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I have been a member on this site now for nearly two years and I have come to an interesting ...
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
Militancy of any kind has no place in reasoned discourse! Unfortunately, the aggression you perceive is real and appears to be an unfortunate byproduct of this medium--one which has managed to gather, on the whole, a disproportionate throng of hostile, indignant and self absorbed narcissists. Those of us who come here for stimulation, conversation and perhaps an infrequent new concept, are in no way impressed by hardliners, chauvinists and zealots.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
Militancy of any kind has no place in reasoned discourse! Unfortunately, the aggression you perceive is real and appears to be an unfortunate byproduct of this medium--one which has managed to gather, on the whole, a disproportionate throng of hostile, indignant and self absorbed narcissists. Those of us who come here for stimulation, conversation and perhaps an infrequent new concept, are in no way impressed by hardliners, chauvinists and zealots.
Anyone else hear the phrase, "I'm better than I deserve"?
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
I never once heard that phrase in the Christian faith in which I was brought up. In fact, quite the opposite. We (humanity) are sinful and not worthy of anything. Only through the grace of Christ may we become worthy to join Him in eternity. Humanity is depraved and is continually declining due to sin and the increasing surrender to the influences of Satan. In such a condition, according to Christian orthodoxy, how could we possibly be "better than we deserve?" Not that I believe a word of it, but that is what I was taught.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
I never once heard that phrase in the Christian faith in which I was brought up. In fact, quite the opposite. We (humanity) are sinful and not worthy of anything. Only through the grace of Christ may we become worthy to join Him in eternity. Humanity is depraved and is continually declining due to sin and the increasing surrender to the influences of Satan. In such a condition, according to Christian orthodoxy, how could we possibly be "better than we deserve?" Not that I believe a word of it, but that is what I was taught.
California Pastor Loses Job After Posting Sign Stating 'Homosexuality Is Still a Sin' | CBN News
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
Reading this heartwarming story, and seeing how a zealous died-in-the-wool pastor could lose his job over his public exhibition of faith, even in a tiny town in northern California, brings to mind the final lines of the iconic Inspector Harry Callahan, in Magnum Force: "A man's got to know his limitations."
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
Reading this heartwarming story, and seeing how a zealous died-in-the-wool pastor could lose his job over his public exhibition of faith, even in a tiny town in northern California, brings to mind the final lines of the iconic Inspector Harry Callahan, in Magnum Force: "A man's got to know his limitations."
Is there a place where nobody believes in any gods
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
I call it, Heaven.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
I call it, Heaven.
Christian Lawmakers Group Blames Satan After Twitter Poll Goes Badly Awry
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
Many Christians belong to denominations and churches, including the one in which I was raised, that preach the eschaton (from the Greek, eskhaton), or final event in the divine plan--basically, the end of the world or apocalypse. Eschatology and eschatological thinking has run amok in many Christian churches, as every natural or man-made disaster offers the believer a sign of the 'end times.' Satan, of course, is behind all of this. As to why he would choose to participate in God's plan and accelerate the return of his archenemy, Christ, is not well explained.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
Many Christians belong to denominations and churches, including the one in which I was raised, that preach the eschaton (from the Greek, eskhaton), or final event in the divine plan--basically, the end of the world or apocalypse. Eschatology and eschatological thinking has run amok in many Christian churches, as every natural or man-made disaster offers the believer a sign of the 'end times.' Satan, of course, is behind all of this. As to why he would choose to participate in God's plan and accelerate the return of his archenemy, Christ, is not well explained.
Is it time to start talking TACTICS ?
[pewforum.org]
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
Curious choice of terminology--Tactics? Depending on the application, tactics can be an 'ugly' term which may evoke campaign-like, if not Machiavellian thinking. If by 'talking tactics' we ever threaten to entertain the notion that the end (or hoped for state) justifies the means (or tactics), you may count me out.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 20, 2020:
Curious choice of terminology--Tactics? Depending on the application, tactics can be an 'ugly' term which may evoke campaign-like, if not Machiavellian thinking. If by 'talking tactics' we ever threaten to entertain the notion that the end (or hoped for state) justifies the means (or tactics), you may count me out.
It amazes me, the deep indoctrination self- indoctrination I had growing up.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 19, 2020:
It took years of introspection, deprogramming and relearning to conclude what my avatar so succinctly said, "My own mind is my own church."
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 19, 2020:
It took years of introspection, deprogramming and relearning to conclude what my avatar so succinctly said, "My own mind is my own church."
Christian sues US Postal Service over Sunday work shifts.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 19, 2020:
Too bad he didn't work where I grew up, in Angwin, CA 94508, a community comprised largely of Seventh-day Adventists, where the Post Office was never open on Saturdays, but was open every Sunday. A compromise or a capitulation?
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 19, 2020:
Too bad he didn't work where I grew up, in Angwin, CA 94508, a community comprised largely of Seventh-day Adventists, where the Post Office was never open on Saturdays, but was open every Sunday. A compromise or a capitulation?
Christian sues US Postal Service over Sunday work shifts
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 19, 2020:
I grew up in zip code 94508 (Angwin, CA) where the U.S. Post Office was never open on Saturday, but was open every Sunday, as the community was comprised largely of Seventh-day Adventists. A compromise to some, a capitulation to others.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 19, 2020:
I grew up in zip code 94508 (Angwin, CA) where the U.S. Post Office was never open on Saturday, but was open every Sunday, as the community was comprised largely of Seventh-day Adventists. A compromise to some, a capitulation to others.
Religion has always been used as a tool to control the population.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 14, 2020:
Think of religions as fan clubs or societies--something like being a loyal fan of your favorite sports team or a member of the Kiwanis, Rotary or Lions club. One wonders if the majority of Americans are more passionate about their favorite team on any given Sunday than they are about going to church and paying their dues in the pews.
We are fortunate that the establishment of the United States was drawn largely along religious lines with Quakers, Catholics, Puritans, Lutherans, Baptists, Anglicans, and so on, all vying for a seat at the table. And so in order to protect the rights of each, two of the most critical political compromises in history were made: the first was to draft the Establishment Clause to the First Amendment, and the second was the decision to leave any mention of the term "god" out of our Constitution.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 14, 2020:
Think of religions as fan clubs or societies--something like being a loyal fan of your favorite sports team or a member of the Kiwanis, Rotary or Lions club. One wonders if the majority of Americans are more passionate about their favorite team on any given Sunday than they are about going to church and paying their dues in the pews.
We are fortunate that the establishment of the United States was drawn largely along religious lines with Quakers, Catholics, Puritans, Lutherans, Baptists, Anglicans, and so on, all vying for a seat at the table. And so in order to protect the rights of each, two of the most critical political compromises in history were made: the first was to draft the Establishment Clause to the First Amendment, and the second was the decision to leave any mention of the term "god" out of our Constitution.
I'm not sure into which category to post this speculation, so I eventually plumped for "general"
...
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 14, 2020:
As we have been reminded by recent events in China, viruses can jump from animals to humans without the so-called depravity of a Sodom and Gomorrah. So while bestiality may provide a salacious tabloid headline, it need not be present for an epidemic to occur.
In any case, "God's displeasure" is always the stock answer for a natural disaster, the loss of a battle or the decline of a civilization. Unless of course the civilization was unknown to the authors of the holy books. I find it interesting how we never learned of "God's displeasure" with the Mayan civilization, which virtually disappeared centuries before the arrival of Europeans.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 14, 2020:
As we have been reminded by recent events in China, viruses can jump from animals to humans without the so-called depravity of a Sodom and Gomorrah. So while bestiality may provide a salacious tabloid headline, it need not be present for an epidemic to occur.
In any case, "God's displeasure" is always the stock answer for a natural disaster, the loss of a battle or the decline of a civilization. Unless of course the civilization was unknown to the authors of the holy books. I find it interesting how we never learned of "God's displeasure" with the Mayan civilization, which virtually disappeared centuries before the arrival of Europeans.
I discover more and more that in any group of people, there's a tendency for it to fragment.
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 14, 2020:
Common cause enabled 13 distinct colonies to unite in revolt against a monarch, draw up a constitution and establish a new form of government. When properly motivated and organized, it is amazing what can be accomplished.
And yet we as a nation are founded on the principle of equality. The statement, "All men are created equal," (initially conferred only to white male landowners) has been expanded to include women and all races and creeds. This assertion, that a commoner is no less worthy or of value than a member of the nobility, forms the very basis for what some might label individualism. And the recognition of the rights of the individual over the state has been a repeated theme in legal findings. The right to be left the hell alone is a bedrock principal, going back to the Framers.
A diversity of opinion is generally healthy, so long as the conversations and debates are respectful. We should always be wary of conformity of thought and unanimity of opinion. As a fairly wise observer of the human condition once said, "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."
Mark Twain
p-nullifidian comments on Feb 14, 2020:
Common cause enabled 13 distinct colonies to unite in revolt against a monarch, draw up a constitution and establish a new form of government. When properly motivated and organized, it is amazing what can be accomplished.
