[thetimes.

Kojaksmom comments on May 2, 2019:

Christians Muslims and jews are the three headed beast. I dont discriminate, so I don't trust any of them.

bbyrd009 replies on Jun 8, 2019:

And the Bible agrees, fwiw to you "Real religion is taking care of widows and orphans." it isn't too hard to see the OT as the record of the *failure* of a "religion, imo. Anyway if there is a God, I'm sure She detests religion as much as most anyone

[thetimes.

hippydog comments on May 3, 2019:

Examples? Cause personally on this site i treat all nutjobs kinda equal.

bbyrd009 replies on Jun 8, 2019:

@Moravian Well, i might agree that many interpretations of many passages are possible, but that does not address ignoring the Opening of Sur'ahs imo; paraphrased, "undertaking violence in any form in the name of Islam is forbidden." So imo the violent ones are like our Fake Christians i think

[thetimes.

hippydog comments on May 3, 2019:

Examples? Cause personally on this site i treat all nutjobs kinda equal.

bbyrd009 replies on Jun 5, 2019:

@Moravian I'm still on the fence as to whether IS is an arm of US or not? And you are referring to more like Political Islam, yes? The violent ones? Not really Muslims, imo, if they can't get past the Opening of Sur'ahs without gravely offending.

[thetimes.

hippydog comments on May 3, 2019:

Examples? Cause personally on this site i treat all nutjobs kinda equal.

bbyrd009 replies on Jun 4, 2019:

@Moravian to be fair though, neither of them proselytize. Fake Xtians deserve it imo

Tried watching a good Friday BBC programme called The Easter Story but found it intensely irritating...

jlynn37 comments on Apr 19, 2019:

We did not go forth and multiply, gain dominion over the animals and nature and have ended up where we are today because of what is written Genesis but because we are humans and doing what humans do naturally and normally and it would have ended up the same regardless of the past history.

bbyrd009 replies on Apr 19, 2019:

The world is passing away, but the earth is what is left I guess

The world is a better place when humanity strikes out and refutes scientific ignorance, hatred, ...

bbyrd009 comments on Mar 28, 2019:

http://www.abarim-publications.com you sound just like this guy!

bbyrd009 replies on Apr 14, 2019:

@OwlInASack what we call "religious people"--which is like ppl fixated on After I Die right--the Bible would call "diviner, -mancer, seer," like that

The world is a better place when humanity strikes out and refutes scientific ignorance, hatred, ...

bbyrd009 comments on Mar 28, 2019:

http://www.abarim-publications.com you sound just like this guy!

bbyrd009 replies on Apr 14, 2019:

@OwlInASack it's throughout the text, Peter said it plain, "they read Paul to their destruction." But there's plenty of direct Quotes that "believers" hate like holy water lol, "No Sonof Man may die for another's sins""no one has ever gone up to heaven""there is only one immortal," on and on. They were all fugitives, wanted by the authorities. "Two Greeks" came to "worship" Jesus and He "hid from them"

The world is a better place when humanity strikes out and refutes scientific ignorance, hatred, ...

bbyrd009 comments on Mar 28, 2019:

http://www.abarim-publications.com you sound just like this guy!

bbyrd009 replies on Apr 13, 2019:

@OwlInASack as an actual person? Yes, I srsly doubt it. As a concept, diff animal. "Nazareth" in "Jesus of Nazareth" is a virtual admission of this, which would have been immediately understood by a contemporary i guess. "Nazareth" = "the middle of nowhere," and is actually a joke in the context of a Rabbi declaring which wisdom school they hailed from, which was very important back then I guess. Saying "Jesus (Joshua) of Nazareth" would be like saying "John Doe from Nowhere" now, literally.

Scrap religion as a charitable purpose, says National Secular Society | Third Sector

bbyrd009 comments on Apr 4, 2019:

"Tax deductible" really speaks volumes I guess

bbyrd009 replies on Apr 4, 2019:

Preachers and pastors and whatnot sign those too huh

The world is a better place when humanity strikes out and refutes scientific ignorance, hatred, ...

bbyrd009 comments on Mar 28, 2019:

http://www.abarim-publications.com you sound just like this guy!

bbyrd009 replies on Apr 4, 2019:

@OwlInASack Jesus did not die for your sins ok, that's all religious hooey, yes

The world is a better place when humanity strikes out and refutes scientific ignorance, hatred, ...

bbyrd009 comments on Mar 28, 2019:

http://www.abarim-publications.com you sound just like this guy!

bbyrd009 replies on Apr 4, 2019:

@OwlInASack ah well imo Colin Kaepernick is a god lol, that's what we are, supposed to be anyway, *elohim," but my point was that we are likely reading/being fed the Bible all wrong; writing that Jesus is "Messiah" and "Christ," terms for caesar, amounts to a big FU to Rome, see.

The world is a better place when humanity strikes out and refutes scientific ignorance, hatred, ...

bbyrd009 comments on Mar 28, 2019:

http://www.abarim-publications.com you sound just like this guy!

bbyrd009 replies on Apr 4, 2019:

@OwlInASack ah sorry, the nation of the blind referred to in the...well never mind that, the nation of "believers" lol. Who do not have a clue how to Read the Bible btw, and do not realize that all of the dissing of religion in There is directed right at them, "the Pharisees." Which I doubt is going to change you mind much right, but honest it's all in there plain as day, "let the blind lead, the blind," "if your right eye offends you pluck it out," etc. "I came to abolish all rule and authority and powers" I mean cmon

The world is a better place when humanity strikes out and refutes scientific ignorance, hatred, ...

bbyrd009 comments on Mar 28, 2019:

http://www.abarim-publications.com you sound just like this guy!

bbyrd009 replies on Mar 29, 2019:

@OwlInASack you have rejected religion and in that I say you do well. But it might not serve you to continue to accept the interpretations of a nation that you (and God, perhaps) have rejected? After all what issue do you have really with 'love your neighbor as yourself?' The religious are roundly rejected in the Bible, many times, pretty sure if there is a God He hates religion even more than you do

The world is a better place when humanity strikes out and refutes scientific ignorance, hatred, ...

bbyrd009 comments on Mar 28, 2019:

http://www.abarim-publications.com you sound just like this guy!

bbyrd009 replies on Mar 29, 2019:

@OwlInASack easy to say I guess

The world is a better place when humanity strikes out and refutes scientific ignorance, hatred, ...

bbyrd009 comments on Mar 28, 2019:

http://www.abarim-publications.com you sound just like this guy!

bbyrd009 replies on Mar 28, 2019:

@RedskyRiver you sound just like that guy!

