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.

I love this song [youtu.be]

brentan comments on May 9, 2019:

What is that particular sound? First I thought maybe it's a particularly black sound, a la Clyde McPhatter et al. But then I thought of Gene Pitney.

brentan replies on May 9, 2019:

That's rather obvious.

I've stop trying; it never works.

brentan comments on May 8, 2019:

The bastards!

brentan replies on May 8, 2019:

@Robecology Let me guess.....is it 'the bastards won't get you down'?

Is it possible to be an atheist and a Buddhist ?

webbew1 comments on May 8, 2019:

You're a buddhist whether you want to be or not. A buddhist will tell you that if being an atheist in this life is a part of your on going path to enlightenment, then that is the road you need to be on at this particular juncture.

brentan replies on May 8, 2019:

That's cornering the market. Jehovah's Witness do it calling the ancient Bible characters JWs and Islam does it too calling them Muslims.

The world pressure on Brunei over its implementing sharia laws such as stoning to death for ...

brentan comments on May 6, 2019:

Money 1 Mohammad 0

brentan replies on May 6, 2019:

I better only venture out by night!

So what do you say to people who don't believe that 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust?

brentan comments on May 5, 2019:

I give some credence to the people who argue against the mass-gassing of Jewish people based on their claim that there is no evidence of the necessaries for this method to be found in the concentration camps. I don't doubt that there was a Holocaust but the numbers may have been inflated. My main ...

brentan replies on May 5, 2019:

Here it is in jpg format. It'll probably need to some enlarging:

Do you drink tea?

brentan comments on May 4, 2019:

I drink tea. They tell me it contains fluoride so I shouldn't. Or perhaps drink white tea but I don't know it or what it tastes like.

brentan replies on May 5, 2019:

@CeliaVL No problem. I'm not really worried. I had watched a YT video about it recently.

Do you drink tea?

brentan comments on May 4, 2019:

I drink tea. They tell me it contains fluoride so I shouldn't. Or perhaps drink white tea but I don't know it or what it tastes like.

brentan replies on May 4, 2019:

@CeliaVL I hope that applies in Ireland too.

Do you drink tea?

brentan comments on May 4, 2019:

I drink tea. They tell me it contains fluoride so I shouldn't. Or perhaps drink white tea but I don't know it or what it tastes like.

brentan replies on May 4, 2019:

@CeliaVL That too I guess but I was thinking of just the tea when I made the comment.

Anybody else using Duolingo to study another language? Estoy estudiando español.

brentan comments on Apr 24, 2019:

Me too. I love Spanish.

brentan replies on May 4, 2019:

@DUCHESSA Creo no.

Maybe it should be called the violent book...

davknight comments on May 3, 2019:

In Colonial, and Early America, most people had 'good books'. Unfortunately, illiteracy was high, and most 'good book' owners didn't know how to read them.In his younger days, the Shawnee Chieftan, Tecumseh, used to visit White settler families, and amaze them by reading their own 'good books' to ...

brentan replies on May 3, 2019:

I guess he would have come across as 'a uppity Injun'.

Jesus Christ in his Own Words

brentan comments on May 3, 2019:

I've spent a lot of time with that book and I'm convinced these words attributed to Jesus are to be understood in the context of the last days, that is, the generation living at his time that would not be completely gone before his return to bring in the new world. In other words, about 40 years. ...

brentan replies on May 3, 2019:

I doubt there was a real Jesus saying these things. The churches think the words are literally true, sure. I'm just trying to get across what I believe is the context for those words.

This is why Finnish schools are the best in the world. What do you think of this system?

brentan comments on May 3, 2019:

This is what happens the closer you get to Russia. Happy maths, I ask you!

brentan replies on May 3, 2019:

I apologise. I was being facetious.

May Day 2019: The resurgence of the class struggle and the fight for socialism - World Socialist Web...

brentan comments on May 2, 2019:

As if once wasn't enough.

brentan replies on May 3, 2019:

@Ian-Duggan I hope we never do.

Don't kid yourself.

WonderWartHog99 comments on May 2, 2019:

For as long as I can remember the fine print on the condom, says it's for preventing disease, not pregnancy.

brentan replies on May 2, 2019:

I think the secondary reason became the primary reason starting with the AIDS epidemic.

The story of all religions, going back to the beginning.

BufftonBeotch comments on May 1, 2019:

Yeah. First murder myth in the bible was over religion or veganism. Was never quite sure about that.

brentan replies on May 1, 2019:

@BufftonBeotch I thought that might be your problem. Your problem, OK. Don't try to make it mine.

