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Since "God" is a product of the imagination, the slogan, "In God We Trust", says, "We Trust Our ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 23, 2019:
Put like that, maybe it’s a pretty good slogan.
Thiest think that religion is above being mocked, it’s definitely not.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 23, 2019:
I might disagree with them but I try not to mock anyone. It’s probably more effective to be polite.
Pentecostal Christians Are Burning Australia’s Sacred Aboriginal Objects | Michael Stone
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 22, 2019:
In so far as those doing the burning are themselves aborigines acting under their own volition, I will not concern myself. As is often the case with this publication, we see a headline designed to arouse anger or disgust and then an actual article that is not true to the headline.
Is everything material?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 22, 2019:
There’s no option there for me to check. All existence is spirit. There is no matter except as an illusion. Sir Arthur Eddington: “The universe is of the nature of a thought or sensation in a universal Mind... To put the conclusion crudely — the stuff of the world is mind-stuff.”
A great (IMHO) video on the "dreaded" populist phenomenon. [youtube.com]
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 22, 2019:
Thanks for posting this video.
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 with the entire chain of organisms, view it as a single timeless entity with conscious awareness and freedom. That’s what I am—that’s what we are collectively.
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 keep people slightly alive at least until their money runs out.
> 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 stuff all you have to do is create more stuff or create stuff that is valued more, or you can also help someone else create stuff. Basically “We the People” DO have a say in the workings of the government. Each person gets one vote.
So had to go to the doctors.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 21, 2019:
Good luck with you health problem.
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.
I wonder if there are any Christian neuroscientists?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 20, 2019:
Neuroscience can not explain conscious awareness. There’s a lot more to reality than meets the eye. IMO you can not reduce a conscious Self to a bundle of nerves any more than you can reduce reality to a bunch of atoms. Does reality consist of matter moving in space and time? Lots of people seem to think that but physicists say otherwise. Our perception of reality is nothing but illusion, but our real Self is not our body.
Those who dispute global warming are either grossly stupid or, even worse, like the poster child for...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 20, 2019:
How do you feel about highly qualified climatologists such as Roy Spencer who says, yes, the climate is warming at a low pace (0.13C/decade), the human part of that warming is unknown, and it is not known if the trend will continue, and that furthermore the situation does not warrant expensive emergency reactions? And what about this recent release? “Petteri Taalas, the secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), told the Talouselämä magazine in Finland that he disagrees with doomsday climate extremists who call for radical action to prevent a purported apocalypse.”
[alternet.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 20, 2019:
How can you prohibit corporations from disseminating information and opinions without prohibiting media corporations from doing the same? If this new 28th amendment were enacted you’d have two conflicting amendments, the 1st and the 28th. I don’t think there’s going to be a 28th amendment on this issue because it would be illogical IMO. American Promise is itself a sort of association that is pooling resources to exert political power. If they were true to their own principles they would disband and leave the issue to individuals.
Muslim in a yoga class.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 19, 2019:
I had Muslim neighbors and they were great people and as good neighbors as anyone could ask for. They never tried to convert me.
Phenomena
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 19, 2019:
Interesting. What is it?
[scientificamerican.com] How Diversity Makes Us Smarter. Agree/Disagree?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 19, 2019:
I absolutely agree. But we have to take advantage of that diversity in order to expand our horizons and to consolidate and enhance our knowledge and understanding.
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 subconscious engrams or false ideas that weigh us down. If you give them all your money and then some you will be “cleared” of the burdensome engrams. If you are really interested there are books by L. Ron Hubbard everywhere. Actually there is probably some truth in the basic concept, however you don’t have to join a cult to get rid of untrue subconscious thoughts. I recommend *Help Yourself to Happiness* by Maxie Maultsby. Since I am a suppressive person I should be avoided however.