The Physics and Philosophy of Time - with Carlo Rovelli - YouTube

WilliamFleming comments on Mar 23, 2019:

Thanks for posting this zblaze. I’m a great fan of Rovelli.

bbyrd009 replies on Mar 27, 2019:

Me too. Now.

Was jesus entirely made up

xyz123 comments on Mar 18, 2019:

Look up Jesus vs Horus online. Makes for an interesting read.

bbyrd009 replies on Mar 24, 2019:

Ha, nice, ya. If you want life more abundantly you will read one way, and if you want death More Abundantly you will read another way. Most Xtians are really Mithraists seeking the Elysian Fields I guess

Was jesus entirely made up

mordant comments on Mar 18, 2019:

This is the traditionalist vs mythicist debate. I'm a mythicist, which is the minority position in academia. Mythicists believe Jesus was not a discrete historical figure; he was either a composite character or a complete invention. This is not a very consequential debate, it's more of an ...

bbyrd009 replies on Mar 24, 2019:

@mordant well I guess Nehushtan is in there for if they ever choose to get that far, and Two Greeks came to worship Him and He "hid from them" right, much more obvious, even if not taught in seminary. Even "why have You forsaken Me?" comes to = "I desire mercy, not sacrifice"

I was raised in a Mormon family and I currently attend a Unitarian Universalist.

bbyrd009 comments on Feb 21, 2019:

You might recognize that even in Scripture God is acknowledged as Spirit, and only anthropomorphised for convenience, to make the necessary analogies. Iow there is no "He," iow no ego, no "persons" in God,hence *if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father*. And regardless of any Roman notions of ...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 25, 2019:

@laura5054 ah yes well that too. It's just that I've lost a couple good friends... find some meaning in life imo

Is universal cooperation possible?

bbyrd009 comments on Feb 20, 2019:

Westerners are raised to reason logically, and employ the Hegelian dialectic--an implied winner and loser in any transaction--whereas Easterners use the Eastern or Naive dialectic. Fwiw the Bible can be read either way too, from either pov

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 23, 2019:

@Geoffrey51 I'm vaguely fam with the argument, but imo it is predicated upon competition, and I might argue that even deeming it a "synthesis" is a pointer to the flawed premise, i.e. you then have something "synthetic" so to speak, a la Pax Romana, Roman "peace," or even such notions as "Federal Reserve" or "Military Intelligence," or even "Keynesian Economics." It is a way to build profit zombies iow

I was raised in a Mormon family and I currently attend a Unitarian Universalist.

bbyrd009 comments on Feb 21, 2019:

You might recognize that even in Scripture God is acknowledged as Spirit, and only anthropomorphised for convenience, to make the necessary analogies. Iow there is no "He," iow no ego, no "persons" in God,hence *if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father*. And regardless of any Roman notions of ...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 23, 2019:

@laura5054 "there are old nihilists and bold nihilists, but there are no old bold nihilists" which imo is sort of a shame, as imo you are correct in a sense, but unfort nihilists seem to suicide before they discover how you are not correct :(

I was raised in a Mormon family and I currently attend a Unitarian Universalist.

Pedrohbds comments on Feb 21, 2019:

You can't find evidence of a non existence. There can be a shy God that do not inntreffer in reality. But then, why try to please it?

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 23, 2019:

@Pedrohbds I def agree that *it is impossible to please God...* and the rest of that statement is broadly misunderstood imo. So, if I had any objection, which I'm not sure I do, it would be more along the lines of objecting to allowing the blind, believers iow, to dictate your opinion of the Bible, which imo is much more in line with your premise. If you always act from conviction, imo you will never owe an apology, even though you will surely always piss some ppl off, maybe even most ppl.

There's no HATE quite like Xtian LOVE!

Triphid comments on Feb 19, 2019:

Oh yes, Christian love, so limited in scope, lacking of any kind of understanding or compromise, etc, and about as useful as a pair of breasts on a canary.

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 21, 2019:

Hence why believers are referred to as *"two men in a bed"* I guess, and Jesus said "*stay in one house while you are there (a "different" town), and eat what they feed you*" which is not literal food of course

There's no HATE quite like Xtian LOVE!

LenHazell53 comments on Feb 20, 2019:

It's funny because it is true, actually no it isn't funny, not funny at all

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 21, 2019:

Prolly even illegal sans notice in many states, but really I mean they essentially did her a huge favor I guess?

I dont use the expression-i dont believe in god, instead i say o reject the idea of a guy in the sky

Merseyman1 comments on Feb 19, 2019:

Good to avoid being satanized by christians...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 21, 2019:

*let the blind lead the blind*

Religious Arguments

Beowulfsfriend comments on Feb 20, 2019:

The circular one - the bible is the word of god, it says so in the bible.

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 21, 2019:

But they never Quote it right? It isn't in There, not anywhere

Religious Arguments

Beowulfsfriend comments on Feb 20, 2019:

The circular one - the bible is the word of god, it says so in the bible.

