brentan's Profile

A great piece of music if you can try to forget that it was played in Apocalypse Now! Wagner.

brentan comments on Sep 28, 2018:

What I like most about Wagner is he takes his time, no rush, he gets to the climax when he's good and ready. And it's worth the wait.

brentan replies on Sep 28, 2018:

Would you believe the thought of a double-meaning never entered my mind?

Pays to know what we are thirsting for.

Rose2U comments on Sep 28, 2018:

So true...our hearts has a mind if its own especially when drinking..lol

brentan replies on Sep 28, 2018:

Not just my heart!

Pays to know what we are thirsting for.

maturin1919 comments on Sep 28, 2018:

Our ribs are cages because our hearts are monsters.

brentan replies on Sep 28, 2018:

The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it? - Jeremiah 17:9.

If you could get one more season of any TV show what would it be?

MFAtheist comments on Sep 28, 2018:

Carnivale

brentan replies on Sep 28, 2018:

When Carnivale got dropped not long after Deadwood, I've been reluctant to become committed to shows that might no ending.

When I looked at FB this AM, for other purposes Dr.

brentan comments on Sep 27, 2018:

My guess is that the man will not be found 'guilty' but everyone will draw their own conclusions and that will be enough to open the window on the mentality of many people who have power in society. It is as if the dogs on the street know what goes on but society and the legal system struggles to ...

brentan replies on Sep 28, 2018:

I know. That's why I used inverted commas.

I read a lot of posts in this group in which folks define themselves as "broken.

brentan comments on Sep 27, 2018:

Well, it's all semantics, isn't it? I guess you got your own ideas about how words should be used but we don't all see things in the same way.

brentan replies on Sep 27, 2018:

Let's break it down to try to understand each other better. Suffering mental distress is an appropriate reaction to living in an insane world. Broken is not a word usually used to denote shitty people - shitty works very well. Broken is often used to denote the inability to function in the way we used to function before we got ill. Maybe we can leave it at that or expand the ideas.

Ignorance knows no bounds! Today, two of my Drump supporting cousins wanted to troll a post I made.

Secretguy comments on Sep 19, 2018:

Don't feed the trolls.

brentan replies on Sep 19, 2018:

That's the only remedy I know and I think it works very well.

Can some one advise me on what the reporting procedure is for a seriously unpleasant member, I have ...

KKGator comments on Sep 14, 2018:

I looked it up in the Urban Dictionary: TOP DEFINITION Sealioning A subtle form of trolling involving "bad-faith" questions. You disingenuously frame your conversation as a sincere request to be enlightened, placing the burden of educating you entirely on the other party. If your bait is ...

brentan replies on Sep 14, 2018:

That's perverse. Thanks for the explanation.

Very interesting concept that could help income inequality.

Renickulous comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Lolol give the government more control of wealth distribution. No thanks on socialsim because its not succeded like capitalism. Capitalsim is equal opportunity for all(fair), socialism is equal outcome for all(not fair)

brentan replies on Sep 12, 2018:

True enough, guys but capitalism needs to be bridled by some means. Social democracy works well enough in Ireland but I guess it would always be open to interpretation.

Hello fellow non-believers

brentan comments on Jul 8, 2018:

I think you really struggle when Christians talk about the existence of God that is confirmed in their hearts. It's where religion and psychology meet and separate at the same time. For the Christian, the heart is where the person and God meet. For the atheist, it is where a person and his or her ...

brentan replies on Sep 9, 2018:

Yes indeed.

@Admin, after realising that i just sent a welcome message randomly to a "believer in jesus - leader...

brentan comments on Sep 6, 2018:

Good grief, they're just people. Lots of used to be them!

brentan replies on Sep 7, 2018:

Not enough?

fri·a·ble /ˈfrīəbəl/ (adjective) easily crumbled.

brentan comments on Sep 5, 2018:

I didn't expect that definition.

brentan replies on Sep 5, 2018:

@pixiedust I was - oh well!

