I wrote this in response to those that ask me "what if science is wrong?

brentan comments on Aug 12, 2018:

I think we need science and spirituality. I definitely think we should dump the Judeo-Christian patriarchal god and go for something more like Buddhism. Maybe use Buddhism to wean us away from religion and just think on a cosmic level instead of focusing on salvation. I see my society hurting ...

brentan replies on Aug 12, 2018:

@RichieO Maybe it's all about meaning. We've become quite focused on material life and I think lack meaning for things that are not 'of this world'. The complication is that the cosmos isn't really metaphysical unless we see it that way, imbued with a spirit. But spirit or no spirit, we still need to find meaning in it.

Is empathy the root of human morality ?

Gmak comments on Aug 11, 2018:

Neuropsychologists believe there are two types of empathy: emotional and cognitive. Emotional empathy generates group identity, and is mediated in part by the hormone oxytocin. This hormone is released in the mother when the newborn suckles, enabling the formation of a strong emotional bond. ...

brentan replies on Aug 12, 2018:

@Gmak That was my point exactly!

ESOTERIC: es-o-ter-ic.

evidentialist comments on Aug 12, 2018:

And one who uses esoteric comment as a weapon of choice is an **ESOTERROIST**, a word I invented and used in one of my stories.

brentan replies on Aug 12, 2018:

@evidentialist Good one! I mean no, not good. Not good for learning. Thanks.

Is empathy the root of human morality ?

Gmak comments on Aug 11, 2018:

Neuropsychologists believe there are two types of empathy: emotional and cognitive. Emotional empathy generates group identity, and is mediated in part by the hormone oxytocin. This hormone is released in the mother when the newborn suckles, enabling the formation of a strong emotional bond. ...

brentan replies on Aug 12, 2018:

@Gmak Is it not all biology and culture? I'm just suggesting that maybe emotion was prevalent before cognition.

ESOTERIC: es-o-ter-ic.

evidentialist comments on Aug 12, 2018:

And one who uses esoteric comment as a weapon of choice is an **ESOTERROIST**, a word I invented and used in one of my stories.

brentan replies on Aug 12, 2018:

Is it a way to get the upper-hand in an argument?

Is empathy the root of human morality ?

Gmak comments on Aug 11, 2018:

Neuropsychologists believe there are two types of empathy: emotional and cognitive. Emotional empathy generates group identity, and is mediated in part by the hormone oxytocin. This hormone is released in the mother when the newborn suckles, enabling the formation of a strong emotional bond. ...

brentan replies on Aug 12, 2018:

@Gmak I would have thought feeling came first. I would picture the cave dweller feeling sorry for himself when he needed help, then feeling sorry for his neighbour, then realising that they can help each other and forming the notion of reciprocity.

Have you ever been devastated by a lie?

WV-Mark comments on Aug 11, 2018:

Yes My first fiancé lying about her friendship with a coworker. They are married for 32 years now.

brentan replies on Aug 11, 2018:

That would hurt. I hope it's a consolation that there's a world of hurt out there. Maybe not...

Let's talk about the other side of the "Shithole Country" debate.

brentan comments on Aug 11, 2018:

What happened to Sweden? It's usually the trio of Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

brentan replies on Aug 11, 2018:

@Marionville Yes, that must be it!

Out in space-way out-isn't it always sunny and never dark? unless you park behind a moon

JK666 comments on Aug 11, 2018:

I'll see you on the dark side of the Moon.

brentan replies on Aug 11, 2018:

And the closing comments 'There is no dark side of the moon. As a matter of fact, it's all dark'.

Albeit - although, even though.

brentan comments on Aug 10, 2018:

Imagine your situation if you lived in Idiocracy...sorry, not thinking.

brentan replies on Aug 11, 2018:

@pixiedust Priceless.

Hey, anyone here obsessed with Audio books like I am?

Edgeward comments on Aug 11, 2018:

Listening to Tacitus ‘Histories ‘ when I drive right now!

brentan replies on Aug 11, 2018:

What do you think? Would you recommend it?

Boris Johnson's burka jibe: Why do some Muslim women wear the veil? - BBC News

brentan comments on Aug 10, 2018:

It was a witty comment. I'm also thinking "when in Rome" but maybe it's a bit much when someone's faith is involved. I think a ban should only be considered in time of martial law.

brentan replies on Aug 11, 2018:

@Hitchens I think it can be very frustrating that these guys get to call the shots in both their own countries and ours. I put it down to a peculiar time in history where kowtowing to Muslim sensibilities is both an acknowledgement of our past sins against them and also a ruse for cheap labour. I feel confident that it won’t last. The pendulum has swung to an extreme and when its proper time comes, it will swing back just as hard. I don’t think I’ll be around when it happens. I sometimes think that Enoch Powell was right about ‘the rivers of blood’ and what he got wrong was that it won’t just be an English problem, it will be international and of course, that it will take a lot longer than he thought.

