More Republican voter suppression, this time in North Dakota. [mavenroundtable.io]

genessa comments on Oct 13, 2018:

that's their game plan. they know they're wildly unpopular. they know more americans feel other than they do than as they do. they also know that the only way they can win is to cheat; they've known this at least since nixon's day. voter suppression is their game plan because it's the only plan they have that could possibly work. actually representing their constituents (rather than trying to convince their constituents of the errors of their ways, and at any rate stealing elections regardless of what the constituents think or want) would never even occur to them. g

I'm indescribably happy that it's finally getting cold again.

genessa comments on Oct 13, 2018:

lucky! i run warm myself, but don't like either extreme, and i do tend to get pneumonia when the weather turns. my perfectly outdoor temperature: 65 with no wind or 60 with a strong wind. g

Accept whatever changes that life throws at you because the day will come when there are no ...

genessa comments on Oct 13, 2018:

no. that's bad advice. accept whatever changes? WHATEVER changes? no, that's how nations become naziified. accept some changes. fight like hell against others, whether it be for oneself or for others, and do it passionately and don't wait, because life is short, which is what you mean to say about no more changes, right? be selective. don't generalize about changes. not all changes are equal. g

Always remember, you may not be able to reach what's in front of you, until you let go of what's ...

genessa comments on Oct 13, 2018:

i'm glad you said MAY not rather than WILL not, because some things should NOT be forgotten. we build our futures upon our pasts to a large extent, from getting jobs based on our work experience to responding to situations based on our life experience. harping on the past is harmful but forgetting it entirely is no better. g

A statement I've often heard from the Theists is that Human Morality comes only and directly from ...

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

some of us are more ethical than others, and my observation tells me that theists find more ways to justify bad behavior than atheists. g

How is it that people who report seeing ghosts are often able to identify the ghost by what they are...

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

apparently! the cotton boll IS a living organism. i am not sure what kind of spiritual status we can attribute to polyester, though. g

About half an hour ago I was confronted, upon opening my front door, with 2 of the Faithfools from ...

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

i have never been bothered by jw where i live now, but mormons were very rude to me when i wouldn't open the door in nagoya, japan. i told them, truthfully, that i was naked. they called me names. i called their superior and reported them. they never came back. i didn't get dressed again until i had to, either. g

Does anyone know what these are? They have the texture of old man balls.

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

they look like turnips. g

The Distance between Egypt and Israel is about 613 Km, but it took Moses and the Israelites 40 years...

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

oy vass they farblonget! g

Most creationists do not believe in evolution and natural selection.

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

one of the main purposes of religion is to reinforce the concept of us vs. them. if everyone has a common enemy, whoever is in control can keep that control by stoking the fear of the "them." that's why my religion is right and yours is wrong! oh wait, i don't have one. oops. g

Can someone be both an atheist and spiritual?

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

if you define spirituality as a deep connection with the world around you, then yes you can, but i wonder why you need a name like spirituality, which can mean other, less natural things, to describe that. if you define spirituality with a sense that there is something with agency, even if not a worship-hungry deity, controlling or creating or taking a crap on the world, depending on how you view things, then you probably could not correctly define yourself as an atheist. there is no rulebook for atheism as it's not a religion or a belief system. but it does have a definition -- and even on that not everyone agrees. i think it boils down to two contenders, which are not mutually exclusive: 1. you don't believe there are any gods. 2. you believe there are no gods. as long as you fit into one or both of those descriptions, you can correctly call yourself an atheist and anything that doesn't conflict with whichever description you've chosen is not a dealbreaker. g

Anyone in NYC care to get together Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday evening?

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

i'm envious. i used to live in brooklyn and work and play in the city. now i'm in the midwest and it's... different. if you have any time to kill, please hop on the merry-go-round in central park for me! g

Being ginger.

