How to you relate to artifical intelligence? Do you fear it or support it?

WilliamFleming comments on Jun 1, 2018:

It’s just programming. There’s no consciousness. Nothing to fear.

MEN ONLY: What is your race/ethnic origin?

WilliamFleming comments on Jun 1, 2018:

Ethnic Cracker.

Ok, I know I'm new at this and there must be a learning curve, BUT, out of curiosity sake (and NOT ...

WilliamFleming comments on Jun 1, 2018:

I guess you’re kind of cute. :-)

“We keep on being told that religion, whatever its imperfections, at least instills morality.

WilliamFleming comments on Jun 1, 2018:

My opinion is that morality is just getting along in the pack. We are born with that instinct. Even wolves are moral. A person’s opinion about theology is a trivial thing having nothing to do with morality.

I am just finding out now, at 61, that some of my friends are racist.

WilliamFleming comments on Jun 1, 2018:

What I find is that most of those people who sound racist aren’t really all that racist. If you pay attention to their actions you see that they are caring people who treat all fairly. I guess what comes out of their mouths is just shallow, learned behavior in most cases. Sometimes they just enjoy pushing our buttons. IMO, the most invidious behavior is covert. Many people feel uneasy around those who are different, and they try to cover up their feelings. Blaming or demonizing them will get you nowhere—they can only change through personal experience. For me that experience was the army. For young people of today it is contact with their classmates. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” —Martin Luther King, Jr. Canada is a great country, aye? I love Canadians!

Why doesn't god intervene when innocent children are being raped or starved?

WilliamFleming comments on Jun 1, 2018:

You are presupposing that “we” are our bodies. From a higher perspective, everything is happening just as it should. Nothing could be better. Consciousness likes having a river of organisms with which to interact, but the life or death of single bodies is of no interest. Bodies are only robots. Atheists certainly spend a lot of time arguing for their doctrine. I thought the burden of proof was all on the other side. What gives?

Why Are Atheists Generally Smarter Than Religious People? | HuffPost

WilliamFleming comments on Jun 1, 2018:

I’m not sure what the point is. Is it an argument for the doctrine of atheism? If so it is a very poor argument. Is it just an ego boost? Are atheists insecure in their stance and need emotional support? Whatever it is, it doesn’t seem like a very intelligent approach to me. There have been some extremely intelligent people who have advocated for the presence of a higher intelligence in reality. One such is Christopher Langan, said to be the smartest man ever tested. I believe we would be better off if we didn’t isolate ourselves into these camps of us vs. them. No one knows anything anyway except superficially. Can’t we just get along?

Is it uncomfortable for men to be in a relationship with a women who is more successful ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

If all that academic, intellectual, and financial superiority translates into egomania and domination, then I couldn’t handle it. Each partner needs to contribute value to the other. If a man is not needed and is treated like one of the children, don’t expect him to stay.

Is ignorance bad?

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

No one knows anything except superficially. A person might appear ignorant to me because I know things he doesn’t. But I am not aware of the things he knows that I don’t. On the question of religion, you might judge a person who believes in God to be “willfully ignorant”, but in fact, it’s just that his opinion is different than yours. No one knows the answer.

This was a response to someone's post, but being new to the site, I thought I'd post it here to see ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

Sir, you are right in target. I agree 100%

Seth Andrews said it best, "there is nothing sadder than a bird who has been in a bird cage his ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

I doubt if “most” in the Deep South have been brainwashed by religions. Most have probably been subjected to some sort of persuasive effort, but that’s not brainwashing IMO. If you were brainwashed, I am sorry.

Do you think Science will ever discover how consciousness began?

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

They will first have to find out what consciousness is.

Why do christians speak of peace when their bible is so full of war.

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

Christians claim the New Testament as their bible, and actually it is not full of war. Better to ask why Christians embarked on Crusades and Inquisitions.

It’s my opinion that Agnosticism and Atheism are simply the first steps to true enlightenment, not...

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

I tried to get it but got the message that your essay is not available in my country (US) I have a short novel on Kindle that might interest you. “The Staggering Implications of the Mystery of Existence “

It’s my opinion that Agnosticism and Atheism are simply the first steps to true enlightenment, not...

