Patience, compassion, and letting go of things and people which keep us down are catalysts for a ...

genessa comments on Sep 20, 2018:

some things endanger your life and even kill you, and those things don't teach you anything. some abandonments teach you to stand on your own feet. others traumatize you. oh, one should be mature and learn to stand on one's own feet, right? tell that to the next six-year-old who is abandoned. absolutely nothing that angers you teaches compassion. that's total crap. some things you can't control teach you to let go. others teach you to feel helpless. some annoying things teach you patience. others do not. this meme annoys me and quite frankly it is not teaching me patience. it is reminding me how simplistic and simple are not the same thing, and calling mindless advice mindfulness is a really good way to silence people who should be trying to fight some annoyances instead of being patient about them. g

What’s the secret to improving your life?

genessa comments on Sep 20, 2018:

as if the same one thing could improve everyone's lives! there is no one size fits all plan. g

Is there anything more stressful than leaving one kid to sort out another kid to get ready for ...

genessa comments on Sep 20, 2018:

so can you text the child first? g

Ever try to date a religious person and make it work? I just can't.

genessa comments on Sep 20, 2018:

no, nor have i been so tempted. it would never occur to me. g

It is shocking how many people these days still think the earth is flat?

genessa comments on Sep 20, 2018:

what, the earth is round? last time i looked it was three-dimensional, meaning it was approximately (not perfectly) spherical! it's an oblate spheroid. if it was round, we'd all be paper dolls! g

Some Brief Thoughts on Time.

genessa comments on Sep 20, 2018:

even asleep, if you're dreaming, you're experiencing a now. g

Anybody with thoughts on the selfish gene?

genessa comments on Sep 20, 2018:

my only thought on the selfish gene is that it is misnamed, since self-preservation (in the genetic sense, at least for humans) involves seeming selflessness. it's not just herd instinct, either. g

Anyone have those days where they feel extremely guilty for leaving the church?

genessa comments on Sep 20, 2018:

if you don't believe in god, why do you believe in hell? blame isn't the right word. i'm not holding you in some kind of contempt or anything. i am just wondering. you know better, right? by the way, i never had a church to leave. i was raised in a secular jewish household. i still self-identify as jewish, but i am an atheist, which in judaism isn't a dealbreaker but even if it was, while judaism is a religion, jewishness is a cultural identity. so i understand about your upbringing's influencing you even after you've left that part of it, even though my situation is different. i mean, there was no rebellion or trauma involved for me. but let me ask you this: who would send you to hell if there is no god? g

I may have started out on the wrong foot.

genessa comments on Sep 20, 2018:

don't worry. we're individuals. we've gathered here to talk to people who won't bother us with religious nonsense, but we're individual enough that some will bother you with OTHER nonsense lol. so we're a group of individuals! g

I'm sure this will be an unpopular comment here, but I don't care.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

well, maybe. because there are categories here and you are perfectly free to skip the stuff that doesn't interest you. it's not like facebook, where you have to scroll past the pictures of tortured animals or deformed children in order not to see them. here you click on what you like and don't click on what you don't like. if subject lines still offend or tire you, then maybe you're in the wrong place. some of us feel as you do, and are only here to escape all the religious crap, and some of us are here to talk about our atheism. some of us are here for both, because it is all potentially interesting. g

Has anyone else had a religious friend ask where your sense of morality comes from?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

not a religious friend. religious antagonists yes. my friends don't ask obnoxious questions like that. they know i am an ethical person. ask your friend why she thinks people can't be good unless they have a promise of heaven or the threat of hell, and whether it isn't more ethical or moral to be good because that's the kind of person you are! g

Science adjusts its views based on what’s observed.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

just a little quibble, and that is that science hasn't got any views. science is a study. scientists change their views, not science. scientists change them based on observation, and testing, and retesting. that's a good thing. faith is as you say. g