The story of all religions, going back to the beginning.

BufftonBeotch comments on May 1, 2019:

Yeah. First murder myth in the bible was over religion or veganism. Was never quite sure about that.

brentan replies on May 1, 2019:

@BufftonBeotch Who has asked you to?

OK guys here is one to make you mentally wince. The moral being keep it clean? [rt.com]

ballou comments on May 1, 2019:

I wash my willie daily. No worries here.

brentan replies on May 1, 2019:

I leave it for when I have a bottle of wine.

The story of all religions, going back to the beginning.

BufftonBeotch comments on May 1, 2019:

Yeah. First murder myth in the bible was over religion or veganism. Was never quite sure about that.

brentan replies on May 1, 2019:

I think the Bible never explained why Cain killed Abel because they thought the answer was too obvious to spell out for the readers. Everybody knew sacrifice involved offering life to God as the price of a continued good realtionship with Him. Cain thought he could get away with vegetables. God told him he was on the wrong track and getter get control of his wrong-thinking before it got complete control over him. Cain didn't do that and went on to kill his brother. Everybody accepts that killing a man is wrong. But we don't know why, in the story, Cain chose not to start sacrificing the way God wanted and took his problems out on his brother.

I just finished reading a couple books by Sam Harris, the latest was his very short book called Free...

brentan comments on Apr 29, 2019:

I haven't. I would love to know how he thinks about it compared to mainstream religion. And the Calvinist idea of no free will too.

brentan replies on May 1, 2019:

@hugh Having watched hours of Sam Harris discuss religion with Jordan Peterson, I'm sure he is more than willing to express opinions on anything religious.

Chinese authorities blow up Christian megachurch with dynamite | The Independent

brentan comments on Apr 30, 2019:

Chinese demolishing human rights again. I believe they have Muslims in conc - I mean re-education centres.

brentan replies on Apr 30, 2019:

@CeliaVL It looks like Zizek is correct nonetheless, at least going by Wikipedia: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_China

Interesting huge study on how much exercise benefits mental health - and it doesn’t take much ...

brentan comments on Apr 30, 2019:

It seems that we're not mind and body but a mind-body. That's probably why thinking about every thing rationally doesn't always cut it.

brentan replies on Apr 30, 2019:

@CeliaVL And yet even with that, lots of us don't do it. That's why I said thinking about things doesn't always cut it.

Best summary of the Brexit fiasco that I have yet heard. [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Apr 30, 2019:

A lot of people think that going against the vote is the pragmatic thing to do. The price would be the damage done to democracy. I dread to think how the damage would be manifested over the next few years. I trust many remainers are conscious of this and will get behind the democratic will but I ...

brentan replies on Apr 30, 2019:

@PBuck0145 A great truth-teller. I fear Britain will end up having an 'indecent conversation'. It won't be alone in that. Here's a laugh about the government's opinion of democracy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmOvEwtDycs

Did you have an atheist epiphany?

boatdude87 comments on Apr 30, 2019:

Almost 20 years ago, I started reading a book: 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail: The Secret History of Christ & The Shocking Legacy of the Grail'. It was fairly long, quite boring and over all should not have kept my attention. For some reason, I kept reading. I knew what the authors were stating as their...

brentan replies on Apr 30, 2019:

@m16566 The idea was that Christ would be a father to those who became born again. They would be the fruit of his sacrifice.

Did you have an atheist epiphany?

boatdude87 comments on Apr 30, 2019:

Almost 20 years ago, I started reading a book: 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail: The Secret History of Christ & The Shocking Legacy of the Grail'. It was fairly long, quite boring and over all should not have kept my attention. For some reason, I kept reading. I knew what the authors were stating as their...

brentan replies on Apr 30, 2019:

LOL. So you don't believe the descendent of Christ lives in that priory in France!

Chinese authorities blow up Christian megachurch with dynamite | The Independent

brentan comments on Apr 30, 2019:

Chinese demolishing human rights again. I believe they have Muslims in conc - I mean re-education centres.

brentan replies on Apr 30, 2019:

During the Peterson V Zizek debate recently, Zizek surprised me by saying he thought the Chinese government didn't really see itself as communist but more in the sense of the guardian of Buddhism where its job is to keep the people together as a homogenous spiritual entity. If true, so much for atheism as the national default. I must admit I don't know enough about the country or Buddhism to really understand his point.

