"(University of the Witwatersrand) The earliest evidence of a drawing made by humans has been found ...

Sofabeast comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Aside from light hearted comments, the human self is amazing. This find not only demonstrates our collective history is earlier than we knew, but adds an indication of cultural development too. It indicates thought and planning through production of pigments, and concept of pleasing designs.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

"Aside from light hearted comments, the human self is amazing." Or, because of light hearted comments?

Capitalism works on much the same principle as evolution.

273kelvin comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Could the reverse also be said? Atheists who know that natural selection has produced the rich diversity of flora and fauna on our planet, still crave the top down thinking of socialism?

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@JeffB True, the Framers didn't really need to have it written in the Constitution that white male property owners are the only ones allowed to vote, since voting rights were controlled at the State level. And it is in the Statehouses where the conversations throughout history on who should, and should not, vote get even more dramatic.

"(University of the Witwatersrand) The earliest evidence of a drawing made by humans has been found ...

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 13, 2018:

These scratches don't work for me as art, but then I'm just not into abstraction. ;-)

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@Avicenna "Neo-primitive?"

Iceland Raises Age Of Religious Consent To 21 | Andrew Hall

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 14, 2018:

Watch out for Andrew Hall ... his work is seriously "Onionesque!"

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@Lukian Missed that, but knew it (the article) would be a toungue-in-cheek tale, when I saw the byline.

I've got to think it would be difficult for someone who has given their whole life to a belief in a ...

birdingnut comments on Sep 14, 2018:

Yup..except in MY case, I felt a great sense of relief that I wasn't obliged to accept that blood-thirsty, lying, treacherous, misogynistic Hebrew god anymore as being real. The Bible is just poor copy of the Sumerian texts, written 2000 years before the Bible was written, and the blood-thirsty ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@birdingnut "My own mind is my own church." Thomas Paine

Dream interpretation...

mordant comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Jungian dream dictionaries seem like a fairly decent codification of dream imagery and symbolism. They have some value to some people sometimes because the subconscious deals in symbols and metaphors, and one can gain insight into what one is processing mentally and emotionally, particularly if ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@mordant Mechanistic paradigm is a euphemism for scientific rigor.

Dalai Lama says all religions are the same.

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 14, 2018:

Until seeing the recent video evidence of men dressed similarly to the Dalai Lama committing acts of violence and persecution against an ethnic / religious minority, I had thought Buddhism to be incapable of such intolerance. But seeing the hardline monks of Myanmar as they conducted ethnic ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@powder Naturally, there is always an historical element—a score to settle, so to speak, that may extend centuries, or even millenia. With our relatively brief 240 year history, American citizens have almost no concept of multigenerational grudges. We saw this in the break up of Yugoslavia in the 90's, and learned that many disputes dated back to the pre-Renaissance! We even have a word for those who distrustfully remain separate: Balkanization, and Burma appears not unlike the case in the former Yugoslavia. Sadly, the more positive example of Switzerland—with its cantons of German, French, Italian and Romansh speaking citizens all agreeing to unite under one flag—has rarely been repeated. Still, the hallmark of a great nation is how it treats its weakest—its minorities. Burma (or Myanmar) as guided by its once imprisoned head of state, is not a great nation. One wonders if the remaining Native Americans were to somehow be given the power to ‘settle the score’ with the United States, what would they wish to do?

I've got to think it would be difficult for someone who has given their whole life to a belief in a ...

birdingnut comments on Sep 14, 2018:

Yup..except in MY case, I felt a great sense of relief that I wasn't obliged to accept that blood-thirsty, lying, treacherous, misogynistic Hebrew god anymore as being real. The Bible is just poor copy of the Sumerian texts, written 2000 years before the Bible was written, and the blood-thirsty ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

I have to admit that I admire the way you describe the God of the Old Testament! It was a rereading of the OT in my late 40's that created a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. My conscience was troubled, and I began to hear a 'still small voice' of reason, saying "this can't be true about God." And in defense of the God I had thought existed, I denied all the lies, misattributions and atrocities that the Bible said he condoned, ordered or committed. But it becomes very difficult to defend a conspirator in absentia, especially without contravening evidence. Eventually I came to the realization that this God I’d defended was no better—no more intelligent, no more moral, no more literate, no more educated, no more refined—in other words, no more advanced than the people who wrote about him. Of what use then, is such a god?

How did you become an Atheist/Agnostic.etc?

Vicarious comments on Sep 12, 2018:

My interpretation of what "God" is evolved over time, initially. My first shift away from Christianity was acknowledging that I believed God was more of an essence than a being, or that God was simply "all that is". I maintained this view for awhile until I asked myself, "well, then, why call it ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

I had a similar path to yours. Peace.

Dalai Lama says all religions are the same.

Nardi comments on Sep 13, 2018:

what an apologist. If only he added that different philosophies lead to oppression, slavery, rape and genocide. Very godly!

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

Including attrocities committed by Buddhist monks against the Rohingya!

Dalai Lama says all religions are the same.

AntaresRose comments on Sep 13, 2018:

I have heard ALL paths lead to GOD.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

Wasn't the saying, 'all roads lead to Rome?' ;-)

My friends and I use the terminology of "baby atheists" for atheists who have recently abandoned ...

Matias comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Babies may be stressful, but they are also cuddly and cute. The worst are the "adolescent atheists": full of energy, rebelling against the established order, but often enough without having a deeper understanding of what they are up against.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

That's me, Matias--been a nonbeliever for nearly 10 years... perhaps I'm more of a prepubescent rebel? What I'm up against is a system that guilted me into submission and self-doubt for most of my life--I know and understand it all too well.

My friends and I use the terminology of "baby atheists" for atheists who have recently abandoned ...

JohnnyMarsz comments on Sep 13, 2018:

I call them **Born-Again-Atheists**. ;-) I was one, once. I went through a pretty aggressive **anti-theist** stage alongside it. That feeling of *"Hey, I'm right and everyone else is wrong, and they need to hear about it"* eventually faded away and now I'm a pretty chill **coexister** (that ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

I have used that term, myself. Some find it amusing, others are not so amused.

Anyone else loves and appreciates cats?

birdingnut comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Beautiful cat! I'm against owning cats because of they are an invasive species that kills millions of birds and baby animals each year, making native species go extinct all over the planet and spreading dangerous diseases in humans and wildlife, but since you apparently don't care, and cats ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 14, 2018:

Our cat is an indoor-only cat ... the only thing he's ever killed in his 16 years are spiders, moths and crickets that wandered into the house. ;-)

This is exactly why I can’t deal with most Christians!!! Someone posted this on Facebook and had ...

Heraclitus comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Don't feed the trolls and don't let the turkeys get you down.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Troll food?

This is exactly why I can’t deal with most Christians!!! Someone posted this on Facebook and had ...

IamNobody comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Just to be fair with the scenery depicted in that picture... A lot of Jesus live in El Paso/Juarez area. I mean, a lot ?

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Been to El Paso many times--I drove for a week one day through West Texas just to get to San Antonio. The radio dial is pretty much country western, Spanish, rock or ... Jesus Christ! ;-)

The source attribution effect, or : Tribal thinking trumps reason

godef comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Twibal twinking twumps tweason. He really is an idiot.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Matias Wealwy? You're such a silwy wabbit!