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

I’ll read yours if you’ll read mine. Search for “The Staggering Implications of the Mystery of Existence on the Kindle Store.

Are We All Racists Deep Inside? - Scientific American

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

Maybe “racist” is too strong a term, but IMO, those with similar genetic traits tend to stick together. Perhaps there is an evolutionary reason for that. Every person alive descends from a long line of survivors. Every genetic group has precious survival traits, perhaps unique to that group. Place two groups in proximity, and they will not immediately blend together. Doing so might mean disaster for one or both groups. On the other hand, nature likes to experiment. There will be a few adventurous individuals who go against the norm, and gradually the groups might merge, resulting in a hardier and better adapted population. It doesn’t happen suddenly because time is needed to weed out bad combinations.

Do you believe all religions are the same, or that some are worse than others?

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

People gravitate toward groups that reflect their level of understanding. My policy is to respect and honor all of them. I don’t honor the organizations but the fellow humans.

Does anyone have experience with ravens and crows.

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

My experience with crows is that they can read your mind. As a teenager, if I thought about shooting one of the crows that was feeding behind the barn, the whole flock would fly away. That was my personal experience and I have no other evidence to add. Do not ask for proof.

Does intelligence lead to atheism?

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

There are various kinds of intelligence, but there does seem to be a correlation for atheism and high IQ. But is Atheism a glorious pinnacle of intellectual achievement? Once you have said those hallowed words, “I withhold belief in god or gods because there is no evidence and now the burden of proof is on you”, does that mean you have risen to the top and achieved the ultimate? In other words, is there anything beyond atheism? There are many examples of very intelligent people who were deeply religious, including almost all the founders of modern physics. So the answer is no, not always.

Does anyone think we will live in a post-religious society?

WilliamFleming comments on May 31, 2018:

Depends on how you define religion. Religious organizations seem to be on the wane, but deep religious sentiment by individuals is an integral and valuable part of humanity IMO. “Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible concatenations, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable. Veneration for this force beyond anything that we can comprehend is my religion. To that extent I am, in point of fact, religious.” Albert Einstein

“I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 30, 2018:

I am not much interested in afterlives. The concept is not meaningful. If time is an illusion the entire chain of organisms can be thought of as a single entity. The only thing about us really worth immortality is conscious awareness, and that is common to us all—it is what we are in fact, and it can not die.

Found this on 'Big Think'; What do you guys think?

WilliamFleming comments on May 30, 2018:

In my opinion a person can be religious without believing anything, and in fact, belief is an impediment to true religious sentiment. Most religious organizations promote or require certain beliefs, but that should not be considered the essence of religion. We should just stop talking about religious belief—saying that we believe or disbelieve this or that thing when actually we haven’t any idea of what we are talking about. No one alive understands the true nature of reality—no philosopher, no scientist, no religious leader. What is needed is not belief or faith, but just a willingness to think and listen, read, meditate and contemplate. What might gradually emerge is deep awareness and appreciation. “Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible concatenations, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable. Veneration for this force beyond anything that we can comprehend is my religion. To that extent I am, in point of fact, religious.” Albert Einstein

The Culture Behind School Shootings

WilliamFleming comments on May 30, 2018:

Left out of the article is any mention that nearly all the shooters have been on psychiatric medication. https://www.google.com/search?q=school+shooters+and+psychiatric+drugs&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us=safari Can anyone explain why the media ignores this data, and why the public is not screaming for reform?

"Capitalism vs.

WilliamFleming comments on May 30, 2018:

I buy groceries at a store that is owned 100% by the employees. My banking is at a member-owned credit union. Insurance and money management is handled by USAA, a member-owned association. My electricity is provided by a co-op. The county picks up my garbage. Did someone say this is a capitalist society? Oh yes, a lot of my shopping is done at Walmart, one of the world’s largest and most successful corporations. I haven’t checked, but I probably own shares in Walmart, and If so I get paid dividends. Is there a problem with that? It’s all the same thing, no matter what you call it: people banding together to accomplish tasks too large for individuals. So called capitalism is nothing more than the free market, which has been with us since time immemorial. Rising populations along with better transportation and communication have made specialized markets and large corporations practical and successful through the economy of scale, and every person benefits from that. It’s not capitalism, it’s just trade. If all stock markets closed, trading would still go on, though less efficiently.

