Perform an abortion in Alabama and you get 99 years in prison.

brentan comments on May 30, 2019:

In one situation, you destroy a life before it is born and in the other, you do it after they are born.

brentan replies on Jun 1, 2019:

@MojoDave I guess we just find out as much as we can about things and go by that. And then be kind to each other because that's a type of pro-life too.

I really need to talk to fellow liberal Muslims or Ex-Muslims about some of their coping mechanisms.

of-the-mountain comments on May 31, 2019:

If you are having that much of a problem maybe you are just fooling yourself! If you are living a double life you are just fooling yourself, time to go back to what think you are running away from! Apparently you are not strong enough to resolve your personal faith in life without a crutch to ...

brentan replies on Jun 1, 2019:

So much for walking in another man's shoes..........

Perform an abortion in Alabama and you get 99 years in prison.

brentan comments on May 30, 2019:

In one situation, you destroy a life before it is born and in the other, you do it after they are born.

brentan replies on May 31, 2019:

@Charlene I don't think we should go by insurance companies when we want to know the important things of life. To be fair, though, I know my opinion that life growing in the womb is life is subjective. I think that very strongly but I realise it is, after all, just my opinion.

It's time to fire the pool boy

brentan comments on May 30, 2019:

'Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken' - Ecclesiastes 4:11, 12. Never underestimate the third person in a relationship.

brentan replies on May 31, 2019:

@SiouxcitySue LOL. I never thought of that double-meaning at the time!

Is racism in our veins?

VictoriaNotes comments on May 30, 2019:

As Dr. Robert Sapolsky said, humans may be hard-wired to get edgy around the Other, but our views on who falls into that category are decidedly malleable. In an experiment by Susan Fiske, of Princeton University, she found that when she would subtly bias the subjects beforehand to think of people ...

brentan replies on May 30, 2019:

@jlynn37 I wonder if 'they' is used as a plural 'it'.

If only more youngsters thought like Hitch maybe the church would choose their words more ...

brentan comments on May 29, 2019:

I'm OK with the metaphor of the sheep in the Christian context. It means being teachable and following the teacher, who is the shepherd. The problem is with the shepherds, I would say. In my old religion, the worst thing a person could be was an independent thinker.

brentan replies on May 29, 2019:

@SiouxcitySue It really does seem that many people just start singing off another hymn sheet.

After analysis of this group I have found that most over 50s are far better at commentating than ...

brentan comments on May 27, 2019:

The bastards!

brentan replies on May 27, 2019:

Darn!

Say what??

AnonySchmoose comments on May 26, 2019:

Does occasional capitalization easily offend and anger everybody?

brentan replies on May 26, 2019:

I don't think so. I hope it's just looked on as emphasis.

They doth protest too much [queerty.com]

glennlab comments on May 26, 2019:

They left off some of the most glaring ones from the past, it has happened so often, that we are numb to the hypocracy. My Bishop of the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church,Finis Crutchfield, died from AIDS while denying his homosexual activities. The church covered it up, but Texas ...

brentan replies on May 26, 2019:

My gut feeling tells me they don't think of it as hypocrisy. I could only speculate on how they rationalise it but I'm convinced that's what they do.

The season is changing.

scurry comments on May 26, 2019:

Turns out that this year, the 1st week of June, is also the last week of May. Crazy.

brentan replies on May 26, 2019:

May-be there's a connection. OK, I'll go now.

Genesis 32:30(NRSV): So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, ...

Heraclitus comments on May 25, 2019:

Why would God even need a face?

brentan replies on May 26, 2019:

@Heraclitus I think that's much more like it. The behaviour of Jehovah was very like ours and then when we changed, he changed, becoming Jesus Christ.

It's Friday night! And guess what I'm doing....

brentan comments on May 24, 2019:

'Go your own way Call it another lonely day'

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@Insectra I'm sure I'll never find anyone to share my interests either!

It's Friday night! And guess what I'm doing....

brentan comments on May 24, 2019:

'Go your own way Call it another lonely day'

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@Insectra I think you are but are too crazy to know it.