Homeopathy

Cast1es comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Sometimes what the medical groups sell us doesn't work either . Sometimes , it even makes things worse . Sometimes , using things that have been used for thousands of years , actually have a positive effect . When I was young and pregnant for the first time , my doctor recommended a drug for ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Cast1es What works may sometimes be a placebo--what we believe to be effective, not what has been clinically proven. Kind of like religion, don't you think?

Can a person believe in evolution and the Bible at the same time?

genessa comments on Sep 13, 2018:

yes. one would be a fool to do so, but one can say "the world was created in seven days; how long was a day back then? maybe a day was a billion years...." it sounds ridiculous of course, and that's because it IS ridiculous. but it's possible. i don't mean possible that creationism is true; ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

"evolution chugs along whether or not there is even anyone around to believe it's doing so. it's not a belief system! it is a natural process." I may steal that quote! "...how long was a day back then? maybe a day was a billion years." As an astronomer (amateur, not professional), I can attest that the solar 'day' (revolution of our planet) has changed very little, over the billions of years the Earth has existed. A day is only about an hour longer than it was 4 billion years ago. In any case, from a literalist's point of view (what the hell, that's what I was raised as), the Bible clearly indicates the daily cycle in its story of the Creation Week, 'and the morning and the evening were the first day,' etc.

Can a person believe in evolution and the Bible at the same time?

Green_eyes comments on Sep 13, 2018:

My crazy over the top religious ex claims to. They say the buybull is not to be taken literally. It is inspired by god. To me it’s a cop out to further thier agenda to keep an educated flock from from saying” wtf?, this makes no sense”

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

And we should ask him, what does he think 'inspiration' means? Is it dictation? Is it physcially guiding the hand as it writes? Is it dreams? Is it vague notions of what ought to be? What does inspiration look like? Does one hear a 'voice' or have a 'vision?' How can one know when he/she is inspired, and how can he/she discern divine inspiration from a 'really good idea?' And how can a second party accurately and faithfully interpret the writings or speech of one who is 'inspired' unless they too are 'inspired?' This entire inspiration thing falls apart immediately. God, if he wanted to, could speak to each one of us directly--he doesn't need mouthpieces called prophets and preachers! And he most certainly wouldn't rely upon a book written during the Bronze Age!

Can a person believe in evolution and the Bible at the same time?

Deb57 comments on Sep 13, 2018:

If you understand that the fact of evolution is true then you must also understand that the story of original sin is fiction. That eliminates the reason for the crucifixion/resurrection story or any need for spiritual salvation.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Kinda wish I'd read your post beore I wrote mine ... mercifully succint and spot on! Peace.

Can a person believe in evolution and the Bible at the same time?

HeatherRobson comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Most religious people who have talked to who also believe in evolution simply attribute Evolution to God. They think it's a process that he created for the creatures of this world. Sort of a middle management thing I think.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

The question naturally arises, how 'inolved' was he? Did he set up his experiment, and let it run, or did he tinker (interfere)?

Can a person believe in evolution and the Bible at the same time?

Quazi comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Yes it is callee theistic evolution. Francis Collins is a great example. Worked on the human genome project but is also a Catholic. Happens to be a good writer although I don't agree with him

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

I have many questions for Francis Collins, who I find as the poster child for intellectual compartmentalism.

In the Abrahamic religions Saturday is the Sabbath. Did they forget?

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Seventh-day Adventists and Seventh Day Baptists most certainly 'remember the Sabbath day.' Note that the Italian word for Saturday is 'Sabato,' which is based on the Latin. It's easy to forget that the 4th commandment was quite explicit: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@DavidLaDeau I have heard this argument many times, and trust me, I too am merely playing along at this point. It's like arguing over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin! Is the calendar from God, or from man? Clearly the Almighty is outside of time and doesn't need a calendar, all three of which (time, the calendar and God) are manmade constructs. Since Judaism appropriated the Babylonian seven-day week, hanging their creation story on top of it, this faith has, for millennia, kept calendars, and it is the Jews’ understanding of which day is the Sabbath that sets the precedent, at least in the West. Emperor Constantine is generally credited with changing the official day of worship for the early Christian church from Saturday to Sunday. In an interesting side note, a controversy amongst the Seventh-day Adventist inhabitants of Tonga and Samoa continues to this day, as the islands straddle the International Dateline which was altered, not long ago. Some refused to adopt the change, and now go to church on Sunday!

Can science and religion be reconciled?

Dhiltong comments on Sep 9, 2018:

No. Pure science is based on provable facts. Religion is based on belief. You can’t have it both ways.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Livia Thank you for clarifying. Having had no exposure to ‘cafeteria Christians’ I’m wondering what’s the point of calling oneself a Christian. I mean, if you’re going to say that the Bible’s essentially a bunch of myths, and call miracles into question, then you’re likely to reject the concept of Adam’s original sin, for which the Plan of Salvation was meant to correct. And you might also reject that a deity would ever impregnate a teenage girl in order to produce a hybrid man-god, who would later be executed and come back from the dead, which is, of course, the heart of Christian doctrine. So, why even go through the motions of paying a pew tax and showing up to church once in a while, if you suspect the vicar himself is a hypocrite since he probably doesn’t buy into it either, and you honeslty think the whole thing is a load of BS?

Capitalism works on much the same principle as evolution.

273kelvin comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Could the reverse also be said? Atheists who know that natural selection has produced the rich diversity of flora and fauna on our planet, still crave the top down thinking of socialism?

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Matias I am forced to agree. Top down may in fact be more natural than other forms, from an evolutionary point of view. We no doubt had our alphas leading us against all threats, there on the African plains. Later, as we organized, the concept of a divine right of royalty was promoted by religion, as both the altar and the throne were purely hierarchical. As Robert Ingersoll eloquently observed, 'In all ages hypocrites, called priests, have put crowns on the heads of thieves, called kings.' So even in a democracy, it seemed only natural to elect a leader. And when organizations and businesses are formed, a chief executive is now second nature. But we also can be the engineers of our own future natural states, can you see this? Perhaps in the future it will seem very 'unnatural' to have a hierarchical org chart? And this is not unnatural interference, unless we accept the premise that it is unnatural for human beings to utilize their brains and ingenuity.

Capitalism works on much the same principle as evolution.

Pedrohbds comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Ideal capitalism and free market would work by evolutionary methods BUT, incentives, import taxes, subsides, use of violence and other "non free market" mechanisms take it out of the "natural" path and create distortions.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Pedrohbds As a systems engineer by trade, I find the implication that it is somehow 'unnatural' for human beings to use their brains and ingenuity, whether it be to build a better mousetrap, or create a more equitable (or imbalanced, if that is what is wished) economic system. We have evolved to a point where, in the words of my avatar, "We have it in our power to begin the world over again." It is within our capacity to reengineer our economies, societies and polities. But as we all know from basic physics, potential energy is merely that, and so long as we remain ignorant and uneducated, the world will continue to possess unreleased human capacity, with its minority of 'haves' and majority of 'have nots.'

Capitalism works on much the same principle as evolution.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 12, 2018:

If ALL Christians denied evolution and also worshipped capitalism it would be extremely odd indeed. However I know a lot of Christians who have no problem with evolution, and I know a lot of Christians who lean toward socialism. For various reasons agricultural regions tend to be conservative in...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@WilliamFleming Feels good to be away from all of that, doesn't it? Peace.

