Is anyone else sick of absurd conspiracy theories while there are actual conspiracies afoot such as:...

wordywalt comments on Dec 8, 2017:

Who needs conspiracy theories when we have a real conspiracy attempted between Trump and the Russians?

It is estimated that 4 percent of the population are sociopaths,and this personality disorder ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

My first wife was a "borderline personality" -- very close to being a sociopath. The only thing that mattered was what she wanted when she wanted it. She had to be in control at all times, was constantly playing "mind fuck" games to maintain control. She could never admit that she was wrong about anything or that she had ever made a mistake. She was incapable of really caring for anyone but herself and her blood relatives.

Rapture in 5 years?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

If I experience that, I would be tempted to say, "Ain't no rapture nowhere, nohow, now or ever"-- and close the door. I did have a couple of them recently to come to the door and ask if they could come in. I simply answered, "No." and closed the door.

belief?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

That is a life of drifting in a random, meaningless manner.

What's your favorite thing about the winter season?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

the cool, dry weather (as compared to the summer heat and humidity in Florida).

What does your atheist heaven look like?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

There is no heaven and never will be one. The question is inane.

Roy Moore blames crime on teaching kids evolution ,because if you teach them they came from animals ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

Tells you what an untrustworthy jackal he is.

Do you alway's follow the speed limit when driving?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

I don't drive anymore due to vision problems. When I did drive I always drove 5 - 10 MPH above the speed limit on the highway, and at or slightly above the speed limit in the city .In really hilly country, when I topped a hill and could see all the way to the crest of the next hill, I would add another 5 - 10 mph.

Difference between countries

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

I live in the USA. Here the question is more a question of what state a person lives in, even what town or city one lives in. I live in Florida, but I could NOT live in in most of north Florida, Ocala, or St. Augustine. Those locations are almost entirely steeped in racist and reactionary politics, mixed with evangelical Christian true believer zeal. In that sense, those areas have changed very little in ideology from the Civil War ear (1860-1865) An ancestor of mine was forced to flee St. Augustine during the Civil War because he opposed slavery and the war itself, and wound up in Indiana. Larger cities like Tampa and Miami (and their suburbs) allow a person much greater freedom to believe as he or she chooses. I would not choose to live in South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, or Texas. Since the 1960s, both Oklahoma and Kansas have shown real regression toward the reactionary right since the 1980s -- regrettably.

Safe Spaces

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

We should set universal ground rules for discussing and debating issues. Those ground rules should include he following" 1. When asked to do so, you will make explicit your unstated assumptions so that they can be examined. 2. You must support any assertion with proven facts and/or well-grounded, sound rational reasoning. 3. If you cannot back up an assertion with facts and/or well-grounded rational thought, you will either cede the point or simply stop discussing the point. 4. You will not engage in attempting to use labels to stifle or misdirect discourse. 5. You will not use uncivil language or attempt to insult the other person (s) In public political debates, your must directly answer the question asked. If your response does not address the question, you will be warned. If, in 30 seconds, you still do not address the question, the debate will move on to another candidate.

Should football be banned in U.S. High schools?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

I played football in high school and in the US Army. Over the years I suffered a broken nose (twice), torn ligaments in the shoulder, torn cartilage in the knee, a badly pulled groin muscle, a twisted back which later resulted in a herniated disc, and a "stinger". I also coached high school football for 4 years, and my coaching partner and I made sure that our players were in top condition, were always alert and on their toes -- literally and physically. and with the equipment which would minimize injuries. Over 4 years, the most serious injury we had among our players was 1 dislocated shoulder. If I have a son today of high school age, I would not let him play unless his coaches took the same care that we did.

What do you think?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

Not exactly. Some things we hear are opinions. Some are accurate representations of facts. Your statements are a bit too cutely packaged to be accurate.

Christians Claimed Gay Marriage Leads To Pedophilia; Now They Support Roy Moore

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

They are such stupefied true believers that they can't even see how ridiculous their position is!