Interesting huge study on how much exercise benefits mental health - and it doesn’t take much ...

brentan comments on Apr 30, 2019:

It seems that we're not mind and body but a mind-body. That's probably why thinking about every thing rationally doesn't always cut it.

brentan replies on Apr 30, 2019:

I think you would need to intuit it, like trying to experience things through meditation. On a physical level, I think the consciousness of our bodily functions happens at the limbic level of the brain so it's difficult to rationalise those actions. All we know is that, for some unknown reason, we feel better psychologically after physical exercise.

Did you have an atheist epiphany?

WilliamFleming comments on Apr 30, 2019:

“...but the natural world was pretty awesome and there was no need for the supernatural.” I agree 100% except that the natural world is EXTREMELY awesome to the point of being mind-boggling. The concept of the supernatural is pretty empty IMO. Trying to divide reality into natural vs. ...

brentan replies on Apr 30, 2019:

"God is a label for the unknown". Excellent!

"The narrative that government is inefficient and its optimum role should be ‘limited’ to avoid ...

brentan comments on Apr 25, 2019:

That's a tough one! I'm thinking of the early business model of bartering. That doesn't seem to involve much politics but maybe that was just in the beginning. The Viking business model might be classed as political because the survival of the whole people was at stake. Then what about the colonial ...

brentan replies on Apr 30, 2019:

The bastards!

The 'c-word'- oh, naughty, naughty! I have often wondered how the f-word became the most foul ...

brentan comments on Apr 29, 2019:

I think it's a great word when you're angry but too aggressive to be used to mean having sex.

brentan replies on Apr 30, 2019:

@Diogenes You wouldn't like to think of them as multipurpose adjectives and adverbs then?

A Bernie Sanders presidency would be disastrous for America. Sander-nista?

brentan comments on Apr 29, 2019:

I see him as a social democrat.

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

@Trajan61 Fair enough!

A Bernie Sanders presidency would be disastrous for America. Sander-nista?

brentan comments on Apr 29, 2019:

I see him as a social democrat.

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

@Trajan61 I see him as a social democrat wanting wealth distribution.

Do You Enjoy Religious Music?

magicwatch comments on Apr 29, 2019:

SOUND OF SILENCE - Gregorian https://youtu.be/wS8y8UKP7jc

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

I think we became afraid that we would empower others if we spoke truth to them.

JEJUNE - Adjective.

kirkz comments on Apr 29, 2019:

I've been recording audiobooks with librivox.org, as a volunteer, for about 7 years. LibriVox's mission is to record all the books that are no longer under copyright, so they're all written before 1925. Every once and a while I run across a word that I've never heard, like today, the word ...

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

I did a few of those too. I really enjoyed it even though I always struggled to get the voice level right.

Of course - EVERYthing is a sin ! Guilt-guilt-guilt

St-Sinner comments on Apr 29, 2019:

Happiness is forbidden by religion.

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

@Geoffrey51 If it's not, it should be.

[bbc.

Marionville comments on Apr 29, 2019:

I say “thank you” to our NHS every time I read about health provision in the USA. Our Statutory Maternity Leave is also extremely generous compared to the USA, I wasn’t actually aware of that. I myself had two C.Section births on the NHS in 1977 and 1980, and know nobody who has had a ...

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

@Petter I will. Thank you!

[bbc.

Marionville comments on Apr 29, 2019:

I say “thank you” to our NHS every time I read about health provision in the USA. Our Statutory Maternity Leave is also extremely generous compared to the USA, I wasn’t actually aware of that. I myself had two C.Section births on the NHS in 1977 and 1980, and know nobody who has had a ...

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

@Petter I'll keep that in mind. I'm always thinking of getting back to Spain.

To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.- Mahatma Gandhi

Theresa_N comments on Apr 29, 2019:

It's sad he was such a racist and hypocrite. I guess it's typical of a religionist.

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

Oh no, next we'll be bad-mouthing Mother Teresa!

[bbc.

Marionville comments on Apr 29, 2019:

I say “thank you” to our NHS every time I read about health provision in the USA. Our Statutory Maternity Leave is also extremely generous compared to the USA, I wasn’t actually aware of that. I myself had two C.Section births on the NHS in 1977 and 1980, and know nobody who has had a ...

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

@Petter I was treated as an out-patient in Almeria on my European Medical Card. They looked after me very well and the meds were extremely cheap. If I didn't have a council house here, I would be off to live there in a heartbeat.