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

i was not born ginger but i have occasionally ginged. once right after a bout with the bottle (no, not booze -- hair color!) i was walking through st. stephen's green in dublin and approached a cop with a question (i was a little lost). he noted my american accent and my red hair and commented that he was so happy to meet me because he just KNEW i was an irish-american -- he could tell by my hair! (i'm not even a little bit irish, though i have an affinity for the land, the people and the music.) he could not be dissuaded from his belief. g

Anti-vaxxer ‘warrior mom’: If vaccines are so great, ‘why aren’t they mentioned in the ...

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

donald trump is not mentioned in the bible. oh wait, it depends on which bible, right? the bible of my people doesn't mention him, only a special prosecutor whose title was ha-satan (the prosecutor). my understanding is that the christian bible mentions trump, not by name but clearly enough. i wonder how the warrior mom feels about that? hard to say, isn't it? but of course she mustn't drive or take public transportation because none of that is in anyone's bible. she'd better turn off her computer too. g

I got a text fundraising for republicans.

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

why do you hope it's not rude? of course it's rude, as well it should be! sometimes rudeness is the only appropriate response to lies, and of course what you received was a big fat lie. you responded perfectly appropriately. g

How can I upgrade my levels quickly 😪

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

the levels are to reward participation. so participate... at your own pace. you shouldn't participate for the points. you should participate for the pleasure of and interest in participation. just cramming any old thing into the forums for the purpose of gaining points will gain you a bit of contempt from most participants; being truly interested in the posts you make and on which you comment will likely win you some pals and maybe even friends. then the points will sneak up on you -)) g

Hi everyone just a little story this time I work in a activity center and the instructors act more ...

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

well... on the one hand they sound silly, but on the other hand, you're judging them, too. maybe it was indiscreet of you to mention to that one woman that you found her on a dating site. that was potentially embarrassing to her. you are probably right not to give them a lot of personal info as they do sound quite immature, but if they're going their jobs, and not interfering with your doing your job, it's not affecting you, right? (may i make a request, and i do not mean this to hurt your feelings, but could you divide your story up into sentences? i had to read it a couple of times to follow it. thanks.) g

How do you feel after hosting people?

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

it is bound to be exhausting no matter how gracious the guest is, but she really SHOULD have offered to help out with some of the work, whether or not you were feeling well. g

I’m not here to debate my beliefs. I am here to meet someone compatible.

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

how will you know who is or isn't compatible if you're not open to dialogue? i know you said debate, but you can't control how people react to your posts, or to your comments on posts, and sometimes debates happen. maybe a compatible woman wants to see how you handle yourself in such situations. maybe she wants to know about your beliefs, which means putting them forward, which means risking controversy. it is possible to engage in what could be called debates without being pugnacious (although you can't necessarily control how pugnacious others get) but it doesn't have to be all about your religious (or political) beliefs. we have all kinds of topics here. g

Is the solution to "hate speech" more speech or less speech?

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

why would either more or less speech be the solution, assuming there was even a solution? haters will always hate. to make the situation better, do two things: 1. tolerate hate speech less (which is NOT the same thing as less speech!) and 2. teach, by example, acceptance and love, which reduce, not eliminate, hate speech. g

My foul mood just got worse.

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

i think it's more widespread than just you, but i don't know for sure because i have not been in the job market for decades. that's not because i am happily employed; i'm disabled. before i was officially declared so, i found it difficult to get jobs, not because i am unqualified, but because -- they always said -- i am OVERqualified. i don't see why that's a problem. if i were hiring someone, and an overqualified applicant came my way, i'd grab him/her so fast.... why not hire the best you can get, right? but my understanding is that the job market is tight, regardless. you need a game plan. figure out why you're not selected (it could be as simple as that there are too many applicants and they liked someone else, nothing to do with you, or it could be something you're doing or not doing -- i can't tell from here!) and then adjust and keep trying. wish i had something more encouraging to say, but without knowing what career you're pursuing, where you've tried and what's been happening, i can say no more. g

I feel lonely and lost. I wonder if it's because I stopped believing in Regions?