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 21, 2019:

@SkepticPower31 and so easily dismissed too, "In the beginning was the Bible, and the Bible was with God, and the Bible was God"

Is religion a multi-purpose "coping mechanism"?

WilliamFleming comments on Feb 21, 2019:

I can see that religion might sometimes be used as a coping mechanism, but I posit that such usage does not invalidate or define religion. Here’s an article I just read about awe: ...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 21, 2019:

Hmm. The obv quest for immortality, or "when humans discovered they were all mortal," oh except for the Emperor or whomever, has always been the reason for religion to me, but I like the angle here, this was more likely the orig impetus for the commoner I guess

For those of us who get it.

Pbpierson2 comments on Feb 21, 2019:

Nihilism rules!!!

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 21, 2019:

*all go to the same place* anyway, no doubt

I was raised in a Mormon family and I currently attend a Unitarian Universalist.

Pedrohbds comments on Feb 21, 2019:

You can't find evidence of a non existence. There can be a shy God that do not inntreffer in reality. But then, why try to please it?

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 21, 2019:

Well, one reason might be that It has your best interests at heart, so a better Q might be Why try to displease It? Not that I believe God can even be pleased or displeased per se, I mean if you were manifesting a spirit of say I dunno Anger or whatever, do you think I could quiz your Anger absent yourself as to why it has manifested, or what would make it satisfied or whatever? Could your Anger be assuaged without you iow?

I was raised in a Mormon family and I currently attend a Unitarian Universalist.

mordant comments on Feb 21, 2019:

A skeptic (of which an atheist is a subset) don't form beliefs that can't be substantiated. I don't disbelieve in gods, I simply don't believe because there's no basis to do so. As such ... I think we're on the same page and can both be called atheists. If there were a preponderance of evidence for ...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 21, 2019:

Nice imo :) fwiw there are five diff ways to say "belief" in the Bible, and beliefs are discounted many diff ways, there is no judgement for beliefs, ppl are told not to debate beliefs, and there are even several examples of "non-believers" being accepted I guess

I used to think of myself at "agnostic" but now I describe myself as "atheist" To me agnostic ...

Quarm comments on Jan 18, 2019:

One could argue reality is part and parcel of our brains. Without which it would not exist for us and with that lack its actually existence is irrelevant to what we once were. Or maybe not as no one knows what becomes of consciousness after death. But all in all none of that really matters as ...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 20, 2019:

we might note that the OT is actually a record of the failure of religion, and fwiw I could Quote Bible for every one of those concepts up there too I guess, except maybe "Why not define morals as only that which avoids pain or negative consequences for oneself or those one choses to care about?" as that would ignore those we don't care about I guess right

How do you cope with the possibility of the lack of an afterlife?

mzbehavin comments on Feb 19, 2019:

Possibility? Surely you mean, "How do you cope with the fact that there's no afterlife?" There's no afterlife. And I'm happy there isn't. Think about it, it would be boring as fuck. After you got caught up with all your loved ones what then..... a billion billion years of "what do we do now?" And...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 20, 2019:

@Ploshnick *"He who says he knows does not yet know as he ought" "There is only one immortal" "No one has ever gone up to heaven" "you and your sons will be here with me"*

How do you cope with the possibility of the lack of an afterlife?

xyz123 comments on Feb 20, 2019:

I have no memories, thoughts, or feelings prior to my birth: and think that those who do may be a bit off. I expect nothing after my death. I live for my life.

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 20, 2019:

Life, more abundantly? :)

Take all the time you want...

sirbikesalot06 comments on Feb 17, 2019:

I'm going to ruin your fun here, but if you were to create a life form from embyrotic stages, wouldn't you need an embilicord to feed nutrition to it? I'll let you think about it for a while. I'll just wait for the stupid comments below. But just a thought.

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 18, 2019:

@maturin1919 no reason "from the dust of the earth" couldn't take a billion years I guess

How the Idea of Hell Has Shaped the Way We Think | The New Yorker

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Feb 1, 2019:

Both the Christian hell and heaven are based on earlier myths; however, the article leaves out some points concerning the Greek idea of the afterlife. Greeks believed in reincarnation, but it could take up to a thousand years to get reincarnated. The judges of Hades are Rhadamanthys. Aeacus, and ...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 15, 2019:

@Gwendolyn2018 ok cool, ty. So would it be fair to say that there is no punishment for "greys" in Hades mythology? I guess maybe that was their point

How the Idea of Hell Has Shaped the Way We Think | The New Yorker

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Feb 1, 2019:

Both the Christian hell and heaven are based on earlier myths; however, the article leaves out some points concerning the Greek idea of the afterlife. Greeks believed in reincarnation, but it could take up to a thousand years to get reincarnated. The judges of Hades are Rhadamanthys. Aeacus, and ...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 13, 2019:

@Gwendolyn2018 ah, ty, I dunno if maybe my teachers there considered those to be diff realms other than Hades, or not

How the Idea of Hell Has Shaped the Way We Think | The New Yorker

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Feb 1, 2019:

Both the Christian hell and heaven are based on earlier myths; however, the article leaves out some points concerning the Greek idea of the afterlife. Greeks believed in reincarnation, but it could take up to a thousand years to get reincarnated. The judges of Hades are Rhadamanthys. Aeacus, and ...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 10, 2019:

Xtians don't like to admit that Gehenna is a place on earth, nor that there is no punishment in Hades mythology, huh

Just had a weird conversation with a co-worker.

WilliamFleming comments on Feb 7, 2019:

Atheism is often underlain by a zealous, religious-like faith in the tenets of materialism and scientism. While technically not a religion, that kind of atheism might as well be thrown in with the fundamentalist religions for practical purposes. On the other hand, there are open-minded people who...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 8, 2019:

Well put imo

Are they happier because they live in a goddamn dream world where fluffy happy clouds and rainbows ...

