gearl's Profile

Just watched a movie on Netflix called The Most Hated Women In America.

gearl comments on Apr 15, 2018:

I watched it when they first put it up. With someone as controversial as Madalyn Murray O'Hair, I think the film could have done more with her beliefs and motivations. She made mistakes but she had to believe in what she was doing and she loved being obnoxious to those she scorned. It could have been done a lot better.

Watching the new documentary series "Wild, Wild Country" on Netflix and thinking, "Well, at least I ...

gearl comments on Apr 15, 2018:

A friend of mine has been encouraging me to watch it so I did watch the first episode this afternoon. Having come out of a cult myself, it was a bit familiar but I just couldn’t get into it that much. There is a lot of difference in a Christian cult and a New Age one. I can understand the draw it had for young people but I don’t think I personally would ever have been drawn into it. My experience was being raised within.

Estranged Children

gearl comments on Apr 9, 2018:

I have a son and a daughter over twenty years apart. I am estranged from my son because he shuns me for religious purposes. My daughter and I couldn't be closer.

If you had to pick 3 of your most favorite authors who would you pick and in what order?

gearl comments on Apr 6, 2018:

Carl Sagan Edward Abbey Richard Dawkins I’m rereading “The End of Faith” by Sam Harris right now and he is good.

As and atheist, I regret all the time I spent living by weird, arbitrary rules.

gearl comments on Apr 6, 2018:

I was in a very conservative religion for almost 40 years but I have to admit I had some good times in those early years in spite of the religion. My willing partner somehow started taking things to serious and that with a lot of other things got me out of it.

45. My 1st bikini, I'm in LA, bought it today, cuz it's not a sin : )

gearl comments on Apr 6, 2018:

I'm proud of you!

Am I alone in having issues with understanding lyrics?

gearl comments on Apr 6, 2018:

I wear hearing aids because of pretty severe hearing loss. Lyrics are almost impossible for me. I used to love music but listen to little anymore because of the loss. My aids are supposedly tuned to my hearing but. . . If interested you might check here: https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/32039-I-can-hear-just

I mentioned on a comment string on Facebook - started by an actual Jewish friend of mine who ...

gearl comments on Apr 6, 2018:

Perhaps that's why I use Facebook so little.

Admitting when you’re wrong..

gearl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

As a kid I hated to be wrong but as I matured it was evident that good people respect you more when you fess up. I try not to lie but I sure make mistakes and hopefully I own them. I wonder with the Me-To movement going on and a certain political persuasion always saying it was a lie while those who do admit their mistakes oftentimes seem to have it worse, if that is just sending a terrible message out. I really hope that people aren’t that stupid.

Coming out as Atheist or LGBT, which is harder?

gearl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

It would probably depend who you’re coming out to, your parents, your boss or your friends. It would also depend on your age and where you live. I live in one of the most conservative areas of Arizona and have had no problem as an atheist but I imagine that a LGBT person would have a greater kickback around here.

Here is an old saying .

gearl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

Pascal’s wager, the most overused Christian argument in existence.

Boundaries

gearl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

At my age, I don't worry about it much. I'm pretty careful when things start going in the wrong direction to just let folks exactly where I am.

Doctors, Lawyers, Priests and Politicians.

gearl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

I certainly agree about the priests and politicians. They are products of the same origin and use the same tactics with money as the end game.

I can't help but wonder: if Jesus was God, then why did he preach the usual vague stuff about being ...

gearl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

You’re thinking like someone who lives in 2018 and not someone living in the first century.

The Curse was, man shall have to work, the earth will be affected, and death one day.

gearl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

It's all about the fruit. They ate the wrong fruit. He should have eaten the pomegranates!

Burnie or Hillary

gearl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

Somebody younger and more charismatic. We need to win this time!

Both Sides Can Laugh by Garfunkel and Oates... [youtube.com]

gearl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

I love them especially Kate. I want to see her last movie "The Little Hours."

Trump has had quite a couple of days.

gearl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

I probably watch more than I should. I turn it off when one of his apologists get on and starts in about what a wonderful job he is doing. It’s that or gag.

Hypocrisy for sure

gearl comments on Apr 4, 2018:

I've pretty much had it with them.

If you could go back in time to a time before your birth when and where would you go?

gearl comments on Apr 4, 2018:

We don’t know the limitations here but if I could take my camera and then come back, I would go to the Royal Library of Alexandria well before it was destroyed and try to get permission to photograph every available item that I could. It would answer a lot of questions.

