Can there realy be universal truths?

wordywalt comments on Dec 29, 2017:

Your reasoning is correct There are real facts which exist independent of us. They never really change. What changes is our limited and faulty perception of those facts.

Is God addicting?

wordywalt comments on Dec 29, 2017:

The more that one give up self-control to a total system ideology, such as religion, the more addictive it becomes.It can reach the point that the addiction controls the person.

Is consciousness the result of physical internal interactions of the brain or does the consciousness...

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

The human brain and nervous system and their interactions with the environment create consciousness. That consciousness consists of schema and patterns of meaning we derive from those interactions.

American Dark Age?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

Yes, it could if we do not assert ourselves and stop that crap!!

Tim Minchin's Storm the Animated Movie - YouTube

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

Great stuff!!

GOP's love of Jesus real?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

No. They simply want the political support which enables them to rule.

If you were given the chance, would you want to be famous?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

No.

What can be done about police brutality?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

It will take 2 things: (1) leadership from the top which lets all officers know that such behavior will not be tolerated. and enforces the demand --without exception, (2) a judicial system willing and able to press charges and get convictions.

New here and can't help but notic quite a few of the posts imply that some seem to be "closeted", ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

I am not sure what they mean by "closeted." Do they mean not loudly proclaiming their atheism/ If so, I call that being civil, rather than provoking argument and ill-will. Do they mean not talking about their atheism in the workplace. If so, I have never talked about the presence or absence of religion with anyone in any workplace I as in. I simply would prefer to keep my opinions to myself. I consider talking about religion in the workplace simply improper: The workplace is for work.

How much $ does a person need to be content & comfortably enjoy life?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

That depends entirely on the lifestyle you want to pursue, and what you need to feel comfortable.

Goals and Life plans

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

I never made goals in terms of positions that I might want to hold, but in in positions I held, I looked for problems and needs and made goals of creating programs that were needed to make a difference. That was my pattern. I would create a new program, make it work, then get a little bored and look for a new problem or need, and repeat the process. during that period, I made a difference and had a ball doing it.

Are you the same person you used to be? Is personality static or changing?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

At the age of 80, on those 5 dimensions of personality, at the age of 80 I have changed little, except to be more intolerant of sloppy thinking, bigotry, religious zealotry, demagoguery, and greed. What l have changed is how I live my life as my body gets older, with the physical effects of aging. From he age of 30 through 60 I had high energy levels, often working 60 - 80 hour weeks conceptualizing, building, and implementing programs of action . I read and learned voraciously, Those efforts brought me into contact with thousands of people. And I loved the whole thing. I had real goals and pursued them with vigor. Today, with vision problems, I no longer read much. My goals are short-term -- this week, this growing season, this year. I live more in my mind today, while remaining as physically active as my aging body will allow me to be..

Which Parent Are, or Were You Closest To?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

I spent much more time with my dad. We lived and respected each other, but I don't think we either ever really understood each other

What is intuition?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

I use the term to mean using patterns or cues from past experiences to shortcut the reasoning process. It is like going from step 1, to step 2, to step 3 - then sensing a cue or pattern, immediately going to step 10 or to a conclusion. My information processing style strengths lead me to use intuition like that very often.

What does mindfulness or connectedness mean to you?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

They are not terms I use.

Hello, Atheists and Agnostics.

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

the vast majority of people don't agree with your premise because it is not true. Capitalism run amok is a big problem, but it does not have to be that way. If you are espousing some form of Marxism, you are just as deluded as religious zealots. You are making the huge reasoning error of substituting a political total idelo0logy for a religious one. I studied the core beliefs and practices of Marxism, including Marx's THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO, DAS KAPITAL, and the writings of Egnels, Trotsky, and Mao, and studies of the structure and practices of communism and I can assure you that Marxism is just as flawed as religion. If you want the truth about the huge ideological flaws in Marxism, you should read THE NEW CLASS by Milovan Djilas. Djilas was an avowed Marxist who rose to become vice-president of Yugoslavia. But, he grew to really understand the ideology and its effects and become disillusioned. He spent 20 years in prison for writing the book. I have no more use for Marxist true believers than I do for religious true believers.

He is vain, insecure, requires constant praise and is moody & vengeful.

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

Fear.