Ever dated a religious person

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

nope. my guy believes in a god in a generalized, hazy way. i can't even get him to tell me what kind of god it is. he thinks i'm taunting him when i ask. he should be home from shul any minute now; he went to the break-the-fast (tonight yom kippur ended). he wasn't supposed to fast, for health reasons, but he ended up doing so, so i hope he doesn't collapse. all that aside, he cannot actually be called religious. i would have gone with him but i am sick today. and yes, i am an atheist. g

Is this the new trend today?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

why, if you got ONE ridiculous email, would you even for a moment think it might be a trend, even if you believed the email? is this someone you know? if so, then my question stands: what about it indicates a trend? i am guessing it is not someone you know, which means it is not even necessarily really from a parent. and who says "breed" with regard to one's own daughter? and what do you mean by irresponsible? that is a funny way to characterize it. let's say it's real (which i doubt). that's the moist appropriate way you can think of to describe it? no, it's not a trend, no, your email wasn't real, no, this is not a thing. g

So I have been on this site almost a month a I learned something really important.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

how did you learn this, and if you already know it, what do you need the poll for? g

Does socialism violate the incentive principle in economics?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

nope. plenty of people go to public school, allow roads to be repaired with their tax money even if the roads don't go right by their own homes, use the u.s. postal service (which is written into the constitution) and much more, and STILL manage to be highly motivated in their fields of interest, education and/or employment. socialism isn't something that kills motivation, or even kills free enterprise. it doesn't have to stand alone, and it doesn't, in fact, stand alone. i will add that it's not even a THING, really; it's more of a range. it works very well with democracy, which is certainly more than i can say for capitalism. g

God doesn’t exist. Why or why not?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

rofl rofl you think this began with someone arguing with christianity or catholicism, two pretty new religions in the grand scheme of things? maybe i am misreading you there. i sure hope so. my input is simple. there are no gods. there are no gods and there is no proof that there are, aren't, might or might not be gods, but the same holds true for (pardon my always bringing her up) the tooth fairy. i don't see anyone arguing about that. the difference is, no one is making enough money off the tooth fairy to care. (she does still owe me a quarter.) you can substitute any nonexistent thingie you like here. you understand logically that it is unlikely to the point of impossibility that there is a tooth fairy. the same it true of god. that's not proof but who cares? it's rational, and thinking otherwise is irrational. g

I didn't know the proper group for this.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

of course! why not? g

I love greek mythology, i know its not real but its so fun to read about.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i have loved it too, since childhood! there is no rule that says you can't enjoy fiction! g

I have this 9-5 that requires no creativity.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i have had horrid jobs. i am disabled now but before i was unable to work, i left those horrid jobs. it's not always that easy, and it's not always easy to find a new one. the best advice i have to give you is to find a new job BEFORE quitting the old one. g

What is spiritual transformation, where does it come from, and why do we do it?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i don't do spiritual transformations because i am not a spiritual person. i do not think spirituality is less delusional than religion. i don't buy into it. i am me, i am here now, i am not alone because other people are here now too i care about them in a general sense, i care about some individuals in a specific sense, and i do my best. i try to keep learning. g

COME UNTO ME That's what the book is titled.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

why pass it on? it's obviously a scam and not a real remembrance. pass on something that belonged to your mother, maybe a piece of jewelry or a favorite dress, or a book she loved, or a dish, but not that thinly disguised advertising token. g

Making a living as an author, especially in a time where so much literature is free, is going to be ...

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

what sells has nothing to do with talent, creativity or even genre. judith krantz and sidney sheldon certainly have proven that. it has to do with who you know in publishing. i am speaking of novels. if you write articles and find your niche, you may be able to support yourself. g

Another Real Life vs.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

ha! god is a luddite! g

Here's an idea: Since religionists apparently believe that atheists/ non-believers are evil and the ...