For those brought up in religions that they've since left, what do you think you could have done ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 30, 2018:

There are good and bad things about every aspect of our childhood environments, including religion. Make the best of the hand you were dealt.

Ways to be blocked from my Agnostic account.

WilliamFleming comments on May 30, 2018:

While I did not vote for Mr.Trump, because he was legally elected he has my support as our president. It seems like very bad citizenship to stage an insurrection whenever your candidate loses, or to raise a big ruckus for that matter. I look forward to being blocked. How can I verify that you have blocked me?

Schrodinger's positivism

WilliamFleming comments on May 30, 2018:

Was Schrödinger a positivist? I can find no connection. This is from Wikipedia, discussing Schrödinger’s “What is Life?”: “Upanishads considered this insight of "ATHMAN = BRAHMAN" to "represent quintessence of deepest insights into the happenings of the world. Schrödinger rejects the idea that the source of consciousness should perish with the body”

Ok, be sensitive because I am talking about someone I love very much.

WilliamFleming comments on May 30, 2018:

I am not an atheist, but I don’t believe in an afterlife either. What I think is that the sense of self as a separate individual is just an illusion, and that in reality we are all a part of something greater. Time is part of the illusion. The entire chain of organisms can be thought of as a single entity. After your mother is gone, you’ll miss her of course, but every second of conscious awareness will sustain you and make your life joyful. She, along with all of us will be with you. We are all in heaven already.

Do you find it offensive when theist think without a belief in god/gods, it’s impossible to have ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 30, 2018:

Being offended is unhealthy and unnecessary. If you are going to buck the crowd you know in advance that you’ll get flak from some quarters. I suppose a person could make a big whoop-de-doo over being different and superior just for ego purposes, and in that case, being offended would certainly be useful in keeping the ego cauldron boiling. I do not call myself an atheist, but my opinion is that morality is purely subjective. A good person is one who acts as I wish him to act—an evil person does what I don’t like. Actually, IMO good and evil are not opposites. Evil exists only in imagination, while good has true essence, and permeates the universe.

What's the one most negative/detrimental effect religious teachings had on your life?

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

I grew up as a Baptist, but frankly, I can’t think of any negative/detrimental effects. There were, in fact, some very good and positive things about my Baptist upbringing. Whatever Ill effects I suffered in breaking away were purely of my own doing—my own thoughts. I don’t believe in Christianity as presented by traditional churches, and I will never go back, but I try not to wallow in anger, and I do not look down upon those who remained.

Do you remember your dreams?

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

I wonder if some of our dreams are efforts by the subconscious mind to communicate or get direction. I sometimes dream that I am on the job, desperately trying to get something done, and things aren’t going well. Maybe my subconscious mind needs telling that I am retired.

Religious books can be considered controlled dangerous subjects

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

I lean toward thinking that a book can’t hurt you. You can hurt yourself though by what you think about ideas in the book.

Is belief a choice?

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

I don’t think we have a conscious choice about what we believe or disbelieve. If there is convincing evidence, we lean toward belief—otherwise disbelief. For many questions the ultimate answer is simply not known and might be unknowable. Many questions hinge on semantics, or how you define things. The question of God is intimately bound up with the ultimate nature of reality, and that is far, far out of my understanding, which is why I don’t argue over it.

Looking from across the Atlantic I am always baffled by US Presidents' overt avowal of Christian ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

I suspect there have been some non-believers if not atheists. Politicians say whatever it takes to get votes.

Imagine yourself walking along a path to an unknown destination.

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

I think I understand your chasm. Existence as a consciously aware entity presents one huge, overwhelming mystery. You can hide from that mystery by clinging to religious dogma or to scientism, but in so doing you miss out on a breathtaking vista. As for me, I am just standing in awe, looking. Don’t know what else to do except communicate with people like you.