Am I going to hell for liking pineapple on my pizza?...

ZantiMisfit comments on May 24, 2019:

No but you may have to endure some negative social stigma until our society becomes more accepting of people like us :)

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@Hastur But this is how pedophiles justify themselves. Best to exercise self-control.

If you think saying stupid, flirty, suggestive bullshit to women is "funny", it's NOT.

brentan comments on May 24, 2019:

I think in theory it is probably best to treat women as intelligent human beings and discuss things with them as such. Being a bit autistic, it was aways the only way for me to interact instead of an option. But I can't deny that flirting as basic interaction has been the way for decades if not ...

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

Is it best to just go along with life as it really is then? And if it is, why complain?

Deep Purple - Demons Eye [youtube.com]

brentan comments on May 24, 2019:

I love everything he ever did, from songs like this one to his Jesus Christ Superstar to this piece, my absolute favourite of him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLEhxoME2BI

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

No, I wasn't aware of it at all. Gillen was a great sport to sing with Pavarotti!

Just a thought about human's brain .

Petter comments on May 24, 2019:

Would you like to be treated as an ant. Ant colonies behave in a networked fashion, remember.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

I hope ants never get red-pilled.

Who out there can post a photo of themselves wearign the Agnostic.com T-shirt?

IamNobody comments on May 24, 2019:

I can .... but I won't 😁

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@IamNobody That sounds like the natives who thought getting their photo taken would steal their soul. Anyway, your personality is more your identity than your photo, I think.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@thinktwice It really can smack of religious zeal. Give me those good old classic liberals any day!

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@thinktwice You could be right. One of the disturbing modern trends that I think adds to the problem is liberal society's kind of self-righteousness that matches that of the religious. That kind of intractability on both sides doesn't augur well for compromise.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@thinktwice Yes, gay people are a fact and always have been despite the apostle Paul's belief they were born from the worship of pagan gods. I think one issue here is how children learn facts and beliefs about people's sexuality. Then the status quo wants to teach its facts and beliefs, the Muslim parents say they are not our facts and beliefs. I wonder will they find a compromise...

Buena Vista Social Club - Candela [youtu.be] Your Friday dance around the room tune! 🙂

brentan comments on May 24, 2019:

I'm more confused with the subtitles. What was that song about? Wonderful musicians.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@dede18 Thanks for that but I must admit I can't get the sense of it!

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@snytiger6 I'm at a loss to know how to deal 'all studies show' and 'there is no dispute' with my understanding of a terribly poor attitude towards sexual matters. Perhaps the children know all the hows but little of the whys. No doubt a huge amount of how to have sex come from porn. Your point about adults uncomfortable with teaching their children is a good one. In this discussion, though, it's mostly about the Muslim parents who do want to teach their morality to their children.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@thinktwice I think that's very true. Society can try to engineer children's thoughts and so can parents but the children can always surprise them all in the end. Perhaps that revolutionary spirit in the teenage years serves a very useful purpose.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@thinktwice I think parents should be allowed to teach children their faiths. What we’re talking about here is social engineering to get everyone to sing off the same hymn sheet, if you’ll excuse the expression. I’m pretty sure American education was set up to integrate all the different immigrants into one way of thinking and even though I think I can understand why they did it, fearing that pandemonium you referred to, I don’t think it went so far at the time as to try to replace the parents’ faiths with a secular state faith. The question of creationism versus the Big Bang theory is interesting. I don’t think they are alternate ways of talking about the same thing. One is the best we know scientifically for the moment and the other is allegory to teach morality. But I have to accept that it’s fact for some. It’s history for them, not morality. Maybe this is best left for parents to control, just like sexual matters.