Me trying to make friends... [youtube.com]

Rob1948 comments on Apr 28, 2019:

That’s cute but if you care for your pets, you need to know that raccoons carry a variety of diseases, including rabies and distemper, that can affect your pets.

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

@Robecology I feel constrained already.

Numbers 29:13 (NRSV): You shall offer a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the ...

Count_Viceroy comments on Apr 28, 2019:

Did they at least get to eat it after god got a sniff?

brentan replies on Apr 29, 2019:

Yes they did and I'll bet the priests never went hungry.

TRIGGER WARNING : “Trans-talk” : TRANS-WOMEN ARE NOT WOMEN.

ShadowAmicus comments on Apr 28, 2019:

I DON'T CARE - what transgender issues? I go back to the Trojans, who practised institutional bisexualism or the Sodomites - the clue is in the name - both groups feared as the greatest fighters of their era - so please don't try and tell us that homosexuals are not men, or that women are weak and ...

brentan replies on Apr 28, 2019:

What do you think are the consequences if the sexual equipment is changed from its 'founding DNA or genetics'? Are there any, or are you just saying it has been changed to become a fake phenotype of the 'founding DNA'?

TRIGGER WARNING : “Trans-talk” : TRANS-WOMEN ARE NOT WOMEN.

brentan comments on Apr 28, 2019:

For me, it boils down to the belief that there are two sexes and a spectrum of genders. I agree that transgenderism is punching way above its weight, probably because we live in an age of prioritising feelings. I was with them all, including the LGBT+ until they started dictating how it was going...

brentan replies on Apr 28, 2019:

I have no argument with anything there.

Nothing created by humankind is inviolate and unchanging.

Beowulfsfriend comments on Apr 28, 2019:

Holding power is why certain people never want change. Even when change is reasonable or scientific - if it weakens one's grasp on control, they say no. Easy to see in religion: science says this, so, we just won't believe science, we will believe magic. And force everyone else to do so as ...

brentan replies on Apr 28, 2019:

I read that Galileo insisted that the Copernican vew of the universe was the only true way of looking at it. He had a friend and benefactor in the pope of the time until he got dogmatic about it. He belonged to a society that looked on the sun in a religious way which didn't help his case. In the end, he was threatened by the Inquisition and set free. Science has become even more dogmatic as time goes by.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, ...

KKGator comments on Apr 27, 2019:

No, "god" isn't schizophrenic, humans are. You know, since all gods are man-made.

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@KKGator Fair enough!

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, ...

KKGator comments on Apr 27, 2019:

No, "god" isn't schizophrenic, humans are. You know, since all gods are man-made.

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

I have to say I think we were very different back then. I think we were very different even in the Middle Ages. But it's true the Bible stories were taken from earlier times and don't often fit well with reality. I'm thinking of the silliness of the Samson story set against the reality of the struggle against the Philistines. The Bible is really a story about the myth of nationality. We all have them, my own only goes back to about 1900. I think monotheism could only end up being the Logos personified in Christ but it's easy to say that in hindsight. I think we came to think the way we think through the only means historically and culturally open to us. But why do you think the Bible stories aren't interesting like the 'pagan' stories? I think they stand up pretty well in their own right, silly as they are, and are even more interesting when they are looked at through a psychological lens.

Beautiful ENYA and "THE BRIGHT DAYS OF MY YOUTH" 'The bright days of my youth They were full of...

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

Mo theanga bhocht (my poor language). It is so nice to hear it from time to time.

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

Cinnte go bhfuil!

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, ...

KKGator comments on Apr 27, 2019:

No, "god" isn't schizophrenic, humans are. You know, since all gods are man-made.

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

I suppose they are if we focus on where we are now but I love the Bible because it tells us where we were on the way to being who we are.

"Atheism deserves better than the new atheists whose methodology consists of criticizing religion ...

Geoffrey51 comments on Apr 27, 2019:

Totally agree. Never understood why so called atheists want to get involved with religion and even worse become evangelical about their atheism. Makes no sense to me but then not much does!

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

It's a kind of psychotherapy that so many of us need. It's like lieing on the couch and talking to our therapist and trying to rationalise what happened and get past it. I must admit some people don't want to get past it and spend all their time venting instead.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, ...

KKGator comments on Apr 27, 2019:

No, "god" isn't schizophrenic, humans are. You know, since all gods are man-made.

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

I think the nature of gods changed as people changed but then we were left with a book that couldn’t reconcile the two.

Read, read, read.

