replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@WonderWartHog99 Er, hot air balloons WERE invented by the Montgolfier ( that may not be correct spelling btw) LONG AFTER the Indians created the Nazca lines, please check you history. By 'primitive' I mean those who lacked the means and devices available to the so-called 'civilized peoples of Europe, etc, such as metal hammers, etc. Yes, the ancient Mayans had a very accurate calendar but the ancient Egyptians also had a quite accurate calendar some 4,000+ plus years ago, one that measured the year out to 365 days for every 3 years plus an extra day every fourth year, the ancient Egyptian week was 10 days long with 3 weeks per month, 12 actual months per year and 4 Epinominal ( inauspicious) days spread out throughout each year and 5 each fourth year. They had 3 'seasons' per year, the season of the Inundation ( where the Nile would flood the lands), the season, after the Inundation, for planting and harvesting and the season of Seth/Set or the hot season, each season lasted for approximately 4 months. Our present calendar is primarily based upon the ancient Roman calendar, with a few adjustments by Gaius Julius Caesar firstly then by the Catholic Church, aka the Gregorian Calendar, but only by Pope Gregory to bring it in line to allow the supposed birth of Jesus to occur on December the 25th to suit the needs of the church and its teachings since, according to the ancient Roman calendar, the month of December was actually the 10th month NOT the 12th month as the church would have us believe, i.e. the Dec/Deci in December refers to the number 10 NOT the number 12. So, you are saying/implying that Pirie Reiss could, by some unknown/magical powers/reasons actually VIEW the entire globe, including as yet unknown and undiscovered lands, from an aspect/view point way beyond the limitations, the surface of the earth, at the time or the designers, etc, of the Nazca lines, etc, ACTUALLY had Hot Air Balloons AT LEAST 200+ years BEFORE they were invented? Where, exactly and precisely IS your empirically tried, tested and PROVEN EVIDENCE to support your assertions, I'd dearly love to see them?

Nothing says "respect my religion" like child murder...

VictoriaNotes comments on Aug 27, 2019:

Reminds me of this. https://youtu.be/Txp8LhL56rU

Triphid replies on Aug 27, 2019:

How very true and ever so poignant.

Nothing says "respect my religion" like child murder...

PhillipWalker comments on Aug 27, 2019:

This makes the Judaism, Christianity, and Islamic God a tyrant!

Triphid replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@NoPlanetB Simply because ALL tyrannical Despots DEMAND to be worshipped and that is yet another reason why I am an Atheist and proud to be so.

Nothing says "respect my religion" like child murder...

PhillipWalker comments on Aug 27, 2019:

This makes the Judaism, Christianity, and Islamic God a tyrant!

Triphid replies on Aug 27, 2019:

A bloody handed, cruel, inhumane, genocidal, misogynistic, egotistic, psychopathic, homicidal demanding Despot, that is truly what this Invisible, Imaginary God of the Faithfools is in my opinion.

I've been reading a series of books about the demons that had been held in Pandora's Box, and what ...

Triphid comments on Aug 26, 2019:

According to the legend/s numerous things were set free when Pandora's box was opened BUT the last thing that remained within the box was HOPE.

Triphid replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@slydr68 All the other 'escapees' were the evils/devils/demons that plague mankind BUT Hope was ' placed in the box,' according to 1 version of the legend, by Athena to help overcome the evils.

Today I was thinking of of Sky Lab and all the debris that would have been left in space when it ...

Triphid comments on Aug 26, 2019:

That brings to mind a discussion I recently had with a few good friends where we posited that IF we removed the words God and Angels from the bible stories/tales and inserted such things as 'Extraterrestrial Commanders and their sub- commanders instead would that be a possibility that the ages old ...

Triphid replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@WonderWartHog99 Well, considering that Flood (?) of Noah's Ark supposedly occurred some 4 to 6,000 years ago, according to the Goat-herders Guide to the Galaxy, and there were NO sewage drains around at the time then they couldn't have " backed up and overflowed" plus the water here on this planet is much of the same amount/volume as was here either before dinosaurs or whilst the dinosaurs were around hence there is nowhere near enough free flowing water available to inundate the ENTIRE planet to the depths as claimed by the Noah's Flood myth. I have read Daniken's books and yes he did make a few somewhat outlandish suggestions/comments BUT, How precisely do YOU explain the Pirie Reiss Map, drawn from a perspective that could only achieved, and include Australia and Antarctica, from an ALTITUDE of at least 500+ MILES above the earth's surface or the precise Nazca Lines and Designs that can only be seen at their finest from altitudes achievable ONLY by aircraft when such aircraft were not even dreamt of nor invented at those times AND done by the somewhat 'primitive' South American Indians? Perhaps, just perhaps, we, like elephants for example, do have a kind of Race Memory built into our genetic make-up and we choose to call it 'De ja Vou' because we don't really want admit that we share something with the animals we see as being lesser than we are?

Love that this image came up after entering "sanctimonious twatwaffle" in Dogpile search engine.

motrubl4u comments on Aug 26, 2019:

Orkin can't handle that. Call the someone who has access to napalm lol

Triphid replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@motrubl4u Those 'plasticised' people will most probably melt away with the heat of the initial nuclear blasts or simply go all crisp, stiff and crumble up from the ensuing cold once the atmosphere is blanketed with dust and debris for years, preppers will survive, if you can call it surviving, until their supplies run out or their air and water filtration units fail, the 'roaches will survive quite happily by devouring the dead carcasses first, then the rotting foodstuffs, etc, left behind whilst continuing on breeding as 'roaches do.

Where did you first learn about God?

Triphid comments on Aug 26, 2019:

Had my 'mother' try to hammer into me her God beliefs, beliefs that were somewhat brought out ONLY when she needed to use them or suited her best btw, she forced me to attend Sunday School, even though she very rarely attended church herself and ONLY when and IF she thought it was necessary to 'keep...

Triphid replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@GROG Well, with drought we are having the 'Hill is drier than a dead Nuns' Nasty, still getting bloody cold weather, especially cold in the evenings, most of the people are still as friendly as ever.

Today I was thinking of of Sky Lab and all the debris that would have been left in space when it ...

Triphid comments on Aug 26, 2019:

That brings to mind a discussion I recently had with a few good friends where we posited that IF we removed the words God and Angels from the bible stories/tales and inserted such things as 'Extraterrestrial Commanders and their sub- commanders instead would that be a possibility that the ages old ...

Triphid replies on Aug 26, 2019:

@WonderWartHog99, @azzow2 I remember when Erich Von Daniken once posited the same/similar idea and was ridiculed for doing so. Now , it seems, through studies of meteor fragments, etc, that the tables have truly been turned.

Today I was thinking of of Sky Lab and all the debris that would have been left in space when it ...