Raised Atheist or left a religion?

texasgoddess comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Raised a cultural Jew by a mum who was booted out of her Orthodox family for marrying her goy boy. No love lost on her part, hence secular little me! My sons are the same - raised with a lean towards Jewish cultural identity, but none of the other rubbish.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Goy boy ... that's awesome! My mother (a shiksa) was married to an atheist Jew from Brooklyn. They got along great—had a good run of 20 years before he passed away from cancer—and I learned a lot about Jewish culture from my step-father. In addition, my wife and I have some good friends who have a 'mixed marriage' (she's Lutheran and he's Jewish). They hilariously refer to their adult kids, who were ‘multiculturally' raised, as LuJews—pronounced, 'Loo-Jews.' Too funny!

"(University of the Witwatersrand) The earliest evidence of a drawing made by humans has been found ...

Avicenna comments on Sep 13, 2018:

...I heard that an ossified pie like artefact has been uncovered in shale in south west England. It appears that an elementary pastry like sheath/bag had been formed around shavings of lightly charred meat from some animal. Analysis of the pastry shows that the pastry was made from roughly milled ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

I love Cornish pasties! I used to live in Grass Valley, California, an old gold mining town which was settled by a significant number of immigrants from Cornwall who worked in the mines. We had an annual celebration of Cornish Christmas, sang traditional Cornish carols, and ate pasties, accompanied by our not-so-Cornish ales! Cheers!

The source attribution effect, or : Tribal thinking trumps reason

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Source bias is as old as language and tribes—we are inclined to accept input from those we trust, and reject information from those we distrust, even when the details are essentially the same. And tribalism has worsened in recent years, as reflected in politics, the media and college campuses, for...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Matias Agreed!

"Reason divides and separates, belief and mysticism unite.

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 10, 2018:

I disagree. Reason gives us the Calculus. Can it be said that there are British, American, Indian, Arabian or Chinese mathematics? Is not Calculus the same, no matter the country in which it is studied? The beauty of science is that it proves--whether in Bangkok, Baghdad, Singapore, Dehli, Tokyo, ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Matias “Now you tacitly shift the argument…” I meant no deception. My comment was in response to the assertion that “reason only unites on a technical level,” a notion with which I clearly disagree. It is my belief that the two—reason and emotion—inform one another, are aware of one another, and are not silo’ed (isolated) in our brains, nor in practice. “It is an illusion to believe that reason can give us more than formal logical rules for deduction or inference.” Upon what do you base this assertion? Do you believe we have two distinct minds? Two unconnected thought processes, operating in parallel, neither aware of the other’s presence? BTW, my reference to Socratic questioning (or reasoning) was to the generic way it is used today. Namely, probing questions which cause the one being questioned to examine, and even reexamine, his/her thinking. Nothing more than that.

Was Rand correct

mordant comments on Sep 11, 2018:

This is just a variation of the fallacious "without god, nothing is forbidden" argument. Morality is based on empathy, and empathy is mediated by mirror neurons. The real question is, does religion automatically make a person more empathetic? And of course the answer is no. Some forms of religion...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Happyonearth You've hit upon one of the ironies found in many religious claims. The deity behaves a certain way, but when his creatures—who it is said were made in his image—behave similarly, they are sinful, unless of course their behavior was condoned, if not commanded, by the deity! @mordant’s point about the excuse to override empathy calls to mind the observation of Steven Weinberg: “Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.” BTW, I've found @mordant to be one of the more deft (as opposed to daft) members of this site. ;-)

Capitalism works on much the same principle as evolution.

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 12, 2018:

With the understanding that capitalism, as it is practiced in various countries, can look and behave very differently, what principles of capitalism do you associate with evolution?

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Flyingsaucesir I was going there, but wanted to be sure. My response would be that laissez faire capitalism, as found in Adam Smith’s writings, is headed toward extinction—we’re evolving. Just as we’ve altered plant and animal life through selective breeding and now genetic engineering, we’re continually reengineering our economic systems. And who’s to say that this is ‘not natural,’ as if applying our minds and ingenuity were somehow detached from our evolutionary development!

"Reason divides and separates, belief and mysticism unite.

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 10, 2018:

I disagree. Reason gives us the Calculus. Can it be said that there are British, American, Indian, Arabian or Chinese mathematics? Is not Calculus the same, no matter the country in which it is studied? The beauty of science is that it proves--whether in Bangkok, Baghdad, Singapore, Dehli, Tokyo, ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Matias I do not agree that reason appeals only to the technical level. I have seen reason guide our hearts, and assist in the development of our emotional intelligence. When, for example, we teach children why it is wrong to hurt other children, we ask them to consider what it would be like for them to be injured in this way. In other words, we appeal to their empathy, using analogy, reasoned discourse and Socratic questioning. They usually get it, and they grow. When the heart is informed by reason, it can consider options and arrive at solutions to the difficulties that divide us, more equitably and lasting than mere emotions alone, showing us a superior path toward building meaningful communities.

Capitalism works on much the same principle as evolution.

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 12, 2018:

If ALL Christians denied evolution and also worshipped capitalism it would be extremely odd indeed. However I know a lot of Christians who have no problem with evolution, and I know a lot of Christians who lean toward socialism. For various reasons agricultural regions tend to be conservative in...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 13, 2018:

"... I know a lot of Christians who have no problem with evolution" Having come out of a Christian faith that never accepted evolution, claming that it was from the Devil, I have found this phenomenon rather odd. Christians are taught that the reason for Christ and the Plan of Salvation was the sin of Adam, or first human—a permanent stain which was inherited by the entire race. But evolution teaches us that the transition from early hominids to Homo sapiens was a gradual process, millions of years in the making. When, during all of this time, could we say that Adam arrived, or the first sin was committed? If Christians admit that this story is allegorical, does not this admission impact the foundation of Christianity, as doctrinally espoused by St. Paul? And when was the first soul evolved? Did early hominids have undeveloped souls? Were early souls only partially successful, lasting for a little while, before they evolved into ‘eternal' souls? Did Lucy have a soul, and is it still wandering the African savannah, 3.2 million years later? Or is Lucy in heaven? If a Christian accepts evolution, then he/she must admit that there is no room for God to 'monkey around' (so to speak) with our ancestors, in order to 'splice in' a 'divine spark.' Because, unless you're talking about Bishop John Shelby Spong's version of Christianity—which I would imagine most Christians view as heresy—evolution directly conflicts with the traditional narrative.

The need for religion, not God came up today.

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 5, 2018:

Ah, yes, the utility argument—religion is useful, so it must remain. It serves a purpose for the masses, albeit inconsistently, and answers troubling questions, replacing them with even greater questions in the guise of the mysterious. But we haven’t always had religion. Organized religion arose...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@HeatherRobson Your points are made beautifully, and are well taken. Having extricated myself from an oppressive faith, I tend to focus on the negatives that religion imparted to me. I fully agree with your belief that a sense of community can be obtained without religion. Which is why I disagree with your point that those who rely on religion for resources might not obtain them in the absence of a religious community. People are, at their core, caring and would form their own religions of sorts to provide for the welfare of their community, had these things not already been invented—perhaps a better one than the ones we have today?

Homeopathy

Cast1es comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Sometimes what the medical groups sell us doesn't work either . Sometimes , it even makes things worse . Sometimes , using things that have been used for thousands of years , actually have a positive effect . When I was young and pregnant for the first time , my doctor recommended a drug for ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 12, 2018:

The Thalidomide case is tragic, to be sure. But it is as much a vindication of good science, as it is an indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, seeking to hurry a product to market. Frances Oldham Kelsey, reviewer at the FDA, heroically refused to approve the drug without further testing—this in spite of the fact that it was widely available in Europe, Canada and Australia. Her insistence on better science won her great acclaim. We truly need more scientists like her today!