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

since there was no god even when you believed there was one, you should not feel lonelier now than before, but i understand feelings are hard to control. think of it this way: you are free to find out what's real in the world, and it's a big world. you need not feel lonely in it! you may even find some friends here :-)) g

Why on earth has no one (to my knowledge) yet invented the term "sprankle"? It's so simple.

genessa comments on Oct 12, 2018:

maybe it's too trippy :-)) g

So is this a real search for information, or just another weak attempt to create controversy?

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

i don't visit quora. you might accidentally find a correct answer there but i wouldn't hold my breath. g

Can I talk about my feelings for a bit?

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

i feel for you, but no, i did not go through it. i didn't have to leave any church, for example. i was raised in a secular jewish family and i came to the realization, age 15, that there were no gods. this was a surprise but not a shock. it didn't even seem worthy of announcing -- i mean,to whom? who would care whether or not i believed in a god? my life didn't change on account of that. g

Before bed, here's a better picture (imo) of Aldous on the left (she's an accountcat), and Nugget on...

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

cutie patooties! g

I guess this is an old person's rant, but why is the news not available in written form instead of ...

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

oh and it's available in print online too. you may have to pay for some of it. others, not. but be careful. don't believe everything you read. (and again i ask, what makes you think news is not available online in print?) g

I guess this is an old person's rant, but why is the news not available in written form instead of ...

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

in what way is it not available in written form? believe it or not, there are a whole lot of newspapers in print in the united states and i am guessing in other countries too. subscribe to one or more and you'll have your news in print. g

Have always wondered why 42

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

if you could find the question you'd understand the answer. g

New here. How do posts work? What do people post about?

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

you just made a post. that's how they work. people post in all the topics you see listed, so feel free to snoop around. g

"Jimi Hendrix, Experience." 1969. (poster)

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

hmm, i have seen posters of him but not that one. interesting. g

Why are humans so slow to learn?

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

we're not slow to learn. we're not learning. there's a difference. g

"1492 The teachers told the children that this was when their continent was discovered by human ...

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

he hits the nail on the head (apart from saying "continent" when in fact in 1492 columbus "discovered" a caribbean island -- but what the hey! teachers DO make out like it was the us of a! g

Life doesn't suck.

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

waiting for that upload.... g

A watched clock boils twice a day. MixedMetaphors

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

my two favorites are (from a dorm neighbor when i was in college a million years ago) "that just drives me up a bat!" and (more recently, and said on purpose) "it's not rocket surgery." g

Anyone else desperately craving sushi?

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

always! i hope you find it superb. and if you do, please upload me some sashimi. g

Where do you get most of your meals?

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

as they say on facebook, it's complicated. for breakfast i usually pop a mom's meal or optage meal into the microwave, sometimes adding vegetables if i find what comes with the meal insufficient. for lunch if i am at adult daycare (my alzheimer's-afflicted guy won't go unless i go, so i bring my computer and i'm the vj) i eat the kosher lunch that is provided; if i remember to check their menu and know in advance that they're serving a burger or a dog, i make a salad at home and bring it, because i don't eat the rolls they provide, and i don't want to go hungry. for dinner i almost always cook something from scratch. sometimes i use a mom's meal as a base and add lots of stuff. g

Does historical studies influence a person to walk against beliefs?

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

i don't understand the question. there are no gods. the likelihood of there being any gods is so small as to be moot. what has history got to do with it? there is a history of people believing in gods, a whole bunch of 'em. so? there is a history of people sticking their wet fingers into electrical outlets too. meanwhile, everyone has beliefs. i believe i am alive. i might not be -- i might be someone else's dream. but the likelihood of this being the case is not only teensy but it's irrelevant to how i live my life. so for all intents and purposes, i believe i am alive. it's not a religious belief and i don't pray to myself (though i occasionally do yell at myself) but it's still a belief. g

One of the questions on this site when I signed up was if I believe in God or gods, and then it ...