Discomknockerated Surprised to the point of being flabbergasted or rendered speachless A word ...

brentan comments on Aug 10, 2018:

Is the feeling of awkwardness suffered after a mastectomy?

brentan replies on Aug 11, 2018:

@Charlene It's not that. It's that it was a play on the word 'knocker' for breast.

I just had a passing interaction in the hallway while walking by a stranger at the doctor's office.

JustKip comments on Aug 10, 2018:

I always call people on shit like that. I know enough about the bible to know that there is no mention of Jesus affecting the weather. or even worse, ball game results!

brentan replies on Aug 11, 2018:

@JustKip That's not the point. The point is the gospels talk of Jesus changing the weather.

I just had a passing interaction in the hallway while walking by a stranger at the doctor's office.

JustKip comments on Aug 10, 2018:

I always call people on shit like that. I know enough about the bible to know that there is no mention of Jesus affecting the weather. or even worse, ball game results!

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

You forgot one incident where he changed the weather at Mark 4:39.

Hmmmm, "admin" professes to "reject" online media, though not only is he here on agnostic.

brentan comments on Aug 10, 2018:

Hi. I've just joined the group. Does it really matter what admin thinks about things. Does their opinion impinge on the rights of others to express their opinions?

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

@itsmedammit I see what you mean. He really does lay it on!

Do you have a good ability to think outside the box?

242Foxtrot comments on Aug 10, 2018:

Nice! "Thinking Outside the Box" has always been one of those laughable corporate platitudes. I can't even remember how many internal corporate "focus groups" I have participated in, where the corporation calls all these "field operations" types into headquarters, heaps gratuitous praise on all ...

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

We were encouraged in business school to think outside the box and not to be afraid to put those ideas into our answers to questions in the examinations. Nobody did. We stuck to the answers in the textbooks. I'm convinced we did the right thing.

Hmmmm, "admin" professes to "reject" online media, though not only is he here on agnostic.

Krish55 comments on Aug 10, 2018:

Huh?

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

@itsmedammit I knew that but I still don't know why you want to leave.

Discomknockerated Surprised to the point of being flabbergasted or rendered speachless A word ...

brentan comments on Aug 10, 2018:

Is the feeling of awkwardness suffered after a mastectomy?

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

@Charlene Not really. I guess you found it offensive. I follow the Joan Rivers' school of comedy where nothing is sacred.

I want my poem to say Delightful things of life and love Ethereal and vague But I’m shit at ...

MissKathleen comments on Aug 10, 2018:

not at all stupid...it's beautiful...

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

Thanks very much!

[youtu.

ghettophilosopher comments on Aug 10, 2018:

Those of us who have no choice but to acknowledge class distinction (service, retail, the offshored, etc...) have been saying exactly this. Economic Conservatives, Libertarians, and other advocates of unrestrained capitalism -who actually turned out to be (not so) secret protectionists, funny that- ...

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

@ghettophilosopher That's very well thought out!

[youtu.

ghettophilosopher comments on Aug 10, 2018:

Those of us who have no choice but to acknowledge class distinction (service, retail, the offshored, etc...) have been saying exactly this. Economic Conservatives, Libertarians, and other advocates of unrestrained capitalism -who actually turned out to be (not so) secret protectionists, funny that- ...

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

@ghettophilosopher That's a good point. I often think too that globalisation was brought about to trample the rights of workers in their own countries.

If one is seemingly , permanently alone even while living in a reasonably large community though ...

brentan comments on Aug 10, 2018:

I think one of things that contributes to loneliness is our tendency to reject the people who could save us from our predicament.

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

@Scottzillyun If I had thought it was so insignificant a part of the problem, I doubt I would mentioned it.

These sneaky bastards got caught red-handed! [usatoday.com]

LiterateHiker comments on Aug 10, 2018:

Good.

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

@KKGator I agree, and I enjoyed the witty word play too.

[youtu.

ghettophilosopher comments on Aug 10, 2018:

Those of us who have no choice but to acknowledge class distinction (service, retail, the offshored, etc...) have been saying exactly this. Economic Conservatives, Libertarians, and other advocates of unrestrained capitalism -who actually turned out to be (not so) secret protectionists, funny that- ...

brentan replies on Aug 10, 2018:

I think peaceful non-cooperation should be used. The British in India could not continue to rule when the Indian people refused to cooperate. The buses in the segrated south could not continue to operate when black people refused to use them. If these methods are not sufficient to force fair play in this modern society, then I'm sure you're right. I hope I'm right that it doesn't have to come to that.