WilliamFleming comments on Feb 7, 2019:

There is a sort of white-trash subculture in which people are habitually drunk or on drugs, where they steal and rob and fight and are often in jail. Adopting religion and joining a church would be a definite step upward for these folks, and I for one do not look upon them with condescension, ...

bbyrd009 replies on Feb 7, 2019:

word. *the heir is under servants until he inherits, even though he is the master of all*

Precisely.

mordant comments on Jan 31, 2019:

Depends on the type and purpose of the prayer. There is the "not my will but yours be done" sort of "meditative" prayer that doesn't seek to influence events. Then there is the prayer making petitions which is rationalized by its proponents as god deliberately withholding until requests are ...

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 31, 2019:

I guess in the King's English "pray" more or less meant "wish," so there's prolly some confusion involved there too

This is just some food for thought.

Sgt_Spanky comments on Jan 30, 2019:

It'll never happen. Mankind has proven its pathological need to believe in a realm populated by supernatural beings superior to themselves who can offer them guidance, forgive their sins, and save them from death. Tell people a lie that's reassuring enough and they'll follow like lemmings...right ...

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 30, 2019:

@Sgt_Spanky sorry, you don't have the first clue I guess, "No Son of Man may die for another's sins" is in there, "all go to the same place" is in there, "No one has ever gone up to heaven," on and on. "I desire mercy, not sacrifice," see, all of your objections are surely addressed I guess

This is just some food for thought.

Sgt_Spanky comments on Jan 30, 2019:

It'll never happen. Mankind has proven its pathological need to believe in a realm populated by supernatural beings superior to themselves who can offer them guidance, forgive their sins, and save them from death. Tell people a lie that's reassuring enough and they'll follow like lemmings...right ...

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 30, 2019:

@Sgt_Spanky or at least a great mirror I guess. have a nice day

This is just some food for thought.

Sgt_Spanky comments on Jan 30, 2019:

It'll never happen. Mankind has proven its pathological need to believe in a realm populated by supernatural beings superior to themselves who can offer them guidance, forgive their sins, and save them from death. Tell people a lie that's reassuring enough and they'll follow like lemmings...right ...

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 30, 2019:

wadr the Bible and other Scripture will openly dispute all of your points except for the first I guess, "all sins are forgiven, the whole world's," "he who seeks to save his life will lose it," etc

[patheos.com]

Coppersmith1965 comments on Jan 30, 2019:

If you've come from a church life where YOU are the one with the problem for asking the hard questions, then this may be a good read for you. Looking back on the decades I spent immersed in American Fundamentalism I see countless examples of straw men and gaslighting as a means used to protect the ...

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 30, 2019:

yet Scripture is very plain; "come out of her, my people." "Daughter of Jerusalem (religious ppl), do not find love until you are ready." "The heir is under the servants until he comes of age." etc.

How do we know? We don't but there certainly isn't evidence that dog does exist.

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 26, 2019:

lol, um...nevermind

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 26, 2019:

"we don't know, but certainly?" hmm

Do you know people who always think they are right? [vox.com]

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

"He who says he knows does not yet know as he ought" iow Hegelian dialectics--an implied winner and loser in any transaction--as opposed to Eastern or "Naive" dialectics :)

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 22, 2019:

@Mcflewster ha then i'm not sure if I should feel good that I avoided your Q, or bad that you tried to um trap me? lol

Do you know people who always think they are right? [vox.com]

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

"He who says he knows does not yet know as he ought" iow Hegelian dialectics--an implied winner and loser in any transaction--as opposed to Eastern or "Naive" dialectics :)

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 21, 2019:

@Mcflewster um, "it" is maybe "what we ought to do, ever" which is "know" I guess? as opposed to those who say *"tomorrow we will go to such-and-such a place, and conduct business there,"* and etc? Those who "make plans" and do things, participate in "economies" etc?

This is about Women having the right to proper sane health care! Judge blocks Trump’s ...

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 21, 2019:

i know this prolly sounds harsh, but anyone who needs "health care" deserves exactly what they get imo

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 21, 2019:

@KKGator "Let food be your medicine, and your medicine, food" or bam be a profit center for the guys with a Snake on a Pole on their collars bro, a "caduceous" I guess it is

This is about Women having the right to proper sane health care! Judge blocks Trump’s ...

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 21, 2019:

i know this prolly sounds harsh, but anyone who needs "health care" deserves exactly what they get imo

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 21, 2019:

@AmiSue hey, i'm not the one going to a guy with a snake on a pole on his lapel though, huh. You want religion, go see a Dr imo. Note how both they and Preachers think their poop doesn't stink, etc

This is about Women having the right to proper sane health care! Judge blocks Trump’s ...

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 21, 2019:

i know this prolly sounds harsh, but anyone who needs "health care" deserves exactly what they get imo

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 21, 2019:

@KKGator um, hmm. you might examine the premises of "palliative" health care, and even the current disease model, which assumes that all disease comes from outside. But briefly, imo, Drs exist to treat symptoms and not causes, any recent changes in phrasing notwithstanding. If you need "health care" by definition you must accept "treatment for symptoms" regardless of any bs they are telling you iow

Daily Blasphemy: “If you ask me, Jesus owes us another crucifixion.

DannyLandrum comments on Jan 21, 2019:

But Jesus is always there (being useless AF).