Recently a friend told me a joke about a couple arriving in Heaven and receiving a tour.

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

There is a heaven and we are in it right now, but we lack awareness because of untrue, mistaken thoughts.

What is beautiful to you?

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

Women

Many times on this site I have seen us make reference to the residual responses from our prior ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

None of the women I have known wanted to hit me. They have tended to kiss and hug me.

I was thinking about the whole cyberpunk concept of transferring the contents of a person's brain ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

Interesting question. There’s a short but fascinating novel on Kindle which delves into this very topic. It’s entitled “The Staggering Implications of the Mystery of Existence” by William Fleming.

I feel this is true for most people who finally open their eyes to reality.

WilliamFleming comments on May 29, 2018:

I don’t think people truly believe stuff just because they are told to. They might pretend to believe in order to please their parents, assuage fear, get a good grade, etc, but if the assertions do not seem reasonable their belief is skin deep. If they “lose their faith” it is because they have found the inner strength and courage to assert truth and escape those who would use religion to control others with guilt and fear. Good for them!

As a 6 year old - I was sexually abused by a priest- it took me more than 40 years to say something ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 28, 2018:

I like your remark about spirituality. You threw out the bath water and kept the baby.

What Do Women Want?

WilliamFleming comments on May 28, 2018:

Different ones want different things, but everybody wants to be treated respectfully and valued as a person.

If you have served our country, thank you for your sacrifice.

WilliamFleming comments on May 28, 2018:

Thank you sir—much appreciated.

'Nuff Said

WilliamFleming comments on May 28, 2018:

There’s no logic to the crucifixion narrative. Jesus would have died at some point, as we all do. Being nailed to a cross was just the common method of execution at the time. If some modern person were put to death because of their teachings, and zealots made up a religion about it, then future followers might take to wearing golden hypodermic needles around their necks.

No words...

WilliamFleming comments on May 28, 2018:

Truly religious people do not say such things as the woman in Soldotna. But I do not judge her Ill because of her mistaken thoughts. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.

Arizona state education standards see evolution deleted | Ars Technica

WilliamFleming comments on May 28, 2018:

I am so blessed to live in an enlightened state like Alabama where the teaching of evolution is required: https://articles.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/09/alabama_will_require_students.amp Ha ha, those westerners are such red necks. :-)

Professionalism: Do you agree with this venn diagram's definitions?

WilliamFleming comments on May 28, 2018:

There might be some truth there but the boundaries should not be so fixed and defined. They should be soft and indefinite, ala fuzzy logic. A professional is still a human, with at least some human limitations.

To our bible belt friends.

WilliamFleming comments on May 28, 2018:

I wonder if that “Bible Belt” moniker is mostly just a stereotype. I live in a rural southern area and my impression is that there are all types in our region, just like everywhere else. I don’t identify as an atheist, but I am very anti-fundamentalist and church people never bother me. http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/region/south/ If you click on the above link you'll see a rating of various religious practices and values in the South. Under each table is a tab to click on and see how the various regions compare in religious practices. If you look you'll see that while the South is indeed more religious, the differences among the regions are not very great. There are certainly not enough differences to warrant labeling the South as the "bible belt". The South is a huge and diverse region, the most populous region, with every conceivable religion and religious opinion.

Who created God?

WilliamFleming comments on May 27, 2018:

A theist might say that time as we know it is an illusion and that everything truly real has always been and always will be. There’s no proof of course. Everyone who looks directly at the staggering implications of existence should be totally awe-struck, whether atheist or theist.

What do you think about the social determinants of health?

WilliamFleming comments on May 27, 2018:

There are some very healthy people in all groups. There are a lot of rich people who are weak, overweight, diabetic, and hanging to life by a thread. The health care industry will kill you in a second for enough money.

This is one of my poems.

WilliamFleming comments on May 27, 2018:

Wow! You must be dating the wrong ones. There’re some wild women out there, Bible Belt or otherwise.

Does anyone here use essential oils?

WilliamFleming comments on May 27, 2018:

I use 5wt30 synthetic oil in my Miata. It is essential.