"We can either be governed by fear, fear of immigrants, fear of Muslims, call the press the enemy of...

brentan comments on Sep 2, 2018:

That is a good example of a non sequitor. It's bullshit, but it sounds great.

brentan replies on Sep 5, 2018:

Better perception, that's for sure

"We can either be governed by fear, fear of immigrants, fear of Muslims, call the press the enemy of...

brentan comments on Sep 2, 2018:

That is a good example of a non sequitor. It's bullshit, but it sounds great.

brentan replies on Sep 4, 2018:

Oh, it's there whether you can see it or not.

nepenthe noun 1.

brentan comments on Sep 4, 2018:

We need it because we don't know where the River Lethe is anymore.

brentan replies on Sep 4, 2018:

That's the Liffey.

"We can either be governed by fear, fear of immigrants, fear of Muslims, call the press the enemy of...

brentan comments on Sep 2, 2018:

That is a good example of a non sequitor. It's bullshit, but it sounds great.

brentan replies on Sep 4, 2018:

It's a non-sequitor because there never was the great America that's being bullshitted. It's a myth, just like the dream.

In general, and very simply put, do you think people are basically good but are capable of doing ...

AMGT comments on Sep 2, 2018:

We are selfish by nature and quick to indifference. Not much good can come from that. There are so many narcissists, they don’t give a shit how they affect the whole. I think we have the opportunity to be pretty good if we’re nurtured away from our nature and consciously work to do what it...

brentan replies on Sep 2, 2018:

@Varn Do you think it is allowed to continue at the genetic or the social level, or both?

Chekov's Russian Misconceptions - YouTube

brentan comments on Sep 2, 2018:

I thought it was about the playwright but very enjoyable anyway!

brentan replies on Sep 2, 2018:

@McVinegar Try 'em, you'll like 'em!

The Bible, the old and new testament.

Seminarian comments on Sep 1, 2018:

I think many people who have responded on here read past the part about the evolution of thought. They focused instead on the history of morality and culture. I think the history of morality or the evolution of morality is an important feature along with the evolution of human thought. After the ...

brentan replies on Sep 2, 2018:

@Seminarian I hadn't heard that before. I guess you're talking about the guys the Maccabees fought against. Is this an idea from Atwell's book about the gospels written by Romans to try to pacify the Jews?

The Bible, the old and new testament.

Seminarian comments on Sep 1, 2018:

I think many people who have responded on here read past the part about the evolution of thought. They focused instead on the history of morality and culture. I think the history of morality or the evolution of morality is an important feature along with the evolution of human thought. After the ...

brentan replies on Sep 1, 2018:

How far do we go with the allegories, I wonder. And would Jesus (theoretically) be pissed that we secular people might guess the true meaning of what he said. Definitely, people thought both the Old and New Testaments must mean more than what they said at face value. Hence the likes of the Kabbalah and the Gnostic gospels. And we can add to all that the opinion of Sam Harris that it's all Bronze Age ignorance anyway so let's just get on with our modern understandings of life and morals.

Just another example of Christian love! My guess is at some point they will uncover that Mother ...

rogueflyer comments on Sep 1, 2018:

Hadn't heard about the Tuam Mother and Baby home but it doesn't surprise me now. I understand mother Teresa was a tyrant and required you become a devout Catholic.

brentan replies on Sep 1, 2018:

The Pope said he never heard about it either!

I'm on my way!

brentan comments on Sep 1, 2018:

I tell myself I'm on the road less travelled!

brentan replies on Sep 1, 2018:

@HippieChick58 You hippy, you!

COMPREHENSION: com-pre-hen-sion.

Trajan61 comments on Sep 1, 2018:

Obama was the one who failed to comprehend. That racist arrogant idiot did a lot of damage to this country.

brentan replies on Sep 1, 2018:

@Trajan61 Be nice. It's just a discussion group.

The Bible, the old and new testament.

DenoPenno comments on Sep 1, 2018:

There is no "exact voice of god" and the bible is not an "important historical book." This Frankenstein of scripture that we call the bible is actually made up of 66 independent books if you are Protestant. If you are Catholic there are 73 of them. Some 300 years after the time of Jesus there were ...

brentan replies on Sep 1, 2018:

I can’t agree that the books were not meant to be bound together as one story when the combined books tell the story of a people from when time began. Although they were written on scrolls, the scrolls were kept together before the technology to bind them was invented.

COMPREHENSION: com-pre-hen-sion.