Hi guys Help me out here.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 19, 2019:
As a person who leans toward the concept of universal consciousness, I feel that your questions are meaningful and worthy of discussion. Although universal consciousness is not currently a part of the body of scientific knowledge, the concept has been conjectured by various prominent physicists. If, as many think, our sense of self is only an illusion, it can be supposed that our bodies are only robotic machines with no conscious awareness or free will. Yet we do experience consciousness—that is **all** we experience. We **are** Consciousness. In that sense every conscious being is an expression or extension of universal consciousnesses. We are one. Compassion is more than just an emotion—it is a realization of unity. When I feel compassion I am feeling compassion for Myself, a single being. It is not about trying to be a good person. A compassionate person can’t help herself—it is a logical necessity to be compassionate. When I look at the pictures of your dead animals all I see are dead robots. I don’t think nature gives a damn about individual organisms. They are frail, temporary arrangements that were slated to suffer and die. Nature is working the way it is supposed to work, and it is neither good nor bad. What is of value is the whole continuum of life.
IF YOU SAY YOU "BELIEVE", IS THAT ADMITTING YOU DO NOT KNOW, & IS KNOWLEDGE EVEN POSSIBLE?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 19, 2019:
We only have knowledge of past events, and then only those events we have experienced. Regarding past events outside our experience we have only belief. The future has not been determined so we can have only uncertain belief about future events as well. Knowledge, belief, disbelief, experience, time and space are all human mind things that have meaning only in the human context. They are illusions that we need, but from a cosmic perspective they are meaningless. “Truth” in its higher meaning, is ultimate reality beyond the senses. Truth can not be seen or understood in terms of our space/time/matter model. There is another meaning for truth. An assertion is adjudged to be true with respect to a given logical system if it can be logically derived from the assumptions and definitions of that system. If an assertion is true it will be in accord with the system’s previously established assertions. In that sense truth is nothing but a value judgment pertaining to an assertion. What is true for one person might be false for another. Obviously if one of your basic assumptions is that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, literally true in every word, then your belief system will be different than those who make no such assumption.
My holidays are almost at an end.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 18, 2019:
Sounds like a great trip!
Interesting map of religious adherents in the US.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 18, 2019:
Looks like the Midwest is at a higher elevation than us Crackers down here in the “Bible Belt”. What’s up with that?
About 1 a week.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 18, 2019:
You could block everyone in one fell swoop just by resigning. Oops, I suppose I’m now blocked. I’ll be watching to see if your post disappears. :-(
Someone's Gotta Tell the Freakin' Truth.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:
If you are saying that *every* religious leader is amongst the very top echelon of the planets “worst” individuals then I would have to disagree. Most religious leaders are good people. Besides that, a bad person is just one who behaves in a way that I don’t like. Badness is purely subjective. I guess you could say that you don’t like the behavior of some religious leaders.
Censoring "hate speech": "while everything these groups say may be unpleasant and ugly, not ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:
The article seems to be from the UK. I’m not sure what the law is there regarding speech but I have read that “hate speech” is illegal in the UK. I believe that in the US any speech is legal as long as the person is not advocating illegal actions. If a person spreads lies that harm others he can be sued, but the speech itself is protected. Am I right here? I think that if you are in disagreement with someone’s opinions you have every right to argue, but you have no right to stifle their right to speak. Almost everyone has some valid points to make. It seems awfully arrogant to stereotype and demonize them because you think your opinions are the only correct ones. There are good people on both sides—a true and wise statement IMO.
[vice.com] The US Navy says the UFOs in Tom Delonges videos are unidentified aerial phenomena.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:
Oh, so that explains it. UAP’s.
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. Anyone smart and courageous enough to turn away from religious dogma about sin and atonement should be able to set their own course in the world based on compassion and love and forgiveness for perceived injustice.
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.
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.
If only we all aimed to GROW ideas....[agnostic.com]
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:
He’s talking about actual real liberals with liberal traits, rare birds. The same thing could be said about any open minded person, liberal or conservative.
[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 supposed.
Not everybody wants thoughts and prayers after a disaster - CNN
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:
An offer of thoughts and prayers is nothing more than a simple expression of sympathy and support. IMO if such expressions seem offensive the offended parties are having irrational thoughts. Perhaps they are insecure in their unbelief, or they are thinking that they’ll be swamped in a sea of believers. You could carry along a baseball bat and if anybody offers thoughts and prayers or utters the g-word you could hit’em upside the head. That oughta teach’em to keep their damn mouths shut.
Another Kavanaugh allegation.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 17, 2019:
No, in today’s political climate, such an assumption would not be fair. Innocent until proven guilty I say
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 intelligent ideas are appreciated here, at least by me.