Flat Earthers. Seriuosly?

WilliamFleming comments on May 27, 2018:

The flat earth model is very limited but it does have some uses. For example, land surveyors often assume that the earth is flat when they do small surveys. What is usually overlooked is that the planetary model with a spheroidal earth is also nothing but a mathematical model. Just think, the earth is supposed to be orbiting the sun, but no one seems to understand space or time, except to say that they are illusions. Particles of matter are said by physicists to consist of probability waves that are in no particular place, until observed by a conscious observer, upon which they “collapse” into things. I will not ridicule the flat earth folks because we are all ignorant IMO.

I am feeling euphorically happy about today, and I'm all about spreading positivity and ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 27, 2018:

I feel your happiness!

Until people get tired of people, including children, being killed or wounded, they will not take ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 26, 2018:

If the millions of people put to death by the likes of Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot had been well armed and organized the outcome might have been different. Even in modern times soldiers sometimes go into residential neighborhoods, order families onto the street, and gun them down, men, women and children. I think we should keep our firearms, just in case. That’s not to say that a few reasonable regulations are not in order. In almost all recent mass murders the perpetrator was taking some sort of psychotropic medication. It’s fact—just google. IMO those drugs, if used at all, should only be used temporarily and in dire circumstances, and then only after strict safeguards are in place.

Do you think that the religious are Gullible?

WilliamFleming comments on May 25, 2018:

Can’t check any of the three options. There have been, however, some very intelligent religious people—Einstein for example. IMO the most meaningful dichotomy is not between theists and atheists but between those with the courage to evolve in their understanding and those with fixed, immutable opinions, frozen by fear and ego.

We can't be having that.

WilliamFleming comments on May 24, 2018:

To be fair, “educated” is in quotes, indicating that the author is referring to what he considers pseudeducation or just indoctrination. There are such things as gray areas—there could be a modicum of truth there.

Aside from your beliefs, what other areas of your life do you feel you have to hide to avoid ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 24, 2018:

The best policy is openness IMO. Anyone who matters will respect you whatever your opinions. That said, I am somewhat touchy about my Alabama roots. It’s amazing how many people attack my state in the name of liberalism.

What are your thoughts on standing for the anthem?

WilliamFleming comments on May 24, 2018:

Kneeling doesn’t bother me in the least, but if my employer wanted me to stand at attention I would, on company time only.

Why do we hate?

WilliamFleming comments on May 23, 2018:

First comes erroneous, untrue thoughts and judgments about other people, and this fosters anger, fear, hatred, and generally poor health, loneliness, and unhappiness. The effect snowballs, with ever increasing effects. The solution is to think only true thoughts. Police the mind. The greatest human to walk the earth in my lifetime was Maxie Maultsby Jr. That is just my opinion of course. His books should be in every home, school, and library.

I have to admit that there are times I wish I had some belief system to comfort me when awful things...

WilliamFleming comments on May 23, 2018:

The things about us that are of value: love, deep awareness, gratitude, appreciation, free will, those things live forever through our collective self. Bodies are just robots, temporal by design. Sense of self as a separate entity might be just an illusion. Every second of conscious awareness is an amazing gift. So sorry for your loss.

What beliefs do you have that you know will never change?

WilliamFleming comments on May 23, 2018:

The only thing I know with certainty is that I know only one thing with certainty.

While I am 100% certain that organized religion is a creation of man, what're people's thoughts on ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 23, 2018:

I haven’t read Gurdjieff but you have aroused my interest. Castaneda is very intriguing, but I personally would be afraid to use any type of mind-altering drug. It’s not exactly mysticism, but I love writers such as Rupert Sheldrake, Eckhardt Tolle, Deepak Chopra, Robert Lanza, and Dean Radin. Cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman has written some exciting essays on “Conscious Realism”, I expect criticism from some of those who adhere to a materialist/reductionist model. Some of those names arouse strong negative emotions.

Is Reality Just a Figment of Our Imagination?