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

after messing around with calling himself various labels, including humanist and rationalist, which are fine labels, except he was using them to avoid calling himself an atheist, isaac asimov had this to say: “I am an atheist, out and out. It took me a long time to say it. I've been an atheist for years and years, but somehow I felt it was intellectually unrespectable to say one was an atheist, because it assumed knowledge that one didn't have. Somehow, it was better to say one was a humanist or an agnostic. I finally decided that I'm a creature of emotion as well as of reason. Emotionally, I am an atheist. I don't have the evidence to prove that God doesn't exist, but I so strongly suspect he doesn't that I don't want to waste my time.” since 99.999999999 percent is closer to 100 than to 99, my level of certainty, as i suspect from the above asimov's was, is 100. i don't mind rounding up under the circumstances! g

I don't watch tv.

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

i do. i like learning about the universe on the science channel when it's not busy with robot wars. i like some british television that i can see on pbs, along with nature shows and nova and ken burns documentaries and american masters and, every couple of weeks, a full-length opera, not to mention weekly music shows like austin city limits. i can't afford to go out and see opera live. i can't afford to go to concerts live. i like intelligent analysis of the news from rachel maddow and lawrence o'donnell. i like watching some old favorites in syndication. i like when bob ross paints happy little clouds. i'll be watching an interview with jimmy carter next week. i don't think it's a point either of pride or of shame to watch tv. i don't understand why it's a point of pride not to. you now, having a tv doesn't absolutely require one to watch roseanne reruns all day long. one can be selective. g

Melania Trump in a recent interview said she may be the most bullied person in the world.

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

who is bullying her? the donald? maybe she doesn't know what "bully" means. g

The Myers-Briggs Personality Test Is Bullshit - But I took one anyway.

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

oh yes, definitely bullshit, and yet it gets promoted.... g

Friendly reminder: Make sure you get your flu shot this year.

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

ptsd here, also a bit immune-system compromised (no, not hiv or anything like that). besides, it's too late -- i already have it, or something like it! but it's a good idea for most people, especially if they go out among others, which i mostly don't. keep the herd immunity strong. g

What's one thing you own that is unlikely anyone will realize the purpose of?

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

i have a metal parrot and a metal crocodile. they may not at first glance appear also to be, respectively, a bottle opener and a nutcracker. g

Learning to take criticism, especially of ones looks, is a lot harder than it should be.

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

meanness is at a premium these days, as is extreme defensiveness, to name just two elements creating this sad situation. g

Who remembers Ding Dongs????

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

i was trying to forget them! hostess is the WORST! i grew up pre-hostess with tastykakes. g

Did you play with one of these?

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

yeah i think i had one like that! these days i'm lucky if i can get my hands on a miniature wooden dreidel! g

When we were kids when you had to makeshift something it was called Jerry rig never really looked ...

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

jerry-rigged is a distortion of jury-rigged. i am not sure what people call it now (i missed mcgyvered and i think i am glad lol). g

Resonate with anyone else?

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

not really, though i understand it will with many. i have already done most of those things, if they even needed to be done (can't stop doing what one never did). i don't expect to grow happy. i have always worn curiosity and laughter. they do help. g

I'm hoping that people here are more open minded than self described atheists.

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

well, i agree with everything you said at the end. i can't agree or disagree with your experiences, described in the middle, because they are your experiences; they certainly aren't mine. and i most certainly disagree with your assessment of self-described atheists. first of all, am i supposed to wait for someone else to describe me? second of all, i am (self-described again lol) quite open-minded (but you know, there IS that description of the person who is so open-minded that thoughts go in and come out without stopping anywhere in between). maybe you need to be more open-minded about atheists. g

Miriam Makeba "Amampondo" [youtube.com]

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

i saw her in concert, with harry belafonte, sonny terry and brownie mcgee, when i was about 11. wonderful! i have a song of hers in my head i can't identify. all i can say is it's in three-four time, not really a waltz, and it sways. g

Why blame "god" for natural disasters ? Its only nature after all

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

because people are fools. g

Christian Prophet: Hurricane Michael was created by Democrats in ‘retaliation’ for Kavanaugh’s...