WilliamCharles comments on Apr 27, 2019:

"A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called "leaves") imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years." ~ Carl Sagan

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

He is so right! It's such a joy to step into the shoes of people so long gone and appreciate how intelligent they were in their own time and very often by our standards too.

Love is a drug

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

Aw shucks, they look like they're made for each other!

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

Or Ken and Barbie!

Happy Saturday!

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

Religion is getting a real hammering today!

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@SiouxcitySue All those people who still believe. We don't cut them a lot of slack.

Thoughts for Us..

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

I have a bit of that in me too and I'm not apologising to anyone (well, maybe my poor ex-wife who had to suffer a guy too dumb to know who he really was). But these days.... not a chance!

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@MrLizard I guess all we can do in these complex situations is try to behave honourably. Which you did. I hope my ignorance is an excuse. I have to say I love the simple and honest way I can live now.

Mirrors are evil!

glennlab comments on Apr 27, 2019:

I stored up too much and we had a mild winter, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

Better safe than sorry.

Sounds reasonable to me! 🍷🍷🍷

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

I'll bet that would appal the connoisseurs.

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

Excellent!

Thoughts for Us..

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

I have a bit of that in me too and I'm not apologising to anyone (well, maybe my poor ex-wife who had to suffer a guy too dumb to know who he really was). But these days.... not a chance!

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@MrLizard I feel the same. I think my wife copped on very early. In fact, looking back, I think everyone knew except me. It's a pity she didn't understand before we got married. But it can't have been easy because first we were in a religion that forbade premarital sex and afterwards, well, I always enjoyed heterosexual sex anyway, never giving homosexuality a thought at the time

Do you think it sounds a bit like rap?

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

That was very funny! There wasn't any hos getting bitch-slapped but that's a plus. Religion sure is taking a beating today! Take that, be-atch!

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@AnonySchmoose Yes, I read it in The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail.

TRANSUBSTANTIATION - Noun.

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

I came across a curious understanding of it first in The Canterbury Tales and more recently in William Blake. They separated the substance of the host from the 'accident'. The substance is the essence of the thing and the accident is the material, tangible expression of the essence. I read a ...

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@AnonySchmoose Yes indeed. It's not what we expect to read and to be honest, I don't know how true it is but nonetheless these intellectuals and academics did manage to survive (or at least some of them).

Set a good example for the children

Robecology comments on Apr 27, 2019:

Or just substitute silliness...especially if you're a teacher! You cork-soaking, sock-tucker! You muffer-flusher! you piece of Slit! ....your turn....be creative!

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

That reminds me of the Chinese guy in Deadwood.

Read, read, read.

IamNobody comments on Apr 27, 2019:

Read 'til your eyes fall out their sockets

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

I do. I really hope eye technology gets to a point where it can save me from myself.

Do you think it sounds a bit like rap?

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

That was very funny! There wasn't any hos getting bitch-slapped but that's a plus. Religion sure is taking a beating today! Take that, be-atch!

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@AnonySchmoose Yes indeed! I came across a great word when I read about the war against the Albigensians. It is 'extirpate' and by golly they wanted that heresy taken out by the roots. Now people want religion out the same way.

TRANSUBSTANTIATION - Noun.

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

I came across a curious understanding of it first in The Canterbury Tales and more recently in William Blake. They separated the substance of the host from the 'accident'. The substance is the essence of the thing and the accident is the material, tangible expression of the essence. I read a ...

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@AnonySchmoose I wonder. I can't help thinking it might have intellectualised Christian beliefs. Not that that would have meant anything to people who needed their faith expressed in simple words and pictures. I don't know how Aquinas got away with it. Dante either. There must have been a light touch at the time. Curiously, I'm just reading at the moment that the church got a bad rap with Galileo too, and if he hadn't been so dogmatic about the new astronomy, the pope at the time was more than willing to accomodate his ideas.

Happy Saturday!

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

Religion is getting a real hammering today!

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@altschmerz Ah but, ah but, to err is human.

I recently went to a religious a event with a family member at Easter time.

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

The internal logic is that Adam, as the father of mankind, became a flawed person and that flaw was passed down by inheritance. Jesus was to be the father of a people freed from that flaw through grace. The Catholic Church, for one, seems to be content to see the Genesis story as an allegory, ...

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@m16566 All I can do is provide the verses and my thoughts for whatever use they might be. A lot of people see a logical string of thought from Genesis 3:15 up to Christ. I see the Bible's internal logic too but I think evolution put paid to the idea of the 'propitiatory sacrifice'.