I can't stomach the Christian right

gearl comments on Apr 3, 2018:

My wife and I went to a get-together on Easter where some evangelicals attended. I figured I would try to be on my best behavior and as such let my guard down a bit. One guy is the assistant pastor at a Baptist church. Well he brought me a book “I Don’t Have Faith Enough to be an Atheist.” I told him thanks but no thanks and he then gives me the “I thought you were open minded” spiel. I told him I wasn’t open minded enough that my brains were falling out but he kept on and I told him that I would read it and critique it if he would read “The End of Faith” and do the same He also said that on Amazon that there were a bunch of atheists that were giving it good reviews. He agreed so I went home and checked checked out about 200 Amazon reviews and the only atheist review was a guy who had the same experience that I had and said “Of course the Christian reneged on his end of the bargain.A lie plain and simple. I went so far as to read the forward and in six pages the writer had poisoned the well and attacked them ad hominin by saying that atheists redefine truth and they are morally bad and then redefined “truth” himself to something completely absurd . I sent the good pastor an email telling him what I found in the first pages of the book and have yet to hear back. I doubt I ever will. I sure didn’t want to read the damn book anyway and can’t stomach their hypocrisy.

Has anyone lost friends over Trump?

gearl comments on Apr 3, 2018:

I had a friend who I had known for about 14 years and he only had two others that visited him at all. He loved to argue and became a strong Trump supporter so that whenever I went over we would get into it. I finally had enough and told him several times that either talk about something else or I would visit after the election. He just couldn’t stop himself and I kept my word. After the election I figured that it would be worse. A couple of months ago a guy that parked a trailer on his property hadn’t seen him for a while and let himself in and found him dead on the floor. He had been there for a while. I came to find out that he’d shed his other friends also along with his sister. Nobody had talked to him in months.

Should Bernie Sanders run in 2020?

gearl comments on Apr 3, 2018:

I enjoy his platform but please, someone younger.

What's a phrase you vehemently despise?

gearl comments on Apr 3, 2018:

Anything said just to piss the other person off especially out of the blue. God bless you to an atheist or invisible friend to a Christian. On the other hand sometimes tit for tat gets fun seeing who it more creative.

Dawkins to give away free atheism books in Muslim countries

gearl comments on Apr 3, 2018:

Well, I'm proud of him.

I am of the philosophy that persecuting someone for their beliefs is wrong.

gearl comments on Apr 1, 2018:

I would hope that none of us here are of a philosophy that persecuting someone is ever the right thing to do. I am also of the philosophy that speaking out against the beliefs that people hold is not persecuting that person but merely speaking out against his beliefs. Seems a lot of folks don’t know the difference. If his beliefs don’t hurt anyone as what you describe, then accept that fact and wish them well.

Even though I have become an agnostic atheist I still feel pulled in by Pantheism, seeing a God just...

gearl comments on Apr 1, 2018:

I certainly get a sense of awe or euphoria when seeing beautiful things or experiencing overwhelming experiences, but I no longer attribute it to any god, even a pantheistic god.

Do you ever experience euphoria? What's usually responsible for it?

gearl comments on Apr 1, 2018:

Beautiful views and beautiful loving.

I thought this was pretty astute.

gearl comments on Apr 1, 2018:

I sent that on to a Catholic friend who is seriously questioning.

Please guys as well as women answer - Do you consider yourself a feminist?

gearl comments on Apr 1, 2018:

Yes. The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.

Does anyone still balance their checking account?

gearl comments on Apr 1, 2018:

Yes. It has saved me a couple of times when I was hacked by finding wrongful charges quickly and reporting them. One was a Walmart in OK where I called them and they caught the guy immediately coming to pick up the stuff he had ordered on my card. Could I have done that without balancing yes, but it wouldn’t be quite so evident.

Small rural town living.

gearl comments on Mar 28, 2018:

Interesting. I too live in a small town, actually two towns together population about ten thousand combined with a prison nearby where a good amount of the people work. I hadn’t thought about the census aspect. I have though, never had anyone ever put fliers in a shopping bag. The only somewhat similar instances are there is a feed store that I refuse to shop at where they have a marquee out front with rotating Biblical verses and they have a large No Wolves sign on the wall next to the entrance. The No Wolves sign did it for me. Also my wife is the manager of the library and she gets people coming in trying to leave religious literature , mostly JWs, and she goes around with them about that as that is a no-no but they do it anyway.

New secret servIce replacement

gearl comments on Mar 28, 2018:

Ms. Thistlewhacker, I believe she was my math teacher back in middle school. She got my attention so maybe she can teach our bullshitter-in-chief a thing or two.