Triphid comments on Aug 26, 2019:

That brings to mind a discussion I recently had with a few good friends where we posited that IF we removed the words God and Angels from the bible stories/tales and inserted such things as 'Extraterrestrial Commanders and their sub- commanders instead would that be a possibility that the ages old ...

Triphid replies on Aug 26, 2019:

@WonderWartHog99 Make it A great flood, not the biblical inundation myth of a world-wide inundation and refer it to what would have happened when the last great Ice Age ended and it would be believable imho.

Love that this image came up after entering "sanctimonious twatwaffle" in Dogpile search engine.

motrubl4u comments on Aug 26, 2019:

Orkin can't handle that. Call the someone who has access to napalm lol

Triphid replies on Aug 26, 2019:

@WilliamCharles Sadly, science has shown that 'roaches' will mostly likely be the ONLY survivors of any Nuclear Episodes and they WILL continue to thrive long after humans, etc, are long dead and gone.

Everyone please welcome TimeoutForMe to our group, Welcome aboard friend, enjoy yourself and the ...

TimeOutForMe comments on Aug 26, 2019:

Thank you for your warm welcome 😊

Triphid replies on Aug 26, 2019:

No need for thanks, it was my pleasure to welcome you.

My religions professor is very adamant about convincing us atheists are just as religious as ...

Wurlitzer comments on Aug 23, 2019:

I’m positive this isn’t where your professor was going with it, but the tiny grain of truth from the above sentiment is this: There are multiple nontheistic religions that some atheists practice or participate in ritualistically. So there is such a thing as religious atheists, but atheism ...

Triphid replies on Aug 25, 2019:

@Wurlitzer But are not such things as Satanism, etc, merely religious type beliefs any way? Actual Atheists, in my 50+ years of existence as an Atheist holds to and has NO beliefs in anything remotely of a religious nature, no belief in an afterlife, heaven/hell or anything in between, we submit to no Supreme Being be it God, Satan or anything else. That is the TRUE meaning of the term and word Atheist.

My religions professor is very adamant about convincing us atheists are just as religious as ...

Wurlitzer comments on Aug 23, 2019:

I’m positive this isn’t where your professor was going with it, but the tiny grain of truth from the above sentiment is this: There are multiple nontheistic religions that some atheists practice or participate in ritualistically. So there is such a thing as religious atheists, but atheism ...

Triphid replies on Aug 24, 2019:

Though there may me some so-called Atheists that participate in those beliefs you have mentioned, there are, imo, far more Atheists, like myself for example, that HAVE and want NO religious beliefs what-so-ever since Atheism simply means by definition ' One who chooses/decides to live WITHOUT a God or any God like figure and the belief and worshipping of the same, etc." To Xrstianity ANYTHING NOT affiliated with their system/s of belief is dubbed as PAGAN or Heathen, to Islam, for example, they are dubbed as being Infidel. Each belief system HAS its very own 'label' for non-believers/atheists, etc, and they use it as regularly and readily as they possibly can merely to belittle, disparage, etc, those who do NOT share in their beliefs. So please, do NOT try 'lumping' ACTUAL Atheists in with the likes of other alternate forms of beliefs/religions, We, Atheists, ARE NOT by any means religious followers of ANYTHING.

My religions professor is very adamant about convincing us atheists are just as religious as ...

PhillipWalker comments on Aug 24, 2019:

We can be adamant and opinionated about religion! But to be religious can also mean to worship and that doesn't apply to us.

Triphid replies on Aug 24, 2019:

I disagree since Atheists do NOT necessarily worship anything,. Yes, we do follow and have a personal 'relationship' with Logic, Reasoning and Reality, etc, BUT, imho, that is by no means actually worshipping those things. To 'worship' in the true meaning of the word one first NEEDS an object/Idol/Icon upon/towards one must direct their 'worship' and adorations BUT atheists do NOT actually worship such things, Yes we see sciences, etc, as being something good and edifying BUT not exactly worshipful. Plus, the Faithfools like to lump Atheists in with Satanists and the like BUT that is their convenient way of doing things, there are great differences between Atheists and Satanists, etc, simply because Atheists, like myself, ARE those who ARE A- ( meaning simply) WITHOUT, and Theist ( meaning simply) a God/Gods, ergo Those who choose/decide to live WITHOUT a God/Gods or anything similar such as Satan, etc, etc. So, WHEN people finally stop thinking that Atheists are followers of alternate forms of belief, as per the propaganda fostered by the Religions, and realise that Atheists and Atheism IS NOT a system of belief/s then and only then will our detractors cease to 'bundle' us in with the Pagans/Heathens etc, that they have always falsely accused us of being.

Survey: Atheists, Jewish score highest on religion test [upi.com] via @upi

greyeyed123 comments on Aug 23, 2019:

The Pew survey also showed atheists have more general knowledge than various theists also. (Pew did this study several years ago that showed the same thing.) I found the quiz. I got 15/15 in less than 5 minutes. https://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/u-s-religious-knowledge-quiz/

Triphid replies on Aug 24, 2019:

@greyeyed123 Yes, I get into somewhat heated situations with Catholics when I try to tell them that although their beliefs say that the eating of human flesh is cannibalism and abhorrent they are actually committing pseudo-cannibalism via the taking of the sacrament, which, in my opinion IS nothing more than an overt act of feeding upon the flesh of another human being at best. Even better was when I told a very outspoken Catholic Vegan that by the transubstantiation claimed by the Catholic Church, etc, she was also being untrue to her vegetarian aims and beliefs. Boy, did that get her into quite a tizz and fits of open rage. Also, I often find that when my very 'devout' Evangelistic neighbor informs me that he is planning to have ANY pork based products for a meal that he too is breaking his 'faith' and the teachings as handed down by the mythical Jesus that Pork/the Flesh of the Swine IS a forbidden meat as is the flesh of ANY animal with a cloven hoof. His usual response is that, "It comes from the Old Testament, which NO longer applies since they now have a NEW Covenant with Jesus, the New Testament," to which I respond, " But that IS from the New Testament and was told to Peter via the Holy Spirit, read your bible and you WILL se that I am telling you the facts." Cherry-picking their way through their bible is the one thing that the Faithfools have made the finest of their 'arts' in my opinion and cognitive dissonance IS by far their best 'invention' ever.

How to stop men from picking up a precious wood sculpture?

daylily comments on Aug 24, 2019:

Many men unfortunately, seem to have poor manners in general. Even well meaning ones seem clueless sometimes. Just look at some of their comments, especially in regards to women. I digress. You either get certain things or you don't I guess. Women aren't immune from this either. In the defense of ...