Big counter protest happening this weekend.

GreatNani comments on Aug 9, 2018:

Clarification this is a protest against white supremacist Nazi, crazy people. Not police. Some strange comments here.

brentan replies on Aug 9, 2018:

The counter-protesters are just the other side of the same coin - just as crazy too.

Satisfying the beast that lives in all of us

DenoPenno comments on Aug 9, 2018:

Read your bio. Around here I'm the only thing that goes bump in the night unless I have the lights on. I'm also not into asshole projection. Trump might be.

brentan replies on Aug 9, 2018:

@Mr44 So much for mind expansion.

Without religion?

brentan comments on Aug 8, 2018:

I don't believe we're ready for it. I think it would be terrible.

brentan replies on Aug 9, 2018:

You create ambiguity fallacies that don’t exist. You cannot take a statement explicitly said to be an example of various interpretations and claim that that one example doesn’t fit your argument. It is really quite dishonest. Your second comment is too daft to be worth a reply.

This is what I think!

Novelty comments on Aug 9, 2018:

My only religion is "don't waste coffee" and I drink so much of it that it's probably not helping me have a "good" heart. It sometimes seems like the entire world keeps screaming that I need to be sweet, don't hate, treat others like I want to be treated, and be emotionally vulnerable. I'm still ...

brentan replies on Aug 9, 2018:

That's an excellent post on personal loss of agency and voluntarily allowing others to dominate us.

I wrote this when I was 17.

Lincoln55 comments on Aug 9, 2018:

Keep em coming Kiddo.

brentan replies on Aug 9, 2018:

That will involve a lot of ups and downs.

Deciding on what to eat.?

Kojaksmom comments on Aug 8, 2018:

Everytime I see pictures of Adam and Eve I always ask the question why the fuck do they have belly buttons?

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

That's because belly buttons are sexy. Well, innies anyway!

Has anyone enjoyed masturbating together with a partner.

chilehead9 comments on Aug 8, 2018:

Sounds like a wasted opportunity.

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

I would see it as the opportunity cost of a new experience.

Plant-Based Foods Are Finding an Omnivorous Customer Base - BloombergQuint

Sheannutt comments on Aug 8, 2018:

I love my plant-based milk, I have not drink cow's milk in years.

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

So you must think it tastes OK?

Why Are Many Americans Abandoning Religion? A Lot of the Credit Goes to Pastors – Friendly Atheist

brentan comments on Aug 8, 2018:

I see their point and yet I can't help but argue that pastors were always behaving this way. So my question is why have we reached a tipping point now where the pastors are being challenged for what they say. I'm tempted to say it was the child abuse scandals but something tells me there is more to ...

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

That's very brave of them. That problem is outside my experience. I used to be a Jehovah's Witness and there was no truck with voting in that religion. It had to do with Jesus saying 'My kingdom is no part of this world'.

Without religion?

brentan comments on Aug 8, 2018:

I don't believe we're ready for it. I think it would be terrible.

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

Spirit, of course, is not limited to religious belief – the Olympic spirit, for example. Spiritual vacuum is a moral vacuum, as you must know. The problem is not repetition on my part but a deliberate obfuscation of meaning on your part. It might not be possible to find a dictionary definition that defines expressions the way you would like them to be defined. Get used to people disagreeing with your views. This is an agnostic site. You ask what values I’m talking about? I’m talking about them all.

Where does consciousness come from?

KissedbySun comments on Aug 8, 2018:

I think the consciousness that I experience as a human is a function of the brain. I know that I have both higher and lower or sub consciousness, and I suspect that there are other levels as well. It partly boils down to definitions. It stems from chemical processes and electromagnetics. I don't ...

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

That's a lot of food for thought. Very well articulated!

Where does consciousness come from?

brentan comments on Aug 8, 2018:

I think it is an inate feature of the cosmos that is accessed by the human brain and is the repository for every thought that came into the mind of man since time began. As our mind processes thoughts taken in from the cosmos, the processed thoughts go back out there for storage.

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

@KissedbySun Excellent lol!

Without religion?

brentan comments on Aug 8, 2018:

I don't believe we're ready for it. I think it would be terrible.

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

@HereticSin I was disappointed with your first comment because not only is ‘spiritual vacuum’ in common usage, it’s meaning is easily found with Google. As for humanist v religious values, my point was not that one cannot replace the other but that I don’t see it happening. I think this point was also very clear.

Without religion?

brentan comments on Aug 8, 2018:

I don't believe we're ready for it. I think it would be terrible.