Founding of a Nation.

gearl comments on Mar 28, 2018:

Ben Carson is a Seventh Day Adventist and as such, he like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, the American born religions have some really weird beliefs in their history. In part, reading the history of these religions is what put me on the road to atheism. I have to say it though they don’t hold much on the evangelicals who have lots of American roots too. People that hold to such nonsense are the last people that should be trying to teach the rest of us about the Founding Fathers.

Jim Attends March For Our Lives in San Diego - The Jim Jefferies Show - Uncensored... [youtube.com]

gearl comments on Mar 28, 2018:

Too late tonight, I'll watch in the morning.

They did a CNN poll over quite an extensive amount of women.

gearl comments on Mar 28, 2018:

Some women believe in talking snakes and donkeys, in the world stopping spinning and then magically starting up again. They believe in walking on water, in zombies roaming around Jerusalem, that men should control their lives and they believe in an orange haired orangutan because he will take other women’s right to choose away. Then there are intelligent women.

Candorville - Candorville by Darrin Bell for Mar 25, 2018 | Read Comic Strips at GoComics.com

gearl comments on Mar 28, 2018:

It's exciting, a real thriller but I hope it ends well and there's prison time.

Gratitude?

gearl comments on Mar 28, 2018:

I was going through a tumultuous period in my life when we decided to get away for a while and try to works things out. First we climbed Whitney and then went to Disneyland. While there I realized I had dropped my wallet and ran across the whole park where I noticed a young cashier looking through it. I approached her and told her I lost my wallet and she asked how she knew it was mine. I told her to compare my license and my face and she gave it to me with every cent I had in it. This was before the days of plastic and I really don’t know what I would have done. I wish that I could thank the good person that turned it in with everything in tack. It really gave me a great attitude about the general honesty of people.

Evangelicals Are Comparing Trump To The Biblical King David - The Intellectualist

gearl comments on Mar 28, 2018:

More and more folks on CNN and MSNBC are calling out the evangelicals. The kids speaking at the marches and saying no more “thoughts and prayer” without action. More and more people on YouTube are calling out their hypocrisy. I hear it in regular conversation even with the religious. Trump’s actions with Stormy and Karen and perhaps a bunch more women highlight his hypocrisy. His polls with the hypocrites may not be changing but for the other 2/3, I believe it is. Not all folks are as hypocritical as lowlife evangelicals.

If you are married, or were married, how did you or your S.O. propose? Where did it happen?

gearl comments on Mar 28, 2018:

I asked if she really wanted to do this and she said yes so I gave her the ring and we were married four days later 21 years ago and not planning any changes. It worked.

[facebook.

gearl comments on Mar 28, 2018:

I've pretty much quit using Facebook and see no reason to go back.

Why do people say, "I have been to every corner of the world", when the earth is round?

gearl comments on Mar 27, 2018:

Because there is a north wind, a south wind, an east wind and a west wind. The Bible clearly says: Rev: 7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Although that somewhat conflicts with the circle of the earth spoken of elsewhere, and the circle had a firmament above it.

Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc.

gearl comments on Mar 26, 2018:

"What Do You ReallyKnow About The Bible?" Congratulations! You scored 43 correct out of 50! "What Do You Know About The Separation of State and Church?" Congratulations! You scored 16 correct out of 21!

What are you reading currently? Recommend it?

gearl comments on Mar 26, 2018:

Russian Roulette: The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump by Michael Isikoff, and David Corn

The NRA Is A Public Charity That Doesn’t Pay Taxes

gearl comments on Mar 26, 2018:

How on earth does the NRA qualify for being anything other than paid lobbyists of gun manufactures. Unless an organization can prove that it is providing services that contribute to the physical welfare and not some hocus-pocus welfare of people outside said organization then they should pay taxes.

GOP candidate Carl Nett suggests shooting Rep. John Yarmuth over NRA

gearl comments on Mar 26, 2018:

An apology just doesn't hack it in a circumstance like this. What's the difference in that and shouting fire in a crowd. That’s pretty much inciting violence.

This young lady snuck in a message when she got a photo op with Ted Cruz.

gearl comments on Mar 26, 2018:

Why would he do that?

The Chilling Effects of Openly Displayed Firearms - The Atlantic

gearl comments on Mar 26, 2018:

As far as I'm concerned there is no other possible conclusion that that of intimidation. The folks at Phoenix the other day were there for no other reason. I live in Arizona and there are a few folks around here that carry sidearms and we know them and consider them pretty harmless but if they were carrying a AR-15 I and I believe most folks in town would be very worried. A few months ago there was a lockdown at the schools because one of the kids saw, what to him, looked like someone walking down the sidewalk in front of the school with what looked like a gun. The problem is that should have been considered perfectly legal by our laws as the person if he even existed was threatening no one.