Triphid replies on Aug 24, 2019:

@LiterateHiker At High School my Art Teacher always advised using a NON petroleum based oil to preserve and enhance wood sculptures since all woods contain their own oils naturally but the processes of harvesting wood, etc, usually result in the natural oils becoming lost from the wood. Thus by oiling the wood with a 100% naturally based oil you ARE replacing the oils the wood has lost.

How to stop men from picking up a precious wood sculpture?

daylily comments on Aug 24, 2019:

Many men unfortunately, seem to have poor manners in general. Even well meaning ones seem clueless sometimes. Just look at some of their comments, especially in regards to women. I digress. You either get certain things or you don't I guess. Women aren't immune from this either. In the defense of ...

Triphid replies on Aug 24, 2019:

@LiterateHiker Being made of wood it will dry out no matter where you put, since it is made from cedar I'd suggest that you try giving it a coating of either Linseed Oil or a vegetable based oil, let it soak in by placing it in warm place for a few hours after oiling it where the sunlight can drive the oil into the wood, repeat the treatment about every 12 months and the wood shouldn't even dry out and crack. I sometimes do wood sculpting using all kinds of wood and have found this method works better than clear varnish plus it helps to bring out the grain pattern in the wood as well.

Survey: Atheists, Jewish score highest on religion test [upi.com] via @upi

bobwjr comments on Aug 23, 2019:

Atheism as a religion WTF nonsense

Triphid replies on Aug 23, 2019:

One of the best definitions of Atheism I have ever heard is, " Atheism IS a personal Relationship with Reality."

Survey: Atheists, Jewish score highest on religion test [upi.com] via @upi

greyeyed123 comments on Aug 23, 2019:

The Pew survey also showed atheists have more general knowledge than various theists also. (Pew did this study several years ago that showed the same thing.) I found the quiz. I got 15/15 in less than 5 minutes. https://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/u-s-religious-knowledge-quiz/

Triphid replies on Aug 23, 2019:

!00% pass mark for this life-long Atheist as well. It'd be interesting to see how many of the Faithfools can make the grade, wouldn't it?

I thought this was interesting. It looks at humor in relationships. [distractify.com]

bobwjr comments on Aug 23, 2019:

Makes sense to me

Triphid replies on Aug 23, 2019:

@bobwjr Yeah, it seems to me that there are some out there with a sense of humour similar to a sun-dried dog turd these days.

I thought this was interesting. It looks at humor in relationships. [distractify.com]

bobwjr comments on Aug 23, 2019:

Makes sense to me

Triphid replies on Aug 23, 2019:

Yes, BUT first you need to find a partner with a sense of humour like yours and that isn't easy in my opinion.

It seems that Pauline "Pantsdown" Hanson has run afoul of the Twitter network and earned herself a ...

FrayedBear comments on Aug 23, 2019:

You mean Pauline or the person she said of - "An absolute idiot ratbag" back in 2016? https://m.facebook.com/paulinepantsdown666?refid=0=ts https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_Pantsdown

Triphid replies on Aug 23, 2019:

Yep, THE Pauline Hanson.

Today is the final day of the worst year of my life;it was one year ago on the 22nd of August that ...

Mofo1953 comments on Aug 21, 2019:

Life goes on my friend, time heals all wounds is not a cliche.

Triphid replies on Aug 22, 2019:

Time may heal the wounds but, sadly, the scars still remain and I know full well from personal experience, however, the good memories are the balm that ease the aches from those scars, hang onto those memories for they are yours and yours alone.

I will try to keep this brief.

A2Jennifer comments on Aug 20, 2019:

Do you “love” animals but only if their existence doesn’t impact your pocketbook

Triphid replies on Aug 22, 2019:

@Carin Human beings, like our close cousins, are omnivorous by evolution. Ergo, we eat BOTH meat and vegetables. The proteins obtained from the digestion of meats are the 'fuels' that helped the brains of the many species of Homo such as us, Homo Sapiens to evolve and develop to the extent that they are today, and that, IS a scientifically and medically PROVEN FACT.

I will try to keep this brief.

A2Jennifer comments on Aug 20, 2019:

Do you “love” animals but only if their existence doesn’t impact your pocketbook

Triphid replies on Aug 21, 2019:

@EyesThatSmile Some animals have bred as food sources for humans for thousands of years, humans need meat products in their digestion for a reason, BUT destroying the habitat of a species merely for Human greed is 100% wrong and we humans have been the main causative factors in extinctions of far too many species already, time to stop completely in my opinion.

Mountain Meadows Massacre 9) Mormonism's repressive ideas about human sexuality, including strict ...

libraryman comments on Aug 19, 2019:

Hello. I live in Salt Lake City and have for about 30 years. I'm quite familiar with your problem. Your summary of Mormonism pretty much says it all, so if that didn't convince your son then unfortunately he will have to learn the hard way. You, however did not mention the real purpose of the church...

Triphid replies on Aug 20, 2019:

Oh, I could tell some very true and 100% factual tales from the very inside of the Mormon ( Moron) faith that would really open up your eyes. Ones like; a) their shareholdings in corporations such as Coca-Cola Amatil yet they demand that Mormons deny themselves ANY drinks/substances that may contain caffeine, numerous Coffee trading Companies, certain Banking Corporations, etc, etc. I could go on for pages upon pages BUT I'll let you do your own research instead.

I remember my mother, a nominal catholic, occasionally explaining her lack of faith.

nogod4me comments on Aug 20, 2019:

**Most holy water contaminated with fecal matter: study** Austrian researchers have discovered that church fonts contain very high levels of bacteria and a majority of water samples from holy sources contain fecal matter. Experts from the Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology at the ...

Triphid replies on Aug 20, 2019:

As my father, a life-long Atheist, would so often say, " Holy water = bottled Priest piss."

Christian Hate-Preacher: Gay People Are Selfish Pedophiles Who Must Be Killed | Hemant Mehta | ...

VictoriaNotes comments on Jun 23, 2019:

It's disgusting that he and so many like him say that, and the way they go on and on with such vitriol makes me wonder if they have pedophile tendencies or are closeted homosexuals. He and the majority of Christians worship on Sunday, which is not the Sabbath day (Saturday). So, if he wants to ...

Triphid replies on Aug 19, 2019:

Then in that case should not these so-called 'devout' Faithfools be following Exodus 31:14 and putting to death any and ALL Preachers/Ministers, etc, because they ARE working on the Sabbath, i.e. the 'claim' to be working for God don't they and which ever way you want to look at it they ARE still working on the Sabbath. are they not?

Got my T shirt and pen!

Triphid comments on Aug 14, 2019:

Got mine and the pen earlier this month/week, just gave it its precursory wash and ready to wear it around town, regularly and PROUDLY, once the warmer sets in here, might even be lucky enough to get some inquiries about memberships as well going on the positive reactions I got from wearing the tee ...