And yet we as a nation are founded on the principle of equality. The statement, "All men are created equal," (initially conferred only to white male landowners) has been expanded to include women and all races and creeds. This assertion, that a commoner is no less worthy or of value than a member of the nobility, forms the very basis for what some might label individualism. And the recognition of the rights of the individual over the state has been a repeated theme in legal findings. The right to be left the hell alone is a bedrock principal, going back to the Framers.
A diversity of opinion is generally healthy, so long as the conversations and debates are respectful. We should always be wary of conformity of thought and unanimity of opinion. As a fairly wise observer of the human condition once said, "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."
Mark Twain
Hummm, we came a long way but still have a ways to go
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 18, 2018:
I prefer the Roman 'repackaged' god to the Greek. To Hades with Zeus, let us acknowledge the preeminence of Jupiter!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 18, 2018:
I prefer the Roman 'repackaged' god to the Greek. To Hades with Zeus, let us acknowledge the preeminence of Jupiter!
Growing number of U.S. children not vaccinated against any disease - CBS News
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 18, 2018:
In the not too distant future, one can envision a society where inoculation is no longer voluntary, as the risk of epidemics outweigh all other risks.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 18, 2018:
In the not too distant future, one can envision a society where inoculation is no longer voluntary, as the risk of epidemics outweigh all other risks.
The proof is in the book.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 17, 2018:
Missed one ... the Torah ... proof that Yahweh exists!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 17, 2018:
Missed one ... the Torah ... proof that Yahweh exists!
What is "Compartmentalization" with regard to religion?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 17, 2018:
Compartmentalization, it seems to me, is an evolutionary survival mechanism. In order to continue, we learned to compartmentalize psychological horrors and trauma, often locking them in a vault within the labyrinthine chambers of our minds.
And just as we are able to compartmentalize trauma, we would seem to be likewise able to compartmentalize our hopes, joys, dreams and desires, isolating them from the relatively unvarnished reality of our existence. Upon this basic framework may be erected an elaborate superstructure of avowed belief. Thus, the religionist, no matter what the doctrine, may isolate the observed nature of the universe, to include the lack of evidence for the supernatural. Has our ability to compartmentalize for reasons of survival been hijacked by religion?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 17, 2018:
Compartmentalization, it seems to me, is an evolutionary survival mechanism. In order to continue, we learned to compartmentalize psychological horrors and trauma, often locking them in a vault within the labyrinthine chambers of our minds.
And just as we are able to compartmentalize trauma, we would seem to be likewise able to compartmentalize our hopes, joys, dreams and desires, isolating them from the relatively unvarnished reality of our existence. Upon this basic framework may be erected an elaborate superstructure of avowed belief. Thus, the religionist, no matter what the doctrine, may isolate the observed nature of the universe, to include the lack of evidence for the supernatural. Has our ability to compartmentalize for reasons of survival been hijacked by religion?
I love this post. Read it and see if you agree
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 17, 2018:
Theologically incorrect. "It's like this: I created man and woman with FREE WILL." No theologian would ever accept that God created man and woman WITH original sin. Original sin comes with Adam's choice. The rest is clearly a rehash of the statements of Michael Shermer and others, with whom I agree.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 17, 2018:
Theologically incorrect. "It's like this: I created man and woman with FREE WILL." No theologian would ever accept that God created man and woman WITH original sin. Original sin comes with Adam's choice. The rest is clearly a rehash of the statements of Michael Shermer and others, with whom I agree.
Au contraire, flat earthers... you ARE idiots.
[youtube.com]
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 17, 2018:
If the world really were flat, I would purchase real estate on the edge, maybe build a high rise, just for the view! Can you imagine the fortune to be made on 'edge tours?' And if any of our fellow flat-earth-believing citizens can claim to take us to that edge, so that we might see for ourselves, let's go!! Oh, but they can't, can they? And they never will guide us to the 'edge of the Earth.'
So, 'Flat Earthers,' just shut the fuck up and go climb under the pre-historic rock where you and your ilk came from, and don't ever bother the sane majority again! That anyone wastes keystrokes and breath on these insane idiots is a testament to forbearance!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 17, 2018:
If the world really were flat, I would purchase real estate on the edge, maybe build a high rise, just for the view! Can you imagine the fortune to be made on 'edge tours?' And if any of our fellow flat-earth-believing citizens can claim to take us to that edge, so that we might see for ourselves, let's go!! Oh, but they can't, can they? And they never will guide us to the 'edge of the Earth.'
So, 'Flat Earthers,' just shut the fuck up and go climb under the pre-historic rock where you and your ilk came from, and don't ever bother the sane majority again! That anyone wastes keystrokes and breath on these insane idiots is a testament to forbearance!
'There is no God,' says Stephen Hawking in final book
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 17, 2018:
As much as I admire the intellect of Professor Hawking, I didn't need his endorsement.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 17, 2018:
As much as I admire the intellect of Professor Hawking, I didn't need his endorsement.
Outside Time and Space?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 16, 2018:
"What would being outside time and space be?"
I had to read this one repeatedly to make sure--I think at least--I understood the question. Just say it out loud, and see if it isn't a little tricky!
That said, we might as well ask, 'What would being outside the laws of nature be?' The simple answer is either 'nothingness' or 'supernatural.' And yet, what if there is existence outside our understanding of the universe? What if there exists a domain beyond our definition of space-time? Would not such a discovery be an expansion of our knowledge of the natural? What then is left for this myth we label 'God?'
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 16, 2018:
"What would being outside time and space be?"
I had to read this one repeatedly to make sure--I think at least--I understood the question. Just say it out loud, and see if it isn't a little tricky!
That said, we might as well ask, 'What would being outside the laws of nature be?' The simple answer is either 'nothingness' or 'supernatural.' And yet, what if there is existence outside our understanding of the universe? What if there exists a domain beyond our definition of space-time? Would not such a discovery be an expansion of our knowledge of the natural? What then is left for this myth we label 'God?'
Atheist first responders/nurses/military
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 16, 2018:
My perception is that the prototypical observant believing first responder can be convinced that there comes a point where God's will takes over, despite his/her ministrations. When the believer assumes that, following the death of the body, the next moment the victim will experience is eternity in paradise (hopefully), then the loss here on this planet becomes a gain for heaven.
Meanwhile, the atheist first responder may sincerely lean toward secular humanism. This first responder recognizes that the life he/she is protecting, or attempting to save, is the only life that the individual in harm's way has to live. Thus the atheist is open to a greater sense of loss, whenever a patient or victim dies.
When I awakened from the stupor of my religious upbringing, and recognized the uniqueness and temporal singularity of each of our lives, the value I placed on human beings increased exponentially.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 16, 2018:
My perception is that the prototypical observant believing first responder can be convinced that there comes a point where God's will takes over, despite his/her ministrations. When the believer assumes that, following the death of the body, the next moment the victim will experience is eternity in paradise (hopefully), then the loss here on this planet becomes a gain for heaven.
Meanwhile, the atheist first responder may sincerely lean toward secular humanism. This first responder recognizes that the life he/she is protecting, or attempting to save, is the only life that the individual in harm's way has to live. Thus the atheist is open to a greater sense of loss, whenever a patient or victim dies.
When I awakened from the stupor of my religious upbringing, and recognized the uniqueness and temporal singularity of each of our lives, the value I placed on human beings increased exponentially.
The Church's Development of the Hell Myth
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
The argument over the doctrine of 'hell' nowadays always brings me back to the words of Robert Green Ingersoll.
"Now this doctrine of hell, that has been such a comfort to my race, which so many ministers are pleading for, has been defended for ages-by the fathers of the church. Your preacher says that the sovereignty of God implies that he has an absolute, unlimited, and independent right to dispose of his creatures as he will, because he made them. Has he? Suppose I take this book and change it immediately into a servient human being. Would I have a right to torture it because I made it? No; on the contrary. I would say, having brought you into existence, it is my duty to do the best for you I can. They say God has a right to damn me because he made me. I deny it."
"Nothing could add to the horror of hell, except the presence of its creator, God. While I have life, as long as I draw breath, I shall deny with all my strength, and hate with every drop of my blood, this infinite lie.”
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
The argument over the doctrine of 'hell' nowadays always brings me back to the words of Robert Green Ingersoll.
"Now this doctrine of hell, that has been such a comfort to my race, which so many ministers are pleading for, has been defended for ages-by the fathers of the church. Your preacher says that the sovereignty of God implies that he has an absolute, unlimited, and independent right to dispose of his creatures as he will, because he made them. Has he? Suppose I take this book and change it immediately into a servient human being. Would I have a right to torture it because I made it? No; on the contrary. I would say, having brought you into existence, it is my duty to do the best for you I can. They say God has a right to damn me because he made me. I deny it."
"Nothing could add to the horror of hell, except the presence of its creator, God. While I have life, as long as I draw breath, I shall deny with all my strength, and hate with every drop of my blood, this infinite lie.”
