I just blocked two people which is a rarity for me.

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 6, 2019:

So what if the man is jealous of lesbians? He displayed courage and honesty in expressing his feelings and was met with a barrage of demonizing and racist responses. I’d think that someone with truly liberal characteristics would have engaged in conversation. Nothing but paper liberals around ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 6, 2019:

@JimG @NoPlanetB He didn’t say that he hates lesbians, just that he’s jealous of them. It didn’t seem offensive to me. You can’t fix jealousy by spreading your own brand of hatred. And what about the racist responses? Is that ok? The guy feels pain and was open to discussion. He’s just a human like all of us. No worse.

Some food for thought: Peter Wessel Zapffe (1899–1990) viewed humans as a biological paradox.

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 5, 2019:

I strongly disagree with Zapffe on several points Whatever traits we humans have are natural and beneficial. IMO deep conscious awareness lends the keenest motivation to live well and survive. Through consciousness we can see and appreciate our existence in all its beauty and awe. ANYTHING that ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 6, 2019:

@mordant “There is also the problem of modern, urban, technological life and how it is out of step with the hunter-gatherer milieu we're adapted to via natural selection, and some other things in the mix.” I fully agree. I think one reason I’m alive today is because I refused to be pigeonholed into an office. I wanted to work outside, move around, be part of a team. And in retirement I have settled into a little isolated farm. There are some drawbacks of course.

What one book would you keep?

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 6, 2019:

Bhagavad Gita.

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 6, 2019:

@Lorajay Yes, in my next life I might know Sanskrit. :-) I’ve started reading books on my iPhone. It’s cheaper and requires no shelf space at all.

Some food for thought: Peter Wessel Zapffe (1899–1990) viewed humans as a biological paradox.

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 5, 2019:

I strongly disagree with Zapffe on several points Whatever traits we humans have are natural and beneficial. IMO deep conscious awareness lends the keenest motivation to live well and survive. Through consciousness we can see and appreciate our existence in all its beauty and awe. ANYTHING that ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 6, 2019:

@mordant I don’t know if this has anything to do with anything but Irish Setters are known to become depressed if they are separated from their owners. I witnessed it first hand and had to deal with it one time. A neighbor who has cows told me that if a calf dies the cows will hold a funeral—stand around the corpse in a circle and low pitifully. Maybe it’s a good thing they can’t understand what’s in store for their calves when they are sent to the slaughter house. You are probably right that we humans have more of the mental abilities that it takes to work ourselves up into a depression. It’s not really necessary IMO. As you say, a lot of it is learned helplessness.Some studies show that religious people tend to be happier. I’m not sure we can blame religion. For some reason depression is rampant in Norway, which is not a very religious country. https://www.newsinenglish.no/2009/10/06/depression-hits-half-the-population/ This reminds my of Albert Ellis, the famous psychiatrist who developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. He was an atheist for all of his life and was very strident about atheism until he was old. He mellowed out with age and started calling for tolerance for the religion of patients. He based that on empirical data.

Man Awarded $750K in Lawsuit After Suing Wife's Lover: 'I Believe in the Sanctity of Marriage'

Bobbyzen comments on Oct 5, 2019:

He sued under an old tort law that deems a wife to be property. I feel for him and he used a law at his disposal. But the law needs to be repealed.

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 6, 2019:

@LucyLoohoo Might turn out to be more like joy riding once he finds out what she’s really like. :-)

There is a difference between that statements, "I don't believe in god(s).

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 5, 2019:

IMO if a person were truly interested in whether or not there is a God they would be diligently searching, analyzing various god concepts, and looking at all available evidence with an open mind. If a person is merely sitting by idly, pretending to wait for someone to provide proof, then their mind ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 5, 2019:

@Gawd Absolutely!! Added. I love science and am forever reading popular books in science and trying to read online articles. I do think however that there is a limit to what science can tell us, and that scientific explanations are generally superficial. Scientists like to make mathematical models of observations. Those models are useful in understanding relationships and in predicting outcomes, but they don’t answer the elusive “why”. Maybe science of the future will have been expanded in such a way that the deeper questions of existence can be studied.

Answering the biggest question of all: why is there something rather than nothing?

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 5, 2019:

Maybe we can’t understand reality on a deep level because our perception is based on an artificial model of reality that is merely symbolic. We are accustomed to the symbols and never even think about them as other than real. Because of that, greater questions are meaningless and have no answers. ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 5, 2019:

@Remiforce Right!

Man Awarded $750K in Lawsuit After Suing Wife's Lover: 'I Believe in the Sanctity of Marriage'

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 5, 2019:

I see the makings for a cheap and tawdry novel. A husband and wife hatch a scam whereby the wife initiates an affair with some rich guy. They plan to sue for damages and split the money. Things get off course when the wife falls in love with the rich guy... Somebody take it from here.

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 5, 2019:

@LucyLoohoo The sister of the dead man smells a rat and initiates a years long campaign to bring justice. There is a prolonged cat and mouse game involving police and private detectives. There are car chases, crash scenes. The sister is targeted for assassination but her brother’s ghost tips her off.

Man Awarded $750K in Lawsuit After Suing Wife's Lover: 'I Believe in the Sanctity of Marriage'

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 5, 2019:

I see the makings for a cheap and tawdry novel. A husband and wife hatch a scam whereby the wife initiates an affair with some rich guy. They plan to sue for damages and split the money. Things get off course when the wife falls in love with the rich guy... Somebody take it from here.

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 5, 2019:

@LucyLoohoo Ooh, bad stuff!

It's Jesus that deserves the credit.

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 4, 2019:

76% of medical doctors report a belief in God. https://www.mdmag.com/physicians-money-digest/contributor/heidi-moawad-md/2016/10/surprising-results-about-physicians-belief-in-god

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 5, 2019:

@Azatheist I don’t think so. I believe it was a professional survey by a university.

Religious art can certainly be dreary and, ironically, uninspired (so much of "Christian rock, for ...

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 5, 2019:

Expressions of art are beautiful, meaningful and uplifting, but only to those who have been immersed in a piece’s particular symbolism. As a child I was immersed in classical music because my sister was taking piano lessons, and I immersed myself into country music by listening to the radio. As a ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 5, 2019:

@skado I wish I could have seen him live. I read that he has died.

It's Jesus that deserves the credit.

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 4, 2019:

76% of medical doctors report a belief in God. https://www.mdmag.com/physicians-money-digest/contributor/heidi-moawad-md/2016/10/surprising-results-about-physicians-belief-in-god

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 5, 2019:

@Gawd I guess my point is that a lot of doctors would not be the least bit offended if a patient thanked God for recovery. The doctors would be saying the same prayers. Some surgeons no doubt pray for guidance before doing an operation.

Religious art can certainly be dreary and, ironically, uninspired (so much of "Christian rock, for ...