Fishing for terminology or a word that might described this type of nomenclature I have something I ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 16, 2019:
You are a hard guy to figure out. Maybe your name is appropriate. There was the crapper, that *might* have been named for Thomas Crapper. https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/104050.html Of course there are numerous physics units named after their developers but I doubt if that is what you mean. Odd, but I can’t think of another example.
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 not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe . It is impossible to calculate the moral mischief, if I may so express it, that mental lying has produced in society.”(Age of Reason, pg. 50) I wanted to make this as a new post but for some reason my posts do not appear. Can anyone explain?
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 symbols: art, language, mathematics, science, etc. At the same time, it seems to me that animals do use symbols to some degree. I was interested in her views on religion and I found this quote: "I feel I'm spiritually like an autistic person. I have great respect for people with faith. I feel they have a dimension to their lives that I can't buy in on. I'm the one who's deprived." https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/susan-greenfield-after-the-science-the-fiction-8679982.html
What is it that Trump knows, but what the left has forgotten?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 15, 2019:
So are you saying that the quest for power is nothing but a quest for ego gratification, and that platforms and policies are nothing but tools for obtaining and maintaining that power? Sounds like politicians alright. Apparently groups with the most ego-ridden leaders are the ones that conquered neighboring groups and survived. All that talk about making the world safe for democracy was nothing but posturing. And the big fuss about climate change, is the same?
My Family's Slave.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 14, 2019:
I just read every word—couldn’t stop reading this amazing tribute to Lola.
I used to think that there is a God. But now, you know, what if there ain't one?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 14, 2019:
Good point. It’s a big mystery, aye?
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.
“This world is dangerous Elsa, not because of those who do evil but because of those who look on ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 14, 2019:
Which is the evil and which is the good? It’s not always clear. I’d say that it is our duty to work for our self-interest, and that our self interest is the wellbeing of all.
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.
I often find myself in an awkward situation.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 14, 2019:
I agree that life can seem nasty, brutish and short and there’s nothing that can be done about it. Nothing can be done because nature is actually the way it is supposed to be, neither good nor bad, just as it is. We have a choice of how to look at nature, and my choice is to view it as dazzlingly mysterious and beautiful and worthy of the utmost awe and adulation. From time to time we are brushed by the whims of fate and we suffer. Suffering is a state of mind, not bad, just necessary. IMO it is useful to develop some callouses, to become emotionally blunted to some degree. Suppose you were an EMT on an ambulance crew. You’d be face to face with traumatic events daily—same with surgeons. In order to function and do their jobs those people have to be tough emotionally. At times when I feel stressed or traumatized, I have learned to draw support from other people. Just a simple exchange of communication seems to work wonders. And I am learning not to exacerbate painful events through the thinking of untrue thoughts about the event. It might be true that a person is suffering—it is not true that there is no future or that there’ll never be happiness again. The ultimate misfortune is to suffer and die, but that happening is 100% certain to occur—hell, at some point the entire earth will be engulfed by the sun. The only thing that matters is the perpetuation of conscious awareness, but in ultimate reality beyond our bubble of symbols, time has no meaning, and consciousness is immortal by default. That’s my opinion.
Okay.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 13, 2019:
Of course it’s BS. You can’t make rational sense out of old mythical stories, and there’s no sense in dwelling on them unless that’s your field of study. Maybe it’s implied that they were made with free will. That’s what a fundamentalist might say. What would be the value of their “worship” if they were just robots with no free will or conscious awareness? It would be like having an inflatable girlfriend, rigged up to murmur “I love you”. Wouldn’t that get old quickly?
Just a thought that I've had since I was young trying to understand the rotation of the earth, and ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 13, 2019:
Maybe those UFOs that appear to instantly accelerate to incredible speeds are actually traveling in time rather than space. (or as well as in space).
What do you think about this photo?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 13, 2019:
Interesting information, but probably not totally accurate. There are various conflicting stories about all the various mythological figures. I feel really dubious of that December 25 birthday. There have been different calendars used at different places and times. I think that much or all of the Christ story was fabricated, but that is not of much interest to me at this stage. I am in such a state of utter amazement in response to conscious awareness and the stark fact of existence that old stories bore me. The miraculous present moment is real and is at hand.