Think about this! Men, pay attention - it is not women who are the problem!

brentan comments on May 24, 2019:

It reminds me of the simplicity of 'love your neighbour as yourself'. Problem solved.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

Yes indeed.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@thinktwice I still think the parents should be directors of what their children learn and when. I'm terrified of underlying socially acceptable norms and think the diversity of various opinions argues for the parental approach.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

@thinktwice I'm all in favour of teaching about religions. I don't think sexual matters should be taught to children. Like the Muslim parents, even though I'm an agnostic, I believe the schools will be teaching morality if they are not stopped. If the children can be exempt from attending these classes, that's something but still not right in principle. I'm no fan of totalitarian morality. School will test the faith of many students. I'll bet any Muslim parent can attest to that.

God; Moses I have something for you! Oh yes, whats that?

Cast1es comments on May 24, 2019:

What exactly do you reply to a burning bush ?

brentan replies on May 24, 2019:

If I met a burning bush and it told me to jump, I would ask 'how high'?

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@Kafirah Lol I'm sure they often are wrong. I think they have the right to be wrong. The state assumes it is right but it may very well be that they are demanding the right to be wrong, taking it from the parents. What's going on in society these days are many and huge changes. They are untested so society won't know what the effects are for a few decades. It's an act of faith on the part of the powers that be. These Muslims parents have a different faith and their wishes are in danger of being ignored and a new faith taught to their children. They have my sympathy.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@Kafirah I would have to guess what is taught in the classrooms. I think it must be a very fine line between education about sexual matters and social acceptance. My gut instinct tells me that bad behaviour should be more a disciplinary matter than a sex education matter. I'm not happy about government forcibly teaching beliefs that go against the wishes of the parents. It is effectively taking away the various beliefs of a diverse nation of people and giving one belief system to children because the status quo assumes it is correct and that the parents who disagree are wrong.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@Kafirah I never mentioned gay or trans people. I said sexual matters. I believe that subject has no place in schools. Parents are best placed to know when and how much should be taught to their children about sexual matters. But it does raise the question (at least for me) of who has the right to teach children these days, and have they the right to teach them everything that the status quo wants them to learn? I dread to think what Muslim parents want to teach their children but I support their protest in this case because I think that, generally speaking, school is not the apporopriate place for it.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@Kafirah Simply read what I wrote. Then if you want to ask a question about it, go ahead.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@Kafirah Thanks for the rant. I never said that at all!

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@Kafirah I'm referring to protesting teaching schoolchildren about sexual matters.

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@KKGator LOL I guess it does!

Protesters Outside UK School Insist “God Created Women for Men’s Pleasure” | Hemant Mehta | ...

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's weird for me to see a good thing being done for a bad reason. But Muslims have clout in these situations where non-Muslims would be publicly castigated for their political incorrectness.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

Here's the thing: if you are a Christian protesting the teachings of Islam, you would be an Islamophobe. But that wasn't what my comment was about. I was talking about Christians, or indeed anyone non-Muslim, being unable to criticise these new secular ideas without being categorised as politically incorrect.

Define irony

Robecology comments on May 23, 2019:

Great topic. Alanis Morrisette covered it well in her song a while ago...here it is, with lyrics...sing along! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm-1xvWibt0

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@Robecology Who's being serious about it?

Define irony

Robecology comments on May 23, 2019:

Great topic. Alanis Morrisette covered it well in her song a while ago...here it is, with lyrics...sing along! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm-1xvWibt0

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

Was it just plain bad luck? Hell no, she says, it was irony!

Can't happen soon enough! [theguardian.com]

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's a monster.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@Marionville If it works, it will be a prosperity that isn't just measured by economic growth.

Can't happen soon enough! [theguardian.com]

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's a monster.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@Marionville It's work in progress all across Europe. Hence the article.

Can't happen soon enough! [theguardian.com]

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's a monster.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

@Marionville I doubt if gratitude is required. The Irish paid for it heavily in 2008. Now we have a monster economy of homelessness, hopeless and soul-destroying jobs incapable of ever allowing families to earn a decent living and own their own home and a healthcare system lacking in beds. Add to that the soullessness of the drugs and alcohol epidemic, the corruption of the police force etc. And no one is accountable because the buck is passed to the European parliament. So, I look forward to the death of this monster and the return to accountability on the national level.