Whatever.... EM gave us this: [youtube.com]

chilehead9 comments on Sep 8, 2018:

It's going to start getting real interesting when Blue Origin finally starts doing stuff, too. Because you know with egos like EM and JB have, they're going to just HAVE to one-up each other constantly.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 11, 2018:

Blue Origin, thus far, is only about going up and coming down. Its model was formed around 'space tourism.' If it wishes to compete with Space X, it will need to move well beyond its modest accomplishments, to date.

Whatever.... EM gave us this: [youtube.com]

MacTavish comments on Sep 8, 2018:

So he smokes weed, big deal. Look at what he has done *so* far, the man has vision.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 11, 2018:

However, no matter my level of agreement with your sentiment, any individual who is the custodian of billions of dollars of investment should, if well balanced, seek to maximize the confidence of his/her investors. The recent behavior of Elon Musk: publicly going after the Thai cave rescue, announcing that private equity was in line to buy out the Company, and then smoking pot with Joe Rogan—all this points to some serious psychological concerns. Smoking weed is not a problem, but doing so live on a YouTube stream is, at the vey least, questionable behavior for the CEO of a monstrously huge corporation. Then again, if he doubles down, and says “screw you” to the uptight Wall Street crowd, who knows? Maybe he’ll get more investors?

Can science and religion be reconciled?

balance_point comments on Sep 9, 2018:

Sorry, but "B" of the 3 pronged approach (personal point of view) is invalid. If some scientists say they "believe" in the triune god, they are speaking of their RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. They are not speaking as scientists. Unless they (or anyone else) can inform me of a single speck of evidence of god...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 11, 2018:

@Matias Just as 'nobody owns science' so too shoud be the mantra 'nobody owns religion.' After all, religion belongs to the people, not to any so-called authority or made-up deity! We determine our own religion, right? Religion is not set in concrete ... or is it? Within most, if not all, organized faith communities, we can find outliers. Non-doctrinal, non-heirarchical, non-judgemental groups. And here we may even stumble upon the concept of 'universal priesthood' or the 'priesthood of all believers.' But these ideas are far from mainstream. Religion is slow to yield to any apparent progress. However, if religion is to have any long-term significance, it cannot be authoritative, punitive or unalterable. Religion with either evolve, or die.

Can science and religion be reconciled?

Pedrohbds comments on Sep 10, 2018:

On the surface yes. There is no need for open warfare. But on the fundamentals there is no reconciliation. Religion is based on faith and believe of a supernatural entity/aspect of human being. Science is based on the hard facts. The scientific method needs to be the overlord for science to ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@WhistlingFox Jumping in here, and I defer to @Pedrohbds, but that is what science is about--the gaps in knowledge. Science is continuously expanding (broadening) and digging (deepening). Science is never satisified. Scientists in each new generation seem never to tire at looking at things afresh. But in the areas where the data is limited, and the extrapolations weak, scientists are, on the whole, quick to make this point. The bottom line is this: science and faith are incompatible.

This is why even if he were real, he would still suck.

Beowulfsfriend comments on Sep 10, 2018:

Any one with omnipotent power who would choose to have suffering on such mass scales is beyond prick and bastard status and unworthy of reverence.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

And I have come to the point of recognition that any one with omniscient power would actually see, and FEEL, the suffering. And if he/she/it were all-loving (omnibenevolent), he/she/it would prevent it! Thus, the entity described to us by religion as a deity is, as you've eloquently observed, a "bastard ... unworthy of reverence."

One of the key differences between man and other animals is other animals adapt to their environment...

Beowulfsfriend comments on Sep 10, 2018:

I would tend to agree with much of what you say. There are animals, social builders, that will adapt their environment to some degree: ants and termites come to mind.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

Beavers.

Can science and religion be reconciled?

creative51 comments on Sep 9, 2018:

Why should we give a damn if they can be reconciled?????????? Fuck religion!!!!!!!!!!

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@Antifred "Atheist helps widows and orphans then atheist us being religious no "God" worship required." WTF? Are you a bot? Are you wasted? Was this sentence generated randomly?

Can science and religion be reconciled?

Dhiltong comments on Sep 9, 2018:

No. Pure science is based on provable facts. Religion is based on belief. You can’t have it both ways.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@Livia, @Matias “If you take a close look: religion makes very few factual statements that are in conflict with science on the same level.” Very few? You must be joking, my friend! When was the last time you read the Holy Bible? Scripture is replete with stories (that the faithful accept as truth, and which little children are taught to believe) that simply could not, according to natural law, have occurred. And Christianity makes innumerable claims that are scientifically counterfactual. In fact, at least two of the key ingredients that go into the making of a Christian involve an affirmation of scientifically unsound events and circumstances: an ‘immaculate’ conception [oh, for a time machine and a decent rape kit to disprove that one!] and a resurrection from the dead [where’s a good coroner when you need one?], followed by an ascension [into space?]. “Religious belief just adds another dimension…” Really? What dimension is this? What are the descriptive attributes of the ‘religious dimension?’ Is it a 5th dimension? Can you provide the maths to define this dimension, or is this more Chopraesque ‘woo-woo?’ “But if a religious biologist believes that evolution unfolds according to some "divine plan", science cannot prove that this is nonsense.” Science doesn’t need to, and it doesn't care! In fact, it is under no obligation to disprove anything. We know that the burden of proof lies on the one making the claim, and any religious person, no matter what their profession, is saddled with this burden. Science need not "prove that this nonsense" any more than it needs to prove that a belief in leprechauns, unicorns, Santa Claus or fairies is nonsensical.

Can science and religion be reconciled?

Dhiltong comments on Sep 9, 2018:

No. Pure science is based on provable facts. Religion is based on belief. You can’t have it both ways.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@Matias, @Livia “…I am not talking about some backward Evangelicals or Baptists.” Since that is whence I came, it is this version of Christianity with which I am most familiar. It wasn't me who put the two at variance, it was my former religion. And yes, I was once a dunce too! ;-) “I don’t know how many times I have to explain that not all Christians take the Bible literally.” Since I’ve never interacted with you before, you needn’t take an exasperated tone. I have met and engaged with some of these ‘lukewarm Laodiceans’ who are neither hot nor cold about their faith, and who, according to Revelation 3:16, Christ threatens to 'spew out of his mouth.' But when pressed, they often become somewhat flummoxed. I ask them to describe the basis for their belief in Christianity, which clearly is, according to St. Paul, Adam’s sin, which necessitated the entire plan of salvation. When pressed to identify which hominid was Adam, these so-called Christians either admit that they aren’t Christians at all (except in name only), or they double down and reassert the truths of their Bible. Either way, they lose. “I do believe that religion can persecute scientists and suppress scientific discoveries and progress.” I agree with you, wholeheartedly!

Can science and religion be reconciled?