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

we don't have to poll anyone, and a poll would be the least accurate form of study anyway. christians form the vast majority of prisoners in the united states. g

Hello Everyone I am new here but just wanted to say hello.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i only play two games. i play them both on the pc and neither requires a download (they would, i suppose, if i played them on a phone). one is howrse (u.s. howrse because i am in the u.s.) and the other is throne: kingdom at war. they're pretty different from each other but they have in common that they're complex, not platform games, but longterm commitments. g

What do you do when asked to bring dessert?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i am never asked to bring dessert. i have diabetes. to a pot luck i generally bring a squash risotto or a pasta salad. g

Some 50 years ago, we had considerable amount of leisure time though we had no internet, no mobile ...

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

did we really? i am 66 and a half and i observed my parents working their asses off. they had little leisure time. g

Good afternoon.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i don't know specifically about nonprofits, but if you are not absolutely stuck on in-home service, an adult daycare center may be the place for you. i know an opening, too! it's a couple states over, though. g

Is it safe to assume that all Americans by now have read or at least heard about the piece in the ...

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

he can only sue them if it's not true. he cannot sue them for invasion of privacy because he is a public figure. but to prove it's not true he would have to unveil his junk. did they go too far, regardless of legal status? i don't know. is anyone actually forced to read the guardian? g

People who have slept lesser than seven hours (in the past 24) have higher risks of car crashes

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i barely sleep, but i think i am no danger to anyone on the road because i do not drive. g

Frankly .

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

why does your list include no books written by women? mine, off the top of my head, haphazard and incomplete, includes authors of both genders the war against the jews -- lucy dawidowicz every single book ever written by barbara tuchman, in no particular order -- just pick one up and when you're done reading it, read the next one the seed and the sower -- laurens van der post how to suppress women's writing -- joanna russ the naked ape -- desmond morris surely you're joking, mr. feynman --richard feynman harpo speaks -- harpo marx (it's history. read it as history.) i wish i could remember the title of the fabulous biography of lbj i read a few years ago. i read a couple of them and i don't remember the titles, but this one was a loooooong book, and just wonderful. it won't hurt you to read a couple too, but try to find a nice looooong one. it was a single book, not parts 1 and 2 or anything like that. that's the best i can do right now. the jungle -- upton sinclair the city -- lewis mumford medieval cities -- henri pirenne the periodic table -- primo levi g

Study: people tend to cluster into four distinct personality “types” | Ars Technica

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

sorry, but there are so many of these, and they are popular because people like to BELONG to something... and the powers that be find it useful for people to feel as if they belong to something, too. if you know your demographics you can sell whatever you're selling more easily, be it a product or a policy (or even a religion). i don't buy it. g

Here at work.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

no, there really couldn't. g

Go away.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

you mean you answer your door? i don't! g

Other people are having way, way less sex than you think they are

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

how does anyone know how much sex i think other people are having? i don't actually think about, or care, how much sex other people are having. this is like those stupid articles that always say "10 things you didn't know about [whatever]" they don't know what i do and don't know! g

Something I can't quite wrap my head around.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

it is because of a deliberate campaign to convince the public that nobody can be trusted but trump and no news outlet can be trusted but fox or sinclair. this, and alec jones and his like spreading lies and ridiculous conspiracy theories, has increased the number of people who believe this kind of crap. it's called brainwashing. g

Is it just me or has Google Chrome suddenly changed?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

my chrome has not changed. can you say in what way it has changed? i don't know what edge looks like so i can't compare. g

"You cannot be a doctor if you believe in superstitions," said by my Catholic professor.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

if he is your professor, it IS your place to debate. g

Art is the medicine of mind.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

that is one of its functions. it bears at least one similarity to medicine, in that the same one doesn't work for all ailments or all people. g

"Philosophy is the art of being unhappy, intelligently." Discuss.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

got even the remotest explanation why that could possibly be true? i don't buy it, myself. g

I love human evolution! even today it still blows my mind?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i would like cavemen better if they were not currently dominating our government. g