The so called New World. Indigenous Peoples. Standing Rock. The Lakota. Tribes.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
Seeing this reminds me of one of my favorite bumper stickers ... this one on the subject of 'homeland security!'
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
Seeing this reminds me of one of my favorite bumper stickers ... this one on the subject of 'homeland security!'
Evolution timeframes get a rethink after scientists take a closer look at Earth's first animals
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
I found this point interesting, as creationists are frequently critical of the biodiversity manifested by the Cambrian explosion.
"This means that animal species were diversifying well before the Cambrian explosion."
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
I found this point interesting, as creationists are frequently critical of the biodiversity manifested by the Cambrian explosion.
"This means that animal species were diversifying well before the Cambrian explosion."
I am a horrible person.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
"...I must be a sad cunt or wonderful depending..."
One is at a loss for words...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
"...I must be a sad cunt or wonderful depending..."
One is at a loss for words...
Thoughts and Prayers
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
A well-funded, well-organized disaster plan and relief program is worth a million 'thoughts and prayers!'
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
A well-funded, well-organized disaster plan and relief program is worth a million 'thoughts and prayers!'
An excerpt from a Book I am writing.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
Sorry, but this is the wrong venue, in my opinion. Your 2,588 words (by my estimate) can hardly be labeled an excerpt, at least in this particular forum. Here, your idea ought to be expressed in a brief thesis statement, followed by three (ideally) supporting bullet points, culminated, if need be, by a summarizing point. I glazed over at about word 666. ;-)
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
Sorry, but this is the wrong venue, in my opinion. Your 2,588 words (by my estimate) can hardly be labeled an excerpt, at least in this particular forum. Here, your idea ought to be expressed in a brief thesis statement, followed by three (ideally) supporting bullet points, culminated, if need be, by a summarizing point. I glazed over at about word 666. ;-)
Do you believe animals to be sentient?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
"What do you think makes something sentient?"
This is the first, and most important question to explore. Please provide a definition of sentience and perhaps we might actually have a meaningful discussion. Without a clear definition of this 'loaded' term, however, what we offer in response likely leads to a waste of our time.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
"What do you think makes something sentient?"
This is the first, and most important question to explore. Please provide a definition of sentience and perhaps we might actually have a meaningful discussion. Without a clear definition of this 'loaded' term, however, what we offer in response likely leads to a waste of our time.
It is interesting to me that as I read the answers to posted questions and chat with people, I find...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
"Questions about love, sexuality, and death" or "Safety, autonomy [and]...security" are among the key questions, are they not? And it is our core values that inform our understanding, and thus our responses to these questions. What values might you hold that influence your 'dramatic difference?'
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
"Questions about love, sexuality, and death" or "Safety, autonomy [and]...security" are among the key questions, are they not? And it is our core values that inform our understanding, and thus our responses to these questions. What values might you hold that influence your 'dramatic difference?'
God, I am such an asshole, sometimes. Forgive me? I love You.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
God, you're such an asshole, pretty much all the time. How could I ever forgive you? I despise you. ;-)
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
God, you're such an asshole, pretty much all the time. How could I ever forgive you? I despise you. ;-)
I tell my kid that his toy T-Rex says, "ROOOAAR.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
We literally haven't a clue as to what sounds the dinosaurs made. Mammals, including primates, felines, pachyderms, etc. are clearly influenced by the sounds of a potential mate or a competitor. Birds, the descendants of dinosaurs, also use vocalizations to declare intent. That impressive 'roar' ascribed by Hollywood may have been a less-than-impressive squeal!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
We literally haven't a clue as to what sounds the dinosaurs made. Mammals, including primates, felines, pachyderms, etc. are clearly influenced by the sounds of a potential mate or a competitor. Birds, the descendants of dinosaurs, also use vocalizations to declare intent. That impressive 'roar' ascribed by Hollywood may have been a less-than-impressive squeal!
Can I talk about my feelings for a bit?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
I am curious about this need (requirement) to fill a hole. When all four of my wisdom teeth were pulled (seemingly, against nature), nothing but gauze was given to me to fill those holes. Similarly, when we learn, perhaps for the first time, that Santa Claus was not a real person after all, and didn't ride in a flying sleigh, climb down chimneys, bring us presents, and didn't know what we were thinking, we may have been relieved, or, in some cases, left wanting. And yet, we know that there is no replacement for a wisdom tooth or Santa Claus. There is simply removal (elimination), and moving on.
It's perfectly alright to miss all that you found comforting in your life of faith. I too broke up with God, initially. After re-reading the Bible, I angrily demanded that Jehovah account for himself. No reply, of course. And then the Son didn't seem to answer me either, and so I began to wonder if I wasn't just praying to myself, much like talking to myself. It took years and the reading of many books (both critical and apologetic) for me to gradually emerge from the murkiness and gloom that was my brand of faith. And even then, there remained a tinge of nostalgia. In the words of Julian Barnes, "I don't believe in God, but I miss him."
But later, at some point, there was this "Aha moment." It's like, "Wait, you mean to tell me that ....?" To which I added, "Well, that makes no sense at all!" And from then on I felt 'cured' of this imposition on our minds that we call "Religion!" Logic and reason had won over credulity and tradition. Improved thinking acts as a vaccine against weaker thinking, and once you know a fact, or see a fraud, you can no longer 'un-learn' or 'un-see' what you have witnessed. I wish you the best, in deepest empathy, as you go about charting your own course. It was not easy for me, but in the end, rewarding. Do not give up on yourself. Peace.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 12, 2018:
I am curious about this need (requirement) to fill a hole. When all four of my wisdom teeth were pulled (seemingly, against nature), nothing but gauze was given to me to fill those holes. Similarly, when we learn, perhaps for the first time, that Santa Claus was not a real person after all, and didn't ride in a flying sleigh, climb down chimneys, bring us presents, and didn't know what we were thinking, we may have been relieved, or, in some cases, left wanting. And yet, we know that there is no replacement for a wisdom tooth or Santa Claus. There is simply removal (elimination), and moving on.
It's perfectly alright to miss all that you found comforting in your life of faith. I too broke up with God, initially. After re-reading the Bible, I angrily demanded that Jehovah account for himself. No reply, of course. And then the Son didn't seem to answer me either, and so I began to wonder if I wasn't just praying to myself, much like talking to myself. It took years and the reading of many books (both critical and apologetic) for me to gradually emerge from the murkiness and gloom that was my brand of faith. And even then, there remained a tinge of nostalgia. In the words of Julian Barnes, "I don't believe in God, but I miss him."
But later, at some point, there was this "Aha moment." It's like, "Wait, you mean to tell me that ....?" To which I added, "Well, that makes no sense at all!" And from then on I felt 'cured' of this imposition on our minds that we call "Religion!" Logic and reason had won over credulity and tradition. Improved thinking acts as a vaccine against weaker thinking, and once you know a fact, or see a fraud, you can no longer 'un-learn' or 'un-see' what you have witnessed. I wish you the best, in deepest empathy, as you go about charting your own course. It was not easy for me, but in the end, rewarding. Do not give up on yourself. Peace.
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world – more than twice as fast as the overall global...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
It is statistics like this that raise fear and anger in the minds of Christians, as well as unhappiness and disappointment in the minds of nonbelievers.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
It is statistics like this that raise fear and anger in the minds of Christians, as well as unhappiness and disappointment in the minds of nonbelievers.
There was a court case where a preacher husband convinced his wife to commit suicide so he could use...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
If true, I would like to know what life insurance company would write a policy that failed to include a clause against suicide. If they paid it, they don't deserve to be in business!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
If true, I would like to know what life insurance company would write a policy that failed to include a clause against suicide. If they paid it, they don't deserve to be in business!
Conversation starter.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
Wait, I saw this one! Didn't Marty go back in time and inform Doc Brown about the Flux Capacitor? Holy Logic Loop, Batman, you've found a 'temporal paradox!' ;-)
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
Wait, I saw this one! Didn't Marty go back in time and inform Doc Brown about the Flux Capacitor? Holy Logic Loop, Batman, you've found a 'temporal paradox!' ;-)
Atheist political party
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
A Humanist Party perhaps, but never an Atheist Party. Not in this country, in any case. Atheism is viewed as being 'against God,' when in reality it is merely the null set. And as such, it would seem an unlikely foundation on which to build a political party. That said, the planks you've highlighted were originally espoused by many of the Founding Fathers, and if we REALLY want to make America great again, a return to the Age of Enlightenment (version 2.0) might be a good beginning!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
A Humanist Party perhaps, but never an Atheist Party. Not in this country, in any case. Atheism is viewed as being 'against God,' when in reality it is merely the null set. And as such, it would seem an unlikely foundation on which to build a political party. That said, the planks you've highlighted were originally espoused by many of the Founding Fathers, and if we REALLY want to make America great again, a return to the Age of Enlightenment (version 2.0) might be a good beginning!