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

i wonder which it is -- we're a violent mob so scary that rand paul's wife has to sleep with a gun by her bed, or we're ominpotent and can cause bad weather, and no guns would be effective against us? i don't get it. am i a goddess or not? inquiring minds need to know! g

Alex Jones.

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

he should, have been treated worse. he wasn't silenced for his opinions. he was (incompletely) silenced because he was libelous and slanderous, he spread lies, he attacked families who were already suffering from the loss of a child, and those weren't his opinions -- he said he was just an "entertainer." if those are really his opinions, he is insane on top of everything else. by the way, freedom of speech has limits. you don't yell "fire" in a crowded movie theatre unless there actually IS a fire, and private entities such as facebook and twitter have the right to make their own rules. so yeah, more than fairly. g

As we settle into fall I'm thinking of christmas.

genessa comments on Oct 11, 2018:

i never had to deal with santa, being raised in a secular jewish family. santa always seemed silly to me. i don't even think i knew that some people actually believed santa was real; it was, to me, just a silly story that christians were into. but yeah, i suppose it does predispose folks to believe any old crap. g

TV or not?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

i am disabled. i spend a lot of time on the edge of my bed, on this laptop, or in bed, sleeping, or in the kitchen cooking as fast i can so i can get off my feet. thrice a week i go to adult daycare, mostly because if i don't go, my guy, who has alzheimer's, won't go, and he needs it. i also have tinnitus, and need some sound to drown that out. at the daycare i am the vj and i keep the music going, which most of the others really enjoy and appreciate. when i get home, i want my msnbc so i can know what's going on and what it means, and my science channel, and my pbs, and my doctor who and murphy brown and it looks as if new amsterdam is also going to be worthy my time, not to mention the old movies i have always loved, and sometimes even shows i loved in the past. i don't watch any old crap. except for the two shows i just mentioned, i am pretty much network-free, but i can't afford a streaming service. so cable, expensive enough, it is. i like what i like and i learn a lot, and i supplement that with other sources too. tv can be a big brainwashing influence. my brain is way too dirty to be washed successfully. g

Nothing here but questions,answers, and conversation?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

that's right. why so sad? what's wrong with that? what were you expecting? if you don't find it, create it! g

What is the correlation between intelligence and a sense of humor?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

humor involves presenting something that is at least a little bit rooted in reality, then twisting it. to be really funny, on purpose, or to appreciate good humor, you have to have at least enough intellect to recognize both elements. even to understand and appreciate a pun, supposedly the lowest form of humor, you have to know what word is being twisted or played upon. you don't have to be a genius but you do have to "get" it. g

Wednesday ClassicalMusic Post: Une Barque Sur L'Ocean (A Barge On The Ocean) composed by Maurice ...

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

wanna hear something funny? ravel ADORED gershwin! some may figure gershwin picked up a lot from ravel; it happened the other way around, by ravel's own admission. g

I've been on here a few days now & I LOVE IT! Such a great respit from the other mind numbing sites.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

welcome. snoop around and find out what you do and don't like, and don't be put off by your eventually discovery that we DO have trolls here once in a while -- just keep enjoying, because most of us are okay :-)) g

A Universe Not Made For Us (Carl Sagan on religion) [youtu.be]

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

sagan is one of my heroes! g

Open relationships

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

from an ethical standpoint, it's just what it is. it's nobody's business. from a practical standpoint, i can't imagine that most people wouldn't end up with a little jealousy. there can be exceptions, but every time i hear from someone in an open relationship, i hear complaints, not joy. you appear to be an exception. for myself, i couldn't even DATE more than one guy at a time. too draining. i ran into a couple guys who told me about their open relationships, one of them AFTER we'd had sex. so much for ethics! "my wife and i have an understanding," he said. "well, i don't!" said i. i have reason to believe the gentlemen in question were not telling me the truth, especially since that one didn't think it worth mentioning beforehand so i could make an informed choice. g