How Many Years or months have you been a Non Believer.

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

Over 60 years.

What is your favorite color/colors?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

Dark blue.

Sometimes it's the simple things we tend to overlook everyday that are the most "spiritual".

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

One of my most pleasant memories is of being on a lake fishing at the crack of dawn, seeing the mist rising from the water, and the colors of the sunrise -- along with the silence. Then as the sun rose, I would fish away while listening to classical music on my boat's FM radio. That was living!!

Do you have a favorite season? Why?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

Autumn. I love the colors, , the beginning of cool weather, and the sensation of pleasant nostalgia.

Would you buy 'Made in America' even when it would be more expensive than a comparable product?

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

It would depend on the quality of the product and on the reputation of the American company for being a caring employer and a responsible public citizen.

The consequence of ignorance is Trump.

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

That statement is too simplistic. Trump is due to the culture of greed, ignorance, ethnocentrism, misinformation systems (like Fox News and the Russian misinformation campaigns), the Republican party's loss of a moral core, and the staleness of Hillary and her campaign.

Just found this,site & am curious

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

Ask any question you want.

Dogma

wordywalt comments on Dec 28, 2017:

I define dogma as an enshrined body of ideological beliefs; which is considered beyond challenge by the :priests" and true believers" in that ideology. Frequently, as in the case of religion, that dogma forms the basis for a total system ideology which purports to include and explain everything.

I think atheists are tolerant of the religious. Why aren't the religious tolerant of atheists?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

Because their religious beliefs form the core of how they define themselves. Without that, they are lost and that thought threatens them hugely.

Can you be agnostic and still think evil exists?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

People, objects, creatures and physical forces are not evil in and of themselves. Evil is also not an independent force. When a person acts knowlngly in a manner which fails to treat others with dignity and respect or when the consequences of a person's decisions and/or actions harm others and when he or she fails to accept responsibility for those consequences. According to some neurologists, many psychopaths are born with tendencies which would lead us to label them as evil. Those psychopaths are so absorbed in themselves and what they want that they do not care if they hurt others. In fact, they are likely to enjoy hurting others.

Do family members treat you differently as they found out you have a different belief system?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

No, not really, My entire adult life, I was considered as one of the two intellectual black sheep in the family: "a Likeable guy, but a little "off."

World's First Sex Robot: A good or a bad idea?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

Predict that the company selling them will fail, quickly.

Is there a difference between spiritual and religious?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

I know what religious means; but do not really understand what spiritual means. Some people see them as synonymous, but I do not.

FAVORITE SOUNDS One of mine is a contented cat purring in my ear.

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

I like that, too. Another favorite sound is the gentle whispering of a breeze through the needles of pine trees.

How do I get over the grief of having a Joel Osteen block me on Twitter?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

Charlatans have thin skins.

Do you believe that we have souls? If so, can you answer why?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

No. That is part of the religious mythology and is used as an inducement to attract followers, promising eternal life.

I haven't been here long at all, but I feel comfortable here. Thanks, all!

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

Good! You will be challenged to think here, and there will be disagreements here. But, let us celebrate healthy dialogue!

Is life "fair"?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

One of the established principles f our universe is the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle or the principle of bounded chaos. In a situation of bounded chaos, one cannot expect "fairness" anywhere near 100% of the time.

Have you ever followed through with New Year's resolution?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

No. but I have never made a New Year's resolution, either.

Anyone else of the opinion that our country was founded on the premise of freedom of religion, but ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

To me, the constitutional promise of freedom of religion (meaning freedom to believe as one chooses in reference to religion) MUST include freedom FROM religion if it is to be carried out to its fullest extent. Many of the founding fathers who wrote the Constitution were not deeply religious men, but deists and atheists.

Is dating, long-terming, or marrying out of the question for you with a religious person or persons?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

No. My wife of many years is a devout Catholic. We simply agree that each has the right to his/her own beliefs and there are no conversion attempts from either side. Other than religion, we share many values and beliefs.

Why did you choose your username/avatar?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

It is my first name and celebrates my fascination with words. have sometimes been called a "wordsmith."

Opinions wanted: my now ex has suddenly converted to Christianity??

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

It is more likely that he has manufactured this excuse for breaking up. There is probably another reason that he does not want to admit. You are better of without him. Don't be sad. Be mad and glad!