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 21, 2019:

you can let the religious ppl interpret the Bible for you, but at your own peril, ok. And I don't mean "going to hell" either, which cannot be Supported anyway. You are Joshua too

Do you know people who always think they are right? [vox.com]

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

"He who says he knows does not yet know as he ought" iow Hegelian dialectics--an implied winner and loser in any transaction--as opposed to Eastern or "Naive" dialectics :)

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 21, 2019:

@Mcflewster imo it is really more about one's MO or starting premise; a posture of either competition, or cooperation. The two are mutually exclusive I guess

Do you know people who always think they are right? [vox.com]

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

"He who says he knows does not yet know as he ought" iow Hegelian dialectics--an implied winner and loser in any transaction--as opposed to Eastern or "Naive" dialectics :)

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 20, 2019:

@Mcflewster indeed. I note that most Western ppl would shortly go insane with "nothing" to do lol. having trouble "liking" your posts here for some reason, sry

CREDO
 I saw another post that asked ”What do you believe ?

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

there is no judgement for beliefs in the Bible :) even the Roman Centurion (Mithraist) is accepted

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 20, 2019:

@Mcflewster imo it is true where it matters, and one should be running from where it isn't anyway prolly

"I became an atheist when I looked around and saw all of the death and destruction, misery and ...

Jolanta comments on Jan 19, 2019:

God was not on anybody's side.

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 19, 2019:

zing! Cassius Clay might be a better interpreter here maybe :)

" I have never heard a rational argument to defeat the smell of frying bacon".

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

i would contemplate the dog who dies from lapping up antifreeze here wadr, or maybe a coke addict, etc.

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 19, 2019:

@maturin1919 the whole point of "the smell of frying bacon" is the inherent temptation, after all?

" I have never heard a rational argument to defeat the smell of frying bacon".

bbyrd009 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

i would contemplate the dog who dies from lapping up antifreeze here wadr, or maybe a coke addict, etc.

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 19, 2019:

@maturin1919 ah, the point being that just bc we value it does not mean it is a good thing

Do you know people who always think they are right? [vox.com]

jlynn37 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

I would think EVERYONE thinks they are right. Why would ANYONE think they are wrong and want to continue to think that way?

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 19, 2019:

@jlynn37 but almost certainly only later, in other venues, so as not to appear ignorant in the relevant one, huh? lol

Do you know people who always think they are right? [vox.com]

jlynn37 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

I would think EVERYONE thinks they are right. Why would ANYONE think they are wrong and want to continue to think that way?

bbyrd009 replies on Jan 19, 2019:

bc that allows for the possibility of greater truth to be known?

Who Got Played?

AtheistReader comments on Dec 4, 2018:

The voters? The country? The ideals of democracy?

bbyrd009 replies on Dec 4, 2018:

gee, the chumps got played huh who coulda guessed right how's Anarchy lookin' now? :D

So many rabbit holes... so little time.

Buxx comments on Dec 1, 2018:

"So many rabbit holes... so little time." Is that sexual innuendo? ? ?

bbyrd009 replies on Dec 1, 2018:

ah, i was wondering if that shouldn't be "poles" myself, ty

Is there anyone here that values the teachings of the bible, but rejects it's supernatural elements?

schway comments on Nov 9, 2018:

Thomas Jefferson's "Jefferson Bible", in the Smithsonian Institute is a case study of what you are requesting. Jefferson cut out all of the miracles and rebound it.

bbyrd009 replies on Nov 21, 2018:

fwiw the miracles are not meant to be taken literally, and are bait meant for determinists to trip all over i guess.

Are we all generally aware of the diff in Atheist and Agnostic?

242Foxtrot comments on Oct 24, 2018:

Other than there are no gods, .....

bbyrd009 replies on Oct 27, 2018:

ha, so you say, but then who defines what gods are. a little kid looking at a bus driver is who, imo

Are we all generally aware of the diff in Atheist and Agnostic?

LiterateHiker comments on Oct 24, 2018:

It's easy: Atheist (me): a person who does not believe in any gods. Agnostic: doubts the existence of a god. A person who holds neither of two opposing positions on a topic. "I don't believe in an invisible being that resides somewhere beyond the clouds," I say cheerfully to Christians ...

bbyrd009 replies on Oct 26, 2018:

how 'bout that Spooky Action at a Distance though, huh? :)

Not to offend Americans but i don't like it when they call football Soccer and their own NFL real ...

KKGator comments on Jul 19, 2018:

Not offended at all. Americans are terrible about appropriating other people's stuff and calling it our own. We're like christians that way.

bbyrd009 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

narf

I’m finding it impossible to get along with evangelical individuals.

bbyrd009 comments on Jul 12, 2018:

Christians are mostly worshipping Sol without realizing it, yeh. The Cult of Sol descended from Mithraism, and the RCC brought it into the "church." You might ask them how they imagine that the part of them that is supposed to "die"--the ego--could possibly be admitted into some party in the ...

bbyrd009 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

@VelociraptorRemy fwiw you might like this guy; they will certainly not. Lotta ammo from him imo http://www.abarim-publications.com/index.html#.W0jC0dJKiUk

I’m finding it impossible to get along with evangelical individuals.

DavidLaDeau comments on Jul 12, 2018:

I hope I word this correctly. This is my concern. The religion is based on myth. The tragic thing is that people lead their actual lives according to mythology. That is a very real problem.

bbyrd009 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

hmm. imo we have made mythology into myth, when this might not be the best characterization. Mythology was the way that truth was communicated to the next gen before writing; myths are just lies

I’m finding it impossible to get along with evangelical individuals.

bbyrd009 comments on Jul 12, 2018:

Christians are mostly worshipping Sol without realizing it, yeh. The Cult of Sol descended from Mithraism, and the RCC brought it into the "church." You might ask them how they imagine that the part of them that is supposed to "die"--the ego--could possibly be admitted into some party in the ...

bbyrd009 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

@VelociraptorRemy ah man, thought of a good one earlier but i figgered "no one is interested" lol. I'll get back to you then :) oh, one is "why do you need the whole armour of God for a big party in the sky after you die?" but don't say 'big party in the sky' i guess

The only secularist at the table.