Can't happen soon enough! [theguardian.com]

brentan comments on May 23, 2019:

It's a monster.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

I'm only with it as far as it was the EEC. That was a great idea. Now I think it is a monster.

Difficult and meaningful will always bring more satisfaction than easy and meaningless.

AnonySchmoose comments on May 23, 2019:

I believe it to be true, as a difficult endeavor requires one to love the doing in order to achieve it. Then on the path to completion, one develops a kind of relationship with the endeavor, which helps the doer achieve excellence. That lends an enduring meaning to it.

brentan replies on May 23, 2019:

The awareness of the technical aspect seems to go into the subconscious and then you're 'in the zone'.

Why are the the western countries silent and blind against what Saudi Arabia do and why they do not ...

Looking4-Others comments on May 22, 2019:

Thanks for posting this question. The Saudi government like the Israeli government have alot of multinational corporation investments in it. When you have a whole slew of real estate investors (land pirates I call them), and the MIC making money off of those same countries especially when they're in...

brentan replies on May 22, 2019:

Can you imagine the level of cynicism that would be required to sacrifice around 3000 lives to further your political and economics aims? It's terrifying.

Politicians and producers.

brentan comments on May 21, 2019:

I know what I'd do with the producers of Deadwood.

brentan replies on May 22, 2019:

Well, no.

Woot! Made it back to everett with my lovely and the purebreed mutts! Its nice to be home for a bit.

brentan comments on May 21, 2019:

What's that view - the San Juan Islands?

brentan replies on May 21, 2019:

Nice!

There is clear evidence that humans invent gods.

Clare comments on May 21, 2019:

No, I got nothing, it's the same old bs. I don't even spend much time thinking about this shit, until someone brings it up.

brentan replies on May 21, 2019:

Our bad!

In other species there are thieves, murderers and those who display what we would describe as loose ...

brentan comments on May 21, 2019:

I'm not totally sure about being the only ones to feel guilt. I think we're the only ones with the concept of judgment, even though animals mete out reprisals against their own (and sometimes us too if we're cruel).

brentan replies on May 21, 2019:

@Austin-Cambridge True enough. We can go to the cops, for what that's worth!

Lewis Black [youtube.com]

Cast1es comments on May 20, 2019:

And again , we want to be treated with respect , and yet we make fun of other religions . What makes us any better ?

brentan replies on May 20, 2019:

I think it's fine to laugh at the crazy things about religion. You're right about treating people with respect, though.

My son sent me this......

brentan comments on May 19, 2019:

No. Just no. This book is a history of human thought. In fact, the human thought of the Western world.

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

The thing about the Bible is that we have the development of our culture in just one book. This book contains the 'grammar' of our intellectual discourse to this very day. That makes it essential reading. I don't undervalue the other books from the Axial Age and I have a huge appreciation for Shakespeare, Milton etc. all the way up to Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and our great modern writers.

George Carlin: Pro Life, Abortion, And The Sanctity Of Life

m16566 comments on May 19, 2019:

I do believe that abortion is an ugly thing. I would like it to be safe and rare. I would never tell a woman what she has to do with her own body. I do believe that all life is sacred, if the fetus could be plucked from the womb, and raised to term in a petri dish I would be against ...

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

I think you're right. I have this idea that potential life is sacred and should not be killed off. Carlin is right about the hypocrisy of the 'life is sacred' brigade but nonetheless I think life life is sacred because it's precious - well, it should be precious. Like yourself, I wouldn't start telling other people what to do, especially women, but I want to share my opinion that life, even potential life should be valued highly.

In Iran a 12...

KKGator comments on May 19, 2019:

I wish I were Arya. Winter would be coming for the entire Alabama Senate. And the Ohio Senate. And the Georgia Senate. And a whole bunch of others.

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

Like a new civil war between the religious south and the secular north. I couldn't help thinking of the feds enforcing the end of segregation in the 60s and if they would demand that the south get in line with women's rights in our time.