Out of curiosity, how many people here are old fashioned?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

Use the right terms. What you are talking about is male domination, not "old-fashioned". I am 80 years old, and my wife and I both worked, and we have always shared decision-making and responsibilities.

What has the atheist "community" done for anyone lately?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

Other than treating you with dignity and respect and promoting social and political actions to promote human well-being, I am not obligated to do anything for you now or ever.

Why are some atheists angry?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

It is in the individual's personality, not in the lack of religious belief.

are theyre any philosophies you like? or philosophers?

wordywalt comments on Dec 27, 2017:

Yes. I identify with existentialist philosophy. As for philosophers, try Jean Paul Sartre and William James

Am I living a total lie`

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

I would not live as you do, but I am not you. I will not judge you.

Are atheists and agnostics intolerant?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

Just like any other group: Some are intolerant, some not. Intolerance is a personality issue, not an ideological one.

Do we have a purpose in life?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

Many people simply exist, without purpose. The person who has a sense of purpose and finds the means to achieve it is fortunate.

Are New Religious Movements evidence of a traditional religions resurgence in the modern era, or a ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

New religious sects and cults have arisen and died out throughout human history. People feeling themselves inadequate will probably continue to make the same mistake again and again.

Was the biblical flood just the end of the last ice age?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

There have been a number of major floods which could have been the basis for the biblical flood story. Several were due to the failure of ice dams at the end of an ice age. Another was due to the Mediterranean Sea breaking through the Straits of Bosporos to inundate much of what is now the Middle East.. It is likely that the biblical flood story was the latter..

Well I blocked my first "Jesus freak" on here, I tolerate that stuff on social media because there ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

I agree. Any "Jesus freak" on this site is showing profound disrespect for us and for our right to believe as we do without harassment or proselytizing!! To any such person: Leave us in peace, you jerk!

To build and improve a society it requires an effort of people and businesses working together.

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

I believe that, as a whole, European businesses have a much greater sense of social responsibility than American businesses do today. The growing greed of American business culture today is frightening.

I’ve been on this site almost a week now, and haven’t received a single unsolicited dick pic so ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

I do think that this is a more enlightened group, but there are jerks on every site.

Egypt Reportedly Set to Pass Law Criminalizing Atheism – Friendly Atheist

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

That is what one can expect when religion dominates the culture and government.

Do men need 'sexual harassment' training? Agree? Disagree?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

No. I don't think that most man need sexual harassment training, as they really already know what it is. I think that what is needed is stricter enforcement..

Is there such a thing as business ethics?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

Unfortunately, all too often, the answer is no. For far too many businesses, what goes is limited only by what they can get away with without going to jail. Some do really try, though.

is there any countries that are not so religious as usa ?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

About the only countries as religious as the USA are predominantly Muslim.

The only responsibility business has to society is to maximize it's own profits. Agree or Disagree?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

Anyone or any company that claims that its success is to due its hard work alone is a liar. The germs of thir ideas they got from others, and they all benefit from a vast array of social services and to the labor and loyalty of their employees.

In your opinion, what habit is most annoying about other people?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

Incivility in speech and action.

If results were guaranteed, would you want to be cryogenically frozen?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

No. At the age of 80, mot a chance.

What right does a religious person have to threaten a person that don’t believe how they do?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

If someone said that to me, I would laugh and Say.. "Never gonna happen. No way. no how" and walk away.

What's your weather like right now?

wordywalt comments on Dec 26, 2017:

Around 60 degrees and somewhat cloudy here in Tampa.

"Politics" is a genteel filthy word with teeth.

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Thank today's Republican ideologues for the divisiveness and incivility in our politics. Up until Newt Gingrich and his extremist cohorts from Texas our parties were able to work together and get things done. They led a movement that has poisoned our politics. Incidentally, I was somewhat conservative in my youth, but now wear the label "liberal" with pride. and zeal. If you believe in democracy, patriotism, civil rights, and productive compromise for the well-being of our people, you should too. We have not moved to the left. Republicans have moved to the reactionary right.

Because I am an atheist does it mean that I should disrespect or not knowledgeable other peoples ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

I agree wholeheartedly!

Happy holidays heathens!