Triphid replies on Aug 15, 2019:

@hippydog I make a point of wearing anything Atheistic/Agnostic in nature when I go to buy groceries or when I go into the main CBD of town where I live, then I am an 'in your face' type of Atheist and bloody proud to be one.

DC MD VA peeps. Happy hour get together posted in our group.

TomMcGiverin comments on Aug 14, 2019:

Wish something like that could happen in the Des Moines area on here, but we don't even have the critical mass to try it.

Triphid replies on Aug 14, 2019:

Shit, I'm the only member in my area on the site/group for well over 300 miles around.

DC MD VA peeps. Happy hour get together posted in our group.

St-Sinner comments on Aug 14, 2019:

Can you please post the link to the group?

Triphid replies on Aug 14, 2019:

@ArtzyNerd What is wrong with having others from outside your designate areas join in? Sounds pretty parochial the way you are setting it up.

Maybe one should explain to those Christians who praise god for surviving the recent massacres that ...

Seeker3CO comments on Aug 8, 2019:

Ask them why god didn't save those who died.

Triphid replies on Aug 11, 2019:

@Petter Actually, and as usual Hollywood got it all wrong, in ancient Rome it was Thumbs up = you live, Thumb drawn slowly across the throat= you die. It's a pity that Hollywood and the Faithfools NEVER bother to actually do REAL research BEFORE they make movies/write scripts, etc. But hey, IF they did that then the Faithfools would never be able to whine on about the persecutions of Xrstians by crucifixion in the Arenas that NEVER actually happened or even their beloved Jeebus getting 'nailed' to the cross when Romans only EVER tied the victims to the cross, NOT nailed them because 1) Iron nails were expensive to make, 2) Iron was used solely by the Legions for weapons and armour ( mostly armour for the elite Officer Classes, not for the ordinary Legionary Ranks), Iron rims for chariots, Pilum points, Ballista bolts, permanent bridges, city gates, gratings for torches, etc, and buildings of monuments, etc.

Well now, it seems that Prisoner 666, George Pell, convicted Catholic Cardinal and Paedophile is now...

PontifexMarximus comments on Aug 10, 2019:

Don't count on any judge really caring or having any feel of shame!

Triphid replies on Aug 10, 2019:

@PontifexMarximus As do 99% of the Politicians as well.

Huffpost has written an excellent series (three parts thus far) dealing with the problematic state ...

WilliamFleming comments on Aug 10, 2019:

I don’t think those religious schools are “paid for” by taxpayers. Rather they sometimes receive some indirect support from taxpayers through the voucher program. https://www.edchoice.org/school_choice_faqs/are-school-choice-programs-legal/ School vouchers can legally be used for ...

Triphid replies on Aug 10, 2019:

Well, here in Australia, religiously based, Private Schools receive fundings from the Taxpayer VIA the Government even though they still charge somewhat exorbitant rates and fees, etc, whilst Public School Education suffers from endless cuts in return. I attended, in the 60's -70's our local Public High School where we regularly had between 30-35 kids per class and when asked WHY we could have a Second High School the answer given was, " There is NOT enough Government Funds available," BUT the local Marists Brothers High School, with far less students per class, was receiving unbelievable funding grants regularly from the Government. We were being taught in classrooms that were cramped, over-heated in summer, freezing cold in winter, constructed from weatherboard and corrugated iron roofs whilst the Catholic Schools children were in brick constructed classrooms with less than 18 students per class, heated in winter and cooled in summer.

Well now, it seems that Prisoner 666, George Pell, convicted Catholic Cardinal and Paedophile is now...

PontifexMarximus comments on Aug 10, 2019:

Don't count on any judge really caring or having any feel of shame!

Triphid replies on Aug 10, 2019:

No mate, I'm not counting on that since, in my opinion, most of the influences on the 'Blind Lady of Justice' appear to come directly from the Churches anyway.

Now here is something worthy of comment:

Triphid comments on Aug 6, 2019:

More than likely there as many women out there who commit D.V. as there are men BUT men are often brought up to believe that they should either "take it like a man," or simply remain silent about it. We should TRY to remember that D.V. comes in as many forms as any other type of Abuse, i.e. ...

Triphid replies on Aug 10, 2019:

@FrayedBear If you'd ever tried her cooking, ( she was the perfect example of the definition of a "Fitter and Turner cook" as used by Shearers, i.e. could fit good food into a pot and turn it into shit) you would agree with me. One 'event' I remember quite well was her 'attempt' at making a beef stew, it actually resembled lumpy plaster that would be better used to fill holes in a wall, it so bad that even my 2 dogs simply refused to taste it.

Define Cult.... Define Religion.... Describe the differences:

St-Sinner comments on Aug 8, 2019:

All religions are cults with larger following. Christianity is a Jesus Cult, Islam is a Mahhamed Cult. Don't religions dare call smaller groups cults.

Triphid replies on Aug 8, 2019:

@DavidLaDeau ALL 3 basic Abrahamic Religious are merely Death based Cults in that they centre solely upon fate of the follower AFTER death and not so much on the way/manner in which the follower travels through life.

NZ giant parrot! not anthro but archeo - [bbc.com]

Triphid comments on Aug 8, 2019:

A bit like that ancient ancestor of the Aussie Kangaroo, stood around 3 metres high and was a scavenging carnivore/o,omnivore, built like a brick shit-house, I'd hate to meet one of those in a bad mood. Some of its descendants, the Red Kangaroo males, stand around 6-7 feet tall and have a very ...

Triphid replies on Aug 8, 2019:

@Allamanda Oh yes, very tasty meat, free of diseases despite what people think ( you only find 2 kinds of 'roo, the healthy and the dead, never those that are full of worms and other diseases) their meat is completely free of fatty tissue and high in iron as well.

Now here is something worthy of comment:

Triphid comments on Aug 6, 2019:

More than likely there as many women out there who commit D.V. as there are men BUT men are often brought up to believe that they should either "take it like a man," or simply remain silent about it. We should TRY to remember that D.V. comes in as many forms as any other type of Abuse, i.e. ...

Triphid replies on Aug 8, 2019:

@FrayedBear Pretty bloody close to it if you count whacking me across the lower back with a square-mouthed shovel. Plus her 'cooking' was bloody near enough to be declared as TOXIC as well.

Wreckage of WWII-era warship U.

Charlene comments on Aug 7, 2019:

The lost ship that carried the bomb destined for Hiroshima..torpedoed by a Japanese submarine, many of the survivors were lost to shark attacks and drowning..they weren't found for 6 days.