Pope Francis Guilty of “Heresy,” Catholic Scholars Claim in “Historic” Letter | David Gee | ...

brentan comments on May 16, 2019:

I agree with them. He's a fake Catholic.

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

If there are, and I think there are, they are probably a very small and old minority. That's the West, though, I don't know what's happening with Catholicism in Africa.

if your mother was on her deathbed and she begged you to pray with her.

brentan comments on May 19, 2019:

This really happened in James Joyce's situation and he carried guilt with him over it all his life. It wasn't about actually accepting Christ in her presence, it was about whether he should pretend to or not. I think the question is really 'should you hold to your principles no matter what' or are ...

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

Gosh yes, having a family can really change how we think. I guess we're just not thinking for one person anymore.

if your mother was on her deathbed and she begged you to pray with her.

SleeplessInTexas comments on May 19, 2019:

No. A loving mother would never ask her child to do something like this.

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

@SleeplessInTexas A religious mother couldn't help but see it as loving. And who knows, maybe she does her love her children unconditionally.

Shared with permission from a friend.

powder comments on May 18, 2019:

To define a human an important fact is that as organisms we are self sufficient and able to live/ act independently. A foetus cannot do this, live independently. It is not yet human. It is potential human but not yet independently alive. A foetus has a parasitic relationship with the mother host. ...

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

@powder I think I've been judgemental, attributing what I thought was a bad attitude to your comment and I apologise for doing that.

Shared with permission from a friend.

powder comments on May 18, 2019:

To define a human an important fact is that as organisms we are self sufficient and able to live/ act independently. A foetus cannot do this, live independently. It is not yet human. It is potential human but not yet independently alive. A foetus has a parasitic relationship with the mother host. ...

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

@Larimar I think that's fine so long as there's no connotations added to the meaning in this context.

Shared with permission from a friend.

powder comments on May 18, 2019:

To define a human an important fact is that as organisms we are self sufficient and able to live/ act independently. A foetus cannot do this, live independently. It is not yet human. It is potential human but not yet independently alive. A foetus has a parasitic relationship with the mother host. ...

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

@powder The trouble with the simple answer is exactly that it is simple.

Shared with permission from a friend.

powder comments on May 18, 2019:

To define a human an important fact is that as organisms we are self sufficient and able to live/ act independently. A foetus cannot do this, live independently. It is not yet human. It is potential human but not yet independently alive. A foetus has a parasitic relationship with the mother host. ...

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

@A2Jennifer I completely agree. The law has things to say about it too but my point was 'society' has made no definitive statement about it.

Some folks wonder where all this hate and discontent comes from.

RussRAB comments on May 19, 2019:

I did read it correctly when he said "impose Christian rule in tnis country." It is amazing to me how these supposed Christians are so intent on gaining political power, and in doing so, would necessarily overturn the rights written into our US Constitution which they claim to love and revere. It ...

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

Yes indeed, and if he knew or cared about scripture, he would know the life of a Christian is to wait for the second coming of Christ to bring in a new world, his kingdom being 'no part of this world.

if your mother was on her deathbed and she begged you to pray with her.

AmiSue comments on May 19, 2019:

Too often I witness the mistaken arrogance of Americans who assume jesus is the god for everyone... My Mother dyed with no such requests. Had she asked that I pray? I would feign to comfort her of course.

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

It might be, or maybe it's just a theoretical question. If so, insert G*d or Jehovah, Allah or whatever suits best. If I was in that situation nowadays, I would relax my principles and try to be a comfort..

if your mother was on her deathbed and she begged you to pray with her.

SleeplessInTexas comments on May 19, 2019:

No. A loving mother would never ask her child to do something like this.

brentan replies on May 19, 2019:

I think a loving mother would ask this if she was convinced her child's eternal life was at stake.

Tell No One - a 2 hour film about the abuse by the Catholic Church within Poland.

brentan comments on May 18, 2019:

The Church is paying for it in Ireland. I'm not sure what the hold-up is in Poland.