Megachurch Pastor: ‘Woman Has No Right Over Her Own Body - It Belongs To God’

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

I would not trust this snake at all. He is one of those snake oil salesmen who would sell out his mother if it would give him more money, power, and control. He does not give a damned about people or their rights.

Safe Spaces

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

The incivility of extremist --religious, right wing, and left wing - But particularly from religious true believers and right wing, reactionary ideologues and demagogues is willfully tearing our country apart. It is destructive to every aspect of our democratic society. It inhibits dialogue, rational thought and problem-solving, civil discourse and engagement and so much more. It is designed to sabotage those things and create chaos so that a small group can assert illegitimate control. It is to be detested!

2018; What does the year ahead hold for you?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

As an 80 year old man, in the next year i: 1. look forward to my spring garden -- green beans, heirloom tomatoes, yellow squash, red potatoes. 2., Want to plan at least one fishing trip, 3. Want to continue these conversations. 4. Will continue working out with heavy weights until I can't. 5. Will enjoy sharing time with my wife and hope to see my daughters. 6. Hope to see the ouster of Donald Trump and his cabal and the end to corrupt Republican dominance in our politics. 7, although I do not plan on it, am prepared for the possibility that this could be my last year.

How many Languages do you speak?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

In addition to my native language of English, I also speak Germany. I became fluent in German 55 years ago, but have not spoken German on a daily basis for many years. I have lost vocabulary, but once I hear German or want to speak in German, I automatically switch to thinking in German. As an adult, once a person learns to think in a language, he or she never completely loses the ability to speak the language.

This concept most of you will get, try to explain it to a holy roller and the answer you will get is...

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

Whaaaaaat?

Should America Have Universal Healthcare?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

Without a doubt. We are the ONLY nation in the industrialized world that does not have universal healthcare. It is a clear expression of concern for the well-being of our people. The only reasons that we do not have it are (1) the culture of greed in this country, (2) ignorance, (3) moribund and false Republican ideology.

Anti-Vampire Mob Kills Eight In Malawi, Forces Out U.N.

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

Ignorant, superstitious people can be whipped into a frenzy by a wild rumor at the drop of a hat.

In Life I have learned more from Women than from Men, is that the case for other men?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

I have many teachers, male and female, who have taught me many valuable things over my lifetime. I have learned so much from so many; but cannot pick one -- even 5 -- that stand head and shoulders above the rest.

The finer things in life.

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

Try slow sips of a Hungarian dessert wine named Tokajii Aszu (4 or 5 putenos - stars_, taking time to savor the full bouquet. Be sure to have a cuip of strong black coffee before and between sips. To me, it is so delicious that it brings to mind the image of Odin's mead -- "the nectar of the gods." It ain't cheap -- costs about $50.00 for a half-liter bottle, but for a rare treat for yourself, it is worth it.

Time's Person of the Year 2017: The Choice

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

Love it!! This movement may be the greatest thing ever to clean up our political system and culture, to foster gender equality, make our society both more democratic and more civil. Keep going!!! I have two other emotional reactions: (1 I am saddened to see men I have respected caught up in this -- but it is a price which must be paid, and (2) this may be the straw which breaks the back of both Trump and the Republican party. If it is, we cannot thank the movement enough!!

Can i? Or should I?

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

Any instance of racism should be denounced.

Extreme Atheism

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

What you describe is not extreme. It is a calm acceptance of reality.

What do you think about Exodus 21 where the Bible teaches slavery

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

I do not give a damn about what the bible says: Slavery is an evil practice!

Here's the formula in three words, how to save the world: Educate the women.

wordywalt comments on Dec 7, 2017:

Totally agree!

Is the idea about a ”Chosen People” seem smug?