Relationships between teachers and students.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

he is making excuses, re all relationships and power. it's true, but irrelevant, because the student-teacher relationship involves clearly DEFINED power, and it BEGS to be abused (not all power is). lovers give each other a kind of power; they can exit the relationship if the power play is unfair and they're not into that. a student depends on a teacher for a grade that may make the difference between graduating and not, a grade point average that can influence the next educational step or employment, and maybe more. this is not the same thing as one partner being naturally stronger in some areas than another. if you break up with your lover and he gives you a bad grade for that, or if you stay with your lover and he gives you a good grade because he loves/likes/owns you, how is that ethical? the restrictive rules are GOOD. now, i used to teach, at a variety of levels, and i became romantically involved with one of my adult students. first of all, it was a cultural center. i had absolutely NO power over him. no grades were given, no degree or certificate was being sought, and nothing whatsoever rode upon our getting along, much less being friends, much less being lovers. even SO, he stopped being my student as soon as we realized that we were about to go beyond friendship. there was nothing for either of us to lose by his staying in the class, but it just felt wrong anyway. so we did the right thing. g

Believers. I've noticed a few people state that they are believers in their profiles. Why come here?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

the site permits it. i can think of several motivations for a believer to come here: 1. not finding a date within his/her (usually his) own community. good luck with that. 2. trolling. report! 3. trying to convert people. that's not so different from trolling except that the trolls might be here to make us feel stupid (good luck with THAT!) and the evangelists really think they have a chance of convincing us. report anyway. 4. self-doubt, in which case, be kind, but remind the believer that while we don't mind helping out, we cannot be expected to disprove the existence of any gods without being expected also to disprove ALL of them, and any demi-, semi- and nongods from the supernatural world that might spring to mind. we could start with unicorns, drill down through leprechauns and take a side-trip to the tooth fairy, but we'd be awfully tired before we got through those, and there are an awful lot of gods to disprove too. (check wikipedia for lengthy, if not complete, list.) shall we start with the aztecs or jump right to the gods (yes, more than one) of the bibles (yes, more than one)? do titans count? so we do need to make it very clear that this isn't the "we have proof and that's why we're atheists" site. 5. didn't pay attention while checking boxes. i have seen at least one profile with atheist and believer both checked. g

Should women be spelt womxn?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

no, that's just silly. we know who we are. can we focus on something real? language is important but not every silly little thing about language is a horrible offense. and in what way would that include trans and nonbinary people? it's just another spelling for woman/women. it doesn't have anything more inclusive about it. if you want to include all people, i have a really good word for you: person. g

New sex scandal.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

this is endemic to jw. i have that from someone i know who has escaped from her jw family. i don't know whether she has also escaped jw. g

Can you be a Wiccan and call yourself an Atheist?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

atheism, not being a religion, has no handbook, rules or organization. all it has is its definition, on which not every disagrees, but the two in contention are: 1. the lack of belief that any gods exist 2. the belief that no gods exist atheism isn't "lack of religion." it isn't "anger at god." it's one of the two things, or both of the two things, i named above. if your belief is not about one of those two things, you can still correctly call yourself an atheist. (it's not a matter of "can you do this or that" except "can you correctly call yourself an atheist.") i don't know enough about wicca to know whether it is compatible with atheism, but some of the responses below lead me to believe that wicca itself is not incompatible but that some wiccans are atheists and others are not. i guess it's like vegetarians: some vegetarians play chess and some don't. g

Who's thoughts and ideas do you enjoy more on the topic of religion/spiritually/humanity?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

mine. i like tyson. i don't really hear him talking about those topics much though; he talks eloquently about science and i enjoy that. to tell the truth, i don't need to seek out folks to reinforce my atheism. it's nice when they do, but i have been an atheist since i was 15, and that's 51 years of atheism now and counting. i don't think i'm going to hear anything new except a nice turn of phrase. g

So this hurricane brings this question to mind.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

send money. send supplies. go in person to help rebuild. g

Do you want to be resuscitated?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

yes, i want to be brought back, and i have left appropriate instructions. g

Should Agnostic.com expel or limit trolls?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

tough one, because we should not have to deal with trolls, but then i see people labeling anyone who disagrees with them as a troll. g