No way to know, but I wonder what percentage of closeted agnostics/atheists are out there sitting on...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 13, 2019:
But you have made your statement, boldly and decisively. I like your name, Truthseeker.
I am having trouble with posting on here.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 13, 2019:
Congratulations on coming forth boldly and asserting yourself. You are now empowered to search for really meaningful answers, and to live in awareness, appreciation and joy.
How inappropriate of me would it be to refer to simulation theory as Scientific Creationism? Lol
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 13, 2019:
Wouldn’t bother me—I tend to concur. The concept, like creationism, truly answers nothing, and raises more questions than it answers.
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 out there. :-)
In the company of new people, I suspect most of us would have no reservations in uttering the ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 13, 2019:
The difference is that only a tiny minority believe in a flat earth while huge numbers still believe in resurrection and virgin birth, or at least they give the ideas lip service. “There are actually people” is an opener that would be sure to offend, but you could simply give your personal opinions in a polite way and few would care. That reminds me of an Easter dinner with kin. We were drinking wine, and I raised my glass and said, “Here’s to the resurrection if it really happened”. I was roundly ignored.
".
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 13, 2019:
It sounds reasonable to me that in a successful society people would tend to be better educated and they would be more self confident, boldly formulating and sharing their personal world views, rejecting old religions that don’t fit. Within every society though, there are some who feel very connected to traditional religions. Religion serves a vital purpose in their lives and IMO we should view them with respect and admiration. That might be difficult for those suffering from childhood mental abuse by churches—difficult but not impossible long-term.
Don’t be afraid of words. Be afraid of hubris.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 13, 2019:
There is ultimate reality beyond our sense world, which could be labeled as “God”, but such labeling might be misleading to some people. The ground of all being, both subjective and objective, pure consciousness—whatever we say about it is insufficient.
Why is it that otherwise intelligent people who demonstrate rational thought in every subject matter...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 12, 2019:
They might have had a personal existential crisis. Through all the fluff of rituals and dogma, maybe there is, after all, something in religion that they need for survival. It’s irrational I know, but humans are not always rational. Logically, our response should be to respect them and to respect their choices, to seek to understand rather than to be understood.
CONFESSIONS OF AN OVER THE WALL GRATEFUL RECOVERING CATHOLIC First Communion, Confirmation, ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 12, 2019:
Wow, we begin to understand you!
Old Babylonian mathematics and Plimpton 322: A new understanding of the OB tablet Plimpton 322 - ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 12, 2019:
Very interesting. Thanks for posting this.
Motivations in Atheists: Self-mastery - - (= Miguel Farias: "The Psychology of Atheism", part 2)...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 12, 2019:
Maybe there’s not a sharp delineation between atheists and those interested in spirituality. A person can take a bold plunge in rejecting church dogma but treat that rejection as just a necessary phase, moving on to a deeper understanding than was offered by churches. Another option is to make their rejection into a major splash, a grand reason for existence.
Hypocritical Falwell and family clubbing in 2014...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 11, 2019:
So alluring! Jesus did, after all, turn water into wine, his greatest and most beneficial miracle.
Was there something that prompted you to leave your religion?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 11, 2019:
As a teen the Bible was not easy to read, and most of it seemed irrelevant, especially the Old Testament which is primarily a history of the Jews along with their mythology. I wasn’t sold on the key doctrines of Christianity either, but I faked belief so as not to rock the boat. I have never felt led to sit down and read the Bible. Turning away from old myths and dogma was for me just the beginning of a life of awareness, reverence and awe. I like to think that I threw out the bath water and kept the baby. Others tell me I’m full of woo.
Is the term "African-American" rasict.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 11, 2019:
“As for myself I don’t like being called ‘black American’, because it so often implies *less American*. And I absolutely despise being called ‘African-American.’ I am not an African. I am an American.” Albert Murray No matter what description you use, some people will see it as racist. I propose respect and love for all of our citizens. Maybe it would be better if we got away from referring to people’s ancestry at all. There are thousands of ways of dividing people into classifications but in the end we are all the same thing.
Do we have to believe something (in order to cope with reality)?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 11, 2019:
I don’t understand why we have to have belief about the deep mysteries of reality. Why can’t we just not know. Of course in our daily lives we need beliefs in order to function, I believe it’s time for my morning coffee.