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 10, 2018:

As you know me fairly well by now, Matias, you can expect that I might disagree. On the whole, I consider religion and science to be at odds with one another, if for no other reason than the means by which each arrives at factual claims about the universe. The epistemology of religion is fatally ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@Matias Wow! Did I say all that? I’m looking at my remarks, and am unable to find all these points that you’re countering. Please know that if religion—and in particular, the Abrahamic faiths—were more like the Eightfold Path than they were about the words I found objectionable, I might be persuaded of its utility. But ways of living or ritual by themselves don’t make a religion, unless you’re willing to include my rituals of drinking martinis on Friday evenings, hiking on Saturdays and mowing the lawn and watching football on Sundays as a 'way of life.' But that is not what we’re talking about, are we? The two (action and motivation) go hand in hand. As the Bible says: “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17(NIV) But then, the Bible also says: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) Regarding my ‘second error,’ I didn't mean to imply that because science has little or nothing to say about a subject, it has ‘no meaning.’ Unicorns, Pokemon Go and the Marvel comics of Stan Lee have significant meaning to many people, topics on which science has little to say. Finally, ‘transcendent dimensions’ sounds very much like something Deepak Chopra might say, or, as Michael Shermer calls it: "woo-woo."

Religions: More harm then good?

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 3, 2018:

The interchanging of the words “faith” and “religion” does not seem right to me because not all religious groups require faith or belief. Besides, there are large numbers of people who are not associated with any religious group but who practice their own private forms of religion. It is ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@WilliamFleming I have yet to meet an honest scientist or student of science who condescends from a golden throne as you’ve described. We know of no end to the process of learning, in greater and greater detail, about the universe and the phenomena by which we are surrounded. Any scientist worthy of the title realizes that all of our understanding is, more or less as you say, superficial. Science works on the edges, or frontiers of our knowledge, which appear almost boundless. Some of the deep questions you pose are clearly in the realm of science, and will eventually be answered—perhaps in our lifetime. Through the advancement of neuroscience and the development of artificial intelligence, we will eventually understand the mechanisms which result in personal identity and self-awareness, and we are much closer today than we were during Darwin’s lifetime to understanding the chemical processes which resulted in abiogenesis. But science seeks the answers to ‘how’ questions, not ‘why’ questions. Why questions imply agency or an unknown actor, the evidence for which has yet to be detected. To quote one of my favorite philosophers, Neil Peart, Why are we here? Because we're here Roll the bones Why does it happen? Because it happens Roll the bones There is clearly some randomness in our being here, and repeatedly asking 'why' is, after all, rather childish. Best that we roll up our sleeves and do the heavy lifting of finding out 'how.'

Can science and religion be reconciled?

Dhiltong comments on Sep 9, 2018:

No. Pure science is based on provable facts. Religion is based on belief. You can’t have it both ways.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@Livia If there is more than one way to hold a belief, then what happens when two beliefs, arrived at through the two different methods, are in conflict? Throughout our recent history in the clash between science and religion, in every case there has been disagreement, religious belief has been forced to conform to science. Do you envision a future where religion informs science, forcing science to give way to religious faith, and alter its findings?

Can science and religion be reconciled?

creative51 comments on Sep 9, 2018:

Why should we give a damn if they can be reconciled?????????? Fuck religion!!!!!!!!!!

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@Antifred Taking a single text, and applying it to an entire faith, or application thereof, is logically unsound, and is in fact, proof texting. You've also misstated your case by asserting that @creative51 doesn't care about people in need, simply because he eschews religion. As you probably well know, there a number of ways to help people in need, without resorting to religion.

Concise Beginners Guide with Links for Telescope Astronomy [cloudynights.

magicwatch comments on Sep 7, 2018:

those were the days, spent hours setting up two telescope, one refractor and one reflector, only for the clouds to obscure everything at night, only to revert to astronomy computer simulations, anyone remember Nine Planets by the English guy Patrick whats his name from Star Trek, the next generation...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@LaMariposa Of course, Holst's famous suite has just 7 movements, as Earth was appropriately ignored, and poor Pluto, which is no longer considered a planet, had yet to be discovered.

Atheist Business Owner in The Bible Belt

p-nullifidian comments on Aug 13, 2018:

Are you a monopoly? Without customers you don't have a business, and if there's one way to lose customers, it's taking a political stance, which in your case, would be seen as anti-religious, if made public. There's really nothing about selling or fixing computers that requires a religious litmus ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@Heidi68 Sadly, it seems that it's better to be almost anything than an atheist--even a child molesting priest! :-(

Did anyone hear about this?

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 7, 2018:

Chances are this would not have happened had their T-shirts read "Atheist" or "Ex-Christian" ... anything with the word Muslim in it becomes a 'third rail' issue.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 7, 2018:

@StrongHappySilly You mean, Ben Affleck's ambush of Sam Harris?

The world is divided into men who have wit and no religion and men who have religion and no wit.

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 6, 2018:

Wit, it seems to me, is a quality that is both envied and held in contempt. Wit can involve wordplay, irony, satire, sarcasm and even cynicism. Personally, I find the cynic rather dull and brooding. When I think of wit, names like Shakespeare, Voltaire, Twain and Wilde come to mind, men whose ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 7, 2018:

@Marionville Benjamin Franklin was a wit himself. Have you ever read his letter, "Advice to a Young Man on the Choice of a Mistress?"

I had a talk with a Theology Professor Though I am still currently struggling with my ...

Dietl comments on Sep 6, 2018:

Regarding your first question, keep in mind that there are thousands of churches within christianity with an equal amount of opinions and this theologian is probably only giving his opinion. Science and religion are only compatible is religion makes no empirical claims. But that's exactly what most ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 7, 2018:

Theologians have nothing to offer except opinions, as for them, facts are in short supply. ;-)

Can You Be Good Without God

cava comments on Sep 6, 2018:

If there is no god, and everything is not permitted, then perhaps everything is prohibited and we act as if, sin were the case in order to satisfy our own masochistic need to feel guilty.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 7, 2018:

@cava The more I read, the less I understand. Your prose reminds me of Chopra. The word ‘transcendental’ is an unnecessary deepity—better to just say limit. Of course we cannot describe God. Who can? The attributes it/he/she is alleged to possess have never been universally defined, much less understood. The very idea of an omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent God defies description and is therefore irreducible and inexplicable. God is a guess! His/her/its characteristics are therefore subjective and unique to each individual who has ever considered the possibility of a supreme being. Unconditional guarantees do not exist in the universe, and I for one do not yearn for such. As Karl Popper observed, ‘all knowledge is provisional,’ and I am quite comfortable with uncertainty. Similarly, I do not feel guilt, nor do I masochistically punish myself, particularly when making a mistake. And I most certainly don’t need to act ‘as if’ there were a God. We need only live by codes of conduct that predate the invention of the Gods we have today, and the fabrication of religion. These codes are neither inherent nor are they written in stone by a religious authority, but are based on the higher emotions / thought processes of empathy and reciprocity—the evidence of which is seen even in other primates. Finally, the ‘essence of reality’ is yet another deepity, or vagary, which is better condensed to ‘facts.’

Where the Mind Goes Energy Flows Results Grow

LenHazell53 comments on Sep 6, 2018:

You are misquoting Tony Robins and T. Harv Eker “Where attention goes, energy flows and results show” T. Harv Eker "WHERE FOCUS GOES, ENERGY FLOWS" Tony Robbins

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

@mordant Love that word! Daniel Dennett's contribution to the vernacular. And from Richard Dawkins we get the term "meme." I have found that deepities, such as the utterances of people like Deepak Chopra, can become memes within a certain subculture.

Where the Mind Goes Energy Flows Results Grow

LenHazell53 comments on Sep 6, 2018:

I cannot read your replies they are coming up blank

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

None of us can ... and I wonder if he sees his own reply.