Trajan61 comments on Sep 1, 2018:

Obama was the one who failed to comprehend. That racist arrogant idiot did a lot of damage to this country.

brentan replies on Sep 1, 2018:

@Trajan61 I'm pretty sure that comment about cows is true - they fart way too much. The cattlemen were probably annoyed at a perceived threat to their livelihood.

Woman’s blasphemy conviction in Indonesia sparks backlash, intensifies concerns - The Washington ...

Happyheretic comments on Aug 26, 2018:

Here in Ireland there is a blasphemy law with penalties for breaking. There is a referendum on this taking place soon. Sad to see this superstitious nonsense still around. Words have magical powers!! What a crock.

brentan replies on Aug 31, 2018:

A real person makes a negative comment about a theoretical person. Adherents of said theoretical person get mad. Real person is punished because of hurt feelings of the believers in the theoretical person. Theoretical person apparently has no skin in the game except to serve his adherents with reason to punish those who do not worship their god. I guess that's just bullying on a theological level.

Something I've noticed on almost every Disney film

brentan comments on Aug 30, 2018:

I recommend watching Jordon Peterson's YouTube lectures on Pinocchio. He explains the psychology behind the story. Here's a relatively short one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YhVruKGkjs

brentan replies on Aug 31, 2018:

@Renickulous Education is a bit of a puzzle unless we understand that it is fulfilling its objective. It seems to, at a lower level, train people for the mostly menial tasks every job demands. At the higher level, it concentrates on ideology. I guess this can only contribute ignorance and left-leaning philosophies to society. Peterson challenges those trends better than anyone I know.

Something I've noticed on almost every Disney film

brentan comments on Aug 30, 2018:

I recommend watching Jordon Peterson's YouTube lectures on Pinocchio. He explains the psychology behind the story. Here's a relatively short one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YhVruKGkjs

brentan replies on Aug 31, 2018:

@Renickulous Yes indeed, and it's not that long ago!!

Something I've noticed on almost every Disney film

brentan comments on Aug 30, 2018:

I recommend watching Jordon Peterson's YouTube lectures on Pinocchio. He explains the psychology behind the story. Here's a relatively short one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YhVruKGkjs

brentan replies on Aug 31, 2018:

Peterson responds to claims he is a Nazi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtI8RKe6HwE

That's Life ?

Umbral comments on Aug 30, 2018:

Wurd. Ya, I said it.

brentan replies on Aug 30, 2018:

OK Chris.

Something I've noticed on almost every Disney film

brentan comments on Aug 30, 2018:

I recommend watching Jordon Peterson's YouTube lectures on Pinocchio. He explains the psychology behind the story. Here's a relatively short one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YhVruKGkjs

brentan replies on Aug 30, 2018:

@Brascan And don't forget his white privilege! Damn, I love this man.

Something I've noticed on almost every Disney film

brentan comments on Aug 30, 2018:

I recommend watching Jordon Peterson's YouTube lectures on Pinocchio. He explains the psychology behind the story. Here's a relatively short one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YhVruKGkjs

brentan replies on Aug 30, 2018:

@Brascan Jordon The Mean Mad White Man!

Discomfit - make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed.

TheDoubter comments on Aug 30, 2018:

there are more usable synonyms

brentan replies on Aug 30, 2018:

@TheDoubter True enough.

Discomfit - make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed.

TheDoubter comments on Aug 30, 2018:

there are more usable synonyms

brentan replies on Aug 30, 2018:

The idea here is to talk about uncommon words.

I was raised Catholic and always questioned why priests and nuns could never get married.

brentan comments on Aug 29, 2018:

Yes indeed, and what about women who cannot have children. Should they and their partners abstain from sex?

brentan replies on Aug 29, 2018:

They must not see a difference between enjoying sex and lust.

Palliative (of a medicine or medical care) relieving pain without dealing with the cause of the ...

brentan comments on Aug 29, 2018:

My father got that care shortly before dying. It seems to be very skilled work, walking a tightrope between practicality and compassion.

brentan replies on Aug 29, 2018:

Thanks a lot!

.