WilliamFleming comments on May 23, 2018:

I think the everyday physical world perceived by our senses is illusory. It is symbolic though of a higher reality that we can not detect. Space, time, and matter are only parameters, useful by our minds in organizing data for survival. Cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman theorizes “Conscious Realism”, a fascinating subject. http://www.cogsci.uci.edu/~ddhoff/ConsciousRealism2.pdf

Republicans Call For Christianity As ‘Official Religion’ of US

WilliamFleming comments on May 23, 2018:

The article is wrongly titled. It should be “A Republican...”

Are humans innately theists?

WilliamFleming comments on May 23, 2018:

The trappings of organized religion are nothing but shallow, learned behavior, spread mindlessly from generation to generation. IMO there is a central core, common to all religions, which springs from the human spirit in every age and culture. Aldous Huxley’s “The Perenniel Philosophy” explores that core.

The unexplained..

WilliamFleming comments on May 22, 2018:

Very interesting! There’s more to reality than meets the eye. There are deep, unexplainable mysteries.

So I am fairly new.

WilliamFleming comments on May 22, 2018:

Sounds like you are honest and courageous and bewildered, which IMO is the most rational state of mind when it comes to the deep questions of existence. I reject just about everything taught by mainline churches, yet I think there is a common core upon which all religions are based and that has value. That is deep awareness,gratitude and appreciation for the beauty and mystery of reality. No need to throw out the baby with the bath water. Sure, Jesus was a smart, gutsy guy and I agree with a lot that he is reported to have said, however, his is not the only valid perspective.

Researchers Find Fear and Courage Switches in Brain - Neuroscience News

WilliamFleming comments on May 22, 2018:

But what causes what? Does the fear or courage cause the neuron activity or does the neuron activity cause fear or courage?

Is the self an illusion?

WilliamFleming comments on May 22, 2018:

I voted for #2. Self as a separate entity is an illusion IMO. But along with that I lean toward thinking that there is a higher Self that we all share. It is just an intuitive, unprovable idea, but one which has arisen in different ages and cultures around the world. More recently we have cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman’s theory of Conscious Realism which addresses the question. The most honest and perceptive position IMO is that we simply don’t know who or what we are. It is truly a flabbergasting thought. On this subject I have written a short novel which is on Kindle, entitled “The Staggering Implications of the Mystery of Existence”.

The practice of islam is in violation of all the human rights liberals are supposed to believe in: ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 22, 2018:

We should not stereotype them. I’ve know some wonderful people who practice the Islamic faith. There’s nothing wrong or evil about the basic tenets of Islam.

Going to see Michael Pollan tomorrow night.

WilliamFleming comments on May 22, 2018:

I read “Omnivore’s Dilemma”. So far as I can determine Pollan has no credentials in either agriculture or nutrition, and I disagree with him in many, many ways.

Demon possession? What’s your opinion on it?

WilliamFleming comments on May 22, 2018:

There are no demons. There is no evil. There is no sin. There are only mistakes. Even actions that we currently view as mistakes did not always seem so. We had to do what we did under the conditions we faced at the time.

Atheists, is atheism the default of the failed philosophical hypothesis of a god or is it the ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 22, 2018:

Logically I see no difference in the assertion that you do not believe in God, and the assertion that you believe that God does not exist. If you said that you were undecided or that you didn’t know, that would be different. I am not an atheist. I lean toward the concept of universal awareness, which could be labeled as God I suppose. Labels are just labels. I think that for a person to state that they believe no God exists, for that statement to be meaningful they would have to specify how they define God and which concepts of God they do not accept.

The more I learn the less I know. It's intriguing and sad at the same time.

WilliamFleming comments on May 21, 2018:

As I have aged, on a rational level I have understood reality less and less, until now, I am totally flabbergasted and bewildered, and in abject awe and amazement. Turns out all my previous knowledge, so proudly held, was just superficial, with no real foundation. It is not the answers but the questions that matter.

Does free will exist?

WilliamFleming comments on May 21, 2018:

If we have free will, it is in partnership with conscious awareness. Ostensibly, a robot could be programmed to operate autonomously, but all its decisions would be based on programming—responding in pre-determined ways to input data. Even when the response was based on randomness there would be no free will because it would still be a preprogrammed response. I lean toward thinking that our bodies are robots, with no conscious awareness or free will, but that we have a shared higher self that is associated with free will, love, joy, and everything worthy.