Freedompath comments on Jul 12, 2018:

Wish that I lived close! Good topic for discussion. My feeling is, that even when people leave ‘the church,’ they are not free of religion yet! That stuff has been so ground into our psyche...it takes time to get clear on ‘what is what,’ about religion and what it takes to be a good ...

bbyrd009 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

can't have politics w/o religion i guess

Being from small-town West Virginia I think being from here has helped to teach me some ...

bbyrd009 comments on May 21, 2018:

hmm, you look more like a Bard anyway imo :)

bbyrd009 replies on May 23, 2018:

@tnorman1236 ha, yes

Noah's Ark, Kangaroos and Australia

bbyrd009 comments on May 17, 2018:

all that goes away when Noach is understood symbolically rather than literally though, fwiw. (Noah is actually a girl, but nevermind) There are thousands of flood myths, and Noah was just a culmination of them, never meant to be taken literally

bbyrd009 replies on May 19, 2018:

@LeighShelton yes Leigh, i'm sure your penis is also bigger than mine

Let's say "God" does exist.

Fibonacci1618 comments on May 17, 2018:

Entertaining the concept of a God, and the rationale behind a gender specific label, "he", I'd say like all media or stories of populace control and trule knowledge, the opposite must be true. "She" is more than likely the proper understanding of God. The teachings of Society are meant to bombard ...

bbyrd009 replies on May 18, 2018:

@Fibonacci1618 ya, other is the killer. but hey death sells :D

What is the best way to get people to see the gradients in the world around them instead of just a ...

bbyrd009 comments on May 17, 2018:

ah, the knowledge of good and evil, lol. the Dao is good for this imo, if the Bible is not...accessible to someone, for whatever reason. Say if one has accepted the definitions of the religious or whatever--Paul's "wolves"--so that It is now closed to them. But it is condemned nonetheless, as ...

bbyrd009 replies on May 18, 2018:

@kensmile4u no, that religion is condemned in the Bible, in many places. Basically every preacher version of a Bible story is wrong, off somehow. Read too literally usually, right. It never says anywhere that we go to heaven after we die, in fact quite a few passages demand otherwise, "no Son of Man may die for another's sins," on and on. "no one knows where they go when they die." "all go to the same place." it's just Dao, Dialecticism, raised to an interactive art form. Find the point and the "problem" of lack of empathy in others goes away; and they all come to the same point, basically. religion has nothing to do with it tho rly. putting yourself in the right frame in the stories ends up a kind of mirror. if the Bible is closed to you bc preachers then the Tao works too. that's all

Noah's Ark, Kangaroos and Australia

bbyrd009 comments on May 17, 2018:

all that goes away when Noach is understood symbolically rather than literally though, fwiw. (Noah is actually a girl, but nevermind) There are thousands of flood myths, and Noah was just a culmination of them, never meant to be taken literally

bbyrd009 replies on May 18, 2018:

@LeighShelton ah, plenty of other ways to get there i guess

What is the best way to get people to see the gradients in the world around them instead of just a ...

seaspot_run comments on May 17, 2018:

Isn't that sort of thing pretty hardwired into people to begin with? I don't have a link but I do remember seeing some studies that show that people who tend to see things as more black/white/good/evil trend significantly conservative and religious and those who are more shades of gray are often ...

bbyrd009 replies on May 17, 2018:

ah, been reading some good stuff on that, "If You Believe It, It's Truer," https://www.google.com/search?q=%22If+You+Believe+It%2C+It%27s+Truer%2C%22=1C1CHBF_enUS718US718&oq=%22If+You+Believe+It%2C+It%27s+Truer%2C%22=chrome..69i57=chrome&ie=UTF-8 and there was a better, older one that i can't find now, something about how we process info we already agree with as if they were facts, ah, https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS718US718&ei=cwz-WsnnFMbn5gL2haCABw&q=we+process+info+we+agree+with+as+if+they+were+facts&oq=we+process+info+we+agree+with+as+if+they+were+facts=psy-ab.3...11730.11730.0.12208.1.1.0.0.0.0.124.124.0j1.1.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.32tyeO1n7Lg

Let's say "God" does exist.

Fibonacci1618 comments on May 17, 2018:

Entertaining the concept of a God, and the rationale behind a gender specific label, "he", I'd say like all media or stories of populace control and trule knowledge, the opposite must be true. "She" is more than likely the proper understanding of God. The teachings of Society are meant to bombard ...

bbyrd009 replies on May 17, 2018:

@Fibonacci1618 nice, ya the Bible purports to be written so as to be seen and not seen, imo specifically pitched to those with inbred mindsets (religions) so that they may reveal themselves in their interpretation. Paul clearly states "i know the wolves will rush in as soon as i leave, not sparing the flock." Of course Kharma--and Dharma--are perfectly valid povs, you reap what you sow. The Bible is really just the Dao in a different style, in code, but it's hard to see bc the assertions are made separately; "provide for your family" is in one place, "don't work for food" is somewhere else, etc. There is no doctrine that can be derived that does not also have a competing doctrine that can also be derived, a la Tao, only now ppl who argue over (irrelevant) doctrines are revealed for what they are, determinists

Noah's Ark, Kangaroos and Australia

bbyrd009 comments on May 17, 2018:

all that goes away when Noach is understood symbolically rather than literally though, fwiw. (Noah is actually a girl, but nevermind) There are thousands of flood myths, and Noah was just a culmination of them, never meant to be taken literally

bbyrd009 replies on May 17, 2018:

@Hebert54 ha well "40 days" is strictly code for "time of testing" i guess. We recognize "untested" adults easily enough, right, even an atheist can grasp the principle iow

Noah's Ark, Kangaroos and Australia

bbyrd009 comments on May 17, 2018:

all that goes away when Noach is understood symbolically rather than literally though, fwiw. (Noah is actually a girl, but nevermind) There are thousands of flood myths, and Noah was just a culmination of them, never meant to be taken literally

bbyrd009 replies on May 17, 2018:

@LeighShelton all the flood mythologies? you think?