Hillary on Rachel tonight.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i thought i'd be out last night but wasn't feeling well and stayed home, and so i taped the show AND watched it in real time. hillary is so... normal, you know? she's intelligent and thoughtful and well-spoken and REAL. republicans just HATE that. g

About religion

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

sorry, but what do you mean by jesus christ? are you referring to the possibly fictional jesus (not his real name in any case) as a christ, which is only believed within christianity? no one here believes that, so averring that here would be somewhat offensive, or at least baffling. or do you mean the epithet "oh jesus christ!" (as in when you bang your thumb with the hammer, or hear trump speak)? in that case, it is not offensive to anyone here, but to a christian it might be, since there is a thing about "taking the lord's name in vain" (which presumes there is a lord and that this lord has a name and that the name is jesus and that the title is christ). if you mean something other than those two things, then i can't guess and cannot answer until that issue is clarified. g

I'm not sure I chose the correct group.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i don't tell others how to believe, but i am not shy about telling others what i do or do not believe. i have no more proof there are no gods than anyone else does, but i have no less proof regarding the tooth fairy, unicorns or the monsters under the bed. that means i am pretty damned sure there are no gods, and i don't occasionally wonder if there really are any more than i do about the other things i've mentioned (except the tooth fairy, who owes me money). i don't see agnostics as people who question the existence of gods (those are doubters, not agnostics); i see them as atheists like me, who unlike me occasionally "admit" (sometimes only if pressed) that gods are possible, but who, like me, probably don't worry about it. my view could be incorrect, and since it's a generalization, some agnostics may fit it and others not, but i don't worry much about labels (except when people try to relabel their particular god to make him/her/it seem less supernatural, i.e. god is love, god is nature, god is all around us, god is a tree, "higher power," etc. -- no offense to those who consider themselves spiritual, but i consider y'all religious). g

Religious ppl have a thousand poor reason to believe in God ; but together they don't add up to a ...

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

well, the onus is on the believer, when proselytizing (which i wish s/he would not do) to provide the good reason, not on the unbeliever to disprove anything. g

Regarding the Hidden God Problem.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

of course this presumes not only the existence of a god, but the existence of a god who gives a shit. i cannot speak for the latter without first accepting the former, which i do not do. g

Christianity Debunked Using Science and History - Carrier [youtu.be]

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

christianity can be debunked with two words: TALKING SNAKE! g

Terran/world government

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

it's bad enough that it's difficult to get accurate representation in a country as big as the united states. with a global government, it would be virtually impossible. the rich would run things and the poor would be left behind, just like now but on a massive scale. g

Calling people?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i think it's happened but not often. if i don't feel like talking i usually have email as an option. i do not text, as someone here mentioned as yet another option. i just don't. g

Honest discussion wanted

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

objectification is how we dehumanize people to the extent that we go beyond simple ogling into such things as slavery it isn't just an attitude about what is or isn't beauty. it isn't even a matter of appreciating someone's physicality, which can be okay or can be objectifying -- we do tend to allow objectification to creep in. our focus on the prurient is both a symptom AND part of the underlying cause, but it is neither all by itself, and it is neither all of the time. g

Question of the day: Who is more annoying?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

in my experience, admittedly both limited and foreign (i have only ever been bothered in japan, where i lived for 10 years), mormons. they were not just rude by virtue of their presence on my doorstep; they were actually rude by virtual of calling me names for not opening the door. i had to call and report them to their superiors. they were annoying approaching folks (including me) at the local kinko's too. g

How are star signs a thing?!

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

the same way god is a thing. neither is real, but there is astrology to tell you all about that unreal thing, and there is religion to tell you all about the other unreal thing. g

I don't believe the worst of male misogynistic behavior will be much changed by anticipating a ...

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

some of the problem is the repression you mention, but a good deal of it is their perpetual inundation with the idea that women are things, prizes to be won, or stolen, not people. even a good pair of parents can't counter that completely. women in power can. g

Kids are the best! They only know hate when they are taught to hate...