PalacinkyPDX comments on Aug 29, 2018:

American Russell Oberlin... I remember him singing early music with the New York Pro Musica. https://youtu.be/m4gKDGJjGwU

brentan replies on Aug 29, 2018:

Absolutely wonderful, weird and wonderful!

.

Marionville comments on Aug 28, 2018:

There aren’t too many Counter tenors around. I’ve never heard this sung by one before.

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

I came across him playing Prospero in The Enchanted Island. First bewildered, then settled into his unusual voice. Now it sounds normal. All I know about him is he gave up on being a tenor, took up countertenor and became a success.

John Williams. - Rodrigo’s Guitar Concerto de Aranjuez (adagio) [youtu.be]

brentan comments on Aug 28, 2018:

Real men don't play gittar sitting down but I guess he's not too bad!

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

I think he would do well in a band. He's not exactly Richie Blackmore but that's asking a lot!

The S.

brentan comments on Aug 28, 2018:

I never know whether to sympathise with people who miss their parents or envy them. I don't miss mine but I doubt my apathy is a good thing. That is a nice prose/poem.

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

Well, lucky you!

Is there any sickness the Bible can't justify?

Happyheretic comments on Aug 28, 2018:

All illnesses are down to "sin" or evil spirits so the bible is fine with this. Although hearing voices and visual hallucinations seem to be fine.

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

Well that's a coincidence. I was a JW for 15 years before becoming an atheist. Hello, ex-brother!

Is there any sickness the Bible can't justify?

Happyheretic comments on Aug 28, 2018:

All illnesses are down to "sin" or evil spirits so the bible is fine with this. Although hearing voices and visual hallucinations seem to be fine.

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

So true. The RCC, that I was born into, had to give her an immaculate birth because of the contradiction. I used to think that meant she never had sex! But I never looked into the argument they gave for saying she was not born sinful and I'll bet it is very strange.

cordwainer = a maker of shoes

pixiedust comments on Aug 28, 2018:

Leprechauns are cordwainers to the fairies although I've heard they only make one shoe instead of a pair.

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

I think the concept of the return customer started with leprechauns.

Is there any sickness the Bible can't justify?

Happyheretic comments on Aug 28, 2018:

All illnesses are down to "sin" or evil spirits so the bible is fine with this. Although hearing voices and visual hallucinations seem to be fine.

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

This is the dilemma. When I first started suspecting the Bible, I used to read a lot about translations of words that change the meaning, and addition and subtractions to the text. Later, I was more interested in what I call 'conceptual contradictions' for want of a better term.

Is there any sickness the Bible can't justify?

Happyheretic comments on Aug 28, 2018:

All illnesses are down to "sin" or evil spirits so the bible is fine with this. Although hearing voices and visual hallucinations seem to be fine.

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

True enough, but what about this? And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. - John 9:1-3. What on earth are we to make of his disability existing so 'that the works of God should be made manifest in him'?

What do you think intellectual history means?"

Matias comments on Aug 27, 2018:

Why focus only on the rare mavericks? People like Thomas Aquinas, Leibniz, Kant, Hegel, William James were part of the intellectual mainstream, accepted by their peers, sometimes even revered by the public. They formed the backbone of intellectual history

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

I think great intellects tend to be mavericks.

DOOLALLY.

brentan comments on Aug 28, 2018:

I learn something new every day. That's a good one.

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

You usually do!

What's the big deal about Level 8?

Mooolah comments on Aug 27, 2018:

It is about the journey. And the T shirt.

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

But mostly the ....

Love in today's age

TexBart comments on Aug 27, 2018:

I just think that with today's society and the strain it takes to make it you need two people working so women are no longer stay at home mom's and housekeepers for the most part like my parents generation so it's much easier for extra marital relationships to happen especially with coworkers and ...

brentan replies on Aug 28, 2018:

You're right. Very politically incorrect, but right.

21,973 more points to 8. My goal is Oct 31st. Do you think I will make it?

brentan comments on Aug 27, 2018:

It would be tragic if life got in the way!

brentan replies on Aug 27, 2018:

I know. I know. I forgot!

Love in today's age

brentan comments on Aug 27, 2018:

I have no idea what the stats are. I think being unfaithful is a common theme through history. In the Shakespeare plays, men are portrayed as having a chronic fear of being cuckolded, which meant being cheated on by their wives. That's odd, because we usually think of men being the cheaters.

brentan replies on Aug 27, 2018:

That could very well be the psychology of it. I don't think it's the whole story, though.