AnneWimsey comments on Oct 5, 2019:

Because songs about cheating & drinking are so religious? In those documentary bits, the narrator pays lip service to "gospel" but the featured songs, and the lives of their performers, are anything but.....

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 5, 2019:

Here’s a great gospel song just for you, for your religious instruction. It was posted earlier by Skado. https://youtu.be/XLwtqwnI6ko

Answering the biggest question of all: why is there something rather than nothing?

EduardoVallejo comments on Oct 5, 2019:

All "why" questions require a "what" answer. Your attempted explanation merely reveals that. You couldn't have chosen a better person to seek explanation, by the way, Feynman was absolutely brilliant, as is displayed in the video. One issue you might consider further is that you seem to be locked...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 5, 2019:

I disagree. The post is not an attempt to sell a religious conviction. It is the airing of a stimulating question in order to prompt discussion. What is not welcome to me is an attempt to stifle discourse.

It's Jesus that deserves the credit.

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 4, 2019:

76% of medical doctors report a belief in God. https://www.mdmag.com/physicians-money-digest/contributor/heidi-moawad-md/2016/10/surprising-results-about-physicians-belief-in-god

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@LenHazell53 Here’s a more recent study: 65% https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/27071796/#fft Where did you get the information about most of the doctors working in church hospitals?

God works in mysterious ways...

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 3, 2019:

Very odd. How is it that a couple of coils of DNA all curled up, lying in cells can control the development of an organism? It seems analogous to a set of building plans all rolled up in a construction shack. The building doesn’t build itself. Someone has to interpret the plans and perform ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Geoffrey51 More likely the scientific community is howling in derision. He’s still around I believe. I read *The Science Delusion* from 2012 and he has a newer book on spirituality. He is highly qualified in biology and he can write what he really thinks since he is not associated with academia. I doubt Fernapple would approve of such far-out ideas—I was sort of needling her. I ought to be ashamed of myself. :-(

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

ZantiMisfit comments on Oct 4, 2019:

I think everyone's idea of happiness changes over time, depending on what phase of life they're in. But your example of advertising and consumerism made me think of a line from *Walden*, "A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Fernapple Everyone is all for civil disobedience in support of their own opinions. Civil disobedience in support of things to which I object—that is nothing but hooliganism.

The secret of happiness is often said to be many things, such as living in the moment, awareness, ...

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 4, 2019:

Yes, I think you are on to something here. Our default state is joy, but we are not aware of that joy if our minds are swirling around a bunch of semi-lies propagated by those who want us to be fearful or stressed. That would be politicians, advertisers, news people, church leaders, even family ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Fernapple Good point. I’m only 76 myself. Perhaps some day I’ll be happy as a lark. :-)

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Fernapple Good question. Thanks. I like you too

Is right and wrong relative or fixed (absolute)?

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 3, 2019:

In a few dire situations I think that torture would give the best outcome. One person might suffer, but in turn many lives might be saved. We have evolved to help each other survive, especially those in our groups. From the viewpoint of nature, God, or whatever you want to call ultimate reality, ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Wallace I’ll think on it. You make a good point.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Fernapple Oh, but I never make supernatural claims—there’s no such thing as the supernatural. Whatever is—whatever happens—it is always just an expression of nature. We are in total agreement on that. However, I personally would put more value on the opinions of people like Planck, Schrodinger, Eddington, Bohm with his implicit order, Wheeler with his participatory universe and Hoffman with conscious realism than I would on opinions of ANY of your new atheists spouting their ridiculous nonsense. Those folks are wearing blindfolds. What they say might not be false, but they are blind to the implications of existence. They attack a straw man.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Joanne I was quoting someone else. I agree that belief is not necessary, or even desirable. Scientists don’t usually speak of belief regarding their theories and laws. They are only interested in evidence and logic. On the other hand, highly intelligent people absolutely love to discuss and speculate about metaphysical ideas. Sometimes those ideas are developed into real science. James Clerk Maxwell: “It has been asserted that metaphysical speculation is a thing of the past, and that physical science has extirpated it. The discussion of the categories of existence, however, does not appear to be in danger of coming to an end in our time, and the exercise of speculation continues as fascinating to every fresh mind as it was in the days of Thales.”

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Fernapple I hate to be such a nag but IMO deep conscious awareness is the one thing that **can** be construed as having meaning on a cosmic scale. Universal Consciousness: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-consciousness-universal/ http://jcer.com/index.php/jcj/article/view/565 https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/600900 https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/mach/amp/ncna772956 https://bigthink.com/the-universe-may-be-conscious-prominent-scientists-state-2604506953.amp.html https://www.ecstadelic.net/top-stories/the-unified-field-and-the-quantum-nature-of-consciousness? “Lest the idea of a unitary, group, or universal mind be dismissed as new-age woo-woo, we should note that some of the most distinguished scientists of the 20th century have endorsed this perspective. The renowned physicist David Bohm said, "Each person enfolds something of the spirit of the other in his consciousness. Deep down the consciousness of mankind is one. This is a virtual certainty... and if we don't see this it's because we are blinding ourselves to it." Anthropologist and psychologist Gregory Bateson: "The individual mind is immanent but not only in the body. It is immanent also in the pathways and messages outside the body; and there is a larger Mind of which the individual mind is only a sub-system..." Physicist Henry Margenau: "There is a physical reality that is in essence the same for all... [This] oneness of the all implies the universality of mind... If my conclusions are correct, each individual is part of God or part of the Universal Mind." Nobel physicist Erwin Schrodinger also believed that minds are united and one. He said, "To divide or multiply consciousness is something meaningless. There is obviously only one alternative, namely the unification of minds or consciousness... [I]n truth there is only one mind." https://www.huffpost.com/entry/spiritual-living-is-techn_n_600900

God works in mysterious ways...

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 3, 2019:

Very odd. How is it that a couple of coils of DNA all curled up, lying in cells can control the development of an organism? It seems analogous to a set of building plans all rolled up in a construction shack. The building doesn’t build itself. Someone has to interpret the plans and perform ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 4, 2019:

@Fernapple Thanks for your brief explanation. I tried to read an on-line article but it was too advanced for me. Yes, the topic is very fascinating. I’m still very much amazed that the messenger molecules would find their way to the correct place on a very long chain of DNA, and then travel unprompted to the correct ribosome. That this very complicated process of protein synthesis could occur automatically boggles the mind, but that is only the start. I have the feeling that no one fully understands the process. Am I correct? What do you think of Rupert Sheldrake’s ideas?