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPf6ITsjsgk you've got to be carefully taught! g

I would like to share a question some of my friends from the believer’s communities commonly ask.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i think it is naive of the religionists to ask this. they may as well ask how can we be good people if we don't believe in a god. (oh wait -- they DO also ask that!) your ideas are good. you also don't need holidays or scheduled meet-ups to have a social life. atheists work and meet people at work, have hobbies, take vacations, sometimes go to bars or parties or whatever and meet people. atheists have neighbors! why would it be hard to have a social life? are ALL religionists reliant on their churches for their social lives? how restricted and sad! g

Is it possible to keep your child away from the idea of religion?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

how is she going to make up her own mind if she hasn't got all the information she needs? she needs to know religion exists. you can explain that it's not realistic, and that while belief doesn't make that side of the family stupid or bad, it is still (fill in adjective of your choice). it's better than letting her find out as an adult, find it alien and fascinating, and run off to join a cult! g

Taken from FB.

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

this isn't facebook. imagine if everyone copied and pasted the same thing! it's bad enough ON facebook. oh, and i didn't laugh, but that's not the point at all. if you're going to copy something from facebook, can't you take off the "copy and paste" part? g

Is god really a joke

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

no. god is a fictional character but he's generally not very funny. g

There's a theory going around that "men are born rapists", may sound a harsh but the reasoning is ...

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

this makes no sense at all. rape isn't about sex and most men don't rape. if men were born rapists, wouldn't most of them rape? g

When have you ever been dead?

genessa comments on Sep 19, 2018:

i have never be dead, i expect i will be, by and by. i shall then be unable to answer this question. g

Ohhh Ken Ham - Atheist are bullying us. [friendlyatheist.patheos.com]

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

ken ham. his assertions are not kosher. g

When will they ever learn...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

no they're going to fight all the way down to the sea bed to get us to believe we're still sailing to a wonderful destination. g

Get a load of this one that's going around on FaceBook.

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

people like that think that if you say you don't believe what they believe, that is the same as mockery. that alone makes them worthy recipients of my mockery, though i do not indulge in that to their faces unless they make themselves obnoxious. i don't care of people believe in their imaginary friends. i care whether they push them on me, diss me for not sharing their delusions, stop me from running for office, put their crap in my schools and courthouses and mock ME for being an atheist. besides, the whole copy and paste thing is ridiculous. g

Does the idea of heaven that you have heard discribed appeal to you?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

i would not want to live anywhere where i could not control the menu and the music. it sounds inconvenient for folks who have had more than one successful love relationship. how will everyone get along? feh. i am glad there is no heaven. g

I know that the GOP is in an epic hurry to get Kavanaugh approved soon so that they can have another...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

that makes them a scam, because they are trying to sell something they don't own. g

Just another day doing job searches and self improvement. What have you been up to?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