Triphid replies on Aug 8, 2019:

Yeah and the Captain got hung out to dry for following orders, the ship had NO escorts, no notifications were sent or given of its departure, arrival or subsequent departure from its port of unloading, SOS calls were sent out but totally ignored by the US Navy bases. The Captain committed suicide after the 'Kangaroo Court Martial' after enduring endless calls by anonymous callers threatening him and blaming him, etc, when he WAS complete innocent to say the least when he SHOULD have been exonerated. Typical American Military SNAFU in my opinion, i.e. blame the innocent NOT the guilty.

Apparently, Words With Friends is now another way in which some men attempt to hit on women.

yamaha45701 comments on Aug 6, 2019:

What? Do they spell out their desires one word at a time?

Triphid replies on Aug 6, 2019:

I suppose so are so bloody thick that it IS the only way they manage.

Boy did I recently learn this. My peace is way more valuable

Triphid comments on Aug 6, 2019:

Sadly and unfortunately, as the saying goes " Peace is cheap, but the REAL money is in Warfare and the selling of Armaments."

Triphid replies on Aug 6, 2019:

@Heidi68 But any peace can easily be shattered by anger, violence and warfare, etc, etc, can it not? That is why, in my opinion, WE should ALL be striving for Universal Peace as well as Inner Peace.

Mass shootings. Perhaps it's a societal issue like obesity and religion?

Triphid comments on Aug 6, 2019:

Yes, it CAN be bested BUT only IF Americans actually begin to realise that they do NOT need insane amounts of PERSONAL firearms and no longer need their insane Constitutional Amendment that ALLOWS them carry those firearms, buy automatic/semi-automatic/military style, etc, firearms everywhere they ...

Triphid replies on Aug 6, 2019:

@Veteran229 As well as guns, etc, our ADF have the vastness and sparseness of the inland on their side and we, from the outback, know it all very well, how to live in it, how to ambush from it and how to survive in it.

Mass shootings. Perhaps it's a societal issue like obesity and religion?

Triphid comments on Aug 6, 2019:

Yes, it CAN be bested BUT only IF Americans actually begin to realise that they do NOT need insane amounts of PERSONAL firearms and no longer need their insane Constitutional Amendment that ALLOWS them carry those firearms, buy automatic/semi-automatic/military style, etc, firearms everywhere they ...

Triphid replies on Aug 6, 2019:

@Veteran229 Yeah, the Yanks ALONE liberated Europe BUT only after the rest of it suffered and fought back since 1939 if I remember correctly and America made a fortune from its Lend-Lease Programme as well, didn't it?

Mass shootings. Perhaps it's a societal issue like obesity and religion?

Triphid comments on Aug 6, 2019:

Yes, it CAN be bested BUT only IF Americans actually begin to realise that they do NOT need insane amounts of PERSONAL firearms and no longer need their insane Constitutional Amendment that ALLOWS them carry those firearms, buy automatic/semi-automatic/military style, etc, firearms everywhere they ...

Triphid replies on Aug 6, 2019:

@Veteran229 The defense are THERE to repel any invasion of our country, that's what they are for are they not? But, invade Australia and you do so at your peril.

Boy did I recently learn this. My peace is way more valuable

Triphid comments on Aug 6, 2019:

Sadly and unfortunately, as the saying goes " Peace is cheap, but the REAL money is in Warfare and the selling of Armaments."

Triphid replies on Aug 6, 2019:

@Heidi68 No, I like and enjoy peace and non-violence, but it is none-the-less truethat there is far more money to earned with warfare and selling armaments than there is in Peace, unfortubately

Atheist friendly communities or countries

Triphid comments on Aug 5, 2019:

Even though we, here in Australia are, perhaps, stuck with a Happy Clappy, Jesus Chappy as Prime Minister for next 3 years, unless the Lib-Nationals have another of the hissy fits that is, we are still a country, for the most part, that is still quite okay with people NOT being religious, i.e. ...

Triphid replies on Aug 6, 2019:

@MrBeelzeebubbles Yeah, of late they ALL seem to have short shelf lives and even shorter 'expiry dates' considering the Libs have gone through 3 different Leaders in almost as many years and Labour isn't that far behind them. It's getting kind of like where we wake every morning and have ask, "Who is the P.M. today, " LOL.

Atheist friendly communities or countries

MrBeelzeebubbles comments on Aug 5, 2019:

Australia and New Zealand. The advantages of North America (wide open spaces, access to wilderness, good weather) with the advantages of Northern Europe (secular society, healthcare, sane gun laws).

Triphid replies on Aug 5, 2019:

You haven't seen 'wide open spaces until you have traveled in the Aussie Outback.

Why should agnostics/atheists hide this about themselves?

Marionville comments on Aug 3, 2019:

I have a feeling that you are alluding to a reply which I made in an earlier post, but I think you are completely distorting what I actually said. I did not say that atheists should be afraid to say that they don’t believe, what I did say was, that the workplace is not the place to have this ...

Triphid replies on Aug 5, 2019:

@Marionville Relieved is an understatement.

Why should agnostics/atheists hide this about themselves?

Marionville comments on Aug 3, 2019:

I have a feeling that you are alluding to a reply which I made in an earlier post, but I think you are completely distorting what I actually said. I did not say that atheists should be afraid to say that they don’t believe, what I did say was, that the workplace is not the place to have this ...

Triphid replies on Aug 5, 2019:

@Marionville Yes, I too have worked in such environs and have endured their religiosities time and time again and always found them so tediously repetitious. When I worked on the railways we had a very devout Catholic who DEMANDED that everyone should join him in prayer before and after lunch break and Morning Tea ( Smoko) plus listen while he read out bible passages to everyone. IF anyone left the room or failed to pray he would send letters of complaint to the railway hierarchy. We ended up nicknaming him "pigeon" ( short for Stool Pigeon) until, finally the Area Manager sent an order that NO Religious Services/Preaching/Prayers, etc, will be permitted in or around the Meal Room or the Workplace ever again. " Pigeon" immediately resigned from the job and we all ended up being able to eat and work in peace at last.

Why should agnostics/atheists hide this about themselves?

Marionville comments on Aug 3, 2019:

I have a feeling that you are alluding to a reply which I made in an earlier post, but I think you are completely distorting what I actually said. I did not say that atheists should be afraid to say that they don’t believe, what I did say was, that the workplace is not the place to have this ...

Triphid replies on Aug 3, 2019:

But the Faithfools seem to think and believe that IT IS their sole right to be in the faces of others when and wherever they see fit, SO, why shouldn't 'turn about be fair game?' After all, is not said that, "What is sauce for the Goose IS also sauce for the Gander?"

[thenewdaily.com.au] Another military boot in the plum job of King of Australia.

Triphid comments on Aug 2, 2019:

The PEOPLE of Australia SHOULD choose and ELECT whom ever THEY want as Governor-General, NOT the ruling Political Party and its leader. And WE should elect the Prime Minister separately in Federal Elections no matter which party wins government as well, that would, possibly, make for a more ...