As an atheist or agnostic, are you comfortable with the idea that consciousness may be beyond human ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 11, 2019:
Conscious awareness seems to be beyond human understanding as we currently think. Maybe someday we will learn new methods, but my personal opinion is that consciousness can not be explained in terms of physical processes. The new methods will have to embrace an entirely new world view. Edwin Schrodinger: “Consciousness cannot be accounted for in physical terms. For consciousness is absolutely fundamental. It cannot be accounted for in terms of anything else.”
Does free will exist?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 10, 2019:
Desire wells up in our bodies. We have no control over the welling up of desire—that desire is regulated by subconscious animal instincts inherited through ages of evolution. I am in fact, hungry right now, but I plan to dine in a restaurant tonight. I am able to consciously control my body and cause it to wait. Sometimes I think of something I want to accomplish. I have to nudge the body into action. That self-control, that nudging into action—those things represent conscious awareness and free will IMO. Our bodies can run along on autopilot for a time, but eventually problems will arise requiring a free agent to override programming and chart a new course. That overriding process is an enigma that is not understood. Sometimes instructions are received through other people. The universe tells us what to do, so therefore there’s no free will. But we collectively **are** the universe, so yes there actually is free will. It’s just that the sense of self as a body is an illusion. That’s how I see it anyway.
The natural world is full of grisly cases of predation, parasitism, a universe of ghastly horrors ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 10, 2019:
The answer to the dilemma is in the opening chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. The only dilemma is in our mistaken thinking and ignorance regarding who we are. There is a huge and complex jungle of organisms extending through time and space. If you are identified with one of those organisms the world will appear to be cruel and unjust. But those organisms have no real existence—they are nothing but temporary arrangements of energy patterns, like waves on the ocean. IMO it is impossible for an arrangement of molecules to have conscious awareness—from the perspective of ultimate reality they are robotic, neither good nor bad but behaving perfectly as they were designed to behave. Our true Self (singular) is Consciousness itself. Sir Arthur Eddington: “The universe is of the nature of a thought or sensation in a universal Mind... To put the conclusion crudely — the stuff of the world is mind-stuff.”
Can all 'why' questions be translated into 'how' questions?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 9, 2019:
There are why questions that are based on a presumption of conscious awareness and volition, and those are the ones for which science has no answers. There might be answers of a sort but those answers can not be proven. Why did I have oatmeal for breakfast? That’s just what I decided to have. I think I understand what Atkins is saying though. Why is the gravitational constant what it is? It is a legitimate question reflecting our natural curiosity, we are not really wanting to know “why”—“why” is just an idiom. We would like to understand the gravitational constant in relation to other known facts so that we can better fit the idea into our world view. We’d like to be able to calculate the gravitational constant rather than just measure it. It might be that science currently has no answer for such a question, but someday it might. “Why does anything exist rather than nothing?” I’d say that is a perfectly valid “why” question that can not be converted into a “how” question. Whatever answer is given is superficial because more why questions will follow. If someone says that reality fell into existence because of the laws of probability, then the next question is “Why are the laws of probability as they are? How did they get that way?” I think we might have to admit at some point that our “why” questions simply have no meaning from a cosmic perspective, because our intellects are locked into an artificial symbolic reality of our own making. Our very concept of existence is based on objectivity, which is a contrived, dualistic concept, and the idea of causation is equally contrived.
Would the discovery of living beings on other planets make earth's religions irrelevant?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 9, 2019:
Why might life on other planets make religion irrelevant? I don’t see how it would in the least.
"Science is limitless in its scope.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 8, 2019:
Good point. My questions are the real ones. Yours are contrived. I don’t think the scientific method was stumbled upon. I think intelligent people used their analytic powers, based on conscious awareness and free will to devise ways of testing proposed theories. While the scientific method is a valuable tool, it is fundamentally limited by our peculiar mentality. Science is like a pair of pliers, there to use when it’s needed, but it’s not worthy of worship or adulation, and is not justification for chest beating.
“Why is it that when the world’s richest ‘spiritual’ leaders need money, they turn to you ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 5, 2019:
Eckhart Tolle has a net worth of 70 million dollars. He is a spiritual leader, no quotation marks needed. Tolle earned every penny of his fortune through service to humanity.