had a bad night, woke up only to pee and otherwise slept all morning, felt that i dreamt but remembered nothing of it, which is odd for me,finally decided to get up and stay up at after my fiancé inadvertently awoke me about 2:30 this afternoon and was immediately hit by a horrendous thigh cramp. began making dinner so that we could finish eating in time for him to go (without me) to shul for erev yom kippur (i was going to go but i have reason to want to make sure i am able to go out tomorrow, and if i knocked myself out tonight, that might be jeopardized). yes, i am an atheist, but i like erev yom kippur, and tomorrow after a medical procedure i intend to meet up with my guy at shul for services and then break-the-fast. neither of us is actually fasting, for health reasons. he is not an atheist and he is a bit disgruntled not to be able to fast, but i insisted. he must eat. so i made a lovely matzaball soup, with chicken, and the matzaballs came out big and fluffy. i read him an article about jews in the wild west, and we got to talking about a bunch of stuff, and then because i was telling him about agnostic.com, i asked him what kind of god he believed in. he got MAD! he was furious. he couldn't tell me a thing. he said my question was insane. i wasn't trying to hurt him or make him stop believing as he does; i just wanted to know. i've known him for 18 years and i don't know what this god is that he believes in. he left the room but didn't stay mad long. the cab came and picked him up, and off he went, looking very nice in his good clothes. and here i am, having listened to hillary clinton interviewed by rachel maddow and now listening to lawrence o'donnell. tomorrow i'll wake up very early, take my meds, go back to sleep, then wake up in time for lunch, after which i have my independent living specialist coming over to take me wherever i need to go and help me with any paperwork i need to do, some of which can't be done if my guy isn't home, since it involves him. he may be at services. he's not terribly religious, despite his anger at my question, but tomorrow is the holiest day on the jewish calendar. even jews who never otherwise go to shul sure do go on that day. i don't feel compelled, but i actually enjoy it. after we take care of business, my ils worker will drive me to the hospital, where i will have an endometrial biopsy. that will be extremely painful and i am scared, as well as being scared of the result, as cancer is suspected and this test is to find it (or find it's not there). it's odd to dress up nicely for such a procedure but afterwards a cab will take me to shul, where i will meet up with my guy, listen to the end of services, and stuff my face with kugel and lox. i like that part! the music is...

I'm an absolutely horrid boyfriend: couldn't find anywhere convenient to get souvenirs in London, so...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

the problem with things labeled souvenirs is that they're not souvenirs. in french, whence the word comes, souvenir means "to remember." who wants to remember a trip by what someone stocking an airport gift shop, or even a street gift shop, thinks you should remember? blow up a picture you took, have it framed and give it to your girlfriend, so she can see one thing you REMEMBER about your trip. when my father visited me in japan, where i lived for a decade, he found a kit kat bar with japanese writing on the wrapper and was so delighted that he made an overseas call just to tell my mother what he had found. he brought it home. many years later, after he had died, and when my mother had JUST died, i found that kit-kat in the refrigerator. it was a REMEMBRANCE. g

And who said you can’t train cats

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

my cats have me WELL trained! g

It could be that you think that all fast food is disgusting, and that's ok, but if you don't or get ...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

being american i cannot say anything about yo sushi except that i am guessing it involves sushi, which is better than the other garbage, despite the rice. g

I'm really thinking about fading away from this site.. Please talk me into staying.

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

sorry, but i don't know you, so i cannot say whether your staying or your leaving would suit you better. i like the site, myself, but if it does not serve you, why stay? on the other hand, maybe before leaving, you'd like to examine what you expect of the site. it has a lot of different concerns; if you can't find one of them to interest you, then you have no reason to stay. if you can, why not stay? no one forces you to spend a certain amount of time here, or check here with a specific frequency. it's all up to you. what suits you best? g

How good are you at striking up conversation with a stranger?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

i am fabulous at striking up conversations with strangers. i do it whenever possible. my guy is shy and is just amazed how i used to talk to people on buses (i don't ride public buses anymore) or how, at a social gathering, i just start talking to just anyone. i don't make more than than the usual assumptions (like that the other party is alive, if i see breathing and eye movement) or prejudices (i would probably not strike up a conversation with someone wearing a swastika armband). g

Perfect Storms: GOD'S WRATH | Full Documentary OR WHY I am an Atheist [youtu.be]

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

i do not have 45 minutes to spend watching this at the moment so i will ask a question: is this one those premises along the lines of "god's nasty and doesn't care so i'm an atheist"? i am an atheist but i don't think people who have this reason are necessarily atheists. if they're mad at god they think there's someone to be mad at, right? that's what people always THINK an atheist is: someone who's mad at god. they seem unable to grasp that you can't be mad at something that doesn't exist, unless you're somehow mad at it FOR not existing. if that is not what this is about, please tell me. i am guessing based on the title. given my current inability to watch the video that is all i can do. quite frankly, i don't give away my chunks of 45 or so minutes all that easily so without guessing, i would still be asking instead of watching unless the topic interested me terribly to begin with. g

Poets created love to sell their poems.