Let's say "God" does exist.

JustKip comments on May 17, 2018:

The *Christian god* is a he. Many others are not. The god I was raised with was an "It".

bbyrd009 replies on May 17, 2018:

awesome, totally agrees with "Unknown God" imo

Let's say "God" does exist.

CallMeDave comments on May 17, 2018:

Mother Earth

bbyrd009 replies on May 17, 2018:

@Redcupcoffee ha well we tried that already, Artemis was worshipped among a pantheon of lesser gods for thousands of years. She is no less real than the construct of God we all more or less differ on today, except that she has fallen. For a reason, iow

Let's say "God" does exist.

Fibonacci1618 comments on May 17, 2018:

Entertaining the concept of a God, and the rationale behind a gender specific label, "he", I'd say like all media or stories of populace control and trule knowledge, the opposite must be true. "She" is more than likely the proper understanding of God. The teachings of Society are meant to bombard ...

bbyrd009 replies on May 17, 2018:

nice imo. Sounds just like this guy, http://www.abarim-publications.com/index.html#.Wv30aogvyUk

Let's say "God" does exist.

Eazyduzzit comments on May 17, 2018:

Because the god was invented by men.

bbyrd009 replies on May 17, 2018:

or at least religion was, ya. Ppl who cannot find 95%+ of what their maths tell them *must* exist prolly aren't too qualified to be expounding on the probability of a Creative Force tho lol

I’ll bet there were only like 3 commandments until Moses’ wife got involved.

TimBowen comments on May 16, 2018:

Must have found some good weed in the desert. Lit a bush on fire and it talked to him......rrrriiigght.

bbyrd009 replies on May 16, 2018:

hides the fact that Moses did not fall to the ground prostrate, but "went over to investigate." you were never supposed to believe a burning bush was real, see

Rules of Logic.

bbyrd009 comments on May 10, 2018:

It is important to understand that as a Westerner, your thought processes are vastly different from those who have been raised to reason dialectically, as Orientals (and the Jewish writers) were: "...Dialectical reasoning is actually opposed to formal logic in many ways. Western Logic Versus ...

bbyrd009 replies on May 11, 2018:

@EliRodriguez11 ha ty, but really i just recently read the book, and saw a connection here :)

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

Triphid comments on May 2, 2018:

Care to expand upon that extremely vague comment perchance, bbyr009? I hold a Doctorate Degree in Theology and Comparative Modern Religions btw.

bbyrd009 replies on May 7, 2018:

@Triphid stipulated, and i don't think this is even trying to be hidden in the Bible, it is tacitly admitted, if not openly, several phrases

I have done so little with so much for so long that i am now qualified to do nothing with anything

CarolinaGirl60 comments on May 6, 2018:

I say I started out with nothing...and I still have most of it left. ?

bbyrd009 replies on May 7, 2018:

stealin' it! :D

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

Triphid comments on May 2, 2018:

Care to expand upon that extremely vague comment perchance, bbyr009? I hold a Doctorate Degree in Theology and Comparative Modern Religions btw.

bbyrd009 replies on May 5, 2018:

https://www.christianityboard.com/threads/logical-and-dialectical-reasoning-in-scripture.23390/ post 1, 19, 121, the last two for links

As a human, are you an outside observer of the universe, or are you a piece of the universe ...

Ianwalker1980 comments on May 4, 2018:

If I'm outside of the universe then am I not god?

bbyrd009 replies on May 4, 2018:

hmm. if your spirit transcended the universe you would be i guess? seems like your body would be bound by the term, but not your essence, at least imo.

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

DavidLaDeau comments on May 3, 2018:

Everything about this article is apologist. I have read many papers and books written by scholars. They can be very difficult reads. I could not for the life of me figure out where this was going. I then recognized the marks of apologetics attempting to appear scholarly. Apologist specialize in ...

bbyrd009 replies on May 4, 2018:

@DavidLaDeau ps if you do ever read any of that crap on there lemme know tho ok

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

DavidLaDeau comments on May 3, 2018:

Everything about this article is apologist. I have read many papers and books written by scholars. They can be very difficult reads. I could not for the life of me figure out where this was going. I then recognized the marks of apologetics attempting to appear scholarly. Apologist specialize in ...

bbyrd009 replies on May 3, 2018:

@DavidLaDeau ah well, you do have a point there, the guy is completely anti-determinist lol. Embrace the unknown and all that

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

DavidLaDeau comments on May 3, 2018:

Everything about this article is apologist. I have read many papers and books written by scholars. They can be very difficult reads. I could not for the life of me figure out where this was going. I then recognized the marks of apologetics attempting to appear scholarly. Apologist specialize in ...

bbyrd009 replies on May 3, 2018:

David, i can only say i don't see how you would feel that way in a week, if you read some every day. To each his own though. I get virtually the opposite impression. "A proper scientific theory is able to do two things: (1) explain past observations by means of a underlying system that is not directly visible, and (2) predict which observations will be made next (HEBREWS 11:1). And someone who respects this scientific method stands like a deeply rooted tree" fwiw he goes on to completely trash the religious notion of *faith* in "Pistis," and builds on this brief "Altars and sacrifice in the Bible — Elements of human cognitive psychology —" haven't even read it yet "Folks who try to make others "choose" to have faith, and who get angry when the answer is "no", really only want to sign them up to their club. You can't choose to have faith just like you can't choose to fall in love." "Humanity today is truly a hybrid of homo sapiens and a handful of other living beings and this arrangement is quite literally the cultural equivalent of endosymbiotic eukaryosynthesis." "Our English verb "to believe", on the other hand, comes from the same root as the word "love" and is basically the same as "to belove" or "hold dear/feel sentimental about". The English noun "belief" is an emotional word, which implies a brittle link between lover and loved over a vast, gasping chasm of empty longing." "Look on any church website, and you'll find statements of faith that go all over the place and sound wonderfully pious but are little more than hot air." http://www.abarim-publications.com/DictionaryG/p/p-e-i-th-om.html#.WutzeYgvyUk can't find the one i'm looking for today, the article is too long. but hopefully the drift is made clear here