Some people even like my mom will try to say there is room for both Science and Religion,but I like ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 21, 2018:

I recently met a woman from Sri Lanka who is a Buddhist, and a physics professor. Read the words of the founders of modern physics and you’ll learn that nearly all of them were deeply religious in their own ways. There’s no contradiction at all between religious sentiment and true science. Contradictions arise from rigid church dogma, and also from those who try to use science as a prop for materialist/reductionist philosophies.

Love will set you free? True or false?

WilliamFleming comments on May 21, 2018:

Our true selves are already free, by default. Our bodies can never have total freedom. Having a special other frees you in some ways and binds you in other ways. By sacrificing part of our personal freedom we gain companionship, security, intimacy, etc. it’s an investment.

Alright Theists please show the world why your God exists! Starting Now! GO!

WilliamFleming comments on May 20, 2018:

As an a-atheist I simply withhold belief in atheism. I have no obligation to defend or support theism.

Anyone besides me driven crazy by trying to find a way to make a lasting difference in this world ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 20, 2018:

Just by virtue of living and experiencing consciousness, you are making a lasting difference. Your self as an individual will be gone, but conscious awareness is immutable and immortal.

Will AI ever obtain true consciousness? (whatever that means)

WilliamFleming comments on May 20, 2018:

We don’t even know what consciousness is—how can people make something when they don’t know what it is they are to make. We don’t even know what we ourselves are. The Chinese Room Paradox evokes serious doubt about the possibility of conscious computers. As a skeptic I am withholding belief in conscious computers until evidence is presented. I have written a short novel, available on the Kindle Store, which involves consciousness. It is called “The Staggering Implications of the Mystery of Existence”.

There is no objective reality. There is only an objectionable reality. Discuss.

WilliamFleming comments on May 18, 2018:

There is an objective reality and it is subjective. I am that reality, along with you. “We” are conscious awareness itself. The physical world of the senses is symbolic only, needed only for organizing data.

There's no such thing as a 'pure' European—or anyone else | Science | AAAS

WilliamFleming comments on May 18, 2018:

Absolutely!

A two part question.

WilliamFleming comments on May 18, 2018:

The world’s most benevolent religion consists of deep awareness by individuals of the absolutely staggering implications of existence as a conscious being. Organizations per se are not dangerous, but individuals often use those organizations for purposes we don’t like.

Another horrible shooting.

WilliamFleming comments on May 18, 2018:

This case involved a shotgun and pipe bombs as well as an evil semiautomatic rifle. I believe pipe bombs are already illegal. Are we really going to outlaw shotguns? Not likely IMO. I am watching the news updates on this situation, and I expect to learn that the shooter is on psychotropic medication like nearly every other similar perpetrator. Yes, we’ve got to start somewhere, and that’s a good place to start.

This post is NOT meant to be argumentative or demeaning in ANYWAY.

WilliamFleming comments on May 18, 2018:

In my opinion, a lot of the disagreement stems from thinking in absolutes. There are various concepts of God, or God-like essences, and to lump them all together and reject them out of hand is illogical. While some of those concepts are clearly just myths, others are based on some level of evidence. It might not be the air-tight scientific kind of evidence you’d like, but it is, after all, evidence. Even though no final determination is possible, a thorough ongoing discussion of the issue is needed. To say only that you do not believe contributes nothing to the discussion. As an analogy, suppose a mathematician got up and presented a proof of a new theorem. Most in the audience are convinced, and they want to discuss and clarify various points. A few are not convinced, but rather than engaging in analysis and discussion they simply say that they do not believe. When asked to elaborate, they refuse, saying that the burden of proof is on those who make positive assertions. For them the issue is all about them and their disbelief, and has nothing to do with the theorem in question.

"Every faith in the world is based on fabrication.

WilliamFleming comments on May 17, 2018:

There are religious groups that don’t require faith, or belief. Buddhism does not speak of God, for example. New Thought churches generally require no belief. The do have a God concept, but that is not something for belief or disbelief.