Triphid replies on Aug 3, 2019:

@PontifexMarximus Well that may be so but imo it IS the way we need to go, we've under the thumbs of England and America for far to long, We need to become a Republic in our own right, our own way and start being a TRUE democracy under the original tenets of democracy, i.e. The Government of the People, BY the PEOPLE and FOR the PEOPLE, ALL the PEOPLE and not just the privileged few as it is now.

Throw Frydenburg and Liu out? [mobile.abc.net.au]

Triphid comments on Jul 31, 2019:

More dirty, under-handed tricks from the Masters of Dirty Deeds, aka the Liberal-National Party, in my opinion. Time for the People of Australia to stand up and be counted and DEMAND that the Election System be complete changed into a much fairer, decent and incorruptable one.

Triphid replies on Aug 1, 2019:

@FrayedBear I say it no matter where I am, who is listening, they ARE unfit to lead us.

Secular Churches Rethink Their Sales Pitch - The Atlantic

Triphid comments on Jul 30, 2019:

WTF is a Secular Church/Religion any way? Any system of Belief/Religion REQUIRES a Focal point/ subject upon which that system/belief MUST be founded and adhered to. Atheism, for example, is NOT a system of belief, it IS an understanding, given the complete LACK of tangible, empirical EVIDENCE ...

Triphid replies on Aug 1, 2019:

@Shouldbefishing Yes, stand up and be counted instead of 'hiding' behind names/terms associated directly with the thing you reject or are standing against. After all, a church is still a church no matter what you say it is or choose to call it in my opinion. Seek out something far better to call it, something that WILL grab the attention of those you seek to include, be bold.

American Kids Need Reality, Not Religious-Based Education

davknight comments on Jul 31, 2019:

It seems to me that American kids need an hour a day each, in history, geography, social studies, and civics. That would leave an hour a day for mathematics, and an hour of English. Forget PE. And make them learn cursive writing!

Triphid replies on Jul 31, 2019:

@WilliamFleming And, as a Teen I would ride my bike plus a home-made trailer filled with food, water and camping gear for often 30+ or more miles each possible weekend just for the sheer pleasure of camping out under the stars, watching the natural world as it behaved and the peace and quiet of nothing around me except birds, animals and the open outback landscapes.

Religions: Mutualists, commensals or parasites?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 24, 2019:

For the virus analogy to hold up you would have to think of the host and the virus as being distinct from each other, like two separate organisms. I’m not sure if that is correct because religion is a behavior pattern exhibited by most societies. They are so enmeshed as to be inseparable. You ...

Triphid replies on Jul 31, 2019:

@WilliamFleming I see being one with Nature not as being so in a ' spiritual way' but merely accepting and embracing that we ARE all one small part of the Natural World so to me there IS a difference.

American Kids Need Reality, Not Religious-Based Education

davknight comments on Jul 31, 2019:

It seems to me that American kids need an hour a day each, in history, geography, social studies, and civics. That would leave an hour a day for mathematics, and an hour of English. Forget PE. And make them learn cursive writing!

Triphid replies on Jul 31, 2019:

@WilliamFleming P.E. as in Physical Education is not everyone's 'cup of tea.' there are those of us who are NOT of a 'sports' mind but are more the studious minded, BUT P.H.E. as in Personal Health/Hygiene Education should be a big part of Education in my opinion.

Secular Churches Rethink Their Sales Pitch - The Atlantic

Triphid comments on Jul 30, 2019:

WTF is a Secular Church/Religion any way? Any system of Belief/Religion REQUIRES a Focal point/ subject upon which that system/belief MUST be founded and adhered to. Atheism, for example, is NOT a system of belief, it IS an understanding, given the complete LACK of tangible, empirical EVIDENCE ...

Triphid replies on Jul 31, 2019:

@Shouldbefishing Church, definition as per the Oxford English Dictionary, - Buildings for PUBLIC Christian Worship esp, according to ESTABLISHED RELIGIONS of countries, etc, etc, …………. Ergo, a CHURCH, by any other name is merely a place of worship and for the worshipping of a God/Gods/Deities. So, who or what do they worship in these 'Secular Churches' then?

Religions: Mutualists, commensals or parasites?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 24, 2019:

For the virus analogy to hold up you would have to think of the host and the virus as being distinct from each other, like two separate organisms. I’m not sure if that is correct because religion is a behavior pattern exhibited by most societies. They are so enmeshed as to be inseparable. You ...

Triphid replies on Jul 31, 2019:

@WilliamFleming It IS, perhaps you might like to try it.

Religions: Mutualists, commensals or parasites?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 24, 2019:

For the virus analogy to hold up you would have to think of the host and the virus as being distinct from each other, like two separate organisms. I’m not sure if that is correct because religion is a behavior pattern exhibited by most societies. They are so enmeshed as to be inseparable. You ...

Triphid replies on Jul 31, 2019:

@WilliamFleming I am and always have been an Atheist, I see both the beauty and savagery of nature, the joy and the sorrow of it, the pleasure and the pain as well. Ergo, I am ONE with Nature, I need no God/s, I need NO sense of Spiritualism for I AM Human, I AM a part of Nature in all its finest and its failings.

G'day there fellow Aussie Skeptics, it seems that I've been conscripted ( LOL) as Host of this fine ...

FrayedBear comments on Jul 29, 2019:

G'day. The rumours of my banning by a cabal of misandrists is true. I believe that having accomplished their distraction and destruction at least one has left the site. You can read a little about it in chronological order at "This announcement may bring delight or dismay.", "@Admin 1." and...

Triphid replies on Jul 31, 2019:

@FrayedBear They led you well and truly up the garden path there my friend. I have, somewhere amongst ALL my collections a copy of the U.N. International Bill of Human Rights where it STATES clearly that the Nation of Australia IS a co-signatory therefore IT MUST abide by them.

G'day there fellow Aussie Skeptics, it seems that I've been conscripted ( LOL) as Host of this fine ...

Doubting comments on Jul 31, 2019:

Morrison' rhetoric betrays someone with a cruel ideological bent. His prosperity gospel so called causes him to see welfare recipients, those who need help, as 'leaners', and undeserving. They're not 'having a go' and so he won't 'give them a go.' The Newstart allowance doesn't provide enough...

Triphid replies on Jul 31, 2019:

I agree 100% and it says a great deal about his ' Xstian Charity' Ideology, something which we all hear, quite monotonously, them preaching about, doesn't it.

Religions: Mutualists, commensals or parasites?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 24, 2019:

For the virus analogy to hold up you would have to think of the host and the virus as being distinct from each other, like two separate organisms. I’m not sure if that is correct because religion is a behavior pattern exhibited by most societies. They are so enmeshed as to be inseparable. You ...