What is your favorite Sam Harris lecture on youtube and why?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
Sam's TED Talk on AI, because he's focused not on religion, but on a concern he shares with many involving a combination of technology and philosophy, which I found refreshing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nt3edWLgIg
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
Sam's TED Talk on AI, because he's focused not on religion, but on a concern he shares with many involving a combination of technology and philosophy, which I found refreshing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nt3edWLgIg
Maybe you all are the affluent I rail against
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
And maybe you are the effluent that I rail against
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
And maybe you are the effluent that I rail against
I may not believe in god as other people might, but I love checking out the religious rituals of ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
Indeed, and the Hindus, for example, have traditions that date back millennia, but what is the significance and, more importantly, the usefulness of such behaviors and practices? When my Catholic relatives dip their fingers in 'holy' water, genuflect and take communion, their rituals may, or may not mean a thing to them, and they most certainly mean nothing but absurdity and nonsense to me!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
Indeed, and the Hindus, for example, have traditions that date back millennia, but what is the significance and, more importantly, the usefulness of such behaviors and practices? When my Catholic relatives dip their fingers in 'holy' water, genuflect and take communion, their rituals may, or may not mean a thing to them, and they most certainly mean nothing but absurdity and nonsense to me!
As we settle into fall I'm thinking of christmas.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
You've struck a nerve. I've long been against this behavior. Perhaps we will one day look back on the entire practice of telling our children things which we either don't believe, or cannot claim to know to be true, as a form of child abuse. Why do we fill our children's minds with falsehoods that they must inevitably purge? Reading popular books and going along with the crowd can offer no excuse, because we, as adults, know the existence of these characters cannot be shown to be facts. Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, ghosts, God, Satan and Jesus are basically the same thing--made up characters who our children are sometimes forced to encounter as actually existing. Psychologically, when we teach this shit, we adults are fucking with our kids' heads.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
You've struck a nerve. I've long been against this behavior. Perhaps we will one day look back on the entire practice of telling our children things which we either don't believe, or cannot claim to know to be true, as a form of child abuse. Why do we fill our children's minds with falsehoods that they must inevitably purge? Reading popular books and going along with the crowd can offer no excuse, because we, as adults, know the existence of these characters cannot be shown to be facts. Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, ghosts, God, Satan and Jesus are basically the same thing--made up characters who our children are sometimes forced to encounter as actually existing. Psychologically, when we teach this shit, we adults are fucking with our kids' heads.
NAKED PRAYER -
Cuz god can hear you better with your junk hanging out.
[christianpost.com]
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
There are things in life that one wishes never to see, knowing full well that they cannot be unseen.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
There are things in life that one wishes never to see, knowing full well that they cannot be unseen.
Can you be a Wiccan and call yourself an Atheist?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
Wiccans seem to be all over the map ... some are said to be atheists or agnostics. So I suppose it's possible, though one wonders why one who had no belief in the supernatural would desire to claim to be a Wiccan.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
Wiccans seem to be all over the map ... some are said to be atheists or agnostics. So I suppose it's possible, though one wonders why one who had no belief in the supernatural would desire to claim to be a Wiccan.
One favorite QUOTE : "THE PROBLEM WITH THE WORLD is that intelligent people are full of doubts .
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
How to turn a problem into an opportunity: begin to view 'doubt' positively as synonymous with 'scrutiny,' 'skepticism' and 'deliberation,' while negatively associating confidence as akin to 'hubris,' 'arrogance' and 'obliviousness.'
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 11, 2018:
How to turn a problem into an opportunity: begin to view 'doubt' positively as synonymous with 'scrutiny,' 'skepticism' and 'deliberation,' while negatively associating confidence as akin to 'hubris,' 'arrogance' and 'obliviousness.'
I have a person in one of my science classes that is really struggling with the content in class ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 10, 2018:
You had me, right there with you, until 'This is an online class.' In a real classroom, you'd have the opportunity for after-class discussion, or maybe even go out for a beer or something to discuss science compared with religion. But in the virtual world, such conveniences are wanting. The professor needs the tuition credits and class size that even this person's presence brings. Does your online environment allow for point to point messaging during the class? If so, you may want to collaborate with some of your other classmates on this topic. At some point, if a significant number of students raise the concern that non-scientific fairy tales may be replacing valued learning, the professor may start squelching unsuitable comments.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 10, 2018:
You had me, right there with you, until 'This is an online class.' In a real classroom, you'd have the opportunity for after-class discussion, or maybe even go out for a beer or something to discuss science compared with religion. But in the virtual world, such conveniences are wanting. The professor needs the tuition credits and class size that even this person's presence brings. Does your online environment allow for point to point messaging during the class? If so, you may want to collaborate with some of your other classmates on this topic. At some point, if a significant number of students raise the concern that non-scientific fairy tales may be replacing valued learning, the professor may start squelching unsuitable comments.
Why didn't Kavanaugh listen to Ford's testimony?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 10, 2018:
Perhaps he was too busy preparing his conspiracy laden emotional outburst to be 'bothered' by Dr. Ford?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 10, 2018:
Perhaps he was too busy preparing his conspiracy laden emotional outburst to be 'bothered' by Dr. Ford?
Does God Intervene In Human Affairs?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 10, 2018:
My avatar, like many of his fellow Founding Fathers, believed in a supreme being who created the universe and its natural laws, and then moved on to other matters, never to be seen or heard. In this view of a deity, there is no interference, no miracles, no prophets, no holy books, no prayers, no churches, no faith! If justice is to be rendered, society improved, diseases conquered and life and property protected, all is the work of human beings, and human beings alone. That is what my avatar subscribed to, and I could live with that.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 10, 2018:
My avatar, like many of his fellow Founding Fathers, believed in a supreme being who created the universe and its natural laws, and then moved on to other matters, never to be seen or heard. In this view of a deity, there is no interference, no miracles, no prophets, no holy books, no prayers, no churches, no faith! If justice is to be rendered, society improved, diseases conquered and life and property protected, all is the work of human beings, and human beings alone. That is what my avatar subscribed to, and I could live with that.
Am I the only one that believes that Eve was actually the daughter of Adam and Lilith?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 10, 2018:
What difference does it make? It's all fiction! These people you've described never actually existed. They're made-up characters, from folklore. We may as well argue over characters from Game of Thrones, but at least that would be more interesting!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 10, 2018:
What difference does it make? It's all fiction! These people you've described never actually existed. They're made-up characters, from folklore. We may as well argue over characters from Game of Thrones, but at least that would be more interesting!
This is by far the scariest thing. And we may never recover from it.
[nyti.ms]
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Agreed ... we are not likely to recover from this during the coming century. The odds would seem to be against us. Our children, their children and their children's children will inherit our lapses in judgment. In a fateful twist of irony, as the technology of the 'dominant' culture threatens our continent (and planet), we are reminded of the ethic espoused by the indigenous peoples in North America who asserted that the present generation were the stewards of the natural world that their grandchildren would inherit. Our stewardship is demonstrably lacking!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Agreed ... we are not likely to recover from this during the coming century. The odds would seem to be against us. Our children, their children and their children's children will inherit our lapses in judgment. In a fateful twist of irony, as the technology of the 'dominant' culture threatens our continent (and planet), we are reminded of the ethic espoused by the indigenous peoples in North America who asserted that the present generation were the stewards of the natural world that their grandchildren would inherit. Our stewardship is demonstrably lacking!
[facebook.com]
all dressed up with nowhere to go
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Hairless animals are nature's nudists!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Hairless animals are nature's nudists!
Spirituality: Same nonsense by another name?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
So we have a vernacular issue ... right? So let's come up with a better term! I've heard it said that indigenous people who live in the arctic have many words for what we simply call 'snow.' The word 'love' is similarly ultra-generic. So, if there is a better term to describe an emotional state in which one 'feels' a sense of 'awe' or 'wonder' or a 'connectedness' with the universe, for instance, let's have it. Until then, we use the term 'spiritual.'
And personally, if someone tells me that they are not religious, but spiritual, I'm inclined to be much more comfortable in their company than anyone who claims to be very religious, whether or not they claim to be 'spiritual!'
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
So we have a vernacular issue ... right? So let's come up with a better term! I've heard it said that indigenous people who live in the arctic have many words for what we simply call 'snow.' The word 'love' is similarly ultra-generic. So, if there is a better term to describe an emotional state in which one 'feels' a sense of 'awe' or 'wonder' or a 'connectedness' with the universe, for instance, let's have it. Until then, we use the term 'spiritual.'
And personally, if someone tells me that they are not religious, but spiritual, I'm inclined to be much more comfortable in their company than anyone who claims to be very religious, whether or not they claim to be 'spiritual!'
I used to have the cutest, most adorable birthday suit.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Still attempting to extract the "Religion & Spirituality" from this post ... perhaps you can assist?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Still attempting to extract the "Religion & Spirituality" from this post ... perhaps you can assist?