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 3, 2019:

@Joanne We are on the same page in some areas. A year or so ago I read *Reality Is Not What It Seems* by physicist Carlo Rovelli, which talks about quantum gravity theory, considered by some to be the most promising area of physics research. According to quantum gravity theory there’s no such thing as time—it’s just an illusion. Space is not the smooth infinite expanse that we envision, rather it is composed of a finite number of granules of planck length size. Moreover particles of matter are not “things”. They are interactions between covariant gravity fields.(whatever the heck that is) It seems that all our notions about creation, causation, location, distance etc are meaningless from a cosmic perspective. It’s sort of mind-blowing to think about, but we humans really are very limited in our perspectives. I’m trying to explain why I’m bewildered. It’s not an unpleasant bewilderment—it’s very pleasant. Personally I don’t see how we humans are ever going to truly fathom our situation. Lots of very esteemed people have opined that conscious awareness does not arise from the firing of neurons in the brain, but is primary. In other words, the universe itself is conscious. I feel very drawn to that idea for various reasons. I don’t like to call universal consciousness “”God”, especially on an atheist forum, but some people do.

Is right and wrong relative or fixed (absolute)?

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 3, 2019:

In a few dire situations I think that torture would give the best outcome. One person might suffer, but in turn many lives might be saved. We have evolved to help each other survive, especially those in our groups. From the viewpoint of nature, God, or whatever you want to call ultimate reality, ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 3, 2019:

@Wallace Cats seem to enjoy torturing mice, but of course we aren’t cats. Somewhere back along the line our branch of life separated from other animals and through millions of years of evolution we developed an intense aversion to the idea of torturing for pleasure. Since it is nearly a universal sentiment we would like to say with absolute certainty that torturing for fun is immoral. Yet there are still today a few people who torture for pleasure. Doesn’t that mean that such torturing is morally wrong only in a relative sense? If they like doing it it must be the right thing for them. Maybe their branch of humanity has not fully evolved in sync with the norm. This brings up another idea. Think of something so outlandish that no one would ever think of doing it. Since no one is ever going to do it there’s no reason to label the action as either moral or immoral. Only if someone proposed to perform the action would we make an analysis and decide how to label it. By establishing acceptable behavior we would be creating morality, and no higher authority would be involved.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 3, 2019:

@Fernapple Beautiful poem. IMO everything means something but we are incapable of understanding and appreciating the meaning because we are limited to the sense world. Everything that we experience as bodies is nothing but our own nervous systems. And then there is the phenomenon of conscious awareness, inexplicable but all pervasive. It would be tempting to believe that we are governed only by those millions of years of evolution—that we are just robotic organisms with no true free will and are at the mercy of random events. Such a belief system provides a pat answer and leaves us feeling in control, as though we understood it all and need not inquire further—need not face the stark and brilliant unknown.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 3, 2019:

@Joanne I do not insert a God. All I do is express abject bewilderment regarding nature, existence and conscious awareness. Since you appear not to be bewildered please explain it all. Thanks in advance.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 3, 2019:

@Joanne “I don't feel any need whatsoever to ask why am I here...” That’s fine for you, but I **do** feel such a need. I am unable to sit by and blithely ignore the staggering implications of existence and the sheer miraculousness of conscious awareness. To say that it all fell together through a series of random events is a non-answer, is not provable and is only an unscientific opinion or conjecture. I am not asking about meaning as value. Reality is infinitely valuable by any measure. I am asking what it is about, how are we to understand reality. What is it? There are no answers to such questions I know. We are in utter darkness and bewilderment, but it is a dazzling darkness after all, thrilling, magnificent, awe-inspiring.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 3, 2019:

@Fernapple Well then a broader question. Why are things as they are? What does it all mean? We are existing in this inexplicable, amazing enigmatic reality, consciously aware, yet in nearly total darkness.

For those of you who have engaged in evolution/creation discussions with creationists, what have ...

MattHardy comments on Oct 2, 2019:

"God is was and evermore shall be. - God is eternal, he is not a temporal being, he exists outside of time."

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 2, 2019:

@Joanne Who or what decreed the law of thermodynamics?

My faith in humanity has been partially restored.

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 2, 2019:

I have no dishwasher. Washing dishes by hand is a relaxing chore and requires almost no energy. Electric dishwashers make a lot of noise and use a lot of energy, and you actually have to hand wash first anyway and stack the dishes. Many people leave the dishes in the dishwasher afterwards. That ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 2, 2019:

@RiverRick Sounds like they’ve improved’em since my last one from the seventies. Good to hear.

Supposedly accurate depiction of George Washington

Our_existence comments on Oct 2, 2019:

He fought for what? Just so tRump can tear it to pieces?!!!!!

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 2, 2019:

@Sofabeast Not just for Protestants. “Washington often emphasized that religious liberty was not just a blessing, but a right.25 He wrote to the United Baptist Churches of Virginia in May of 1789, ...no one would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution—For you, doubtless, remember that I have often expressed my sentiment, that every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience.26” https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/religion/religious-freedom/ I don’t think the revolutionary cause had anything to do with slavery. The goal was to establish an independent country.

Robert Jeffress Goes All In on “Civil War” The evangelical pastor and Trump loyalist has had ...

WilliamFleming comments on Oct 2, 2019:

Jeffress didn’t actually call for or predict civil war. What he said was that impeachment would cause “a Civil War–like fracture in this nation from which this country will never heal.” Under normal, sane social conditions such a statement by an insignificant individual would go unnoticed, ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 2, 2019:

@LenHazell53 It is a prophecy and a threat, but by a minor figure that few people have heard of. If DT had just ignored it we’d be better off, but he likes stirring things up.

Good article! I have to admit i agree [scientificamerican.com]

Spinliesel comments on Oct 2, 2019:

Why should I bother debating this? I have been an atheist longer than I studied science. In my mind, there does not exist a requiredconnection between the two belief systems. maybe that is a male requirement. I am a woman and can easily hold two thoughts in my mind sat the same time, neither of ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 2, 2019:

So since a woman can have a baby she also has the ability to see that both science and religion are valid? I am on the verge of agreement but I have to think further. It actually makes sense. I would like to point out however that some of us guys also have that ability—Gleiser for one, and here’s Nobelist Kip Thorne: "There are large numbers of my finest colleagues who are quite devout and believe in God [...] There is no fundamental incompatibility between science and religion. I happen to not believe in God."[13] (Wikipedia)

When you discover your version of reality is in complete conflict with everyone else's version of ...

racocn8 comments on Oct 2, 2019:

That's getting personal... Actually, I consider myself as transiting through different realities, whether atheist, superstitious, synthetic, or others. My fellow travelers also seem to occupy different realities that only partially intersect mine. I certainly don't see what they're seeing, and ...

WilliamFleming replies on Oct 2, 2019:

Racoon, you are a oner! Great response.

“I don’t know who put all of this in motion.

zblaze comments on Sep 29, 2019:

"It is amazing how many people seemingly cannot tell the difference between 'X is true' and 'It is desirable that people should believe that X is true'. Or maybe they don't really fall for this logical error, but simply rate truth as unimportant compared with 'human feelings'. I don't want to decry ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 30, 2019:

@zblaze And then he qualifies with, “I’m not a mystic. I’m a scientist. But this is a feeling I have.” Yes, Koch resorts to that dreaded “G” word to get his point across, but IMO he makes very pertinent and meaningful statements about the human situation. We are thrust into an enigmatic reality of which we have conscious awareness but can never truly understand. Yet it is a reality of great magnificence and beauty, inspiring awe and reverence.