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

@RPardoe I wasn't talking about money.

Shared with permission from a friend.

powder comments on May 18, 2019:

To define a human an important fact is that as organisms we are self sufficient and able to live/ act independently. A foetus cannot do this, live independently. It is not yet human. It is potential human but not yet independently alive. A foetus has a parasitic relationship with the mother host. ...

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

@powder I don't remember society making any definitive statements about what constituted life. But people are different from chickens. This is very noticeable. They are human embryos alive in the womb. Some might say they have a dependency on the mother. Parasite conveys a meaning that demeans and discredits the creature in the womb, which I guess is your intention. But like I said before, nature, even in in animals, and even with chickens, takes a more productive attitude towards its young than you advocate.

Starting the day on your knees

CarolinaGirl60 comments on May 18, 2019:

Lol, hey: I’ll get on MY knees to be made love to first thing. This knees thing works both ways!

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

Fairness is the cause of erectile disfunction (insert appropriate emoji here).

Shared with permission from a friend.

powder comments on May 18, 2019:

To define a human an important fact is that as organisms we are self sufficient and able to live/ act independently. A foetus cannot do this, live independently. It is not yet human. It is potential human but not yet independently alive. A foetus has a parasitic relationship with the mother host. ...

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

I think, of all creatures, the human baby is totally reliant on the mother for some time. It isn't viewed as a parasite, just a human being at a vulnerable stage of existence. This vulnerability will return in old age. If the mother is not responsible for the foetus or the baby, it's in trouble. Thankfully, nature has provided the impetus to do what our rationality might not. Is human life defined by breathing? That could be an interesting discussion on its own.

Starting the day on your knees

WonderWartHog99 comments on May 18, 2019:

Coffee until it's time for wine.

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

Yes indeed - my version of uppers and downers.

AOC Blows the roof off building with EPIC speech please watch till the end. [youtube.com]

MojoDave comments on May 18, 2019:

She's gorgeous! ❤

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

That's always my first reaction too! Beautiful and bright as a button.

People know what they do; frequently they know why they do what they do; but what they don't know is...

brentan comments on May 18, 2019:

Sacre bleu! Un tongue-tweester.

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

Mercy buckets!

Might as well

brentan comments on May 18, 2019:

You mean she wouldn't think 'why make things worse?'

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

That's one way to look at it. Thankfully, not every woman's.

a more enlightened and logical perspective though still a Christian (Methodist) one - [dailykos.com]

brentan comments on May 17, 2019:

To be honest, though, I thought the writer was being very selective in the choice of verses and made at least one very untrue statement.

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

The idea that a living creature can only be defined as a breathing creature doesn’t hold up in the face of scriptures like these: If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people. For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make an atonement for your souls upon the altar, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement. Therefore I say to the Israelites, ‘None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner living among you eat blood.’… - Leviticus 17:10-12. I’m very ignorant about medical things but I think I read somewhere that blood is passed from the mother to the foetus to bring in food and remove waste. So I think the article writer has created a theory and then only used information to confirm his or her idea.

I just changed the name of this group to Me Too-Women's Rights and Men's Rights.

ShadowAmicus comments on May 18, 2019:

I have only once been hit by a woman, girl actually, when I was 16 and stupid. We were at school and having a heated group discussion on something ... somehow I told her to go and play with a coke bottle - took her a few seconds to comprehend and a millisecond after to slap me, very hard. I ...

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

Women understand quite well that physical pain is a just punishment for phycological pain. But only one-way.

Happy 971st Birthday, Omar. Logic and Reason over Superstition and Belief are not a new concept.

brentan comments on May 18, 2019:

I'm amazed guys like him survived Islam.

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

I didn't know that.

Why is it that grandparents are far more patient and tolerant of children that their parents?

Besalbub comments on May 18, 2019:

Grand parents don't have to put up with them 24/ 7/ 365/18 .

brentan replies on May 18, 2019:

This is it. Grandparents know the children will go home after a few hours.