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

Consider this as a reason for the origin of the "chosen people." If Moses existed and if the esodus is true what it shows is that Moses was both a great leader and a great con man. The Hebrews on the exodus was an unruly, obstreperous bunch of desert nomads whose social behavior had gotten so bad that it was threatening to tear the entire group apart. So Moses went up on the mountain and carved the 10 commandments dealing with the tribes behavior. Then he came down and told his people that God had made them his "chosen people" if they would agree to live by the commandments and worship him as their only god. If it happened that way, it was a world-class con job and the source of purported status.

What makes you leery about someone?

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

The way you use "leery" covers a lot of territory. One reason for being leery is fear that the other will not uphold your confidence. I once worked with a lady who, if you told her anything, would tell others. We joked that the three primary means of communication were telephone, telegraph, and "tell MdGraw." Another thing is insincere language -- flattery, excessive gushing, etc. Another is outright lying or deliberate distortion. All of those would give me cause to examine what they say very carefully and to be careful about what I say.

It seems that the Christian God can't forgive without a blood sacrifice. Who or what made that rule?

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

Don't waste your time on it: It's all myth. Yes, it is a senseless contradiction in the supposed image of god.

What do you think about this quote?

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

That is the classic existential stance shared by every existential thinker.

This is deliciously exciting. [futurism.com]

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

Wow. If they are able to create actual living organisms, that will blow the creation myth away!

Why is it you seldom hear about women sexually assaulting men?

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

# reasons: 1. It does not happen nearly as often. 2. Some men actually consider it a compliment. 3.. Other men are too ashamed to admit it.

It’s time to make national service a universal commitment

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

I agree wholeheartedly. As a person who served my country in the US Army, I believe that ALL young people should serve our country in some capacity -- military, forest service, Peace Crops, etc - for at least 1 or 2 years. It is a small price to pay for the privilege of living in our nation. For young people just out of high school or college it also provides an opportunity to start growing up away from home. It helped me to mature in every sense.

Morality - Objective or Subjective?

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

The establishment of the basis for a moral ode is subjective, but it can establish objective standards. Comparison of a decision or action to an objective standard can and should be as objective as possible. We can never remove all subjectivity.

If you are from the U.S. are we living in the novel "It Can't Happen Here?"

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

Yes, it can happen here. And, unless we stand up to Trump, his cabal, and the morally bankrupt evangelicals backing here, it will happen. We MUST NOT let that happen!!! We need every intelligent, moral, and patriotic American standing up to them and saying, HELL, NO!!

Anyone else think the rapture is bullshit?

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

The entire book of Revelations has no connection with reality or sanity.

Are we all racists?

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

We all have an innate tendency to view someone whom we view as different from us with suspicion. It is an impulse which w.e need to quell

If Bernie was the DNC nominee, does he win the election?

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

In the 2016 election Bernie would have won without a doubt! In the 2020 election, I'm putting my money on Elizabeth Warren

Saw this on Facebook. Thought people here might also appreciate it.

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

Love it!!

Oklahoma Pastor Busted Running White Supremacist Prostitution Ring

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

Just more evidence of the moral rot in evangelical Christianity and in the racist right!

I hear people say the religious books are an accurate account of history.

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

All core books of all religions are a brew of cultural mythology, manufactured justifications for the religion, opinions of the writers, mixed with histiography. On the issue of history. In the absence of videotapes showing events themselves and the things which led to those events, we never have 100 percent accurate history. Rather, what we have is histiography -- someone's interpretation of what occurred. Some depictions are much more accurate than others. Religious depictions are never objective or accurate.

Scientology

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

Hubbard designed his ideology, indoctrination system, and organizational culture to rope people in and keep them under control. Its "success" is no accident.

Do you ever feel lucky or unlucky?

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

Yes, sometimes I feel like I am on a roll, but try (not always successfully) to quit when I am ahead.

Agnostic.

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

I am enjoying the dialogue on this site, as well.

Opelika church receives backlash after posting political message on church sign – WHNT.com

wordywalt comments on Dec 6, 2017:

Every political action by any church or religious group should be challenged in EVERY way!