So what do you do when is time for a group prayer at work or dinner table?

gearl comments on Mar 25, 2018:

If it's their home I stand quiet and look for somebody else not bowing his head but if it's my house we eat.

I like this quote....

gearl comments on Mar 23, 2018:

That's a keeper.

The news media is way out of line.

gearl comments on Mar 23, 2018:

He's Republican and we have a Republican congress. Some may be worse than others but Republicans support for him is a very few issues with ProLife/ProChoice and 2nd Ammendment at the top. As long as he gives them what they want on these issues they will support him.

"He who represents himself has a fool for a client.

gearl comments on Mar 22, 2018:

If I did pray that is what I would pray for.

Anyone else in a "mixed" marriage?

gearl comments on Mar 22, 2018:

Mine is mixed in race and religion. When we first married I went to the church with her on occasion and my daughter went to CCD for a couple of years. Finally my daughter wanted to quit going and became atheist so my wife has now accepted the inevitable. Actually she jokes with guests in a good way about our being atheists. She’s still a believer but an easy one to be with.

Has anyone else read "Towing Jehovah?

gearl comments on Mar 22, 2018:

I read it a few years ago. It certainly was different.

I gotta tell ya.

gearl comments on Mar 21, 2018:

I doubt that many are that concerned but I for one do care about the hypocrisy of the fundamentalists supporting him. If it were Obama he would have been out the first day in office. Besides this is the best soap opera ever.

Respect for the/a Flag: How best to proceed?

gearl comments on Mar 21, 2018:

What respect I had for the flag has taken a siesta over the last year. Whenever people are forced to “respect” something the opposite happens and the symbol become one representing tyranny.

The so-called "Christian evangelical community approves of Trump.

gearl comments on Mar 21, 2018:

I can't think of any reason to enter an Evangelical church at all unless it was my closest friend funeral and the only evangelical friends I have are already dead, so not to worry.

This is the result of Trumpcare. Synomonous with Hitler's super white race.

gearl comments on Mar 21, 2018:

I couldn't agree more.

Jesus jokes! Thank Jesus for the food (Mexican dude).

gearl comments on Mar 20, 2018:

God: Just put water friggin everywhere. Angel: Nice, that way if they're thirsty, they-- God: Make it unmdrinkable. What's the difference between Jesus and a picture of Jesus? It only takes one nail to hang the picture. My mom's real religious, dude. She's all, 'You gotta find Jesus.' I'm like, 'I know where Jesus is. He's in jail.' 'Cause when all my friends come out, they're like, 'Hey, I found Jesus.' FOR THE LADIES WHY GOD IS A MAN God is a man. No, wait, follow me on this -- follow me on this. I figure any deity that has five and a half billion kids who haven't seen or heard from him in 2,000 years -- that's gotta be a man. WHY GOD IS A WOMAN One day in the Garden of Eden, Eve calls out to God. "Lord, I have a problem!" "What's the problem, Eve?" "Lord, I know you created me and all of this beautiful garden and all of these amazing animals and that hilarious comedic snake, but I'm just not happy." "Why is that, Eve?" came the reply from above. "Lord, I am lonely, and I'm sick to death of apples." "Well Eve, in that case, I have a solution. I shall create a man for you." "What's a man, Lord?" "Man will be a flawed creature, with many wreteched traits. He'll lie, cheat and be vainglorious; all in all, he'll give you a hard time. But... he'll be bigger, stronger, and will like to hunt and kill things. He will look silly when he's aroused, but since you've been complaining, I'll make him in such a way that he will satisfy your physical needs. He will be witless and will revel in childish things like fighting and kicking a ball about. He won't be too smart, so he'll also need your advice to think properly." "Sounds wonderful!" says Eve, " but what's the catch, Lord?" Well... you can have him on one condition." "What's that, Lord?" "As I said, he'll be proud, arrogant, and self-admiring... So you'll have to let him believe that I made him first. Just remember, it's our little secret... You know, woman to woman."

The word of God reminding you that If beating your children doesn't work than gather some old people...

gearl comments on Mar 20, 2018:

And don't forget that there is nothing in the Bible that condemns slavery.

Does anyone know of an elected politician who is atheist?

gearl comments on Mar 20, 2018:

Arizona Rep. Kyrsten Sinema is a none and about the closest I know of. https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/01/03/first-member-of-congress-describes-religion-as-none

So what are you reading?

gearl comments on Mar 20, 2018:

Russian Roulette: The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump by Michael Isikoff and David Corn. Interesting Book.