The Misogyny of Climate Deniers Why do right-wing men hate Greta Thunberg and Alexandria ...

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 29, 2019:

Could it just be that many people, both women and men, don’t agree with the fear-based screeching about climate? Instead of psychoanalyzing those with whom you disagree and attempting to demonize and stereotype them by the use of ominous labels, I would think that some calm and rational ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 30, 2019:

@BitFlipper Wow! That sounds ominous. Are you going to start murdering us or is this just an attempt to intimidate us into silence? “London, 6 September: The General-Secretary of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says that the alarmist narrative on climate change has gone off the rails and criticised the news media for provoking unjustified anxiety.” Petteri Taalas does not appear to be intimidated at this point.

The Misogyny of Climate Deniers Why do right-wing men hate Greta Thunberg and Alexandria ...

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 29, 2019:

Could it just be that many people, both women and men, don’t agree with the fear-based screeching about climate? Instead of psychoanalyzing those with whom you disagree and attempting to demonize and stereotype them by the use of ominous labels, I would think that some calm and rational ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 30, 2019:

@rathswohl sea level has been rising at that same slow rate for a very long time, since the end of the last ice age and there’s nothing that can be done about it. If that rate continues, future generations will adapt with no problem. If you believe that there will be a drastic acceleration in sea level rise then action would be justified, however, IMO that scenario is not certain and there are some very well-qualified climate scientists who agree. A cure stemming from fear and panic might turn out to be worse than the disease.

The Misogyny of Climate Deniers Why do right-wing men hate Greta Thunberg and Alexandria ...

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 29, 2019:

Could it just be that many people, both women and men, don’t agree with the fear-based screeching about climate? Instead of psychoanalyzing those with whom you disagree and attempting to demonize and stereotype them by the use of ominous labels, I would think that some calm and rational ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 29, 2019:

@LenHazell53 At 3mm/year sea level rise I imagine you and I will be long departed before anything like that is necessary.

Amazing how there are still people out there that think banning books is a good thing.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 29, 2019:

I’m not sure if “banned” is the right word for those books. I’m supposing that some school libraries did not select some of the books, but it is the duty of school administrators to select books that they deem appropriate for their students. I have “banned” certain books from my ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 29, 2019:

@Captain_Feelgood No animosity—I thought it was a joke. Can’t you see the emoticon? You continue to talk about the banning of books after I have repeatedly said that the word is not appropriate in this context. That was the entire motivation for my first response—to express the opinion that “banning” is not the right word. I even made a joking analogy about my “banning” of *Pilgrim’s Progress*. You now are all over me for being one of those evil book banners. No, I do not “ban” books, but I do SELECT books that I want, and I do NOT SELECT those that I don’t want, the same way that a school librarian might do. I have *Mein Kampf” on my iPhone that I got off Gutenberg Press. I found it boring until I got to his Vienna period. Reading that was literally making me sick, especially what he wrote about the Jews. I had to stop reading. Sir, I did not intend to express any sort of animosity toward you. I am totally at peace and I wish you nothing but happiness and a good evening.

“I don’t know who put all of this in motion.

zblaze comments on Sep 29, 2019:

"It is amazing how many people seemingly cannot tell the difference between 'X is true' and 'It is desirable that people should believe that X is true'. Or maybe they don't really fall for this logical error, but simply rate truth as unimportant compared with 'human feelings'. I don't want to decry ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 29, 2019:

I’d say that in the above quote Koch is talking strictly about his feelings—he makes that point crystal clear. When it comes to the subject of truth though, I’m not convinced that Dawkins is an ultimate authority.

Amazing how there are still people out there that think banning books is a good thing.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 29, 2019:

I’m not sure if “banned” is the right word for those books. I’m supposing that some school libraries did not select some of the books, but it is the duty of school administrators to select books that they deem appropriate for their students. I have “banned” certain books from my ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 29, 2019:

@Captain_Feelgood My whole point was that the word “ban” is inappropriate in most settings. I select books that are interesting to me. My library contains a number of books of Hindu scriptures, and many books about spirituality. I have a New Testament translated and annotated by Yogananda Paramahansa, but no Old Testament. It is to the point that one need not own paper copies of books. I have downloaded various versions of the Bible, the Koran, the Kabbalah, etc. but for my home bookshelf I am fussy about what I keep. And what about you? What books do you keep? Do you have a full complement of Scientology literature? I would expect that an open-minded person such as yourself would keep a copy of *Mein Kampf* within easy reach. :-)

Amazing how there are still people out there that think banning books is a good thing.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 29, 2019:

I’m not sure if “banned” is the right word for those books. I’m supposing that some school libraries did not select some of the books, but it is the duty of school administrators to select books that they deem appropriate for their students. I have “banned” certain books from my ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 29, 2019:

@Captain_Feelgood *Pilgrim’s Progress* is based on, and amplifies the stupid religious dogma that I was brought up with, and it fosters guilt and fear of hell. I read it once and that was one time too many. I have no use for the book. No doubt there are some busybodies who make it their business to select reading material for others, but generally those people are pretty impotent. I’m not going to get worried or upset unless government censorship is at play.

Tibetan Buddhist nun and teacher Pema Chödrön on transformation through difficult times: “The...

Mofo1953 comments on Sep 29, 2019:

No crutches here, no security blankets, what i have is what i have achieved myself without any help except my effort, hard work and intelligence, i never look for a hand to hold, never abdicate my responsibilities but i delegate when necessary, specially in business at work, never equated this to ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 29, 2019:

@Mofo1953 “Nontheism is relaxing with the ambiguity and uncertainty of the present moment without reaching for anything to protect ourselves.” Quote.

“I don’t know who put all of this in motion.

icolan comments on Sep 28, 2019:

"I don’t know who put all of this in motion." <-- That implies that there is a "who".

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 29, 2019:

@icolan There is more than one definition of “meaning”. Meaning is sometimes used for “use” or for “value”. Of course reality is of the utmost value to me as a conscious being. The “meaning” I was referring to though was posed as a question, what does it all mean? In other words, what is it about? How are we to understand reality? We are thrust into this extremely enigmatic position of having conscious awareness, knowing that we exist, but having little or no understanding of what that **means**.

“I don’t know who put all of this in motion.

icolan comments on Sep 28, 2019:

"I don’t know who put all of this in motion." <-- That implies that there is a "who".