“This sentence is false." Is it true or false?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

not every sentence is true or false. there are, for example, bad syllogisms, usually three sentences. john is a boy. all boys are green. therefore john is.... everyone knows the answer is green. good, if silly, syllogism. within its own reality all the sentences are true, even though outside of the syllogism we know damned well that only left-handed boys are green, and only on tuesdays. but how about: john is a boy. john is green. therefore all boys are.... it's a bad or false syllogism and the only proper answer is "there is no enough information to proceed." your sentence has a similar problem. it is neither true nor false but it's a bad sentence, just as "when did you stop beating your wife?" is a bad question. g

I have a person in one of my science classes that is really struggling with the content in class ...

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

i would reach out. i'd start with "you know this is a science class, right?" then i would point out that religion is not only a personal thing but one that varies from person to person, so that the claims s/he makes in class conflict not only with physical reality but with the possible belief systems of the other students. i might mention that unless this person was trying to convert everyone in the class to christianity, and meanwhile fail the course (in which case this person has a bad motivation to start with and you can quit trying to explain at this point), making religious statements is inappropriate in ANY class, except a bible class for that same religion. i might ask if the person was home-schooled. i am guessing s/he was. g

[friendlyatheist.patheos.com] CatholicMoms Defend Kavanaugh- It Can Happen To Our Sons Ad-WTF!!!

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

must be written by the mother of a priest. g

What are some of your favorite atheist/agnostic songs and song lyrics?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmwAD7nHqaY g

What are some of your favorite atheist/agnostic songs and song lyrics?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo3jLbJ_DpQ g

It is not a difficult time to be a man, Cheetoh Benito.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

now, now, it is a difficult time for cheetoh to be a man. his brains (if we want to call them that) are in his dick and his dick is apparently very small. too bad his mouth is so big. g

NAKED PRAYER - Cuz god can hear you better with your junk hanging out. [christianpost.com]

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

my junk doesn't hang out. women are built differently. g

Am I the only one that believes that Eve was actually the daughter of Adam and Lilith?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

i have absolutely no opinion on who begat whom in a rather disjointed, multi-authored book of fantasy. the talking snake is SUCH a dealbreaker! g

Sometimes when someone asks me why I did something.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

yeah right. i don't think that actually works. g

Whenever you egaged in an angry altercation with someone else, haven't you invariably thought that ...

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

no, that is backwards. you don't think you're right because you're engaged in an angry altercation. you're engaged in an angry altercation because you think you're right. g

Don't you just hate it when you wake up far too early? It's 4AM, and I can't do anything 'till 8:30!

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

wake up early? no, i stayed up too late! g

So at what point do we get the free toaster oven?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

the points are a reward for contributing to the site. the purpose of contributing to the site isn't to get the points. it's not a contest. it's a place to meet people and chat about various topics of mutual interest while (mostly) not worrying about being told we're going to hell. g

Why didn't Kavanaugh listen to Ford's testimony?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

because he's an asshole. g

I am going to be traveling to London for the first time in April.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

oh and you may run into people who ask you for help, and they may offer something in exchange that they either haven't got (definitely haven't got on hand) or have but have no intention of sending you (later, of course). it's a scam. wear a waist pack and wear the money in front. don't call it a fanny pack; you'll be giggled at. fanny isn't your bum over there; it's a private female part. mind the gap! the tube system isn't that hard; the lines are color-coded. don't take tours; look up the london stuff that interests you, look at a tube map online and plot your courses. oh yeah i forgot, on many weekdays, the parish church of st martin-in-the-fields, near leicester and trafalgar squares, has chamber music concerts that are free if you show up before 1:05 pm. if you went in the summer you'd find a small flea market in the parking lot in the back of the church on weekends. i don't know if the cambridge market is open in april. time out should say, i think. g