Old people porn

EricTrommater comments on Apr 27, 2019:

Eww! I don't want to see me naked.

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

Wow, that's exactly what I was thinking!

Take Me Home, Country Roads. [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

I expected John Denver but that was a good version - jaunty! I read mixed reviews about Fallout 76. Did you play it? Like it?

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

That's useful to know. Thanks for the heads-up.

TRANSUBSTANTIATION - Noun.

brentan comments on Apr 27, 2019:

I came across a curious understanding of it first in The Canterbury Tales and more recently in William Blake. They separated the substance of the host from the 'accident'. The substance is the essence of the thing and the accident is the material, tangible expression of the essence. I read a ...

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

@AnonySchmoose Yes, it might very well be. I read Thomas Aquinas injected a heap of Platonism into his writings on Christianity and his influence was huge at the time. I must check that out!

I live in the Bible Belt and being open about being an unbeliever would be difficult to say the ...

St-Sinner comments on Apr 26, 2019:

These states are ranked as the top most conservatives states in the U.S. top-conservative-states-in-the-us-3303802 1. Tennessee 2. Louisiana 3. Wyoming 4. South Dakota 5. Texas 6. North Dakota 7. Mississippi While this site ranks these 10 state are the most conservative states: ...

brentan replies on Apr 27, 2019:

Could poverty be the common denominator?

Everyone’s a fan, until it comes down to where do you put them, then it’s ‘Not in my ...

brentan comments on Apr 26, 2019:

I read that they produce too little to be any use other than a salve for consciences.

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

@LenHazell53 Shush! Too much information!

Gad Saad's sarcasm about the insanity of Charlize Theron's WOKENESS: She is a child abuser.

brentan comments on Apr 26, 2019:

*I don't want my child to be a phenotype of my progressive genes.* (paraphrasing) Gad is a highly intelligent man but he's a smug, sarky bastard.

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

@Novelty So they have and girly boys too. I had a schoolfriend who had eight sisters and he was very effeminate in his ways. His name was Sheamus but everybody called him Mary. I sure would love to know how he got on in life. But I'm not sure conservatives are to blame for all the discussion around transgenderism, if that's the right word. I blame the extreme lefties who who want to punch above the weight of the actual problem. By this I mean I think transgender people are a tiny minority in proportion to the size of the discussion. That said, here's another side of the problem that is nothing short of horrifying: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/apr/26/armenian-mps-call-for-trans-activist-to-be-burned-alive-after-historic-speech-lilit-martirosyan

Carl Benjamin: the case for free speech.

Matias comments on Apr 26, 2019:

In Germany we have Free speech, it is part of our constitution. But we also have laws against hate speech. Any intelligent person should be able to tell the two apart (even if there is a grey area in between)

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

I don't know if the two have been articulated legally. Probably freedom of speech, not sure about hate speech. You could make a thread to see what people think and how they would differentiate between the two.

Gad Saad's sarcasm about the insanity of Charlize Theron's WOKENESS: She is a child abuser.

brentan comments on Apr 26, 2019:

*I don't want my child to be a phenotype of my progressive genes.* (paraphrasing) Gad is a highly intelligent man but he's a smug, sarky bastard.

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

@Novelty I think it has to be discussed because of the political side to it and the legal implications.

Everyone’s a fan, until it comes down to where do you put them, then it’s ‘Not in my ...

brentan comments on Apr 26, 2019:

I read that they produce too little to be any use other than a salve for consciences.

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

I'm pretty sure this isn't where I read it originaly but this website makes the point (once in the pros of the technology and again in the cons). https://energyinformative.org/wind-energy-pros-and-cons/ I don't know if the output has increased a lot since the 2.5% in 2010 but I see the figure for all types of renewable energy is currently 16.9% in the U.S. in 2016. https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/08/renewable-energy-was-16-9-percent-of-u-s-electric-generation-in-the-first-half-of-2016.html

Ha ha Florida woman!

brentan comments on Apr 26, 2019:

Is it really that bad?

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

Ha. I get it now. Thanks!

PREVARICATE (intransitive verb) - to deviate from the truth; to tell a lie.

itsmedammit comments on Apr 26, 2019:

Way too much prevarication going on these days.

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

I always leave it for another day!

Everyone’s a fan, until it comes down to where do you put them, then it’s ‘Not in my ...

brentan comments on Apr 26, 2019:

I read that they produce too little to be any use other than a salve for consciences.