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

@HereticSin I think we are living in a spiritual vacuum because of the declining interest in religion. That decline would be very welcome if humanist values were replacing religious values but that hasn't happened yet. I fear the effect of that vacuum in society.

How Fear Affects Political Ideology [youtu.be]

Renickulous comments on Aug 8, 2018:

No we are worried about immigrants because we see how the UK is handling them. I wish he would cite the study claiming conservatives have larger fear centers, thats a big claim.

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

If there was controlled immigration, people would have no legitimate fears about their jobs, culture etc. But there isn't. Some group somewhere has decided that uncontrolled immigration is the only morally valid stance. They're probably doing it for cheap labour.

Obedience and submission, from the Aug 2018 broadcast [twitter.com]

brentan comments on Aug 8, 2018:

That link didn't work for me.

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

@zing Now it says 'this account's tweets are protected'.

"What's made up in the head is the fiction.

hankster comments on Aug 8, 2018:

I wonder if Joseph Campbell ever had days where he wasn't sure that following your bliss was all he cracked it up to be.

brentan replies on Aug 8, 2018:

I heard that he was so annoyed at his saying being used to promote hedonism that he changed it to 'follow your blisters'.

Just your perspective..... !

brentan comments on Aug 7, 2018:

In the cartoon, it seems that the perspectives are determined by circumstance. Each man sees a change in circumstance and we laugh because their underlying circumstance isn't changing.

brentan replies on Aug 7, 2018:

@VAL3941 It is but I was working it out in my mind!

[youtu.be] the real deal. What a song

brentan comments on Aug 7, 2018:

I didn't underwhat she meant by barbed wire boys.

brentan replies on Aug 7, 2018:

@FrayedBear Thanks!

The best revenge really is living well.

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

I would like to hear his side of the story.

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@sewchick57 I really meant him telling his side of the story.

Inspired by @Tampabrew 's earlier untitled post I dug this out of mothballs; it's a few years old ...

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

I think Americans who insult Trump insult their presidency and thus their nation. Now before anyone answers, I said 'insult', not 'criticise'.

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@Lincoln55 Disappointed.

Do you remember this?

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

That's a big bandage. Can't you get it out of the package without a string?

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@HippieChick58 We probably used our fingers!

Some food for thought about Science.

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

That comes across very arrogant.

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@irascible You're right. I missed the main point about 'no longer looking'. I apologise.

In his image? ?

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

Perhaps they look surprised because you don't understand what made in God's image means.

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@Hbar13 I deserve that! Sorry. I'll try to get back with something from the Bible instead of just giving my own opinion..

Some food for thought about Science.

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

That comes across very arrogant.

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@irascible i think you're talking more about ignorant religious people than Christian scientists.

Some food for thought about Science.

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

That comes across very arrogant.

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@irascible I probably think science should be practiced in a more holistic way. Your idea of searching for knowledge is very limited in my opinion.

Some food for thought about Science.

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

That comes across very arrogant.

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@HippieChick58 I would hate to have everybody working with me all thinking the same way. And it is very common for aspiring scientists to absolutely have to hold the accepted views of mainstrean science to get and keep their jobs. About critical thinking: I do see believers as analytical. They put forward a belief system which is a theory about the big questions. This belief system has been refined and redefined over centuries as great minds grappled with difficult questions. I would not dismiss them so hastily because I think if we do, when the times comes to see the overall picture of our existence, we will only have people who understand physics.

Some food for thought about Science.

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

That comes across very arrogant.

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@LimitedLight Or conversely, the unbelievers might look into a certain issue and enjoy the idea that everything boils down to the interaction of chemicals and end up only seeing the trees instead of the forest. A believing scientist might be a great help in readjusting their focus.

Some food for thought about Science.

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

That comes across very arrogant.

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@irascible See above, irascible.

Some food for thought about Science.

brentan comments on Aug 5, 2018:

That comes across very arrogant.

brentan replies on Aug 5, 2018:

@LimitedLight I don't know how far up your own backside you need to be to come with such a comment as 'I don't need you in the lab'.

Do you read "fiction" or "non fiction" or maybe "historical fiction"?

brentan comments on Aug 4, 2018:

I progressed the same way. The only history I learned was from historical fiction like James Mitchener's Texas or Gary Jenning's Aztec. I think it was because there was meat on the bones of the story. These days I find there is more meat on the bones of philosophical books. My father used to call ...

brentan replies on Aug 4, 2018:

@thinktwice I read The Devil In The White City too. I loved the way it wasn't just about the murders. The picture he drew of Chicago as a growing city was wonderful.