Triphid replies on Jul 30, 2019:

@WilliamFleming Spirituality, as per the pseudo-religious definition, is, imho, STILL a religious ideology, after all " A rose by any other name would still smell the same" would it not? Individuality allows/permits one to actually THINK outside of the box/boxes, to speculate, delve and discover what may be truth and what is fiction there in is but one the differences between TRUE science and pseudo-science, for want of a better word. There IS a vast difference between so-called religious reality/realities and actual Reality and the "no Man's Land between them is where only the truly brave and Individual will dare to cross. When , imho, the thought/idea of God/Gods/Deities enter into ANY equation/idea/discovery that is where doubt and uncertainties begin to sow their seeds and those seeds grow not into useful plants but undesirable weeds/pests. Remove God/s Deities, etc, and let logic, reasoning, etc, do their thing and we no more have those weed pests infesting and hindering advancement because the God Concept is very much akin to telling a young child that presents/gifts he/she receives every Christmas come ONLY from a Magical, Invisible and Imaginary being called Santa Claus/Father Christmas, the child believes it for a time, then questions it and finally discovers the truth, often much to his/her shock and ensuing distrust of those who perpetrated the lie in the first place.

Religions: Mutualists, commensals or parasites?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 24, 2019:

For the virus analogy to hold up you would have to think of the host and the virus as being distinct from each other, like two separate organisms. I’m not sure if that is correct because religion is a behavior pattern exhibited by most societies. They are so enmeshed as to be inseparable. You ...

Triphid replies on Jul 30, 2019:

@WilliamFleming More often than NOT, there are those who see ONLY what they want to see as per their OWN deeply imbedded ideologies of perceptions, etc, and then there are those who seek, often endlessly to question and seek the answers despite those deeply imbedded ideologies as others would impose upon them. And, whilst the latter seek to drive human knowledge, understanding and comprehension FORWARD, it seem that the FORMER are set upon impeding/hindering such efforts. Speaking for myself here, I'd rather be one of Latter than one of the Former any day.

G'day there fellow Aussie Skeptics, it seems that I've been conscripted ( LOL) as Host of this fine ...

PontifexMarximus comments on Jul 29, 2019:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6vvpQEaRdk This says it all!

Triphid replies on Jul 30, 2019:

Yep, I agree with 90% of that BUT there are still some great things and people left out here in the far reaches of the Aussie Bush even though we are always dodging the political horse-shit that "dropeth like rain from the skies" and scraping off of the soles of our shoes, TRYING devise methods of distilling drinking water from either camel piss or rocking horse piss because the governments have let the Cotton and Rice Growers suck the Darling River drier than a Mormon Wedding and allowed Mining Companies to become Feudal Lords and force workers to work 12 hour shifts BUT hey, we still welcome visitors with open arms, we are still friendly people because ScumMO, the P.M. hasn't yet worked out how tax that as well.

G'day there fellow Aussie Skeptics, it seems that I've been conscripted ( LOL) as Host of this fine ...

FrayedBear comments on Jul 29, 2019:

G'day. The rumours of my banning by a cabal of misandrists is true. I believe that having accomplished their distraction and destruction at least one has left the site. You can read a little about it in chronological order at "This announcement may bring delight or dismay.", "@Admin 1." and...

Triphid replies on Jul 30, 2019:

I'm sorry I was conscripted into replacing you Mate, I'll most probably cop the same 'snowflake attack' somewhere along the line as you did simply because, like yourself, I to am, and always will be, a bloody, proud, outspoken, " Cop this young Harry," type of Aussie who, IN MY OPINION here, manages to tread on the sensitive toes of those who sees us Aussies as little more than " Rustic, Red-Necked Colonials from Downunder," something, btw, which we are most definitely NOT. I've dealt with the Hierarchy of Jingoism in the Facebook driven tiny, insular Universe before and beaten them so BEWARE Community Senate, there IS a NEW Tiger on the block and his teeth are sharp and he DOES bite back. Also, please send the those copies to me, my e-nail is Antitheistocrates@otlook.com I love to go through them especially to see IF and where the Senate has breached your Right to Free Speech as per the International Bill of Human Rights to which both Australia and the U.S. ARE signatory nations.

Author of Christian relationship guide says he has lost his faith | World news | The Guardian

motrubl4u comments on Jul 29, 2019:

Did he lose his faith or did he gain an IQ?

Triphid replies on Jul 29, 2019:

Nope, he " didn't fall from grace, " he just read his latest bank statement....LOL.

Religions: Mutualists, commensals or parasites?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 24, 2019:

For the virus analogy to hold up you would have to think of the host and the virus as being distinct from each other, like two separate organisms. I’m not sure if that is correct because religion is a behavior pattern exhibited by most societies. They are so enmeshed as to be inseparable. You ...

Triphid replies on Jul 29, 2019:

@WilliamFleming But true consciousness firstly requires a living, thinking entity BEFORE it can exist, does it not? Are stars ( Solar bodies) truly aware of what they are, what they do and what will become of them? Are planets also aware? Does a rock know that it IS a rock? Does a mere bead of perspiration know precisely what it is? We could continue to 'flog' this dead horse until the seas dry up and blow away BUT that dead horse will NEVER stand up and pull a cart again, I'm sure you will agree on that.

HOW DO CHRISTIANS EXPLAIN THEIR SUPREME GOD HAVING FLAWED CHARACTER TRAITS LIKE ANGER AND VIOLENCE?

Triphid comments on Jul 29, 2019:

Human kind creates/invents Supreme Deities/Gods, etc, by some rules in my opinion, not the opposite. Some of these 'rules' are as follows; 1) Create your Deity, allot it with ALL the traits of mankind, both good and bad but in EXTREMIS, then absolve it of ANY and ALL ...

Triphid replies on Jul 29, 2019:

@Dreamrider Nope, but you just may sown the seed of a book into my somewhat creative mind though.

Religions: Mutualists, commensals or parasites?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 24, 2019:

For the virus analogy to hold up you would have to think of the host and the virus as being distinct from each other, like two separate organisms. I’m not sure if that is correct because religion is a behavior pattern exhibited by most societies. They are so enmeshed as to be inseparable. You ...

Triphid replies on Jul 29, 2019:

@WilliamFleming Assuming/Hypothesising are one thing BUT asserting and proving it are two entirely different things, which, I'm sure you are aware of that fact. Almost everything within and about the Universe is chaotic in its own way, NOTHING, not even life is a complete certainty, i.e. a sperm MAY fertilize an Ovum BUT that does NOT meaning that the Ovum will always grow/develop to FULL term, a Star (Solar Body) may be born today somewhere in the vast Universe BUT it may suddenly explode or simply die away tomorrow or the next year so WHERE is the Great Intellect/Intelligence behind all of that? Where is the Great Intellect that allows 1 child to wither away from Starvation/Cancer or the like and yet allows another to thrive and grow old? Can you or Max Planck answer these and innumerable more question like this? In my opinion, NO, you and he cannot, you can merely offer up a mere Hypothesis, an Assumption to say the very least.