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Call yourself a heathen if you want, but not others. We are agnostics and atheists -- not crude, uneducated and unintelligent people. Heathen is a derogatory term.

C. G. Jung on God and the Unconscious - YouTube

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Carl Jung created an elaborate new -- but false -- metaphysical mind-world. Interesting, but mystical and off-base.

Closed-mindedness... not just religions

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

All religious "true believers" are, by definition, closed minded. But, the same is also true for true believers in any political or economic ideology.

What did you get for Christmas?

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Peace and quiet time with my wife. That is a good Christmas.

So - after many years, she just had to do it .

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Don't read the book. Send it back with a note telling her that she must either learn to respect you and your right to hold grounded beliefs, you will be forced to discontinue communication with her -- regretfully. Remind her that whether or not she wishes to maintain communication with you is her choice -- and responsibility. I recently had to say the same thing to an old friend of over 50 years who has become ultra-religious -- and it worked.

"Politics" is a genteel filthy word with teeth.

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Blame the total lack of civility on reactionary right-wing and inflexible ideologues in the Republican party. They have decided that they will use big money and any dirty trick they can create to cram their agenda down our throats. They do not really want to rule. They want to obstruct and to dismantle government. Given that agenda, we have more than ample reason to fight and fight hard!

Do you think atheists and agnostics can make claims about morality?

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Of course. No religion can claim ownership of the basis for morality. The basis for my concept of morality is the concept of minimum violation of human dignity, respect and well-being and of the environment which enwraps us.

If, like me, you were raised as a christian (my mother feared me pursuing a career in science ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

My triggers started in my adolescence, and after having read the bible from cover to cover 3 times. The triggers were noting inconsistencies, obvious fables, and lunatic ravings (in Revelations) in the bible, itself; and becoming angry at how religion made me feel about myself as a normal teenager. By the age of 19, I was finished with religion.

I see people who are atheist or agnostic have a prejudice in their mind to almost everything! Do you...

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

First, face reality: All of us have biases and prejudices. What we need to do is to be honest with ourselves and admit those biases which we do possess and carefully analyze our thoughts to make sure that we are not being controlled by our biases/ Second, if we are truly moral people, we must constantly ask ourselves: Does this bias fail to uphold human dignity and respect and concern for human well=being. If it does we need to decide in our own minds that we will not be controlled by such a bias.

Did you find calm when you left religion behind?

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

When I shook off the guilt and feelings of inadequacy that religion promoted, the calm was the result.

Out with the old & in with the new. In retrospect, how satisfied are you with the year past?

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Terribly disappointed. I never thought I would see the day when such a corrupt, egomaniacal, sociopathic idiot would be elected President of the USA. And I also never thought I would see the day when almost the entire Republican Party sold out its integrity, honor, and patriotism to the culture of corruption and greed. And, they continue to spiral downward into the depths of political depravity -- aided by so-called evangelical "Christians."

If the US had a recall on the presidential election tomorrow, do you think the result would be much ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Oh, yes. More than enough people can see what a truly stupid decision they made.

Will there always be a dominant person in any given relationship?

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Yes and no. It is very possible for two caring and mutually respectful people to agree that they are equals, as a whole. Still, within that, One of the two always has attributes and skills which makes them better at some things within the relationships -- and so does the other. The key is to utilize those strengths for the benefit of both, not for false mastery.

My favorite Christmas cards

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Good stuff!

I've been researching and reading about mass extinctions for the past couple of months.

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

As a scientist, he is entitled to draw warranted and proven conclusions from data and evidence, not distort and manufacture false proofs and rationale. As a scientist. he is NOT entitled to the opinion that he expresses What he has done is to show that he is a sham scientist -- a charlatan. True believers in demagogic ideologies and theologies are so certain of their beliefs that it matters not that the vast majority of people find their mental manipulations absurd.

Is the second amendment an antique?

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Today's interpretation of the 2nd amendment is an abomination. Three will always be a need for a WELL-REGULATED state militia, and a need for shotguns and rifles in small towns and rural areas for hunting for food, getting rid of dangerous or destructive animals, and for limited self protection. I grew up in a poor family in a rural area and hunting did really help in supplying protein. I also shot destructive animals, including rattlesnakes, rabid dogs, and animals killing our chickens. Still, I see absolutely no need for private ownership of assault weapons, automatic guns of any sort, semi-automatic guns. or pistols of any sort as those weapons' sole purpose is killing people. I am also totally opposed to either concealed carry law and open-carry laws. So, sir, I disagree with you on getting rid of the 2wnd amendment, but want interpretation of it to be sane and rational -- not what it is today. I am in total agreement with your sentiment of the insane danger of the arming of our society.