Do you read "fiction" or "non fiction" or maybe "historical fiction"?

brentan comments on Aug 4, 2018:

I progressed the same way. The only history I learned was from historical fiction like James Mitchener's Texas or Gary Jenning's Aztec. I think it was because there was meat on the bones of the story. These days I find there is more meat on the bones of philosophical books. My father used to call ...

brentan replies on Aug 4, 2018:

@ProudMary Would you believe I have his book Dublin for a long time and haven't read it! Maybe it's because I am a Dubiner.

You can order your DNA profile, which can tell you how much neanderthal DNA you have, and can trace ...

brentan comments on Aug 3, 2018:

I'll bet my siblings and my ex have lots of Neanderthal DNA. I'm probably from a tribe of Arian Africans.

brentan replies on Aug 4, 2018:

@Jthurston2 By, Arian African I meant to emphasise the silliness of my post.

Just my thoughts : linear perception has space/time locked into a paradoxical loop of various ...

brentan comments on Aug 3, 2018:

I need a clarification. Is 'linear perception' another way of saying 'thinking about the future' or do you mean that our perception of space-time is linear instead of multi-dimensional? If it's the latter, where do our emotions fit in?

brentan replies on Aug 3, 2018:

I've just finished a book that dealt with these issues. It's Victor Frankl's Man's Search For Meaning. He was a psychotherapist who ended up in the Nazi concentration camps. He teaches (or taught, maybe he's dead) logotherapy, which is helping people to find meaning in their lives.

“You have to be where you are to get where you need to go.” Amy Poehler

Michael64 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

Why can't people be positive and helpful?

brentan replies on Aug 3, 2018:

@Michael64 Careful now, you'll lose your aura! I was only trying to help.

“You have to be where you are to get where you need to go.” Amy Poehler

Michael64 comments on Aug 3, 2018:

Why can't people be positive and helpful?

brentan replies on Aug 3, 2018:

Michael, laconic, simple, meme-like posts are begging for abuse and rejection. Why not elaborate a bit?

Isn't the word "consciousness" becoming an excuse to replace the outdated "god" word?

brentan comments on Aug 3, 2018:

I think there is a change in the air. Perhaps people are unsatisfied with the Richard Dawkins-type notion that consciousness resides in the brain so that when the brain dies, that's it for our personal consciousness. I like Rupert Sheldrake's concept of consciousness being out there in the ...

brentan replies on Aug 3, 2018:

@Simon1 OK.

Isn't the word "consciousness" becoming an excuse to replace the outdated "god" word?

brentan comments on Aug 3, 2018:

I think there is a change in the air. Perhaps people are unsatisfied with the Richard Dawkins-type notion that consciousness resides in the brain so that when the brain dies, that's it for our personal consciousness. I like Rupert Sheldrake's concept of consciousness being out there in the ...

brentan replies on Aug 3, 2018:

@Simon1 According to Sheldrake, it exists in morphic fields.

Are you currently reading several books?

brentan comments on Aug 3, 2018:

Yes. Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky and The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov.

brentan replies on Aug 3, 2018:

Yes indeed. I've read quite a few Russian books by now and somehow still manage to raise a smile! I want to read The Gulag Archepelego but it's so darn big, as Russian books tend to be. Did you enjoy the book by Grossman?

Is it odd to occasionally look up and wonder... Is any of this real?

Condor5 comments on Aug 2, 2018:

Sometimes Hell, sometimes Heaven. I think it's what we make of it. You can focus on what's wrong with your life, or you can focus on what's right with your life; therein lies the difference for me. If life is suffering, then embrace the suffering.

brentan replies on Aug 2, 2018:

Follow your bliss-ters, like Joseph Campbell said.

I know this guy's a 'tad' religious, however, I can't help but agree with a lot of what he ...

brentan comments on Aug 2, 2018:

It's weird to think his opinion on the subject is important because so many people think he's inspired by God. Saying that, I don't know if he claimed this opinion is infallible. He's such a fake. Even some Catholics say he is a 'pope for the unbelievers' because he does nothing for Catholics and...

brentan replies on Aug 2, 2018:

@chalupacabre No. I said many people believe he is inspired. I believe he’s a fake. I can’t believe you missed that. I believe Ratzinger was more honest than Francis. They agreed on this issue? You’re not thinking straight on this one. Whatever made you think polar opposites could not agree on anything and are you trying to claim that because both men say the same thing, inspiration is involved? I hope not.

I hate memes, except those that are true !

brentan comments on Aug 2, 2018:

Sometimes we think very similar to the way Muslims think. Here's a link to a Muslim cleric explaining why women shouldn't drive. He's boldly saying what many men are thinking. ...

brentan replies on Aug 2, 2018:

@Renickulous Are we still talking about the same topic?