My lack of understanding for the people of Alabama that are voting in the upcoming election, is ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

a whole segment of the culture in Alabama and in much of the rest of the country is going through a moral crisis. They know that Moore is an immoral and dangerous demagogue. But they have sold out so totally to right wing political ideology and to the demagoguery of their evangelical leaders who want power to impose their religious dogma on us all that they value the immorality of those political and religious dogmas above truth, honor, moral decency, and democracy. And the hell of it is that they know how wrong what they are doing is, but can't stop themselves from doing it. They are sick and making our whole nation sick/

Anyone else have issues with being the black sheep of their family?

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

I am sorry that you have experienced that. Every person, including children should be treated with full dignity and respect. I was a black sheep in one sense, but not in another. As an independent adult, I moved away from my family's religious, social, and political beliefs, and my father did not agree or approve. But, my educational and professional accomplishments were sufficient to earn his respect-- by the time he died, I had accomplished far more than he had in his entire life. One of my first cousins and I are the two agnostics/atheists and political liberals in the entire family on both sides. But, we are grudgingly tolerated because we both are caring people and accomplished people.

Do you believe in love.

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Love changes. As a young person it is a combination of physical and sexual attraction, a deep appreciation of the other, a desire to share time and space with the other. As one ages, and if the relationship is real, it shift toward simply appreciating the presence of the other, an appreciation of how the other completes one's own life, of simply being glad to share he same life space and be there for each other. It is not as passionate, but just as deep and real.

Finally.

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

In mid-summer in Florida, I would gladly exchange with you. Having lived in Berlin, Germany, in northern and in Kansas I have often said that one can always put on enough clothes to get warm; but in Florida in the summer, one cannot take off enough clohes to get cool.

Is it a good idea to get romantically involved with a good friend?

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on so many things.

In your experience, do opposites attract?

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Attracting and meshing are two different things. If opposite get involved and don't mesh well, it is a disaster. If they learn to complement each other and feel comfortable in doing so, it can work well.

Finally.

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

High 82 degrees today. Low in the high 60s.

CHRISTMAS MUSIC THAT DOESN'T SUCK....

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Big band leader Stan Kenton did some beautiful jazz arrangements of Christmas music which, when he died, he willed to a Methodist church in Wichita, Kansas. I attended a Christmas service the church with a friend over 20 years ago just to hear the arrangements. They were fantastic! The church plays the arrangements with a jazz band during every Christmas season. . Even as an atheist, if you are ever in Wichita during the Christmas season, I would recommend it.

Old question. What's your favorite classic song?

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Several: "The Rose" -- Bette Middler; "The Sounds of Silence" -- Simon and Garfunkel And one most of you have never heard of: the 1981 version of "A Scottish Soldier" by Andy Stewart. I had Scottish soldier friends in Berlin at the time. It was a haunting melody without great social merit. If interested. you can find it on YouTube music.

Do you find this site to be addictive? My daughter pinned this photo for me. She must think I do.

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

I would rather spend time on this site than be mindlessly entertained by the boob tube. Unlike much of my life at this stage, this site often challenges me, makes he think, makes me laugh, gives he the sense of intellectual and moral companionship. I would rate anything that accomplishes those things as a worthwhile endeavor -- period!

Bright side of the religions

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

None of those are bright sides to me. 1. To paraphrase Norman Mailer, we humans too often constantly seek pleasure and try everything possible to avoid pain -- going to extremes like opiates and false ideologies to do so. In so doing we cheat the heart out of life. Pain is hard, but it is a part of life and, if we deal with it well -- , it makes life more. 2. We don't need false ideologies which keep people in their comfort zones. We need viewpoints which challenge people and make them think for themselves. 3. The last damned thing in the world we need is an authoritarian, demagogic, self-serving elite telling us what to do. These are NOT "bright sides." They are curses on the human condition!!!