What's one thing you like and dislike about agnostic.com

brentan comments on Aug 26, 2018:

I like the scope of the discussions. I don't like it being used as a venting room.

brentan replies on Aug 26, 2018:

@helionoftroy I mean venting on other people, not expressing their frustrations.

[patheos.

brentan comments on Aug 26, 2018:

Pope Francis has just left Ireland after asking forgiveness for all the abuses of the Church. About half a million people attended and applauded. I guess he is hoping that an apology is enough. There was no talk about the legal necessity to refer abusers to the police. They appear to be adamant ...

brentan replies on Aug 26, 2018:

@icolan That's it in a nutshell!

[patheos.

brentan comments on Aug 26, 2018:

Pope Francis has just left Ireland after asking forgiveness for all the abuses of the Church. About half a million people attended and applauded. I guess he is hoping that an apology is enough. There was no talk about the legal necessity to refer abusers to the police. They appear to be adamant ...

brentan replies on Aug 26, 2018:

@IAmLove True. I think sorry has lost its power from being abused so much. It means little more than let me off but don’t expect me to stop doing it. However, sorry should not cover criminal actions. Justice has to come into it.

What the rich are doing to the world & why.

BD66 comments on Aug 25, 2018:

How many rich people do you know? I worked in Silicon Valley for 11 years, and I know lots of people worth 8 9 or 10 figures. Lots of them drive Tesla’s, use solar panels, and the wealthiest host fundraisers to save the oceans. Many have a smaller carbon footprint than Joe Sixpack who spends ...

brentan replies on Aug 25, 2018:

Well, that's that then!

Jesus said that he would return in his disciples lifetime. 2000 years on and...........

brentan comments on Aug 25, 2018:

It seems pretty clear to me that Jesus spoke about the end coming in the lietime of the people then living. Many people don't believe that and cite the Book of Daniel to place the end time far in the future. But the great thing about a lot of what Jesus is quoted as saying is it's simplicity. If he ...

brentan replies on Aug 25, 2018:

@rovingamber I'm an ex-JW too. I think the build up of water and blood is an indication that breathing is disrupted and water is forming around the heart while blood builds up in the lungs due to inhibited circulation. I'm no doctor but I think you can't determine life or death from the blood and water. My guess is the soldiers knew he was dead or almost dead so the spear was used to finish him off if he wasn't completely dead. While the description of Jesus' death is probably correct, I suspect the writer was just as interested in making the point that scripture was fulfilled by the use of the spear to end his life rather than the breaking of his legs as they did to the other poor guys. 'Not a bone of his body was pierced' and 'they shall look to him they have pierced'.

It’s Saturday, what are you doing today?

brentan comments on Aug 25, 2018:

I'm bored.

brentan replies on Aug 25, 2018:

It's all feeling a bit same ol' same ol' today.

Jesus said that he would return in his disciples lifetime. 2000 years on and...........

brentan comments on Aug 25, 2018:

It seems pretty clear to me that Jesus spoke about the end coming in the lietime of the people then living. Many people don't believe that and cite the Book of Daniel to place the end time far in the future. But the great thing about a lot of what Jesus is quoted as saying is it's simplicity. If he ...

brentan replies on Aug 25, 2018:

Yes but not in the eyes of believers, to whom I was referring.

Hi everybody.

brentan comments on Aug 24, 2018:

What happened, and why do you think it happens?

brentan replies on Aug 24, 2018:

I trust being manic on Facebook means it won't matter much at all. Depression really sucks and it is hard to see it ending when the gloom is all around. But it can and it does. I can't really add to what Catrachel said except maybe try another doctor if you can. After all, this is your life, and hugely affects those around you too. So please pull out all the stops.

Good stuff.. [businessinsider.com]

brentan comments on Aug 23, 2018:

Gratitude is the right attitude - it's a hell of a platitude! Seriously, I think it helps me a lot. But what about the poor souls who genuinely have nothing to be grateful for? I think these are the people who turn to drink and/or drugs to try to fill an empty hole in their souls. I think they ...