I hate memes, except those that are true !

brentan comments on Aug 2, 2018:

Sometimes we think very similar to the way Muslims think. Here's a link to a Muslim cleric explaining why women shouldn't drive. He's boldly saying what many men are thinking. ...

brentan replies on Aug 2, 2018:

@Renickulous If we are to believe women on this, and I do, prejudiced ideas against them are not dead in the water yet. Regarding Jesus and Muhammad, that's a topic in itself!

I hate memes, except those that are true !

brentan comments on Aug 2, 2018:

Sometimes we think very similar to the way Muslims think. Here's a link to a Muslim cleric explaining why women shouldn't drive. He's boldly saying what many men are thinking. ...

brentan replies on Aug 2, 2018:

@Renickulous Yes, we do joke but I suspect there is a substrata of traditional belief underlying the humour.

Vicente Fernandez - Aca Entre Nos - YouTube

brentan comments on Aug 2, 2018:

This was great. I began feeling sure it was a parody. Now I'm not sure. Here's a translation of the lyrics from Google: Here Among Us sung by Vicente Fernandez For showing off I told my friends That in love No pain annihilates me What to prove them I forgot your kisses And they were enough...

brentan replies on Aug 2, 2018:

@mek7730 It's not really my cup of tea either, though I can't deny the talent. I don't know much about Hispanic music but I really like Robi Draco Rosa, Ruben Blades and Juan Luis Guerra.

Jeff Sessions announces a ‘Religious Liberty Task Force’ to protect hate groups / LGBTQ Nation

brentan comments on Jul 30, 2018:

....and liberty for all. The freedom to buy a gay cake. The freedom to refuse to add a message to the cake that goes against your conscience. This reminds me of how better it is to solve marital disputes without lawyers. In a similar vein, it would help to resolve differences without support ...

brentan replies on Aug 1, 2018:

@Bobby9 Or maybe I should stop wasting my time with you.

109-Year-Old Woman Says Avoiding Men Is The Secret To A Long Life

Julie808 comments on Aug 1, 2018:

I can totally see her point and have recently come to the same conclusion. (Edit: For myself) Much less stress without having to cater to a man interfering with my happiness every day. I'm finally happy and hoping to stay stress-free going forward into my old age. If there is a partner out there...

brentan replies on Aug 1, 2018:

@Julie808 I’m sure I deserve your rebuke for answering your personal history with my idealistic generalisations. Sorry!

One of the delightful outcomes of the weekend byelections in Australia was the failure of a member ...

rogueflyer comments on Jul 31, 2018:

What happened to us in the the US?

brentan replies on Aug 1, 2018:

I think, in fairness to the people who voted for Trump, thay desperately wanted somebody different to the 'business as usual' approach. So they got somebody different and now many people desperately want to return to the same old, same old.

You guys are soooooo good for me! You don’t know how many times I have tried to write about this.

brentan comments on Jul 31, 2018:

It's very helpful, hopefully as much for the writer as the reader, to outline what it is to be a human being.

brentan replies on Aug 1, 2018:

@ProudMary I think we are not very free when we are young, being constrained by society. We don’t have much life experience either. I think there is much greater freedom to be ourselves, coupled with a few more decades of life experience to help us make better decisions. I hope you’ll be kind to yourself.

Jeff Sessions announces a ‘Religious Liberty Task Force’ to protect hate groups / LGBTQ Nation

brentan comments on Jul 30, 2018:

....and liberty for all. The freedom to buy a gay cake. The freedom to refuse to add a message to the cake that goes against your conscience. This reminds me of how better it is to solve marital disputes without lawyers. In a similar vein, it would help to resolve differences without support ...

brentan replies on Aug 1, 2018:

@Bobby9 Maybe you needed an emoji, or lol written in capital letters!

109-Year-Old Woman Says Avoiding Men Is The Secret To A Long Life

Julie808 comments on Aug 1, 2018:

I can totally see her point and have recently come to the same conclusion. (Edit: For myself) Much less stress without having to cater to a man interfering with my happiness every day. I'm finally happy and hoping to stay stress-free going forward into my old age. If there is a partner out there...

brentan replies on Aug 1, 2018:

It’s such a shame it has come to this. I think it’s down to the ‘me’ generation and the fact we’re bringing marital/relationship problems out into the open. I don’t see a sign of this ideology peaking. I hope the next generation can take a step back and negotiate relationships with something like the ideas of responsibility and contract, if not for themselves, perhaps for the children.

That's my favorite position

MrLizard comments on Aug 1, 2018:

I refuse to be baited into commenting on this post. ;)

brentan replies on Aug 1, 2018:

Oh go on...be a divil!

Moses, the real deal

brentan comments on Jul 31, 2018:

I can't remember what those little cakes were called!

brentan replies on Jul 31, 2018:

@tryingcake Thanks! It's 20 years since I was over there!