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

poets did not create love, nor did they at first manage to sell their poems. there is marriage in the bible, and even though the bible is a work of fiction, it does reflect its times, so marriage definitely existed, and i doubt kings of biblical times issued marriage licenses. later, marriage was a matter not of love but of combining assets. i do not know when licenses were "created." i know that for a couple of centuries there was such a thing as marriage banns, and they were created not by the government but by the catholic church. prose writers created the romance genre, but did not by any mean create romance itself. ships are nice. the rest of the premise is pretty much bunk. g

I realize that this is out of tune with this page but I need a little assistance.

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

it appears to be a desoto. g

My best friend from HS invited me to his grandson’s bris.

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/the-case-for-circumcision-20150429/what-the-decision-comes-down-to/ you may still maintain your opinion that circumcision is not a good thing, but to state categorically that there is "no good medical reason" is incorrect. you may weigh the importance against the lack thereof of the medical reasons that exist, but you cannot correctly say they do not exist. g

Do you think that living in a foreign country for a long period of time changes people?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

i lived in japan for a decade. i think every experience changes someone somehow, and i did not have a dramatic change such as believer to atheist (i was already an atheist) or conservative (there is no such thing anymore; ther are only regressives) to liberal (i was born a liberal). it did help me get over my painful shyness, though. g

Would anyone like to record an audiobook for others to hear?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

i do not mind volunteering here and there but i also like to be paid for my professional work. i have done some acting. but i will think about it nonetheless, after seeing what it entails. since i am disabled (not my voice lol) my energies are limited. g

Is there some common point of exhaustion when it seems that you are NEVER going to get to the next ...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

nope. the thing is, everyone looks at their level and wonders when the next tenth of a level will pop into view, but not everyone lives for it. i like reading the posts, responding, making my own posts, getting responses, having discussions. the points are cool but i am not going to knock myself out over them. g

Why make snap judgements on others

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

we HAVE to judge. if we never judge anything or anyone, based on our past experience or other learning, every step we take will be tentative, finding out anew each time whether the floor will support us. the trick is not to refrain from judging. the trick is keeping an open enough mind to let new information in even if it conflicts with the initial judgment. g

I have a thought about intelligence and being smart.

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

good definition of smart. the definition of intelligence, not so much. g

How did you find this site?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

an atheist friend posted the link on facebook. i don't click most of the links people post on facebook but this caught my interest. g

This Husband's Pumpkin-Themed Dudeoir Shoot for His Wife Will Certainly Put the Spice in Your Latte ...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

not my type. g

Seeing a lot of defensive comments from men on Kavanaugh's supposed behavior, from apologies, to ...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

attempted rape is never normal. g

The Atheist movement has changed since the days of Christopher Hitchens (hallowed be his name).

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

i am not part of an atheist movement. i want a world (good luck to me!) where people are logical (that eliminates religion to a large extent, though people CAN compartmentalize; the trouble is, fewer and fewer people do) and kind. i prefer something like the freedom from religion foundation, which concentrates not on turning other people into atheists, but on making sure we have equal right, to a crusade to eliminate religion. maybe some day all religion will be seen as an historical phenomenon about which much literature exists not to convert or convince but to examine, socially, and to entertain, much as greek mythology serves us now. g

Who is your favorite intellectual?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

me. past and present? obama, tyson, maddow, lawrence, sagan, feynman, asimov, ellison, bradbury, freeling, van der post, hypatia there are more. those will do for now. g

Who is next?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

oddly, i did not feel close to him despite admiring him immensely. i felt a lot closer to sagan and feynman. are you asking who will die next or who will figuratively step into his shoes? to both questions i answer: no one can know. but i think the latter will be someone of whom we have not yet heard. and she will be great! g

Where are you when you feel most alive and full of wonder?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

by far my most alive and engaged day was the one i spent editing my final film project for college. full of wonder? still waiting for that. g

Aliens: Are we alone?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

arms and legs are not necessary for intelligence. porpoises are intelligent! if there is intelligent life elsewhere (i am not sure it's here!) it is sufficiently far off that we are still alone. i am not sure we are intelligent enough to recognize it if we find it. g

I should run for political office just to see what kind of dirt they dig up on me.