Hello guys, well, my friend Shana told me that I should not be so open minded, in telling people ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

I do not believe in deliberately trying to make others feel uncomfortable, unless there is a very valid reason for doing so. However, if asked, you have every right to express your honest opinion. If your answer makes others feel uncomfortable, so be it.

Tonight is Chirstmas Eve and this is my first post on this site.

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

I have been a non-believer for 60 years. In my adult life, I have always celebrated Christmas as a time for he warmth of family, as a time for good will to all, and as a time for sharing -- without any religious trappings at all.

My 17 year old came home from public school the other day.

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

You are absolutely correct!

With the invention of the internet and the advent of big data and crowd sourcing, it’s finally ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

We would come close to what you want if we would outlaw all PACs, all campaign contributions from lobbyists and corporations, and limit private citizen campaign contributions to no more than $100 per person. It would get rid of most of the corruption in government.

I'm an Atheist, but being here alone tonight, my loved ones dead or very far away really sucks.

wordywalt comments on Dec 25, 2017:

Christmas is not a time to be alone. I feel for you.

Do you like rituals, routines, and traditions?

wordywalt comments on Dec 24, 2017:

Not generally. I have always been a bit of an iconoclast.

Well, now that I’m here, I might as well jump into the fray.

wordywalt comments on Dec 24, 2017:

I don't believe that we have the harder path. Instead, I feel that we have the more exciting path, often lit with the joy of discovery. I also believe that we are more realistic and more often correct than the ideologue. We see things as they are, not through the blinders of ideology.

Who believes as i do of aliens visited earth and they were made out to be gods, only because of ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

Just as I see no evidence of any gods, I see no evidence of past alien visitors.

Are atheists a growing population?

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

Yes. The only question is: How rapidly?

For atheists - what makes you believe no deity exists?

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

Although one cannot prove a negative, I see absolutely NO evidence anywhere that a god exists. With the total absence of evidence why should any thinking person believe in gods?

Today,I wish I had an emotion chip like Data.

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

I respond to losing a cat friend just like I do when I lose a human friend. It hurts, and I grieve deeply. But, I pick up and move on. Still, I have vivid memories of my cat and human friends which I call upon frequently with joy. Those memories are among my greatest treasures.

Are atheist as racist as religious people?

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

Racism is not entirely linked with racism. Some atheists and agnostics are still quite racist.

Do you have to pretend to be religious to fit in?

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

No. I am not a charlatan.

I don't believe in God or heaven and hell but I do believe in the supernatural like ghosts and also ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

Sounds like you are trying to hold on to some myths because you somehow find them reassuring.

I got into a discussion a few days ago with a religious person who had said, "everything happens for...

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

It is the religious "true believer's way to trying to cope with the fact that he or she cannot explain what is happening within the context of his bogus religion. It makes him squirm, so he has to say, "only God knows."

The 700 Club is the worst show on television.

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

It reeks with greed and arrogant stupidity.

Where have the nice Atheists & Agnostics gone during the Trump times?

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

If we join hands with other moral and just people across the country, We will make life hell for Trump, his cabal, and the evangelicals. Let us make the whole lot of them damned sorry that they ever started this shit!!

Word Porn: 9 life lessons by Tim Minchin (Funny and Wise)

wordywalt comments on Dec 23, 2017:

BRAVO!! BRAVO!! If only 10.0 of the world could show such wisdom!!

Loss of religion is a medical diagnoses wtf?

wordywalt comments on Dec 22, 2017:

That is hard to believe.

How to explain the Adam and Eve story?

wordywalt comments on Dec 22, 2017:

Simply point out the inconsistency. Create doubt and leave the religious person to deal with it.

Want to share this deep thought-

wordywalt comments on Dec 22, 2017:

True in one sense, false in another. We are the direct result of solar explosions. Nowhere was there a direct intent too create us.