New Atheism, Worse Than You Think

TiberiusGracchus comments on Jul 31, 2018:

“Both books are essential reading for anyone seeking to better understand the waywardness of a large chunk of the atheist movement.“ This is laughable, the writer merely asserts that there is even such a thing as an “atheist movement” as if we are a monolithic group working toward the ...

brentan replies on Jul 31, 2018:

It would be easier to see the left as a movement that aggressively pushes an atheistic viewpoint on society. The atheists, in fairness, seem to mostly follow public intellectuals that so far have shown no political ambitions. One in a while, these guys are joined by well-known comedians for atheist weekends. God help us, figuratively speaking, if these groups ever became like Antifa or their right-wing counterparts.

New Atheism, Worse Than You Think

p-nullifidian comments on Jul 31, 2018:

I completely disagree with the article, which is outdated and off the mark, in my opinion. The label ‘Islamophobia’ is a fabrication, designed to conflate racial or ethnic hatred with a legitimate scorn, if not loathing, of the concepts, doctrines, practices and dogmas of the Islamic faith. With...

brentan replies on Jul 31, 2018:

@PBuck0145 Stephen Fry adds an unique ingredient to the mix. Kindness, I guess.

New Atheism, Worse Than You Think

KKGator comments on Jul 31, 2018:

Another utter load of crap. Anything to sell books and make themselves feel important.

brentan replies on Jul 31, 2018:

@irascible Oh you....you irascible person, you!

New Atheism, Worse Than You Think

TristanNuvo comments on Jul 31, 2018:

There are some people that take things to far, even Atheists. I read an article once of a group was trying to make an Atheist church.And others wanted to make an Atheist bible. My only guess is that most of them were once believers and just miss that kind of community.

brentan replies on Jul 31, 2018:

I think you're right. I thought of my religious congregation as just another type of social club. And it must be nice to have a sense of belonging even if it has a cost attached to it in terms of independent thought. It's very likely many people will make the same sacrifice to belong to the new club.

Jeff Sessions announces a ‘Religious Liberty Task Force’ to protect hate groups / LGBTQ Nation

brentan comments on Jul 30, 2018:

....and liberty for all. The freedom to buy a gay cake. The freedom to refuse to add a message to the cake that goes against your conscience. This reminds me of how better it is to solve marital disputes without lawyers. In a similar vein, it would help to resolve differences without support ...

brentan replies on Jul 31, 2018:

@Bobby9 Of course lol

Does anyone listen to Sam Harris podcast, what you think about race politics, is affirmative action ...

jonjones81 comments on Jul 31, 2018:

If you have 3 businesses in the same area, the first hires only one race, the second hires the best available while following a strict guideline of how many workers from each race they can employ, and the third hires the best available regardless of race, which is more likely to succeed in their ...

brentan replies on Jul 31, 2018:

Probably Employer 1, if they're Asian. But that's probably Employer 3 as well.

Jeff Sessions announces a ‘Religious Liberty Task Force’ to protect hate groups / LGBTQ Nation

brentan comments on Jul 30, 2018:

....and liberty for all. The freedom to buy a gay cake. The freedom to refuse to add a message to the cake that goes against your conscience. This reminds me of how better it is to solve marital disputes without lawyers. In a similar vein, it would help to resolve differences without support ...

brentan replies on Jul 31, 2018:

@Bobby9 And there was I wondering what's up with you!

Antinous: the Man-God Who Rivaled Jesus in the 2nd Century CE | The Autarkist

brentan comments on Jul 31, 2018:

That's interesting. He's a kind of gay Jesus. I have always thought that Jesus was portrayed throughout history as a gay guy on a cross. Maybe that's because the painters were gay.

brentan replies on Jul 31, 2018:

@Hiram Not if you like black humour lol

Jeff Sessions announces a ‘Religious Liberty Task Force’ to protect hate groups / LGBTQ Nation

brentan comments on Jul 30, 2018:

....and liberty for all. The freedom to buy a gay cake. The freedom to refuse to add a message to the cake that goes against your conscience. This reminds me of how better it is to solve marital disputes without lawyers. In a similar vein, it would help to resolve differences without support ...

brentan replies on Jul 31, 2018:

@Bobby9 Maybe you're right - freedom and rights are a bore.

Are the odds actually in favor of the notion of a creator , at least as a creator of us , us ...

brentan comments on Jul 30, 2018:

Such a difficult question. What was the Prime Mover? Did the universe need one? Were the Anunnaki the aliens who travelled to earth and created people to do their work for them? My belief is the universe always existed. I think that is what we can't get our heads around. The question has been ...

brentan replies on Jul 30, 2018:

@janette0343 Hi Janette. Thanks for the compliment but.......are you wearing your glasses?