I can clearly remember my mom praying (and I’ve heard others say this too) that if her children ...

Drsmash253 comments on Sep 6, 2018:

Well I'm sorry but that's f***** up what kind of sick sick mother prays for the death of her own children because they won't believe in a psychosis I'm sorry but that is just horribly wrong

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

@Drsmash253 No interest whatsoever? Nothing left for you to learn about other cultures, places and histories? No new languages? New sights? New foods? New ideas? New friends? In my opinion, a lack of, as you say, "care what the rest of the worlds doing" combined with a self-imposed immobility could lead to self-absorption, intellectual stagnation and apathy.

They held my ex mother in law's funeral at the church. ?

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 6, 2018:

Examples such as this are why people are writing into their wills what should (and more importantly, should not) be included in their memorials. Why should it even be that funerals and weddings be hijacked by clergy as opportunities for making a sales pitch or a plug? The lesson here for each of us ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

@Marionville If only more were like you. Peace.

I can clearly remember my mom praying (and I’ve heard others say this too) that if her children ...

Drsmash253 comments on Sep 6, 2018:

Well I'm sorry but that's f***** up what kind of sick sick mother prays for the death of her own children because they won't believe in a psychosis I'm sorry but that is just horribly wrong

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

@Drsmash253 Consider your isolation a blessing, but also a potential curse. Having travelled and lived in many countries, I find the exposure stimulating, the variety of cultures intriguing and the common wants, values and desires reassuring. Peace.

Religions: More harm then good?

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 3, 2018:

The interchanging of the words “faith” and “religion” does not seem right to me because not all religious groups require faith or belief. Besides, there are large numbers of people who are not associated with any religious group but who practice their own private forms of religion. It is ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

@WilliamFleming “There are some very deep and profound mysteries about reality that are not even addressed by science, and are perhaps unknowable by the human mind.” Each “deep and profound” mystery--a word that raises red flags with me, due to its overuse by religion--should be examined on a case-by-case basis. I would ask you to name several ‘mysteries’ that science does not address, and further ask that, if they truly are unknowable, of what use is it to make any claim or assertion regarding them? “The role of religion IMO is to foster awareness, appreciation, and gratitude.” Really?! According to whom? As a secular humanist, I see religion as having, on the whole, disqualified themselves for holding a monopoly on such positive behaviors. “…it is perfectly legitimate to discuss and speculate about the possibility of a higher intelligence beyond our human realm.” It stands to reason that, in a universe of billions of galaxies and trillions of star systems, there would be a vast number of intelligences higher than our own. Such speculations and discussions are most certainly within the realm of science. “How would science ever learn anything new if scientists only studied things that were already accepted and proven?” Agreed. And this is the polar opposite of religion and faith, which claims to already have answers.

I can clearly remember my mom praying (and I’ve heard others say this too) that if her children ...

Drsmash253 comments on Sep 6, 2018:

Well I'm sorry but that's f***** up what kind of sick sick mother prays for the death of her own children because they won't believe in a psychosis I'm sorry but that is just horribly wrong

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

@Drsmash253 Your reaction is completely understandable. One wonders how an alien species, visiting our pale blue dot, would react to our spectrum of religious cultures. But now that you know what people are made capable of doing in the name of religion, nothing should surprise you any more ... yes?

Can You Be Good Without God

cava comments on Sep 6, 2018:

If there is no god, and everything is not permitted, then perhaps everything is prohibited and we act as if, sin were the case in order to satisfy our own masochistic need to feel guilty.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

@cava Okay, now I'm even more confused! Perhaps I should have asked for more specificity, as opposed to an expansion? "Transcendental limits" and "psychic vacuums" are foreign concepts to me. Can you define what you mean by them? Having essentially no experience with masochistic needs or associating pleasure with guilt, I must admit to being mystified by your point on this topic, with or without a deity.

Can You Be Good Without God

cava comments on Sep 6, 2018:

If there is no god, and everything is not permitted, then perhaps everything is prohibited and we act as if, sin were the case in order to satisfy our own masochistic need to feel guilty.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

"If there is no god, and everything is not permitted, then perhaps everything is prohibited and we act as if, sin were the case in order to satisfy our own masochistic need to feel guilty." Perhaps you can restate/expand upon this point? I confess I do not understand what you're saying.

I can clearly remember my mom praying (and I’ve heard others say this too) that if her children ...

Drsmash253 comments on Sep 6, 2018:

Well I'm sorry but that's f***** up what kind of sick sick mother prays for the death of her own children because they won't believe in a psychosis I'm sorry but that is just horribly wrong

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

@Drsmash253 What experience do you have with orthodox religion?

I can clearly remember my mom praying (and I’ve heard others say this too) that if her children ...

Drsmash253 comments on Sep 6, 2018:

Well I'm sorry but that's f***** up what kind of sick sick mother prays for the death of her own children because they won't believe in a psychosis I'm sorry but that is just horribly wrong

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

You seem surprised. This attitude is not all that different from the Muslim mother who celebrates her son's act of suicidal homicide as martyrdom. Like the Muslim mother, the Christian mother whose child was 'taken' by God prior to being filled with religious doubt, fully expects to see that child again in heaven. Such is the psychosis, as you've appropriately labeled it, of religion!

I'm Agnostic. Not an atheist... Did you come to the right place?

Tony80223 comments on Sep 6, 2018:

I’m kind of with you. I’m agnostic not atheist. I think it also allows for a little more leeway, as I do see some statistical validity with othe things. Like I’ve been an amateur astrologer, and I’m open to several other things.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

@Tony80223 Much better to be busy with other shit, in my view ... busy is good!

I'm Agnostic. Not an atheist... Did you come to the right place?

Tony80223 comments on Sep 6, 2018:

I’m kind of with you. I’m agnostic not atheist. I think it also allows for a little more leeway, as I do see some statistical validity with othe things. Like I’ve been an amateur astrologer, and I’m open to several other things.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

Have you read or listened to the lectures of The Great Agnostic, Robert Green Ingersoll? If you have, you may have noticed little difference between his writings and those of self-avowed atheists. One label that applies to Ingersoll, and one that I've adopted, is that of a nullifidian: one who has no faith or religious belief. Ingersoll attacked religion with a rare combination of logic, wisdom and wit, and I personally loathe organized religions. In fairness, I would be fine with the philosophy of my avatar: Deism. A number of the Framers were Deists, who accepted that the Almighty created the universe and the laws governing it, but then promptly excused himself to move on to other things, never to be heard from. In other words, no prophets, no creeds, no miracles, no divine interventions, no stone tablets, no prayers, no faith, no holy books, no clergy, no angels, no demons ... that was Thomas Paine's view of the world, and one that I wish the majority could accept!

Do you know about works of Robert Green Ingersoll?

rogeralyn comments on Apr 29, 2018:

Google info on Robert Green Ingersoll looks interesting. I see he has several books on Amazon. Any particular recommendations?

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

My introduction to the Great Agnostic, as Colonel Robert Ingersoll was called, came from the excellent book by Susan Jacoby, "The Great Agnostic: Robert Ingersoll and American Freethought." And the first time I heard his lectures read was by Michael Scott Earl on his website, http://reasonworks.com I recommend beginning with the lecture "Individuality" and moving on to "The Gods."

Religions: More harm then good?