Do you have a BFF=Best Friend Forever?

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

I did have a BFF until he became an ultra-religious evangelical and such an extreme right winger on political and economic issues. After 50 years, continuing contact and dialogue became too painful. He was no longer the reasoning, intelligent, and caring person I used to know -- and it hurt to see that.

What would you say is your best quality?

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

I think that those who have known me are better qualified to answer that than I am. If they could answer, I would be interested in what they say.

What are the things that have positively impacted your life?

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Luck, real friends, the pursuit of knowledge and knowledge itself, art, music, the intense pursuit of worthwhile goals.

Thought these were cute and funny! I dare myself to post these on Facebook!!! LMFAO!!!

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Those are good!

Absence of knowledge is knowledge of absence?

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Not a bad play on words.

Oh boy! Politics, I know, are hazardous discussion fodder.

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

The Republican party has lost all claim to morality, patriotism, and legitimacy.

Watch an astrophysicist explain what happened when he secretly infiltrated the Flat Earth Society

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

There is no rational explanation for such chosen ignorance.

Are you more worried about doing things right ,or doing the right things?

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Doing the right things.

::Art Joke:: Through careful studying of the building plans and months of meticulous planning, he...

wordywalt comments on Dec 5, 2017:

Groan... Bad enough to be pretty good.

What is a nickname that your friends and/or family call you or have called you in the past?

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

shots or shotgun.

Baptist Pastor Defends Slavery As Beneficial and Biblical

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

If you will look back in previous posts, this one has already been discussed.

Why do I see so many atheists claiming morals, like they feel the need to compete with theists?

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

It matters while we are here. I am responsible for my actions and decisions, and for the consequences thereof. So are you responsible for yours. Your approach says that, since nothing matters, we can do anything we want, no matter what damage it does. I can't and WILL NOT buy that.

Liz Crokin: Trump Is 'God's Anointed' And 'Never Wrong' | Right Wing Watch

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

What a blithering idiot! this Crokin is!

Political Blindness

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

You are right. The Republican party has entirely lost its moral core and legitimacy and it is amazing and appalling that so many people have bought their crap. But, I am actually somewhat heartened. The actions of the Republicans in the past couple of years has gotten so bad that more and more people can't sto0mach their treachery , fraud, and greed.

Do Governments do more harm than Good?

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

Your view is jaundiced. You lump all governments in one basket of bad eggs. Governments can do a huge amount of harm but can also do a great deal of things which enable our freedom and well-being of us and our environment. It is up to us to act strongly and consistently to make sure that our government is one which truly serves all of our people. You can't sit on the s9delines and carp. If you do, you are enabling bad government.

Anyone here live an agrarian existence?

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

Depends on how you define your terms. I grew up in a rural village of 200 + people. I Could step over our side fence and be in a corn field. As a teenager, I worked many days on farms in the Florida sun and heat for far less than the minimum wage.

What do you do when you get bad news?

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

Stay in contact with family who are there wit them. When they are able to talk, tell them your feelings.

Why isn't trump being called out for the treasonous, racist pig that he is?

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

All legitimate media, Democrats, and ALL rational and moral people ARE being vocal about what a narcissistic, egomaniacal, morally bankrupt, lying, misogynist, and racist sociopath Trump is. The problem is that the irrational right, the evangelical Christian leadership, and most of the Republican party are not. Those segments of our population are rapidly losing any claim to having a moral core.

Read this poem if you are NOT a Racist, an Islamophobe, a Bigot or a Colonizer.

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

NATO, under American leadership, has made too many damnable mistakes. But,. it has also done good. In the late 1940s and 1950s, the USSR threatened to sweep through all of Europe and form a huge communist tyranny. NATO, including the US prevented that. I was in Berlin in 1950-62 when Kruschev threated often to attack Berlin and take it over. I was there when the Berlin Wall was built. I saw -- first hand -- the plight of the East German people under Russian domination. The streets of East Berlin were full of East German and Russian soldiers armed with submachine guns. He one smiled. No one talked on the streets. The air hung heavy almost complete oppression. NATO kept the same from happening in West Berlin and the rest of western Europe. We need to control our institutions and acknowledge their mistakes. But, we must also thank those institutions for their successes.