Organized religion
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 5, 2019:
If the religions were “disappeared” at gunpoint through government edict, yes, there would be world-wide civil war with millions of deaths, and then presto—religions would reappear.
Would Elizabeth Warren's wealth tax proposal tax the wealth of America's super rich pastors like ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 5, 2019:
Elizabeth Warren herself is extremely wealthy, and so are many other top democrats. No one is really hurt much by some people being wealthy.
Did atheism somehow cause - or contribute to - the rise of science?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 5, 2019:
There are different kinds of atheists and unless you clarify that point, confusion results. For example Aristotle was an atheist in that he rejected belief in the mythological gods and goddesses of his day. Yet he argued for a “prime mover”. httpshttps://www.learnreligions.com/atheism-and-skepticism-with-greek-philosophers-248345://www.learnreligions.com/atheism-and-skepticism-with-greek-philosophers-248345 Max Planck was not interested in dogmatic religious beliefs based on myth, yet he espoused Universal Consciousness. For John Wheeler it was a Participatory Universe—David Bohm, the Implicate Order. Donald Hoffman talks about Conscious Realism—the list goes on, and in fact, half of all scientists in the US express belief in some sort of higher power. As those with courage, intelligence and open minds gain broader perspectives, they reject belief in religious dogma and mythical beings, and they become enthralled with the deeper questions of ultimate reality. Atheism is just a label for an opinion, and has no major role in the development of science.
I'm watching The Dark Crystal netflix series and, because I've watched the movie, and know how ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 4, 2019:
The sacrifice of a few hundred would be nothing. Hundreds of thousands die every day.
For those still troubled by religion.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 4, 2019:
I have somehow escaped the fear and trauma that so many people endure. I think I was skeptical from the start about the hellfire & damnation school of thought, and my parents never mentioned such stuff. We need to understand and accommodate those who lash out at religion. If I had my way the idea of hell would be banished from human consciousness. Whoever thought up that concept ought to be dug up and kicked in the ass. There is only heaven and we are in it!
Will You Still Love You When You're No Longer Young and Beautiful?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 4, 2019:
You raise a worrisome specter. Here I am skating through life based on my youth, sex appeal and good looks, and you have to ask troubling questions. Ironically I have just started working out with weights. Enough of this depressing twaddle. I’ve had my cup of raw oatmeal with healthy additives. It’s time for my morning walk and then a brisk workout with the new barbell set. Then it’ll be meditation, reading, etc. The end of my youth stage is so far off in the future as to be safely ignored I think. Please do not bring up the subject again. :-)
Why are we - or some of us - able to understand the universe?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 4, 2019:
There has been a selection pressure for inventiveness, curiosity and sensitivity. Because of those traits maybe mankind developed religion, art, technology and science. Despite science, I feel that our understanding of the universe is only superficial. Those mathematical models are beautiful, and they partially describe the way things are, but they don’t tell us why things are the way they are. That is because our minds are locked in a sub-realm of reality and the perception needed for survival in that sub-realm is not true vision. Another issue is that “selection pressure” idea—I’m not convinced that evolution is driven by selection pressure alone. Selection pressure plays a role for sure, but I don’t think the selection is always rote and mindless. There’s an element of intelligence involved IMO.
An Evolutionary Fear: How the Way Our Brains Evolved Might Be Making Us Afraid of the Wrong Things
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 3, 2019:
Great essay, neatly summed up in the last paragraph. I concur.
Wonder what he means by this.... [agnostic.com]
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 3, 2019:
What he means is that as your perspective broadens the full impact of the human situation hits you full force and you are rendered agape with awe, appreciation and reverence. If you don’t like the word “God” you can substitute some other undefinable word. No big deal. Werner Karl Heisenberg: The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you. The atoms or elementary particles themselves are not real; they form a world of potentialities or possibilities rather than one of things or facts.
Catholic School Bans Harry Potter Books Because They Contain ‘Real Curses And Spells’ | Michael ...
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 3, 2019:
A school need not declare that it is banning certain books. It is the right and duty of school officials to select books for its library that they deem appropriate. I can see that parents would have input, but no one else need bother themselves about the issue. After all, the students are perfectly free to read Harry Potter books at home. The only “mess” is the one you create in your own mind with judgmental or untrue thoughts.