WilliamFleming comments on Sep 3, 2018:

The interchanging of the words “faith” and “religion” does not seem right to me because not all religious groups require faith or belief. Besides, there are large numbers of people who are not associated with any religious group but who practice their own private forms of religion. It is ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

Science most certainly lacks the answers, and freely admits this. But consider the alternative. Can we rationally expect religion to offer answers for which science remains ignorant? Must we resort to a gap-filling faith rather than simply say, we don't know, and neither does religion? But a 'private religion?' A religion of one? By all means! But we all know that this is not what most people associate when asked. But then, most people are not like my avatar, who said, "My own mind is my own church," and "The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion." I long for a world where such values were supreme.

When and why do people become atheists?

LiterateHiker comments on Sep 6, 2018:

What atheist organization? At age 13, I became an atheist when I realized the Bible is just a book of stories written by men. My mother became an atheist in nursing school after being raised Catholic. "I realized a woman cannot be turned into salt," Mom said dryly. Rejecting Christianity ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 6, 2018:

Great story! Like you, at 13 I began to experience doubt, and questioned everything. But out of fear and devotion to family and community I chose to take Pascal up on his wager, and doubled down on religious faith. Years later, my armor of faith began to fail me, and after many years of struggle, I walked away at last in my 50's. I guess you might call me a 'born again atheist?'

How does one go about being a polite atheist?

Anne209 comments on Sep 5, 2018:

I don't talk to them about my convictions; because I don't want them talking to me about theirs. I see it as a two-way street, and I stay on my side.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 5, 2018:

@Anne209 It seems to work best when the conversation is orgainic, and unrehearsed ... and it can happen. My cousin is asking me about things now, years after I failed in my attempts to de-convert him.

Every one has their heros , or at least people they look up to.

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 5, 2018:

Thomas Jefferson is high on my list too. Clearly we'd be better off with his version of the Bible (with all the miracles redacted)! And were it not for his efforts, my avatar--another Thomas--might have died in a French prison!

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 5, 2018:

@TristanNuvo Pity we don't appear to have leaders like these today!

I've been watching animal videos most of the evening. Please, enjoy some owls. :) [youtu.be]

kmdskit3 comments on Sep 5, 2018:

"Hi, my name is Stacey and I'm owl obsessed." "Hi, Stacey!" Remember the first step is admitting you have a problem. ?

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 5, 2018:

@Stacey48 My high school art teacher was known for his owls ... he even painted one in my senior yearbook! I've loved them ever since ... and who could resist his playful approach to these special creatures?

I've been watching animal videos most of the evening. Please, enjoy some owls. :) [youtu.be]

Spinliesel comments on Sep 5, 2018:

Such a great video. It's hard to remember that these are ferocious hunters.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 5, 2018:

With unique feathers, adapted to dampen the sound of the air flowing over their bodies, the mouse never heard the owl coming!

How does one go about being a polite atheist?

Anne209 comments on Sep 5, 2018:

I don't talk to them about my convictions; because I don't want them talking to me about theirs. I see it as a two-way street, and I stay on my side.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 5, 2018:

Looking at your picture / logo, this statement appears ironic. Life is all about give and take, yin and yang. Which side of the street is your heart on... the black, or the white?

I have no words...

mordant comments on Sep 5, 2018:

Well ... if the god is, say, Cthulu, maybe not. But I take his meaning. If there's a god that claims to be benevolent and kind and all powerful and all knowing ... Dachau was a major fail.

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 5, 2018:

Sadly, Dachau was just the beginning of Hitler's orgy of death.

So,religious people actually,find the word atheist offensive,why?

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 5, 2018:

I was raised to believe that the word 'atheist' was equivalent to Satan or the Devil. All atheists, according to my Christian schoolmasters and church leaders, were agents of evil, damned to destruction by fire. The very word was a trigger for fear and hostility, and especially guilt for anyone who ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 5, 2018:

@genessa What is well known, or should be, is that devout Christians view atheism, which is to deny or blaspheme the Holy Spirit, as the 'unpardonable sin.' "Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin." Mark 3:28-29 (NIV) And what is well known, or should be, is that devout Christians often see themselves as Christians first, with an identity that is so strong that nonbelief (or the beliefs of other faiths) are viewed as threatening. And what should also be well known to all who do not suffer from religious convictions, is that, like so many religions, the attitude of religious faith--which is to say, willful ingorance and believing in things one cannot possibly know--serves to police one's very thoughts--thought control. Finally, what I did NOT say was that Christians think atheists are satanic. Please reread what I wrote. I recalled how I was raised to believe that atheism was equivalent (as in, on par with) the source of all evil. Devout Christians view all sinful behavior as being influenced by the Devil, but that's a far cry from Satanism.

So,religious people actually,find the word atheist offensive,why?

p-nullifidian comments on Sep 5, 2018:

I was raised to believe that the word 'atheist' was equivalent to Satan or the Devil. All atheists, according to my Christian schoolmasters and church leaders, were agents of evil, damned to destruction by fire. The very word was a trigger for fear and hostility, and especially guilt for anyone who ...

p-nullifidian replies on Sep 5, 2018:

@m0752532706 My apologies if I misjudged you ... it's just that your last question makes one wonder. The 'problem with today's human beings' is, after all, not very different from the problems of prior generations ... agreed?

As an atheist I don’t feel the need to flaunt my beliefs, or persuade anyone to believe what I ...

p-nullifidian comments on Aug 21, 2018:

'Flaunt' may be an unfortunate choice of words. Would this include a bumper sticker, or t-shirt? How about a lapel pin? Or is flaunting only verbal, in your view? I try not to preach, and would rather ask questions. Socratic reasoning is often preferable to a frontal assault. But overall, in a ...

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 28, 2018:

@ZelB Agreed. Then, what to "do" about the millions of children undergoing indoctrination at the hands of their parents? Can you envision a society where it would be inconceivable to tell anyone of an impressionable age (you define it) something one knew to be false or untrue? And could this act be seen as a form of emotional manipulation? Can you imagine a world where parents were prosecuted for 'indoctrinating' their kids about the existence of the Tooth Fairy or Santa? And yet, how different is their reality from that of a so-called deity?

If god really existed, it would be necessary to abolish him. -Mikhail Bakunin

p-nullifidian comments on Aug 28, 2018:

Nice! This quote (which is new to me) would seem to be the other bookend to Voltaire's famous (and ironic) statement: "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him."

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 28, 2018:

@Bakunin Thank you, Dr. Pangloss! ;-)

I've never understood this either

CelticFire comments on Aug 26, 2018:

If the Bible would have been written/assembled by a matriarchal society, the rib would have come from Eve to create Adam. They would have been equal in 'God's' eyes, the male not considered subservient. The stories, especially the old testament, wouldn't have been filled with violence. Imagine how ...

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 27, 2018:

If karma were a reality, we'd have a matriarchal society already.

I've been a fan of the show ' the Atheist Experience ' for about a decade.

p-nullifidian comments on Aug 21, 2018:

Apart from behavior, the caller's arguments are made all the more weaker by the recent revelations in Pennsylvania.

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 27, 2018:

@SpikeTalon As the father of two, I don't want to read the findings ... too much pain, too much horror and suffering. The 'Good Shepherd' took a leave of absence, and employed wolves to watch over his sheep, or in this case, his innocent lambs! Sadly, Pennsylvania is only the latest of what has been a heartbreaking history (on an international scale) of centuries of sexual abuse of children, and the criminal conspiracy to hide it--one which extends all the way to the top.