Who on here has ever liked someone that may have been religious but never told you
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
So, how would you know? I mean, if they never told you, what do you mean by "may have been religious but never told you"? Do you see the problem you've created with this question? If people don't tell you how religious they are, do you assume? Can you perhaps re-think this entire post? Where's the 'thumbs down' button on this damn site? ;-)
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
So, how would you know? I mean, if they never told you, what do you mean by "may have been religious but never told you"? Do you see the problem you've created with this question? If people don't tell you how religious they are, do you assume? Can you perhaps re-think this entire post? Where's the 'thumbs down' button on this damn site? ;-)
I read this and I thought it would be a good thing to share
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Monsters are, in fact, inside our heads--they are make believe!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Monsters are, in fact, inside our heads--they are make believe!
My ex called last night.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
In my opinion, the fact that you have children together almost forces your hand into being 'the bigger person.' Furthermore, the fact that he called you after his second wife left him, speaks volumes!
Having been a product of a divorce, with a father who was clearly not the adult in the room, I am in awe of your strength, which is not unlike my mother's. I don't know how old your children are, but they will grow to love and respect you with each passing year, as you've remained true to them and yourself.
I hope, for your sake that you are able, at some point, to take cognizance of the wondrous fact that you are no longer married to a child.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
In my opinion, the fact that you have children together almost forces your hand into being 'the bigger person.' Furthermore, the fact that he called you after his second wife left him, speaks volumes!
Having been a product of a divorce, with a father who was clearly not the adult in the room, I am in awe of your strength, which is not unlike my mother's. I don't know how old your children are, but they will grow to love and respect you with each passing year, as you've remained true to them and yourself.
I hope, for your sake that you are able, at some point, to take cognizance of the wondrous fact that you are no longer married to a child.
SSHHHHHHH! Shut The Fuck Up!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Watching the proceedings, and the interviews held after, one cannot help but wonder how our nation came to be led by a bunch of white old men. Seriously? We are painfully monochromatic at the top! Whether it's Trump, or Grassley, or Hatch, or Graham or McConnell or Corker or ... even Bret Kavanaugh ... well, you get the picture. Is that who we truly aspire to have as the principal leaders and policy makers of our democracy? A gaggle of middle-aged to elderly white males? Isn't it time that we allow the old white grandpas to retire to their rocking chairs?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Watching the proceedings, and the interviews held after, one cannot help but wonder how our nation came to be led by a bunch of white old men. Seriously? We are painfully monochromatic at the top! Whether it's Trump, or Grassley, or Hatch, or Graham or McConnell or Corker or ... even Bret Kavanaugh ... well, you get the picture. Is that who we truly aspire to have as the principal leaders and policy makers of our democracy? A gaggle of middle-aged to elderly white males? Isn't it time that we allow the old white grandpas to retire to their rocking chairs?
Woman tied to Patriot Movement AZ gets plea deal with no jail time in Arizona mosque case | Southern...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
The Southern Poverty Law Center has no credence with me. They labeled the atheist-apostate Ayan Hirsi Ali and the Islamic reformer Maajid Nawaz (still a Muslim) 'Anti-Muslim Extremists!' Are you kidding me? They finally settled with Nawaz, earlier this year. The Southern Poverty Law Center appears to be striving to outdo the ACLU, and in so doing, without good evidence. Which is unfortunate, since they are attorneys. This organization is worthy of our contempt, in my opinion.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
The Southern Poverty Law Center has no credence with me. They labeled the atheist-apostate Ayan Hirsi Ali and the Islamic reformer Maajid Nawaz (still a Muslim) 'Anti-Muslim Extremists!' Are you kidding me? They finally settled with Nawaz, earlier this year. The Southern Poverty Law Center appears to be striving to outdo the ACLU, and in so doing, without good evidence. Which is unfortunate, since they are attorneys. This organization is worthy of our contempt, in my opinion.
The discomforting truth is that in our consciousness we all have interpreters narrating our lives, ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Are you implying that we lack free will?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
Are you implying that we lack free will?
Can anyone show me scientific proof that a fetus is not human?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
A fetus is what we label an embryo at about the ninth week. Prior to this, it is just an embryo or blastocyst or zygote. Is a zygote human? It has the genetic constituents of two contributors. And yet, when you or I scratch our asses, we lose thousands of living cells, each with the DNA necessary to make another human. Would we call the cells that we shed every day 'human?' Remember, our entire genetic structure is contained in them.
In the same way that an individual cell is genetically human, so is an embryo. Labeling it such, however, does not grant the right of the state or any other unwelcome party, to effectively exercise control over the woman's body. And yet, this entire argument may one day become outdated, as hundreds of fertilized eggs will be manufactured by couples who will be able to determine the traits and characteristics of their offspring, from genetic analysis performed on their blastocysts in a privately run, independent laboratory. Through IVG, we may one day choose not to conceive our offspring through sexual intercourse. Using genetic analysis future parents may select to eliminate disease and other handicaps, as well as choose desired traits such as hair and eye color, intelligence and temperament. The zygotes they wish to keep will be frozen, or implanted, and the vast majority of remaining embryos will be destroyed--just as they are today.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 9, 2018:
A fetus is what we label an embryo at about the ninth week. Prior to this, it is just an embryo or blastocyst or zygote. Is a zygote human? It has the genetic constituents of two contributors. And yet, when you or I scratch our asses, we lose thousands of living cells, each with the DNA necessary to make another human. Would we call the cells that we shed every day 'human?' Remember, our entire genetic structure is contained in them.
In the same way that an individual cell is genetically human, so is an embryo. Labeling it such, however, does not grant the right of the state or any other unwelcome party, to effectively exercise control over the woman's body. And yet, this entire argument may one day become outdated, as hundreds of fertilized eggs will be manufactured by couples who will be able to determine the traits and characteristics of their offspring, from genetic analysis performed on their blastocysts in a privately run, independent laboratory. Through IVG, we may one day choose not to conceive our offspring through sexual intercourse. Using genetic analysis future parents may select to eliminate disease and other handicaps, as well as choose desired traits such as hair and eye color, intelligence and temperament. The zygotes they wish to keep will be frozen, or implanted, and the vast majority of remaining embryos will be destroyed--just as they are today.
Making the church lady cry!
I've got one co worker that was over joyed when her son lost his job, ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
"Mexican guy?" What are you talking about? Sounds like an inappropriate joke from the Simpsons in the early 90's.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
"Mexican guy?" What are you talking about? Sounds like an inappropriate joke from the Simpsons in the early 90's.
What life-altering things should every human ideally get to experience at least once in their lives?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
Having experienced this last year, I would urge anyone who has never seen a total eclipse of the sun (under the path of totality), to put this event--somewhere on the planet--on your bucket list. I witnessed last year's eclipse in August in eastern Oregon by myself, and immediately regretted the absence of family and close friends. You just can't describe in words what you are seeing ... it was among the best two minutes of a life well-lived!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
Having experienced this last year, I would urge anyone who has never seen a total eclipse of the sun (under the path of totality), to put this event--somewhere on the planet--on your bucket list. I witnessed last year's eclipse in August in eastern Oregon by myself, and immediately regretted the absence of family and close friends. You just can't describe in words what you are seeing ... it was among the best two minutes of a life well-lived!
Narcissistic Sociopath Symptoms
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
Not sure where this stat comes from, but to be fair, according to UNICEF roughly 3.1 million children die from starvation / malnutrition each year, or about 8,500 per day. That this is a tragedy few would dispute, but it's also important that we don't overstate the problem.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
Not sure where this stat comes from, but to be fair, according to UNICEF roughly 3.1 million children die from starvation / malnutrition each year, or about 8,500 per day. That this is a tragedy few would dispute, but it's also important that we don't overstate the problem.
Brett Kavanaugh just hired the Supreme Court's first all-women law clerk team
[theweek.com]
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
This topic is history ... it's over folks, and we need to move on! No more whining, just vote. There's an election less than a month away.
Sadly, the broader electorate almost never considers the ramification of elections on judicial nominations, and the rulings that result--not merely from the supreme court, but in the lower courts as well. Trump has elevated nearly 70 judges, and the appointment of Kavanaugh was a *fait de complis*, pre-determined by both the 2014 mid-terms and the 2016 presidential elections. In a nation where 40% of the eligible populace simply doesn't vote, one could make the case that we deserve what we get and we get what we deserve! To the victor goes the spoils.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
This topic is history ... it's over folks, and we need to move on! No more whining, just vote. There's an election less than a month away.
Sadly, the broader electorate almost never considers the ramification of elections on judicial nominations, and the rulings that result--not merely from the supreme court, but in the lower courts as well. Trump has elevated nearly 70 judges, and the appointment of Kavanaugh was a *fait de complis*, pre-determined by both the 2014 mid-terms and the 2016 presidential elections. In a nation where 40% of the eligible populace simply doesn't vote, one could make the case that we deserve what we get and we get what we deserve! To the victor goes the spoils.