Evangelical Leader Claims Teaching Kids Basic Science Causes Mass Shootings
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 3, 2019:
I watched the video and my impression of Perkins was not all negative. These articles often twist and exaggerate things in order to arouse hatred. Hatred sells. The origin of life is a mystery, and to claim that life began as a random accident is unscientific. What should be taught in schools is not knee-jerk scientism but truth about the mystery, magnificence and unity of being. Part of that is evolution, yes, but evolution does not address the origin of life. Maybe Perkins has a point.
Patriotism .
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 3, 2019:
When there is a perceived threat people unify in order to meet that threat. If there is no perceived threat politicians will create one.
Religion & science--the topsy twins of human affairs.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 2, 2019:
The best thing to do if it’s raining is to let it rain. People will be people. It’s OK.
Evangelical Leader Claims Teaching Kids Basic Science Causes Mass Shootings
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 2, 2019:
That headline is somewhat misleading. There is no proof that life came about by chance through primordial slime. Maybe Tony Perkins is onto something here. IMO schools should foster awareness and awe in the face of the staggering implications of the mystery of existence as a conscious being. They should also encourage critical analysis and open discussion. A lot of things taught in schools are nothing but mindless dogma.
This makes me glad I’ve never learned about god & scriptures.
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 2, 2019:
This is obviously a fabrication—an image made up to look like a church sign. If this arouses your ire, then something is wrong and you are being manipulated. It’s nothing but a political statement, one that I find to be underhanded, elitist, condescending, demeaning and misleading.
Should atheists subscribe to naturalism or even scientism?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 2, 2019:
I neither believe nor disbelieve in the existence of God, however I do seek to understand or experience the nature of ultimate reality. Whatever the nature of ultimate reality, the term “supernatural” is a poor description and is of no help. All these various “ism’s” can be confusing. IMO, what it boils down to is that some people cling tenaciously to the opinion that their perception of reality is the actual reality, and that the only way to understand that reality is through the scientific method. Others can see that current scientific knowledge is superficial, and they yearn for deeper understanding. Beliefs, proofs, arguments—none of these are of much help when it comes to personal understanding. They seek glimmers of truth in the arts, in science, and in religion. We should stop pretending that we know stuff we don’t know, and maintain an open mind to new and unorthodox ideas.
CONSCIENTIOUS & YOU-YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR AWARENESS What is consciousness?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 1, 2019:
I thought a person could sit and experience conscious awareness without having thoughts of any kind, including memories. Memories seem to consist of symbols or sequences of symbols. You can stop looking at those symbols—consciously turn away. So far as what consciousness is, it’s a very profound mystery. There’s something extremely uncanny about consciousness. Most people simply take it for granted or don’t want to think about it, but behind the scenes of our sentient reality lies a phenomenon of immense significance of which we are a vital part. What is consciousness? It is us.
What do you think of this Pastor?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 1, 2019:
I disagree with Dr. Jeffress, but I have no objection to the airing of his opinions. He has a total right to his opinions. *The Friendly Atheist* is not all that friendly IMO, often engaging in hyperbole, stereotyping and demonization. Such terms as “Trump-worshiping” have no place in a serious article. And where does Jeffress say he longs for the days before the Civil Rights Act? I am more afraid of shrill fanatics who want to shut down free speech than I am of religious people.
Is it ethical to have children?
WilliamFleming comments on Sep 1, 2019:
If someone wants to be socially responsible there is the option of having just one or two children. I’m not personally convinced about climate change, but overpopulation is definitely a threat. For some unknown reason I love children and had a deep desire to reproduce. As a result I have four—more than my share I know, but you have to consider that I never wanted to be socially responsible in the first place. IMO logically no one should feel a sense of emptiness because of not having had children. I know that we are not logical however, but remember that there are thousands of possible avenues that we could have taken. For example, I wish I had learned music and languages as a child. I didn’t and I’m not going to now—maybe in another life. There are certainly plenty of people in the world, so all we need do is concentrate on the miracle of each moment and live in peace and joy.
I love the writings of Zora Neale Hurston, author of African-American literature, anthropologist, ...
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 31, 2019:
I agree heartedly with Zora Neale Hurston. Incidentally, according to Wikipedia, Donald Trump said something very similar in an interview.