Some people think that science has all the answers that matter, and that things that cannot be ...

brentan comments on May 16, 2019:

People need meaning in their lives. Religion used to provide it. Science doesn't do it. So now almost nobody is providing answers except for a few writers and intellectuals.

brentan replies on May 17, 2019:

@dahermit You're just one person, and a very disagreeable person too!

Some people think that science has all the answers that matter, and that things that cannot be ...

brentan comments on May 16, 2019:

People need meaning in their lives. Religion used to provide it. Science doesn't do it. So now almost nobody is providing answers except for a few writers and intellectuals.

brentan replies on May 17, 2019:

@dahermit No. I have every right to make generalisations. I'm sure you do it all the time too.

This is something the world needs a lot more of, desperately.

SiouxcitySue comments on May 16, 2019:

Is this something to inject before stupidity sets in (and how do I know whether or not I've been exposed and if so is there a grace period during which an injection would work) or is it a mitigation vaccine to inject into those who show all the indications of infection. If the latter, would it be ...

brentan replies on May 16, 2019:

Oh no, it's always someone else. I think.

I have read thousands of books over the years and this includes both the bible and Tolkien's Hobbit ...

TheMiddleWay comments on May 14, 2019:

" Evil is easy to distinguish​" If evil were easy to distinguish, you wouldn't need a moral compass. ;) I'm not defending the entirety bible or LOTR but books like those made it so that evil was obvious and clear. In real life, evil is never so clear, there is no true north for the compass to...

brentan replies on May 15, 2019:

@Lizard_of_Ahaz That has no relevance to what he said.

I just spotted this from our governor.

silverotter11 comments on May 14, 2019:

I don't know what to think about Islee's run for the presidency. Seattle does have a large homeless problem but it is not dying and eastern WA wants to be a separate state. Eastern WA needs the west side and there is no way I can convince these trump loving gop fools otherwise. Funny thing the ...

brentan replies on May 14, 2019:

Happy memories, stopping in Cle Elum for a meal on the way to Wenatchee.

The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.

brentan comments on May 14, 2019:

What did he mean?

brentan replies on May 14, 2019:

I don't mean technically. I thought he meant it in in reference to something but what? Maybe he just meant it technically after all.

Several states, including Missouri, considering push for "bible literacy" classes

brentan comments on May 12, 2019:

If only it really was Bible literacy! A good study of the book would be a great help to get people out of the religious mindset.

brentan replies on May 14, 2019:

@snytiger6 Yes and it's available free for anyone who wants it. I recommend the YT lectures from Yale.

“There is no Shakespeare, there is no Beethoven; certainly and emphatically there is no God; we ...

brentan comments on May 13, 2019:

The cheek! She dissed James Joyce's Finnegans Wake too.

brentan replies on May 14, 2019:

@tnorman1236 Is that like the book we all have inside of us that should stay inside us?

Do you believe in Evolutionary Humanism?

creative51 comments on May 14, 2019:

You make up definitions (or borrow them from others with equally narrow minds) which fit your tunnel vision and expect us to agree with that crap. If you buy in to it, fine. I do not and I think it is bullshit.

brentan replies on May 14, 2019:

@creative51 I enjoy his posts. He gets ideas from the books he reads and presents the ideas he likes from them. That's a contribution in my book.

Do you believe in Evolutionary Humanism?

godef comments on May 14, 2019:

"Humanism" is the ability, with the knowledge gained from evolution, to rise above the concept of evolution and determine that the gained knowledge of what is best for survival has become greater than raw evolution. Once upon a time, cave men "dragged their women by the hair". In the modern world, ...

brentan replies on May 14, 2019:

I think Richard Dawkins explained pretty well why the selfish gene would invest in other members of the tribe. It worked better for the individual who invested because he could reap the reward of assistance in the future. It was better for the tribe because co-operation increased its chance of survival.