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

At this stage, I've no idea.

Mixed bag for Friday

brentan comments on Apr 26, 2019:

Excellent! Are you named after the soup or beer pot? I looked it up and it said it meant a big pot or dish. I thought the een meant small but it turns out this een means made of or having the nature of. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/tureen

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

@Tooreen Thanks a lot!

Do you think this can be a good name for a church? (Big potential for a massive men following)

Moravian comments on Apr 24, 2019:

That would give "speaking in tongues" a totally different meaning. :-)

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

Yes indeed, and the symbol of the fish.

Do you think this can be a good name for a church? (Big potential for a massive men following)

UpsideDownAgain comments on Apr 24, 2019:

Men might want to follow it but would they actually be able to find it?

brentan replies on Apr 26, 2019:

It's easier now with women shaving down there. That little runway of pubic hair was a good idea too.

I have never understood how any self-respecting woman could be a Christian.

brentan comments on Apr 25, 2019:

They rationalise some of the things they don't like and ignore the other things.

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

@GuyKeith The real thing is very, very hard. Not that I'm saying lots try.

As far as I can see, this site was set up and is run by and financed by a small group of ...

brentan comments on Apr 25, 2019:

I guess this follows the general thrust of put up or shut up. Well, no thanks! A large part of the problem is the transfer of power to suppress speech to too many people who have already demonstrated their lack of objectivity and often megalomania. Power attracts these assholes. So we'll complain...

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

Owl, you're on the wrong thread.

Happy WTF Happened to the Site Day!

chalupacabre comments on Apr 25, 2019:

Somebody forget a burnt offering?

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

@chalupacabre Well dammit! I thought juxtaposing Moses' predicament with admin's current dilemma was not just clever but funny too. Oh well...

We put back the link to the "General Forum" at the top header (currently in archive mode) and are ...

Matias comments on Apr 25, 2019:

If your basic problem was too much work for too few admins to monitor the general form, I am sure that there are lots of senior members of this forum who would be ready to volunteer as mods in one of the categories (to keep the trolls at bay or whatever has to be done)

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

@freeofgod I think it's that one person's troll is another person's outspoken commenter. The perps and the victims were probably driving admin mad so they took the easy way out and gave all the power to the mods.

Don't fit in, that's a good thing..... [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Apr 25, 2019:

That was good. I enjoyed the fairly recent spate of TV programs that linked autism to brilliance. Monk comes to mind. There was a movie with Claire Danes telling the story of an autistic women who studied cattle and set up new more humane ways of slaughtering them. It is really good to see the ...

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

@KKGator Thanks. The name wouldn't come to me.

As far as I can see, this site was set up and is run by and financed by a small group of ...

brentan comments on Apr 25, 2019:

I guess this follows the general thrust of put up or shut up. Well, no thanks! A large part of the problem is the transfer of power to suppress speech to too many people who have already demonstrated their lack of objectivity and often megalomania. Power attracts these assholes. So we'll complain...

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

@CeliaVL Well then i think you should be pleased at all the thoughts people expressed about the change.

Happy WTF Happened to the Site Day!

chalupacabre comments on Apr 25, 2019:

Somebody forget a burnt offering?

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

@SiouxcitySue Oh go on then - rub it in!

As far as I can see, this site was set up and is run by and financed by a small group of ...

brentan comments on Apr 25, 2019:

I guess this follows the general thrust of put up or shut up. Well, no thanks! A large part of the problem is the transfer of power to suppress speech to too many people who have already demonstrated their lack of objectivity and often megalomania. Power attracts these assholes. So we'll complain...

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

@CeliaVL Damned if I know what's wrong with telling people their intentions. If you don't say what you're thinking, your silence will probably be taken as consent. Maybe you're just annoyed at some people who overestimate their importance to the forum. There's no doubt we are all dispensible.

Is it possible to block an entire group -- to not see any posts in the general feed from that group?

Green_eyes comments on Apr 25, 2019:

Could you just not hide the group?

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

@Green_eyes Blocking will happen on a whole new level now.

Happy WTF Happened to the Site Day!

chalupacabre comments on Apr 25, 2019:

Somebody forget a burnt offering?

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

@SiouxcitySue I apologise. I love that Biblical stuff.

Happy WTF Happened to the Site Day!

chalupacabre comments on Apr 25, 2019:

Somebody forget a burnt offering?