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 29, 2019:

@powder you are correct absolutely. We should be brutally honest with ourselves about our knowledge and understanding. So far as I can see, there’s no basis for any belief at all in matters outside the human realm of symbols. The most rational response is not belief or disbelief but a sense of reverence and awe. I did not present any assertions purported to explain existence—I only asked a question. Something like the Big Bang Theory, while interesting and possibly useful, is inherently superficial, opening up more questions than it answers.

Tibetan Buddhist nun and teacher Pema Chödrön on transformation through difficult times: “The...

Mofo1953 comments on Sep 29, 2019:

No crutches here, no security blankets, what i have is what i have achieved myself without any help except my effort, hard work and intelligence, i never look for a hand to hold, never abdicate my responsibilities but i delegate when necessary, specially in business at work, never equated this to ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 29, 2019:

Isn’t the Buddhist nun saying basically the same thing as you?

Tibetan Buddhist nun and teacher Pema Chödrön on transformation through difficult times: “The...

jerry99 comments on Sep 28, 2019:

IOW one is reality-based and the other fantasy-based.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 28, 2019:

Then the question becomes “What is real”? It is a question not easily answered.

Tibetan Buddhist nun and teacher Pema Chödrön on transformation through difficult times: “The...

dahermit comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Not so sure that all theists believe that there is someone who will look out for them if they do the right things. I have read about those who think that a god (God) is likely, but may not be aware of humans or care. So then the question is not a binary, "does a god exist?", (yes or no) but, If a...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 28, 2019:

Very good point IMO. Deists hold that opinion. It boils down to how you define God. In the final analysis I think we are unable to grasp the deeper questions of existence, and whatever definition or label we come up with for the great unknown beyond the senses will fall short.

Tibetan Buddhist nun and teacher Pema Chödrön on transformation through difficult times: “The...

Remiforce comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Most of us, consciously or unconsciously, search for our security blanket in life. Being alone in this terrifying & uncertain reality feels dreadful, & we seek solace like a child seeks it's parent on a dark night, accepting any imagionary help we can get. A non theist can detach from the horror....

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 28, 2019:

Very well said! I would add that as a practical matter courage and acceptance grow with honesty, familiarity and practice.

“I don’t know who put all of this in motion.

icolan comments on Sep 28, 2019:

"I don’t know who put all of this in motion." <-- That implies that there is a "who".

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 28, 2019:

@icolan, @powder “Just is” does not satisfy my curiosity. Please elaborate.

“I don’t know who put all of this in motion.

icolan comments on Sep 28, 2019:

"I don’t know who put all of this in motion." <-- That implies that there is a "who".

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 28, 2019:

@icolan Of course it means something, but it is difficult or impossible for us humans to understand that meaning because we are locked into an illusory space/time/matter reality of our own making. It is possible to experience awe and reverence.

“I don’t know who put all of this in motion.

icolan comments on Sep 28, 2019:

"I don’t know who put all of this in motion." <-- That implies that there is a "who".

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 28, 2019:

@gNappyHead I follow you and agree. According to quantum gravity theory time exists only as a human illusion. If that theory is correct all questions of before and after, causation, immortality, etc are meaningless. Yet we enjoy conscious awareness, which seems real and primary. What an amazing quandary we humans are in! Our very model of reality is illusory, and we have little inkling of what lies beyond. Something for sure.

Tibetan Buddhist nun and teacher Pema Chödrön on transformation through difficult times: “The...

Stacey48 comments on Sep 28, 2019:

Yes, she is an amazing storyteller. I have a book, or two, of hers. Her focus is on suffering, but not in a way that most of us understand. Her work has been an inspiration to me, and got me through some not so good times. Thank you for sharing this quote.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 28, 2019:

Thanks for your testimony.

“I don’t know who put all of this in motion.

icolan comments on Sep 28, 2019:

"I don’t know who put all of this in motion." <-- That implies that there is a "who".

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 28, 2019:

It does sound that way, but I think Koch is speaking metaphorically. If you read the article you’ll see what I mean. It’s all about consciousness, the brain, panpsychism, etc But that opens a question. Granted it wernt a “Who” what done it, where in hell did all this reality stuff come from and what does it mean?

Trump Is Now Trying To Get Mike Pence Impeached

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 27, 2019:

Not so. Trump said no such thing.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 27, 2019:

@bobwjr Nothing in there says that Trump is calling for Pence’s impeachment. It’s yet another case of a twisted, misleading headline.

Hidden History.

Nathalie_Quebec comments on Sep 24, 2019:

This is a sad but interesting reading. I wonder how the city could have handled things differently, so the African-American people could have keep their land and build the park elsewhere ??

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 24, 2019:

@NoPlanetB New York was a slave state/colony for two hundred years. In 1703 42% of households in New York City owned slaves. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery_in_New_York New Yorkers had the good sense to abolish slavery, but that was partly because slavery was not economically viable there.

The older I get the more I seem to loath the human race.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 22, 2019:

A lot of human behavior comes from our instinctive animal natures IMO. As such, that behavior is neither good nor bad, just natural. Viewed from a higher perspective things are as they ought to be even though from the perspective of individuals life can be rough. I like to look at and identify ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 23, 2019:

@t1nick OK, maybe you are right, but I’m optimistic that we’ll work things out and survive. If not, it was good while it lasted, and intelligent life might arise anew in a different place and time. A trillion years without conscious awareness would flit by in less than the blink of an eye—in zero time in fact. Time is nothing but an illusion created by consciousness. Life is good—enjoy!

Pentecostal Christians Are Burning Australia’s Sacred Aboriginal Objects | Michael Stone

KKGator comments on Sep 22, 2019:

They should be shot. Period.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 23, 2019:

@Triphid I know little or nothing about Australia and the aboriginal population. I am glad there are places where their culture survives, and I wish them well. I still maintain however that cultures are not static, and it’s not just European culture running roughshod over indigenous peoples. The merging of cultures has been going on since time immemorial. Look at India and China, each composed of many, many ethnic groups. China has sort of swamped Tibet and is destroying their Buddhist traditions—but wait! What about those damned Buddhist missionaries who came there and destroyed the previous animist religion? The history of humanity is all about merging. Except for one illegal incident, no Alabamian ever forced African slaves to abandon their traditions. Alabama only became a state in 1819 and was a slave state for only a few decades. The slaves that were brought here were born into slavery and had been forced to abandon their traditions generations earlier. That doesn’t make it right of course, and in no way can slavery be justified, however, if it had not been for slavery there would be very few African-Americans among us and we’d be worse off for it. We have, in fact, soaked up some of the African culture. We have to accept history and forge ahead. Every day is a miracle and a precious gem to be savored, regardless of your culture.

Pentecostal Christians Are Burning Australia’s Sacred Aboriginal Objects | Michael Stone

KKGator comments on Sep 22, 2019:

They should be shot. Period.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 23, 2019:

@Triphid Based on what you say, it sounds as though the greater bulk of aboriginal culture has long since been lost. Whether good or bad, they will not and can not go back. They will move forward, gradually seizing control of their destinies, and creating their own new and unique culture.