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

i acquired my fbi report under the freedom of information act. the most interesting part, aside from the assertion that i obviously didn't smoke marijuana (yes i did) but "she reads books but is friendly." that was a rather telling "but." g

What right does the atty general have to take on a job of increasing christian values within our ...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

the same right hitler had to conquer europe and engage in genocide. none. g

What are some of the biggest lies ever told in history?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

columbus discovered america. america is a christian nation. jews own everything/killed jesus/drink christian babies' blood. there is a god. some people are subhuman. the civil war wasn't about slavery. women who speak up for themselves are witches/whores/liars. women are the weaker sex. "i forget." g

What is “worse” to you – being lied to spare your feelings, or being told the truth when the ...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

being lied to is the VERY worst. g

Have you ever been devastated by a lie?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

yes. i'd prefer not to go into detail, but yes. it's the hardest thing to get over. g

Just curious if it happens only to me or others as well?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

nope. i have moments of despair, moments of depression, well, clinical depression actually and that means more than moments, but i have moments too.... but i do not get spiritual. i just don't. and i never stop caring. glad you do bounce back. g

Since I have Mondays and Tuesdays off, I usually go to my mom's for dinner on Mondays and help them ...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

what you are missing is fox news, and you are doing the right thing, missing that. it lies. it lies consistently. your dad is brainwashed. it's not necessarily his fault. the message is powerful and repetitive. can you show him some of thomas jefferson's letters in which he states that muslims are our friends, and that the usa is not founded on any religion? you can show him jefferon's bible, which was LITERALLY cut and pasted because he wanted to know what it looked like without what he called the "supernatural" parts. you could introduce him to a muslim.... g

Have you ever been in a relationship where the other person did not know the cultural "givens" ?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

well, i spent a decade in japan. i was once asked there "you're jewish? what kind of christian is that?" i had, for a time, a japanese boyfriend, and he introduced me to the sad, sad culture of the male japanese worker, who will not get that promotion unless he drinks and whores with the boss. fortunately my boyfriend was self-employed. g

Never forget to ask yourself this question: Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

sorry, why should i not forget to ask myself that? i generally know the answer. by the way, i am sitting down. if YOU want to know why i am right here right now (i already know) it's because it's too late to go to bed and get up in time for breakfast, and i need to get up within a certain time range for breakfast so i can take my medications (for diabetes). in 45 minutes that range begins, so i am waiting for breakfast time. why here instead of somewhere else? because my computer is here. g

At what point did you realize you weren't compatible with the ideals of your contemporaries?

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

my contemporaries? i didn't know the ideals, if any, of my contemporaries. i was pretty much a loner, not always by choice. i realize there were no gods at age 15, but it wasn't a traumatic experiences. it didn't make me any lonelier, or make me stand out in any new way. i was not raised in a religious family and i did not live in what appeared to me to be much of a religious community. i got pennies thrown at me for being jewish. no one knew i was an atheist; i wasn't close enough to anyone but a couple people to mention it, and it didn't alienate me from them at all. g

I am starting to feel about the cat meme posts the same as I do about people trying to push their ...

genessa comments on Sep 18, 2018:

i haven't seen many here. for what it's worth, i like some and don't like others, based on their truth and cleverness rather than that they're about cats. i have a high cat tolerance, i have to admit. your suspicion is correct, by the way: one cannot own a cat. g