Does anyone know of any research on the correlation between intelligence and depression?

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

I doubt that there is any substantial research on a relationship between depression and intelligence. Depression is primarily a matter of dysfunctional brain chemistry. Thoughts, stresses miserable physical circumstances, and catastrophes can help to bring on and sustain those imbalances.. Having been severely depressed at least twice in my life, I know what brought it on and how I got out of it -- once by lasting it out, and the other by deliberate action.

What is Islamophobia?

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

Islamophobia is fear of the other one does not understand. It is a form of hatred of others based in extreme fundamentalistic religious beliefs because one sees any other religion as a threat. It is a desire to feel better or superior to someone else. It is a terrible and powerful tool which the most morally bankrupt of politicians and clerics use to whip up hatred and fear. .It is detestable ethnocentrism.

I believe we are coming into a time when the truth about many organized religions and the lies ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

I deeply hope that you are right. You are correct in pointing out that those "true believers" who have committed their entire being to their religious ideology will be shattered. The disillusionment will leave them with virtually nothing in terms of defining who they are. It will be frightening to be so empty, so alone. But, that is the existentialist dilemma: If we are to be free to define ourselves, we must face the fact that each of us is essentially alone in the universe; that no one totally understands us for who and what we are. Once we do that, we are free to form out own patterns of meaning, our own definition of self, our own values and beliefs, our own linkages with others. It will be hard for the disillusioned, bu "coming out the other side." will be exhilarating!

[youtu.be] Anyone else see this gem?

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

It is astounding that ANYONE can be suckered in by these greedy, lying vultures!

Trump and Russia: 'If he had to cheat to get in, I'm OK with that' - YouTube

wordywalt comments on Dec 4, 2017:

The combination of chosen willful ignorance and of chosen immorality is saddening and frightening.

What do you think about Reality Shows on Television? How do you think they impact our culture?

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

I donot watch reality shows. They have no substance. I think they are contributing to the "dumbingh down" and coarsening of our culture.

I'd like to hear some sound arguments in favor of universla healthcare and free education.

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

Two facts: 1. the USA is the only industrialized nation in the entire world that does not show enough concern for the well-being of its people to provide universal healthcare. All the resty do it. We can and should, as well. 2. Research shows that investment in the GI Bill at the end of World War II resulted in at least a 40.0 percent growth in our nation's productivity. Full investment in the education of ALL people who want more knowledge and skills WILL inevitably result in higher prosperity and economic growth. And one who says otherwise is either lying or ignorant.

As atheists, what do you think about this quote "This is not Christianity.

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

Superbly stated and totally accurate.

This showed up on my FB. Seems to say it all about today's society. Anyone have thoughts?

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

Depiocts accurately what the Trump machine is doing to our culture.

This is a bit of a rant-y, vent-y post, which after my wonderful “found a new friend” post ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

First, I am deeply saddened by the effects of the tax bill on you. I think that the Republican bill was unconscionable, victimizes many people, and is to be condemned. One would think that they are actively discouraging the pursuit of education. That growing gulf between you and your mother has to hurt. I would wish for you that she could have the decency to stop harassing you with her beliefs -- especially at a time of crisis for you. The statements and actions of your father are deliberately hurtful and unconscionable. It would be very difficult and painful to do, but you may need to say to both of them: "I love you both, but as of today, you MUST treat me -- your daughter -- with the full dignity and respect that I deserve as a human being. Otherwise, I will have to sever our relationship." Oh, I feel for you on both issues!!!

Being new to this forum, I've been lead to see myself as a freethinking agnostic atheist.