Pentecostal Christians Are Burning Australia’s Sacred Aboriginal Objects | Michael Stone

KKGator comments on Sep 22, 2019:

They should be shot. Period.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 23, 2019:

@Triphid As one who has full respect for aboriginal culture, I have nothing but contempt for missionaries who, in ignorance and contempt plow over anything that is different than their own silly dogmas. But cultures are in constant flux. I don’t see it as my place to leap in and rescue someone’s culture unless they are being physically coerced. It is up to the individuals to decide what life they want, and if they freely decide to abandon old ways, that is their concern only.

The older I get the more I seem to loath the human race.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 22, 2019:

A lot of human behavior comes from our instinctive animal natures IMO. As such, that behavior is neither good nor bad, just natural. Viewed from a higher perspective things are as they ought to be even though from the perspective of individuals life can be rough. I like to look at and identify ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 23, 2019:

@t1nick I have two observations in support of my contention that whatever happens is natural. First, I recently saw a YouTube video of a group of chimpanzees who raided a neighboring group. They sneaked up and then swooped in, yelling. The adults escaped but they caught and ate a young male. You might attribute such behavior to overpopulation but I have trouble in seeing it as aberrant or unnatural. Chimpanzees, our closest animal cousins, exhibit the same kinds of behaviors as we humans. What is the definition of overpopulation? You say it’s anything beyond the tribal level, but that could mean about anything. The fact is that cities are typically not overpopulated because none of the characteristics of overpopulation exist—lack of food, water, shelter, waste disposal, etc. On the other hand, vast swaths of the world Are underpopulated. Where I live there are only a few people per square mile—far below your “tribal” level. On a per capita basis I think the “aberrant” behavior though is comparable to the country as a whole. If anything we might be more aberrant than those in cities. In the animal world it is very common for populations to rise and crash. It is just part of nature.

The older I get the more I seem to loath the human race.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 22, 2019:

A lot of human behavior comes from our instinctive animal natures IMO. As such, that behavior is neither good nor bad, just natural. Viewed from a higher perspective things are as they ought to be even though from the perspective of individuals life can be rough. I like to look at and identify ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 22, 2019:

@t1nick How do you define natural? If some behavior is unnatural what is its cause?

Pentecostal Christians Are Burning Australia’s Sacred Aboriginal Objects | Michael Stone

KKGator comments on Sep 22, 2019:

They should be shot. Period.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 22, 2019:

For burning their own religious items?

The older I get the more I seem to loath the human race.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 22, 2019:

A lot of human behavior comes from our instinctive animal natures IMO. As such, that behavior is neither good nor bad, just natural. Viewed from a higher perspective things are as they ought to be even though from the perspective of individuals life can be rough. I like to look at and identify ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 22, 2019:

@t1nick Nice response, but I do think that whatever happens in the world is natural and correct. If we are seeing a response to overpopulation then that is simply a natural response, neither good nor bad. By assuming a higher perspective a person avoids making negative judgments, judgments that cause fear, anger, depression, ill health, etc. Also IMO such higher perspectives are rational, logical and true.

> So basically the economy works by passing money through it, by working getting paid, paying your ...

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 21, 2019:

IMO basically the economy works by people creating things that are needed or wanted by others. People trade excess things they don’t need for things they do need. Money is just an accounting system for facilitating the trades. Without money we’d have to barter, that’s all. If you want more...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 22, 2019:

@jerry99 There are a lot of jobs that only indirectly help society but are still necessary, but I agree with you about payday lenders. Some people are working to harm society. We’ve got drug dealers and so on. (Politicians?) I was thinking that without speculation markets couldn’t function. Speculators provide a service both when they buy and when they sell and they bear risk in the interim. Without them the markets would fluctuate wildly and production would be hampered. There’d be major shortages at times if speculators didn’t step in and sell, and there’d be large numbers of bankruptcies if they weren’t there to buy when the market was glutted. Fund managers, PR folks, advertisers, they help keep the system going even if they don’t produce actual goods. You are probably right that a good many jobs could be eliminated or consolidated without much loss.

> So basically the economy works by passing money through it, by working getting paid, paying your ...

MarkiusMahamius comments on Sep 21, 2019:

Edit and add paragraph breaks?

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 21, 2019:

@dalefvictor It’s OK. You got your message across.

> So basically the economy works by passing money through it, by working getting paid, paying your ...

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 21, 2019:

IMO basically the economy works by people creating things that are needed or wanted by others. People trade excess things they don’t need for things they do need. Money is just an accounting system for facilitating the trades. Without money we’d have to barter, that’s all. If you want more...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 21, 2019:

@jerry99 Labor is only one of the things valued by society, and labor isn’t valued very highly because there’s an oversupply, at least of common labor. So trading labor for other stuff is generally not going to fetch you very much in goods and services. Market speculators, now those people provide an indispensable service to society, and in fact, without speculators markets wouldn’t work. There’s ways of contributing other than picking cotton or working in a store. You can use your head and some moxy. Creating something like Microsoft or Amazon that greatly benefits people, now that kind of venture will fetch somewhat more than labor I’d think. There’s a lot of options.

VA hospital deaths: Clarksburg, West Virginia case has 'huge red flag' Uh oh, Someone is killing ...

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 21, 2019:

Medical malfeasance is the third greatest cause of death in the US according to this: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/02/22/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-america.html This is a terrible indictment of the health system. It would be in the best interest of doctors and hospitals to...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 21, 2019:

@MarkiusMahamius You are right of course. The article I cited is about medical malfeasance in general. I use the VA and my experience has been generally positive. Veterans with service related illnesses pay nothing, but people like me make very low copayments. Congress mandated that Vietnam veterans be covered by the VA medical system. It’s because all our problems can be attributed to that damnable agent orange. (Ha Ha)

Just finished another piece. This is UK wood.(unknown). My neighbor found it in a ditch.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 21, 2019:

It’s really nice. I turn wood also and I find it to be a very enjoyable hobby or art.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 21, 2019:

@PondartIncbendog Holey smokes, what is ecks?

Just finished another piece. This is UK wood.(unknown). My neighbor found it in a ditch.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 21, 2019:

It’s really nice. I turn wood also and I find it to be a very enjoyable hobby or art.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 21, 2019:

@PondartIncbendog My lathe is a Grizzly with 16” swing. No, I haven’t tried resin pours. I’m still learning the basics. I really like that bowl of yours above. Very nice finish. Is that lacquer?

Just finished another piece. This is UK wood.(unknown). My neighbor found it in a ditch.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 21, 2019:

It’s really nice. I turn wood also and I find it to be a very enjoyable hobby or art.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 21, 2019:

@twill It’s poplar, or what we call poplar, also known as tulip tree. The larger bowl above is pecan. Small pieces are wild black cherry.