Making new friends

Humanistheathen comments on Jul 30, 2018:

Martial arts. Join any activity where you need to trust people and do kinda crazy things with them. You'll make friends.

brentan replies on Jul 30, 2018:

That's clever!

Are the odds actually in favor of the notion of a creator , at least as a creator of us , us ...

brentan comments on Jul 30, 2018:

Such a difficult question. What was the Prime Mover? Did the universe need one? Were the Anunnaki the aliens who travelled to earth and created people to do their work for them? My belief is the universe always existed. I think that is what we can't get our heads around. The question has been ...

brentan replies on Jul 30, 2018:

@Scottzillyun Maybe we're the first. Maybe the only. But we're not a species that has much reason to be arrogant about ourselves. We seriously need to respect the other systems in place around us before we destroy the animal world and ruin our climate.

Here's a fascinating video with Gad Saad, Jordon Peterson and David Sloan Wilson about the ...

Matias comments on Jul 30, 2018:

I do not think that religion is an adaptation, for the simple reason that there is no single trait "religion" or "religiosity" that could have been positively selected in cultural evolution. But I do think that religions are adaptive, or more precisely: that they have been adaptive at a certain ...

brentan replies on Jul 30, 2018:

I think traits, where cultural evolution is concerned, are ideas introduced and expanded over time. Peterson's line of thought seems to originate in the idea Richard Dawkins proposed in The Selfish Gene, that selfishness could incorporate reciprocity and benefit both the receiver and the giver, who was investing in his future through giving of himself in the present. The notion that it was good to give may have developed into the idea that it was morally good to give and so on becoming nestled eventually in religious doctrines.

Jeff Sessions announces a ‘Religious Liberty Task Force’ to protect hate groups / LGBTQ Nation

brentan comments on Jul 30, 2018:

....and liberty for all. The freedom to buy a gay cake. The freedom to refuse to add a message to the cake that goes against your conscience. This reminds me of how better it is to solve marital disputes without lawyers. In a similar vein, it would help to resolve differences without support ...

brentan replies on Jul 30, 2018:

@Bobby9 No, Bobby, something more constructive!

Former 25 year president of the National Secular Society gives scathing critique on competence of ...

brentan comments on Jul 29, 2018:

The 'best' excuse I ever heard for God doing nothing for so long is that he has to prove Satan wrong about how humans should live. We're the collateral damage along the way.

brentan replies on Jul 30, 2018:

@Heraclitus Yes indeed. The idea is very pronounced in Job but is also peppered throughout scripture. Here's the more comprehensive view that I got as a Jehovah's witness: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/402015362

Reality, what is it?

jj112482 comments on Jul 30, 2018:

It's called enthropy.

brentan replies on Jul 30, 2018:

The entropy of an idea - could that be a thing!

How many people are still experiencing blistering heat?

LiterateHiker comments on Jul 29, 2018:

It has been in the 100s for two weeks in Wenatchee, WA. We are surrounded by wildfires. Washington State Air Monitoring (smoke report): https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/ Global warming.

brentan replies on Jul 29, 2018:

Beautiful place!

Free time I’ve decided that hard work is the bane of philosophy.

Jolanta comments on Jul 26, 2018:

I think politicians would be very happy if we were so busy with work that we had no time to ponder upon anything.

brentan replies on Jul 29, 2018:

@nosferatu_cat Wasn't it the blackest cynicism?

That will get you moving..lol

Sheannutt comments on Jul 29, 2018:

I wonder if he caught his prey.?

brentan replies on Jul 29, 2018:

I can't bear to think about it.

Jim Jefferies - Atheism - YouTube

brentan comments on Jul 29, 2018:

He's very witty. But when he says religion is slowing us down, I wonder is it certain we are being slowed down on our way to utopia?

brentan replies on Jul 29, 2018:

@YouCanCallMeRob Who'd have thunk death had a plus side lol!

Ok. Who went to church today? ??????

snytiger6 comments on Jul 29, 2018:

If there was a local pub called "church" I'd be willing to go every Sunday if they had good food and reasonable prices. Just think you could tell all your theist relatives that you go to church every Sunday....LOL

brentan replies on Jul 29, 2018:

When I was a teenager, a drunk outside my local Roman Catholic church said to me 'If they ever ask you what your religion is, tell them you're an R.C. He laughed and added 'a regular customer'.

Ok. Who went to church today? ??????

AnneWimsey comments on Jul 29, 2018:

I scrubbed my baseboards & the floor in the bathroom today, so i was on my knees......

brentan replies on Jul 29, 2018:

I think that counts. At least it's character forming.