Why do otherwise rational people believe in GOD?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
At the heart of the debate lies—it seems to me—the fundamental belief, or lack thereof, in the dichotomy of what Stephen Jay Gould referred to as non-overlapping magisteria (NOMA). In such a worldview, science has its domain, while religion has its own separate space—the two don’t overlap. And while I do not subscribe to this point of view, it nevertheless allows—if not promotes—a ‘compartmentalization’ of the mind. And Gould may have been on to something here. Let us admit that, whether it be anti-vax'ers, the anti-GMO crowd, believers in UFOs, conspiracy theorists, those who truly believe in reincarnation or ghosts, or just the average, run-of-the-mill religionist, clearly the human brain is capable of holding both rational and irrational opinions simultaneously.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
At the heart of the debate lies—it seems to me—the fundamental belief, or lack thereof, in the dichotomy of what Stephen Jay Gould referred to as non-overlapping magisteria (NOMA). In such a worldview, science has its domain, while religion has its own separate space—the two don’t overlap. And while I do not subscribe to this point of view, it nevertheless allows—if not promotes—a ‘compartmentalization’ of the mind. And Gould may have been on to something here. Let us admit that, whether it be anti-vax'ers, the anti-GMO crowd, believers in UFOs, conspiracy theorists, those who truly believe in reincarnation or ghosts, or just the average, run-of-the-mill religionist, clearly the human brain is capable of holding both rational and irrational opinions simultaneously.
Last evening Southern California residents who happened to step outside and look skyward were ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
As one who spent a good portion of his career in space launch and operations, as wonderful as the SpaceX launch vehicle performed--and it was superb--the mission (payload) is what most interests me. It is an all-weather, day-night, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mission, capable of imaging the Earth using microwave pulses which penetrate clouds, and even dust storms or volcanic activity. From its near polar, sun-synchronous orbit (meaning it passes over the same spot on the Earth at roughly the same time, each day), this mission should be capable of producing even more sophisticated products, including highly sensitive interferometry and coherent change detection. The remote sensing data collected from this mission covers a broad range of valuable applications.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 8, 2018:
As one who spent a good portion of his career in space launch and operations, as wonderful as the SpaceX launch vehicle performed--and it was superb--the mission (payload) is what most interests me. It is an all-weather, day-night, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mission, capable of imaging the Earth using microwave pulses which penetrate clouds, and even dust storms or volcanic activity. From its near polar, sun-synchronous orbit (meaning it passes over the same spot on the Earth at roughly the same time, each day), this mission should be capable of producing even more sophisticated products, including highly sensitive interferometry and coherent change detection. The remote sensing data collected from this mission covers a broad range of valuable applications.
What's That Carnivorous Beast?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 6, 2018:
Ah, The Lamb and the Lion ... one of my favorite pubs in England! If you visit Bath, you must stop in. Cheers!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 6, 2018:
Ah, The Lamb and the Lion ... one of my favorite pubs in England! If you visit Bath, you must stop in. Cheers!
Study Reveals Link Between Calvinism and Acceptance of Domestic Violence Myths | Sarahbeth Caplin | ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 6, 2018:
Presbyterians today may no longer have John Calvin's Five Points drummed into them from childhood, using the somewhat ironic mnemonic, TULIP: 1) Total Depravity; 2) Unconditional Election; 3) Limited Atonement; 4) Irresistible Grace; 5) Perseverance of the Saints. But Calvin's likeness can be found in many, if not most Presbyterian sanctuaries or classrooms. If you accept Calvin's theology, you will assume that all mankind is, without exception, 'depraved,' having inherited the evil of man's original sin. You will also believe in predestination (Unconditional Election), which states that God, from the beginning, has already chosen who he will save, and who he will destroy.
To say that Calvin was a horrible individual would be an understatement. Calvin had the gentle physician and theologian Michael Servetus, who is credited with the discovery of blood circulation, tried and slowly burned at the stake (using green wood, so that he would endure the torture longer) in Geneva for his heresies of Sabellianism and anti-infant baptism. Under Calvin, more than 50 people were executed for their 'thought crimes.' Calvin was the opposite of a saint, and were he alive today, we would justifiably call him a monster.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 6, 2018:
Presbyterians today may no longer have John Calvin's Five Points drummed into them from childhood, using the somewhat ironic mnemonic, TULIP: 1) Total Depravity; 2) Unconditional Election; 3) Limited Atonement; 4) Irresistible Grace; 5) Perseverance of the Saints. But Calvin's likeness can be found in many, if not most Presbyterian sanctuaries or classrooms. If you accept Calvin's theology, you will assume that all mankind is, without exception, 'depraved,' having inherited the evil of man's original sin. You will also believe in predestination (Unconditional Election), which states that God, from the beginning, has already chosen who he will save, and who he will destroy.
To say that Calvin was a horrible individual would be an understatement. Calvin had the gentle physician and theologian Michael Servetus, who is credited with the discovery of blood circulation, tried and slowly burned at the stake (using green wood, so that he would endure the torture longer) in Geneva for his heresies of Sabellianism and anti-infant baptism. Under Calvin, more than 50 people were executed for their 'thought crimes.' Calvin was the opposite of a saint, and were he alive today, we would justifiably call him a monster.
I think life in the universe is ubiquitous but what we call intelligent life may be rare, just ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 6, 2018:
Such a pessimist you are! ;-) Self destruction need not be inevitable. We are, it seems to me, more likely to be the victims of an extinction level event, such as the impact of a massive asteroid, than our own folly.
And even natural destruction might not be the way of all beings that have evolved to a given level of advancement. If our galaxy has more than 300,000,000,000 stars (or suns), most with orbiting planets, and the observable universe has, according to current NASA estimates, more than 100,000,000,000 galaxies, each with billions of stars, it would seem likely that more than one species in our universe has figured out how to survive, even beyond the life of their sun.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 6, 2018:
Such a pessimist you are! ;-) Self destruction need not be inevitable. We are, it seems to me, more likely to be the victims of an extinction level event, such as the impact of a massive asteroid, than our own folly.
And even natural destruction might not be the way of all beings that have evolved to a given level of advancement. If our galaxy has more than 300,000,000,000 stars (or suns), most with orbiting planets, and the observable universe has, according to current NASA estimates, more than 100,000,000,000 galaxies, each with billions of stars, it would seem likely that more than one species in our universe has figured out how to survive, even beyond the life of their sun.
To be or not to be!!!!!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 6, 2018:
CDBs?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 6, 2018:
CDBs?
I just want to let all of you know that the Draconid meteor shower that is usually a weak shower ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Comet dust raining down more seeds of Fred Hoyle's pansermia? ?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Comet dust raining down more seeds of Fred Hoyle's pansermia? ?
Regarding the Geography of Heaven and Hell
Attention all True Believers: Have you actually seen ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
It was the physics, not the geography that pretty much lost me on the whole idea.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
It was the physics, not the geography that pretty much lost me on the whole idea.
Why does it feel that the next thing I do is hinged on the next thing I do?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Perhaps its because we live in a universe of causes and effects?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Perhaps its because we live in a universe of causes and effects?
This is just the beginning of my article, written in 2000, entitled "Isaiah Was a False Prophet.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
With all respect, I once held in high regard the secular scholars and historians who engage in biblical criticism. Critics like Bart Ehrman and Robert M. Price were once favorite authors of mine. But when I finally saw the bible as it really is--not history, but a work of fiction--I began to see those who quibble about its meaning or authenticity as akin to those who argue *ad nauseam* over their favorite serial comic strip characters. What is it all worth, in the end? Time to move on.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
With all respect, I once held in high regard the secular scholars and historians who engage in biblical criticism. Critics like Bart Ehrman and Robert M. Price were once favorite authors of mine. But when I finally saw the bible as it really is--not history, but a work of fiction--I began to see those who quibble about its meaning or authenticity as akin to those who argue *ad nauseam* over their favorite serial comic strip characters. What is it all worth, in the end? Time to move on.
I've just been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and am seeking therapy to improve my coping skills.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Are you sure that's what she said? Have you tried putting it back on her? "So, are you saying to me, Ms. Therapist, that if I were a JW again, I wouldn't be depressed? Because that's what it sounded like to me." If you get her to agree with that point, tell her you're going to file a complaint with the California Board of Psychology for endorsing religion as a means of therapy. Also, was it she who diagnosed you in the first place? If so, my recommendation would be to seek a second opinion. Peace.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Are you sure that's what she said? Have you tried putting it back on her? "So, are you saying to me, Ms. Therapist, that if I were a JW again, I wouldn't be depressed? Because that's what it sounded like to me." If you get her to agree with that point, tell her you're going to file a complaint with the California Board of Psychology for endorsing religion as a means of therapy. Also, was it she who diagnosed you in the first place? If so, my recommendation would be to seek a second opinion. Peace.
What is law? Is it " to uphold the moral values of society" or is it "to prevent harm to others?"