Just finished another piece. This is UK wood.(unknown). My neighbor found it in a ditch.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 21, 2019:

It’s really nice. I turn wood also and I find it to be a very enjoyable hobby or art.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 21, 2019:

A few more. I’ve been doing it less than a year. Great fun! I was looking at your bio and saw your art pieces—very nice!

Just finished another piece. This is UK wood.(unknown). My neighbor found it in a ditch.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 21, 2019:

It’s really nice. I turn wood also and I find it to be a very enjoyable hobby or art.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 21, 2019:

@PondartIncbendog Here’s a few.

Every vets wish is that he is the last to endure the unendurable so that his children won't have to

Our_existence comments on Sep 20, 2019:

The enemy is not on a foreign shore, but in Washington DC. We have the fight of our lives now to bring down the despot and restore our nation and its honor.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 20, 2019:

@Our_existence Then that would be a coup and the other branches of government would step in. I don’t like to think about unlikely lurid stuff like that. People were saying the same thing about Obama.

Every vets wish is that he is the last to endure the unendurable so that his children won't have to

Our_existence comments on Sep 20, 2019:

The enemy is not on a foreign shore, but in Washington DC. We have the fight of our lives now to bring down the despot and restore our nation and its honor.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 20, 2019:

Fight with your vote. Each citizen has one vote.

To the former Scientologists out there.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 19, 2019:

Way back in the late sixties my landlord tried to rope me into Scientology. We got into an argument about money and he declared me to be a suppressive person and kicked me off his property. I read one or two of the introductory books but don’t remember much. We supposedly have these ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 19, 2019:

@Truthseeker1968 I don’t know anything about cocaine.

The French Revolution, besides being a war against the ruling class, was also a war against the ...

KKGator comments on Sep 18, 2019:

Oh please!!! Let's have another!!! Let's do it here!!!

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 18, 2019:

Sounds like a lot of it was mob action—a general grass-roots movement. I doubt there are those feelings here. But anyway, you lead. I’m too old. Note also that the rebellion against the churches didn’t wipe out Christianity in France. The Catholic Church was certainly made smaller and deprived of most of its power and wealth.

Do we need religion to provide a sense of justice?

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

From a cosmic perspective the concept of justice is meaningless, however, in our daily lives the concept is socially useful. If you are playing chess you have to go by the rules of chess, etc. I think for some strata of society religion does provide a useful guide. For others prison is the guide....

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 18, 2019:

@Fernapple Sure.

Do we need religion to provide a sense of justice?

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

From a cosmic perspective the concept of justice is meaningless, however, in our daily lives the concept is socially useful. If you are playing chess you have to go by the rules of chess, etc. I think for some strata of society religion does provide a useful guide. For others prison is the guide....

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 18, 2019:

@Fernapple Isn’t the animal sense of justice mostly just a tool for living in a particular group? Outside that group I thought it was the law of the jungle. If so, that would seem to preclude any grand universal morality or justice.

[youtube.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

It takes a stretch to equate opposition to illegal immigration with racism. But go ahead, accuse everyone with whom you disagree of being a racist—that’s in vogue now. It’s the kind of rhetoric that is going to result in Trumps being re-elected because people aren’t as dumb as is ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@LenHazell53 I have made my case and have nothing to add. I will only reply to substance, not to personal attacks.

Do we need religion to provide a sense of justice?

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

From a cosmic perspective the concept of justice is meaningless, however, in our daily lives the concept is socially useful. If you are playing chess you have to go by the rules of chess, etc. I think for some strata of society religion does provide a useful guide. For others prison is the guide....

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@Remiforce We agree on a lot of things.

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WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

It takes a stretch to equate opposition to illegal immigration with racism. But go ahead, accuse everyone with whom you disagree of being a racist—that’s in vogue now. It’s the kind of rhetoric that is going to result in Trumps being re-elected because people aren’t as dumb as is ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@sassygirl3869 I hate no one.

Sorry America, Norway ranks No.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

A lot of Norway’s success can be attributed to its embrace of state capitalism. With the right leadership we could accomplish what Norway has accomplished. We are so divided, and are so far in debt that it would be very difficult however.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@ToolGuy OK, I watched the video, but I am not persuaded. I have various questions or objections. First, of all though, I am fully aware, and have said many times that money is nothing but an accounting system and is not real wealth. You can’t tell that to your creditors however. You have to pay them back. In the video it is stated that when governments run deficits the economy flourishes and when the government has a balanced budget depression ensues. Ok, what happened to Norway? Norway continuously has a net surplus of assets, a very large surplus, yet they are not having a depression. What about Venezuela with its huge debt and history of social spending? Not so good, and there are other examples—Greece e.g. If the economy is driven by government borrowing and spending, then why put any limit on it? Why not just have a trillion trillion dollar debt and a hundred trillion dollar deficit so that we can all be rich? It makes no sense. IMO the government does not drive the economy. Government has a role but does not drive or control the economy. Government is a parasite on the economy, a necessary parasite but government can choke the economy if it becomes too large. Money is not real wealth and government provides little in terms of goods and services. The point was made that treasury bills are assets held by the public and represent wealth to the nation in the same way as stocks. Baloney! Private corporations are in the business of **creating** real wealth. Yes, T-bills are great assets to the holders of those bills, but they represent a burden to the public at large. IMO there is no rational reason for government to have debts. Every penny of the debt will have to be paid back at some point, and with interest. The general public of a country represents at huge bank. There is no reason for the public to borrow at all. Not one thing is gained by delayed payment, but lost is the interest payed. The only beneficiaries are the bond holders. Taxpayers have no obligation to provide bonds as an investment option for the world. I am no economist, but there are many, many economists who warn against government debt, and as was said in the video, politicians of all stripes. At some point the debt will be unsustainable with dire results. But thanks for the link. I guess we disagree.

[youtube.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

It takes a stretch to equate opposition to illegal immigration with racism. But go ahead, accuse everyone with whom you disagree of being a racist—that’s in vogue now. It’s the kind of rhetoric that is going to result in Trumps being re-elected because people aren’t as dumb as is ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@sassygirl3869 Actually I voted for Gary Johnson but since Trump was legally elected I feel that it is good citizenship to give him a modicum of support. It is also respectful of the judgement of all those people who put him into office. And no, those people are not ignorant, racist, bigoted, or otherwise crazy or incompetent. Even where there is hatred, you are not going to fix it by displaying hatred and bigotry of your own. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sorry America, Norway ranks No.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

A lot of Norway’s success can be attributed to its embrace of state capitalism. With the right leadership we could accomplish what Norway has accomplished. We are so divided, and are so far in debt that it would be very difficult however.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@ToolGuy How could we built up a public investment fund large enough to mean much while we are under such a staggering debt. We need to have a balanced budget and we need to pay down that debt. Norway has a public fund worth a trillion dollars, $195,000 per citizen. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Pension_Fund_of_Norway

Are intelligent people an oppressed minority?