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

Moses was overwhelmed with responsibility and God was annoyed with the people wearing him out: He proposed a solution: And Moses heard the people weeping by its families, each at the door of his tent; and the anger of Jehovah glowed exceedingly, and in the eyes of Moses it was evil. And Moses said to Jehovah, Why have You done evil to Your servant; and why have I not found grace in Your eyes to put the burden of all this people on me?  I, have I conceived all this people? I, have I begotten it, that You say to me, Carry it in your bosom as the foster father bears the suckling, to the land which You have sworn to its fathers? Where shall I get flesh to give to all this people? For they weep to me, saying, Give to us flesh that we may eat. I am not able, I alone, to bear all this people, for it is too heavy for me; and if You deal thus with me, please quickly kill me, if I have found grace in Your eyes, and let me not look on my affliction. And Jehovah said to Moses, Assemble to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you have known that they are elders of the people, and its officers. And you shall take them to the tabernacle of the congregation; and they shall station themselves there with you. And I shall come down and speak with you there; and I will take of the spirit which is upon you, and will put it on them; and they will bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. - Numbers 11:10-17.

So are we going to get the cute little site meter back, showing us total people on the site, group ...

brentan comments on Apr 25, 2019:

It would be interesting because I don't want to go off in a huff, or leave on principle to put it a better way. I think I'll stay until a day comes when I think it's just no fun anymore.

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

Oh you, you....philistine, Haemish!

Sometimes it is all the way you look at things. Wizard of Oz.

Cast1es comments on Apr 25, 2019:

She didn't kill her , the house did , and it wasn't even her house . It belonged to her aunt and uncle . She wasn't even driving it , it was dropped by the tornado .

brentan replies on Apr 25, 2019:

Oh go on then, burst the bubble with facts, why don't ya?

I liked the General Forum. Not thrilled about it's removal.

josh_is_exciting comments on Apr 24, 2019:

Having read the Admin's main post about the matter and since we're in the Senate... would anyone be interested in volunteering to moderate? I guess the system in place to have Level, what was it? 6? 7? to approve posts wasn't working? I'm curious as to what the problematic posts were? I'm a ...

brentan replies on Apr 24, 2019:

@josh_is_exciting Gotcha, thanks.

I liked the General Forum. Not thrilled about it's removal.

UrsiMajor comments on Apr 24, 2019:

It got to be too much work for unpaid admin to deal with the whining. You are not helping the forum by complaining to Admin that you are an Applebee's person and Billy Bob is a TGI Friday's person, etc. Agnostic.com didn't have the resources to handle that. Growing pains suck. If they don't have ...

brentan replies on Apr 24, 2019:

@demifeministgal Free speech determined by the owners of the forum.

I liked the General Forum. Not thrilled about it's removal.

josh_is_exciting comments on Apr 24, 2019:

Having read the Admin's main post about the matter and since we're in the Senate... would anyone be interested in volunteering to moderate? I guess the system in place to have Level, what was it? 6? 7? to approve posts wasn't working? I'm curious as to what the problematic posts were? I'm a ...

brentan replies on Apr 24, 2019:

@josh_is_exciting It doesn't answer volunteering to moderate what?

I liked the General Forum. Not thrilled about it's removal.

ProudMerrie comments on Apr 24, 2019:

Same here. I think it's going to make it more difficult to get to know one another without belonging to some of the same groups.

brentan replies on Apr 24, 2019:

@TCorCM I haven't mustered up the courage yet.

I liked the General Forum. Not thrilled about it's removal.

Lukian comments on Apr 24, 2019:

I'm out of here. This makes no sense. I lost more than 1000 posts from my profile. I'll convert my groups to new owners.

brentan replies on Apr 24, 2019:

Hang on a bit. Maybe we can self-moderate a General Forum.

I liked the General Forum. Not thrilled about it's removal.

ProudMerrie comments on Apr 24, 2019:

Same here. I think it's going to make it more difficult to get to know one another without belonging to some of the same groups.

brentan replies on Apr 24, 2019:

@TCorCM I'm going to defend AOC on the Conservative Atheist Group to test it out.

I liked the General Forum. Not thrilled about it's removal.

josh_is_exciting comments on Apr 24, 2019:

Having read the Admin's main post about the matter and since we're in the Senate... would anyone be interested in volunteering to moderate? I guess the system in place to have Level, what was it? 6? 7? to approve posts wasn't working? I'm curious as to what the problematic posts were? I'm a ...

brentan replies on Apr 24, 2019:

Volunteer to moderate what? I think I missed what admin said.