Do you believe in Evolutionary Humanism?

creative51 comments on May 14, 2019:

You make up definitions (or borrow them from others with equally narrow minds) which fit your tunnel vision and expect us to agree with that crap. If you buy in to it, fine. I do not and I think it is bullshit.

brentan replies on May 14, 2019:

Oh go on then, discourage people from sharing the things they find interesting. That'll reduce the topics we get to talk about.

Do you believe in Evolutionary Humanism?

F-IM-Forty comments on May 14, 2019:

Why can't Humanism be a product of evolution? and the inverse .. If people who are humanistic survive and breed more successfully, is it possible a genetic predisposition or preference could evolve? I don't think evolution is completely random.

brentan replies on May 14, 2019:

Yes, or maybe epigenetic. One way or the other, the job gets done.

Innovative Notre-Dame Concept Balances Past and Present

brentan comments on May 13, 2019:

I must admit I would like them to use the best quality faux replacement materials for the destroyed parts of the cathedral rather than change the structure.

brentan replies on May 14, 2019:

@WilliamCharles I took a look. That's quite nice, to be fair.

Innovative Notre-Dame Concept Balances Past and Present

brentan comments on May 13, 2019:

I must admit I would like them to use the best quality faux replacement materials for the destroyed parts of the cathedral rather than change the structure.

brentan replies on May 13, 2019:

I haven't seen the design so I can't comment on it. It certainly would be a new chapter and change is part of life so it is probably the conservative in me that wants to freeze the original beauty of the cathedral in time.

recently returned from there, and this is a bit of an understatement.

brentan comments on May 12, 2019:

Where does the tax money go?

brentan replies on May 13, 2019:

Never!

Springtime happened.

Seeker3CO comments on May 12, 2019:

Love some Shuggie, but no video attached.

brentan replies on May 12, 2019:

I wonder is there a word for videos that play sound and have one picture or more but no motion.

Atheism is an eager presumption.

1of5 comments on May 10, 2019:

No, I'd say creating a religion is.

brentan replies on May 11, 2019:

@hankster If it's true. It might be a figment of my imagination. If not, I think it must be aware of itself.

These would all be really good band names.

brentan comments on May 11, 2019:

I'll bet God never conceived the shit people get up to these days.

brentan replies on May 11, 2019:

@KKGator You're forgetting fun is subjective.

And books and coffee and an ashtray

KKGator comments on May 11, 2019:

Nope. Not true for me. None of those things. Even when I smoked, I never smoked in my bed. Or indoors, for that matter.

brentan replies on May 11, 2019:

I go to bed with a book, a tablet and Alexa.

Atheism is an eager presumption.

1of5 comments on May 10, 2019:

No, I'd say creating a religion is.

brentan replies on May 11, 2019:

@hankster That sounds fair enough to me! I'm an agnostic so my mind is still open about god. At the moment, I think god might be consciousness and awareness. If so, the power of consciousness/awareness must be far greater than what I can imagine.

These would all be really good band names.

brentan comments on May 11, 2019:

I'll bet God never conceived the shit people get up to these days.

brentan replies on May 11, 2019:

@KKGator I think you're missing the point here. This is just fun.

Oldest human dies at 146.

brentan comments on May 11, 2019:

I've lost everyone I love and I would be happy to live until I was 146 or older. All I would want is my health.

brentan replies on May 11, 2019:

I took a look just now. Poor guy had had enough.

Brilliant!

brentan comments on May 10, 2019:

I would give him a coin but he needs to get a regular job.

brentan replies on May 10, 2019:

My ex-mom-in-law told my ex that you could tell the size of a man's penis by his feet. I've no idea where she got that notion.

"Anxiety Muffin" that would be my horse....

brentan comments on May 9, 2019:

Psychopathic Person.

brentan replies on May 10, 2019:

@Justjoni Yes ineded, washed down with a nice glass of Chianti.

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two ...

EricJones comments on May 10, 2019:

True. If you want people to be interested in you, you're telling them you're self-centered. self-serving and that it's all about you. And nobody wants a friend like that

brentan replies on May 10, 2019:

@Diogenes It is a balance. I think it would be odd if we didn't want people to be interested in us.