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 16, 2019:

There are different kinds of intelligence. It’s hard to gauge somebody’s intelligence so I try not to. I’ve been surprised many times by what people come up with, even children. IMO it’s best to be true to yourself. Don’t even try to fit in—you’ll get more respect. Your ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@Remiforce Great response! I’m thinking about the intelligence required by athletes—say by a basketful player to score while dribbling down court. Or does that qualify as intelligence?

[youtube.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

It takes a stretch to equate opposition to illegal immigration with racism. But go ahead, accuse everyone with whom you disagree of being a racist—that’s in vogue now. It’s the kind of rhetoric that is going to result in Trumps being re-elected because people aren’t as dumb as is ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@sassygirl3869 Whether or not they are entitled to citizenship is up to congress, but tell me, what does that have to do with racism? Maybe it would make sense that they could apply for citizenship after a certain amount of service. Middle ground is reached by mutual respect and compromise, not by shrill cries of “racism” and by hatred and demonization of your political opponent.

[youtube.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

It takes a stretch to equate opposition to illegal immigration with racism. But go ahead, accuse everyone with whom you disagree of being a racist—that’s in vogue now. It’s the kind of rhetoric that is going to result in Trumps being re-elected because people aren’t as dumb as is ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@sassygirl3869 The question is whether the deportation of illegal immigrants is racist. It’s not about age, health status or military service. There are certain laws concerning immigration and it is a presidential duty to enforce those laws.

This is sooooo me. Anyone else? 12 Signs You're an Extroverted Introvert [stuff.co.nz]

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

Sounds somewhat like me, but I think almost everyone would see themselves that way.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@ProudMerrie How dare you disagree with me! :-)

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WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

It takes a stretch to equate opposition to illegal immigration with racism. But go ahead, accuse everyone with whom you disagree of being a racist—that’s in vogue now. It’s the kind of rhetoric that is going to result in Trumps being re-elected because people aren’t as dumb as is ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@sassygirl3869, @LenHazell53 How is instilling fear and horror about illegal immigrants racism? Xenophobia maybe. Do you propose open borders to all comers?

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WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:

It takes a stretch to equate opposition to illegal immigration with racism. But go ahead, accuse everyone with whom you disagree of being a racist—that’s in vogue now. It’s the kind of rhetoric that is going to result in Trumps being re-elected because people aren’t as dumb as is ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 17, 2019:

@sassygirl3869 But wait! Are they being deported because of their race or is it because they came in illegally? Are you saying that White Canadians get a free pass? Are you proposing an open border to all?

Feeling agnostic;

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 16, 2019:

I especially like the ideas of Thomas Paine. Here’s an excellent article about his opinions: http://www.thomaspaine.us/article_tepfer02.html Here’s one of many intriguing quotes: 7. “But it is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 16, 2019:

@Robecology Hmm, I did write in the “Post” box twice. After clicking on submit or whatever, the post disappeared both time and was not to be found anywhere.

British scientist, Susan Greenfield is interviewed by Robert Lawrence Kuhn of “Closer to Truth” ...

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 15, 2019:

It’s an interesting interview but I’m not sure if I learned anything much. Humans can use symbols to stand for things and animals can’t, and that’s the main difference according to the Baroness. The idea is worth some thought IMO because a lot of what we humans deal with are basically ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 16, 2019:

@JeffMesser Interesting. I need to think this over. Just as more powerful computers might enable a step change in certain functions, I can envision that a more sophisticated brain might enhance conscious awareness. There is a gradient in consciousness from an amoeba to a human. I personally don’t see how a brain, no matter how sophisticated, can account for conscious awareness in either—consciousness seems primary. Those step changes in computer functioning were brought about through conscious awareness. The Conscious Realism of Donald Hoffman might offer insight. I understand he has written a new book, one I want to read.

British scientist, Susan Greenfield is interviewed by Robert Lawrence Kuhn of “Closer to Truth” ...

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 15, 2019:

It’s an interesting interview but I’m not sure if I learned anything much. Humans can use symbols to stand for things and animals can’t, and that’s the main difference according to the Baroness. The idea is worth some thought IMO because a lot of what we humans deal with are basically ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 16, 2019:

@skado It sounds as though she recognizes the metaphorical nature of religion. As a child she was permitted no exposure to religion and now she can’t relate. As an analogy, a person might learn all about music theory as an adult, but if they were not exposed to a particular type of music when they were young they might never enjoy that genre intuitively because they are blind to its symbolism. She was married to that Peter Atkins guy—I don’t know what effect that had on her.

My Family's Slave.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 14, 2019:

I just read every word—couldn’t stop reading this amazing tribute to Lola.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 14, 2019:

@linxminx Yes, Lola had a pretty good life—better than many. I’m trying not to judge any of the characters in this true drama. BTW, thanks for posting this.

We get arguments from religious people all the time who don’t know how the universe began, so it ...

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 14, 2019:

IMO rationally no one should argue over the existence of God, either pro or con. When you say that God created all this, all you’re actually saying is that “all of this” is a profound mystery that can not be understood in human terms. The ink stamp analogy falls short IMO.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 14, 2019:

@Eazyduzzit I agree that some people make up answers that are nothing but fancy. Those are the ones most apt to argue with you, and in regards to them your analogy is good. IMO there are deeply religious people who do not argue. If they refer to God, they are not talking about some mythical being, but about something else—the ground of all being maybe. “My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind." Albert Einstein

What makes conspiracy theorists tick?

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 14, 2019:

Our own opinions will always seem to us based on careful, rational thought, while differing opinions will appear to be based on conspiracy theories underlain by fear. That opens the door to psychoanalyzing the “others” and making harsh judgments and attacks.

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 14, 2019:

@Happy_Killbot I agree fully with what you are saying. Let’s extend that to climate change. Telling people that the world will end in twelve years and that people should stop having children—now that is a dangerous delusion. It is an act of kindness to those people to set them straight.

In the company of new people, I suspect most of us would have no reservations in uttering the ...

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 13, 2019:

There are actually people who believe that the universe, all the laws of nature, and ourselves with conscious awareness included sort of fell into existence by accident, and that no further questions need be asked. The idea is patently ridiculous, but believe it or not, some of them are lurking ...

WilliamFleming replies on Sep 13, 2019:

@LenHazell53 “Most scientists believe there is no mystery that needs explaining. Life, mind and consciousness are a big fat statistical accident. Given infinite time, the improbable is bound to occur. We're here because of pure, dumb luck. There are no patterns or meaning behind the scenes. This dour position reminds me of the puckish comment of Gertrude Stein: "There ain't no answer. There ain't going to be any answer. There never has been an answer. That's the answer." (9) https://www.huffpost.com/entry/spiritual-living-is-the-u_b_621261