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Laws encompass many domains, including the criminal code, business, civil, medical, etc. In general, our laws and our legal system is a form of societal engineering, which should, in my opinion, reflect the values of a society, not in a strict moral sense, but rather in line with priorities. Harm can likely never be prevented--reduced, perhaps, but not prevented. The legal system is never fully effective as a deterrent, as many, if not most, who commit crimes do not think they will get caught. But crime and punishment are the last resort. There are many points along the way where societal engineering may influence outcomes, and are the result of policies and programs, not laws.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Laws encompass many domains, including the criminal code, business, civil, medical, etc. In general, our laws and our legal system is a form of societal engineering, which should, in my opinion, reflect the values of a society, not in a strict moral sense, but rather in line with priorities. Harm can likely never be prevented--reduced, perhaps, but not prevented. The legal system is never fully effective as a deterrent, as many, if not most, who commit crimes do not think they will get caught. But crime and punishment are the last resort. There are many points along the way where societal engineering may influence outcomes, and are the result of policies and programs, not laws.
Former Mennonite here, and I've dealt with personal issues debating whether I should be open with my...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
I suppose it would depend on how much you value a relationship based on pretense. If it's more important to you that your parents not disown you than it is for them to know the truth about you, let that sleeping dog lie. If / when you marry and choose to have children, this issue may not be as easily hidden, however. Do I sound enough like Dear Abby for you? ;-)
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
I suppose it would depend on how much you value a relationship based on pretense. If it's more important to you that your parents not disown you than it is for them to know the truth about you, let that sleeping dog lie. If / when you marry and choose to have children, this issue may not be as easily hidden, however. Do I sound enough like Dear Abby for you? ;-)
I sometimes feel like a monster.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Maybe you are a monster who uses atheism as a means for misanthropic ends? Human beings, no matter what we may think of their systems of belief, are not disposable.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Maybe you are a monster who uses atheism as a means for misanthropic ends? Human beings, no matter what we may think of their systems of belief, are not disposable.
Morality is easy; treat others the way you would want to be treated.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Empathy is only one of the two pillars on which morality is based; the other is reciprocity, from which our sense of justice and fairness are derived. Without consequences for behavior that harms others, there is a moral vacuum.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Empathy is only one of the two pillars on which morality is based; the other is reciprocity, from which our sense of justice and fairness are derived. Without consequences for behavior that harms others, there is a moral vacuum.
Gratitude?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Even when I was a churchgoer, I don't think I've ever witnessed someone thanking somebody other than the person who did the nice thing in the first place.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Even when I was a churchgoer, I don't think I've ever witnessed someone thanking somebody other than the person who did the nice thing in the first place.
When you hear people praying on the radio or TV, do you turn the sound off or change the channel?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
TV or radio stations don't have a prayer with me! ;-)
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
TV or radio stations don't have a prayer with me! ;-)
Long space journeys could destroy astronauts guts and prematurely age brains.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
The TESS mission video was pretty cool, though. :-)
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
The TESS mission video was pretty cool, though. :-)
Question.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Consider what Christianity might become, were it to morph into the faith of retired Bishop John Shelby Spong, who espouses the following 12 Points of Reform in his book, A New Christianity for a New World:
1. Theism, as a way of defining God, is dead. So most theological God-talk is today meaningless. A new way to speak of God must be found.
2. Since God can no longer be conceived in theistic terms, it becomes nonsensical to seek to understand Jesus as the incarnation of the theistic deity. So the Christology of the ages is bankrupt.
3. The Biblical story of the perfect and finished creation from which human beings fell into sin is pre-Darwinian mythology and post-Darwinian nonsense.
4. The virgin birth, understood as literal biology, makes Christ's divinity, as traditionally understood, impossible.
5. The miracle stories of the New Testament can no longer be interpreted in a post-Newtonian world as supernatural events performed by an incarnate deity.
6. The view of the cross as the sacrifice for the sins of the world is a barbarian idea based on primitive concepts of God and must be dismissed.
7. Resurrection is an action of God. Jesus was raised into the meaning of God. It therefore cannot be a physical resuscitation occurring inside human history.
8. The story of the Ascension assumed a three-tiered universe and is therefore not capable of being translated into the concepts of a post-Copernican space age.
9. There is no external, objective, revealed standard written in scripture or on tablets of stone that will govern our ethical behavior for all time.
10. Prayer cannot be a request made to a theistic deity to act in human history in a particular way.
11. The hope for life after death must be separated forever from the behavior control mentality of reward and punishment. The Church must abandon, therefore, its reliance on guilt as a motivator of behavior.
12. All human beings bear God's image and must be respected for what each person is. Therefore, no external description of one's being, whether based on race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, can properly be used as the basis for either rejection or discrimination.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Consider what Christianity might become, were it to morph into the faith of retired Bishop John Shelby Spong, who espouses the following 12 Points of Reform in his book, A New Christianity for a New World:
1. Theism, as a way of defining God, is dead. So most theological God-talk is today meaningless. A new way to speak of God must be found.
2. Since God can no longer be conceived in theistic terms, it becomes nonsensical to seek to understand Jesus as the incarnation of the theistic deity. So the Christology of the ages is bankrupt.
3. The Biblical story of the perfect and finished creation from which human beings fell into sin is pre-Darwinian mythology and post-Darwinian nonsense.
4. The virgin birth, understood as literal biology, makes Christ's divinity, as traditionally understood, impossible.
5. The miracle stories of the New Testament can no longer be interpreted in a post-Newtonian world as supernatural events performed by an incarnate deity.
6. The view of the cross as the sacrifice for the sins of the world is a barbarian idea based on primitive concepts of God and must be dismissed.
7. Resurrection is an action of God. Jesus was raised into the meaning of God. It therefore cannot be a physical resuscitation occurring inside human history.
8. The story of the Ascension assumed a three-tiered universe and is therefore not capable of being translated into the concepts of a post-Copernican space age.
9. There is no external, objective, revealed standard written in scripture or on tablets of stone that will govern our ethical behavior for all time.
10. Prayer cannot be a request made to a theistic deity to act in human history in a particular way.
11. The hope for life after death must be separated forever from the behavior control mentality of reward and punishment. The Church must abandon, therefore, its reliance on guilt as a motivator of behavior.
12. All human beings bear God's image and must be respected for what each person is. Therefore, no external description of one's being, whether based on race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, can properly be used as the basis for either rejection or discrimination.
Flat-earthers, unite!! But not globally (for obvious reasons).
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Ever play the game Risk? The whole world is in two dimensions, and can most certainly be united--by force! And these strange people can also unite, if not globally, 'cylindrically' or, 'Mercatorially,' if you prefer. ;-)
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
Ever play the game Risk? The whole world is in two dimensions, and can most certainly be united--by force! And these strange people can also unite, if not globally, 'cylindrically' or, 'Mercatorially,' if you prefer. ;-)
How many of you attend services, but are agnostic?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
During my last few years of church attendance, I was filled with doubts and had gravitated toward unbelief. I called myself an agnostic, because it was an 'easier pill to swallow,' but I'd seriously begun to question what was being spewed forth from the pulpit, and much worse, from that book sitting on the back of every pew! Out of sheer boredom I had began to re-read the Bible during sermons, and that, more than anything else, hastened my exit, even as it increased my disgust.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 5, 2018:
During my last few years of church attendance, I was filled with doubts and had gravitated toward unbelief. I called myself an agnostic, because it was an 'easier pill to swallow,' but I'd seriously begun to question what was being spewed forth from the pulpit, and much worse, from that book sitting on the back of every pew! Out of sheer boredom I had began to re-read the Bible during sermons, and that, more than anything else, hastened my exit, even as it increased my disgust.
Murdered man's body found after tree 'unusual for the area' grew from seed in his stomach
...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
The Mirror? Are you kidding me? What's next, the National Enquirer? You do realize this isn't the "Silly, Random & Fun" section, don't you? In any case, the story has been debunked.
https://www.livescience.com/63667-fig-tree-grows-from-corpse.html
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
The Mirror? Are you kidding me? What's next, the National Enquirer? You do realize this isn't the "Silly, Random & Fun" section, don't you? In any case, the story has been debunked.
https://www.livescience.com/63667-fig-tree-grows-from-corpse.html
Panspermia..
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
"Has anyone else seen anyone completely reject abiogenesis in favor of panspermia?"
Perhaps the most famous example is that of Nobel Laureate, Sir Fred Hoyle, who gave the backers of intelligent design some welcome ammunition with this quote:
"If one proceeds directly and straightforwardly in this matter, without being deflected by a fear of incurring the wrath of scientific opinion, one arrives at the conclusion that biomaterials with their amazing measure of order must be the outcome of intelligent design."
Hoyle and his student, and later colleague, Chandra Wickramasinghe have advanced the idea that outbreaks of disease (influenza, polio, mad cow disease, etc.) are caused by extraterrestrial microbes carried by comet dust.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
"Has anyone else seen anyone completely reject abiogenesis in favor of panspermia?"