I am going to be traveling to London for the first time in April.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

get london time out to see what's on during the week. g

I am going to be traveling to London for the first time in April.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

get a combined bus/tube day pass each day. it's worth it. when you go home, give it to someone who is about to buy a ticket. if you like theatre, go to leicester square the same day as the show, stand in line and get half-price (plus one pound) tickets. you don't get to choose the seats but it's still worth it! the tate gallery has a whole floor dedicated to jmw turner. at first his stuff seems ordinarily competent and then it gets wonderful. too bad it'll be april; in the summer you could stay cheaply at a university dorm. g

Why does christianity have a trinity? A father, a son, and the holy ghost?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

not all christianity does. catholicism does, though, and sorry, i think even catholics don't know why. g

Would you move for love?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

i have stayed for love when otherwise tempted to move. g

The real Donald Trump tweet: The paid D.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

it's worse than just making false accusations, which is bad enough. it's an indicator -- because he follows the joseph goebbels playbook. "accuse the other of that which you are doing yourself." remember his candidacy announcement? remember the actors he hired to come and cheer for him there? g

Quite the sausage fest in here, huh fellas? Lol how’s everyone doing?

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

ugh, seriously? your first post here -- that's how you introduce yourself? you say you're open to meeting women. i think you just severely narrowed the field for yourself. g

I was parking today and this ahole came out of nowhere and took my spot.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

all bullies are cowards. that man lives in fear. oddly, i feel no sympathy for him.... g

Vermont's only black female state representative resigns after harassment and death threats.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

i can't blame her but i wish she had stayed. we can't be bullied. we just can't. g

I think I’ve been messaged by a scammer.

genessa comments on Oct 10, 2018:

there is no escape. you're handling it right, though. g

Would you please all contribute to a thread about how to have a conversation?

genessa comments on Oct 9, 2018:

i used to teach a journalism class, in english, to very uninterested and not-very-bright young japanese women. i gave them an assignment to do in class one day. in their teams (as they were too shy to do anything alone) they wrote three questions to ask me, as if interviewing a subject for an article. then, team by team, they would ask me their questions. it usually went something like this: girl: what do you like to eat? me: dead babies. girl (checking notes): where were you born? me: i just told you i like to eat dead babies. don't you want to ask me something about that? when someone answers your question that way, put your notes aside and ask questions! LISTEN to the ANSWERS! conversation works that way too. you can get some hints from some profiles (and not so many from others) but once you start chatting, LISTEN. g

A little second-hand advice for the fellas out there, looking to impress women.

genessa comments on Oct 9, 2018:

i, a woman, have some really important advice about how to impress women: stop trying to impress women. instead, be yourself, but examine yourself too; if you are doing stupid stuff, that's going to turn women off but more importantly it makes you a guy who does stupid stuff. that can't be good for you, either. clean sheets? you mean if you were not trying to impress a woman, you'd sleep in filth? what does that say about you? instead, when you meet a woman, find out what THAT woman wants/likes... but not with the ulterior motive of getting her into bed. be a nice person and be nice to a nice person. once you get her into bed are you absolved of having to make her happy? really? if she likes you too, she may try to make YOU happy. it might not be just to get you into bed. g

Do all men want babies?

genessa comments on Oct 9, 2018:

of course not. not to be rude, but why would you even ask? just look around! read a book! watch a movie! ask a friend! not all people want babies, regardless of their genders. some do, some don't. g

Does "the atheist closet" detract from what homosexual individuals went through?

genessa comments on Oct 9, 2018:

no. borrowing a phrase for something that's not trivial doesn't trivialize the lender. the two may not be comparable in scope, but both can create anxiety and coming out in both cases has real-life consequences that can be life-changing. besides, some lgbt people are atheists too! g

I think I watched this show once, maybe.

genessa comments on Oct 9, 2018:

my mom must have watched it because i remember it. even as a small child i found it pathetic. g

Conservative Atheist?

genessa comments on Oct 9, 2018:

i think it must, but people do not always act in their own best interest. i don't know why anyone with a vagina would vote for someone who wants to control it for her. i don't know why anyone who isn't a born-again christian would want a government telling everyone they have to follow the rules that apply only to born-again christians. i don't know why any gay person would vote for homophobes. g