Candidate who slammed Parkland teen as 'skinhead lesbian' quits Maine race - Sun Sentinel

gearl comments on Mar 17, 2018:

I certainly hope so.

Fox News Hypocrisy

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

FAUX news hypocrisy. Trump hypocrisy. Religious hypocrisy. The same people sucked into the same lies.

Big city living versus small city

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

There's so much more opportunity in cities but for me small town living is worth the sacrifices. There have been times when I’ve cussed this place but overall I enjoy the laid back atmosphere and being close to the mountains and what they offer.

Not only is trump, selling out the American people.

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

Perhaps that will be his downfall although nothing else seems to topple him. Maybe Stormy!

Public speaking/performing. Terrifying or fun? I'm all ears!!

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

That was about the one thing that I gained from religion. I became comfortable giving public talks but never that good at it.

When you questioned, was critical thinking discouraged?

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

As I’ve said in the past I was a Jehovah’s Witness and the straw the broke the camel’s back for me was going to an elder’s meeting at an assembly and being told that we could question nothing that came from New York through the publications. I had always questioned things but believed the good outweighed the bad. I was almost physically sick knowing what I had to do. As soon as we got home I wrote a resignation letter detailing why I had to step down from my responsibilities. Things spiraled down very quickly from there and I was cast out within months. It ended with the loss of my marriage and my son and about all acquaintances.

There is a dog after all and it looks like a person. Who'd have thunk?

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

It really looks doctored.

Why would you ask?

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

About 30 years ago I went with a gal for a time that identified as such. She was into the woo stuff and I found it as unacceptable as religion. I know Harris talks about it positively but to me the spirit part of the word is enough to turn me off. It today is like so many other words that can have a myriad of definitions.

A couple years ago my boss asked me "What religion are you?

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I was self employed when I finally realized that I was atheist. I'm now retired so it's pretty easy for me to just say "I'm atheist." I can't judge those that fear for their jobs though but maybe just saying it will become more acceptable as time goes by.

I truly believe the idea of an afterlife was invented by those in power as a way to convince the ...

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

It makes sense to me.

Trump boasted to donors about making up facts during talks with Trudeau: report | TheHill

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I call in lying also.

I'm sincerely upset that as an American, I live in a country that values a charlatan (Billy Graham) ...

gearl comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I'm with you and I wish it weren't true. Maybe, just maybe there are more of us than there are of them.

Tempering gun control dialogue

gearl comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Is there really a need for folks to have assult type weapons?

A democratic Winn in Pensilvania!!! Take that Trump! [npr.org]

gearl comments on Mar 14, 2018:

It made my day.

What to say or what not to say?

gearl comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Why is it appropriate for her to tell you about god but inappropriate for you to say I don't believe as you do?

YOU'RE FIRED! Lol Hahahahahaha

gearl comments on Mar 13, 2018:

Too big of a chicken-shit to do it to his face!

Religious 'nones' could shake up American politics — but many roadblocks stand in their way | ...

gearl comments on Mar 13, 2018:

I would guess that a good percentage of religious nones are in transition. It took me years to really make the transition. I very seldom went to church but was looking until finally it was time to just admit the truth. I didn't believe. During that period I wasn't very political either so perhaps they go together and time will bring changes.

Are fundamentalist Christians destroying America.

gearl comments on Mar 13, 2018:

Anybody that thinks that the Bible is the literal word of god has problems. Their biggest problem is trying to force everybody else to follow their Biblical rules.

Still new to this site and couldnt help but notice how the people here represent a good cross ...

gearl comments on Mar 13, 2018:

Perhaps people in red states have greater need for like minded companionship that those in more liberal areas.

How reliable is the study of history?

gearl comments on Mar 12, 2018:

It’s pretty easy just to give up because there is so much nonsense out there as folks in the comments below have said. I enjoy history so I try to find authors without a belief system that would necessarily bias their work. If the book is about a historical figure who wrote himself it’s not hard to do a little research on Google and read some of the subject’s letters or work. The founding fathers, for instance, wrote a tremendous amount. Going back in time and things get more difficult. With religious books we just have to consider motive and think critically and we can pretty much dismiss them out of hand as myth. MHO.

Trump and Agnostics

gearl comments on Mar 11, 2018:

There are a few. I also observe that few of us are extreme liberals. I can only speak for myself and I do support the majority of progressive thought but I am also appalled by extreme left wing thinking.

How disrespecting a cop can land you in jail for months if you're poor.

gearl comments on Mar 11, 2018:

I'm already down and shit like this just makes it worse.

Trump Will Start the End of the World, Claim Evangelicals Who Support Him