Been a symphony goer since 1977, my first concert with the San Francisco Symphony.

Marionville comments on Aug 24, 2018:

I don’t know if your love of Dvorak will allow you to approve of words put to music from his New World Symphony, but the folk song Goin’ Home is derived from it. I have sung it in a choral rendition many times and have just posted Sissel Kyrkjebo singing it here this morning. Please let me ...

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 24, 2018:

@Marionville I so much agree with you. The purity of tone, the ease with which the notes are reached, the remarkably innocent appearance (even though as parents of boys, we know this is not always the case) ... there's nothing like the sound of a well trained boy's choir. Our son was a member of a pretty good one for three years, and those concerts were nothing short of glorious. https://ragazzi.org/

Is there such a thing as "cultural theft"?

mattersauce comments on Aug 22, 2018:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_appropriation I'm always shocked when the dominant race/culture/sex wants to belittle a complaint of a minority group that they even admit to not understanding. As a man, I think women should be allowed to decide on their own their health care rights. The ...

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 24, 2018:

@mattersauce Please know I am open to discourse and am ready to be proven wrong. But let’s agree to put aside invectives and derision in favor of ideas and reason, sound good to you? After all, civility and logic, along with a recognition that we could be wrong, are what should distinguish critical thinkers, such as may be found on this site, from the average Facebook troll. Feel free to go point-to-point with me in furthering your arguments and ideas, if you’d prefer this be continued privately. Peace.

Is there such a thing as "cultural theft"?

mattersauce comments on Aug 22, 2018:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_appropriation I'm always shocked when the dominant race/culture/sex wants to belittle a complaint of a minority group that they even admit to not understanding. As a man, I think women should be allowed to decide on their own their health care rights. The ...

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 24, 2018:

@mattersauce No.

Been a symphony goer since 1977, my first concert with the San Francisco Symphony.

Marionville comments on Aug 24, 2018:

I don’t know if your love of Dvorak will allow you to approve of words put to music from his New World Symphony, but the folk song Goin’ Home is derived from it. I have sung it in a choral rendition many times and have just posted Sissel Kyrkjebo singing it here this morning. Please let me ...

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 24, 2018:

Dvorak's symphony From the New World is engrained in the psyche of all lovers of classical music, particularly us Yanks! ;-) Did you know that it was one of Dvorak's students who affixed the largo with his text of Goin' Home, meant to be sung in the style of a Negro spiritual? And while I'm not a huge fan of what may be called 'pops classical,' beauty is beauty, and this song holds a special place in many hearts, and has been played or sung at many funerals, including FDR's. Thank you for sharing the Sissel Kyrkjebo rendition. I'm a choir geek of sorts myself--sung in choirs since before my voice changed, and am partial to the arrangment for treble voices sung by Libera. Hope you like it. Peace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvThHk-wMRk

Is there such a thing as "cultural theft"?

mattersauce comments on Aug 22, 2018:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_appropriation I'm always shocked when the dominant race/culture/sex wants to belittle a complaint of a minority group that they even admit to not understanding. As a man, I think women should be allowed to decide on their own their health care rights. The ...

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 24, 2018:

@mattersauce Individuals obtain copyrights, not cultures. If it is proven in a court of law that a copyright infringement has occurred, damages are awarded to the copyright holder, or his/her estate. But even in this case, copyrighted material enjoys a limited period of protection, and may enter the public domain many decades after the death of the artist / author / composer / poet. It seems pretty clear that the post by @Matias was not about copyright protected works.

HELL EXPLAINED BY A CHEMISTRY STUDENT The following is an actual question given on a ...

Howitstarts23 comments on Aug 23, 2018:

I really hope that is a true story

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 24, 2018:

@Slava3 Been hearing this one since the 90's ... Snopes rated it as "Legend." Still funny, though ... just apocryphal is all.

I’ve been very involved in my local town hall.

HonzaSvagr1 comments on Aug 23, 2018:

Bring a rug and start praying 5x a day :) see if they like that.

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 23, 2018:

I was thinking a colander, but the prayer rug would proabably send a more forceful message.

So true and so sad.

Matias comments on Aug 23, 2018:

Are we "born atheists" , as some people claim? It is certainly true that babies are born without any specific religious faith, but does that make them "born atheists"? I do not think so. Firstly: Not every being that does not belief in God is an atheist. Nobody would argue that insects or ...

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 23, 2018:

With respect, I think it may be transference more than gullibility at work here. Consider that youngsters who failed to view the grownups in their community as authorities, may not have survived to reproduce. We are, in a real sense, wired to look up, and even cling, to those big people in our young lives. Our sense of security, the product of hormones in our brains, was reinforced by remaining near to, and following the instructions of, our big people. When organized religion came along—and let us be fair, it wasn't always present—the deity or deities were fashioned after parental (largely patriarchal) models, and we began to associate those early childhood feelings of security with the supposed divine caretakers of this world. Thus, we transferred, it seems to me, our big person template onto that of the new god.

I think your mind either expands or shrinks under either an alcoholic or drug induced state.

chalupacabre comments on Aug 23, 2018:

Maybe you're having the most profound thoughts, but maybe you're also raising those points with the cat or ficus tree and maybe it's all gone once the stupor's over

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 23, 2018:

My ficus died ... probably of boredom. My cat still listens to my 'deepities' though. ;-)

I think your mind either expands or shrinks under either an alcoholic or drug induced state.

Nevermind345 comments on Aug 23, 2018:

Go Ask Alice.

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 23, 2018:

When she's 10 feet tall?

Is there such a thing as "cultural theft"?

p-nullifidian comments on Aug 22, 2018:

By the way, @Matias, I think you meant 'cultural appropriation,' as opposed to 'theft' ... am I right?

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 23, 2018:

@PalacinkyPDX I've seen lots of young people of all colors and ethnicities who've adorned themselves with Maori style tattoos. They appreciate the artistry of the designs, and have chosen to adopt variations of their own, which is entirely appropriate, as opposed to appropriation.

Is there such a thing as "cultural theft"?

p-nullifidian comments on Aug 22, 2018:

I tend to agree with you on this one, Matias. People forget that, unlike one's physical characteristics, culture is a choice. If you or I appreciate a particular type of music or food, learn how to reproduce it accurately, and even profit from this knowledge, we are not appropriating anything, but ...

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 23, 2018:

@BeccaVa And you don't even have to be Rastafarian to wear them!

Is there such a thing as "cultural theft"?

GreatNani comments on Aug 22, 2018:

Cultural appropriation? Yes it does exist.

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 23, 2018:

@MereMortal It's trolls like you've who've hosed up social media for the rest of us. Civility is something your parents, or kindergarten teacher, were unable to teach you.

Is there such a thing as "cultural theft"?

p-nullifidian comments on Aug 22, 2018:

By the way, @Matias, I think you meant 'cultural appropriation,' as opposed to 'theft' ... am I right?

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 23, 2018:

@Matias Does a culture own its elements? No. Do nations own their artifacts (statuary, jewelry, art work, etc.)? It depends. Each case is unique.

Is there such a thing as "cultural theft"?

GreatNani comments on Aug 22, 2018:

Cultural appropriation? Yes it does exist.

p-nullifidian replies on Aug 22, 2018:

@MereMortal Is it possible for you to engage intellectually without ridicule or mockery, or have you had too many martinis?