It would seem that Eve did not seduce Adam with an apple. [thespruceeats.com]
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 31, 2019:
Interesting—thanks for posting. Maybe I’ll plant some quince trees in the spring. The fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good vs. evil was irrational, dualistic thinking. Once Adam and Eve started thinking like that pandora’s box was open. Of course it was all Eve’s fault. Adam was just catering to her whims, hoping to get laid—the universal male weakness.
Dorian.
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 31, 2019:
Some folks around here were praying for Dorian to miss our area, and sure enough, he/she seems to be turning north, toward that vipers nest of heathens along the east coast. ••PRAISE THE LORD**!
There is so much wrong with Christianity, mainly the part where devotees are required to "WORSHIP" ...
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 31, 2019:
True belief is nothing but a value judgment, an emotion that arises spontaneously, yet churches try to **force** people to believe through guilt and fear. Of what value is an assertion if it is made at gun point? Worship and reverence are not things that people do because they are told to—those are very valuable and admirable behaviors that arise spontaneously in response to deep awareness and appreciation. Of what value are the trappings of worship as a mere formality? Some good might come from charitable contributions given out of a sense of duty, but that’s not the message of Jesus as described in the Bible. Logically we should feel love and oneness with all people.
Aborting people with down syndrome? Moral or not? [youtu.be]
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 30, 2019:
Immoral not to.
Inside the labs crafting slaughter-free meat - CBS News
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 30, 2019:
Farmers and ranchers will simply stop raising livestock. The poor animals will never exist. :-(
"There are three important patterns of twentieth-century secularization : First, secularization has...
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 30, 2019:
Whilst our womenfolk maintain their religion I hope that helps keep them within bounds. :-)
Do we have a soul?
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 30, 2019:
The traditional soul concept seems improbable to me. Who or what is it that is supposed to be having a soul? For me the question is, “Who or what am I?” I doubt very much if eternal life is in the offing for us as individual personalities. Every experience changes us, and the whole illusion of self is held together tenuously by a thin thread of memory. There is eternal life IMO but it is the eternal life of the whole, of ultimate reality beyond the senses. I wrote a short novel that explores the question, available in the Kindle Store as *The Staggering Implications of the Mystery of Existence*. The book contains woo and is unfit reading for proper atheists of the physicalist bent. :-)
WHAT IS THE NATURE OF REALITY?
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 30, 2019:
I like the way you have framed this issue: all questions. And that is what we face—lots of deep questions and no real answers. For me it is the questions that are important because those questions indicate deep conscious awareness. The implications of existence as conscious beings are absolutely staggering! We might have no understanding but at least we have awe, appreciation and gratitude. If you want to label that as “soul” then OK. (Apparently there is also uncomfortable squirming and denial by many people)
Would you have a wedding in a place of worship, officiated by a religious leader? Why or why not?
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 29, 2019:
There are some, very few, places of worship that I would submit to under duress. At my age however that is unlikely.
Can bad people lead meaningful lives?
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 29, 2019:
I don’t see how anyone could think that an individual human life is sacred or precious. Individuals are frail and temporary by design. Life as a **process** though obviously has value or it wouldn’t exist. Looking at nature as a whole I don’t see where the concept of morality has a place. Morality is nothing but a superficial human concept—a person who is behaving the way I want him to behave is a moral person. Sometimes a pack of wolves will go on a killing spree, lay waste to a herd of caribou and leave the meat to rot. Is that immoral behavior? No, they are acting out inherited impulses derived through millions of years of evolution. That is the behavior that works for nature—who are we to sit in judgment? It would indeed feel stressful to be in constant disagreement with natural processes. Better IMO to view our bodily selves as illusions and identify with the whole—with universal consciousness beyond space and time. “It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life” Damn! I’ve never been a Catholic. Why in hell am I quoting the prayer of St. Francis, and on an atheist web site no less! Please disregard the above quote.
It’s been 14 months since my son died and the platitudes still piss me off.
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 28, 2019:
Great plan and good luck sir.
Thinking about work tomorrow honestly feels draining, who recommend adulthood?
WilliamFleming comments on Aug 28, 2019:
Sounds like a great job but I’d get the orders all mixed up. Hang in there and make the most of it.

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Skeptic, Freethinker, Spiritual
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