Perhaps the most famous example is that of Nobel Laureate, Sir Fred Hoyle, who gave the backers of intelligent design some welcome ammunition with this quote:
"If one proceeds directly and straightforwardly in this matter, without being deflected by a fear of incurring the wrath of scientific opinion, one arrives at the conclusion that biomaterials with their amazing measure of order must be the outcome of intelligent design."
Hoyle and his student, and later colleague, Chandra Wickramasinghe have advanced the idea that outbreaks of disease (influenza, polio, mad cow disease, etc.) are caused by extraterrestrial microbes carried by comet dust.
Leftees gone nuts:::: A scientist presents his scientific findings to a group of scientists who find...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
Isn't that a clue to what, exactly? That Strumia is correct in his assertion that 'physics was built by men' and that women are demanding jobs in science without being qualified, resulting in men being discriminated against? Or do you believe it's a clue to some other underlying issue?
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
Isn't that a clue to what, exactly? That Strumia is correct in his assertion that 'physics was built by men' and that women are demanding jobs in science without being qualified, resulting in men being discriminated against? Or do you believe it's a clue to some other underlying issue?
“The Christian God the Father, the God of Tertullian, Augustine and Aquinas, is the wickedest ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
Agreed! When contemplating the 'nature of god,' I frequently turn to the 'Great Agnostic' of the 1800's, Robert Green Ingersoll: "Would God give a bird wings and make it a crime to fly? Would he give me brains and make it a crime to think? Any God that would damn one of his children for the expression of his honest thought wouldn't make a decent thief. When I read a book and don't believe it, I ought to say so. I will do so and take the consequences like a man."
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
Agreed! When contemplating the 'nature of god,' I frequently turn to the 'Great Agnostic' of the 1800's, Robert Green Ingersoll: "Would God give a bird wings and make it a crime to fly? Would he give me brains and make it a crime to think? Any God that would damn one of his children for the expression of his honest thought wouldn't make a decent thief. When I read a book and don't believe it, I ought to say so. I will do so and take the consequences like a man."
So on another site there was a conversation going on and a lady said “religion always creeped her ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
The same might be said of Santa Claus. "He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you're awake; he knows when you've been bad or good..."
I was seriously affected by this concept as a tyke!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
The same might be said of Santa Claus. "He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you're awake; he knows when you've been bad or good..."
I was seriously affected by this concept as a tyke!
Doubt and fear
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
Quite the opposite. Fear seeks to eliminate all doubt, and the meek, out of fear, avoid troubling questions that might cause one to doubt. Fear is one of religion's most effective tools against doubt.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
Quite the opposite. Fear seeks to eliminate all doubt, and the meek, out of fear, avoid troubling questions that might cause one to doubt. Fear is one of religion's most effective tools against doubt.
The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
Agreed ... so long as we haven't found ourselves stuck in quicksand!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 4, 2018:
Agreed ... so long as we haven't found ourselves stuck in quicksand!
Doubt vs gullibilty
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 3, 2018:
"Is it wrong to cause believers to doubt their faith?"
Like so many questions we ask, or have asked of us, it surely must depend on the situation. Reading the prior posts below I can see, perhaps as the author of Ecclesiastes, that there is "a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."
Timing is everything, and we who no longer believe should, in my opinion, remain patient for the appropriate time. For any who flatly state that it is NEVER wrong to speak honestly, I have nothing but pity.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 3, 2018:
"Is it wrong to cause believers to doubt their faith?"
Like so many questions we ask, or have asked of us, it surely must depend on the situation. Reading the prior posts below I can see, perhaps as the author of Ecclesiastes, that there is "a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."
Timing is everything, and we who no longer believe should, in my opinion, remain patient for the appropriate time. For any who flatly state that it is NEVER wrong to speak honestly, I have nothing but pity.
Juno is speeding around Jupiter at something like 160,000 mph.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 2, 2018:
Please check my math on this, but if Alpha Centauri is 4.243 light years away, that translates to 25.67 trillion (or 25 trillion, 670 billion) miles (25,670,000,000,000). At 160,000 miles per hour, I calculate a total travel time at that speed as about 160,437,500 hours. If you divide this by the number of hours in a year (8,760) you arrive at 18,305 years, give or take. If we assume 25 years per generation, the trip at 160,000 miles per hour will take a mere 733 generations.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 2, 2018:
Please check my math on this, but if Alpha Centauri is 4.243 light years away, that translates to 25.67 trillion (or 25 trillion, 670 billion) miles (25,670,000,000,000). At 160,000 miles per hour, I calculate a total travel time at that speed as about 160,437,500 hours. If you divide this by the number of hours in a year (8,760) you arrive at 18,305 years, give or take. If we assume 25 years per generation, the trip at 160,000 miles per hour will take a mere 733 generations.
Oumuamua - the first known Interstellar traveller - amazing that we know this much about stars in ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
It's only relatively recently that we've developed the ability to observe such events. Who knows how many times our planet has been bypassed? And clearly, not all succeed in missing us, either! It's a helluva lot easier to analyze objects that emit photons (stars) as opposed to those that reflect them (albeit, very poorly).
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
It's only relatively recently that we've developed the ability to observe such events. Who knows how many times our planet has been bypassed? And clearly, not all succeed in missing us, either! It's a helluva lot easier to analyze objects that emit photons (stars) as opposed to those that reflect them (albeit, very poorly).
People Who Love 'Pseudo-Profound Bullsht' Are Less Likely to Give to Charity.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Dan Dennett came up with an excellent term for 'pseudo profound bullshit' ... he calls it a 'deepity,' which may be defined as a statement that is apparently profound but actually asserts a triviality on one level and something meaningless on another. Just remember this term when some bullshitter tries to sound incredibly profound!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Dan Dennett came up with an excellent term for 'pseudo profound bullshit' ... he calls it a 'deepity,' which may be defined as a statement that is apparently profound but actually asserts a triviality on one level and something meaningless on another. Just remember this term when some bullshitter tries to sound incredibly profound!
Those who did not get married I request them not to marry.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
There is clear evidence that the birth rate is in decline, globally. Wealthy nations with access to health care, family planning and education for women are approaching zero growth, or no more than two (2) children per household, on average. And there is no reason to expect that the developing world will alter this trend, as poverty is reduced, child mortality diminished greatly, and girls are educated to become equal players with their male counterparts in the work force. For a better perspective on this, I recommend Hans Rosling's work, including his books, lectures and TED talks.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
There is clear evidence that the birth rate is in decline, globally. Wealthy nations with access to health care, family planning and education for women are approaching zero growth, or no more than two (2) children per household, on average. And there is no reason to expect that the developing world will alter this trend, as poverty is reduced, child mortality diminished greatly, and girls are educated to become equal players with their male counterparts in the work force. For a better perspective on this, I recommend Hans Rosling's work, including his books, lectures and TED talks.
In honor of International Blasphemy Rights Day. Happy Sunday you blasphemers!
[humanism.org.uk]
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Interesting. Pakistan is one of the countries that voted in 1948 to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which contains the following 2 articles:
Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Just look how far we've come in 70 years!
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Interesting. Pakistan is one of the countries that voted in 1948 to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which contains the following 2 articles:
Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Just look how far we've come in 70 years!
I'm new to this site and I am a country boy.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Religion is the great appropriator, a thief who steals morals, behaviors and customs for itself, and then codifies them in writing. That we are moral creatures in spite of religion is a testament not to any deity or faith, but to our humanity.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Religion is the great appropriator, a thief who steals morals, behaviors and customs for itself, and then codifies them in writing. That we are moral creatures in spite of religion is a testament not to any deity or faith, but to our humanity.
Do you think it is necessary to try to change people’s perspective about their beliefs or just get...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Beliefs? About what? The shape of the Earth? That the United States was founded as a 'Christian nation?' The 'risks' of vaccinating children? The 'benefits' of corporal punishment? The 'harm' of GMOs? The existence of a left-wing conspiracy to manipulate data on Global Warming to destroy capitalism?
Beliefs have consequences, but the importance one places on any effort to change a belief necessarily depends on the impact of such a belief.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Beliefs? About what? The shape of the Earth? That the United States was founded as a 'Christian nation?' The 'risks' of vaccinating children? The 'benefits' of corporal punishment? The 'harm' of GMOs? The existence of a left-wing conspiracy to manipulate data on Global Warming to destroy capitalism?
Beliefs have consequences, but the importance one places on any effort to change a belief necessarily depends on the impact of such a belief.
It’s interesting that the antipathy toward religion on this site generally seems to be aimed at ...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Geography? Most of the members of this site are from Christian dominant societies. We are most familiar with Christianity, see the harm it causes, and so we take aim and fire away! When it comes to Christianity, we know what we dislike, and dislike what we know.
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Geography? Most of the members of this site are from Christian dominant societies. We are most familiar with Christianity, see the harm it causes, and so we take aim and fire away! When it comes to Christianity, we know what we dislike, and dislike what we know.
Someone had too much fun at the bookstore...
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Or maybe at the motel. ;-)
p-nullifidian comments on Oct 1, 2018:
Or maybe at the motel. ;-)
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