New Netflix series will expose secretive Christian group controlling Washington ...

Captain_Feelgood comments on Jul 24, 2019:

Secretive? The last pole I remember claimed 75% of the Country is Christian.

Triphid replies on Jul 29, 2019:

@Captain_Feelgood Personally speaking here, I tend to think that about at least 85% of these so-called, self-proclaimed Xstians are little more than Xstians of convenience, i.e. ONLY Xstians when and IF it suits their purposes.

Religions: Mutualists, commensals or parasites?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 24, 2019:

For the virus analogy to hold up you would have to think of the host and the virus as being distinct from each other, like two separate organisms. I’m not sure if that is correct because religion is a behavior pattern exhibited by most societies. They are so enmeshed as to be inseparable. You ...

Triphid replies on Jul 29, 2019:

@WilliamFleming So, and correct me IF I'm wrong here, but you are saying simply that the Universe exists due to the machinations of some, as yet undefined, undiscovered, Higher Intelligence/intellect. So where exactly is you empirical evidence for this Hypothesis, I'd be more than interested to see it, delve into and through it? At present you ARE only offering up a mere claim, just as does the Chapter1, Verse 1 of the Book of Genesis, i.e. " In the beginning there was the WORD and the word was with God...…." And, since ANY word is nothing more than the creation of vibrations traveling through a substance ( the atmosphere for example) and those vibrations ( compressions and expansions of the materials through which they travel btw) REQUIRE a SOURCE for those vibrations to occur and arise from in the first place ( simply easy scientific principle here btw). So, the onus of proving your claim now DOES truly lay upon you and those who have postulated it.

When religion conflicts with science it holds no credibility.

TristanNuvo comments on Jul 27, 2019:

For the most part I really don't care about the "beliefs" of others. As long as it doesn't impede their work or their contributions. I have a good deal of friends whom of which are "believers", yet do great work with helping others and not forcing their religion or other on them as well. In fact ...

Triphid replies on Jul 27, 2019:

@Bigel IF only these so-called, and often self-proclaimed Do Gooder Believers WOULD actually act as they preach, what a great and truly humanitarian world we would really have.

When religion conflicts with science it holds no credibility.

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 27, 2019:

“Bottom line (argument) that the human brain is more than chemical interactions. But my friend did a lot of drugs back in the hippie days.” What I would say is that I lean toward thinking that conscious awareness is more than chemical interactions in the brain. And I was never a hippie and ...

Triphid replies on Jul 27, 2019:

Technically, the brain is a mix of biochemical reactions and bio-electrical impulses but that is merely splitting hairs, so to speak. I tend to think it all depends upon what data is put into the brain as it develops throughout early childhood that influences its perception later in life. I.e. insert logic and Reasoning in childhood and later in life the brain sees things in a logical and reasoning manner, do the reverse and the brain sees what it has been programmed to see, not what is true and real.

This is what happens if you cut a jalapeno and forget to wash you hands before you go to the ...

Triphid comments on Jul 27, 2019:

Kind of like a guy I worked with on the Railways, a wee bit on the dumb side to say the least, BUT he complained for a week that his wife had put a total ban sexual intercourse for a month simply because he used Vick's Vaporub as a lubricant instead of the usual Vaseline one night. Shit, I'd be ...

Triphid replies on Jul 27, 2019:

@azzow2 Dumb IS an understatement here I think.

Not A True Atheist -- We mostly see this with Xtians, saying "you're not really atheist, you're just...

oldFloyd comments on Jul 27, 2019:

I'm fortunate enough to not have to interact with people of "faith" so their opinion actually means nothing to me unless they can back it up with facts.

Triphid replies on Jul 27, 2019:

Jeez, you're lucky my friend, just about everywhere else the Faithfools are like flies around a Dung Pile.

My relatives, when they find out I'm an atheist:. "Do you worship the devil?

St-Sinner comments on Jul 24, 2019:

What do they say after?

Triphid replies on Jul 27, 2019:

@StrongBow Thank you, much appreciated.

Religions: Mutualists, commensals or parasites?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 24, 2019:

For the virus analogy to hold up you would have to think of the host and the virus as being distinct from each other, like two separate organisms. I’m not sure if that is correct because religion is a behavior pattern exhibited by most societies. They are so enmeshed as to be inseparable. You ...

Triphid replies on Jul 27, 2019:

@WilliamFleming Firstly, it IS religions and their followers who make the claim that God/Gods exist yet they can never show empirical evidence in any shape nor form to support or prove that claim AND it IS a hard and fast rule that whom-so-ever makes a claim bears the onus of providing the proof/evidence to support that claim, i.e. Claim without evidence = logically means no claim, Secondly, Atheists, and here I speak for myself as is exactly what anyone can only truly do, I do NOT proselytize/preach or otherwise, nor do I hold/withhold belief nor attack those with differing opinions, I simply express my own thoughts and opinions which is the Right of everyone in a Civilised and Democratic Society.

New Netflix series will expose secretive Christian group controlling Washington ...

Captain_Feelgood comments on Jul 24, 2019:

Secretive? The last pole I remember claimed 75% of the Country is Christian.

Triphid replies on Jul 27, 2019:

@Captain_Feelgood I've never heard of nor met a 'secretive Xstian' before, they're usual an all out bloody annoying pest that insist on bending your ear and telling all about their Fabulously, Wonderful, Kind, Loving, Invisible, Imaginary God and his son who was in fact his own father and son all rolled into one. Shit, Xstians are much like bloody ants and flies at a picnic, they are everywhere, get rid of one or two and few dozen more come along to take their place.

My relatives, when they find out I'm an atheist:. "Do you worship the devil?

St-Sinner comments on Jul 24, 2019:

What do they say after?

Triphid replies on Jul 26, 2019:

@StrongBow Yep, I was and still am always proud of her but sadly, she lost her battle with Lymphoma in January, 2001. I was by her side 24/7 from diagnosis right through to the end, the very bitter end I might add.

New Netflix series will expose secretive Christian group controlling Washington ...

Captain_Feelgood comments on Jul 24, 2019:

Secretive? The last pole I remember claimed 75% of the Country is Christian.

Triphid replies on Jul 26, 2019:

Though 75% may be Christian, it IS the upper percentage Echelons that ARE the Political Puppeteers whilst the remainder are merely the obedient little religious Lap-Dogs.