This post is NOT meant to be argumentative or demeaning in ANYWAY.

WilliamFleming comments on May 17, 2018:

I try to maintain awareness and appreciation for the absolutely staggering beauty and mystery of reality. No belief or proof is required. Don’t have time for arguing.

Why do intelligent people suddenly turn to a god in there darkest hours

WilliamFleming comments on May 17, 2018:

A person’s opinion on theology is a tiny part of their makeup. Continue loving your kin. We all evolve gradually in our understanding. Just talk about other things if possible.

I suffer from existential depression/angst. Can anyone relate?

WilliamFleming comments on May 17, 2018:

I’m an no professional counselor—I can only say what worked for me. I read “Help Yourself to Happiness” by Dr. Maxie Maultsby, and practiced the recommended exercise. It was like flipping a switch, with anger, sadness and loneliness flying away, and joy overtaking me. Emotions follow thoughts.

I'm sorta seeing this person we like each other but she was raised in a church and knows about my ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 16, 2018:

My opinion is that it is possible for courageous and open-minded people to find common ground. Each party must evolve. That said, I will never again sit in a church and listen to a lot of garbage. I wouldn’t do that for anyone.

Put my underwear on inside out this morning.

WilliamFleming comments on May 16, 2018:

It makes sense to have the clean side next to your skin. Save on laundry costs by also reversing the outer layer so the dirty side doesn’t show.

If you were given the opportunity to get away with any crime for 24 hours, would you commit any ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 16, 2018:

No.

Science does not reject morality.

WilliamFleming comments on May 16, 2018:

Moral behavior is behavior that I like. Behavior that I dislike is immoral. It’s just that simple. If there were some sort of universal standards we’d have no wars.

As an atheist what do you want done with your remains when you die?

WilliamFleming comments on May 16, 2018:

I don’t know if I will actually carry it out, but I visualize a self-cremation. I might build a pyre, get it burning, climb on and shoot myself with my pistol, thus making a joyful and dramatic exit and side-stepping the medical and funeral industries as well as silly bureaucrats. A friend told me that it would be a shame to burn up a perfectly good pistol. I have the feeling he’d come over and do the job if he got to keep the pistol.

Jesus Christ had some good ideas, but organized religion and hypocrisy have contorted his thoughts ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 15, 2018:

According to reports, Jesus was a smart, gutsy guy, and I agree with a lot of what he taught. Yeah, organized ruins everything. On the other hand, human behavior is just what it is. There must be some reason things are the way they are— some band together in the name of . I will not waste my happiness by stewing over such things.

Do you think morals can be taught?

WilliamFleming comments on May 15, 2018:

I lean toward thinking that trying to teach others some sort of formulated behavior is a futile effort, causing more harm than good. I do think that if parents live joyfully and compassionately, their children will tend to follow suit. Humans, even babies, are far beyond our ken. We can sometimes offer leadership but we can not alter a person’s essence.

I honestly don't care where the universe came from all I know for sure is the concept of God is a ...

WilliamFleming comments on May 15, 2018:

In some ways I agree. To say that God did all this is to say nothing, except that we don’t know. That is because no one can define or understand God. There are various concepts of God, and most of them are senseless and boring. Others intrigue me greatly. For example, Max Planck spoke of “universal awareness, the matrix of all matter”. I suppose you could associate that with God. It would be just semantics. I’m not sure if the question about where the universe came from is meaningful, based on our space/time/matter model as it is. What I care about is the experience of conscious awareness, a profound and exciting mystery.

Does anyone else cringe when they hear actors try to do a Southern Accent?

WilliamFleming comments on May 15, 2018:

Some actors get it just right. How about “No Country for Old Men”? That sounded genuine to me, but I’m not a Texan. There are many southern accents. Where they botch it, IMO, is when they mix them all up and don’t differentiate between social groups.

I just finished reading the 'Righteous Mind' by Jonathan Haidt.

WilliamFleming comments on May 13, 2018:

Sounds interesting. I’ll try to find a copy.