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

It might be better to deal with each of these premises one at a time. \Sixteen at once is whole bunch to try to attend to.

Van Gogh or Picasso

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

Neither. Try Andrew Wyeth.

How trump use people's single issue positions to become the president against their own best ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

We absolutely must rid ourselves of the entire rotten lot! With the backing of Trump, sexual predators like More. the attempts to dismantle health care, and the passage of a tax bill helping only an oligarchy, and obstruction of any constructive action for our people, etc. etc. et. -- the Republican Party has lost all claim to morality, legitimacy, or patriotism. We MUST sweep the entire damnable lot out of office.

"In this world, there are no sides.

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

I like Spader as an actor and enjoyed some of the early Blacklist shows. However, I have a it of a problem with a show glorifying an admittedly amoral character. The Trump administration exemplifies the institutionalization of amorality.

Do you think it is possible to make people alive after they die ? Should we do that, if possible ?

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

No, it is not possible.

What is your favorite color and why?

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

Blue. I see it as cool and peaceful.

Who stayed atheist?

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

To me, an atheism is one who knows about religion and has consciously rejected it. What you are describing is the absence of belief simply because one has had no experience -- either way -- with it. They are NOT the same.

Atheism Does't Excuse Intolerance I have seen racism, xenophobia, islamophobia, anti-semitism etc.

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

I agree wholeheartedly with you that we should all reject racism, ethnocentrism, racial superiority or any such thing -- and fight against it with vigor. But, I will always retain the right -- and obligation -- to criticize any culture -- including my own -- when there is evidence that the culture is destructive to human dignity and well-being.

Isn't the idea about the rapture silly?

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

It is not just silly. It is sheer lunacy! Anyone with half a mind who has ever read Revelations has to feel that the entire book was written by a demented lunatic.

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

wordywalt comments on Dec 3, 2017:

I consider it remotely possible, but unproven.

Today I was getting my hair-did at the hair salon.

wordywalt comments on Dec 2, 2017:

Glad you shared. It is always rewarding to find someone who really understands a part of you by sheer coincidence!

Is anyone else into genealogy or DNA testing?

wordywalt comments on Dec 2, 2017:

Yes. I have used Ancestry.com and its DNA service 23andme. I have been able to trace my lineage on my mother's side back to Switzerland in the 1400s, and my father's side back to coming into this country as German immigrants arriving in this country around 1750. The DNA analysis was also revealing in two senses. First it showed I am mostly from European lineage -- mainly Germanic English, and Scotch-Irish -- but also with 3 percent Neanderthal, 1.0 percent Scandinavian, 1.0 percent southern European (probably Spanish), and traces of Bantu (African), and American Indian (either Pima or Aztec) From the percentages I believe that I had a Spanish ancestor in Mexico in the 1500s who had a child with an Aztec, and that line shortly afterward shifted to Jamaica to include ancestor from a Black slave. In addition, the hereditary medical info is priceless.

Paul Piff: Does money make you mean? | TED Talk

wordywalt comments on Dec 2, 2017:

Back in the 1970s, when I was teaching a class of teaching methods for teaching social studies, I ysed a simulation called "Starpower" -- a simulation disguised as a game. In the simulation players were to trade tokens among other games, but the game was stacked in favor of one group from the very beginning. As the game went on, they accumulated more "wealth" their behavior became for domineering. When given the opportunity to change he rules, the group given the advantage always changed the rules to increase their advantage and control -- just like the Republicans in Congress are doing today. Each time the game was played with a different group new to the game, the behaviors of both privileged and disadvantaged changed depending on what transpired. It was a fantastic teaching tool. If you can find the simulation today, buy it convent a group of 8 - 10 people, play the game and watch what happens. Again, the name was Starpower."

Sweden have started providing everyone, working or not with a living wage, it is amazing the ...

wordywalt comments on Dec 2, 2017:

Interesting. Would like to follow the results over time.