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

DavidLaDeau comments on May 3, 2018:

Everything about this article is apologist. I have read many papers and books written by scholars. They can be very difficult reads. I could not for the life of me figure out where this was going. I then recognized the marks of apologetics attempting to appear scholarly. Apologist specialize in ...

bbyrd009 replies on May 3, 2018:

"This was ment to appear scientific and assert that the Bible is a historical document while craftily ignoring science." you gotta be kidding me, right? are we reading the same stuff here? Statement of Faith http://www.abarim-publications.com/DictionaryG/e/e-i-d-om.html#Onidolsandcreedsandstatementsoffaith Quantum Mechanics for Beginners http://www.abarim-publications.com/QuantumMechanicsIntroduction.html#.Wutt7IgvyUk

I'm gonna quote my favorite author, Robert Heinlein.

wmou comments on May 3, 2018:

I know many people who say they find great Joy and comfort from their Faith.

bbyrd009 replies on May 3, 2018:

many ppl find joy and comfort in their money, too, so i'm not sure how to take that lol; i guess how they treat others is what really matters. If they did what Jesus said and gave it all away first i guess they would really have a chance to, um, put their mouth where their money is tho huh

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

mordant comments on May 3, 2018:

The article is wrong, right off the bat; of late computers have been able to find patterns that they haven't been specifically programmed to look for. That's what deep learning is all about. Also, it isn't that Moses is under-appreciated by modern scholars; it's that there's no actual evidence he...

bbyrd009 replies on May 3, 2018:

@mordant all i can tell you is that Moses is strictly a symbol to this guy, and you are maybe being unduly skeptical; to which Abarim would, btw, be cheering you on whole-heartedly. Bam stay skeptical, that is a good thing. I do not agree with everything this guy says either ok; but what you are inferring here is not correct imo "In our humble view, "Moses" may be a *literary device* that represents the effort of a minority of unrelated people, to preserve humanity's wisdom; a spiritual force without a name or a face that nurtured our greatest treasure on the stormy waters of mankind's evolution..." italics mine

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

SleepingOnABoat comments on May 2, 2018:

Come on, this is bait and switch. Be a little more creative! Sure you can try to fool people, but is that really the ethics you want use. You are a christian, is this what christian ethics are?

bbyrd009 replies on May 3, 2018:

"It's not clear where this water called Yam-sup might have been located, but since the Book of Exodus most likely does not describe a physical journey of 600,000 physical men and their families and livestock, but rather the advancement of Yahwism or the knowledge-of-truth (read our article on the name Red Sea for more details) the sea called Yam-sup serves in the Bible much more as a literary device and far less as a reference to a geographical location. Here at Abarim Publications we're guessing that Yam-sup, or the Sea of Reeds effectively denotes the Sea of Papyri..." http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Yam-sup.html#.WusQQYgvyUl see, no one insisting their interp is correct, or trying to blow smoke up your butt, none of that, ok

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

mordant comments on May 3, 2018:

The article is wrong, right off the bat; of late computers have been able to find patterns that they haven't been specifically programmed to look for. That's what deep learning is all about. Also, it isn't that Moses is under-appreciated by modern scholars; it's that there's no actual evidence he...

bbyrd009 replies on May 3, 2018:

"and so the scholarly consensus is far worse than the author imagines." well, he pretty much completely rejects the consensus, and would agree with you that a literal Moses is irrelevant at best, so i'm not sure what you read that you are deeming "wrong" here sorry

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

SleepingOnABoat comments on May 2, 2018:

Come on, this is bait and switch. Be a little more creative! Sure you can try to fool people, but is that really the ethics you want use. You are a christian, is this what christian ethics are?

bbyrd009 replies on May 3, 2018:

@Proto, @mordant Abarim directly states that "Jesus of Nazareth amounts to John Doe out of Nowhere," although i guess i didn't quote it perfectly; but i can dig it up if you like. No religion whatsoever will be advocated by me here, ok. God hates religion as much as you do; "you make them twice the son of hell you are," "seven worse spirits will move in," all that stuff that believers cannot apply to themselves.

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

SleepingOnABoat comments on May 2, 2018:

Come on, this is bait and switch. Be a little more creative! Sure you can try to fool people, but is that really the ethics you want use. You are a christian, is this what christian ethics are?

bbyrd009 replies on May 3, 2018:

i don't really identify with "Christian" any more, and i suggest that the author does not either. I mean the guy directly states that "Have no fear" = "have no worship," so i would have to ask you why you think a bait/switch is going on? But no, i am not trying to suck anyone into a new worship model, ok. Rituals are for chumps imo.

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

Triphid comments on May 2, 2018:

Care to expand upon that extremely vague comment perchance, bbyr009? I hold a Doctorate Degree in Theology and Comparative Modern Religions btw.

bbyrd009 replies on May 3, 2018:

um, that was a quote, and i believe the point was to build upon the notion that it is Paul's "wolves" who have given us our current understanding of Scripture. You are surely more aware than most that the Bible was written Dialectically, a la Tao, and not Logically, the way we are taught to read It; so i don't want to say any more that would be perceived as telling you the obvious until we agree on some definitions in that area